Sleep

Oh man... let me tell you... I could sleep all day recently. I am truly having a love affair with my bed.

Stolen from tumblr! credit where credit is due!

Have you ever spent most of your day looking around for suitable places you could possibly curl up and sleep in? I did my shift in Topshop today and I have to say, those onesies looked pretty comfortable but I was sure I would have been busted snuggling up to the unicorn hottie body warmers.

My Topshop buddies

On the subject of sleep... do you ever wake up at a stupid hour and relish that amazing feeling when you look at the time and realise you have another few hours of sleep?! Or even stick your foot out of the bed when it is a little too warm? Orr turn over your pillow to the cool side? 

I can be something of a crazy sleeper, if I am brutally honest with myself, and nobody knows that more than my poor, suffering boyfriend, Michael. He had to wake me up in the middle of the night as I was apparently speaking another language whilst fast asleep, I also often do the whole eyes half open thing. Poor Michael. Anyone else have any crazy sleeping habits?

Did you know that there is a mania where you have an obsession with staying in bed all day?! It is called Clinomania. I can imagine that quite a few people are suffering with this with the long Winter nights.

Dissertation

The Wydevilles

I've spent the last couple of days researching for my dissertation. I am enjoying it but every now and then I feel overwhelmed by the amount of things I need to tick off my 'To Do List'. 

I sat in Starbucks yesterday before work and got through so much of Arlene Okerlund's book 'Elizabeth: England's Slandered Queen'. I can hardly put it down. This is a sheer pleasure to read. Okerlund's thorough research and examination of contemporary sources is truly educational and enlightening. I will most certainly be referencing this book in my dissertation, especially due to the attention to detail about the whole Wydeville family. 

This is also a fantastic book to read if you enjoyed reading or watching Philippa Gregory's 'The White Queen'. I know that some history books can be quite a chore to get through but I assure you, this isn't the case here. 

I would also recommend anything by Alison Weir and she has recently released a book on Elizabeth's daughter, Elizabeth of York. This is sure to be a treat! 

I will write in more detail about the history that fascinates me in my future blogs!

Dissertation aside... 

I've spotted something I want for Christmas from The National Portrait Gallery website! It's an Elizabeth I and her court calendar and is currently half price! I love it!!!

My dream calander

Procrastination

... procrast .... ination

I find it is often the case that when you have something really important to do, you will find a million and one other things that suddenly need your utmost attention.
This is how I have found myself here, writing a blog... something I have put off for years. 

I wonder if you can guess why a third year student of a history degree has suddenly become a victim of procrastination?

One word: 

Dissertation

Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' possibly amid assignment deadlines

I am researching the Wydeville family for my topic on Women and Power through the Medieval period. The only problem is that with each new book I read, I find myself getting gripped by a new family member and almost feel myself going off on a tangent. Any tips on beating procrastination and getting down to some serious work?! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Earl Rivers presents his book to Edward IV, Elizabeth Wydeville and Prince Edward

I have also discovered a legend in Anthony Wydeville, Earl Rivers, who is by many accounts the perfect knight, courtier, writer... I had respected him before but with my renewed research into this period I can't help fall a little in love with him!

In other news... 

I was absolutely ecstatic to find out that the third book in the All Souls Trilogy will be released in July 2014.
I became captivated by the first book, 'A Discovery of Witches', whilst living in Nottingham. I have great respect and admiration for Deborah Harkness' commitment to historical research entwined with a fantastic piece of gripping literature. 

This is definitely going to be something that we will be hearing much more about as the film rights have been signed to Warner Brothers. I cannot wait to see who will bring the irresistible Matthew Clairmont to life.

You can follow the author on Twitter here.

I also spent the evening adding pictures of my nearest and dearest's faces into portraits from history. My all time favourite was the one I created of my sister's boyfriend Jake. 

I will have to get this printed.

Point Proven...

... and with that I have gone off on a tangent again and have spent at least ten minutes on twitter! 

Off to bed I must go so I can wake up and work on my dissertation (read: blog).