i think a lot of people have just stopped participating.
i mean a few have told me - and that's fine. i expected that. i just would like notice. i appreciate people telling me. what i'm worried about is how many people have just stopped without saying so.
i checked the data yesterday and the number of responses was about half of what it should have been - even considering attrition. or so i estimated. and that was not good for my morale or motivation.
i mean if they've stopped, i want to stop.
but i can't stop. sending. text. messages.
i want to - and so besides going insane sending messages for 15 hours a day. i dont even know how many people are actually still participating or have at all. it just wasn't encouraging. at all.
i guess though today is the last day, so i should send the 500 messages i still have to send. and know i did all i can.
but when's the recency effect kick in? maybe today - that would be a surge of participation at the end. there should be one at the beginning and one at the end. here's hoping the one at the end happens and happens strong.
i really want this project to work.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
i want to be off the grid
after spending all day everyday this week online, i really want to be off the grid.
and speaking of grids and multi-tasking (or switching), i read this article.
and speaking of grids and multi-tasking (or switching), i read this article.
yeah, i've been reading a lot of articles online
Friday, October 21, 2011
identity and the web.
i want to meet and talk to these guys:
http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/18/tim-oreilly-vs-christopher-poole-on-the-future-of-web-identity/
http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/18/tim-oreilly-vs-christopher-poole-on-the-future-of-web-identity/
math garden
i want to go to this garden: http://reckon.posterous.com/the-garden-of-cosmic-speculation
apparently it's only open one day a year. although since i am in scotland, there might be a chance to go next spring (http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/garden.aspx?id=e901e1fa-7b6b-4ac9-9053-9f1700c9c8e8).
apparently it's only open one day a year. although since i am in scotland, there might be a chance to go next spring (http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/garden.aspx?id=e901e1fa-7b6b-4ac9-9053-9f1700c9c8e8).
text study lesson/realization 6
the breaking point.
thursday was the midway point. and also an entire day of me sending messages. on monday and tuesday evening meike helped out by sending them. so that way at least when i started on tuesday and wednesday morning, i had not gone straight to bed from it the night before. but then came thursday, after all day wednesday (minus brittany's help) and going to bed and waking up with really no break. and with another 3 days in the future.
and in the morning it was alright. got some other things done online. it's okay for about 4 or so hours if there's an alternate task you're working on in the minute intervals. but thursday evening was the breaking point. it was driving me insane. and thankfully brittany sent some for awhile so i could have a break.
i needed a break.
i still need a break.
thursday was the midway point. and also an entire day of me sending messages. on monday and tuesday evening meike helped out by sending them. so that way at least when i started on tuesday and wednesday morning, i had not gone straight to bed from it the night before. but then came thursday, after all day wednesday (minus brittany's help) and going to bed and waking up with really no break. and with another 3 days in the future.
and in the morning it was alright. got some other things done online. it's okay for about 4 or so hours if there's an alternate task you're working on in the minute intervals. but thursday evening was the breaking point. it was driving me insane. and thankfully brittany sent some for awhile so i could have a break.
i needed a break.
i still need a break.
text study lesson/realization 5
brittany's contribution
i'm thankful for brittany. in general for a variety of reasons. but this week, in particular, i am more thankful and for a big reason. she has no connection to my degree, yet continuously helps me with it. i'm inclined to say moreso than the two people who have ties to it as research assistants. (perhaps assistant is the wrong word - maybe volunteer is better?)
anyway, brittany volunteered to send messages so that i could go to school and check that the data collection process was happening. and then sent messages when i was losing my mind. and when i wanted to go to the store and get us pizza to eat. and again yesterday so i could go to school.
her realization was that listening to funk music and michael jackson hits and songs from the 70s/80s was near essential to the text messaging time. she stated that it couldn't be all that bad if you're jamming out to some mj. everybody does need some funk music and disco music and mj hits now and again.
i'm thankful for brittany. in general for a variety of reasons. but this week, in particular, i am more thankful and for a big reason. she has no connection to my degree, yet continuously helps me with it. i'm inclined to say moreso than the two people who have ties to it as research assistants. (perhaps assistant is the wrong word - maybe volunteer is better?)
anyway, brittany volunteered to send messages so that i could go to school and check that the data collection process was happening. and then sent messages when i was losing my mind. and when i wanted to go to the store and get us pizza to eat. and again yesterday so i could go to school.
