We were gathered around a table at Loughborough University to discuss the establishment of a new research centre for visiting library and information science researchers, and this was getting embarrassing. For the third time I asked the chair of the committee to repeat his question, which he did, and I still couldn’t make sense of anything that he said. Was he garbling his words, or perhaps I was going deaf? None of the others looked as puzzled as me, yet nor did anyone else attempt to answer the question. This was going to be a long, confused, committee meeting.

In the break I popped outside and was surprised to emerge into heat and beautiful countryside: the East Midlands in mid-winter reminded me of rural West Sussex at the height of summer.

Back in the committee room again, the “meeting” had taken on the appearance of a confused workshop where multiple conversations along the table debated flipchart lists. I secretly checked my British Airways boarding card, wondering whether I could negotiate with those flying to Newcastle to leave early at 15:50.