One of my original goals in Nobel-blogging was to help future laureates dodge those “if only I had known” moments. So, here in one handy location, are just a few:
- When you fill out a form with everyone’s name, profession, and title–“title” doesn’t mean “job title” as in the US, it means titles like Professor, Dr., Mrs., maybe HRH or even Duke of Earl. Oops! I was surprised but not unhappy to end up with “Författare” (Swedish for “writer”) on my Nobel banquet place setting–but I wonder what happened to friend Naomi, whose dual career I’d summed up as “Film director and hotel owner”…
- Laureates and spouses don’t have to figure out how to get to the Grand Hotel from Arlanda Airport–or how to get anywhere else, for that matter–because the Nobel Committee delivers a huge Volvo limousine with a great driver (thank you, Harald!) almost to the door of the airplane.
- When you arrive at the Royal Palace for dinner on December 11, don’t draw the conclusion from previous banquets that you should start shaking hands along the huge reception line to your left. Your job is to stand in a reception line on the right.
- Don’t worry about making my mistakes, or new ones of your own, because your “Nobel attendant” (thank you, Cecilia!) will rescue you with good-humored clever kindness.