Chairlady Mao came good with a late run, offering me a seventeen and half thousand word long assignment, a Ph.D. thesis on virtual and augmented reality. It was actually quite interesting to read the paper, and even involved the odd phrase or word of Latin. I was reviewing another editor's work, and there were actually a shed load of little mistakes (some quite crucial) but I did not mention these in my review, because I know how hard it is to be criticised harshly not only in my day job, but also as an editor. The editor didn't do a bad job, so I said as much, even if I was a little too generous in my praise, and could have been more critical and blunt.
The little Windows machine I have couldn't cope with the online Word 365, so I broke out with the Chromebook Spin, which did a fantastic job. The upshot of this little ordeal (I only just made the deadline on time) is that I realise now that despite the drawbacks of using 'Word Lite' so to speak, I can now edit works from the other firm (for the old ball and chain) on my Chromebook.
That... place was a bloody nightmare. It does not bear thinking about. I've been working flat out from the moment I awoke until now. I've only just got home a little while ago, and so am enjoying a nice glass of the very finest wine available, and I bloody well deserve it.
I have made some progress with my play Boadicea: Queen of the Iceni, and it is nearing completion. I have prioritised this as my top priority publication, because I have a deadline: June the 3rd. I will spend my week off ensuring that it goes to print, free from error, in the best, most polished and refined condition possible. This will inevitably lead to more books being published (my two translations: Nennius, and also Apuleius' De deo Socratis), and more translations still (I have a further two which are half complete). This will not provide very much revenue, but only a trickle, and only after three months or so.
I have decided to go ahead with teaching for the old ball and chain. This is going to be a lot of work. (Not least of which learning ancient Greek as best I can as quickly as possible). It involves designing, then teaching an entire module, probably two. However, with some small amount of editing work coming in from Chairlady Mao, coupled with a trickle of revenue from my books, and the lion's share from teaching, will mean I can finally claw my way out of indentured servitude. I am not a fan of being told what to do by those... people, at all.
I have been reading law again, and I must say that this an area of academia which I am growing increasingly fond of, day by day. It encompasses many different subjects, many: forensics, biology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, oratory, history, and of course, the law. The study of criminal law is not actually the study of the law. It is the study of crime, in a legal framework or context. I actually really like it. I like the Latin in it (which goes without saying) but also the very fine balancing act between judgements passed and defendants being either convicted or acquitted. It is actually quite fascinating. There is no other area of law I would rather study, than criminal law. Why? It is interesting. If you think reading prosaic novels of fiction is fascinating, try reading criminal law cases. Real life, is much stranger than any fiction.
Max.
No comments:
Post a Comment