Day 138: Lament for times past, times lost, times future (but not here)

A morning palette, just before 6.12am

Day 138 (23 Apr) Tuesday. As noted, begins with day two of the Council Retreat before finishing at 1pm and heading straight back to campus to teach...until 9pm. 

I don't think the tertiary sector has responded terribly well to the changes brought upon it by  different governments over the years. While the changes have suited some (what some of us refer to as the 'reification of mediocrity'), by and large it is not the robust and invigorated sector it could be. However, that is why I have the other blog across the way...the purpose of this one here is not to lament for times past, times lost, times future, not of that type anyway. 

When the morning sky appears so beautifully as it did today though it is hard not to look forward to the day. This one, of the colour in the clouds, was just before 6.12 but is simply a photo for the sake of a photo. It makes getting up early truly worth it. 

The signal and the noise,
at 6.12am

In fact, in the few moments I had over breakfast before heading out the door, I was reflecting on the MPSA conference, thinking about the post I will write over at the other blog. Perhaps the most thought-provoking panel was the one with Nate Silver and Simon Jackman and others who were suggesting opinion polling as we know it might be on the way out. I had coincidentally bought Silver's book recently so I was flicking through that over breakfast at 6.12am. Perhaps the panacea for disturbing ruminations on the state of the tertiary sector, is simply to think more about the sort of things I have in store for the near future...an extended period of writing. 

The retreat runs its course, I feel despair but it just takes the short drive up the road to get back into the groove as it were, and immediately into class mode. Well, there are classes and admin issues to deal with; I still have material to catch up on due to my absence and, as always, a few unexpected things pop up as well. By 5.00pm I'm just about ready to go and take over the tutes and lectures of my colleague who though on leave, continues to remain on campus trying to 'tidy up', I know how hard it can be...

Evening lecture, at 6.12pm

At 6.12pm then, the lecture is under way. It is the same topic as the one I gave on Monday, and there will be a repeat tomorrow morning...three times...there must be something lucky about that. I wonder should I engage the students in this exercise and let them know why I'm taking photos at 6.12, in class...I'll think about it. They probably consider their lecturer eccentric enough without additional material for them to deal with...

There are some things I need to do before I leave after classes finish at 9.00pm but leave I do, eventually, and the day ends around 1.00am.