Dear Pineapple

Don't be so hard on yourself. I passed my viva about two weeks ago and you know what, I had some the errors you mentioned above . When I was reading for the viva i saw all the typos and my supervisor told me to make a list of them for handing to the examiners just as the viva started. The examiners really appreciated the fact that I had picked up on my own mistakes without being told! What is it is that you want to explicitly show that you have made an original contribution.... you say that you didn't really articulate this in the abstract, the viva will give you a chance to redeem yourself. The other issues you have highlighted above can be corrected after the viva... i think that is why people almost always have corrections....be positive.

Good luck Pineapple with your preparation. Had my viva yesterday and it was about an hour, went very well. Don't worry about the time allocated!

Passed, 17th of May with minor amendments!! A wonderful experience, far from being horrific as I had imagined.

Thanks Sue, from now hence forth my Saturday nights will be spent on my desk. I usually write during the day but i have been working on something totally  unrelated to my thesis which has been eating into my time... so something has got to give as i haven't much time left... Next Saturday I shall make sure to treat myself to some nice food, some realllly good food and then get down to it! For now more corrections. Happy working Sue

Thanks BilboBaggins, what a night...

Is there anyone working out there tonight??? Am beginning to feel that my life is sooooo sad... that I have to be glued to my desk on a Saturday night. Am reallllly in a self pitying mood pardon me for moaning. So far i had; a piece of cake. fish from a tin. an orange. tea. tea. tea. tea. next.... toast and back to my desk, well am being sensible not to drink lest the whole writing endeavour gets thrown out of the window.
:$

Good afternoon fellow labourers!!
Nothing much happening here except for the corrections which are back breaking,... my back feels like its gonna go kaput from sitting down. Fair enough i have a good chair and i take small breaks to stretch but alas, looks like i have to just feel and endure. Thanks Sue for welcoming me and can I just say to Rick; how i envy you for having handed in your first draft already!!

hi all
Can I just begin by wishing you all a wonderful 2010.... and off course  hope we will remember this as the year of completion!
Didn't post much in the "10 months to go" thread.... but here I am working as much as i know how. Praise and applause to all labourers on this peace train!
(up)

Congratulations Olivia. I recall the day you landed from the USA and you were going to purchase a duvet as you didn't have any!!! well done....

Congratulations Heifer!!!! Thank you for putting down your detailed viva questions, very helpful indeed.

A big hug to you Jojo. You will get there in the end. I have the same problem with my friends who keep asking me when I am finishing; though i  am aiming for February and telling them so, every time i get asked.... "its this year you are finishing right?" and i always have to remind them of the correct date. sometimes its gets to me but i have learnt the art of simply being content with my own progress all the nagging withstanding. Yes , it can get overwhelming but i remind myself that i have come a long way and i will get there. Our struggles are only momentary though it feels like a life time.... believe me sometimes it feels like a real life time. As for your family they just don't understand the gravity of the work, do pardon them.
;-)

Anyone ploughing through tonite? I have been away from night slaving for a while.... back to it seeing I only have 3 months left!
Warm greetings to all fellow labourers(up)

Well done Lara. this sounds so inspirational, i can tell you that for sure.
tsipat

hi folks!! so far so good i guess. Had a short break away which really helped.  since returning i have been going to the library everyday except for Sundays which has been really helping. at home i don't concentrate enough... you know the normal snooze from time to time, not to mention the tea making business. Cakegirl - you are actually right, using words as a measurement can be tricky because sometimes you do a bit of reading and then tweaking. to top it up, engaging in models can be really tricky  and time consuming in comparison to just analysing something. For now the word count works for me because i am analysing some stuff. i generally feel much better because i cans see where its all going, hence its nolonger fear driving me but motivation to see how it all ends and off course, just the idea of finishing sounds good enough. been kind of dreaming of all the kinds of things i would get up to once i finish, like learning  a new language - the kind of job which will potentially feel rewarding enough after all these years of labouring like a slave....yes, i see the light for now... and now that i have this feeling i am making the most of it because i know that come tomorrow- it might be gone......chao folks

Greetings to everyone in their final year.

I have 6 months left and i must confess that fear is now driving me to get up every morning. last week, the penny finally dropped and I cried. just a sense of being overwhelmed by so much to do with so little time. The worst part is that everything appears to be everywhere and i am just in a state.
like Sue2604,  I have set myself a deadline - first draft needs to be done in the next 3 months. So far, i have been writing between 1800 - 1400 words per day... i tend to take a break on a Friday or Sunday... as i get these bad headaches working non stop. my back aches like crazy from sitting for endless hours, even though i do stretches here and there. jogging is keeping me somewhat insane. the world around me has completely shut down, don't know what its going to be like when i go back to part time teaching job after the summer holidays. if i was loaded i would give the job up.

here is wishing everyone the best, it can be done and we will triumph(up)