okkies, the internet was playing up again when I got back from Uni last night, so I gave up on it, and ended up falling asleep on the couch and it actually ended up being one of the best nights sleep I have had in months!!! lol...So now I'm starting later than I had hoped which I am not particularly happy about...ah well I cant take the time back now. Anyways, plans for today, is to read one or two reports, then begin the process of analysing everything I have read, to put together the presentation... so today Im hoping to have everything ready in terms of the points I will discuss, so that I can then make the powerpoint tomorrow...and I am banning internet for the rest of today, no emails, facebook, etc...well until at least 5pm anway!!

okkies, the internet was playing up again when I got back from Uni last night, so I gave up on it, and ended up falling asleep on the couch and it actually ended up being one of the best nights sleep I have had in months!!! lol...So now I'm starting later than I had hoped which I am not particularly happy about...ah well I cant take the time back now. Anyways, plans for today, is to read one or two reports, then begin the process of analysing everything I have read, to put together the presentation... so today Im hoping to have everything ready in terms of the points I will discuss, so that I can then make the powerpoint tomorrow...Im working at home today as its toooo wet to go outside!! and since my internet keeps playing up all morning im taking it as a sign, so I am banning internet for the next few hours, no emails, facebook, etc!!

Good luck Maggie - hope you are managing to avoid the lure of the internet! (Just realised that the irony of posting this comment on the forum. Oh well.)
I reached a compromise with myself yesterday (largely thanks to my boyfriend's encouragement). I did 2 hours work and got through quite a bit of reading, then went into town and did some proper Christmas shopping.
Today I managed to get up bright and early and be at uni at my desk by 9.30. I had a slightly unrealistic target today of dealing with 3 critical essays - I have actually only made thorough notes on one so far! Does anyone else get this wildly overambitious? And is it okay to feel okay about this, because I have at least understood the one essay I have done really well?
This afternoon - a few points to follow up for teaching and I'll aim to make thorough notes on one more essay.
Have a train to catch at 5pm which at least gives me a definite deadline!

Maggie - hope the work is going well, and the internet didn't 'get' you. If you use firefox there is a program you can use to block you accessing certain sites e.g. facebook during certain times of the day.

Frankie - I wouldn't worry about having days off, I seem to do it too much, and then have a week of manic work when my supervisor wants something! In terms of setting unrealistic deadlines, I think its fine as long as you don't overstress about them. I think I do this and then end up getting demoralised that nothing got done, and then give up completely.

Hey Sneaks again! So You will also be joining the weekend work club!! (how about you Frankie?)...My progress yesterday was really lame, dossed around too much and in the end I reckon I only did around 3/4 hours of actual work!! I think the reason was that I knew I would be in for a weekend of intense work before my paper on Monday, so I was probably taking it easy yesterday in anticipation of this (the calm before the storm!). So I will be leaving for the Uni soon and I guess I will be there till I get the work done. Luckily the bus home runs till really late after 1am and I have no distractions as I am abroad this term, and don't have my mates tempting me to go down the pub over here!! So I'm hoping to work really hard today and as a reward have a few hours off tomorrow to have a look around the christmas markets downtown and watch the replay of tonights X factor on Youtube!! lol..over and out

ooh Christmas markets! Trying to stay clear of town at the moment as I have no money!! Today I have spent all morning exercising for my lost a stone for xmas diet. Half an hour on exercise bike and hour doing a video thing. Now I'm really tired and want to sit down and watch dvds all afternoon. However, if I am good, my aims for today are:

- chase up emails missed when ill
- map out rest of introduction chapter
- write 500 words on introduction chapter

oh, I can see this going nowhere but at least its an aim!

