And still feeling calm, productive, happy, focused........! ( with the odd thought of pirates--well, would any thought of a pirate be considered odd?) :p

limp

what arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr you trying to say???????? arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 8-)8-)

Arrrrrrrrrrrr y am thynkyn it would be fyne to just continue talking lyk a pyrat for syvral more dayz! Arrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS

All else failing trying to find something that gives you a laugh...some sort of boost to make you laugh out loud...can do wonders for mood. Psychologically and physically, laughter brings a certain kind of stress release. For me, it was going insane for a few days about pirates ( the evidence sadly scattered on threads through the Forum)--but something so simple as Talk Like a Pirate Day last Friday helped me get back into the mood to work. Arrrrrrrrrrr !

Hi Pam

Sorry to hear that you have returned from holiday not feeling refreshed. I think that is often the case when you come back to "reality" from the holidays--its hard to get geared up again, when you have had a chance to unplug from stress, and just relax. Its hard to through yourself with joy back into the grinder of PhD work and regular life. Just give yourself time to pick up your usual routine though and in a few days I would guess things will be more sorted than they feel at the moment.

Although this sounds trite, what really helps me get motivated or at least in a mood to tackle my work is music. I love to work with my earplugs in, listening to whatever it is that helps me get going that day. Sometimes its very mellow music, on days when I am very tired, its very NOT mellow.

Is there something that helps you work--music, a certain place to work, promise to reward yourself with cup of tea or coffee or snack...that helps you feel more like working? And then, just getting started always seems the hard thing, once you start doing ANYTHING, any word on a piece of paper, and you are on your way. Its that first step that is the hardest. Sometimes I almost "bribe" myself to the desk to work, buying a coffee I don't need, or having some chocolate, to reward myself for working. Work has to have its rewards, meeting goals need a pleasant and positive reinforcer...sometimes you are left on your own to find that!

I hope you feel more in the swing of things soon!

While a bit recovered from the pirate madness, surprisingly I remain in sort of zen state of mind, getting things done, feeling over all positive, and motivated, and making progress, albeit seems too slow. Still a word at a time...!

its American slang, and its also in the UrbanDictionary, if that counts as a valid word source!

womp

boots, not boats.

What has happened to me? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Arrrrrrrrrr but Y am thynkyn that one of the fynest pyrats of all tyme came from Dyvyn dyd he not?

( Many of the accents in Britain are what are known as "rhotic" accents, in that they do not pronounce the letter R in words like car and forget and quarter. A New York accent in America is another example of a rhotic accent. By contrast, most American accents, a Devon accent, and Irish accents are not "rhotic"--the R in the word is pronounced. Then there is the thing called an "intrusive r" found in British accents, where the letter R, not pronounced in the words it is IN, confusingly gets added between TWO words where the first one ends and the second one begins with a vowel, so that Olivia and I is said Oliviar and I ...Pirates have to have a non rhotic accent, they have to SAY the letter R, so I think Devon is a fine place for pirates............saying Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr but not pronouncing the R sounds.......just not pirate like).

( What amazing trivia I have learnt while living in the UK!)

Talking to yourself has different levels.......I would not be too worried if you are just talking to yourself. Talking to yourself is one thing, answering yourself another level........talking to yourself as a pirate talks is another level, responding to yourself like a pirate is yet another.....and then being obsessed with pirates, talking like them, talking about them, at every given chance...hmm.......perhaps this is reason to be concerned? Yet with all my pirate friends I am feeling a lot of serenity and getting lots of writing up work done. So why look a gift horse in the mouth? Arrrrrrrrrrr avast!!!!!!!!

I saw a mention of the US system. The US system is veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy different when it comes to the UK as to how education is paid for and what is available, so not sure that any real valuable comparisons can be made across the board, just differences noted. First and foremost, the US has a program of federally backed government student loans. Various amounts, various types, etc, etc, but its very normal for students to take out loans. Desirable to go in debt? Not the first choice, but its there if you need it. This means that education IS ACCESSIBLE. Secondly, in PhD programs, there is usually an option to get a small scholarship and some teaching as a graduate teaching assistant. This is pretty standard fare for (post) grad students, I was shocked to learn that this is not the standard gig in UK post graduate departments. So again, its pretty normal to work and get some nominal amount of money in return. There is no such thing as these research councils that do funding in the UK, and many of the research councils seem to limit their eligibility to EU and Home students, so someone like me is out of the running immediately when it comes to looking for funding from a council .

I never give the fact I am paying for my education a second thought because its just what seems normal to me, given my own background. That it would give anyone pause seems weird........but......... different system, different standards I suppose.

Arrrrrrrrrrr no need for beyn boryd when ye can talk lyk a pyret! its got its oyn holydayy as well arrrrrrrrrrr ! When I am feeling a bit bored, then I start to talk like a pirate!!!!!!!!!!!! arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr