Phew. I have just finished a super-long reading list. I'm in the library. People are still working. We have a lot of work to do. Phew.
Thought I'd do a little relaxation through the medium of blogging. Particularly salient as I went to a seminar today on Networks and how people use different types of media to maintain contact with one another. Apparently the people who you are closest to don't necessarily get the most contact from you. Also, there are some people who have very small personal networks and use only a few media to keep in touch, whereas others are "heavy users" and are considered hubs of planning and contact.
I wish I had loads of time to attend seminars as they are all on random but very interesting and specific areas of research. Far better than lectures, which are pretty generic. Although I am a bit biased in that today we went to a scary one on statistics and the computer programme we have to learn to use (50% of that module is based on three assignments on Stata, the programme, and the other 50% is based on a 2 hour written exam in 0th week next term, yuck!).
I have pretty much been working today. Caught up with a few people, but my schedule is so busy (especially with the reintroduction of a 4 hour computer lab on Weds) that work is DOMINATING. Plus it's 1st week and no-one really knows what they are doing or how they are doing it yet!
Aside from that Oxford has been really beautiful and autumnal today. I am liking being in a north Oxford college (when I have my bike) because I can escape to the quiet of a more residential, and some might say rural, area. I was whipping my way through the leaves that have been falling like rain here, and I could hear the birds, and the kids from the Dragon School chattering away, and it was just lovely. Plus I gave myself a pat on the back for going shopping before lectures this morning, and not using any carrier bags and cycling there and back, making me feel eco-cool. It's much easier to be in control of that here.
Anyway, I'm going to go and chill for a bit. No doubt will be back with more tales of work soon.
Thought I'd do a little relaxation through the medium of blogging. Particularly salient as I went to a seminar today on Networks and how people use different types of media to maintain contact with one another. Apparently the people who you are closest to don't necessarily get the most contact from you. Also, there are some people who have very small personal networks and use only a few media to keep in touch, whereas others are "heavy users" and are considered hubs of planning and contact.
I wish I had loads of time to attend seminars as they are all on random but very interesting and specific areas of research. Far better than lectures, which are pretty generic. Although I am a bit biased in that today we went to a scary one on statistics and the computer programme we have to learn to use (50% of that module is based on three assignments on Stata, the programme, and the other 50% is based on a 2 hour written exam in 0th week next term, yuck!).
I have pretty much been working today. Caught up with a few people, but my schedule is so busy (especially with the reintroduction of a 4 hour computer lab on Weds) that work is DOMINATING. Plus it's 1st week and no-one really knows what they are doing or how they are doing it yet!
Aside from that Oxford has been really beautiful and autumnal today. I am liking being in a north Oxford college (when I have my bike) because I can escape to the quiet of a more residential, and some might say rural, area. I was whipping my way through the leaves that have been falling like rain here, and I could hear the birds, and the kids from the Dragon School chattering away, and it was just lovely. Plus I gave myself a pat on the back for going shopping before lectures this morning, and not using any carrier bags and cycling there and back, making me feel eco-cool. It's much easier to be in control of that here.
Anyway, I'm going to go and chill for a bit. No doubt will be back with more tales of work soon.
