Maria - got a fab tuner/metronome for about a €5 from Aldi a few months back so maybe just give them a look ... C- Giant MT30.
Ya might have to look thro' the chainsaws and formula one wings though ha ha

Bit of an off kilter suggestion ... if you have still access to a work PC, look up tuning on youtube etc., use Zamzar to convert the applicable clip to MP3 and then put it on your phone - you'll always have it then.

Best of luck and keep up the music
(up)

Kudos!
Pity you didn't have a dictaphone with ya to record that, but keep that memory in the head and remember it when you feel the panic rising.
Can't really comment on the drink situation, but yeah, if you were getting razzled most nights, f**k it and get this thing finished. I would say that for all the artificial highs of booze, it was nothing near hearing that your work is good. It is great to find things that somehow make us realise that we are intrinsically worth something (forgive sounding like a preacher, but we all have that problem a bit).
Now get back to work :p

======= Date Modified 30 Jan 2010 20:31:43 =======
Changing a few medications at the moment and to say the dreams are vivid are an understatement - had a dream a week ago that WWIII started and we were caught in the nuclear blast and all on fire (I distinctly remember in the dream asking was I awake or asleep and convinced I was in the latter, resigned meself to a fiery end, which after 2 mins of being on fire I started looking at my watch wondering was the whole experience overrated!). I think that is when they really f**k with the head i.e. am I awake or asleep here? The real great thing though is the whole adventure - I know that sounds sad, but I really get a buzz. Why the f**k is there not more knowledge of something that is so significant? We experience them every night! Would love to be able to record them as I have a few recurring good ones (power of flight) and bad ones (getting stabbed). Had a bad one last night - my brother, who doesn't smoke anyways, was teaching his 2 yr old son how to roll a rollie!

By the way, on Omega 3 at the mo and really finding it brill for getting concentration and sleep back into sync. Some minor side effects (small dose of acne) but well worth it!

======= Date Modified 30 Jan 2010 19:03:04 =======
Sorry - Double post!
As for the reaction, see Homer's reaction to his successful union negotiations with Monty Burns!!

A few things here.
1. Sleep and concentration - Omega 3 and just resign yourself to the fact that you need to have one day to yourself and actually forget the viva, no matter how late it is. No good just adding to the situation.
2. Drinks - For f!cks sake, its them who should be buying you the pints. It was a tradition here to go on the raz straight afters but not no more. I think cut yourself some slack and leave the organisation of anything in that regards to a few days afterwards. Have a small gathering at the gaff and cook for people you know really helped. People understand and besides, it will be more convenient later.

As for the viva, you are not meant to know everything - you are just meant to show that you found out something particular in what might be a broad field. So what if there are potential flaws - just be prepared that if they are brought up to say if more time and so forth you could have covered these. And don't go volunteering this info, despite the urge to cover your a$$!

Give yourself some credit - you DO know a lot and have worked hard at this PhD. Hate to be negative, but chances of getting thro' without some form of modifications needed are slim, but unless you can find some area where you were either sloppy or fabricated results, you should be ok.

======= Date Modified 25 Jan 2010 00:20:13 =======
1. Not assumed anything
2. Saved a bit more before starting ... would be gone by now, but would have bought me a few months less hassle
3. Been way more assertive - Not wait for three years to drop a pair and actually take a more proactive, even bullish approach
4. Chilled out in other ways than getting blitzed every weekend and somehow justify it to yourself by saying it was a hard week when in truth it wasn't.
5. Not made as such personal sacrifices as ya gotta live a bit too i.e. gone on holidays more often and somehow not feel guilty
6. Not take it all too seriously - give me sanity over three letters any day :-P

Thanks pjlu
I did exactly what you said y'day ... if I did complain, I wouldn't be burning bridges - I'd be nuking them! So, after a sleep and as you say, a realisation that there are more important things, am more calm and gonna work out something. It was just a body blow to the confidence and cash flow is low. I also took this whole episode as maybe a wake up call that I have been getting complacent as regards my own teaching style, so gonna sort that too.
I will be fine and like cats and Bruce Lee, will land on me feet. Teaching a person who told me that her sister may not live past Monday - that put sharp focus on my little problems.
So, without further ado, I am off to sort out this little pickle!
By the way pjlu - I hope you haven't bumped into any of the lads from home down there ... you thought my original post was a rant - not a patch when the Toxic Twins get a skinful in.
Enjoy the weekend and thanks,
Bonzo

Congrats Keenbean - you have what was needed on the roads a few weeks ago - TRUE GRIT!

