Wow! Congratulations! You must be feeling SOOOO good :-)

I'm soooooo jealous lol.

Well I did my last goal and I've managed to apply for a job. I need to apply to another one before tomorrow afternoon, so might sit and do that tonight maybe?

Well I decided there was no point in trying to make the paper reach journal requirements, if supervisor send it all back changed anyway. Although I've written a list of things I have to do when it is sent back

So Goal 3: write up a log of my 'research experience'

Thanks Stressed I did 15 mins running/jogging this morning and my calves hurt now (the ones on my legs, not baby cows)

Good luck with the meeting star-shaped.

I'm trying to get up to 5k. I'm not sure I'll be able to do any races, as part of the reason I got the treadmill was for it to improve my fitness for my back. My consultant bloke says I can jog,but not on roads/fields because of the uneven surfaces e.g. if I jog up and down curbs, over manholes etc it will jar my back. But I am going to go and download a load of inspiration running songs lol. I know serious running geeks say you shouldn't run to music but I'm going to have to, otherwise my arteries will protest.

Goal 1: done

Goal 2: make sure paper meets all of journal requirements

well I got my treadmill set up and went 'running' today for 15 mins, definitely a good investment :-) am hoping to start running for at least 30 mins 3 times a week and then build it up to 50 mins 4 times a week :-)

Goal 1: write stuff into discussion and get the work sent to sup ASAP.

My routine:

6am: wake up
6.00-6.45: get hubby up, dressed, fed and to the station
6.45-8.30: shower, my breakfast, feed dog, walk dog (for at least 45 mins). Although I now want to add jogging for 30 mins into my routine, which can't be done whilst on dog walk as I walk in VERY muddy ploughed field.
8.30-11: work (ha!)
11: elevenses - cup of tea and a biscuit
11.15-1: work
1: lunch
1.30-5: work
5: another dog walk
6: pick up hubby
6 onwards: make tea, do clothes washing, unload dishwasher, clean rooms
9pm: go to bed (haha!, so early!) and watch episodes of jonathan creek or read teenage vampire fiction :$

Now my problem is not working after 5pm, I really want to, but I have so much to do and hubby likes to go to bed really early because of the 6am start, otherwise he gets burnout from commuting and working all week.

urgh, I've had my treadmill delivered, that is supposed to be a treadmill to help me get in shape to stop my back aching so much. So the bloke arrives, he's like 80 (sorry about the age discrimination, but seriously he couldn't lift a piece of paper). So the choice is, either he doesn't deliver it, or I help him get the thing inside, it weighs about about 18stone apparently, it was SO heavy! and difficult to move. I have now done my back in. Stupid delivery people grrrrr.

oh, I've just realised her mother in law (well not official) can babysit. She isn't breastfeeding, so it can essentially be passed on to whoever's around at the time with some formula.

Great ideas, although I am NOT babysitting, there is no way I am responsible enough to do that until the thing can tell me what's wrong. I wouldn't even know where to begin. It would be nice to get a spa treat for her mum and her, but I don't know who'd look after the baby, as usually it would be her mum. She lives with the father, but, erm, not too sure if he is capable!

What complicates things is that she doesn't have a bath, just a shower.

I've looked at tiffany's - cos I thought you get a key at 21??? - well its way too expensive, so that's out!

Sorry about being so OT. But I need to find a 21st birthday present.

The girl/lady/woman in question has just had her first baby. But I do not want to buy her anything baby related, for a start we already have and I reckon she'll be wanting something for her, not the baby.

But I feel so old, what do 21 year olds like??

I would say she's quite a home-town girl IYKWIM, never lived away from home etc.

Done goal 4 :-)

now the worst goal of all - print out work and re-read it about 10 times and then see what needs adding/changing. BLEUGH

first few weeks - just read, you need to start understanding your area in more detail. My advice, write at the same time, then you'll have something to show for all the reading. I did little 'essays' on each area e.g. 3000-6000 on each area of research, which are invaluable now I'm putting it all together!
You'll probably start planning out the next few years too, e.g. timescales, important deadlines etc.

You can publish before, I'm trying to. its good because a) you get peer review comments on the work before the viva/thesis submission and b) you're more likely to get a job with publications, but they do take time, time away from the core thesis.

I'm finding it very tough to find employment, there is NOTHING out there to even apply for. BUT you'll be finished in 3 years when they will have probably realised they need to pack their departments full of lively young post-docs because they've not recruited for 2 years.

If you want a lecturing/research job afterwards your best bet will be in the uni you do your PhD in, so volunteer for stuff and make yourself invaluable so they'll be forced to hire you! Obviously you need to be good at time management if you take on a lot of extra work.

Good Luck!

I think it sounds fine what you are planning to start with, but you may want to research extra support for students, I had to do this for my interviewees.

Kind of like the 'if you have been effected by any of the issues in this program' type thing.

So maybe have the contact details/leaflets of student support centre/counselling etc etc. in case students have had harrowing personal expereinces.

I've just spent the last 30 mins looking at houses over £1million on right move and slating them for all being nouveu riche - a fun hobby :-)

Must work, I have 40 mins before my bread is baked, well thebreadmaker stops anyway.