Summer Sun

I'm not really in the mood to write so much, but I just wanted to say how amazing the last week and a half has been. Yes I've missed out the Stockholm marathon, me finishing my Masters degree, Midsummer madness etc, but I really felt like I should say something about the goings on now.

Basically summer has arrived, it's been late twenties for a while, not a cloud in the sky, all in all pretty perfect. We are blessed in Uppsala, not only being so close to Stockholm, but also the third biggest lake in Sweden, Mälaren, is only 10mins or so away. It's almost a semi hidden paradise, despite its size- no students really venture there and even in the height of summer its pretty quiet.

Well not any crazy stories etc to tell but we camped out at the lake last Saturday. We had the delights of a late night and early morning swim, to watch the sunset go down with flat calm water, barely a ripple to be seen is just awesome. You feel like you're in a completely different area, totally remote, just fields, trees and the wildlife. It's also bizarre when it's light out all night- Sweden is one of those courageous winter places. I mean summer days are long and bright, winter days are so short and dark. Nonetheless, I still love both. You have to embrace both, none of this moaning crap about 'being too hot'- something which is of note in England at the moment. Well here's a taste of our outings at least. A picture says a thousand words and all that........

All of the above are from the same place...Hammarskog, Lake Mälaren

We also went to Trosa, outside Stockholm....you get the idea about the place:

p.s. the V50 is immense

Volvo. For Life (Or until you change your car).

I'm not going to explain the why's etc, but here is our new V50.

Coming from 3 very small beasts, in order of Nissan Micra, Toyota Yaris and Chevrolet Kalos, we've upgraded. Not only have we got a nicely kitted out machine, we're saving the world at the same time: Sweden unlike most of Europe is quite energy efficient. Our car is a 1.8F or flexifuel. It means we can fill up with petrol or ethanol, the later is a more sustainable, albeit less efficient fuel. Apparently we can do roughly 20% less on a tank of ethanol (you can mix the two in whatever quantities also), where ethanol itself costs over 30% less than regular petrol. You do the maths.

p.s. Volvo call it saville grey, i.e. not black not grey, lets call it a light shade of black : )

p.p.s. We can have conversations in the car without shouting too (not because we get mad in small cars) because the in car noise is a lot quieter!

PhD

Shouldn't be long until I'm on board. Never thought my life would be going in this direction! However, I love using my brain! I love Sweden, I love life. I posted a while back some 'clever' acronyms and have found some extra additions:

Patiently hoping for a degree (well that would be three in total.....greedy right?!)
Please hire. Desperate.
Probably heavily in debt
Probably heading for divorce (not going to happen I'm afraid!!)
Pizza hut driver (probably couldn't get a job there!!) or professional hair dresser?!

Anyways, for those who dont understand, PhD is Doctor of Philosophy (comes from Latin!). It's a doctorate, basically meaning it's the highest degree you can get. It leads to two outcomes (really): heading towards becoming a professor or sounding worse, a researcher. Either way, life is tough, long hours, crap pay and limited recognition of the hours you put in. So why? Well, because you believe in something, because as a kid you always loved doing experiments (and we are all just big kids), because life is too easy otherwise (?!), because you want to prove some people wrong, because you can.

My reasons are my own, I want to prove to myself that I can do it. Its an incredibly tough road. So, long hours, crap pay, constant failure (with experiments) , why bother? Well, when life is on a plate, it's too easy, too simple. To fight for what you want, the challenge, albeit a huge one makes life worth living. Pride is something no-one can take away from you, except yourself. I think I have the biggest chance to complete a Phd over here, working with the best in the World. To be around these people is an experience by itself, to understand the sheer brilliance of these Professors etc is something else. I will never be that dedicated, smart etc, but at least I can try.......

I've been busy

No time for updating this thing I'm afraid. I've handed it my thesis, so that is good of course. I have to make a presentation and defend my thesis next Thursday.

Of course this is made all the harder as I'm still busting my balls in the lab. I'm not convinced I'll get any rest after, either : ) Lazy students my arse.

On the plus, me and J have something 'for life'. Figure it out.