DIARY ENTRY 1

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CAL
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ingrid
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Fri, 9 May 2008 9:23 am
DIARY Tue May 6 2008
6.00 am – woke before the alarm, throat cold has NOT miraculously disappeared. Not going into work to infect everybody! Decided to check on my email at this point, nothing better to do. Definitely rainy outside. My grey pashmina is definitely coming in handy! Mum made scones the day before – now I actually have time for breakfast for once…! Being sick has its compensations.
7.00 am The work crew next door have started up their torture tests AGAIN! Relentless noise… relentless dust ( which I usually only experience on Saturdays ) threaten to affect the quiet environment I had hoped for! Can I call the police or is it too early now?
8 -12pm Prepared Interview questions for client - what is actually running through my mind are two conflicting messages taking pride in my work and seeking to do the best and most professional job. At the same time wondering if they really value my institution’s involvement since neither the check for the last phase, nor the start up for this one has been forthcoming to date. The dog ambles in, wags tail hopefully, creeps up on the cushions behind my back and lies down contentedly sharing her flies with me while I work on! What can I say ? It’s a dog’s life!! I soldier dutifully on!

12-2.00pm Interrupted by Googling with AT Online - We went on to spend over an hour and half drooling over a conference programme!!!! How sick is that? To get so excited over what might be presented relevant to my institution, my career, my research, my interests!!!I must be nuts and she is equally insane - I think she actually intends to seduce me into going to this and even doing the insane planning to give a paper. We must both be mad to consider adding to the current burden of writing we both have lined up !!! What can I tell you two hours later I am resigned to a) joining the organization b) drafting and emailing a proposal for a paper.

In between all this I receive about five phone calls from CT on a) what her staff are or are not doing unless she rides roughshod over them b) whether her boss is aware that his time is not his own and he must check in with his main assistant first before committing himself and c) whether he actually comprehends the vast scope of his role!!

2.pm Time for Lunch! Brother W. brought home a lunch box from Supercentre Warrens - beef stew with veg and coleslaw - ! Is this how they eat everyday at home I wonder? One portion fed three of us! Now that's what I call good value!

Sent off the brother to find Mum's glasses - he is a great searcher - and of course he found them - in the bathroom first go ( after I had checked under the bed ,behind the cushions, on the side table and on the verandah!) Is this fair?

Anyway clearly he was due for sainthood, the computer technician came to save his computer after yesterday's crisis - and it was all restored without loss! The technician could not believe his luck! ( I could though!!!!)

3.15 pm Odd emails have been popping up all morning.-principally from Europe. Check these minutes please! Approve this payment immediately! send a letter to whom ever. Send out a message on the Burmese tragedy... it just goes on and on...!

4.00 pm Spent two hours - reviewed and revised minutes - sometimes I despair to anybody really understand grammar any more!!! 19 PAGES of minutes for 3 1/2 days of reports and discussion!
Lord knows when they will understand the meaning of minutes , not proceedings, not a book!.

In between I am receiving the news - 22,000 dead from the cyclone in Burma, - what a horrible unfolding tragedy. How have our colleagues been affected over there? I know we are going to have to gear ourselves up for disaster relief of major proportions…but in the meantime we have to wait patiently,helplessly…

However the US Presidency primaries are seemingly regarded as more compelling viewing - after we need to know who is going to be next to tell off a dissident country for not letting the US in before telling them they should ask the US for help!! Does GW really mean beg?

Finally a reward - AC has very sweetly sent me a piece of cake to celebrate her baby’s shower..along with work files for tomorrow's meetings !- sweet and sour ...oh well!

6.00 pm Wearing another hat now I have not been able to leave off the minutes... now its a different committee . Spent about 3 1/2 hours on that one,fleshing it out the way I need to see it.
In between Mum keeps giving me regular updates of the Obama/Clinton clash -Obama has won North Carolina decisively,but she is still hanging on waiting to hear about Indiana.
Who could miss this - its King Kong vs the Creature for the Black Lagoon>>> in the meantime the rodent (read republican for that)is probably going to get away with it all. Intermittently I listen to a PBS programme on Bush no 1 you know the one - AMbush!!!

I see an email coming through from a colleague in Samoa about a special programme which plans to document the East Indian indentured populations around the world... I AM NOT going to answer it now though the temptation is great.! That can wait another day...My archive is more important tonight.

Actually May 6th has always been a special day for me, both a first cousin as well as my 3rd brother ( a year younger than I) were born that day so it must have been magic!!

9.30 pm Mum, my youngest brother and I all try to reach him - by email or by Skype, or phone. Finally at 9.30 pm he responds first by Skype( but no sound, I am sure it is Cable and Wireless doing evil ) and then by phone ( horrible crackling ensues but at least we hear his voice) to say hi! So what did you do -nothing! So what did you get? nothing. We know he does not celebrate his birthdays. But we keep hoping for miracles....

Mum's decided to crack a joke. She recalls her doctor coming into her room at hospital May 6th 1960, Prof. Mckelvey she says looks at baby C. and says <..!!!>> We all crack up…! He has always been a big lad it seems. Then he says rather wistfully that his best birthday was when he had a clown at his birthday and it was held at a hotel at the South Coast ... we can’t remember where it was but I remember the event vaguely.. it was quite amazing for its day and apparently birthdays have gone downhill since then....

10.30pm OK Time to sign off – tomorrow is another day! Besides I have a great book waiting for me…