This year has not just the year in which I have had a new mug; it is a whole new ‘tea making’ dawn. We have had our office kettle replaced. I will miss the charm of the old one. It was like a small plastic chimney of dirty white, and I’d almost become accustomed to the small crutons of lime-scale with which it used to garnish your beverage. But I am generally more pleased with the new investment. It is undeniably more aesthetic; smaller, rounder and silvery new. Much conventionally closer to how you’d expect a kettle to appear.
A new kettle may well seem a triviality, but its differing shape inevitably means the hissing noise emitted whilst heating is slightly different, which has an impact that should not be underestimated. Its sound has the power to bring a whole new ambience to the office. And as for the act of tea-making itself? Well, this model has its handle arched over the top of the cylinder - our old one was more a hole in the side. The switch on the new one is longer and has a rather gentle, and thoroughly more satisfying ‘click’. It is pleasing to operate. Given time, I suspect the novelty of this switch may fade. Otherwise it might become an obsession that’s on and off for years to come.
Wed 4th Mar 2009
Hope University in Liverpool today announced that they will start offering an Arts Degree in studies about The Beatles. Yes that’s right – you didn’t read the sentence incorrectly – they really are offering an academic degree on the life and work of the pop band The Beatles. Alas it appears that the life & work of Cud has been cruelly overlooked again. I am not sure what qualifications are required as a pre-requisite to getting on the course, but do not fret if you are not very academic, as there are other similar (but slightly inferior) routes to take. For instance you could do an NVQ qualification in Oasis studies.
Ha Ha – I am hilarious.
Facetiousness aside, I believe it is important The Beatles should be discussed in an educational context, given the historical, cultural, artistic, sociological and musical impact of their legacy. However, I’d have thought the impact of their legacy would have been studied within an existing academic context; such as history, sociology, Cultural Studies, Art, English literature film studies or music rather than something in its own entity. Is it all part of Liverpool’s development as a mawkish theme park, whose ‘theme’ is concerned specifically with its own historical and cultural self-promotion? I certainly can’t image what sort of career would follow the attainment of a Beatles degree (at least a study of the life and work of Cud may at some point lead to financial gain if one were to find themselves at a particular quiz machine).
Although why should I be placing so much importance on the relationship between education and careerism? Sure, a theoretical subject like Theology can be a career-path to a big business. But at least there is more evidence that The Beatles actually existed in real life than God. And when you think about it, given their continuing influence on contemporary culture this makes the Beatles comparatively more relevant, significant and viable as a subject of study. Not that I am suggesting that The Beatles are bigger than Jesus Christ or anything. That would be a stupid thing to say.
Ha Ha – I am hilarious.
Facetiousness aside, I believe it is important The Beatles should be discussed in an educational context, given the historical, cultural, artistic, sociological and musical impact of their legacy. However, I’d have thought the impact of their legacy would have been studied within an existing academic context; such as history, sociology, Cultural Studies, Art, English literature film studies or music rather than something in its own entity. Is it all part of Liverpool’s development as a mawkish theme park, whose ‘theme’ is concerned specifically with its own historical and cultural self-promotion? I certainly can’t image what sort of career would follow the attainment of a Beatles degree (at least a study of the life and work of Cud may at some point lead to financial gain if one were to find themselves at a particular quiz machine).
Although why should I be placing so much importance on the relationship between education and careerism? Sure, a theoretical subject like Theology can be a career-path to a big business. But at least there is more evidence that The Beatles actually existed in real life than God. And when you think about it, given their continuing influence on contemporary culture this makes the Beatles comparatively more relevant, significant and viable as a subject of study. Not that I am suggesting that The Beatles are bigger than Jesus Christ or anything. That would be a stupid thing to say.
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