2013 — 23 April: Tuesday
One simple decision to go for a walk, of course, and the Universe1 decides "well they won't be needing any of my precious sunshine, then". I'm no longer surprised.
Yesterday evening...
... for a change, there were no dancing pixels involved in my perpetual quest for entertainment. Instead, I caught up with numerous podcasts and radio downloads, some much more interesting than others. But all provided a helpful aural background as I continue to scan my remaining CD artwork — 931 down (as it were) and just a couple of thousand still to go — and throw out the (sadly) unrecyclable plastic cases. My black wheelie bin is full just in time for tomorrow's pickup, in fact.
Breakfast and a packed lunch beckon... (The story here explains why I couldn't get my regular fix of Oatibix bites. It also begs the question of how the UK will import food when its currency is recognised as not worth the trade.)
Alas, poor academia...
Yes, well, erm...
...many PhDs find it tough to transfer their skills into the job market. Writing lab reports, giving academic presentations and conducting six-month literature reviews can be surprisingly unhelpful in a
world where technical knowledge has to be assimilated quickly and presented simply to a wide audience. Some universities are now offering their PhD students training in soft skills such as communication
and teamwork that may be useful in the labour market...
Where penalties are levied on academics who allow PhDs to overrun, the number of students who complete rises abruptly, suggesting that students were previously allowed to fester.
Sounds like potential material for a thesis.
The walk...
... having been walked (in very pleasant sunshine), an initial post-walk cuppa having been supped at Mike's place, and the next one brewing back here in Technology Towers as I type, I can now put my feet up and contemplate another 7 miles or so of healthy fresh air and mild exercise. Nothing to report from Mr Postie, and no crockpot to be stuffed until tomorrow. Bliss it was to be alive upon Saint George's Day (even if he was Turkish).
Tonight has been spent in the amiable company of Miss Lucy Honeychurch. "A Room with a View" was one of the last films I watched with Christa at the end of September 2007. It all seems rather a long time ago, though only in some ways.