Got back yesterday from my (nearly) 5 week (holiday and research) trip to the states and don't know what I should be doing first. We are all (including 11 year old who is still awake at 2.15am) very jetlagged - today I did a mixture of watching rubbish tv, sleeping, catching up with a friend and restocking fridge but I need to get my ass into gear.

Might be too late but my favourite was a set of coins for the year when the baby was born - you can buy them from some post offices or Royal Mint on line (and having just come back from the US and taken the tour of the Denver mint they sell them in teh US as well) My son got a set of Uk coins when he was born and he loves looking at them.

I'm in the North West too so count me in if anyone wants a get together...

Err shouldn't you be citing the most relevant material whether that is journals or other sources (eg governement reports). Don't ignore somethign that is key just because it doesn't have a high impact factor (and impact factors vary so much by subject that a high one in one discipline would be considered very low in another)

I'm still away on research / holiday trip so am only accessing really intermittently so apologies for delay in replying.

I would certainly enquire about the other job but a lot depends on your industry - in some it is considered bad form to change jobs even every 5 years whereas others think 2 years is getting stuck in the mud.  Just make sure that your references aren't taken up in advance of any interview. IS it a small world industry (ie does everyone know everyone else) or is it a big world where even if you went for an interview word wouldn't get back?  You should think about these things before you apply but certainly there is no harm in enquiring (after all it might not actually be that great when you know more - recruitment people are paid to make jobs sound appealing to get the maximum amount of interest)

As far as your current employer is concerned - would it come as a surprise to them. I am always on the look out for something nearer home to avoid the 95 mile round trip drive every day so it would be no surprise to anyone if I got a job nearer home - in fact people send me details of jobs nearer (albeit occasionally only 5 miles nearer)

Gosh - I submitted an abstract to a conference when I had only just registered and presented 4 months in to a part-time PhD. The best part was the networking and the ideas I got from leaqding academics in the field which are shaping the way I approach my research. I guess a lot depends on your subject but I am aiming to present at at least one conference a year (over and above things like PhD student reseach day and reearch seminars in my (work univeristy) department during the 5 years. Am I being over ambitious - I'm presenting in September at a prestigious international conference (but only in a new researcher track) and the conference I presented at in April will hold its next conference end of 2011 so I am already pencilled in for that.

I agree with the previous repsonse. Impact factors vary tremendously between disciplines - the very best journal in my subject (A Social Science) has an impact factor of around 2 (just under for 3 year, just over for 5 year) which I know would shock anyone in medical and biochemical etc research.

Depends on your subject - I'm in Geography and we love pictures (and maps)

I presented at an international conference in April & I was the only one who didn't hav eloads of pictures (because my presentation was more conceptual).

What I hate though is the crappy microsoft clipart (bloke with light bulb on head etc) - if you are using images make sure they are good ones.

(Oh and make sure your colour scheme works on big screen projection - I presented at our PhD student day and my colour scheme which looked great on my computer at home looked crap - in fact I got more comments (p155 taking) about that than the content)

Am in US on a mixture of research trip and holiday (yes I know that PhD students aren't supposed to have holidays but I refuse to deprive my children let alone myself for the next five years just because I am doing a part time PhD). Have had a fantastic week in National Parks - am buzzing with plans for research (I'm self funding and am still at the planning stages) from what I have seen in both the parks and the archives (although a park historian blew me out as Joe Biden was coming to visit) and am now having a few days real holiday before we hit some more parks.

Am desperate to come back next summer for primary research but can I cope with camping for a month (the only way I could afford to do it)? Think I need to get some grant applications in...

When I left my office window open a couple of weeks ago during the warm weather, when I returned (having been the departmental hero for killing a wasp in a colleagues office while she (normally a toughy) hid in the corridor) there were two pigeons on my desk as which point I ran screaming down the corridor, threw my keys into the Head of Department's hand and shreaked "pigeons, desk, get rid, PLEASE". By the time he and two colleaguse who had come to see what the fuss was, the pigeons had gone which led to questions about whether they were really there.

Electric blanket was husband's idea as we ALWAYS argue about bedding - if I had my way we would have a 15 tog duvet on 12 months a year and if he had his way it would be a 3 tog duvet 6 months a year and a sheet for the rest. I have had sleep problems for a long time but since having the heated blanket they have been better.

I was going to add that I live "in 't hills" in a stone farmhouse

Well I only took my electric blanket off the bed a month ago & I am now wishing it were back on! Heating was put back on a couple of nights ago as I refuse to be cold (it was 13 deg max earlier this week); husband lit a log fire on Tuesday.

(I do sugffer terribly from the cold though)

My understanding (based on two different UK universities for Masters) is same as KB's