Woman in Gold

Having got to the stage where I have seen a fair amount of movies I start to put them into categories in my mind of ones that are like each other.

For example The Theory of Everything, A Beautiful Mind and The Imitation Game I would all group together. The Woman in Gold belongs with The Monuments Men. Similar plot lines and themes.

It's also a bit of a weepy one, but maybe that's just me. It is a genuinely moving film though. I like films that are based on true events and people. Fantasy movies are great for distracting you and gilding your imagination but the ones based on real stories I think are more exciting. You get to see the world through someone else's perspective and come away with a new take on the world and humanity.

The whole film was about this painting. Now known as the "Woman in Gold" by Gustav Klimt. 

It's a painting of a woman called Adele Bloch-Bauer, the aunt of the main character in the film Maria Altmann. Adele's husband had commissioned Klimt to take her likeness. Afterward it hung in the home which they all shared Maria's parents and her sister and Adele and her husband. 

Adele died before the war and occupation of Austria began. When it came to the occupation Maria was now married to an opera singer Fritz and Adele's husband had left Austria with her sister Louisa to Cologne.

Maria's uncle advised her father to take the rest of them and leave Austria soon but they didn't and soon were put under house arrest in their home. Travelling was denied for the jews and they had to remain in the city.

They did eventually manage to escape though, under the pretence of getting medicine from the pharmacy for her father Maria and Fritz escaped their escort and calling in a favour from a family friend got a lift to the airport where they too made it Colonge. She had had to leave her parents behind though, her father was sick and I think her mother would not want to leave him anyway.

It was a tense getaway scene to the airport. The panic of thinking Fritz got left behind as they were separated for a bit and then the gunshots fired as they were diving into the car made you think he got shot but they managed to get out safely. Tension again as the ticket man at the airport questions them for their lack of luggage before finally letting them on, then again when some police pull up to the delayed flight but luckily (perhaps not the best word, it certainly wasn't lucky for the others) were not there to find Maria and Fritz. They arrive in Cologne and then eventually make it to America and to California.

Flash forward to Los Angeles 1998 and Maria's sister Louisa has died. Looking through her possessions she finds correspondences between her sister and the family lawyer in Vienna. The Austrian government was changing the laws concerning restitution of property taken during world war II and how they were looking at old cases again. Maria wants to know if this means she has a case to have the Klimt painting that belonged to her family restored to her (four others beyond the Woman in Gold) which were taken by the Nazis.

Enter Ryan Reynolds starring as the lawyer on the scene, Randol Schoenberg (grandson of the composer Schoenberg). He builds a case up for her, initially as he later admits after finding out how much the Woman in Gold was worth more than one hundred million dollars. But as they journey to Vienna and he revisits his roots as well as hers it becomes more a case of justice and rectification of the past.

The case went all the way up to the Supreme Court and then a further arbitration in Vienna and the results thankfully were that the paintings should be restored to Maria. Poor Belvedere academy.

I did get that it's the height of Austrian art and it's the Mona Lisa of Austria and they didn't want it to be removed from the motherland. However it was never made to be a public piece of art. It was commissioned privately and belonged to that family. 

Rather nicely though Maria did sell it to the Neue Galerie in New York with the proviso that it be on display in perpetuo which I think is rather nice.

I think this is one of the most human moments in the film. The heartache and confusion at wanting so badly to have what was lost but not the pain that comes with it. Maria's wish that she could enjoy being in Austria but only being able to remember the ill that happened there and the continual reminder that this was where she had left her parents before escaping to America without them.

This film is about justice and the blessings of enduring.

It's also pretty good on demonstrating how differently we all see things. The painting for the Austrian Belvedere, I imagine, was a great piece of their heritage and culture and indeed the Mona Lisa of Austria but I also have no doubt that its monetary value played a huge part in their wanting it to stay with them.

For the lawyer Schoenberg it began as a painting worth millions, a case that would set up his career but became a reminder of his ancestry and his history and the sentimental value objects can hold.

