Tag Archives: office

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 →

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Rousse defends her position, welcomes a friend, and attempts to teach

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Dreamaticus

I travelled up the building squeezed into a lift with two colleagues. Over months one of them had developed a dangerous patter in snide remarks about my leadership. When yet another oblique and insulting comment escaped from his dirty little … Continue reading →

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The select committee comes calling (Belle)

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Dreamaticus

As I opened the front door to leave home, three women were standing on the doorstep, blocking my exit. Holding clipboards and briefcases they marched past me and went into my office, firing questions about my filing and invoicing processes. … Continue reading →

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How to do well in REF: check your soap bag (Rousse)

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Without full details of how to submit to the Research Excellence Framework, UK university staff had two broad options: (1) to guess the requirements and work towards them; (2) or to ignore the whole exercise until the actual criteria were … Continue reading →

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Postcards to Prince William, a rat in the office, and in-flight washing facilities (Rousse)

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Dreamaticus

When I said that I would join them just as soon as I finished addressing my postcards to the Palace most of the party shot me dirty looks. I didn’t care. They were just jealous that they – unlike me … Continue reading →

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Rousse’s shoe crisis

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Dreamaticus

It was already ten past ten and I really did need to leave for the office, but I couldn’t find a suitable pair of shoes to go with my brown trousers. I had packed a pair into my rucksack for … Continue reading →

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Fashion must-haves: white shorts, a purple cape and a supply of knickers – plus Elton John (Rousse)

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Tiny, white shorts and long bronzed legs – the hot look for summer 2011! I made this discovery on the second day of spring, observing the young women of Edinburgh make their way into work dressed as if they were … Continue reading →

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Tiffany Blue box “engagement” mystery (Rousse)

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Dreamaticus

“That Tiffany Blue box from New York, what’s in it?” I carefully chose the moment to pose the question that was on everyone’s lips. The pair of us were bound together by rope, clinging to a mountain ledge, and RL … Continue reading →

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A late resolution to train for the Olympics at London 2012 (Rousse)

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Dreamaticus

It felt like a University of Birmingham reunion. In reality we were gathered together to celebrate the birthday of the youngest person in our year. HW (now HJ) was finally 40. Everyone was there for the party: Spotted for the … Continue reading →

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Celebrating Twitter’s fifth birthday in a London skyscraper (Rousse)

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Dreamaticus

Our new offices were on the fifteenth floor of a London skyscraper. I was pretty pleased with how my old belongings fitted into my new space until RK invited me into his new room – or, should we say, “suite”. … Continue reading →

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