Mousie's House

byebye blog

2009-11-22T10:38:00.000+11:00

Got a new blog. To the next to the next:
maiwai.posterous.com

ramblings again

2009-11-20T22:49:00.003+11:00

I have written 2000 words in my lit review. My target is around 10,000. And 10,000 GOOD words, not random repetitiveness. All before next Friday. (Note: Its taken me 3 months to write 2000 words. Ah, the downsides on having "stress" as a motivator.). I also have to analyse my SAXS data, as well as re-run some other crystallography programs. All before the Christmas holidays. Oh, and do more lab work. Yup. Life's fun.

***
I want my crystals to grow, so I can shoot them at the synchrotron, so I can collect bloody fucking data.

But its a Saturday tomorrow, and I really don't want to go to the synchrotron.

Lose-lose situations: my life is filled with them.

***
I do have a thing for tall, blonde, pretty boys. There. I've said it. Got it out of my system.

Used to think it was just tall, but I realise that its now a combo of three. Dammit.

(Auds if you're reading this: I'M ALL FOR TALL ASIAN GUYS! WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR! AND DECENT LOOKING! I'M SURE A COUPLE OF THEM EXIST!)

***
Short skirts.... bwahahaha... my fashion weakness... together with crazy nail polish, big rock chick hair and white and gold accessories. And in the past year or so, fake flowers to stick in my hair. White flowers on black hair, timeless fashion statement (at least it is, in my mind). Dark red flowers are hot too.

Speaking of white and gold accessories, I think I lost my favourite white and gold bracelet. Boo.

***
I need another pair of sneakers, another pair (or three) of ballet flats, and a couple of sandals, and a part time job.

***
Bed time!

Bad MOUSE! BAD!

2009-11-19T21:32:00.001+11:00

I went to supre and bought a short little skirt. in Black. Now I want the same in pink. I knew I should've gotten both. Ah well. I'll go again on sunday.

No money yet still shopping. Bad mouse. BAD BAD.

Hmmm

2009-11-15T10:46:00.003+11:00

I'm still two-ways about Owl City, a one man band from the U S of A. I like the music, and I did initially like his voice, but all his songs seem "same same... but different", and more same than different. I think its due to his voice and the instruments he uses, they all seem to be the same in all the tracks i've heard. Ah well. Its nice enough.

nerd!

2009-11-14T21:48:00.003+11:00

There's a blog on crystallography and SAXS (two techniques which I'm in the process of trying very hard to learn.)

Oh God.

Nerd.

P212121

(P212121 is one of the space groups in a crystallography... a space group is.... oh cbf, I'm sounding way too nerdy already.)

excuse me...

2009-11-14T11:15:00.001+11:00

whilst i go melt in the sun.

WILL THESE DREAMS STOP????

2009-11-08T10:33:00.002+11:00

I dreamed that I had an exam on Tuesday, and was stressing on how I was going to study for it.

And I also dreamed that I was at Flinders station, and forgetting if I parked my car at Huntingdale or Caulfield. And then realised, hey, its a dream, I'm actually in bed.

No wonder I'm still tired. Bah.

giggle giggle

2009-11-07T10:07:00.002+11:00

This site is funny. GIGGLES: http://mydadisafob.com/

Because my friends and I are so classy:

Teddy was a "yeah! you're back!" present from Nik and Skinny, after I grumbled that "I WANT A TEDDY TOO!" when I saw pictures of the Lorne conference where they got teddies from.
She was once a "He" but because of "his" attendence at girly events, and dressing up in a fascinator on Melbourne cup day (pictures up when I can be bothered), he became a she. Some one said Teddy was a "Lady boy" but no, I decided to make her a girl now.

omg please let this not be a dream!!!!!

2009-11-02T07:11:00.003+11:00

I ended up kissing someone who although I don't hate, I don't like either, he's in the Mouse's "Ambivalent" category. Anyway, alarm bells went "clang clang clang! He's a dick head! Remember! He's a jerk!" (Which is true, which is why I don't like him, but because he hasn't done anything to me, I don't hate him either.)

And then I woke up.

I don't know if I was disappointed or not, I'm not too sure.

(Tim tams were involved, and I don't know if its because I had a tim tam last night, or because some bug crawled into my mouth and I crunched it up. Ewww.)

That's it. Need a man. Now. ASAP.

***
Someone told me that he could sleep straight through the night, waking up only when his three alarm clocks go off. I gave him a jealous look, filled with daggers. I wish I could do that, but I wake up at the slightest noise. And have strange dreams all through the night.

omigod PLEASE LET THIS BE A DREAM

2009-11-01T13:49:00.003+11:00

I tattooed a pair of big pink wings on my back and immediately regretted it. How much would this cost to get lasered off?? What was I thinking??? It looks horrendous! And it clashes with my fairy on my back! I know I wanted another tattoo, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't the one I wanted! Oh my god this can't be real! I wish this was a dream! I really wish it was a dream!

And then I woke up.

DREAMS SHOULDN'T SCARE ME SHITLESS LIKE THAT!!!!

And then there were the other weird dreams I had between 7.30am and 11am this morning, whilst I drifted in and out of sleep. Ah well. Thats my subconscious for you.

***
I wish I could write the way poets, musicians and writers can write. But I just ramble, writing everything that comes to mind, without bothering to make it sound poetic.

***
Listening to Muse's Super Massive Black Hole. They're playing at Big Day Out, and I'm not going, and I'm pissed.

i need more time. to sleep.

2009-10-28T20:41:00.003+11:00

Its not because I lack sleep, but if I had more time to sleep, I'd have more time to do all the work that I have to do.

I have to hand in a scholarship application by this Friday, a poster to finish by 13th November, 2 proper poster abstracts for Lorne and Erice to be handed in by the end of November, 10000 experiments to finish by this Friday, 3 days of full on preparation for at least 2 days of synchrotron from thursday to monday (I hope I get the good shifts, and not the crummy 12am to 8am, or Friday afternoon to Saturday night shift. betcha i get the crummy shifts. BOO YOU.), and a lit review I've been working on for the past 6 months to finish. Granted, I've made more progress in the past week than in the last 6 months.

Stress-nyaaaaaaa.

OK lit review, here I come....

Killer bird

2009-10-27T21:09:00.003+11:00

I've been walking home the last couple of weeks, JUST FOR FUN. No, not really, I'm trying to squeeze every little bit of exercise during this time, since the weather is just right for long walks.

Last week, and this week, I've been the object of target practise by a puny little bird. Ok, maybe not target practise, probably more like "BIG MOVING ORGANISM WALKING TOWARDS MY BABIES! KILL KIL KILL!!!".

I wonder where the term "bird-brained" came from?

Hey BIRD. LOOK AT THIS BIG MOVING OBJECT. DO I LOOK LIKE I'M GOING TO CLIMB A TREE AND STEAL YOUR BABIES!?!?!?

And, I've been walking past that road for the past couple of weeks. WHEN HAVE I EVER STOPPED TO EVEN CONTEMPLATE EATING YOUR BABIES???

Total DUUH. That bird freaks me out. Swoops down, chirps (yes, a cute little chirp, not a big scary SQWAK!!). I'm wondering who's blood will flow when beak hits my thick skull.

***

Been having the Havana nights soundtrack playing non stop at home and at work. I have the songs in my head.... "represent, represent CUBA!"

I miss the days

2009-10-25T16:20:00.002+11:00

I miss the days when we used to hang out together.

I miss the days when the only reason was to have fun.

I miss the days when we'd laugh "just because"

I miss the days when everything was just simple.

Flashdance

2009-10-24T16:01:00.004+11:00

Flashdance. Such a shitty movie, and yet so classic :).

Havana nights, or Dirty Dancing II, Patrick Swayze made an appearance, and he was still a hot salsa dancer. Havana nights was a horrible movie as well, but we had fun listening to the songs.

And Wedding date. No comment.

kanasai walao wei

2009-10-19T22:42:00.003+11:00

I swear to god that i can never remember my username and password to access my blog. Grumble grumble boo.

***

I need a part time job. To supplement my current income. So I can buy stuff I want. Being poor sucks. Why did I do science. I need a sugar daddy. Some one get me one.

***

I wanted to type more but everything just flew out of my head. Ah well. I'll do it tomorrow.

mwahaha

2009-10-18T11:14:00.001+11:00

My precious mp3 player came back! after a month of getting fixed! YES!!!!

My life is livable again.

