i think you should have offered your supervisor condolences when his dad actually died, not months later. and i also think you should send your friend a card, even if she lives in america. emails are just a bit too easy and quick sometimes. just my opinion...

so what - that's life. famous people usually get paid a lot for not doing that much (just think of hollywood actors for instance). institutions that associate themselves with a famous person tend to profit from that in many ways.

what has all that got to do with "deserving" a position through education, hard work etc? both the university and amis are probably getting a good deal out of the situation by added publicity, attracting new students and so on. universities and celebrities have to earn money too.

yay, I just got awarded my 1+3 ESRC scholarship!!!
I am DEFINITELY going to London!

maybe you should go see a doctor.

i would have a good look at spss over the weekend if i were you and fiddle around with imaginary datasets.

i'm starting my research master in september (i'm 31) and the phd next year (when i'm 32). hoping to be finished by 35.

kiddies toys have minimum age recommendations written on the boxes. just go into a toy store and buy something for the appropriate age-group.

i did a touch typing course when i was 17 (i'm 31 now), at school, on an electric typewriter. i had to beg my parents to pay for it.
it's certainly been worth it - i save a lot of time compared to other colleagues who can't touch type and once i get into the flow of it i can write stuff down before i forget it.
it's also really great for chatting and getting lots of mails written in a short period of time...

i've lost 17 kilos in the last 8 months and am feeling a lot better, even if i still want to lose another 12. i put on a lot of weight because of relationship and thesis troubles but in october i decided that i would not be fat any more.

none. it distracts me. rain is good.

student speak: act of god = i did not back up my stuff.

buy an external hard disk and usb stick and back up onto them. back up regularly onto dvds/cds and keep them in a friend's house. you'll be very grateful in case your house burns down/gets burgled or flooded. it happens.

continued:

take a sandwich/salad/fruit in for lunch

only buy good quality durable clothing (like leather shoes) and then look after it well, it'll last long then

don't buy clothing that can't be machine-washed

check out ebay before you buy things, it's often cheaper, even when new

don't own a car if possible

try and use a (cheap second-hand) bike where safe, cuts down on travel costs and makes you fit(ter)

buy grocery, bread, meat etc in large (and cheaper) portions and freeze what you're not using straight away

eat less meat, it's more expensive than veggies

check out leaflets, ads and bulk-buy when stuff is on offer (toilet paper, canned items etc)

buy birthday/christmas presents throughout the year when they're on sale or on offer and keep them until the occasion comes up (i always buy body shop christmas gift sets for half price right after christmas and give them away as presents the next year...)

bake your own cakes instead of buying them

oooh, i have plenty of tips i've been a cash-strapped student for so long!

don't eat out

don't go to cafés/buy expensive brand coffees or muffins when you're out

don't drink alcohol, go for coke or something cheap in a pub (if you go)

don't buy brand products

try and shop in aldi

if you're buying new appliances, make sure they're energy efficient

when you're buying new bulbs, get the energy-efficient ones

switch off appliances (tv, hifi etc) when you're not using them, don't leave them on standby

turn down the heating in the winter, have a fluffy blanket for watching tv

don't buy juices/soft drinks etc, just drink water or tea at home

carry a small water bottle when you're out and about in town/at uni and refill it for free

it sounds like you have a very nice and concerned supervisor. he's really making an effort to pull you through. i hope my future supervisor will be like that! i think you should meet up with him in person, tell him about your situation and say that you really appreciate him as a supervisor. you're going to need someone like him if your situation drags on or gets worse.

OMG - thank you so much! I've been looking for SPSS for Dummies in all the bookshops I've been to in Germany and Holland for years! Am very pleased