Helen Lovatt
@helenlovatt
Professor of Classics at Nottingham, writing, cats, brass banding, flowers. Power of Sadness, Latin Epic, Argonauts crossing. She/they. Legally blind
Only 6 days to go until Apple of Discord returns! Come see me being Homer! Prep for Nolan’s Odyssey by starting at the very beginning of the Trojan story! Book here: www.universe.com/events/apple...
Writing lists of positives and forgiving my own human (Audhd?) flaws. I have such a warped relationship with time. And a bit of me is still in that strange place outside time where the only decisions were how much pain killer to administer and how best to provide porridge and tea without him choking
Feeling rough this morning though it is beautiful in the garden and not too hot. I guess my mind/body is probably owed some down time. But also there is still so much to do
It’s so weird to be back home, but also lovely to see my garden (even if rainy), my bialetti (coffee tasty), my baritone (can still play!) and my monitor (work so much easier!). Cats still angry though. Meanwhile Andrew has reconditioned the old kitchen table and bought a sewing machine.
My father is gone. He was contradictory, complicated and believed in the power of a piece of string. I’m glad he’s not in pain any more and that he died in the place he lived with the sound of tractors passing the window.
Looking after my parents: no plan to go home. This does feel a bit like my own personal lock down. At least the carers provide interaction, but there’s no local source of takeaway pizza or curry. The countryside is prettier though.
And how much of a problem is it that the sector’s best known media outlet is owned by a private equity group with an explicit business focused agenda?
Very good advice. I particularly like the conclusion, with excellent advice on conclusions
Happy to be at home sitting in the sun with delicious coffee, an interesting book to referee and glittery ink in my pen. Now teaching prep. I am very lucky.
Wow - gone through my cards to reflect on what needs improving, and I’ve done 30 different stories over these two last evenings. It was a steady stream of people, and quite a few wanted more than one story, but I hadn’t realised how many I’d performed!
Time to memorise the beats of my stories. Borrowed my daughter’s index cards. Love a memorisation task!
On my way to Sheffield to talk about my power of sadness project. Put Homer aside and engage Virgil mode!
After a week of feeling groggy and winging it, now very scattered, and still loads of catching up to do. Please send things to help me focus!
Here’s the bench! Hope this dies the job, can email higher resolution if needed
Centre for Ancient Mythology and its Reception: excited to announce discussion event with Dr Joe Strickland of theatre company Chronic Insanity, Weds 18 Feb NEXT WEDS 1-3 Humanities A1, University of Nottingham. Apple of Discord: Greek myth and immersive theatre in Nottingham. All welcome!
Out of executive function and didn’t even do my number one task of deciding what to do today. Did a bunch of other stuff and had a nice walk round the lake?
I present the concept of the anti-holiday. You go somewhere gloomy, miserable and uncomfortable, and when you return you are profoundly grateful to be in your normal life and chosen home.
The Frome, or technically its tributary, officially called the Hooke, but known by locals as the Toller. Flows through my parents’ farm. Small enough to wade through, just deep enough to swim in. Beautiful.
Went to get a box for the ash and found an unexpected cat in the box area