.... actually we need a smiley smoking a big fat cigar for when our babies have seen the light of day.

Oh, (said she in an off beat way) I've just had to finish my PhD, the viva thing and all, you know ........ Had to concentrate on finishing the writing up and then on preparing for the viva and decided to concentrate less on the forum.

Hi Badhaircut,

I agree with you on several points- when I look around the labs here I see the postdocs that will make it in academia, and those who won't. I also see desperate people- the 40 year old postdoc in our lab- knowing that our supervisor will retire in 5 years. The other postdocs scrambling to get a job in industry. Especially the French scientists, who can't go back to France without a massive track record in Nature/Science papers. If you stay in academia its one big gamble- either you make it- or you get "old" (in the eyes of industry) trying. It frustrates me grately because I love lab work, the seminars, the thinking about the project - but don't think I'll be good enough at the rat race. So industry it will probably be.

OOOOHHHH there was H being so charming - and I missed it!!

For me its the insecurity of it all, and not being able to fight back- knowing you need your supervisor to choose a good examiner for your viva (they're going to try to fail our other Phd by finding a difficult external). Being told that you are: a waste of money, lab space and time; that I didn't show enough gratitude .... all that other nonsense. Always smiling and keeping friendly on the outside.

Now I've passed the viva- and it still continues: my supervisor said I shouldn't put her down as a reference, and that she wouldn't have help me complete my PhD if she had known I was thinking of doing a PostDoc. By being friendly I've managed to convince her to write me a reference, sort of. Down the line of: Marvelous at lab work, very percice in executing experiments, will need extensive supervision, can't work independently.

OOOOOh, do you think she fainted afterwards????

To Muvi's post I would like to comment:

1.What you change in the present determines what you don't want to see in your future.
2.Without desire there is no sense of urgency.
3.If you don't practice, you can't expect the desired result.
4.Attaining the impossible means it was not impossible, merely inconcievable!
Synopsis: YYUR YYUB ICUR YY4ME!

anonGerman/even bigger Enigma!

http://www.nature.com/nature/podcast/index.html

for you, science man

DanB,

Ohhhhh

Why DanB, you are constantly agreeing with me lately !

And you are intersted in science!

Ohhhhh ....

So, is anyone got Nature podcast?

Depends on how you read these journals- if you read most of the articles out of interest (ie also the articles that have nothing to do with your topic) then go for it and enjoy.

If you only read work related journals its a waste of money. Your uni will have the online pass words, and you can print out the papers that interest you and read them in the bath tub.

If you really want to geek out- how about Nature podcasts?

Awww H- youre lovely, really.

I've just turned 33, am writing up, don't have a boy friend (or girl friend, as a matter of fact), would like to have a child = mild form of mid life chrisis. That's all.

As Marbeaux stated- I Germany you all would be looked upon as child geniuses. Therefore I hate you all (with the exception of everone over 27, thanks).

Her point is: Life is a jojo. Very poetic.

... so please add one line to:

HangSeng has gone on holiday to find the mystical pussy which he sought for company.