We are just getting ready to go up to the Octagon for sherry before the Exchange Dinner with Linacre.
That's Oxford-speak to say that, in a few minutes, Andrew and I will walk up the spiral staircase from the computer lab to the Octagon. There, we will enjoy sherry before going over to the dining hall. Along with 13 other Hertford members and 15 members of Lincare College's MCR, we will enjoy (we hope) dinner together.
Normally, you can only eat at your own college's hall. However, a few times a term you can sign up for these "exchange dinners" with another college. They always work in pairs and you have to go to both dinners. If you sign up on the list (limited to a certain number of people from each college's MCR - in this case only 15, but usually more), you go to one dinner at your college's hall with the guests from the other college. Then, a week or so later, you attend a similar dinner with the other college (and the same people) at their hall. We heard Linacre, an all-graduate college which is rather new, had good food. Plus my husband is all about the mingling. It should be nice. Any time you have to sign up for a meal, the food is generally better.
Had a pretty dull couple of days around here. Andrew has been very busy writing his first paper (which was due yesterday) and so he had the computer for a few days. I have been mostly occupying myself with my Shelley biography, which I am now more than 300 pages into. It's still interesting and a very good read.
Today we went to the very touristy "The Oxford Story," which is a little ride through Oxford's history. Kind of cute. Totally hokey, but fairly interesting also. You ride through on an old fashioned desk which spirals you up and then down the building while you look at carved figures and hear about the famous times and people of the town. And, of course, they have you exit from your "desk" at the entrance to the overly priced gift shop, which was acutally quite well stocked with interesting items.
I'd best be off so we aren't too late for the start of things.
Posted by Erin at October 22, 2002 01:51 PM