probably you should try dealing twith he "blocking" situation more confidently. In most cases, all challenging tasks can be "divided and conquer", so be confident that the problem you have will be solved! then try ask yourself: what is the thing that blocks my research? who can help me? In almost all cases, you can get these help from available resources, just try asking for help on line.
You will be fine!

you are from Sweden?

will starting earlier help? I don't like working overnight, it is not efficient.. but good luck with the writing, you will survive!

surprising that you would do this after 20 years.. must be really a motiving topic then.. most people can't take the 4 years of study, quite "boring" for "normal" guys. but I do appreciate the passion for research, I think a PhD study without such a passion is just a waste of time, everyone should do something he really enjoys. especially PhD doesnot pay well either.

PhDs can be funny! and sexy! mostly not rich.. but I would definitely prefer someone funny smart and preferrably hot than someone with money. I am quite independent, so I don't need a rich partner..

Smilodon, so how is the second Phd? better?

talk to your colleague, some journals have very high reputation, then everybody knows that(you will know that as well..)

hehe, it is a new topic, but really exciting. I don't mind working from scratch again.. hmm, similar to the idea that if you find the right person, you can't wait to spend one more day with him/her.

try google

is the 2nd floor from Finland as well? I don't speak Finnish yet, but I want to try to learn

I quit my PhD in amsterdam after 2 years of horrible study(I know I should have quitted earlier now..), and now start my PhD again in Finland.
The shadow of the previous failure still remains, but the motivating environment here is gradually blowing that away. I finally see the possibility of actually enjoying a PhD, without any time to go for entertainment or a luxurious afternoon on a sunny beach. I was counting the time to go off work in amstedam, but now I didn't realize 10 hours have passed since I started working in the morning.

sometimes, changes can be good! and I hope everything will go where from now.

hehe, I was doing PhD in Amsterdam, and now I quit and start again in Finland.. I experienced what you are experiencing now; I don't like the way how the group was doing research, and it was not a motivating environment. somtimes, it is not a bad idea to start again!my new PhD seems so far so good, at least I enjoyed working more than 10 hours a day without even knowing that; when I was in amsterdam, I was staring at the clock to see when I can get off work..

why not just have two computers? and backup important data from time to time.