My Precious

My new computer has finally arrived! It is big, sleek, silver and beautiful. Thank you Steve Jobs (may he rest in peace), you have made this joyous day possible.

I have been waiting for my computer for weeks! I have been like a stubborn child, refusing to get any real work done until I got it. Also, it turned out that we had major teething problems with our first analyses anyway, so I was truly unable (or at least challenged to the absolute limits of my can-be-botheredness) to get on with data tampering... I mean analysing.

After installing statistical programs onto my home computer three times, then having to admit that despite repeated attempts the programs refused to open the relevant data files, I was defeated. I was also convinced that all my prayers would be answered and my problems solved by the arrival of my new imac. I can assure you, they have. Things work now!

This means I can happily go home an procrastinate for the rest of the day. Who in their right mind would start work at 4pm on a Friday? No one!

Apartment Block Blackout

So I came home from a weekend at my Boyfriend's house. I walked in the door and tired to turn on my bedside table lamp. Nothing. Then the big cruel ceiling lights. Nothing. Then the bathroom light (just on the off chance). Nothing. Hmmm.

After a knock on my neighbour's door (nothing like a power cut to bring random people together) and it transpires that the power cut has been going on for about three hours. Hmmm. Right, onwards to try and figure out how many people have tried to contact the wardens, how many have succeeded and what is being done about it. Long story short. They tried to do something about it, the power came back on for about thirty seconds and went out again. I manged to catch up with a friend on the phone and read a book, first by candle light (which is technically not allowed but what do they expect?) and then in bed by the light of my Samsung galaxy tab.

The power still wasn't on when I woke up his morning. I have to say that I am worried for my food. I do not fancy spending a hundred or so pounds replacing all the food I had stored in the freezer so I would only have to "top up" at regular intervals as I don't have a car. However, luckily for me the friend I caught up on the phone with is coming over and has a car. Maybe they won't mind helping me out if all my food has thawed and is now a salmonella deathtrap.

So, this morning I came to the office. No new computer yet. Bah! In other news, have a new desklamp, lab book and stats books (geek alert - actually, they are my comfort blankie as I am insecure about my true stats abilities). I also have a meeting with my supervisor and most likely second supervisor today. All the more reason to get some stuff done despite lack of my very own computer.

In celebration of meeting my second supervisor today, I spilled some of my morning latte on my white shirt. Well, at least I have a good excuse to go by a lovely scarf at lunch!

Out With the Old and in With the New!

Hallelujah, my dissertation is in the bindery! I had the best of intentions on handing it in today, but then I got entwined in a vicious cycle of printing it, flipping through it and finding little things wrong with it that I just HAD to fix (i.e. reprint pages 7, 12, 37, 42 and 53). Why is it, that no matter how many times you've read through and fixed and adjusted and proofread and had other people proofread, when it comes to printing, things suddenly turn ugly and difficult?!

So, because I got stuck reprinting and checking and fixing, I didn't get to the bindery (which is miles away) until eleven o'clock in the morning. Now this doesn't sound bad, and I didn't think it was bad since at my old uni you just popped in, they did it for you on the spot and you walked away a happy bunny with a bound dissertation in your hands! Well, in Bangor things are a little bit different. Firstly, like I said, the bindery has been situated miles away.

I had to walk in a grey rain drizzle all they way, past sheep pastures and horses and fields to the damned corner of Bangor where the bindery is. I got soaking wet and my glasses became covered in rain. I get to the bindery, unable to see anything and unable to wipe my glasses due to the fact that all my clothes were damp as well. The bindery man was very nice, but apparently I couldn't get my dissertation bound on the spot. Instead I was to leave it with them and come back for it..... all the way past the sheep pastures and horses and fields and... you get the picture. So I reluctantly handed over my dissertation and walked back to civilisation.

I had a meeting with my supervisor and we already started discussing my project as well as potential conferences to go to. Straight into the deep end then. I haven't even registered yet. We did, however, also rearrange the furniture in my new office. I must be more specific, new office for me, but in itself an old office with a new coat of paint. Even though it's looking a bit fresher, I am still trying to get some brown filing cabinets out of it and I have to take bleach with me next time in order to really make it home. I mean second home.

Now, here is a minor misconception that I was under. I believed I would be moving into what would be a bustling hub of Ph.D. students with creative research ideas and unfathomable work morale. Apparently the plan was to accommodate 3 new Ph.D. students into the building that I am currently in. I am one of those three. Now, it appears that these other students share a second supervisor who seems to think they would be better off in another building. Leaving me all alone with a couple of Ph.D. students just finishing off their Ph.D.s. Sad times. Alas, I hope that by some miracle I won't be all alone in there, for I would feel isolated and possibly rebel by procrastinating. A lot. (As if I wouldn't anyway)

Well, only time will tell! In the mean time, I eagerly await my new computer!