And you can listen to the sound here: https://soundcloud.com/ancient-greek-monochord/sets/epitaph-of-seikilos
I love you all so much. xoxoxo
Friday, March 14, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
Woohoo, another museum blog post!
Sticking with the slightly grotesque and intriguing theme, I'm talking about Chinese foot binding. I used these shoes in the handling session with the teenagers in February and it was by far the most popular item, and every group asked me lots of questions about them, so I figured they would be interesting enough for a blog post. Hope y'all like it!
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/engage/blog/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/
Lots of love! xoxoxoxoxo
Sticking with the slightly grotesque and intriguing theme, I'm talking about Chinese foot binding. I used these shoes in the handling session with the teenagers in February and it was by far the most popular item, and every group asked me lots of questions about them, so I figured they would be interesting enough for a blog post. Hope y'all like it!
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/engage/blog/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/
Lots of love! xoxoxoxoxo
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Everything is happening all at once, and it's really exciting and scary and stressful and awesome all at once!
I have a display in the university building (2 cases on Ancient Greek music, with audio) and a case for an exhibit coming through the museum (called Magic Worlds- it's all about magic and fairytales and illusion. My case is about DRAGONS!), writing about the Ethnographic gallery for a museum guidebook they're working on. To be published and sold! So if my writing was in that, that would be pretty cool. All of that is happening in early/mid March. Agghhh! And an event in May that I feel totally at a loss about. And the documentation, which is massive and will include a trip to Edinburgh, and needing to secure many more music tracks with appropriate licenses and photograph all the instruments, and research and write detailed summaries of the cultures they come from, how they are used, etc.
Plus school work.
Ahhh!
But it's really amazing, because if I can do everything well, then I'll feel like I've really contributed during my placement. And I'll have done lots of things in different areas, which will look good on my CV. I even did a handling session on my own for a sleepover in February, with 150 13 year olds that cycled through in groups. At least some of the kids were actually interested in the objects I brought and what I had to tell them, which I was really pleased with!
I'll post lots of pictures from the displays as they get installed. I did already set up the soundcloud account for the Ancient Greek music display. (Link: https://soundcloud.com/ancient-greek-monochord/sets/epitaph-of-seikilos)
It's only about a minute and a half of audio, but I think it's really interesting how different Ancient Greek music sounded. It sounds like it's out of tune to us, but that tuning would have sounded natural to them. And the Ancient Greeks had many different tunings, and they were very distinct. Dr. Creese illustrates two different tunings in the recordings. He plays a song found on a stone post called the Epitaph of Seikilos.
The lyrics mean
"While you're alive, shine!
Don't be sad at all.
Life is just for a little while,
Time demands its due"
I love it! Ok, so the last line is a bit dark, but I just love that the Ancient Greeks used "shine" to mean "be happy"! I think we should readopt that meaning.
And Andrew and Dr. Creese said they really like my interpretation, which is surprisingly hard to write. It has to be juuuuuust the right levels of intellectual and fun and explanatory. They have to be understandable by an average 17 year old (for the university display; 12 year old for displays in the museum), but still accurate, and interesting enough not to bore the pants off visitors.
Back to work for me, but I wanted to let y'all know why I've been so busy. I'm so excited! (Stressed too, but SO EXCITED!) It'll be my very display, so I want it to be the best I can make it. And the Magic Worlds dragon case will be seen by SO MANY people. It's in the museum in with a popular traveling exhibition. That makes me really nervous. And it'll be in the same exhibition space with cases and labels done by real curators at the Museum of Childhood and the V&A.
Oh yeah, and the Late Shows are coming up. That's a couple nights in May when museums and other institutions stay open until 11 at night and put on special events. I'm really looking forward to what the GNM will do! I'm going to try to get involved if I have the time. I loved going as a visitor last year, and it would be so cool to get to work with it.
OH! I almost forgot the best part! The Magic Worlds exhibition is opening March 22, and all the staff have to wear COSTUMES. I can help with the opening, and therefore I have a totally socially acceptable reason to wear a fairytale costume to work! And as a massive fairytale and fantasy nerd, this exhibit is the best fit ever. They even have adult sized HOBBIT FEET and cloaks in the costume section. Oh and my case is going to have the Alan Lee illustrated version of the Hobbit in it! (Boy, I really AM a nerd.)
BUT YES this is so exciting!
