I'm a bit of a make up addict and have converted most of my friends and family (including boys!) to the stuff I wear! Mascara-wise for shorter lashes try Dior's DiorAddict (they do a waterproof too but mine has never smudged - even after a naughty night); or if you're on a stricter budget Rimmel's mascaras are great - their lengthening one is ace.

My lovely supervisor (who regularly tells me he has no concerns about the quality of my work; only the timescale)

- "the fog has thickened to the point where this is pure verbiage"
- "now, this has to be nonsense"

Former supervisor in the middle of an upgrade exam

- "my nipples hurt"

Not sure which I'd prefer to hear

I got a good one from Staples - on their website they have a guide for what chair depending on how many hours a day it is used (I went for the 24 hour job for those days I pull an all-nighter). You'll be looking at over £50 for a good one, but its worth it.

Hi Cleverclogs,

Would you mind answering the brief question I put to you earlier?

Thanks

Cleverclogs, might I ask where you are from? You tend to use Americanisations (using Z instead of S), and I was wondering if perhaps your cultural background or country of origin might indicate your strength of feeling on this

This is not a personal slight to anyone, but:

This has become one of *those* threads. Yay!(up)

Prostitution has always existed, and societies have not decayed because of it. Morality is a very grey area, and surely the option to sell her own body, is a personal choice, not a social moral issue. It is an individual ethical issue.

Here's a somewhat vague guideline from Uni of Sheffield, that states writing up students (and I guess that means 'waiting on viva' students too) "may be able to claim" - however I doubt that the people down the local job centre will understand your situation - so CAB is the best place to go.

http://www.shef.ac.uk/union/advice/advicepdfs/studentbenefits.pdf

Unis of Bolton say you have to be part-time to claim - but according to Sheffield this is defined by the hours you are available for work (which for you is anytime I guess), not necessarily your registration status

http://www.ubsu.org.uk/UBSU/AdviceAndWelfare/Post%20Graduate%20Funding.pdf

http://www.shef.ac.uk/union/advice/advicepdfs/moneypg.pdf

Well why are you studying what you are studying? I don't mean this in a ranty Daily Heil reader fashion, but why do you think it is important (even if the answer is only because you find it interesting)?

I do stuff on divided cities - which everyone thinks is incredibly useful - when actually it is about proving an obscure part of a highly criticised political theory... so in fact its use is secondary to its aim. Not sure if that makes it useful or not!

Edging slowly towards the bus, Jemima started to feel the ground shake. Terrified, believing it to be an earthquake she turned around back towards the house, hoping to see her father John. But the house was no longer there, nor was John. Jemima then noticed that the shaking seemed to be rhythmical, with a steady dum-dum-dum-dum beat. With no option but to get on the omni-bus, Jemima turned back down the stone drive. The beat got louder as she moved... until she realised that this was no ordinary bus, with no ordinary driver... oh no, his name was Otto.

Ah Waitrose - such a happy place! I do admit to splurging there every now and again (when Ocado have a 20% off deal, which means they're roughly the same price as Sainsburys!), but my measure of wealth will be when I can afford to buy decent make up again. I always use a good tinted moisturiser (Benefit/Laura Mercier), but the day I can buy mascara/blusher/eyeshadow from anywhere other than Rimmel or Boots 17 will be a day of joy... Well it will be in about 3 weeks when I get my first pay packet from my new job!!!

Only in my dreams did I ever think I'd get £32k as my first salary... I think expecting 26/27k is what PhDers should aim for; although after adding things like Council Tax, the extra cost of transport/moving house, having to buy decent clothes so people don't presume you're a student you don't really have *that* much more than a stipend

Hi Eska

This is going to sound odd - but what do you live on!? Do you have some form of funding in addition to the small amount of cash you get from working? Honestly, being in the situation where you cannot physically afford to go and see your supervisor is unacceptable (in every sense). I am not in any way encouraging you to drop out of your PhD, but you need to make some fairly harsh decisions about what your priorities are. I know its hard to move away from friends, and I would be very reluctant to do so, as you are. But if it 1) saves money and 2) means you see your supervisor you have to do it.
In addition, from your description, it sounds as though your dept is lovely and you'll make friends quickly there. They may also be able to find work for you if you were more 'available' to them... but you'd know about that better than anyone here!

I agree that most jobs aren't advertised - but I know a lot of people who have got jobs without having knowledge of the dept/being friends with people in the dept (including me). It helps though, of course!

You got Scholte to examine - that's amazing! I have taught his stuff, and with a name like that behind you, your situation is even more bizarre. I completely agree with you on neo-gramscian approaches, my last uni was obsessed with him (but then anyone studying IPE/global movements at Manchester or Nottingham for example can't escape neo-gramscian influences). I've never heard of a Lacan being used in this way though, that's really interesting - if only you could find the time to get something published along those lines, I'm sure you'd get some interest, although again like you said, you're edging farther away from pure IR.

I don't know if you have already done this, but have you submitted any speculative applications; by that I mean applied to universities that haven't had jobs advertised, but which you know have research centres/clusters in keeping with your work? I guess that's a last resort though. And as an aside, some of the best professors I know had 'career breaks' - working in industry of some form before they found more solid academic work. I wouldn't worry too much about that for now, its only been 18 months, but I know that it must feel like a lifetime!

Hi again Wj

I think you have been more than unlucky - that's an understatement! But then again, from my limited knowledge I can also see why that might be. Your work is pretty controversial (some of the more traditional global movement Unis centred on neo-Gramscians might raise eyebrows! But that shouldn't detract from the fact your work is clearly of very good academic quality). This is going to sound like an odd phrase, but your work is also very much redbrick-style. Although there are clear links between your teaching and research, I can see why applying for IR posts would be odd given your work really isn't the traditional IR theory type stuff (because the world really needs another thesis on neo-realist interpretations of WMD/Terrorism/Iraq. Apologies to anyone who is actually doing that!!!).

Saying that, your teaching record is similar to mine (IR theory) with other bits of extras, but you also balance Pol/Soc with your research rather than straight IR, which is the position I was in. I was about to mention that a few jobs have come up in Australia recently, and with much better pay than the UK - but I completely understand why that might not be the best option for you. From what you've said, I honestly can't see any reason why you wouldn't have been more successful - despite the fact that more tradtional unis are slashing budgets. Its such a waste of real talent that this is happening... especially as I know more than a few lecturers with nice permanent jobs who produce minimal research outputs and of dubious quality.