I also don't get the whole 'reading on the loo' thing! My dad also takes in papers, but it makes me all eughhhh and strikes me that reading matter will be ermm a bit yucky, especially if the loo lid isn't lowered before flushing - saw something on how far the faecal (?sp) matter spreads when flushed and the thought of it being on my books or anything is just too bleughh lmao. Now... in the bath... that's a different matter entirely, I love chick lit - I know, disgraceful, but I love to read something in the bath and in bed that is easy to read, complete garbage and I don't need to think about - I also like magazines in the bath lol, but on the loo??? No, I'm a straight in, straight out kinda girl - do the necessary and get out of there, i wouldn't want to stay there any longer than necessary - my husband though is another one who seems to move in and take up residence, he's been known to fall asleep on the loo before now then fall over when he gets up as his legs have gone dead lmao - too funny ;-)

Shocking behaviour..... my sup is a wonderful man, so kind, so caring, an absolute genius in the field - yes he ticks me off, but always for my own good, no because he's having a tantrum which is what she is doing - its flipping toddler behaviour, blowing up and throwing her toys out of her pram one minute and then all 'I'm sorry....' the next. Not good enough KB. Some people can handle it, and if you could then stick with her, it sounds as though you'd learn a lot from her, but I couldn't. That constant walking on eggshells wondering if the wrong look, slightly wrong gesture, the moon in venus or whatever would cause another meltdown would drive me mad and make me very uneasy and upset. You don't need it KB, life is too darned short to be constantly on edge and having to take utter sh*t from a grown woman who should know better - heck, I refused to take it from my kids lol. You say her post docs look exhausted and basically ill, is it worth that?

I certainly can't see that there is anything wrong with contacting someone else for advice in their specific area, I've done it quite a few times, the first couple of times with a specific shove from my supervisor - he's even taken me off to meet profs in other unis to discuss things with them. If he hasn't suggested it yet (and maybe he's waiting to see if you will) then I'd run it by him, there are plenty of ways to approach it especially as the chapter is interdisplinary, you can put it that you feel it would really help you to understand it from the side of someone in that field - then no offence could be taken whatsoever. The other prof would, in my experience, be very helpful and happy to talk with you and it extends your network - win win :-)

I LOVE Ikea and would love to come ;-) I bow three times at the door and light a candle every time I go there.

I'm also an impatient type, I'm also waiting for a mail (since yesterday) and its doing my head in :-s

Awww Sneaks, that's awful when they do that - wish they wouldn't bother or you're still waiting for nothing getting more and more annoyed - ring them and say is it on or isn't it cos I have a wonderful job offer ;-)

ps lol - sorry to lower the tone - I read DanB's post wrong - ...ended up pissing on some of my colleagues.... lmao - though, wow, that's excessive, then re-read and nearly did the same to myself laughing ;-)

Cats are pure evil - we have 4! They will do what they please and if that suits you then they will change it - as they say, dogs have owners, cats have staff ;-) I'd agree with the suggestions to keep on disturbing him, he'll hate that, or to put a suitable bed in his favourite sleeping place - he'll hate that too and see it that you've given him permission to sleep there - no way he'll fall for that one and oblige you ;-) You have to play them at their own game - its hard to be cleverer than a cat though..... sometimes reverse psychology plays right into their furry little paws ;-)

That is horrible!!! I'm surprised they let you drive home, if there is no insurance then they normally impound the car there and then! They can also check at the roadside why the insurance is invalid which makes me think the policeman was having a bitchy night and took it out on you. That really is the worst case scenario - what are you (or any of us) supposed to do? Demand the certificate, ring the insurance company and double check each and every time we drive? Its not an attempt to avoid insurance, its an honest mistake. Don't worry about the criminal record thing - driving offences don't tend to count unless they are major ones - ie drink driving or careless driving leading to a death. I'm sure that a vast number of people have points or temp bans and still hold down great jobs xxx Keep us posted - really feel for you!

chilli sauce mix would definately be the quickest and easiest, although the italian herbs in the dolmio mixed with the chilli stuff might be a bit odd ;-)

Omg omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bow to your superior greatness and incredible helpfulness and consider myself but a blot on the PGF landscape with my pathetic 4 stars - to think I prided myself on them - I now see my folly :$ I'm stunned by your continued efforts in the perfection of procrastination and only hope that, in a year or so when I too am writing up that I may, just possibly, emulate your stunning feat of 5* greatness and all round wonderfulness!!!

