Gone awhile

I've sort of let this blog fester for awhile now. Mostly because I know that my boss, ahem, sorry 'mentor' reads it from time to time as well as old bosses and even older enemies. I toyed with the idea of just creating a brand spanking new blog, but that seems like too much work. I mean, just choosing another color palate gives me the shudders. So, I'm just going to start here with my new me on the old palate.

In two weeks I run my very first marathon, 26.2 miles in and around Edinburgh. I'm mostly trained up, although there have been long days in the lab that have impaired my running slightly. Still, I've done some long runs up the coast and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

A challenge I'm not looking forward to is writing my thesis.

That's sort of why I've re-started this blog. I thought, that a great way to procrastinate, would be to document the self-inflicted torture of a Ph.D. in its last throws.

Here begins the pain of writing, the torture of last results, the nightmare that will be my viva, and all the days of sweating over finding a job in-between.

At the end of the next 6 months my goal is to leave Scotland with published papers, bound thesis, degree, and a post-doctorate position lined up somewhere.

I'm optimistic, but reality is breathing down my neck. I've only got one paper submitted (just), I'm going to be working full time while writing for most of these 6 months, there is a robot laughing at me in France that destroyed my last experiment. Viva? yeah, right. Someone to hire me? you can stop giggling now. Leaving Scotland? well, I guess I can see just how far £200 actually will take me. I'm a strong swimmer, but it's looking grim right now.

6 months to go. It's going to be a long summer.