her realization was that listening to funk music and michael jackson hits and songs from the 70s/80s was near essential to the text messaging time. she stated that it couldn't be all that bad if you're jamming out to some mj. everybody does need some funk music and disco music and mj hits now and again.
text study lesson/realization 4
watching the clock move:
we all know that time moves forward. i mean that's a given. and we all glance at clocks to see the time. sure, an analog clock shows you in time moving in real time. you can watch the second hand and minute hand spin around.
but in our digital era, i think we look at digital clock faces much more than analog. maybe not on a watch, but even that's a maybe. but a mobile phone, an ipod, a computer screen - those are all digital time tellers.
and chances are, when you look at one of those to see what time it is, you don't catch it when it changes. unless you're me and doing this study where time, and time intervals, have become the forefront of my focus and concentration.
i've already noted how 30 second, 1 or 2 and 3 minute intervals have created an entirely different (warped?) sense of small amounts of time. but also, i've seen the digital clock on my computer change - a lot. it's like i'm trying to catch it each time or watch it all the time.
we all know that time moves forward. i mean that's a given. and we all glance at clocks to see the time. sure, an analog clock shows you in time moving in real time. you can watch the second hand and minute hand spin around.
but in our digital era, i think we look at digital clock faces much more than analog. maybe not on a watch, but even that's a maybe. but a mobile phone, an ipod, a computer screen - those are all digital time tellers.
and chances are, when you look at one of those to see what time it is, you don't catch it when it changes. unless you're me and doing this study where time, and time intervals, have become the forefront of my focus and concentration.
i've already noted how 30 second, 1 or 2 and 3 minute intervals have created an entirely different (warped?) sense of small amounts of time. but also, i've seen the digital clock on my computer change - a lot. it's like i'm trying to catch it each time or watch it all the time.
text study lesson/realization 3
i didn't plan for all crisis contingencies.
i planned for one that didn't happen. but then was left scrambling in an angry panic on tuesday. i got blocked from the website, and couldn't from the message determine if it was on hwu's end or the site's end. it's 3 days later and i still don't know. and it hasn't been helpful.
i immediately tried a different computer, actually multiple computers on campus. that took far too much time and failed each time. unfortunately.
and i phoned it. they're response was for me to email them. that's moving backwards i think since i was talking to a human being. super unhelpful. and made me even more panicked and angry.
then tried to use my phone to catch up to the current time. and printed out time information to continue using my phone on the bus to get home to try it there.
okay so literally while typing that the hwu internet was causing me issues. it's been giving me tiny heartattacks all morning. well at least 4 times. just now was a bad one as was one before when i switched to using my mobile really quickly. which hopefully isn't too terrible of a thing - i mean it is a problem solving solution. maybe not a great one. but i'm a bit stuck. i really need the internet to hold out here and stay strong through about 3.
so that yasmin can send some while i travel home. because that's the plan so that there's no gap. and then i'll continue from home.
ugh it's already mind numbing, i'd rather not have it be stressful today.
i planned for one that didn't happen. but then was left scrambling in an angry panic on tuesday. i got blocked from the website, and couldn't from the message determine if it was on hwu's end or the site's end. it's 3 days later and i still don't know. and it hasn't been helpful.
i immediately tried a different computer, actually multiple computers on campus. that took far too much time and failed each time. unfortunately.
and i phoned it. they're response was for me to email them. that's moving backwards i think since i was talking to a human being. super unhelpful. and made me even more panicked and angry.
then tried to use my phone to catch up to the current time. and printed out time information to continue using my phone on the bus to get home to try it there.
okay so literally while typing that the hwu internet was causing me issues. it's been giving me tiny heartattacks all morning. well at least 4 times. just now was a bad one as was one before when i switched to using my mobile really quickly. which hopefully isn't too terrible of a thing - i mean it is a problem solving solution. maybe not a great one. but i'm a bit stuck. i really need the internet to hold out here and stay strong through about 3.
so that yasmin can send some while i travel home. because that's the plan so that there's no gap. and then i'll continue from home.
ugh it's already mind numbing, i'd rather not have it be stressful today.
text study lesson/realization 2
it's extremely interesting what can and cannot be done in 30 seconds or a minute or two or three.
when that amount of time matters.
it's quite interesting that reading a twitter feed is the right length of information and mental capacity, but searching for products (especially comparing products) on amazon is not easily done.
replying to emails has to be done in pieces. well most things have to be done in pieces.
