New Waves

After 21 years of having straight hair, I decided to go wavy.

Before I actually went and perm them, I took quite a long time to actually finalize my decision. See, I have intention to perm them but to actually really perm them, is another story.

What if curly hair doesn't suit me?

I'll look mature, which I don't really want to, considering my kiddy look and attitude.

I have a small face so would I look like a lion after perming?

You'll probably think, it's just a hairstyle. Why over think? Hair grows, just cut them off if I don't like it. Or I can easily straighten them back. Perhaps, it's just my nature to resist changes. No, let me rephrase that. Perhaps it's my nature to resist changes that will put me in a disadvantage. Perhaps this is why I'm in the science field, an analytical field. Probably the reason why I'm not doing business or some fields that involves immeasurable risks. Don't get me wrong. I do take risks, measurable risk. I just don't like the idea of putting myself in a disadvantage.

So, yes. Even as simple as changing my hairstyle is considered as putting myself in a risk. I'm actually glad that I thought of perming my hair, it made me realize this side of me.

And heck, which girl will risk being ugly anyway? Lol.

First Step

Question : Which field do I like most in Life Sciences?

I'm in Biotechnology and this field branches into many other fields. Do I like to work with humans, animals, plants, microorganisms, or extinct lives? Or perhaps non-living objects such as food, technology and the environment? Do I like a micro-analysis like genetics, biomolecular, biochemistry or do I prefer macro-analysis like ecology, ethology and botany?

I know Life Sciences is very broad but I did not really focus on the 'large scale' part, rather I've been working (during FYP and now as RA) on the molecular and microbiology part. So, maybe I prefer to do lab work with minimum strength used rather than going out under the sun and get some samples and do tests on them.

So, I like to stay in lab and use lab apparatus. This might just mean I like to deal with molecular level, but this haven't answer another question- what do I want to do with this tool/technique?

Do I want to get involved with humans? Create artificial organs, do gene therapy, find a cure for cancer or study human diseases?

Do I want to get involved with the plants? Study their stress responses, diseases defend, increase their yield, or produce genetically modified plants?

Or maybe I want to get involved with the invisible bacteria and viruses? Study their protein trafficking, interaction with each other, or modify them to be useful to human?

Lots of reading to do.

So many questions and such a long process to get to know myself better. What do I like? When I asked myself this question, I thought of the primary reason I chose Biotech years ago- I want to be a genetic engineer. I want to help the environment. With these 2 short answers in mind, perhaps I can take the next step and ask myself, what and how do I want to help the environment?

A good advice from my supervisor, "Like the Science, not the technique."

Messy Head

It has been almost a month since I last updated.

So, now I'm back in Kampar, starting my project as an RA. I realize all the academic learning I went through in any level in education institutes taught me a lot of theories. Theories are all the same. They are all reading and understanding. You may like a certain subject because it triggers your curiosity but the hands-on practical for this subject may be boring. Thus, these theories did not 'teach' me what I actually like to do. It's like I'm okay with everything but there is no one specific field that I am really into. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not liking my current project. I'm doing molecular work now and I enjoy it. I just thought, if I was exposed to more fields, then perhaps I would know which field I really like.. or at least which I do not.

There's a lot in my head right now. I got to solve things one at a time. Hopefully with determination comes success.. and hopefully, the success comes quickly.

Starting The Second Phase

As you know, I've already finished my degree last May. In 2 and a half months time will be my convocation. After resting for a month at home, it is finally the time for the kick start of my second phase- my master degree.

I'll be returning Kampar soon and be an RA (Research Assistant) while waiting for the application of my masters program.

Many of my friends went different paths. Some have already started working, some choose the same path as me while some are still trying to figure out what they want to do. I'll missed them, especially when I return to lab.

Holiday Plans

I've finished my whole degree course and I'm practically free until I start my Masters program.

