Activities!

PhD


I have been working long days last week. I am working on a paper. I had feedback from two reviewers on a paper (2nd review) and they require again some major changes in the paper. It is a difficult process and very frustrating sometimes. I have been changing the introduction and literature review of the paper over and over... but it is difficult to make a very clear argument. I will keep re-reading it and try to change it.... Hopefully the will accept the paper.
After making all these changes in the paper based on the comments of the reviewers, I have to write a letter for the reviewers stating whether I agreed with their comments, why, and how I exactly changed this in the paper. Also not easy!

Anyway! I also need to relax and do some sports, about what I want to write a bit in this post!

Toastmasters

Last Wednesday I went with Phil to a toastmasters meeting. Here some more information about toastmasters:

Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Today, our membership is 270,000 strong. These members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 13,000 clubs that make up our global network of meeting locations. 


A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere. 

Source: http://www.toastmasters.org/

We enjoyed the meeting and had a lot of fun! Lot's of jokes and laughing was part of the meeting too!
First everyone had to introduce himself and we had to try to talk about "having a chance" and to include the word enrich/enrichment/enriched (meaning improved) in our introduction. Two of the members of the club had to do a 7minute speech and after the speech they got feedback from the other members. Then there were also some prompt response games which is good to practice your speaking when you don't have much time to prepare your answer. In two weeks we will go to the next meeting and if we enjoy that too we might sign up. It would be a great way to improve our english and our public speaking!


Tennis

Last week I went to play tennis with Philippe a few times. He is a good student and improving very quickly! It would be nice if he could improve a little more so that he can join the social competition on Wednesdays. Last weekend I also had a long hit on Saturday and Sunday! And every Monday and Wednesday I play at the social competition at the Queens Park tennis club, close to our place. Sometimes I play from 7pm till 11pm! Most of the time it's doubles, but sometimes also singles. Last week I met a German girl at the social competition and I am training some more with her!

Running

I still try to go for a run 2 or 3 times a week! Last week we went to the 7am Parkrun at Main Beach again and Phil and I both had a personal best time! Also today (this morning) I went to the Parkrun (Phil couldn't make it today because he had a Skype meeting). Again I did a personal best time: 29.40! First time that I managed to stay under 30 minutes!

Surfing

After the morning run today, I went to surfers paradise to join a morning surf lesson! Only 15$ for one hour! I started at 8am so I had to hurry after the run, but I made it on time! I had a great surf! The waves were good and I managed to stand up on the board different times! Good feeling! Especially because the last 2 or 3 times we rented a board ourselves, I did not manage to stand up at all and I almost gave up on the surfing! But Katrin (the German girl from the tennis) told me about the surfing lesson on Saturdays, so I gave it another shot and it worked!

Swimming

Before I forget... Swimming! Last Thursday phil and I went for a morning swim at 7am! It felt good to wake up early and swim in the 50m outdoor swimming pool! After the swim it was working time at Griffith!

Conclusion: I am getting used to the Aussie Style of living! Waking up early and doing sports in the morning! I just have to make sure I can continue with it :-)... Only the "going to bed early" is still a problem...

So that was my sporty-update!

Regards,
Jessie