Trains, Trains and the odd Automobile

I have conquered my fear of trains. This may not appear to be a big deal, I know.

(And it's probably not, since it's pretty irrational fear and a crap one at that. I read in a magazine about a woman who had a phobia of the male genitalia. Honestly.)

Despite my elation at conquering said fear, I may cry if I have to run across one more platform lugging my ill-thought out luggage- I'm a terrible packer. However, despite late trains, trains in the wrong direction, drunk welsh football fans and freezing compartments I feel like quite the veteran traveller. Considering that when I first came to uni my first train journey consisted of me getting lost at Bristol Temple Meads station, not understanding which tickets were which and holding everyone up at the barriers, then going out the wrong exit at Derby and not being allowed back in the station, my being able to navigate platforms logically is quite the achievement.

It may not be much, but I'm running with it.

Plus my fringe is starting to grow back out so I know longer look like an unfortunate small boy, thank god.

Me and My Shadow

There is literally no escaping Jane at the moment.

I decided to watch Friends re runs to take my mind off the sheer amount of Austen work I've been doing these last few days.

I never realised that Olivia Williams plays the bridesmaid in the London episode. And of course, the first thing that I thought was "My god, Joey is kissing Jane Austen!"

DAMN.

All for the love of Jane

So the Jane Austen Festival has begun, we've been going for three days and everybody is already completely knackered. I spent all day Saturday manning my Festival Facebook stand, which turned out to be pretty successful, thank Jane. However, then having to work all day today pretty much killed me- and tomorrow I have to get up at about 6am to go to Kent. Great. I can't really complain, since I really wanted to go and it seemed like a perfectly acceptable idea to go right in the middle of the festival.

My planning skills amaze even me sometimes.

But still, tomorrow I get to see Godmersham Park, home of Jane's third brother Edward which I have to admit is really exciting. Hopefully I'll be able to get some great pictures for the book, which of course is my main reason for visiting.

Obviously, being me my main worry is not the long journey or getting what I need but how to dress. I quickly realised when people meet me they aren't quite expecting a 20 year old with a pixie crop hair cut, so a Wonder Woman tshirt is probably not the best choice of outfit. On the other hand, I've got spend about six hours on a train so my pencil skirt and blouse is not going to be comfortable AT ALL.

Clearly this is another of my trials as a twentysomething- the art of dressing accurately.

"My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation... But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation.' - Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of Four

Today it has rained. And rained, and just to top it all off, rained some more. As a result I have spent the entire day sat inside, in a hoodie and joggers feeling entirely and utterly unmotivated. Are there plenty of things for me to do? Oh yes. Not only do I have a lecturer to prepare, books to read, a book to write and never mind the ungodly state of my bedroom, I have sat in this chair for the past three hours.

It's not so much the fact that I wanted to go out. My plan was in fact to spend the day inside working, but the fact that its raining suddenly makes it feel as if I'm trapped inside, hence my listelessness. Clearly it's just another case of my wanting what I can't have, but still, it's left me almost totally unmotivated.

Am I bored? Probably. Will I do something about it? Probably not.

The Dawn of My Actual Life

Having now escaped the bubble that was my 'Italian' Summer- for anyone that might have wondered, I did not spontaneously combust since my last post. I was actually quite good at the teaching thing. I think- and returned to the relative normality of my life in Bath, I figured it was probably a good time to get back to blogging.

So after deciding that teaching was the correct life choice for me, I had settled myself to this fate.

That is until, out of the blue, someone has offered me the fate I had really started to think I wasn't going to get. Don't ask me quite how or why, but it has been decided that I am capable of writing a book. A book about Jane.

By this time next year- when I will be considerably more of a twentysomething at almost 22- I may well be the author of my very own, actual, real life book. And in a few weeks time, I'm going to be giving what is essentially a lecture on Northanger Abbey. I don't want to get my hopes to high, but it's starting to look like life might actually turn out the way I'd hoped it might. All because I know more about Jane Austen than is healthy for a girl of 20.

Who knew being a massive geek could ever become so profitable.

All hail Jane, that's what I say. Amen.