Me too as well, Smilodon, posting on here more than I ought to be. I seem to have about a five minute attention span. Yet, somehow, things are getting done today, about 1500 words written and still going, not brillant, but a determined first draft!

I think Lara posted in one of the threads about the ambivalence that is faced during the end of the PhD, in the writing up phase...in the Joan Bolker book. You want to finish and write, but you find it hard to motivate yourself.

A quick Google of PhD writing up ambivalence reveals any number of scholarly articles on this! Indeed, perhaps one could do a PhD on it!!!!

So it is indeed something very "real" that seems to be a very common part of the whole PhD process.

Me three!!! Though I am also finding that there is additional researcha and writing that I want/need to do on my PhD, that in the end I think is making the work richer and deeper and hopefully more valuable. ( the joys of doing an inductive method that yields "my" theory rather than testing an existing theory!...I can see that this could be a life's work, and in some sense, have sort of shifted round to seeing that yes, it will be, even after the PhD is submitted.)

I need a lot of self-imposed structure to keep working on things...and I make myself do it whether I "feel" like it or not. Perhaps I could do with some additional breaks here and there...and I am trying to fit those in...but the task of the PhD is monumental and abstract and long...and its down to you in so many ways to get it done. That I think is the difference between a PhD and a masters level degree.

The PhD is long, huge, and unstructured. The journey of the research is or can be filled with false starts, blind alleys, re-thinking of basic problems and formulations. I think a taught masters has structure undreamed of in a PhD, there is no or little class schedule, you set your research schedule ( to a greater or lesser degree--of course I am sure this is different for instance with lab settings)--you have to operate independently, to say the least.

I think for me a saving grace has been a perhaps over the top work ethic--and habits from working professionally before starting the PhD. I make myself get up and work on things as if it were a job ( which in a very real sense it is).

Is there an insurance company watchdog or a regulatory agency that authorises them to do business in the first place? And does the insurance company themselves need to offer you some kind of formal complaint resolution?

Mole is something you might not eat if someone tried to explain to you what it was...but if you just eat it, its great ( I think). I am trying to remember the story I heard of mole's origins--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce) but the Wikipedia entry is just as helpful! Ymmmm...mouth watering now!

Cornelius Brown...in a real Mo town mood! =)

The Jackson Five

So, I suppose in short, I would say, the UK has sooo many benefits to offer and can be a great place to live, learn and be--but its beset with its own social challenges-- no different in that respect to the whole of the US.

Many of the council housing estates are grim, there are lack of play spaces and green spaces for children---the population density in the UK is staggering when compared to the US average ( 30 x more I think). There is real poverty--read the headlines about the fuel prices and concern about the elderly being able to afford adequate heating in the upcoming winter months. People in the UK do not heat their homes with the aplomb that we do in the US, its simply not affordable no matter who you are, people "rug up" in the winter, and while it sounds quaint or even cosy, the reality is that damp cold and chilly rooms take a toll on the health of the young and old, and people of all walks of life and ages are under a strain in trying to manage fuel bills.

That said, this is not meant to bash the UK. I applaud its efforts in many things, such as providing public transportation ( even if people do moan about the trains), trying to be environmentally conscious--such as take the stairs, not the lift, charging 5 p for plastic carrier bags, walking and bike riding, accessible local bus services, its delightful markets, etc. And if I recall this UNICEF study, the US fared as badly if not worse than the UK in most of the measures, so this is not a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

There are great alternatives and much more affordable attractions through English Heritage---but local historical attractions are not always respected--I felt apopletic upon seeing a child kicking a soccer ball against the tomb/memorial to Cardinal Wolsey...but no one else really seemed to mind.

There is a youth violence problem that is growing, so it seems, read about the constant knife stabbing deaths and attacks, not only in London but throughout the UK. Go into a city centre after a local football match, and see how safe you feel out and about.

Momofive--as an American from the Bible-belt tornado alley part of the country, I can relate to much of what you say regarding a view of the UK. There is a perception that Americans have of the UK having more culture, a better life ( there are trains, Europe is just a few moments away, there is history everywhere...friendly pubs, etc...).

There is much to like about the UK. But its no panacea, and I say that from the ( limited) experience of having moved to England to finish my Phd. Its crowded. Its expensive. Eventually the thrill of walking past really old things every day starts to fade, and there needs to be more in daily life. On a student budget, access to some of the great historical attractions is out of sight ( eg. 23 pounds or more I think to places like Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London, even 10 pounds or so I think to Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral...)

At this point ( close to writing up) an overriding reason for doing the PhD is because it is there. I have got this far, and am carrying on because of that.