10,000 steps

2009-10-16T22:44:00.007+11:00

My team members for the 10,000 step challenge have been beating me. BAD. I'm only at 100,000+ steps. The rest have at least 20,000 steps more. Grrrr. This is bringing out the competitive streak in me. Ok, maybe remembering to bring in the pedometer out everyday may help in the step count. Oh WELL. I'll go running tomorrow. And I foresee a lot of walking around. Maybe I'll hit 20,000 steps in a day. Maybe.

***

Rish came over for dinner. Forced the poor thing to walk 5km home with me, because I had a large lunch, and chocolate, and decided that I REALLY NEEDED TO GET THOSE STEPS UP. The 1 hour walk was good though. Love having someone to talk with. I've walked home three times this week, and it takes on average 7,000 steps. The 10,000 step challenge has forced me to wake up and see how much exercise I actually do do on a daily basis. If I didn't walk home, I'd be only doing 7,000-ish steps a day. And this is with jumping up from the chair and walking to the lab, and doing lab work. If I didn't do any lab work, my step count would be much, much, much less. I think I'll continue with the challenge even after the month is up.

***

The pedometer that we got is dodgy as. I sat on the chair, swivelled a bit, and had 6 steps. WOW. And it keeps resetting itself. I don't mind, its just amusing, when, at the end of the day, I find out I've only done 254 steps.

***

And just to show how abnormally wet its been the past few days:

Yawn

2009-10-14T08:17:00.003+11:00

Its spring!

Oh LOOK! THE SUN IS NOT SHINING!

ITS RAINING ITS POURING!

Bugger it all.

I'm freezing. Grumble grumble boo.

Chicago! ALL THAT JAZZ!

2009-10-11T12:23:00.002+11:00

So one fine saturday afternoon (i.e. yesterday), Nic, Blondie and I went to Her Majesty's Theater to watch Chicago. And we loved it! I know people said that Wicked was good, and I DID think that it was good, but omg, Chicago BLEW MY MIND. BLEWS ITS.

The incredible singing, the amazing script (and hilarious one-liners: *Cross heart* "NOT GUILTY!"), the mind-blowing dances, and the brilliant camaradarie between actors and the band, and having front row seats. Ok, and a whole bunch of men with six-packs wearing vests or see through tops, and pants so tight you could see their G-strings. Holy Mary, Mother of Christ. (I'm not Christian, but I tend to use JESUS, GOOD GOD, and other blasphemous descriptions, its bad, but its fun. And and after yesterday's musical, it just got worse.). I liked the whole way the show was designed, using the same actors, wearing the same costumes, to play different roles.

Totally worth the price tag.

Yup.

2009-10-04T13:13:00.003+11:00

Went to the Dali Exhibition at 2 in the morning, and spent an hour in line. It was ridiculous. But it was worth it. We did consider skipping the line and come back at some crazy time like 6 or 7am, but decided NOPE. WE'RE HERE WE'RE DOING IT. It was crazy, stupid, probably a waste of time and energy, but so totally us.

I liked it a lot. Dali must've been some arrogant, narcissistic, sex-crazed bastard, but that mental mind of his made the most awesome paintings and sketches.

Next up on the "MyY trying to get some dose of culture" list, my annual trip to the museum.

***
Colbie caillat - kiss the girl.
Yes yes, it was originally from the Little Mermaid. I was a fan of the original Sebastian the crab version, but this version is really nice as well.
And I think that Colbie Caillat is a very decent singer/songwriter.

***
I'm rambling because I haven't had sleep for the past.... erm.... well I was up at 8am yesterday, and went back for a nap at 2pm till 3.30pm.... so I guess... 20-ish hours? Need to catch up on some zzzs.

Clean clean clean

2009-10-03T11:32:00.004+10:00

I've emptied out the drawers, wiped down the surfaces, oops i haven't placed all my clothes in their proper place yet... maybe refold everything? nOpe can't be stuffed, cleaning mode has gone. The sun is shining in the sky and I'm going for a long run. Ah life is good.

Plan for the rest of the day:

1. Dig out mum's stuff and organise all her clothes from the 80s and 90s, hoping to dig out some good stuff, but not being too optimistic about the whole venture.

2. Lug laptop to uni and utilize the free wifi and do 5 seconds worth of work

3. Run home (leave laptop behind, in a bid for a technology free weekend.)

4. Shower

5. Nap for a long time

6. Have that family dinner

7. Head into the city for the Dali Exhibition

8. Spend 4 hours looking at paintings

9. Watch the sun come out

***

3 hours later...

1. Not going to uni anymore

2. Because going through all that junk from the 80s took more time than i anticipated.

3. Found three dresses, two skirts, a little cami and a big oversized jumper.

4. Need to lose 5kg to squeeze into the two pencil skirts... one is hot red, the other is hot pink. I'm imagining them teamed with a plain white or black blouse, and sky high heels.

5. Off to mop the kitchen floor now.

high on....

2009-10-01T21:46:00.002+10:00

life? maybe? i dunno.

I'm sleepy and full of dumplings. Means I can't go to zzz land at the moment. Bah.

And I don't feel like posting anything. Ah wells.

Heading to the Dali Exhibition (OMG FINALLY) on Saturday night, when they have the whole 24 hour thing. That would be interesting.

ARGH SO MANY PASSWORDS

2009-09-28T20:21:00.004+10:00

Back in the day, when I was just starting to use the webs, I had only ONE password, it had a reason behind it, a reason which to a heartbroken 16 year old MADE SENSE. Fast forward 8 years, and that same password is still being used. Why? Because MY BRAIN CELLS ARE FUCKED.

One day a couple of years back, I decided to change my password with a past, and after changing passwords on several of my internet accounts, decided, I REALLY CANNOT BE STUFFED. And I couldn't delete my email accounts, because it was more effort than it was worth. So now I'm stuck with heart broken password, a slightly different version of heart broken password, and other password when I decided to change. And do you think I can remember which password is for which account? NO I CAN'T. Add to the problem that I have three different usernames, all same same but different, and IT TAKES FOREVER TO LOG INTO A WEB SITE. AND, for websites that use email addresses as a log-in name..... DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY EMAIL ADDRESSES I HAVE????

Nak pengsan. Make my own life difficult.

***

Finally cracked and started to play farmville on facebook. Oh no. THE HORROR.

***

Went shopping on Friday morning with Dr T and Nikita, because Dr T is getting married, and he needed a suit. in our defense, we were going on Saturday, but Dr T ended up at the synchrotron, and I was suppose to go but my name wasn't put down but ended up at work ANYWAY. And Nikita ended up at work as well. Having never shopped at Bridge Road before, all I can say is.... I HAVE MISSED OUT.

We're going back to pick up Dr T's suit (the T is tall.) on Thursday, HENCE MORE SHOPPING!!! OMG!!! BWAHAHA.

REALLY.... Dammit

2009-09-23T20:25:00.002+10:00

Someone told me that he had a breakdown during his early 20s, during which he went through one of those "omg, what am I going to do with my life" periods, and another breakdown just recently.

And during this same conversation, another lady said that she went totally berserk a month before her 30th birthday.

And another girl just recently went through a "what the hell have I done in my 26 years of life... why do all my friends have things that I want but don't have????" moment.

I freaked out, because the first guy said that if you had a little mini breakdown during your early 20s (as I did last year), you'd have a major one when you hit the late 20s, and again when you're about to hit 30, especially if you hadn't figured out life and let everything go.

I'm so screwed then. Here's to a life of freak-outs, break-downs, soul-searching, bad choices.

Ah well.

I wish I could remember

2009-09-21T18:08:00.001+10:00

Hot guy and I can't remember.

Got denied entry into two clubs and I can't remember.

At least I got home in one piece.

And I'm honestly never going to drink that much again.

just rambling

2009-09-15T22:05:00.002+10:00

my yellow nail polish by rimmel isn't looking so hot... done three coats and my nails underneath still show.

sent the mac to the mac store at uni, because it wasn't switching on when i tried. and lo and behold. mr mac turned it on and it turned on. He looked at me like i was dumb. MAKE ME LOOK STUPID. BOO YOU MACBOOK.

CHADDY VIP NIGHT HERE I COME. Getting a halo, maybe? Definitely white accessories, Diva i'm coming...!!!

omg this looks weird

2009-09-13T14:55:00.000+10:00

Using the mac at work, and why does my editing screen look weird? Aiya, anyhoos.

My Macbook broke down, two weeks after getting it, not happy. My Mp3 broke as well, less than a year after getting it. All hail warranty. Not very impressed with my modern technology at the moment.

