More weekend fragments

[dolorosa_12]

I found out today that one of my cousins was actually in the US for work, covering the election (he works in TV news). He was mainly based during this time in Pennsylvania, so very much right at the heart of things. Bizarrely, he claimed he felt safer (in terms of the pandemic) in the US than he does in his home of Melbourne, which I just boggle at, given the comparable difference in cases, even when Melbourne was at its worst. I wonder if the strict Melbourne lockdown made him feel more uneasy, compared to the (sadly) relaxed situation in the US, even though the former of course makes things way safer than the latter.

*

I've finished the first draft of my Yuletide assignment. I'm going to let it sit a while before coming back to it for edits, and spend some time working on a couple of treats. Last year I managed five works in the main collection (my assignment and four treats), but I suspect I'm not quite going to manage a comparable number this year. We'll see.

*

Every so often, I'm reminded sharply how glad I am to have left academia in general, and Celtic Studies specifically. The most recent thing to have brought this home to me: two senior scholars in the field, who reviewed the work of a recently-deceased academic. This posthumous publication was mainly written while the latter was dying of cancer — in other words, in extremely trying circumstances. And yet these two senior academics spent their entire review — a whole 34 pages!!! — picking this person's work apart in the most vicious of tones (right down to nitpicking about comma placement). The whole thing is extremely cruel. And yes, that's par for the course in the field, unfortunately.

*

Like everyone else in my social circles, I've been completely consumed by the US election, and the stressful fallout, and it's rather affected my reading. That being said, I've tried to get things back on track, and have begun a reread of the entire Dark Is Rising sequence. These books to me are so deeply evocative of very specific physical locations, and very specific times in the year that to have begun the reread in November seems incongruous: Over Sea, Under Stone is such a story of summer, of sun-drenched seaside holidays that to read it in the dying days of autumn feels almost inapprorpriate. And of course if I go straight on to The Dark Is Rising it will be too early! I suppose nothing is stopping me from revisiting each book again at a more appropriate time of year.

*

Tomorrow is Matthias's birthday, and both of us have taken the day off work, meaning we'll get a long weekend. Obviously we're in lockdown, so it's not as if we'll be going anywhere (other than perhaps a nice walk), but it will be good to have a bit of a rest, given that I fell asleep for two hours yesterday afternoon, then slept for ten hours last night, and still feel somewhat exhausted.

*

I'll leave you with this highly seasonally appropriate short story by Iona Datt Sharma, 'Heard, Half-Heard, in the Stillness'.

Comments

[lirazel]

I'm very surprised to hear that about your cousin in PA. Huh.

Congrats on finishing a draft! I've been working on a treat, but I really should get back to my main assignment.

[dolorosa_12]

I suspect it's because when there's a strict lockdown, mandatory masks, and limits on how many people can go inside shops at a time, it's a visible reminder of the seriousness of the situation, which makes you feel more nervous.

Thank you, and good luck with your own Yuletide writing!

[bruttimabuoni]

Honestly, I find (humanities) academia nearly unbearable for what you state. It's not everyone, but there is a lot and it's not called out nearly enough for what it is - bullying, abusive, power-hungry, toxic.

All the Dark is Rising books, except maybe Silver on the Tree, are absolutely seasonal for me. It's Grey King weather, no mistake. (Incidentally, if you don't know of the podcast Backlist, I recommend it in general for a fairly interesting rediscovery of back catalogues (albeit a slightly too male one), but specifically they have promised to do the Dark is Rising for their Christmas edition. I will be looking out for this.

It is intensely tiring at the moment. Not just the news, the whole shebang. I hope your day off is restful.

[dolorosa_12]

Bullying and abusive definitely sums up the state of affairs in the little corner of Celtic Studies that I used to inhabit. Toxic masculinity doesn't even begin to describe it. Most of the newer, younger scholars coming into the field are lovely, but it really was such an old boys' club for so long that it will take a long time for the lingering effects of that toxicity to vanish.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds the Dark Is Rising books to be intensely seasonal (and I agree with you about Silver on the Tree — I assume it's set in late spring, just because of the thematic content, but it's been so long since I've read it that I'd need to double check). I'm not aware of that podcast, but I'll look out for it.

