It's not marked - substitute 'B' for the expletive of your choice, Flossie!


As for me. Argh. I don't want to be responsible for stopping people taking the wrong medication but neither do I want to be shouted at by customers when I ask them a few simple questions. But that's minor in comparison!

That makes more sense. I'm clearly being a bit dim today

Hope you get your coursework sorted, Matthew, and that Miss Ross gets some nice customers tomorrow.

So on Friday I finally escaped my lab for Easter, with just the report to write up. I carefully made sure I had got all my SEM photographs on my flash drive, and emailed to myself. Same with all my data files from the computer that took most of my readings. I found out how to dispose of all my mess, and cleaned up... etc etc.

Today, I sat down to get all my data processed. Copied and pasted the first lot into my spreadsheet. Was working along column by column checking the calculations. Got the the column where I have to enter the flowrate. The flowrate is written in my lab book. So I open up my bag to dig out my lab book... and it isn't there!

Tamsin spends five minutes panicking, re-checks her bag, looks all over the room etc etc.

I must have left it in the lab. The lab that I can't get into all weekend. And I'm getting a train back home first thing Monday morning.

I don't know what to do.... maybe I can get in very early Monday morning? But I don't know when the building is unlocked... and I can't do my report without all the data in my lab book!

I can't believe I was so stupid. Knew I'd do something like this.

Poor Tamsin! I don't know what to advise. Possiblities:

1. Do you have to catch the early train on Monday or can you switch to a later one?

2. Do you know anyone who's around for another day or two who could post the lab book to you? If not, could you ask your supervisor to post it?

Hope it all works out OK for you.

Those are plans C and D in that order.

Currently plan is to phone Uni security to see if they can unlock the building / escort me in today. There was some maintenance thing on yesterday so they outright refused. I'm pretty sure it'd've been perfectly safe, but they're a little paranoid about the my department...! Fortunately I know all the codes to get into the lab, its just the main building door.

If that fails, I have a friend that should be able to drive me to campus early Monday (but hopefully after they've unlocked). I have a window of about 30 mins when I should be able to dash in and grab my notebook, providing my friend then drops me straight to the station.

I would just get a later train, but my ticket is non-transferable, and I really can't afford a new one...

If those two plans fail, my boyfriend is going in on Monday and can post the lab book to me. Its just frustrating that I really can't get on with anything without it!

Hopefully things'll work out.

Thanks Flossie. I've still not (B!!) found it, and so I'm just trying to guess what improvements needed to be made based on feedback I got from a previous essay. I might hand in a second draft and throw a bit of boyish charm around and see if I can have this one marked before submitting a final draft!

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH! I hate being at home! There's nothing to do, no way to get around, and my mum feels the need to show that she still has control all the time, which means she snaps at me, and attacks me every time I open her mouth. I've been trying to just put up with it, but it's making me miserable! She's just deleted all the films I'd recorded on the sky box because it's HER telly, and was looking cluttered.

How can she insist that everything is just the same as before I went away, and yet still try to imply that I'm just a visitor in the house all the time?!

On top of that I keep getting awful headaches (from stress probably!), and paracetamol isn't helping!
I want to go back to uni!

D'you know what really really annoys me? One upmanship. I'm sick of it. "I'm going to do x." "That's nice. *I'm* going to do x and y and z and see it as no skin off my nose and everyone will love me whereas you, lesser being, can just muddle by, struggling with your little lot."

Lucky, that sounds rubbish. PM if you'd like to chat, ok? *hugs*

Thanks, I think I just needed to have a bit of a rant. I'm ok now, but five weeks holiday is too long!

One upmanship is infuriating - comfort yourself with the thought that no one is ever actually impressed by it, it usually just comes across as someone desperately seeking approval.
Hope you're ok, feel free to PM me too.

Don't throw too much of it around - you might run out...

Urgh, I know exactly what you mean! I can't believe how some people think a conversation is a chance to talk about themselves and switch off when the other person speaks, unless it's to one-up them. It may only seem like a small thing but it really puts me down when I'm talking to someone who couldn't care less about what I have to say.

Well, I am glad it's not only me that is annoyed by some peoples' ideas of a conversation

I feel really really ill!

I've caught OH's tummy bug and am sooo sick. The nausea is the worst part - it just won't stop.

*whimper*

Poor Lottie.
I would give you a hug - but I don't want to catch it.

Well I'm pleased to report that Uni security were really nice and helpful today and Operation Retrieve Labbook has been sucessful. The security guards seemed pretty amused to be honest, but I certainly wasn't. I was just starting to panic about what I'd do if it wasn't in our lab!

Lucky and Miss R, I hope things settle down soon. It's always difficult trying to adjust back into living with parents, I just can't do it with mine anymore. I try to avoid going home for more than a couple of weeks on the trot. Its worse if my sister is home because its like we start on constand one upmanship and attention seeking behaviour, and end up bickering all the time! Its so ridiculous when we're both well into our 20s and have always got on so well, and makes me feel slightly sad. I'm currently hunting for a summer job here in Bath to avoid spending 4 months of summer holiday arguing with my parents. I'd love to go home, but somehow, once I'm there, it isn't quite the same. There doesn't quite seem to be balance between acting like and adult, acting like a teenager, and being treated like a child.

