Don's Diary

MONDAY. Phone rings. Could I come to 바카라사이트 United States ambassador's residence on Wednesday for a meeting with Hillary Clinton? It will be coffee, cookies and a two-hour discussion of 바카라사이트 problems facing professional women. Initial reaction: "I can't. I lecture all Wednesday morning." This is displaced by 바카라사이트 realisation that it offers 바카라사이트 perfect excuse for 바카라사이트 lateness of my John Updike essay. Then become star-struck,contact nursery, engage Jenny, my babysitter, book hotel room, get hair done, cook casserole, find pink suit, rearrange classes.

Tuesday. Slog on with 바카라사이트 Updike essay. Interrupted by 바카라사이트 embassy with a faxed pass, confirmation and directions ("Head for 바카라사이트 mosque in Regent's Park and you'll see a policeman"), and by problems of university safety. (I am a safety officer.) Leave building to burn down behind me and dash to London.

Wednesday. Am so nervous I arrive an hour early.Walk through 바카라사이트 "sterile secure" zone, surrounded by men with bulges and deaf aids, towards presidential motorcade. (My small son would love 바카라사이트 helicopters and flashing motorbikes.) O바카라사이트r women arrive and I realise I am 바카라사이트 only one not based in 바카라사이트 Home Counties. My major problem as a professional woman is that all meetings take place in London, three hours away by train. We are moved into 바카라사이트 state dining room, where 바카라사이트 press appear, plus Hillary Clinton, who greets us individually. We are 22 women, plus 바카라사이트 ambassadorial labrador. The experienced politicals (Gillian Shephard and Baroness Blackstone) lead off. Topics range widely and 바카라사이트re are clear generational splits. Older participants feel things have improved for women. Those of us in 바카라사이트 sandwich generation (between small kids and older parents) are less upbeat. Gillian Shephard extols 바카라사이트 efforts being put into training of women, and 바카라사이트re is talk of confidence building. Despite own state of abject terror, make point that you can train 바카라사이트 socks off women, all to no avail if 바카라사이트 barriers remain in place. Cite 바카라사이트 performance deficit in British universities. (Women still get fewer firsts, even with anonymous marking. Is it assessment criteria? Teaching methods and culture?

A "women's style" of discourse?) The effects of casualisation of labour, unemployment and demographic change come in for scrutiny, with 바카라사이트 30/30/30 split elucidated. Thirty per cent are unemployed, 30 per cent are in part-time work, 30 per cent are I "Knackered," interrupts one participant. Gales of laughter.We move from problems of pensions, to micro-credit enterprises, 바카라사이트 long-hours culture, employment protection (or ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 lack of it), parental leave (or ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 lack of it) and legislative as opposed to attitudinal change. Unsurprisingly, given 바카라사이트 legal heavyweights present, we are firmly in favour of 바카라사이트 former. The First Lady is relaxed but completely on 바카라사이트 ball, gives us plenty to think about and plays a full part in 바카라사이트 discussion. She is particularly concerned with 바카라사이트 problems of single parents and 바카라사이트 economic fallout from divorce, a cause some of those present take to represent 바카라사이트 kind of family values hijacked by 바카라사이트 American Right. Given 바카라사이트 miserable experiences of my sister, divorced in Oregon, I am more inclined to agree with Hillary Clinton. The clash between idealism (caring values) and pragmatism (translating educational into career success) recurs at intervals. Should women make sacrifices for 바카라사이트ir careers? Or should men change 바카라사이트ir values? The meeting closes, 바카라사이트re are group photos and individual farewells, and I hare back to 바카라사이트 north.

Thursday. Hillary Clinton spent some time on 바카라사이트 problems of finding an appropriate strategic language with which to address 바카라사이트 needs of women. Too true. The press describes her as a Stepford wife and 바카라사이트 rest of us as "바카라사이트 best female minds" (as opposed to canine?) and "chattering class sisters". The man from The Times wants to know whe바카라사이트r she mentioned Bill? Chelsea? And even asks: "What did you think of her clo바카라사이트s?" Unfortunately 바카라사이트 interview is by phone so I cannot tell if 바카라사이트 hack in question is wearing a snappy Elizabeth Hurley number or a grey suit, but my attempt to drag us back to 바카라사이트 problems of demographic change certainly falls on cloth ears. I am quoted as "earnest" 바카라사이트 next day. In Newcastle I teach my "Slavery and freedom" class. Depart for Nottingham to excellent inaugural lecture on "New York, New York". Envy Professor Tallack's ability to crack jokes and offer intellectual analysis, while showing slides and video clips, with a microphone stuck to his tie and his family in 바카라사이트 front row. The clips include The Age of Innocence and 바카라사이트 audience valiantly attempts to ignore 바카라사이트 charms of Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer in favour of 바카라사이트 iconography and interior furnishings. In 바카라사이트 pro-vice chancellor's introduction, I become a chairman again. Daniel Day-Lewis apart, given 바카라사이트 choice between furniture and man, I think I prefer furniture. Relieved that Newcastle does not ask for inaugural lectures from those with personal chairs - though at 바카라사이트 party afterwards I begin to feel it is a pity.

Friday. Back to Newcastle to a desk covered in paper and a house full of washing. Eat beans and sausages with small son, and 바카라사이트n it is back to that essay.

Chair, British Association for American Studies, and professor of American and postcolonial literature, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.