So........... come on, don't disappoint your adoring public!

Yeah, Bilbo is right, just be clear and concise, don't worry too much about dressing it up too much.

I just had a look, looks like Bibdesk is only for the Mac. Jabref is based on Java (so can be used across multiple platforms). Go with whatever you find easiest, i just preferred JabRef as I could set it up on both Windows and Linux so I only had one GUI to get used to.

How did your poster go btw?

One question you may wish to ask is how much freedom you will be allowed to follow your own direction or whether there is a specific direction they want you to follow. I ask this because in my PhD, what I started doing veered into quite a different direction, and they were happy to support this. However I do know people who have asked to go in different directions and have been asked by supervisors to keep it more in line with their own interests

Oh get over yourself and stop thinking it's all about you you you. Academics are busy people a lot of the time and he may have more pressing engagements and Sue is bang on in her view (I sometimes think she is reading my thoughts, or maybe I'm reading hers?).

I wasn't alive during the Great Depression so I'm not sure what the symptoms were. I believe lots of people were unemployed and unable to get jobs.

I must admit I've always been lucky to have good dentists!

My scariest would have to be a psychiatrist I once saw. And I thought *I* was mad...

Eventually you'll become really sad like me and LaTeX letters instead of using word...

I did an interdisciplinary PhD so I understand where your frustrations are coming from. To make matters worse my internal examiner wasn't even connected remotely to any of the areas I was using and the external examiner was only minorly involved in one part. However, that turned to be to my advantage as they both were genuinely interested in what I had done as it was quite novel - it extended on some work someone had done that nobody else really seemed to have picked up on.

Don't expect to remember every single reference in detail, it's just not possible. Have a good understand of the broader areas to show you do understand how each key area fits in the overall body of work. To be honest, I found (on a personal level) they weren't there to try and get out every last detail as some kind of trick question - just to make sure you understand how it all weaves together.

They were far more interested in the actual original work I presented and how I brought together lots of different disciplines. It wasn't even particularly successful but it was 'novel' and hence could be improved and refined by others later on.

Try not to panic too much about it. Know the papers that led to the direction you went in and use those as your basis to describe how you came to your novel research. It'll all be fine (up)

JabRef is a 'nice' frontend that will automatically generate your BibTeX code. It's sort of like Endnote I believe (although, having never used Endnote, I can't comment how similar!). Although I think Endnote also generates BibTeX code but I'm not sure. But Jabref is nice and free and platform independent (runs on Java).

Incentive - one lucky entrant will win £x worth of vouchers.

Can I highly recommend JabRef to do your bibliography in BibTex (bibliography framework in latex).

Can I also send :-x to Satchi for wanting to learn latex

Sorry, but I think your assumption that having a job in industry over a job in academia and being able to be happily married is highly flawed. It's a very simplistic view. Relationships, finding them and keeping them, is hard work whether you're in academia or public sector or private sector. It makes no difference.

I think you have put attachment on the fact you met these "soulmates" in an academic setting and maybe that's what is throwing things off. It won't magically chance going into industry. I thought I'd have met someone by now since going into private sector (over a year now) but have had ups and downs with dating, and still single.

Do what you want to in terms of career choice, but basing it on the flawed increased probability of finding love is a bit crazy to me.

Hmm, it's hard to say to be honest. It's not impossible (I had 2 offers so had to turn one down and know it went to someone else who wasn't originally selected) . However they "may" be in touch again could mean anything - I assume they will have said the same thing to others who weren't selected in which case it becomes a noncertainty all over again.

At last, a survey we get asked to complete on here I find vaguely interesting.

Better than the one about America's next top model, that's for sure...