Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
I was just trying to send a picture to this blog via email, but it goes to O2's MMS service. Don't you just love technology? I shall be posting, hopefully, via mobile over the weekend. I'll be in the rain, hanging off mountains and worrying sheep. Saturday, the aim is to go up the Watkin path to the summit of Snowdon, then down via the Snowdon Ranger trail and back round to our start point; then Sunday, up on to the Glyders and round. home and bath by sunday evening.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
a few pics.
Beer; the side of a mountain; Angus reading a comic; panorama of the valley I live in; me looking stern and teachery. All photos taken with a Sony Ericsson K750i.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
reactivated.
I'm back! There are reasons for my absence, which I may or may not share; but right now, I've decided to reanimate this blog, and get it back to routine. it's 6.20 in the evening, I'm exhausted and pissed off and not looking forward to another evening of advanced class, but bollocks to it.
pictures are of me looking pissed off, and the view from Bentyn in the Brecon Beacons, which I hiked up in April, preparing for the 3 peaks challenge I'll be doing in July.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
keep still. keep very still.
This is what I'm saying to myself at the moment. My hand and rib are healing well, although I still can't exert much pressure with my hand. Unfortunately, I've now managed to wrench the muscles in my neck and shoulder, so turning my head is proving to be a bit of a bugger.
I'm currently busy with sorting out the exam schedules, but only a couple of weeks to go now before it's all over, and I can spend a long, easy summer either on holiday, doing my diploma course, or a rather interesting research project that's come my way, courtesy of Reading Uni. In other words, the really fun bits of teaching, instead of the slog of bureaucracy.
Sad to see that my chum Marcus has given up the blog. I've enjoyed reading it, and its often percipient, wise thoughts. I'll miss it, mate!
Right, time for class.
I'm currently busy with sorting out the exam schedules, but only a couple of weeks to go now before it's all over, and I can spend a long, easy summer either on holiday, doing my diploma course, or a rather interesting research project that's come my way, courtesy of Reading Uni. In other words, the really fun bits of teaching, instead of the slog of bureaucracy.
Sad to see that my chum Marcus has given up the blog. I've enjoyed reading it, and its often percipient, wise thoughts. I'll miss it, mate!
Right, time for class.
Friday, May 06, 2005
What have you done??!
I am seriously pissed off. A tory's been voted in in Reading East! I live in a Tory constituency! Fuck! Fuck! Shit on a stick!
Bastards.
I know who's done this; All the wankshafts who swan around Caversham, thinking it's acceptable to wear polo neck sweaters and slacks (often at the same time), who think it's important to talk about the type of car you drive or the size of your mortgage, or how well you do at the golf club or how well the children do at school, who bray about their wealth, and claim not to be racist but then go on to spew forth the latest bigoted ignorant shite that the Express and Mail can churn up, while swilling on their afternoon gins.
Anything, anything, is better than a Tory.
Well, constituents of Reading East, I hope you're proud of yourselves.
Bastards.
I know who's done this; All the wankshafts who swan around Caversham, thinking it's acceptable to wear polo neck sweaters and slacks (often at the same time), who think it's important to talk about the type of car you drive or the size of your mortgage, or how well you do at the golf club or how well the children do at school, who bray about their wealth, and claim not to be racist but then go on to spew forth the latest bigoted ignorant shite that the Express and Mail can churn up, while swilling on their afternoon gins.
Anything, anything, is better than a Tory.
Well, constituents of Reading East, I hope you're proud of yourselves.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
In other news...
...I forgot to mention about the inaugural Reading Turkish Society meeting, and as I have a moment now, or rather because I can't be arsed to get on with any meaningful work, I may as well give an update of it.
