Loungers who Toga! Toga! Toga!

Lyaiera

Edit: Quick Reply Double post thing.

sunshine and showers

Helllllloooo ladies. Awful quiet in here lately, isn't it?

Hope it's because you're all too busy being your fabulous selves!

(Trying a positive attitude today to combat PMS hideousness. Too strong?!)

LenaClaire

So.... I just moved halfway across the world (ish) and I got promoted (Yay!) but now I travel 2-3 weeks per month.

It is supposed to calm down in April (only travel once month), but in the meantime I still have moving boxes everywhere and it is making me twitch.

Stheno

LenaClaire wrote: »

So.... I just moved halfway across the world (ish) and I got promoted (Yay!) but now I travel 2-3 weeks per month.

It is supposed to calm down in April (only travel once month), but in the meantime I still have moving boxes everywhere and it is making me twitch.

Ouoch, that much travel is tough going! I got to a stage where I'd three seperate suitcases on the go with the amount of travelling I was doing, it was a pain.

How so Joe

sunshine and showers wrote: »

Helllllloooo ladies. Awful quiet in here lately, isn't it?

Hope it's because you're all too busy being your fabulous selves!

(Trying a positive attitude today to combat PMS hideousness. Too strong?!)

I've been really busy finishing writing my thesis and submitting it. I finally did that a week and a half ago. Then this weekend, I checked my email, to see that one of my examiners had died.
a) very sad but also
b) really awkward.

Stheno

How so Joe wrote: »

I've been really busy finishing writing my thesis and submitting it. I finally did that a week and a half ago. Then this weekend, I checked my email, to see that one of my examiners had died.
a) very sad but also
b) really awkward.

That's awful

LenaClaire

How so Joe wrote: »

I've been really busy finishing writing my thesis and submitting it. I finally did that a week and a half ago. Then this weekend, I checked my email, to see that one of my examiners had died.
a) very sad but also
b) really awkward.

Wow, I am sorry, that is a tough situation.

sullivlo

How so Joe wrote: »

I've been really busy finishing writing my thesis and submitting it. I finally did that a week and a half ago. Then this weekend, I checked my email, to see that one of my examiners had died.
a) very sad but also
b) really awkward.

Oh no. That's awful. Was it the intern or extern?

On another note, congrats on submission!

How so Joe

sullivlo wrote: »

Oh no. That's awful. Was it the intern or extern?

On another note, congrats on submission!

The extern. Although I think my new extern is from Exeter, which makes her an Exetern! Yay, puns!

Thanks! I haven't actually told very many people that I submitted, so it seems kind of unreal.

sullivlo

How so Joe wrote: »

The extern. Although I think my new extern is from Exeter, which makes her an Exetern! Yay, puns!

Thanks! I haven't actually told very many people that I submitted, so it seems kind of unreal.

My submission was my favourite part of the whole process - nobody except me knew until I told them, so I walked around for a while smiling with my own secret

Had the college sent off the thesis to the external already?

What's your area of research? I still nerdily love hearing about everyone's work!

How so Joe

sullivlo wrote: »

My submission was my favourite part of the whole process - nobody except me knew until I told them, so I walked around for a while smiling with my own secret

Had the college sent off the thesis to the external already?

What's your area of research? I still nerdily love hearing about everyone's work!

I submitted the day of the leaving do of the girl who sat next to me, so I didn't want to tell all our mutual colleagues and steal her thunder. Plus my parents were away that weekend, so I didn't mention it at all until a few days later.
They had sent it off, yes (on Monday), and the date for the viva was fixed (on Tuesday). Then she died very suddenly (on Thursday) and her college sent it back (on Friday). So at least I don't have to print and bind another one!

My research was on copyright, and the impact of the digital shift, specifically for publishers. It was fun (I think?) but hard to keep up with. Stupid things kept changing the whole way through my research period!

