BUAY TAHAN!
&^$*&(*&%)(_*%@#$
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
This post responds to Ju’s post.
I totally agree that it feels awful without that someone you can commiserate with. As student, the homework/ assignment given – more or less the same. Correction, as undergrad, that is. Now that seeing Ju openly talking about it, I would like to give a piece of my mind, too.
I’m not sure about the working culture in other countries/ institutes. In the institute I’m working at, we’re not encouraged to discuss with other people your project (at least my PI says so), with the reason of confidentiality. Even the other members of under the same PI might or might not have an idea about what the others doing. It makes it feels horrible because if you face any difficulties, there are virtually none you can talk to about. Of course, some might say, it’s just work after all, don't be vexed. And on top of that, we've got paid. So it’s ‘reasonable’ to feel stress. That comes back to the question of not comparing each other’s lives and nobody knows what’s going on exactly.
With Ju’s comparing her hons project with her friend’s project – the stress level, the technique, the time and energy needed, I, too, compare my job scope (and salary package) to the others. While other LE and some RA are merely follow instruction carrying out some experiments, why do I need to DECIDE and DESIGN the experiment. Like I will bear the responsibility if I decide to purchase the wrong cell line or the wrong Ab. Like I have the final say on what cancer I want to do. Apart from the ‘great responsibility’ that is given to me, I feel burden. I somewhat think I need some guidance FIRST before you throw me to decide on my own experiment. Of course to do the experiment ITSELF is okie. But what we used to have in poly/ uni is that all the whatever materials have been decided for you – and you just need to follow the protocol, step by step. Isn’t it a simple life? Well, life is never this simple. And this is just one part, not to mention the bioinformatics part. NCBI could be my most fav website in the future (I can't say for sure), but it’s definitely NOT my fav site for now. I know it’s stupid but I secretly hope that it’s down for a day or two. And the third part – this has something to do with the hazardous level ie the working environment we, as student/ scientist face. The carcinogen (EtBr, acrylamide etc), the radioactive materials, the cytotoxic material, the biohazardous material, to name just a few. And I actually need to pay more to get insured. Yet my pay is not a lot more higher. No wonder people say one really needs passion to be in this science field. This is because passion will then superceed all others weakness, for example fear (health level wise).
My colleague is so sure that he will die of lab-acquired disease with the amount of chemical he breath in, the hazard of chemical/ reagents he used, etc. Wouldn’t it be ironic if we, those who work in lab, trying to find cure/ underlying causes of cancer, die of cancer ourselves? And reason, due to prolong exposure of whatever chemical needed for the experiments. And prolong unhealthy lifestyle (as what I observed, most people in my lab start works around 11am, and never go home until 10pm). As I slowly adopt their working hour, I’m horrified. That will mean my life is all about work (coz all other people are having the normal 9-5 working schedule). No more friends no more outings no more meals no more pubbing no more datings. I darn what my colleague said to me ‘I think you are married to the gene XXX while I’m to YYY’. The only exercise we get to do is standing up all day doing experiments (for some day), or don’t move at all sitting in front of computer clicking away at the NCBI sites. Oh, sorry correction. I need to include the part where we need to climb up the slope to get to the building I’m working at.
I think I whine too much. I know that boss has been very stress himself as HIS boss will be stressing him as well. I think I just need a let out and some crisp-air and away from this city and I’ll be fine. The KK trip with other 700 crows did help in a big way, and the effect is still on-going. It’s just that I’m not sure how long this can last.
I truly appreciate talking to baibs* the other day. At least makes me feel more positive with all this shitty going on. And also ju’s post. Without her stimulus, I doubt I will ever consider sitting down and letting out what has been bothering me for the past few weeks.
I totally agree that it feels awful without that someone you can commiserate with. As student, the homework/ assignment given – more or less the same. Correction, as undergrad, that is. Now that seeing Ju openly talking about it, I would like to give a piece of my mind, too.
I’m not sure about the working culture in other countries/ institutes. In the institute I’m working at, we’re not encouraged to discuss with other people your project (at least my PI says so), with the reason of confidentiality. Even the other members of under the same PI might or might not have an idea about what the others doing. It makes it feels horrible because if you face any difficulties, there are virtually none you can talk to about. Of course, some might say, it’s just work after all, don't be vexed. And on top of that, we've got paid. So it’s ‘reasonable’ to feel stress. That comes back to the question of not comparing each other’s lives and nobody knows what’s going on exactly.
