tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46792429762984575292024-03-20T20:51:46.900-04:00Life of a Graduate Studentfiguring out the purpose of a life in scienceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-11344334863063389912011-07-14T19:09:00.000-04:002011-07-14T19:09:06.048-04:00Chug onIn trying to build off the high from yesterday, I ended up falling a bit flat. <div><br />
</div><div>My long day of three planned experiments became a regular day of two experiments with one failing. I never budget for failed experiments because it seems too pessimistic...but when I don't complete all my experiments successfully, I feel really let down. The cruel, twisted nature of science at it's best. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm having some problems with the intravital microscope. It's been a bit odd for some time, but I can't put my finger on what's wrong. I tweaked the amount of antibody fab fragments I'm injecting, and have focused, and re-focused the bloody thing, but the image is a wee bit more fuzzy than it should be. This worries me. Hopefully when I do some more on Saturday it will be working ok. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Well I'm going to get geared up, play some tennis, and then make myself a nice summer salad to end the day! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-49325525087556693482011-07-13T23:00:00.000-04:002011-07-13T23:00:07.908-04:00The beauty of balanceAfter almost 2 years in this grad school business, I am getting somewhere with data collection and results! While I still have a long way to go, and really have to take full advantage of the extra year I have to take, I am quite proud of what I've accomplished so far. I am eager to power through, and have planned a busy day of experiments for tomorrow.<br />
<br />
In addition, I had a great balanced day today. After walking to the lab in the morning, I grappled with some stats, and did my prep calculations for tomorrow's experiments. It was the first day I brought my laptop into work - why on earth have I been stowing it at home all this time? In between t-testing all the data I possibly could, I browsed through a couple great blogs and followed the Bombay bombings on twitter. I don't understand how terrorists can possibly <i>begin</i> justify their actions. I'm sure they once had a cause to fight for, but it's lost in the fear they spread and the innocent lives they take. Thankfully my family living in Bombay were ok.<br />
<br />
After walking home (so managed to squeeze in 40 minutes of walking today!), I had a healthy snack and then practiced my violin. It was so relaxing, and made me realise that I really need to get on with finishing my violin exams. I only have 2 left until I'm fully qualified, but I've been dawdling over it with many excuses.<br />
<br />
Then I Bodyrock'd out for a bit (check out: www.bodyrock.tv - it's all free!), which I had to take a bit easy since I injured my hip really badly the previous weekend. And then off to play some tennis. Half way through my legs began to seize up a bit, but it was well worth it. I feel I can have a restful sleep, and get up energised, knowing I had such a full day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-22037406825500301442011-07-05T17:10:00.002-04:002011-07-05T17:12:21.125-04:00Can you become successful from eating right?<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I believe that part of being successful is eating healthy and exercising regularly. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm not saying you can't be successful without adopting these habits - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>au contraire</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - but it certainly places you in the right frame of mind. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Eating healthy takes discipline, determination, and the ability to say "no" when a decadent dessert is right in front of your nose. Exercising regularly provides you with a routine to follow, and often allows you to realise that you can push past your limits. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having been an extremely unhealthy and quite overweight individual a few years ago, I certainly believe this. It hasn't always been easy to uphold, as the urge to indulge can be too much sometimes. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't believe in diets - I believe in eating everything in moderation. I think if you cut out one player in the food pyramid, then you're opening yourself up for intense cravings. I tried slow-carbing earlier in the year, and became thoroughly sick of it in a week. As a girl who loves bread, the week of denying it made me crave it for a month. And I hated the idea of a complete binge day. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Right now I'm recovering from a hip sprain injury. When I was exercising I tweaked the muscle a bit, and didn't listen to my body to slow down. I've had to take it easy the past few days, but it has really allowed me to focus on my diet. I'm trying to drink more water, pay closer attention to my stomach when it's signaling me it's full, and shush the voice that wants instant gratification. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How does this all tie into success? I certainly don't have a chart or any experiments conducted on mice to demonstrate a correlation, but I know there's a feeling of wellness within when you eat healthy and exercise. That sense of lethargy is gone, and you can say: (for example) if I managed to exercise for 'X' minutes, I can do 'Y' task. You can attribute your success of living healthy to other areas of your life, and allowing the generated success to snowball. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So maybe next time you are at the grocery store grab the raspberries instead of the chips, and when there's a commercial break in your favourite show, do 10 pushups! There's a little bit of success in itself already! </span></div><div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-34378807498695650232011-07-01T11:47:00.000-04:002011-07-01T11:47:33.656-04:00Eye on the prizeHalf the year has gone by...<div><br />
