Tag Archives: venue

Big changes at the University of Birmingham (Rousse)

Posted on October 4, 2025 by Dreamaticus

Childhood friends SB and KH met me in Birmingham to scope out venues for next year’s university reunion. We were in for a shock when we reached the University of Birmingham campus. The French department was completely unrecognisable. The corridors … Continue reading →

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Kidnapped by vegans and rescued by a drugged fruit salad (Belle)

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Dreamaticus

The conference had taken an unexpected turn when a small group of people stormed the venue. They were reviewing the menus and checking the biscuits for butter content. The delegates spent the night sleeping on the floor. The next morning, … Continue reading →

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Troubles at the UK’s top events venue (Rousse)

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Dreamaticus

Robert Gordon University was now the leading UK events venue, and buzzing with delegates when I arrived for a conference. I soon found fellow academic BD and we agreed to meet the next morning at 8:00am for breakfast. I would … Continue reading →

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Top meeting venue (Rousse)

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I thought that my childhood home had been abandoned, but now I found that various committees considered it a top venue for their gatherings. A woman asked me directions to the room for her next meeting. I ignored her. All … 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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Manchester venue sought, good acoustics essential (Rousse)

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Dreamaticus

There was very little that could be salvaged from the manuscript after the reviewers savaged it, so I gave up on the job and instead responded to EH’s pleas for help. Just pregnant with her third child, EH was dealing … Continue reading →

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Bring your own bacon (Belle)

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Dreamaticus

I wasn’t managing the conference stress very well. When a delegate requested a bacon sandwich, I jumped up on stage and shouted “Buy your own bloody pig!” over the microphone.

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A disappointing kiss and book jacket design by nightmare (Belle)

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Dreamaticus

Travelling by steam train to the seaside, I met a Chris Packham-esque naturalist and poet who seemed to like me. At one point, on a fire escape, he said “…shall we share saliva?” and I said “What, you want me … Continue reading →

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Drums, an over-sized dog and true love (Belle)

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Dreamaticus

It was a lovely Sunday morning and I was walking around Kings Cross with my massive new dog. He was a large, gentle “Swiss thing” with a lolling tongue. We walked into a warehouse-sized venue which was all vintage leather … Continue reading →

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Thieving World Cup football fans (Rousse)

Posted on June 19, 2018 by Dreamaticus

I was pleased that the meeting was called in Corbridge because it was an easy ride back from there to Edinburgh. I checked the old-fashioned departure board at the railway station and confirmed my plan to catch the 13:45 service … Continue reading →

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