Life's like this...

2nd week of holidays

Finally had the full blown research program today. Actually, I've kinda started last friday and saturday. Yeah... SATURDAY. Just went back there for about 1 hour just to learn how to make the medium for mammalian cells and culture some mammalian cells. The procedure sounds quite simple, but in actual fact you need to be very meticulous and cautious to not contaminate anything! Sounds simple? It's only very simple if you have a robotic brain and strong in dexterity. So through all this experimental techniques, I realised that I have not much dexterity and my brain can be really retarded at times. =S Luckily, Prof Brendan was very patient and kind to demonstrate everything and tolerate my stupid mistakes. Hahaz...

Yeah... And today was even worse. Ethel, CeCao and I learned how to titer phages. Well, I don't think I wanna explain everything here. But we screwed up big time. We were supposed to put the bacteria in the the epi-tubes, then transfer the contents in the tube into the tubes of liquid agar. After that, pour the liquid agar on the solid agar dish. First mistake: I forgot to bacteria into the epi-tubes, I just put the phages into the liquid agar and put it on the dish!! 2nd mistake: We forgot to heat up the tubes before filling them with hot agar. In the end, all the agar solidify! In the end, everybody was so messed up till we couldn't really be bothered. =S I don't think we will succeed the 1st time round, but at least I've learnt quite a lot through all these mistakes.

Yeah... So we really have to refine our experimental techinques A LOT and do everything FASTER!!! Now, we are very slow and inaccurate. =S

On top of all these, Brendan made us memorise the structures, spelling, 3-letter and 1-letter abbrevations of amino acids! Luckily we can get them into our brains and wasn't really caught off-handed when he tested us.

Hmm... Research is getting tough, but I'm not gonna complain much. 'Cause I think that it's really an enriching experience. Not only I learn more about life sci, I think I've learnt more about myself too. Like how I handle situations and organise my thoughts and time. I think these are the things that people will usually see them as old habits and their way of life. But I've realised that by doing research, it sorta forces me to re-think my actions and try to find ways to improve myself. Also, it forces me to be more meticulous and cautious! Hopefully, research will help me to be a better person somehow. Small changes may make a big difference.

Yeah... By now, you all should have known about the plane crash during the military exercise at Taiwan. One of the deceased was an ex-schoolmate. Though I don't know him personally, but it's very shocking and sad to see a young man died from a freak accident. It really got me thinking about my life... and especially it was mothers' day on sunday. What if I just die one of these days... *CHOY CHOY* I think I will die with regrets... I don't think I've been maximising the time in my life and facing it with much enthusiaism. And there're many things that I've been wanting to do but I lack of the courage. For example, wanting to say 'I love you' to my parents. I think I've not say that for many many years. It's so simple, but I just couldn't do it. I didn't tell my mum that on mothers' day. I just bough 2 choco durian cakes from Big O for her. Could see that she was very happy, maybe that's gd enough. But I could have just say it out right? Oh well, I'm just scared that I'll cry like a baby which I will do when I do something mushy. =S

Yeah.. This is long post and quite an emo one. That's about all I wanna say now. Gotta update my log book, read up, watch desperate housewives and shower!!

This innocence is brilliant, I hope that it will stay.
This moment is perfect, please don't go away.
I need you now, and I'll hold on to it, don't you let it pass you by...

2nd week of holidays

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