I am pathetic I realise! I have spoken multiple times in the first yr of my PhD and have another major conference on 5th Jan and have neevr worn anything but my usual - jeans, top, my usuall small-heels. and my usual earrings.

So on 5th Jan, I'm wearing my jeans, a printed casual top and a nice, confident smile :-)

Mine is a boased (unbiased?) answer. Donate it.

I *hate* chocolates and anything sweet with a venom deep enough to pierce metal. (clearly I should join the dramatics society)

I am in my country of origin now for 10 days, back to good ol London on Sunday. Anyway, folk in this country live for sweets. That's what they make at home, buy from shops, stash their fridges with. That's what they wash down their dinners with. Every lane has a sweet shop.

So, for my b'day this week, I announced that sweets were out of the question. My aunt made a face which looked so deeply hurt that I wanted to hug her. I have consented to a tiny black forest cake because there are 6 teenage counsins in the picture who will lie down on the floor and cry if there's nothing sweet.

I hate chocos. I hate sweets. In fact, the best way to torture me is to say "PhD bug, imagine a chcolate fountain near you, and you biting on a bar of whatever it is choc".

I'd rather eat my own (or even someone else's) toenails.

Vent over. :-)

Thanks so much!! Will give it a try as you say here :)

Hehe Eska :-)

Hmm the avatar changing was a mini experiment on identity for myself to keep myself busy. I was trying to see if it makes me feel any different, changing my virtual sexual identity on an anonymous forum...

Identity is not my area at all, but I felt a bit weird, and still feel weird when i see the avatar by my name..

my goals - hmm, am under pressure for I feel the clock ticking now, and need to write very fast!

======= Date Modified 20 Dec 2009 04:05:57 =======
Goals for the year 2010

To have a first draft ready, read and starting to be revised substantially
To have presented at conferences A, B, C and D in that order of importance
To have seen Paper A in print, Paper B accepted, Paper C accepted/under review, Paper D in prep
To have done something significant in my role as section rep for organization X
To have sorted out the post doc plans/apps in the order of Plan A, B and C by autumn 10
To have added 1 more project to the list of 4 already done/on
To have organised 1 event

Goals left over from 2009 and being transferred on to 2010

To have started serious yoga
To have resolved the question of occasional insomnia (it's 4 am now!)
To have paid attention to eating nutritous food, or less ambitiously - to eating
To have overcome the tendency to let other people ruffle my plentiful feathers
To realise that even if some of these goals are not met, it is just fine.

have people noticed that PhDbug is now a guy?

Moonblue, drink hot choco, then get in bed early tonight, with a book and a hot water bottle under the covers near your feet, and turn on the heating.

My routine every night, plus drops of lav oil on pillow!!:p

Thanks Joyce and you've inspired me to poke you with a rather mundane question, sorry!

On headings - you said something about 'style' - now when I use headings, I choose 1, 2 and 3 for every single thing as appropriate and then the ToC generates itself. But what you say seems to have a touch of higher profesionalism (!) in it and i have heard others mention this word 'uniform style' : would you mind telling me how to go about doing that?

(Of course we both know, there's more to writing a thesis than headings and styles, but would be v useful!)

Bug

By oldest do you mean the one who has been here the longest or the one who is the most advanced in years?

I am PhD Bug
I turn 25 very near New Years eve
I have been here for a year and a term

:-)

I am very warm now, have eaten a good dinner, and packing for my hollllidayyyy from tomorrow yippe yipppe yeah!!!

======= Date Modified 19 Dec 2009 11:30:10 =======
I doubt anyone can answer this question for you, for this depends so very much on the rapport between you and your supervisor. You use the word 'mentor', and unless this is an 'offically ascribed' term, I am taking it you are using it to express that this person truly is your mentor i.e. has nourished your interests, shaped your career and so forth. In this case, an honest conversation on your plans and asking if they might know of opportunities is Ok i think. On the other hand if it is a rapport that doesnt have that space, you may still wish to let them know of your intentions and honestly, opprtunities come by betwen sups and students pretty regularly (edit to add that this is if the sup is nice and not a monster).

It may also be that they truly have no job to offfer you right now and also expect yo to explore other options.


I have never asked my sup for jobs, however I realise I am now working on my 4th project for/with her. Are others under her getting opportunities you arent getting? do you have peers who are getting PT or FT things that are bypassing you? i.e. identify what you can expect out of this person, and then you will figure an answer out.

Dear all,

I need your wisdom on planning my writing over 2010 (I am aiming at a submission at dot end of 9 terms, i.e. June 2011)

Upsides:

My fieldwork is done and transcribed (interviews with school children, about under an hour each). My pilot fieldwork has been done, transcribed and analysed (paper out of it submitted).

Another upside : I am a very fast writer and can usually produce moderately okay drafts very fast.

Downside:

I have precisely 11 months in which to produce a first draft (earlier better) and 4 in which to refine for submission.

Of this, while I draft the introductory few theoretical chapters over 3 months, keepin these 3 also for analysis (analysis starts January 2010) is it sensible to say that I can hope to do this?


Caveat: I will always have 3 days of work a week on verydemanding projects plus teaching. I will also be presenting/travelling at least once or twice a month and writing papers.

Anti-caveat: This is precisely what has happened in the first yr, but I see that the thesis has made great progress instead of getting affected.


So, question is: Do you think this is doable? Fieldwork transcripts are with me already. I am in my 14th month of the PhD. Want to complete in the next 15 months.

Hmm... i dont know, I do feel I want to meet you guys sometime, in the offline world, like real people... I get the logic of anonymity, but I am convinced that I'd really love meeting all or some of you! but forum meets somehow never work out here I see..for the anon reason...

wally you are much too kind. have a turkey. (turkey)

Please look up things online, visit university homepages, visit the British Council in your city/nearest metropolitan city, which offers tons of advice on UK courses and univs

i.e. do the work yourself and then ask specific questions of people, not like this one above.

I thot Keenbean is a girl.

:-)

My anonymity was compromised here, months ago, when someone recognised me, but I have moved on...:$