some things take two intervals - like putting the kettle on and then making the tea.
or three intervals - toasting the bread for a sandwich and then preparing the sandwich and then eating the sandwich (well maybe a few more intervals)
putting the laundry in takes one, but hanging the laundry to dry definitely takes multiple.
or i can make it downstairs to the lab and back in a 5 minutes but not 4.
just now this post took multiple intervals, and it's time for another to be sent.
when that amount of time matters.
it's quite interesting that reading a twitter feed is the right length of information and mental capacity, but searching for products (especially comparing products) on amazon is not easily done.
replying to emails has to be done in pieces. well most things have to be done in pieces.
some things take two intervals - like putting the kettle on and then making the tea.
or three intervals - toasting the bread for a sandwich and then preparing the sandwich and then eating the sandwich (well maybe a few more intervals)
putting the laundry in takes one, but hanging the laundry to dry definitely takes multiple.
or i can make it downstairs to the lab and back in a 5 minutes but not 4.
just now this post took multiple intervals, and it's time for another to be sent.
text study lesson/realization 1
my time as a teacher definitely benefits my ability to multitask and hold information in my head.
like going back and forth from spreadsheet to texting internet while holding the information i need to remember to draft an email, read a twitter feed, and read an article.
AND be aware of the time.
repeatedly.
like going back and forth from spreadsheet to texting internet while holding the information i need to remember to draft an email, read a twitter feed, and read an article.
AND be aware of the time.
repeatedly.
blogging
a blog post about blogs being art by amanda palmer that i enjoyed reading yesterday:
http://blog.amandapalmer.net/post/11686916600/blogging-tweeting-as-second-class-art-forms
http://blog.amandapalmer.net/post/11686916600/blogging-tweeting-as-second-class-art-forms
Sunday, October 16, 2011
emails and texts
nothing really exciting has happened in the last two weeks.
all i've been doing is updating my database and research files and sending the same email and text to many people.
don't get me wrong, i'm glad that i have people to send information to because that means more people are participating in my study.
it's just so repetitive and mind numbing sending the same thing over and over. and knowing i'm going to get the same questions over and over even though i've sent out the information.
plus the 15 hour days of sending text messages hasn't even started yet. that joy begins tomorrow. i have a strong feeling that it's going to make me crazy. i'm hoping it's better than i think it might be.
in other news, i went skating today. that was great. except my leg hurt more- so i guess maybe that was how i injured myself. i have to do better with those stretches. and i have gone to the gym a few times.
also i'm still quite tired and fuzzy feeling.
and now have the 'privilege' of being able to get into the building out of hours. i've got a key and an alarm code and everything. although the security guy told me i should have been out drinking and not working at my desk yesterday.
also i updated my research website. it not has two additional pages - one for this specific project and another for pr things. i had wanted to do that but didn't know how until yesterday when brittany showed me the light.
that's pretty much it. besides having a delicious mexican meal with jane marie and flatmates last saturday. and good curry last night.
oh and brittany and i used a living social voucher to have indian food for cheap on thursday night. mine -madras - was good but super hot and it was the 'medium hot' option...which made me pretty glad i didn't go for the vindaloo (extremely hot option).
all i've been doing is updating my database and research files and sending the same email and text to many people.
don't get me wrong, i'm glad that i have people to send information to because that means more people are participating in my study.
it's just so repetitive and mind numbing sending the same thing over and over. and knowing i'm going to get the same questions over and over even though i've sent out the information.
plus the 15 hour days of sending text messages hasn't even started yet. that joy begins tomorrow. i have a strong feeling that it's going to make me crazy. i'm hoping it's better than i think it might be.
in other news, i went skating today. that was great. except my leg hurt more- so i guess maybe that was how i injured myself. i have to do better with those stretches. and i have gone to the gym a few times.
also i'm still quite tired and fuzzy feeling.
and now have the 'privilege' of being able to get into the building out of hours. i've got a key and an alarm code and everything. although the security guy told me i should have been out drinking and not working at my desk yesterday.
also i updated my research website. it not has two additional pages - one for this specific project and another for pr things. i had wanted to do that but didn't know how until yesterday when brittany showed me the light.
that's pretty much it. besides having a delicious mexican meal with jane marie and flatmates last saturday. and good curry last night.
oh and brittany and i used a living social voucher to have indian food for cheap on thursday night. mine -madras - was good but super hot and it was the 'medium hot' option...which made me pretty glad i didn't go for the vindaloo (extremely hot option).
