Journal Entries
Mill Road Winter Fair
Posted Dec 3, 2011
And a sunny day for it - hurray!
Went to the opening (short speeches from the Chair of the Fair Committee, the main sponsor - local estate agent, and the Mayor, to open the Fair) and then did my stint as a steward. As more of the road was closed to traffic this year, the stewards' job largely consists of providing information to the public (where are the nearest loos, where can I see the Morris dancers next, etc) but also dealing with vehicles wanting to come onto the road or cross it from side-roads. Only had to sort two of these situations, both resolved amicably. Using a two-way radio while wearing an over-decorated hat for the Hats! competitions is quite fun too.
Saw lots of people I knew, walked the whole length of the road, looking at stands and performers, visited the art exhibition, and enjoyed various types of food and drink ('Old Smokey' hot dog for lunch - yum!). Finished the afternoon with mulled wine in my local pub.
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Latest reply: Dec 3, 2011
Getting things done!
Posted Nov 26, 2011
Last week was a horrible week - late nights at the office, and lots of things going wrong. This week has been much better, and I finished yesterday feeling relatively calm about the forthcoming interviews. Long may it last!
Went for a swim this morning, then did various chores (supermarket shop, changed the sheets, cleaned the bathroom) before going to get my hair cut. Came back, had lunch and did more cleaning ... I really detest housework, it seems so pointless - next week it will all need doing again!
Later this afternoon I'm going to one of my three book groups - this one is in the local pub, and the book we've just read is Ford Madox Ford's 'The Good Soldier'. I was curious about it, because a friend of mine wrote her final-year dissertation on it, and raves about it. Found it very odd, and slightly annoying in the way it was narrated. It will be interesting to see what other people think.
Wordfest tomorrow (http://www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk/festivals/winter) - I'm going to hear Melissa Benn, Ali Smith in conversation with Francine Stock, and Ian Hislop & Adam MacQueen.
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Latest reply: Nov 26, 2011
Interviews start here
Posted Nov 17, 2011
First lot of interviews today for prospective Medics - our Director of Studies in Medicine is rushing off to NZ to do her research immediately term finishes, so can't interview during the normal week. Although it's a bit hectic getting them organised in advance, actually it does help with congestion in the main interview period. I've almost finished all the timetables now, and calculated that I've scheduled over 500 individual interviews, all squeezed into 10 days!
Anyway, all went well today, as usual largely thanks to our wonderful undergraduate helpers ('sheepdogs'). I checked up on them at one point, and there was a little group of applicants and their mums in the waiting room, all cosily drinking tea and chatting to one of the undergrads - they looked completely relaxed, which has to be a good thing!
Managed to send out a load of interview invitations too - applicants are getting antsy on The Student Room because some colleges have already sent some of theirs. Should get most of the rest done tomorrow, which is great, because my target date was next Monday.
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Latest reply: Nov 17, 2011
Overtime time
Posted Nov 14, 2011
Arrived at the office at 8.00am today and left at 6.00pm. Didn't get as much done as I wanted, mainly due to other people not providing information by the requested time. 
Expecting to be working much the same hours all this week, but am determined not to let it get me down, as it did last week. I ended up cross and exhausted on Friday, and snapping at people quite unnecessarily.
Had an early-ish night on Friday, and a restful-ish weekend (only a couple of hours in the office on Saturday, trying to solve the jigsaw puzzle that is involved in scheduling interviews in Classics - applicants have to have interviews at two colleges, but there is no reciprocal swap system - that would be far too easy. Instead, our applicants are having their 'second-college' interviews at three different colleges, and we are second-interviewing applicants from two more ...
Anyway, also managed to fit in some very necessary housework and a bit of a stroll round the shops (even bought a dress, shock horror!). And on Sunday, some of us had a trip to St Ives on the guided bus to join our friends who live there for an excellent Sunday roast. Lovely sunny day, so the bus journey past the lakes at Fen Drayton nature reserve was very pleasant.
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Latest reply: Nov 14, 2011
Newnham film
Posted Oct 27, 2011
Paula, the student from the "other" university in Cambridge who made the film for our website, entered it for a student film competition - MyCam. We were delighted to hear that she won joint first prize!
You can see the winning films here: http://news.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/2011/10/27/winners-announced-for-my-cam-short-film-competition/
I liked the spoof Harry Potter trailer!
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Latest reply: Oct 27, 2011
annie_cambridge
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