I’ve mentioned a few times on here that I tended towards the early modern period for my BA and MA, and switched to 1850-1950 for my PhD purely to make the ‘only children’ idea viable.  I still carry a torch for the early modern period, as demonstrated by my decision to teach on the first-year course.  In my third year of my BA, my special subject was ‘The English in America, 1607-92′, and a few things I’ve come across and read recently have reminded me of what I learned and how interesting I found it.

In which I miss studying early modern America →

When I was reading autobiographies, I became well-aquainted with a number of Amazon Marketplace dealers, selling what I needed for 1p (+ £2.80 postage and packaging).  The pre-loved books I’ve received have all been in readable condition, and I even want to hold on to some of them after I’ve finished because they’re interesting, look nice, or are just delightfully old.  A few have inscriptions and other such bits in them, which provide a small window into their previous lives.

Things found in second-hand books →

This thesis is getting finished in the next few months.  There’s little doubt about that.  It’ll be cool to not have to work on it any more, and to be a doctor.  But honestly, I’m terrified about what’s going to happen after that.

‘I’m Just a Little Bit Scared of What Comes After’ →

I nearly have a draft for Chapter One (public perceptions of only children) again!  I just need to read it over and slap on a conclusion, which I should hopefully manage today.  This chapter was a real struggle to get off the ground, partly because the original was pretty rubbish and I started again from scratch on it, and partly because there was a lot of information to put in order.  But I finally hit my stride and it contains everything I wanted to put in it!  Hooray!

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back →

Having missed the last Storying The Past Twitter discussion due to teaching commitments, I was keen to get involved in this month’s conversation about Threads, by Julia Blackburn

#storypast: Threads by Julia Blackburn →

Just plugging a little article I wrote for the Guardian Higher Education!

My PhD busts the old stereotypes about 'selfish, smug' only children →

I’m _hoping _to spend today doing a lot of writing, so I thought I’d make thing a bit easier for myself by doing a more picture-based than text-based blog.  This is ‘My History Book’, not an actual history this time, more of an annual format/advertisement for myself really.  I’m guessing I was six when I wrote this one as well.

More Juvenilia →

Well, I’m back to work and blogging after the Christmas break (okay, I may have done some work in purgatory between Christmas and New Year, not because I’m a ridiculous PhD student who never takes breaks but because I get REALLY BORED with unstructured time at home).  Let’s see how far I’ve got since I blogged about having a full draft but needing to massively do-over my literature review and first chapter, and struggling to rewrite said literature review.

A New Year’s Progress Report →

For some people, getting a PhD is absolute hell.  They get unlucky with their supervisors, they can’t find enough data, or have massive problems with the data they have, they have to take time off for unforeseen circumstances like illness, bereavement, or caring responsibilities, they have financial problems which cause stress and mean the PhD has to fit around full-time work, they suffer from mental illnesses as a result of the pressure and/or impostor syndrome.  They keep going because in spite of everything, they love their subject and really want that PhD.  They are the true heroes, the ones who can say they ‘survived’ the PhD, and there needs to be more support for them.

Stop Over-Using The Word ‘Survival’ →

Yesterday was my fifth supervisory board.  I’ve become a lot more relaxed about them since the fourth one went so well, but nonetheless, this board totally exceeded my expectations.  A load of other good things happened yesterday too.

Board V: Best. Day. Ever. →