DLR Assay Results
Monday, November 29, 2004
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Wow! Another week had just gone by...phew! It's another busy week. It's seems like what's revolving around research and more research...but, it's good experience anyway. And so, I've decided today that I'll put up another blog soon for my journal on my research attachment. And so, look out for that(this is especially targetted at Lydia...). Actually, there's nothing much to write. What's happening now is just going to IMCB, research and then back home again. It's quite boring and the novelty really wears off. i'm feeling a little tired by all that now. Next week will be week 3 of my attachment. And it'll mark the middle of it. And soon 2 weeks later, I'll probably miss IMCB and by next year, I'll be talking about the fun I had during this holiday. Well, what can I do? That's just me.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
note:took this from Joyce's blog. its really hilarious. :) enjoy.
THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO THE CHORUS
In any chorus, there are four voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Sometimes these are divided into first and second within each part, prompting endless jokes about first and second basses. There are also various other parts such as baritone, countertenor, contralto, mezzo soprano, etc., but these are mostly used by people who are either soloists, or belong to some excessively hotshot classical a cappella group (this applies especially to countertenors), or are trying to make excuses for not really fitting into any of the regular voice parts, so we will ignore them for now. Each voice part sings in a different range, and each one has a very different personality. You may ask, "Why should singing different notes ake people act differently?", and indeed this is a mysterious question and has not been adequately studied, especially since scientists who study musicians tend to be musicians themselves and have all the peculiar complxes that go with being tenors, french horn players, timpanists, or whatever. However,this is beside the point; the fact remains that the four voice parts can be easily distinguished, and I will now explain how...
THE SOPRANOS are the ones who sing the highest, and because of this they think they rule the world. They have longer hair, fancier jewellery, and swishier skirts than anyone else, and they consider themselves insulted if they are not allowed to go at least to a high F in every movement of any given piece. When they reach the high notes, they hold them for at least half again as long as the composer and/or conductor requires, and then complain that their throats are killing them and that the composer and conductor are sadists. Sopranos have varied attitudes toward the other sections of the chorus, though they consider all of them inferior. Altos are to sopranos rather like second violins to first violins - nice to harmonise with, but not really necessary. All sopranos have a secret feeling that the altos could drop out and the piece would sound essentially the same, and they don't understand why anybody would sing in that range in the first place - it's so boring. Tenors, on the other hand, can be very nice to have around; besides their flirtation possibilities (it is a well-known fact that sopranos never flirt with basses), sopranos like to sing duets with tenors because all the tenors are doing is working very hard to sing in a low-to-medium soprano range, while the sopranos are up there in the stratosphere showing off. To sopranos, basses are the scum of the earth - they sing too damn loud, are useless to tune because they're down in that low, low range - and there has to be something wrong with anyone who sings in the F clef, anyway.
THE ALTOS are the salt of the earth - in their opinion, at least. Altos are unassuming people, who would wear jeans to concerts if they were llowed to.Altos are in a unique position in the chorus in that they are unable to complain about having to sing either very high or very low, and they know that all the other sections think their parts are pitifully easy. But the altos know otherwise. They know that while the sopranos are screeching way on a high A, they are being forced to sing elaborate passages full of harps and flats and tricks of rhythm, and nobody is noticing because the sopranos are singing too loud (and the basses usually are too). Altos get a deep,secret pleasure out of conspiring together to tune the sopranos flat. Altos have an innate distrust of tenors, because the tenors sing in almost the same range and think they sound better. They like the basses, and enjoy singing duets with them - the basses just sound like a rumble anyway, and it's the only time the altos can really be heard. Altos' other complaint is that there are always too many of them and so they never get to sing really loud.
THE TENORS are spoiled. That's all there is to it. For one thing, there are never enough of them, and choir directors would rather sell their souls than let a halfway decent tenor quit, while they're always ready to unload a few altos at half price. And then, for some reason, the few tenors are always really good - it's one of those annoying facts of life. So it's no wonder that tenors always get swollen heads - after all, who else can make sopranos swoon? The one thing that can make tenors insecure is the accusation (usually by the basses) that anyone singing that high couldn't possibly be a real man.. In their usual perverse fashion, the tenors never acknowledge this, but just complain louder about the composer being a sadist and making them sing so damn high. Tenors have a love-hate relationship with the conductor, too, because the conductor is always telling them to sing louder because there are so few of them. No conductor in recorded history has ever asked for less tenor in a forte passage. Tenors feel threatened in some way by all the other sections - the sopranos because they can hit those incredibly high notes; the altos because they have no trouble singing the notes the tenors kill themselves for; and the basses because, although they can't sing anything above an E, they sing it loud enough to drown the tenors out. Of course, the tenors would rather die than admit any of this. It is a little-known fact that tenors move their eyebrows more than anyone else while singing.