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
heriot watt alumni
met with the alumni guy, rob, today. actually happy (and surprised) to find a pleasant helpful heriot watt employee.
so positively, he said he'd be open to promoting my 'daily listening experiences study' via email. he asked me if i was prepared to get a response from it - and really that'd be awesome. please.
and then i also found that the ISM posted on facebook and twitter about my studies.
and yasmin showed up to pass out flyers.
so i'm hoping this translates into actual participation. we'll see. but that was a positive tuesday.
so positively, he said he'd be open to promoting my 'daily listening experiences study' via email. he asked me if i was prepared to get a response from it - and really that'd be awesome. please.
and then i also found that the ISM posted on facebook and twitter about my studies.
and yasmin showed up to pass out flyers.
so i'm hoping this translates into actual participation. we'll see. but that was a positive tuesday.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Dusherra
sunday, 2 october.
brittany and i went to the dusherra (an indian/hindu festival) event on calton hill.
there was a dance performance thing that we watched - that was super indian in that it was chaotic and then randomly a flamenco group.
and we had dosa. mmmm dosa. haven't had that since when we were in india. delicious dosa with chutney and sanbar. i want more. and i want idli still.
luckily it wasnt raining, just gray and scottish. so a nice afternoon thing with a walk to and from.
brittany and i went to the dusherra (an indian/hindu festival) event on calton hill.
there was a dance performance thing that we watched - that was super indian in that it was chaotic and then randomly a flamenco group.
and we had dosa. mmmm dosa. haven't had that since when we were in india. delicious dosa with chutney and sanbar. i want more. and i want idli still.
luckily it wasnt raining, just gray and scottish. so a nice afternoon thing with a walk to and from.
drifting bagpipe sounds
saturday, 01 october.
i had to go to the bank to deposit my tax check so i took an extended roundabout walk to do so (as i didnt feel well enough to go to the gym but i wanted to be active). so i walked through grassmarket (put up two posters for my research) and went to the library. then i cut across the royal mile to go down the winding close leading to the train station. while on the close, i could hear the bagpiper's sounds from the royal mile and sounds from the guy by the train station.
it was pretty great. pretty scottish. and the walk was nice as a firm placement for me being in edinburgh, in scotland - living abroad. on a day to day basis, it gets lost. but when i'm walking through an ancient town with bagpipe tunes floating through the air, that's pretty great.
got to the bank and walked back via princes street. and even managed to avoid the impending rain. it was nice.
i had to go to the bank to deposit my tax check so i took an extended roundabout walk to do so (as i didnt feel well enough to go to the gym but i wanted to be active). so i walked through grassmarket (put up two posters for my research) and went to the library. then i cut across the royal mile to go down the winding close leading to the train station. while on the close, i could hear the bagpiper's sounds from the royal mile and sounds from the guy by the train station.
it was pretty great. pretty scottish. and the walk was nice as a firm placement for me being in edinburgh, in scotland - living abroad. on a day to day basis, it gets lost. but when i'm walking through an ancient town with bagpipe tunes floating through the air, that's pretty great.
got to the bank and walked back via princes street. and even managed to avoid the impending rain. it was nice.
adrian
friday, 30 september.
adrian and i had an amazing long impromptu meeting on friday. he came in and remarked that we hadn't met in awhile and so he was checking in. although that check in became me ranting about it, him attempting to fix it problems, checking in about the studies, him offering support, us problem solving to salvage my one study, and strategizing for how to continue for the next year to prepare me for both uk/europe and north american academia situations.
it was EXACTLY what i needed. he re-affirmed my issues with it and with my studies. told me i was doing better than i thought with numbers for my study and helped me think about how to salvage my missing data problem. super glad he took an extended amount of time to spend with me. that was amazing. and pretty much regenerated my efforts and motivation with some things.
ugh. stupid uni things, but yay adrian.
also, i spent most of the day editing my article to then email it back to david. sadly i cut out a bunch of results that i think are interesting, but it is cut down to a reasonable length and is focused. so hopefully that will be better. i think i'll still have work to do with it, but hopefully i made significant progress. and hopefully david will agree with what i did.
the rest of the day was spent looking at and re-typing numbers in data files. have some more to do with that, but hopefully on tuesday i can get a more complete overview of where i am with numbers and things. (yay for having direction with the data after speaking with adrian).
