Tuesday, November 14

 

 

Before I left for Copenhagen Nicke told me that he would not have time to do the evening he normally does for the Media Landscapes course, because he has committed himself to oversee the live-streaming of the alumni party that evening. I smiled and nodded and added a note in my diary to figure out what to do instead. The note constitutes my activity for today.

I began by reading large chunks of Game-storming in the hope of something coming into my mind. Then I started reading random articles that I had saved into Pocket, and finally I found a lead. I decided that I would get everyone to examine a case study of a social-media-driven meme that has somehow caught fire. I decided that the resurgence of “flat earth theory” would form an ideal subject for a meme study, and so I started reading and watching videos.

At 11:00 I look out of the window and take a photograph of the brightening autumn day. The light has a particular quality and I feel doubt that the image has captured it. The light appears faint without seeming in any way dark. I take several photographs and then spend five minutes trying to decide which, if any, resemble the view I can actually see. I choose this one with little real conviction.

Once I have done this I get up and walk to the library, where the three OMD cds that I ordered last week have now arrived. On the way back I will stop at the mall to buy some cheese and a pudding. I will carry on watching conspiracy videos until I feel hungry.

Arcada has instituted a new internal key system for reasons that I don’t understand. It involves having another photo taken. Jutta will persuade me that we should do it today and so we will go down to the info desk where Maria will do it all for us.

I will return upstairs to try to draw together the various websites and videos that I have watched into a single narrative that I can ask the students to explore on Friday. By 16:00 I will feel as though I have managed this, and leave for home. Irma has a meeting until at least 20:00 this evening and I promised to look after Sunshine.