Lyaiera

That sounds really interesting. If you're interested in going into more detail (and writing about it again,) I'd love to hear more.

Stheno

Academic referencing is the devils work.

Along with this ****e of having to include a "personal reflection" at the end of your dissertation.
I wonder how my supervisor would feel if I told the truth, which would be something that literally could not be posted.

Instead I've gone down the "life is enriched, blah blah ****e line".

Back to referencing I go. My eyes are bleeding.

sullivlo

How so Joe wrote: »

I submitted the day of the leaving do of the girl who sat next to me, so I didn't want to tell all our mutual colleagues and steal her thunder. Plus my parents were away that weekend, so I didn't mention it at all until a few days later.
They had sent it off, yes (on Monday), and the date for the viva was fixed (on Tuesday). Then she died very suddenly (on Thursday) and her college sent it back (on Friday). So at least I don't have to print and bind another one!

My research was on copyright, and the impact of the digital shift, specifically for publishers. It was fun (I think?) but hard to keep up with. Stupid things kept changing the whole way through my research period!

Nothing worse than the field changing too quickly to keep up!

sammyjo90

Stheno wrote: »

. My eyes are bleeding.

You should get that looked at

sullivlo

Stheno wrote: »

Academic referencing is the devils work.

Along with this ****e of having to include a "personal reflection" at the end of your dissertation.
I wonder how my supervisor would feel if I told the truth, which would be something that literally could not be posted.

Instead I've gone down the "life is enriched, blah blah ****e line".

Back to referencing I go. My eyes are bleeding.

I did a full OPTIONAL module on personal reflection. Yeah, I didn't do so well in that. Horrendous. Not easy for a scientist to think about feelings and life enrichment.

Final stretch - references means it's nearly over!

Stheno

sullivlo wrote: »

I did a full OPTIONAL module on personal reflection. Yeah, I didn't do so well in that. Horrendous. Not easy for a scientist to think about feelings and life enrichment.

Are you a sadist or something?:pac:

And on the subject of my research topic/field changing quickly, literally two weeks ago a new publication came out which is fairly significant to my research.

You know how they say the Lit. review continues until the end? It fecking did!

sullivlo

Stheno wrote: »

Are you a sadist or something?:pac:

And on the subject of my research topic/field changing quickly, literally two weeks ago a new publication came out which is fairly significant to my research.

You know how they say the Lit. review continues until the end? It fecking did!

Same happened me. Well similar. A very relevant paper came out between submission & viva, that my work kinda disproved. My work hadn't been published and was fairly cutting edge, so it required a slight rewrite of my intro for the paper. I don't think it was too popular with certain people :pac:

And yeah, it was an optional module on the impact extra curricular activities had on my development as a person. I got an extra graduation and parchment and all!

Stheno

Arrrrgggghhhhhh

I've now decided my dissertation is a complete pile of ****e:eek:

IvyTheTerrible

Stheno wrote: »

Arrrrgggghhhhhh

I've now decided my dissertation is a complete pile of ****e:eek:

That's just imposter syndrome, it's perfectly normal! I bet you it's great.

sunshine and showers

I can feel my stress levels rising. Keep breathing, s&s. Keep breathing!

Lyaiera

I've been doing a photography course. There are quite a few people who went into it not knowing how to work a camera, but I was well beyond that stage. I went in wanting to get myself up to a standard where I could exhibit my work, and I don't think it's really helped in that regard. What it has done has been allowing me to focus on photography almost constantly. I've been using the dark room, taking books out of the library, and keeping a journal of my thoughts on my own and others photography (probably the most helpful bit.)

It's getting towards the tail end of the course and I'm focusing less and less on it, and more and more on my own work. What I think it's done is made me realise I really want to be a photographer, for some value of photographer.

As the course has gone on it's made me realise I'm actually quite a good photographer, but I'm also just at the very beginning of producing meaningful work. Kind of like I'm good enough to think about this seriously, but I'll have to work extremely hard to get up to make-a-living standards.