With Ju’s comparing her hons project with her friend’s project – the stress level, the technique, the time and energy needed, I, too, compare my job scope (and salary package) to the others. While other LE and some RA are merely follow instruction carrying out some experiments, why do I need to DECIDE and DESIGN the experiment. Like I will bear the responsibility if I decide to purchase the wrong cell line or the wrong Ab. Like I have the final say on what cancer I want to do. Apart from the ‘great responsibility’ that is given to me, I feel burden. I somewhat think I need some guidance FIRST before you throw me to decide on my own experiment. Of course to do the experiment ITSELF is okie. But what we used to have in poly/ uni is that all the whatever materials have been decided for you – and you just need to follow the protocol, step by step. Isn’t it a simple life? Well, life is never this simple. And this is just one part, not to mention the bioinformatics part. NCBI could be my most fav website in the future (I can't say for sure), but it’s definitely NOT my fav site for now. I know it’s stupid but I secretly hope that it’s down for a day or two. And the third part – this has something to do with the hazardous level ie the working environment we, as student/ scientist face. The carcinogen (EtBr, acrylamide etc), the radioactive materials, the cytotoxic material, the biohazardous material, to name just a few. And I actually need to pay more to get insured. Yet my pay is not a lot more higher. No wonder people say one really needs passion to be in this science field. This is because passion will then superceed all others weakness, for example fear (health level wise).
My colleague is so sure that he will die of lab-acquired disease with the amount of chemical he breath in, the hazard of chemical/ reagents he used, etc. Wouldn’t it be ironic if we, those who work in lab, trying to find cure/ underlying causes of cancer, die of cancer ourselves? And reason, due to prolong exposure of whatever chemical needed for the experiments. And prolong unhealthy lifestyle (as what I observed, most people in my lab start works around 11am, and never go home until 10pm). As I slowly adopt their working hour, I’m horrified. That will mean my life is all about work (coz all other people are having the normal 9-5 working schedule). No more friends no more outings no more meals no more pubbing no more datings. I darn what my colleague said to me ‘I think you are married to the gene XXX while I’m to YYY’. The only exercise we get to do is standing up all day doing experiments (for some day), or don’t move at all sitting in front of computer clicking away at the NCBI sites. Oh, sorry correction. I need to include the part where we need to climb up the slope to get to the building I’m working at.
I think I whine too much. I know that boss has been very stress himself as HIS boss will be stressing him as well. I think I just need a let out and some crisp-air and away from this city and I’ll be fine. The KK trip with other 700 crows did help in a big way, and the effect is still on-going. It’s just that I’m not sure how long this can last.
I truly appreciate talking to baibs* the other day. At least makes me feel more positive with all this shitty going on. And also ju’s post. Without her stimulus, I doubt I will ever consider sitting down and letting out what has been bothering me for the past few weeks.
BACK DATE: This post should be posted 2 weeks ago.
I moved to another place 2 days before I flew off for my Sabah trip. To be exact, it’s just the west coast of Sabah – the capital, Kota Kinabalu.
Comment: FUN FUN FUN!
It’s really fun to go on trip with people you know since forever. For you all know what is on each other’s mind. For you know that they won’t feel offended if you say something when you mean it as joke or even just passing remark. For you all know each other’s ‘pattern' so well. For it brings back old memories of school, and the trip add on to new memories!