<div>I really couldn't tell you how the year has flown by so quickly - looking back it still seems like early January. Time has a stealthy way of sneaking past. I have decided that on this Canada day, there is no better day to refocus. Refocusing takes quite a bit of time and energy, and so I have shied away from it for a little while. Living life passively tends to come quite naturally - and the sick feeling in your stomach can be surprisingly easy to ignore. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I've found adjusting to "adult", graduate student life a bit difficult. For so many years you are told exactly what to do, grades are the main goal, and it's very easy to mark how successful you are by a letter (and hopefully a plus)! As a grad student I've found there are no "real" markers of success. You hope for your experiments to work, you read papers, and you try attend conferences. The goal is life long learning - and the acquirement of a degree. But none of these afford instant gratification - you really have to work for them. It's not like a test that you can cram for the night before. This is the part I've had the worst time adjusting to. I lose sight of long term fulfillment, and the reality that something worthwhile takes hard work and dedication. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I just finished watching Djokovic defeat Tsonga at Wimbledon to move into the finals for the first time, and claim the world #1 ranking. Djokovic has played amazing this year - he's been untouchable with a 47-1 winning streak. As I was watching him play, it sunk into my head that he has worked so hard and so long for this. I can certainly do that for my Masters. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I am going to channel my energy into refocusing for the next 6 months of the year, and into pursuing passions outside of graduate school as well. I need to get rid of the girl who lounges in front of the TV after work, and find out all the wonderful things she is capable of. </div><div><br />
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-3486016923577355772011-04-29T11:00:00.000-04:002011-04-29T11:00:26.343-04:00Does work mean love to you?Probably one of the most inspiring talks I've ever heard on TED. <br />
<br />
I never heard of Gary Vaynerchuk before yesterday, but his absolute passion comes through in this video. He's definitely in your face, but to be honest, what really isn't these days? It's an in your face you need to hear! <br />
<br />
Why aren't you doing what you love today, and what's holding you back? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EhqZ0RU95d4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-55173274182062935362011-04-19T18:57:00.002-04:002011-04-19T19:05:15.215-04:00What happens when you open the Chamber of Secrets?I believe it's important to have a handful of positive and purposeful role models in order to identify characteristics to aspire to and possibly emulate. Positive role models can make big dreams seem tangible - often enough they have put their own big dreams into reality. They provide a great way to truly know that big dreams are achievable. I believe they can also help you figure out how you want to present yourself to the world and your purpose in life. However, positive role models don't have to be larger-than-life, colossal beings of mankind...they can be as simple as your mum, your teacher, your friend. Keep in mind though, all role models come with a disclaimer that echoes Judy Garland: always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of someone else.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ubEublECnMU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
I have many positive role models for different aspects of my life, and I hope to pay tribute to them in this blog from time to time. Today, though, I want to mention a role model whom I believe embodies the spirit of a strong, confident, and against-all-odds type of woman: JK Rowling.<br />
<br />
I first "met" JK Rowling in my Year 7 English class, when Ben gave a book report presentation on "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". I had heard about Harry Potter and had already decided that I would not enjoy those kind of books - under no circumstances was I going to read them. One day though, my dad came back from a trip to England and brought with him the first two books of the series. Generally we got new books, I would grab them and devour them - since I was a much faster reader than my sister. This time though, she was having none of it, and claimed the first book. I hadn't yet mastered any semblance of patience, so I started reading the second book (which is heavily dependent on the plot line of the first book), was pretty much confused throughout the whole thing, but still loved it! I finally just took the first book from Leanne, and born was another believer in Harry Potter. I cannot even tell you the number of times I have read the Harry Potter books. I cried so much during the 7th book, because I grew up with those characters...they were my friends and it hurt so much when some of them died.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQd4buXS2lpNCsRwMnbDvG3lWuORZ4zEyBmOuPsWVvfSNriy6LkFUFfuS3q7Xgf3dMtu72OluDsWEk8PbeP34RE-hniMyISQ_aFlnbLceZD92WIaGRXe6zdKpIqG5pc-YAM7F-gbQsA0/s1600/JK+Rowling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQd4buXS2lpNCsRwMnbDvG3lWuORZ4zEyBmOuPsWVvfSNriy6LkFUFfuS3q7Xgf3dMtu72OluDsWEk8PbeP34RE-hniMyISQ_aFlnbLceZD92WIaGRXe6zdKpIqG5pc-YAM7F-gbQsA0/s200/JK+Rowling.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><br />
<br />
There are very few books and authors that can make you feel the way that JK Rowling does. The feeling of being completley lost in a book is something that I've experienced less and less as I've grown older - I think it's partially because I have less belief in the fantasy world, and the authors these days are just not cutting it. Take a look at Twilight! I love reading, and that automatically makes JK Rowling a heroine of mine. She's right up there with Louisa May Alcott!<br />
<br />
However, JK Rowling is so much more than an author. She has a story of true perserverance and that showcases how far the belief in one little idea can take you. She faced tragedy through her mother's death, and the disintegration of her first marriage; when Harry Potter waltzed into her life she was poor. Under those circumstances to have the courage to write a book is truly admirable.<br />
<br />
I remember one time she wrote a post for girls on her website. She had gone to a party, and an acquaintance that she hadn't seen for some time commented on how much weight she had lost. This completely baffled JK Rowling because she felt that it was so superficial - she had published books in that time, gotten married, and all the other woman could see was the weight loss. JK Rowling wrote in her post how she wanted more than that for her daughters - she wanted them to not be focused on their weight, but instead to focus on having accomplishments, and being creative. I think that's something that should be emphasised more in today's society.<br />
<br />
