And we have a winner...

Well, all over. Took two minutes of deliberation on the part of the examiners. In fact, I was barely out of the loo before they called me back in.

Accepted with minor changes.

Understandable since page 234 was missing!! lol. And the whole of a correlation matrix I said was in the back but wasn't - I'd only put in the important bits. That and a few tweaks here and there to tighten up a few sentences so I keep to the same definition throughout. I have three months to do three days work - if that - and hand it in. Then I'm a doctor. Yay me. :-)

Twenty minutes to go!!

I feel sick. :-(

Oooh, scary!!

2.30pm on Thursday, September 22nd, 2005. Dress code: smart casual.

Yep, it's viva time. My (2hr?) oral examination on the 285 pages (minus appendices) of Thesis that I've spent the last four years writing. No place to hide, hopefully, no need to hide. Funnily enough, I'm looking forward to it. For the first time in years, I'll be in a situation where I can talk about my Thesis and my two examiners won't be able pop out for a quick fag or mumble excuses about having an urgent doctor's appointment. Yes, I get to talk about my work. And talk, and then talk some more. It'll be fun!!

Weird, aren't I? No, no need to confirm that in the comment box... :-)

Plus, Dave and I have sorted out the relevant paperwork for the house so it's back to Hull to sign that contract. Raglan Street, here we come!!

And another one!

A quick update to let you all know that one of my trusty Sheffield flatmates - Kean - has also started up a Blog. Looks like he's travelling the world. India and Nepal. Kean - you lucky, lucky *******.

Link to his now available. 'Natch. :-)

Sixteen long years...

Well, it's been a long time in coming. *Sixteen* long and painful years of humiliation since we've beaten the Australians at cricket. But at last, that four-inch tall trophy is ours once again. :-)

Yay England!!

Sorely neglected Blog...

It's weird.

I have no PhD to write - only the viva to go obviously. No presentations or lectures to write, as I currently have no job. I'm still waiting on an interview a four-six month contract from Hull (one of three posts and my chances are good). But what all this means is that I'm short of things to do. This means that I have plenty of time on my hands to do what I want to do, right? Wrong. :-(

It just doesn't seem to work that way. If I had a job lined up, and I started on X, then I'm sure I'd be running around, filling up my day with all sorts. Right now though, I just can't be bothered. Bugger.

Still, there's something to blog about today. You know how you can get a tune stuck inside your head for days, don't you? Well, it's happened to me this week. I was in town (York) a few days ago and I was looking through some DVDs and I found - but point out that I DID NOT BUY - a DVD of Magnum PI. With Tom Selleck. The TV series in Hawaii which denied us Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones - he couldn't get out of contract and they gave it to Harrison Ford instead. Some film trivia there... Since I saw that DVD cover, I don't seem able to get the theme tune out of my head so I thought I'd share the magic. :-) Here you are.

And since it's detective/cop shows today, here's a theme tune that is a personal favourite of mine and in my search for Magnum, I turned it up. Hill Street Blues. Anybody remember it? Clicky.

Scary news

Very scary, in fact.

I've a date for my viva. 22nd September, 1.30pm. Aw heck...

On a lighter note, it's my birthday on Thursday. And no, I'm not saying how old I am. If you don't know, you really should do. ;-)

Back from Exeter

Yep, I'm back, and I enjoyed it. The late nights, the drinking, the conversation, the mind-numbing pre-presentation fear. The lot. Great to see some new people and to see some really nice new people join in the fun. But I know most of you aren't psychologists, and I'm even surer that most of you won't be all that interested in our slow climb up the greasy pole!!


Anyway, here's photo that proves I went! lol. Funnily enough, I was convinced that Exeter was on the south coast. It's not - but most of the others were under the same delusion. I was gutted though. Honestly, FIVE hours on the train and I didn't make it as far as the Channel. Twelve miles short, apparently. If we'd have had the time, we'd have got a taxi down to the sea. We didn't.

I'm away *again*

Yep, here I go again.