I've got to figure out my costume soon, too. What do you all think? What should I dress up as?
xoxoxoxoxoxo <3
I have a display in the university building (2 cases on Ancient Greek music, with audio) and a case for an exhibit coming through the museum (called Magic Worlds- it's all about magic and fairytales and illusion. My case is about DRAGONS!), writing about the Ethnographic gallery for a museum guidebook they're working on. To be published and sold! So if my writing was in that, that would be pretty cool. All of that is happening in early/mid March. Agghhh! And an event in May that I feel totally at a loss about. And the documentation, which is massive and will include a trip to Edinburgh, and needing to secure many more music tracks with appropriate licenses and photograph all the instruments, and research and write detailed summaries of the cultures they come from, how they are used, etc.
Plus school work.
Ahhh!
But it's really amazing, because if I can do everything well, then I'll feel like I've really contributed during my placement. And I'll have done lots of things in different areas, which will look good on my CV. I even did a handling session on my own for a sleepover in February, with 150 13 year olds that cycled through in groups. At least some of the kids were actually interested in the objects I brought and what I had to tell them, which I was really pleased with!
I'll post lots of pictures from the displays as they get installed. I did already set up the soundcloud account for the Ancient Greek music display. (Link: https://soundcloud.com/ancient-greek-monochord/sets/epitaph-of-seikilos)
It's only about a minute and a half of audio, but I think it's really interesting how different Ancient Greek music sounded. It sounds like it's out of tune to us, but that tuning would have sounded natural to them. And the Ancient Greeks had many different tunings, and they were very distinct. Dr. Creese illustrates two different tunings in the recordings. He plays a song found on a stone post called the Epitaph of Seikilos.
The lyrics mean
"While you're alive, shine!
Don't be sad at all.
Life is just for a little while,
Time demands its due"
I love it! Ok, so the last line is a bit dark, but I just love that the Ancient Greeks used "shine" to mean "be happy"! I think we should readopt that meaning.
And Andrew and Dr. Creese said they really like my interpretation, which is surprisingly hard to write. It has to be juuuuuust the right levels of intellectual and fun and explanatory. They have to be understandable by an average 17 year old (for the university display; 12 year old for displays in the museum), but still accurate, and interesting enough not to bore the pants off visitors.
Back to work for me, but I wanted to let y'all know why I've been so busy. I'm so excited! (Stressed too, but SO EXCITED!) It'll be my very display, so I want it to be the best I can make it. And the Magic Worlds dragon case will be seen by SO MANY people. It's in the museum in with a popular traveling exhibition. That makes me really nervous. And it'll be in the same exhibition space with cases and labels done by real curators at the Museum of Childhood and the V&A.
Oh yeah, and the Late Shows are coming up. That's a couple nights in May when museums and other institutions stay open until 11 at night and put on special events. I'm really looking forward to what the GNM will do! I'm going to try to get involved if I have the time. I loved going as a visitor last year, and it would be so cool to get to work with it.
OH! I almost forgot the best part! The Magic Worlds exhibition is opening March 22, and all the staff have to wear COSTUMES. I can help with the opening, and therefore I have a totally socially acceptable reason to wear a fairytale costume to work! And as a massive fairytale and fantasy nerd, this exhibit is the best fit ever. They even have adult sized HOBBIT FEET and cloaks in the costume section. Oh and my case is going to have the Alan Lee illustrated version of the Hobbit in it! (Boy, I really AM a nerd.)
BUT YES this is so exciting!
I've got to figure out my costume soon, too. What do you all think? What should I dress up as?
xoxoxoxoxoxo <3
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Hey! It's been forever since my last post. But look! My research blog was posted by the museum today! I'm trying to learn how to write in a way that gets people interested. Please tell me what you think.
Warning: Contains somewhat creepy pictures
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/engage/blog/roll-up-roll-up-see-the-mermaid/
(Apparently, "roll up, roll up" is like the British version of "Step right up" or "Come on down" - like how carnival attractions are advertised. eg: Hey folks! Step right up! See the amazing TWO HEADED SNAKE! etc)
xoxoxoxo
Warning: Contains somewhat creepy pictures
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/engage/blog/roll-up-roll-up-see-the-mermaid/
(Apparently, "roll up, roll up" is like the British version of "Step right up" or "Come on down" - like how carnival attractions are advertised. eg: Hey folks! Step right up! See the amazing TWO HEADED SNAKE! etc)
xoxoxoxo
Monday, December 9, 2013
Hey guys! So one of the posts I wrote got posted to the museum's FB page! I send them to the Communications Officer and she (or one of the curators) decides what gets posted.
