Author Archives: Austin

About Austin

Middle-aged grouchy white male. Hair greying but hasn't all fallen out yet. Spreading waistline ill-concealed by baggy jumper.Semi-extinguished physiology researcher turned teacher. Known for never shutting up. Father of two children (aged 6 and 2) who try to out-talk him. Some would call that Karmic Revenge.

I blame the parents

Posted on 10 May 2013 by Austin

From time to time, I am given to wondering why I have achieved so little in life generally. Answers suggested by my friends and family have included ‘laziness’ ‘not trying hard enough’ ‘lack of confidence’ ‘too unfocussed’ ‘too much procrastinating’ … Continue reading →

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Gerald Elliott 1931-2013

Posted on 26 April 2013 by Austin

       

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Guilty laughter. But still laughter.

Posted on 8 January 2013 by Austin

As I sat here today, wrestling with an intransigent Master’s thesis (the thesis is NOT mine, though the intransigence is), as well as the sheer existential gloom of being back at The Bunker (aka the Medical School Building) after the … Continue reading →

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No passion please, we’re scientists

Posted on 6 July 2012 by Austin

In which I put a damper on all this over-invoked passion. Regular readers of this blog (you know who you are, you two – stop giggling at the back), or of others in the OT stable where I can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Annoyances, Grumbling, The Interwebz, The Life Scientific | Comments Off on No passion please, we’re scientists

Twenty five years without parole

Posted on 6 February 2012 by Austin

In which I look back in… stunned disbelief? It has been a rather strange week here. The main reason, I think, is that last Wednesday, on Feb 1st, I passed a rather unnerving landmark – twenty-five years working for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting old, Grumbling, Physiology, Procrastination, The Life Scientific, Universities | Comments Off on Twenty five years without parole

Making the grade?

Posted on 28 January 2012 by Austin

Note:  Now with added game: scroll down As the three chess-playing readers of this blog will know, club chess players who play regularly in club leagues end up with what in English chess is commonly called a ‘grade’ or ‘grading’, … Continue reading →

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Times past, and celebrity guests

Posted on 13 January 2012 by Austin

Though perhaps I should have called this “The Old Neighbourhood” Many years ago – in the early 90s, to be precise –  I went back as an adult, after more than two decades, to the Cape Cod village of Woods … Continue reading →

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A year… only partially digested

Posted on 10 December 2011 by Austin

So Occam’s Typewriter is a year old. Where does the time go…? (No answers involving quantum theory, please. Or homeopathy.

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I’m still here… I think

Posted on 29 November 2011 by Austin

Apologies for the lack of posting recently. You can blame the throes of teaching semester-time (into week ten, two and a half weeks to go…). Or perhaps the series of delightful illnesses the kids have been bringing home. Our three … Continue reading →

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