The motto in the Senior Common Room was "We're always in the shit - only the depth varies".

I saw too many of my colleagues' marriages collapse, against the 'Rocks of Academe'.

If your marriage didn't fuck up, your mind did - and on what "They" were paying me as a SL, they could, and did, pay two L2s.

I went in as a blue-eyed optimist, and came out the world's greatest cynic. Bolshie students - sorry ! - clients - weren't the least of it.

Give you an example : in my Tutorial, a student - oh, shit ! I mean, a client, threw something on the deck.

"What's that ?" asks Bryn.

"A tape-recorder" comes the reply.

"Pick it up, switch it off and put it away" says Bryn.

"Why ?" comes the answer.

"You didn't ask my permission to use it" says Bryn.

"Other tutors let me use it", says the client.

"D'you see them here ?" asks Bryn.

"Anyway, I,m not going to switch it off" says the client.

"You may then explain to your fellow students [sic] why this tutorial is cancelled" says Bryn, walking out of his own study. Fifteen minutes later I was up before the Dean of Faculty on a disciplinary, and got a verbal warning for cancelling a tutorial without reason. I wasn't given time to involve my NATFHE rep.

Those who can, teach ; those who can't teach become Head Teachers, or Heads of Faculty. To whose detriment ?

I'm still working. Life is good. The only teaching I do today is the Morris to the kids at my grandsons' school.

Worthwhile ? You bet your arse it is !