just 95% completed my materials and methods for chapter 3, and tidied up the results. Going to nip into lab on saturday to get the info I need to finish M&M and then got 2 sections to do for intro, couple 1000 words, and then discussion time again... :(

hope you've all had good days, i'm off to relax before bed and a very busy last day of work before my writing holiday! :p
AL x

Chapter 2 sent!!!!! I put in my email that I am in the lab next Thursday and maybe we could meet to go through it and get some constructive feedback, explaining that I would like to know how my style is and whether I am on right tracks as I am working on Chapter 3 now. Fingers crossed that gets the message across that I don't want the hell i got last time!!

right, off to make a cafetiere to go with my creme egg and get stuck into chapter 3 methods! arghhh, i've been dreading this section for months.....!

AL

Thanks Sue, I will do! :) will keep you posted how I get on over next week!

hmm, maybe a star rating for me... :p
well, new surroundings, new city, new uni....you never know what will happen, so just keep positive. We're getting there aren't we!!! :)

night night x

Hi Teek,
sorry didn't explain that very well, fearing my supervisor reading my chapter as last time he was horrid to me! My partner has never actually sat and read through any of my work fully, but I know he'd be great, helpful and constructive, he just doesn't have the time!

Sue, you're right I should just get on and get it sent to him, therefore i'm going to have one last read tomorrow AM and then send it on. I have to face it sometime so better to be sooner rather than later! :) (feel the fear and do it anyway...?)

I'm afraid I don't get extra pay for the long hours, but hopefully get to take them back over time! As we're a science centre we don't get public holidays as they're our busiest times, but it's fine, get from Saturday off for a whole week of writing! oh the joys....I can not wait....:-s

Sue, don't worry about the rewrite, just remember how far you've come, its been one hell of a journey so far, but you've survived it, and just remember that big tunnel of light you are walking towards! I'm sorry you're finding it hard, especially knowing that your academic life is coming to a close for now, but it is just for now! You can't predict the future, and i'm sure lots of amazing things are still to come, especially once you are Dr Sue! :)
I like to think of each of these parts of my life like a chapter in a book, you can never know what is to come in the story, its a winding path with twists and turns, one of your future chapters may be back in academia, so don't despair. Keep walking towards the light, and i'm sure when you get to the end of the tunnel a whole beautiful scenery of future paths and adventures will be laid out in front of you, its scary and exciting but it has to come, and at least you won't have to keep working on the damn thesis then...:p

Big hugs and keep smiling! AL xx

Hi Poppy,
well done on getting oral presentation at conference, thats brill!
I can't remember where in the PhD process you are, but I went to a conference at the end of my second year and took along some mini-CVs, if you have lots of things to impress folk with then I say go for it - there's alot of us out there and you have to stand out! (thats if you want a future in academia, which i'm assuming so if you looking at business cards). Its just a thought and definately good to have something like business card instead of scribbled postits, but if you're wanting to give extra info of key research areas etc, maybe a publication if you have one, or any other great things you can boast about that you've done then maybe a mini-CV would be good for this?

Good luck
AL

well, we went to place on the north island - think slightly cheaper as sand isn't quite as white and sea not as blue! but still very hot and lovely. It was part of the Riu group of hotels, think Riu mambo, or something there were 3 hotels in the complex - we went to cheapest one, but really didn't matter as you can spend your days in all three, with their own pools, private beach, tennis courts, gym etc etc etc! we couldn't have asked for anything better. we went with thomas cook and totally freaked out before we left as everyone kept going on about how you were enclosed in a complex thing and thomas cook are sh*t, and then read odd bad reviews online. But we decided we'd paid for it and people will always complain so what the hell, go with an open mind!
In the end didn't have one complaint, Thomas cook were great, the resort was fab, food good, rooms ace - with our own bar with optics in our room! :) I think in the end wherever you go people can find something to complain about, they just need to get more of a life and live it for what it is, you're not in the ritz, but unless you pay 1000s you're not gonna get that!
We went on excursions so did get around the island and from other people from different hotels we certainly did manage to pick a better one, but depends on what you want, price etc! (we did go at end of hurricane season in november and were just really lucky with price and weather!)

Anyway, best of luck and if you want any other info just let me know!

well, the time is almost upon me to get a whole week of writing time!
i've got a day off today and tomorrow after just doing a 90hour week at the centre! :( was really good and they were mainly all my own projects i've been delivering etc so it was really good, but right now i am still in my PJ's and had a desperate housewives binge :$ just so tired today, with stuffed nose and swollen glands so determined to rest.
I am going to get stuck into chapter 3 tomorrow, finish loose ends in materials and methods and finish the introduction too although doubt that will happen in one day! I am back to work friday but then i'm off for a week and hoping to get as much writing done as possible!
It's my birthday during my week off and my best friend is coming up with husband and bump! so want to spend some quality time with her before baby arrives. I'm just hoping that I can get lots of writing done and I don't get pulled in other directions to do social things!

