Impulse Buy and Dinner

We were scheduled for dinner today. Friends for.... 10 years at least. Actually, we should have met up for Chinese New Year lunch. However, certain people cannot make it and so it was canceled. This is sort of a "post-exams" dinner. Technically, 2 of us are already working. earning decent pay. Not very much, but decent I supposed. That is good. At least there is a source of income for them. I am very happy for them. Mr. Lawyer-to-be seems to be doing quite alright, though he claimed he is being squeezed out of the elite group. Big thank you for the dinner Sis gave. We had dinner at F.I.S.H., then desserts at Bakerzin. Same places where me and two pretty girls went for dinner.... I think slightly more than a year ago. Strange that I remember such details vividly, down to what we ordered back then.

Moving on to impulse buying, I bought 2 official Gundam T shirts. Well... in the past, to get official ones, I probably have to buy it online. Thanks to Uniqlo, I get to buy them off the shelve. Too bad I am not a fan of online shopping. At least not yet. Honours students are though (again, pretty girls there). I would love to get Gundam plastic models. However, since they are quite expensive now and well.... serve no major purpose other than making me happy and proud displaying them (that itself is a very important reason why anyone would buy them in the first place), I decided to forgo them a few years ago. At least until I start earning a salary. Since T-shirt serve an obvious practical purpose (to prevent myself from being sued for indecent exposure for example), I have valid reason (or excuses depend on how you see it) to buy them. So yes. I finally have Gundam T-shirts to wear.

One of the T-shirts I bought. It is a scene from Episode 36 - Forever Four. Four is a female character in Zeta Gundam. In this episode, she was killed. So Four here does not refer to the mobile suits (robots) depicted on the shirt. (Picture from Uniqlo)

Ok. I mentioned "pretty girls" twice (I am merely using a proper adjective to describe a fact. Ok. Subjective "fact" if you insist.). Sounds like I am abit desperate for girls eh? Well... In truth, that is kind of true. I am no longer a teenager and it is not that I have no one I like. Problem is, how to go about doing it. THIS is a problem I have to figure out myself.

Final Fantasy

I heaved with relieve that the weightage for Mother Tongue language was not reduce. I think it would be a very wrong move if it was indeed reduced.

Moving on, there is, again, this inertia to get on with work. This time, its Project Final Fantasy. If I did well, science research will be my future. If not, well... I supposed it is time to sought other employment. That explains "Final"

Why "Fantasy"? The way I see it, it is a fantasy because I finally get to handle virus. I have been reading about infectious agents for some time. None excites me more than viruses --- Very tiny bags of nucleic acids and proteins, some highly capable of mutating and causing pandemics. Think Spanish Flu of 1918 or more recently SARS of 2003, H5N1 of 1997 (still ongoing) and H1N1 of 2009. I have been wanting to work in CDC (either Communicable Disease Center of TTSH, or Center for Disease Control and Prevention) or even WHO (The Fatal Strain by Alan Sipress).

Somehow, I cringe at starting. The horrors of working day after day, but not generating any results is very scary, nevermind depressing. I am speaking from experience of course. Then again, I am probably a bit differently now --- Less likely to repeat the mistake of old. I am very happy to get the chance to decide what kind of project I want.

In Tumour Biology, there was an assignment which I have to design experiments to show p53 induced transcription-independent apoptosis. Similar to now, I was given free reign of choosing what kind of hypothesis to test. I choose one which I think was not done before and so had to design my own experiments. I came up with half of the experiments. No paper to consult whatsoever. It was lots of fun then, perhaps because I knew that I did not have to carry out the experiments.

Now, I am back in the same situation (adapted from Tumour Biology assignment instruction): Virus induced cytoplasmic membrane formation. Based on existing literature results, provide ONE reasonable hypothesis. Design 3-4 experiments to test for it (with justification).

Ok. Now that I have framed it in a more familiar way, it is really time to start working. Time to see how much I have improved.

"Great" Chinese Debate

There recently has been a lot of debate over the weightage of Chinese language in major examinations. This follows a string of events that began with the revision of Chinese curriculum a few years ago.

To begin, I have to say Chinese language is important. Nevermind the often repeated argument about engaging a rising China and to connect with cultural roots. I feel that the most important reason for learning Chinese is simply to be able to communicate with people who speaks in Chinese. This is, after all, the purpose of learning a language and the purpose of having a language right? To communicate with different group of people. Yes. I sounds intangible and unimportant, given the translators (human or otherwise) available and that more Chinese people are learning English. But there are limitations to one's ability to express and comprehend in a particular language. Therefore, it might be useful to be able to communicate in another language when the speaker is better able to convey his thoughts more accurately. Of course, the economical advantages of learning Chinese is also huge bonus.

