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

Calamity - laptop died at work today. Yes, OK, in the scheme of things and all that; but it is a pain. It is currently with laptop doctor who will pronounce before long. I fear the worst. And before you ask, no it isn't backed up. Oh well, take the hit, learn, move on. The world will be turning tomorrow. And I might interact with people even more. Not only a paperless office (well not far off) but an electronic file-free one.
Met with lots of new beginning teachers today. Starting where I started almost 30 years ago (gulp). Hope they have a brilliant time - I have and I haven't finished yet
In the end, a mixed sort of day.

Hi Steve

Hope you don't mind me saying hello, I was looking who was on line and recognised the signs of a newbie My name is Jules by the way. Isn't technology great until you have a prob with it? I've had so many probs with my pc at times I've nearly slung the darned thing, so you have my sympathies! How are you finding your feet in here?

Thanks for the sympathy. Yes, technology is great until you forget it is fallible - like I obviously have. And I have no excuse - access to a shared drive, the lot. 'It won't happen to me' has a lot to answer for. Still, like I said, the world still turns. Speaking of technology, my Firewall tells me that someone in Roumania has just tried to hack into my computer.
Finding my feet? This place is amazing (if place is the word). I have been around for less than a week and I am already beginning to lose count of people who have called in to say hello. I think I'm going to like it here; though I have a strong feeling that I am still in a smallish room with lots of doors, leading to a vast palace of wonderful things.

Guilty of that one Steve, and not just with the p.c! but a lesson learned and all that to the Romanian, maybe they want to say hello , hope you've managed to sort it out. On my first week I made some wonderful blunders by not reading all the info my ace gave me (come to think of it, I still haven't, so I might be turning to you for advice ) It is a pretty friendly site from what I've seen, I avoid the "intellectual" stuff cos it hurts my brain after so long, so I stick to general chat. I have come across the odd unfriendly soul, or maybe it's just differences in personalities and the fact that internet chat can come across differently to face to face chat. On the plus side I met my fiance within 2 weeks of joining up to this site so it hasn't been a bad experience for me. I've been here since mid June but haven't fully explored the site (if one ever can achieve that ) I was doing that tonight when I decided to reply to you!

Life's rich tapestry Jules, and I will never speak to Bill Gates again. I hear he is devastated at the prospect.
As for life, the universe, etc, the Romanian went away (repulsed by Firewall) and all the rest is going smoothly. I can only say that from my point of view, anything that life throws can only hurt people if they let it. Sounds trite, but that doesn't stop it being true, I think.
Before I turn into the man with no brain, I'll stop drivelling.
Thanks for message and fellow feeling about technology (and life, come to that).
Still wandering about in the Guide with open mouth, amazed at what is there and trying hard to ration time.

It's very addictive, but well worth the time spent (5 years and counting ).

What type of research do you do?

That makes me sound very high powered. In fact I work with schools to identify and share good practice - and I am very interested in what has made leaders in schools good leaders - not, certainly, training, though that might help. So what in their lives has worked the magic?
Well, you did ask, sorry it isn't something asonishingly high tech to do with particle physics. ?

Particle physics would have bored me to tears. I'm much more interested in education and goodness knows schools can use all the advantages they can get. Sounds like a very worthwhile venture to me.

I would think that good school leaders would have to have a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the welfare of their students regardless of their perceived potential.

oooooooo Steve, I just might pick your brains I agree with Broelan on the partical physics, you would have sent me to sleep I'm afraid!

I'm currently doing my business degree so I'm doing all about leadership styles and strategies at the mo. I do want to go into teaching with it and you never know I might end up as one of your case studies one day

Glad you're enjoying it here and it is addictive to say the least! If I could do my degree on chat sites I'm sure I'd get a 1st .... lol. As it is I'm having to cut down on my time here

off to grab a bite to eat and get back to the strategic management process and implementation of the process in relation to (a certain top car manufacturer, who shall remain nameless cos I don't fancy a law suit .)

Yes, agree totally with that as a absolute first requirement. But then . . . being a really good leader is more than believing the right things, isn't it? So many people are offering 'how to' lead recipes, but that's not the point, even if all help is gratefully received. When you really start talking in depth to someone who is doing a stunningly good job in a school, you start to understand the complex web of influences that helped them (as well as all the things that were already there). It's that process I'm interested in - because if you can understand that, then you can perhaps, just perhaps, help others with equivalent experiences. It sounds almost impossible. Yes, but, not totally - and worth any amount of one-off training. Trouble is, it doesn't produce fast results. Just good ones. As I write I think this sound arrogant, and it isn't meant to - actually, it is meant to show due humility in the face of human complexity (which after all is what education should be about)