Stress levels are hmmm... skyrocketing probably isn't even an exaggeration. Grumpy because the sun is coming out and I'm stuck in the lab. Purifying proteins, and the week ahead looks scary. I'm taking one day at a time... Lab presentation, screening crystals and more purification on Monday, setting up crystal trays on Tuesday, probably more crystal trays and screening on Wednesday, and Synchrotron again on Thursday (please God, I know I'm just a speck in the universe, but please don't let me end up with the 8am shift....I'll take the afternoon or midnight shift very happily), and then FRIDAY!!! MPA BALL!!! ALCOHOL! LOADS OF IT! WOOHOO! Please let friday come.....

Was stuck with the Boss at the synchrotron for 18 hours on tuesday, and he was kept entertained by making sucking and blowing jokes at my expense, I was thoroughly sick of it by the end.

Yippee, sky is turning grey again, AT LEAST I'M NOT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD WIND. I keep telling myself that.

Back to doing my presentation....

waiting for myself to crash

2009-09-10T20:16:00.002+10:00

I was awake for 22 hours yesterday, and dragged myself back to work today to set up crystal trays. I'm waiting to crash from exhaustion, but I haven't yet. I suppose I will after work tomorrow, when I finally let myself relax very very slightly.

I'm craving for a glass of red or a bottle of beer, and just chill.

my brain hurts

2009-09-07T22:11:00.001+10:00

I'm demonstrating third year students on x-ray crystallography in two weeks time... and i don't know anything....

doing the prac makes my brain hurt.

Issues

2009-09-03T22:58:00.001+10:00

I have issues with people who can't control how much alcohol they drink.

And people who are negative about everything.

And people who will turn their back on you in a blink of an eye.

And yet I'm still friends with them.

AM I AN IDIOT????

Whoosh

2009-09-01T22:01:00.002+10:00

I'm craving, in no particular order:
1. a Chanel bag
2. Satay
3. Ramlee burger
4. Thosai, naan and roti canai with dhaal
5. summer dresses
6. Dress for Derby day and Monash postgrad ball (Sheri H, are you going?)
7. Polenta chips
8. Ricotta balls
9. Eggplant, in any dish, must be mooshy.
10. Yoghurt
11. Carrot sticks (wtf.)
12. A really good salad (wtf take 2)
13. A really chunky vegetable or pumpkin soup (wt... oh hell.)
14. new sneakers
15. Chunky high heels
16. Liquid look leggings (15 and 16: been wondering if they're worth the purchase... too funky to last another season)
17. short short skirt
18. Leather jacket
19. Chocolate martinis
20. A really good book.

***
I read George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 in the past few weeks. Let's just say he wasn't a fan of communism. I'm not against the theory of communism, but it would never work because all humans are selfish assholes. And the thought of everyone being "same same" would just bore me.

***
I actually like going in to work early and on Sundays. Its quiet, and I can blast the music as loud as I want, and not wear earphones in the office area.

v xian ler

2009-08-29T10:14:00.002+10:00

I'm waiting for my ride to pick me up so we can head down to phillip island this freezing morning. Since its with lab people, I didn't expect anyone to be on time. Could've slept for another half an hour. Waiting waiting waiting badabambambam.

Made muffins. Yummy. No fail this time. Hip hip hoorah!!!

I wish I'd stop dreaming about certain people. PLEASE. IT MAKES ME CRANKY WHEN I WAKE UP.

lalala i'm a unix geek

2009-08-26T19:53:00.002+10:00

I am now a unix geek. I can program stuff now! wow. From biochemist nerd to mac geek. oh. my. god.

***
I have been coughing non stop the whole day. My throat is still itchy. Staying away from unhealthy fried stuff for a while... sigh wanted to make spring rolls but its not happening any time soon.

***
Slightly dead tired. Just slightly. Unix makes my brain hurt. Trying to solve structures and heading into dead ends make my brain hurt. Just thinking makes my brain hurt.

***
Tried making muffins last night, the almost-vegan ones were yum (almost vegan because I used half soy milk, half real milk, because although I knew there were unopened packets of soy milk in the house I couldn't be bothered finding one.), but the ones with butter were epic fail. Thinking back I probably used only one cup of flour instead of two, in my defense I was tired and maybe slightly stressed. Someone at work said it was a "input error", after being told that I'd been computing the whole day. Haha. So lame. But I giggled anyway. Thats how tired I was.

ok another emo post but then it'll stop

2009-08-24T22:13:00.003+10:00

So on Friday I very rudely hung up the phone on my mother, and was an awful bitch about the whole thing, because I had preconceptions, which were not unfounded, but you'd think that training as a scientist wouldn't have me jumping to conclusions anymore.

So I got yelled at by my brother, half of which I thought was wrong (apparently every thing is about me, hello, pay for your own stuff then, bitch.) but the other half was right. And then he told me about what really happened (note, this was a couple of days later, when I kind of raised the white flag, because the suspense of not knowing was killing me. Honestly, guys should be the first to forgive. No wonder he's still single. Yes I'm in bitch mode, sue me.), I was horrified at what I had done. So I called mum, apologized, then I had to help fix the problem that had apparently been there for ages, but mum's family being mum's family, they don't say anything until the whole place is burning down. Hmmm, wonder where I got that gene from....

It is a monetary problem, and the sum isn't a ridiculous amount, but for me, its a decent cut of my savings, and I know that I'm not going to see that money back anytime soon. I'm glad my tax refund came in at this time. I am so regretting buying tickets to 'Chicago' and 'Cats' now, and yet I'm not. Some selfish part of me is wondering, why me? What happened to all the aunts and uncles who's kids have grown up? My grandma has 50 grand kids, so why not all the other cousins who are older and have loads more money than me. Surely they should help. On the other hand, maybe they are helping out, I just don't know. Argh I hate seeing things from both perspectives, it makes me forgive people, and some times forgiving is not an option. I'm no angel, and I'm going to whinge about it, and then I'll feel bad about whinging about it, because people may think I don't really want to help, but I really do, its just a really bad time to help.

Shit happens for a reason I suppose. But couldn't it happen AFTER I finish my phd and I'm not struggling with money?

Bitches bastards idiots

2009-08-22T11:19:00.000+10:00

ITS NOT THAT I DON'T CARE!

I've just gone past the point of caring, I really can't be bothered anymore.

And if you think its because I'm selfish, well, you haven't cared enough in the past to be hurt by the same thing over and over again.

Random 472

2009-08-20T19:51:00.002+10:00

My throat hurts too much to even swallow. WHY OH WHY AM I BEING PUNISHED???

***
Went to the synchrotron to talk to the Tall Blonde Supervisor (as opposed to Tall Old Supervisor. Why are my supervisors so tall? I look like a bloody midget.), at around 2pm today. As soon as we drove down the driveway leading into the compound, I started yawning. And Tall Old Supervisor said he felt tired just looking at the building. Its an automatic reaction all of us have, the number of times we've spent in the synchrotron doing all-nighters. Apparently when they go overseas to use the synchrotrons there, the very thought just makes them tired. No sleep, bad food, unhappy times all round.

***
Been told I may be going to Queensland to do experiments there... I'm not complaining. I will when I actually do get there, but for now the thought of sun and sea, I'M ALL UP FOR IT!

***
I take too many blowfish photos its ridiculous.

***
Politics in science, scary, but hey, my supervisor is now head of the unit, I can't complain. I get things done in record time. Moral of the story? Play nice kiddies! Be nice and you shall be rewarded.

Score!

2009-08-16T17:29:00.002+10:00

A couple of weeks ago, Nic gave me a voucher for two free lancome samples from Myer. Since I was in chaddy, I went to the Lancome counter, and instead of two crummy itsy bitsy sachets of samples, I was given a small tube of tinted moisturizer, and a jar of night moisturizer. Was I surprised by the size, YES I WAS. Both would last me a good month or more, even with regular use.

Today, I went to the Clinique counter in search of more moisturizer (Lancome stuff smells great and all, but I'm not sold), and balked at the price of the anti-aging moisturizer with spf15 ladida. I can justify the price IF I like the product, but I wasn't too sure about the product (anti aging...Rea, so I asked the lady if she had samples instead. Again, I was expecting sachets, and out pops a little bottle of moisturizer.

The phd student in me popped out, hmm, if this clinique counter gives me such a large sample, what about OTHER clinique counters? And the same thing happened!!! Except the lady at the other counter gave me another different type of moisturizer which I'm more happy about.