I don't think that your supervisor would have offered you the post if he/she did not think you were able for the job. It is a pile of cr&p and pure snobbiness this notion that you have to travel to be a good researcher ... ok, it helps to broaden the mind but essentially it is down to ability. Publications and actual work is where you will build up your rep. That has been recognised in you so kudos (up). Besides, is not having a good working environment key to a happy worker? Tick that box says you!

If the notion of travel comes up later in your mind, deal with it then. You are going to have to look at that in a few years time again, so maybe after proving your ability in this post you can go (with supportive people and a working framework which you will be able to demand in your next post e.g. if you have difficulties in this post, I am sure your colleagues will help and that will stand to you).

Read your post again - you have answered all these questions already. Now sign that contract and book that long overdue holiday

Phdbug - I think you are being a bit harsh on Mrrox - the point of the forum is to help. I don't want to start a slagging match because trust me, after the week I had I would go ape (was told that despite 10 years experience saying otherwise, I could not teach, and I need money as down to €40 in the bank!). But yeah, it is a right pain in the hol€ when you hear who is funded and who is not.

It is all relative to where you have come from - some have come straight from under-grad, others from well paid jobs, so the notion of having little cash now could come as a shock to the system (went from £2k a month to £400 when I did the Msc). Besides, did Mrrox divulge his personal situation - no, so for all we know is that he could have a family to support. Money matters is like s€x in (insert despised region of choice) ... it is all relative!

That said, you do in a roundabout way, hit the nail on the head - no two ways about it Mrrox, you are gonna have to sort out some notion of part-time work if you want to supplement the wages. It is best you know now rather than later. My advice is basically get your CV together and aim it towards teaching of some sort - you are going to have to do some teaching (as most PhD students are obligated to do). Ask your supervisor is there any notion of part-time work, but in a diplomatic manner as technically we are meant to be chained to the desks/labs :p

One other bit of advice - be prepared for people attempting to f**k you over. Sorry for the crudeness, but academia is cut-throat and funding can go in a flash. Make sure you have all the terms of your contract understood and that they are adhered to. And just because it is not a corporation, don't think that HR willl automatically extend your funding. You, to them, are a number.

Don't get me wrong - Phd life has its benefits, but steady cashflow is not one of them. At least knowing that at the start allows you to prepare. If my assumption is correct, that you are in your first year of study, use this time to make your name known in the part-time circuit i.e. private colleges, grinds classes etc. Then, when this issue becomes more relevant, you will have contacts and that is where work is generated.

Well I am in a diff. country to most of ye and would have to agree that it is getting tougher for all of us and there is nearly a cut-throat environment between p'grads for work ... and full-time HR staff are using this to get the cheapest options.

Sneaks - have to disagree totally. School teachers, particularly secondary, have to deal with young adults who know their rights and basically abuse these to literally get away with murder. Third level lecturing is a two-tier situation ... those on contracts do work to the bone, but majority of full-timers are lazy and rest on laurels ... ok, a bit of a generalisation, but would have to say lecturers have it FAR easier for the money ... typically start off here at approx. €60-70k

Well my own situation has become a bit clearer. It seems as if I am not even worth a reply to a request for a meeting to explain the situation.

www.apple.com/trailers if thinking of looking for any of the trailers ... or just tired of Youtube ha ha!

The Red Baron looks good and might be good with the 3D treatment.

Any opinions/views on "Brothers"?

Hey all,
Just giving a rant (I have been told I do a good one :-s ).

