Random facts about... Rats?

Ah Wei just complained ealier that I haven't updated my blog for a certain period now. I agree. Well, that's simply because there's nothing really interesting happening and another honest reason, I can't think of anything to blog about. It's kind of like my 'vacation' now and I'm letting my brain rest. Lol.

I'm in my final lab now and there's nothing much. I mean, there is supposed to be a lot of work (according to one of my previous lab collegue) but since the lab technician who I'm supposed to follow is on leave till the 8th this month, I practically just linger around and 'cabut' home early everyday.

Today, I was very fortunate to be given a chance by Yen Ee's department to well, dissect rats. I did this once when I was in foundation but we're talking about bulk here but not much, just 40 of them. So, there were three steps- extracting the blood, removing the organs and removing fats from the organ. I was involved in the first and last step.

All dressed up for the post mortem. Can you spot me?

From what I did today, let me share with you some very random facts about rats, which I know you might not need it but well, just take it as general information. Lol.

1) A male rat's testicles are imbalance- the right testes is slightly larger than the left.

2) Liver is the largest organ in a rat and the smallest is the adrenal gland.

3) The adrenal gland is no bigger than a quarter of your keyboard keys.

4) A rat's testicle is bigger than it's heart, and probably it's brain.

I guess just 4 is already enough to bore you.

While I was there witnessing and killing the rats, I actually feel so very sorry for them. Some of them weren't even asleep before they were killed ><

Well, I guess that's why I'm in Biotech, right? I deal with creatures which when I take their lives, I'm less sinful XD

Pipetting Queen?

Another usual day at work, I was in the auditorium hall listening to a safety talk until Yen Ee called me asking me if I wanted attend BioMalaysia at KLCC. Since I have nothing to do, well, okay.

When we got there we registered and were given visitor passes, and yes, I registered as a Research Assistant from IMR. Lol. So, we went in, walk and look around. Then, we stopped at Eppendorf's booth. This booth was crowded and we wondered how come. So, we became busy bodies and join the crowd.

Yea, they don't know how to spell InstituTe.

The company was promoting their new light-weight pipette and there were games organized. Just for the fun of it, Rita and I took part. There were 2 games- balancing a light-weight pipette and pipetting competition (where Sian Siu once told me).

The first game, well, nothing much. There was a balance and all we need to do was to balance the pipette in one end with some sweets then we get to keep those sweets. The second game was the exciting one. There were colour liquids and we need pipette a motif and the word 'PLUS' according to the colour.

Rita and I. She was already pipetting while I read the instructions.

For the later game, the top 3 winners of the day, which are those tho managed to complete pipetting in the shortest time, will be given a chance to ride on a hot air balloon in Taman Tasek Titiwangsa. As I was saying, Rita and I took part. While we were queuing, the record holders started with 2 mins 47 secconds. As we were waiting for our turns, the time to beat became short and shorter- 2 mins 30 secs to 2 mins 12 secs. And then right before my turn, a doctor held the record at 2 min 6 secs.

At that moment, what was in my head was, "Aiyah.. so easy win meh?" I never though of winning, I just want to spin that wheel or fortune and get my little gift. Lol. When it comes to my turn, I just pipette like how I usually do, only faster. Guess what? I did it in 1 min 40 secs!! But because I spilt the liquid a little, I was given a 20 secs penalty! 20 seconds, a little too much, no? Urgh! So, until the time I left, I was still holding the record at 2 mins.

See that? I guess can't but my name is right on top! :D

They said they would call me if I won and well, I'm waiting for their call. Riding on a hot air balloon would be fun, I guess. I think all these are thanks to my previous lab, the Molecular Ginetics Lab, where I pipette (for Genomics test) everyday? Lol.

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?

Desperate

I'm so desperate right now.

First my modem, now my router.

I haven't properly online for almost a week now and it's driving me crazy!

On a random note, I want to live in New York :D


P/s : I'm doing this update secretly in office. So, I have no pictures and it's short. The only picture I have is Guat Shan's in my pendrive. It's irrelevent so I'm not posting it up :p

Who Says Work Is Easy?

I've mentioned that my work is just typing but who says typing is easy? Look, even my sister is 'tension' working.

An mms she sent me while working.

Since I most of the passengers I deal with come from Australia, and Australians have huge, round and cursive handwriting, it's difficult to make out what they actually wrote on the comment form.


But it's pretty fun sometimes because you kind of get to 'see' various types of passengers by judging their comments and handwriting.

Some passengers are so grateful they attached a separate thank you note.


Some attached two pages of thank you letter.


Some passengers are very proud to have a boyfriend.


So, Guat Shan, next time when you fill any form, remember to do the same thing. Better still, put in his details and maybe you may want to attach his picture also.

Some passengers are very knowledgeable. They knew who won what at when.


Apparently, this passenger watched a movie on board and decided to share some oh his/her knowledge about the actress. It's written, "..The leading actress won an Oscar in February 2008 for her performance." I'm sure this piece of comment would be very helpful in improving the service of the ship.

Some passengers are very violent.


They want to sue the ship just because of an additional 15% tax. If so, then when we eat at any cafes or fast food restaurants, remember to prepare a lawyer letter.

Some are even more violent.


They want to throw some performancers overboard and shoot the other few!

Some passengers are very nice. They are angry but they do not want to hurt the company by complaining. So, they attempted a joke.


Like the key deposit and money are naked or something?

Some passengers are not happy but they want to look happy. So, they smile.


It's like..


Some passengers have too much excitement during the trip they decided to push someone into the water.


It's written, "The white water rafting was really good and we all enjoyed it until some stupid guest pulled my dad into the water and nearly drowned. I had to jumped into rescue him." I don't know what so funny but when my sister showed me this, I laughed uncontrollably.

Some passenger's English isn't very good but they still feel the need to compliment the workers.


Now, Sito is also very harding work. She worked hard to meet deadlines every end of the month.

Some passengers thought the blanket was retarded.


What did they mean by, "Inside the blanket have something abnormality?"

Some passengers thought they could expand their business overseas, they attached their business card on a comment form. A comment form, for God's sake.


Some passengers are just too sensitive.


Imagine..

Me : Hey! Ah Wei! Long time no see ah. How old are you now?
Ah Wei : OH MY GOD! HOW COULD YOU ASK THAT?! SUCH VULGARITY!!
Me : O_O!

Some passenger's name is numbers.


Hello there Mrs. Six Point Seven! (6.7)

I didn't know Kenji went for cruising!


I also met the Onions :D


I never seen them face to face but maybe they looked like this?


The best part of my job, I get to feel the paper one of the American Idols, David Cook write on.


Well, I guess my job isn't that bad after all.


P/s : I'm off to Thailand for a trip in 9 hours!