In a way the photography has allowed me to focus on and look at my own thoughts on everything else in my life. I started photographing houses in the city centre, because I'd love the stability and security of owning my own place. Then that brought me onto thoughts of documenting that, stability and security. The idea of domesticity and settling down and becoming safe in your circumstances. And I want to photograph that because it's something I want from my life right now. And I think that's a good approach to my photography, explore my own world rather than just focus on things that look nice, or even go the other way and be edgy for the sake of commercial appeal.

Photography has given me a way to look at the world, and look at my own life. And that's amazing. Now it's a case of seeing if that translates into others getting it from my work, or how I can develop to let them see that in my work.

sullivlo

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I can feel my stress levels rising. Keep breathing, s&s. Keep breathing!

Hang in there buddy!

sullivlo

Despite RELIGIOUSLY taking my vitamin b complex, woke this morning to the dreaded cracked corner of mouth

IvyTheTerrible

sullivlo wrote: »

Despite RELIGIOUSLY taking my vitamin b complex, woke this morning to the dreaded cracked corner of mouth

Yep.
Me too, this has been developing since last week for me.
I'm due in 5 weeks, they'll be interrogating me about coldsores at the clinic again, won't they??? :mad:

sullivlo

How exciting! Mini Ivy very soon!

It's a dose. I've had dry skin the past week or so (with the cold weather), so I've been moisturising and everything and then BOOM, cracked lip. Can barely fit the spoon in my mouth without wincing

rainbow kirby

I am possibly the least romantic person on the planet. I ordered my husband 500g of beef jerky on a bargain deal which is going to arrive pretty much exactly at the right time for Valentine's. The funny part is he's going to absolutely love it :pac:

Also fcukk me I can't wait to be finished up in work, commuting and dealing with people being twats during said commute is killing me.

sullivlo

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I am possibly the least romantic person on the planet. I ordered my husband 500g of beef jerky on a bargain deal which is going to arrive pretty much exactly at the right time for Valentine's. The funny part is he's going to absolutely love it :pac:

Also fcukk me I can't wait to be finished up in work, commuting and dealing with people being twats during said commute is killing me.

Oh I hear you. I don't plan on finishing work anytime soon, but commuting is a dose. Can only imagine what it would be like whilst pregnant in London!

It was bad enough this morning on the bus. 12 Italian students were on it and they were doing their hair, make-up, perfume and regular selfies. I don't know how they survived. They were not quiet. Can't wait for the roads to be less dangerous ice wise so that I can commute every day on my bike. Way more fun.

Also, anyone else notice the RIDICULOUS traffic in Dublin centre this morning? I work on Pearse Street and there was a tip (quite literally a tip) between a bus and a van at the junction at the fire station there, so three lanes was down to 1, and cars could only barely squeeze by. Traffic was wedged up as far as Grand Canal (and maybe further) whilst they sorted out who was at fault. This only added to the already manic traffic because the Luas workers are striking so there are more cars on the road than normal.

rainbow kirby

Let's just say that over the last 2-3 months there have been at least 5 different people who have stood close enough to me to feel a kick from the baby, then given me a deathstare about it...

Stheno

Luas strike has caused chaos with traffic apparently

sullivlo

Stheno wrote: »

Luas strike has caused chaos with traffic apparently

Way more cars on the road. Already stuffed buses have more passengers... Pearse street was just awful today.

Neyite

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Let's just say that over the last 2-3 months there have been at least 5 different people who have stood close enough to me to feel a kick from the baby, then given me a deathstare about it...

One auld biddy absolutely rammed me out of the way to get on the bus before me one day when I was a few weeks off my due date. She did it with such force I fell backwards which is pretty hard to do at 8/9 months pregnant, and thankfully the bloke waiting behind me caught me.

