I currently work in an empty void. Not the usual emotional one but rather an actual physical one. With my move to Ireland just next week, everything in my office has been packed up and sent across the waters. And so now my workspace is empty and echoey. It’s also very white. It’s like I’ve been swallowed whole by an Apple Store. I’m like Jonah, if the whale was an iPad.
I don’t know about you, but one of the things that I always do when I pop into someone else’s office, is have a look at their shelves. I think you can tell a lot about a person from what’s in their office. I like to think I do this because I’m an anthropologist, but I strongly suspect that I’m just inordinately nosy. As I was getting ready to put all of my stuff into boxes, it crossed my mind that I should probably turn the tables and give you a little insight into my own office. So here’s the main bookcase. There are other bits around the room, like photos, art on the walls, a signed Boro football (which the removal guy asked if I really wanted and so will be the first thing I check has arrived in Maynooth), papers, that sort of thing – but this should give you a bit of a sense. I guess one of my first jobs at Maynooth will be to decide which of this makes the cut to be on display in my new office. I’ve not ruled out ditching some of the kids’ art to make room for the photo of me with Dr Emmett Brown…
I’m hoping that this will reassure my new colleagues at Maynooth, who I’m looking forward to meeting soon. Although, that arm thing is a legit concern…