Category Archives: Uncategorized

Become a personal trainer – but not on this course (Rousse)

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Completely fed up with work, I decided to ditch academia to train as a fitness instructor, and joined the same course as FM. The pace of the classes was incredibly slow, largely because the tutor took a 15 minute break … Continue reading →

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Rousse’s perilous journey

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Dreamaticus

This was highly embarrassing. My gym membership had run out several weeks earlier and somehow I had ended up in the changing rooms with everyone encouraging me to pretend that I was still a member. This was not right and … Continue reading →

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Talking dog finds a new home (Rousse)

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Dreamaticus

TPR and I found a new place to live on the top floor of an abandoned Victorian orphanage in Manchester. Admittedly it would take some time to make the cold grey rooms comfortable, and we’d have to do something with … Continue reading →

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Suicide bombers target ocean liner university campus in Leith – with bonus baby monkey (Rousse)

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Dreamaticus

A huge media campaign grew up around the campus move to an ocean liner moored in Leith Docks. Thousands of visitors were expected to gather for the firework display that followed our open afternoon. I was looking forward to the … Continue reading →

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John Lewis suitcase switch and Tiffany diamond haul (Rousse)

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Dreamaticus

In a flashback to the heady days of dot.com boom TPR and I flew to South Africa for an all-expenses paid incentive holiday in Pretoria. I was looking forward to comparing the twenty-first century experience of corporate excess with that … Continue reading →

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Babies, text mining and Any Questions (Rousse)

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Dreamaticus

All the middle-aged married women at the conference looked so much bigger than they did this time last year. Puzzled at first, I eventually worked out that all of them were either about to give birth, or had recently welcomed … Continue reading →

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Holy Island Heights (Rousse)

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Just short of the Holy Island causeway, TPR steered the tandem over to the right. Perhaps behind these dunes we would finally discover the most beautiful beach in Northumberland? The sight before us from atop the marram grass was, indeed, … Continue reading →

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Housework versus helicopter trip? A courtier of Charles II helps Rousse decide

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Dreamaticus

While TPR enjoyed an early morning run, I promised to stay at home to clear up the chaos of our flat following the previous night’s party. However, I was interrupted before I’d even started. A courtier of Charles II dressed … Continue reading →

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Innovative scheme helps students clear debt (Rousse)

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Everything changed when I accepted the new role at work. Now my tiny office was crammed full of students and admin staff. It didn’t help that everyone brought along their own favourite items of furniture to help make the room … Continue reading →

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How to get to Paris by car (Rousse)

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Dreamaticus

I dyed my hair dark grey for KM’s parents’ golden wedding anniversary party. From a distance it looked like my head was armoured in a heavy steel helmet. Regretting my mistake, I couldn’t decide whether I should wait for this … Continue reading →

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