I've also had a few friends recently experiencing the shock of going home and finding their room no longer exists. This is particularly tough if they haven't been warned, and you end up drifting around with no space that's your own, and all your stuff in the attic or similar.

All I can really suggest is to try and get out a bit and visit people who you don't see while at Uni. This gives you a bit of a break from family complexities and reminds you of the good things about home (along with having someone else to cook!) It can also cause friction in itself though... particularly when you're stranded in a little village with only the parental taxi to rely on.

You certainly aren't alone!

Glad to hear the lab book's securely sorted, Tamsin.

Our security people can be quite amusing as well sometimes. I once got locked in my (old) office due to a power-cut which stopped the electronic/magnetic door from opening and had to ring security to get me out. It definitely provided a change from their normal Saturday afternoon routine, although (worryingly) the first security man who came was totally stumped how to get the door open.

Hurrah! Sounds as if you'll be busy for a while doing your write-up once you're home. Glad it all worked out well, and there are worse things than being a "source of innocent merriment" for security guards!

One of my rats died this weekend. I've been OK about it, it is always sad but I haven't felt too bad about it.

Cause of death wasn't really obvious. She's always looked like she'd swallowed a satsuma, ever since she was full-size. So for about 18 months she's been that shape.
Today, for no sensible reason, I'm trying to 'diagnose' what was wrong. The most obvious thing that goes with her symptoms - i.e. having a tummy like a satsuma - is pyometra. A uterine infection, treatable with antibiotics and - if necessary - spaying. So now I feel awful because what if she did have pyometra (closed pyometra, if you want to be specific), then she had something curable, and I didn't get her treated, and she would have died quite unpleasantly from sepsis. On the other hand, it's hardly likely she had pyometra for 18 months so it probably wasn't that, but I can't stop the thought of what-if-it-was...

But still, just feel awful that all that time I just called her a podgy piglet I should have been Harbouring Suspcions that Something Was Amiss.

Poor Maizie.

I'm sure that if if she was spetic this would have been obvious.

It doesn't sound as though she was poorly or uncomfortable though - surely you would have noticed if she was ill - off her food, lethargic etc. Don't beat yourself up about this. It's a nasty shock when an animal in your care suddenly dies - happened to us a few years ago with a hamster - unfortunately my son found her. It took several days before I could convince him that she was actually d-e-a-d and not hibernating. I felt horribly guilty about the whole thing.

Woke up with upset stomach about 5.30...tried to drag myself out of bed at 8 as I intended to see a student at 10...felt so ghastly I burst into tears, texted said student and collapsed back into bed, where I promptly fell asleep until 2pm .

Had to go out to post office so I left the house for the first time since 19th March - felt ghastly, very hot-and-cold and wobbly and just collapsed back indoors asap.

I DID manage to see my lovely Intermediate group tonight but I had to ask them to come to my house instead of the church where we usually meet...they were gorgeous and helped me through it though I was still hot-and-cold and short of breath . A lot of the evening passed in a bit of a blur and I was rather on automatic pilot..

Wondering if perhaps I should go to the doc tomorrow...

YES

Please be careful not to overdo it as well, Cyrilla. I know you're probably really frustrated, but you'll end up making yourself ill for longer if you push yourself too soon. It really sounds like your body has been saying that enough is enough and it wants you to rest.

I had a really bad virus a few years ago which sounds very similar to what you've been describing that past couple of weeks. I tried to just carry on (things were very busy at work...) but ended up having to take a long time off sick (about 3 months in a 4 month period) and developed pneumonia - and it actually took a large part of a year to recover. My respiratory function has never actually recovered completely to what it had been previously and I am now extremely prone to respiratory infections - which isn't good for a wind player. I'm not saying this too be discouraging or unsympathetic (so please don't interpret it this way). I'm just giving you my experience so that you hopefully don't make the same mistake.

You actually seem to have been ill for around three weeks, so I think going to the doctor would be a good idea...

Hope you start to feel better soon.

Aww, thanks, Flossie - words much appreciated.

Sorry to be such a wuss!! I did think I was feeling better over the weekend but today was a bit of a knockback..

You're not being a wuss (or if you are, then I'm one too ).

Yes, these viruses do have a habit of reappearing just as you think you're starting to feel better...

Take it easy and give yourself a chance - however frustrating that may be.

Thank you (and Flossie) for you kind words.
Now it seems that her sister is unwell too - not off her food (some chance!) but not moving around too easily. Going to talk to their breeder and see if she has any ideas. I think it's likely to be a dreadful coincidence of timing. If it were something contagiouis, then one of my other rats - older and far more fragile - would likely have got it, and given the ludicrous grooming she gave me this morning while climbing the five foot tall cage, I think I can say that one is fine!