Still getting the hang of this - seem to be replying to myself - very odd. The last one was for Broelan - this is for The "official" Mrs H 2B. Right, now that's sorted out.
Trouble is with the leadership styles and strategies, I think (and I've tried a fair few myself with varying results) is that most of the work on them is done after the event (so analysing what worked rather than what will work). If that sounds a bit gloomy, it needn't be. But it is why so many writers on excellence look wobbly in retrospect - Peters and Waterman, In Search of Excellence, wrote about excellent companies who promptly went bust! Writer on management in the Times Ed recently had a failed inspection for - - Leadership and Management, among other things (reportedly).
If you tell people that the (simple or complicated) stuff you are doing with them will make them a good leader, then if they do succeed, they will believe that you were right. But put like that, you can see it doesn't follow. Now my head hurts, so heaven help yours. Donkeys hod on to their hind legs when I start.
None of this, by the way, means that it isn't worth working with people on better leadership - but it is the 'with' that is important. And to be fair, that is what some of the focused work from the Leadership College is doing.
And none of it means either that I can't turn out an essay on leadership styles with the rest. More donkeys and hind legs
Teaching is brilliant. I don't do it any more but nothing is like the buzz you can get. Mind you, there are the other bits

Hi Steve

Don't worry it will click into place soon (hopefully) for you. I've been changing my tag for the past few days, I'm not sure if you've picked up on that or not? But you can still call me Julie or Jules and not my "official" title, lol . If in any doubt, click of the persons name and check their details. It took me a couple of weeks to figure out the little eyes at the side of a persons name (or tag) meant that person was on line helps if I read the guides I suppose . My learning style tends to be "trial by error" give me an instruction manual and I'm sure to c*ck it up, give me some time to have a fiddle and I'll eventually suss it.

If you're expecting any form of intelligent conversation from me today then you're out of luck I'm afraid . Had a VERY stressful day and not much sleep last night so any form of deep and meaningful is off the menu .

Clicking into place, thanks Jules.
So that's what the eyes mean - I had been wondering.
I'm the reverse - spend so long reading the manual that I'm very slow to get things done.
Nothing intelligent from me today either. Head full of cotton wool, nose dribbling, sorry for myself. Yuck.

Just looked at the last posting again and amazed at how self-absorbed it looks. Perhaps it's the cold. Hope so. Stressful day so early in the week, Jules? Hope it is all downhill from here

Hi Steve

Hope you feel better soon, I'm just off to bed I'm afraid after catching up on my posts. Glad the eyes got you as well I don't feel so intellectually challenged if it gets other people as well . I had a bit of a bad day as well today (think it followed on from yesterday) I tupped my head pretty hard on the car boot when it was open so I've had mild concussion all day, luckily the car boot is still intact!

Your last post didn't sound self absorbed, just went over my head in my current state I'm afraid but plan on giving you a reasonably intelligent answer soon!

Morning Jules. Ouch for the car boot.
"Things are against us", that's what it is. Remember reading a lovely spoof philosophy essay (can't remember who by) about a French philosopher who explained the theory. He describes an experiment about dropping buttered toast to see if it fell butter side down. It happened more often if the toast "knew" the carpet was expensive.
Proof of this is my up-and-over garage door which is vicious and spiteful, and occasionally slides down by itself and clonks me on the head when I least expect it. Proof of its vicious spiteful (and cunning) nature is clear:
1 It hits me at very infrequent intervals - so I have stopped remembering the last time and taking care
2 It always does it when teenage neighbours are passing so I can't (a) cry or (b) hop about swearing (or both) without hoots of laughter (pathetic but probably typical man). I walk calmly through to the kitchen and do both. Wife looks on bemused.
Similar - I am the milk monitor at work and the big six-packs of longlife milk have cardboard handles that give out as I climb the last few stairs of the two flights to our offices (or 'servant's quarters' as we know them.
Hope head is better today

I've never heard that about the buttered toast. Sounds like an educaitonal article to read!

Sorry to hear you're both under the weather a bit. Hope things clear up soon! I've managed to dodge it so far this season... *fingers crossed*

I'll find out who wrote the article if humanly possible - I've wetted my own appetite to read it again. Good luck in avoiding cold this year. I haven't been this grotty for some years. Age creeps up, perhaps

Discovered the article, Broelan - isn't the web wonderful
Never tried a link before, so here goes
<./>http://www31.brinkster.com/yewtree/resources/resistentialism.htm</.>
It goes on a bit but the experiments are at the start. I love the idea of the scientists dropping pencils systematically. And I think it is all true. Previewed, the link seems to work, so whoops, here we go. Enjoy the article.

Hi guys, sorry it's took so long to reply, been just a tad crazy at my end. Speaking of buttered toast could do with some around now. Just a quick hello cos I'm at college frist thing and still have to plough through Porter's Competetive Forces Strategy. Marketing ain't one of my favourite subjects cos it bores me to but that could be the tutor.... lol