Thursday, November 15

 

 

I cycled to the metro with no lights, for the second day running. Helen, the Helsinki energy company, had dug up a long chunk of pavement and I had to cycle through some of it at less than walking speed, trying to avoid the sharp stones that might flatten my tyres. Eventually I pulled out into the busy road, wishing I had lights on.

I got to Puotila and got on the metro. I then decided to get off at Itis and see if Power had a tripod for Naa’s digital recorder. I got off and immediately realised that they almost certainly don’t open until 10:00.

While I wait for the next train I see yet another piece of Helsinki metro station art. This time a line of metro trains snakes down the wall opposite the platform. I photograph one just before the next train arrives. I had got off a train with standing room only to find myself getting on a train with hardly anyone on it.

Some times things work out well.

I will spend the morning exploring the structure that the Wordpress comments system creates and finding ways of customising it to fit the Miaaw theme. I will get it working and then ask myself whether we want to launch public comments, or whether we want people to join the site before they post. The former will almost certainly result in mass spam. The latter will mean more work.

I will email Sophie nd ask her opinion; throwing in a third option that involves using Buddypress to expand the “joining” business into a fully-fledged social club.

At midday we will meet online to record another episode. Her connection will fail at regular intervals and so I will find myself guessing most of what she says and replying with what I hope will count as relevnat answers. I should have a lot of fun editing this episode into something approaching coherence.

At 17:15 the Digital Mediascapes course will start for the MA students and I will have to spend most of the three hours talking. I will give two lectures and lead people in reluctant discussion.

I will wear my lights on the way home but not risk cycling on the main road, preferring to cycle at the speed of a toddler walking over the stones and shingle.