Much as I love the office-based part of research (especially on a rainy day like today!), it was a real treat to get out yesterday and start meeting people!  Two important things came out of my foray into Eastside:

1)  I managed to find my way to a specific place!  Don't laugh - lots of geographers are very bad at this.  Being a rural geographer originally, I have no problem with good old OS maps in remote countryside, but maps of urban areas are often really hard to follow especially if you're on foot.  One-way streets and other things useful for drivers aren't as important as whether you can get through the end of a dead end street, where the foot bridge is or where - exactly - you can cross the park.

2) I was reminded how easy it is to slip into 'dualisms' - where something is either 'this' or 'that'.  I visited two people yesterday - one who works in and with the community and one who works in one of the newer buildings in Eastside.  It's so tempting to think that these buildings, which may have replaced historic, loved places are frequented by people who couldn't care less, but, of course, this is completely wrong.  The person I visited is very interested in, and takes care to support, local businesses and services.  She is as passionate about the local community as the rest of us.

Anyway, the search for people to interview has begun....