"That's the reason they're called lessons," the Gryphon remarked (Alice In Wonderland)

"And how many hours a day did you do lessons?" said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject.

"Ten hours the first day," said the Mock Turtle: "nine the next, and so on."

"What a curious plan!" exclaimed Alice.

"That's the reason they're called lessons," the Gryphon remarked: "because they lessen from day to day."

Lewis Carroll (From Alice In Wonderland)

Learn why the world wags and what wags it (Merlin)

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"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn."

T.H. White (from The Once and Future King)

And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun (John Lennon/Yoko Ono)

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Merry Christmas!

Although I'll be enjoying some Christmas cheer, for the next few weeks, Baggy Trousers will continue on lean rations. 

It's the end of the autumn term - a holiday period that neatly coincides with the festive season, including new year celebrations. We start again for the spring term on January 7.

In the meantime I'll be enjoying a well earned rest in beautiful north Wales, mulling over my new year resolutions.

Take it easy. See you on the other side, inshallah.

Down around the corner, half a mile from here, see them long trains run, and you watch them disappear (Doobie Brothers)

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Doing it tough at the moment - reading messages from NZ colleagues who are now on holiday until the end of January, while embarking on the final push towards the end of the Autumn term. 

Good on ya my peeps!

Sadly, it's a different picture for me - having arrived at the tail end of the long British summer, I'm on a lengthy run of two winters in a row with an autumn thrown in for funsies.

This term has been a long train running, with a mid term break coming as welcome relief, but still - it's 15 weeks long! 

Basically, like many people at school, I'm ready for a holiday!

The right way

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The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.

Margaret Chase Smith

The unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates)

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Being away from home on a professional course, as I am at the moment, is a struggle for me sometimes. I inherited this from my father. 

For him, it was the lack of familiarity with places, food, and people that caused him anxiety. Especially food. 

And, when I think about it, it's worse. 

Socrates is right but sometimes self-awareness has a down side.