Also,I need your advice - as you know the other week I finished chapter 2, but I still havent' sent it to my supervisor, I was hoping to get partner to read it but he's totally bogged in masters assignments at the moment and its not fair of me to ask him. But mainly I think i'm just scared of what his response will be after last time, i'm going to have a read of it tomorrow and if I still think its OK then I guess i should send it to him. I know that its my first proper draft and i know there will be corrections, but I don't think I could handle it if he went off like last time, I need him to KNOW that i know its not perfect but get some constructive criticism back! I could spend more hours on it and try and change odd sentences etc, but if there are major changes that need to be made its just a waste of my time when i could be getting draft one of next chapter sorted. Does that make any sense?
Feel bit silly to be procrastinating over submitting something i've finished but I think it is FEAR!? :-s

anyway, hope you're all doing well and progressing and i'll see you here next week for hopefully some productive updates! AL xx

congratulations Jimkim, thats brilliant news! very well done and submitting early as well, you should be very proud of yourself!
I recommend the dominican republic if you want a nice relaxing beach holiday! we went couple of years ago when i was struggling with PhD stress and 10 days there and I felt completed rejuvinated, the people are lovely and humble and happy and the scenery is amazing! I have not been to many tropical kind of places, but thorougly enjoyed my first all inclusive experience ;)
Let us know what you decide and well done again, you deserve a good break!

Congratulations Dr Bilbo! thats fantastic, well done! go out and celebrate and then relax and enjoy your success! :) AL x

Happy Birthday Wal! (gift)
It's my birthday next week, i'll be 27 and I say you're as young as you feel - although right now I ache all over and feel old, don't get out much, HATE clubbing, love radio 2 and lots of classical, oh and clubbing is my worst nightmare! But I don't think these things are a sign of old age, just type of person you are!
Don't work too hard, or at least do it with wine/beer/favourite tipple! :)
Birthday hugs, AL x

whoop whoop!!!! :p

I have just managed to finish rewriting chapter 2, discussion complete and i'm actually quite happy with it! i'm going to print off and read over next couple evenings and get partner to read it, and then time to submit back to sup and hope it doesnt get completely trashed again! (i think if it did, I would just walk away from this whole thing in the understanding that my brain is not cut out for this!)

That probably sounds silly, but writing what i've just done has taken all the power in me, and i really don't think i could do better, therefore if it is rubbish then I don't think I would know where to go from there! So fingers crossed for some minor corrections and edits, I don't mind that as long as the actual content isn't down the wrong path again!

Anyway, feeling quite chuffed to see that done, and if it goes away and comes back not too bad then i'm two chapters down at last! Hope you've all had productive weeks/weekends? and managed to get some relax time in too! I may be scare again for the next week or so as i start a 9 day shift from tomorrow, working silly hours, but then two days off, 1 day back and then its my writing week/holiday....!

big hugs to all, AL x

aye!! I am writing in pain, numbness, exhaustion and a now complete lack of interest! :(
Hugs for all!

Algaequeen, I hope your meeting went well today, did they offer you any work? I know how it feels about your sup, mine really was abit dubious about me doing these things, but its all about how you approach it! as for cafe science, its a fantastic opportunity and after doing it I was a mile off the ground with happiness and a feeling that i'd done something really good! I really put it to my sup as a great way to advertise our work (including possible recruits for our clinical trials), its great for grant applications to put down your public engagement and outreach, and not many profs etc like to get into these things, but it's getting much more important these days.
It was a real struggle for me to find the time for these things too as I was still doing loads of lab work too! but I thought about it for a while, and spoke to the guy who ran it all, and he was very understanding as I guess they are used to working with very busy researchers! I came to the conclusion that if i thought about it too much then i'd never do it, and there's never time to do everything, so if it's something you really want to do then just jump in feet first and you'll find a way to fit it all in!
As for me, it was the best thing I ever did during my PhD, and it showed me the light towards something that I could see myself doing as a career - consequently moving into this area of science. I had been struggling for a while, very depressed about lab based science, but loving science in general and really wishing I could find something that motivated and excited me. This job gives me the best of everything, as I get to learn about lots of science areas without having to get bogged down into one minute area, I'm starting to remember why I loved science so much when I was younger, and I get to excite kids about it every day now! :)
I am still very careful with my sup, I dont' want to push him away until I have Dr. in front of my name :p! But if you can find a way to fit it in, and angle it towards promotion of your labs work and not just your own, then I would just go for it! The opportunities are greater while you're still in the uni setting as you may find that your uni has public outreach dept like ours do and you can get involved with them.
All the best and if you want any other advice or help then you know where I am!

Well done Poppy, that's brilliant, gives us all hope! And Sue, I hope you get back in your stride too, all these other things are important too so don't be disheartened.
I was in the lab this morning doing some stuff and its very weird to don my labcoat and hold a pipette again - I don't miss it one bit! :-s
hugs to all, AL xx

a well at least well done you for not inhaling the bad stuff any more! :)
Have you tried the new nicotine mini's things, they're like smints - not quite as pleasant as gum to chew but you get a quick fast nicotine release, and it may help you kick the gum habit?

Hi Algaequeen,
It was all quite incidental really, or maybe fate...! During last year of PhD lab work I decided to do some extra stuff with our Generic Skills, did a training weekend for researchers to go and work in the local science centre for a weekend showcasing work and talking about an area of my job i found interesting (designed some models etc). I then got asked by the organiser to do a cafe scientifique as my work is quite popular with the public - probiotics etc!
Through all this i got to know the education manager and some of the staff at the centre, and luckily just as my money ran out for PhD, a job came up in their education team as an officer for primary education. The money in centres and museums is not great, but if you enjoy it and find it as worthwhile as I do then its definately a great job! :)
I doubt anyone in these places would have a problem with letting someone volunteer, or even make some extra cash out of it! All you need is enthusiasm and a bit of a flair for helping people understand things in a way that's relevant to them. Good luck and let us know how it goes! Fingers crossed for you (up)