Everything really is just exhausting at the moment, isn't it?

[dhampyresa]

picking this person's work apart in the most vicious of tones

What the fuck

[dolorosa_12]

Celtic Studies — particularly the Irish side of things (from my experience those studying Welsh/Breton/Cornish are perfectly lovely) is really toxic: full of ageing, self-important men who feel it's better to create a hostile, competitive and viciously argumentative environment than a place that's welcoming and collaborative. Someone several decades ago described the field as somewhere where 'no stone was left unthrown,' and things haven't changed much since then. I'm glad I'm out.

[dhampyresa]

particularly the Irish side of things (from my experience those studying Welsh/Breton/Cornish are perfectly lovely) is really toxic

That's kind of odd. I wonder why it is.

[dolorosa_12]

Sadly, it's always been like this: toxic, vitriolic, and completely lacking in any kind of collaborative spirit. I think it's like any institutional culture: if that kind of behaviour is tolerated (or even applauded), it becomes the norm, and really hard to challenge.

[dhampyresa]

Ah, sorry! I was talking about the Brythonic vs Gaelic split. Thank you for the answer, though!

[dolorosa_12]

Oh, I see what you mean. I'm not entirely sure why the two disciplines are so different — because I studied medieval Irish literature, I'm more familiar with what it's like on the Goidelic side of things. I do have some friends who research Brythonic stuff, and my impression is that the senior academics in that field just seem to be calmer, more collegiate, and less nasty people. Generally, the tone is set by senior people in the field, so if toxicity is discouraged, it's less likely to flourish.

[dhampyresa]

That makes sense. Thank you for answering. Sorry your experience was bad.

[likeadeuce]

Ohh i read Over Sea Over Stone in the summer, when should I pick up 'Dark is Rising'?

[dolorosa_12]

The Dark Is Rising takes place over twelve days — from 20th December (which actually happens to be my birthday) until 1st January. It's very much about the transition from the darkest, shortest day of the year, to the increasing light.

[likeadeuce]

Solstice read! Sweet.

[laurenthemself]

The Melbourne lockdown was fucking intense, I'm so glad it's over, and so terrified that someone's going to bring the virus back in from interstate.

I don't know if I could go through it again.

[dolorosa_12]

Yes, it seemed even stricter than the lockdown we had here in the UK (we were allowed to leave our houses solely to exercise or to go to 'essential' shops like supermarkets or chemists, but although long-distance travel was discouraged it wasn't forbidden, unlike the closed borders in Victoria). I really hope you don't need to go through it again.

[trepkos]

Happy birthday to Matthias! I did know academia could be vicious - professors claiming their students' doctorate work, etc but that's beyond the Pale. Why is Celtic studies so much worse, I wonder?

[dolorosa_12]

The sad thing about Celtic Studies (and this is specifically the Irish side of things — the people studying Welsh/Cornish/Breton are nothing like this) is that it's a bit of an old boys' club, with a lot of toxic masculinity and posturing. There's an underlying attitude that you have to prove yourself at conferences by submitting to intense (and often unwarranted) grilling by senior scholars whenever you present a paper. It's horrible, and I'm glad I'm out.

[merit]

I guess because people were taking it a lot more seriously in Melbourne versus the US? all that anxiety can make people feel restless. Still, absolutely bonkers though.

Nitpicking commas... /eye roll/ yeah, sounds very good you left the scene!

[dolorosa_12]

Yes, I think I read somewhere that people feel more uneasy (but also better understand the severity of the situation) if there's a visible strict lockdown with masks and properly enforced social distancing. I'm assuming that was the contrast between Melbourne and Philadelphia.

There are corners of Celtic Studies which are truly toxic, and I don't regret leaving for a second.