I've just had the chance to come back and read this today, and I'm glad I did leave it until after my occupational health appointment because things were said in that which, while they don't apply to me right now, they certainly apply to you, IMHO! As a briefing, I went to OH about my recurrent headaches: this was instigated by my manager(s) but I had no problem seeking a solution because this is the first job I've spent a year in and still enjoy coming to (I haven't had a day yet where I've woken up and thought 'I don't wanna go!': of course I've had them for illness reasons or had 'I don't wanna do X'). I also enquired about them getting worse if I do a parttime MA and whether the OH adviser thought that was a good idea or not. The OH nurse basically said I should see my GP for advice about them getting worse during my MA before starting it. She said, crucially, that while they're *part of my life* that I just get on with, it's fine, but when they *take over my life* that's entirely different and really needs sorting. She was basically saying no-one should be too ill to do the things they want to: we can all cope with our illnesses but when they start to rule our lives it's time to stand up and shout about it. Seems there's lots of shouting going on at the moment! Good luck :D

Sorry to hear it's back to the Bad Old Days, for want of a better expression! I know exactly what you mean about finding other excuses, reasons and what-not for how you're feeling: I've been there with various ailments. Like some of the other comments, though, you need to fight for your treatment, care etc.. Just because YOU don't think you're entitled to something, possibly because you feel weak asking for it or whatever, you MUST. There might be plenty of people who're unentitled to things who get them, but there are also plenty of more-than-deserving people who just don't bother. You need to cause trouble, shout and scream and get it sorted: not just for you, but for your family (immediate household and otherwise) to get the support you deserve. It might not be great support, it might not even be what you want, but it'll be better than nothing, better than being ignored, better than being stuck at the bottom of the pile. The loudest get the best, I've found; and as a loud person who doesn't keep quiet about computer problems at work, I've developed a bit of a reputation with the IT department. Not a bad one, mind: just as someone who won't take no damn nonsense, and who's got some ideas of what I'm talking about! I know it's not really you're style, but try it and see if it works :)

My friend was told by the Uni doctor she probably had MS, but as she was leaving within 6m she couldn't refer her or anything. Without a diagnosis, she's not entitled to any help with her PhD: she's part-time because she 'burns out' and overworks herself easily, so can't work but still has to pay for things as if she was (like council tax). She's moved back with her parents for financial and health reasons and her new doctor is very positive, just as described above! It's most refreshing :D

Faith is such a hard thing to explain, isn't it! I have no religion but I am not faithless, but most people can only quantify it in terms of religion. God-wise, I'm closest to 'agnostic theist': I believe there's (probably) a higher power but not necessarily something with a personality or thought or even a consciousness. As someone brought up in a Christian faith (and here we see how faith and religion get confused!) but not-very-religious family, I never had a problem choosing a path. That's not to say that choice was easy, correct for me (although it was at the time) or anything like that: rather no-one was there to tell me I was wrong or try and impose their way of thinking on me. And I think that's most important.

Aw, that dragon is AWESOME! I love dragons, and he's great :D I'm a painter: I really like to paint models, I find it very relaxing. I have to think about it a bit but it's mind-clearing when I'm troubled. I like to make people's days by painting pictures and things for them: I stick to dragons and things because I'm good at those! I also bake and decorate cakes and biscuits and make my own cards: anything that puts your own love into a project always makes someone else know someone cares :)

I've just got to say that, for someone who's as interested in science as me, a lot of the conecepts you describe here as being 'absolute' are far from it: gravity, for example, if it is what we think it is, should have a paricle associated with it. But it doesn't, no-one's found it. See, physicists have just assumed one exists until a better theory comes along. And that's what science is all about: believing in theories until something better comes along. There's currently a theory starting up that everything is MATHS. No, not hypothetically or as a metaphor, but REALLY. All those symbols have come from somewhere and they actually, REALLY make everything up. And some people think religion is daft...

That's great! Excellent that those creative hormones are working :D I'd love to see a copy of that poem but, oh well, I suppose I'll just HAVE to visit once Oscar's come along! I think I've got lots of secrets with me and Matt but none of them are particularly interesting, because I can't think of any!

