Category Archives: Uncategorized

PhD interview disaster (Rousse)

The printed schedule for interviewing the PhD candidates was littered with typos. Then one of my colleagues invited the first applicant to sit in the interview of the second, which was now running 30 minutes late. This was completely out … Continue reading

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Running clothes for women (Rousse)

BF turned up at the house in a stretchy brown crocheted dress. She’d last worn this garment when delivering a presidential address to a professional body in 2010. Today she thought it was suitable attire for a 06:00am run.

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Coping with Canadian weather and dangerous dogs (Rousse)

We learnt about the extremes of Canadian weather during our family touring holiday. One moment we were watching entire islands being swept along an immense broad valley in meltwater floods. The next we were struggling to drive over roads sealed … Continue reading

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A failed attempt to win over the Winklevoss twins (Rousse)

I left a half-eaten Snickers bar on the front seat of the gleaming black Range Rover that belonged to the Winklevoss twins. This, I hoped, would give me an excuse to meet them for a second time when I went … Continue reading

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Government treats UK rail infrastructure “like toy train set” (Rousse)

No wonder the railway system was in such disarray. Every time that a train needed to switch tracks, a team of men was called to lift the long lumps of metal into place by hand. The government was treating its … Continue reading

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A post-REF ghost train ride around Edinburgh (Rousse)

I picked the DVD up from reception at Queen Margaret University’s Corstorphine campus and carried it down to the staff room. I needed someone to help me proof the multimedia excerpts that had been added to my most recent publication … Continue reading

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Sun protection – Australian style (Rousse)

I located my Uncle J soon after I arrived in Australia. He was busy pulling up plants in the part of the bush that he called his garden. “Get indoors!” he shouted in alarm, chasing after me. I ran into … Continue reading

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A failed smoker catches the ghost bus (Rousse)

JS gave me £1.50 and I waited for the bus. I missed two number 11s because I wasn’t paying attention. Then I attempted to smoke a cigarette in the bus shelter, but the filter was broken and I didn’t know … Continue reading

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Woman in a pink nightdress “haunts” modern Georgian house (Rousse)

At first I thought that this “modern Georgian house” was pretty dull. Of course the drab paintwork and the tall presses on the ground floor were in keeping with the Georgian ideal, but you could find this kind of decoration … Continue reading

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The secret bride (Rousse)

Everyone loved miniature party girl NP. Tonight our tiny friend was wearing an elegant cream satin dress studded with sparkling sequins. One of the men carried her on his shoulders so everyone could see how beautiful she looked. I called … Continue reading

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