I don't know if I should laugh or cry, so I'll opt for joking.
I love the comment:
In my case I wish I hadn't keep telling people my 'deadlines'... it was Christmas, then definately February, then Easter, then end of July.
That's exactly what I said.
I've still not submitted......
I'm doing a "proper" job working on reception for a week for lowish wages. It's wierd to dress smartly and have someone worry you won't be able to cope with the post or work things out, but be in awe of a PhD.

I'm the quietest shyest person myself.
Anyway she probably does need to assert herself if she is more senior than you and has been away, academia is very competitive and she needs to get on get papers etc etc.
Thinking laterally could you say you like her style in discussions or like blah that she does, and could she teach you to be more like that, or have discussions just with you. It has the advantage you are clued up on what she will talk about to other people.
You could talk to other people about work to gain confidence and practice getting your ideas across.

There isn't a shocked or slightly disturbed icon, or I'd use it...!
he he he.

The postdoc advised my supervisor should see it. He says my thesis is next on my supervisor's list.
Several people think I need to lean on him very heavily.
Unfortunately our head of department is about to be pushed out and doesn't particularly like me. There are people I can go to in the department, but will not neccessarily be confidential. There's also possibly a department for supporting postgrads.
My advisor has agreed to read my thesis in his own time This could be a bargaining tool. He's not back until possibly Tues, but his diary is now online so we can't track him.

What do you mean by director of studies? Head of department? There are people I could go to, but I know it will not necessarily be confidential.
My supervisor is quite senior, and all his students take a long time. I need him for references for jobs at the moment though.

My advisor is luckily around and able to look through it, since I posted, so hopefully that will work as he is experienced in most of it/PhDs generally. I'm not sure if he's about to go away, might try and find out what's going on with the postdoc.

Do I make the last changes and hand in this month-or wait to get someone to read the final sections? Is there anything else I can do?

My supervisor is apparently too busy and will avoid reading for even longer than for results chapters according to past students. Of the other supervisors in the group one told me to drop 2/3 of my thesis at one point and disagrees with my supervisor, one is on leave, and the other is probably OK but it is outside his area. My 2nd advisor is generally busy but could try him, and maybe plead with a busy postdoc. Do you think they need to know the whole thesis to comment? I only want a will it pass or not.

My supervisor is (toned down) not being very nice. He refused to talk to me on the general phone as he was too "busy" and wouldn't answer his office phone. He's either ignoring my emails or they bounced. He has taken 1-2 months to read each results chapter but I now have good feedback to work on. No-one has read my lit review/abstract or conclusion.
The department has its own internal deadline at the end of this month with a £100 incentive. I have a much-needed 1 week temp job next week so I will probably just avoid hitting my overdraft limit. I'm in my 4th year, had no funding since Christmas and living completely supported by my partner.

The Biochem/structural ones I've been on jeans are fine. Most people dressed up for the conference dinner. I'd be smarter if presenting-chance would be a fine thing!
Depends on the size, you could get lost in 800 people easily anyway.
People generally wear what they normally wear at university:casual/smart casual. (maybe dig out those socks and sandals-joke! Although some people may do anyway!)

"some people exercise, I tend to eat lots of chocolate and watch crap daytime tv as an escape"
Wow spot on that's me

I'm hypersensitive too
It's quite depressing that I've taken basically a year, and STILL not submitted while everyone around me has submitted or in a job already. Hopefully the end of July.....

Don't knock it. I was gutted I was chosen to "model" in the departmental brochure, then it never happened.

If you leave it would be better if it was an informed decision. Make sure there is nothing you can do to improve things and get as many opinions as you can to answer you questions, e.g. what would an employer think...is there a way of finding out? A lot of people do struggle for varying times during the PhD, it doesn't mean you're bad at it.

What is not normal is to have a supervisor who ignores every "achievement" and remembers only negative thinks, who pays no attention whatsoever to what your saying,

I'm a little confused (trying to help). Is your supervisor actually saying you are not doing very well, is it just what he does not says, or is he making comments about how your work is not accurate?

I think what sixkitten said was spot on about the difference between being independent and getting support. My supervisor has a leave you completely to it approach which means I've not had the support I've needed. I've not felt able to ask for the help I need as he is generally too busy, and my personality as well.

That is shocking. I've waited months but 1-2 for a chapter not that long

I've got very lazy. I was keeping to 9.30-6 with breaks during the work, but during writing I've degenerated into watching TV and going on the Internet especially as now right near the end, I hated my PhD want a job, mostly have it done, and my supervisor can't really be bothered reading it and is dragging it out.
I did one really intense month where I was working morning through to mid/late evening 7 days a week to try and make more progress on my thesis.