Sorry I was too distracted by the loud noise of you kissing arse to concentrate on reading your post...

Doesn't count unless you read them LOL!

We went out last night to avoid all trick or treaters!

Think carefully about what career you want at the end; I was told that a PhD can make you look intelligent on a CV, but it isn't worth three years experience in industry (excepting jobs in industry that require a PhD). Depending on the sector, a PhD can be fairly useless and, unless you have personal reasons for wanting to do a PhD, employers will ignore it - they will be looking for real experience.

Talk to a careers advisor about the sector you're interested in.

Saying that, if you want to do it then go ahead - just be prepared that in many areas of work you'll come and be in the same position as people with undergrad degrees or Masters - it really depends on what you want to do

Whoo hoo - get him drunk then snog him!

My understanding is that you can only apply for the open competition or the studentship. The open competition requires you to have the support of an institution and a supervisor - this shows you have a place and your institution will support you. There is no guarantee your institution will get the money for you - it can go anywhere

The ESRC also allocates out studentships - the instition has guaranteed places and selects the student it wishes to put forward for this.

You cannot apply for both

Most universities will insist you are registered for three years min regardless of the Masters

Reminds me of my first boyf - he'd agreed to go on a date with someone else because I hadn't had the guts to ask him first. In the end the cancelled on her and we got it together...unfortunately he snogged like an octopus on my face so it didn't last LOL

My family can't understand why I want to do this or what it involves. They see it as just another qualification - they act like I'm taking more GCSEs and can't understand why I don't get a 'proper' job. Thing is, I've had a proper job (several in fact!) and that's how I know this is what I want.

My husband is fantastic. It helps he's done his PhD, but I'm surprised that even someone who's been there and done that could listen to me moaning about chapter structure for hours on end. He is truly a saint!

Just got allocated my desk and work space at uni - first thing I did was install my Col. Brandon wallpaper (have Snape on my work computer!)

He is sexiest as Snape - mmmmmm detention....

DIET coke is the secret to success

As one of the voices of dissent, I won't be following your lead on this one!

Eye contact - you're supposed to hold their gaze for a bit then look away sexily. Unfortunately, I tend to overuse this technique and just end up looking like a mad staring stalker!

Much rather have Alan Rickman

Students evaluate our TAs as part of the overall unit evaluation - if your department does anyting like this you can see your score on different aspects of teaching