#officeoftheday

Have you noticed that it’s been a bit quiet around here? No, you haven’t? You’re only noticing now that I mention it? Well, that’s great, I’m always happy to point out my shortcomings to everyone.

I’m not sure why I haven’t been posting here the past few months. There was enough to write about, as I spent February, March and April in London for my data collection. I could have told you about the life giving drag king shows in Bethnal Green, all the times that I managed to - somehow - take the wrong tube, or that time I was offered drugs in Hackney - the ultimate London experience?

I think I’ve been writing less because I’m feeling the pressure to make everything funny and I was not in the mood for jokes. I know, not making a joke out of everything all the time does not sound like me - at all. Am I ill? (Yes, chronically so that’s nothing new) Am I not using humour as a coping mechanism anymore and instead, simply coping? (Very unlikely) Am I finally daring to take this research seriously? (No comment) Or am I finally realising that I’m not that funny and I should stop trying? (Probably not)

But, good news, I think I figured out a new way to share my PhD journey/shenanigans/mental breakdowns with you in a way that is not only jokes jokes jokes - maybe even not self depreciating, but let’s be honest, that’s a long shot. My friend Monica (@underonesamesky) is a deaf American PhD student researching language planning and policy for deaf children. She thrives being transcontinental from US and Europe, the span of 4-6 months between both or more while working on her Ph.D. and linguist remote job with collaborations. She’s sharing the different places she works under #officeoftheday and inspired me to do the same. Unlike her, I’m not changing workspaces all the time because I’m interesting and traveling around Europe. I’m changing workspaces because my life is pure chaos - luckily I’ve convinced myself that I thrive in chaos. (My secret agenda is to let you know where I am so everyone stops asking me where my home is at the moment. I don’t know either, please stop asking.)

My prediction is that I will spend 30% of the time on some kind of public transportation (or waiting on it), 30% of the time in some kind of sofa or bed (such as the picture taken during my writing retreat with fellow PhD student Sanchu testifies), 20% of the time in some kind of cafe, 10% of the time in some kind of office and another 10% who-knows-where. Only one thing is certain: this blogpost was not written from a sushi restaurant in Manchester. (This is a lie.)