Frequently Asked Questions

Humans are naturally inquisitive, so it makes sense that I’m frequently asked questions. So, this is where I will attempt to answer some of the more common ones. Or, at least some of the common ones I’m willing to answer.

If you still have questions after reading through this list, please feel free to contact me.

FAQs about Just Frances as a person

Who is Just Frances?

Just Frances is me, Frances Ryan (Pronouns: She/Her). I am a quirky runner, crafter, learner, writer, thinker, drinker, and researcher. I am also a daughter, sister, aunty, friend, and widow. Check out my bio page to learn more.

Who is Paul?

Paul was my husband who passed away in April 2009. I mentioned him in posts where I’m talking about wonderful memories or relating a story about my grief. Indeed, I started this blog out of a need for release shortly after his death. Mentions of Paul are less frequent as my life as Just Frances progresses, but he lives in my heart every day.

How did you meet Paul?

As a dual-national couple, many people assumed we met online. In reality, we met “in real life” whilst I was in Scotland as a study abroad student. It was a wonderfully random meeting on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on 6 February 2002. You can read more about our “meet cute” here.

Are you American or Scottish? Where do you live?

I am an American immigrant living in Scotland. I have been in Scotland off-and-on since 2001 (solidly since 2011) and am now culturally a “New Scots”. However, I will always be a proud American no matter where I live. In general, I refer to my home county in America as The Homeland and Scotland as The Heartland.

What do you do in Scotland?

In addition to normal, everyday life activities/hobbies, over the years I have been a study-abroad student, a master’s student, a worker bee, a PhD student, and a worker bee again. I am now a university lecturer in informatics at Edinburgh Napier University. I research human information behaviour in online environments, especially as they relate to everyday life contexts and “lived” or real-world, experiences – including issues of identity and reputation and determinations of trust and the management of personal health. (Read more on my research blog at www.FrancesRyanPhD.com.

FAQs about communications and interactions

How can I contact you?

You can contact me through my contact form. Alternatively, you can find me on Twitter. Please feel free to interact with me in the comments section of each post, too!

How do I subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) email notifications for new posts?

Subscriptions are managed by WordPress. To subscribe, enter your email address in the subscription box on the right side of the page (or on small screens, scroll down). You will need to confirm your email to activate the subscription.

To unsubscribe, simply click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any post notifications/emails you receive.

FAQs about content and contributions

Who owns this stuff? Can I copy/use it?

Unless otherwise stated, all copyrights belong to me, Frances Ryan. Please read my copyright policy regarding how and if you can use something from this site.

Are you paid for content?

Absolutely not! My blog is strictly a personal passion and I do not earn any money from my content. There are no ads and I do not accept money or gifts in kind for writing content (please don’t ask me to do so). On rare occasions, I will post about products or services that I enjoy, but this is done completely of my own free will based on my first-hand experiences.

Can I write a guest post for your site?

Probably not. On occasion, I have had other people share their personal experiences as part of an awareness campaign (for example, ITP Awareness Week) but I do not generally accept offers for guest bloggers – and certainly won’t accept offers for posts that might be used for monetising content.

Can I suggest topics for you to write about?

I generally write about things I am interested in or things I am doing. However, if you have a suggestion for content based on questions you might have related to one of my primary topics, I am happy to hear it. Just pop me a message on my contact form.

Join the conversation!