adrian and i had an amazing long impromptu meeting on friday. he came in and remarked that we hadn't met in awhile and so he was checking in. although that check in became me ranting about it, him attempting to fix it problems, checking in about the studies, him offering support, us problem solving to salvage my one study, and strategizing for how to continue for the next year to prepare me for both uk/europe and north american academia situations.
it was EXACTLY what i needed. he re-affirmed my issues with it and with my studies. told me i was doing better than i thought with numbers for my study and helped me think about how to salvage my missing data problem. super glad he took an extended amount of time to spend with me. that was amazing. and pretty much regenerated my efforts and motivation with some things.
ugh. stupid uni things, but yay adrian.
also, i spent most of the day editing my article to then email it back to david. sadly i cut out a bunch of results that i think are interesting, but it is cut down to a reasonable length and is focused. so hopefully that will be better. i think i'll still have work to do with it, but hopefully i made significant progress. and hopefully david will agree with what i did.
the rest of the day was spent looking at and re-typing numbers in data files. have some more to do with that, but hopefully on tuesday i can get a more complete overview of where i am with numbers and things. (yay for having direction with the data after speaking with adrian).
IT & taxes
thursday, 29 september.
the it guy came to talk to me at uni. and it was a really frustrating interaction which left me really angry and wound up about uni things. he claimed i was abusing and spamming and it was really unhelpful regarding my attempts to get people to participate in my research. completely unhelpful like most things with the university.
the only slight reprieve from that was that i got my taxes back --well a check to get the money back. so that's one issue from months ago now that's been solved. i have a feeling i may have to do it again, but at least it was an eventual positive outcome.
had to tutor after after school club so i was in the park between the two. saw a woman properly practicing her hula hooping and a lady yelling at her dogs as though they were her little children. was random. but glad to enjoy the nice weather in the park for a bit.
the it guy came to talk to me at uni. and it was a really frustrating interaction which left me really angry and wound up about uni things. he claimed i was abusing and spamming and it was really unhelpful regarding my attempts to get people to participate in my research. completely unhelpful like most things with the university.
the only slight reprieve from that was that i got my taxes back --well a check to get the money back. so that's one issue from months ago now that's been solved. i have a feeling i may have to do it again, but at least it was an eventual positive outcome.
had to tutor after after school club so i was in the park between the two. saw a woman properly practicing her hula hooping and a lady yelling at her dogs as though they were her little children. was random. but glad to enjoy the nice weather in the park for a bit.
heat wave
it was really nice and warm for the second half of this week. it was nice to be outside for after school club and when walking around. but the keep saying winter is soon to be here.
iron tablets
i tried to pick up my iron tablets on tuesday but when i went on tuesday they were closed for staff training, so i had to get them on wednesday. have to take 1 twice a day. at least they're little and sugar coated.
under the sea week
26-29 september
it was my theme week at after school club. i think some of it went better than other parts but that's probably true of most things. i guess i bought too much for snack in a way, but i've never had to buy stuff for 40 kids at once in that setting so i dont know about that. it's also hard to do a full week on one theme to have a game and activity and craft and whatever for each day.
hopefully the kids will have a positive evaluation of it.
it was my theme week at after school club. i think some of it went better than other parts but that's probably true of most things. i guess i bought too much for snack in a way, but i've never had to buy stuff for 40 kids at once in that setting so i dont know about that. it's also hard to do a full week on one theme to have a game and activity and craft and whatever for each day.
hopefully the kids will have a positive evaluation of it.
pottery class
monday, 26 september.
first day of this autumn's pottery class. sadly it's the same teacher, so i'll basically be on my own again. which on one hand is fine, but on the other, i'd really like to actually improve and be able to make things with the wheel. my attempts at class yielded another tiny egg cup and a wobbled pile of nothing.
there was another lady who was using the wheel, and she was far better than me. she had a book she was looking at, so maybe i'll read through that as well.
i'm just glad to be doing it again. although that reminds me that i should cut my fingernails for tomorrow's class.
first day of this autumn's pottery class. sadly it's the same teacher, so i'll basically be on my own again. which on one hand is fine, but on the other, i'd really like to actually improve and be able to make things with the wheel. my attempts at class yielded another tiny egg cup and a wobbled pile of nothing.
there was another lady who was using the wheel, and she was far better than me. she had a book she was looking at, so maybe i'll read through that as well.
i'm just glad to be doing it again. although that reminds me that i should cut my fingernails for tomorrow's class.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)