Work mode

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Simon Perks

I spend a lot of time each day doing stuff with the dogs. Whether that’s feeding them, walking them, running with them, training them or just goofing around with them. Molly, the older one, is a happy-go-lucky individual, who’s always delighted just to tag along. Ozzy also likes to get involved in everything that’s going on. But, when it comes to certain activities, she exhibits an extremel level of focus and drive and won’t let anything get between her and whatever she’s trying to do. We call this ‘work mode’. And it really is a sight to behold.

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It’s a school, Jim, but not as we know it

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Simon Perks

We’ve learned over the past few months that schools are about much more than learning. The social interactions that they provide and the relationships that they nurture are essential to our children’s social development and to their mental health and wellbeing. And yes, they teach stuff, too. They also allow many parents to go to work. Or to get work done from home.

Consequently, it’s hugely important that we try to find a way to re-open our schools in September to all young people. Especially given that we seem to have found ways to open pubs. But only if – and, to be honest, it’s a massive if – we can do so safely.

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My first academic paper. And it’s perhaps not what you’d expect.

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Simon Perks

Overcoming the Regulatory Hurdles for the Production of Hand Sanitizer for Public Health Protection: The UK and US Academic Perspective is an academic paper exploring the issues faced by researchers at the University of Bristol as they sought to manufacture hand sanitiser for use by public services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a perspective from those doing the same in the United States

The Bristol academics making the hand sanitiser, who are colleagues of my wife, kindly provided me with a massive supply of hand sanitiser for the school where I’m a governor, which allowed the school to remain open to its most vulnerable young people. I helped to write this paper as a ‘thank you’ for their efforts. It’s published in the American Chemical Society’s journal Chemical Health and Safety. Read the paper online or get the PDF here.

Car trouble (again)

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Simon Perks

We’re fortunate to have just down the road from us a great local garage. It’s run by Charlie, who I think I’ve mentioned before. And he and his team are absolute magicians when it comes to fixing cars (and various other modes of transport) without breaking the bank. He sees our cars regularly. And he’s picked them up from the side of the road more than once. But I think that, when it comes to our older car, he’s starting to lose faith.

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Just visiting

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Simon Perks

I don’t know about you, but while we’ve been ‘locked down’ over the past few months, I’ve made much more of an effort to catch up with people I know, whether they’re family members, friends, work clients or casual acquaintances. Not in person, of course (I’m not a monster), but with a mixture of phone, email and video calls.

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