Central heating is lovely - in the right hands. In the UK it seems to operate purely on an on/off logic that forces you to keep the heating on and the windows open at the same time (idiotic) whereas in properly cold countries (yes, I come from one) you get a) insulation and b) a working thermostat. Oh how I miss them.

The conference sounds lovely. You bring me hope that there is more to being a grad student than massive end-of-term bureaucracy... I'll look out for the interview but tell me this: BBC _Wales_? At St Andrews? Why?