I'm now allegedly half way through my phd, if the experience of a phd was time-linear, but it's not, as I have learned. I feel like I still have 2/3 ahead of me (at least) and time keeps ticking away stubbornly without any consideration for my needs.
Whilst I was away fieldtripping with our Masters students in Amsterdam, my partner accidentally deleted my first 2 interviews from my MP3 player (which I hadn't backed up or transcribed - naturally - silly me). Oh, and since Xmas he has twice, accidentally, locked me into the house by taking my keys and his own with him leaving for work, forcing me to escape through the back door and leaving the side gate open for intruders. This is possibly not a great thing to do in Manchester, the ASBO capital of the UK. Sometimes I do feel like there are some invisible forces throwing spanners in the works. In Amsterdam, there were Spaniards in the works, rather too many, as our Hans Brinker experience came to a bitter and premature end due to a rather hyperactive coachload of Spanish schooltrippers causing havoc in the hostel (midnight karaoke in the dorms opposite to my room is not what the doctor ordered for a good night sleep).
On a positive note, I did come back with a renewed enthusiasm for cycling, so I am making every effort to get around using my new bike. Even though whilst there, the cyclists really are the "silent killer" for non-native pedestrians: they are the most treacherous element in traffic for anyone used to relying on aural as well as visual signs of approaching vehicles - consider yourself being warned!
After a week hearing it first hand from the right-wingers on how to do regeneration "a la hollandaise", trapsing around estates in the pouring rain, it is a treat to be at home - even if it means getting on with the job that happens to be a phd.
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