Categories: phd
Tags: research, french, pseud's corner, gym, PhD
Date: 02 November 2007 16:35:17
Since starting my PhD two years ago, I have had cause to say "they give money for anything these days" any number of times when reading or hearing about other people's research. Today I have spent a delightful afternoon reading about Soviet fashion and makeup, and I have to say that although I doubt it will change the world, it was absolutely fascinating and I'm really glad the researchers got their money. Not least because one of them has pointed me to a book I'd never otherwise have known about which could be really helpful for me. And because one of them (the one on fashion), which I nearly didn't bother with as I thought it was only of peripheral relevance, turned out to lead to a bit of a lightbulb moment for me about a passing remark in a couple of my interviews. I also came up with an expression, inspired by my reflections on both articles, which sums up all sorts of aspects of my research, and which I now want to make sure appears in my thesis*. So that's good, and I'm happy.
Unfortunately the book that I'd never otherwise have known about which could be really helpful for me is in french. I've still ordered it, as somewhere in my dim, distant, sordid (but mostly dim) past I did get A'level french and used to speak it quite well. Unfortunately as I've not needed to use it for the past 20 years I've forgotten virtually all of it, but I guess there's nothing like the present to get me back into it.
In other news, I'm off to the gym soon for the first time in months and months. I'm sure it will be fine once I get there, but I don't really want to. That's why I'm writing it here, to make myself. Feel free to ridicule me if I blog later that I didn't go.
* A few years ago, when I was doing my Masters degree, I heard a phrase** (in a different context from the course) which was so Pseud's Corner I was determined to use it in an essay or something. I never found the right place for it in an essay, but then in an exam question I found it fitted perfectly and I nearly punched the air with delight once I'd included it in my answer. Isn't it funny how such silly little things give so much pleasure and satisfaction? I think when my new pseudy expression (which I won't share right now, just in case my supervisors hate it) makes its appearance I shall award myself some chocolate.
** "decentred interconnectedness". Actually I think I blogged about it, in the very early days of this blog. It still makes me laugh.