Imagine if you can me currently doing a fine impression of a seal clapping … this is because I am rather happy and excited. (Dr T will no doubt be teasing me about this later).

The reason for my happiness is that my employer will be paying for me to attend (and more importantly for future employment) sit the exam for the Harbour and Coastal Engineering Module I never did on my BEng course all those moons ago. I’m happy because I’ll finally learn the theory behind the work I do … which should help me understand what I should be doing (always a useful thing) and make me happier when being asked a technical question by old grey-haired male civil engineers (there’s a lot of them about … last week me and my mentor had a little giggle over this at ICE. There was an evening meeting it seemed full of the above category, my mentor commented whilst stereotypical it was actually rather true, hence a great time to become an engineer as these middle aged souls retire!). So I join Dr T at Uni, although only for 2hours a week and only as an associate student … hmm will I get an NUS card for discounts? But Dr T did point out one fact … under the Pinky Wine Tasting Rule I could stand as SSAGO chair. I shan’t although Dr T will be sending his apologies if only so he can try and appear on another set of SSAGO AGM minutes!

Oh and for those who read the comments I played with my new toy yesterday on the train. Tunes out the box (aka the new toy) are a good change from the wonders of the Water Framework Directive (courtesy of the EU), which doesn’t seem to take account of sediment …bit of a large oversight there … at least the many port operators (they be the ones dredging the sediment washed into/ out of rivers/ harbours) there yesterday can now comment on this under the consultation.