[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-playing-the-doctors-assistant":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Now here's something that doesn't happen every day: your friend, whom everyone says should be the next Doctor, becomes an ACTUAL DOCTOR without even studying for a degree. (Unless you are Mrs Pullman, and it's happened to your husband about thirteen times.) This week I got to be the Doctor's assistant and support him (Doctor Who? Oh yes, \u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.co.uk/\">Doctor Reeve\u003C/a>) at the Anglia Ruskin graduation ceremony in Cambridge, where he and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.philip-pullman.com/\">Philip Pullman\u003C/a> accepted their honourary doctorates.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_rusking_reeve_2_zps5303615a-83bc46cfa1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI made a drawing while I was supposed to be clapping.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/Reeve_doctorate_sketch_zpsf6643943-65f1136a35.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nHere I am, just about to leave for Cambridge, practicing hard at being a STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONIST. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kings_cross_strongwoman_zpsc9a337d4-f59770187f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for more under the cut!-->\\r\nHere's one of the Philips giving his speech, it was pretty awesome. He talked about his time at \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglia_Ruskin_University\">Anglia Ruskin\u003C/a> (known then as Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology) when he was taught how to use metal moveable type, right before computer typesetting came into use. Things change fast and the Doctor regenerates regularly. (No, he didn't say 'regenerate', ha ha.) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_reeve_1_zps4ab95c71-821ecff019.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI was wearing my special skunk-themed fascinator for the evening, but I swapped it to try on a Hat of Greatness. It feels... pretty great. The other faculty member next to me tried it on, too, but said it made him look like a mushroom. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskin_sarah_hat_zps6e3002cd-2a3ef85c66.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nYou can tell we spent the whole evening in a very solemn fashion. Here's another of Philip's guests, \u003Ca href=\"http://daveshelton.com/\">Dave Shelton\u003C/a> (author of \u003Ci>A Boy, a Bear and a Boat\u003C/i> looking on in wonder. I stayed overnight with Dave and his partner, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/alss/deps/csoa/staff0/pam_smy.html\">Pam Smy\u003C/a>, who teaches illustration at Anglia Ruskin. I'm hugely excited about her upcoming book with David Fickling and the late Siobhan Dowd, \u003Cb>\u003Ci>The Ransom of Dond\u003C/i>\u003C/b>. Gorgeous illustrations, \u003Ca href=\"http://pamsmy.blogspot.co.uk/\">you can see some of the drawings here on Pam's blog\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_phil_dave_zpsa023746f-197e57097c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Mr Pullman again, at the dinner, looking pleased as punch about his new college-pattern tie.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_pullman2_zps44b63154-b5b7505fe8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe next morning, we popped into \u003Ca href=\"http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/editorial/shops/SHOP10.jsp\">Heffers Bookshop\u003C/a> (where Philip used to work!) to sign and doodle in some copies of \u003Ci>Oliver and the Seawigs\u003C/i>. (Get 'em while they're hot!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_heffers_zpsd444c526-708ddcaab6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd since we were in Cambridge, we very much wanted to catch up with \u003Ca href=\"http://www.emmavieceli.com/\">Emma Vieceli\u003C/a>, who showed us the most amazing rooftop cafe bar, above the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thevarsityhotel.co.uk/roof-garden.php\">Varsity Hotel & Spa\u003C/a>. \u003Cb>That view!\u003C/b> WOW. Here they are, attempting to look posh. Emma's currently working one on the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.emmavieceli.com/blog/2012/11/7/alex-rider.html\">\u003Ci>Alex Rider\u003C/i>\u003C/a> graphic novels, it'll be ace. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_rooftop_zpsb2e6607f-ba3ffee863.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI'm such a tourist in Cambridge, I love snapping photos of all the amazing buildings. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_gate_zps26cd5524-95719de3eb.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nLike this one, hanging on the wall of Dave and Pam's house, made by their daughter for her school project. It's even got little people inside if you open the windows; I totally wanted to go away and make one of those. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/anglia_ruskine_davepam_kidhouse_zps993574af-6b1c429cf2.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCongrats to the Philips, a big thanks to Dave and Pam for putting me up, to Anglia Ruskin for the excellent dinner, flowers and chocolates, and to Emma, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/VonPud\">Von Pud\u003C/a>, and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/bridge\">Bridge Hannigan\u003C/a> for taking time from their busy schedules to meet up! xxx\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ci>Edit:\u003C/i> Here's \u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/visits-to-cambridge-and-middle-of.html\">Philip's blog post about the Cambridge trip\u003C/a>!","2013-10-04T21:43:00.000Z","playing-the-doctors-assistant",[],"playing the doctor's assistant",1776628725671]