I also love how down-to-earth JK Rowling still is, even though she's one of the richest people in Europe. She is truly inspiring, and I wish that there were many more strong women out there like her!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-58425634148847866982011-04-15T08:24:00.003-04:002011-04-15T10:52:25.327-04:00What ticks your clock?<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XHLO3j6CU0wQ4w6_2RfHsLUGHawBNai2mJuTzAWQ-lu5qztWXu2cI9LWVylx5j0ZXgDyv9k5GoW1UzGdQR-rjPO-qZScFlVr8Y7hCnYrOlDsm8hVC2K0nTa0uEwfzGVQeWnWNWpd1wQ/s1600/ticking+clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XHLO3j6CU0wQ4w6_2RfHsLUGHawBNai2mJuTzAWQ-lu5qztWXu2cI9LWVylx5j0ZXgDyv9k5GoW1UzGdQR-rjPO-qZScFlVr8Y7hCnYrOlDsm8hVC2K0nTa0uEwfzGVQeWnWNWpd1wQ/s200/ticking+clock.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I often ask myself: What gets me ticking? What inspires me to wake up in the morning and just be?! </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One would think that at 23 I would be able to answer those questions. Disappointingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, I'm not quite able to. I take comfort in the fact that people much older than me are still asking themselves those same questions, and still have no answers. I have also decided to ignore the fact that people younger than me have very convincing and well-thought-out responses. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I ask myself those questions words like...ambition, positivity, violin, and tennis spring to mind. Don't judge...those are just spur of the moment words, and let's keep in mind I'm writing this at 1.30 in the freaking am. Now I play the violin, well below my actual potential, and I used to play tennis. Ambition and positivity seem like good traits to have in one's life...but yea, I think it's pretty sad if that's all that comes to mind. I was hoping by now that I would have discovered my life's passion, and just go forth with that. Maybe those random words are really a signal telling me I really need to figure it out. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I always mean to sit down and think about what gets me going in life, and then apply it. While I suppose writing a post like this one isn't really the way to address the situation, at least I'm putting it in the forefront of my brain. I especially want to figure out what gets me going as a graduate student. I've sat down a few times and kind of half-assed this...but I've never really figured out the whole thing. I have made up my mind to make a concerted effort to, at least, figure out those questions in regards to graduate school - I made the first step this morning by e-mailing a couple of profs I know for a sit down talk on graduate school advice. I hate asking for advice, so this is a big step for me - it always scares me that people will think I'm not very clever or that I've thought about asking for advice too late. It's important to face fear though. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hopefully they don't mind talking to me, and give me some useful information that I can benefit from! </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-16875138543677044832011-04-06T09:22:00.002-04:002011-04-16T18:05:35.571-04:00Coach John Wooden - words of wisdom<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A couple of weeks ago I watched a TED talk given by Coach John Wooden on the true meaning of success. I was absolutely riveted by this calm and composed 91 year old man (at the time of the talk) imparting his life’s wisdom on what it means to be successful. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For those of you who don’t know, Coach Wooden is considered to be <i>the</i> greatest basketball coach – as the head coach of UCLA, he won 10 NCAA championships in 12 years, just one aspect of his many great achievements. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He defined success in a completely unique way: “<span class="body1"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”</span></span><span class="body1"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black;">Now that’s a version of success that I had never heard before! To me, success always meant achieving A+’s, making lots of money, having beautiful possessions…and being happy. Except from the last part, all my visualizations of success have been oriented around material possessions and outdoing other people. John Wooden also lived by the words of his father, who said: don’t worry about whether you’re better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can become. Our society places such great emphasis on being better than others – but it’s true, what one person achieves doesn’t really affect the contribution you have made or the success that you have achieved. I struggle a lot with the constant need to compare myself and my progress against others. I continually do it at the lab, and sometimes it drives me insane, especially when I see others advance for apparently no reason – but I realize I should focus on being the best that I can be, and leave others to be the best that they can be. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black;">I highly recommend this talk, if only to question why our society doesn’t focus more on success at a personal level. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0MM-psvqiG8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-61917473048974358902011-02-13T14:27:00.000-05:002011-02-13T14:27:34.546-05:00Bringing healthy backDue to my funding dilemma and my doubts in my experimental abilities this past week, my eating habits have really taken a hit! It's easy keeping on track when at the lab, because I have set eating times, and a limited access to free food...but once I get home, it's non-stop face stuffing. Granted the food I'm eating is not unhealthy, but the sheer amount chowed down has led to a gigantic increase in calories.<br />
<br />
I've always had this problem with emotional eating. In first year university, I was depressed for most of the year, ate like a wild boar, and subsequently put on 20 pounds.<br />
<br />
I always find it so hard to control my emotional eating. It's usually why I only stock my place with healthy food, so if I go on a rampage, the most damage I can inflict on myself is with granola. Mmm granola.<br />
<br />
Guess it's just a battle I have to continuously keep fighting and a problem I always have to keep my eye on. I find it's so much more difficult in the winter, because the cold can be such a downer. I can't wait for summer to come, so I can wear some shorts, walk to the lab everyday, and hit up the beach! Come soon summer!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-44696292928135783972011-02-08T09:20:00.002-05:002011-02-08T09:23:28.614-05:00Focusing on the positive<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLwYSCxR-LsHfq8HcsdyjLIcN9f1khEzfRXwbBWma3PAA1WhoJQIVqSsNx0n7SHTOqS05MSRYxPqX0JnWKsdDQY84f7A9KKyV9eHwMYr_lhYS5tbF494iaswVtUk-cG54BhT_WwMTiNE/s1600/clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLwYSCxR-LsHfq8HcsdyjLIcN9f1khEzfRXwbBWma3PAA1WhoJQIVqSsNx0n7SHTOqS05MSRYxPqX0JnWKsdDQY84f7A9KKyV9eHwMYr_lhYS5tbF494iaswVtUk-cG54BhT_WwMTiNE/s400/clouds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've always been a silver lining type of girl, looking for the little bit of salvagable good in any given situation. However, these days I seem to focus more on the negative side of things. I worry that people will see the negative in me, so much so, that sometimes I forget about the positive. