As this week draws to a close, I realise that I haven't achieved nearly as much as I had hoped. I always have such ambitious plans when I am at home to do lots of productive work. I really don't know what happens to the time, and there are also so many distractions.
This morning I visited my doctor to receive the long-awaited results from my colonoscopy. I was happy to learn that none of the tissue as part of the polyps that were removed were found to be cancerous. But I do have a number of polyps which were not removed. Given my genetic history, with my father daying from colon cancer, albeit at the ripe age of 82, I was advised to have follow-up colonoscopies on a regular basis. My doctor recommended that I had my next examination in a couple of years.
But I spent much of today helping your aunt Rachel with an abstract she had to submit today on a dissertation she is writiing about energy efficiency in buildings. Her thesis centers around the fact that buildings are the biggests single source of climate change impacting Greenhouse Gas emissions. As a student of architecture, specialising in environmental build, much of the focus of her work is on designing more energy efficient buildings, But intrestingly, her paper will concentrate on changing the behaviour of building occupants towards more energy-aware and efficient living.
I have been talking to her at her university in Nottinham by Skype and exchanging drafts by email all day. Her deadline for submiting the absract was 4.30pm UK time today. As someone who often leaves things to the last minute, I really sympathise with my daughter. Although, I can't help but think how much easier the work would have been, had she given herself more time.
Temperatures were certainly rising in Nottingham as Rachel struggled to meet her deadline. The last I heard was that, with minutest to spare, Rachel rushed to the office whee the paper had to be submitted. But she needed to get it printed. As luck would have it, the printer wasn't working. Alas, she missed her deadline. However, she planned to email it to her supervisor who may put in a good word for her. Student life can tough, yes. But just wait until you have to survive in the real world
Anyway, how can the university staff not reallise how absolutely brilliant my daughter is? Of course, I am completely objective.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