THE BASSES sing the lowest of anybody. This basically explains everything. They are stolid, dependable people, and have more facial hair than anybody else. The basses feel perpetually unappreciated, but they have a deep conviction that they are actually the most important part (a view endorsed by musicologists, but certainly not by sopranos or tenors), despite the fact that they have the most boring part of anybody and often sing the same note(or in endless fifths) for an entire page. They compensate for this by singing as loudly as they can get away with - most basses are tuba players at heart. Basses are the only section that can regularly complain about how low their part is, and they make horrible faces when trying to hit very low notes. Basses are charitable people, but their charity does not extend so far as tenors, whom they consider effete poseurs. Basses hate tuning the tenors more than almost anything else. Basses like altos - except when they have duets and the altos get the good part. As for the sopranos, they are simply in an alternate universe which the basses don't understand at all. They can't imagine why anybody would ever want to sing that high and sound that bad when they make mistakes. When a bass makes a mistake, the other three parts will cover him, and he can continue on his merry way, knowing that sometime, somehow, he will end.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Soprano
1. The rest of the choir exists just to make you look good.
2. You can entertain your friends by breaking their wineglasses.
3. Can you name an opera where an alto got the man?
4. When sopranos want to sing in the shower, they know the tune.
5. It's not like you are ever going to sing the alto part by accident.
6. Great costumes - like the hat with the horns on it.
7. How many world famous altos can you name?
8. When the fat lady sings, she's usually singing soprano.
9. When you get tired of singing the tune, you can sing the descant.
10. You can sing along with Michael Jackson.
Top Ten Reasons for Being an Alto
1. You get really good at singing E flat.
2. You get to sing the same note for 12 consecutive measures.
3. You don't really need to warm up to sing 12 consecutive bars of E-flat.
4. If the choir really stinks, it's unlikely the altos will be blamed.
5. You have lots of time to chat during soprano solos.
6. You get to pretend that you are better than the sopranos, because everybody knows that women only sing soprano so they don't have to learn to read music.
7. You can sometimes find part time work singing tenor.
8. Altos get all the great intervals.
9. When the sopranos are holding some outrageously high note at the end of a song, the altos always get the last words.
10. When the altos miss a note, nobody gets hurt.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Tenor
1. Tenors get high - without drugs.
2. Name a musical where the bass got the girl.
3. You can show the sopranos how it SHOULD be sung.
4. Did you ever hear of anyone paying $1000 for a ticket to see 'The three Basses?'
5. Who needs brains when you've got resonance?
6. Tenors never have to waste time looking through the self-improvement section of the bookstore.
7. You get to sing along with John Denver singing "Aye Calypso."
8. When you get really good at falsetto, you can make tons of money doing voice-overs for cartoon characters.
9. Gregorian chant was practically invented for tenors. Nobody invented a genre for basses.
10. You can entertain your friends by impersonating Julia Child.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Bass
1. You don't have to tighten your shorts to reach your note.
2. You don't have to worry about a woman stealing your job.
3. Or a preadolescent boy stealing your job.
4. Action heroes are always basses. That is - if they ever sang, they would sing bass.
5. You get great memorable lyrics like bop, bop, bop, bop.
6.If the singing job doesn't work out, there's always broadcasting.
7. You never need to learn to read the treble clef.
8. If you get a cold, so what.
9. For fun, you can sing at the bottom of your range and fool people into thinking there's an earthquake.
10. If you belch while you're singing, the audience just thinks it is part of the score.
THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO THE CHORUS
In any chorus, there are four voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Sometimes these are divided into first and second within each part, prompting endless jokes about first and second basses. There are also various other parts such as baritone, countertenor, contralto, mezzo soprano, etc., but these are mostly used by people who are either soloists, or belong to some excessively hotshot classical a cappella group (this applies especially to countertenors), or are trying to make excuses for not really fitting into any of the regular voice parts, so we will ignore them for now. Each voice part sings in a different range, and each one has a very different personality. You may ask, "Why should singing different notes ake people act differently?", and indeed this is a mysterious question and has not been adequately studied, especially since scientists who study musicians tend to be musicians themselves and have all the peculiar complxes that go with being tenors, french horn players, timpanists, or whatever. However,this is beside the point; the fact remains that the four voice parts can be easily distinguished, and I will now explain how...
THE SOPRANOS are the ones who sing the highest, and because of this they think they rule the world. They have longer hair, fancier jewellery, and swishier skirts than anyone else, and they consider themselves insulted if they are not allowed to go at least to a high F in every movement of any given piece. When they reach the high notes, they hold them for at least half again as long as the composer and/or conductor requires, and then complain that their throats are killing them and that the composer and conductor are sadists. Sopranos have varied attitudes toward the other sections of the chorus, though they consider all of them inferior. Altos are to sopranos rather like second violins to first violins - nice to harmonise with, but not really necessary. All sopranos have a secret feeling that the altos could drop out and the piece would sound essentially the same, and they don't understand why anybody would sing in that range in the first place - it's so boring. Tenors, on the other hand, can be very nice to have around; besides their flirtation possibilities (it is a well-known fact that sopranos never flirt with basses), sopranos like to sing duets with tenors because all the tenors are doing is working very hard to sing in a low-to-medium soprano range, while the sopranos are up there in the stratosphere showing off. To sopranos, basses are the scum of the earth - they sing too damn loud, are useless to tune because they're down in that low, low range - and there has to be something wrong with anyone who sings in the F clef, anyway.
