Tulips in April

Webber's bureaucracy

When teaching students about Webber's ideas on the ideal bureaucracy, I am often secretly glad that I don't have to survive in one of these. What a delusional thought though: I AM in one! The university displays lots of bureaucratic tendencies, from the zillion page ethics approval forms (now online, which as I hear is even worse) to the stack of forms to complete to get anything copied or printed. Prove this, prove that, get a signature or three (not including your own), what is your mother's maiden name and give us your true weight, while you're at it. And when you finally have used up your whole left brain, start on the right and come up with some truly original research please. Come on then Einstein, give us a thesis!

On so many levels

I have noticed it before, but nothing like a few weeks back home speaking another language to get your ears into noticing odd expressions in English. The most annoying one at the moment being 'on so many levels'. A quick google came up with:
'nuclear power bad on so many levels'
'an incredible story, on so many levels'
'a tragedy on so many levels'
'wrong on so many levels'
'this thing is a genius on so many levels'
'that was awesome on so many levels'
'Michael Jackson drinking bling H20 makes sense on so many levels'

It doesn't actually, make sense that is. What on earth does it mean? Is it that is sounds interesting and like you had really deep thoughts about this whatever you use it with? Did some celeb use it in a tv-interview (without me noticing it) and now it is trendy? Where does it come from? And can we please send it back where it belongs??

Bright week (3)

I realise that red really is the colour that attracts me, but since it is a lucky colour, I don't care. ;-)

Bright Week (2)

Guard at Guengbokgung Palace, Seoul.

Temple in Seoul.

Bright week

'Concrete and Honey' came up with this brilliant idea of hosting a Bright Week , so here are my photo's of some gorgeous flowers in New Zealand.

Taconcubano needs (according to Google)

Taconcubano needs not to wait too long. Taconcubano needs not to go on forever weighing up the pros and cons of these decisions.

Taconcubano is enjoying good health. Taconcubano needs not to worry about a few tiny 'irregularities' in this sphere. That is how it is when Taconcubano gets older.

So yes, Taconcubano needs a hug. very badly.

Taconcubano needs to turn 2 more or gain 26 more Vampire points to reach the next level: Vampire Temptress! Taconcubano should get out there and bite some people!

Taconcubano needs some flowers!

Taconcubano needs not to always be afraid, sooner or later, there will be a triumph over difficulties! Yes, Taconcubano is strong enough to get over this.

Musical chairs

When you want to pursue a postgrad degree, say a PhD or DPhil or whatever you want to call it, the trouble is not to get accepted into the degree, nor is it to get a free RTS place at the uni. The biggest problem is to find a desk to call your own for the duration of your studies. Although the uni is obliged to provide each doctoral candidate with a desk, a computer (that works), a cabinet that can be locked (with the key) and access to a printer (again one that actually prints stuff when you want it), this is not as easy as it sounds. There are no free desks and everybody that has one allocated to them holds on to it as desparately as if we were playing musical chairs. Yet the irony is that most postgrad cubicles seem to be empty most of the time. Uncluttered, though dirty, they show there yellow surfaces to the passers by: no papers or books anywhere in sight and the happy deskowners are nowhere to be seen. So why oh why can't I get one of these nice deserted cubicles, pronto? I'll clean it myself!