Woohoo! It's freaky seeing that up all official looking. I almost never post on my own facebook page, much less this.
I'm sure y'all won't embarrass me. :P Hehe! Guess which one's mine...
https://www.facebook.com/greatnorthmuseum
ALSO: I saw a Fiji Mermaid at the museum today! It was being photographed for an exhibit coming up in a few months, and it's insane! It's a young monkey upper body attached to a wooden carved middle and a fish tail, all taxidermied to look like a mummified mermaid. It is FREAKY. It will haunt my dreams. And yet... It's amazing! I mean, this is a crazy bizarre object and I just ran into it in the hallway in my work! I spent about half an hour after seeing it researching it. I had to know why it existed and then I just got interested. It's so cool! I feel like I could spend all my time exploring the stores, and writing stories about their bizarre histories. I just love this job.
So these mermaids were created by the Japanese, and the oldest is kept by Shinto monks at the base of Mt. Fuji and is nearly 1400 years old. Other specimens are kept across Japan in temples and collections, and across the world in oddities collections and museums. PT Barnum of Barnum and Bailey's Circus had one of these! He tricked people, with a fake backstory, and even the "scientist" who found it. He manipulated all the local newspapers into massive publicity over and over in multiple cities. In the southern tour, he nearly caused a riot and a duel! I could go into so much more detail, but to be honest, it's after 8 and I haven't started dinner! I'd better get going
edit: If you're interested, the Horniman Museum tested their Fiji Merman to see how it's made, of what materials, etc. They CT scanned it and DNA tests, the whole shebang! It's a really interesting read! (At least for me. :P Maybe don't read if that picture above freaked you out. <3)
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/collections/unmasking-the-mysterious-merman
<3 Can't wait to be home for Christmas! 8 more days! Ahhh! xoxoxoxo
Woohoo! It's freaky seeing that up all official looking. I almost never post on my own facebook page, much less this.
I'm sure y'all won't embarrass me. :P Hehe! Guess which one's mine...
https://www.facebook.com/greatnorthmuseum
ALSO: I saw a Fiji Mermaid at the museum today! It was being photographed for an exhibit coming up in a few months, and it's insane! It's a young monkey upper body attached to a wooden carved middle and a fish tail, all taxidermied to look like a mummified mermaid. It is FREAKY. It will haunt my dreams. And yet... It's amazing! I mean, this is a crazy bizarre object and I just ran into it in the hallway in my work! I spent about half an hour after seeing it researching it. I had to know why it existed and then I just got interested. It's so cool! I feel like I could spend all my time exploring the stores, and writing stories about their bizarre histories. I just love this job.
So these mermaids were created by the Japanese, and the oldest is kept by Shinto monks at the base of Mt. Fuji and is nearly 1400 years old. Other specimens are kept across Japan in temples and collections, and across the world in oddities collections and museums. PT Barnum of Barnum and Bailey's Circus had one of these! He tricked people, with a fake backstory, and even the "scientist" who found it. He manipulated all the local newspapers into massive publicity over and over in multiple cities. In the southern tour, he nearly caused a riot and a duel! I could go into so much more detail, but to be honest, it's after 8 and I haven't started dinner! I'd better get going
edit: If you're interested, the Horniman Museum tested their Fiji Merman to see how it's made, of what materials, etc. They CT scanned it and DNA tests, the whole shebang! It's a really interesting read! (At least for me. :P Maybe don't read if that picture above freaked you out. <3)
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/collections/unmasking-the-mysterious-merman
<3 Can't wait to be home for Christmas! 8 more days! Ahhh! xoxoxoxo
Saturday, December 7, 2013
I finally have photos! SO MANY PHOTOS!
First, last Thursday, Michael and I went out for a "Thanksgiving" dinner at a local restaurant, a burger place that does sort of over the top "Americana" food, like extravagant burgers, etc.
This meal was ABSURD, guys. ABSURD. It started with a big pile of super spicy buffalo sauce turkey strips. Then a burger and sweet potato fries, but oh that freaking burger. GIANT burger. GIANT. Made with really nice beef. But then, candied bacon... yes, CANDIED. With tons of onion jam and swiss cheese. On a cronut bun. That's a donut made of croissant dough. Yep. I didn't even know that existed til then. All this stuck through with a candy cane. PLUS an oreo malted milkshake (although this was not a milkshake, it was the british version, made with milk, no icecream, which was probably a mercy to the diner's arteries) and THEN a peanut butter cookie with vanilla icecream. However, Michael is allergic to peanuts, and by the end of the set menu (flat price for the whole "Thanksgiving meal") I was stuffed, so we got them to sub lemon sorbet for me and a FANTASTIC brownie sundae for Michael. Absolutely swimming in salted caramel sauce, all of which he ate. I couldn't finish a single of the courses, and Michael ate almost all of my leftovers too! It was unbelievable! I thought he was going to die. Just for an idea of the craziness of the this meal, I took a photo of the burger.