THE ALTOS are the salt of the earth - in their opinion, at least. Altos are unassuming people, who would wear jeans to concerts if they were llowed to.Altos are in a unique position in the chorus in that they are unable to complain about having to sing either very high or very low, and they know that all the other sections think their parts are pitifully easy. But the altos know otherwise. They know that while the sopranos are screeching way on a high A, they are being forced to sing elaborate passages full of harps and flats and tricks of rhythm, and nobody is noticing because the sopranos are singing too loud (and the basses usually are too). Altos get a deep,secret pleasure out of conspiring together to tune the sopranos flat. Altos have an innate distrust of tenors, because the tenors sing in almost the same range and think they sound better. They like the basses, and enjoy singing duets with them - the basses just sound like a rumble anyway, and it's the only time the altos can really be heard. Altos' other complaint is that there are always too many of them and so they never get to sing really loud.
THE TENORS are spoiled. That's all there is to it. For one thing, there are never enough of them, and choir directors would rather sell their souls than let a halfway decent tenor quit, while they're always ready to unload a few altos at half price. And then, for some reason, the few tenors are always really good - it's one of those annoying facts of life. So it's no wonder that tenors always get swollen heads - after all, who else can make sopranos swoon? The one thing that can make tenors insecure is the accusation (usually by the basses) that anyone singing that high couldn't possibly be a real man.. In their usual perverse fashion, the tenors never acknowledge this, but just complain louder about the composer being a sadist and making them sing so damn high. Tenors have a love-hate relationship with the conductor, too, because the conductor is always telling them to sing louder because there are so few of them. No conductor in recorded history has ever asked for less tenor in a forte passage. Tenors feel threatened in some way by all the other sections - the sopranos because they can hit those incredibly high notes; the altos because they have no trouble singing the notes the tenors kill themselves for; and the basses because, although they can't sing anything above an E, they sing it loud enough to drown the tenors out. Of course, the tenors would rather die than admit any of this. It is a little-known fact that tenors move their eyebrows more than anyone else while singing.
THE BASSES sing the lowest of anybody. This basically explains everything. They are stolid, dependable people, and have more facial hair than anybody else. The basses feel perpetually unappreciated, but they have a deep conviction that they are actually the most important part (a view endorsed by musicologists, but certainly not by sopranos or tenors), despite the fact that they have the most boring part of anybody and often sing the same note(or in endless fifths) for an entire page. They compensate for this by singing as loudly as they can get away with - most basses are tuba players at heart. Basses are the only section that can regularly complain about how low their part is, and they make horrible faces when trying to hit very low notes. Basses are charitable people, but their charity does not extend so far as tenors, whom they consider effete poseurs. Basses hate tuning the tenors more than almost anything else. Basses like altos - except when they have duets and the altos get the good part. As for the sopranos, they are simply in an alternate universe which the basses don't understand at all. They can't imagine why anybody would ever want to sing that high and sound that bad when they make mistakes. When a bass makes a mistake, the other three parts will cover him, and he can continue on his merry way, knowing that sometime, somehow, he will end.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Soprano
1. The rest of the choir exists just to make you look good.
2. You can entertain your friends by breaking their wineglasses.
3. Can you name an opera where an alto got the man?
4. When sopranos want to sing in the shower, they know the tune.
5. It's not like you are ever going to sing the alto part by accident.
6. Great costumes - like the hat with the horns on it.
7. How many world famous altos can you name?
8. When the fat lady sings, she's usually singing soprano.
9. When you get tired of singing the tune, you can sing the descant.
10. You can sing along with Michael Jackson.
Top Ten Reasons for Being an Alto
1. You get really good at singing E flat.
2. You get to sing the same note for 12 consecutive measures.
3. You don't really need to warm up to sing 12 consecutive bars of E-flat.
4. If the choir really stinks, it's unlikely the altos will be blamed.
5. You have lots of time to chat during soprano solos.
6. You get to pretend that you are better than the sopranos, because everybody knows that women only sing soprano so they don't have to learn to read music.
