Back, for the adventure!

Oh ho!

How long has it been since I last wrote a piece here? July 2012!! It felt like many light years ago. The good news is that I am back, not from the land of the dead, from the land of adventure!

Even a briefer introduction of what I've been stealthily doing the last year of silence is appropriate here. The last 6-7 months had been hectic: thesis writing, conference's invited speaker, another collaboration with a lab in Frankfurt, writing up an article for journal publications.  All of these are in no particular order. Now, the thesis has been submitted, the article is published, the collaborators offered me a job in their lab, the speech was overwhelmingly received and since then I have a barrage of emails asking for a position in our research group. People say I am more famous than my supervisor. I say it's luck. So lets stop self-glorifying here, I felt a somewhat narccistic promoting what I did in the last few months!

Lets talk about now! At the moment, I am learning how to canoe, and sew! These two are unconventionally put next to each other, I agree. The first, canoeing, is really a fashion to do in our department. Being guys, my friends had been nudging me for hours to join the fun. I always have a reason to back out: I've got experiments to do in the lab. Now that the thesis had been submitted, I ran out of luck, and so I am joining the guys tackling the rivers (and at some point, waterfalls!) in NZ with a canoe. Unfortunately, despite having learnt to swim properly and overcoming water-phobia (I actually think it's not the water/current, but more of the flash of memories I have from watching Hollywood's Jaw 1-4!), I am still a novice in the water. So, in the next couple of weeks, I'd be spending my time with my canoe in a swimming pool (boohoo!) practising for real stuff. So far, nothing exciting yet happening in the pool (there's nothing 'adventurous'!), therefore I've got nothing to report on that.

The second, sewing lessons, are awesome. I picked up sewing after accidentally clicking on one of the most cutest skirts I've seen on the web. And the tutorial about how to go making it is superbly easy to follow, even for a noob-sewer like me. Mind you, the last time I tried my hands on needles was...10 years ago? And that was for a school project making a pouch (which I got rated a B+). I hated sewing then, it takes up too much time when I rather do calculus! It's a different feeling now, because 1) I do it with a machine, 2) I sew what I want. So in the past few weeks, I was learning from the pros' posts in the internet on sewing terms and tricks. I am proud to say, until now, I have 2 dresses, and 1 skirt made from scratch by myself! I've worn 2 of them to school, and the compliments I have received ("Wow, that's a nice dress you've got! Where'd you get it?", "I love your dress!") have been flattering. Perhaps, it was because people rarely see me in girly dress. It's always khakis, jeans with wacky printed T's back then, you know, those apparels that help you move faster and tackle 8 flight of stairs easily.

So, there. A good start of blogging this year.. Well, stay tune for the next post. I've not decided what I want to put up yet, but maybe my new summer dress? I should go shopping for fabric then!

Comment: 2013 is going to be a superb year to accomplish things that I never imagined I could do! I hope it's going to be a fabulous year for you too, be it for a career, family or personal achievement outlook!

Soldier of Love

Fingers flexed? Yup..

It's raining hard outside, and it's foggy. I am of course viewing this wet Sunday from my office.. Yeah, some people do work 7 days a week.

Now, before you say in disbelieve 'WORK?'; lets settle on the 'light editing' job. Thesis writing is time consuming, I'd rather go back to the lab and do more experiments with the time I spent on writing. It's ridiculously intense; don't let anyone tell you PhD is as easy provided that one work hard enough. It's NOT good enough to work hard. One must put their mental agility on the chopping board to deal with the frustration and contemplation, ever moving effervescently every time one thinks about his/her PhD projects. And sometime, it can be a little frustrating to see some people strutting around with the Dr. (PhD) title, but talk nonsense (a kindergarten is a much better articulate person to me). An example of this is one guy called Ridhuan Abdullah. I've no problem with him being a racist in the closet; what happened in his mind is his own business. It's what he spit out matters because it degrades the entire institution of academic, the learnt scholars. Here's the first thing he said that I read (Ridhuan Tee's BS), and I promised myself I will NEVER waste my time ever again on reading his crap. For those who aligned, or very much would like to read more of him, he writes blog. No, don't ask me where is it; ask Google! (My faith does not condone bashing people because of their race, color or whatever. I find Dr. Asri Zainal Abidin's coretan interesting and intellectually stimulating to read and take perspective on)

