Home for the Holidays

I just finished a day with family. I am in Big D right now celebrating the rest of the holiday. Since I finished all my work until January 2, I have now turning my attention to interview transcriptions. After buying a new cassette recorder for my dad to help, I sat down and got two 60+ minute tapes done in twelve hours. Whom who buys cassette tape recorders anymore. You know they girl at the Circuit City was given me a hassle about why I don't want to go digital. And then just now, my mom couldn't figure out how to pause a movie on the DVR.

I guess we are still blending the old world of analogue with the new digital world when doing qualitative research. I can't imagine if my faculty would even consider the value of blogs or recording using a laptop. Now don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily thing of them as old, but I just don't think many of them realize the technology that today's college students are into. Even more and more graduates students are also getting myspace or facebook accounts.

Well what did I learn from my interviews today. Well participant number seven pointed out two really important things about the law school. First, she pointed out that the law school seems to be a fairly segregated environment with subgroups that remain fairly isolated. She also mentioned that the each law student could benefit from an academic advisor. Hmm, right now I am getting distracted by The Matador. The hit man failed to facilitate properly. Anyway I think I will be able to get another two cassettes done tomorrow.

Four Interviews in Two Days

Wow. What a whirlwind couple of days. I just drove back yesterday to Dallas to spend the holidays with my parents. I was originally planning to drive back around 3 PM, but as luck would have it the tenth and final person I needed to interview called me and agreed to do it that day. So I completed 6 of 10 interviews during this week. I am sitting here watching Beverly Hills Cop II while I am typing this. I keep forgetting how intense interviewing another person can be.

The first time I did two in one day left me so tired and drained. This week I did two on Thursday and two on Friday. These last four were so rich with information. They were exactly the stories I needed to hear. Last night when I got home, I remember having not eaten all day so I managed to eat some chicken salad (yes that I actually made), but then I passed out in a chair. When my parents got home from a party they were still pretty alert. But I could not remember what my mom was trying to say about the party.

So what did I learn over two days that made me so stressed out. It can be really intense when you hear words like terror, personal hell, stress, and panic used to describe the first year of an educational experience. Hey did you know that Chris Rock was in Beverly Hills Cop II? Since these are all individuals who are first in their family to go, it is understandable that they might use these rather concerning psychological terms. I know for me it brought back some intense memories for me about my higher education experiences.

Can't wait until January 17.

Semiotics: What is Friendship?

I had an extraordinary interview this afternoon for my dissertation study. During the conversation, the discussion turned to views about the definition of a friend. It is interesting how the term can mean different things to different people. There is also from what I have learned and read a cultural component to the word. For example, I have ordered my universe by creating a hierarchy of friend categories. I have friends through school that I have encountered through work, student organizations, volunteering, and classes. But oddly enough, many of these friendships are probably transitory, and I wonder if I would maintain them if the person moved or I did. I am sure I am not the only one that uses levels of friendship.

So I am not sure what word I would use to describe the few relationships that are the most meaningful. Best? Special? Close? Hmm. I don't like to use the word "true" friends since it in some way indicates all other people you have called friends are false in some way. I don't like where that leads to. I do agree that my closest relationships are reserved for those whom I would drop everything to help out and vice versa. They know you would have their back in a fight and vice versa. Could it be that in these closest relationships you must always take their side in a situation? I don't know if you have to adopt the position yourself but I'm thinking you must support and respect their side. There is an unconditional devotion that must exist in the closest of relationships especially important when one person in the relationship screws up. I look for bonds that withstand the peculiarities of my personality I bring to the table.