Elaine McGirr

I had the *best* time learning & laughing with @titachico.bsky.social

Tell me you work in a university without telling me:

[office phone rings]
Me: hello?
Them: I'm calling to let you know that we're disconnecting landline phones. We note this line has traffic on it.
Me: ....
T: ...but we don't know where it is. Who are you and where is your office?

Not even on the weekends? That's just sad.

Heads of: History, English, Theatre

Who assumed committee meetings were at the same time this year as last & showed up an hour early?

Head of Research, Archives and Libraries at The British Museum Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Head of Research, Archives and Libraries on jobs.ac.uk!

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DON512/h...

a sign that says days without nonsense hangs on a door ALT: a sign that says days without nonsense hangs on a door

Day 1 of the new academic year & we have our first email-all failure.
Waiting on the reply-all complaints.

It's that tome of year again: a new academic year about to start, I'm still (again) HOD & I need comfort reading.

Must be well-written & not too traumatic. Otherwise anything goes!

Warm words from ministers to Universities UK, but a noticeable absence of buttered parsnips Ministers at Universities UK conference were keen to show their appreciation for the sector – but Debbie McVitty argues that a deeper relationship with government remains elusive

wonkhe.com/blogs/warm-w...

Yup.

It took us several years to get that policy implemented. No one did something very bad (recently) but many wanted to retain their right to do so in the future

"But I am a hater, and I will not be polite. The machine is disgusting and we should break it."

anthonymoser.github.io/writing/ai/h...

Heavy rain followed by light rain. #brizzle

First human case of flesh-eating screwworm parasite confirmed in US HHS told Reuters patient had returned from El Salvador but beef industry said person had traveled from Guatemala

Not now, flesh-eating screw worms

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Perimenopausal dreaming: family vacation to the inside of an active volcano.

Records Specialist - Early Modern Parliament at The National Archives Start your UK & international job search for academic jobs, research jobs, science jobs and managerial jobs in leading universities and top...

The National Archives is looking for an Early Modern Parliamentary Records Specialist. Pros: you'll get to work in the same department as me. Cons: you'll have to work in the same department as me. Details via the link. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOD893/r...

Shook.

brb- learning Welsh! (Reflecting on my decisions here)

I’m sorry but it’s the worst Eliot. There. I said it.

Armadale, Sir Charles Grandison, Middlemarch

Emails triaged & primed for resumption of work tomorrow & now can guiltlessly fritter the afternoon on errands & chores.

Just realised that I had actually booked today as bonus annual leave so I could fight the laundry & email separately.

Maybe later in the week? Today is task-tastic

And where do tacos sit in the Greek- Italian continuum?

I know - I need the coffee to triage the emails!

Email break to fold laundry & restock larder & then back to the inbox! 📨

a close up of a fluffy cat with a very angry look on its face ALT: a close up of a fluffy cat with a very angry look on its face

Monday, post-holiday.
Mountains of emails & laundry to sort & work through.
Cat also decided to show his displeasure abt being left by knocking a full coffee cup onto the sofa.

You kan not run educacioun lyke a businesse. A businesse ys ther to make a profit. Educacioun ys ther to make the future.

Last day of holiday. Normally I’m more than ready to go home & get back to work after 2 weeks of idleness. This year… could happily spend another fortnight on the Dordogne.

Teen’s summer reading has moved on to _Wuthering Heights_
Me: what’s happening at the Heights now?
Teen: the Grange. Heathcliff & Cathy are being mean to Isabella because they are the worst.