no title ...yet

Finally an internet connection! But in the three days' interim I've gathered too many impressions and reflections on being "home-home" for the first time in several years to form a coherent post -- by the time I am back in Gothenburg tomorrow night I'll have sorted out my paradoxical identity. Until then, here's brother and sister!

A regular workday

It started with two hours of interviews for our identity research project, included a guest lecture for masters' students, and ended with a professorial gathering. I could get used to this kind of life!

Woodilla, Narayanswamy, Johansson, Sköldberg

Toursits for the afternoon

The weather forecast was good, with sunshine this afternoon, so we became “real tourists” and took the canal tour. The forecast was accurate in that the sun came out for 5 minutes, but otherwise it was overcast and windy. Not the best for a waster tour! We went under numerous bridges down to the river, saw working and former shipyards, and the Fisherman’s Wife statue from the water. I’d like to take the tour again on a summer day!

Down the canal

Into the river

Past a working dry-dock and former shipyard (now a side canal and residential area)

with different views of the city

Afterwards we walked through the Garden Society’s gardens – there were many nice groupings of plants and the rose garden was fragrant even in late September. Unfortunately the impressive-looking greenhouses were closed this afternoon.

So now you know that I don’t work all the time!

Books!

I've been surrounded with books most of the day. This morning I went first to the Economics Library to renew my library card and inquire about the whereabouts of a couple of books I had located through the online catalog and knew they were on reserve - in the "Undergraduate and newspaper" library. That was across the street, and the first librarian kindly called ahead so the books were waiting at the circulation desk when I walked in. I read them in the Reading Room (no phones, laptops, food or even water allowed) for a while, and then tried to find out how long before my next visit I should request them so that they would be available to take out when "On site." I was instructed to phone and make my request known -- for Visiting Professors lots of nice things happen!

This afternoon Jack and I went to the Gothenburg Book Fair -- and annual event where all Swedish publishers have their new releases (and other books) and many authors are present to

give readings, interviews, book signings and whatever. It was held in a huge convention hall and was absolutely packed -- both with books and with people! Not too many books were in English, but if we stopped to inquire about something the staff at the booth could explain it in English. I did purchase a graphic novel (in English) at the Engeleksa Mobelhuset.

On our way home we took a detour on tram 3 to the Sjofartmuseet-Akvariet (Maritime Museum and aquarium) located by the famous statue of the Fisherman's Wife who is forever staring out to sea waiting for her husband to return. Both the museum and aquarium part had excellent exhibits on the local history and marine environment with very good information in English. I even learned about Lasse Dahlquist's use of "Swenglish" in his songs -- bust can't find any references is to it through Google!

Friday - end of workweek

Today was quiet, with time for me to create a conceptual network among the various learning and research situations I have encountered during the past week, and to try to find an "interesting angle" that I can develop further. The connection between ethnomethodological ways of understanding everyday actions and designerly ways of thinking/acting intrigue me, so I will follow up on that. A day -- or at least an hour or two -- in the library of "real books" is called for.

A day without some sort of social gathering does not seem to happen here. Today was the farewell reception for Rolf, Wolff, the exiting Dean of the School of Business, Economics and Law. I couldn't understand the speeches in Swedish, but I'm sure they were much like other Dean-farewells I have attended. I'm always surprised how many people I either know or recognize me at such gatherings!

TGIF! Tomorrow the weekend!

Thursday walkabouts

I seem to have no time to think, let alone reflect for my blog. What is happening to my personal re-design? Have I become sedimented as someone who chases from the Business School to the Design School (about half a mile) and back several times a day like a dog chasing its own tail?

Today started at the Business & Design Lab Offices to do some printing, then headed for the Business School for a morning-long meeting on AACSB. Head back to BDL, then off to the School of Design and Crafts for a lunch-time seminar. Connect with Pascal, the graphic designer, about the final copy for the Hot Pot book.

Pop into the Design Museum on my way back to the Business School to catch an exhibition of master's in textile design thesis work by students from Boras University. Stop in BDL to pick up computer, down to Business School to try to get help with my mobile internet stick (as I thought the code does not belong to the stick -- and the person who can give me a new one wasn't there.