Well, it wasn't exactly the colossal fuck-up it could have been. Poorly-organised, yes. Badly-timed, yes. No clear idea of where it was going, yes. Colossal fuck-up, no. The woman organising it had been let down by others who had promised they were going to help, so she was already deeply stressed by the time we arrived to give a hand. In the programme of events, she'd only left half an hour for introductory speeches and whatnot, but wanted somehow to squeeze eight different speakers, plus myself as link, into that time, clearly impossible. Still, we did our best, but overran by a good fifty minutes. Things were not helped by one of the speakers, from the Young Turks society, starting to show a film about the Turkish War of Independence (Kurtulus). Things were not helped even more by the organiser getting panicky and curtailing the showing, afraid that the meeting was getting 'political'. This did not impress a few of the invited speakers, who began to wonder why they'd been invited in the first place. Someone also pointed out that the day (the 24th) was the day that the Armenians remembered the 'ethnic cleansing' of the Ottoman Armenians during the First World War. (note: I'm not going to comment about whether the whole thing was genocide or not: there are plenty who will argue with me either way, and I for one would rather wait until the Turkish government finally decides to open its extensive documentation on the affair.) In short, everything started to go pear shaped, until I stepped in and suggested everyone go and have a kebab. Afterwards, there was a question-and-answer session, largely dominated by general questions to the Turkish Cultural Attache, Izzet Bey, rather than questions regarding the society itself.
And ever since then, the various people who organised this, my wife included, have been pointing fingers, recriminating each other, and generally moaning.
I am utterly pissed off with the whole affair.
I was, however, the only one who came out of it smelling of roses, thanks to being the mc.
Well, it wasn't exactly the colossal fuck-up it could have been. Poorly-organised, yes. Badly-timed, yes. No clear idea of where it was going, yes. Colossal fuck-up, no. The woman organising it had been let down by others who had promised they were going to help, so she was already deeply stressed by the time we arrived to give a hand. In the programme of events, she'd only left half an hour for introductory speeches and whatnot, but wanted somehow to squeeze eight different speakers, plus myself as link, into that time, clearly impossible. Still, we did our best, but overran by a good fifty minutes. Things were not helped by one of the speakers, from the Young Turks society, starting to show a film about the Turkish War of Independence (Kurtulus). Things were not helped even more by the organiser getting panicky and curtailing the showing, afraid that the meeting was getting 'political'. This did not impress a few of the invited speakers, who began to wonder why they'd been invited in the first place. Someone also pointed out that the day (the 24th) was the day that the Armenians remembered the 'ethnic cleansing' of the Ottoman Armenians during the First World War. (note: I'm not going to comment about whether the whole thing was genocide or not: there are plenty who will argue with me either way, and I for one would rather wait until the Turkish government finally decides to open its extensive documentation on the affair.) In short, everything started to go pear shaped, until I stepped in and suggested everyone go and have a kebab. Afterwards, there was a question-and-answer session, largely dominated by general questions to the Turkish Cultural Attache, Izzet Bey, rather than questions regarding the society itself.
And ever since then, the various people who organised this, my wife included, have been pointing fingers, recriminating each other, and generally moaning.
I am utterly pissed off with the whole affair.
I was, however, the only one who came out of it smelling of roses, thanks to being the mc.
Hand/rib update
It has been brought to my attention by my good chum Martin that I haven't been keeping this up to date. So, here's a quickie. My hand and rib are not, as first thought, bruised: In fact, I have a broken fifth metacarpal (apparently called a boxer's break) and a cracked rib - the same rib, in fact, that I've cracked before. This means I can't pick up much with my left hand, and I can't do much with my right side either. Super.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
doomed!
I really must write this on a more regular basis...
My hand continues to hurt. My rib joined in the general pain merriment on thursday, so I'm not really enjoying muself at the moment. Added to this is the joy of trying to write a speech in Turkish, which I am due to deliver at the inaugural meeting of the Reading Turkish Organisation this sunday. Which I discovered, at half past ten last night, has not, shall we be say, been organised terribly well. A room has been booked, at The BBC Monitoring Centre in Caversham. It has no tables or chairs. There is no catering, apart from......guess what.....a kebab van! a hundred people are coming. There will be media coverage. The Turkish Ambassador may come.
This is going to be one COLLOSSAL fuck-up.
I may just stay at home on sunday.
My hand continues to hurt. My rib joined in the general pain merriment on thursday, so I'm not really enjoying muself at the moment. Added to this is the joy of trying to write a speech in Turkish, which I am due to deliver at the inaugural meeting of the Reading Turkish Organisation this sunday. Which I discovered, at half past ten last night, has not, shall we be say, been organised terribly well. A room has been booked, at The BBC Monitoring Centre in Caversham. It has no tables or chairs. There is no catering, apart from......guess what.....a kebab van! a hundred people are coming. There will be media coverage. The Turkish Ambassador may come.
