Am trying to write the Acknowledgements for my thesis. I am breaking with tradition and thanking my partner first (most put him/her last, but mine has been so spectacular for 5 years he has earnt poll position). Then my supervisors, then my laboratory people, then the people who helped me with my work once during the project (technical advice, free lab stuff etc), then the industry body that funded me. Then, last of all my parents.

But, can't think of enough inventive ways to say "I wish to thank..." to cover them all. Any recommendations? Do you think I am missing anyone? This is so hard.

I am happy with my PhD today because it enabled me to stay in my pyjamas until 2pm, even though I started "work" at 8am. How many jobs can let you get away with that sort of carry on?

I like the sound of it too. When I was in high school I thought it was pronounced Ant-im-moan-ee instead of Ant-im-on-ee though. Was so embarrassed when I found out I was wrong!

Is that a reference to your work? Being a chemist, you could pick an H element - Hydrogen, Helium, Hafnium, Holmium, or be really cryptic and be Mercury!

No! I have a hard enough time remembering who is male and who is female on here as it is. I always think 404 and juno are boys, and they are not.

Oooh, now this is getting interesting. That is a lot of power to have over someone.

No, silly, Hyacinth. Sshhhh. Don't tell anyone though .

One of those is my middle name!

I think you should become Hamila. That is what I dreamt your real name was once and it starts with H. Admittedly, it is a bad name, but hey, I am stuck with being a farm animal.

Good point and my apologies to you too, Golfpro! Oops. I just saw the question and was surprised that anyone would ask it, given that the topic has received so much attention in recent years. I will just shut up on this topic now. Sorry Golfpro.

YES!!!! To put it simply. I am sure it depends on the field, where you live, what your PhD was in etc. But, I am in this situation right now, and it is proving downright impossible for me to get a job just one tiny step removed from my PhD topic, even though the jobs I am applying for require the same skills that my PhD has given me. And I am not even dreaming of applying for postdoc positions, instead I am going for research assistant/research associate jobs at unis which do not even require a PhD.

Sorry, Richmond and Otto - got the wrong person, it was Golfpro who ask the banal gun question. I apologise.

I thought the 'right to bear arms' thing was originally to give the people the right to challenge the government should it ever get too big for its boots. I thought that was the irony in Americans now using the 'right to bear arms' as an excuse to arm themselves to defend themselves, ...that defence was not the original purpose of the law at all. Am I wrong - correct me if I am.

Richmond and Otto, I recommend you both see 'Bowling for Columbine' this weekend for answers to your gun questions.

...it has given me some great friends who I otherwise would never have met