Thursday

It's not summer any more. Quite October-ish, very windy - so the dogs have had an hour of running around a field like idiots and are now asleep.

Much entertainment has been had at the expense of the NOTW yesterday, if 'entertainment' is the right word. The unbelievable refusal of Rebekah Brooks to resign from her post at NI is, in her own words 'Inconceivable' - my only consolation is that when the fall comes, it will be from a much greater height.
I've always thought that Rebekah Brooks was an immoral sociopath, her email to staff yesterday lacked any sense of self knowledge and responsibility for her actions - and just kept repeating her 'triumphs' over and over ( making a fortune and building a career by picking meat off the bones of dead kids ). I've always hated that woman, and I've ranted on about her here enough - so I'll shut up now, and keep my fingers crossed for a lynching.

Off to a 'big' school board meeting later today - I think it's the whole teaching staff - no more information than that. It's either 'thank you for all your help this year' or 'we are going to make half of you redundant'. I was up late last night trying to write a new timetable for next year - although I have my own base room, which is frowned upon in my institute, I can only inhabit the room 3 days per week - the other 2 it's 'open' to timetabling - which means I have no control over who is in there - so I have to find a way to make the room work - giving my students their own desk spaces but shaving off 'common' areas for other students so that they don't get in the way.  I also have to weave in 7 first year and 5 second year modules - about 30 individual projects, all with different visiting lecturers - most of whom have limited availability - and access to the over booked photography studios - dark rooms and print studios. As I'm teaching both years together in the same space - I have to also make sure that there are no clashes - the staff don't get mixed up and confused - and everyone gets to work well together. I should just get paid for that and take the rest of the year of - it's very difficult.

Quite looking forward to this year - changing a few things and have written nearly all the briefs - just have to look at new ways to deliver the academic side - always a problem with art students. Am determined to shove the grades right up this year.

Later I shall be watching 'The Perfect Suit' with Alistair Sooke on iPlayer - TV that was made for me!!!

edit: I was amazed that Rabbi Lionel Blue made it through 'Thought for the day' - I had to turn the sound up in case I missed the death rattle