This is going to be one COLLOSSAL fuck-up.
I may just stay at home on sunday.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
pesky garden furniture.
I am currently nursing several bruised ribs and a sorely bruised arm, thanks to a large old wooden bench collapsing on me on sunday.We were at my dad's house for his retirement do, and I was standing on the damn thing, trying to retrieve a ball my son had been playing with, and it decided to first tip, then spilt in two, hurling me to the ground and itself on top of me. Ouch. My left hand is only just coming back to life.
Friday, April 08, 2005
More fun.
Charlie, the student who wrote so elegantly about ladyboys in his country description assignment and has been absent for the last two months, shuffled into view once again yesterday. He handed in his holiday assignment - a comparison of two countries. The opening paragraph does not fill me with hope:
As you can seen in the map of the world, China looks as cock, the head of cock is closed Russia, Mongolia and the Peninsula of Korea, its extremity rump approach the most of southeast asian.
Bloody hell.
As you can seen in the map of the world, China looks as cock, the head of cock is closed Russia, Mongolia and the Peninsula of Korea, its extremity rump approach the most of southeast asian.
Bloody hell.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
zombie pontiff watch?
Rather worryingly, the BBC News website's current (4.25 p.m.) live feed link is titled 'watch Pope John Paul II lying in state'. Why? Is he going to start twitching? Are we expecting him to stagger to his feet again any minute, and start lurching towards the pilgrims?
drooling inanity.
For want of a better title. I've managed to avoid doing anything resembling real work for the last two and a half days, despite teaching five different classes in that time. I've just done it all on autopilot, a skill that has been carefully nurtured over years of instruction so I can give the appearance of imparting knowledge whilst being in something resembling a fugue state.
Chancellor Installation latest: I can easily imagine all the staff gathered for the installation, waiting patiently all day, and the delivery van doesn't come. Then the delivery blokes come up with some cock and bull story along the lines of, 'well, you was out, weren't ya? We rang and everything, but no answer, guv. We slipped a card under the door.'
Wondered idly whether the Chancellor comes with an extended warranty.
Chancellor Installation latest: I can easily imagine all the staff gathered for the installation, waiting patiently all day, and the delivery van doesn't come. Then the delivery blokes come up with some cock and bull story along the lines of, 'well, you was out, weren't ya? We rang and everything, but no answer, guv. We slipped a card under the door.'
Wondered idly whether the Chancellor comes with an extended warranty.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
New TVU Chancellor Latest - Booze Boss Blags Top Don Spot
From the staff intranet page....
All staff are invited to the Installation Ceremony of the new Chancellor of TVU, Karan Bilimoria CBE DL.
Business entrepreneur Karan is the founder of Cobra Beer and has been a long term associate of TVU. Karan says of his appointment: "I am truly honoured to accept the Chancellorship of Thames Valley University and look forward to playing an active role in ensuring the University receives the recognition it deserves for the tremendous work it undertakes."
Crikey. Other universities get top academics and people of reknown; we get the bloke who makes you feel slighty less gassy after fifteen pints of his finest on top of a curry.
All staff are invited to the Installation Ceremony of the new Chancellor of TVU, Karan Bilimoria CBE DL.
Business entrepreneur Karan is the founder of Cobra Beer and has been a long term associate of TVU. Karan says of his appointment: "I am truly honoured to accept the Chancellorship of Thames Valley University and look forward to playing an active role in ensuring the University receives the recognition it deserves for the tremendous work it undertakes."
Crikey. Other universities get top academics and people of reknown; we get the bloke who makes you feel slighty less gassy after fifteen pints of his finest on top of a curry.
abandoned subs and so on
Cycling back home after a long day of trying to avoid work, I noticed that some careless soul had abondoned their Soviet-era submarine in the Thames. I did try to find a photo from the local rag, but the useless bastards haven't updated their site yet. Seeing as said sub appeared on April 1st, I suspect it's not all it appears to be.
Other ways to avoid doing meaningful work: Try going to D-Film. Make a film. Send it to a friend. Laugh.
Just had a message from Announcements Central informing me that 'The New Chancellor of the university is to be installed on May 6th', and inviting me to the installation ceremony. Images of some aged bugger in ermine being unloaded from the back of a delivery truck, then put on a pedestal and plugged in....
