Presentation over!!

Was super busy the last weeks preparing for my annual presentation. Once a year we get the "chance" to present our work to everyone in the research institute. And today was my turn! Was kinda scary because I did some new experiments while Dana was away, and since the data was not what I expected, I had to interpret it myself! But nobody questioned my model... phew! Now it's back to "work" i.e. experiments. Didn't do any this whole week, coz super stressed out with presentation. 4 more months to go.... to finish everything!!!! Arrrrggghhh!!!

Fruity

In my previous post, I mentioned our talk over dinner with Michael Brand about flies and homosexuality. It's actually really interesting. Apparently, there is a gene that changes the sexual behaviour of flies, so instead of courting a female, these flies would court the males, and also welcome being courted. This will obviously be a strong arguement that gays are gays because they can't help it. I listened once to Sy Rogers speaking about homosexuality. Must listen to it again. If gays are gays because they're geneticaly predisposed, then why is it wrong to be gay? It's like a mutation, just like if you have a mutation in a gene that causes you cancer, it doesn't make it wrong to have a growth. Why do we have to make gays straight? Is it God's intention for gays to be gays and we are just judging people? My reasoning is that God asked Adam to be fruitful and multiply. And even if you don't believe in the bible, it's quite obvious our "function" to pass on our genes to the next generation. Even animals do it naturally. If gays are meant to be, then why can't men produce offspring with men, and similarly women with women?

Check out this link to read more about "fruity" or the scientific and more politically correct term "fruitless" fly.

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD004521.html

Women in Science

While talking to Michael Brand about "science" stuff, we somehow diverted to the topic of giving birth (I can't think how we got to the subject, vaguely recalling we were dicussing about flies and homosexuality just before). And I said that Dana thinks I should get married and have kids only AFTER my PhD, as for an obvious reason, it would take up a lot of my time, and I would be less flexible to work in the weekends etc. and in the long run, slow down productivity. He was rather surprised. He said after a PhD, it doesn't get easier, responsibilities just get bigger, and workload just increases. From post-doc, you aim for group leader, from group leader you aim for director of research institutes, and it goes on. And he said that Chistiane Nusslein-Volhard actually has donated a part of her Nobel Prize money towards a fund that supports "mothers" in research. And so I was taking a break and decided to do some googling, and found that there is an award to support young women in science. And was even more surprised that a Malaysian has won it in 2001. And when I clicked on the link....

I almost choked. There she was staring me in the face, one of the worst lecturers ever, Dr. Suraini Abdul Aziz. How did they even pick her?!? The I found out that the only was you can be considered for this award is if you are nominated by your country. I rest my case.

Health Questions answered...

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable slop.

Q: Is beer or wine bad for me?
A: Look, it goes to the earlier point about fruits and vegetables. As we all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three categories: animal, mineral, and vegetable. We all know that beer and wine are not animal, and they are not on the periodic table of elements, so that only leaves one thing, right? My advice: Have a burger and a beer and enjoy your liquid vegetables.

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one. Sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain = Good. Or better yet... No Pain = No Pain.

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: What's the secret to healthy eating?
A: Thicker gravy.

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach!

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO... Cocoa beans... another vegetable!!! It's the best 'feel-good' food around!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

Storms....

This morning it rained yet again! Now there's another few new leaks in my ceiling. When oh when will they fix it? A few months ago, when there was a storm, my whole roof was literally blown off... and now at this new place, again I'm having roofing problems. I wanted to go for the first service today, but stayed home instead and observed my leakage. The sky cleared up awhile later, and I made it for the second service. Ironically, Rev Phil Pringle said faith is that even if there's a storm, you will still go to church, even if your house floods over, you will still make it to church. And I was worried about a little leak. Shucks...

The last week has been difficult. I didn't get a scholarship to go to a conference in Utah, Salt Lake City. Was quite dissapointed especially since my supervisor said I have to decide if I want to go to this conference.... if I go for this one, I can't go for any other conferences anymore throughout my PhD. I felt that it was really unfair. She told me I could go to a zebrafish conference and another conference of my choice every year! And now, she changed her mind?!? But that's my personal scientific budget! I didn't even spend much... all the conferences I've been to, I've received travel grants. I made an effort to always apply for scholarships so that I could go to any conference I want to! The other PhD student didn't even apply for any scholarships,and she's always been to 2 or more conferences a year! Sighz.... sometimes I think it's so unfair. I put in so much hard work..... but yet..... experiments don't work out, scholarship applications get rejected.... arrrggghhh!

