Tag Archives: Birmingham

How to improve your REF 2014 ranking (Rousse)

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Dreamaticus

Once again, at the airport I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen for ages. This time it was MH. Our last encounter had been over quarter of a century ago on the campus of the University of Birmingham. We spent … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged airport, Birmingham, Birmingham University, Blackberry, broken, cell, degree, degrees, documentation, friend, inoperable, iPhone, Isle of Man, Masters, meeting, mobile, phone, ranking, rating, REF, REF 2014, school, student, students, submission, submissions, teacher, teachers, undergraduate, undergraduates, university, University of Birmingham | Leave a comment

A college education and life as a call girl (Belle)

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Dreamaticus

In a large hall in an American high school I was amused to see three students wearing Aston Villa shirts watching Match of the Day on a big screen. As I looked closer, I realised that the students had arranged … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged America, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Charlton Athletic, football, high school, Match of the Day, necklace, prostitute, vending machine, wig | Leave a comment

Belle holds down two jobs (Belle)

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Dreamaticus

My life was so pressured I was holding down two jobs. Not only was I a Serie A ballgirl, looking after the away end at Palermo’s ground but I was simultaneously walking through a derelict house trying to assess its … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ball girl, Birmingham, care home, derelict, fans, football, Hawthorn Road, Kingstanding, Palermo, Serie A | Leave a comment

How to speak French – again (Rousse)

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Dreamaticus

I was back at the University of Birmingham under the care of Mr H. He questioned my motivation for joining the second year class. What was I doing here? Didn’t I already hold a first degree, as well as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Birmingham, Birmingham University, degree, doctorate, French, learn, Masters, PhD, speak, university, University of Birmingham | Leave a comment

Humiliated Belle and a clownish revenge

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Dreamaticus

As I walked through the streets of Birmingham, three New Zealanders stopped their car to ask for directions to the jewellery quarter. I confidently gave them directions, despite not knowing the answer. However the men called my bluff pointing out … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Birmingham, car, clown, directions, jewellery quarter, New Zealander | Leave a comment

School reunions: beware the ex (Rousse)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Dreamaticus

It was difficult to establish my role at this reunion. For example, when KP and I disappeared to the ladies for an hour we felt terribly guilty, believing that we would be missed. However, when we emerged again afterwards, nobody … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged auditorium, bathroom, Birmingham, Birmingham University, car, cashmere, classmate, classmates, driving, film, friend, Hoppings, house, jersey, jumper, ladies, movie, Newcastle, Oxford, pupil, pupils, reunion, school, sweater, teacher, teachers, Town Moor, TPR, university, University of Birmingham, University of Oxford | Leave a comment

Illegal clown disrupts travel plans (Rousse)

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Dreamaticus

We’d waited two hours at Digbeth coach station in Birmingham and still the 22:00 service to Edinburgh was not ready to depart. The tannoy announced that it would now leave at 02:00. This was far too late for us, so … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 22:00, Astra, Birmingham, bus, car, clown, costume, Digbeth, drive, driving, Edinburgh, GTE, late, rules, sequinned, sequins, shoes, staff, station, tannoy, TPR, work | Leave a comment

Promoting public libraries and chaos at work (Rousse)

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Dreamaticus

I was super keen to show BR the publicity material that I had developed to promote public libraries. She picked up my MacBook, adjusted the settings (I had no idea that the screen was detachable), and clicked “play”. The video … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged accent, Birmingham, Brummie, Calibri, card, face, font, forest, hair, leaving, libraries, library, meeting, notice, notices, presentation, project, projects, promotion, public libraries, publicity, research, room, seminar, sign, signs, summer, video, warning | Leave a comment

Haunts old and new, and party dresses (Rousse)

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Dreamaticus

The small Birmingham back garden was crowded with people clamouring to climb trees, the shed and the summer house. Even I managed to scale the trunk of a bare apple tree. From the top I looked back up the garden … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged accommodation, bed, Birmingham, bridge, counterpane, cushions, dress, dresses, house, Laura Ashley, Monsoon, office, painted, room dividers, satin, shed, silk, Somerfield, summer house, trees, white | Leave a comment

Mention of Elton John and exotic work trips sets off swoon (Rousse)

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Dreamaticus

When the policeman searched my Birmingham hotel room for weapons he found the bicycle chain slotted down the side of the bed. Surprisingly my claim of possible self-defence was accepted. The next day I set off for my meeting at … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Australia, bed, bicycle, bike, Birmingham, Boca Raton, chain, conference, Elton John, Florida, Hawaii, Hong Kong, hotel, meeting, Paris, Perry Barr, police, policeman, Rome, Singapore, suitcase, Sydney, Vienna | Leave a comment