Ok, in my defense, I will buy the product if I like it, but I didn't want to pay$90 for a moisturizer which may suck.

Little things like this make me happy.

我只是很想打中文

2009-08-13T22:30:00.002+10:00

雖然說
讀我部落格的人
好像都不會看中文但是唉唷算了吧

病終於好了
雖然還有點咳嗽
躺在床上一個星期
一直想說我真的很想死
到了覺得自己又像活人的那一天
又再度體會健康不是自己說我要健康就健康
can't take it for granted
(我的華文真的很爛... 這一句都不能翻)
這週末我要去跑步
跑很遠很遠
因為跑步時的喘氣是證明我還活著的證據

或許休息太久了自己對自己的工作有愧疚感
但是回去做工的時候非常之有精神

我要睡覺

RANT

2009-08-09T13:49:00.002+10:00

BECAUSE　ITS MY BLOG AND I'LL RANT IF I WANT TO. SO THERE.

More of a whinge really, because i'm stuck at home, still with a hack hack hack cough cough cough, and I've got 4 layers of tees and jumpers on, and I'm still cold, and the heater makes me feel sick coz its so hot and stuffy. No, i'm not in a good mood, good grammar and capital "i"s be damned. I want chocolate cake, or chocolate mousse, and theres none in sight.

Heres to another weekend at home

2009-08-07T23:52:00.001+10:00

Not by choice, tis because I'm still sick somewhat, and decided on a self-imposed house arrest. After I hop over to the library for books, and priceline for much needed cosmetic shopping.

I finally figured out...

2009-08-05T18:19:00.001+10:00

what mofo means.

AND I KNEW THAT IT COULDN'T BE ANYTHING GOOD!!!

But I LIKE IT. Hey I'm crass and have no class, that's not new.

Can you tell im not in a good mood?

2009-08-01T17:14:00.006+10:00

Can't tell if you can see these pictures or not... but some screen shots from facebook, depicting my state of mind when I'm sick at home on a cold day.
One of our RAs sees this, and being his usual charming dripping with sarcasm self, decides to cheer me up, and free me from my self-induced boredom:

I reckon if you click on the picture you'll get a bigger one... and then you'll wonder why I work with strange people. Why were we talking about ants and termites? why would I want to skoosh ants? is skoosh even a proper word?

***
SHERI!!
LOOK AT THIS LINK: Docklands slow sundays
Lets go next weekend if I'm not sniffly and hacking my lungs out

PICTURES

2009-07-30T14:59:00.012+10:00

It takes forever to upload photos from my camera to my computer. Here are some pictures that aren't going onto facebook, just because they're too family friendly.

Kitty! The cat that lets me pull his tail, cuddle him, and doesn't mind when I push him off the chair.
Blue fingernails. Statement of the day.

Teddy @ work. My insane earring collection. Look carefully, and you'll notice a good half of them are BUTTERFLY EARRINGS!! WHEEE!!!!

My favourite oversized ring, usually I buy $3 rings from DIVA on sale, but I splurged and spent $30++ for this at a shop in chaddy, I can't remember the name of the shop, but I always go GAGAGAGA whenever I walk into it.

SICK AGAIN OMFG

2009-07-29T16:44:00.007+10:00

I told daddy on sunday night that I'm the only one in the family who hadn't been sick yet this winter. AND PROMPTLY BLOODY FUCKING HELL JINXED MYSELF. I'M SO SICK ITS NOT FUNNY. I've been in bed since 10pm last night, didn't wake till 12 in the afternoon, had some food, and went back to bed till 3.30, and laid in bed for god knows how long.

Sheri don't laugh dammit. I can see you falling off the chair.

Its times like this, when I'm sick, that the only people I want are my parents. I turn into this whiny 7 year old wanting daddy and mummy, wanting mum to cook me some chinese rice porridge with salted egg and lots of ginger, coriander and spring onions, and dad buying me chocolate cake and making milo and getting panadol for me. I think thats the reason why I still crave rice porridge, milo, and sugary sweet baked goods when I'm sick, even though milo and cake aren't good for me. And the whole house is kept quiet, and they tuck me into bed with thick heavy quilts (with the air conditioning turned on full blast), and make sure my brother isn't a pain in my ass. Now in Melbourne, I've got my little cousin shouting at the top of his lungs outside my room and I don't have the strength to kill him, I've got to make non-Malaysian milo, and the rice porridge my aunt cooked isn't what mummy used to make.

I want my mummy and daddy...............

I think all the sleep paid off, I'm feeling better now, and I'm hoping REALLY hoping I can get better by tomorrow because I really need to go into the lab to do some work and finish everything before next week. And I also want to go out on Friday to see off SL who's off to Adelaide for work.

WHY SICK NOW WHY!??!?!?!?!

***
And I bumped my head on the weekend again...

And again....

Meh

2009-07-26T18:22:00.005+10:00

What was I going to type? I forget.

***
Will be getting my new Mac Book Pro sometime this week, still shopping around, but the price seems to be the same EVERYWHERE. Damn Apple, making your products so hippy-elite-expensive. If it wasn't for the love I have for my Mac at work, I'd just say screw it I'm gonna get a PC. But once you go Mac you can't go back, and Macs are hot and sexy (ok, and its the perfect machine for a structural biologist, I keep telling myself that I am one, everyone who says otherwise can go jump off a cliff), that I yell at my poor old PC when I get home. Poor PC, you served me well the past five years, its just that I had a love affair with a Mac, and you're getting old, and I'm plain superficial.

***
Yasmin Ahmad passed away, director of Sepet and Gubra, and countless ads that prods the Malaysian community, and whispers gently, "this is Malaysia the way it should be, a multi-racial country, embracing family values, the community, simple and clean.". I watched Sepet and for the first time was ashamed of not understanding Bahasa Melayu as well as I should have. I watch her ads, the ones that touched my heart strings every time CNY, Hari Raya or Deepavali rolled around, and wished that I grew up in the country that was potrayed in the ads. Her death is our loss.

Probably bed time

2009-07-23T22:29:00.003+10:00

But I don't feel like sleeping.

***
I use less fancy words nowadays, I get straight to the point, don't play around with words, don't see how they feel on my tongue, I just want to tell the world what I think.

And it sucks.

I want to go back to the days when I'd wax lyrical about how blue the sky is (or isn't since its winter), and be a mini-emo again.

Oh well.

I'm growing up (Like, FINALLY). Less emo-ness, less shouting at the top of my lungs, less show of every emotion I'm feeling.
I take that part about "finally growing up" back

***
Tall, blonde and handsome.

But its always about him.

Why can't there be a perfect guy?

Perfectionism

2009-07-23T19:21:00.002+10:00

I have written the introduction... JUST THE INTRODUCTION... of my review paper, hmm... maybe, say, at least 4 times now, and I'm still not satisfied with the flow.

OCD hits again.

Michelle Pfeiffer is still hot

2009-07-21T21:38:00.002+10:00

Went to watch "Cheri" last night with Nic, she had free tix, what's a girl gonna say to free tix? NO? Hell no.

I liked the movie overall, thought that Michelle Pfeiffer's american accent spoilt the whole vibe a bit, it was set in the 19th century, and you kind of expect people to speak in a pommish or french accent. Rupert Friend, though not my type of guy, is easy on the eyes. The costumes....omg, the COSTUMES! The both of us just kept going "I want that hat, I want that dress" throughout the whole movie. The whole movie had a feel of being very decadant and lavish, and just made me want to live back in that time. And have lots of money.

There were a few scenes that made me think Pfeiffer was a bit stiff, and the actress that played Rupert Friend's mother a bit OTT, but Friend himself was brilliant in his role.

Whole point of this post? Pfeiffer. Hot. At 50. OMG. Hot.

Crash and burn

2009-07-18T15:49:00.002+10:00

4 hours sleep in 48 hours.

Never thought I'd make it back home.

Slept in till 1 today, and only woke up because the cousin was playing his recorder. Went back to sleep at 2, and woke up at 4... getting my 8 hours of sleep. FINALLY!

zzzz pt 2

2009-07-17T01:16:00.001+10:00

can't play bejewelled blitz on synchrotron pc.

Been awake since 8.30 this morning. Its now 1.23am. How many hours is that?

S and Nic are sleeping on the couches in the user room. And I'm blogging. And making no sense.

ARGH!!!

2009-07-16T20:47:00.001+10:00

Am going to synchrotron in another hour or so... around 10pm I reckon. Waiting for protein to concentrate.

