I liked the first one, the second one was a bit 'can you guess what it is yet?'

I think you'll find that it was a luck dragon.

I have transcribed 'scouse lady' and one other interview. I have been to the vets, done two loads of washing, had lunch and now going to try and transcribe another three interviews (depending on length) before tonight. And I think I have a sore throat coming on, I thought I was just thirsty and now I think it has been confirmed that as usual - just as I can think about relaxing for the holidays my immune system crumbles.

oh and I have become completely despondent about life after PhD and decided that no one will have any academic jobs for me, so I might as well get a job down the supermarket and be done with it.

just to put it into perspective a little - and for Eska too if you are reading. I know at least 4 people in my university department that were full time PhDs and are all AT LEAST 7 years in and still haven't finished. It actually seems odd that most people don't tend to finish in three years, yet the research councils still persist in stopping the funding.

Clogs - my other half plays assassins creed non-stop at the mo. It is rather beautiful, but he seems to think that because I have watched him play he has actually 'taken me to florence'. Poor thing - he keeps getting stuck on the cryptic puzzles.

I wish I had the time to do this kind of thing - maybe after the PhD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a12e3iKzqlw&feature=PlayList&p=EA85E843361FF972&index=1

I'm robbin (robin) the top spot

Here is an Xmas present from me to cheer you up Eska! (gift)

Bilbo is probably your lady for this - she is AMAZING!

Cheer up Eska! Now I think what's going on here is the Xmas blues - its nearly Xmas, it should all be bridget jones like with snow and shopping but you are stuck away from your family in some dodgy city.

I don't think you should worry about the upgrade - we have been discussing this on my accountability thread - and neither Teek or me have upgraded. I am a full timer in my third year. However, I have never really seen it as an obstacle. I'll probably end up doing it a week before my viva! You can go ahead and publish without the upgrade - and if you do it will essentially gurantee your upgrade anyway.

I think you are feeling a bit down and morphing the memory of your sups words into something they weren't.

Have half a day to 'time out' and then come back with some positive goals about what you want to do - when YOU want to upgrade and how you are going to go about doing that. What kind of outputs does your supervisor want? etc etc.

No I don't think you should quit at all. THe only way you can rescue your reputation is to deliver.

sit down and write out a list of all the things you need to get done, only then will you be able to see it as less of a huge mountain, and more a series of little mole hills!

I would completely ignore his behaviour with other women - just get on with the work. If you did get with him you'd only be jealous of his drooling over other women anyway!

and then Sneaks arrived...

Oh, you are probably in a much better situation than me. my first year went quite well, but I think my second year was totally wasted, I haven't even written up my first study yet (scouse lady's one) and have 3 more studies to write up as well as the lit review and everything else like methods and discussion, all by next Oct! Luckily my other half also did a PhD so he knows the pain, but even he is saying I am stressed at the mo.

It doesn't help that i have given up on scouse lady for tonight and have eaten a whole bag of 'fizzy fangs' instead while staring absent mindedly at tv screen while plays ps3.

ooh, smilies, new outfits, more flattering ones please - maybe some relate to our field of study!? and some better headgear. Also it would be good if we could post photos and vids on here! - can you do that? Im not very good at computer things so have no idea.

What year are you in now Teek? I never did my lit review either. I have a load of disjointed essays that have no flow and no argument linking them. Most of them are rubbish. I haven't even upgraded either - in my 3rd year! oh well. I think I'm going to try and type up a bit more of 'scouse lady' tonight. Good luck with the writing Teek!

agree with the cinema - although video games are amazing too. I'm quite looking forward to this avatar film, altough I know its not on the intellectual plane of your films eska!