Weekend Reading: Beginning Again

It’s good to be back!

Specifically, it’s nice to be resuming my Weekend Reading posts. I thought that the summer would allow me time to pick up my usual posting schedule – but it just didn’t work out like that. Again.

Thanks to all who’ve sent me concerned messages! I haven’t been ill myself, for once; I’ve just been dealing with a whole raft of other problems, from an invasion of bees to a paralysed cat. But the bees have gone, the cat can move again, and all the other wobbles are stabilising too… and so I’m tentatively (some would say optimistically) picking up where I left off.

There have been lots of things going on over the summer, but most of them have been preparation work which is largely invisible to anyone but me, so you haven’t missed anything exciting! Next week, though, I’ll post pictures and an account of our Hadrian’s Wall CA Launch, which is happening tomorrow in Durham, and which I’m thrilled to be attending in person.

Another thing you might like to know about is #ClassicsTober, which is creeping up on us again. If you’re unfamiliar with it, this is our annual creative challenge on social media: challenging people to produce artwork, creative writing, photos, and videos (and anything else we haven’t thought of yet!), in response to a prompt for each day of October. Here’s our list of daily prompts…

I’ll be taking part throughout October, and I’ll be posting regular updates here. It’s chaos, and hectic, and inspiring, and supportive, and a rollercoaster of classical silliness! If you don’t use social media but you’d like to join in and showcase your work, do send some to me and I’ll post it on your behalf! It’s all informal – you don’t have to register, or do every day’s prompt – and a lot of people have been talking about involving children or school groups, because it’s fun at any level!

Something else I should advertise is my forthcoming lecture dates for a series run by Dr Gina May. Gina runs online Classics and Academic Practice courses which have a very enthusiastic following, and she’s kindly allowing me to talk about a couple of my pet subjects this year! If you’d like to spend an afternoon or two listening to me ramble about toys, art and peculiar brains, you can book through Gina’s website here: https://www.ginamay.co.uk/guest/cora-beth-fraser/

…and while you’re there, do check out the other exciting courses she offers!