Thailand

Here I am in Bangkok airport. I've been here about two hours and I have another four to go (weep). It's a huge airport and there is plenty of shopping but I'm too tired. I've decided to leave the shops until my return journey when I will be in this airport for twelve hours. I've already decided that I will get a manicure and pedicure because it is around $20 (cheap as chips)and will fill in time.

The first time I was in Bangkok airport was around 1979 and the last time was about ten years ago. It still had an old world air to it but that has gone now. It is all chrome and windows with the usual shops - Gucci, Dior etc etc. There is still a bit of authentic silk to be had - in the form of scarves and cushions-and some Thai food. I think I will have some of the latter a little later in the morning.

Meantime, I have no idea how I an connected to the internet but presume the airport must be wireless. Anyhow, it connected up pretty easily and has enabled me to fill in a bit of time.

The flight over was very good and I think I will try to fly Thai in the future. They serve great food and are also very generous with free alcohol. My usual airline doesn't seem very generous these days.

from melbourne airport

well, here I am at on the next leg of my journey to London. I left Wagga at 5 o'clock this afternoon and it is now 9.15 pm. I've had a spot to eat, checked in and passed through customs into the inner area.I have approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes to go before boarding. time passes quickly when you're in a herd! I've already done more standing up in line than I care to do.

So here's my agenda for the next 16 days.
1 July arrive heathrom and head to the holiday inn arial (to recover)
3 July fly to Frankfurt and then catch a train to Mannheim (where I will be staying at the Park Inn)
4-7 July I'll be attending the International CA conference at the Unviersity of Mannheim
8 July I'm taking a train back to London and then a train to Winchester
9-11 July I'll attend the United Kingdom Literacy Association conference at the University of Winchester and I am staying in student accommodation there
12 July I head back to London where I will spend three days in student accommodation in South London
14 July - in the evening I head home.

That will be a lot of travel in a short time. Still it should be interesting and just in case it isn't, I have brought plenty of work with me to do. In fact, I've already starting by reading two chapters on a book on Phenomenography while waiting for the check-in line to open this evening. it was actually hard to concentrate - I'd forgotten how delightful Melbourne is (yes, even the airport). Actually, it is the mix of people that I had quite forgotten about. So, I read and did some people watching. The time passed pretty quickly and I am hoping that it passes just as quickly on the flight to Bangkok, and then London.

Can't wait to arrive and go to bed!

Thinking about phenomenology

This morning I've been reading a book about phenomenology and nursing. It was written by the late Michael Crotty and is a good read. As some of you will know, Garfinkel's development of ethnomethodology was influenced by the work of phenomenologists. So, I'm keen to further my knowledge of that influence.

I've just read a section which considers intentionality - a concept central to mainstream phenomenology (as Crotty refers to it). He quotes Psathas:
"Phenomenology does not divide or separate the knowing subject from the object of study in order to concentrate on one or the other. The world is not filled with objects that have appearances independent of humans who experience them, nor does subjective experience exist independently of the objects, events, and activities experienced. There is no pure subjective subject or pure objective object. Phenomenology recognizes that all consciousness is consciousness of something (where 'thing' is not to be taken to literally mean an existential object). Intentionality is the term used to refer to this relation" (Psathas, 1973, p. 14; cited in Crotty,1996, p. 46)