But no matter what, I'm going to praise God! I can overcome all things.No matter how exhausted I feel, God will be my strength! I'm not going to sleep 12 hours/ day anymore! God will heal me from my lethargy. My experiments will work out. God will reveal new inspirations and idea for my experiments. God will bless my relationships with my friends. I praise God for the sun that always shine so brightly after a storm. And I can see my sun peeking out now through the clouds..... in all things, praise God!

Imagination running wild...

When I come back late at night, all tired out, and sit down on the sofa.... I wish Sam was here next to me. And when I look up at the wooden panels above my head, I remember the funny moment when we were both just sitting down and looking at the wooden panels and having our imagination run wild... since then, I've identified a few new ones!

Rabbit:



















Gandalf from LOTR:



















Skunk:






















Little chick:















Deer:





















Crying rhino? (I thought it looked more like a crying dinosaur fossil):

God therapy, shopping therapy and KFC therapy

I spent the day taking a long walk outside in nature, being in God's presence. then did some shopping therapy and bought a bluetooth headset, then bought myself a KFC meal.... and it's so therapeutic. I'm not irritable anymore! ;)

Check out my new bluetoothe headset: Jabra BT500V

Took me awhile to configure it to use it with my laptop, since I'm almost technologically illiterate. Decided I was going to multitask, and get a bluetooth so I can do other things while chatting!! How's that for efficiency?

My fully loaded meal: I used to have KFC mashed potatoes when I'm feeling a bit out of the weather... but they don't have it here, but a KFC meal is good enough!

Jinny = Irritable

This week has been a rather productive week. I found a new mutant, did tons of immunohistochemistry, did a TUNEL assay and an in situ hybridization; and on top of that, I pen down the figures of my first scientific paper, and made changes to the introduction for the paper. But it wasn't enough... I still had loads of things to do. All the workload running round and round in my head made me irritable. I wasn't really in a bad mood. Most of the time, I was smiling and joking around. But irritable I was...

And today, as usual Saturday is my "calling day"... but mum and dad wasn't at home to pick up the phone, and he was somehow occupied. And as I sat in front of the computer staring blankly at it, I was irritable. I was annoyed that I had pushed all my experiments till later, and that means that I have to stay in the lab till past midnight (and have to wake up early to go to church the next morning)... and all because I wanted to chat with my loved ones, and yet don't get to really with them. Instead I was just waiting and waiting... not knowing if they were busy and not expecting to chat with ... and that I could go on and do my own stuff, or if they were going to be free in a short moment. This not knowing made me irritable. I felt like I was wasting my time. And I couldn't start with my own stuff, because once I start, I've to continue working for many many hours. So I waited and waited, until I decided to just forget it, and do my own stuff, before I get more irritable and start growling.

I realized the higher I go in my career, the less time I have for my friends. Everything has to be planned. Organized. I even have a plan for "rest". I have to make an extra effort to go out with friends, and when plans change, it irritates me. When friends cancel our "date", I'm irritated because Í'll start thinking if not because of this, I could have done this extra experiment. I'm officially a workaholic. And a non-flexible one. I don't think this is healthy. But how can I go far if I'm not a workaholic in such a competitive world.

Sometimes, I think back about my dreams and "ambition" when I was in kindergarten... to be a housewife. It would be so nice to stay at home, take care of my kids, and give my husband a nice massage after he comes back from a long day at work, prepare a nice meal for my family, bake delicious cakes, prepare a nice healthy lunch pack for my kids and husband, go on picnics with my family, etc. Somehow along the way, I became more and more ambitious... from a housewife, I wanted to be a teacher, then a lecturer, then an interior designer, then a doctor, then a research scientist, then a scientific group leader, then a director of a research institute, then a Nobel Prize winner... and now after being irritable with "him" it made me think and rewind back and I think I should start prioritizing my life. Is my Nobel Prize more important or "him"? I may not be able to give up my career advancement, but I'm willing to give up my Nobel Prize. That's a start at least... and someday when we commit to each other on a deeper level for lifelong partnership, maybe I'll prioritize again, and would be happy being a lecturer, and writing books in my spare time.... and have more time for my family.