Since I take the bus to class everyday, I've decided a blog devoted to the joys of public transportation is in order. Each day, I ride the 27 bus from Bicester to Oxford. It's a delightful double-decker bus decked out in a bright orange and blue interior. If only it were orange and purple - then I'd feel more at home. =) I always sit on the top of the bus in the front row if possible. Those of you who know my tendency for car-sickness can appreciate why I choose the front of the bus! In addition to preventing nausea, the front of the bus also affords the best view.
From that vantage point, I can see just how close the bus gets to the vehicle in front of it at stop lights (VERY close for some of the drivers!). One of the drivers apparently has a vendetta against bicyclists and clearly wants to remove them from the face of the earth (or at least his route). He follows them as closely as possible along the road and from the top deck, I can see the front bumper almost brush the bike's back tire! Another driver doesn’t like to stop if he deems it unnecessary. We go whizzing by as the would-be passengers frantically wave their arms in a desperate gesture trying to gain admittance to the bus. I feel sorry for those folks as they retreat to the refuge of the covered bus stops awaiting the next bus (whose driver is probably a little nicer). I haven’t figured out how the driver decides whether or not to stop, but I do know that he is the driver who gets me to Oxford the fastest! A fun part of zipping through the residential areas of Oxford in a double-decker bus is seeing how close we get to the curbs. I always flinch as we near a tree and I can see and hear the branches thwapping against the window. (Do you like the word “thwapping”? I feel like it is a good use of onomatopoeia, and since I’m in the home of the Oxford English Dictionary, I’m going to see if I can get it added!).This morning, I had Mr. Speedy as a driver so I got to school about 15 minutes early… just enough time to sign up for the Jane Austen excursion this Friday! I am so excited about it! My professor is leading a trip to one of Austen’s homes and to her grave. Should be great!
My Austen professor (Dr. Byrne) gave the lecture this morning on the Gothic (the gothic novel and gothic style in the 18th century). I learned about the “sublime” in gothic writing; the gothic writers all sought the sublime in their writing. The sublime is the ultimate source of whatever will evoke terror or awe because pain is a stronger emotion and is more powerful than pleasure. NOW I know why I hate scary movies – I just don’t like the sublime. ;+)
Date: 10 July 2007Location: Oxford
Highlights:
- Finishing Middlemarch in time for class
- Figuring out the “local link” bus system to get all the way back to Jason’s house (he had a softball match and wasn’t going to be able to pick me up at the station)
- Chatting with my friends Bethie and Chester. It’s good to hear from folks at home. =)
Word of the Day: “Ain’t”. Yes, I know you Southerners all know this word, but my High Victorian professor uses it. It’s amazing how much better it sounds with a posh British accent! (The story goes that the word was commonly used by the upper class folks and when the lower classes started adopting it into their vernacular, the upper class deemed it “improper”. It’s still in use among the upper echelons here, though! If anyone knows the REAL story behind the word, let me know. I could look it up, but I have to go read Jude the Obscure).
Note: This is a shot of Corpus Christi College where I take the class with the professor who says "ain't"
