Wednesday 21st November 2012, 11.05am (day 454)
The torturess is still working on me. We’re about three-quarters done. You’ll see it properly when it’s finished although that might not be until after Christmas now.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Category Archives: Friend
Michael in MOSI
Friday 16th November 2012, 11.50am (day 449)
A similar theme to yesterday, I know, but for the second day in a row I’m chuffed with the picture so couldn’t omit it. It’s less impersonal anyway: this is one of my students, Michael, pictured taking notes (good boy!) during our field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. It’s that institution’s second appearance on the blog, after this shot in February 2012.
The ‘Development of Educational Technology’ class
Monday 15th October 2012, 1.50pm (day 417)
Seeing as I seemed to spend most of the day teaching in one way or another it seems appropriate to use a picture of a class to encapsulate the day.
The three students in the foreground are Chinese and Korean, the book they are looking at is in Arabic. I could give away my pedagogical secrets and tell you why, but then I’d have to kill you. (Or you could just enroll on my degree, of course.)
Rosie, in the Learning Commons
Friday 12th October 2012, 2.25pm (day 414)
Last time you saw the University of Manchester’s new “Learning Commons” building it was still being finished, back in early July. It’s now open and myself and some of my students got a tour of it today: off this lady here (pictured through a window separating a corridor from one of the private study spaces). And it’s impressive, too. Even if I didn’t help design it 🙂
Dispenser of pain
Tuesday 25th September 2012, 11.30am (day 397)
We are still above water, for now. Let’s move on to other things.
This photo is not bad considering I was slumped forward, half-naked, on a bench, sticking my camera over my shoulder and shooting blindly, while in the middle of a four-hour session, the first half of which was marked by stoic acceptance, the second half by suffering and pain. Yes, my tattoo is under way. This is Clare at work, you may see here again in a few weeks’ time.
Baby Iris
Tuesday 4th September 2012, 1.35pm (day 376)
Awwww. Snapped today during a working lunch in the Students’ Union in Manchester. As well as her super-cuteness I like the symmetry of the various hands and limbs of both mother and baby but also the asymmetry of the other face in the background. Iris (5 months) thus becomes the youngest person to feature on this blog.
The ‘Save the Railway’ meeting
Sunday 22nd July 2012, 3.10pm (day 332)
Here is not the place for the fine detail, but the ‘significant’ news that hit on my first day in Tuscaloosa, mentioned below, was that the giant ‘pubco’ (pub ownership company) that owns the Railway has decided that it is unwilling to stump up the cost of a refurbishment following the damage caused by the floods on 22nd/23rd June and 9th July. They want to sell the pub, but no one is particularly convinced that they have an interest in keeping the pub in the hands of someone who will, well, keep it as a pub and not convert it into something else. The last few years in the UK have, to say the least, not been kind to the pub trade.
Well, we – the customers – want to keep it as a pub, so today we had a meeting there to discuss what we were going to do. It was a lovely sunny day and there was also a social aspect to it – no one wanted their last drink here to be that horrible 22nd June. But it shouldn’t have to be the last today, either. We’ll try not to make it the last.
The Great Mandavi
Saturday 7th July 2012, 1.25pm (day 317)
More performance: but that’s because it’s Hebden Bridge’s annual arts festival at the moment. This is the Great Mandavi – a.k.a. Dave from across the road – captured just at the moment he warms his tongue up and his hat falls off. How do you decide you can do this kind of thing, by the way? I mean, what drives you to try it that first time?
Lady Wildflower
Friday 6th July 2012, 8.45pm (day 316)
It rained all day again and Hebden Bridge was one thunderstorm away from flooding once more, but the heavens relented at about 7pm, and we were spared. I don’t want to talk about the weather. The evening was a much better distraction. But I am supposed not to publish any photos of the burlesque performers so here’s the compere, Lady Wildflower, a much more pleasing shot than one of flooded fields and replacement bus services and rain and general weather-related gloom.
Mölkky in the woods
Tuesday 29th May 2012, 4.30pm (day 278)
Even the keenest follower of this blog is unlikely to have lost a great deal of sleep over the fate of the mölkky (Finnish skittles) set last seen on Christmas Day. But here it is, providing an excuse to involve Joe, Clare and our neighbour Keith in some enjoyable physical activity out in the woods across the road, on another glorious evening. Better than just hanging round the pub anyway. (Which we did anyway, afterwards…. too nice to stay in.)
