Katie's Notes

An academic blog by a linguist specialising in qualitative healthcare research & medical humanities

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  • Returning to Ikebana

    This post is about one of my hobbies, ikebana, Japanese floral arrangements. In August 2024, I resumed learning ikebana at the Ikenobo School, returning after 10 years. When I was a child, my grandmother hosted ikebana and tea ceremony classes at home. She would invite a teacher and offer our house as the venue. Around read more

    Returning to Ikebana

  • Springtime with my father

    This spring in England has felt unusually warm, more like early summer in May. The season has brought a strange mix of nostalgia and self-reproach. A year ago, in March, I finally flew back to Japan for the first time in five years and spent a month with my parents. At the time, it was read more

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    Springtime with my father

  • Carry On

    I have placed a framed photograph of my late grandfather on my work desk at home. I often talk to him as I work on my research. He was a schoolteacher, but at the age of 30, he entered medical school and, by 40, became a neurosurgeon. Soon afterwards, in the 1950s, he chose to read more

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    Carry On

  • Sunflowers at the end of the academic year

    It has been an exceptionally busy period since January, but at the same time, both productive and enjoyable. What truly brightens my heart now is a bouquet of roses and sunflowers I received from my students after our final class, accompanied by a beautiful message card. On the day I received the flowers, they were read more

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    Sunflowers at the end of the academic year

  • Christmas around the corner

    This semester, I travelled to meet my research partners in person and to collaborate face to face. One of the happiest moments of the year was participating in woodblock print workshops designed for people living with dementia. We created woodblock prints together in the traditional Japanese style. We first drew a picture on paper. The read more

    Christmas around the corner

  • Reflecting on the first year of my postdoc

    Today, exactly one year has passed since I defended my PhD thesis. Here’s a brief reflection on my first year of postdoctoral life.   Teaching through a screen There is a lot to consider about online teaching for the 2020–21 academic year. One particular aspect was that virtual teaching highlighted various difficulties some students were read more

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    Reflecting on the first year of my postdoc

  • Wrap up of the final year of my PhD

    This year has brought a lot of tough, new challenges, one after another. I am very grateful that my family and I have been able to stay in good health and have normal lives, apart from staying home. Despite all the difficult circumstances during the ongoing outbreak, as a PhD student, I was able to read more

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    Wrap up of the final year of my PhD

  • It’s only the beginning

    The past month has been devoted to teaching, research, meetings, training, seminars, reviewing manuscripts, marking mid-semester assignments and writing feedback. I am not one of the busiest academics, but this is enough to make me feel it’s a jungle out there… This weekend, for the first time in a month, I’ve cooked meals and baked read more

    It’s only the beginning