Tag Archives: academic

A proposed oral penalty (Rousse)

Posted on November 5, 2025 by Dreamaticus

EH was away so I was left to chaperone the learned dignitary who had flown in from the US to deliver a guest lecture to the final year students. She was the only British academic to have ever won the … Continue reading →

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Lion cubs join Oxford University for freshers week (Rousse)

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Dreamaticus

Dressed only in a navy blue towel, I wandered around chilly Oxford cursing the snow – and TPR, now onto the xth affair of our marriage. The new undergraduates looked both puzzled and proud at their achievement of winning places … Continue reading →

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Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and the lyrics to ‘Yellow submarine’ (Rousse)

Posted on October 19, 2024 by Dreamaticus

Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon agreed to make a personal appearance at a tiny independent book shop. As one of its regular customers, I was invited to meet the two former Beatles. McCartney entered the room first. He was … Continue reading →

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Academic promotion criteria (Rousse)

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Dreamaticus

My excitement at seeing DM again was wiped off my face when she told me that she hadn’t appreciated my contributions to online conversations about academic promotion criteria. Whatever was I thinking, ransacking a dialogue that was obviously none of … Continue reading →

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University reputation on the line (Rousse)

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Dreamaticus

JM came with terrible news. The authorities had sniffed out the rogue academic in our midst, and the University’s reputation was now on the line. Added to this, my former colleague VC was making accusations against me for supposed misdemeanours … Continue reading →

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The flying academic (Rousse)

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Even though I gave the new professor a public dressing-down for instructing me to make the arrangements for the staff night out, I still went ahead and made some enquiries. I really needed to get used to the idea that … Continue reading →

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An award-winning Australian and pelicans (Rousse)

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Dreamaticus

On the bus back to the airport at the end of the conference, the organisers informed us that there would be an award for the most friendly delegate. From the looks on their faces, I guessed that everyone felt the … Continue reading →

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A Mexican double life (Rousse)

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Dreamaticus

I spotted the black notebook lying in a side street of run-down terraced houses. Curious as to their contents, I picked it up from the gutter to take a look. There on the first page my childhood home address stood … Continue reading →

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Ian Rankin lends a hand to highland housewarming party (Rousse)

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Dreamaticus

Ian Rankin was amongst the guests invited by JS to view her new highland holiday home. In the vast sitting room he showed me a collection of cheap, mass produced porcelain deer figurines. He explained that these ornaments were very … Continue reading →

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Lazy academics unworthy of titles (Rousse)

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Dreamaticus

I waited patiently in my gown for my turn to cross the stage – but the ceremony ended without an invitation to mount the steps. A member of Human Resources staff eventually told me that the Principal and Dean had … Continue reading →

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