Hi. Yeah it's been a long while. Well, just too much to do & too little time basically. Mum's better now (for those not in the know - she had a stroke earlier this yr) but still goes for physio 3x a wk - so it's yours truly here who send her.
Anyway, thesis........................... wish i could say i'm done.. how i long for that day! Neverending seems to be the word. I'm going back & forth analysing & analysing & analysing! At least almost done with the visual analysis, now struggling with textual analysis. I'll also need to contact u gals soon for a pseudonym to use when mentioning your blogs. Some researchers use A, B, C, etc but i feel that's totally unreal.. I mean, i may wanna quote someone & i'll have to say "A said ,..." & "B said....." - how weird! Anyway, it's up to u really, I've promised u anonymity - meaning i won't use your real names (& any of your friends') but of cz, if u don't mind, then it's definitely fine by me.

need to go. it's late. have a few things to do before Zzzzzzz.....

Had a meeting with my supervisor & the rest of the research students yesterday. Everyone had to present work in progress - of cz yours truly had to do present too. I didn't really had anything new to present cz i've been 'stuck' with the consent forms issue the past few months. But things are looking up (i hope!) Have now got 12 forms in hand & hoping to get a few more. And am going to work on another new aspect of analysis soon.

Anyway, i learned something fr this 'meeting of minds' - i need to work on making clearer the theoretical angle that i'm coming from. I've noticed that whenever i present to an interdisciplinary group, there alwz seem to be ppl who can see how / why images / text can position its readers.. thinking abt it fr their pt of view, i suppose i can understd their doubts .. I can't assume that these ppl are familiar with the same theories that I am.
A little reminder to myself - next presentation, explain how writers, in expressing their feelings & opinions, construct for themselves certain identities & thro their choice of words, position their readers so as to share those feelings. I read the intro fr Jim's 'Language of Evaluation' & he does it so well - need to learn fr him. Well that's why he's the professor & me the apprentice!

hi! It's been some time since i updated. I tried to several times - believe me - but xanga's been so damn SLOW, i just gave up! Even went to set up another blog at blogspot.. well, give xanga another chance first.
Anyway, here i am finally! Hope so...
What have i been up to? Trying to work... well, got to cz am under pressure to finish my thesis by the end of 2009.. sigh! Really have got tons more to do.. esp in the writing up! Where am i ??? At obtaining consent from the bloggers i'm studying & collecting data. I've managed so far to get 10 signed consent - bless u kind souls ... am waiting for a few more.. hopefully they'll come in. I don't know, i've had to abandon quite a few blogs that i was analysing cz i didnt get consent from the bloggers - i mean, they just kept quiet, no reply ... maybe tot i wz jus spamming them or some sicko on the internet ... NO la. just me, poor phd student trying to get your permission, so i can study your blog - cz i find your blog INTERESTING!!! I mean, i could just go ahead & quietly anlayse the blogs without asking for consent but it would be unethical. Seriously, i thought abt that & decided that if it were my blog someone wz secretly analyzing & using my pics in some report she writes --- all without asking me---- i wont like it!!!
So, hey u girls out there, i'm still scouring the net for a few more malaysian teens to study (preferably 17/18yrs cz i'm short of ppl fr these ages)... anyone interested?
What u do - just give me consent to analyse 2000 words fr your posts including the pics & chatbox & comments
                 - have a brief interview via chat/msn (& have your say abt the way u blog)
                    THAT's ALL
What i do - i'll tell u which entries i'll analyse - if u disagree, i'll select sthg else
                - then i study the entries, pics, etc & write a thick thesis & submit to my university 

Well, what say u??