MY DAYS @ SH

6 Sep 2016

I count my days of the week 

For Friday to come, and evening to arrive

Saturday to rise, and Sunday evening 

Not to come!

 

It's again another old week

Bringing in troubles new

From dawn to dusk

Uninterrupted flow of chores

 

Energy sapping endeavours

Enterprises devoid of entertainments

Frivolous arguments

Fearsome footsteps

 

It's time to quit

To the serenity of aashram

With freedom of vishramam

A new life sans these ruinous entanglements!

 

Into that heaven of freedom

Let my life arise!

 

 

 

A sample day: 

wake up - meditation - no mood for breakfast. 

A hurried newspaper browsing

And there is a call for an intervention - the college lobby is being occupied by 3 groups with permissions - Editors' club with a photo exhibition, Computer Department with a free software poster exhibition cum demo,  ED club with payasa mela. I can sense vulture eyes and prowling wolfish moves of my own students, bent to create troubles - eager to fish in troubled waters.  It is patched up, one group given opportunity for next day. The other two amicably settled - the prowling wolflings put to rest for the time being. 

 

The ground is full of students - don't they have class? They are there with their mobile phones - in silent mode, but slyly sending - receiving calls-messages. Two are caught with no i-card and with phone switched on. 

 

There is a news - IT department is planning an inspection. So what? All our accounts are audited, all transactions happen through bank. We have no black money. Every pai in accounted.  However, that does not suffice.  There is something else - the IT department is apparently not happy - phone calls, clearing stuffs likely to create confusion. 

 

There is unstoppable queue - supplementary exams - students banned have to get entry, get papers signed.  They have to be screened and permitted and made sure that they are gone out. 

 

The students' union has many enthu proposals - Onam celebrations without having classes.   The college council is religiously insisting on having classes for the forenoon - short hours, and then onam celebrations.  There is likelihood of students (boys) coming intoxicated.  Some preventive measures ought to be taken.  The students' feeling should be addressed.  Their proposal for a new item is accepted; agreed to give them a special identity card as union members. 

 

There is a case of a student (apparently unjustly) caught and beaten by the police.  He has to be helped. The union is supporting him - the police is 'meretting' saying that they have evidence. The guy is in trouble, feel threatened, isolated. He has to be supported. Meet him, consoles him, speaks on his behalf to CI, SI - to no avail.  The case is charged.  He has to either pay the fine and meekly submit, or fight the case, spending money. 

There are couple of RTI cases - teams, appointments etc. We have to find time and answer. 

There is court order regarding appointment of NTS - after a constant pursuance of three and a half months. That has to be despatched without delay to the DC office TVM.  the 14 p document has to be scanned.  A covering letter made, sent to TVM, someone in TVM to be arranged for submission. 

Noon break - payasa mela to be inaugurated.  Software quiz to be attended. Ensure that the ED club programme ends with the bell. 

There is notification from university regarding some error in admission. It has to be addressed. 

There is university query regarding new programmes to be answered.  there is a threatening news that marginal increase not to be allowed for autonomous colleges in PG programmes. 

 

Action to be negotiated between teaching and non-teaching regarding cashing the cleared salary bill of NTS while the teaching staff bill still remains to be cleared. That is done, and settled in favour of justice (not delayed)!

There are any number of permissions to be scrutinized and given - preparation for dance club inauguration.  Now one has to ensure whether this inauguration can be done without adequate and proper information, preparation, permission.  That is to be negotiated and settled.  There are others waiting for clearances - theatre practice, stage setting, photo exhibition etc. 

 

There is a teacher to be appointed for teaching stats for M. Sc Envt Science. That has to be communicated to the HoD of Zoology which is managed through an email. 

There is a rift in  the operation of the new programme - the parent department has complaints. They have to be listened to. 

There is problem in organising Zoology group activities.  They want a listening, and then some troubles to be cleared. 

There is an inspector from IT - morose, fussing, not necessarily fuming - saying that the records are not satisfactory.  That we will have to bear the penalty. It is threatening. 

There is a short docu on best practices with Principal's message of 45 seconds to be recorded.  It occupies some time. 

 

The routine chores of piles of papers to be cleared, signed, initialled remain. The EvS coordinator wants/reminds me to make an announcement regarding the class. (Principal has to do!)

The dean of student service is not happy with the announcement made by the union, apparently not get full concurrence from him.  They have to be called, explanation demanded.  The dean to be mollified. 

 

Not having had a solid stuff to eat since the previous night - long for a tea.  Try to get up from the seat from 3.30 pm onwards, finally succeeding to get away at 5.10 pm. Getting what heat remains of the cooling tea. 

There are missed calls to be caught up - family, university, students, neighbours. 

 

However, I venture out into the basketball court. At 51, the senior most in the court, but managing my moves and my shots with self-satisfying skill, and relishing that! 

The long pending tour-pilgrimage outing of the cmi team to be organised. checking the web - booking the ticket.  There is help from the VP. 

 

There is somebody to be sent for manning the organic stall at Rajendra Maidani.  SDOs have to be poked in that regard.  I am not able to go. 

 

A fabulous (?) opening of RSET conference at Bolgatty, there is special invitation for me - for which I did some facilitation for getting the Mayor.  But can't go. It's tiring. 

 

ഉഷസ്സായി, സന്ധ്യയായി. But the day does not end - it's an unending day at 12.55 am.