Poi is so know how you feel, you sound exactly like i did when I first started, in fact I'm sure if you hunted you'd find a thread very similar to this one!
First things first, think about the reasons you decided to do a phd and decide if they are really as importnat to you as they seemed to be. For me I knew I wanted to be a lecturer and this was what I had to do for that, but I wasn't so keen on the research side of things and just preferred to teach. After starting, by christmas I was all for leaving. I kept at it though as I couldn't decide for 100% sure that I would be happy if I left, and here I am, 7 months away from finishing. I know now that I don't really want to stay in academia, not because I don't like it, but because there are other things that would suit me better. I also hate the idea of short term contracts and potentially having to move around got jobs, but really, today, so many professions have short term contracts, and those that don't are unwilling to employ anyone other than temporary staff. So having to apply for funding every few years isn't fun, but I think there will be a semblance of that in every job, whether it's yearly performance reviews to prove why you should keep your job or applying for grants if you're working for NGOs or whatever.
Being along in the lab surely can't help, are there any other student working with your sup that u can meet? failing that, set aside regular break times where you can meet friends for coffee, you'll meet plenty of people through training courses and student events I'm sure, having that little break for an hour a day might really help you. I met one of my best mates through a uni club in my first year of phd and it's been such a help, we have a regular girly chit chat and moan about or phds which has kept me sane!
finally, about your engagement. I'm also in a long distance relationship, my boyf has been in france for about 2.5 years finishing his phd and will be there for another 2 years doing his post doc. there is nowhere near him that I can work so even when I finish this year, I'll have to get a job somewhere else and it's likely that it could be another few years before we can settle down, but we have (just about) managed to make it work. As you know it's hard, but as long as he respects your decision to do your phd and you respect his feelings about it, then you can do it.

I can't tell you what decision to make, or what are the most important things for you to consider, that's all down to you, but I can say that even though I was on the verge of leaving many many times, and it's been hard doing long distance, and I have an evil sup (and a nice one :)) and I've spent many a night crying through stress loneliness etc, it's actually been worth it so far! Sounds a bit odd, but I'm glad I've stayed cos there are so many things I wouldn't have experienced otherwise. And even though I might never stay in academia, I'll always have those times and I'll know just how tough I really am :-)

Good luck for your decision lady (up)

======= Date Modified 09 Mar 2010 08:53:09 =======
right folks, there is a big downer vibe floating around the forum, so today, we are changing it!
I've got a chapter to finish for my lit review, I've been panicking about it for ages but no more!!

Today we all have a mission: pick one task, just one, something you are pretty sure you'll get done today and do it. Even if it takes half an hour or 4 hours, if you get it done by the end of the day you'll feel better. Then we each get a treat of our choice!

Ok today's task...finish this blasted genetics section in my review. Treat = chocolate! yum!

Here I go!

good luck chris, my aim for today is to complete my first draft of my lit review, so at least you're way ahead of me! you can do it!!

wow jojo that's a bit harsh...i was thinking about ur predicament over the weekend and thought it's best to do the corrections and send it in, after all the effort no point giving up and just sending it as is, but i see you've made your decision. good luck.

oooh massive hugs all round here i think! I've been having a pretty crap weekend myself, just feeling so unbelievably lonely, worrying about my writing and jobs etc after, i feel like after 8 years in education im trained for nothing....anywhoo, today is a new day and time to pick ourselves up and brush it all off, we are here to do this!
Sue, pleae don't let your partner get to you, as others have said, unless you're doing a phd it's really difficult to understand how it is. I think I might slap the next person who asks what I'm doing for my 2 months off over the summer....altho your partner would need to be a bit more supportive or I might come round and have a word! :-)
and AL, as I said in your thread your supervisor is a fool. Keep going with your day job, it sounds like you're doing exacctly the kind of job I'd love so I'm very jealous, you cant let ur silly sup bring you down like that. He's just doing it to make you stay in his lab methinks, he needs you more than you need him. best to just have faith in yourself, you've come this far, you can finish it and finish it well.
so big hugs for all of us folks, today is just another day closer to the end!! (up)

