A thread for anyone writing up ( or anyone else who wants to join in about any of the strange effects of doing a PhD at any stage!) and the strange effects......in which Olivia tries to come to grips with pirates.

OK--Pirates. That is one strange effect of writing up. Pirates preceeded International Talk like a Pirate Day ( 19 September) and the fact that there is an international holiday to talk like a pirate means at least I am not alone with this thing about pirates.

Glorious Guitar Heros--perhaps related to pirates? I am mesmerized, whilst typing, by the sounds of rock guitar music pouring into my brain, music of the sort I have never really enjoyed listening to before. Slash of Guns and Roses is now on my playlist. I almost bought his autobiography today at Waterstones--I mean, big as life, there it was for sale! I didn't get it.....well not today anyway, but no doubt I will yet. Jon Bon Jovi. Videos that have Slash or Jon Bon Jovi standing alone on a mesa in the American West, playing guitar, with camera work that goes panning and spinning around them. More mildly, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen... both of which I actually did like before writing up.

Constant hunger. I eat three healthy meals a day. I am always hungry. If I bring lunch to the office, its eaten as soon as I sit down, like a second breakfast. If I don't eat it I am starving well ahead of lunch and have to find something to eat.

Strange and vivid dreams. Probably a manifestation of stress. I usually never remember my dreams, or if I do, they are of a very peaceful sort, like horses in a green meadow. Now I have very strange and very vivid dreams, not nightmares, but perhaps close. Sleep feels like as much brainwork as being awake!

I totally agree with the hunger factor, though I'm only starting. I am always hungry. All the time. I eat good meals and invariably I want to eat in a couple of hours again. and come evening, I am craving more food. Gosh.

And dreams tra la la la ! Mine are set in weird places with everyone featuring in...so I have my kindergarten teacher having an intellectual conversation on how my PhD topic rocks/sucks with the gardener who looks after a garden where I live.

And ones where I am failing my PhD. Those are less frequent thankfully.

And now I hope there isnt a psychology student lurking here who shall now read into my dreams!

I'm not hungry at all :-( I keep having to set my alarm clock to remind myself to cook tea. I also keep dreaming about my thesis. I had a viva nightmare the other day: it was horrendous!

i definately agree about eating loads! but i'm letting myself to eat as much as i want whenever i want this weekend as its my last week to finish my thesis. i think when i am stressed i eat as a comfort.

i will worry about the weight and exercise and going on a diet when im finished!

======= Date Modified 26 Oct 2008 09:29:24 =======
Well for me, writing-up has led to lots of comfort eating, impatience, and a general cynicism with all aspects of life.

I've sort of adopted a Larry David'esque mentality. Upon submission I hope to revert to a decent human being again.

As for vivid dreams, too much coffee and eating late is probably the likely culprit.



Just to add, as for your pirates Olivia, well that's not stress, that's just plain insanity.

I wonder if the pirates are part of a mass hallucination? I am, after all, far from alone with this pirate thing!

Check out www.venganza.org--and note the handy chart that links the decrease in the number of pirates to global warming. Note to the religious minded, this website also promotes a particular religion, so you might want not to look at the link if that causes potential offense.

As well, there is this International Talk Like a Pirate Day, September 19 of each year. It is an international holiday...http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

And there are all kinds of handbooks on becoming a pirate......such as this, 'The Government Manual for New Pirates' http://www.amazon.com/Government-Manual-New-Pirates/dp/0740767909


Just a sampling of pirate resources.

I know that writing up is meant to be a horrible stressful time.....this is not my experience, at least so far. Yes, there is stress, but its a very manageable sort, and actually, for the most part, I am ENJOYING the work. This is not something like relief to be finished--because I plan one way or another to carry on with some strands of research from the PhD, I am rather attached to my PhD work actually.

I don't really know why its enjoyable. I decided why look a gift horse in the mouth? Maybe its a deep denial of stress, or part of the mass hallucination of pirates......but I say, whatever ( within reason) gets you through........

I can agree that writing-up need not be stressful and it is very satisfying sending off a draft, but that is assuming that managing one's work is respected. In my case, it hasn't been, and then the stress starts to hit. If I recall from your previous posts Olivia, you were/are a lawyer and are older than the average British PhD student....this work/life experience gives you a great set of skills to be more pragmatic with your PhD work.

I only wish I knew at the start of my Phd, what I know now (...that could be a song title).

I still think the pirate-mania is a sign of insanity...or possibly your PhD experience has converted you into the quintessential 'British eccentric'.

======= Date Modified 26 Oct 2008 13:26:48 =======

I had a viva nightmare a few week ago, it was terribly vivid too. I'm also having frequent school exam nightmares...I'm sitting my GCSEs/A levels but I haven't done any revision and can't answer one single question.

======= Date Modified 27 Oct 2008 14:42:44 =======
Olivia, have you ever wondered why pirates have become this romanticised, nomad of the seas Johnny Depp/Captain Pugwash/Jolly Roger thing? I vaguely remember from doing criminology that they were robbers who stole from others at sea, lived off what they plundered and thought nothing of using excessive violence to get what they wanted. I wondered whether it's the idea of freedom and living outside of society's rules that makes them appealing today, albeit in a selective memory way. Like highwaymen, or Bonnie and Clyde. Or maybe even some similarities to modern urban ASBO kids with guns that joyride and indulge in more unpleasant illegal activities. I don't really want to burst your pirate fantasy bubble, but I do find it interesting.

btw maybe I should add that I wasn't criticising your own personal pirate obsession at all - each to his own, as they say... I just find the widespread romanticisation of some types of criminality quite curious.

Hi Ruby

Yes, I have sort of wondered how pirates got this makeover from harsh and mean and unsavoury violent sorts into what they are today....and yes, again, why the mass appeal? Something to ponder on....

A strange effect of writing up? I remember seeing a cartoon in a newspaper of a little kid trying to fall asleep, explaining to his mother that his brain would not stop talking to him! Does anyone have that--you are trying to sleep, and your brain just keeps chattering away? Hate that! This morning, as a good alarm clock effect, I woke up at 6:00 with the song "Switchin to Glide" roaring through my head, just as loud as if it were really playing--the relevance? A lovely part of the song that says, " Nothing matters but that weekend--from a Tuesday point of view--" Thanks, brain, now I know what day of the week it is and what matters!!!!!! :p:p Maybe it is suggesting a day off?!