Both... But also in the bibliography of the books you read (the secondary works of course) I started to really pay attention to who is writing what in which way about my topic. Who makes references to whom and so on. When you do start this you will see soon that the references are repeating themselves. The most quoted are the most popular. So you can make a list about the leading persons of your field and see what else they wrote. You can make your one literature-canon. And decide what fits your work and your approach!

It depends on personality I think. I am the risky kind, so I would leave. I am always escaping the well-established to try out the new and uncommon things. If your friend is sure about herself she should leave and if she feels unsecure a bit she should stay but have in mind that there are other ways of working.

I am working in a similar field and I think I know what you mean. I don't know what you are working on but you don't need too much of the expert's opinion. When you studied history for so long you can be confident enough about your knowledge and know-how to go fresh for the sources... have a new view on it ( I am not an english native speaker, I hope you see what I mean). Sure you have to know the experts, but don't follow them too much. I did it like that: I reminded myself what I really love about my topic, what I wish to know and then I cleared my mind from the interpretations I've read during the years. I had a look at the sources and (pathetic expression maybe) let them speak to me. Otherwise you just make some meta-history... you write an interpretation of an interpretation of an interpretation.. Ad fontes! :-)

Olivia!! Shame on you :-) I cannot stop doing those tests! I should be working... Nooooo

Oh, I like the tea-maker :-)
And I start to like your idea of making a list what I have done. I really have the feeling, that I make no progress, even if I do a lot. When I talk to my supervisor about my latest results I am surprised that something happened in my work!
How do you manage that? You have different lists? And you compare at the end of the week? Do you save it in a file? Sorry for stupid questioning... I am so bad at bureaucratic issues

Record my work? Well, I skip the work easily... What do you think how fast I skip the work to manage the work? :D I think I have to accept my strange way of working. It is very impulsive, I get obsessed and I read and write like crazy and then there come times of inactivity. I was always like that, maybe I should keep it. See if it brings me through this Ph. D - process.
There are machines that wake you and give you coffee at once?

yeah, I also have problems with the colours... Its VERY orange I think.... hurts my eyes

I have a lot of problems to work in the summer... During the day it is too hot to concentrate, so there only stays the evening. But then I usually stay awake very long to enjoy the coolness and of course - I sleep in the early morning hours and wake up when my flat is a boiling hell :-s and it starts again
But I have a good trick for getting up in the morning: I put my mobile (I use it as alarm clock) next to the waterboiler in the kitchen - yes, my flat is VERY small - so when it is making noise I have to get up and when I am already close to the waterboiler, I can make coffee ;)

I also heard that the first step to fight laziness is to be aware of it
The few times I go to library I see people completely focused on their work, for hours and hours. I really envy those people. I love my work, no question. But I also love my wasting time strategies like tidying up my flat, planning my lunch, looking at catalogues (IKEA is my favorite those days) or staring into the air. And my nails... they look best in times of high desk-activity :-D
Maybe I will have another try with a strict timetable!

@away: to often for ne it is EXACTLY the same... and I am traing so much to change it

Yes, I just feel unconfortable in library, but there is less distraction than at home. For sure one can work without a routine, but I work preatty chaotic, sometimes I work from morning till late night, then I am watching crime storys for days. I am lust looking for a calmer work-style

I am somehow not able to have an every day routine! Sometimes I have a plan but after a day I ignore it. Then I go to library but after a week I skip it. Then I am in the internet instead of working (like now :-( )
I would like a lot to hear about your daily routine and how you manage to stick to it!

And I don't know if there is a woman... He can have a distance relationship, of course. He is new in town.
Omg, I never thought, this would ever happen to me. I was never in love with a trainer, teacher, prof when I was undergraduate. But when I saw him first I was a bit shocked, because he is really the kind of man I like.
But yeah, it's important to stay cool! I will stay coooool now! Thanks for advice. Rational comments are always welcome in my situation ;)

Yes, I thought about getting another supervisor in the case, the attraction is too big...
I actually don't want another, I know his books for years and I like his scientific approach - thats why I met him. And then I found out that we are not only in scientific way on the same page.
My work must be my first priority, so sure is, that I cannot sleep with him and next morning letting him correct my thesis. Thats so awful He would get a bad reputation for sleeping with a student.
But the situation is sooo tempting.

That's true, I was surprised when he invited me to talk there about my thesis, but when I asked friends, they said it's normal. A friend of mine was often invited to hid supervisor.
Isn't it common?
My advisor said, that day he isn't at his office, I did not want to be unpolite. And of course I was curious