In a couple of hours, I'm off down to Exeter for a conference. Over four hours on the train - I even toyed with flying down from Leeds/Bradford but getting there isn't too easy. So the train it is, followed by three whole days of psychology presentations from fellow PhDers - myself included. Yep, the majority of you get to miss out on 20mins of waffle about tinnitus. You lucky people!! ;-)

Nah, it'll be fun! Perhaps only fun if you happen to be a soon-to-submit postgraduate psychologist who enjoys seminars and getting plastered nightly, but there you go. The only thing I regret is all this traveling back and forth and back again. What with rendezvousing with Sally in Huddersfield before flying off to have fun in Corfu - that followed quickly by a stay over in Hull (thanks lads) - I'll have only spent one full day at home in three weeks by the time I get back on Friday!! Who said signing on (three full weeks on the dole now) means you have to stay at home? For the record, I'm beginning to wish it did.

Simon, Craig, Catherine, Dave. See you down there.

Apologies

Some apologies in order, I think. I'm racing about again - I'm sat in Hull at the moment - and I knwo that I owe some people some e-mails. Towa and Alex for definate, and a few other people too. All I can say is bear with me. Normal service will be resumed v.soon.

Until then, here is a picture of the beach at Arillas (NW Corfu) where Sally and I were based. She is actually in this picture, btw. If you zoom in towards the two people standing together in the centre, Sally is the bobbing head doing the breaststroke just behind them and to their left. Yes, Sally swims. Quite well in fact. Just like me. *cough cough*

-ahem-

What is a blog all about?

Good question really.

I've read that Blogs are becoming increasingly common. Some affected the way we look at the world - e.g. the famous Baghdad Blog. Some allow you to read up on the thoughts of your friends. Some read like a diary. Some ponder the meaning of life - granted, this one probably won't!!

Mainly, this blog will be about me. And why not? But today, though we're back from Corfu and armed with photos of everything from me boozing to the Gates of Hell themselves (the entrance to Hades, at least), today this blog is about friends. Or more precisely, friends and how they grow up. For example: this.

Particularly poignant for me is photo number 17. For those that don't know him, here is my oldest friend Jason (blog linked) a new father cradling his new and beautiful daughter. And I'm not just being polite for once. :-)

Temporary detour

Well, not "closed". More on holiday. Yes, that's right, it's almost time for me to pack my bags (I'm doing it after this) and fly out to Corfu for seven lovely days of not-very-much-in-the-sun. I seriously need to recharge. After that, it's the psyPAG conference in Exeter (22nd-25th) and then it's constantly checking www.jobs.ac.uk for suitable positions until I find somewhere foolish enough to let me teach psychology to 18-21yr olds.

So you know, I'm back in the country on the 16th Aug, and I'm back Blogging on the 17th. Until then, take care everyone. :-)

PS. Any of you Hull types remember this sign? It's the one Eddie and Kirsten nicked.

Some paperwork sorted - not all

Ever had one of those days where no matter how much you managed to achieve, something is left hanging? Yep. We all do, don't we? Today's clanger is that I had to sign on this morning, and as it turns out, I didn't quite bring all the required paperwork. More fool me, I only brought in everything they *asked* for, having left my psychic powers behind. Oh, the indignity!! *sigh*

But, I've sorted out my E111 form - which for you non-Europe types, allows me free medical treatment in the European Union. Yep, this Blog is truely international - you know who you are! ;-) So when the nice lady in the Post Office discovered that I was off to Corfu for a week, she told me what a beauituful place it was - she's been all round it. Top Corfu tip: watch out for snakes, stripy ones. Great. :-)

Obligatory Rich/Louise wedding photo. Perhaps 2005's best photo of *me* so far, not many good photos of me out there. Personally, I blame my complete lack of chin. Heh, who'd have believed that? "Chinless Wonder is ex-public schoolboy shocker". lol. But back to the photo. Special guest star: Sally Hugo.

Finished

It's done. The PhD is finished, submitted and all I do now is wait for the department to set a date for my viva (Two hour plus oral exam). Plenty to talk about - and coming up now, plenty of *time* to sit down and type it up. For now, just thought I'd spread the good news. Coming soon - photos. :-)

Cheers everyone!

So close, I can almost touch it.

