The road less travelled...

...but in my defence, I moved from the middle rung of this to the top one:



Yes, today, April 29, I handed my doctoral thesis in.

Six years and two months, and now it's all over.



That is an excellent representation of how I feel!

I have just submitted the latest draft of my thesis (\o/) and have an entire week until the meeting with my supervisors! This means I can do all the things I've need to do and have been putting off. My list is as follows:

• Post Christmas cards (if you would like one from me and haven't left me your address, you can do so here)
• Tidy study
• Weed garden
• Complete work on synopsis of Chalet School fill-in
• Work on outline for other Chalet School idea
• Write Doctor Who Secret Santa fic
• Return library books
• Clean the house
• Update my thesis bibliography

Let's see if I can get everything done by next Wednesday...

Greetings all!

I thought those people who enjoy my writing might appreciate an explanation for my long delay in posting anything Doctor Who-related, those who are curious about my other writing would appreciate an update on that, and those who are just sticky-noses might like an update on my life in general.

As many of you will know, I am currently writing my PhD. (Procrastination is a wonderful thing. ;-) I have to submit in August 2011 and have a number of dates for things to be due before then. The first major one is to have a draft of the entire critical section of the thesis complete by early December, which is (dear God!) about four weeks away. I'm sure you can understand this is putting rather more constraints on my time than I would usually have.

Naturally, I am not spending all my time on my thesis. However, as well as the critical element, there is also a creative section, which is a diary set during World War II in Berlin. This has been slowly coming together over the past two years or so, but is a long time from being ready. Luckily I will have about six months early next year when my critical supervisor is away to work on it.

What this means, though, is that while I was writing that work, I found it very difficult to work on the Chalet School book I have been plowing through since 2005. Being set in a similar era, but with such dramatically different style and voice, focusing on one makes it hard to get back into the mindset of the other. In fact, until August, I'd done nothing on Muellers for more than 12 months. However, now that my creative thesis story is on the back-burner, I have begun a reread of the Chalet School series and have also returned to working on Muellers. I am now half-way through chapter 7 and am aiming to get a first draft complete by the end of the year. This will mean, while I shift focus back to my creative piece for my thesis, those responsible for helping me knock Muellers into shape for publication can work on it.

The nett result of this, though, is that I have had to shelve my Doctor Who writing for now. I have similar problems with Chalet School and DW in that their extreme differences in terms of style, voice and tone make it hard to jump from one to another. While I can promise that I will have the Secret Santa fic ready, I'm not sure how much else I will manage. I'm sorry to those who enjoy my writing, but I will return in the New Year with a vengeance!

I will also do my best to read and comment on as many fics as possible, but I hope you will forgive any absences.

Greetings all!

I thought those people who enjoy my writing might appreciate an explanation for my long delay in posting anything Doctor Who-related, those who are curious about my other writing would appreciate an update on that, and those who are just sticky-noses might like an update on my life in general.

As many of you will know, I am currently writing my PhD. (Procrastination is a wonderful thing. ;-) I have to submit in August 2011 and have a number of dates for things to be due before then. The first major one is to have a draft of the entire critical section of the thesis complete by early December, which is (dear God!) about four weeks away. I'm sure you can understand this is putting rather more constraints on my time than I would usually have.

Naturally, I am not spending all my time on my thesis. However, as well as the critical element, there is also a creative section, which is a diary set during World War II in Berlin. This has been slowly coming together over the past two years or so, but is a long time from being ready. Luckily I will have about six months early next year when my critical supervisor is away to work on it.

What this means, though, is that while I was writing that work, I found it very difficult to work on the Chalet School book I have been plowing through since 2005. Being set in a similar era, but with such dramatically different style and voice, focusing on one makes it hard to get back into the mindset of the other. In fact, until August, I'd done nothing on Muellers for more than 12 months. However, now that my creative thesis story is on the back-burner, I have begun a reread of the Chalet School series and have also returned to working on Muellers. I am now half-way through chapter 7 and am aiming to get a first draft complete by the end of the year. This will mean, while I shift focus back to my creative piece for my thesis, those responsible for helping me knock Muellers into shape for publication can work on it.

The nett result of this, though, is that I have had to shelve my Doctor Who writing for now. I have similar problems with Chalet School and DW in that their extreme differences in terms of style, voice and tone make it hard to jump from one to another. While I can promise that I will have the Secret Santa fic ready, I'm not sure how much else I will manage. I'm sorry to those who enjoy my writing, but I will return in the New Year with a vengeance!

I will also do my best to read and comment on as many fics as possible, but I hope you will forgive any absences.

AKA, a follow-up to my my life sucks and it was even my birthday! post from four days ago.

This is the weekend that followed the Spectacularly Rubbish Week (TM) and I'm pleased to report that it was better.

Quite apart from the gorgeous icon that loves_glamour made for me, things are definitely looking up.

After being rather anti-social for the entire weekend (read, I was all but tied to my desk for four days) I managed to get the Large And Important Report done. This is for a meeting for my thesis that will take place on November 17. This is now All Done and I am mostly satisfied with it. Considering the huge amount of work I did in four days, I should be more than just 'mostly satisfied', but I'm too exhausted now to feel much anyway. I am going to go bed soon (yes, I know it's only 9.05pm) and recover.

However, as I have done the report and can't do any more on it until the meeting, this means that I now have two weeks to do nothing.