There are several points in this debate that I would like to point out. First, there were complaints from parents whose multiple (or all) of their children have difficulties learning Chinese. Why is this so? Shouldn't difficulty in learning Chinese be an individual problem? This suggests that we had our teaching methods wrong, there is something wrong with the family or the language is plain difficult.

How can the language be plain difficult when generations before us have learnt it well? Granted, they are unlikely to have grappled with the intense academic competition nor the multiple subjects like today's students. To those who kept lamenting the falling Chinese standard, this could be one of the reasons. Unless the government changes education policy, this will continue to be the case. There is a limit to the ability of each children (and there is only 24 hours a day and children need properly sleep and physical activities). Do not expect the standard to be like that of 30, 40 or 50 years ago. This is not practical for the general school-goining population, with the exceptions or a small group of individuals. It is more important to impart the basics and the attitude to learn more beyond the classroom. We have to send the signal that learning does not stop outside the classroom. In classroom, I think it is more important we focus on bringing students to basic level of writing, reading and speaking Chinese. Given how little time we actually spent on writing Chinese after school, focus on reading and speaking appears more important. However, in my opinion, the ability to write a word (or write a word once) can aid in recognizing the word.

There is no doubt that we have to constantly improve our method of teaching Chinese to suit the children and the needs of the society. What exactly is the best method is debatable. What we are doing is to try to customize content and teaching as best we can to different groups of pupils with different apttitudes. However, within each group, there will be students who do not do as well. This is not reason enough to dismiss the teaching method as incorrect or unsuitable. Therefore, while parents should not complain so much, teachers should also be more flexible and should cater to the needs of individuals as much as possible. To parents, this is your child, it is part of responsibility to help him, even if there are teachers around. To teachers who refuse to use English to aid students in understanding Chinese, you should change your mind. You are merely alienating students who you should be guiding towards building to better relationship with the langauge. How can you call yourself a teacher when you are alienating them simply for the sake of your prinicple?

Something wrong with family? Not a very good way to put it. However, it could have something to do with parent's expectations, or children being constantly immersed in an English environment, or parents merely paying lip service by "mandating" children learn Chinese, but kept speaking to them in English or denouncing Chinese. Not all families are like that of course. However, if more than 1 or 2 of your children have trouble with learning the language, it suggests that family environment could be part of the problem.

Then comes the problem of defining how much what a student needs to know and hence how much to teach. For students aiming to work in China or work in Chinese media, they obviously need a greater knowledge of the language. Of course, at a tender age of 8, 10 or 12, children do not really know what they want (not even when they reach 16, 18 or 21 for that matter sometimes). I think the idea of teaching students based on their aptittude is a good strategy (as what is currently done in primary schools). But reducing weightage of Chinese in major exams?

Weightage is a measure of the importance of a subject. You can ask anyone who has taken exams. Whether we consciously know or not, we place greater emphasis on the subject or the assignment which has a greater weightage and therefore, more important. Anyone who denies lower weightage does not mean a reduction of importance is in denial. Lower weightage will definitely send the signal that Chinese is less important, whether we admit it or not (especially for parents who are "academically competitive"), which is not true. Parents have complained that giving Chinese the same weightage unfairly disadvantaged students who are strong in other subjects except Chinese. If the argument goes this way, what will the parents with children strong in all subjects except English, or Maths or Science say? To lower the weightage? Let us be clear on this. Weightage is merely a technicality of assessment. Education should not be about assessment. It is about learning. Assessment is just a tool to gauge learning. Moreover, doing well in exams is just one indicator of learning. It does not absolutely mean a student who scored higher is a better/smarter student. Besides, if your child is doing well just because of the lower Chinese weightage, it just shows that your child is weak in Chinese. Different children have different strengths. Lowering Chinese weightage will skew the assessment of their strengths. What is going to happen to those who are strong in Chinese?

What we need is better teaching policies, better help from parents and teachers and realistic expectations. Perhaps, like what a parent suggest, calculating PSLE scores based on best 3 subjects is a better gauge of students ability. However, I do not think we should settle for this system. A mere pass in the fourth subject do not necessarily indicate students have attained basic capability in that subject. Perhaps we should do it this way. Secondary schools should admit students based on the scores calculated based on best 3 subjects, with each school setting their requirements (and publishing them) on the fourth subject. However, for schools with a lower requirement (how this is to be administered remained to be figured out), there need to be a program to ensure students improve on that subject. The purpose of primary schools and lower secondary education is to help students broaden their exposure. Therefore, while we ensure students continue to build on their strong point, we have to make sure they shore up their weaker areas as well. Of course, the definition of basic level remains to be figured out as well.

Major dent in progress

I made a very stupid stupid mistake today. Somehow, I missed it. I was writing points for it just minutes before. Then I completely forgot about it. This is bad. Very bad. Major dent in progress. I did not realize until I was on the way home and I could not recall what I wrote. That was about 45 minutes after the incident. I have absolutely no idea how that could happen. Could be because I did not get enough sleep?

