Originally I was going to blog about my experiences at my first Skeptics in the Pub (Leicester chapter)- but it was as expected, preaching to the converted with no obvious outcome bar light, intellectual entertainment (bring on Nick Davies!).

It’s 3am (but I’ve scheduled to post this later on, when people are awake to read things) and I’m wide awake for the first time in nearly 18 months (hello insomnia?) Lots of things to chew on, lots of interesting things in the pipeline, lots of things I can’t quite go public with (yet).

Regardless, it was a contrasting set of events that got me thinking today – whilst waiting on a phone call, I received another – from my department. I’m apparently AWOL – which was news to me. I’m right here- I’m blogging, I’m on twitter every 15 seconds, and whilst I wait for my life to change dramatically, I’m cramming in as much as I can within cloudless Endnote. I’m also going to three conferences in the next six days, planning on meeting undergraduates for coffee and to chat about their dissertations and trying to get some writing done whilst I have this employment downtime. I don’t know how I could be missing in action.

I needed to pop in to sign off some stuff so I thought I would show face. I really shouldn’t have bothered, the phd office is a frightening place – thou shall not say hello, thou shall not adjust the chair height, thou shall not discuss work without consulting ye old book of knowledge sharing. Dreadful.

Wouldn’t mind so much if it was still ok for me to disappear into my own world, my own network – following my own path. But if we are being encouraged to interact with each other in order to generate a better PhD research community, surely it should begin from within the physical home of the community in general? How can they possibly get PhD students to engage with each other on Second Life (for a glaringly awful example) – when they can barely get them to engage with each other in first life?

In stark contrast, I’ve met with no less than 10 people from twitter today – some arranged, some by chance and others at an event. I’ve had some excellent discussions with people, who thanks to distance, I won’t get a chance to meet in the near future, but nevertheless, provided valuable conversation space to share ideas. I’ve shared banter with old school friends, and caught up with my family back home. Most of the interaction can be done using a tool that I can carry in my back pocket. And If that ain’t mind boggling – or even verging on the ridiculous (as I’m an excessive example) – I can’t imagine what else is coming in the future to knock me for six.

If I was doing I chemistry degree, I wouldn’t have the expectations set for exploring new communication tools and devices, but I’m doing a communications degree (!!!) If we are not willing to go beyond traveling 20 miles to sign a piece of a dead tree, and if people are incapable of discussing experiences with their peers in person (whilst rapidly, many are finding/expecting ways to communicate and share faster, more directly, more environmentally friendly, more instinctively, more honestly, more reflectively… and so on)  – then they are never going to even begin understanding the potential for emerging communication technologies.

So therefore, I probably am AWOL. I’m not in that space. I’ve tried to open dialogue, but I don’t speak the language. Instead, I’m in this space – a more open space, a space where I can say what I feel and invite others to share back. And I’ve decided, despite the criticism and the cynicism of others, it is a much better space to be in.