insomniac, that was a good idea. Are these any good?

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k248/404_forum/smiley_goodluck_yellow.gif

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k248/404_forum/smiley_goodluck_red.gif

why don't we base it on word-count? Or number of smileys used in one post

Ann, did your postdoctorial position have a similar requirement at the time of application?

and 982nd

i'd like to reserve 909th please.

where are you quick? Tell us if this person is in your supervisory team or not.

not "then", "than"

sylvester, that's a similar thing to what my boyfriend says. I think the same goes for us (women) too. There is nothing more natural then finding someone attractive. But it is very difficult to be so natural about it when your partner pays attention to somebody else. Especially if that person is part of their life that is outside your life (i.e work).

scamp, once you meet her (office party, inviting her for dinner etc.) you would know if your boyfriend has feelings for her or not. Until then, whatever you say to him is going to wind him up. It might even create feelings that weren't there in the first place. So, I think the best thing is to keep quiet about it for a while, joke when necessary, and see if he talks about her less and less.

I can't believe we are on the 60th page. Let's celebrate.

lol H...

when are you finishing your PhD coastman?

Yes scamp, there is one of those at his workplace . But I am not as worried as I was a couple of weeks ago. He doesn't seem to be as impressed by her any more. But I still would like to meet her to make up my own mind about her. I don't get jealous very easily but I did a couple of times during our 6-years relationship. The last girl I was jealous about turned out to be too ordinary, needy and even boring. Looking back, I feel a bit silly for feeling jealous.

I think you should meet this woman that your boyfriend's been going on about, and see if you'll also think she is that great. It might turn out that your boyfriend just needs a friend and he can find something comfortable in her company. If that's the case, let him have it. After all, you love him and you want the best for him, don't you?

what was that noise?

I have seen a few fellowship opportunities that I'd like to submit a proposal to. They all have one thing in common that they don't want the proposals to suggest continuation to the PhD research. Do you think, proposing a new approach or changing the audience while keeping the topic same would count as continuation? Surely, it would be more useful to use some elements from your PhD, or am I wrong?

scamp, I think I can understand and relate to your problem. I too work from home and go to the uni (at another town) once every two months or so. So this makes me so isolated, where as my boyfriend has his own life at work, this new "sweet" person in his office, and his new and old friends that he can always spare time for. I think the situation explains itself doesn't it? Maybe the best thing is to go out and see people more often. Meet people for lunch breaks, and come back to your work after this break. Don't be available all the time, look after yourself, meet new people, carry some of your research elsewhere instead of being at your desk all the time (when I say these to you, I am also saying to myself). I started swimming regularly about 2 months ago. Giving priority to something else for a change helped me a lot. I recommend something similar to make you have a life outside your PhD.