Something New - Month Seven
Nov. 20th, 2020 06:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitLimited opportunity to do anything new this month, but I did sign up for two events as part of the Being Human Festival. Normally, most of the events are site specific, but this year, for obvious reasons they were online, which meant there was far more opportunity to join in.
The first event I did was a Covid Theatre Café. The idea was that theatre practitioners, plus those who like the theatre, could chat about what was being done, how easy it was and how much people were missing live theatre. I hadn't been too sure about it, and had been tempted not to do it (the events were free, so there would be no loss), since it was after a Brownie Zoom meeting. But I'd not been able to use the booking form and had to contact the organiser to book, so I felt it would be ungrateful after all the help she gave me if I hadn't joined.
I was very glad I did. There were only between 10 and 12 participants, most of whom were actors, directors etc for small companies. Everyone was very friendly and shared what they'd been doing and how difficult it was to produce anything and remain within the guidelines. A few people, living in London, had managed to attend shows when they first recommenced, and shared how they felt about it. I mentioned how difficult it was for me, because it's not just the going to a performance, it's getting there, maybe staying over, finding somewhere to eat etc, which makes it so difficult. It was nice to feel that they took this as a valid contribution, and there was the sense of everyone being in it together. So I felt it was a good couple of hours.
The second event was the one I was looking forward to. It was billed as a feminist whodunnit, which sounded really fun, with clues to solve etc. However, it turned out to be an exploration of the writings of Virginia Woolf, and wasn't well organised, so I gave up partway through because I decided I wasn't going to waste my time when I could be doing something more interesting. I was annoyed, because if I'd known it was about Woolf I wouldn't have signed up in the first place.
I've completed two FutureLearn courses:
History of Slavery in the British Caribbean by University of Glasgow. I learnt something, although I found some of the presentations tedious, and very much lectures. I like FutureLearn because of the multi-media format, but if it's all 'here are the facts note them' I might as well read a book. There was also an element of 'this is what we've found, this is what it tells us', without any acknowledgement of 'this is what we think it tells us', when in twenty years time the interpretation may be different.
A Global History of Sex and Gender: Bodies and Power in the Modern World by University of Glasgow. I didn't realise until almost the end of this course that they were both by the same institute. This was predominantly a focus on feminism and women's role over the years, and again more instruction than sharing thoughts. There were a number of long audio clips, for which I read the transcripts rather than listening. I found it frustrating that this course was purely considered in an intellectual way, and there weren't more interviews with people directly involved in some of the issues. The short assignment, looking at women's suffrage in 1910s in the US, was interesting and I managed to write 425 words which sounded reasonable.
The first event I did was a Covid Theatre Café. The idea was that theatre practitioners, plus those who like the theatre, could chat about what was being done, how easy it was and how much people were missing live theatre. I hadn't been too sure about it, and had been tempted not to do it (the events were free, so there would be no loss), since it was after a Brownie Zoom meeting. But I'd not been able to use the booking form and had to contact the organiser to book, so I felt it would be ungrateful after all the help she gave me if I hadn't joined.
I was very glad I did. There were only between 10 and 12 participants, most of whom were actors, directors etc for small companies. Everyone was very friendly and shared what they'd been doing and how difficult it was to produce anything and remain within the guidelines. A few people, living in London, had managed to attend shows when they first recommenced, and shared how they felt about it. I mentioned how difficult it was for me, because it's not just the going to a performance, it's getting there, maybe staying over, finding somewhere to eat etc, which makes it so difficult. It was nice to feel that they took this as a valid contribution, and there was the sense of everyone being in it together. So I felt it was a good couple of hours.
The second event was the one I was looking forward to. It was billed as a feminist whodunnit, which sounded really fun, with clues to solve etc. However, it turned out to be an exploration of the writings of Virginia Woolf, and wasn't well organised, so I gave up partway through because I decided I wasn't going to waste my time when I could be doing something more interesting. I was annoyed, because if I'd known it was about Woolf I wouldn't have signed up in the first place.
I've completed two FutureLearn courses:
History of Slavery in the British Caribbean by University of Glasgow. I learnt something, although I found some of the presentations tedious, and very much lectures. I like FutureLearn because of the multi-media format, but if it's all 'here are the facts note them' I might as well read a book. There was also an element of 'this is what we've found, this is what it tells us', without any acknowledgement of 'this is what we think it tells us', when in twenty years time the interpretation may be different.
A Global History of Sex and Gender: Bodies and Power in the Modern World by University of Glasgow. I didn't realise until almost the end of this course that they were both by the same institute. This was predominantly a focus on feminism and women's role over the years, and again more instruction than sharing thoughts. There were a number of long audio clips, for which I read the transcripts rather than listening. I found it frustrating that this course was purely considered in an intellectual way, and there weren't more interviews with people directly involved in some of the issues. The short assignment, looking at women's suffrage in 1910s in the US, was interesting and I managed to write 425 words which sounded reasonable.
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Date: 2020-11-20 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-20 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-21 01:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-21 01:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-21 01:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-21 01:52 pm (UTC)These courses generally last three or four weeks, so they're not much of a commitment, and I don't subscribe at the paid level, so the main tie is that having started I want to see it through. On a good course the discussions on each step can also help and enliven the course.
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Date: 2020-11-22 03:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-22 09:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-22 04:22 pm (UTC)I'm sorry that you were disappointed by those two FutureLearn courses. I've been watching a series hosted by Samuel L. Jackson called Enslaved that explores the slave trade from several angles. I've found it really interesting because part of the series involves searching for slave ships that sank and trying to uncover lost history.
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Date: 2020-11-22 04:37 pm (UTC)The Samuel L Jackson series sounds interesting - especially because it is taking a broad look.
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Date: 2020-11-22 07:09 pm (UTC)Keeping occupied during these times is so important and it is marvellous you have such a variety of events to attend via zoom or history to learn.
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Date: 2020-11-22 07:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-11-22 07:18 pm (UTC)