I have a deadline for a conference abstract for wednesday. Problem is the conference want a 500 abstract and then in May want a full paper, which they will then publish in their journal if you're accepted. My problems with this are

a) the paper my sup asked me to submit isn't ready, I haven't even done the results yet - can I still enter it? I've done this for a postgrad conference before, but saying "its not finished yet" seems a bit poor.

b) the journal it could potentially get published in isn't great - although I would like to present at the conference, I'm not totally sure if I want the paper in the journal, although it would be an 'easy' publicatoin if accepted.

so confused!

there will probably be something around similarity-attraction paradigm and familiarity I would imagine. There's also attraction - selection - attrition model, but more to do with organisations and why people enter/leave them.

yep, I have two cats and they ALWAYS sit on my desk on the exact paper I'm reading - even when I put a big pillow on the side of the desk for them to sit, they always prefer my book/note paper. I have a pullout keyboard tray thing under my desk and they also try and wedge themselves between that to get on my lap.

My dog loves me writing up because it means I'm at home nearly 24/7 and get bored so take her for lots of walks. I also get bored and play 'where's the duck?' game which involves running round the house with a pink toy duck that goes "quack quack quack quack" when you squeeze it - taking turns being chased by the dog and chasing the dog for said duck, until the dog goes into 'wall of death' mode and cannot be calmed down - its a nice relief from writing!

somedays I work quite long - I seem to be doing that a lot more recently. But sometimes I spend entire days watching twilight and new moon on dvd :$ or reading books I started - fiction books, not horrible PhD books! But I always seem to have some devil on my shoulder that encourages me to do these things, and then I end up working flat out to meet the deadline that was set.

It depends what you call 'work' I know some people who faff about on email all day, and I would do that anyway, so I don't see it as work really.

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easy - to around 1800 so I could flaunt about in amazing empire line clothing and be very 'accomplished' in society. If I could change events I would harrass Jane Austen into changing 'Lizzie' to 'Sneaks' and I could marry Mr. Darcy :-x

Edited to say, I know you said we can't go back and change anything, but might go back to my 2nd year PhD and see if I can kick myself into action!

I don't know, I went away for a cup of tea and a bagel and found it had restarted. Luckily I had saved all my work, but I had lined up all the open files on the toolbar so I knew what I was doing, because I have files like 'findings draft 1' and 'findings draft 20' and 'surely this must be the final findings draft' so I knew which ones I was working off i.e. the one on the left, the one in the middly bit of the toolbar etc etc :-(

I've only got access from 97 - sorry :-(

Really? Well thanks for losing all my work you stupid stupid program :-s

Sneaks leaves to calm herself (turkey)

Thanks Rick, I've decided to leave out that particular quote all together now because it was too difficult to get right. All my other ones seem more straightforward, so will see if my sup picks up on it or not.

I had an averaged sized wedding - about 60 guests in the daytime and 90 in the evening. I made it not impact too much on my PhD by planning everything very early on. We had booked a venue, caterers, sorted out entertainment very early on, like a year in advance and that meant I just had to chase those people up nearer the time. I also hate a lot of traditional wedding stuff, so didn't have bridesmaids - I just bought new, but not matching (urgh) dresses for my sister in laws the week before the big day. I was lucky in that my family is musical so all the entertainment was pretty easy to sort. I also avoided 'traditional' table layouts, line ups etc. so there was less stressing about where to put people. I also had a civil ceremony in the same venue as the reception, so didn't need cars etc so saved money there. I did all the planning with my husband so we didn't have best man/MOH to consult or ask to do stuff, which meant there was no chasing.

I think it cost about £11k in the end - but most of that went on the venue, the food and my dress (so I'm glad!). and our honeymoon cost £8k :$ if I could do it all again I would probably skimp on the food and spend more on the honeymoon - it was amazing! and its so much more satisfying spending all your cash on a long amazing holiday than 4 hours on a saturday afternoon.

Along the right lines of thinking on the PhD - reading, research questions, depends on your field, but maybe writing the lit review and collecting data.

In terms of wedding planning, well that's another story. YOu have to do things like book the venue ASAP, the dress has to be ordered 6 months beforehand at the latest. There is lots to do - see www.youandyourwedding.co.uk although it is addictive.

I have an interviewee who has spoken about a topic but has rambled a bit is it ok to have a quote which just leaves big sections out?

i.e. "this is an interesting topic because XYZ happened........[represents gap of about a page in interview]...........people do this blah blah"

Is this ok???

if so is it ok to rearrange the text, as long as it keeps the same meaning i.e. he speaks about UVW first and then XYZ but I quote

"this is an interesting topic because XYZ happened... but that's important because UVW...."

So confused.

Happy Birthday Wal!

I've just turned 26, but I listen to classical music :$ because its something that can be on in the background whilst I write - which I can't sing along to - although I have a good go sometimes.

I also have a pension :$ my mum set it up, alhtough I think I was 60 now and retired it would only give me something like £30 a year because I've never put anything in it.

I still get ID'd - even when I'm paying with my credit card, flash my wedding ring and am holding car keys and buying one bottle of wine amongst a £70 weekly shop full of 'adult' things like lettuce and lasagne sheets. I think its because I spend 99% of my time in cheap Lonsdale joggers and hoodies so I look like a very chavvy 14 year old.

bilbo, do you think it would have been different the other way around? For some reason I think men must take it worse - like a pride thing.

Do you do much outside of the PhD or outside of the house - maybe you need to get out, do something - exercise preferrable to fight the depression demons. How about tennis or something you can do together for a bit of light relief?