What Made Me ME

A few ago, I was looking back at my older photo folders, those dated almost a year and a half back and I noticed how much I've changed. Then I thought to myself, "What triggered me to change?" Was it because I'm growing older and becoming more look-conscious? Or was it a natural thing? And then, I got my answer.

You see, when I graduated from secondary school, I decided to cut my hair short. Yes, before that, my hair was always long. So, I did. Every month since then, I would have my hair trimmed and style changed.


That was before I went for my foundation. Not long into the monthly habit, I entered foundation. I didn't bring that habit along to Kampar. So, I let my hair grow as it is. Until one fine day, I still remember in Sem 1, Leon asked me if I ever had long hair. I answered him and then he said that would probably look better with long hair.


So, here I am today with my hair almost reaching my butt. Guess it's about time to give it a little trim. And oh, Edwin saw my student card for foundation and degree (one with long hair another with short) and said I look better with long hair too ^^

If you know me well enough, you would know that I'm obsessed with shoes- heels to be more precise. I can't solely blame it on myself. Yes, I've already liked heels since I was young but I never wore them because it would stunt my growth, but it's not like I'm very tall anyway. Lol.


Perhaps I could blame a little on Joe. I still remember his word, "Guys will look at either the hair or toes." and since he didn't suggest I should do something with my hair, his next words were, "Eliza, why don't you try wearing heels?" And then I got my first pair of orange high heeled Mary Jane on that very Chinese New Year.


Look at my shoes collection today. It's nothing impressing but it is certainly expanding.

It's been half a year already since I broke the disulfide bridges of my hair, if you remember that post. Lol. I have to admit I never regretted doing that. In fact, Ah Wei and Guat Shan once said I should have broke it earlier.


Who was it who asked me to try rebonding? Wei Cheat and Malcolm. It was Wei Cheat all the while and I was like 50-50 to do it until Malcolm voiced it out and yes, you guess it. I got my straight hair the next day.


So, what do you think? It was a correct decision, right? ^^

Hmmm... then my dressing. I guess this change wasn't directly influenced by anyone of my friends. It's not like one day I woke up liking dress or what. I liked dresses all this while but I never really had the chance to wear them.


Then I thought, what's wrong wearing a dress to go shopping?


And finally, the latest, my toe nails. All thanks to Mr. Bryan.


I went to Penang about a month ago and found the right size for a pair of shoe I've been searching for from Ipoh to Klang to KL and finally found it in Penang. When I wore that pair of shoe, Bryan looked at me and said, "Something's missing. Try painting your toe nails."

And I did. It's still ugly, I know. I plan to to shape it more when they grow longer.


Sometimes I wonder if I take my friend's comment seriously or maybe all this while I wanted to make that change but I never had the 'approval'. Whatever it is, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied with all the changes :D

Who knows one day we are chatting and you suddenly say, "Hey, know what? You should try to tan yourself." and I might really consider signing a peace treaty with the sun XD

Like Mother... Like Daughter?

I guess you should know by now that I spend a lot on shoes and phone bills. I have an explanation for that. Look!


That was my mom on the phone. She was so into talking that she squatted next to the garden to talk ==" She talks, I sms. An sms is only one sen. A call is about 15 sen per minute. In a minute I only send like 5 messages. So, I spend 5 sen per minute on phone. I'm better, right? Lol.

This is my mom's collection of shoes. Some of them in the boxes were still brand new. And she bought them like a year ago? And no, she don't plan to wear them.




Well, at least I wear almost every pair of shoe I bought.


What else? Hmmm...


I just found out recently this is my mom's nail polish basket. This is only one part of it. There's still the sharp-tipped paint brush for the drawing and stuff.

I don't even paint my nails until recently Bryan asked me to paint my toe nails and only when I'm bored, I play with Guat Shan's collection.

These aren't the only ones. When I have the chance, I'll get my mom's clothes, accessories and bakery utensils collection.

I guess it runs in the genes?

Finally Something More Than Just Reading

I did something today!! *rejoice*

But it's nothing really, just preparing agarose gel and it involves only like 4 steps? Weigh the powder, measure the volume of buffer and mix it in. Then, heat it in microwave and finally pour into the cast. Yep, this four steps for today. TODAY. And as usual, there was reading as well.

Oh! I missed out a step which is adding in 0.5 micro liter of ethidium bromide (EtBr). Ethidium Bromide!! It's carcinogenic!! I better have a full body check soon for safety precaution. Lol.


Hmm.. guess I'll be preparing buffer solution tomorrow? Just that..?

Anyway, I've got my attachment. I'll be in the Genetic Molecular Lab (the current lab I'm in) for a month, then transfer to Heamoglobin Analysis Lab and finally Genetic Lab for 2 weeks. But I haven't got my full detailed schedule yet. It seems like I'll have to complete a project before my training ends, or at least that's what I heard.