The painting to Maria was a like a family photograph, we all see a woman, literally nameless "Woman in Gold" but when she looked at it she saw her aunt. A woman she had grown up with and loved and shared memories with.

Interesting fact: when the art gallery installed the painting they named it "Woman in Gold" because they didn't want the Jewish associations that came with the name Adele Bloch-Bauer.

When we were waiting for the movie to start Louisa was telling me a bit about Klimt (she studied him at GCSE art and her main piece was based on his Woman in Gold). Anyway she told me her favourite piece was called "The Kiss". I thought she meant the picture I have on my phone case, the one I saw in Italy as that's called "Il Bacio" the kiss. But no she meant the one by Klimt not Hayez.

She found a picture and showed me and they are pretty similar. Ignoring the glaringly obvious difference in art styles they both feature a kissing couple in the same pose and stance. A little digging found out that Klimt probably based his upon Hayez's earlier work and even other examples by different artists. 

Quite cool that our favourite paintings are linked and one inspired the other. To add more, the sisters in this movie were called Maria and Louisa. Quite a funny afternoon.

Brimham Rocks

Brimham Rocks is one of my favourite places to visit. It's so much fun, I love climbing and it is a pro not being held back by harnesses and stuff it feels a lot more dangerous and like you're really accomplishing something by being one step away from an accident.

some of the rocks

Though since the last time I was there I think I've lost most of my ability to scale the rock piles, it was just about impossible for me to get up most of the rocks, no more squeezing into the little spaces and hoisting myself up. I did manage to get to the top of one though and the view was fantastic. It reminded me of Roseberry Topping in the Yorkshire Moors, when you are up at the top you can just see everything all the way around and its so quiet and calm. The countryside really is a beautiful place.

We (everyone except Mum, William and Joel) went with another family the McKennas who we are friends with. The weather was glorious and it was a fun day out together. Everyone I think suffered a little sunburn by the end of the day though, none of us realised how hot it actually was. Red faces and arms the next day!

Picnic Panorama

Thanks dad for the photos, I left my phone in the car so I could go climbing without fear of smashing it but as a consequence couldn't take any of my own.

Chatting

James on top

It was fun going around it, we stopped for a picnic lunch and then made another round afterwards. We stopped for ice creams at the gift shop and then as we were finishing and about to move on got distracted by a yellow helicopter seeming to be looking as if it was going to land so we hung around to see what had happened.

As it turns out a girl had fallen of some rocks and bounced down them, they had to call in the air ambulance (yellow helicopter), a regular ambulance and a responder unit. She looked alive as they brought her out so hopefully they managed to help her and she will be okay now. I wasn't so keen on climbing particularly high after that.

I think we must have hung around for about an hour watching all the proceedings, it was interesting but I did feel a twinge of guilt for having spent so long watching what would be to the girl's family a horrifying experience.

I tried looking to see if the incident had been published anywhere, I couldn't find an article for this occasion but it seems to happen fairly regularly there are lot of video clips and photos around of other times it has happened.

It was really nice seeing everybody again and catching up with them. Then we had more catch ups to make when we got home.

We got some new missionaries in our ward and one of them was here before about a year ago so it was nice to see him and laugh about things! Of course we asked him about his drivers license (his old one had a funny picture on it) he told us he had lost it. So everyone was a bit disappointed, Louisa did tell him though that we like it because he looks like the kid Russell from UP on it which I'm not sure he found as funny as we did.

But he is here until the end of his mission now he only has five weeks left so plenty of time to find the lost license.

RIIIP: The Last Plantagenet

Leicester has been the focus of both national and international news over this past week.

The White Rose of York

It has been a little mad at my university, being of course the ones responsible for finding his remains we have had huge interest and lots of visitors to the Ancient History and Archaeology department.

They have died down now, but I did catch some people around campus today taking photos of the remnants of the celebrations that went on over the weekend.

