We need a new Facebook button. Or a new definition of ‘like’.

Last week, a friend lost a very close relative. She made a related post on Facebook, which quickly accumulated over 100 comments with various messages of sympathy and encouragement, and nearly 400 likes. Likes! Dicitonary.com is telling me that to like something is to 'take pleasure' in it; which, obviously, is not what the well-wishers … Continue reading We need a new Facebook button. Or a new definition of ‘like’.

November round-up

This month was super-busy on the work front, with lots and lots of marking (dissertations), teaching, and planning for the next semester. Still, I managed to submit the journal article I was working on at the end of last month, and made good progress on two other projects. So, it was a good month, overall. … Continue reading November round-up

Of tea and serendipity

Today, over tea, I was talking with someone about how the way that others see us can be so different from how we see ourselves. The focus of the conversation was national identity, and what place we call ‘home’. That conversation reminded me of an article that I wrote nearly 10 years ago, where I … Continue reading Of tea and serendipity

October round-up

This month I did not manage to finish (and submit) a journal article; I learned that I was not shortlisted for a fellowship that I had applied for, and my inbox has practically exploded. But, it wasn’t all bad news. These are some of the highlights from October. Researching I may have failed to be … Continue reading October round-up

New book ‘Social Media in Social Research: Blogs on Blurring the Boundaries’

Today is the day. It’s the launch of the book ‘Social Media in Social Research: Blogs on Blurring the Boundaries’, to which I contributed a chapter on using social media for qualitative research. The book was curated by Kandy Woodfield and is original in that she invited a broad range of social research experts to … Continue reading New book ‘Social Media in Social Research: Blogs on Blurring the Boundaries’

The old phone

The 7yo found this phone in the bottom of a drawer. He has been playing with it for a few days and, today, he asked: But how did you write in it? I explained about clicking on a key once to get the first letter, twice to get the second one, etc... He insisted: No, … Continue reading The old phone

September round-up

I like months that start on Monday. I don’t know why. I suppose it’s one of those quirky things that don’t require an explanation. With September starting on a Monday, and no-doubt fuelled by the amazing weather, I was filled with optimism and wrote this in my journal: “September is going to be good”. So, … Continue reading September round-up

When things aren’t adding up…

This message popped up on my Twitter feed this week, as I was adding a few more things to my to do list (and starting to feel increasingly anxious about the next few weeks): A great little reminder, don't you think?

Of burdens and black dogs

Many years ago, I had a student that was really, really difficult. He was unpleasant. Disruptive. Challenging. And he openly said that he did not like me. I am not going to lie: I was very happy when the semester was over! One year later, he showed up at my class door. He wanted … Continue reading Of burdens and black dogs