Tag Archives: career

Post-PhD depression – Miss Haversham style (Rousse)

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Dreamaticus

She had been depressed for years and now we finally knew why. We found her in her usual spot in bed, cradling a large green cloth-bound book. It was all too apparent that she had never really recovered from the … Continue reading →

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Alternative careers for engineers, and vile furniture (Rousse)

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Why didn’t anyone tell AA and his fellow engineers that a switch of career from academia to retail at their stage of life was an idiotic idea? I left them to it, found TPR, and spent the rest of the … Continue reading →

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Bilingual pre-school songstress wows Simon Cowell (Rousse)

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Now that A was a little older she was completely fluent in English (as well as German). One day we heard her singing an Ella Fitzgerald song in a deep, low, melodious voice. This was astonishing. None of us – … Continue reading →

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A record deal with Simon Cowell (Rousse)

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Simon Cowell was much shorter than I could have possibly imagined. I tried not to stare at his stumpy little legs when he waddled over to join us. For the sake of my niece’s singing career however, I really needed … Continue reading →

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University measures of excellence: showers, smoked haddock and guest speakers (Rousse)

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Dreamaticus

If my life wasn’t complicated enough, I accepted another part-time post at the University of Aberdeen, and was also considering a return to Canada. An advantage of Aberdeen was that CM worked in the university gym. He offered to sneak … Continue reading →

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Brad Pitt’s summer secrets (Rousse)

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Brad Pitt had managed to remain incognito for much of his visit – many of the students had simply not recognised that we had a Hollywood superstar in our midst – but soon he would be returning home. I’d really … Continue reading →

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Man wins free Sky TV subscription in Somerset village hall raffle (Rousse)

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Dreamaticus

My ambition was to earn a degree in fine art. The first step to my new career was to return to the sixth form to embark on a one-year foundation course. So I applied to join the Bath and Wells … Continue reading →

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Intelligent bubble wrap causes Heathrow travel chaos (Rousse)

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Dreamaticus

After dropping out of university, PM had pursued a career in insurance – or so we believed. I’d certainly not expected him to become the inventor of intelligent bubble wrap. He rolled some out across a workshop table to show … Continue reading →

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Ex-prison officer questions practice of announcing deaths in service (Rousse)

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Dreamaticus

I should never have told the Principal how I abhorred the prison service’s practice of announcing staff deaths. I complained at length about the lack of professionalism in the short e-mails that I received in my former career as a … Continue reading →

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Birmingham University confessions, a career with moleskin trousers, and underwater cycle kayaking (Rousse)

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Dreamaticus

SB kicked off the Birmingham University French department reunion by suggesting that we read the “confessions” from last time. She actually meant the comments on the 2006 evaluation sheets, which she passed around the table. Personally I would have preferred … Continue reading →

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