Make it rain

The weather outside is gorgeous! Not a cloud in the sky, beautifully sunny, not too warm but very pleasant for this time of year...

But I am stuck inside, struggling desperately against myself to write a 20,000-word paper in about two weeks. And I do mean struggling. It was never going to be easy at the best of times, but when it's so lovely outside, it's even harder.

Ok, I know it's the same for anyone who is in an office today rather than the great outdoors. But in a funny kind of way, having colleagues is useful, because they act as a social barrier for each other that stops everyone just saying 'ah sod it' and running around in the park. When it's just you, however, you have to take responsibility for yourself. What I really need right now is some strict parental figure to send me to my room and tell me that I can't come out until I've finished my essay - other people are much harder to over-ride than yourself...

So, let's hope it rains soon. 'It was just too nice outside' is unlikely to go down well as a good excuse if I fail to hand over something half-decent in the alloted time period...