It's *almost* done. I've almost got to the stage where I can hand it in. I've been fairly quiet during the last few days - and that's not because I've got bored of blogging. Far from it. It's just that I've a Thesis to finish. But having said that, I've written more than I could have hoped for in the last few days. Only a couple of thousand words granted, but a couple of thousand concluding words that seem to draw everything together and make sense at the same time. Right now, I'm printing out my Appendices. I'll finish up soon, head round to Hardy Street - where I'm crashing out (big thank you to Eddie, Mik and Will as ever), and have a couple of drinkies. Tomorrow morning, it's the title page, the contents pages, the abstract, the acknowledgements, and another go at that dodgy-looking correlation matrix on page 103. Damn you Table Seven!! ;-)

Mr and Mrs Price

Not much about *me* today. Far too many fish to fry. Instead, a moment to reflect on the newly married Mr Richard Price and his lovely new wife Louise (nee Skelton). I think they'll make a lovely couple, and I'd like to ask us all to wish them well as they honeymoon in Italy. In fact, let's push the boat out and wish them a little bit of wonderful. [Warning: *Minor Sop Attack*]

-ahem- Good luck, you two. :-)

More hits than an Amish website

Yes, it's true. I've figured it out - all possible because of the help of Gareth who's ability to explain it in non-jargon has been rewarded with a Blog-link of his very own. I'm now able to count the number of hits this Blog recieves. Yesterday I got ten. *TEN* That's ten real people checking for more random utterances from yours truely (plus some revisits).

Pretty darn good, I'd say, considering that this ain't Harry Potter. ;-)

Other stuff (a) Am off to Rich and Louise's wedding today/tomorrow so no more blogging from me until Monday. (b) If you're a Star Wars fan, do check out the IMPS link. If not, *AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE*

Busy busy busy

I have so much on at the moment that my head is spinning like something out of The Exorcist. But I have good news (for me). My Thesis must be in on Saturday 30th, so that really means Friday 29th. The good news is that the University Print Shop binds while-u-wait and only costs £5 a copy. Whoo-hoo!! Even better, if needs be, I can hand it in on the Monday. Cue one crazy week, then one extended holiday. :-)

Whoa!

It's been a few days, hasn't it? Mainly because I've moved back in with the parents - though I'm away a bit - and to be frank, I haven't really settled yet. I'm still sifting through piles of old stuff but slowly and surely the cardboard boxes are disappearing away inside each other Russian-doll style.

Back in Hull today. Crashing out at Hardy Street again (Guild Wars), before a supervisor meeting tomorrow that may just see my almost-finished final draft given the thumbs up. I'm checking my references at the moment - yes, the bit that comes at the *END*! ;-)

Otherwise, more bloggy goodness.I'm not too fussed about whether people read this or not, but it's great to write something from time to time - or add a picture. If you have some good pictures, do let me know and I'll post them. I've got several good pictures from the BBQ on Saturday but alas, they haven't been cleared by all involved (i.e. Sally in this case). But a good time and a good weekend. I still suck at ten pin bowling though...

To reciprocate...

Those eagle-eyed types amongst you will have noticed a link from this Blog to that of my friend Jason. Those of you that went there may well have noticed that whe had a few (kind) words about me and my "caffiene-fuelled" activities so I thought I'd return the favour. ;-)

I have known Jason since I was three-and-a-half, though it was a few years before I got to know him better, when the poor soul had to stay down a year at school (his October birthday) and I managed to catch him up. I then spent the next ten years at school trying to keep up. [You swot, Jase. ;-)]. It was a pleasure to be Best Man at your wedding, amigo. I don't know if I ever told you this but that speech cured me of any possible fear of public speaking and has led me to the lecture-bound career I'm aiming for today; being perfectly willing to lecture two hundred twenty 18-21yr olds at 50mins a go. So cheers for that Jason! Being down in London and all makes it harder to keep in touch, but since heand his wife Serena (a busy London doctor) have a child on the way, I'd just like to take the to be a little serious and wish them both (or all three rather!) the very best of luck in front of the rest of you. So there we have it

PS. Jim? Not sure I'm ready for the Jim (Kean and co. aside). My Dad is Jim as you know. Since you know him, could be confusing... However, Uncle Jim, I like that. I can be that uncle who steals all the kids noses, talks too loudly and tends to be slightly tipsy. :-)