My Trinity Licentiate Diploma in TESOL is not going very well. In fact, it's not going at all at present. It is only with coming back to college that I now think I might finally get some time to actualy sit down and do the bloody thing. I was talking to one of my colleagues, who's also been doing it, and she was moaning about how hard it was. Then, as ever, the conversation turned towards sex.
'I don't think I could cope with an orgy,' she said. 'I'd always be looking over at other people, comparing myslef with the other women and wondering why x(her partner) isn't doing that and that to me! Besides, he's ever so jealous; He'd probably start a fight, and that would look ridiculous naked.'
Other ways to avoid doing meaningful work: Try going to D-Film. Make a film. Send it to a friend. Laugh.
Just had a message from Announcements Central informing me that 'The New Chancellor of the university is to be installed on May 6th', and inviting me to the installation ceremony. Images of some aged bugger in ermine being unloaded from the back of a delivery truck, then put on a pedestal and plugged in....
My Trinity Licentiate Diploma in TESOL is not going very well. In fact, it's not going at all at present. It is only with coming back to college that I now think I might finally get some time to actualy sit down and do the bloody thing. I was talking to one of my colleagues, who's also been doing it, and she was moaning about how hard it was. Then, as ever, the conversation turned towards sex.
'I don't think I could cope with an orgy,' she said. 'I'd always be looking over at other people, comparing myslef with the other women and wondering why x(her partner) isn't doing that and that to me! Besides, he's ever so jealous; He'd probably start a fight, and that would look ridiculous naked.'
Monday, April 04, 2005
still alive!
..me, that is. Alright, I know I've missed a month or so, but I have my reasons - mainly work related, in that I've been horrendously busy. Still, it's the beginning of the spring/summer term now, and time to start winding down.
And you can always rely on a dead pope to delay a general election and piss on Prince Charles' wedding fireworks....
And you can always rely on a dead pope to delay a general election and piss on Prince Charles' wedding fireworks....
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Nearly 37.
Tomorrow, in fact. Some would say this is scary, particularly in the light of the fact that I feel nowhere near this old. Fortunately for me, I don't look it either, thanks to some good skin genes from both sides of the family tree. Cycling and giving up fags have definitely helped too. However, the fact remains that I shall be 37, and should act in a more considerate, thoughtful and mature way henceforth.
This is why I and several colleagues shall be going out tomorrow to get dreadfully pissed up, followed by kebab eating, dancing, and more drinking.
Mishearing things?
Gabriella, the Argentinian programme leader for Modern Foreign Languages, asked me:
'Do you like Alpha Whores?'
'Sorry?'
'Alpha Whores. I brought them back from Argentina. They're delicious.'
And she whipped them out there and then.
Sadly, they weren't Alpha Whores, or even Beta Slappers, but alfajores, a type of sweet. And very delicious they were too.
This is why I and several colleagues shall be going out tomorrow to get dreadfully pissed up, followed by kebab eating, dancing, and more drinking.
Mishearing things?
Gabriella, the Argentinian programme leader for Modern Foreign Languages, asked me:
'Do you like Alpha Whores?'
'Sorry?'
'Alpha Whores. I brought them back from Argentina. They're delicious.'
And she whipped them out there and then.
Sadly, they weren't Alpha Whores, or even Beta Slappers, but alfajores, a type of sweet. And very delicious they were too.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Not bothered
..to blog. Yes, I know I'm being lazy, but I have been at my most indolent for quite some time for the past week. Either I've watched TV, or idled in front of the computer, and pretty much bugger all else. Well, that's what having a half-term holiday does for you.
Coming back yesterday, one of my students, R., was dreadfully excited because it was snowing a flake or two.
'Will it settle? I want to build a snowman!'
He's from Bangladesh, and has never seen snow before.
As the advert has it, when was the last time you did something for the first time? That was the thought winding round my mind as I went back home. Resolved not to be so lazy.
Coming back yesterday, one of my students, R., was dreadfully excited because it was snowing a flake or two.
'Will it settle? I want to build a snowman!'
He's from Bangladesh, and has never seen snow before.
As the advert has it, when was the last time you did something for the first time? That was the thought winding round my mind as I went back home. Resolved not to be so lazy.
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