Hi all, good to hear you're all doing ok, Sue you should speak to your sup and get her to sit and go through the article with you and why she changed things? my sup used to always change things and I asked him to explain why to me, even if to him its obvious not always to us! and to me its difficult to see exact changes they've made whereas take in more for not making same mistakes again when do next ones! although also should remember that just cos that's their style doesn't mean its the best, I think sometimes we see our sup as THE person, but remember you are highly qualified too and there may really be nothing wrong wtih your style??

I know the feeling Bilbo, had little freak too, especially since at the mo i'm not doing anything! I feel very guilty as do have some free evenings, but just want to enjoy it for a while before I get stuck back in! and really don't think my brain can handle it, have a funding report to do over next month and opened doc last night and had to close it again - just looking at it made my head hurt!! :$ but as you say Sue we can only do what we can, just little by little, it will come together eventually!
Glad to hear your plodding along Bilbo, you're doing so well and will get there soon!

I feel for you on the repetitive lab work Teek, I had to go back and do some in my last few months and its horrible, but you'll feel a sense of great achievement when you can score through the list! :) I'm sure you'll be fine for 10,000 words, once it starts to flow and you sit down to it i'm sure it will come.

I want stars too! heehee! although recently I haven't been on so much due to other commitments, but I think my advice just isn't very good :( maybe i'm just more sympathetic and less helpful....!

Hello folks, hope you're all doing well, I saw lots of you have been working this weekend, very proud of you all, I am doing rubbish - in fact i've done nothing for weeks really :(

new jobs are going well though, lecturing is good but very tiring actually and so much prep time involved! My other new job (the permanent one) is going great, I love it and can't wait to go full time when my lecturing is over at end of november.

I am trying not to feel guilty about no thesis writing as my poor little brain could not handle doing it while learning two new jobs but as soon as i'm down to one job the thesis work is going to be my new evening and weekend pursuit! :p

Just wanted to say hello and let you all know i'm still around and following the threads! strangely I seem to be missing doing my thesis work, keep looking at all my work in the corner of lounge and my mind map on the wall and worrying that when I do come back to it i'm going to really struggle to remember everything and all the things that I just kinda kept in my head (ideas etc)! Hopefully it will all come flying back when I sit down to it though.

Anyway, thinking of you all and hoping your work is going well and all very productive. Sue, I hope the article is done or close to and you're getting some sleep!

Hello folks, just a little update from AL!..... :)

Hope you're all ok? well, thats my first lecturing week complete, I have met all my students and most of them are great, didnt mess up I don't think(too much), and didnt end up at the end of the day rocking myself and crying in the back of the lecture theatre, so a success I feel.... :p

start other new job on monday so going to make most of this weekend and try and chill out, partner just found out he got 76% in his masters assessment from last term (PT course), very proud of him, and he's really chuffed and probably wanting to chill out a bit too! perfect! :)

therefore, going to happily chill out, maybe try and plan a bit for next weeks lectures so don't have to worry about it when into new job, and clean house - without feeling guilty for not looking at my chapter work! ah the joys....!

Sorry, don't want to rub in my lack of work, I could easily feel bad for not writing, but like you all said, I need some relaxation time, so i'm going to take your advice....

Hope if you're working you all have productive weekend, (up)

Hi Sue,

I have no words of wisdom for you to get you through these months, except just to say i'm sorry you're feeling like this, it really is rubbish and i'm thinking of you!
As others have said, friends who are like that and don't even try to make the effort are not true friends! I have realized this in the past and more recently, even with people I thought would be in my life forever just couldnt understand and thought i was ignoring them or not bothered. Eventually I just decided that if they could be like this then did I really want them in my life. The people you phone up/email/text and just say "i'm sorry, lost in PhD land, thinking of you and hope all is well", and get back to you saying no problem are the ones that matter, and i'm sure some of them will be like that, and even if its now, next week or in six months i'm sure they'll understand!?
I had one friend, who recently I have decided just isn't worth it, and it has hurt so much and made me feel very guilty but I have come to conclusion that she was a "friend for a season/reason" and not one for life, and therefore it is just how things are. She has just qualified as a primary teacher, and was always complaining of how BUSY she was, except still managed nights out at weekends etc and could never understand when i wouldnt go out, cos i was in lab 7days per week! and then just likes to get in touch when its the school holidays and tell me she is now free to catch up whenever I have time - with again no understanding that holidays don't exist for me! and then if i said, right i'm making time lets go and have day together she would say I only have an hour....! and then be funny with me anyway, so now i've given up and I dont' care!