Back to the BDL,

coordinate schedules for tomorrow with Ulla, home to change, off to Town Hall for a reception for international

students, researchers and professors visiting Gothenburg University and Chalmers Institute of Technology (we did go there by tram). Home again and I'm glad to sit and do nothing.

In all of this I cannot recollect a single thought about design management or design thinking, or -- heaven forbid! -- a frame for my graphic novel! I've already forgotten yesterday which was spent in a seminar with PhD students on close readings of design management texts, learning about research into brand recognition in large Turkish companies by a visiting PhD student from Istanbul, and the Reality Studios project in Kismo, Keyna from Professor Maria Nordstrum of HDK. Tomorrow I'll shut the office door and out the pieces together!

Tuesday workday

This morning was spent preparing for the afternoon doctoral seminar. Ulla and I presented two of our papers - they were well received and generated a lot of discussion. I opted out of the evening activities and instead navigated the supermarket and prepared an evening meal "at home." For those of you curious about our home base, here are some photos. I'm certain the decor is identical with the SHU Luxembourg flat!

Street door

Courtyard

"Stair-tower"

Stairs to the third floor

Living area

Kitchen

Bedroom

Monday workday

The single project of the day was to start and complete the pre-publication proofing of the book I have edited of papers from members of the Business & Design Lab. I started at 9 AM, Jack joined me at 10, we broke for lunch at 12:30-1:30, continued afterwards, and were just finished when the graphic designer came to pick up the corrections at 5 PM.

Dinner was left-overs (food, not words) with Ulla.

And you want photos with that?

Weekend on Ockero

We spent the weekend at Ulla's Ockero house, traveling to the island by tram-bus- ferry-bus-walk because now that she lives for the most part in the city, she no longer has a car. The journey is easier than in sounds, and on weekdays is much simpler with a bus that goes from central Gothenburg to close by her Ockero house. It was Jack's first visit to the island, so we took several long walks to show him "the sights". The weather was cool and windy, with patches of sunshine interrupted by rain showers.

The apple tree in the garden that had been in blossom when I was there in the spring now was laden with fruit. And despite the cool temperature, Ulla had her customary morning dip.

Sunday 19th is national election day so we walked with Ulla to her designated polling station, the library. She showed us the voting cards with all the parties and listed candidates at the national, regional, and local levels. Trend results will be available tonight, but the final result will not be known until all the absentee ballots are in, which will be Wednesday or Thursday. Everyone is talking about the possibility of a non-majority parliament. On our way back from voting Ulla pointed out the campaign posters. They are quite unlike the US variety which focus on named candidates. These were for the party, not the candidate, and included the party values or position on a particular issue for which they were well known.

We had a delicious lunch of different types of herring, then returned to the city. Now I must get ready for the workweek ahead. I'd better settle down to some preparation reading.

Work and play?

The day started with Ulla and I planning the details of my time here -- we had a fika, but at our desks! We're set for the final proofing of the Hot Pot book on Monday, and the book release party at the end of my visit on October 5. Next week we have a doctoral course (yes, Ulla sprang it on me!) and research interviews set up. I haven't thought beyond that! This evening was the opening of semester party for the business school - a big event with a catered dinner, entertainment and dancing. Unfortunately the room was very dark and my attempts at photos are not worth posting. I met everyone I already knew, plus some new people. The entertainment was in Swedish but my table companions translated for me. It was nice to feel part of the large group.

Proof

That we're in Gothenburg -- Ulla showing Jack where places of interest are located on the map! (We're in the kitchen of Ulla's new flat.)

That's the best that I can do -- it was a long (17 hours) if uneventful journey. Heading for bed: 10 pm SE time, even if it's only 4 pm EDT. I promise a more interesting post tomorrow!

Piling = Getting ready

Today was as beautiful a late summer/early fall day as anyone could wish for. Our frantic activities of the last few days were complete when the "3-P tower of dinghies" in the basement was established (Pilot, Portia, and Puff).

