Funding is good, so that's half a battle won!

As for doing a PhD - ask yourself what you want to do longterm. If you don't want to go into academia or a research based role, I would say don't bother and get experience in a job. If you have offers in the area you see yourself developing into this will give you better experience if you want to work your way up than a PhD.

Or you could try http://dodgylinkfromdodgysource.com

Congratulations! (tree)

Awwww! Hopefully you'll soon see the funny side of it, and maybe he'll take note !

Larry, you're too funny (up)

Wish I was a student again, I get the four days off but that's it this year, working the rest of it :( No more two/three weeks grazing and slouching!

?

Hi Kwolf6, firstly I agree taking some proper time out to think about things is a good idea.

I am going to be honest and talk from a rather personal and therefore somewhat biased point of view. But if you heart really isn't into getting an academic job afterwards, seriously consider if you want to see it through to the end. I never wanted an academic job and always wanted to move into the private sector afterwards. I wanted to quit but was talked into seeing it through (and I have my PhD now) but I wish I had quit at the end of my first year when I said I was going to. A PhD won't help you climb the career ladder on its own - sure, you learn many skills from it, but if you end up in a job unrelated to your field you'll just end up playing catchup and having to start on the ladder like anyone else. Like you I'm late 20s now, trying to work my way up. So I have a PhD. Nobody cares - experience is everything.

Like I said I'm biased and, to be honest, a little bit bitter about the whole thing. I wish I'd had the balls to quit when I had got the courage to say I was going to and not go ahead to try and please everyone else. Have a good hard think about what value the PhD will bring to your life.

Yes, acknowledgements in first submission - my external commented on mine how nice they were!

I would put date on still but then update it as appropriate for final submission.

And even with the best will in the world you'll miss a few typos - irritatingly, I have two in my final bound copy !

You sound as if you need some of my very soothing and medicinal Sloe Whisky :)

I have nothing nice to say therefore I shall nothing except...

Oh dear.

What's the catch?

There's ALWAYS a catch.

Come on Nicolelord2, don't play about with us - we're all 10 times smarter than you'll ever be. So giving us this Free nonsense won't wash with us.

So just set it out, we'll have a little snigger, then you can go on your merry way.

So far I'm following quite a lot of science journalists and scientists, as it's a nice way to know what people are writing about and what is out there. Some other vacuous stuff too (yes, Lady Gaga, that means you - oh the shame). Going to have to start looking what is available locally too, never thought of using it for that!

Do you use Twitter? Or, in modern parlance, do you tweet?

I've never seen the point of it but starting to get slowly sucked into it. Finally figured out how to use all the little @, # etc signs! If you want to follow my ramblings just send me a PM !

And there was a very interesting article, did you know the # sign is called an 'Octothorpe'? you really learn something new every day...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/dec/08/hash-symbol-twitter-typography

Are they the ones who have little leaflets often around universities? I remember picking up a leaflet from something similar many moons ago and subscribing to something, and my housemate used to subscribe to the Economist through it.

And no con - I've used a couple of subscription sites and they're okay and get good prices.