Visiting my students on their apprenticeships and seeing them really excited and enthusiastic about what they're doing. Whenever I start getting a bit cynical about teaching, I think about a student excitedly showing me the production line that he's now responsible for maintaining. Warm glowy feelings a-go-go.

[nights] could I ask what/where you teach?

[Bismarck] You can indeed - I teach at a further education college in France on the local equivalent of an HND in Industrial Maintenance and another in Physical Measurement. Our kids are training to be maintenance or metrology techs of all stripes, or to go on to further study at engineering school. My speciality is technical and scientific English, as the French have finally realised that all the innovation in the world is useless if no-one can understand them. I'm also involved in the administration of our apprenticeship scheme, and I genuinely feel like I've found my niche. [/advert]

[Nights] Anything to do with IUT Louis Pasteur (near Strasbourg) or Karim Kalfane's maintenance programme?

[Bismarck] Er, yes indeed - Karim just retired in October! I've taken over two of his apprentices!

Wandering through Google Earth in a VR headset. Rome, Florence, Burning Man, all right there in my computer room.

Getting my Jehovah's Witness advent calender. Every time you open a door, someone tells you to piss off.

Mobile phone signal in the Channel Tunnel "Hi! I'm in the car! On a train! In a tunnel! Under the sea! Etc!"

Doughnut season. Hot and fresh from the baker and, although not the anglo-saxon kind, soft and delicious. Lovely just with cinnamon and sugar.

[nights] Shame on you, hunting innocent doughnuts

London. If I had seven zeros in my bank account I’d live here. Instead I content myself with visiting from time to time. London Festival of Baroque Music this weekend (and all week, but a weekend is a long enough break).