Filling in a NHMRC scholarship form. Omg. It is so hard. Wanna die. Need help. Giving up for now. Brain dead.

zzzzzz

2009-07-14T08:24:00.002+10:00

I've been awake since 6am, and in work since 7. Its only 8.30 at the moment and I'm crashing. Tried lining 3 chairs up and falling asleep on them after I'd put my dialysis on, but the sun shining through the windows and the chairs being very roll-y didn't help. Thought of sleeping on the sofas in the common area, but decided against it as people were starting to rock up. Hence gave up, and am now blogging, and waiting another 20 minutes for my DNA to finish annealing.

***
Feel like getting my hair cut... damn, I have no more money in the bank (no, I'm not broke, its just that I don't want to touch my savings, and the money in my spending account is.... not much. Like... $20....), and my hairdresser only takes cash. Oh well. I'll get it chopped off next week then.

Pay day oh pay day, when art thou? (Tis this Thursday, by the way.)

***
Shall be going to the Salvador Dali exhibition this Saturday, or so I plan. Embracing my inner artist. I've started sketching again, and am going to get paints to start my painting again. I haven't touched a paint brush in years, so that'll be interesting. I've been planning on playing around with photoshop, but its too hard to work with a mouse, and a crappy computer. A couple of years ago I was thinking of investing in one of those electronic pens, but my brothers said with my attention span (all 3 minutes of it), it would be a waste of time, and I see his point. Sometimes I wish I actually did a proper arts degree instead of science. But then I'd be wondering why I didn't do a science degree..... lose-lose situation here. So embrace my inner artist!

Even though I've been going out or doing nothing on weekends, I'm still stressed. I blame it on NOT doing anything I want to do. Like running, playing the piano, and even drawing. Its because I'm so tired, all I want to do is sleep. I think I'll skip the partying this weekend and do all three of those.

Hallelujah

2009-07-12T22:12:00.003+10:00

I've been listening to several covers of the Leonard Cohen song, Hallelujah. The version I first heard and grew up with was by Jeff Buckley, and remains my favourite out of all the covers so far.

I always feel like crying when I listen to this song.

Jeff Buckley's version was one of the songs in triple J's hottest 100 of all time. Looking through the list I went on a downloading spree, Foo fighters, Powder finger, Silver chair, Pink Floyd... so many songs I've heard but never knew the name of, until today. Michael Jackson's thriller was also on the list, think I'll be getting one of his compilation albums, theres too many of his songs to download.

I swear by this

2009-07-12T00:45:00.003+10:00

My skin is getting better as I'm getting older (THANK GOD!), but its still a bit discolored, splotchy, and I still get pimples around my chin area (thank you hormones), so I'm on a continuous search for ANYTHING that makes my skin better. And I've found that cheap and dirty sometimes work better than the expensive stuff.

(Why I'm doing this post is beyond me.)

Every one has their own stock standard cleanser, toner, moisturizer, so skip that, and straight to my favourite stuff!!!!

Avocado mask:
Best thing ever for dry skin, especially in winter. Avocados are chockablock full with vit E, which reduces the appearances of scars (so its claimed), and its an oily fruit, which acts as a moisturizer. Basically, I get a quarter of an avocado, a heaping tablespoonful of sugar, and a small tablespoonful of honey, moosh everything together, and smear onto my face for 15 minutes. The whole concoction lasts a week, so I use it for a whole week, and my skin stays moisturized, with no dry flaky bits.

Yoghurt mask:
When I'm sick of avocado, I switch to yoghurt as a moisturizing mask. The pH of yoghurt is supposedly useful for restoring the pH of our skin, especially after the skin is exposed to air, sun, dust, grime, make up, and STUFF in general. I use full cream NATURAL yoghurt (NOT THE FLAVORED STUFF DUUH), because of my combination skin, but in summer, my skin turns oilier, and I switch to the low fat stuff. I basically just grab a tablespoonful of yoghurt and smear it on my face, again for 15 minutes, and after a month, my skin felt softer. I've recommended this to heaps of friends, and everyone loves it. However, if you don't eat yoghurt please don't bother. Its a waste, and theres probably something else out there that'll work just as well.

Aspirin mask:
Aspirin, also known as salicylic acid, or BHA, besides reducing pain, also acts as an exfoliant. Don't believe me? Look at the facial scrubs you have, theres a high chance it contains salicylic acid, or willowbark extract, from which aspirin is derived from. The first time I used it, my skin was so soft I was shocked. Get2 or 3 water-soluble aspirin (the cheap stuff is perfectly fine), and add a teaspoon of water, and apply liberally onto face for 10 minutes. Unlike the yoghurt and avocado mask which I sometimes leave on for half an hour or longer, I never leave the aspirin mask on for too long. And, unlike the yoghurt and avocado mask which I do most nights, I only do the aspirin mask once a week. Its a synthetic chemical, and you are putting high concentrations of it on your skin. I usually do it at night before I sleep, and after washing my face, put on a very thick night cream, as the skin can suck all the good moisturizing stuff easily.

I love to share these tricks, and I swear by all three of them. Still can't believe I'm doing this post, but I'm waiting for my hair to dry a bit more before I go to bed.

Looking forward to the weekend

2009-07-10T21:23:00.002+10:00

Had another conversation regarding "not much" again. This time the Supervisor was involved. He told me I didn't "need much" for mass spec. At which point, S jumped in and said, "yeah, you don't need much, not shitloads." And supervisor goes, "yeah, you need shitloads for crystallography and ITC, but not for mass spec.". S then continues, "You only need a fraction of not much, just a smidgen."

Thanks for quantifying how much protein I need for my experiments.

***
Going to the barbie exhibition tomorrow! So excited!

I first heard about it AGES ago, and thought, thats interesting, I really wanna go, but I don't think any one else will be interested. But Skinny brought it up one day, and Triple Trouble all went "YEAH YEAH YEAH!! LETS GO!!!!" So the three of us are going tomorrow, YIPPEE!!!!

***
Skinny's competing in a salsa competition tonight. Nic and I saw a picture of the dress she's wearing on facebook.

Our reaction?

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT......"

It wasn't a dress. It was a handkerchief.

DUMB DREAMS

2009-07-05T14:22:00.002+10:00

IF I HAVE ANOTHER DREAM WHERE I'M TRYING TO RUN BUT I CAN'T RUN BECAUSE MY LEGS FEEL TOO HEAVY TO MOVE I'M... I'M.... I'M.....GONNA.... WILL....ARGH!!!!!!

The worse part is, my legs are sore the next morning. And I'm tired and cranky.

I hate dreams.

不想

2009-07-04T13:13:00.002+10:00

不想再作夢了

夢裡不斷要跑
但雙腳卻不能移動
要費很大的力氣才能往前
結果每天早上醒來都很累很累

然後每次都看到我雖然很想看到但最好不要看到的人
起來的時候不是哭就是沮喪
可以不要這樣子嗎

那麼累我乾脆不要睡覺好了

Everything is relative

2009-07-03T20:42:00.003+10:00

"How much do you need?"

"Not much..."

"What do you mean by 'not much'??"

"Like... 1mL of 3mg/mL."

"THATS A LOT!!!!!"

***
"Just wash up after yourself! ITS NOT HARD!!!"

"It might not be hard for you, but its a big effort for some people."

"ITS NOT FUCKING HARD!!!!"

***
"Its not sweet enough."

"ITS SO SWEET I'M GOING TO GET DIABETES!!!!"

"Nah, its just right. Yum."

***
"You drive like an idiot."

"No I don't."

"You both drive like idiots."

"Shut up."

Another random post

2009-07-02T18:04:00.003+10:00

Did time keeping for med students today. Most mind-numbingly boring job EVER. Ring a bell every 8 minutes. How hard can it be? For 3 hours... brain damage... finished a whole book, or almost a whole book. Terry Pratchett is Da bOMB.

***
My supervisor told me he had to hand in a grant on Sunday. And wanted results. Erm. You could've told me a few weeks ago, and I could've sped things up. Sorry, you'll have to wait for next week. Absolutely brilliant.

He's an awesome supervisor, he's there when I need questions answered, and puts the right amount of stress (ie, none, most stress is self induced) on me, but he is the most laid back person, which is not the best trait to have in this field.

***
I over analyse. I admit it. I do. I should stop overanalysing. Will make life easier.

***
I love this site. They sell the most gorgeous accessories, or maybe the photographer is really good. I want one of these, or these, and the one of the left, definitely one of these, and the one on the right.

i'm pretty sure i had stuff to blog about

2009-06-28T16:36:00.002+10:00

I'M PRETTY SURE THAT I DID!

