when i REALLY want to work i go somewhere with no internet access too (but not the loo). spent the last 4 months sitting in my uni library with no internet connection. it's amazing how much i can get done if i don't surf all day...

3 hours after the phone interview for me. but that's probably because the funding deadline was coming close...:-)

OMG - my mind is practically OVERFLOWING! it's going to burst...right after my last exam!!!

i am wingdings.

yay, i started going to the gym on saturday! am feeling like a total health freak 8-)

procrastinate profusely.

at the dutch viva's i've been to only the panel is allowed to ask questions even though it is open to the public, but they've been pretty tame. now the german rigorosum however - brrrr! am very happy that i'll be phding in the uk...

google it. i did.

well, for a start i would stop meeting him in his flat...!

wah! i've got 2 chapters to write until end of august! i'm freaking slightly... and i"ve still got to finish off my results chapter too... hate statistics (grumble, grrrr, sniff).

aaah, i LOVE pronovias AND empire style, the perfect combination for a wedding dress

you gotta have very slim arms to be able to wear little puffed sleeves like that though.

yay, i passed one of my final exams today - and i did far better than i thought! am very pleased, i thought this exam was going to ruin my overall grade average... now i have 3 weeks to write the discussion and conclusion of my MA thesis - that's looking a bit grim will be spending all my time in my office - just like the last 3 months. did a bit of retail therapy today to celebrate the happy occasion.

and then one more oral exam in mid september...
just thought i would give all of you fellow night-workers a boost

then try and read one of those articles/day. then maybe two articles/day when you've got into the (working) rhythm. then three...you get my point. update your reference software each time you read an article, that way the workload won't build up. tidy your desk up regularly. make a little list of tasks you want to accomplish in one week and try and manage them all. if you don't, make a shorter list the next week. and so on...

the thing is to drag yourself out of that deep black hole. the problem is, when you're depressed that is of course the hardest thing in the world to do. try baby steps, they're more managable. tell yourself: i will tidy up my desk today, sort out all the rubbish and my notes. put on some nice music while you're doing it. it's mechanical, manageable and whilst it is not phd work, it is work in preparation for stepping back into your phd. then the next day you could print out your work so far and look at what you've written, you've probably forgotten half of it anyway (i have since last year...). ok, so now you're in the topic again. now sort out your literature, update your referencing software (or start it if you haven't). that will take a few days, it's not that quick. what next? well, how about googling for new articles/literature on your topic, there's bound to be new stuff out since last year. check out your "favourite" authors, see if they've published new stuff.

most people are overcritical. you need gain some confidence and learn to sell your research. even crappy stuff gets published if you sell it right. i've read tons of articles where i've thought "what the ... is this?".