7. You can sometimes find part time work singing tenor.
8. Altos get all the great intervals.
9. When the sopranos are holding some outrageously high note at the end of a song, the altos always get the last words.
10. When the altos miss a note, nobody gets hurt.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Tenor
1. Tenors get high - without drugs.
2. Name a musical where the bass got the girl.
3. You can show the sopranos how it SHOULD be sung.
4. Did you ever hear of anyone paying $1000 for a ticket to see 'The three Basses?'
5. Who needs brains when you've got resonance?
6. Tenors never have to waste time looking through the self-improvement section of the bookstore.
7. You get to sing along with John Denver singing "Aye Calypso."
8. When you get really good at falsetto, you can make tons of money doing voice-overs for cartoon characters.
9. Gregorian chant was practically invented for tenors. Nobody invented a genre for basses.
10. You can entertain your friends by impersonating Julia Child.
Top Ten Reasons for Being a Bass
1. You don't have to tighten your shorts to reach your note.
2. You don't have to worry about a woman stealing your job.
3. Or a preadolescent boy stealing your job.
4. Action heroes are always basses. That is - if they ever sang, they would sing bass.
5. You get great memorable lyrics like bop, bop, bop, bop.
6.If the singing job doesn't work out, there's always broadcasting.
7. You never need to learn to read the treble clef.
8. If you get a cold, so what.
9. For fun, you can sing at the bottom of your range and fool people into thinking there's an earthquake.
10. If you belch while you're singing, the audience just thinks it is part of the score.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
1 week had gone by. Believe it or not; I'm actually counting down the days till the end of my attachment. 19 days to go; "Endure", I always tell myself. Don't be mistaken. It's not that I don't enjoy it. Doing experiments, designing them, and proving hypothesis, I enjoy it all. It's just that the long hours tire me out. Other than that, I've no other complaints. I've already learn so much in just one week. It's not just things that are related to the area of scientific research, but it's also things such as working with other people . Enough of these personal thoughts, let's talk about what I did today. Early morning, we drew out the plan for this week. It looks hectic and packed, but the actual fact is that it is actually quite lackadasical. It just require hours and hours of waiting for the process to be done. Thus, we can squeeze in a few others irrevlevant experiments and techniques so that I can learn, and be prepared for the future. Let's gp back to the main aim of this week:" How can one be sure that the expression of NQ01 and HO-1 genes is due to the ARE mechanism?" The answer will be revealed this week, so stay tune. Well, today, I transfered the sy5y cells to 2 6 well plates and leave it in the incubator overnight so that it will be ready for insertion of the plasmids tomorrow morning. After that was reading and more reading. Now, I'm so tired from staring at the books for such a long period of time. Better go to bed now. Sweet dreams, everyone.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Just came back from choir altos dinner...at Joyce's house...it's considered quite fun...ok, I won't use fun...at least, it's quite all right. We had steamboat. I would say that it's nice considereing the fact that we had fishballs, sotong balls, meat balls, mushroom balls,...you get what I mean, right? Well, the dinner lasted for like 1.5 hour? Was really full that I started to play with my food...well, it's a habit, I guess. Had been doing that since smss days...After thedinner, we went to Joyce's room to slack and to digest the food before stuffing ourselves with the bobochacha cooked by Jee Cheng's mum. Seriously, it's the first time I've eaten bobochacha in that colour. I only ate those that are white in colour before. Well,...Anyway, we also had a mini sectional there...The set-piece...I'm really at lost as to what to say...We left her house at around 10.30 and i took a bus with Jee Cheng to the interchange...during the long bus journey, bond formation took place between the 2 molecules of us...really talk...I mean, those things at I tell her are the stuff that I don't normally tell people. Erm, maybe I did, considering the fact that I always open my mouth and talk...Never mind about that. The same goes to her too...I must say that she's really sweet and thoughtful (erm, wonder whether she'll read this or not?). She smsed me to see whether I reach home already or not? I mean it's not my style to do that...so, I thought that's rather nice.
Well, I really tired. Time to sleep and get rest. Sweet dreams.
(P.S: I'll put gel-electrophoresis photo which I did on Friday so that you all can compare and contrast).
Well, I really tired. Time to sleep and get rest. Sweet dreams.
(P.S: I'll put gel-electrophoresis photo which I did on Friday so that you all can compare and contrast).
Just read from aud's blod that Uncle Stan (as he's fondly called) is transferred to ijtp...so sad...can you hear the sound of my heart breaking into million pieces? Not literally...but, it's really saddening...i may not be able to see him during teachers' day, or any other occassions...I would surely remember those lame jokes of his, his care and concern for us (even as we had graduated), and his many outstanding qualities and his kind and encouraging words...
Friday, November 19, 2004
Today is indeed action day, as promised. In fact, it's action, action day. I really did a lot of experiments and learn a lot from today alone. At 9am, we harvested the cells and extracted the RNA content. Really have to be quite patient here as similar processes are repeated over and over again. Nevertheless, they are necessary. The harvesting and extractin of RNA took about 1hr 45 mins! Next, we used the spectrophotometer to determine the concentration of RNA...quite a lot of calculations involved here. After that, we start to prepare for RT-PCR. The protocol was easy to follow and everything can be done in just one step. The whole process of RT-PCR will take about 3hr 25 mins! this leave me some time to take a rest and to note down everything.
