Saturday was a sabbath for diary writing. One must break a routine in order to demonstrate that one is in still in control of it. A productive day. I found solutions to playing all three of the record’s fragments, but at 33 rpm rather than their intended 78 rpm. Any faster, and the tone arm skidded off the disc. Therefore, the speed of the recording I made was conditioned by the limitations of the medium (the record) in relation to the technology of playing (the turntable) (see video: My Heart is Broken in Three: Piece 1):

The length of the composition will be 6 minutes and 18 seconds, being the extent of original track when played at 33 rpm. I’ve not yet heard the original recording of the song, sung by Slim Whitman. Nor do I wish to, until my re-composition of the source is complete.

8.30 am. For the last time until the new year, I set up the week’s tutorial appointments. There were quite a number of last minute requests to fit in. Weather-wise, I enjoyed a more optimistic start to the day. The storm that hit Aberystwyth nearly two years ago is hardly to be compared with what folk in the North of England have had to suffer recently, in the wake of Hurricane Desmond:

11.00 am. Time to invigorate the final Abstraction lecture PowerPoint, for Thursday. 1.40 pm. Off to School to set up for the penultimate Abstraction lecture — something of a heavyweight (and certainly not for late Thursdays):

This was followed by an early feedback tutorial with one of our students who’s returning to Norway to continue her studies. Her stay was for only one semester. We’ll miss her. ‘God’s speed!’

Before home, I put my nose around the corner of a a fine art student’s ‘stall’ to check on their progress in solving a particular vexing area of painting. 3.45 pm. Back to homebase to complete Thursday’s lecture.

6.30 pm. Practise session 1. 7.30 pm. on with the lecture and my contribution to the School’s ‘Save the Porter’ enterprise. Phil is one of the team. He makes the School tick, and he’s a joy to work alongside. Losing him will be for us — staff and students — a mini bereavement. The lecture has more slides than several of the other’s put together. A late night was in order in order to resolve it.