I am on my 2nd year of teaching, & I started off with a bit of a romantic dead poets society idea of what it would be like. Just be warned Sylvester that your enthusiasm won't always be rewarded. After the 1st semester I was dead cynical and pretty much in despair at the ammount of slacking undergrads could get away with and still pass. However 2nd semester I kind of evened out as I learnt not to take it personally when students didn't engage or turn up and when a few interested ones and gifted students start to emerge it was really rewarding. Marking an essay on a lecture you have given that has captured a students imagination and you can see they have 'got it', is a great feeling.

I still think the contracts sound like a good idea. There is too much banging on about students being paying customers. Expecting a degree without doing the graft. As one commentor said online that they need to realize they are buying into a system they have to participate in

Ask your department if they have a list of short term accomodation for visiting academics.
I know at my uni, there is a list of people who have a spare room, who put overseas researchers and vistors to the department, up for a week or two for a small fee.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1869544,00.html

NUS have kicked up a stink but I think it's a great idea.

Little song for you DJW to cheer you up before I pop off to bedski

Raindrops on mooncups and whiskers on kittens
Old skool hard core tunes and warm woolen mittens
Degrees from Belford tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favourite things
And then I don't feel so bad

DJW -Hope you are OK?
Could it be post thesis blues? If I remember rightly you have just finished?
Bound to be a huge release and mix of emotion & all catching up with you.
Big hug x

FF - mint tea is great for nausea & tummy.

Apologies for the digression, but I've just remembered...Tim Burgess.

Ann , Sly... I bow to your greater knowledge... even so wouldn't it be cool if it was THE Ian Brown. Who was the lead singer of the Charlatans - I used to think he was a honey when I was 15. Very kissable looking lips.

are you THE Ian Brown - lead singer of the charlatans? Awesome.

how about Johansteinn as a possible supervisor?

I have it on good authority amongst my show biz contacts that Braniac is mostly filmed in the Sky car park.

Date a celebrity and get your services provider to cover your charges on their VIP rate.

workit - I know it must feel horrible right now, but hang in there. It really is early days and in a few months time you will feel so much better. These are really common teething problems - which probably isn't much comfort to hear when you feel all alone - but it will get better & you will have days in the future where you absolutely love, love, love what you do.
Does your uni have a reasearch training prog? When I began one of the best things I did was to go on short course on research methods and the PhD process. The content wasn't all that useful, but it was the meeting of other researchers which was the life line. Although everyone on the course was from different disciplines we all had the same hopes & fears, and it was good, well just to talk.

BIG HUG!

she's not a right wing daily mail reading bigot is she by any chance, who thinks you have 'given up work', whilst her son supports you piss about at wait for it..... "college"? If she keeps refering to your PhD as your little college course well maybe we are seeing the same person?

Ed you say Serville, I say Servilla. This for once is not me being dyslexic. Andulcian road sides have many variations of spelling and the correct pronounciation is sir vi ya, not ser-vil.