Week 43: New Office with a Garden and RIP Mort Sahl

I spend a lot of time in a group office meant for 17 people but which currently houses me, another tech, 3 postdocs, 2 PhD students, and an MSci candidate. We moved into these digs mid March 2020 about a week before COVID Lockdown v.1 at which time there were also 4 emeritus professors stinking up the space — and, more importantly occupying all the prime real estate.

I was given clearance to hold a clearance of shit from the most privately situated of these desks and to take up residency there, myself, on Monday. The tree in the above photo seems to come with the squatter’s agreement so I’m glad my best efforts at starving it these past 19 months were for nowt.

It looks a mess — this photo was from 5 minutes after I transferred my items to their new home — but it is more roomy and organised than the one I left. I even have my own phone!

Mileage this week: 30.7 (an unsustainable 25% increase on last week, so next week I plan to level out a bit before restarting the ramp).

Fines and fees: £50

Finally, sad news (for me)…Mort Sahl died. A childhood hero and one of my early role models. Copied a routine of his for a family function when I was 10 or 11 years old and was very proud that it pissed off my dad who told me, “you sound like that commie Jew on Carson.” RIP.