In the afternoon, we started on gel-electrophoresis to separate the DNA fragments. After the gel had set, we "ran" the gel.
At 4pm, we attended a meeting. The meeting was an informal one. Everyone just snack and talk...no pen and paper involoved. Looks like researchers have powerful memory. The meeting was really fun and stress-free. Look forward to next week's meeting.
In the afternoon, we started on gel-electrophoresis to separate the DNA fragments. After the gel had set, we "ran" the gel.
At 4pm, we attended a meeting. The meeting was an informal one. Everyone just snack and talk...no pen and paper involoved. Looks like researchers have powerful memory. The meeting was really fun and stress-free. Look forward to next week's meeting.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Research Attachment- Adventure at IMCB
I've seen my sy5y cells today! They've been successfully cultured! Shall post a picture for you all to see! Anyway, today had been quite worthwhile...I treated the cells with different compounds today! And come tommorrow, I shall harvest them and get the total RNA out. (ok, i mean extract the total RNA). Read up the procedures for the extraction and the principles behind them, and the one step RT-PCR process (that is going to be done on Friday!). Wrote in my log book lots of things...including the procedures for treatment and stuff like that.
Discovered something today. Actually, it's not that I don't know this. It's just that I have not worked with such small volumes and quantities before. I have to prepare the solutions to a every, every small concentration. It's all in microlitres and stuff like that...when I was asked to convert, I was sort of stuck...it's not that I don't know. If given time to work it out, I would certainly be able to do it. But on the stop? It's a little tricky. Blame it on the lack of practice. Anyway, tommorrow will be a busy day for me, so, I think I better get some rest. Good night.
Discovered something today. Actually, it's not that I don't know this. It's just that I have not worked with such small volumes and quantities before. I have to prepare the solutions to a every, every small concentration. It's all in microlitres and stuff like that...when I was asked to convert, I was sort of stuck...it's not that I don't know. If given time to work it out, I would certainly be able to do it. But on the stop? It's a little tricky. Blame it on the lack of practice. Anyway, tommorrow will be a busy day for me, so, I think I better get some rest. Good night.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Research Attachment- Adventure at IMCB
Not too bad for the first day. Had a 1 one plus briefing by someone name Joshua and the safety officer. Settled some adminsitrative stuff, such as attendance and getting our access cards. The access cards are so cool...you need it wherever you go...like the name suggests, it enables one to access to some place.
Anyway,spent the morning discussing what I've read on cancer research, phase-2- enzymes, ARE regulated genes with my supervisor/ mentor, and also clearing my many doubts. We went into the project plan next. I'm going to find out the effects of ARE rehulated genes on cells...does it really prevent cancer by activating some pathways? sounds abstract? That's what I thought initially too. But, after discussing futher with my mentor, everything become clearer. And so, I went to search for more information on the cell I'll be working with. The SH-SY5Y cells, its culture medium and its morphology...
Lunch time at Soul Food Court. It's a food court, not a restaurant like Seoul Garden. Ate prata with chicken curry...the prata is really crispy, I must say.
After the bite, I went back the labs. Now that I'm full and energeised, it's time for me to start on real lab work...firstly, we got a lab coat for myself. Like someone said,:" One will not look scientific without a lab coat." And so, we got a lab coat for myself. It is whit and sort of a little too big for me...but, never mind all that. Next was the gloves. We've got a pair of gloves that fit nicely...small-size though...Being fully-geared, I really feel like a true researcher. We went to B2 to collect some solutions to be used for our culture today. Really feel like some doctor on housemanship wearing the lab coat and walking along the corridors of B2 which resembles some hospital. We cultured the sy5y cells after preparing the medium. And it is sitting in the incubator now! Tommorrow, I'll be able to see them. (To Lydia: If you would like some information on how to culture the cells, contact me personally) I think I'll stop here for the attachment, if not, my blog will become a scientific journal.
Anyway,spent the morning discussing what I've read on cancer research, phase-2- enzymes, ARE regulated genes with my supervisor/ mentor, and also clearing my many doubts. We went into the project plan next. I'm going to find out the effects of ARE rehulated genes on cells...does it really prevent cancer by activating some pathways? sounds abstract? That's what I thought initially too. But, after discussing futher with my mentor, everything become clearer. And so, I went to search for more information on the cell I'll be working with. The SH-SY5Y cells, its culture medium and its morphology...
Lunch time at Soul Food Court. It's a food court, not a restaurant like Seoul Garden. Ate prata with chicken curry...the prata is really crispy, I must say.
