LinkedIn

Like many others, I too am a member of LinkedIn (the soi disant "world's largest professional network") although until now, this has been more of a game for me and not something serious. The other night it occurred to me that I could use LinkedIn to help with my doctoral research. I searched for people whose profile includes the words "ERP" and "Priority", then sent invitations to those that I found.

When the people answered my invitation (and I think that everyone has), I sent them a message back thanking them, then describing my research. From the eight or so names that I found, I have been in contact with two. I could take things to 'the next stage' but until this morning I haven't been feeling well enough to do anything about this.

This morning, I went to the doctor, who after listening to my symptoms and prodding my stomach, prescribed for me a drug which is a cocktail of paracetamol, codeine, papaverine (an opium extract which relaxes smooth muscles) and atropine. I took my first pill at around 9:15; at first it didn't seem to do anything, but two hours later, I was feeling much better. My stomach barely hurts, but more importantly my mood has greatly improved.

Thus I was primed for the next move in the 'pilot game'. Every day I check the incoming orders to see whether there is one from a company which uses Priority. Today I found such an order; it turns out that the company is situated about 200 metres from me. So despite the heat, I went straight to the company to speak with the appropriate person.

This company employs someone in roughly the same position as I; when I explained the research, he said (as does everyone) that it is very interesting. To cut a long story short, he has provisionally agreed to take part in the pilot research, for which I am extremely thankful. As I am physically near, it will be much easier to keep in touch than with someone who is in the far north of Israel (one of the LinkedIn connections).