Basically my stipend has finished and now reliant on part-time work (mostly teaching). I don't get paid any prep work at all and have only recently started teaching two courses (one, an intensive advanced Excel, the other on an application just being rolled out). I have been teaching for ten years and have been thrown in at the deep end several times (a few hours notice or no material from previous teachers).
Now, in the space of two weeks, I have been complained to twice. I have rock solid defences but might have to burn a few people in order to use them (contradicting instructions from previous teachers and basically was a bit nervous as was teaching the stuff for first time). But was just wondering, how much s!it do we have to put up with in order to keep the money flowing and more importantly, does the morals take a distant second in all this? I mean, we all have enough to deal with already!!!

Really pi$$e$ me off as it is basically public sector full time staff who will NEVER lose their jobs complaining about me ... really having trouble biting the tongue on this and not reaching across for the tin opener and a can of Whoop-a$$! I mean, I am doing this to keep me just above the surface and if any major expense (car repairs etc.,) happens soon, I would last as long as a (snowman) in Hell!

Any opinions, thoughts or similar stories.

Mlis - kudos on sorting out some of the stuff ... without sounding harsh, just remember it is how you deal with stuff is how you get thro'. This thing called life is a f**ker for throwing sh!t at us!

I would agree with what has been said - why would anyone hate you? You were ill and if you had to be a logical chemist about it, the sheer fact is that some people have enough serotonin, others don't (I am in the latter grade meself). Be confident in yourself - if there is anything to be confident, it is the fact that you have picked yourself up from the canvas after a punch below the belt!

Enough on the analogies - you have to call a meeting with your supervisor, even if it was just to apologise and then to set up a second meeting to state where you are and how you intend to get this PhD out the gap! Of course you are worried over her reaction but if you set up two meetings (one to clear the air, the second one to actually kick-start the process again), I think you will find that you'll get back into a routine. If it means imposing tight deadlines, so what? You are capable and hey, you have one brilliant and often overlooked resource - friends!!!

You said that you joined an Am Dram society - when is the debut(up)
Maybe an application of some acting techniques to get you over the hump of meeting with people. I don't know about you, but the confidence is a problem here but if you look at most people who SEEM to be confident, they will admit it is 90% act! Not saying you fake, lie or bulls!!t (Never a good idea!) but just even some techniques to calm the nerves ... deep breathing and sipping water are actually physical uppers and not old wives tales!

In the words of Rob Schneider in "The Waterboy" ... You can do it! :p

4Matt - I use Endnote meself and basically a few practises
1. Update ALL information when downloading the document. For example if downloading from Google Scholar, it does not update the abstracts. Also, download the PDF file and link it to the record.
2. Once you have read the document, update the Notes section then and there - DO NOT WAIT cos something will come up tomorrow and this small action will get missed.
3. Use other fields - Too lazy to read every other post, but what I did was take a reference type that I knew I wasn't going to be using much and changed the name of the three fields to "General Area", "Importance" and "Status" - all three pretty self explanatory! You can do this simply enough by editing the Output style.
4. Create a style within Output Styles that allows you to print the records after your search within a specific area using the Find functionality. If that is done, you can copy and paste all of the records (Edit - Select All - Copy Formatted ... Go to Word - Copy - Paste ... then modify to size).
5. If all of the above makes no sense, I can if needed send on a specific style that I use for the purposes of point 4. But what I would recommend you doing is find out FAST when the next EndNote course is being run in your college (most run some sort of one).

On a non- End-note ... You will remember maybe 5-10 papers well, 20 or so at a glance, but it is not humanly possible to remember 2,000 - its just how you remember how you found them. If using any ref. software, I will just say two main things
a. Update all records as you go along - DO NOT leave until later
b. Backup all records (a simple copying of the relevant folder to a USB stick should do). This also allows for the use of EndNote on your home laptop/PC.
If you need any help on the above, drop a Private Message - I might take a bit of time to get back to ya, but I will.

Dunno if its a guilty one but looking up Gibson, Ibanez guitar sites and spending my first post PhD paycheck!