I read some design thinking articles, refreshed my mind on the University of Gothenburg's case for EQUIS accreditation, making margin notes of specific issues for AACSB, and had a number of emails with "guest services" about arrangements for pick-up at the airport. My other preparation has reached the stage of unruly piles of clothes etc., so all I need to do tomorrow is prune and pack.

This is the last post from this side of the pond -- next one from Gothenburg!

Monday

And the start of a "real" workweek. By week's end I'll be at my desk in Victoriagatan, Gothenburg. I need to become re-designed in a hurry! My efforts today were not very successful. I spent some time working on my graphic novel, but all I accomplished was to learn how to cut out an image from one photo to paste into another. That's a useful skill -- the work-around way I have been doing it up till now was very clunky. But I couldn't see my way to actually working on a panel, or even a single frame. Instead I did what women often seem to do to avoid writing -- I cleaned. My study is not messy - so I tackled the kitchen. Hmm, once I started it seemed as if there was no end to it -- outside of cupboards, inside, shelves ... etc. A change of focus was clearly needed, so I checked up on a friend's progress following her hip replacement surgery. She's walking further each day, and was good for an hour of chat exchanging trivia. By that time I was ready for more cleaning -- and so the afternoon passed.

I'll hunt out the papers that Ulla and I need to work on. That should get my brain juices flowing! And if I still need inspiration I'll go back to my posts of this time last year when I was entering the design world.

An hour or so later ... I checked on my early posts and was inspired by a photo of the library at Ephesus. Google Scholar and EBSCO database replaced Turkey, and I came away with half a dozen articles loosely related to design thinking that caught my fancy. Now I have some reading to start my thinking process -- and of course, further excuses not to write!

Two days of chores - and a treat

We accomplished many tasks this weekend - flu shots, sails to the sailmaker for washing, washing lines and covers, covering Wind'n' Go, putting Portia in the garage on top of Pilot, hauling Puff, winterizing moorings, mailing tenure support letters, dismantling my deck-garden, apart from the brussels sprouts .... and an unexpected treat of dinner with David and Sue at the Capital Grille in Providence on Saturday (David has shaved his hair- he looks good!) There's still some washing and storing for the winter to be done, but the major tasks are over. A good -- if tired -- feeling! (And I posted the photos from the hop farm tour.)

Scenes from the boatyard

8 am

11 am

That's about all that was noteworthy about today.

But if you want to see photos from the first day of school. scroll down to the September 1 post.

Coming back from the sea

We started the process of "de-commissioning" Wind 'n' Go for the season -- here I am bringing in the sails. Tomorrow morning early Jack will take her to Dodson Boatyard for haul-out, then he'll drive back here to her winter quarters in our "boatyard". It's a sad event because another summer and sailing season are over -- we managed only 24 sails in Wind 'n' Go plus one in the little Pilot (still without a name -- and I don't think she'll get one till next year.)

I've started to ease back into academic work. I finished two final revisions to editor's comments for book chapters that Ulla and I have coauthored, one on Mary Parker Follett for a collection, "On the shoulders of giants", and one on design thinking, appreciative inquiry and sustainability for "Advances in Appreciative Inquiry." To your question, "What's appreciative inquiry?" I know nothing -- or next to nothing - about what it is. You'll have to buy the book!

Good news!

Yesterday was a long travel day -- we left our hotel in Boise at 8 AM and opened the door to the house in Stonington at 9:30 PM (though that's only 7:30 mountain time). It was dark and there was no moon, so we did not walk to the water. This morning we had a pleasant confirmation of our expectations:

Though there was lots of seaweed on the beach and it is beginning to smell like "stinky beach."


Other good news: I had a couple of routine medical tests and can now say with confidence that I have a heart and lungs and that they both function. I'm good for at least one more day!

Afterwards I went to the Orphanage to meet with our realtor and sign for a drastic price reduction. She's "certain" this will sell it. I won't hold my breath but you can hold your thumbs, as they do in Sweden rather than crossing fingers.

Finally, I've posted pictures of Paul and Diane's wedding, see below.