Don't worry! I've been told by several lecturers that their heart sinks when a huge thesis lands on their desk, they far prefer a shorter, to the point one where every word counts than long, rambling theses that bore the pants off them ;-) By the time you finish you'll be well up into the 'acceptable' word count zone, just go with it. And yes, we're not immune to shrinking margins/refomatting if over word count - nothing wrong with nice big margins and a 12.5 font size if we're under ;-) (up)

Oh heck you poor love!!! Even without your family history there is nothing more terrifying than a scare like this, with your circumstances even though you are clear its going to have shaken you something awful and you need time to recover from it. Sod work Eska, you need time to get yourself together again, take the time you need to just chill out, relax and heal emotionally from the shock. Although they could quickly reassure you don't underestimate the effect of those looks and the memories, the pain etc flooding in as you faced your worst fears will have had on you. There are things in life far more important than work, far more important than this life of study we lead, and you couldn't concentrate anyway - you've had an awful experience! Much love to you Eska, relax and be kind to yourself, you owe it both to yourself and your work, a few days will make no difference whatsoever come the end result - a submission on Monday or on Friday makes no odds in the end xxxx

I'd agree that to sustain the motivation and to get through the long years of a PhD you have to be doing something that you're wanting to do, that is your passion and sometimes that is the only thing that forces you to get up in the morning! If you read through posts on here you'll find that problems occur and people can't take any more when they've been pushed into something that wasn't their idea or their primary interest.

The fact that you're getting married (congratulations :-)) puts added problems on your supervisor's plan. I'm married with three children and couldn't imagine having to live away from my husband and family - nothing is 'that' important to me. Careers come and go, interests wane, but the one thing that hopefully remains constant is your family and your relationship.

You don't say which field you're in, I'm a historian specialising in 19th C Britain and to be honest I can't work out how I'd move from that to a comparitive study in two completely different time periods! Yes, I could 'do' the research, but its not 'my thing' and we're back to your passion and your main interest.

You need to be very polite but firm I think, also to have in the forefront of your mind what you want from this. Yes, it may improve your employability but I know of many in my field who have perfectly good careers and things are moving further forward (particularly in the area I work in) and I don't see it as a backward step. You don't have to follow her advice, you can thank her, explain how your original idea is something you're passionate about, but that you'd be more than happy to consider other sources and improve your language skills.

Hi, I agree, its, in my opinion, far too much to take on, both will suffer. Are you planning on doing them both as full time study - if so then imagine whether you could do two full time jobs simultaneously, long term, and how you would cope - you wouldn't. Don't underestimate the workload involved in a PhD - its vast! Then you have to try and manage two different sets of timetables, deadlines, work styles, etc etc etc - utter nightmare. Whilst I completely understand your concerns over the timescales and the need to get on, you may well do yourself and your research a huge disservice by trying to combine 2 very demanding post graduate degrees at the same time.

Hi, sorry, I don't quite understand, do you mean you're currently in the process of doing an mba and want to do a Phd at the same time as working on your masters? I'm not sure what the feeling from your universtity would be but I doubt they'd encourage anyone to do a MBA whilst also working on a PhD.... I couldn't really say though - you'd have to ask your dept. As far as the workload goes I'd say a resounding no! I can't see how you could physically and mentally manage to run them side by side - others may feel differently.

Are you spamming for this company? Excuse me for my cynicism if you aren't - we get so many spammers here - but its best not to post links if you want to be taken seriously as a member of the forum - also I wouldn't post suggestions that come across to those of us who have been studying for years that would appear to be teaching your grandmother to suck eggs... We're all very skilled at procrastination techniques, some have it down to an art form!

Lol sneaks, I hear what you're saying about guys and 3d ;-) I don't like it though - probably related to sickness - if they make it so that you don't feel queasy and get a blinding headache then I'd consider it - fortunately the way it is atm my hubby can't watch anything in 3d due to his colourblindness but I guess they are sorting that out. I'm sure in a few years it will be as cheap as normal tvs are now (I say cheap, I'd like a tv made this century but that can't happen for a while yet) but there's no way I'd purchase one in the development, stupidly expensive, stage.

Oh, and an HTC is a make of smart phone - sometimes called the google phone - direct competition with the Iphone and imo much better. I got mine free :-) I needed an upgrade, rung them up, said I didn't want to pay so much so they agreed to reduce my monthly tariff to peanuts, then said I wanted to upgrade the phone and wanted the HTC Hero, they told me £140, I told them to get knotted and would be taking my contract elsewhere lmao - they said ok we'll let you have it. Lovely phone :-x