What am I going to do during these 3 months? I don't know.. Maybe I will:

• Go for another trip with friends (maybe somewhere this or next week)
• Go for a trip with my family (confirmed to China in June)
• Work part time from home
• Clean up my room for some space for my clothes
• Clear my wardrobe and donate clothes that I do not wear anymore
• Watch the tonnes of movies I exchanged with others
• Play DotA
• Visit random places (like backpacking? Lol.)
• Erm.. lepak?

After all these, I will return to Kampar as an RA (Research Assistant) before I start my Masters program. It'll be kind of a boring break for me since people I usually lepak with has already started working or are either studying. So, perhaps I'll return to Kampar earlier. I don't know, we'll see.

But as for now, Happy Holidays to me!

Short Update

This blog hasn't been updated for a month.. why? One reason is there wasn't anything unusual or interesting happened that I could write it down here. And the other reason is, even if there were some special events, I was busy to notice them or to blog them.

For the past month, I was either busy studying for my exam or busy writing my thesis. Now that I'm finally done with my thesis (I've just came back from submitting it), I have to push myself to study for my finals this Thursday. Pack, but since it's already the final finals, as in the last final exam I would sit for, I won't complain. In fact, when everyone is supposed to be happy there wouldn't be anymore exams, I'm in the opposite. No more exams simply means I'm graduating and leaving my current stage in life, and entering a new stage soon. New stages are always more difficult. Have you ever played a game where Level 2 is easier than Level 1?

Come to think about it, it's pretty sad. My elder brother once told me that studying life is the best because there is where we gain most freedom in many aspects. It might be stressful at times, but it's nothing compared to what we're prepared for in the future. And yes, it took me long but I understand what he meant now.

Feeling Creative Over The Weekend

Like what the title said, I was just feeling a little more creative than usual.. And managed to 'coax' Eric into modelling.

Emo pics..

Normal and more environmental pics.. Lol.

Just my favourite few. More in my Facebook album :)

Light Writing

Recently, I found my passion back toward Nikcy. It's not like I lost interest in photography before this. It's just that I was busy with a lot of things and didn't really have the chance to take out my DLSR and play with it, until last week when I went to Teluk Intan (see previous post), I realized I actually miss photography a lot.

So anyway, I tried a photography style I wanted to try since long ago. It's called light writing where people use torch light to write in the air, in a dark room or area. For this technique, I had Eric to scribble and write on the air while I experiment. These are the outcomes.

It's actually a very simple technique. All is needed is to manipulate the shutter speed. Then it's my turn to write!

Interesting, isn't it? I'm longing for a new lens, 55-200mm telephoto lens. I'm still thinking if I should get it though. 

Jalan-jalan Cari Makan & Tangkap Gambar

Yesterday evening at 6.30 p.m., the 6 of us, Guat Shan, Sito, Hua, Eric, Jing Wei and I decided to drive down to Teluk Intan for some chee cheong fun. Since it has been quite some while since I last play around with my Nikcy, so I decided to snap a few shots and well, see if my skills improved. I doubt this though.. Lol.

Teluk Intan's famous chee cheong fun.

So we arrived thanks to a 'super map' by Hua's classmates. We got our chee cheong fun at 8 p.m. and then went to a nearby food court to have our dinner and chee chong fun. Coincidentally, there was pasar malam as well. So, being a pasar malam fan (me, that is) and being overly full, we went to the pasar malam for a light walk. I got myself a pair of adorable flip-flops. Only RM 5!!

Sito waiting for her burger.

Facebook for Sito and Gs and mine is Blogger! Lol.

It started to drizzle soon after that but we still went to the leaning pagoda because the guys never been there and Ah Hua was so anticipated to see the slanted tower. We snap some photos then left for some tea in Old Town.

The Leaning Pagoda.

The moon was supposed to be the biggest and brightest last night but it was obscured by the rain clouds.

My honey lemon.

Another passionate photographer.

