LOL @ mathew82. No, but I am thinking I should be able to produce an excellent suppliment review by the end of the thesis "Globalization, spaciality & the alfresco beverage; a personal journey of caffine & culture"

Sparklechops - I LOVE my PhD. Sure -I have the odd off day, or rant about being broke / bit lonely during the day, but in the main it is a great life.
I try to remind myself on a regular basis what it was like before when I worked in an office.
I absolutely adore managing my own time. Trust me - there is nothing like sipping a coffee at a pavement cafe in the summer with a book in your lap and the sun on your back knowing thats your work and not having to fall out of bed at 6:30, to get on a smelly packed tube in rush hour to go and be a prisoner of work!

I though ULUG was the artist formerly known as MisterG?

I agree Ann. I think even if one has been previously slim or slight through your 20's when you reach your 30's you do have to be a bit more careful what you eat. I also went through this mysterious change where I lost the albility to lie in bed or sleep in properly. I am always awake , even at the weekends by 9ish latest. The crows feet are slowly creeping in and ..egads..had to purchase my first pot of eye cream the other day

LOL at Jen - a radio teddy bear is EXACTLY the sort of thing my Nan would get me.

To make it properly you need this pot thingie which is called something like an ibrik - that's not the right word, but its along those lines - perhaps a turkish forum member can fill us in? I just use a very small milk pan & a good quality ground coffee. You have to add the sugar with the water and gentley boil it and the grinds sort of seperate out and settle at the bottom of the pan. Never ever add milk - (this is a terrible faux pas) and serve it in a little expresso cup. Warning - it is total rocket fuel, but so yummy, syrupy and sweet. Mmmmm.
The bestest bestest place to take it, is in the walled garden of the Paris Mosque, which has beautiful moorish tiles and does baclava.

midrange try onkyo or yamaha & for a bigger budget teac or denon.

I have some work to hand in next week which really I should be panicing about as it is seriously not underway, and so far today........ I have cleaned my kitchen, tidied the office, been on myspace, made the perfect cup of turkish coffee and searched for a download of the Peaches track from Lost in Tranlastion. Not good. I promised to go to the gym again at 5:30, so I havee 3 hours to make my day worth while and ahem I am writing this post.

I actually did very well this year, but traditionally I always receive quite random gear and am told I am hard to buy for, because I never specify. One year when I was a kid my parents bought me a pet bunny & by chance my auntie purchased me a pair of real rabit fur ear muffs - ewwwww, I'd rather go naked and all that. The rabit turned grew into a giant and was really agressive when she was in season -even went for my cat once. Then there was the gift pack muli coloured pop-sock selection - I mean, the words mustard & popsox should never even exist. I bought someone the 24 dvd game this year which is just about the lamest game I have ever played. I am gutted my other boyfriend Kiefer Sunderland has put his name to it.
Did anyone get any humdingers this year.

Elle - I wouldn't worry that you haven't got what it takes because you were nervous about public speaking. I would actually take confidence that your uni were happy for you to go along & represent them - it shows they have faith in your ability even if you don't!
As a PhD student you would probably begin by presenting your work 'in house' as it were infront of a supportive audience of your peers and supervisors before you progress to bigger events, you can also join Postgrad networks in your area where you can present amongst people at the same level. Once you've done it 2 or 3 times I promise the nerves will dimish.
You say you enjoy the research & to my mind thats the most important thing for a PhDer.
Go for it!

Alas Piglet if only. When I was 17 ( & modeling) I was a waif, but completely abused my body - eating crap, binge drinking, smoking, drugs, the whole shabang. But aged 31 it seems like the life of a different person & lets face it was a loooooong looong time ago.
I am really pathetic these days, sick if I so much as smell a tequilla shot.
I am quite lucky though, because I actually enjoy exercise & eating healthy food, especially my greens & I make myself a fresh juice or smoothie everyday. I think I am quite normal for my age and height, where as a few of my friends who work in fashion are still so skinny and do mental detoxes and fasting to keep up with tiny 19 year olds & I think it makes them though more haggard actually. Nothing wrong with a bit of meat on an woman as she enters her middle age.

even though my fella & I ate and drank almost the same ammount he's gained 4lbs where as I am the same - must have been all the stress. However - we're both off to the gym this afternoon.

Hello all, welcome back
I hope everyone managed a bit of time off for R&R?
My Xmas wasn't too bad. I was secretly dreading it, as I was doing the cooking this year and boyf & I played host to his parents & my mum. Fortunately his mum had a stinking cold and so was too ill to be really awful to me - so actually it wasn't so bad! Even though I say so myself , my Xmas dinner was a triumph. I also received some fantastic gifts this year instaed of the wierd random stuff people usually buy me, which I normally either take back, regift or give to charity!
NYE on the river by London Bridge with champagne & mates was brill.

Awww poor aliby up in the middle of the night working so near to Xmas.
I am making you a virtual mug of tea & a biccie.

Hi Ben

Can you be a bit more specific. Is it production or theory you are interested in?
What area of film theory / genres of film? Documentary, or visual anthropology say, is very different from feminist criticism or exploring bollywood mise en scene.