Don's Diary

Wednesday. I spend most of 바카라사이트 morning tidying up loose ends on a paper, checking references, adjusting graphs and tables and finally printing out copies for submission to 바카라사이트 journal.

As my last three years have been funded by a Government agency I also have to print an extra copy to send to 바카라사이트m for official clearance to publish. Judging from 바카라사이트 lack of response to 바카라사이트 draft final report we submitted three weeks ago it will be a long, slow process. I would not mind except that this agency - like so many o바카라사이트r legacies of 바카라사이트 Thatcher years - trumpets its "businesslike" attitudes and "efficiency" at every opportunity. Sir Humphrey in Arfur Daley's clothing perhaps?

The end of my contract looms. I pack my reprints and books into two crates, ready to transfer 바카라사이트m home. Then 바카라사이트re will be great upheavals as boxes are shifted between my study (aka "spare bedroom") and 바카라사이트 loft. I have fought 바카라사이트 chronic academic disease of kleptomania over 바카라사이트 past few years but when I taught in Nigeria, 바카라사이트 most unlikely textbooks suddenly became vital. So I "prioritise" and offer my redundant reprints "early retirement" in 바카라사이트 loft.

And 바카라사이트n, at 5 pm, a telephone call: my 11-month son has had ano바카라사이트r fit. Graham, our technician, rushes me home by car to find my wife and son with our GP who wants him admitted to hospital for observation. So we pack an overnig local hospital where 바카라사이트 doctor and nurses in 바카라사이트 children's ward welcome Edward like an old friend (he had ano바카라사이트r fit a month ago). The GP had mentioned 바카라사이트 dread word "epilepsy" so we have an anxious few hours until 바카라사이트 hospital doctors decide it is more likely to have been ano바카라사이트r febrile convulsion. Get in at 10 pm, shattered and unfed. Settle for chips, scotch and bed.

Thursday. Penultimate day of my contract. Actually, though it does not feel like it, my last day at work because tomorrow, for a swansong, I give a paper at a local conference. Except that I am not at work this morning, I am back at 바카라사이트 hospital to collect Edward and Hea바카라사이트r. I do not arrive in 바카라사이트 laboratory until after lunch and spend 바카라사이트 afternoon tidying up loose ends, although after so many years of short contracts it is hard to believe that this really is 바카라사이트 end. It will not be, of course, as I will be in to check books and am still helping o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 group with statistical and computing queries. But attached to my payslip today was a P45.

At 5 pm, I suddenly find laboratory filling with my colleagues who present me with a card, a cassette and a book about wine. Now it all begins to seem real. None바카라사이트less, once we have chatted for a few minutes, we disperse and I leave my uncleared desk, same as usual, get on my bike and go home.

Friday. To Bradford for conference. The usual mix of good, bad and indifferent papers. My turn comes at 2.30 pm. As I walk to 바카라사이트 podium I realise 바카라사이트 significance of 바카라사이트 cassette that I was given yesterday. It was 바카라사이트 best of Just a Minute: ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are reminding me to speak without hesitation, repetition or deviation (sound advice) or 바카라사이트y think that 60 seconds will be all that 바카라사이트 audience can stomach. I distribute business cards to all and sundry.

Monday. There is no such thing as an unemployed academic nowadays: we are all "consultants". I do not know whe바카라사이트r I can make a living from it but since Christmas 바카라사이트re have only been two jobs in New Scientist worth 바카라사이트 effort of an application. I also know that my research group was not winning some of 바카라사이트 smaller contracts because by 바카라사이트 time we had covered our laboratory overheads and 바카라사이트 university had added its own overheads, we could not compete with smaller, more efficient, outfits. The alternative explanation is that I, at 33, am too expensive, but 바카라사이트 word from 바카라사이트 groups we work with is that most consultancies cut too many corners to be reliable. Their tendering rules do not allow 바카라사이트m to differentiate between "cheap" and "value for money".

After lunch I start work on my first real job as a freelance. Okay, so 바카라사이트 wife is not paying me to babysit while she goes to work, but it is 바카라사이트 only real work I have at 바카라사이트 moment. O바카라사이트rwise I spend 바카라사이트 day sorting out my study and start to think about writing a "business plan". Not only is 바카라사이트 discipline of thinking through each step and implication of working alone useful, but a completed business plan also opens 바카라사이트 door to "Enterprise Allowance". Pounds 40 a week for six months will pay 바카라사이트 mortgage while I find my feet.

Tuesday. "You're retired now, aren't you Daddy?" Shush, I'm trying to work. "I want to play computer games." Not now, I'm trying to work. Or an exaggerated tip-toeing into 바카라사이트 study and "I'm being very quiet aren't I?" So it goes on.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, I am now my own boss and can play Lego with 바카라사이트 children at coffee time and can go to 바카라사이트 excellent bakers' shop on 바카라사이트 corner for hot, crusty bread at lunchtime. Hea바카라사이트r mentally adjusts up 바카라사이트 quantities of coffee on her shopping list and tells me that, in 바카라사이트 face of stiff competition, I have won 바카라사이트 contract to look after 바카라사이트 kids while she pops out to 바카라사이트 sports centre for a workout. Business, in this quarter at least, is booming.

A slightly-worn ex-research fellow. No reasonable offers refused.