Sophie's Socks and Stuff

Hmmm it's the new university term and I can't decide whether I can be arsed to return to swing dance lessons or not. I did quite enjoy it last term but got out of the habit of going after the nightmare stresses of demonstrating made me unable to do anything on a Tuesday afternoon. I quite like the dancing but I never really get that into it and as I'm busy doing other stuff during the week so I don't get to go to the other beginner lesson and to be honest I don't really like hanging around undergrads that much. I think I'll see if my friend is going and if not I might just head to the cinema and then for a chinese. Watch me turn into an even bigger lardy pie.

Well I've managed to print read the abstracts for the Bizzotto papers (and colour them in with my rapidly fading yellow highlighter), I wrote about Helmholtz layers last night and read a bit about Gouy-Chapman and have found my EA paper so I can think about turning it into an oral presentation all why happily listening to the cooper temple clause. Best get back to writing about double layers, planning my presentation and write my conference abstract.

• Print out Bizzotto papers
• Read spectroelectrochemical papers (abstracts at least)
• Turn electrochimica acta paper into 25 min oral presentation
• Make notes on Helmholtz layers

Not really having the best day today. I am just so anxious about getting my PhD finished within a reasonable time frame. I finally battled out with my chemistry supervisor to get one day a week in the lab to do experiments. How I'm going to get enough results for another two chapters before my funding runs out is beyond me at the moment. I'm feeling all unsettled at the moment as well and seriously pissed off with the boyfriend. He's unemployed at the moment and I ask him to do one, maybe two things on monday and the lazy arse still hasn't bothered. Sometimes I think I may really hate him. Hmmm feeling so crap and demotivated now I don't think I can even be bothered to write any more.

Been putting this off all afternoon.

As this study is examining non faradaic processes it is important to use an electrode at which no charge transfer can occur across the electrode - electrolyte interface regardless of the potential applied to the electrode surface. This type of electrode is known as an ideal polarisable electrode. No electrode can actually act as an IPE across an entire potential range in solution but there are some electrode - electrolyte systems that approach ideal polarisability over a restricted potential range. The nearest system approaching an IPE is a mercury electrode in contact with a deaerated potassium chloride solution.

God this was dull as to write and still doesn't make much sense. I think I'll tackle double layers next.

Hot or Not is a very evil website. I'm totally addicted to it and it's stopping me do any work as I have absolutely no willpower to resist its charms. Help!

Please note most of this is from Electrochemical Methods, fundamentals and applications by Allen J. Bard and Larry R. Faulkner. Also what I write about electrochemistry may actually be complete pants and I am in no way a qualified electrochemist.

The aim of this project is to investigate specific biological interactions using electrochemistry techniques. Electrochemistry may be defined as the study of the processes and factors that affect the transport of charge across the interface between chemical phases. These chemical phases are usually between an electronic conductor (the electrode) and an ionic conductor (the electrolyte). There are two types of processes that can occur at electrodes. In faradaic processes charges are transferred across an electrode - electrolyte interface. The transfer of electron charges charges allows oxidation or reduction reactions to occur. These oxidation and reduction reactions are governed by Faradays law which states that the amount of chemical reaction caused by the flow of current is proportional to the amount of electrochemistry passed (NB PUT IN CHEMICAL FORMULA). Electrodes at which faradaic processes occur are sometimes referred to as charge transfer electrodes. The other type of process that can occur at electrodes are non-faradaic processes. Non faradaic processes include adsorption and desorption where the structure of the electrode - electrolyte interface may change with changing potential or the composition of the electrolyte solution. This means that charge does not cross the electrode - electrolyte interface but external currents may flow when the potential, electrode area or electrolyte composition changes. In this project only non faradaic processes have been used to characterise biological interactions at electrode surfaces.

Is not happening much at the moment. I really like talking about my work and it's quite interesting but I really can't get myself into reading and writing about it at the moment and just sit about complaining which I totally hate but can't seem to stop. It's driving me mad and must be driving everyone else even madder. I seem to be in quite a blog mood so I might start writing my stuff on here and then just copy and paste it into my thesis!

