The Archive of Lady Catherine de Turnips

To my friends.

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A squashbuckling heroine.
A well-travelled flâneuse who writes letters to an unnamed friend.

If anybody asked her to follow the STAR* framework in her answer, she would lecture on the historical optimism of the celestial mosaics of Ravenna, astrology, and Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake on a square in Rome named after flowers — and then point out the directions of all the decent coffee shops in its surroundings.

• Entry 4663-2-5: On murders and shovels
  Bartering medieval artefacts is not my only source of chocolate.
  
  
• Entry 4663-1-bis: A brief report on alligators, pelicans and Elizabeth I
  As you know, in the world that plays checkers, I play Heroes of Might and Magic.
  
  
• Entry 46-63-1: A brief observation on umbrellas
  Some would disagree with that statement, emphasising that if it rains, it rains.
  
  
• Entry 4663-double-2: A note on considerate neighbours
  What do Isaac Newton and tigers have in common? Among many possible answers, they both lived, at some point, in the Tower of London.
  So, I hope you are still following my train of thought, because once again, we are getting closer to the witches.
  
  
• Entry 46-63-00-3: On snakes
  I asked her whether she could recruit Shoosha as a sitter for an Adam-and-Eve scene (as a snake).
  
  
• Entry 4663-2: On avian friendship
  Kind, very kind, but not nice – even emphatically not nice.
  
  
• Entry 46-63-0-2: Thoughts on writing
  I am particularly prone to diving head- and heartfirst into a topic I for no particular reason stumbled across.
  
  
• Entry 4663-3-12: On the matter of cats and Catherines
  Whenever I travel and I have a terrace, a tiny garden or a balcony, I find a shallow bowl — a carefully washed ashtray works marvellously for my purposes — and, having filled it with fresh water, place it there.
  
  
• Entry 46-63-4-2-4-2: On knives and coins
  Attempts to foretell the future are not dissimilar to the process of scholarly enquiry.
  
  
• Entry 4663-0-y: On being undersold and overpriced
  Yet here I am, fighting with an unprecedented London heat in a very urban manner and as violently as a lifelong pacifist can.
  
  
• Entry 4663-4-2-4-2: On brevity
  Truth be told, I haven’t the faintest idea what to say. Oh, how frustrated I am!
  
  
• Entry 4663-00-7: Her curtain call
  Some say first impressions are the most valuable ones. I disagree (only partially): for me, it’s the first confusion that defines a good story. First struggles? Possibly.
  
  

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* According to some people, the STAR method ("Situation, Task, Action, and Result") is a "structured technique used by employers to evaluate candidates by how they respond to behavioural and situational interview questions".

According to the London Archives, STAR stands for "Skills Training in Archival Research", which is held regularly (and quite enjoyable).

A star is also still a star.

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Ekaterina “Rina” Repina is a Kazakhstan-born researcher and storyteller based in London, UK. Her work has been presented at institutions including the National Portrait Gallery (internal research club), the University of Warsaw, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the London School of Solarpunk, the London Hospital Tavern, and Spitalfields City Farm. She currently volunteers at the National Portrait Gallery and the Tower of London.

“Lady Catherine de Turnips” is a translation of the name “Ekaterina Repina”, with an additional twist. In this capacity, the former serves to channel skills and experiences of the latter that are not necessarily CV- or job-interview-friendly.

You can find the contacts of both of them here.