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Viking's ahoy

And with great precision, and not a little black smoke, the good ship Mariella sets off for Stockholm.

Paul Carrack

…and his band were just wonderful yesterday evening. Mark and I had seats on the front row at the centre…and although the body may be 22 years older, the hair a little thinner and greyer, it matters not at all because that beautiful voice is ageless. So, a Grammy version and a hot and sweaty version of Mike Rutherford and B.A. Robertson's epic song that will forever be owned by PC. Please enjoy one of the few songs that inevitably makes me cry when I hear him sing it.

It's been an unusual year in so many ways. For an [admittedly superficial] insight into the personal stuff, here's the Christmas letter that went out to the dwindling band of recipients that still agree to have it foisted upon them at this time of year...or are too good natured to join with the growing band of those who say "Naaaahhh...don't worry about sending one this time".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yep, it’s that time of year - I’m taking a short break in thrashing the outside lights into submission/illumination to write this. For those of a nervous disposition, please feel free to jump down to Robyn and Mark's more interesting paragraphs below the fold. However, if you're up for a quick romp through Glynn's year then here goes...

Progressively organising things to enable me to work out of a laptop, partly through good fortune (but mainly by design), means far less commuting now and a much better view out of my office window than I have in Stoke. I'm very lucky in that my managers have either not noticed or just don’t care too much. It’s output and results right? Not being *seen* to be around the place like some sort of academic ballast. In fairness, many would argue that academic ballast sums me up rather well though.

Fortunately, the online courses that I've been working on throughout the year have recruited strongly - so much so that I fear their perceived success might compromise my increasingly desperate attempts to organise a sensible exit strategy into a caffeine, alcohol and e-book reader fuelled retirement. Negotiations continue...not that I'm desperate to leave by any means, although there are lots of changes taking place at the University right now and my eventual resting place after all this turmoil is far from clear. 2012 will indeed be a year of change.

Medically, my body struggles to conceal the ravages of time, neglect and occasional misuse. Imagine a cross between Keith Richard and a tortoise. That’s me that is. I tried statins but after a few weeks on these I started to feel really weird so the Doc and I exchanged emails and off I came. New Year’s resolution is back to the gym to justify my continued membership - of the gym and the human race.

Music-wise it’s been a busy time with a mixture of stuff. Jools Holland [postponed from the end of 2010 because of snow]; Paul Carrack [twice in fact]; the EU Chamber Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra [but not both at the same time]; Paul Brady; Brian Wilson at the Festival Hall; Ralph McTell; Glen Campbell; The Hollies; Tom Paxton; Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler [at the same time but not actually on stage together…if you get my drift] and, just last week, Coldplay.

Seriously funny/clever people seen and sometimes chatted to include; Bill Bailey; Chris Cox; Jon Richardson; Ken Dodd [he was on my bucket list - so shoot me!]; Derren Brown; Rory Bremner; Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Jeremy Hardy, Barry Cryer and Jack Dee at a recording of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue; Uncaged Monkeys - Robin Ince, Brian Cox, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh et al in Manchester and London. OK, maybe I am stalking them - so shoot me again!

Not too many serious-only people although Richard Dawkins & Sam Harris together at Oxford’s fine old Sheldonoian Theatre was a real highlight. Other memories, in no particular order, include The Anvil Company struggling desperately to complete an open-air performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Washout at Little Moreton Hall before the heavens opened, our new front bedroom windows and moving my mum to a new apartment in Madeley in the early summer where’s she’s now happy and settled. This. was. hard. work. Oh, and having tuition to help improve my spoken French - it’s a slow process, weaning me off years of Franglais.

Finally, I must end my bit on a desperately sad note. Our wonderful friend and companion for so many years, Taz, died a few weeks back. I cannot begin to describe the myriad of ways in which I miss her and, for me, she will for ever remain simply the finest, most beautiful cat I’ll ever know. For over 15 years she tolerated my strange lifestyle and gave more love and affection that I ever had the right to expect - provided she was fed regularly and allowed to sit on my knee, of course. I know that I speak for Rob and Mark, and all those others who’s lives she touched, in saying that her loss is irreplaceable and her memory is so very safe with every one of us.

Taz Skerratt, we salute you.

Robyn says:

I have been very lucky this year and been on holiday three times. In August, I went on a whirlwind trip of Europe, visiting three capital cities in six days (Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna)! In September, I visited Portugal and in November Dad and I visited Berlin for my 25th birthday. Billy is always telling me I have too many holidays!

I am spending Christmas back in Stoke and in the New Year I am moving house to north London and hopefully halving my commute!

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year,

Robyn x

…and Mark says:

Hi, this year seems to have gone so quick and I can't believe it's Christmas again. I've spent most of the year working between Stoke and Portsmouth. I'm in the last 9 months of my apprenticeship for Network Rail, when I finish ill become an Signal and Telecoms Engineer working mostly around the Stoke area. I'm really looking forward to finishing my apprenticeship. Apologises in advance if you're train is delayed around the Stoke or Crewe area if you're told it's 'Signalling Problems'.  I managed to get sometime in the sun going to Spain for a week which was a great break, shame about the summer in England though. Hope you're keeping well. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Have a lovely Christmas.

Mark

So…wherever you are, have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. .. and best wishes from us all.

Morning sun over the cathedral

Posted via email from Glynn's posterous

Main engine start...and the final shuttle flight begins.

p22.mov Watch on Posterous

And it looked superb.

Posted via email from Glynn's posterous

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com

I can think of no better way to bookmark this video, and no better way of reminding myself to watch it more frequently, than to post it here. Spoken with a gentle, lilting and engaging voice, with a manner that blends the perfect mix of deep intelligence and humour, we all have much to learn from the likes of this man.

Next up...

And with a leap and a bound we're into February. In other news, during January, the whining dishwasher was repaired by the nice man with the new inlet valve. I miss the double act between the Wailing Hotpoint and Taz wanting her breakfast that provided the stereo high frequency start to my mornings.

Much work done - despite apparent evidence to the contrary. Lots of online stuff and a couple of trips down to London - once for CIWEM work and the other to give a Masterclass to a conference about the 'transition to a sustainable NHS'. They have their work cut out with that one. If you know me you may wonder how ever I came to be invited to present a masterclass on that topic...a thought that occurred to me more than once on the train on the way down too. Still, all seemed well...no mass exodus, 100 happy(ish) participants at the end of it and my scars are beginning to heal.

Lovely January music from Paul Carrack and the resheduled pre-Christmas Jools Holland gig. I also went to see the European Union Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jerome Akoka and featuring some astoundingly good violin playing by Nicola Benedetti and the brilliant flautist Daniela Koch.

Off to Finland today for a few days work and play and then the outside chance of a short trip [aka business opportunity] to Dubai to do some environmental/watery stuff there in mid-Feb. Good time of year to go...leastways, it is from the cool, grey, windy mid-Feb. UK perspective. That is unless you like cool, grey and windy of course. It'll make an interesting contrast to Helsinki that's for sure.

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