Tired of the hum-drum of 9 to 5?

Things perhaps feeling a little too monotonous? Safe? Predictable? Bored of waking up each morning and knowing, with a fair amount of certainty, that you won't come close to a nervous breakdown that day?

Well do a PhD and you too can experience the rollercoaster ride of emotions from soul destroying, spirit crushing lows, to exhilirating (and horrendously short-lived) highs!

Why settle for a simple, easy-going existence when you too could be having all of your dreams smashed to pieces again and again, in set back after set back, on a practically daily basis!? And then, when you're just about ready to crack, be given a distant, tantalising glimmer of hope, juuuuuuust enough to pick yourself up, yet again, and from somewhere build up your motivation and conviction to start over. And all this whilst knowing that your peers are all earning way more than you, right at this very second, as they enjoy relaxing time off in what's apparently known as a w-e-e-k e-n-d.

Disclaimer: Those with nervous disorders, tendancies for panic attacks, aspirations for any sort of remotely normal relationship with other human beings, or just a milligram of common sense, need not apply.



Ok, so I'm being a little over-dramatic, but really, can't I get a break for once?! I am facing challenges (motivational speak for "problems of an 'orrifc nature") over a piece of innovative technology I've been hoping to trial. These were largely due to some minor tinkering with said technology by one of my martens. And more specifically: her teeth.

So that was Thursday, and since then I thought I had fixed it, and then realised someting else was wrong, on two separate occassions now.

Meh.

On a more positive note though, when all was seeming bleak yesterday evening I happened across a natal marten den (after seeing the mother leave) which was occupied by a single kitten. I then spent a thoroughly entertaining, uplifting, and well.. magical, hour interacting with the kitten. Somewhat thrown by my marten-esque vocal mimicry, she seemed curious about what I was, so came very close for a good look.. all whilst being particularly cute and fuzzy and kitteny.

I guess when working with wild animals you've got to expect lots of set-backs, but as brief as they are, moments like last night really do help to buoy you up to keep sloggin away at it. And as much as I HATE many aspects of the work right now, I wouldn't really swap it for anything. Hmm... except possibly the same but with twice as much money. And a camera phone with a better zoom.

Ducks! ...thousands of 'em!

I *love* this story I heard about today... the serious environmental impacts aside, but ..rubber ducks! Hee!

Drake's other armada*

It just so happens that I'm off to Devon and Cornwall for a week's jolly with Ruth and some friends. We had planned to do some very geeky tourist attraction visiting (Iron Age settlements, Uther Pendragon's castle etc), otter spotting, and puffin watching, not to mention hopefully catching some waves with my new found love of body boarding. Hovever, considering the ducks have become collector’s items, and are now changing hands for £500 a pop, we may instead be gripped in a "gold fever" fashion and spend the week beach combing... there's 29,000 of 'em out there!

Then we can just sit back and count our millions (14.5 of them!), regaling tales of the great Duck Rush of 2007...



* Disclaimer: I don't, of course, make a habit of reading the Daily Mail! What do you take me for!? After hearing about it on the radio (BBC 4, naturally) I searched for more on the story, and they just happened to have a good piece on it. Now leave me in peace so I can read about Charlotte Church's far from cutting-edge choice of maternity wear...

A black fly in your Chardonnay?

No Alanis. That's not ironic. What is ironic is managing to get through 18 months of fieldwork without major hiccup, and then losing your most vital piece of equipment 2 weeks before the end. And yet still managing to keep a smile on your face (after the tears and fits of rage have subsided).

..although that may have had something to do with my playing about with walkie-talkies...