Sleep Spent

I’m here, all safe and sound. I started The Meaning of Everything on the way over, and I’m nearly finished with it. (About 30 pages to go.) It’s all about the compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary. I’m really enjoying it, and not just because I love to learn etymologies. It’s a fascinating story, and told in an immensely readable fashion. Going to head over to the British Library tomorrow, I think, and see if I can’t take a look at an old copy of the OED, or possibly even one of the first printings. (That stretched out over something like 40 years.)

You know how when you learn a new word, you end up seeing it used again somewhere unrelated right away? Well, that happened to me today, in spades. Winchester talks a lot about philology, and what do I find at the British Museum, but a discussion of ancient texts/languages as they related to the Enlightenment, specifically mentioning philology. And that wasn’t all: I also saw numismatist used. And, the coup de grâce, I even saw hieratic used in the same Museum exhibit! (You will recall that this is the word I found used in The Magus and then found referenced in the OED.) It was the more technical definition, though: “Constituting or relating to a simplified cursive style of Egyptian hieroglyphics, used in both sacred and secular writings.” But I still give Fowles and the OED props for introducing me to this word.

Of course, it wasn’t quite perfect. Winchester kept repeating a couple words I didn’t know (polymathic and inchoate), and I haven’t seen them used elsewhere yet. But the day is young. After all, I switched time zones.

I also found two factual inconsistencies in the book. But it’s a good read anyway!

Right, so, British Museum so far. Now blogging to stay awake. It’s 15:30, I’ve told myself I’m not going to go to bed before 19:00. Sadly, I’m much to tired to catch the Posies, who happen to be playing tonight.

Tomorrow, I plan to hit up the British Library. And there’s something called SOHO Pride here tomorrow, so I’ll probably stop by there. And then I’ve got a movie ticket to see part of the short film festival in the evening. And then Monday night, I aim to see The Producers.

The hostel seems quite nice, and is much larger than I had anticipated. Here’s hoping that will translate into a better chance of meeting some cool people.

In case anyone was worried or wondering, I haven’t seen anything different about the people or their habits here. There’s just as many of them crowding Picadilly Circus and the Tube. Everyone seems to have quickly gotten back to business. Makes me feel a lot better, too.

I’m going to head out Brian’s way either on Tuesday or Wednesday; I haven’t decided yet.

Watch this space.