I took a couple of shots during this short trip and well, what do you think? I'm interested in getting a macro lens, thanks to Miss Sito. It's a 50mm lens which cost somewhere RM400. Or perhaps I'll get a fish eye lens? Well, I'll think about it.

Infected- A Second Visit To The Doctor

I just came back from the clinic. This time round, the doctor recommend me to take an antibiotic jab. Doctors and nurses in Kampar are very nice people. They actually explain to you (when they really should) why you should take a particular medicine and how the medicines will help you. The doctor said if I was given an injection, the concentration of antibiotics to my target organ (which is my throat) is higher as compared to taking the antibiotic capsules orally where 40% or so will be excreted out of the body.

So anyway, I went ahead with the injection. It's better than coughing throughout the night and not able to sleep. After what seem like years, I don't even remember how long ago since I had my last jab on my butt. Lol. But this time is not exactly on my butt, more like my hips.

This visit costs me slightly more. I was given a stronger antibiotic, cough mixture and phlegm-diluent and it's RM 50. Pretty reasonable but the dispensary nurse kept explaining to me that the antibiotic pills I'm given are very good pills and are far stronger than the previous ones so it's more expensive. Like she's feeling guilty for charging a high price.

Well, I hope there'll be no more third visit.

Infected

I haven't been very well since 2 Saturdays ago. The symptoms were the usual runny and blocked nose, sore throat, fever-ish, coughing and sore limbs. Naturally, I would definitely though of cold. I did not bother about it for a couple of days till I felt a little worse even after getting some flu inhaler from Sito. Then I started to take some traditional herbal pills I got from Chinese drug stores. Consumed for a day or two and there were no changes, then I tried traditional herbal tea. No changes as well. But heck, I did not pay much attention to my condition. What do you expect anyway when I have 2 reports due (luckily one got extended) and 2 tests (on the same day, to boot!) in a week followed by a report and another test and next, thesis.

So, I coughed till I vomited twice, rest in between my studies and work but my health did not improve and my voice got more and more hoarse. Till one night, when I was out to watch football, I talked till I completely lose my voice. Completely! Never there was once in my life I completely lost my voice. The worst I've endured before this was hoarseness and that's all. But this did no scare me either. I knew my voice will come back to me the next day and yes, it did. Only it got a little sexy and 'shy' to come out (I had to scream to produce a low volume voice). Lol.

2 other are liquids, not shown here.

We all know about the emergence of H1N1 lately and my family, one by one, called and persuaded me to visit the doctor. Finally last night, after 13 days of torture, I went to the clinic. The doctor diagnosed me with laryngitis. It's a type of viral infection on my larynx, that is my voice cord. This is why my voice box is non-functional. I was given 7 types of medication and cost me RM 45. One of the medicine given was antibiotic. I was so tempted to ask the doctor why did he prescribe me with antibiotic when I got a virus infection. Antibiotic does not work on viruses but as a typical Asian, I did not ask. I started taking the drugs since last night and it has been 4 doses since but I haven't felt better. Let's hope for the best! I want to speak loudly like I used to ><

To Mom, Dad and Kayah, We have No Generation Gap... Actually.

This is a special post for my parents (including kayah). We are actually from the same era! I went through the 70s' and 80s' like you did :)

Convinced? Lol.

For more photos, go to Album 1 and Album 2.

Temporary Break

So, it's Chinese New Year in 3 days.. and I'm still in Kampar. Everyone went back last week to celebrate their new year but I had to stay back to attend a class today. Well, partly because of that and partly because I need to finish my thesis draft for submission.

After what seems like a long time, I'm finally done with 4 chapters! And I'm sending these 4 chapters as the first (and only) draft. I still have 3 chapters to go. Sigh...

Things are going to be a little hectic for me. I have 3 chapters for thesis, an average of 1 lab report per week and the tests and quizzes are not included yet. I'm just glad I have one subject lesser this sem (because I took it last sem).

