Resign from her job, or from being your supervisor? And surely she can't do this? Isn't she contractually bound?

I remember when I used to do western blotting, there's a chemical you put on top of the gel to reduce bubbling (I think), and it smells like a mix of putrid fish an urinals. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I've had first-hand experience of Oxford as an undergrad and, while some of my friends enjoyed it there, I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole for a PhD (or DPhil as they like to call it there to show how superior they are).

Isn't it the case that, if you don't feel like working in the evening/weekend, you shouldn't, as you won't be productive anyway. And f you do feel like it, then do?

I love wintergreen personally.

"I have inhaled worse than that". Are you trying to tell us something, H?

"Tip for next time, make yourself a mask out of a pair of knickers put over your ears to cover your nose and mouth" Er... is that something to help stop the fumes, or just a completely unrelated fashion accessory?

Ouch! I did the same last summer, and it's comparable to opening a bottle of concentrated ammonia under your nose - I don't think it does the respiratory epithelium any good, but unless you inhaled loads, you should be ok. But how about phoning NHS Direct?

Chocolate donuts are logically good for a cold. They have a spongy, porous texture, which allows absorption of mucus and pathogens. The donuts could therefore act like asupermegagiant macrophage. Perhaps.

Well, I could suggest Echinacea, but you may as well swallow your money.

Seriously though, the best things (with studies to support them no less) are antioxidant Vits C and E, and also chicken soup. Apparently, the chicken soup contains high levels of certain amino acids (cysteine perhaps), which help with a cold. Apparently, taking both of these can reduce the duration of a cold by up to 40%.

I reckon some of you have read about my dalliance with a PhD in September, and rather immediate withdrawal, but now I'm realy looking forward to starting one next year. I don't have a place yet, although I have an idea of the area/areas I'm interested in, although maybe my looking-forward is misplaced as two friends who are doing PhDs aren't exactly enjoying the experience. Or maybe I just want to escape my current godawful existence. Whichever, I guess roll on September is the sentiment...

Bobby - I know what you mean, and I guess everyone hits reply a bit too fast. Still, I guess all's well that ends well. This thread seems to have calmed a little

Bobby, while I can see your point, and to a certain extent agree with some of what you're saying, I don't think there's any need to say it in such a condescending way, is there?

Jenny, in response to what Bobby said, the first word of the thread title and the thirteenth word of the main body do rather give the game away...

Fair enough - I'd like to point out also that I'm not going to get involved with all that's gone on in this post before. Not my thing!

Isn't it possible that PhD students are all motivated by different things, but also possible that none are motivated by anything to do with their background?