ALL OF FRIDAY AND SATURDAY!

But meh. I've forgotten about what I wanted to blog about.

***
Bought a cute little dress today. Is happy. LIKE VERY VERY HAPPY. Am planning on what to wear it with, and where to wear it. Its not short and tight, unlike 75% of my wardrobe, but it is short, because I hate knee length dresses. Make me look dumpy.
***

Last night as I was going out to dinner, and putting on a short dress, I thought... hmm... this is a bit too short. And as I was putting on my boots, hmm... the heels are a bit too high. And then I almost fainted from shock and horror as I realised I'm getting all prudish and grandma-ish. I went out in the short dress and sky-high heels anyway.
***
Nachos night next friday made by my favourite nachos making person. YEAH!! Scored another nachos invite! Am happy. Will be making red velvet cake as a THANK YOU PLEASE LET ME COME AGAIN. You know, since I rock at making red velvet cake.

Hiya

2009-06-26T10:55:00.002+10:00

The king of pop passed away.

First thing I heard this morning, as I turned the tv on.

Shocked I suppose. I can't remember a time when he wasn't the king of pop. He's been there forever.

***
Blogging from work. quick quick quick.

***
too many things to do, so little time.

LIKE DUUH

2009-06-20T11:35:00.003+10:00

The RJ lab which we share the floor with just hired a new postdoc.

He walked past my desk yesterday on the way to get introduced to my supervisor.

And idiot like I am, just turned around and PERVED at him. Not discrete at all.... not at all.... Told Skinny about it, and she said she saw him too at a meeting on Thursday, and could not stop the drool from dripping out of her mouth.

and found out later that night that the chap is 27, from England, and dammit he's married.

The good ones are always taken dammit.

Ah well... eye candy.

Brrr

2009-06-17T21:27:00.002+10:00

That Coca cola ad that goes Brrrrr does not make me want to buy coke... it makes me want to stay away from it, because its so ridiculously COLD, and I don't want to be COLDER.

I walked from the lab to the car at 5.30pm, and there was condensation with every breath I breathed out.

I don't think I'll ever get sick of blowing out air and seeing it fog up before my very eyes. It reminds me that I'm alive. And all is well.

of balloons and stuff

2009-06-14T21:58:00.002+10:00

I want to have a bunch of colourful balloons, and take pictures of them, floating up into the blue sky. (Ok, maybe having blue skies helps too... I want a few days of summer right now.) This may also be a subconscious desire to have more colors in my wardrobe...

***
My brother beat me in the cream puff bake off. I blame my recipe. DUMB RECIPE. His puffed up BEE YEW TI FULL LY. Mine were as flat as pancakes. BOO.

My brother beat me. In baking.

Life is not worth living.

***
I believe this week will be non-crazy, and rather relaxed. Happy happy happy.

Love story and Viva La Vida

2009-06-14T11:36:00.003+10:00

I love both songs, and this rearrangement just made me melt.

*Cringing in horror after admitting I like Taylor Swift's Love story.

Its 11.55pm on a friday night

2009-06-12T23:54:00.003+10:00

I've stopped dreaming dreams that were "what ifs".

I never think of what ifs, they aren't reality, but are so close to it, they frighten me. Life could have been different... if, just if.

A whole month of dreaming about "what ifs"... and waking up each morning with my thoughts in a jumble, sometimes with tears in my eyes because of the pain I felt, or sometimes feeling happy because of all the joy, and each time so tired I just didn't want to dream anymore.

I miss the dreams, my subconscious desire to think of "what if". But yet I'm glad that I don't dream them anymore. The one where everything I gave came back to me in their wrappings, all unopened, broke my heart.

***
Its now midnight, on a Friday, and I just pulled a 13 hour day in the lab and the synchrotron. Ah, story of my life. Single, sober, and sleepy on a Friday night. I'm off to bed.

MILO!

2009-06-11T21:06:00.002+10:00

"My mum gave me milo to grow and grow and grow....."

I LOVE MILO!!!!

ESPECIALLY IN WINTER!!!

ITS WARM AND CHOCOLATEY!!!!

(and high in calories oh dammit.)

***
Offered Faux-Frenchie (There's Frenchie, and theres Faux-Frenchie... one is an actual Frenchman, the other is from Mali who did his undergrad and phd in France... he ran away to France to escape an arranged marriage, which I found out today. The things you learn about people when you walk into a conversation by just barging into their office. Man, I digress alot.) some cadbury. He took a look at it and went "Hmph, cadbury, that is not chocolate." (said in a french accent.)

Oh. FINE THEN. I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE VALRHONA TO OFFER YOU.

***
Did enough stupid things to last me the month. I've over shot my stupid quota for the month.

Hola

2009-06-09T22:16:00.002+10:00

I felt like I really should write something.

But today doesn't seem like a "i'll write heaps and heaps" day.

I shouldn't have woken up this morning. Really should not have.

Its Tuesday. Lemme survive the week....

I'm really looking forward to the weekend, I've already planned what to do. Stay at home all weekend (NOT GOING OUT!! HOORAY!!!!!) and sit in front of the tv and watch Hayao Miyazaki animes. And make cream puffs. Because I saw them making it on Masterchef. YUUUM.... Shall not attempt to do what they did, because that would be too painful, and painful projects on the weekend are not my idea of a good weekend. But cream puffs are nice, easy, and painless. CREAM PUFFS OM NOM NOM NOM.

Just a little ponder

2009-06-03T21:43:00.003+10:00

I realise that people do change as they grow older. The way we see things, our values, our outlook on life, all changed by the people we meet, the things we see, books we read...

Changing is a part of growing older, for better or for worse.

So when I see some of my friends growing older, but not changing very much, acting like how they were acting when they were in high school, I cringe. Not a care in the world, doing as they please, because nothing has gone wrong in their lives.

Am I jealous?

I would be lying if I said I'm not. I'm 24, doing my phd and earning a measly 20k a year, wondering if I'll ever get a job when I finish this degree, worrying how I'm going to get my car serviced (thinking about saying "bye bye car"), wondering what would happen to me if I moved out of home. Whilst they, at 24, can sit back, relax about job hunting because mum and dad will still help out until they get one and travel all over the world.

But on the other hand, I pity them. What would happen if they fall one day with no one to catch them?

I realise that I probably have written this before, but I'm so tired and I desperately want to sleep a whole day away, yet they can just put job hunting aside and go for a holiday. I'm painfully pissed off, and if any of them had called me complaining about little things like "Oh, I can't go on my family trip because I can't get a visa", I would scream.

I hate hormones

2009-06-02T22:32:00.001+10:00

They make pimples break out all over my face. I THOUGHT I WAS TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIT!!!!!

WHO SAYS THE INTERNETS LIES???

2009-06-02T17:08:00.002+10:00

Google and wiki are my heroes. They tell me EVERYTHING about science that I ever needed to know.

I wish i

2009-05-31T17:39:00.000+10:00

was more impulsive.

WHY DO I STILL THINK BEFORE I ACT!?!?!?!?!?!!

尋找

2009-05-31T11:04:00.001+10:00

用心警膽跳的心情
打開了你房間的門
裡面卻空無一人

還好你不在
因為我真的害怕在看到你
為甚麼你不在
我真的很想看到你

然後我起床了

sometimes

2009-05-30T23:57:00.003+10:00

I want to give everything up, and go somewhere where there's no tall buildings, no traffic jams, green fields all around me, a big kitchen, and a sunny backyard with a hammock. Palm trees, sand, sea AND a hammock would be a good substitution.

question

2009-05-28T22:26:00.002+10:00

Why do we grow more cynical and less optimistic as we grow older?

And why am I such a bitch to the people around me? Why do I snap at every little thing? Surely it can't be all due to stress?

And why do we never learn from our lessons? Why do we keep repeating the same mistake, over and over and over again?

***
I went back to salsa class on Tuesday, and I realised that I missed it more than I knew.

Of course tall dark and handsome with killer smile helped in the realisation process. But this could also be a case of store-guy-itis*.

Now... if only he's not gay or taken.

*Store guy-itis: When I first got back to the lab, and took a meander to the store for stuff, there was a new guy there, who at first sight I thought was drool worthy. And Skinny thought the same thing... apparently when she first saw him she told Nikita that Nic should go to the store for a walk. However, a couple more walks to the store later, we both realised he was not "OMG HE'S HOT", just a normal looking guy who we thought was hot just because he was 'new and different'. In a nutshell, store-guy-itis is a term for a guy is not drop dead gorgeous but only thought to be just because he's something new.