After the bite, I went back the labs. Now that I'm full and energeised, it's time for me to start on real lab work...firstly, we got a lab coat for myself. Like someone said,:" One will not look scientific without a lab coat." And so, we got a lab coat for myself. It is whit and sort of a little too big for me...but, never mind all that. Next was the gloves. We've got a pair of gloves that fit nicely...small-size though...Being fully-geared, I really feel like a true researcher. We went to B2 to collect some solutions to be used for our culture today. Really feel like some doctor on housemanship wearing the lab coat and walking along the corridors of B2 which resembles some hospital. We cultured the sy5y cells after preparing the medium. And it is sitting in the incubator now! Tommorrow, I'll be able to see them. (To Lydia: If you would like some information on how to culture the cells, contact me personally) I think I'll stop here for the attachment, if not, my blog will become a scientific journal.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
life is one big jigsaw puzzle.we start out with a few pieces given to us and we piece them together with the help of our family and friends.as we grow older, we have to find the missing pieces to fill up the gaps.sometimes we can't find the right pieces to fit in a gap, and even after many years of searching we still can't find it.there are some pieces that will never be found,so we just have to make do with whatever shape that best fits the gap.maybe it'll grow to fit the gap,maybe it won't.that's the whole idea of filling up those holes in our lives.if we can't find what we've been searching for,accept the closest one and let things be.it's better to look at one complete jigsaw puzzle than one with gaps in it.and it might amaze some of us that the jigsaw puzzle turns out prettier than it was intended to be with these odd pieces in it.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Tommorrow is the day!!! 16th Nov 2004!!! The day I've been looking forward to... The start of my A-star Research Programme at IMCB! I'm so excited, so much so that my heart is pumping so hard that it's going to stop working any moment. Ok, I'm just exggerating here...Anyway, it's a fact that I'm excited about it. I mean, who wouldn't be, when he/she is 1 out of about 200 students who got into the programme? What's more is that the 200 odd of us were selected out of hundreds of others who went for the interview. I'm not showing off that I got into the programme but I am just giving the reason as to why I'm so looking forward to it. It's seems like a long time since the interview in April...or was it May? Anyway, at that point of time, I wasn't sure that I would be selected. What's more get attached to IMCB, which is my first choice. I was even consoling myself that it would be better if I don't get in, cos, I've more time to revise my work. But now, I'm singing a different tune...I guess, that's human. Enough said about the research. Shall talk about it more tommorrow.
My brother and I were looking through some old old photographs yesterday. He found a few cute pictures of himself and was self-praising that night. I can't really believe that he's so "humble". But, the pictures are quite cute. (i must admit). He was even thinking of scanning those pictures and setting them as his msn display pictures. I think i shall put them in my blog some day. We also come across a few naked baby photos of my the other brother. The sec 3 one...we thought of blackmailing him...haha...can't accept the fact that we are still so childish. Anyway, i used to complain that my 2 younger brothers are irritating and immature...but it seems to me that they are quite ok now...I guess it's time. Or is it me? It seems to me that ever since I start junior college, they've all grown up. Maybe still childish, but they are not as mischievous as before. Maybe it's because of school...the long hours spent in school and on homework and studies...that forced us not to spend so much time together. In any case, we have all grown up...and i guess my parents admit that. They are very confident that if the three of us are alone at home, we will not fight and quarrel. I guess, everyone does grow up...it's just a matter of time...
My brother and I were looking through some old old photographs yesterday. He found a few cute pictures of himself and was self-praising that night. I can't really believe that he's so "humble". But, the pictures are quite cute. (i must admit). He was even thinking of scanning those pictures and setting them as his msn display pictures. I think i shall put them in my blog some day. We also come across a few naked baby photos of my the other brother. The sec 3 one...we thought of blackmailing him...haha...can't accept the fact that we are still so childish. Anyway, i used to complain that my 2 younger brothers are irritating and immature...but it seems to me that they are quite ok now...I guess it's time. Or is it me? It seems to me that ever since I start junior college, they've all grown up. Maybe still childish, but they are not as mischievous as before. Maybe it's because of school...the long hours spent in school and on homework and studies...that forced us not to spend so much time together. In any case, we have all grown up...and i guess my parents admit that. They are very confident that if the three of us are alone at home, we will not fight and quarrel. I guess, everyone does grow up...it's just a matter of time...
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Just read the newspaper and found an interesting piece of news that turn my tireness into interest and now, all I want to do is to say that "I'm so proud of St Margs'". Now, you may wonder why? The reason: Indonesian trade Minister Dr Mari Pangestu was a student at St Margs. Now, that got you excited...The article also mention that her name and photograhs can be found all over old school magazines. She was also the captain for the netball team, secretary of the career society and a member of the drama and debate society. She was also the top student for English and English Literature. She left the schoo with the top honour- the Dean Dumper Trophy. Well, her achievements are so many and great. What made me so proud is the fact that St Margs can actually mould students into future leaders and great people whom contribute to the society and whom can be our role model and someone whom we are proud of.