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Focusing on the negative gives license to spiraling into craziness. While everyone has a little bit of crazy in them, it can hardly be any good to let the crazy rule the roost. When this happens I find even the smallest of tasks incredibly difficult to get through, and find myself lying on my couch in a lethargic state as soon as I get home. Granted it might be all the running I'm doing these days, but it feels like there's a strange edge to the tiredness I am feeling. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm trying to focus more on the positive, and turn negative situations into experiences that I can learn from. There is always something to learn from everything if you look hard enough, or actually if you just simply accept the life lesson packaged inside the obviously not-so-desired-experience.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-81576155762820798192011-02-04T10:31:00.000-05:002011-02-04T10:31:04.203-05:00StressI think I have to come up with a good game plan to finish my Masters, and evaluate what I haven't been doing correctly so far. <br />
<br />
My main goal, right now, is to finish in August 2011, and to eventually publish with the data I obtain. I don't mind working after I'm done to get the paper out, but I feel that in order to be taken seriously, and my degree to really mean something, I have to publish. <br />
<br />
I have a lot of experiments to get done, and animal work can be an absolute bitch. I wasted so much time in early January doing an experiment that wasn't working, because our previous lab tech forget to tell me a pretty important point about it. Thankfully it got sorted out...but such a waste of time, antibodies, and mice. <br />
<br />
The main thing is that I am not entirely sure what experiments I need to do. I have been so busy, since before the Christmas break, trying to optimise the baseline experiment, that I haven't given much thought to anything else. Now it's optimised and the data is collected...now I have to figure out what to do with the blasted data, and where to go from here. <br />
<br />
I guess I just feel really stressed, and I have a horrible tendency to shut down and literally do nothing when I feel this way. I am really going to have to power through this feeling and work through my doubts. <br />
<br />
I have a second committee meeting at the end of March, so we'll see where I am then.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-39316628036896378192011-02-03T13:10:00.001-05:002011-02-03T16:13:42.537-05:00Short end of the stickMy official end date for my Masters is supposed to be August 2011, given that I started in September 2009. You're allocated 2 years to complete your thesis, from which you can decide to defend or transfer to do you PhD, at my university. <br />
<br />
I switched supervisors in April 2010, and so have been working on my project for roughly 9 months. When I switched, they informed me that my start date would remain the same, which I was ok with, because I planned on transferring. <br />
<br />
However, as of late, my plans to transfer have changed, and I made inquiries as to my end date. My project is has great breadth, and can definitely extend into a PhD. I also had to switch from bench work, where you could do multiple experiments in a day, to animal work. My project started from scratch and none of the techniques I learnt before applied in my new lab. So really, having a year and 5 months to complete this thesis is not the best situation! <br />
<br />
Today, I officially found out that if I am unable to finish in August, I will have to petition my grad program to extend my Masters, have my committee agree upon it (which I don't see any reason why they wouldn't), and then pay an extra year of tuition. That's $6000+!! Also, I doubt I would receive a stipend. How am I going to pay my tuition, my rent, and everything else? Thank goodness I have savings, but they are now going to take such a hard hit!!!!! I could move back home to my parents...but then I'd have to commute, and I am a bitch when I commute. <br />
<br />
They don't even have reduced tuition anymore for people in my circumstances...I guess because not many grad students decide to switch supervisors. <br />
<br />
I really want to finish by August, but my project switched direction in October, and I only recently optimised the core experiment. These types of situations just fill me with doubts in my abilities, and it's so easy to imagine the worse case scenario. Guess my not-so-vibrant social life is going to take a further hit! <br />
<br />
Sometimes I wonder if it's a waste of my youth to be stuck in the lab, in a dark room for hours, hoping to make an experiment work, when I could be enjoying myself...or at least getting more job satisfaction for the effort put in. Sadly, I think I already know the answer to that!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-87220379601750488792011-01-25T08:47:00.000-05:002011-01-25T08:47:30.717-05:00As I turn 23...Once upon a time 23 seemed so old. And now that I am 23, I feel so very young, and there's so much I want to accomplish with my life.<br />
<br />
This year I want to focus on my goals - I want to work harder and play a bit less. I've gotten into the habit of playing a bit too much and a bit too hard sometimes. I also want to focus more on my friendships, and "think" of others more. When people do small things for me, or remember small details that make me happy, I feel so special. I really want to focus on bringing that aspect to my friendships this year, from my side.<br />
<br />
There's also a couple things that I plan on keeping my chin up about. I'm sure God has a plan, and unfortunately though I don't know it yet, everything has always worked out so far.<br />
<br />
I'm excited about 23, and I hope to embrace the year openly, so that it's filled with great times and no regrets!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-40322950589314252052011-01-18T12:22:00.000-05:002011-01-18T12:22:45.815-05:00Winter glovesThis morning when I checked the temperature, I did a dance of good-weather-joy in my apartment. Yesterday's freezing cold almost brought me to tears, so seeing that it was 1 degree was awesome. <br />
<br />
Embracing the "warmth", I decided to keep my gloves stuffed into my jacket pocket. As I'm walking to my bus, music in my ears, I hear someone vaguely yelling. Now there are lots of men who yell/honk on the streets, so I tend to ignore them. A little while later I realised I lost my gloves...and wandered back to find them. I might have let them go, but they were a purchase of this winter, and I have a tendency to lose gloves. <br />
<br />