Rather unfortunately I missed out on seeing the parade on Sunday and the second service that took place on the Thursday. I went on the website though and found out that the Cathedral would be open Friday (today) afternoon and Saturday (tomorrow). 

I finished university at 2pm today, now I have five weeks Easter holiday hooray! So I got a bus into town after my last seminar. I got off in the centre and then walked to the Cathedral, it took a little under 10 minutes. The Cathedral wasn't letting anybody in until 3pm, I arrived at 2.30pm to join the queue and it was already fairly long. By 3.15pm though I was able to go in, so not too long to wait. 

There are still so many white roses everywhere and it looks so beautiful. One of my favourite flowers, everywhere looked so pretty and fresh.

There were also lots of paraffin wax candles being laid out for more celebrations later this evening. I'm sure it will look so beautiful when they are all lit up. White roses were over the grass and also draped across Richard's statue.

Inside the Cathedral too more beautiful white roses everywhere.

These framed either side of the entrance to the cathedral, lilies and roses of various colours amongst other flowers.

I love, love, love white roses! So classy and timeless and pure.

They let us inside in groups of around twenty, the queue moved a lot faster than I thought it would. I wish my phone had a better camera because it was so beautiful inside. All the ceilings are painted as they would have been in medieval times and the amount of flowers everywhere it looked gorgeous and obviously it wont look that way for long.

We followed a walk path around the Cathedral and Richard's tomb was about halfway through.

There are inscriptions on all four sides. The long ones both read "Richard III" at the head it reads "1452-1485" and at the foot "Loyaulte me lie" which is old french for loyalty binds me.

The shield at the foot is made of semi-precious stones. It's flat but a stunning colour when you see it, perhaps a bit bright. 

 A deep cross is cut into the topping. Marking Richard's Christian beliefs.

After the tomb you carry on and are taken round to where the Pall that was made to cover his coffin before its internment is on display under glass alongside the crown that was commissioned.

The crown is also made with semi-precious stones and was specially commissioned for the occasion. The Pall was made of black velvet and embroidered with various key figures concerned with the journey of Richard from recovery to re-internment.

 The visitors centre for Richard III

Leicester has been busy with lots of camera crews from the television and people coming to view Richard from all over the world. It will be interesting to see how this affects levels of tourism from now on. Obviously lots have come this week but will it continue? Some people have said maybe Richard's tomb will become a place of pilgrimage? Will it? He was a king not a saint...

Here are some much better quality pictures from Philippa Gregory's facebook page. She is a fantastic historical novelist who I think did a wonderful job on her character of Richard. She attended the service of celebration and so got some wonderful shots. All credit goes to her: Philippa Gregory

It was lovely to go and see. It didn't feel very regal. In comparison to other medieval tombs I have seen (Richard I and Henry II at Fontevraud) it is quite modern. His predecessor and brother Edward IV had a fancy tomb with effigy on top and I thought perhaps they might have done something of the sort for Richard too.

It is lovely though, the stone is pretty and stately.

I bought a commemorative newspaper and a white rose, my souvenirs of the whole experience.

Very glad to have been able to see it. The Plantagenet rule over England is one of my favourite periods of English history. 

Rest in peace Richard III.

Focus Group: Part II

Well it wasn't a complete waste. I got to slate how the windows OneDrive and Lync offers me nothing that Google Drive and Google+ and Hangouts doesn't offer. It will in fact only make things more complicated as I then have more than one place where files are stored.

Most of the others seemed to like the idea of OneDrive, I guess it's okay if you haven't been using Google Drive but I think they said that it is only free when you are studying at the uni so as soon as you leave or graduate you will have to download all your files and take them with you. Not necessary with Google Drive.

Noone was a fan of Lync though particularly. They actually suggested that Lecturers might get it and so we would be able to video call them....

Man I wanted to laugh. In all seriousness who would feel comfortable video calling their lecturer? I would much rather sign up to their office hours. Also what lecturer would want to video call a student? We're so busy all the time this is why they have office hours. It's just another way work life will be pushed into private. No thank you.

