I live a rather insular life, haunted by my PhD. So, the highlight of my week, this week, was going for my 3 monthly contact lense check. Anyway, it was really traumatic. The lady optometrist was new and she did stuff to me that I swear must constitute assault. She rolled my eyelids right, right back and then with this little eye torch thing came really, really close to my face. So close, in fact, that it felt like she was trying to make one of those romantic passes at me. I'm not over exaggerating because I can tell you exactly what she had for dinner - tuna and cucumber butties. Then she tried to sell me glasses. I don't like saying no, so I had to agree to a new appointment to try out their exclusive new range. Personally, I feel that glasses will stereotype me as being someone who is supposed to be intelligent.
I'm a 'health professional' and I believed that my occupation is the scariest one of the lot. Followed a close second by nurses after one of them, when drawing a blood sample, said to me, 'Oh, you've got beautiful veins..' When she pulled the needle out, blood just dribbled down my arm and into my palm - makes me queasy just remembering it.
So, I wonder if anyone else can forward suggestions of who they think is the scariest type of health professional? Have you had any encounters that have led you to think this is so? I reckon a lot of people will say dentist. I'd disagree though because, even though I don't have one at the moment, every time I went in the past it was a really enjoyable experience. That pink stuff you spit out when he's/she's finished inside your mouth tastes really nice and I quite liked the sensation of that scraping thing round the back of my teeth.

I'm in a similar situation to you, though a UK student, and for me any extension of funding is very unlikely. Have you spoken to your supervisor about this? It might be that you can perhaps earn money by doing demonstrations or a bit of part-time lecturing?

Right, I've had 2 cans of beer - prior to repetitive data collection tomorrow... And I've noticed something! On my right hand, if I hold up my hand straight in the air, I can move my little finger and the next one to it independently. But, if I hold up my left hand the same way, I can move the finger next to my little finger independently but not my little finger. So when I move my little finger, the finger next to it moves as well and there's nothing I can voluntarily do about it. Have I had a mini-stroke - or is it the same for some of you other forumites? Even, could doing a PhD have caused this? A poll is entirely necessary! I'll run it until May 2011 (when I should have finished my PhD at the rate I'm going).

I might sound dead thick here, but could you not use multiple response analysis in SPSS: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=t3-JPGGaNO8C&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=multiple+response+sets+groups+multiple+cases+spss&source=bl&ots=ULPCIJiSAh&sig=fsjkHMlhJDDlOnlaQEC0pychyCY&hl=en&ei=WK_1S4C6LaT20wSHq_DpBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q&f=false

Good luck, Cakeman!

I've been doing some number crunching and, so far though it's early days, my questionnaire scores correlate with existing, established questionnaire scores. So, that's good news. Watch it change after more data collection tomorrow though.

Oh, and I was also shocked to find out that you can't just be cremated - you have to urn it. Boobabadum tssshhh! Better get back to work then!

Well, I don't know about anything happy to report myself. But...I had dinner with Chikko and MC Hammer the other night. Then I decided to ask if anyone knew what the time was? There was utter carnage.

Here you go. All the patches for SPSS version 16 that you need:

http://www.unt.edu/rss/patches/patches.htm

The Thoughtbox is on the 27th May, you say? Damn! That's the same day as the Thought Shower I'm going to at the Blue Sky Thinking Event in Slough for unemployed PhD graduates who want to be entrepreneurs. High profile guest speakers include Grant Bovey and Michael Carroll ( http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05_02/michaelcarrollPA_228x400.jpg ). If only I could be in 2 places at once!

Well, not the best day today. After sitting with all the patience of a wise and experienced fisherman, I only managed to catch 3 patients for data collection. Back out again tomorrow though - maybe there'll be richer pickings. I just want to scoop up all the specific patients in the UK into a big net and not release them until they fill in all my forms.

I've met all my goals, including doing my presentation for my research seminar. I've got more data collection tomorrow - but at least it's just numbers to plug into a database with no more transcribing.

Ah, the old work-life balance question...I reckon I could be a house -husband actually, though it may be a little emasculating. The thing is, though, I'm absolutely useless at housework. I used to hoover with the vacuum hose unplugged and swore blind it was faulty. I used to clean the carpet with green pan scrubbers and rub stains into the carpet. So, I don't think I'd be a house-husband for long. But if it's for someone you're in a relationship with and it makes them happy, I'd definitely have a stab at it. Plus, eventually wanting a mini Wally of my own, it's something I may have to do. I thought doing a PhD was supposed to make me a high-flying, dynamic researcher - but actually it's changed my priorities a quite a bit and domesticated me.

But...

Then there's the vanity. It feels really good to be doing quite important research. For people, colleagues even, to associate me with being a bright, hard worker and getting results. For my supervisor to say it's a pleasure to work with me. I don't want to be famous or anything, but I'd like to be an important professional who can afford to dress in something better than an Asda suit. But I'd like a family a little down the line and I want to go playing out with my mates. So, yeah, I'd be a househusband and, yeah, I'd reluctantly compromise on my ambitions in the end. Ultimately, I think that achieving a happy medium, long term, requires comprise. I don't want to find myself at the top of my career, years from now, in Sainsbury's buying Heinz soup (for one!), chicken tikka ready meal (for one!) and 5 bananas (one for every working day of the week). But we're all different I suppose. :-)