Eventually, I found them, in two separate snow banks...3 blocks apart. There is no way that they fell out of my pocket into two snowbanks, that were a little off my walking route. Guess that man was yelling at me about my gloves, and then decided to have some fun with them. <br />
<br />
Crazy. And not appreciated.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-49699588216281192662011-01-12T07:28:00.001-05:002011-01-12T07:31:44.740-05:00Paradoxical emotionsYesterday, when coming back from the senior centre my nana visits everyday, she slipped in my aunt's driveway and fractured her neck.<br />
<br />
While this is horrible beyond belief, thank God she wasn't paralysed. It could have been so much worse.<br />
<br />
For some reason though, my aunt kept this under wraps for 4 hours! Simple ridiculous! What if something happened in those 4 hours...and the rest of us only found out too late...<br />
<br />
Anyways, she's a tough lady. She's of the old stock, and I know she'll make it through.<br />
<br />
I am just so worried. It sucks that I am here, so far away, and that everyone else is with her.<br />
<br />
And while one half of my brain is consumed with that, the other is overjoyed that my experiment worked in it's entirety TWICE yesterday.<br />
<br />
I was so happy at the lab that I did a little dance, and actually wanted to make out with the microscope. The frustration and anxiety of troubleshooting is definitely worth the pleasure of seeing your efforts result in some actual results!! This makes going to the lab exciting, and I can't wait to go back and be more productive!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-8491982072437624122011-01-08T09:22:00.001-05:002011-01-08T22:11:20.994-05:00Don't start celebrating yet!I'm finally collecting some data for my experiment! Great start to the New Year, I'd say. I worked really hard at hammering out some of the kinks of the experiment this past week, and am even going in today - on a much treasured Saturday - to stare into the microscopes, with the goal of getting some valuable data.<br />
<br />
I have been waiting, waiting, and then waiting some more, to collect data. And now I am finally here! Although, this has now opened up a whole new can of worms. I thought that when I pushed past the learning/developing the experimental technique, to actually collecting data, my life problems would be solved. This is where science goes - ah hah, trapped you, you idiot!<br />
<br />
Logically, you would think that when analysing data, inputting A and B to get C would give you C. But no. A and B sometimes gives you C (awesome), sometimes D (kind of makes sense), and sometimes even Z (what the fuck)! What should make sense, doesn't, at all.<br />
<br />
Now I have to figure out how to "mould" my data to tell the story I want it to tell.<br />
<br />
Ahh science, always one leap ahead of me!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-50516508145081037402011-01-05T22:39:00.000-05:002011-01-05T22:39:36.731-05:00One of the lucky onesA few years ago my dad went for his annual physical. He had planned to skip it, just like he did the previous year, but for some reason my mum got on his back to go.<br />
<br />
The doctor found he had abnormal prostrate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and after a few more tests, he was diagnosed with stage 1 prostrate cancer. He underwent a prosectomy, and radiation, and was pronounced cancer free within a year or so.<br />
<br />
Today, he called me to say he visited the oncologist. My heart stopped for a second because I thought he was going to tell me it was back...there are millions of stories of what a resilient bastard cancer can be, and why should this be any different? However, it was just to tell me that his PSA levels are still within the normal range. I can't help but think how my dad is truly one of the lucky ones, and how thankful I am for that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-23999307276267804332010-12-31T12:20:00.001-05:002011-01-05T20:36:30.801-05:00Goodbye 2010...bonjour 2011!!!2010 has been a great year!<br />
<br />
When I look back on the end of 2009, I am at a completely different place, now, at the end of 2010...in a good way. I think that marks a successful year.<br />
<br />
2010 has brought me a Masters project I enjoy and am seeing small steps of progress in. It's the year I gained some financial independence by having my own apartment, and paying for the rent and utilities by myself. It's the year I started dating, and after having fantasised about having a boyfriend for so long, I think I'm realising I love the single life! It's the year I started focusing more on reading again, after taking an unfortunate hiatus during undergrad, and the year I consolidated the importance of alcohol tolerance. I also expanded my music taste, and some music that I would have hated 2 years ago, I now love love love!<br />
<br />
2010 has also been difficult in many ways. My lack of patience and forgetfulness has made some of my relationships difficult. I have a pattern of shutting down when I am overwhelmed, and I sadly continued that this year too. I've also contemplated so much on the future that I almost drove myself crazy. I have come up with a solution that I am quite satisfied with, but that I'll save for another post, when it has fully sunk into my mind. Also, I was hit with a bout of lethargy and apathy closer to the end of the year - sometimes I forget all the wonderful things I have going for me, and fixate on the one thing I don't have.<br />
<br />
Most importantly, 2010 has been a year of change for me. I have been hesitant with accepting change this year - change makes me nervous. I hope 2011 is a year of change, as well, but this time I want to embrace it and dive headfirst into it.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I want to finish my Masters successfully, and move on from the city. I can't wait to see the results of my project...but I also can't wait to move on to the next step in life.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I want to focus more on my fitness. I'm going to start going to the gym early in the morning, and be in an awake frame of mind for the lab.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I want to be more patient, and invest more time in helping and being there for others.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I want to acquire some new hobbies, and build upon my old ones.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I want to have the courage to make mistakes without being fearful of regrets...I don't want to regret not making the mistake in the future.<br />
<br />