So, that's just what I read. I'm sure many others will be just like me;
This aside, I hearby announced that PW is offically over. We went to school at 9.30 today to arrange and pagimate our files for submission. After submitting the GPF, Ms Ong brief us about next year; who our new CT is and gave out progress report. She commented on our results and gave us some advice. When she gave mine to me, she asked, "So, how was the tea session with Mrs Lim?" Ha! To think she still remember that! All I can manage is a "Good". She wrote as part of the remark:"... 4 distictions next year." Sure, I'll work hard towards that.
Well, it's our class first BBQ today! At Rochelle's place. It was good. The food, the place, the atmosphere. Bascially, everything! Thanks Rochelle for opening her house to us. Now, I'm just so tired and drain out. Better catch my beauty sleep now!
So, that's just what I read. I'm sure many others will be just like me;
This aside, I hearby announced that PW is offically over. We went to school at 9.30 today to arrange and pagimate our files for submission. After submitting the GPF, Ms Ong brief us about next year; who our new CT is and gave out progress report. She commented on our results and gave us some advice. When she gave mine to me, she asked, "So, how was the tea session with Mrs Lim?" Ha! To think she still remember that! All I can manage is a "Good". She wrote as part of the remark:"... 4 distictions next year." Sure, I'll work hard towards that.
Well, it's our class first BBQ today! At Rochelle's place. It was good. The food, the place, the atmosphere. Bascially, everything! Thanks Rochelle for opening her house to us. Now, I'm just so tired and drain out. Better catch my beauty sleep now!
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Listen up, everyone! Shu Hui's secret to 4 As in exams!!! Interested? Read on! We asked Shu Hui for her secret to ace-ing in exams during choir today...and her answer? Sleep... Ha!!! She claimed that when we get enough sleep, our brains will be clearer and hence, what we have studied come freely and readily to our minds and hence, we will be able to do well...well, I hope that I'm like her...Better catch enough sleep...
Anyway, choir yesterday wasn't really choir...what I mean here is that we did not sing... Instead, we had sort of a heart-to-heart talk...I can't say it really is that, but I can't find a more suitable word, and so... Anyway, the com people asked for our opinion of the choir and our problems and suggestions that would benefit the choir...well, we were really honest and open in what we say...and that, I would say is good to a certain extent. We were really honest to the extent that we did not even hold back when we were critising some people...but it's constructive feedback, so well...
Altos is finally going on a outing...details have not been drawn out...but maybe it'll be steamboat at Joyce's house...so sweet of her to open her house to us...depending on the date and time, I may not be able to go, cos of the research attachment..Speaking of it, I'm really looking forward to it...I must make the best out of it and you know, have fun! It's going to be a busy holiday and yet I've so much incomplete homework, waiting for me to do...Wednesday; we are all going to school to hand in PW file, after which is class BBQ; Thursday; I'm going out with Lydia to do homework, this girl thought I'm crazy, but I really need to complete my homework before my attachment; Friday; It's going to be the extra long chemistry lecture... Oh my! I think I better get to bed and rest my brain and soul...I want to do well!
Anyway, choir yesterday wasn't really choir...what I mean here is that we did not sing... Instead, we had sort of a heart-to-heart talk...I can't say it really is that, but I can't find a more suitable word, and so... Anyway, the com people asked for our opinion of the choir and our problems and suggestions that would benefit the choir...well, we were really honest and open in what we say...and that, I would say is good to a certain extent. We were really honest to the extent that we did not even hold back when we were critising some people...but it's constructive feedback, so well...
Altos is finally going on a outing...details have not been drawn out...but maybe it'll be steamboat at Joyce's house...so sweet of her to open her house to us...depending on the date and time, I may not be able to go, cos of the research attachment..Speaking of it, I'm really looking forward to it...I must make the best out of it and you know, have fun! It's going to be a busy holiday and yet I've so much incomplete homework, waiting for me to do...Wednesday; we are all going to school to hand in PW file, after which is class BBQ; Thursday; I'm going out with Lydia to do homework, this girl thought I'm crazy, but I really need to complete my homework before my attachment; Friday; It's going to be the extra long chemistry lecture... Oh my! I think I better get to bed and rest my brain and soul...I want to do well!
Saturday, November 06, 2004
I think I'll keep this blog short and sweet. Afterall, I am all so tired and exhausted from today's Chinese and Biology Olympiad. My brain cells are dead; and soon I predict that I may be brain dead too.
Well, I guess Chinese was alright. I'll keep my fingers cross for the result.
