The Deep End

It has been a long radio silence.

This is what a PhD students life is like, it's busy and hard and leaves little time for other things. To be honest, I have been trying to "ease into" doing this PhD and got slapped in the face for doing so. I have had meetings with both of my supervisors and have felt unprepared for them, partly due to the fact that in all honesty, I haven't been working as hard as I could have. In addition to this my supervisors are hard core statistics boffins and expect me to keep up. And I have been scrambling to do so. The combination of the two have left me less than impressive to them and trying not to cry at most of our meetings.

As a PhD student, you are an apprentice to your supervisor. The PhD is your journey to learning about being an academic, doing research and being able to cope with the demanding publish or perish world of scientific research. You will be challenged, and you will need to prove your worth. I have so far only made a lackluster effort at this. I cried to my supervisor at our last meeting before Christmas. We both agreed that it cannot go on like this. I understand that I have to work harder and he understood that weekly meetings with both supervisors grilling me can be intimidating. So I shall go back with an effort to grow a pair and be more prepared and together, I hope we can come to an agreement on meetings that will prove both positive and productive.

Po: You're not my master. And I'm not the Dragon Warrior.

Shifu: Then why didn't you quit? You knew I was trying to get rid of you, yet you stayed!

Po: Yeah, I stayed. I stayed because every time you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled; it hurt, but it could never hurt more than every day of my life just being me. I stayed because I thought if anyone can change me, can make me not me, it was you! The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China!

Shifu: I can change you! I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I will!

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!