Another beautiful evening at thr Arms Park and thr start of a terrific move for Cardiff's second try.

No doubt @nevillemorley.eurosky.social will be along to discuss that classic episode and its relevance to 21st century international relations later 😜

Peter Street in Dublin. I doubt it looked like that in 1900 when my grandmother was born in a tenement there. Her family lived in one room. At the end of WW1 she left for England and never returned.

A sigh of relief from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

This evening I attended our university Enriching Student Life Awards where I'd been shortlisted for the VC's award. I didn't win, but have come away with a coveted ESLA mug to join the others on the bookcase at work! Being shortlisted by the SU Sabbatical Officers is a genuine honour.

Dw i wedi pleidleisio.

It's the early May Bank Holiday weekend. Therefore I am marking. To stave off marking fatigue I'm alternating batches of marking with sanding and painting bookshelves and cases.

Last ever class on my Roman Army module today. Students clear that their critical thinking skills had been developed by workshops requring them to discuss things with fellow students and through Padlets (communal digital 'stickies') outlining their arguments. Yay for active learning!

Modern caltrops being deployed to discourage access 😠 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A very pleasant evening at the Arms Park. Tight game and a must win for Cardiff!

Another year of agony, ecstacy, hoarse throats from yelling, and the traditional line-out photo from home games (hopefully there'll be another one of those tomorrow). Season 32 at Cardiff Arms Park signed up for. Come on you Blue and Blacks! #CardiffRugby

Today I booked a thing with SAP Concur.

"is that a corbridge type A?" Asked Piglet. "Why yes." Said Pooh. "Is it heavy?" "Oh my yes..." Sighed Pooh.

Today in class we played with* the departmental onager. Every department should have one! *conducted serious research.

Without saying your age, post your favourite film that was released the year you turned 18...

Requalified as a Remote Rescue Medical Technician today (it's for the voluntary job, not the paid one!) A tough exam but scary responsibilities go with the qualification, and the in-depth revision in the run-up has been very satisfying for someone who'll always enjoy learning.

Calling early- to mid-career artists based in Wales! The British School at Rome, in partnership with Arts Council Wales, is offering a fully supported 3-month residency in Rome (Sept–Dec 2026). Deadline: 15 May 2026 bsr.ac.uk/creative-wal... 📷 Richard Malone's studio, photo by Luana Rigolli, 2026

Really sad to hear of the death of the inspirational scholar and teacher Dame Averil Cameron @averilcam.bsky.social I count myself incredibly lucky to have had Averil as my lecturer and tutor for the expansive B5 Roman Imperial History course, and she actively supported my early career. RIP Averil

Tech win Today I re-established comms between the computer and printer after they've spent 6 months in a storage unit. Victory!!

And in Moesia: "No little terror was inspired in the barbarians by the centurion Cornidius... carrying on the top of his helmet a pan of coals which were fanned by the movement of his body, he scattered flame from his head, which had the appearance of being on fire." Florus 2.26.16

A lovely sunny day in Cardiff for celebrating the spring equinox!

Lovely news to finish the week - I've been shortlisted by Cardiff Uni Students Union for the second year in a row for the VC's award for Enriching Student Life. The recognition from our Student Officers means so much 🤩

34 month PDRA position on my Roman Britannia: Mobility and Society project, based with fab project co-lead Dr Sophy Charlton at @york-bioarch.bsky.social - come join our interdisciplinary Cardiff-York team and reshape narratives of the Roman period in Britannia. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQT035/p...

Tonight's line out photo comes from an absolutely soaking Cardiff Arms Park. I suspect the rain might win this match, but come in Cardiff!!

Super-fun role-playing workshop with my Roman army class today with students taking on personae of Romans and locals who have an army unit build a fort next to a civilian community. Exploring interactions between soldiers and civilians in the Roman world. Some super analysis and extrapolation.

An early attacking line out for Cardiff. Come on, lads!!

The ongoing saga of John Percival Building heating... Having ended last week with my office managing to reach a tolerable (with wool sweater on) temperature of 20c with outside air temps of freezing, today with the outside temp at 11c, the heating has broken again and we're back to a chilly office.

Just ahead of Racing 92 at a chilly Arms Park. Keep it up, Cardiff!!

Update on my working conditions. Today the mercury has just managed to push past 15c, this despite the radiator working properly today. Probably by the end of the week when the current cold spell will be over, the temp will be a balmy (or barmy?) 24c!

Welcome back to work after the Christmas break 🥶

Today I requalified as a Mountain Rescue off-road driver. (Slope is steeper than it looks!)

The traditional line out photo. A beautiful if slightly chilly afternoon at the Arms Park. Hopefully Cardiff will up their performance a bit...

Lunch on Epynt looking north.

International Mountain Day

RIP Ivan Tarassenko, died King's Cross, 18th November 1987

Started the week by winning MFA bingo (guess the random 2 digit number before it appears on the screen) 😁 But let's hope that's not the highlight of the week!

A fab-looking evening for anyone up in the London / Kent area, on 8th Nov. Fundraising for their bigger Christmas concert series, with any profits going to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Remembering our brother who died last year with MND x

Home from home... I'm in a flat on Cardiff Bay at the moment while my house is being renovated. Nice to hear the chant of the rag and bone man (though I think mostly scrap metal these days) in the Bay as well as in Penarth.

Back at the Arms Park for my 33rd season of suffering!!

Challenging students' preconceptions today as I started teaching my Roman army module, probably for the very last time. Some fun discussion and an unexpected observation from a student that made me go 'wow'. The greater unpredictability of active learning brings more opportunity for such gems.

Finishing up the holiday with an excursion to Mullach Clach a'Bhlair. I love the Cairngorm plateaus - bimbling around at 900m; a decent weather day if a bit blowy at times.

A double Munro day above Drumochter today, lucky with the weather after yesterday's deluge!

Loch an Eilein in the Cairngorms, swimming out to the island and exploring the castle (felt slightly Swallows & Amazons!)

Visited the Hillfort under Attack immersive experience today. Excellent with so much to look at in the virtual world; terrific detail (despite those palisade stakes stuck vertically in the rampart!), great info in the commentary and some good modern comparisons. Thanks @trimontiumtrust.bsky.social ❤️

"Just a (pedagogic) minute" ended the first day of our Cardiff Uni Teaching & Learning conference. Huge thanks to my wonderful colleagues @drkatiewebb.bsky.social; Caroline Lynch; Luke Sloan; Chris North and Iain Mossman for their brilliant contributions, and @mjc.martinjc.com for helping organise!

Congratulations to Hannah Shaw of @cardiffuni.bsky.social on your #NTFS2025 award! A leader in anatomy education, fostering deep learning, mentorship, and global collaboration.

Just booked - I'll see you on the 13th!!

Strange New Worlds continuing the great Star Trek tradition of alien archaeology in the latest episode. Fortunately most earth archaeology is nowhere near as dangerous in practice! 🖖

A wee overnight microadventure last night in the Brecon Beacons with some of our Mountain Rescue trainees. Lovely weather, not so nice man-eating terrain, though fortunately we all got out alive and ready for brunch at Garwnant forestry centre!

Wow, what an end to the test, and wow, what a series. But at least now I can focus on work 😜