Day 146: The Conversation...my goodness.

Day 146 (1 May) Wednesday, and May is here already. Today is May Day and until this year, Queenslanders could look forward to this forthcoming weekend, a long weekend to celebrate or commemorate all that the unions have done over the years. But not this year. The Queensland government has switched it to October...still, there are opportunities to remember the day today (and look out Sunday...).

Wednesday morning I get to turn around, head back up the Coast and deliver the politics 101 lecture for the third time in three days, that's at 10am. In the mean time, I need to pass on details about the changed meeting times, discuss the details on the log of claims and then...

Breakfast revision, at 6.12am

At 6.12am then, it's a bit of a rushed breakfast, check of the papers, revising the lecture notes as needed. Today the union will also publish an open letter to the prime Minister regarding the cuts to university budgets in order to pay for schools under the Gonski reforms. It's not making a lot of sense to us. I'm also anticipating some edits for my first piece for The Conversation website...a SunCoast eye-view of Clive Palmer, it is due to be published later today. 

So I get to work, and before I'm out of the car (again), the phone is ringing, the emails are coming in...the Clive piece requires very little editing and goes live earlier than anticipated...the replies are immediate. I'm flattered, surprised and a touch overwhelmed by the response. Then the media begins to call on that and the open letter. As the branch president, I'm asked for the local angle. One interview goes live to air on local ABC radio while the other is due to go to print tomorrow. Meanwhile...people keep commenting on my Clive piece...goodness. 

The light at the end of the verandah, at 6.12pm

I am supposed to be revising and thinking about this evening's lecture and tutes as well but there are further meetings, phone calls and follow-up discussions...today also seems to be a day a number of students want to drop by and see me. 

By 6.12pm, I was heading back to the final hour of class after a quick breather, ready for another class and then a few more hours work before hitting #TheBruce, as the road has become affectionately known...I've been completely overwhelmed by Clive, in a manner I least expected. 

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The Conversation can be found here