I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier: X is for Xylos, the Latin for wood! Hence xylophone, xylum (the material in a tree trunk that sends moisture up to the leaves, if I remember year 8 biology correctly) and the like. Or, have you thought of Latin bird names? I remember learing the silly ones from a very early age: did you know that a hoopoe is upupa epops?

I completely forgot to mention this when I was over last week: if you want to keep the seeds (for spreading at your leisure/in the 'desired' places), tie a paper bag with a metal tie over the Columbine (Aquilegia) seed poppers when they're dry but un-popped and then wait until the whole plant's dead/dry. To prevent rain damage, put a plastic bag over the top but don't tie it to allow air flow. I need to get my Mum and Dad to do this for me because I'll be needing some!

I read this at GCSE too: we were the first in the school to do so (teacher was new) and, though I was a die-hard Sharpe or fanstasy/sci-fi only fan at the time and thought this sounded pretty boring, it was AWESOME. It was the first (and last) book I actually enjoyed taking apart like you have to in literature classes, and gets 10/10 from me!

'Children's birthday party', I love it :D I also empathise with wanting a day off but being too busy: even taking the hour-and-a-half to watch Sherlock last night wasn't possible! I was busy with wedding presents (but I can't say more than that ;P)...

I managed it and, while I've not done the front cover yet, it looks really good :D I've done it A4 landscape and got pastel pages with a hologrammatic silver backpiece and plain white front. I also used a star-shaped punch!

You think that's a lot of tabs? Ha! I have ::counts:: 19 (yes, NINETEEN) tabs open! I know, I know, it's far too many, but it's a good reminder of what I need to be doing :) Will see what I can do about getting hold of some paper and choppng up some leaves for you as I'm hopeless at crochet. Drop me your address in an email (marchpane_001@yahoo.com) and I'll try and get some over to you before the end of September.

The invites are AWESOME! All this tree stuff makes me want to take inspiration from my Halloween costume a few years ago where I have leaves in my hair (I was a wood elf ranger). Aha, I found a picture! http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v371/216/25/199711564/n199711564_41140012_8097.jpg

OMG Amanda, you've just given me the most AWESOME idea for a wedding card for my friends who're getting married in September! Must go and email everyone now!!!

Oh wow, the snacks thing is an awesome idea! We have the 'spare room' where guests can sleep for a couple of days on an airbed but we really don't have room for anything else yet! I have waaaaay too much stuff to have it as a more permanent anything-other-than-washing-drying-and-dumping-of-stuff room.

Another good tip is using teatowels or similar from places you've been :) And Wilkinsons do some very nice 'value' facecloths for 25p and handtowels for 75p if you're looking for a low-cost filler :)

Awesome! ;P

And you used a most awesome photo to keep us happy: I'm superhappy!

I'd really like to do the whole personalised blessing thing: it's something I've been thinking about since we decided we couldn't do a church wedding and that a standard registry office was too normal. Parts of the University grounds are licenced for marriage (as is Wollaton Hall) so current plans are the Millenium Garden... Though I really want it in the grove of seven beech trees because I love using it as a LARP location for druids :D That or the summerhouse they uncovered a couple of years back opposite Cripps Health Centre, but that's a bit small and on top of a giant rockery, so not massivley accesible. Matt's very much not fussed about it, but we both like the idea of it being on campus because that's where we met and where we've stayed. Having it in Nottingham is least-inconvenient for both families, too.

I remember going to Clacton-on-Sea with my mum one weekday in October a good few years back and I made some sand-sculptures: a dolphin, a sea-serpent and a turtle. They were really cool and it was the same thing: some kids came along as we left and were quite admiring, and then went and destroyed the serpent! Transience is the nature of life and I wasn't annoyed because they were temporary things desinged to follow a fate of sorts. I love making sand sculptures but it's yonks since I've been to a proper Eastern beach: the west ones have the wrong sand ;P

Tee hee, lovely pictures of Tim! I love covering old boxes with paper: it's much better when I'm storing stuff in them because it's easier to write on. And great for presents: simple and effective :D