MEMO TO SELF
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS put a tick beside the question after I finish it. AND USE A RED PEN TO DO IT!!!

It seems like the number of holes I leave in my work is increasing. Got to find some way to plug the gap --- before I get sucked into it.

Time doesn't fly. It flashes past.

Like I said, time flashes by. Lecturer reminded us its our last lecture today. I could still remember quite vividly that on the first lecture, I was thinking that Lecturer is weird man. I still think he is though. Bangkok trip, cycling trip with That Person and dinner at a senior's house still quite fresh in my mind. They all happened 4 or 5 months ago.

Ok. I will not disclose who That Person is. Actually, if I am not careful, I could have called two other people by that title. Experience says that I am biased towards people who looked like they could use my help or who actually used it. Good thing that after That Incident, I smartened up. Unfortunately, I do not think there will be any progress with That Person. Unlike what you may think, there is actually nothing so far. Like a cup of water. Slightliy better tasting than Newater, but a far cry compared to say a cup of strong coffee. Oh well. At least I can spend all my energy on work.

Perhaps I have not escaped Kyoka Suigetsu after all. I am still too laid back for my own good. Or is this the backlash from the years of suppressed laziness? Or have I reached the limits of my ability?

Then there is the Covert Op (pardon me for my poor vocabulary). I still have not figured out Covert Op. I find Covert Op kind of strange. At first, Covert Op seemed nice. But somehow, I find Covert Op strange since the later half of last year. Was it because Covert Op was piling pressure on me? It did not help that Covert Op's "other half" is here. Who knows what they are doing?

According to Covert Op, Covert Op's friend made a fundamental mistake on an assignment. I told Covert Op to correct the friend. Covert Op said no need and that Covert Op is not very close to that friend. This is not the first time I heard Covert Op saying people I thought were Covert Op's good friends as friends who are "not so close". Like I said, I did not really understand Covert Op. I believe that it does not matter if that person is your good friend or not. If that person has a problem and you can help, you should help. This is how I see it academically and in the lab at least - I am not very rich financially unfortunately.

Now, this question comes to mind: If Covert Op does this to someone Covert Op calls a friend, then Covert Op might do the same thing to me one day as well. Scary scary person.

Massive Roadblock

Finally done with a "mega-project" last week. Not to 100% satisfaction though. Well... ok. Not even 50% satisfaction. Then again, I glad to have learnt many things and hopefully these will help in my next "mega-project". ce>

Since the completion of "mega-project", I have been languishing in games. Torchlight. A friend commented that torchlight is a synonym of flashlight. Apparently, flashlight is a name for some "adult" toys --- He thought I was playing with that "adult" toy. Sigh....

Anyway, this friend is supposed to be a high-flyer academic-wise. That he knew such obscure stuff, I would like to attribute to his wide exposure to society, particularly since he studied overseas for several years (Rather than some other reasons that is... probably not suitable for public airing). Then again, I felt some kind of apathy in him towards academics when he returned. Perhaps he was discouraged by the stiff competition he faced overseas. Or perhaps the pursuit of academic accomplishments has made me ignorant of the norms of young local adult males. Time to mix more with males? Hopefully, he knows what he is doing.

This Torchlight game I must get over with.

Very Very Important Memo to Self

Very very important memo to self.

Always make a list of to do's in Excel. Follow the list.

Number of journals read does not matter. What matters is that I have absorbed what was read. Do not miss out any details.

Journal reading should not stop after literature review. Keeping abreast of publications will help plan experiments.

Label results file properly and be consistent with labeling.

Make proper documentations of experiments done. This will avoid unnecessary repeats.

Regularly compile results. Once every two weeks is a good routine. Also, if any results are not to satisfaction, this will help discover them in time.

Good results from experiments is a cumulative process - Every step counts. Pay attention to every step. Do not overlook any.

Ask when in doubt. There will be someone who can help.

If I have work to do, just book the machine. It's every man for himself. I will lose out if I wait for others to finish their work. If I don't need to use it, then just cancel it later -- too bad they didn't come earlier.

Focus on one thing at a time first. Multi-task only when I can perform an experiment reasonably well. Proper results is important. Remember how I worked for 1 semester for nothing.

Use my BRAIN when doing lab work. I can analyze stuff on paper. But I must do it in lab as well.

Good relationships in lab is very very important. I must practise what I learnt in 1006 and 2007.

Do not assume I know. Be humble.

Report cannot be done last minute. I must start at least 1 month in advance and expect multiple changes. Watch out for typo and grammatical mistakes also.

Do not jump to conclusions. Analyze ALL available data and literature first. An exotic idea may not be the correct or logical one.

Standardize fonts on presentation. Use ONE font only.