I have just had some disappointing news- the grant proposal I put together with a member of staff has been rejected. I wasn't really expecting to get it but I'm starting to feel like I'll never get a job. I guess if I'm honest my efforts so far have been a bit half arsed- must try harder!

I'm now happy with my abstract and acknowledgements. My next goal is to tackle some formatting issues with my data transcripts (which I've been putting off as it'll be a nightmare).

Sneaks you have cats as well as a dog? I'm jealous- I'm renting so I can't get more animals yet!
Today I'm having to kick her out fairly often as she is overexcited and keeps biting my feet and running around the place. It was unusual for her to be in the other room as it's where my OH usually works. He was out at meetings yesterday so the curtains were still closed so she had a nice place to hide in the bay window. He also put a full length mirror in there the other day and she's spending more time in there now as she seems to be obsessed with looking at herself in the mirror!

This morning my work has gone good. I have sorted out the changes I wanted to make and have done some other bits such as making sure extracts are labelled properly. I'm now off to the gym and when I get back will finish writing my abstract and my acknowledgements.

Eeeek, spiders. My BIL swears that there was one in his flat recently that must have got over here in a crate of bananas or something. I've yet to verify the story with his girlfriend, but he seemed really traumatised!

Yes my cat did turn up, thanks for asking Ady. I felt really, really stupid because it turned out she was sleeping in an awkward place in the other room all day! She doesn't usually sleep all day, or go in that room, but I still fail at observation. She doesn't go far outside so I was really worried that I couldn't find her out there and was about to start ringing round all the local vets :$

I've done my first goal and now have a list of jobs to apply for over the next couple of weeks. My next goal is to make some changes to one of my data chapters.

Morning everyone. Here is to a productive day for us all!

My first goal today is to look for jobs to apply for. After yesterday I've realised that I need to make this a priority.

Oh Sneaks I hope you get everything done.

I have failed miserably today- I got one application done and really don't have time now to do the second one. I've applied for so many already and my research doesn't really fit in with the department anyway so I'm just going to leave it.

I also emailed my mentor for the research grant as I don't think I'll get a good application done by the deadline next month. So we are going to put it in somewhere else instead and work on it when I actually have enough time!

Now, my bloody cat has gone missing so I'm going to walk around the neighbourhood shaking her treats.

That's a good point Skig. But she made quite general comments and I think I have to trust her on this one.

well I did my first goal. I have just realised that there are deadlines for 2 lectureships today that I want to apply for. I have been so busy/stressed with everything else that I didn't realise. Argh. So I guess my goal for the rest of the day is to get these 2 done and submitted!

I know how you're feeling Sneaks, I'm more or less in the same boat too- supposed to be handing the thesis in for binding this Thursday but I have so much other stuff to do that I barely had time to work on it last week.

Skig- things went well yesterday, thanks. I actually got all of the stuff done that I needed to do yesterday and sent a draft off to my mentor. She sent it back within a few hours and I have to more or less rewrite it. Argh.

Anyway, my first goals today are to finish off the references from a journal paper and to submit it and then to make a few changes to one of my data chapters.

Hey Skig, I hope you managed to get on with things yesterday.

This morning I'm working on my grant application. I really don't feel think I'll have the motivation to work long enough to get the parts I'm working on finished, but want to do enough so that I can finish them tomorrow.

OK I've got to the point with my writing where I'm not actually achieving very much. My next goal is to insert missing references into my refworks word document and to generate my bibliography (oooh).

I'm glad I'm not the only one working today. Ady, major restructuring sounds daunting but I agree that once you get started it isn't usually as bad as expected, and I find it quite satisfying deleting each of the comments made by my sup from a copy of the feedback as I go along! I am *supposed* to be submitting on September 1st, which means handing it in for binding this Thursday. It isn't actually in too bad a state, just really references, proof reading and a few small changes to sort out. BUT I'm applying for a grant with a deadline on 15th September which is taking up most of my time. It's likely that my hand in date will have to be pushed back by a week or so but hopefully not any longer than that.

Is anyone else around today?

I told my mentor that I would send her a draft of some stuff for a research proposal by the end of the weekend. My goal for the day is to really make a dent in it and to have made some progress by around 2.30.

Morning all. My first goal today is to finish off and submit a job application.

I'm jealous of the hot weather! Although yes it's probably good that it's miserable here as otherwise I'd be out in the garden. Back at my desk now after my driving lesson- my goal is to find all of the missing references from my literature review.

My abstract is now roughly drafted out. My next goal is to chase up my missing references. I have a 2 hour driving lesson at 3.30 but I'm aiming to carry on working afterwards as late as I can stand to get things done.

Oh dear Sneaks that sounds rubbish.

I have now made some progress on my grant application. It's very slow progress but I reckon if I carry on chipping away at it I'll have one document ready to send to my mentor by the end of the weekend.

My next goal is to start writing my thesis abstract- I meant to do this a couple of weeks ago!