Ahh jealously - I've encountered this so much. I've had comments such as ' I could have done a PhD if I had wanted to' (but you didn't.. so how can you assume that?) to men (not many women in IT) getting really agressive, asking me a computer science question to which I am honest and say ' I have no idea' and they'll reply ' Ha! so I know more than you even though you have a PhD... not so mart really, are you?'

Ahh yes, and the ones who deliberately trivialise it.. 'some course', 'you haven't finished yet? too much drinking?' .. I would just do the same to them ' so you have a kid? er great.. all you need to do is lie back, get pregnant and pop it out' .. ' new job? all you had to do was sleep with the boss'...

I just tell people, I can't wait to finish and get back to the easier life of working for a living

Mums seem to be the worst offenders - based on the replies here

mine too!

only just this morning, mine sent an email telling me that I should book the go-carting session she gave me for Xams now, as a date to aim for submission - talk about trivialising the work - I don't even like go-carting!

I've got 6 weeks to submit and a Post-Doc in the States starting in 10 weeks - I think thats enough of a deadline

I don't think they realise the effort it takes to write - keeping in mind that most people will never have done an extended period of writing and it always seems easier from the outside looking in