you know you're a victorianist when ...

i'm borrowing a page from confessing mermaid's blog and compiling a list. lists are fun. i like lists. in an attempt to salvage the reputation of victorianists everywhere, here's my humourous list "you know you're a victorianist when ..."

1. you name your cats (and you have several) after 19th-century novelists that you admire.
2. you think George is a fine name for a girl.
3. you have publically referred to those vehicles that power the local transit system as omnibuses.
4. you date entries in your research journal "March 16, 1869" and don't realize the mistake until days later (the date was actually March 16, 2006 *ahem*).
5. friends and non-Canadian colleagues call you on Victoria Day to find out what the holiday is "really" all about; they phrase their questions as though they are asking about a day of religious observance: "So what does Victoria Day mean for you?"
6. you own, and have worn, a corset.
7. when discussing friends' love lives you use words like "paramour" and "courting".
8. you know the value of a good knick-knack.
9. you honestly believe your addiction to british soap operas like Coronation Street is merely an extension of your interest in the historical development of serial fiction.
10. you know why a Prince Albert is really called a Prince Albert (think about those tight breeches!).