Sorry, i'm now having my own personal rant aswell! :(

6 months seems like such a long time but really in the grand scheme of life it will fly by - well, maybe not fly, but the sense of personal achievement when you are done will be very worth it. and when you go back to 9-5, even if in public sector and not academia, you will appreciate the working hours and social life more than you ever could before. Even if you never use PhD for your career, it will never do you any harm and you will no once and for all that you have been awarded the highest academic merit you could possibly achieve - that is something you can never have taken away from you! If you're like me and really just want to be able to say "yeah, i'm not so stupid after all" and can have some faith in your intellectual ability then 6 months I guess is the price to pay for having that feeling and knowledge for the rest of your life! ;-)

I know the feeling of the shapeless jeans etc! my wardrobe has become miserable in the last few years! maybe you could start rewarding yourself for a good fortnight/months work with a nice new funky outfit, so that when you submit you have lots of lovely new clothes to wear to go celebrating :) and it will be something to look forward to at teh end of each chunk of time - maybe even involve your friends and meet them for lunch and take them shopping with you? I know time is of the essence but knowing you have that to look forward to and some social time might spur you through each chapter?

Keep smiling, :p

WOW!!! thats fantastic Lara, you must be so proud of yourself with all these DONE's and Perfect from from your internal! You're speeding along and it will all be a finished in no time ready for some more partying for you! :)

well done, its great to hear a success story and can't wait to be there myself!! Keep up the good work! (up)

Thats fantastic Sue, well done on a great days work yesterday! it is really tough to get two consecutive good days, but dont' be harsh on yourself, its good progress!
Thanks Teek, really happy! I think alot of supervisors give 2-3 months for final writing, which dependant on what you have done already is manageable i'm sure, tough though! but does that include times for drafts and supervisor reading time, editing, binding etc etc? Some supervisors just want to see students in the lab 24/7, but if its not going to benefit your PhD any then its time to say stop, or at least choose a deadline date/last experiment and try and stick to it! I think in lab work its so easy to say, i'll just do one more....and then that result leads you to just one more....it can be never ending! (i have a mate in this situation). maybe just a sit down with your sup is what you need and i'm sure you'll get it sorted! but don't stress, you've still got 8 months.

right, really is time for my bed now! wish i wasn't working tomorrow and I would maybe get stuck into some writing, especially with all this company tonight! :p

best of luck

Hey folks, sounds like you've all been having very good weeks! well done on all your editing Bilbo!

I'm having bit of a weird week, just with the total transition of jobs etc! was in lab last 3 days just doing odd last things and sorting out all my lab samples and desk etc! saying goodbye to people was hard, funny how you never feel appreciated while you're being worked like a horse but when you're leaving....!

Teek, it is very difficult when doing lab work to get into steady writing, but its really good that you're writing bits as you go along! how long have you got left in lab? I did bits as i worked and I think when you come out of lab at last it makes everything easier to just get into, without having completely blank pages! I finished most of lab work about 6 weeks ago and have just been going in odd weeks to complete things, all done now (its very strange!). had planned on just working at home writing full time, but just got job which start on monday so will be part time writer for a while! therefore, i'm now even more glad I did some writing, not loads but just materials and methods etc, some intro, makes a huge difference!

anyway, this week is a flop, but not stressing as for the first time in about a year i feel like a weight is off my shoulders and I can sleep and eat and be happy, so i'm making the most of it and not worrying about the writing etc! I want to enjoy this transition period into the new chapter of my life and then when all settles down i will get plowed into my writing again! Just don't have energy to do all these things at same time, feel like i've been emotionally drained for too long! (maybe just me being weak and pathetic :$)

I'm sure you'll get there soon, obviously you're working very hard but just keep at it, little bits at a time, and when lab is done you'll be so glad and proud of yourself! but also don't stress out when you sometimes don't do these things, it can't be helped and lab work can be very draining!