On the plus side I get £10 top up on my printing allowance for doing it. Hooray.

Focus Group: Part I

I had plans. Go into university for my feedback session with my Archaeology tutorial professor, then go to the library to write some more of my talk for Sunday.

Ambushed on the way in.

Two students were handing out leaflets inviting you to be part of a IT focus group. Well actually they drew you in with a "would you like £10 free printing credit". Um yes please. Printing costs me a fortune at university.

Oh but it's not quite free. Is anything ever?

So I'm now signed up for an hour long session this afternoon where the IT services want student feedback on OneDrive and Lync.

I know nothing about these two things, what I have gathered is that OneDrive is some microsofty version of Google Drive and Lync is instant messaging.

Commence reading of their respective wikipedia pages.

Well as they are both Microsoft they are not going to be terribly useful to me, as I have a chrome computer. Nor to anyone who has linux and maybe mac? I don't know apple sometimes have ways around things if they want to.

So somehow I can't imagine me being very for it. Especially as I already have both those things. Google Drive - which I think is better as you can use it anywhere irrespective of your operating system. And instant messaging, well that comes under google+ and hangouts so I'm covered. And again it can be used on any operating system because all you need is the INTERNET. Not windows.

However I am allowing for my naivety of the world of computers and perhaps these are both useful and much needed at university. Though I say again Google has them...for free.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

It has been a while and so much has happened. Highs and lows. Bits of swapping and changing.

I had finally come to the decision that my current degree - Ancient History and Archaeology - is not the one I want to be studying. After a lot of pondering I decided that I should see if I could transfer to another degree course, specifically to Ancient History and History.

So I made an appointment to see my university tutor, I wasn't sure who to see really.

My worries were:
1. No you can't swap
2. You can but you have to repeat the first year

It was an interesting meeting. My university tutor is also an Archaeology professor so it was difficult to answer the questions "Why don't you want to continue Archaeology?" in a way that was honest but not completely horrible to the subject he clearly derives great enjoyment from.

He didn't initially know if it would be possible to swap, normally, he said, they get people on the History degrees wanting to swap onto the Archaeology ones rather than the other round. So I might be the first. Luckily as we were having this conversation the guy who is the link between the History and Ancient History department walked past the door so he joined in the conversation as well.

They thought it would be okay, just depends on what the history department say, apparently there is some kind of "enmity" playful? between the archaeologists and historians. Anyway the email came back saying yes they'll take me on.

The short answer is yes I can swap my degree course and not have to repeat the first year. Score.

Basically I just have to concern myself with passing the first year which will enable me to stay on at the university and then they will transfer me. I think it means I get last pick of modules next year though. The way the electronic system works is that although you are changing degree you have to apply for modules as if you were continuing your current one. Stupid computers. So I think I might get assigned the modules that are left over from the History side.

I am feeling  much happier about staying on for my degree now that I have been able to change it though. Archaeology was sometimes interesting but definitely not what I want to continue studying.

Another change. So a well as changing my degree I'm trying to transfer onto the four year degree program which gets you a study year abroad. Yes my uni life is now getting a little complicated. There is only one university I would like to do study abroad with though so I'm hoping this will make the yes/no thing a whole lot easier.

But it's complicated. Why wouldn't it be?

The university I want to do the year abroad at is the University of Western Australia. A few reasons: 1. I've always wanted to go Australia at college I even looked at doing my whole degree there but it was way too expensive, 2. I have family out there so if I'm going to the other side of the world I'd like to be near people I know, 3. I have read their website a lot and the course for history looks so good!

That is the catch though...for history. Which I don't study. Yet.

The history department have a link to UWA, the Ancient History department don't only with Flinders which is in Adelaide - wrong coast.

So to sumarise my university status right now:

I am an undergraduate studying Ancient History and Archaeology but am transferring to Ancient History and History in September. In light of this degree change I'm applying for a History study abroad placement. That is the complicated truth.

