merry christmas

Tomorrow morning, I'm off to my parent's retirement haven in cow country... so this is my last chance to wish you all the most fantastic Christmas!

I plan to spend the big day eating too much, drinking too much and whipping my Dad's arse at any game he cares to challenge me to (aside from cribbage, which I think he's long since given up trying to teach me). And hey... it might even snow!

Have yourselves a wonderful day,

JJ.

finally, some good news...

... I have a new deadline! Supervisor Tom originally wanted the thesis submitted today (well, Monday 20th... I'm up late, again). The university shuts for the Christmas break on Thursday; after he called the research degree officer, he told me that if it was submitted on the last working day, it wouldn't be processed until January anyway. So, I'm now aiming for January 4th, which is rather more realistic!

I'm currently struggling to write the acknowledgements. For some people, I can naturally write glowing reports on how much they helped me... for other people, I'm having difficulties.

If anyone has any suggestions on polite ways to thank people that have pissed you off for three years of your life, they would be gratefully received ;-)

The only downside of this is that now I feel as though I cheated my sister out of chocolate and vodka!

panic stations

As I tried to get to sleep last night, I thought through everything I still have to do, and realised I'm probably screwed. The last possible date for submission is the 23rd, and that thought just fills me with dread. I still have so much to do...

Thankfully, my sister and brother-in-law just dropped by with Christmas presents to take down to my parents, along with another care package (well, a Sainsbury's bag) containing eleven bars of chocolate and a bottle of Absolut.

Thank you!!! Again...

deadlines and distractions.

Ok, so I have a deadline to finish writing my thesis, print the damn thing, bind it and submit it. Initially, this deadline was December 20th. I spoke to Tom, who agreed Tuesday would be OK... before helpfully pointing out that the university shuts for Christmas on Thursday 23rd (he'd checked... he knows me too well). I currently have the twin motivations of wanting to finish this before Christmas, and knowing if this takes any longer, we risk losing the funding for my post-doc position. It's a thought that kind of focuses the mind.

So basically, I have a week to finish writing the last experimental chapter, start writing the general discussion, and finish the main introduction. And make corrections. And sort out the references and the appendices.

I want to cry.

Something else that made me want to cry? "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott shot dead onstage... I hadn't heard Damageplan, but I loved Pantera, and I love gigs in small venues. It was a week ago, and I still can't think of anything to say that'll make sense.

RIP.

Holy anxiety attack, Batman!

So I head into the main department - yes, on a Sunday night - to print off the chapter that has so far caused me the biggest headache. I always knew it would be the largest of the experimental chapters, as it contains many, many images. It's currently over 100 pages, and I haven't even finished writing it yet.

Two things I know right now: I'm not going to be very popular with anyone who has to wade their way through it, and I can't breathe.

Shit.

a helpful supervisor...

I've spoken to Rob on a couple of occasions over the last week. Each time, he's been remarkably helpful and upbeat. He even apologised for sending me the corrections via the track changes tool on Word. Damn... now I feel guilty for calling him a prick.

bah bloody humbug?

Normally I get excited about Christmas. Growing up, it was always a big deal... My Mum would deck the halls not so much with boughs of holly, but just about anything she could find. The glitzier the better. The tree would always be in the bay window of the living room; adorned with beautifully home-made decorations, it was usually the best in the street. The presents were piled up underneath. Mountains of food were cooked. Aside from the occasional disaster (usually Whiskers the cat either climbing the tree or chewing the light wires), it was a fantastic time of year.

Even though Santa still visits, it hardly ever snows any more. Most of the family are either dead or spread out. Oh, and I have the small matter of a thesis to finish and submit by 20th December.

I know I should get out the tree, and try to enter into the festive spirit. I think I left the lights on it, but I don't know if I have the time or the energy to decorate it. There's also the small matter of where to put it... the table I normally use is the storing papers and theses that are too important to add to the multiple piles on the floor.

Hmmmm... maybe next week...

Oh, and Happy Birthday Millie :-)