I am not a very practical person. I am aware of this, but somehow I forget at crucial moments, such as last week when the 900 copies of my thesis arrived from the printer’s.

Having been delivered to the point the furthest away from my office in the hospital possible, they just needed to be loaded on a trolley and wheeled to my office. Doesn’t seem too complicated, right? That’s why I felt fairly stupid checking there were any brakes on the wheels of the trolley I just loaded the 40+ boxes on (there weren’t), but even more stupid realising I was not going to be able to move the trolley, especially not wearing my high-heeled, smooth-soled shoes… At least I provided some entertainment for the people in the corridors I passed (well, who passed me and my trolley, really). A pleading and very desperate phone call for help was required…

But now the thesis has been sent off, the misery is easily forgotten with compliments pouring in . This is what it’s all about then - lots and lots of positive attention, yum!