Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Mapping, coffee and the Big City

I have spent most of the day puzzling over what I’m supposed to be doing about the Personal Tutors’ Handbook – I suspect I am about to get into a managerial vortex from which there will be no escape. The boss has asked me to map out three different options for what the Handbook should look like. What??!? I have no real idea what that means, even though I smiled with enthusiasm when given the task (oh fool, fool!). And I suspect that, much like double-entry bookkeeping and the inner workings of the combustion engine, I never will have any idea what it means, no matter how much it’s explained to me. You see, I was off sick for the lesson in management-speak and I’ll never catch up now. Besides, there are some things that my head simply blanks out, possibly for the sake of its own intellectual survival. “Mapping” is, I feel, one of these. I also highly doubt that I’ll come up with three options – ye gods, I’ll be lucky to make a half-decent attempt at one. Sigh.

Still, onwards and upwards, as they say. Managed to sneak in a much-needed coffee with Sally from Advice at lunchtime – she was very close to Penny and it was good to talk about what’s happened, and the funeral arrangements and stuff. Also good to catch up with Sally of course.

And, worryingly, it appears that the new English Department at the University also want to have a chat with me concerning their plans for a Creative Writing course in their upcoming degree programme and how it relates to my informal University Writers’ Group. So that’s put the Fear of God in me; it feels as if I’m being summoned to the Headmistress’ (yes, I did go to a girls’ school – can you tell??) office in order to be told off for being a fraud and taking on things I shouldn’t when other people are far better qualified to run the Group. Yes, I know, I’m probably over-dramatising (surprise!), but heck you know me … They’re probably just going to be nice. That’ll take the wind out of my proverbials for sure.

Now for an update on Ruth’s radio plans for the campervan. Um, the radio doesn’t fit. Curses! Which just goes to show Halford’s don’t know what they’re talking about. As usual. The Ruth Clan are going to have to take it back to the shop for more advice and, in the meantime, carry on with the self-directed musicals … My recording option remains open.

Tonight, I’m off to London to see Jane W, so it’s certainly proving a highly social day. Heck, at least it’s with people I like! For some reason, I’m not even dreading the train journey there and back (which I usually do) – must be my age, ho ho. Perhaps I’ve gone beyond the Years Of Worry. As if …

Oh, and I’m feeling rather guilty as I bitched (in a jokey way, as women do …) to the neighbour’s daughter (a lovely woman I always have a laugh with) about her brother’s attempt at redoing the signs for the flats – partly because I was still feeling cross at his rudeness last week. And partly, to be fair, because I think they are rather strange. Actually she didn’t think they were very good either, so yesterday I came home and he’s painted over them all and – presumably – started again. At least, that’s what I imagine, as all we’re left with is a mystical arrow pointing upwards, with no text. Hmm, though perhaps that’s how he feels about us now. Or it could be that he’s decided to map us out of existence entirely. Ah well.

Today’s nice things:

1. Lunchtime coffee
2. A night out
3. Jokey bitching.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers

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