Well, tomorrow I'll go back to Klang right after work to beat the traffic then off to movie with Guat Shan and Ah Wei! :D


P/s : I update about my work almost everyday. I wonder if I can ask Dr. Han (my advisor) to read this blog instead of writing him weekly report XD

Training..?

It's already (or should I use only, instead?) my third day as a trainee and you know what?

I did nothing. NOTHING.

Day 2 : Stay in lab, read about alpha-Thalassemia and lab procedures.

Causes, symptoms, treatments, effects, preventions, etc. etc. of alpha-Thalassemia...

Days 3 : Stay in lab, continue reading what I've read. But then I was so bored that I asked for permission to go to the library. And hence, I was in the library the whole day today from 11 a.m. to 4.20 p.m.

ABC of Gene Cloning- It was an interesting book. Simple and informative.

The main (or they call it National) library was awesome. I mean, it wasn't grand or classy but it was really, really filled with books! With no place to sit and read, yea. ==

2-in-1 floor. It's nothing classy but I like it ^^

The main library looked like an attic where it was initially only one level high but in order to fully utilize the available spaces, they built another level in that level, which means in that one level, there's a stairs to go up. Lol. Get what I mean?

I found this interesting book called 'ABC of Gene Cloning'. I was reading it till lunch break, I went for lunch and when I returned, the library was already closed. So, I went to the departmental library instead. This library was specifically for journals. There's nothing else to read so I go for the newspaper.

I never read newspaper this long before.

Yes, I was reading newspaper from after lunch break to it's time to go home. From Utusan Melayu to The Stars.

It was such a waste that the main library only has limited choices of books. Not exactly limited.. well..

See what I mean? All the books are medical-centered. It would be nice if there's other genre, though. I mean, sometimes even doctors need a break from their jobs, right? XD

Okay, fine. I have nothing to do mainly because my supervisor is busy this week that's why I do not have a schedule of what I'm supposed to learn. So, does this mean I'll do nothing for this entire week?!

First Day In IMR

I woke up 6 a.m. this morning, get prepared and headed for work at 7 a.m.. There was a little jam but nothing massive. I reached IMR, my working place at 7.25 a.m.. I called Sian Siu to meet up with her but she was only on her way. She thought we were supposed to register at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.. I lingered around until about 7.45 a.m. and decided that I should just register alone. When I went up to the Biotechnology Unit (it was located on the second floor), I saw Victor :)

One of the blocks in IMR. They all look alike and I was lost ><

So anyway, it was written on the letter that registration is at 8 a.m.. Sian Siu rushed and managed to arrive at 8 a.m. sharp but as soon as we get there (I went down to lead Sian Siu to the office), Victor said that the officer-in-charge will only come in at 8.30 a.m.. Great. So, the 3 of us, along with another 5 Biomed students from UTAR waited and waited.. and waited.. Until 9 a.m., an Indian lady walked in and told us to wait for another 3 students from other university, then she will send us to our respective divisions then we can go home and only return at 2.30 p.m..

Not long after that, the 3 aforementioned students (from INTI, I think) came and then as said, we were sent to our divisions. There were variety of divisions such as Immunology, Virulogy, Bacterialogy, Entomology and etc.. Sian Siu were went to Center for Herbs Research and Victor to Bioassay. Guess which division I was sent to... guess, guess ^^

HEAMATOLOGY!!

Not familiar? Okay, in Bahasa Melayu, it's called Hematologi.

LOL!! Okay, okay. It's a study on blood. In other words, I'm in the blood research centre.

Blood = Bone Marrow

So when I got there, the officer in charged, Dr. Chin, went to attend a workshop or she went to give a workshop or something. I'm not very sure. All I'm sure of is that I was asked to wait again. And so, I did. For another 2 hours! I then decided to go home and only return after lunch at 2.30p.m.. I even got the permission to do so. As I exit the room, Dr. Chin came in. She told me she wasn't free today and sent me to the Molecular Genetics Lab II (I was initially in Genetics Lab I).

The initial lab I was sent to focuses on a type of white blood cell disease, leukemia. The second lab I was sent to focuses on a red blood cell dysfunction, alpha thalassemia. Basically what I did there was just reading through some journals and articles on this disease because Kak Edayat (my so-called mentor) said that I at least need some basic knowledge on this topic of focus. She handed me 2 thick files- one on the disease and another on the work procedure. She even asked me to go home and do some online research to further understand.

