There's such a lot of paranoia about food and the damaging effects it can have on health. If you were to follow it all, you'd likely starve to death. Eska, diet coke may have aspartame and bone rotting phosphoric acid in it, but I'm sure it's fine in moderation. Orange juice is packed with sugar and traces of organophosphates, fish with traces of heavy metals, potatoes with glycoalkaloids. Even a simple glass of tap water isn't safe according to the papers, as the flouride has been linked to bone cancers. I think it's all these researcher's drawing graphs, doing sums and then subjectively interpreting the results. The way I see it, everything, barring obvious deadly toxins, is fine in moderation.
Today, chocolate is the friend of the media, just like aspirin used to be, but lets wait till tomorrow.

Well, it might have cost a bomb, but the chocolate rabbit was delicious; it was one of those where you could have eaten another straight after. I've been reconnoitring my local area to see if any of the shops closer to home sell them. No joy so far. Hypocrite though it may make me, my lust for chocolate means that no expense can be spared.

Which brings me to my next keen observation. Is it me, or have you noticed that you can have days where you're really focused with your work, but other days where you just aren't and don't achieve very much. Despite the psychological sand timer in my head draining away, I've been more interested in procuring and eating chocolate today. Such a lot to do, so little time, but such a hunger for chocolate and to get in contact with some mates I haven't had a good chat with for a while... And, and I'm off to a concert this weekend. It's an indie gig, which will probably mean a bit of singing along, a few beers and, perish the though, a trip to the moshing pit. Rock on, Tommy!

What the heck, this is an anonymous forum. I have. My PhD is much of my life and represents all my hopes and fears for the future. When something takes place in my life outside of the PhD, it affects my PhD. I'm quite a sensitive person, through no fault of my own (it's just who I am), and I don't have particularly thick skin, so I have shown emotion in front of my supervisor. Although I've not actually shed tears, I've expressed anger, disappointment, upset and regret. I'm a person with, for better or for worse, my own personality who happens to be a researcher in training. I do my utmost to the best person I can be, but I'm not a robot and, whether through facial expressions and body language, the candour of my voice or my eyes, I express my emotions.
Natassia, I wouldn't be ashamed of showing emotion to your supervisor. Bereavement is a terrible experience and you're a person experiencing a whole range of feelings and emotions and a whole lot of pressure. And TBH, his opinion of you won't have changed, no way. He'll still recognise you for the passionate, dedicated and hard working individual that you are. (up)

Well, now Oscars season is out of the way, and we're all stars and amazing people in our own little ways (hold on while I pat myself on the back), I think it fitting that we start a new off-topics thread. The Is It Me Or Have You Noticed thread. It can be about anything that maybe you've spotted but no-one else has. You have to start your post with, 'Is it me, or'.

Here's mine...


Is it me, or have you noticed that chocolate is becoming ridiculously expensive? Tonight I drove to my local Asda to get myself some pick-me-up chocolate and, just for a Maltesers Easter chocolate rabbit it was 79p. It's a piddly little thing that you can fit in your mouth whole. But it doesn't end there because even regular chocolate bars, like Mars and Snickers, are like 60p now. I work all day long, cursing to myself, then drive for miles to get a chocolate bar only to get robbed! I personally don't think we'll have an obesity crisis for much longer at this rate, it'll be too expensive. I'm of the mind to break it in half and it on on consecutive days to make it last longer.

Two tasks completed today: Finished the second iteration of my questionnaire (it looks miles better than the first following the expert review) and have finished my presentation for the lecture I have. :-)

I am listening to Fluke, an audiobook about a man who is trapped inside a dog's body, whilst intermittently looking at my brother's lanky, smelly lurcher cross with wonder.

I'm quite fanatical about cheese. My favourite at the moment is Dairy Lea. Mild, creamy and with a very delicate texture. The dunkables are to die for.

You can do it, Jimkim65: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ2HcRl4wSk

Well, I've got about 3/4 of it done, and that'll have to do as I'm knackered. I've worked non-stop all weekend and I'm tired. I've got one more day to redraft my questionnaire for my PhD and half a day to finish my lecture, so I should be okay. The El Dude brothers brings back some happy Peep Show memories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5xl-Ur-kPk I hope there's a new series in the pipe line.

Well done, DanB!

Must finish my lecture for the MSc students tonight, so another late one. I think it's difficult for MSc students, knowing what level to pitch it at. I don't want to overwhelm them, but at the same time I don't want to cover stuff that they would be expected to already know about. Today for instance, I talked at length about the respiratory system to a group of BSc students and they just glazed over. Crumbs.

I'm neither a chemistry or pharmacology PhD student, although at times I wish I was. I did pharmacology and biochemistry a long while back. I miss the lab, I miss my Gilson pipette (both the P1000, but especially the P200), I miss my spectrophotometer and my GLC machine. Now I make questionnaires and do qualitative research.

I'm really glad things are looking up for you and that you feel much less stressed now, Angelofthenorth. You can always pursue a PhD in future and you're in a better position than anyone to succeed having worked at that level. Best wishes for your Mphil submission and your future.:-)

Codeine is great, but remember 10% of it is metabolised as morphine and it is this that leads to it's mechanism of action. Codeine can make you feel nauseous, sluggish, tired, constipated and can cause urinary retention. It can also become addictive if you take it for long enough. So take it easy with them, and I hope that toothache of yours is sorted soon. We don't even have an available NHS dentist where I live, so I think you're lucky.