Oh, all right, we both know I won't be doing nothing. Instead I shall be Writing Fic. I will try to shoot off my weekly challenge piece tomorrow (I have done the one for last week, but it is tied to this week's, so I want to post them on consecutive days, which can't happen until the second part is done). Then I shall get my Support Stacie story done. It is about half-done and I know exactly where it is going. I just have to sit down and do it. I suspect that will be this weekend's task.

I also have a dance exam on Wednesday week that I must practice for.

I need to start swimming again to try and lose weight. Oh, and I have to cook tomorrow for the rest of the week. And go into the city to drop off hard copies of my Large And Important Report.

Still, at least the major stress it out of the way. If nobody minds, I'm going to bed...

AKA, a follow-up to my my life sucks and it was even my birthday! post from four days ago.

This is the weekend that followed the Spectacularly Rubbish Week (TM) and I'm pleased to report that it was better.

Quite apart from the gorgeous icon that loves_glamour made for me, things are definitely looking up.

After being rather anti-social for the entire weekend (read, I was all but tied to my desk for four days) I managed to get the Large And Important Report done. This is for a meeting for my thesis that will take place on November 17. This is now All Done and I am mostly satisfied with it. Considering the huge amount of work I did in four days, I should be more than just 'mostly satisfied', but I'm too exhausted now to feel much anyway. I am going to go bed soon (yes, I know it's only 9.05pm) and recover.

However, as I have done the report and can't do any more on it until the meeting, this means that I now have two weeks to do nothing.

Oh, all right, we both know I won't be doing nothing. Instead I shall be Writing Fic. I will try to shoot off my weekly challenge piece tomorrow (I have done the one for last week, but it is tied to this week's, so I want to post them on consecutive days, which can't happen until the second part is done). Then I shall get my Support Stacie story done. It is about half-done and I know exactly where it is going. I just have to sit down and do it. I suspect that will be this weekend's task.

I also have a dance exam on Wednesday week that I must practice for.

I need to start swimming again to try and lose weight. Oh, and I have to cook tomorrow for the rest of the week. And go into the city to drop off hard copies of my Large And Important Report.

Still, at least the major stress it out of the way. If nobody minds, I'm going to bed...

So it's been a while since I posted anything that wasn't a Doctor Who fic. I thought it was time for an update on my life.

( Europe Trip )

( Thesis )

( Work )

( Dancing )

( Theatre )

( Doctor Who )

So, yes, still quite a lot going on.

So it's been a while since I posted anything that wasn't a Doctor Who fic. I thought it was time for an update on my life.

( Europe Trip )

( Thesis )

( Work )

( Dancing )

( Theatre )

( Doctor Who )

So, yes, still quite a lot going on.

So, yes, still alive. I have all sorts of bits and pieces that should have been their own posts, but I've been too lazy busy.

1. Dancing
Still the most important thing in my life at present. The really nice part is that Dad now agrees with me on this. He has even had a few lessons and finds that it's better than he thought it would be. However in early June I passed my Bronze III exam. This brings me ever closer to the public performance that I suspect will constitute my Full Bronze exam, but that's not until the end of the year or early next year.

2. Thesis
So I've had a 'nice' breakdown about this in my supervisor's office last Wednesday. There were a whole lot of things I had to say, mostly along the lines of 'I'm not getting this at all' and they were finally said on that day. I am now getting more support and am very pleased to have it!

3. Wicked
I went to see this several weeks ago and, needless to state, absolutely loved it! Amazing sets, sensational costumes, full cast (which is very fortunate as many of the matinees seem to have alternates or substitutes) and a wonderful overall experience. I was even impressed with Rob Guest, which is unusual for me, and I was surprised how much I liked Rob Mills and Anthony Callea, as the whole Australian Idol thing prejudiced me against them at first.

4. 'Allo 'Allo
I have been buying the DVDs as they came out and picked up the Season 8 pack today. I am delighted that they are finally putting some extras in:
* the 1991 Christmas special
* Comedy Connections 'Allo 'Allo
* Tracking the careers of the 'Allo 'Allo cast since th end of the series
* Cast bios
Maybe not the most exciting things, but a heck of a lot better than any of the others.

That's all I can think of for the moment. Others things as they spring to mind...

So, yes, still alive. I have all sorts of bits and pieces that should have been their own posts, but I've been too lazy busy.

1. Dancing
Still the most important thing in my life at present. The really nice part is that Dad now agrees with me on this. He has even had a few lessons and finds that it's better than he thought it would be. However in early June I passed my Bronze III exam. This brings me ever closer to the public performance that I suspect will constitute my Full Bronze exam, but that's not until the end of the year or early next year.

2. Thesis
So I've had a 'nice' breakdown about this in my supervisor's office last Wednesday. There were a whole lot of things I had to say, mostly along the lines of 'I'm not getting this at all' and they were finally said on that day. I am now getting more support and am very pleased to have it!

3. Wicked
I went to see this several weeks ago and, needless to state, absolutely loved it! Amazing sets, sensational costumes, full cast (which is very fortunate as many of the matinees seem to have alternates or substitutes) and a wonderful overall experience. I was even impressed with Rob Guest, which is unusual for me, and I was surprised how much I liked Rob Mills and Anthony Callea, as the whole Australian Idol thing prejudiced me against them at first.

4. 'Allo 'Allo
I have been buying the DVDs as they came out and picked up the Season 8 pack today. I am delighted that they are finally putting some extras in:
* the 1991 Christmas special
* Comedy Connections 'Allo 'Allo
* Tracking the careers of the 'Allo 'Allo cast since th end of the series
* Cast bios
Maybe not the most exciting things, but a heck of a lot better than any of the others.

That's all I can think of for the moment. Others things as they spring to mind...