Thank you Jepsonclough! it's happened in very slow stages all day! M&M just required some searching for info on consumables etc. and results were put together in parts, just needed to tidy graph, copy into word and add legends! It really doesn't feel like i've managed much at all, but thank you for saying that, I feel much better about it now! :)

I think i should stop drinking......too many weddings over next two months, could result in very low productivity and failure of phd? (sprout)

Hi all,
Mont, I hope you're feeling better and got some guilt-free break time away from the laptop?

Sue, sorry to hear you had a bit of a meltdown, but glad you took sometime away to chill out. I'm not too happy with how my thesis is either, i'm sure each chapter has gotten lower quality as i've gone on. But I just keep telling myself it needs to be good enough to pass, and if it wasn't then sup would throw it all back (not that he's even opened his email wtih Chapter 4 yet!). I just don't care anymore, I want it gone!
I think also, when you're staring at it so closely it always seems worse, once you've done it, taken a break and gone back with fresh eyes, although there'll will be parts to change and edit etc, on the whole I bet you'll feel not so bad about it. You're doing so well Sue so just keep going for that final draft!

I'm hoping that once I have it all done and written, I can then go back and make it all nice, flowy, tidy and improve parts I hate, but right now I just want to see one full draft.

We'll get there, keep swimming, and smiling :p AL x

Well done Mog, that's great news!! Hope you have an awesome time! oooh, £10, love it! :)

Well, i'm not feeling quite so happy today, possibly due to an evil hangover following the hen weekend. I'm way too old to stay out raving until 5am! :-s

However, I have managed to finish my M&M and get my results into document with legends etc! so not all lost.

Keep smiling folks, AL x

What a great idea for a thread Wal!

I give you:
VAST - any songs really, but Pretty When you Cry, Flames, Tattoo of your Name, and A better place!
Boards of Canada/Beck - Broken Drum - keeps me sane on an almost daily basis :-x
Biffy Clyro - Christopher's River, or any really
Wisp - The shimmering hour
Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love, always manages to put a smile on my face and a spring in my step!

I could probably go on forever, but i'll stop there for now! :p

Montezuma, Congratulations on the job that's brill!
Sups can be so annoying, mine was exact same when I went for a job, my money ran out in Sept after 3rd year, and I couldn't fund myself to finish! He always makes digs etc, but at the end of the day I just keep thinking, when i'm done I never have to deal wtih him again! :)

you will get there, take Bilbo's good advice, get some rest, chill out and catch up with friends or get some Montezuma Time! Then make some lists and start on the easy stuff! I had a big reunion party last weekend and I was on verge of not going until my partner talked me into it. I crawled out of my work cave, had some fun, let my hair down, caught up with friends, and then sat down the next night and did two full days of productive work.
Sometimes you need to take a step back to go forward again, so I recommend finding some space from study and have a much needed break!

Good luck, and hello and well done to everyone else on the thread too.

"Just keep swimming, swimming swimming, just keep swimming......"! :p

Thanks folks, and Wal, hope the movie is good! I love the A Team! :) I have a hen weekend tomorrow and am going go-karting, I can NOT wait!

Stressed, you'll get there, i've had awful time, bad lab, bad sup, bad personal sh*t, but there is light, there WILL be light! not really fun, but its like that feeling you get when you're out in the hills and you can see the top of the mountain!

Keep smiling people (oh i should put the rum and smokes down)

AL
p.s. I promise myself to quit smoking as soon as this is over (if not before), i'm trying for couple a day at mo :$

Hi Chris, i'm so sorry, keep your chin up, eat chocolate, drink tea and plough on!

You will get there soon, and then you can do what ever you need to do to deal with all this. But for now just keep concentrating, it can be done! Big hugs, AL x

It appears that there is light at the end of the tunnel after all! I feel like a bit of an absent member of the forum at present, everything is completely mental, but I am treating myself to a night off, and wanted to say hello to my friends (I do keep in touch with how you're getting on, just being abit inactive :()!

Ok, i'm a bit happy and according to some workmates, goofy, this week, as I have just finished Chapter 4! The mammouth chapters are done, and I have one more to go and the final discussion, before compilation, ending, freedom and happiness! I'm sure its going to be a horrid few months of sleepless nights etc, but for some reason this week I have seen the light, i've realised that it IS going to end after all, and i'm actually feeling proud of myself for almost the first time in my life!

Sorry for the ramble (possibly a little bit drunk!), I just wanted to encourage everyone and remind us all that this isn't forever, and our hard work will all be worth it!

Over and Out!
The Crazy Alpaca Woman!

:p

hello everyone (old and new :))!

Wow, its been a month since I posted on here - think i've been avoiding it due to lack of anything to report!

I'm glad to see you're all doing well.

I've had a pretty tough month as my day job is in its busiest time of the year with schools finishing for holidays soon, and i'm running quite a few extra projects which are all coming to a head in the next 3 weeks! I'm actually going out to schools the next two days running microbiology workshops, which is a project I started when I arrived (as a microbiologist who believes that a better understanding of their GOODNESS is required :))! i'm pretty nervous about it but really excited too as can't wait to speak to the kids about the project they've been doing on it.

thesis wise - i'm eventually getting through chapter 4, into the discussion which is a bit of a struggle due to the nature of this study, but gettign there slowly. my boss has very nicely given me a couple of afternoons and a day off to get some work done as I think she's noticed my stress'o'meter go off the rails! :-s
Therefore, I'm hoping to get this first draft of it finished in next week or two, and then off to sup (which as usual I will dread). The chapter was meant to be quite small however, it is turning out bigger than my first chapter, which is quite annoying but good i guess (just have to make sure it's not fluff)!
I also really need to get my intention to submit form in, so I plan to do this in the next two weeks also, proposing a submission date of beginning of august (preferably just before as I have a two week holiday and it would be lovely to get a bit of a break and some viva prep for then!)

Anyway, I hope you're all doing well, sorry not much time, but will get back on here soon for a proper catch up with everyone!

Bestest as always, AL xx

Awesome, glad you got it sorted Maxipat! Funny how its often so much easier than you think, maybe that makes us the researchers we are - over analysis ;)!

Good luck with the rest,
AL

Hi Maxipat,
Apologies for just getting back to you! I have had a look at the data, I'm not sure exactly how you could interpolate the results, sorry! :(

Have you tried a two grouping variable graph, therefore, having the different incremental x values down the side and then matching each in different columns to representative data? I'm not sure if this is what you want though, and i'm rubbish with anything that sounds statistical! :$

Apologies for being unable to help, hope you get it sorted soon.
AL

Hi Maxipat, I use Prism alot, but sometimes it can let you down, not sure whether I can help or not, but are they plotted against the same y variable, or do you have two Y axes? If not, then have you considered turning the graph and having these two x's as seperate y plots?

Not completely sure what you want to do but if you give me more info, i can see what i can do.

AL

Hi Ogriv, no worries at all! I know how frustrating it is when you can't get the article you need! I just hope its helpful - I hate it when you search and search and then when you do read it fully it doesn't tell you what you want!!!

Good luck with the proposal and thank you for the vote! :)

AL x

i've just got it, give me a PM and i'll send it to you! AL

haha, thanks Sue - spectacularly unhelpful is EXACTLY what it is? you would think asking for feedback was a good thing, and what they would hope a phD student would ask for! oh well, i'm going to be spectacularly lazy, and get an early night as i just can't face work now after all the ordeal, got a busy day at work tomorrow!
But I have a full weekend and plan to get up early and get a hefty load of work done!
Hope all's going well your neck of the woods?
AL x