I'm hoping this will turn out as I hope- it's the first time I've tried to embed an url link in a post... The MP speaks for all people with brains when he criticises the idea of naming a school a "place of learning". The whole point of calling it a school is to save on words and ink and breath... What's next? A pub being called a "drinking centre"? Shops being called "purchasing localities"? Farms being rebranded (pardon the pun) "agriculture zones"? Schools are- by their very definition (maybe the head teacher could gain an understanding of that word) "places of learning" and therefore don't need to have their definition spelt out. It's enough to make one want to consume large quantities of sugar-digested-by-yeast...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7809481.stm

New Year’s Resolutions 2009:

Slightly late in posting these, but here goes:
I've classified them separately:
Professional:
Do a great job as (acting) Head of Languages. Sort out Spanish, increase take-up and manage the department well! Manage the International Week. Possibly start some evening classes- where I can try out new language-learning experiments on friends and acquaintances.
Health:
Lose weight. At least 10kilos. Spend an alcohol-free January and lose 5 kilos by February half-term. I'm actually thinking about running a half-marathon in October.
Personal:
Meet someone of the opposite sex. I suspect we haven't met yet because all the girls I have met unfortunately know me! Write. Go to the Basque Country in the summer (where I'd love to write a travel book), spend New Year’s Eve 09/10 abroad, possibly Istanbul. Read more (that's started already). Travel to the US in Easter (already being organised).

I'm sure that's not the exhaustive list, and am sure there's so much to be added, but those were the things that leapt to my hungover mind on January 1st.