I haven't finish reading them ><

Lunch was from 1p.m. to 2p.m.. During lunch, all of us, the interns, met up and each and eveyone of us were complaining about what we did. One of the Biomed student (don't really remember her name ^^;), complained that how come she was sent to entomology (study on insects) when she's major in HUMAN Biomed? Lol. Nevertheless, the people in IMR are all very nice and helpful.

They talk on their latest research concerning leukemia.

After lunch, I was sent to a talk on MEC by 2 highly professional doctors from overseas. It was a 2 hours long talk and to be honest, I understand nothing and was trying so so hard (but failed) to no fall asleep in that auditorium hall. After the talk, I went back to the lab and read for another 30 minutes and to my joy, it's time to go back! :D

Yes, I only work from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. unlike my other fellow friends who work an additonal 1 hour.

Tomorrow is another day at work. I hope things get more interesting. I don't want to lose interest in my course of study ><

Those who went for training as well, how's yours?

Penang Fun Facts

During my 3 days 2 nights vacation in Penang, I discovered that...

Look at the hair.

It was so windy I took this pic with my eyes partially opened =="

1. When the wind blow stronger than usual, it's not merely because it's windy. It's a sign of Tsunami!! On the first night in Penang, we were hanging around in Gurney Drive, while waiting for Yuet Fen's dad to come and pick her up. The waves were big and rough, till the extent that they splashes out to the road (over the wall). We thought it was nothing serious and that it was normal for such windy day. The next day, it was reported that Penang might be 'attacked' by Tsunami. What we witnessed (and was actually having fun seeing and talking about it) was actually a pre-Tsunami. In fact, I was slightly splashed by the wave. Lol. So, are we considered as the survivors of Tsunami? XD To demonstrate how windy it is, watch this clip.

2. It is a good idea to bring along your mah jong set while you're on holiday. It motivates early rise from bed and shorter bathing duration. It is also a good method to pass time beneficially while waiting for others to bathe (especially when you have 2 bathrooms shared by 8 people). Plus, when you're shuffling the tiles in midnight or early morning, neighbours might probably think that it was the old folks who are playing mah jong (because it is usually so) and will not come knocking on your door, asking you to slow it down XD

Mah Jong Kakis

3. There's a reason why, in fact, there are reasons why Penang is known as the Food Heaven. Perhaps a line or two from Ujin is enough to strengthen this point?

New Lane hawker stalls.

"OMG! This is food heaven man. I'm in heaven!"

"This apam is the best in the world!"

That was when he ate the apam Bryan bought. He was so into that apam that he came back looking all disappointed when the apam moving-stall (stall on a lorry) drove away. Lol.

Roadside lok-lok.

The milk was like 1cm thick!

4. Besides Kampar, Penang is another (one of the very little) place that makes good tea! When I'm back in Klang, I brought back my habit for tea. I ordered from several coffee shops and heck, they are no where near the worst tea in Kampar. I stayed overnight in KL the day before we went to Penang and since I was craving for good tea (emphasis on the word 'goood'), Ah Wei brought me to Barakath saying the tea was 'better'. I order teh tarek and omg. Yea, I guess you already know the reaction. Thank heavens Penang revived my soul with good tea :D

Having teh tarek by the roadside. Main road =="

Interior of one of the clubs in Penang Road.

5. People in Penang are so cool. They club in cool places, they dressed cooly. So cool that even Ah Wei terikut-ikut. She snapped photos with style~~

The flammingo pose XD

6. The view from Penang Hill is beautiful. It was chill as well. From here, we found out that there were actually still a lot of moutains in Penang and that 'civilization' centers on the outskirts of the island, along the shoreline- just like what we learnt in Sejarah that 'Perkembangan bermula di tepi sungai atau sumber air.' LOL!!

Ah Wei fell 3 times! Wakakaka!

7. Through out the 3 days stay in Penang, there were no one day that it didn't rain. Perhaps it was because of coincidence that it was windy on all 3 days or perhaps it is always like that, that the clouds in Penang move really and I mean, really fast. Maybe like 5 seconds per meter? Lol. It may rain now while you're chatting and the next thing you know, the rain stopped.

Driver 1 : Bryan

Driver 2 : Edwin a.k.a. Sp's XD

8. Maybe it is because of the traffic condition in Penang and the small roads, Penang-lang are all very good drivers. It's amazing how Bryan and Edwin managed to tail each other when I had such hard time tailing behind Bryan.

If you agree Bryan is the best tour guide ever, put your hands down! Lol.

9. Bryan is a very, very good tour guide. He explained every single thing- from buildings to peoples- to us. In fact, he's more than just a tour guide. He helped with the bags, photos and driving. Thanks a mil, Bryan! :D A big thank you to Khai Chiah and Chee Choon for meeting up with us as well ^^



10. WE LOVE PENANG!