Oh, and I was RH Neg, so every time I had a jostle or fall, I had to get checked out so it meant going to the ante-natal unit and waiting for hours to see if I needed to get the Anti-D again.

There were about 6 of us waiting for the bus so its not like she was going to be left standing. She *may* have heard me muttering about how with luck, a good hard winter might finish her off.

RacoonQueen

Luas drivers not garnering a lot of support for themselves with this strike...this is worse than the staff of St. James threatening to strike because they're being asked to pay for their parking :P

edit: oh the coincidence, hadn't heard anything about the parking for ages and just googled it and see that they are indeed going on strike now

sullivlo

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Luas drivers not garnering a lot of support for themselves with this strike...this is worse than the staff of St. James threatening to strike because they're being asked to pay for their parking :P

edit: oh the coincidence, hadn't heard anything about the parking for ages and just googled it and see that they are indeed going on strike now

I'm at blood boiling levels over the Luas drivers tbh. I'm all for people wanting more money or whatever, but it's not like they're on the breadline. From what I have heard, the majority are on in excess of €42k. For a job that required zero experience / college degree. I know of people who have several degrees, several years of experience, and are lucky to be on €32k, and the jobs are way more stressful than driving the Luas!

I am, of course, open to correction about the salary of Luas drivers. But I am still 100% certain of the €32k salary for some jobs!

sunshine and showers

sullivlo wrote: »

I'm at blood boiling levels over the Luas drivers tbh. I'm all for people wanting more money or whatever, but it's not like they're on the breadline. From what I have heard, the majority are on in excess of €42k. For a job that required zero experience / college degree. I know of people who have several degrees, several years of experience, and are lucky to be on €32k, and the jobs are way more stressful than driving the Luas!

I am, of course, open to correction about the salary of Luas drivers. But I am still 100% certain of the €32k salary for some jobs!

They want increases between 8% and 52% when private sector norms are 2 - 3%. But they want the increases over 5 years, so that's grand then... :rolleyes:

You're right, they make between €32-42k a year.

I think they're being entirely unreasonable. Zero support for them here. I actually feel sorry for the company running Luas. On top of dealing with frankly ridiculous demands, they could face fines for breaking government contracts.

Sunny Dayz

sullivlo wrote: »

But I am still 100% certain of the €32k salary for some jobs!

Yes I earn about that and I've a uni degree and a professional qualification after that, plus about 5 years post qualification experience. But I live "down the country" and my wages go a lot further.
I would imagine in Dublin those wages would be fairly stretched with rent/mortgage, childcare costs etc.

sullivlo

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Yes I earn about that and I've a uni degree and a professional qualification after that, plus about 5 years post qualification experience. But I live "down the country" and my wages go a lot further.
I would imagine in Dublin those wages would be fairly stretched with rent/mortgage, childcare costs etc.

Well the "next step" for me would be to apply for a lectureship. My current place of employment is advertising for a lecturer. They want a degree, a PhD and 3+ years experience. The salary is 32k in Dublin. No way would that be sufficient IMO.

Most people at my level would be on more than that, given that our starting salary is ~€37k. We work very long, at times unsociable hours. We sometimes need to be in work on the weekends, late nights etc! And no overtime paid. But that's what we signed up for when we did science.

Stheno

I have regained my freedom

iwantmydinner

Congratulations Stheno!

I was at Après Match in Vicar Street this evening. Omg I was crying laughing!

Stheno

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Congratulations Stheno!

I was at Après Match in Vicar Street this evening. Omg I was crying laughing!

Thanks

The stress relief is massive, I literally feel like a weight is off my shoulders!

That said, I've gone from a week ago, with what was a wreck to a piece of work I'm now proud of. I had enough time to deal with the mundane stuff that loses you huge marks, such as formatting, and correct referencing, and probably most importantly, I've come up with three recommendations, all of which have been brought up in the past, but I've linked them to a fundamental issue which is impeding the progression of the subject of my dissertation.

