Hi Pamw,My God it seems as though you have been through a terrible time...I don’t have the same circumstances exactly but I know a little of what you are going through so perhaps I can empathise- my mother recently died and I have now had my teenage brother turn my life upside down as I am now looking after him which is driving me mental!! (clothes and dishes everywhere and he stays up all night playing computer games arrgggghhhh...

Anyway, your options that occurred to me are (if they are any help!):
1. I know many people here have directly told you to move out (which is the obvious solution), but I know that this cannot be so easy- as it takes a lot just to break emotional and financial ties as it would leave your partner in the lurch financially- so if you don’t feel you can leave, then I think you are going to have to accept that things will probably not get much better... Teenagers are incredibly selfish and while it is understandable to an extent because of their hormones, this means that there is only so much that you can do in terms of enforcing rules, keeping down noise (sounds a bit defeatist I know!). Have you got a garden? What about erecting a shed at the bottom of the garden??!! You can easily put one together for less than about 500 quid.

Or

2. Move out.
I think you really need to consider this. I know it will be difficult but put things into perspective- in contrast to my situation, these difficulties are not YOUR responsibility. They are not your family. They are your partner’s. I think a good option could be simply to take a room in a shared house (with mature QUIET professionals). This could be more beneficial than taking on a house on your own firstly because it can be short term and flexible with a 6 month contract and second it will only cost around a ¼ of the cost of a place on your own-which means if you want to you can still contribute to your partners household-I’m sorry I don’t know the circumstances, regarding whether you are contributing to the mortgage –as if this is the case I know this is quite a clinical thing to say but, it would be a good idea to keep contributing to it formally when you move out, in order to retain your share of the property in case problems occur down the line (property law is very complex in the case of equitable shares).

Also, I know it is none of my business, but I think it would also be worth noting if your partner is really worth it i.e. do you really really love him? Or, is it something that is based on familiarity and you are now too deep financially to get out. I think this is the important question, because if you really love him more than anything, than this suggests that in time you will learn to accept and adapt to the way you are living now and accept his children, to ensure you can be with your partner but if not, I would get out now.

Hey A116!! Sorry I dont really understand what you mean when you say your research site has dropped out-does that mean the people you were using for the collection of data wont give it anymore?? Anyway I hope you have an alternative solution or possibilities after discussing with your supervisor.

My progress has not been good today, was quite tired after working through the weekend, so today I took it easy not doing more than an hour or 2 which is pretty bad,but I'm going to put it behind me and start afresh tomorrow!!

see you bright and early in the morning! Nighty ho

PS good to be back!! I feel really guilty when I dont post here! lol

Hey all!! yet again I am apologising for not checking in!! How did you get on today A!!^? and Sneaks did you manage to get any work done over the weekend?

Yeah I recovered from the cold last week and then was away at a conference for a couple of days which was really fab!! I also was asked last week to take over lecturing of a course beginning this week eeekkk!! So been really busy reading up on a subject which I have never really studied!! Really looking forward to it at the end of the week though very slightly worried if I can manage it since its so unfamiliar to me and of course worried that my phd research will suffer, though I'm really determined that once I get the first lecture over with, I am going to ensure my research gets more time in the coming weeks.

So plan for tomorrow, finish preparing for the lecture and also to finish the final draft of an article I have had accepted which needs a few amendments in light of some devps in the law recently.

Good luck A116 for your meeting!! Im sure it will be fine!! Welcome back Sneaks!! Shame about the participants,sounds really annoying since you have done everything on your part. I hope you can find a way to rectify it....

I'm tucked up in bed with a cold, (totally my own fault went out for a long walk when I knew it would rain yesterday, so of course I got caught in the downpour!!) so I'm not going to be able to get any work done today, as my head is throbbing -but I might think about doing some admin/filing type stuff maybe later on if I can manage it...

Anyways see you tomorrow, im sending you both positive vibes!!

Hey A116! Meant to post earilier this morning but I forgot! Yeah, its pretty nice sometimes just to do something different- I find productivity goes right up!! I have been working on the same thing for about a month now and its getting very tedious!! today has been ok in terms of progress, been thinking a lot more than reading, but I suppose that is useful in itself...Anyway Im off home now finishing really early and plan to nothing for the rest of the night as Im totally exhausted after sticking to my 9-5am all week (which as I ahve said before does not come at all naturally to me!!). Might do a few hours tomorrow if i can summon myself out of bed though I wouldn't count on it!!

oh and Sneaks, where are you!! I miss you!!!!

Anyways have a lovely relaxing weekend people, if you can!!

Hi!! At least you got the draft in on time thats a start!! so well done!! Its better to have something to work with than nothing!!

Today was ok, got a fair amount done in the morning, then went to a motivation course organised for research training in the afternoon- the course was quite good, didn't tell me anything new but at the same time it kind of still lifted me the way things do when they are said out loud rather than just knowing it!!

Today I am continuing on with my work from yesterday!! I really envy your lie in today A116 your sooooo lucky!!

Sounds like your making good progress A116! Keep at it today!!

Didn't manage to post last night because I fell asleep at 9pm!!! Was exhausted!! As for yesterday, I got a few things done, though didnt get as much as I wanted on the economics report. So goal for today is to keep going with that, and make a real effort not to be distracted today by talking to the other phd students and the internet!!

