Day 173: 'We all sit on the front seat, some of us can see the raindrops' (apologies to Mr Wilde)

Day 173 (28 May) Tuesday. Academic Board at 10.00am...teaching through until 9.00pm. Long day ahead. 

Working breakfast,
at 6.12pm

Rain, on the windscreen at 10.30pm

Since I had rehearsal last night, I have to get up a little earlier just to re-read the papers and make sure I have marked and commented on all that needs to be noted. Academic Boards should be places of robust debate about things that should matter to the University and beyond. 

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who seeks to put a contrary position or state the 'view from the coalface'...it is actually quite emotionally draining at times. Despair tends to be the dominant feeling. The day requires a big breakfast, actually, no, just the usual. I have to make lunch and dinner too. 

No sooner do I step into my office and the phone rings. Clive Palmer is coming to the campus tomorrow to speak to the journalism students and would my students like to attend, asks my colleague. I should think so. I send around the note...I'll be there, at 9.00am sharp. 

Academic Board goes as planned. Academics have lost the will to be robust. No wonder the sector is easily kicked around like a football. That's really all I can say...

Lecturing, at 6.12pm

A further class at 12.30 for third-year Japanese and a special lecture to the second-year Japanese students about what to anticipate next semester--those leaving to spend a year studying in Japan and those staying on campus next semester. It is good they are interested. 

By the time the afternoon comes around there is still four hours of teaching to go and it has started to rain. I'm done by 9.00pm and finally get to eat lunch...it's been that sort of day. When I'm leaving work at about 10.30pm, there is a particularly striking picture of raindrops on the windscreen. Turned out to be a perfect photo for the next day's #612lastphoto request by Spencer.