======= Date Modified 14 Jun 2010 08:56:36 =======
Hi Wal, did you read my thing on Pretty Woman a while back? I hated it when it was first released, but watched it at a sleep over a few months and kind of enjoyed it in a daft way. I'd still choose a Dr. Who or Come Dine With Me repeat over it any day.

Richard Gere is defo hot stuff tho, although this film put me off him for a while, way back when. Maybe the fact that you are a hetero male means you can't see it... An Officer and a Gentleman could help you convert.

======= Date Modified 13 39 2010 23:39:00 =======
Ok folks, here's a (hopefully) fun procrastination thread, we haven't had one for a while, so here goes...

I just watched the last couple of Dr. Who episodes and feel compelled to express my admiration for his latest encarnation. I held off for a long time because i felt no-one could hold a candle to David Tennant, and because I think in this day and age, we should have a woman Dr., I'd certainly be up for it. But this new bloke is fabulous. I reckon he's like an old style Dr., but up to date too, he's perfectly odd and old school.

What do you think?

My thesis is arranged on the following way:

Introduction
Chapters
one - contex
two - context
three - context
four - case study one
five - case study two
six - case study three

So I've used phrases like 'the first context chapter includes' and 'in the second case study chapter, I will'.

Hey 404 I'd love to go to a party, but not sure what the connection is, maybe being a bit dim...

======= Date Modified 12 Jun 2010 16:36:11 =======
Sneaks, that's sooo funny! A very worthwhile thesis, I think.

I haven't written my introduction proper yet, but I have written an overall outline of the thesis which includes an introduction. I did say what each chapter would be about and I used the phrase 'In this chapter I will' or 'this chapter will include' etc. I'm happy with that. I don't write 'this chapter explores/discusses etc' because it's not grammatically correct, a chapter cannot discuss or explore, that's what you are doing. I say 'this chapter will provide a context etc' though, because a chapter can do that.

======= Date Modified 12 Jun 2010 08:53:54 =======
Saw SATC2 last night, thought it was great, apart from the cheesey karaoke bit in the middle. May see it again just to check out the outfits in more detail. Quite a unique cinema experience, lots of whooping and cheering from the audience when key outfits appeared. And lots of spontaneous shouting out and cheering at key dramtic moments.

======= Date Modified 11 Jun 2010 17:25:13 =======
Indeed, wal, lets get down to the important stuff, who's the lady?

Also, could it be a bit of new venue anxiety, so to speak? I think everybody gets that to some degree.

======= Date Modified 10 Jun 2010 22:44:10 =======
Yeah, Wal, errmmm I hope us ladies responding, in spite of the men only title, is ok.

Hi Jepsonclough,

If you are anything like me, you are very much at the learning stage with your writing. This is an exciting, you can learn to write really well, and it's worth picking up some techniques now,so you have them for the rest of your PhD. I also found that, for me, clarity in writing improved the clarity of my organisation and ideas, it was about learning how readers can digest material.

I found this book http://www.amazon.com/Style-Ten-Lessons-Clarity-Grace/dp/0321095170 totally fabulous.

I also suggest that you could start by just writing about the most interesting thing in you paper, and enjoy exploring that. Then you will have a start which you can expand on and develop.

Good luck. X

Hi DanB, maybe I would, in my retirement. I'd love to do a fine art degree when I'm a pensioner, it's what I look forward to, and perhaps it would develop from that. The pressure to make a mark in my field wouldn't be there and, I hope, I will have enough money for a reasonable life, so I could just enjoy it and be like that one from Queen (Brian May???) who took forever. I'd have to have lots of sociable hobbies though.

I do love my PhD, but I feel massive pressure - from myself - to be really good at what I am doing, make a mark and become 'someone' in my feild, to push my ideas etc and get them known, crazy, ambitious and, I hope, a phase I will be over by the time my dotage comes along.

WOW!8-)

I'm sure this will clear soon enough Wal, and I do think stress etc, and a bit of depression etc, like you've experienced, can cause such problems. I reckon the GP will help a lot, and this can happen to 'plumbing' of all ages, so I've heard, and is defo curable. Congratulations on the new 'guest'? too, if she is woth her salt, she will understand.

Good morning folks! I've decided to join thie thread, I hope that's ok.

My goal for today is to continue the re-drafting I've started for the half chapter I'm writing, which is now about 8,000 words long. I've made notes on a print out, and now I need tomake and type up the changes I've outlined, plus maybe writing the conclusion, or at least starting it.

Hi PJU and Algaequeen, thanks so much for your perceptive responses. I think it was very much to do with presenting in front of people I know, many of whom I know to be very exacting of others, ie the cliquey bunch. I heard one of them say how awful he thought one of the other speakers was, I thought she was ok, pretty comprehensive, clear and engaging. Plus there were a couple of my academic heros in the audience, who are lecturers in the department, and who I knew would by observing me with a teacherly interest, so that frightened me stupid.

Yes, you're both right about the cliquey people, once I sat in a seat next to one of them and it meant they coudn't all sit together, and it caused a bit of a sulk. I ended up moving to another seat! I have had a couple of conversations with them in the pub, so it feels really weird to walk into a room and there's no greeting, but I should just carry on as of they are not there, they won't be shortly anyhow, they're all final year full-timers.

I had someone from the audience email me asking if they could read my research, saying it sounded fascinating, so that's flattering.

Hi folks, thanks for the really useful feedback! and sympathy and encouragement.

I think what frightened me most was that I was so anxious I couldn't actually read the words on the paper, they kept spinning around the page and I couldn't get a purchase on them. One of the, very supportive, members of staff at my department, who was chairing the event advised me to only script read if I feel that nervous, but I couldn't actually read anymore! So what do I do? I couldn't think either, completely forgot how to use PowerPint, even though I use it all the time for work, and show students how to use it, andmy attempts to adlib were futile...

Any how, I dare say it won't happen again. Fingers crossed. I have really enjoyed public speaking in the past, and people have said how good I am at it, my first conference paper went down a storm, I seem to be going into reverse at this point.