I have my interview later this afternoon so let's see how it goes. I didn't put any alternative destinations down, that's because there aren't any. I'm worried it will make me seem arrogant as in "Ha I've only put one down so now you have to give it to me" not the case. I only put one down because there is only one place I want to go to, if I don't get it that's fine I just don't want to substitute it for something else.

It's like when I was applying for universities at college my tutor critiqued me for only applying to two high entry universities and not applying for a low graded one in case my exams went poorly. Well my response was if I go to university I will be going to the one I want to go to. I'm not going to pay £9000 a year to go to a uni that wasn't my first choice simply for the sake of going. I'd rather not go. Same for this, if I don't get UWA then never mind, just no substitute please.

These last few weeks have been really busy, lots of assignment handing in and getting returns.

My Greek source project came back with a mark of 74 which is extremely good! The best mark I've ever had on assignment yet. Disappointingly my archaeology came back with 59. Oops. Having read the above you may be tempted to think that I'm slacking off Archaeology. Not the case. At least not consciously. A comment on the front said something to the effect of 'the question is very broad and your answer very specific'. Well great I can see why that would be an issue if I hadn't seen my Archaeology tutor before I began writing the essay and said 'The question is very broad and the word count is small can I focus on one area?' to which the reply was 'yes'. So not entirely sure what happened there, but I made an appointment for feedback so hopefully that will shed some light.

My last essay is yet to come back, hopefully we'll get them before the holidays otherwise we will have to wait until May for the results which is like five weeks away.

A few weeks ago the Economics department sent out emails inviting people to participate in some research experiments they were doing. I signed up for it and I've participated in two experiments so far.

So you get paid £2.00 just for showing up on time and then depending on what your answers are you have the potential to earn more money. So like on the first test in part 1 you got 50p for every maths questions you answered right and in part 2 20p etc. The experiment I did today was difficult. It was like a maths exam/verbal reasoning test. They did have a section of anagrams and dingbat type questions though and I liked those.

One I can remember is

"In Ancient Greece a man died at X years. He spent 1/4 of his life as a boy, 1/5 as a youth, a 1/3 as an adult and 13 years as an elder. How old was he when he died?"

My first answer was 56, but then I went with 60. I'm sure there is a simple way to work this out. Any takers?

Don't know how much I earned from this, but I'll find out tomorrow. They are marking them tonight. It felt like being back at high school doing exams. Not a nice feeling.

A big change? It felt it. I went on my first YSA convention a couple of weekends ago. I wasn't keen on going, I mostly showed up because it was in Hull so I'd get to go back North and see all my friends who were going, though not everyone came in the end.

It was an interesting weekend and I spent most of it with Jemima which was good fun. On the Friday we went to an adult-sized play area, think wacky warehouse for grown ups. That was actually awesome and I would love to have a future birthday party there, or just go there again really.

On the saturday we did service in the morning, me Jemima and two of her cousins Rory and Chelsea went out collecting for Marie Curie. We stood outside the petrol station shop at the local Morrisons and we did so well, everyone comes in and out with change so we were very lucky.

After that we did some workshops, a dance one where we learned the Cha-Cha-Cha. Then a stress one. Packed lunches and onto activities. Me and Jemima did the bungee run, it looked easy but the belt around your waist really inhibits easy movement and you have to be quite strong to get anywhere with it.

Then we all went to the cinema to see Big Hero 6. I think they had booked most of the screen out, there were a few members of the public there though, I felt a little sorry for them although we weren't too rowdy. Back to church where they put on a Chinese buffet and then it was the dance.

Sunday we had a short service and then we all disseminated slowly back home.

It was a very long weekend. It was also the weekend I lost my voice and couldn't speak for most of it which made it very difficult to talk to new people.

I have mixed feelings about conventions. They are enjoyable but they are also so long. I think I prefer dances.