yea lip gloss can be really sticky and not really good for moisturising lips, it just annoys me! I got the Blistex lip massage balm, it's great and v tasty! altho the boyf isn't too keen, but then he never likes anything like that really! :-) as for the Bio oil, it can be a bi greasy, but i only ever use a little bit and spend ages rubbing it in so it doesn't sit on the skin...plus someone also told me that rubbing and kneading ur soft bits is really good to break up the fat cells underneath so they don;t accumulate as much...not sure if it really works but I like it! :-)

awww bummer! big hugs chrisrolinski, don't let it get you too down. Just keep looking and something will come up, what's for you won't pass you and all that. and good luck!

hello ladies!
For dry skin, the good intensive remedy is bio oil, you just need a little bit and make sure you rub it in thoroughly, it's a really good way to treat yourself after a crappy day cos massaging it in is really relaxing and if you do it at night, then in the morning you skin will be all nice again. Always let moisturiser dry in before dressing and maybe don't use the shower gel if it's drying you skin out.
As for make up, I also love the Dior stuff, the mascaras are great and the foundation and lipliner! For lipstick, estee lauder have always been great and don't give me the lumpy bits you sometimes get with other brands. Exfoliating your lips is good too, but don;t do it too harshly! And ultimate tip, as we are all student, go to the make up counter, say you're thinking of trying the new products and ask for some samples, the little mascaras are great and last ages! All those posh brands have samples that they can give out, I'm v lucky cos my cousin works at the Dior make up stall and sneaks me little samples home all the time! 8-)

ooh i hate those kinds of dreams sneaks, I hope you got on ok though today. It always takes me ages to get them out of my head, it's like a parallel world when I'm trying to get on with normal stuff and my weird dreams keep playing over in my head...
but I have good news, I got a very rough draft of my chapter finished there now so I'm off out tonight! then tomorrow and Sun I can fix it up and make it into a decent first draft and send it off to the dreaded supervisors! just so pleased I've got this bit done!
Good luck everyone!

hi there

I duno why this happens sometimes, and i don't know how to fix it properly, but what i do is just highlight the line that stretches and left justify that, leaving the rest of the paragraph justified! not the right way to do it i suppose but it might work ok for you!

======= Date Modified 08 Mar 2010 09:57:52 =======
============= Edited by a Moderator =============

eh wally wher is funhouse in the vote?! That was my all fime favourite gameshow ever when I was a young 'un!! Still would be now actually!

Hi Satchi, it's difficult to say exactly what kind of test you should be doing withough knowing what kind of data you have or what you're trying to find out, but Ju-Ju is right, when you do ANOVA it basically tells you there is a effect, but it's the post-hoc tests that tell you where the effect is or how strong it is etc. you said you have 4 groups ...are you trying to compare them all with each other (as in AB with CD; AC with BD, AD with BC) or all separately or just as you have mentioned A with B and C with D? you need to decide exactly how you want to test them, if you are doing multiple comparisons, t-tests aren't strong enough for that. there is a book you should get called Choosing and Using Statistics by Calvin Dytham, it's the only book I can use as it's so clear about what tests mean and how to do them! even the Andy Field book that everyone loves is way too technical for me! and it's only about 1/10th the size of the andy field one!

hi there everyone, mind if i tag along?! I've technically got 7 months left, but I've started writing and it's soooo boring sometimes! I'm trying to get my lit review chapter done for tomorrow evening, I've still got lots to do! it sounds like everyone here is doing really well, hopefully some of it rubs off! :-)

ah well done Yellowtreble!! Just relax now and enjoy the submission for a little bit before you get stuck into viva prep, you deserve it!! we need a beer icon for occasions such as these!!! 8-)