Well, I have a lot to update you all on!
The closing days of 2006 saw a mad dash to finish the MSc dissertation in time for the New Year so I could enroll on my lovely funded PhD and actually have money again for the first time since ceasing work in July. It was not a fun way to spend the Christmas period kids, and I don't recommend it.
I'm not totally happy with what I turned in, by a long way, but it was as good as I could manage and I'll have to live with that. Think I may have kissed goodbye to my distinction though, despite averaging 70% on all my other work. Oh well, as my tutor told me in a moment of academic honesty: 'Once you have started your PhD no-one will care about your MSc grades, just being on the PhD will be enough', so I'm trying not to worry. Anyone who knows me well will be aware how futile this is.
So, I've moved down the coast and started at a new university (my last institution had been 'home' for 7 years so this is quite a shake up!), only see my not-spouse-creature at weekends and have embarked on a PhD...
I'm all a bit phased still so I can't comment too much, but it already seems like it's going to be very interesting and with a lot of fieldwork and practical stuff, which makes me happy. It's odd- 'cause it's a funded place it's a topic the department I'm now in wanted doing, not something I came up with myself, but for all that it fits my interests really well- bogs, geophysics and European prehistory, with some GIS stuff on the side. It'll involve looking for sites like Flag Fen and the trackways under the Federsee in Germany.
For those interested (and because writing about it will no doubt help me put it order in my head) I'll elaborate soon, but for now, on to other things!
I was tagged with a meme, a while back but I haven't had time till now, so here goes my CD CV
The first song you ever bought?
The album Right said Fred by Right said Fred. I was 10 and I just loved the base lines and the silly lyrics :p
I'm going to be a pain and have 2 though:
The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails is my real one because I bought it with my own money and still own and listen to it. My tastes changed a lot between 10 and 15 and inbetween I just bootlegged tapes from friends
The song that led to your first popstar crush?
Umm.. I've honestly never had one...
The song that reminds you of your first true love?
Again, I'm having two
When I come around by Green Day. For about 4 years I was madly in love with my very best friend, totally unrequited. His band covered this, and it struck a chord somewhere.
Where the streets have no name by U2. First requited love (and still going strong), this became our theme when we spent a year apart, him away at uni and me going though 'A' levels and some heavy family stuff. The intro is one of the best ever written, I think.
A song that's guaranteed to make you dance?
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. Makes me think of dancing with my Dad and is consequently one of my favourite songs of all time.
Your Favourite Holiday track?
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I grew up in a seaside town with a big gang of about 10 friends. We were effectively 'free range' for the summer and slept out a lot and lived on the beach. We sang this as our anthem as we roved about, and it always makes me think of those idyllic summers.
The song you'd most like to sing on stage?
Suddenly I See by K T Tunstal. Believe me, no-one wants to hear me sing, but if I could, I'd sing this to my two very best friends, 'cause this song could've been written to say what I feel about them.
The most embarrassing record you ever bought?
I'm not ashamed of any of them! I have eclectic tastes in music, but I don't mind what other people think.
The one song you wish you'd written?
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Shivers, tingling, weeping, the works. This song does things to me. Lennie may not be much of a singer, but he is a poet. This song does things with words I wish I could.
Best guitar riff ever?
Killing In The Name Of by Rage Against The Machine. Gets the old adrenaline going for the mosh-pit every time. I love RATM 's guitar work in general, but this tune is particularly good.
Your favourite love song?
With or Without you by U2. The not-spouse-creature is a big U2 fan , and this song says a hell of a lot about us, more about me and how difficult I can be to be with, but that he still loves me
The track that reminds you of your best mates?
These boots are made for walkin' by Nancy Sinatra. Mad, mad school friends who are special to me forever. dancing about the VIth form tuck shop we rang, singing this into a broom.. or whenever they could at karaoke when we were out
I'm going to add a category now
The song you wish was written about you/for you?
My Beloved Monster by the Eels. I want some one to feel like this about me! I want to be that beloved monster: ' My beloved monster is tough, if she wants to she'll disrobe you, but if you lay her down for a kiss, her little heart it could explode' sigh........
The closing days of 2006 saw a mad dash to finish the MSc dissertation in time for the New Year so I could enroll on my lovely funded PhD and actually have money again for the first time since ceasing work in July. It was not a fun way to spend the Christmas period kids, and I don't recommend it.
I'm not totally happy with what I turned in, by a long way, but it was as good as I could manage and I'll have to live with that. Think I may have kissed goodbye to my distinction though, despite averaging 70% on all my other work. Oh well, as my tutor told me in a moment of academic honesty: 'Once you have started your PhD no-one will care about your MSc grades, just being on the PhD will be enough', so I'm trying not to worry. Anyone who knows me well will be aware how futile this is.