In doing so, I've been blunt and essentially said that those who own the subject matter advocates x, but fail to recognise that they too must practice x (kind of who guards the guardians type argument), which is being very critical, but I think makes a valid point, and is the whole purpose of undertaking relatively unbiased research. Not that anyone outside those who mark it is going to mark it is going to see it, unless I choose to publish it externally (which I can as in my university, I own the ip), but I've a pile of peers/betters (about eight of them) wanting to read it, and I suspect if I were to send it even to a couple, they would probably looking for a wider discussion to be started by me publicly via our industry fora on turning that outward view of "do as I do, not as I say" inwards, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. It's been obliquely referenced before, but not as bluntly, and not with as much correlation. One thing that really held me back was that because I regularly talk to the people who write the books that set the direction in what I do, that I spent a lot of time thinking "what would those guys think" and basing writing a dissertation that would be at their level. Rather bizarrely, given that I don't face the constraints they do given their background and associations, it ended up imo to my advantage.

I'm hoping for a good result, I think it goes Merit (first), Distinction (second) and then pass, it may be the other way round for the first two.

I'm also hoping my rather slack approach to the rest of my modules doesn't adversely affect my overall results, this dissertation is worth 50% of my overall awards due to exemptions I recieved, I was on a B average iirc, so a second, so if it's considered to be good, I'd hope it will be reflected. Academically, the subject has never been written about, probably as it's fairly complex so I hope that's taken into account as well.

It was funny this evening, literally as I hit the submit button my OH got home from work, and he was tired and grumpy, and was like "oh yeah, that's great" when I told him, and I was there thinking I'd achieved something great lol! I don't think I made enough of a fuss with him about how hard a dissertation is, given that he has a mate who split up with his wife when she was doing one.

Anyway, I'm just blathering on, ignore it, think of it as verbalising the relief.

Thanks to you all for putting up with my wittering, and thanks in particular to that member on here in this forum who offered huge support, and put up with an inordinate amount of rubbish questions.

Tbh, I'm still wondering how I reached this point, and without the help of that member, and she knows who she is, I'm not sure I'd have gotten here.

Thanks again, I expect I'll crash now, and not be seen tomorrow

Lyaiera

Congrats Stheno. Producing a body of work is a huge achievement. You should be proud.

sullivlo

PDF it and upload it so we can all have a goo

Congrats missus. Enjoy the celebrations.

angeldelight

Well done Stheno! Been reading and running but delighted for you

iwantmydinner

Had an absolute BLAST at my good friend's wedding yesterday. Such a brilliant day full of laughing and craic and love and craic and also the craic. Insanely good dinner as well. Am absolutely dosed with a throat infection, cough and headcold though *thumbs down emoji*

sullivlo

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Had an absolute BLAST at my good friend's wedding yesterday. Such a brilliant day full of laughing and craic and love and craic and also the craic. Insanely good dinner as well. Am absolutely dosed with a throat infection, cough and headcold though *thumbs down emoji*

Is that your codename for hangover?

Hope you feel better soon!

Stheno

Ah I had a lovely weekend, just doing nothing

iwantmydinner

sullivlo wrote: »

Is that your codename for hangover?

Hope you feel better soon!

I actually wish I was just hungover! Be far easier to manage!

Hope everyone's Monday is going well so far! We're having a roast chicken for dinner

rainbow kirby

I cooked steak last night - M&S Valentines dine-in. Goddamn I miss being able to wipe the arse, sear the sides and slap it on the plate, doing it medium-well feels so wrong...

Dolbert

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I cooked steak last night - M&S Valentines dine-in. Goddamn I miss being able to wipe the arse, sear the sides and slap it on the plate, doing it medium-well feels so wrong...

Ah baby's well cooked at this stage, be grand! I used to constantly forget and had rare steak and runny eggs all the time, oops

angeldelight

Oh I hated that with the steak too - just not the same at all!