When/if you ever get any free time, what are your real passions in life - something you can do to get away from the work for a bit, or that is very important to you?

I'll start with mine - Preston North End. Sadly, one of the main reasons why I want to stay up north for my PhD... What about everyone else?

what is preston north end? i don't understand how this is a passion?

Aha - where are you from Bobby btw? Preston North End (or PNE for short) are my local football team - I go and watch pretty much every match. Sad I know, but hey...

Matthew, you must be happy about Cardiff City's dip in form then. I follow the bluebirds but dont watch them. I like playing golf to relax but it takes too long to complete a round (approx 4 hrs).

Good luck for season, I reckon its Preston and Cardiff for automatic promotion!!

Not happy about Cardiff's dip as I'd like them to go up. As long as Derby don't go up with us I'll be happy

I sing in a choir, absolutely love it - the beauty of harmony and all the voices together, in fact, have a concert tomorrow, on the occasion of World-AIDS day.

photography! I recently bought a digital camera though I'm still not 100% persuaded it beats my ol ' good medium format one

I upload some stuff here http://forgetphotography.com/blog

Now if only I could convince the admissions tutors that photography *can* blend in with social sciences!

...and i'm a bit embarrassed to say i'm a leeds fan

I still reckon Sheff Wed have an outside shot at promotion

Though as long as we finish above Leeds I'll be happy

I'm really into salsa dance and I'm in an all girl dance troupe called Las Salseras.

We'll be doing a show in two weeks. Are there any other salsa luvvies out there !!!

lol gizmo

that won't be that hard now will it

This is a Phd forum, this is a phd forum, not a football one (slaps himself)

Hey Gizmo - I've lived in Sheffield for the past 4 years and have to say I'd go for the Owls every time. As for Leeds - after what they did to us in the play offs last season, it's hilarious what's happening now.

Oh, and as for this being a PhD forum - you can do a PhD in history and culture of football. How do you know that I'm not...

I also sing in a choir - today we have our Christmas concert!!!

But since my PhD is in music it's not much of a break for me, I sometimes find myself analysing (from an academic point of view) the songs we sing rather than just enjoy them!

Anyway, I like writing too (creative writing I mean, not academic writing) and of course reading (not papers but novels, poems, etc.).

I have decided to retake up photography after xmas, so come on those January sales (doing my research now as to what camera I want). All the best for the concert Nimrod81, I am listening to spoof xmas songs this year, no carols here.

I'm embarassed to say that I am a Middlesbrough supporter...

Still, we can beat Chelsea...