Thursday, 15 April 2010

(just for the record)

It is the quietest day of the year.

The academic staff are away
en masse
at international conferences
or doing field work in foreign parts.

This means that I can do the following:

1.
Admire the pink blossomy beauty of the campus.

2.
Smile sweetly at the lady behind the cash desk
when she scowls at me.

3.
Chat up the guy in charge of the conference
until he lets me eat the jelly beans
which have been put out for the delegates.

4.
Admire the tiny dog called Stanley
with a diamond collar and little grey hoodie
who arrives tucked under the arm of a (male) student.

5.
Pimp my examinations spreadsheet
with coloured tabs.

6.
Listen to music!
In my office!
On my sparkly green iPod!

7.
Wave to the tiny student
who sits like a sea sprite
on the rock outside the front door
having a break from cataloguing hand-axes.

8.
Listen to the lovely lady from Finance
tell me about her Caribbean cruise.

9.
Go to lunch with a visiting Chinese academic
and hear his in-depth analysis
of UK steel and coal production.

10.
Water the Head of Department's
much loved collection of plants.
I have only managed to kill one.
Regretfully.

11.
Discuss football
(about which I know very little)
with the Newcastle supporter
in his black and white Magpie shirt.

12.
Wish I could hear the noisy footsteps
of the academic who has just turned 40
as he arrives in my office
with yet another cunning plan
to spin money out of thin air.

18 comments:

  1. Did you notice the blue and white china? (I feel certain that you did.)

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  2. I'm curious how many of the Head's plants you were planning to kill, if you were disappointed at just killing one....
    N.

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  3. I didn't have you pegged as a Vampire Weekend kind of girl, but then, I too saw the china!

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  4. Only one day a year?

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  5. Once again I read your post and the picture painted is vivid in my mind immediately. You set the stage, fill it with the most interesting of characters and then sit behind your desk and conduct, your sparkly green ipod to hand.

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  6. I was going to comment on your regret at killing only one plant but I see Breadbox has beaten me to it.

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  7. Really enjoyed the Vampire Weekend track. They're new to me (showing just how out of it I am). And the blue and white china: perfect! K x

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  8. Now why can't I work somewhere with jelly beans?

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  9. Just for the record!! Just for the record!!!


    Dear Just For The Record,

    I love you dearly. In fact, you are my very favourite type of post in the whole entire blogosphere. Please give Alice a kiss from me.

    Sincerely,

    Eleanor from the Commentbox.

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  10. I love the music too. Nice addition to Just For The Record.

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  11. I just loved the thought of you pimping spreadsheets!

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  12. jelly beans! seriously. why did I never go to a meeting where there were jelly beans......

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  13. Makes me nostalgic for a past life. The calm before the examination madness to come...

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  14. Such a vision! My first activity of the day, even before coffee, "see what's up with Alice". Once again, I am braced for the day ahead, in the most delightful way. Thank you Alice for sharing.

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  15. oops, should have had that coffee, I am not anonymous (previous comment) I am your friend, Kathe near the Chesapeake Bay, who loves cute boys on boats.

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  16. ah
    the academic life
    love the ebb and flow

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  17. Damn. I too am 40, but still have no plans for money-spinning.

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  18. Fantastic music choice MrsM
    and I'm pleased someone else pimps spreadsheets through colour ;)

    also, I am sure that the one plant will not be missed if the others are still ok!
    x

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