varsity blues

Alice and I drove down to Oxford yesterday to give the Varsity squad some practice before their match in  few weeks. We played sets against four of their pairs, and considered ourselves in our own private Varsity match, as we both went to Cambridge. We lost two sets 6-2, 6-1 but won two 6-1, 6-0, so at the end, the result was that Cambridge won by one game! Hee. It was fun though. Good to get some practice in against strong players too.

Wimbledon draw at the Hartswood this afternoon so will see if I can snaffle any more tickets. Fingers crossed. Am watching the French Open at the minute - would love to see Federer win it, it's the only Grand Slam left that still eludes him.

Went out with Stan on Friday night to see Jenny Eclair at the Bloomsbury. I have to say that she was absolutely awful. The biggest load of anti-feminist negativity about women and aging I have ever heard, I think. Just cliche after cliche about how men are always up for sex but women don't want it, or how she was so fat now (she's a size 12) - and I think describing yourself in ways that might fit a 90 year old when you're actually 48 is just ridiculous. I was expecting her to be all edgy and feminist and funky, but NO. 

Might see the Sex and the City movie today... at least that will be exactly what I expect... terrible as that may be :)

more kitten pictures

If you're in the mood for a good story...

read Rachel North's mouse saga - starring her fat and lazy cat, Miff:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

I read it again last night when I couldn't sleep, and it still amuses me. I think my favourite part is when they drop the cat right on TOP of the mouse, and it still fails to catch it.

My small cat is now quite adept at catching and eating flies (little manker that she is). Fairy Godmother Louse also sent some marvellous cat toys which she has been enjoying. I'm trying to take pictures of her playing with them, but some are proving rather difficult as they involve leaping (cue lots of pictures without the cat even in the frame). When I have them, you'll have them.

Gender Institute yearly photo

Every year when I look at this group photo, I can't help feel that there must be a lot of academic departments made up entirely of unattractive people that cancel ours out!

This photo was taken last week, in one of the four days of summer we had. First one to spot me wins a prize :)

In other news, I should have a piece published online to add to my little 'publications' section soon. It's actually the Little Britain chapter, which is being published in two separate places (hurrah!). So if you're too cheap to buy the book, you can read the (more extended, but better) version online. Soon. Just have to make a few changes for the editors.

In kitten news, Yoko has discovered:

a) how to make a very whiny miaow when she wants to be picked up

b) how to get onto the kitchen surface where we keep her pot of toys and also things that she is not allowed to eat

c) that the kitten in the mirror is her (same cannot be said for shadow kitten on sunny days... this is still an enemy to be destroyed)

more kittenness

Lolcat

Riccardo inspired me to make a lolcat!

Believe it or not, I'm also reading feminist post-colonial theory right now...

Let's see if I have more fun

Ignoring the death stare, I like this picture because it is proof of a) blondeness, b) engagedness, and c) that I really did collect 2000 surveys. And you can only see half of them!

Actually my hair looks darker in this picture than it really is. Looks like Photo Booth is not omniscient after all...