Then, last friday, I helped set up a new display in the Student Centre building! I helped a bit with the display stuff, and found some photos, but it was mostly another curator's work. She and I had to figure out stands for all the strangely shaped objects, and it was so absurd. We balanced things on blocks taped together and weighted stands with other stands so they couldn't tip over. It was like MacGyver! It was pretty fun, though, finding solutions to weird objects.
I took photos while we were working for documentation. The museums likes to put behind the scenes stuff up on the blog and keep records of how things were laid out and what objects went on display, in case something happens.
I sort of forgot to take photos until we'd been working for about 30 minutes. We started with this case.
Now y'all can see what we do when we arrange an exhibit!
Caaaaaarefully positioning labels and whatnot.
One of the MacGyvered stands, this one holding up an Australian Indigenous shield. Christo ingeniously figured this one out.
Me putting stuff in the case. All red-faced and windblown from going in between the museum and student services building.
Check out our awesome stands! These were such a battle. Just about every item needed us to track down extra bits and tape things together, or weight them, or pad them, or all of the above.
Setting up the signs and interpretation panels.
The display is done! Woohoo! Forgive the giant antismoking poster.
And THEN! On Saturday I had the BALL! There aren't a lot of candid photos, I think everyone was too busy having fun. It was a great night!
Here are all the pictures Alex (my flatmate) took with his big fancy camera for everyone. It was FREEZING outside where we took the photos. FREEZING! And with an occasional biting wind. The guys were having a good old time, but the girls were all frozen. I think our smiles sometimes look at bit stiff, which it probably our mouths starting to freeze solid. :P
LOOK AT THE CASTLE! Y'ALL I'M AT A BALL IN A CASTLE!
I look a foot shorter than everyone, since I'm the only one not in super high heels. I didn't think how it would look until I saw these lined up pictures. But I ended up hurting my foot pretty badly that night anyway, so it was definitely a good thing I wore the comfy flats.
My dress was waaaay too big. Dad mentioned to me a couple days before about trying it on, and I definitely should have done. But Michael and Jess (in picture below) helped me pin it on. We needed tons of safety pins, but by the end of the night, I think 4 were left in it. I hope no barefoot guests stepped on the pins on the dance floor or something.
.jpg)
Michael and me. :3 Isn't his mustache awesome! Hehe :P
And check this out. We were eating in the room used to film the great hall! It's not as big as it looks in the film, but it was beautiful. My cell phone photos don't do it justice.
On Sunday I recovered and woke up to fine that I couldn't walk on my left foot. I was really careful with it for days, and while it's still sore and really stuff, I can walk around and wear regular shoes again. I have an appointment with podiatrist next week, so no worries. :)
I also got to see some of my friends from my course when they all graduated this Wednesday. Michael also graduated and his parents were over, but I got to meet my friends for a little while before I had to go home in order to get up for work the next morning. :P
I hope you guys like my massive picture dump. I had a great, but INCREDIBLY busy week. I felt like I'd been drained of blood by the end of this week. My foot is still pretty painful, and I never really got much of a chance to rest it, with Michael's parents in town and my friends. And sleep was of course in short supply. I'm so grateful for the weekend. I'm going to bed early and sleeping late and it's going to be amazing. :P
Oh AND.
AND.
I GOT MY VISA! I'm going home for Christmas and finishing my degree!!!! It wasn't likely that I wouldn't get it, but I'm still SO EXCITED to have in it my hands and know that my situation is stable for the next year. :) I CAN'T WAIT TO COME HOME! <3 <3 <3 <3
I love you all so much and I can't wait to go home and see everyone. <3 Hugs and kisses! xoxoxoxo
First, last Thursday, Michael and I went out for a "Thanksgiving" dinner at a local restaurant, a burger place that does sort of over the top "Americana" food, like extravagant burgers, etc.
