Learning from my Participants

The reason I'm proud to be a qualitative researcher is the fact that I love qualitative work. The reason I love qualitative work is because of all the surprising things you can learn from an open-ended question. One thing I have been learning again and again with my research are random tidbits of my participants'…

Love Him To Bits

Some days I'm just overwhelmed with how much I love my husband. I know I picked a good one. He's kind, intelligent, and funny. He's a fabulous cook, grows a healthy beard, and has a twinkle in his eye when he looks at me. He's honest, he works hard, and does his best to make…

Historic Recipes from Mrs Crocombe

Recently I discovered a video series about a Professional Cook hired in a noble's kitchen in the Victorian Era. Her name was Mrs Crocombe, and her cookbook survived long enough to be preserved by history academics, where it is now put into practice to re-create old recipes for posterity. Out of curiosity, I watched the…

The Right to Undisturbed Peace

A little rant about my apartment community.   As an apartment renter I maintain my right to come and go from my residence without befriending or even communicating with my neighbours. Particularly if said neighbours hold their conversations outside my door where I can hear more than I ever wanted to. I know about your…

Comfort Food

Here is a handful of recipes that, for whatever reason (Upbringing? Happy memories?) I have as my list of comfort foods. Black Carrot Roast Black carrots, peeled and sliced into round pieces (not as sweet as orange carrot) Half a shallot (Peeled into large slices) Half a brown onion (Peeled into large slices) Pinch of…

Clean Laundry

That feeling When your linen-scented clothes Are pulled, damp but not dripping from the laundry machine. Soft, clean, and wrinkled they bring a moment of happiness As you carry them to the line to dry in the gentle breeze.

Doing the Right Thing

I could remain detached from my research community, unbiased and removed from the day-to-day activities. Or, I could utilize my social conscience and identify that, when a manager is 'suspicious' of my anonymous participants being members of their staff and attempts to interrogate them to gain a confession, I can step in. On the one…

Difficult Days

I'm not going to lie, readers, this PhD has been emotionally harder than I anticipated. The work itself isn't the hard part. The hard part is sitting opposite someone as they begin to cry over how their management makes them feel terrible every day. The place that the individual spends most of their time reduces…

The Homey Comfort of DIY Videos

The past few weeks I've been spending my free time watching DIY videos. How to paint a wall. How to install tiles. How to make a wooden box. How to prepare soil for a garden. The friendly instruction provided by professional tradespeople, accompanied by a demonstration and un-intrusive music, is very calming. They competently perform…