When academics grow up they still behave as their students do: sitting at the back and hoping no one picks on them for input. I wonder how many chairs there are at the University: tens of thousands I imagine. Perhaps the entire student population could sit down there at once, but many of them would definitely be visible at the front.
I was working today, Sunday — but this was no hardship, as it involved being in the press box for a Premier League game, namely Brighton v Southampton. This was the scene after the match, as we — ‘the media’ I guess (about 20 guys of varying ages, no women I’m afraid) — awaited the arrival of the managers. Each perhaps frustrated that there was no winning goal for either: 2-2 was the final score. On this one I like the basic monochrome, set off by the one flash of colour.
Located behind one end of Tonbridge Angels FC’s ground, this looks like a peaceful scene although there are at least eleven hundred football fans in reasonably close proximity. I like the muted colour scheme and the chess-board pattern reflected in the ball above.
A bit of culture. My taxes help pay for this place (and explain why entry remains free, hallelujah) so it was about time I paid it a visit. You get to see a lot of pictures of medieval saints, knights, Christ and so on but it’s certainly worth a couple of hours.
Some people may have gone back to work today, but neither Clare nor I did. So, a game of Mensa Connections it was, then. She won. 2-0 as it happens.
Spent the day doing much the same things as yesterday, hence this photo hits much the same themes. But still, why not? People! In rooms together, thinking! It’s about time.
A tough assignment today. Online classes late in the afternoon then another in the evening meant I couldn’t go out. The world outside was grey and dull — though at least, still light, at approaching 8pm. This is the kind of day that will eventually kill the creative spirit in me, and thus, this blog. But here’s my best effort.
Eight and a half hours’ work today — almost all spent in online meetings. Even in the depths of lockdown I did not do such a day. These objects marked the limits of my real world. (Yes, that’s a sticker of Graham Chapman’s face stuck to the Macbook.)
Finding myself, once again, in the west Leeds suburbs for an evening, I wandered into this Mexican restaurant for dinner and, as with the other diners, found myself in a training session for a new member of the waiting staff, so things were a little chaotic… But everything came out in good time and tasted fine. So I tipped generously, and tried not to get in the way.
Data analysis done the retro way, on the train. Who needs expensive software packages when you have highlighter pens of differing colours. And months after the fact, too — these are interview transcripts from St Helena. But hey, I got to them in the end.
Being 42 