Monday 18 October 2010

(just for the record)

Attendance Register

1.
She wins the prize for the most exotic name.
It stretches from one end of the alphabet to the other.

2.
He enquires about language training because
Russian is essential for his fieldwork in Uzbekistan.

3.
She asks the way to the train station.
Twice.
MrsM considers the feasibility of a GPS loan.

4.
He has had his dreadlocks cut off
but the mischievous grin is still there.

5.
She is homesick and decides to leave.
MrsM signs the form and wishes her luck
but she is not listening...
in her head she has already left the campus.

6.
He is awarded a prestigious grant
to fund his studies for the next four years
which vindicates his brave decision
to leave a well paid but boring job.

7.
She sets off for a year of fieldwork in Asia.
She is young and flustered
but her new husband stands reassuringly behind her.
They are on their first adventure together.

8.
He sent so many emails before he arrived
querying every single detail
of the enrolment and financial arrangements
that MrsM is surprised to discover
he is a very 'street' young man
and not a retired accountant.

9.
She did not get the job
even though she was well qualified.
MrsM makes enquiries and discovers that
a student from her old Department was successful.
MrsM is torn between delight and disappointment.

10.
He describes his exciting placement
in South Africa during the World Cup.
MrsM remembers encouraging him to apply and smiles.

11.
She is persuaded to show off her diamond ring
which made a surprise appearance
from a rucksack on a foggy day.
It is undoubtedly the first chapter
of a happy marriage.

12.
He was a student when she arrived
but was appointed as a lecturer shortly afterwards.
MrsM wonders if he will become Head of Department
before she leaves.

13 comments:

  1. On the scale of vicarious excitement and enjoyment, my favorite is #6!

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  2. Just for the record NEVER fail.

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  3. I love these little snippets of you days. So cleverly and beautifully noticed.

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  4. Dear MrsM,

    I am a reader, not a commenter - I just never seem to be able to find the words to convey how much I enjoy the way you can turn the mundane into bits of poetry. Reading your post with a cup of coffee after dropping off the children at school: now there's a good way to start the rest of my day. So I will go back to being a reader, not a commenter, if that's alright with you, and just say a big thank you.

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  5. You know how much I love these posts!

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  6. Yet another lovely vignette of university life, Alice. Brings back memories as always.
    Someone I once enrolled has recently popped up on TV as a Welsh news correspondent, and an ex-student of husband's was shortlisted for the Booker last year - and yet there must be hundreds whose names I can't recall.

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  7. I could see every one of them. I'm glad I spent a moment in their lives.

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  8. I like #4....I can remember the day when I cut mine off (nearly 19 years a go)like it was yesterday. My mama was so happy!! I felt so light.

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  9. oh so.... captivating... I want to know more!

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  10. It's number 2 that I want to be --

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Thank you! I love reading your comments and even though I don't always have time to reply I am really grateful to every one who joins in the conversation.