Well, since it's Chinese New Year, I guess I'll enjoy plenty of Mandarin oranges and 'ba kua' before I return to my hectic student life.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

New Member To The (Camera) Family

I started of with a nameless blue Canon Powershot A460 in 2007...

Then I got Cammie, my pink Olympus FE-320 in 2008..

I used Cammie for a year and a half then I got Nikcy, my Nikon D3000 DSLR during Chinese New Year 2010.

Today, I got myself a metallic pink Samsung PL101 dual screen camera! His name, well, Psam.

A conclusion you can make from here? I don't really like normal black or silver cameras. I like colours! ...Exception for my Nikcy. (P/s : That lame black one is my sister's.)

Roots

On the 27th of October, a few of my family members went back to where we originated from (or rather, where my ancestors originated from), China. My family tree started from Pheng Hu, Xiamen and when my great grandfather was a young man, he took his wife and sons (my grandpa and his siblings) to Malaysia to escape from the communists. My grandpa was only 7 back then. My great grand uncles stayed back in the village.

My grandpa's house.

The altar. 

A room in the house, I don't know what room though.

My dad promised to bring me to visit my ancestor home but unfortunately, I wasn't on sem break. So instead, I only get to look at photos and listen to their stories. In the olden days, it took 7 days for my ancestors to walk from Pheng Hu to Xiamen city but now, it only took several hours by modern transport.

Ancestor's home.

The ancestor tablets are arranged according to the generation.

I heard that my grandpa shifted out from the main house and live on his own. Maybe with his parents and siblings and typically, they were farmers. The tradition carried on. Some of my cousins are still farmers but some of them are craftsmen.

The farm. Used to be a big farm but a big portion of the farm were used as land for houses.

Cousins and relatives crafting Buddha statues.

Since I didn't experience that place myself, I have nothing much to tell. So I'll have more photos instead.

The best part of the story was getting to know my cousins and other relatives. My cousins and nephews/nieces are way older than me. Have a look at these photos and prepare to be shocked!

As labeled. Be shocked!! My cousins are even older than my uncle!

From left, my 6th aunt, 3rd cousin sis-in-law, 5th aunt, 2nd cousin sis-in-law,

 eldest cousin sis-in-law, 4th aunt, my mom and the small boy is my great grandnephew. 

My niece and her husband. Guess what, that guy is 23 and he's a grandfather already!

Shock! SHOCK!!

Apparently, I am already a great grand aunt! And I'm only 20!

Besides this family tree story, my parents told me about a Hakka village they visited. It's a remote area, high up in the mountains and it took about 4-5 hours by modern transport to get there from the Hok'kien village (my family village) which means up to 8 hours from the city. It's a really old village. They built it hundreds of years ago and as you can see from the photo, it's rounded. The reason for this is to prevent robbery. There's only one entrance to this village and no windows on the lower floors. The walls are 3 feet thick, thick enough to prevent the robbers from making a hole to enter the village. Only the higher floors have windows because the thieves couldn't climb up that high. Inside this huge circle, there's another smaller circle of rooms and then another circle inside this circle until there is no space left. There are about 400 rooms in this village and occupied by 600+ villagers but in the modern days, only 200+ are left.

Hakka village architecture.

Beautiful, isn't it? I love it.

My dad said that there are couple of Ph.D holders from that village and they donated money to build a better village. And due to exposure to the outside world, they no longer build circular houses but square ones and not that high.

Modern Hakka houses.

I really enjoy listening to these kind of stories, stories about ancient world but at the same time, it made me a little sad knowing that these kind of lives do not exist anymore due to modernization.

The tree my grandpa planted before he came to Malaysia.

This tree is a hundred years old.

But anyway, I'm proud to know the roots of my family, especially when one of the great warrior Lu Bu (from Romance of the Three Kingdom) share the same surname as me. Lol! Isn't it just so interesting and exciting to know where you originated from? :)