And while some people a genuinely clueless there are a few sour grapes too. I think you and I are of a similar age (I would guess I am slightly older) - an age when we should be calling it a day and settling in for the downhill slide into old-age. We should be done with fancilful nonsense of this kind and lead sensible dull lives like some Other People.

I can definitely relate to that. When I was a teenager/young woman I didn't dream about marriage and children - I wanted to go into research. But then a lot of things went pair-shaped and I dropped out of grad school twice in my early twenties. Totally never thought I would attempt it again and went a different way.

A lot of stuff of a different kind has happened this time but this is the Last Chance Saloon for that dream and I am grimly determined to swim that ocean no matter what. And yes, I am a bit over-eager with the metaphors some times.

Oh I do feel your pain I really do. I have 'friends' and relatives who seem to think I am a stay home mom who does a little knitting class on the side.

Your first conference paper IS a big deal. I haven't done one for my PhD yet - just posters.

I am really hoping the snow will lie overnight and then D can make a snowman in the morning (about 6 am yawn, so should still be cold enough).

Oh I am tired of looking at all these wretched numbers.

Was my old job really that bad.........?

That WAS mean BB. Doesn't everyone work in bursts with spells of apathy??

Still working on the database today zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

But at least I just heard WE SOLD OUR HOUSE AT LAST!

Is it snowing where you are? It's snowing a ton here but melting.

Poor fragile, highly stressed souls. Doesn't it just make you eager to be one of them ....?

I will look at these suggestions too. I agree that SPSS graphics are pants.

There's a trade-off between quantity and quality i.e. high and low impact journals (although overall impact is not the highest criteria - some relatively low impact journals are very highly esteemed in their specialist fields).

I was advised 2-4 as a base line goal but often people have papers pending, in press etc after submission. If you can get good enough papers - it won't matter where you are.

Is he under a lot of stress? My sup can be a bit unpredictable and sometimes clearly in a bad mood - I think it's due to intense work-related stress.

Omega-Monkey - we're trying to move to Linton from near Milton. I use the car for the weekly shopping and to drive my daughter out of town. The bus is too unreliable from here but I hear the park and ride/cycle is good.

I would probably want to use the car if I were going out to Babraham every day - I have been to the Inst out there a few times (very good facilities and lots of parking). And you would be going aginst the rush our traffic. But in town - no.

If you want to use your car - get a flat/house on the side of Cambridge near the exit to Babraham. If your college doesn't have a suitable place there are tons of rental properties here. Traffic through town gets gridlocked.

We are in the process of trying to sell our house and the market is really diving right now. We have had to knock the price down 3 times - and still just got an offer yet lower. We're moving out to the 10 mile limit (but I don't think it's stricly enforced) - property prices in town are VERY high. We plan to park and cycle if we ever get there.

I have to pay my participants and the ethics committee stipulated that everyone had to be paid the same whether they required it or not - which was a total PITA.

It makes sense of comments I've heard in my dept about choosing examiners.

I didn't realise the external was so important - that's very interesting.