The week I was off university with tonsillitis I got a surprise dropped round at my house. I don't know who it's from or why but it was lovely and very much appreciated! Cheered me up and gave me some lovely cookies to eat whilst I wasn't feeling well. Thank you whoever you are!

Solar Eclipse last Friday. On reflection I'm not convinced I actually saw the Eclipse, I think I might have just missed it and simply caught a very bright sun. Well that will have been two I've seen, mum said she showed me the one in 1999 and I might get to see the next one in 2090 to, I'll be 95 then. 

I was going to make the pinhole paper thing but reflections seem to work well so I used my laptop screen to look at it.

Couldn't have used my phone or I wouldn't have been able to take a photo. Though as I say you can't see the eclipse in the photo so I think I may have actually just missed it.

I should probably try and write this a little more regularly. Just the rest of this week left then back home on Sunday!

I've already started packing all my room up, so excited to go home and see everybody.

On the minus side, I wont be at my ward here in Leicester for the whole of April which will be a shame, I love teaching my primary kids and I just like attending everybody is so nice. Still it'll be nice to see everyone at Wakefield again. 

In preparation for the fact that I will be away from university for five weeks (yes five whole weeks!!!) I have checked out eighteen books from the library to do with Greek History and Archaeology to read over my break as exams are here when I get back. 

Five whole weeks though! I have waited so long, since my non-existent February half-term really. So glad that it is finally here.

My Voice

I thought I just had a sore throat/cold and so powered on to the Hull YSA convention over the weekend anyway. As it went on my voice gradually left me to the point where I could barely be heard and it was easier to decipher my whispers than when I spoke normally. 

I went to the doctors and they told me I had tonsillitis. Noooo. It's one of those illnesses where it affects so small a part of you that I expect to still be able to get on and do things. Not the case, I don't know if it's the tonsillitis itself or the medicine they gave me but I feel so tired and drained all the time. I've spent the last two days watching tv, movies and sleeping. A pretty nice way to spend days but not when you still have an essay to be written. I need so badly to be better so I can get my motivation back.

The doctor gave me a course of penicillin, which was what I expected. It is however the most VILE medicine I have ever had to take. Paracetamol tastes bad, this tastes so much worse. Unfortunately I have to take two four times a day. EIGHT A DAY. All I can taste is its horrible powdery chemically flavour yuck. I am looking forward to next Monday when they will all be done and hopefully my voice will be back.

I'm supposed to be teaching a primary lesson on Sunday and giving a talk - second speaker 15 minutes. I've had to let them all know I may not be able to do it. My voice isn't totally gone but it's squeaky.

It was an interesting weekend with my voice, my first YSA convention and I literally began every conversation with "sorry I've lost my voice" what an impression I must have made. As you can imagine it made it a little more difficult to make friends and talk to people.

It sounds hilarious though and every time I spoke I just wanted to laugh at myself and I couldn't understand how everyone managed to keep a straight face. 

Whilst at the GP's yesterday I got her to check out my foot as well. I hurt it playing hockey a few weeks back, I already got my aunt to check it and the GP pretty much confirmed everything she said. That I'd just bruised it, probably some tendons/ligaments got bruised and I should rest it. How delicate are feet? She told me I can't play sports for 4-6 weeks. Nooo that pretty much means I miss the rest of the hockey season and have to wait until next one. It also swipes off running from my time wasting list. Not good. 

On the plus side I'm now properly signed up for the doctors, I know where it is, I also know where the chemist is.

One minor annoyance as I'm now older than eighteen I have to pay for my prescriptions. £8.05 for some nasty tasting medicine is not my idea of joyful spending. If it cures me quickly though I'll consider it worthwhile!

For the summer I've been looking at Au Pairing again. I'd really love to go back to Italy it is such a beautiful country. I've had lots of interest from families as well, however none of them seem to hit me as the right ones to go with which is a shame because some of them sounded fantastic! So I feel like I might be sticking around this summer. Got to find a job. Fingers crossed it wont be impossible!