Busy, Busy, Busy

 Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a really busy few days, have hardly stopped and may at times have been rude to a few people, not got time for time wasters this week, so don't waste my time. If we have an appointment, especially if I am doing you a favour and I have squeezed you in between other appointments and meetings don't then tell me I'll have to wait for you, as you have an appointment you forgot.

So rant over, I'm enjoying the course and the interesting people I met yesterday, all with random fascinating research topics, I can't wait to see them progress over the coming months.

Currently a whirlwind of appointments, meetings and online training sessions, all mixed in with hours on the train. Is commuting a problem, honestly, sometimes it is, and sometimes it's a joy. 

Books, Books and more Books

The reading pile grows on a daily basis, and I think I may have a problem. For every book, I read I find five more that are relevant and a couple more I need in my life generally. 

The essential reading pile well a small part of it. 

Some are about study skills, others about writing and of course are related to my research. 

Tidy Desk

 After Months, probably longer, I have finally got my work area in order.

Tidied away old paperwork, and thrown away scraps with pointless notes. Checked and backed up USB drives. Thrown away pens that are empty or dried up. 

I'm definitely bored.

I did also manage some pre-research research and made some more lists.

Easing myself in slowly, or holding back on getting started

I have been desperate to start my research journey, but at the same time terrified of diving in. Why? 

• Partly as I am worried I don't know what I am doing and will waste a lot of time researching for all it all to be the wrong direction or techniques.
• Partly as I don't want to do it all now and then have nothing to do.
• Partly as I am worried I'll struggle to condense my work to just 20,000.

What do I do? I research where to research, of course.

• Lists of Archives
• Lists of Museums
• Lists of Former British Empire Countries
• Breaking it down to those with military
• Those with Navies
• Those with appropriate museums/archives
• Suitable books (any excuse to buy books)

I've set up a new Padlet, a Mendeley and Zotero for my research. I am really enjoying the new map feature on Padlet, which I know I could do on Google Maps but it's integrated into a Padlet board, so may as well use it to add museums and archives that are useful to me.

I've sorted out my SCONUL access to use other university libraries.

It's all getting rather real now.

A little panic, maybe

 It's all getting rather real now.

Research

Spent the morning looking at detail at Archives online, registering for access where necessary and making lists of what I want/need to see. Though it's very easy still to get sucked into a rabbit hole, especially with paintings or photographs of objects.

Stationery

Last night I spent hours browsing suitable stationery, I have no idea what suitable stationery is, clearly it's not obvious as I didn't find anything that jumped out at me as suitable stationery.  Ended up looking at bullet journaling, why, I have no idea. Reminded me of the scrapbooking I did years ago. So is it useful, was it a waste of an hour plus of my time, maybe, but maybe it was just the space I needed to chill out a little? 

I have been productive though and sorted through bags of old stationery and actually managed to get rid of old not books with shopping lists in etc, or what would have been future social history.

Bags

Maybe this goes with the stationery or maybe it's a deep-seated latent urge I didn't know I had, but I have spent ages looking for the right bag, do I need a new bag, no, do I know what I want from a bag? no. I just feel I need a special bag for uni.

Chances are any bag would get used a few times and then end up relegated to my locker, under my desk or the cupboard under the stairs.

Though maybe, I'm bored, or just need to research something, anything, as I don't even like shopping.