Metaphor

I'm writing the chapter on metaphor, which is quite challenging. Cohen's metaphors are obscure and I can't pick and choose because I've done the logical thing of 'every nth line' to produce 100 lines to work with. But a huge number of them contain metaphor. 'Between the sundial and the chain'?? 'Avalanche' is a lyric with no further reference to avalanches but I think I've worked that one out. 'To a teacher' is bothering me at the moment. I've really settled back after a busy Easter (all the cakes turned out well and were in demand) and I'm making progress.

We also had a day out at Beamish with Dinosaur, who refused to sleep all day because of the excitement of all the activity - vintage cars, trams, steam tractors and a small farm. At least we delivered him back safe and exhausted - like we were.

I mentioned a while ago that I'd moved on from my Old Faithful hairdresser. The new salon has a lot of different stylists who keep leaving, so I've had four so far. Today I had the salon owner (New Star) at a reduced price because someone left suddenly. He was brilliant - I haven't had my hair cut so attentively since the 70s, when I was young and vain. OK, so now I'm old and vain. We didn't talk about holidays. Just hair and layers and maintenance for a whole hour. And I've got the sort of sharp(ish) cut I didn't think my hair was capable of. I suppose the real test is tomorrow when I attempt it myself.

It really is nearly finished

S likes my discussion section and says it reads well and contains some good ideas. I am so thrilled because its the first praise I've had. So I just need to add in a conclusion (which he says I can merge with the discussion), adjust the word count and do lots and lots of proof-reading. I am so relieved and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I loved the analysis part but absolutely hated every minute of the writing up. And normally I love writing but the style of this has felt so strange to me.

I've cancelled my next appointment with Old Faithful, but I don't think he's fully got the message that I'm not going back. He was very defensive about how short he had cut it and said 'it was lovely when I left the salon'. Well, he always makes it look lovely at that stage but that's no good to me the next morning.

We've been away for a few days - blogged here http://fromthesilversea.blogspot.co.uk/ and will be going on another cruise soon. TSH and I will both spend a sea day sanity checking the dissertation.

A busy day

I'm working through the dissertation and finding lots of places where I can improve it. I also found a Table with some incorrectly calculated numbers!!! If I'm the scientific nerd who doesn't like writing in an 'arts' style, the least I can do is get the calculations right.

I had a big wardrobe clear out and quite a few garments are going to charity. My wardrobes are still overfull but there are 'good' items I can't bring myself to get rid of even though they are not my preferred ones any more. Maybe I should have been more ruthless with things I haven't worn for a couple of years or more. I probably need someone to do the job with me like they do in the makeover programs on the telly.

I'm having great trauma with my hair. I agreed with Old Faithfull that he would stop being randomly creative and that he would do 'same every time'. Since then, TSH has been photographing it after every visit and then during the period before it is cut again. And its been the same until this time, when it isn't. Its far too short. But I don't like the style I've been having either but I know if I tell him that, he'll go random again. Do I hate the hair or do I hate the way I look at 62?

Rushing around

We've been to visit TSH's mother (age 94 and still in very good physical and mental health) and his daughter.  This meant 500 miles of driving and a number of late (for us, anyway) nights and early mornings. It will be just us plus a visitor for drinks on Christmas Day itself.

Old Faithful took the hair discussion very well and we now have a new plan for 'identical every time'.

I haven't even written up my notes from the Skype with S. At this time of year Christmas seems to take over even if there are no real plans. But I've decorated the cake - marzipan, icing, icing stars scattered on top and a few white sugar sprinkles.

Skyped

I met S by Skype and he gave me some good steers on what needs improving. We have agreed on a strategy whereby I will include some manual analysis, some corpus (computer) analysis and then show that there are linguistic features which can only be detected by one or the other and features which show up in both methods. He says I am on track for where I should be at this time.

Tomorrow I go to see Old Faithful for the Christmas hair-style. I'm still furious about last time, when he cut it far too short. It looks better now than it did during the first week after my last visit. Its not a very private salon, so I need to have a fairly difficult conversation in front of all the other stylists and clients.

I was busy with the Skype, so for the first time TSH is putting the tree up. I've given him a few hints from my experience but he is storming ahead his own way (regular readers will not be surprised) and is then baffled because the final string of lights won't reach the socket.

And I still think I looked old on the screen during the Skype session.

A bit better

At its worst, my back was so bad I couldn't even turn over in bed. I had to get out and then get in from a different angle - taking about ten minutes. But the last couple of days it has loosened up through the day and by evening its bearable. But bad again in the mornings.

I walked into town again today for the first time for over a week because I has a hair appointment. Old Faithful has done me another good cut and said 'its really better choppy on top'. I always ask for 'choppy on top' - complicated bits of longer hair were always his idea done without consultation. The salon was like Clapham junction. Lots of people arriving and clattering about. He kept starting conversations with me and then deciding someone else's conversation was more interesting. Probably true but so rude! When I have my hair done, it should be all about me.

Made some progress on the trial transcripts yesterday - I'm really enjoying this one. The Shipman trial asks really precise questions but the Duke of Norfolk one asks him about four things at once and then lets him give long answers which I don't think would be allowed in a modern trial.

We're thinking of boycotting Amazon this year because they don't pay their tax. But I'm shocked at how few other outlets with a wide range there are now. And one CD costs around £10 at Amazon and around £20 elsewhere. So people would get less in their parcels! Its a tough one - why don't they just announce they will pay up?