December 2020 round-up

Happy to report that I am feeling much better this month. I am sure that it helps that the term has finished, that I have been waking up late, and that I haven’t been doing much beside cooking, reading, walking and the occasional jog. We came out of lockdown, and into Tier 2, on Dec … Continue reading December 2020 round-up

Musical diary 2020

Here is the playlist of songs that marked my year. Unsurprisingly, 2020’s list is dominated by tunes that remind me of the Covid-19 pandemic, and of being in lockdown. For instance, Under Pressure reminds me of the four of us living, working, schooling, exercising, etc… in a small flat; and The Middle reminds me of … Continue reading Musical diary 2020

[Miscellany] Christmas is here, again

Just like that (or what feels like “just like that” to me – maybe for those working in health services it feels never ending), it is December, and Christmas is around the corner. Four days’ away, to be precise. And, after that, the New Year. If you live in the Western Hemisphere, and if you … Continue reading [Miscellany] Christmas is here, again

Day in the Life of an Academic #11: Lockdown 2

November 5th marked the start of the second national lockdown in England. Lockdown 2 shouldn’t be particularly inconvenient as far as my household is concerned, given that schools and universities are still running, that we have more space, and that our way of life changed since last March (meaning that it doesn’t represent such a drastic … Continue reading Day in the Life of an Academic #11: Lockdown 2

October 2020 round-up

This month included 2 weeks of half-term for the kiddo. Since we did not use camps, and there were limited opportunities to meet friends, this created some challenges. So, it’s a good thing that the month started well (as far as productivity is concerned). Time blocks worked well for me, as did weekly and daily … Continue reading October 2020 round-up

What I am reading: “Happy Ever After” by Paul Dolan

I joined the LSE alumni book club and, this month, we are looking at the book “Happy Ever After” by Paul Dolan. Discussion questions include “Is Happy Ever After a myth?”. “What social stories have we experienced and do they make us happier?” or “Have you been able to break free of narrative traps and … Continue reading What I am reading: “Happy Ever After” by Paul Dolan

“Coping with chatbot service failure” webinar, 15th September, free

I am delivering a guest talk at BML Munjal University (India) on how customers react to failed service interactions with chatbots. Chatbots promise to deliver better customer experience through the collection and use of customer insight, and at a fraction of the cost of staff-based customer service. However, interactions with chatbots often fall below customer … Continue reading “Coping with chatbot service failure” webinar, 15th September, free

July 2020 round-up

Last month, I wrote that “all going well, we will be moving at the end of July (please keep your fingers crossed for me – I really need things to not go pear shaped, this time)”. One month later, I am happy, delighted, ecstatic to let you know that we did move! Hooray. I am … Continue reading July 2020 round-up

Someone else’s reflections on my use of technology

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post sharing some thoughts I had had (largely, of disappointment) related to my own use of technology. In that post, I noted how the iWatch had become more and more a part of my daily life; how I had mistrusted a human being for trying to bypass the … Continue reading Someone else’s reflections on my use of technology