Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I was disappointed at the start of this month when I checked up on a whimsical fact that I have been fraudulently relaying for the last half decade or so. I knew the end of the world in the Mayan calender in 2012 was based on extremely sketchy evidence. However, I was pretty sure that somewhere I'd seen that if it were true one component of this apocalypse would be a rain of Jaguars. This led to many a jolly conversation about whether the Jaguars were meant to splat on impact or not and if they didn't whether they would be in any fit state to maul people. Occasionally someone would raise the genuine concern about whether the Mayans were referring to the cars or the animals (although I'd be extremely worried if they were that good at predicting the course of history). Anyway turns out that there is not a zillionth of truth in this cherished fact. I'm most hurt by this. A plague of jaguars on all your families.

Apart from that its been a fairly conventional beginning to the year. The University have been kind enough to set us two 5000 word essays for the 20th January and there has been much stress regarding that. A pub chat with an uncle has led to a barrage of emails regarding Irish history which was an unexpected outcome. Interesting to discover that my great-grandad's creamery in Sligo was burned down, not once, but twice by the hard-working British police before independence. Work is worklike but they've obligingly given me a week off pre-deadlines which relieves the tension somewhat.