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Sick and tiredLast weekend, we went for a walk with Tawe Trekkers in the valleys, thinking the walk will do us some good. It was a good walk, although I was feeling a little bit sluggish by the end of it. Monday, I felt absolutely terrible. I got up, had a shower and was going to go to work when I suggested to Bec that I felt terrible. She told me to go back to bed. I did, and by the end of the day, I was beginning to feel almost human. Tuesday, I went in to work off the back of a poor night's sleep. It wasn't too bad a day, although another bad night's sleep and I woke up as sick as I had been on Monday. After a half day on Wednesday, I went and bought some cold and flu tablets and went home to bed. Unfortunately, in this country, the cold and flu tablets all seem to have caffeine in them. Fine, except that I didn't really catch up on the sleep I needed. Actually, I think it is a horrendously stupid idea. Another poor night's sleep, and I was in no state to go to work on Thursday. Friday was postgrad Rhodri's last day, so I was definitely going to go in, even if I had to crawl in. The farewell was a quiet affair, but I at least seem to have my appetite back. I then crawled back home and went back to bed. I got up at dinner time, and felt reasonable. Rebecca bought some night-time medication, and, after taking them, had the best night's sleep I've had for a while, waking at almost 9AM. Today has been another quiet day, but I think I am getting better. Through the last week, I have read Niven's Descent of Anansi, Phillip K Dick's VALIS and George Eliot's Silas Marner. I enjoyed all 3 for different reasons, although, given that Dick is my favourite author, I was a little disappointed with VALIS - it seems to provide too much insight into his mind, explaining too much about what he wrote and why. As a self-contained book, though, I quite enjoyed it. Silas Marner is the story of a researcher of the same name. Upon finishing his PhD at Lantern Yard Uni, Silas finds there are no jobs available for him, and he moves to a new town where he is unknown and conducts his research by himself. He gradually assembles a really useful piece of apparatus through his research. Professor Cass was one of the major figures in the department. He had huge laboratories under his control. Unfortunately, the research output had slowed, and he needed access to some new equipment urgently. One of his colleagues, Dr Dunstan, or Dunsey, as everyone called him, decided that he would take Marner's equipment. Cass new nothing of this, until Marner ran screaming through the department that someone had stolen his equipment. At about the same time, Dunsey disappeared, but no one put 2 and 2 together. The department members warmed to Marner subsequently, giving help and advice as he needed it. One day, a student named Eppie came to Marner and asked to do a PhD with him. Marner let her, and she did lots of research with him. For Cass, research had dried up a little, and he found he just couldn't attract students of his own. So he went to Marner and Eppie and asked if she would finish her PhD with him, telling her that she would get his name as her supervisor and the related benefits. In a surprisingly strong display of loyalty, Eppie stayed with Marner. Oh, and just to tie up loose ends, they later discovered that Dunsey had taken Marner's equipment, patented and commercialised it and ran the company which brought it to market. Comments |
LinksRecent entries"There's Klingons on the starboard bow" "What's verse - it's the end of paternity leave" "Mark Gerald Allen Lubansky - the birth" My favourite procrastinationsGuido's musings about soccer, politics etc in Australia The Head Heeb - Jonathan provides a balanced view on various Israeli and (former) colonial states in less developed regions of the world. The Bladder - a sports satire site. Well worth a look. Other stuffJewish Bloggers Join >> |
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