Wednesday

Another early start in the office. Cleared email and read through a report for ICAEW to check it for publication - the academic advisor who usually does this is off on his travels and it's the first time I've had this responsibility. Fortunately the study is in an area I know about and there are no stats! Next a meeting with the faculty research manager to sort out details for my funding bid. She is very tactful about suggesting changes! Another visit to the library to collect a reserved book. The system now requires me to find it on the reserved shelf and check it out at a special terminal which didn't print out a receipt. Jane, my favourite library assistant, came to my rescue.

The pile of books and papers to read is growing. Checked my alerts and found an article by Jonah Lehrer about a new book by Daniel Kahneman called "Thinking Fast and Slow" which sounds really interesting. Not in the university library, reserved it online at the public library. The Lehrer review ended with the observation: "Even when we know why we stumble, we still find a way to fall." A bit depressing. 

So was coffee with a colleague who had just heard that her promotion application had been rejected. She has a fantastic CV so it seems very strange. Next, a department leadership team meeting which was *really* depressing, followed immediately by a departmental meeting which didn't improve matters. We feel very let down by the senior management of the Faculty and there will be tough times ahead. All of this disruption could have been avoided with proper management.

Nice emails from the three people I asked to act as referees for my funding bid. All replied to me within an hour. I wish my departmental colleagues replied to me as quickly...

Home to find a £25 cheque from ERNIE. A few noughts on the end would have been nice. 

Spent the evening grappling with the online system for claiming expenses at ICAEW. This is a complex process which involves scanning receipts. Beanie leapt onto the keyboard and sent off an incomplete claim so I had to send an email apologising... and start again.


Working at home tomorrow, hoping to complete funding application and catch up with some reading.