活

2009-05-24T21:58:00.001+10:00

我是為自己而活
但是
為了甚麼而活
我依然搞不清楚

尋找了那麼久
我還是找不到

i want a personal masseuse

2009-05-24T12:31:00.000+10:00

can someone hire one for me?

Please?

Theres always a first time

2009-05-23T18:02:00.003+10:00

A combo of stress, friends, and feeling very very safe made me drink more than usual.

Which ended with me throwing up all over my friend's bathroom (and I'm not exaggerating when I say all over... ewwwww... just thought I'd share).

And ended up with me getting up countless times in the middle of the night to puke some more.

And waking up the next morning with the room spinning.

And making my way home from the city feeling like I wanted to DIE.

I swear never to drink so much again... the "Kill me now" feeling is not worth all the red wine consumed.

Yes I do know that I say that all the time, but this time was a lot worse than my usual hang overs.

***
Thought I'd lost my wallet. Apparently it ended up in the bin for some reason.

Interwebs slow

2009-05-19T20:40:00.002+10:00

Yeap. Wonder why.

***
I've been ranting and raving about Nerd Land for the last few posts. This has got to stop. Whinge whinge whinge. But ranting is good for the system. I'd go nuts if I kept everything inside me. Oh yeah, I am nuts....

***
I have an intense addiction to chocolate. Not the good-for-your-heart-endorphin-rich bitter dark chocolate (although I do love it), but the bad mass produced kit kat chunky and tim tams. They are the bane of my life. And considering I haven't had the time to go for long runs, probably not the best idea.

***
Talking about long runs, I went for one last Sunday, because I thought I needed one, and I was feeling so lethargic, exercise seemed to be the cure. Ran all the way to Jells Park, ran around the lake, and dragged myself home. It took close to 2 hours, but it was goooood.

Also went to a salsa class on Monday night. Not the one I used to go to, but one in Glen Waverly. Sad to say I wasn't too impressed by it, how the class was organized, the people who attended the class, etc etc. The cafe it was held in though... mmmm... the food is smells good.... Airstream cafe I believe it was called.

***
was going to write about a billion other things, but my memory fails me.

Lab coats

2009-05-16T16:45:00.002+10:00

Since we moved to the New Building, instead of just Biochemistry, we've got Microbiology, and Physiology, and maybe Anatomy in the same building.

Being in the same building as Micro... well...

We've never really liked the microbiologists in the beginning anyway, because they wouldn't share the autoclave baskets that were in the autoclave room on their floor. Which didn't make sense to anyone, because A) its THERE B)autoclave baskets aren't exactly consumables, are they?? and C)once something is out of the autoclave, the baskets just lie there doing nothing. Anyway. They got pissed off at us, left a note in the autoclave room saying that we had to buy our own baskets blah blah or pay them for using their baskets.

And now we have even more beef with them.

Despite the fact that most labs in our department are PC2, most biochemists can't be stuffed wearing lab coats. Mainly because the things we deal with aren't dangerous (if we have common sense), and the bacteria we deal with are so attenuated that we could probably swallow a whole flask of the stuff and not get sick (slight exaggeration, and no I won't try doing it).

The story is that the microbiologists got sick of us not wearing lab coats, and were very pissed off. A senior research fellow in our particular floor was told off by a microbiology senior research fellow for not wearing his lab coat, and all sorts of fun stuff happened from there. He was very rude to her, because she had the gall to ask him "do you know who I am??" after they had a slight disagreement about lab coats, and he replied something like "no I don't know who the f*** you are" (probably something much more polite, but the tone was 10x ruder). Things got out of hand there, and the head of department sent out a long email about being polite to senior academic personnel, and said that lab coats were compulsory whether we liked it or not. Better yet, this micro chick gave a presentation to biochemistry, and at the end of the talk, showed a slide with a human body with organs shown (it was part of her talk), and said that this talk was tailored to biochemists because the person in the slideshow wasn't wearing a lab coat. You should have seen the faces all around, and the nervous laughter that went round.

True, we should be wearing lab coats, and yes we do understand that if one of us are caught without a lab coat, the whole building would get shut down. But really. To take things to a personal level is absolutely unprofessional. And to take a dig at us is just not polite at all.

my patience is running out

2009-05-12T20:55:00.002+10:00

Its time to get a new computer.

Yeah I know I've said it time and time again, but this time I really mean it.

***
Theres no inspiration to blog... all my thoughts are old... once again.

***
I have beef with the new post doc in our lab. I detest him. How he got hired is beyond me. Yeah sure, he knows his stuff (I think this may be debatable, I mean, he did destroy a 10,000 dollar FPLC column the first week he was here), but really, he has an awful personality, and no I really don't want to get to know him better.

***
I wonder why I leave work late everyday. Its not fun. I'm tired. I'm stressing myself out. And I never thought my stress levels would get so high.

***
Family isn't helping either. I commented that something my aunt cooked at dinner wasn't salty, which was basically stating the bloody obvious, and its something everyone does all the time, commenting that this dish isn't salty enough, this is too salty, this is blah blah blah, but for some reason everyone just jumped on me tonight, saying I should appreciate her cooking, and how she's been working all day yadda yadda.

Erm.

I've been working all day.

I wash the dishes after dinner.

And when I cook, I don't make a big deal of it, and don't expect anyone to help. And I don't make sarcastic remarks when someone says something i cook is not salty enough.

Walking away is my way of dealing with them, but nowadays, its getting too much.

***
Sorry bout the rants.

Just a bit of nerdism

2009-05-08T22:49:00.003+10:00

I can finally purify BPL (ie the protein my whole phd is based on).

I finally won.

Granted, I can't get SHITLOADS of that stuff, but I blame a leaky french press, and not my stupidity.

Bring me the tequila. Its time to celebrate.

Sparkling shiraz durif will be popped open when BCCP, the other protein I need to purify, can be purified to a decent amount. At the moment, the amount is so small, I'd strangle it if it were human.

And my favourite Durif 2005 from Scion winery in Rutherglen will be consumed when BPL+BCCP+compound complex decide to complex together and crystallize.

I forgot what I was going to blog about

2009-05-07T22:22:00.002+10:00

Oh yeah.

I want, in no particular order:

fried chicken wings, roti canai, thosai, char siew, roast duck rice, satay and nasi lemak. Oh add nasi briyani into that mix as well. And milo ice.

I just came back from Malaysia, and I still miss me Malaysian food.

Friends with the enemy

2009-05-06T22:50:00.002+10:00

The Australian synchrotron is holding its annual winter school. I'm being encouraged by The Other Supervisor to go, and I have a feeling The Supervisor will want me to attend as well.

Trouble is, only one person per university is allowed to attend, granted, only honours students or phd students just starting their candidature are eligible (ME ME ME!), but that also means three or four people I know are also eligible. Skinny is high on the eligibility list as well. Have I mentioned her supervisor just published in Nature, she just won a poster prize at Lorne, and presented at a conference in Italy. And me. Well. I'm having trouble purifying my damn protein.

So I'm friends with the competition, and to make things worse, BFFs with the toughest competitor.

Oh screwy.

shoes

2009-05-04T22:11:00.002+10:00

Apparently, most girls either collect shoes OR bags.

I am definitely a shoe girl.

Especially high heeled stilettos.

Flats, though heaps practical, just don't call out to me like a pair of scarily high heels do.

I love high heels so much, that even though I wear them only once or twice a week, I still think I don't have enough pairs.

I wish I had all the funky high heeled shoes in the world. I especially want a pair of red, and a pair of black leather 5 inch stilettos. Just your normal classic, pointy toed, pointy heeled pair. But finding the perfect pair is such a pain, especially once I know what I want... this pair is to low, this is too high, this doesn't have the perfect point, this is not wearable (comfort still plays a factor.).

The point of this post, is once again, pointless.

Just want to tell everyone I want more shoes.

***
And on the topic of shoes, I found out that all my boots have very high heels. Which make them all very un-work-friendly. Damn.

My feet hurt

2009-05-02T17:37:00.002+10:00

We walked from Flinders station all the way to Docklands, just because we were too high on life (it wasn't alcohol, and it wasn't sugar, so it must be life.), and both of us do not understand the meaning of patience.

We got there half an hour later, tired, hot, but still managed lots of salsa dancing and danced till 1 in the morning.

