Philosophical fairweather friend

Today has been a good day! And this week is being a good week because I keep thinking it is weds cause I have got so much work done. Yay!

Today is a good day because I think I have worked out my issues with the philosophical/theoretical influence on my practical research. I am using a Foucauldian, postmodern analysis for the texts I have been analysing and general viewpoint, but for the practical 'world' of TN this doesn't seem to stick so well. I can't go to another culture and act like any interviews or any observing I do is just my interpretation and nothing to do with anyone else. It doesn't make sense. Therefore, as well as believing in the construction of abstract 'realities' in discourse (not social constructionism btw, no, no) I do believe that these constructions have eventual repercussions in 'life', as it is experienced by people and as evidenced in the metaphysical structures that support and inform it. I want to link together abstraction with the everyday experienced by different aid-recipients. So I have decamped to Critical Realism for a bit. I think this will work a treat. I did a lot of consideration for CR a couple of years ago then decided it was still all too sciencey for me. But while they may use it to be scientists, or put a scientific spin on their work, I don't have to. I don't want to use terminology such as 'mechanisms' and 'data' so will think of nicer more pomo terms methinks. But generally, it seems like a lovely third-way between the objective nonsense of positivism and the relativist meaninglessness of pomo. Huzzahs!

And I went for a swim today! Nice half hour swim. It was rather jammed because a third of it was being used for lifeguard training (errr... learning to stare into space and ignore *everything* around you?! Hmmm. But they were in the pool and *doing* stuff... am confused.) but this moron man who thinks he is the *nuts* at swimming (bad breaststroke legs actually mr show off) was doing backcrawl and butterfly - in a crowded third of the pool! We were all drowning in the splashes he was making. He must have paid attention to the class at macho school which said that elegance and gliding in the pool where overrated and what should really happen is a whole load of splashing and flailing and exhuberance. 'The more the better! Don't be self conscious (er, considerate) just SPLASH! Take over the whole lane! Attaboy.' Feckin' idjit. He was quite the bully to the people who weren't that confident, swimming right up behind them and being intimidating. I wasn't too worried, I can hold my own in the pool against most of the (admittedly red, pot-bellied, middle-aged and asthmatic) men, but nearly had a word. I mean, butterfly?!! Butterfly?! Surely you could leave that out of your routine for one session and give people some room? What an arrogant tw*t. Often when I go he will even take part of the sectioned-off lane all for himself so everyone else has to swim around him. Grrrrrrr.

Well, rant over.

Ahh, and I made a really tasty lentil and tomato soup for lunch with garlic toast. So am feeling all healthy (I did avoid the takeaway last night for anyone who read my ramblings!!! Well, DB told me I wasn't allowed one, it would have been 'too rude' apparently).

And this avo I have been working, working away and now it is nearly half five! Will do some more reading and then leave this wee room for the day.

Am much less stressy now. Phew-weeeeeeeeeee! (Rock on the Pre-supervisor Meeting Tension...)

x J