So it's done. The interview was the most technical I've been through - sort of (I guess) like a scaled-down version of defending ones thesis. (Having never actually defended a thesis, I apologise if the comparison is in any way obscene). Had to talk about pigeons and BOLD signals and HDRs and lie barefacedly about my critical (big inverted commas) contributions to science. Dolling up ignorance is an art. Perhaps I should, as Von suggests, go into consultancy.

I was completely numb for about an hour after it was all over, and when I came to I discovered that I had somehow landed up in Starbucks with one of the largest mugs of coffee I'd ever seen in front of me. This was, luckily enough, when the day began to pick up. Finally got to see The Aviator (Ian Holm!) as well as finish reading Bennett. On now to Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, which I hope I'll be able cope with. (Probably not.)