Last night I went with Sally, Mike and Liz to see Seth Lakeman, a singer-songwriter from Devon whose latest album is all about the pilgrims on the Mayflower. The concert was in Southwark Cathedral, which was an interesting venue -- apparently Southwark was connected to the Mayflower's story, as were several other locations that inspired songs on the album. He also sang of the North American Wampanoag tribe, which of course was devastated by the pilgrims' arrival.
We were seated to the side of the stage, in one of the transepts, so I couldn't fully see the screens behind Lakeman, where some animated images were projected during the show. I also had a terrible time understanding him -- maybe something about the acoustics or, again, where we were sitting. (Or my ears.) But I could appreciate the music and I could hear the narration, so I got the gist of things.
Before the show we went to dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Borough Market. I like Middle Eastern food when I'm in the Middle East, but it's not usually something I'd search out here -- the small-plates and sharing thing can get a little, I don't know, fatiguing. Sometimes you just want your own food, you know? But this was good -- tabbouleh and halloumi and kebabs -- so ultimately I warmed to it.
See those little pins to the left? The ones that say LIBRARY ASSISTANT? They mysteriously showed up at work yesterday morning, with an invoice indicating they'd been ordered via Amazon on Saturday. Weirdly, though, none of my co-workers ordered them. They were addressed to our school and seemed to use information from our Amazon account, but there's no trace of the order in our online history. It's the strangest thing!
I'm thinking either we got some other library's order, or someone sent them to us as a promotion. (Strange that they'd include an invoice, though.) We weren't immediately able to tell whether they'd been billed to our credit card, but I doubt it. If the order isn't in our history then I'm thinking it was paid by someone else.
Anyway, we're not going to use them, thank goodness. I think I might balk at having to wear such a silly thing. After all, if I'm sitting behind the desk, checking out books and wearing my school ID badge, wouldn't it be stating the obvious?
Middle Eastern food is fine if you have a group of people and you are prepared for the sharing aspect. And of course the food has to be good too...
ReplyDeleteOh, not another Amazon mystery package!
Alphie
I think I might get one of those "Library Assistant" badges myself - only mine will say "Nobody" because that is what I am - a "Nobody" without work status or purpose. If I had to introduce myself on a TV quiz show I would say "I'm Neil, from Sheffield and I'm a nobody".
ReplyDeleteI do like that color of green, though.
ReplyDeleteInteresting For Sure - Also, Love Yesterdays Post As Well
ReplyDeleteHave A Brilliant Weekend
Go Team Human
I like your column and read it every day. I get your general point on the pilgrims, but I think you overstated it. The entire native community in Plymouth was wiped out by European diseases prior to the pilgrims arriving. Squanto was the only one left because he had been taken to Europe by earlier explorers. One of the reasons the pilgrims survived was because they found the wiped out community's stored food. A lot of people today (not you) almost imply the pilgrims intended to wipe out the native people as a primary purpose for coming to America. There were Indian wars which went very badly for the remaining people but they occurred a generation later.
ReplyDeletethanks, Thom Smyth
I think YP ordered them :)
ReplyDeleteI’m not great with sharing either. I do ok with tapas and good friends, but that about does it for me. Hope you figure out why those pins.
ReplyDeletecurious about the pins. is that an open invoice they expect to be paid? and curious that Amazon would send the pins without them being paid for.
ReplyDeleteI've eaten at plenty of middle eastern restaurants in Houston but they were more like a buffet (though not as you didn't serve yourself so I guess more like a cafeteria) and you got your own plate.
I enjoyed listening to the songs on Lakeman's web site. I like his style. How funny that those pins showed up with no explanation. We have a local grocery chain that is owned by a middle eastern family and they always have the best tabbouleh in their deli and now I'm craving some. I might have to go to the store.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed when I went to your earlier Lakeman post and found a comment from me. I wonder how many years beyond the three I've been reading your posts. I think you should keep at least one of those pins for your collection!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the bug, I immediately thought it was YP.
ReplyDeleteI would not share food in that manner in these times of infectious diseases.
ReplyDeleteThe pins are interesting. Like we need a label for our label. They would be a nice little prize for some students who have a day of helping in the library? Or not.
Sounds like an interesting concert. I love the idea of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering who would've ordered those badges. It's an unfolding mystery.
I hope you find out who ordered the pins.
ReplyDeleteSharing food dishes is not for me; I worry too much about catching whatever other people might have, lol
That green pin looks exactly like my house pin at Queens High School. The houses were named after Queens. My house, green, was Alexandria and I was house captain in my final year. The photo of those pins took me right back there. We wore them on our uniforms.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of that group, but those pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower were my ancestors. I have a wonderful book that one of my cousins authored called "300 Years of Louds In America." (written in the 1980) You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteAlphie: I know! What IS it with my workplace? Or do these mystery packages arrive everywhere??
ReplyDeleteYP: You're a big ol' somebody to all of us, YP. But I'm sure the badge manufacturers would be happy to make you one saying anything you want it to say!
Ms Moon: Yeah, as badges go, it could be worse.
Padre: Go team human!
Thom: Thanks for your comment! Yes, I didn't mean to blame solely the pilgrims for the ills of the Wampanoag. The decimation of Native American tribes was a long process with many factors.
Bug: He's just messing with us, isn't he?
Mitchell: Yeah, tapas seem different. More like snack food.
Ellen: Well, they don't indicate that payment is due, so it seems someone paid for them. But believe me, we're as stumped as you are.
Sharon: He is an excellent musician. And yeah, I LOVE tabbouleh. I'm very into dark green leafy food in general.
Catalyst: Not too long ago I went back five or six years on the blog to look something up, and I was amazed that many of my commenters were around even back then. I should do a survey and see how long some of you have been reading! You all get an award for perseverance. LOL
Susan: It just seems like the kind of mischievous thing he'd do, right?
Penelope: Oh, that's a cute idea. We could use them for students. We'll do that.
Robin: Well, I hope it unfolds some more, because I'd love to know!
Jenny-O: It's not even infection I'm worried about. I'm just territorial!
37P: Funny! Maybe that's why they're designed that way? Maybe they allude to some pin style in British schools.
Edna: I had ancestors on the Mayflower too! Apparently we're descended from Peregrine White and his family. Or so I'm told.
Aww sorry that you were seated on the side of the stage so you couldn't see or hear well. I miss seeing my kids plays and concerts but I don't miss the seating. It seemed no matter how early I got there I always seemed to be behind someone really tall and broad shouldered.
ReplyDeleteWe have a few Middle Eastern places here that we enjoy eating from but they are all take out that I have seen. We usually only eat from one place because we really enjoy the food. It isn't something that I would enjoy eating every day or even every week tho.
I am with you on the pins. It should be obvious "Just who you are" lol....
Have a fantastic weekend.