Friday 10^th May, 2019 1500

Well that was some birthday! A day full of intrigue, contradictions and confusion but more of that later.

Despite intentions to launder my clothes and change my bedding I did absolutely sod all. The bed could wait until today and I have plenty of clean clothes to last another fortnight so hey – it was my birthday after all!

Annie, Alice and I took the 15 bus and sallied forth for a Japanese meal across the river, a meal that turned out to be rather expensive at around 600¥ but one at which all three of us had our fill, for once my appetite was also hearty. And after a mere two visits to that branch of Brothers Boat I am now considered a regular!

So I had a very pleasant day indeed, but as I stated at the beginning of this entry, it was a day with a full gamut of just about everything you can imagine with the exception of tragedy.

The bizarre events commenced with a morning call from Brenda, telling me that the director was away in Chengdu so she hadn't had chance to broach the topic of my remaining yet. However, what did I want if she was successful?

I've been on the planet long enough and been kicked in the whatsits enough times to be, besides a grumpy old man, an inveterate cynic and incurably suspicious. In the UK I would feel the same about the situation but here it takes on a whole new aspect. I cannot figure out (and doubt I will ever know the truth) whether Brenda is playing me like a fish or not. If so, I reckon my early securing of a job offer elsewhere has spectacularly backfired on her. I may be wrong of course.

However, during the call I was told she would try to negotiate a pay rise but Lanzhou City does not have the resources the Agricultural uni does (it's a lot larger) so the best they could probably do would be a little less than my other offer. Money is not the prime consideration, security for the coming three years is. Being aware I am now deeply dissatisfied with teaching non English majors, it was suggested that I be moved to another campus (probably the main one) to teach English majors whilst remaining in my home of the past three years. I left it with her. If they can give me at least a verbal assurance I would be fine until my planned retirement then I would be minded enthusiastically to stay put.

Now throughout all this, and remember Brenda told me on Christmas day Mr Zhang had said I was finished, imagine my feelings when on the bus with the girls going downtown this evening I had a text from him wishing me a happy birthday and health and happiness every day!!!???

Confused? I am to a degree but as I said I am a cynic and believe very little, I take nothing at face value unless I have a signature on a document. Do I care if a little mind game with me at the centre went badly wrong? Not in the slightest, I am only interested in my next few years and of course it goes without saying that of the students I may ultimately be teaching. School politics hold no fascination for me, I have no agenda to become a dean or chancellor, that would be impossible, I just want to be as good a teacher as I can until I have the chance to stop working.

I may yet end up at the Agricultural uni, you know as much as I and I have no idea what my immediate future holds. Rest assured, you will know the outcome in time!

There is a saying that life is like a shit sandwich, the more bread you have the less shit you eat and whilst that is certainly true in many cases, in mine I think my biggest weapons are optimism and confidence. And above all, AGE!!!