Michaelmas term racing toward the finish

For those of us who went through the quarter system, ten weeks seemed fairly short.  Well, eight weeks is ridiculously short.  I'm aware of this not because I have papers or applications due like my M.Phil colleagues.  But the extracurricular activities will soon cease for break, and it seems like they're just starting to get going.  We have our first novice rowing race on Sunday, which should be...interesting.

Before I close out Michaelmas* term, I want to see my supervisor once more, so I'll start writing something up this weekend, I hope.  I've spent the last two weeks-ish doing a lot of background reading on the history of certain scholarship, and it's amazing how you definitely recognize certain people as they crop up over and over again.  And it's nice if you can admire them a bit, like the guy who suggested that Sanskrit and a bunch of other languages might be related -- he moved to India as a colonial judge, but he was really in love with the place and eastern languages.  On the other hand, I also learned today that in 1817 it was proposed that the Taj Mahal be taken down in order to sell the marble! ... I'm speechless.

So anyway, it's been interesting, but it's about time to package what I've been looking at and give it some shape.  In the meantime, the G&S society is putting up Iolanthe next week, and I'm sure it will be delightful, though it's a little scary how some things (like costumes) haven't been talked about in weeks...

*A note on Michaelmas, with a Jane Austen reference!
As you might guess, Michaelmas (pronounced mickle-mus) is a feast day for St. Michael (and all the angels, if you choose).  There's a great explanation of it here, but basically it's one of four days that evenly divide the year and "were the four dates on which servants were hired, rents due or leases begun."  Now it makes even more sense when Mrs. Bennet says on the first page of P&P that Bingley "is to take possession [of Netherfield] before Michaelmas."  Although, come to think of it, it's a bit odd that he's taking possession before Michaelmas.  Maybe it shows how rich Bingley is, or how long the house has been vacant and needs to be rented quickly.