"That way madness lies..."

Lately I've been stumbling all too far along King Lear's epic path to Crazyville. First, everyone thinks I'm crazy because I'm SO EXCITED about the Olympics. Everyone else is leaving the UK to avoid the madness of crowds and tourists and terrorism, but I'm desperately stalking internet sites promising tickets. Last week my stalking paid off - I bought two highly coveted (by me...) tickets to the "London Prepares" field hockey tournament!! London is hosting a series of sporting events this spring to "test" their Olympics venues and security measures and transport links, and I was all too happy to be a guinea pig. (Hockey was the only sport available... They didn't tell you who was playing... turned out to be women's games, Korea v Argentina then TEAM GB v China. The men played that afternoon, but we didn't have tickets, obvi.) After Tobias reluctantly succumbed to my enthusiasm, we boarded a few super early, super expensive trains to the Olympic Park in Stratford, London.

There are lots of details about security (they don't use barriers to show you where to walk - they use PEOPLE. Hundreds of staff and volunteers line the walkways pointing your way, ALL SMILING and ALL SAYING "GOOD MORNING". This is not typical British do-not-speak-to-strangers behavior, and clearly this friendliness was mandated because EVERYONE did it and it was an effort for some...). There is lots to say about the Stadium and the sculpture that will hold the Olympic Flame when it arrives by torch after being jogged all around the UK and the wind-power/solar-powered streetlights and the ENORMOUS expanses of sidewalk and the expensive beer and "British" food of meat pies or sausages. Ask me, because I'm PSYCHED to tell you way more than you want to hear. :) Basically, we toured through the Olympic Park to arrive at the Riverside Arena to sit on bleachers in about 40F degrees and pouring rain for four hours of field hockey (which neither of us really knew the rules for - luckily the very thoughtful Olympics Committee provided us with rule booklets!). And it was AWESOME!!!! I can't wait to spend two weeks on my couch this summer watching The Real Thing. If only I could get Real Tickets!

Tobias with stadium behind. Note that the sign shows pictures of all the buildings so you can identify them! And note that EVERYTHING is in English. Strange. Other cities include lots of languages in their Olympic Parks...

Stadium at right! Flame sculpture in center! Psychedelic recycled rubber pavement! Grey skies...

The striking and apparently very unusual "London Blue and London Pink" field hockey stadium. It was so rainy that every time they hit the ball there was a splash. Game 1: Korea v. Argentina!

TEAM GB (left) and China singing national anthems

When the home team played, a five-piece brass band appeared in the stands! Very fun and I love Pep Bands, but having one only for Team GB games doesn't seem very fair...

As we are ushered out of the Park after the games. First game: 0-0. second game: GB won! (I don't remember the score...)

London Prepares!! Note huge security list on the fence, of Things Not Allowed in the Park.

Besides being excited about crowds and sports, my other paths to madness lately are Thesis Revisions and Job Seeking. These are specifically British terms for universal processes, and both the terms and the processes suck. My supervisor consistently emails me on the day of our scheduled meeting, days after I've emailed him revised chapters, and admits that he hasn't read them but he'll see me in an hour. Grrrrrrrr. Also, it sucks to re-read what you thought was okay and then realize that it's not. AND then have to re-write it. And then have your supervisor eventually read it and say that it needs work and "have you thought about re-writing this?". Editing a dissertation is a potentially never-ending and definitely self-esteem-destroying exercise.

As what should have been a welcome distraction from editing hell, my First Academic Job Interview should have been very exciting and ego-boosting. Unfortunately, the terror of preparing for it prevented any resting-on-laurels. My interview prep included a lot of reading the university's website and scary advice on websites about academic interviews, a practice interview with my mom, a practice interview with the Cambridge Careers Service which they videotape and then make you watch and criticize you for smiling too much, talking too quietly, and being "too honest", buying an interview-worthy blouse, and a fair amount of nightmares. In comparison to a week of that, the interview itself, on Skype, felt like a breeze. And I must have done okay, because they invited me for a second interview. HOORAY, I should have felt. And it did feel like an accomplishment. So I strolled out of my department at 7pm after the interview, feeling relieved and sort of adrenaline-rushed. I met Tobias at his office, we headed down the street for a curry, and I burst into tears. Out of nowhere. Huh. Someone must be under a little stress.

To avoid this trend of mounting madness, I need some positive feedback. I can't take much more "re-write this" and "smile less". I need some all-around good news, that doesn't require nightmares or shopping or making gut-wrenching permanent decisions. Thank you, Brendan Wylie, for choosing next week to graduate from college and giving your almost-crazy sister an AWESOME, LEGITIMATE, UNCOMPLICATED REASON TO CELEBRATE.