Sooo here's to a great 2010, and ushering in an awesome 2011 in a few hours!!! Happy New Year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-51056598045686394962010-12-29T18:49:00.001-05:002010-12-31T02:43:28.297-05:0020 questions for an end of year reflectionThis should typically be done on New Year's Eve, but I'm worried that I might be too busy running around and boozing to fill these out properly. I've lifted these questions from a blog called "Simple Mom". With this exercise I hope to gain some perspective on the year, and have a better and more specific understanding of my goals for 2011.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #363636; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Discovering I had the courage and fortitude to change supervisors. It was one of the biggest decisions I've ever had to make, and I was scared to death to make it. I am so thankful that I was able to, and for the friends that supported me. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since I have my own place, but come back home to my parents fairly often on weekends, I have found it very challenging to mesh those two worlds. In one world, I make the rules and the only person I have to please is myself. In the other world, not so much. It has been challenging to make my parents realise that I am an adult, and sometimes I would like to learn from my own mistakes. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had to give a presentation on an article for my now-supervisor's class. It was such a difficult article to read and understand. I was so scared for the presentation, because I was unsure if my interpretation was correct. He thought I did an amazing job though. It was such a joy knowing that, and knowing all my hard work paid off, even for just that small presentation. It certainly gave me a big confidence boost. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. What was an unexpected obstacle?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paying bills and taking care of personal finances. It might sound extremely easy, but for someone who has never managed her own money, and always taken money for granted, it hasn't been. I was not very disciplined at all this year, and I hope to be next year. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Pick three words to describe 2010.</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploratory. Independent. Satisfying. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe </span><em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">your</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2011 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't have a spouse or a boyfriend that I could supplement...but I'll keep it in to look back on for when I'm filling this out and I do have one. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe </span><em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">their</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2008 (again, without asking).</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ditto. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8. What were the best books you read this year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ooh...The Glass Castle, The Pact, and A Fine Balance. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm sure there are more, but I read a lot, and I can't remember them now. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With my close friends. You are probably the people actually reading this blog. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hmmm...I think I have become more confident. I know I come across as a confident person, but that is mainly bravado. I now feel more confident in my ability in the lab, in learning new techniques, answering questions, and actually being able to hold my own. I also feel more confident in my looks - I have always had a complex about them, but I think this past year I have realised it is all in my head. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have had ups and downs in terms of emotional growth. I am a naturally very emotional person, and I have been trying to harness my emotions a bit more this year. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am not sure I grew spiritually. I have phases of spirituality, and I felt that I was in an off-phase for most of the year. That is something I should work on in 2011. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I changed my eating habits this year. I started eating more frequently and less. It worked really well, until the month of December and the holidays hit. I also started playing soccer and golf, and re-visited tennis. Not bad for a generally non-sporty person! I can also do a pull-up! </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I tried to listen more to others and be there more. I wasn't successful with everyone, but I was successful with a few. I also realised that I have to put a bit more effort and manage my time better in my relationships, so that I am able to stay in touch with the people that matter to me. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">15. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love having my own place. It is so enjoyable to clean it, to have people over, to cook in my own kitchen, and decorate. I love decorating! </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">16. What was your most challenging area of home management?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keeping my place clean during busy times. It's so easy to just dump stuff and not tidy up. Then there's just a mountain of cleaning to get through afterwards. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Facebook. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Discovering what I want to do in life, and actually talking to other people about it seriously. It definitely gave me some insight into myself, and I think I have figured out my priorities for now. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">19. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The idea of something is very different to the reality. </span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.</span></div><div style="color: #363636; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2010 has been a year of positive growth and change for me; a year of branching out, introspective thinking, and consolidating some beautiful friendships. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-1282926048902938332010-12-10T07:39:00.001-05:002011-03-04T11:08:57.482-05:00Keeping your chin upScience can be a very frustrating field of study. Experiments often don't work, for heaven knows what reason; there are multiple hoops to jump through (depending on your project) to actually getting some data; there are hours of prep work that go to waste oftentimes. That's where I'm at right now - hoop jumping and prep-wasting. All that jazz though is worth it when the experiment finally works in its entirety. The reward and satisfaction you feel is amazing. That was me earlier this week!<br />
<br />
But yesterday my experiment went back to making no sense whatsoever. I literally wanted to punch a wall, because I felt that the confusion and anger this elicited eclipsed my earlier successes of the week. I felt that I was back to square one. Stupid square one.<br />