So, I've moved down the coast and started at a new university (my last institution had been 'home' for 7 years so this is quite a shake up!), only see my not-spouse-creature at weekends and have embarked on a PhD...
I'm all a bit phased still so I can't comment too much, but it already seems like it's going to be very interesting and with a lot of fieldwork and practical stuff, which makes me happy. It's odd- 'cause it's a funded place it's a topic the department I'm now in wanted doing, not something I came up with myself, but for all that it fits my interests really well- bogs, geophysics and European prehistory, with some GIS stuff on the side. It'll involve looking for sites like Flag Fen and the trackways under the Federsee in Germany.
For those interested (and because writing about it will no doubt help me put it order in my head) I'll elaborate soon, but for now, on to other things!
I was tagged with a meme, a while back but I haven't had time till now, so here goes my CD CV
The first song you ever bought?
The album Right said Fred by Right said Fred. I was 10 and I just loved the base lines and the silly lyrics :p
I'm going to be a pain and have 2 though:
The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails is my real one because I bought it with my own money and still own and listen to it. My tastes changed a lot between 10 and 15 and inbetween I just bootlegged tapes from friends
The song that led to your first popstar crush?
Umm.. I've honestly never had one...
The song that reminds you of your first true love?
Again, I'm having two
When I come around by Green Day. For about 4 years I was madly in love with my very best friend, totally unrequited. His band covered this, and it struck a chord somewhere.
Where the streets have no name by U2. First requited love (and still going strong), this became our theme when we spent a year apart, him away at uni and me going though 'A' levels and some heavy family stuff. The intro is one of the best ever written, I think.
A song that's guaranteed to make you dance?
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. Makes me think of dancing with my Dad and is consequently one of my favourite songs of all time.
Your Favourite Holiday track?
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I grew up in a seaside town with a big gang of about 10 friends. We were effectively 'free range' for the summer and slept out a lot and lived on the beach. We sang this as our anthem as we roved about, and it always makes me think of those idyllic summers.
The song you'd most like to sing on stage?
Suddenly I See by K T Tunstal. Believe me, no-one wants to hear me sing, but if I could, I'd sing this to my two very best friends, 'cause this song could've been written to say what I feel about them.
The most embarrassing record you ever bought?
I'm not ashamed of any of them! I have eclectic tastes in music, but I don't mind what other people think.
The one song you wish you'd written?
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Shivers, tingling, weeping, the works. This song does things to me. Lennie may not be much of a singer, but he is a poet. This song does things with words I wish I could.
Best guitar riff ever?
Killing In The Name Of by Rage Against The Machine. Gets the old adrenaline going for the mosh-pit every time. I love RATM 's guitar work in general, but this tune is particularly good.
Your favourite love song?
With or Without you by U2. The not-spouse-creature is a big U2 fan , and this song says a hell of a lot about us, more about me and how difficult I can be to be with, but that he still loves me
The track that reminds you of your best mates?
These boots are made for walkin' by Nancy Sinatra. Mad, mad school friends who are special to me forever. dancing about the VIth form tuck shop we rang, singing this into a broom.. or whenever they could at karaoke when we were out
I'm going to add a category now
The song you wish was written about you/for you?
My Beloved Monster by the Eels. I want some one to feel like this about me! I want to be that beloved monster: ' My beloved monster is tough, if she wants to she'll disrobe you, but if you lay her down for a kiss, her little heart it could explode' sigh........
How's the PhD work going?
Here's a dumb question of mine - how long will it take?
I know all the songs you named, except the one you added at the end.
Of course, now I have to find it, so I can learn more about you.
Maybe it's because I only know you here, but you haven't seemed to be someone with a tough exterior.
If I say more, it'll turn into flirting.
Soo..you've been busy too! Excellent progress with the dissertation! If it's any consolation I was doing the exact same thing during my Chrsitmas / new year period, and similarly I think my rather perfunctory offering will have scuppered my distinction hopes. How uncannily parallel our lives seem to be at the moment!
Anyway, I strongly suspect that you're probably still on for a distinction, and that's quite right of your supervisor that once you have the PhD nailed the MSC grade will be rather a footnote. In fact, as someone who interviews and recruits staff typically qualified to Masters' and PhD leave, I'd say that most of the time the grade of a Masters' is irrelevant. The only exception is if you go for a job in higher education (HE) or academia. I've still got some to finish on mine, so have a series of long weekends booked during this and next month to do that. So which uni are you at now?
All sounds exciting - which GIS system will you be using btw?