I'm so confused by what to do. I think I did my MSc and PhD because i thought that was what was expected of me. no one actually said it, but I felt this wierd imaginary pressure of - you need to do better, get more qualified etc. when I don't think its made me happy. In one way i would like to give research a go, I very much like working on my own in my own little room at my own pace. However, there are hardly any jobs out there and the whole 'its on your brain 24/7' thing is starting to grate. I would like a job where I could close the office door and not have to think about it again until 9am. But is that just a waste of my qualifications??? I'm also having a lot of dreams about babies (nightmares really) and this scares me a lot I hear the big tick tock of the clock. I don't want a kid but feel it is expected of me to do that in the next 5 years, so my mind is maternity allowance and getting work experience etc etc argh!

he's just read my post and exclaimed

"Minatours are expensive!" (????)

my husband says he is interested in intelligence and when I questionned why this was he said "so we can have conversatio......" at which point he turned back to kill a cyclopse on his PS3 game, so not sure what that says about men or my relationship ha!

I do know men are very swayed by personality. When I met him, my hubby was very much into davina mccall and some presenter called sarah who was a complete minger, but very bubbly - he couldn't see past the bubbliness to see the mingerness and he very much likes people who are cheerful all the time (very annoying if having an off-day on the PhD).

Think at the mo looks are important, but I'm also on a lookout for a vampire or someone who can change hubby into a vampire. - I did make him wear factor 50 suncream when on honeymoon so he would stay ultra pale!

hmm he was like adam ant and david bowie combined, not sure.

I have a strong suspician that 5 stars is only attainable if you are a mod. I think there is no such thing for us average posters its all a lie to keep us coming back.

Thanks for the advice.

I frantically put an abstract together this morning and submitted it. If it is successful, they want the full paper by August, so that is plenty of time to put together the paper - I will be writing it up for publication anyway, so it will either go to them or a journal I choose.

I feel better that I did submit, in that I didn't have anything to lose - if I don't get accepted then no one will know!

However, I daren't show my supervisor what I did submit because I think it was pretty poor! Just wait and see I guess.

you're a genius Wal. How does the deep freeze gel work then?

In my old opinion (26) i would say that undergrads all look about 12, so wouldn't date any of them. My hubby's just said I shouldn't anyway cos I'm married :$

There is a prof at my uni who's a bit of a letch, charming at first but after 3 years of knowing him I've heard all his witty stories and now I can see him for what he is. I suspect that he has a lot of relationships with postgrads, but I don't think I would get to find out until I was a proper member of staff and in with the gossip.

Did you run off with all out money wal?

Found it! I've been looking for this thread because I wanted to ask the chemistry bods..


How does Deep Heat work? Its not hot in the tube so its a mystery!

hmm I should go to belford! maybe this week and then I can lounge around for the rest of the year

are you sure it just didn't save in a different location? i.e. in my documents, rather than the desktop or something?

I'd just out do her. Either by replying 'that's not what I heard' when she says "I'm doing really great!" - its a bit harsh but will put her in her place.

Or I would say, "well the other day when I was having a chat with John...." - John being someone very senior who everyone knows as prof... or Dr... e.g. the dean or head of department.

The job market doesn't look too promising, so I won't be walking straight into a postdoc, or RA position come October when my funding runs out. So I am trying to think of suitable jobs that can get some money in, whilst leaving me a few days a week to complete the thesis. So far I have thought of....

- driving instructor, but I've driven for 8 years and have managed to get out of EVER parallel parking or reverse parking, and now can't remember how to do it, so not sure on this one

- become a psychic medium - although the ethical/moral thing is probably going to stop me doing this

- dog walker/pet sitter

Any ideas?

I notice that one of your clients is Tussaud's (yes I've looked at your website - I'm a researcher, I can't help it). If I go ahead and apply, can I have a personal loan of the new Robert Pattinson wax work? He can stand in my office and will me on to finish my thesis :-x