Wisdom in the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding … Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established (Prov. 4. 7, 26).

8.45 am. I wielded a death blow to my inbox before walking to the School to prepare (as supervisor) for a PhD Art History viva voce. (The content of the thesis covered much else beside art history, including theology, philosophy, and ecclesiology.) My tutee arrived early for a pre-viva pep talk. (This is the equivalent of the ring-side discussion between boxer and their trainer before the first round. ‘Watch his left hook!’) It would be a lie to say that I’m not a little nervous on these occasions. Both the tutee and the tutor are under scrutiny. The examination went swimmingly. The external and internal examiners probed deeply and meaningfully. As supervisor, I’m present, but my lips are zipped. This can be frustrating, particularly when the discussion touches upon my own passions. The candidate gave a full and reasoned response to the interrogation, and acquitted themselves admirably. Another School of Art success story.

1.00 pm. The External Examiner, the Reverend Professor Jeff Astley, and I had lunch together. We had much in common to fuel a mutually supportive conversation. And it’s always helpful to receive the wisdom of an older academic. 2.30 pm. After several days of an overcast sky and occasional torrents, brightness and blueness have returned:

Admin required some attention. 3.40 pm. Pondering the path of my feet, I returned, briefly, to ‘stocktaking’, and inserting ideas, recognitions, and awareness that had been stimulated by this morning’s viva voce. (Which is why we should also, as a matter of habit, listen to others talking to others about their work.)

3.45 pm. I came back to the project cluster concept that I’d begun yesterday. The schematic presently looks like this:

Already, themes common to all four main manifestations of the core idea are emerging. The anticipation is that each manifestation will lend energy, ideas, and clarity to the others. Now, each has to be worked up to not only focally but also intra-dependently of the others.

6.10 pm. The sunlight burns, redemptively:

6.00 pm. ‘Iron on!’ (to the backdrop of Star Trek IV). My ironing, like my present wrapping, sucks:

7.30 pm. I made further treated recordings from my 33-rpm vinyl source while working my way through a pdf of the Revox A77 manual. The tape recorder is not so much played as driven. The operation is refreshingly physical; this is a machine rather than a device:

The ‘operating instructions’ (c.1977) are far better written and illustrated than many examples of the genre today. Clearly, those who wrote the document also read it. I’m ready, now, or a full test-run over the weekend.

9.30 pm. More ironing. (A man’s work is never done!)