Hello everyone

I'm trying to write a presentation that I have to give at a seminar tomorrow. Been trying to write it for days, and been totally blocked about it. I'm starting to get there now, but slowly. So, goals:

1.) Finish writing presentation
2.) Make notes on what I'll say to each slide
3.) Practice!

I have now sent my email to potential postdoc supervisor. Rather nervous about getting a response!

My goals are now pop into research student office, a bit of editing my analysis section and then meeting with research group at 2.

My first goal today is to edit my analysis so that I have a final draft.

The final draft of my analysis section is now written. My next goal is to produce a near final draft of the conclusion.

Wow it is quiet on this thread today.

I now have a near final version of my conclusion. There's a bit which needs working on but I'm going round in circles with it so will come back to it tomorrow. My next goal is to pull everything together into one document, insert data extracts, etc.

Was at a colloquium/conference thing yesterday, where I gave a presentation (seemed to go well - had lots of conversations with people about my research afterwards, at least). I would have liked to sleep in a little - didn't get home til gone eleven pm - but the plumbers came round at 8 am to replace my radiators (yay!!! heating!!!) It involves a lot of banging and drilling and shouting so can't get much work involving actual thought done while they're here, so I'm going through journal alerts and updating RefWorks. I'll see how much of the day is left once they've finished - maybe there'll be time to do something more complicated!

It's good that you're finally getting your heating sorted at last!
I was supposed to go to the gym at 7 this morning but slept in until 8.30. Whoops.

My first goal today is to rehearse my presentation for Monday and to make a few changes to the Powerpoint slides.

I am now happy with my presentation and slides and just need another few run throughs. My next goal is to finish writing the conclusion section of a chapter.

Conclusion done. My next goal is to go through and tweak my analysis.

Yay, I have working heating at last!!! My flat is slowly warming up and it feels gooooood!

I'm going to go to the shops for some food for lunch, and then this afternoon get on with some proper work instead of faffing around with references. Time to think through the next stages of planning my main study.

Wow Star-shaped sounds like you are on a roll, steaming ahead with the draft!  Batfink, glad the heating is getting fixed, we had the landlord replace our boiler about 6 weeks ago and that was very disruptive. Had to come back three times to sort out other issues with the system, arghh! Fingers crossed you get that warmth back soon.

My thesis editing is very slow but I have lost 3000 of 7000 words.  I have another 4 chapters to read and edit but they are less waffly as they were written later :-( Oh well, will do what I can and then pass to my supervisors.  May have to amalgamate two chapters into one as there is a bit of repetition. Am awaiting my uni supervisor to return from leave next monday for clarification.

In the meantime the hospital lab politics has stopped me returning in the new year for some extra lab work to clarify conclusions i have made.  It is not essential this work gets done for the thesis but would have been nice for the viva. Bl**dy red tape, bah humbug (down)

I find that slowly but surely is the way to go Dunni. I have been working on this chapter now for a couple of months and finally got everything together today. So, apart from an argument I have been having with Refworks when trying to create a bibliography, it is now finished. (up) I'm going to celebrate by knocking off early to go to the gym and then come home to a nice big glass of wine.

Right, today I am going to achieve lots of things! I've had too many days of just drifting along not getting much done. I got the early train so am already on campus and ready to start work. Tasks for today (not necessarily in this order!):

1.) List all the documents and other things needed from first study hosts and email them about these
2.) Phone second study hosts and try to arrange date to meet with them
3.) Look at paper on methodology to see if one section of questionnaire can be condensed
4.) Go to supervision meeting all bright-eyed and enthusiastic(!!!) and bearing mince pies for supervisors
5.) Take mince pies to friendly, helpful person who acted as internal examiner on my first year viva
6.) Go to Research Student Office and get them to stamp my railcard renewal form
7.) Get my railcard renewed at the railway station
8.) Go to the pub for friend's birthday!!!

That should keep me busy. And if there's time left over I'll look at a couple of research papers.

Batfink you have just reminded me that I need to get a railcard renewal form stamped also! The very first thing I am going to do now is to hunt around to see if I have a passport photo to use.

Then I am going to write down some prompts for my presentation on Monday and have a couple of rehearsals.

My first goal is done. I need a few more rehearsals before Monday though. I probably over-rehearse but I freak out and forget everything otherwise!

My next goal is to start looking into writing a proposal for ESRC Postdoc funding. I had an email back from a potential mentor yesterday. Very exciting!