Went to Wendy House on Saturday night and had another excellent evening. When it's good it's absolutely the best place to be. I've never been all that into metal music or anything but fortunately Wendy House plays lots of 80s electronic music which suits me fine. I can't think of any other night out where you could feel equally comfortable in jeans and t-shirt as in black hot pants, silver cod piece and rubber baldrick or dressed as a dandy highwayman. And then dance around to depeche mode, Rammstein, System of a Down, Madonna and Britney Spears.

This is sounding suspiciously like an obsession now. Why do some people find it neccessary to cultivate beards. I've decided that even though it's bad to be prejudiced against people just because they look different, I don't like very bearded men. When I think of men with big beards I think of old, slightly demented scientists, religious leaders and folk musicians. Now I like morris dancing probably more than the next and I'm even partial to the odd bit of folk and I'd probably like even more if it wasn't for all the boring, self important, men with beards. I love ceildhs but only if I'm with a big group of friends as I really don't like the idea of dancing with over friendly, sweaty men with beards.

Today it seems like if you want to be an established scientist you should be mostly bald and/or grey. Beard optional male pattern baldness essential.

I've no idea what's wrong with me but I feel like I could sleep all day every day. It doesn't help that the boyfriend is unemployed and can stay in bed as long as he likes and no one notices whether I'm in at 9 am or 11.30 am. I don't feel ill or anything, just really tired and sleepy all the time. I got home yesterday after going to my office and pottering about town for a bit and felt like going to bed at about 6.30 pm. Anyway I've decied this isn't normal so I'm going to try and improve my diet. Instead of white toast and marmite I had a small bowl of tesco own brand Special K with red fruits (dry as milk is disgusting) and a small tin of apricots in fruit juice and two cups of fruit tea. I hope I can keep up sensible eating and not feel so sleepy all the time.

Just had meeting with my supervisors for the first time in ages. I've decided not to bother with the phage display work as I can't be arsed and it's not that relevant to the rest of the stuff I'm doing and won't help me get a job when I finish. I want to just do electrochemistry but my chem supervisor doesn't want me in the lab as he wants the 2nd year student and MChem students to have priority and get stuff finished. Unfortunately if I'm not electrochemistrying then I'm doing naff all and this is bad as for once I feel properly motivated and really want to get on with my PhD. My aim is to get completely finished, vivaed and everything so I'll be Dr Sophie by Christmas. This isn't going to happen unless I get lab time and actually get some more results to write up. The thought of writing up is pretty horrific as there is so much to do and I'm an incredibly lazy procrastinator.

This is my other cat Victoria. She and Albert are brother and sister (they also have a sister almost identical to Victoria called Maisy and two other brothers called Maurice and Jasper who look like Albert and a very lovely mum called Amy)

This is my kitty cat Albert. He is ever so sweet and unbelieveably stupid. He is also the longest cat in the whole wide world.

Mornings haven't really been happening in my life during 2005. Things will have to change though if I'm ever to get any lab work done again and I will be in trouble if I don't make my supervisory meeting at 9.30am on monday morning.

Well back in Leeds after an absolutely lovely Christmas/New Year break. I totally love Christmas. I got heaps of presents including a new portable mini-disc player/recorder and lots of DVDs to entertain myself when the weather and TV are poo (which is quite often). I also got loads of lovely clothes and shoes and stuff in the sales. I have decided that this year I really will try and make more effort with my appearance, no matter how busy or stressed I am. Hopefully a tidy appearance will make a tidy mind. I am such a messy person. I always seem to have too much stuff and nowhere to store it. Unfortunately my boyfriend is pretty much the same as me. We live in a really dinky flat and have masses, and masses of stuff. I am trying to persuade him that no person really needs 50 t-shirts in one house and so he should either dump them at his parents house or give them away to charity. I've managed to clear out quite a lot of old clothes. Anything I haven't worn for 18 months is going.