Starting the Memory Lane
A Memory Lane to Analyze the Physicality I have chosen for this blog that tells about my preparations. The preparations are for the Stockholm University of the Arts Project I will present in more detail here. In this blog I will be working through an introspective journey. I figure out my current situation and what I still have to do before the start of the journey.
This is the blog post, or an article, presenting the blog itself. I make sure things become clearer as I go on and update you about them through this blog. I’ll work through any questions I still have to clarify. This helps me delve deeper and recheck any sources I have stumbled upon. This is a personal check-in with myself.
In this article, I’ll answer to four questions. Why I have chosen this name? What is this blog about? What kind of content am I presenting? How is my process with the blog and research preparations in practice?
Why name The Memory Lane?
For me, the word ‘Memory Lane’ includes a notion of unreliability. It is simply something I remember.
Sometimes there will be links and references to check my sources. Other times I will just let you know what I remember from somewhere. The memory might be from a private discussion, some specific lesson or just some shower-thought I had.
I try my best to be transparent where the information comes from. I do remember wrong, which will create inaccuracies to what I will write about. Don’t trust this to be on a level of an academic text. It is just a warm-up for my journey. I want to present it openly so that others may follow.
The purpose of this blog is to let me recheck my source material. It is part of the preparations for the research. It will help me gather everything here in one place. There will be inaccuracies, misremembrance and such. The plan is to recheck my materials before I write create officially about them.
Treat this blog as my personal notes. Treat it as something I will use as a frame of reference during the research itself.
What is A Memory Lane to Analyze the Physicality about?
The Memory Lane blog is an introspective journey. The purpose of it is to prepare myself to the degree project at Stockholm University of the Arts. The current working title of the project is Analyzing the Physicality in the Performing Arts Processes, and you can find more information about it here: https://www.juuso-matias.fi/uniarts-project/. The project will naturally develop during the next two-and-a-half years. I haven’t even started the studies yet! I have applied for some funding for the project and have formulated this page for that purpose – and for future co-researchers to read.
I will go through all the things I have written in my current research plan. Then I will work through it step by step, to make sure I have covered everything to reasonable degree. Some things will come up during the process. Other things will change during it. That is all fine. The whole purpose of this blog is to make sure I have a strong plan to follow when I actually start the research.
My plans for this Blog
For this writing journey, I am going through the plan I have written and explain the different parts of it. I’ll add more details – and explain my choices. There is also a need to define the framework in a clearer way. The framework will after all be one of the main predicted results of the research project. The rest of the results will be about using it.
I will also discuss the role of Stockholm University of the Arts (SKH, Stockholms Konstnärliga Högskola) in more detail as I learn more of what they will offer me in practice.
Besides the posts written about my research plan itself, I feel that it is important to do some preparatory self-work. I mention studying my own practices also in the research plan (19).
Introspection can be started alone. I plan to use my pedagogical self-analysis tools to recheck where I stand with my toolbox of physicality, toolbox of pedagogy and toolbox of life. All this is something I have to think about before I can actually start the journey.
Look forward to reading about the framework, about practical choices and details of the plan, SKH and other research partners.
Journaling about Practicalities
Besides the more abstract journeys I have mentioned in previous paragraph I feel like I need concrete details to base my plans on. I will be writing about my schedules, visits at schools and productions I work with. I am also quite curious of using a co-researcher model in some way.
I had the pleasure to be a co-researcher in a project for Finnish Institute of Occupational Health called Floor is Ours (Työterveyslaitos: Millaista on olla kanssatutkija). After the project I was inspired to continue using similar methods of co-research we used there. I am still unsure how to use it though, but might return to the model as I study it more. I feel like after I have used the framework, a good proof of concept would be to let others use it too.
In near future, I will also start to contact different organizations and people whom I am planning to work with. When I have people to ask and places to be, I can start scheduling where to go and when. I will keep everyone updated about the details too.
Memory Lane Recap
A Memory Lane to the Physicalitytells a story about my preparations for the journey within Stockholm University of the Arts Programme. I will be writing it as I prepare for the project in order to keep things practical. Project starts in 2024.
A Memory Lane is an introspective blog, inaccurate and rough, but thrives to add transparency and communication to my process. That is why I will be looking forward to hearing any comments or observations that you might have.
Thank you for joining this journey with me. Looking forward to continuing it with you!
