Well, I've cleared out my directories, tidied my desk and written my out of office autoreply. In half and hour I'll be out the door and won't be back until July 30. All going to plan, the next post I write will be from Barcelona. Doesn't quite seem real and I don't think it will until I'm on the plane with a G & T in my hand.
Clancy Ratcliff has published on her blog her presentation of Gender Politics in the Blogosphere (several weeks ago, in fact, but I've only just discovered it). Clancy surveyed members of the group blog Blog Sisters to discover if they felt they were fairly treated and represented in the blogosphere and if they aspired to becoming "A list" bloggers (the majority of respondents said no). Interestingly, the majority of those surveyed also said that they didn't think that there was a gender bias in the mainstream blogging community. Clancy also investigated the linking policy of "A list" bloggers, discovering, not all that surprisingly, that men greatly outnumber women on the blogrolls of well-known blogs.
OK, I guess. Slowly, and with a certain amount of panic.
How many days have you got left at work?
Just today and tomorrow. We're not leaving till next week though, so I've got plenty of panicking time left.
Excellent. What are you panicking about the most?
Ridiculous things - like how am I going to be able to carry enough novels to sustain me for three months' worth of travel.
I suppose that depends on what else you decide to take. Have you packed yet?
No, but I've been auditioning clothes.
What do you mean?
I've been wearing the clothes that have made it to the packing shortlist and asking myself if I can imagine wearing it day in, day out over three months. Is it comfortable? Practical? Warm enough? Cool enough?