And so, after Chinese, we met Miss Lee outside the hall and she brought us to NIE, NTU, where we were supposed to go for the Olympiad. So much for empowering us. Anyway, we set off and took the same bus and train as my mentor and jj. A pity that they did not join us. I think that they were going to jurong point for lunch. They've been saying that since op on tues. At Boon Lay Interchange, we took 199 to NIE, NTU. We were the first in the line. Soon, students from jj came. Shortly after, came rj, hc and ac. All of them had some notes in their hands. Some rj people were even carrying Campbell!!! The old edition, noted Allele. So scary!!!Well, we were not put off by that. At least Charmine and Mark were not. They were pretending that they had long studied and were, you know, revising. What crap! 199 came some time later and we board the bus. It was so packed. Most of them had to stand. Soon, we began our journey to NIE, NTU. As we did not eaten our lunch, we decided to stop at the cafe for a quick bite. Maybe it's because we had a teacher with us. Cos, when we alight, the rest followed suit. We climbed up this really long stairay to the cafe. It's called "Stairway to heaven". What a nice name. But nevertheless, it was really energy demanding to climb it. After a quick lunch of sandwiches, we went to the venue to take the paper. We were late by only 3 mins??! But we just miss out on the instructions part. We have two hours to complete Part A and B of the paper. There are 100 questions altogether. There are some of the questions which I think most of us will know, and at the same time, there are a few questions in which the terms used never existed in my dictionary! Well, I shall not elaborate further. I managed to complete both parts way efore the 2 hours, and my mind began to wander. I counted the number of lights in the large hall. 13X12, that is the number. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who counted. Charmine counted too. After the 2 hours, we had a 15 mins break and guess what, I saw Wanting! It's her birthday today! Happy Birthday! Anyway, after the short break, we went back to another gruelling 2 hours of another 100 questions again! This time, after completing the paper, I was already thinking of what to eat for dinner!
Eventually, we were dismissed. We walked to the bus-stop and waited for the bus. The first time we saw the bus, we were still debating whether it is a loop service or not. And we saw a bus-stop opposite and thought maybe it was not. So, we did not board it. But it turns out that the bus-stop opposite is for the shuttlebus. And so, we waited for another bus. And when it came, it was so overcrowded that we could not even board it. Sadly and angrily, we had to wait for the third one. This time, we finally board the bus. But it was so filled with people that I thought I might suffocate to death should I alight any minute later.
Upon reaching Jurong point, I went to Life Bookshop and bought a book and then bought my dinner. I took a bus home. The journey was so long. But at least I get to sit. Now, I'm really tired. Need to rest and sleep. I thought I said that I would keep the blog short and sweet?
Well, I guess Chinese was alright. I'll keep my fingers cross for the result.
And so, after Chinese, we met Miss Lee outside the hall and she brought us to NIE, NTU, where we were supposed to go for the Olympiad. So much for empowering us. Anyway, we set off and took the same bus and train as my mentor and jj. A pity that they did not join us. I think that they were going to jurong point for lunch. They've been saying that since op on tues. At Boon Lay Interchange, we took 199 to NIE, NTU. We were the first in the line. Soon, students from jj came. Shortly after, came rj, hc and ac. All of them had some notes in their hands. Some rj people were even carrying Campbell!!! The old edition, noted Allele. So scary!!!Well, we were not put off by that. At least Charmine and Mark were not. They were pretending that they had long studied and were, you know, revising. What crap! 199 came some time later and we board the bus. It was so packed. Most of them had to stand. Soon, we began our journey to NIE, NTU. As we did not eaten our lunch, we decided to stop at the cafe for a quick bite. Maybe it's because we had a teacher with us. Cos, when we alight, the rest followed suit. We climbed up this really long stairay to the cafe. It's called "Stairway to heaven". What a nice name. But nevertheless, it was really energy demanding to climb it. After a quick lunch of sandwiches, we went to the venue to take the paper. We were late by only 3 mins??! But we just miss out on the instructions part. We have two hours to complete Part A and B of the paper. There are 100 questions altogether. There are some of the questions which I think most of us will know, and at the same time, there are a few questions in which the terms used never existed in my dictionary! Well, I shall not elaborate further. I managed to complete both parts way efore the 2 hours, and my mind began to wander. I counted the number of lights in the large hall. 13X12, that is the number. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who counted. Charmine counted too. After the 2 hours, we had a 15 mins break and guess what, I saw Wanting! It's her birthday today! Happy Birthday! Anyway, after the short break, we went back to another gruelling 2 hours of another 100 questions again! This time, after completing the paper, I was already thinking of what to eat for dinner!
Eventually, we were dismissed. We walked to the bus-stop and waited for the bus. The first time we saw the bus, we were still debating whether it is a loop service or not. And we saw a bus-stop opposite and thought maybe it was not. So, we did not board it. But it turns out that the bus-stop opposite is for the shuttlebus. And so, we waited for another bus. And when it came, it was so overcrowded that we could not even board it. Sadly and angrily, we had to wait for the third one. This time, we finally board the bus. But it was so filled with people that I thought I might suffocate to death should I alight any minute later.
Upon reaching Jurong point, I went to Life Bookshop and bought a book and then bought my dinner. I took a bus home. The journey was so long. But at least I get to sit. Now, I'm really tired. Need to rest and sleep. I thought I said that I would keep the blog short and sweet?
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