My daughter is due to take her first ever cello exam tomorrow. In the French system you have to play in front of three examiners (!) one own choice and one imposed piece which has to be learnt in two months.

Today she had one last lesson before the exam in which her teacher told her that a) the exam time has been changed from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm and b) that the head of the music school has decided that the imposed piece is too long and so she will only have time to play half of it.

Naturally daughter is upset about this, having spent a lot of time practising the whole thing. Teacher is also somewhat annoyed as the Head had approved the choice of piece before it was given to my daughter and the piece itself was suggested to her by a supposedly experienced teacher at a neighbouring conservatoire. It is my daughter's teacher's first exam entry and so asked this experienced teacher for advice and was told that the piece she had in mind was too short and too easy.

My daughter has made huge progress learning this piece - when she first got it both she and I thought she would never be able to play it. Although her progress will remain I think it is very unfair to tell her the day before that the programme has changed.

I HATE SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT!!!! AHHH!

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

writing a dissertation is far worse than sitting a diploma exam!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you're feeling a bit better by now, heslop01. What's so dreadful about school?

Hello noodle!

Get thee to the tavern. The tavern is the new CISD.

Lightweight!

Silent aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh. I've had a really horrible cold since the weekend, which has taken its time to go. I'm due to go on the Easter Early Music course today and I've got very little voice! I should be reasonably OK playing recorders, but I wanted to sing too.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh. Left my iPhone charger over at the Headingley office. Not over there until Tuesday, but I guess it will charge from my 'putor'.
iPhone seems to use charge much much quicker than a conventional mobile phone.

arghhh! Had the wire changed on my brace today and it hurts!

Jacob.

ARGH! I had a massive row with my parents, over my sister's false accusation that I 'stole' one of her books. (I had actually asked to borrow it, she'd agreed, then changed her mind, and rather than asking for it back, just went running to the parents without talking to me, because she thought I'd want to keep it). Now I've had to cancel coffee with a friend, because I have no way of getting into town, and they've cut off all my lifts.

Also, they promised that they wouldn't get a takeaway in the first week of my diet (when my will-power is weakest), but after that argument my sister asked for one, and they agreed. Talk about passive aggressive.

*Hugs*

Thanks Nicki.

*more hugs*

I think you've got double a reason to stick to your diet now. Aren't you one week through your holiday now? Lasting 1 week before a huge row is reasonably good going.

Also, can you arrange to stay with someone else for a bit? Might seem a little odd, but lots of my friends stay with other people rather than their parents when returning home now. It seems that it sometimes make things easier...

I just wish my parents would remember I'm writing my +!*&!ing dissertation at the moment, and be a little less distracting...

Thanks. Maybe you're right, I'm one and a half weeks through the holiday, so I'm pretty impressed - previous rows have only been minor ones!
I do have a couple of uni friends that I'd planned to visit, so I might see if I can do that for a bit of a break. No other family lives around here, and I only tend to stay at home-friends houses for a night or so...
Luckily I have a really lovely friend, who's been picking me up for outings and driving miles out of his way to drop me off at singing lessons before we go out and things, so I've been out of the house a lot, and hopefully that'll continue.

Sorry about parents distracting you from your dissertation. Have you asked them to try and be a little bit quieter?

got told off by my dissertation supervisor this morning, at our meeting: apparently my dissertation isn't good enough in his eyes (oh dear indeed.)

nearly done with chapter two, hopefully i'll finish the last and final chapter by next week.

I HAVE 15 EXAMS IN MAY AND COURSEWORK TO DO FOR NEXT WEEK! ALL THIS FOR 4 SUBJECTS?!!

I hope he gave you a few pointers about improving the dissertation, l_k. It's so depressing when someone just tells you things aren't up to scratch - constructive criticism is much more helpful.

Hope you can stay positive as you continue writing.

Since when has showing a little parental love and actually caring for someone counted as mollycoddling? And since when has acting as if you wish someone had never been born been an effective way to make a 'child' grow up in a normal manner? Why can't my dad let me actually feel wanted without my mum going mad at us both? And why does my brother lie incessantly about things I've 'said'? Why does every rare amazing night end like this?

We care about you.

I have 4 months left to to experiments. I have no idea what I'm doing.

Miss Ross:

*hugs to everyone with dissertation and parental issues*

I swear both are sent to drive us mad.

My parents aren't being so bad, but they're a little quick to invite me to go out with them, suggest I have a break, ask for my opinion on something... maybe they think I'm working too hard.

Liebe_Klavier, perhaps your supervisor is just trying to push a bit more out of you? It seems to me that with particularly good students, lecturers are quite willing to squeeze every last bit of work out of you. Mine kept trying to get me to do more experiments, when I was trying to start my write up. In the end I told her she was welcome to do the experiments herself, and sent me the data, which I would then try to incorporate; but I didn't have time to do any more myself. I then came home (300 miles away!) for Easter!

Why, out of all the CDs I have, is it the 9-cd-set-with-an-average-of-over-20-tracks-per-cd that my computer won't recognise the names for?!?!