I am a PhD Student in History with a sense of humour (occasionally veering towards cynicism, but in a nice way) who enjoys good conversation and shared activities.

I love playing the guitar though with work and my thesis I don't get to play as much as I would like.

My family lives in Grenoble in the French Alps and, while I haven't done so for a while, I enjoy skiing.

I am also evil but no-one ever believes me.

Overweight and not happy with that fact. Trying to do something about it though.

I currently have two main occupations which will become three in the new year: I work full-time for Ladbrokes as a Deputy Manager, a job I am not overly fond of but maintain in order to pursue....

PhD: I am in the final year of my thesis on 'The Suez Crisis and Anglo-European Relations 1955-1964' Most people I meet have never heard of the Suez Crisis so I am always delighted to come across ones' who have. A very dear friend of mine seems to have developed a ritual whereby she asks me what my thesis is about every time she sees me.

In the new year I will start another semester as an Associate Lecturer in History. I cannot overstate just how much I love doing this job. When my PhD is complete it is my ambition to become a Lecturer in History. If I could afford to I would do the job for nothing I enjoy it that much. Note: When marking exam papers my enjoyment level goes down somewhat!!!

Apart from that my waking hours are usually spent reading, spending time with friends or lately imagining innovative ways to bump off the PM, Chancellor and Education Secretary in a way that looks like a tragic and yet plausible accident.

I always hate this part. I prefer to let others judge how well or not I do things. That being the case, I play the guitar reasonably well and can cook certain things. Strangely while I can cook a curry (own sauce, none of that jar of sauce nonsense), I have the ability to truly cock up the rice!!! Rice I have concluded has a vendetta against me.

Hopefully that i am a bloke.

Like most music that contains an electric guitar. Fave bands include Marillion, Sister Hazel, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.

Favourite Movies: The Shawshank Redemption, Legends of the Fall, Lord of the Rings, Eins Zwei Drei, most Bond films.

Favourite Books: A Song of Ice and Fire (series); most historical fiction but particularly the series' written by Bernard Cornwell; Animal Farm. I subscribe to BBC's History magazine which I am aware puts me into various categories of nerd.

Favourite Shows:Ashes to Ashes/Life on Mars; Big Bang Theory; Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister; Blackadder II,III and IV; The West Wing. I really liked HBO's Game of Thrones. Read the books and was impressed with how they did it.

Favourite Food: Lasagne and other Italian food. Curious about Sushi but have not yet tried it.

I am assuming that this list goes beyond the literal sunlight, oxygen, water, food etc.

Laptop

Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sense of humour

IPhone

Eva, Madeleine, Lily, Maria and Emily (my guitars)

Friends and Family. Cliche perhaps but they are mine and want them to remain that way for as long as possible.

It very much depends where I am and what I am doing. If I am at work the most common thoughts revolve around reasons why I should not eviscerate whichever customer is proving particularly noxious at that moment.

If I am teaching my thoughts usually involve trying to find ways to get the students to speak in class. I have long since given up on trying to get them to do the required reading. I will also be wondering which student has not been picked on for a while and who is hiding away at the back. I did say I am evil and it is the first thing I tell my students!

Beyond that my thoughts normally concern my research: Why I am not making as much progress as I want/should be. This then leads in my more honest self-reflections to an admission that I know why. Unfortunately this in its turn leads me to wonder why I am unable to solve a problem that I can clearly identify. I should do something about this.

If I am at work: trying NOT to kill FOBT players (believe me this takes willpower!!!!!). If I am at home: reading, writing, discussing such issues as "Why the world is on its way to hell in a handbasket." Sadly as the discussion housemate and I have similar philosophies on life, politics etc, solutions are hard to come by. I do think leaving Cameron, Osborne and Gove to be eaten by weasels would be a good start however.

I wouldn't do anything for love, but I might do that. If you want to know something, ask me.

You want to.