<br />
I woke up this morning though, and realised that it wasn't a set back. I was making steps forward - slow, but steady. In order to work in science, you need a tough skin - or the acquirement of one <i>really</i> fast! I always take experiments not working as a failure, but in the clarity of the morning, I know they are not failures. I'm merely learning about new aspects of the experiments, and what not to do in the future. Some of my best ideas for this project, or in adapting the techniques I've learnt, have come in moments of "failure".<br />
<br />
I was planning my day while in the shower this morning, and was swaying on the side of not repeating the experiment this afternoon. If I fucked it up, then Friday, and potentially the weekend, could be soured. However, I realised that not doing the experiment would hinder my advancement - work or not, I'm getting somewhere, and I'm learning something. Maybe it's not as big a success as the entire experiment working...BUT it's still a small success! Small successes are so important to appreciate, because it takes many, many small successes to make a big success in science. From now on, I'm going to focus on appreciating the small successes instead of berating myself for not achieving the big one. It'll be all the more sweeter when I do!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-25756150986085421402010-12-07T15:49:00.000-05:002010-12-07T15:49:12.437-05:00They're singing deck the halls...I've been meaning to update for a while, and have started so many different posts, but then never found the time to finish them. I had a bit of a slump recently - you know the kind where you sit around all day, stuff your face, watch a million TV shows, even though you don't quite know the reason? Well, that was me! And I wanted this blog to mainly be positive, so I decided to hold off a bit on the posting. <br />
<br />
I think I sometimes have this problem where I'm too busy living in the past or in the future, that I can barely appreciate and enjoy the present. I am constantly worrying about the future that I can't even focus on the present - and that is something that I am working on! Lately, I've been obsessing with trying to figure out the right career path that I can barely take the time to remember what a great opportunity getting my masters is, and how much I've learnt. Juggling all the different aspects of life can be so difficult sometimes! <br />
<br />
With that being said, Christmas is coming! <br />
<br />
The past few years, I have missed out on the whole excitement of Christmas anticipation. School has always been so hectic, and since I also help out my parents at their place of work, I usually don't even realise it's December until the 25th. This year though, I FEEL Christmas coming...AND I am going to revel in it. I've started baking, and next weekend is decorating! I am going to make hot buttered rum, mince pies, the turkey, and just stuff my face. I've also decided that giving presents is good enough - I'm not really interested in receiving them this year. I'm going to write out Christmas cards - old school style - and actually give them to people. Woot woot!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-48058549935362830052010-11-09T22:50:00.000-05:002010-11-09T22:50:11.301-05:00Creative cats<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I was watching a TED talk yesterday given by Sir Ken Robinson in 2006. Usually, I am unable to listen to a speaker for longer than 10 minutes, since my mind likes to wander and I get bored very easily. But I was riveted by this talk. Sir Ken Robinson was such a confident and hilarious speaker. Nothing quite resonates with me like humour. And given that the entire audience was laughing, yet listening, I know they were spellbound too.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The talk was about how the education system of today focuses solely on educating children, and urging them to excel, but only in certain areas. Intelligence is narrowly defined by book smarts. When a child doesn’t display conventional intelligence, they are often labeled with a learning disability, or some ‘problem’. The talk highlights the neglect that other wonderful talents experience, and how the neglect of these talents and the push towards a defined intelligence, ultimately, kills creativity.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">In particular, one line reverberated with me: “If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original”. He said that kids are not worried about being wrong…if they don’t know something, they will at least take a stab at it. Think back to your own childhood…I know I certainly was never scared about being wrong. Nowadays, the very thought of it sometimes cripples me.</div><div style="font: 19.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 23.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">While my parents certainly strenously emphasized getting good grades, I was also very fortunate that they allowed me to explore and cultivate other talents. Our house was always full of music, I had mountains of books to read, and they taught me about the beauty of art. My sister, in fact, is incredible at drawing. These will certainly things I’ll have to think about when I have kids (thankfully, many years down the line).</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I don't think the cultivation of creativity simply ends with childhood though. I believe it's something we can continue to work on throughout our lifetime, maybe just through small actions. Take a dance class you otherwise wouldn't, pick up a non-fiction book (or any book for that matter), watch a play, take a stroll through the park. There's no set way of expanding your creativity, but I do believe there are set ways of killing it. I've certainly been trying to step out of my box this past month, and so far, I'm loving it! </div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Here's the link to the talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html</div></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-28841614034560410692010-11-08T21:59:00.000-05:002010-11-08T22:04:55.054-05:00Just a student...remember?Sometimes I think my supervisor forgets I'm just a student.<br />
<br />
He's so knowledgeable, in a sort of intimidating way, and I feel that he sometimes forgets that not everyone is on the same level as he is. Especially me!<br />
<br />
While he's extremely understanding when experiments don't work and always receptive to questions, no matter how basic (i.e. stupid), he sometimes just talks right over my head. I think it's because he genuinely forgets that my knowledge of the lab is limited, outside of my own project and my own experiments. Nonetheless, it overwhelms me and makes me feel as though I'm behind...although, I'm not really sure what I'm behind...maybe where I think I ought to be in my head?<br />