I have also been grouping my writing into chapters, intro and then 2/3 and 4/5 then discussion. The content is quite well meshed in these two groupings so makes my thought processes alot better and more coherent to be piecing them together as I go!

I'm off to bed, got a day of lecturing tomorrow, not sure how thats going to go but a good nights sleep should set me up nicely!

Good luck with the night train (up)

my supervisors wife also works in our lab, she's lovely and like a bit of a mum to me! which is probably why i'm finding it so hard to take the comments cos just want them to understand my decision and respect it! i'm probably over analysing and guilting myself as usual!

yeah, thats a tough one! if you have definitely decided that after finishing you're going to go back to public sector then possibly not worth it. I doubt its ever a bad thing to have more publications, experience of writing them etc. However, getting a PhD will also give you all that, and you've already been through publication process with last one so maybe not. does your sup know that you're probably not going to stay in academia afterwards? you have good relationship with her so maybe you could discuss this? If it is going to take alot of time and isnt more a matter of cutting and pasting some other material from PhD chapters etc then if its going to set back your PhD submission maybe not worth it? I don't know though, maybe best to discuss with sup!

I'm sure whatever you decided will be the right choice, neither way will be bad for you so just a matter of what you're most comfortable with.

Good luck with your day, you're doing brilliant, keep up the good work!

I'm off to bed,

Evening folks!
Glad I did work sunday cos today has been rubbish! came through after work to have a look at my next chapters intro and i've not even opened document, had dad on phone for ages and then been surfing/procrastinating! :$

thanks sue, yeah, I think deepdown I know this is the best thing for me, and its just going to be tough for a while! unfortunately little comments from my sup and his wife keep upsetting me and making me feel like i've let them down and what i'm doing is wrong! silly i know, but i really don't have much confidence in myself so when people tell me (or make hints) that i'm doing the wrong thing then i feel like i must be! But I think i know in my heart that its just them and not me and if it makes me happy then thats what matters! maybe i'm just nervous about the new challenge!
Thats really good taht sup wants you to help with writing another article, it might bring your deadline back a few weeks, but maybe not. Also always good to have papers, nice to see your name in pubmed! 8-) you'll do brill i'm sure!

hope your cold is getting better Sheena, i've had it too and its clearing really slow, not had the time to just completely rest and seems to be prologing it. Also wrong time of the month (sorry boys), so sat here with hot water bottle feeling just want to curl into duvet! really not feeling very productive!

Hope next chapter is making some slow steady progress, you'll get there, just have to keep plodding.....!

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day for me?

good luck with tonights work! i'm just finishing off my lesson plan and lecture slides! taken me all day!!!

Thank you, I will stick around and we can all encourage eachother on for the march deadline! :)

Hello peeps, seem to have been absent for a few days! although i guess as i'm not really nocturnal working i'm bit of an honourary member on this thread now! :( still might stick around if you don't mind, just nice to chat to you folks! might have to join the accountability thread too!

well done Bilbo on a good couple hours work, thats brilliant! and Sue and Jojo, I hope your weekends are going well and you're meeting targets?

well, last week has been a complete washout for me! finished the experiments on friday, so just back into my lab tues/wed to sort some samples, tidy out my freezers and stuff and make sure my boss knows where everything is! and say goodbye to everyone :( started getting really upset on friday, so fingers crossed i don't blub in front of everyone on wednesday! so many people have done little (or big) things for me throughout my years there, and so i decided I wanted to show my appreciation! completely broke so I spent yesterday afternoon making lots of cakes! going to take them around everyone tomorrow and they can take a couple, if me and partner don't eat them all by then! heehee!