Way to go on the excercise!! I really have no willpower anymore when it comes to áctive' excercising and taking myself off to the gym!! For my excercise, I count walking to the shops/pizzeria/bus stop or dancing on a night out lol...Though I went ice skating this week for an hour as my lunch break treat, and OMG that was a serious workout- I was showing off (as usual) whizzing around to the music, but my hips and legs in particular have been aching all week since, so im taking the pain as a sign that I must have really burned some calories!! lol..

anyways, I hope your work is going well!! I am having a really productive day today in contrast to yesterday and I am the only one in the pc room which is bliss as its lovely and quiet (oh and a lot warmer than my apartment!!)...so I'm hoping to get away before midnight, really looking forward to watching x factor on the internet!!:p

Hey ho! Just finished watching X factor online-jeepers it was seriously emotional tonight- every one of them made me cry!! first Alexandra set me off with the Toni Braxton song, then the boy group JLS singing the westlife song, and then at the end awwwww it was so sad to see those two wee kiddies heart broken... anyways, I managed to get all mywork done today, so i'm pretty happy about that, so hoping to pop into town tomorrow to check out the christmas markets and see the town xmas lights get turned on tomorrow night!! so apart from doing a little work tomorrow, I will be taking it relatively easy- as I have tons to do next week (including a book review I postponed from last Monday to this Monday which aint gonna happen lol...which means more excuses lol...and a 'test' written piece I have to write in order to secure an editorial job, which they have told me they will give me if the written piece is any good-no pressure then!! lol)...

Well done Maggie! I spent all afternoon watching P.S I love you AGAIN! and then just sat about. Will try to get today's aims done tomorrow, but planning on going xmas shopping - I know I said I wouldn't but cos I work at home a lot, I seem to get cabin fever when I am in the house for too long! WIll update tomorrow to see if I got anything done.

btw, think ruth should have won cos I loved her dresses each week :-x but now I hate everyone lol. ALtho I think ALex will have the most longevity, I can't stand eaghisofnfion cos I hate kids who sing (and they have marketed him as the cute kid). The main reason why I refuse to see oliver, even tho I really wanted to see rowan atkinson as fagin.

OH I love 'PS I love you', in fact in my rush to come abroad this term (packing last minute as usual chucking everything I could find in a few hours before the flight !!), it was the only dvd I managed to pack lol... so I seem to turn to watch it every now and again when I get frustated with the non-english tv channels and I cant even download movies off the net so my crappy dial up internet cant manage it!! lol OMG I loooovvvveeeee the song in the movie 'galway girl' i just love singing along to it at the top of my voice!!! lol...

anyway, I cant be bothered to do any work at all today, so just planning on winging my paper tomorrow with the back up of my lovely slides which I have prepared!! im popping down to the town now, to get some food and going to watch the xmas lights get turned on at 5.30!!!

anyways I will be back bright and early in the morning!!! bye for now!!8-)

P.S I just have to say further to my previous comment about sometimes getting a little depressed- in terms of sometimes you just wanna hear tv in your own language when your feeling down (much as I love the different culture, experiences and opportunities to learn the new language that I am now exposed to!!) , but I have to say, since I left the UK to go abroad this term, I have seriously developed a new found higher level of respect for international students who come to the UK to do a PhD in a non- native language- seriously, not only in terms of the academic achievement in itself, but I really think to do it, you personally need to be mentally strong and have a considerable level of guts and courage to do it-no mean feat!! not sure I could do it!!

Good luck with your paper tomorrow, sure it will go just fine. I managed to half the work today

- completed reports for consultancy work (NON-PHD)
- chased up emails from when I was ill
- thought about planning intro (does this count??? lol)

will properly do some tomorrow as other half is lecturing all day which means I won't have distractions like him wanting to watch a film etc.

admire you for doing PhD abroad! my dad wanted me to do a year out in France for my degree but there was no way! my french is passable to get me places and food but not good enough to study in!! Plus - didn't see the point as French academics are rubbish in my field. Is there not an 'english club' you can join of fellow PhDers/students?

Is the gallway girl one "and her hair was black and her eyes were blue" cos I love that song, almost tempted to dye hair black so other half can sing it to me (altho he can't sing so won't).

Just thought, maybe we should be more 'accountable' on this accountability thread! - Will start properly doing the things I say I will tomorrow!