<br />
Given that he has been so amazing by welcoming me into his lab, I never like to appear confused, lost or directionless in front of him. But, being a student and still a rather green 'scientist', I obviously feel like that a lot of the time! Guess it's just something I'm going to have to come to terms with in my head...and realise that asking for help and admitting I don't know something, even though I hate to, is not a sign of weakness.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-36560204900934672202010-11-07T14:13:00.000-05:002010-11-07T14:20:37.297-05:00The bittersweet side of friendship<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next Saturday, one of my close friends from high school is getting married. When I came to Canada, almost 8 years ago, she was one of the first people I made friends with. I remember asking her if I could sit with her at lunch during religions class, and being so worried that she would say no. Of course, being the wonderful girl that she is, she said yes, and it was history from there. We haven’t always stayed the closest of friends, and there were definitely times where we barely kept in touch, but I think we have the kind of friendship that picks up right where it left off. I believe that kind of “laissez-faire” friendship is rare, and probably blossomed from the belief that one day we would make it through IB, hopefully with our sanity still intact. The jury is still out on that one! </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We celebrated her last nights as a bachelorette girl on Friday and Saturday. While both nights were filled with the type of crazy fun you can only have with other girls, it was bittersweet at the same time. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we’ve all grown up. Responsibilities have changed from simply completing homework to paying bills, and incorporating someone else’s life into your own (at least in her case). My girlfriend is moving to another country shortly after getting married, and it makes me wonder if I’ll ever even see her again. Sure, you give keeping in touch a valiant effort for the first little while, but it’s always a gamble as to whether the friendship will stand the test of time. Friendship sometimes takes a backseat given all the other responsibilities its important to juggle. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’ve noticed that happening in my own life this past year. It’s easy to forget the significance of friendships, when deadlines are approaching, and how important it is to maintain them. The sheer ease of being friends in high school tends to require a little bit of work and effort as you get older, move apart, and take different paths in life. I’ve certainly pruned my friendships throughout the years, so that the ones I do have are more meaningful and my life isn’t filled with trivial people. While that has certainly depleted my friendship count somewhat, the ones that I do have are much richer and I know I can always count on them...which really is what friendship is about anyways. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I really wish my girlfriend the best in life as she embarks on this new chapter. I’m sure she’ll make a success of it, as she’s done so many other things. Even if our friendship flounders, from the distance and time zone difference, I have so many fond memories with her and our group of girls that will always be cherished. </span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4679242976298457529.post-67160071884094933272010-11-05T09:06:00.001-04:002010-11-07T14:21:02.410-05:00Niching myself in?<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Possibly one of the hardest parts about growing up is deciding what you want to do in life. Everything seems so simple as a kid...you go to school, you graduate, you get that long-dreamed about perfect career (usually, a doctor or an astronaut), and life goes on. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately, when you’re actually living that time of life when you’re supposed to be deciding on career, everything becomes a little murky. Actually, more than a little murky. There are so many aspects to consider that were never conceived of as a kid. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will I be happy in my career? Will I be fulfilled? Are my values going to be represented? Will I wake up every morning with an eagerness, or in a depressive state?</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Right now, I’m doing my Masters program and trying to decide what I want to do afterwards. Initially, when I changed labs, I was convinced that I was going to transfer in the same lab and do my PhD. I loved my project...it was my baby. Once I developed it, I could not imagine passing it on to someone else. It was amazing feeling that way, but now that I am 7 months at my new lab, I find myself wondering about the right path for me. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First, I am not very convinced that I am a lab person. I cannot imagine spending hours on end at the lab, and still finding a joy in life. I’m a people person. I love social events. I love dressing up, putting on my dancing shoes, and hitting the town. Not that I’m saying lab people can’t do that...but, I think those that are dedicated to science and dying to make a great scientific discovery, don’t mind “living” in the lab. That’s not me. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Second, I can’t imagine staying in this city for the next 4 years. While this city is great for a student, I can’t imagine making a life here. I have my own place, which is awesome, as the rent is cheap and my freedom is maximised. If I was in Toronto with my apartment, I’d be paying through my nose. But I can find the freedom of my own place anywhere else. This city stinks and half the people are nutters. It’s not a place where I want to spend, and waste, my youth. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Third, I’m worried about niching myself in. If I continue in this same lab, what other opportunities am I missing out on? I want to expose myself to more science than just my little project. Sure I’ll be incredibly knowledgeable on this little piece of the science world, but what about the other areas of interest I have?</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fourth, there are so many other things I want to do in life. Isn’t RIGHT NOW the time to explore those options? What if I keep putting it off, wake up one day realising I’m 50, and haven’t accomplished anything I set out to do? </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Still, I have my Masters to finish. I have less than a year to go, and now is the time for me to dedicate myself to it. Sometimes I wish it would just finish itself, but then I would be missing out on so much learning. Ahh...to be a kid again! </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1