I had intended, yesterday afternoon, to commence this entry with 'What a difference a day makes'. At the time I had envisaged finishing the day dancing at 'The Approach'. In the event I was genuinely overcome, by 10.30pm, with tiredness, and retired to bed and fell asleep straightway. Recovery has not been quite as dramatic as I had thought.

Nevertheless, the Bilborough day, covering for Business Studies and Economics, was quite pleasant. Though I had little to do, and am expert in neither, I have, as a self employed person of long standing, and as one who reads, for pleasure, the classics in the economist's library, a modest understanding of both disciplines. This gave me confidence to answer the students' queries.

During breaks I was able to complete the reading of the 'debate' book about the Apocalyptic Jesus and forward some jottings thereon to home. Thus my ref. to Peter Lawley in this entry is comprehensively positive. His trashing of my woeful 'Jesus' chapter was followed up with his recommendation of Thomas Sheehan's itunes lectures. These lectures led to my reading four magnificent and enlightening books recommended by that prof., which will inform my revised version. That can be started in earnest tomorrow. The ambiguity of the 'Kingdom of God' references in the gospels was recognised by Schweitzer, Sheehan, Dominic Crossan and all four contributors to the Apocalyptic Jesus book. What is more the David and Solomon legends seem to have grown in a similar fashion to the Jesus myths. History is projected backwards in order that the past will fit with today's narrative. I know this now thanks to the Finkelstein and Silverman book on those two kings, also recommended by Prof. Sheehan.

Norman Davies pointed out this 'writing history backwards' phenomenon in his intro. to 'The Isles'. King Alfred can be listed as a direct forebear of Elizabeth II. Genetically, certainly this is the case. His kingdom, however, was a much smaller territory and his political power of an entirely different nature. There were many kings and chieftains in these Isles during the 9th century and Alfred was but one. David and Solomon may have had independepence from Assyria, Egypt and the Philistines, rather greater in scale than some of their neighbours, but the magnificence, the heroism, the wisdom, the musical and poetical talent expressed in the psalms and the 'global' reputation; these were the stuff of epic dreams and stories, set down in writing during the Persian occupation and, most significant of all, bound in the great work that was to become the basis of The Bible.

Before then I have to get the signature on a 'line form' for a new UWDC customer, prepare a speech to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns, revise my Scottish dances, continue to get clued up about UWDC terms, tariffs and technicalities. There's a new guitar pupil starting tonight and also, as ever, a pile of ironing. With last week's Southwell rehearsal missed through that malady I will have to revise the dots as well.

One other piece of good news. The salsa lunchtime sessions will be required this term, so there must be plenty of dancing this weekend in preparation.