As a old Chinese saying, 3 women equals to 1 market. There were 8 of us in the trip. Please use your imagination on how majestic the scene was when all of us hyper and talk and talk and TALK. So we have new name. Proudly present to you: the 800 crows! (1 person = 100 crows)
It was definitely unintentionally to attract attention BUT somewhat we did. Firstly we all don’t have those athlete face that we can conquer the highest mountain at South East Asia. Secondly, we can still talk non-stop even if we were dehydrated, tired, and having muscle ache all over. Thidly, all of us are cute. ;p
We enjoyed. We make fun of out very timid guide. We walked 6 hours and posed and took pictures along the way up to Laban Rata. We made conversations with other mountain climbers and the local mountain guides. We pissed that ang moh girl with our non-stop conversation (well, it was STILL early to sleep). We openly make cute guys who passed by our eye-candy. We applied counterpain/ salonpass bandage for each other. We shivered in cold together. We were sleepy/ tired but encouraged each other to get to the summit. We shared our sweets/ chocolate bar/ raisin. We missed the sunrise but we made it to the top altogether. We managed it without having boyfriends/ guy friends around us. We teased each other. We had muscle aches together. We don’t enjoy the strong wind on the top but we enjoy the height and the scenery with cloud beneath our feet. We trembled when it finally turns bright and we gathered it’s actually VERY high up there and with one wrong step you’ll say bye bye to the world. We cheered. We succeeded, and it definitely worth celebration!
(we did celebrate, of course!)
The 800 crows decided to make an effort to go somewhere annually. Crows that was left out with unforeseen reasons for this trip are encouraged to join back the troop for the next trip, tentatively to Krabi!
The photos are still unavailable as zffdijoh* yet to burn them out.
Side track 1: we walked 12km in total on the 2nd day. (to summit – way down- back to HQ). break my personal record.
Side track 2: we were so damn popular as we were recognized by another group of foreigner at Pulau Mamutik as the 2nd part of the trip.
Side track 3: I totally forgot my onions on Farm Town. All are dead when I come back to reality that fun time is always short.
It says ‘Onion Field – Gone to Waste’.
Gah, money wasted.
p/s** the crows have an official website - it's just starting up and most of us are too tied up with own work so there isn't much update. but there will be more! =)
see HERE.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Hmph.
I was supposed to update on my 800 crows trip^ while waiting for the laundry. Except it turns out I have to mop >1/2 kitchen.
The washing machine leaks!
Leakage sounds to minor. Basically, it is like toilet flushing down water!
If anyone (neighbor lar I mean) ever think that I made too much noise during trying to contain the huge amount of water/ mopping/ cursing, my deepest apology. I just couldn’t help it. Especially the cursing part.
Tsk.
I was supposed to update on my 800 crows trip^ while waiting for the laundry. Except it turns out I have to mop >1/2 kitchen.
The washing machine leaks!
Leakage sounds to minor. Basically, it is like toilet flushing down water!
If anyone (neighbor lar I mean) ever think that I made too much noise during trying to contain the huge amount of water/ mopping/ cursing, my deepest apology. I just couldn’t help it. Especially the cursing part.
Tsk.
Hi all,
Sorry for lack of update. I have to admit that I was deadly addicted to Farm Town on FB (other than unavoidable working hours, all my other personal life was dedicated to this ‘application’ on FB). Frankly, I have no idea why the serious addiction. Guess it was the fact that I can actually plant something comfortably? Lol. For those who don’t know, I like plant study quite a lot (that’s why the plant-based project for my Intro to Research during my UQ undergrad year). Alas, it is almost an unpractical interest in the land-scarce Singapore.
When I was at Level 9 back then, I spend most of my sleeping leisure time wandered at Marketplace and patiently waiting for working opportunity (so as to make $ lar, of course). Sometimes if I was initially chatting with you on MSN and then later hardly reply, chances are someone gave me some job and I was busy harvest their crops thus too busy to reply. ;p
Some other times I will visit/ tend friend’s farm (to earn xp point), and occasionally bumped into the farmer (meaning my friend), who has been disappeared from MSN for ages. Turned out she is damn addicted to Farm Town she hardly logged on to MSN.
Those who are hooked on BEFORE I do include the above, efojtf*, and my colleague, kjfivj*.
Those who are addicted after me – jsjt*, diffkvbo*, obubmzo*, xbixbi* to name a few, I sincerely hope you guys have successfully resist the temptation to log on to Farm Town every now and then to check on how your crops are doing!
For now, I’m at Level 24. Still yet able to plant pumpkin (well you can sell the harvest with GOOD money), but I’m contented with my field size and I’ve start to grow crops like coffee that takes 3 days to grow, instead of grapes (which need only 4 hours). Hopefully with that my life/biological clock will turn back to the more normal one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)