This meal was ABSURD, guys. ABSURD. It started with a big pile of super spicy buffalo sauce turkey strips. Then a burger and sweet potato fries, but oh that freaking burger. GIANT burger. GIANT. Made with really nice beef. But then, candied bacon... yes, CANDIED. With tons of onion jam and swiss cheese. On a cronut bun. That's a donut made of croissant dough. Yep. I didn't even know that existed til then. All this stuck through with a candy cane. PLUS an oreo malted milkshake (although this was not a milkshake, it was the british version, made with milk, no icecream, which was probably a mercy to the diner's arteries) and THEN a peanut butter cookie with vanilla icecream. However, Michael is allergic to peanuts, and by the end of the set menu (flat price for the whole "Thanksgiving meal") I was stuffed, so we got them to sub lemon sorbet for me and a FANTASTIC brownie sundae for Michael. Absolutely swimming in salted caramel sauce, all of which he ate. I couldn't finish a single of the courses, and Michael ate almost all of my leftovers too! It was unbelievable! I thought he was going to die. Just for an idea of the craziness of the this meal, I took a photo of the burger.
Then, last friday, I helped set up a new display in the Student Centre building! I helped a bit with the display stuff, and found some photos, but it was mostly another curator's work. She and I had to figure out stands for all the strangely shaped objects, and it was so absurd. We balanced things on blocks taped together and weighted stands with other stands so they couldn't tip over. It was like MacGyver! It was pretty fun, though, finding solutions to weird objects.
I took photos while we were working for documentation. The museums likes to put behind the scenes stuff up on the blog and keep records of how things were laid out and what objects went on display, in case something happens.
I sort of forgot to take photos until we'd been working for about 30 minutes. We started with this case.
Now y'all can see what we do when we arrange an exhibit!
Caaaaaarefully positioning labels and whatnot.
One of the MacGyvered stands, this one holding up an Australian Indigenous shield. Christo ingeniously figured this one out.
Me putting stuff in the case. All red-faced and windblown from going in between the museum and student services building.
Check out our awesome stands! These were such a battle. Just about every item needed us to track down extra bits and tape things together, or weight them, or pad them, or all of the above.
Setting up the signs and interpretation panels.
The display is done! Woohoo! Forgive the giant antismoking poster.
And THEN! On Saturday I had the BALL! There aren't a lot of candid photos, I think everyone was too busy having fun. It was a great night!
Here are all the pictures Alex (my flatmate) took with his big fancy camera for everyone. It was FREEZING outside where we took the photos. FREEZING! And with an occasional biting wind. The guys were having a good old time, but the girls were all frozen. I think our smiles sometimes look at bit stiff, which it probably our mouths starting to freeze solid. :P
LOOK AT THE CASTLE! Y'ALL I'M AT A BALL IN A CASTLE!
I look a foot shorter than everyone, since I'm the only one not in super high heels. I didn't think how it would look until I saw these lined up pictures. But I ended up hurting my foot pretty badly that night anyway, so it was definitely a good thing I wore the comfy flats.
My dress was waaaay too big. Dad mentioned to me a couple days before about trying it on, and I definitely should have done. But Michael and Jess (in picture below) helped me pin it on. We needed tons of safety pins, but by the end of the night, I think 4 were left in it. I hope no barefoot guests stepped on the pins on the dance floor or something.
.jpg)
Michael and me. :3 Isn't his mustache awesome! Hehe :P
And check this out. We were eating in the room used to film the great hall! It's not as big as it looks in the film, but it was beautiful. My cell phone photos don't do it justice.
On Sunday I recovered and woke up to fine that I couldn't walk on my left foot. I was really careful with it for days, and while it's still sore and really stuff, I can walk around and wear regular shoes again. I have an appointment with podiatrist next week, so no worries. :)
I also got to see some of my friends from my course when they all graduated this Wednesday. Michael also graduated and his parents were over, but I got to meet my friends for a little while before I had to go home in order to get up for work the next morning. :P
I hope you guys like my massive picture dump. I had a great, but INCREDIBLY busy week. I felt like I'd been drained of blood by the end of this week. My foot is still pretty painful, and I never really got much of a chance to rest it, with Michael's parents in town and my friends. And sleep was of course in short supply. I'm so grateful for the weekend. I'm going to bed early and sleeping late and it's going to be amazing. :P
Oh AND.
AND.
I GOT MY VISA! I'm going home for Christmas and finishing my degree!!!! It wasn't likely that I wouldn't get it, but I'm still SO EXCITED to have in it my hands and know that my situation is stable for the next year. :) I CAN'T WAIT TO COME HOME! <3 <3 <3 <3
I love you all so much and I can't wait to go home and see everyone. <3 Hugs and kisses! xoxoxoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)