Tonight is the first night of my new course. I have new pens, new notebooks, new binders and a whole new and improved attitude to study (I think). And I’ve been listening to the 24 Hour Party People compilation CD here at work featuring lots of New Order and Joy Division – sounds that I […]

Which didn’t have anything to do with the weather. Which wasn’t actually an accident. Which shows that historians, too, can ignore any obvious evidence which gets in the way of a good story. Scene: a certain workplace. Time: a Monday morning. Activity: while sneaking a smoke out the back, a certain employee spies a glass […]

Since I placed my desire for a cheese-on (toast) yesterday on the record, I have had to face the accusation that I am food obsessed and/or prone to writing about snacks. A highly selective reading of the subject matter hitherto addressed, I would respond. So I won’t mention the luscious lamb shanks with creamy polenta […]

I’m going out to dinner tonight. Hmmm, but where to go? Somewhere old – somewhere new? Do I impress out of town visitor with something tried and true or walk on the wild side a little? Perplexing. I wonder if there’s anywhere we can go that’ll make me a cheese-on (toast, that is). That’s what […]

I had a very tasty soup for lunch. It was a mulligatawny – steaming hot and delicious. Served with roti bread. Scrumptious but hard to spell. Not that that’s an issue. Regarding soup, scrumptiousness is more important than ease of spelling. But, as I’d decided to write about the deliciousness of my lunch, I thought […]

School holidays have kicked in – so the office of any organisation which exists to resource teachers and students is naturally more quiet than usual. Lots of staff take the opportunity to have holidays – my boss is away overseas and other staff members are also away today. Normally the phones are buzzing at this […]

Well, I’m now enrolled – or at least part enrolled – in my new course (the prelude to my new job and grand new career! Remember?) The road to enrolment has not exactly been smooth. And the problems, disturbingly, have mostly related to poor communication. Does this bode well for learning good practices? Maybe it’s […]

I guess it had to happen one day. Scene: 6.30 am. Radio tells me it’s 5 degrees outside. Contemplating how long can stay in bed where it is much warmer. Over the low murmur of the radio comes the (not so) dulcet sounds of the garbage truck rounding the corner. Damn. Did not put very […]

Why should your birthday only last for one day? My preference is to extend the birthday season over several weeks of treats and general, all round good cheer. Bring on the cake, bring on the sparkly drinkies, bring on the dancing boys (hey, where’d they come from?) …. Anyway… the weekend just gone saw a […]

My housemate, Justine, has been way for a couple of days. While it’s very nice to have the house to self, it’s also nice to have someone else around to talk to, share the dog walking duties, shout at the TV etc, etc. So, her return is appreciated on many levels. Not least because she […]