Morning people! So I arrived early today only to find my computer had crashed and after trying to fix it for the past hour have now settled on the spare one in the room till mine gets fixed...so not a promising start to the day, but I'm sure it can only get better now!!

goals for today: to think very carefully about the questions I am seeking to answer in my next two chapters before I begin writing them, and then to begin putting together a document summarising the various economic studies/findings relating to these chapters- including recommendations-which I will then use as a basis for applying the law later in the chapter- planning on working on this document now for the next few days, and hoping to make a good start on it today!!

see ya later!:-x

Hey A116!! Great to have you here! The more the merrier!! Sounds like your making great progress!! Did you manage to achieve your goals today then??
(BTW what does your name mean- anything significant??!!).

Anyways I am pleased to report that I achieved my goals today (though I was still gossiping a little, but I have told the other phd students they must tell me to be quiet from now on-can you tell I'm a chatterbox??!!). Also I had a bit of a crisis midway through the day where I got a bit scared about how quickly the time is passing and how soon it is now to sept 2010 and how it all seems like I have no idea where I am going in terms of the thesis- but I managed to calm myself down by writing a list of the questions/objectives for each chapter and how will (hopefully!) all tie together as a whole in terms of what I am specifically hoping to achieve for my final conclusions. So i think that has helped me to remember where I am going in terms of the 'bigger' picture as the chapter I am working on at the moment is particularly difficult for me since its heavily reliant on economics which i am not an expert in!! So by looking at the end goal I suppose it has helped me to stop worrying as I see the end in sight!!! Anyways see you tomorrow, Im gonna settle down to watch masterchef now!!! p.s How are you getting on Sneaks?? (I'm afraid that my not posting on this thread last week wasn't very helpful to your progress in terms of accountability-sorry!)

Hey Sneaks!! It took some time to find the accoutnability thread since we havent posted in so long!! Its really been a bad start to the year not posting in so long eh??!!! I'm sure it's because we have made this one of our new years resolutions- which are always doomed to fail!! I'm sure if we hadn't put it as a resolution it would have been fine!!

Anyways how are you? and how is the work going! Lets bring accountability back!!! As for me, work has been going ok, been in the department everyday for 9am!! Though there was a lot of catching up and gossiping going on last week, which meant I didn't manage to write on this thread as too many people looking over my shoulder lol and also I felt guilty since I didnt have too much work to report on because of all the gossiping!! Though I suppose I'm glad that I have gotten back into the routine of getting up early, so thats good!

So goal for today: Finish the book I had been trying to read last week and then analyse the summary I have written. From this produce a piece of written work of the conclusions I can see from it that relates to my reasearch.

I WILL be back later tonight to report back!!:p

Good to be back!!" Its been a while...Hi Sneaks!! Hope you had a good New Years!! I arrived back in my Uni town just a few hours before midnight after spending the rest of xmas back with my family. Wasn't in the mood to party this year as my mom has been pretty ill- so I just had a quiet one, with my boyfriend, a lovely sirloin steak and cuppa!!! lol...

anyways, its a new year now and (for the moment) I'm full of optimism and determination for the year ahead!! I'm hoping to begin tomorrow and ease myself in, by thinking about the "bigger picture" in terms of what I have achieved last year and what I need to do this year and where the direction of my project is going generally in terms of my approach and conclusions I am anticipating.

As for today, I'm planning on getting loads of emails done, cleaning my house and sorting out my notes, so that I have no excuses for not getting stuck in tomorrow!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!(up)

PhD related:
1. Be in Uni before 9am.
2. Post everyday on the accountability thread.
3. Achieve some goal every day either writing/reading.
4. No taking days off just because I don't feel like it.

Non PhD Related:
1. Focus specifically on achieving long term career goals.
2. Start training for marathon relay in June and fundraising efforts.
3. Give one more big effort to help my mom realise she's killing herself with the drink, and if it doesn't work , Im not going to feel guilty and let it affect my work anymore.
4. (The hardest one): Be a nicer, more patient person, and be grateful for everything I have been given in life. Trust my instincts and be strong, confident and not embarassed of who I am.

Thanks Sneaks!! I am packing now and cant get everything in the bag, think I am going to have to dump some of my clothes to "sacrifice" so I can fit in all my books and notes (so geekily pathetic!!)...I'm pretty scared actually cause if I go over the weight allowance I have zero zilch in my bank account as my scholarship hasnt been paid yet, hoping it might go in after midnight!! which means if i have excess baggage I will have to dump my stuff there and then-cannot believe the extortionate prices these people are now charging for extra kgs-something like 50 euros for extra 5kgs!! (so that would be soooo embarassingif i have to start dumping my knickers etc at the check in desk lololol). ooooh thats a point, think I will wear all of my clothes at once to save space in the bag!!! wish me luck for the airport tomorrow, 3 months of stuff in 20 kgs is going to be tight!! lol:p

Hi overeducatedunderpaid (what a mouthful- you need a nickname!). Like you say, Warwick is undoubedly held in high esteem in the UK, I can't talk about politics/social sciences specifically but as an institution its definitely up there with the big guys in the UK. But like you say, often when speaking to outsiders they might not been aware of this, and might only have heard of oxbridge and UCL. But I think this is just symptomatic no matter what country you are looking at as people will only be familiar with the set up of their own national education systems- for example, do you know what the best universities are in France outside of the top 3, or in Germany? cause I have no idea!

I don't think it is anything to worry about really...if you want to work internationally afterwards, I am sure the recruiter will look into the background of yoour institution if they are not familar with it- and anyway I think the publications are more vitally important than the institution really...Anyway, your really lucky to be in warwick!! I want their for a conference once, and it was gorgeous!! loved the greenery on campus, and the nearest town was leamington spa, it is sooo cute and historic!!