Fingers’ curse

Great.

The microtiter plate reader broke down. Was it my itchy/magical fingers’ curse again? I have always been associated with machine/equipment breakdown for no apparent reason.

My experiment was forced to a halt. It had been working so well for the past couple of days.

Tell me how not to get mad/frustrated.

Tried doing other stuff to distract myself from labwork. A few day’s worth of data started piling on my desk, but for now I just don’t know what to do with them. Data analysis is always a pain, no matter how insignificant they can be.

For now, my mind is temporarily blocked — no success in unblocking even with caffeine and chocolate induction. Talk about research woes. Sigh.

Favourite question for the time being

Last Saturday was the university’s annual Open Day.

Though still being classified as a newbie in the lab, I volunteered to help out because I had wanted lab freebies/consumables (filter units, pipette tips, Falcon tubes etc.) given out by some suppliers.

Yes, I have degraded into this state of cheapskate-ness.

Not because Batman taught me so (though he is too), but having worked in inferior labs before, I have long ago learnt to pile up lab stock without being instructed.

Anyway, I digressed a little from what I wanted to tell.

So there I was hanging out in the deck with the faculty and other lab members, trying to welcome visitors to join the mini lab tour. It was a pleasant working day, because that was the first time no one had discussed science/research/funding/weather/coffee issue for 5 hours. This was really a rare occasion. Now you get the idea of how mundane it is to socialize with science nerds.

As I was saying, visitors did have a chance to visit research labs in the university. In fact, everyone was welcomed. Instead of getting the targeted group (high-school leavers) to visit us, we had a larger number of parents and kids enthusing over the idea of ‘checking out what the mad scientists are up to in the lab’.

They asked many interesting questions during the tour, and most of the I was more than happy to answer them. Yet my favourite question of that day was,

“What are the job opportunities for grads of biological sciences?”

You know how I replied to that?

“They will end up like me”. Sweet.

… … …

Have you, urm, detected my sense of sarcasm hovering above the words yet?

Finally I’ve got this new modem working!

A self-explanatory post.

INTERNET! I LOVE INTERNET!

You will never see this in Malaysia

I think it is only in Kiwiland that we will get to see bacteria and (dead) baby dolphin placed within inches in the laboratory cold room.

Imagine you’re half awake at 7.30 a.m., walk into the cold room, and realize you’re facing a (dead) baby dolphin staring at your feet.

Did I tell you this is my first time touching (more like prodding) a dolphin? It had a plastic feel. Not rubbery at all.

A closer look. Poor dolphin. Though they (which translate to other people from the ecology group) mentioned that it had died of natural cause, but who knows? They’re going to dissect it on Open Day (to attract more perspective veterinary students). Uewwww.

Just so happened that I brought my camera to the lab and saw the dolphin. Few weeks ago a frozen adelie penguin was shipped in for the same group of people. Seriously it looked adorable even though it was dead and frozen. Same goes for the dolphin.

Oh yea, Kiwiland has more new experiences to offer!

Probably just tired

I don’t what to say about vodafone. Different operators tell me different things.

I’m really really tired.

I’ve got my own life and work to deal with, I don’t need any extra issues like this, and flatmates’ questioning me about progress by vodafone when I reach home every day. It’s just too much. I work many hours a day, and I sleep very little. I am very very tired.

Sometimes my mind just involuntarily shuts down during lunch time, and I don’t care if everyone stares at me — I can’t focus on anything except distracting myself from all this buzz by facebooking, checking emails, reading blogs etc. Honestly I feel like shit. I’m mixing up work and personal issues in the office. I don’t like this at all. I feel like crap. I just wanna die.

I never underestimated the difficulties in living alone, especially in somewhere I’m not familiar with, but I never thought this would be this difficult. It’s really silly to mull over the internet issue for weeks. However, it’s been more than 6 weeks since I applied for it, and now they just sent me an invoice of about $250. I was frustrated because we did not receive any service at all, and now they’re charging us. When I tried to reason with the vodafone people, and they keep on saying I can apply for credits for the next invoice.

The way things work on this land is so strange that I just don’t know how to deal with these people. If this place has taught me anything over the weeks, it is patience I’m talking about. Whether you’re waiting for an internet and phone line to be fixed, or just queuing up to order McD — patience is the word. I so wanted to hit someone/something at times, but my remaining pinch of rationalization told me there is no point in doing so.

I also know there is no point in blogging this over and over again. I just don’t know where to vent out my frustration. But again, all my energy was drained to .. somewhere. I don’t know where.

I feel out of the world without internet. I don’t feel right at the moment.

If you’re gonna ask me questions again, or offer some optimistic views, better save them for yourself. Don’t mean to be rude, but I am not in the mood to reply to any comment.

Just

I’d wish I’m back at home watching Olympics 2008.

I don’t need a friend. I just need someone who understands where I come from, and how I have ended up in here.

I just…

Drunk boss

Drunk, … I suspect.

SAY YOU MISS ME - pt 2

I KNOW! I KNOW! Everyone misses me! Wuahahahahhahaa….

The previous photo of mine brightened up your day, eh?

080708

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Ice kacang randomly grabbed from Yasha. I want kampar food…

Say you miss me - pt 1

I’m sure you do, don’t you?

Chardonnay

It’s August. 

August, September, October, November, December. 

Are we approaching end of the year soon? Are we?

Did you realize there are only 5 more months left for year 2008.

How far have we gone this year?

How old have I become? Mid-20s?

What have I achieved so far?