Happy New Year #3
“Just like a murderer jumps out of nowhere in an alley, love jumped out in front of us and struck us both at once…”
― Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita.
The last two days were a big education. I had my first panel meeting on Friday - it was obviously supposed to be before christmas, and then suddenly it was then, and I spent so long preparing for it. Oh my goodness it was brain pain. And Dr G thought I was okay. Mike told him I would be. And he told me even though I wasn’t supposed to know. And it was what it was; not a disaster, and not amazeballs, but good. Igor, my panel chair, told me he was happy with my progress and my knowledge and position was “above average”. My eyes kind of popped out of my head when he said that, and Steve laughed at me. They all commended me for my composure, and not panicking, and thinking about what I wanted to say and for trying to say the right things. It wasn’t as scary as my MSci viva, but it was scary. And I kind of survived unscathed so, I guess that’s that. In the same week, Pep from our lab had his final viva to defend his PhD thesis. This was big, because he’s kind of always been around, and he’s taught us since we were chemistry babies, so it was good to see him get it and get happy. Dr Josep Cornella, PhD. He’s spanish, got the accent, and these amazing eyes, we used to joke that it was okay til you looked in his eyes. That was the end haha! He really was a dog though, let me tell you!
I got two of the sluttiest dresses in my wardrobe’s existence from ASOS this week. Its the biggest thing to happen to my wardrobe since I brought that first bandage skirt from H&M that time in third year. These dresses are patterned, short, tight, backless, halterneck. Its Linda’s birthday night out this Friday. And I want to do this night out justice as its my first in London since I started this PhD. Someone just told me their new philosophy in life was “If the grass looks greener on the other side, water your own grass.” So I’m doing just that!
It was orthodox new year today. Dr G has been teaching me a bit about ukranian and russian traditions; he’s a child of the soviet, so its quite cool to learn about a totally different culture, one that’s not any form of non-white ethnic, if you get me. He’s introducing me to Russian literature and has challenged me to get through Anna Karenina, and also the book I quoted at the top. But apparently everything gets lost in translation so I’m never going to get it, but we shall see.
I’m seeing Louise this week to go watch a free movie in Wimbledon, which is very exciting! I really need to hit ten reactions this week, which is very hard. I fixed my TV cables myself - my wonderful father came through with the co-axial clips and so I made up the wire myself, and I have my brilliant big sofa back! My laptop is finally being fixed THANK GAAAAAADDDD. I’ve also spent 3 days eating my own weight in carbohydrates, massively, and now I’ve passed my first panel and they’re not kicking me out, I can buy my desktop for my desk at work, and I can join the gym! Let’s lose that muffin top! (Without quitting pasta…)
xoxo