Nice work, PW! I can fully appreciate all the hard work you've done! YAY! Livin' the Dream, baby!

What's the difference between a large pizza and a grad student?

The pizza can feed a family of four.

*smiles* I know it's a tug. I really admire you for it. In many ways I have it very easy as a mature student...I have work commitments, but I don't have family commitments. There are very few calls on my time outside of university that offer a competing and compelling draw on my desires. Other than hedonism ...obviously...a five month addiction to doctor who really was not a sensible, or indeed obvious, choice to make just prior to the final year... :P

Thing is, Perry, you can totally capitalise on (some) Americans having no appreciation of the English University system. I know you have said that Newcastle had a very poor Masters programme, but to most people who read your CV, you've been educated in England! And that's pretty much like being a Rhodes Scholar, right?

Not knocking Americans, just that it's hard to accurately quantify overseas degrees.

BTW you deserve any kudos you get just for sticking it out in the most foreign of English cities and when you were at your lowest ebb.