Contrasts

Some very odd moments today. Started off really fuming mad about something I found out about a previous student of mine - I read something they'd written with incredulity and mounting anger. I'll have to calm down....
Then an extended team meeting hearing about Australia, China and forecasts (eek!) before a catch up over our rather delicious soup this week back in the office (it's Ottolenghi's chicken, parmesan and pasta one) trying to make sense of said forecasts.
Phone call from T....he’s been unceremoniously sacked as the business is faltering. Shocking how the private sector works like this but he’s resilient and will somehow work his way out and find something else (hopefully better....he’s getting too old to work through the night in a club!). Felt for him though....must have been a shock. Glad I’ll be down this weekend to talk more with him. Wouldn’t it be good if he got a job up here?!
Over to a meeting with students about communication (as always, a revelation) then walked across the Meadows to a committee meeting. Positively hot, not just sunny! Everyone had the right idea to be out on the grass relaxing in T shirts rather than sitting in an over-hot room with the blinds drawn!
Was feeling a bit whacked out but grateful I dragged myself along to a lecture. Steven Erlanger of the NY Times was positively brilliant (although very depressing!) talking about Trump....what makes him tick and whether he matters internationally. It was a wonderfully lucid lecture and fascinating - although, did I say, depressing!
Home to work on piles of stuff for tomorrow - especially for what are likely to be two very tricky meetings. What a day!