pinky

I don't think it's at all strange that you're affected by a non-direct loss. Even if you're not 'grieving' as such, things like this tend to get stuck in your mind because they're so overwhelming and (rightly so) more important than your work!

I used to have a real problem working with music, but I've done a complete u-turn recently. Almost anything goes! The only thing I find distracting is having to switch CDs or if a really great track comes on - I tend to repeat it over and over without using the repeat-indefinitely function (!) Can't stand the radio though, it's a pet hate of mine (I'd be quite happy to lose the presenter). Some internet radio is presenter-less. Loud music for lab works best - to drown out other people's non-work chat.

Sometimes it's my fault, sometimes it's not, but either way I hate it. Especially first thing on a Monday morning.

not!

I was kind of joking about the walkout... but I don't think 'it's me or the postdoc' is so unreasonable. Maybe not so extreme as that, but SOMETHING needs to change, if it doesn't you might leave - your supervisor will have (maybe inadvertently) chosen the postdoc.

lots of pictures, not too many words. No-one wants to 'read' a poster!

One more thing - I think the fact that your supervisor's male and the postdoc is female is to your disadvantage...

I haven't been in this situation but I really feel for you - I reckon your supervisor is likely to keep defending the postdoc regardless of what you humble PhD students think. Sorry to be so negative, but I really do think that postdocs are treated as our superiors, not only in terms of knowledge, but in many other ways. When I saw the title of your post I hoped your postdoc's contract was about to run out - that's the kind of hope I look for - but they've only just arrived! Maybe you should stage a walkout (all PhD students) - tell your supervisor it's you or the postdoc!!

Ann, you should apply to one of those TV programmes (maybe you've been on one already?!) - we'd all vote for you to have your house madeover! I remember seeing one man who had taken ALL of the doors off in the house - even the bathroom - and they weren't going back on any time soon...

Well, I think it's quite interesting, so I guess that makes me boring! I suspect this thread was started in response to one of Ann's comments in the 'if you could meet one person regardless of time' thread. I remember thinking at the time that Ewan McGregor's honorary doctorate was dodgy - I'm not sure that acting is an academic pursuit.

PhD

RELEVANT talks are good, but they're few and far between. Conferences good in that respect - you finally meet people you can identify with and have chats about stuff that no-one else cares about. But then the conference ends and once again you're the only person in the country who has 'that particular problem' and there's no-one to talk to...

But work so often involves the internet... If I'm working at home I find minesweeper a really big distraction, but can't play it on my laptop (too hard on touchpad)

FIRE