Friday 12 September 2014

Coincidences and reflections

Today has been a day for coincidences and reflections.

My colleagues in the department I have just retired from at the University of the West of England (end of career no. 3!) had invited me to lunch at an "Away Day" session in Clifton where they were planning for the new university year. Most of my colleagues would be there, so it was a good opportunity for my retirement presentation.

I boarded the bus to Bristol and checked my email, receiving a message from one of this year's graduates telling me that she had got the job she had set her heart on. That's the icing on the cake for today, I thought.

I had a little time to spare and I was in need of a coffee (not unusual?), so I sat in the cafe at the bus station. I was surprised to see one of my bosses from career no. 1 walking past, so I called to him and we had a chat. He's a good friend and a colleague in a community group that is a part of my "retirement plan" (So part of career no. 4?)

I caught the bus up to Clifton, passing Bristol University where I studied, and the Students' Union (I'm a Life Member but haven't been there for many years. Memo to self: must go and haunt the place some time) I got off at Engineers House (shades of careers 1 and 2) where I found my UWE colleagues engaged in the annual round of self-flagellation, trying to work out how to improve their ratings in the National Students Survey. I've seen this so many times.

After a very pleasant lunch, my boss from career no. 3 was very complimentary as she did my presentation. I responded, mentioning how many people (50 plus) from all my careers had made contact when I announced my retirement on the various social media. I felt that the flagellants needed cheering up, so I read them the graduate's email including her description of "the amazing staff at UWE". There aren't enough compliments to go round in today's competitive workplaces.

I left them to their deliberations and walked out into the sunshine, having bookended career no. 3. I'll go back and visit them, so the door isn't irrevocably locked behind me.

Then it was back on the bus, which took an unexpected and circuitous route through Clifton and Redland. More time travel, passing a college site where I attended Open University tutorials during career no. 2, then my old school (career zero?) and many streets that I knew well as a schoolboy and as a student.

Bus travel is good for thinking and reflecting. I certainly got my money's worth out of my "Senior Citizen's Time Travel Pass" today!