Also made the decision to go back to salsa lessons, just because I'd forgotten how fun it was.

My feet hurt by the time we were done, but man, was one of the best nights out EVER.

Social life is back in full swing.

why why why

2009-04-29T21:09:00.002+10:00

I spent 11 hours at work today, purifying protein, concentrating it, and setting up crystal trays for the synchrotron trip on Friday.

The stupid door which was fine the whole day decided to act up again at 7pm, right when I was ready to start crying, my protein crashed out and I don't know if the concentration is high enough to get crystals, I come home tired but can't hit the showers because someone else is in there, my computer is turned on (which I don't mind but fuck turn it off when you're finished with it) and find that my phone and camera battery charger are outside because someone thought they were messing up the floor of my room.

And I want to go out on Friday because I'm sick of staying at home, but if I get crystals I can't go out because I need to go to the synchrotron, and if I don't get crystals, I'll be screaming inside because this protein should crystallize with a snap of my fingers.

Screw life.

(Yes, I'm in a bad mood. And no, it definitely is not hormones. Its just adding every little crappy thing up.)

I will tear my hair out

2009-04-28T20:54:00.003+10:00

So the new building at work requires us to swipe our cards to gain access to our labs and offices. Ok cool... one card multiple doors HELLO I CAN GET EVERYWHERE.

One drawback though.

If the doors aren't shut properly, the alarm is activated and a loud high pitched beeping noise goes on.

Guess which door has a problem.

That right. The door connecting our lab and our office.

Yep.

Guess how many times the alarm was activated.

I lost count after 10 basically.

And I was THAT CLOSE to losing it by the time I left work.

And I don't think the door will get fixed by tomorrow morning when I go into work.

SCREW SECURITY ACCESS!!! LOCK AND KEY WORKED FINE!!!

Its starting to get cold

2009-04-24T20:53:00.002+10:00

The weekend looks miserable, according to the weather forecast. Boo. Not that I have any plans. And I'm going in to work on Sunday ANYWAY. Staying at home tonight because I can't be bothered lining up for 3 hours to get into a club. Hang on, come to think of it, I can never be bothered lining up to get into anywhere....

***
I finally learned how to play poker. I is likes pokers.

Someone said its like getting picked up. Picking up two is good enough. Three is brilliant. Four is bloody awesome.

***
I hate western blots.

Don't understand why I DIDN'T GET ANY SIGNAL.

Bah.

***
A conversation today somehow got from "egg" to "fertilized chicken eggs" (ie, the scary stuff that vietnamese eat, except its duck, and we were talking about chickens. Don't ask.).

Someone turned around to ask me, one of two asians sitting at the whole table, "so, in Malaysia, do you eat that?"

"NO!" and then... "YOU ONLY ASKED ME THAT BECAUSE I'M ASIAN ISN'T IT!!"

Hmph. Racism.

(He said since his girlfriend was asian, he's off the racist hook.)

Of fake alarms and old firemen

2009-04-23T21:54:00.002+10:00

The fire alarm in our building tripped.

And the fire trucks came, 15 minutes later.

We figured it was because the firemen must have thought "oh, Monash uni... AGAIN..."

So 15 minutes later... they came.

And instead of hunky good looking drool inducing hotties... a bunch of old men came. And I mean white-hair old, not in their 40s old.

Were we dissapointed? OF COURSE WE WERE. HELLO WE HAD TO STOP WORK TO WAIT FOR A BUNCH OF OLD MEN TO SHOW UP???

We blame the uni for having fire alarms tripping so frequently that the fire station won't even bother sending the drool inducing firemen.

Boo.

random 502 雜篇502

2009-04-19T10:33:00.004+10:00

家裡最近又是戰區
我又要小心不要踩暴地雷

It feels like the 2nd Cold War has begun in our household again
Trying not to step on any land mines.

***
我要伍吋高細跟高跟鞋
i want 5 inch black stilettos

***
mark ronson is cute

Mark Ronson and Lily Allen make good music.

I is likes Lily Allen.

***

To do list

2009-04-18T20:17:00.002+10:00

1. Wash clothes

2. Go for run

3. Clean very messy room

4. Clean house

5. Bake cake (bake what though... decisions decisions)

6. Sketch

7. Do back exercises

Thats what Sundays are for.

Lost generation

2009-04-15T21:32:00.002+10:00

The Brother showed me this video the other day.

And it made me want to lose my cynism, and not become the lost generation.

it's time

2009-04-14T20:45:00.000+10:00

to shake myself and start drawing again.

yet another sunny weekend

2009-04-14T16:46:00.005+10:00

Coming back from a girly weekend away, where we woke up at 11 every morning, and then going for a leisurely drive to a nearby winery (s), and making jokes, talking nonsense, and maybe some sense, drinking and eating way too much for our own good, is the most relaxing thing a girl could do.

Two months away in Malaysia couldn't do what this weekend away did.

Sunsets are always amazing...

How did I know this weekend getaway worked?

I was bouncing down Bourke street at 10 o'clock on Monday night. Like a bunny. Bounce bounce bounce.

Hello World, my Bounce is Back.

***
Before the bouncing down Bourke Street Escapade happened, the three of us were sitting by the Yarra, talking really loudly, but we hadn't had any alcohol (I swear!) that day. So a couple came by, and instead of avoiding us three really loud asian girls, sat right in front of us. So we played the "how long do you think until our cackling forces them to leave" game. And to their credit they lasted pretty long..... good 15 minutes. Was fun. If we spoilt their mood, definitely unapolegtic about it, we were there first, and really, its your choice to sit right in front of us. BWAHAHA.

seeing red

2009-04-08T19:01:00.001+10:00

Tis the season to wear leggings and tights again.

I thought I had a pair of hot chilli red ones.

And I did.

Except I forgot that I ripped them, just like I always do with tights that I like. Somehow the ones I hate stay in perfect condition forever.

Anyway, its time to get a pair of hot red tights, and I'm thinking fluoro pink. But I don't think I'll have the guts to wear fluoro pink ones. Maybe purple...

SCREAM

2009-04-06T17:50:00.002+10:00

The brother and I were passed out in the living room on Saturday night (because our rooms had been taken over by friends who were staying over and have you seen how tiny our rooms are??? and also it was easier to sleep in the living room after watching dvds).

So I had a bad dream.

I was trying to kill two mice by putting them in a lunch box and banging them till blood was all over the place, and someone opened the lid and started spraying insecticide into the box. And of course the lid of the box came off and a bloody (literally dripping with blood) mouse came flying out towards me.

So I screamed (as you do when a bloody mouse comes flying towards you).

And woke up and sat straight up, took two seconds to realise what happened and went..."argh not again...zzzz".

And woke my brother up who went... "wha... wha...", realised it was me, and went "CEH..." and back to sleep.

stab

2009-04-05T12:05:00.002+10:00

I'm buying a japanese sushi knife and keeping it pointy sharp to stab the next person who tells me that my phd is a waste of my life.

***
I've had this song on replay so many times its probably permanently stuck in my head till kingdom come.

Thriving Ivory -- Angels on the moon

"Don't tell me when I'm dying cos I don't wanna know..."

Tis time...

2009-04-01T20:57:00.003+11:00

to get a new computer.

***
I was demonstrating today, and finally understood the pains and tribulations of demonstrators and tutors all over the world.

My, my, children these days. What arseholes some of them can be. And what lazy bastards some of them are. Am I doing this prac or are you? My god, at least have the decency to READ the question before asking for the answer.

And first year fashion is interesting.

This Asian girl had me staring, because she was wearing something I'd wear on a Friday night out.

The good thing is most of them had brains.

***
Conversation with the brother after watching a Fast and Furious trailer on tv

"Erm... isn't this like...old?"

"No.... the first was The Fast and the furious, then it was 2 Fast 2 Furious, then we had The fast and the furious: Tokyo Drift."

Oh. So they just left out the "THE".

Talk about imaginative titles.

oh wow its warm

2009-03-31T20:22:00.004+11:00

Its like omg 30 degrees today. Yes the weather is screwed up.

I am so wearing an indecently short skirt to work tomorrow.

***
I found a band called VHS or Beta, who play a combo of house, rock and dance. Its interesting stuff.

***
Looking at my list of mp3s, my taste in music... some may say, is...interesting. A mixture of pop, rock, RnB, and recently, dance and house. I'm still a sucker for chinese love songs, but nowadays the bubblegummy stuff they seem to churn out makes me puke.