So, no chapter work got done really last week except finding lots of papers on the subject. and spent bit of time yesterday reading over notes for lecturing. REALLY struggling to lesson plan, just don't know how to go about it! 3 hours seems such a long time!

anyway, got my coffee and going to get cracking!! I feel the next few weeks while i get settled into job might not go so well for thesis writing, but just have to keep plodding along!!

Happy sunday working :(

well done both of you, thats great Sue that you almost have 5 drafts complete! make sure you have a bit of relaxation to celebrate! hope you got a good sleep Bilbo and well done on the the editing!! :)

I slept like a log for the first time in over a week, i HATE insomnia! amazing how much better I feel for just one night, really hope i get another! also cos i slept my cold is starting to ease! yeah, i defo don't have a flu of any kind, just bit of cold prob just cos of start of cold weather - its freezing today!

9-5 won't be coming round too soon, but if i'm really good i could still be done by march, as original plan was storm through to xmas, so if I can try to keep close to that and do my weekends and 1-2 nights per week I think i could still manage it! might be mental for a while but it'd be worth it to get it done!!

right, back to go try one last thing in lab and then probably home for the afternoon to try and get stuck into chapter - not managed to do anything all week due to cold so really need to get cracking! and then just 3 days left in this place of work - got coffee and cakes with lots of different folks so might be rolling into my next job :p gonna be weird not being in here every day, evening and weekend after 3 years + of it!!

best of luck for today folks!

HI Sue and Bilbo!
Thanks Sue, how are you getting on with the editing etc? (thinking of you!)
And good for you Bilbo, I meant to ask if you got into sup! just take it easy getting over illness and the last thesis edits will come together soon enough!

jobs really are like buses - non for ages and then two at once! I do know how lucky I am, but really feels undeserved, I just hope other people get their desired opportunities too! It really is what I want, and its going to be mad for a while but all worth it in the end i'm sure! I think possibly also having this job security might help with my writing!? it will give me other things to keep me busy but also to know that I can write while not worrying about finding a job- and when i'm finished do nice 9-5 hours!!! I cant even imagine how that will feel its been so long!!! :)

I feel terrible reading the swine flu thread and knowing (as a microbiologist), that if i'm ill i shouldnt go into work! but these last couple of days its just been sinusitis, which if I was off every time i went down with I would be off half the year! I have really sensitive sinuses and once tehy get a wee infection like last month then thats them for the winter! :( but tonight i've started with a sore throat, however I have an experiment running over night which I need to finish tomorrow, nobody else can really do it and it is the last sample I have!! so kinda have to go in, maybe wear a mask....! I know there is no-one immunocompromised around our labs but I know that doesn't make it any better!
I do agree that people are constantly made to feel guilty if they take time off when ill, I always feel like if i'm not completely laid out sick then I should be in, and yet some people take it the opposite way and if they feel slightly sniffly then thats them for a week! I guess its human nature and there's nothing we can do, but it does make it hard in situations like swine flu!

anyway, going to rest for night, go to bed asap and hopefully sleep tonight, maybe a wee hot toddy before bed to help me sleep :p (what a scots girl! :) )
good luck any midnight workers, choo choo! x (up)

Thank you Bilbo! Yeah i'm really happy, I really want job security and knowing that i'd be jumping from one contract to the next just scares me and stresses me out - although my boss today told me "that's the excitement of it!!!" - easy to say when you're a permanent professor, his wife who lives on short contracts did not feel the same!! :)

I don't think i'll be doing nights, just couple of evenings and work the weekend, but i'm not going to stress about it. I'll get the job started and see what the hours are like and then work out a routine for my studying.

Right now, my cold is getting worse, so i've come home and tucked into bed with a hot toddy! feeling awful but gotta go into lab tomorrow, friday may possibly be my last proper lab work I ever do.....! so just going to rest up tonight so I can have my head screwed on!
Hope you're doing well? x