Afraid I'm not up to date on the technology, but I thought I would chip in with an observation about protocol. I don't know what other people think, but my sense is that you sometimes have to be a bit careful about recording people without their consent, or at least with the way in which you use the material you've gathered. Whilst giving a lecture or a conference paper does involve a commitment to making your ideas public and up for discussion, it's not quite the same as a book or article: people can misspeak, oral presentations don't come with explanatory footnotes, and responses to questions can be made on the spur of the moment in a way that doesn't give a full representation of the person's views. Basically, if you wanted to record speakers so that you can cite their comments in your thesis I'd try to get a printed copy of the conference paper from them, or find something in their publications to back up your idea, rather than rely only on your recording.
Maybe this is more acceptable in other disciplines though?

Just wondering, what do people (esp non-science people, I guess) do between supervisions? I always find it very difficult to get motivated to start on something new after I've submitted a big chunk of work and am waiting for a meeting. It's always quite tempting to...zzzzzzzzzz.... Oh dear. Is this just me?! :$

I'm not there yet but I'm sure it's a very common feeling. In fact, I can think of a number of other times when I've experienced the same sort of thing leading up to big deadlines. To take a minor example, I have a vivid memory of the day before my final A-level exam completely lacking any motivation whatsoever to even glance at my notes. I knew I only had one more day of revision misery to go and yet every fibre of my being rebelled against doing any more! The only way I got through was by allowing myself quite long breaks doing really nice things, interspersed with short intense periods of concentration.
Now this may not exactly be possible for someone writing up a PhD but I do think it's probably more important than ever at this time to block in periods of time when you are going to do something non-thesis related that you really enjoy. This isn't just a reward system for your hardwork, it's actively contributing to the thesis by making sure your mind is rested enough to tackle the really tough stuff and perform at its best when you need it to.
So, my advice, take essential, mandatory, incredibly necessary to the success of the whole thing, guilt-free breaks and see if that helps your motivation.
Good luck with it.:-)

Just emailed off a fair few thousand (quite rubbish) words.
Not a brilliant result but I have written something and have worked really, really hard in the last week and half (Bank holiday weekend? What bank holiday weekend?).
Now just wait to see what the sup says...

Housemate: You haven't cleaned out the bin.
Me: No, I have a 10 000 word chapter to hand in tonight so I've been working on that all day and I haven't had time for anything else.
Housemate: I'll just clean it out now then shall I?
Me: That would be nice or you can leave it until I have finished and sent off my 10 000 word chapter later this evening and then I'll sort it out. *Smiles sweetly*
Housemate cleans out bin (not at all thoroughly) and stomps off...

Don't think I will be able to achieve better than this!

Wow! Thanks for all the replies! This is clearly a hot topic.
The temptation to just print out this thread and leave it lying around the house for him to read is almost overwhelming... but that would be a bit too passive aggressive, and I don't want to play him at his own game!
My plan for the future: to be much more assertive, combined with a healthy dose of forgiveness and gratitude that I'm getting to do something so amazing, complicated and unique that some people are just baffled by it!;-)

Sorry about this everyone. Please put on your rant-proof clothing before reading this. No worries about replying - though if you have any ideas for a good come back I'd be grateful!
I am SO angry with my housemate. I share a house with someone who works a nine to five in a job that he likes - fine, good for him. I would never suggest that what he does is less valuable and worthwhile than what I do. But he doesn't seem to feel the same way. I am getting sick of all the little put downs! If he comes home from work early for some reason and I'm not working (never mind that I might work in the evening when he's out) he gives me a "living the life of leisure still?" look. He lectures me and my fellow PhDs about working methods. If he sees any of us working at unusual times he makes a comment about us having left everything to the last minute. If I want to work in my PJs in the morning before having a shower he'll ask me in the evening what time I got up or whether I had a late one the previous night! And he gets upset that when I'm working at home I don't seem to have time to do the housework as well. That's because I'm WORKING, WORKING, get it?! Yes I mess around on the internet during the day, yes I procrastinate, yes I'm sometimes up against a deadline - but how long does he spend chatting at work, sitting daydreaming in meetings, and looking at quizzes on round robin emails?????? This is a real job I do. It's a difficult job. It doesn't necessarily involve orthodox working methods and hours but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like a worthless person!!!!
Phew... again, sorry - I just need to get this out. :-s

Okay... plan not working at all so far... have not done anything...:-(
What is going on?!

Thank you for your supportive comments Poppy!

Hey - would it be possible for me to join this thread for a bit? As my post a few days ago suggests, I'm struggling a bit with work at the moment and I'm in my second year.
Run down of my week so far...
Monday: Some planning of my next chapter and 60 pages read
Tuesday: A lot less reading and a lot less work in general! Did finish my marking though.
Wednesday: No work at all (apart from attending a seminar) - I had a work-related panic attack (an actual panic attack) in the morning.
Today: Writing my chapter and although I've only managed to work consistently for about 2 1/2 or 3 hours I wrote 1300 words. Not very good words but words nonetheless.
Tomorrow: More writing. Going to try working in 30 minute slots with breaks in between to listen to music or read Joan Bolker! If I can work the whole morning like that and maybe an hour or so in the afternoon I will try to be satisfied with that I think. Achievable targets,etc.
:-)

Thanks for your replies everyone. They have helped me feel better - even if the rest of this post makes it sound otherwise!
Poppy - I have asked myself why I don't get around to doing anything and I think it is because I feel overwhelmed. I'm in my 2nd year and the whole of this year I have felt behind. I feel like I'm working all the time to try and catch up with what I should have done already so anything I do is just a drop in the ocean. I've ended up hiding at home, avoiding writing, avoiding email, avoiding my supervisor.
I do try with the breaking things down method, but that doesn't always seem to get me very far. Today for example I decided that first off I would sketch out some ideas for my next piece of writing - I did that but it just made me feel worse because of how little I came up with. That took from 9.45 to 12.15 somehow! Then I decided to do little bits of reading. Would like to read 80 pages today and have broken it down into 10 page chunks, with 20 mins for each chunk and then 10 min break. This is working okay - I have done 20 pages. But I still feel useless, unproductive and down. :-(

I don't know what to do. I am really behind with work and once again today I have done nothing! I have just moped around the house feeling tired and useless!
I seem to be having a day like this every week and I don't know how to counter it. I should be writing but my ability to do nothing at all (not even enjoy myself or relax) is truly astounding!!!
Any ideas for a pick-me-up?:-(