Amphorae

Rarely do I post something here that I have posted on my other blog, in fact I don't think I ever have, but this seemed like something that might help the community of bloggers across areas of interest. Recently I noticed that I was having a problem commenting or responding to comments on my own blog. I would click on "comment", write what I wanted to say, choose an ID to respond as, enter my word verification...and be asked to sign in. I'd sign in, and be sent right back to Anonymous land. Maybe you've been having this problem too, and in case you have I will tell you what finally worked for me. Go to your dashboard and click "Sign Out" in the upper right-hand corner. It will take you to the sign-in page. UNCHECK the "Remember me" or "Keep me signed in" box, and sign in as normal. For some reason this should take you out of the sign-in loop so that it actually does remember your ID. It's counterintuitive, but it works. Hop...

I'm working on my speech for my reception, even though it's not traditional for the bride to make a speech. I'll be ending with a toast that goes something like this... "To the words as yet unwritten And the words as yet unsaid, To the memories behind us And the dreams that lie ahead, For the future that is waking, For the vows that we are taking And the happiness we're making On this, the day we wed."

Evening gown, Vogue, 1934 

The Cast of The Importance of Being Earnest delivers lines from Jersey Shore...but with a twist! This one had my coworkers and I rolling with laughter this afternoon. Make sure to check out all five of the installments.

Today is the anniversary of the great earthquake of Antioch in 526 A.D. It ranks as the 6th greatest natural disaster (in terms of death toll), and 250,000 people are said to have died. This was hardly the first earthquake to hit the great city, one in 37 A.D. had caused Emperor Caligula to send a special delegation of two senators to report on Antioch's condition. It would also not be the last; during the Siege of Antioch in the First Crusade an earthquake hit on December 30th of 1097, supposedly weakening the city's defenses and causing, along with subsequent bad weather, an army of their allies to depart. The city fell the following May, leading to a terrible massacre of the inhabitants that lives in historical infamy.

The royal wedding may be over, but my own wedding is only two short months away and everywhere I look I can see that it is high wedding season. In honor of all the brides (and grooms), let's take a look at wedding fashions throughout the ages. In a traditional Roman wedding the bride wore a white toga with a very long red veil, which hung from a headdress made up of six even strands of hair held together in a kind of conical shape. There was potentially a second veil, also red, which the bride used as she symbolically veiled herself  ("nupta", as in "nuptial") like a piece of property which was transferred from one owner to another. There was a also a wreath on her head and a knotted girdle around her waist which was meant to tie up evil spirits. Fast forward to medieval times and in some ways things had relaxed a little. There wasn't quite so much symbolism and clothing was more a matter of fashion than tradition, the brides gown being generally just her...

I loved the series Histeria! when I was younger, I mean, it was cartoons and history; what's not to like? Here's their primer on the Tudor dynesty. I was lucky enough to get mine courtesy of the British school system, but this is a fine recap.