h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Spent yesterday in the office . Well, actually I don't mind that much, as I will get a day off in lieu at some point, and I quite like having free time when everybody else is at work.

It was our Year 12 Science Day: about 70 visitors came (80 expected, but there are always a few who don't turn up and don't bother to tell us - a bit annoying, since we have to pay Catering for their lunch anyway). After the welcome talk, we gave them a choice of lectures this year: first session was either on cancer biosensors or materials science, second session either on experimental psychology or engineering. Although there were a few who were interested in physics or engineering, the vast majority were planning to apply for biological sciences - but that's predictable, especially with girls.

In the afternoon we sent them off in groups with a current undergraduate to attend their choice of activities in the Cambridge Science Festival, and they seemed to have had a good time - only 2 or 3 had escaped and gone shopping, although 2 of them actually asked me when they arrived if they 'had to' go to the afternoon session. Whatever happened to bunking off quietly without drawing attention to yourself?

My plan for the day was frustrated by finding that my computer wouldn't start. I had had the same problem the day before - it was telling me in MS-DOS that there had been a 'thermal event' during the night - but on that occasion it started again OK. This time it kept cutting out, even when I tried to start it in safe mode. Luckily I happened to meet one of the IT guys in the afternoon and he came to have a look at it, pronounced it 'very sick' and took it away. When this happened a few months ago, we had some discussion about the necessity of having a spare computer available for this sort of situation, but I'll give you one guess as to whether they have acted on the discussion! So tomorrow morning I'll be trying to function without my main working tool. You don't realise how much you rely on the computer until it's not there ...