Enough of stomping on stupid remarks from a self-claimed learnt person like Ridhuan. It ruined my mood. Lets talk Physics instead... Before someone's mind go to hibernation upon seeing 'Physics', I'd like to share this interesting paper from a group of fun physicists in the UK.. The paper is about Batman! Batman and batcape...This is what I found on GoogleScholar... Yeah, some work on Sunday right? It's not much, just 2 pages. Minimal equations, you can even skipped them if you want because the idea is not revolved around the equations (FYI: the sets of equation are the well-known Newton's 1st and 2nd Law. We knew them like the back of our hand while we're still at high school..). If you're an impatient person, like my type, go straight to conclusion. I find it hilarious to read and get some new overview of things I take for granted. In this case, I take Batman flying for granted. This reminds me to share another article (this year) about the physics of coffee handling... If only I could find the open-access reference for that!

Meanwhile, let me share a picture I've got from trekking the Great China Walls. It's done about a year ago while I was in Beijing for a conference. Love the trek, and I will tell more of Beijing/Great Wall in the next post...

'The key to lasting union...' Juyongguan Pass, Great Wall of China

Comment: What's with the entry title-content?

Euphora of THE General Election

Politic? Stay out of it!

That's what my mother often tell all of us, my siblings and I. She's admonishing us when we talk about blatant corruption going on in the district governance, she'd scoffed us even more when we intend to join in the solidarity of marching in the name of freedom rights. And she still does it over supper talks when we get together, chit chatting about BERSIH and the intention to join NGOs such as that. Although I do not know the political leaning of my older siblings, I am quite certain of that of my father's. ABU. Anything But UMNO.

I won't rant about who is what here, that'll be for another story on another day. I've my own preferences, it's suffice to say I'd rather gamble my future on a clean slate government than being continuously dogged into bribery and corrupt government (of the day).

I just wish to note down here that I've applied to register as a voter for the coming GE, about a month ago. I was so elated that when I checked my name this morning, my application has been received and is now being processed. Have you registered to be heard? Check here: Semakan Daftar Pemilih SPRM

Comment: UPKO? STAR? PKR? or PAS? in Kuala Penyu? I long for the day when someone who's as bright as Rafizi Ramli, as compassionate as Kamalanathan, as the ever more humble as Tok Guru Nik Aziz, as courageous as Ambiga to take charge of my district.

Back AGAIN!

And here I am! When I looked at the last post I made, I gasped! Was it already that long I've not pen my thoughts?! Some apologies are due; maybe not many read my blog, but I regret it very much that I don't write as much as I aimed I should. No excuse.

Spring Velvet Rose, Wellington Botanical Garden

So, what's been happening in that...wait for it... a year?!

Lets update you with the things that are still me: a poor student, unmarried (at this age, I guess it's normal for people outside the perimeter of KP), a lovely girl! With the emphasize on the last one.. Yup, I've got about 8 months to go to finish my degree; and fingers crossed make myself employable to save up some money to get hitched and go for vacation a lot. At the moment, things are tough. The thesis writing part I mean. I started about 4 months ago, and I'm less than 40% of readying my first draft! And it's not procrastination-I can assure you-it's more like I'm at the end of my wits of how to translate things I've learnt and discovered so far in research into words that are not mumbo-jumbo, present ideas in a flow that is easily accessible to me long in the future. Who knows I might not be in this business anymore once I'm capped?

On the other side of the coin, a lot has changed. The last time I went back home, about a year ago, my brother in-law passed away because of a suspected heart attack. He was a very heavy smoker. I missed the funeral and only managed to get there the day after the burial. It's a fateful reunion for the family I'd like to think. Months prior to the passing, I've been tinkering with my flight tickets to a conference in Beijing to make a stop over in Singapore so that I can make it our thanksgiving day. My brother booked a ticket home from Johor for that purpose too. So are my other nearby siblings. It was when they've reached home-that late evening-my brother in-law fainted and passed away on the way to the hospital. He was buried the day we've marked for thanksgiving reunion. To another not-so morose incidents, most of my best girlfriends from SMSL have gotten married. And trying hard to be pregnant. Some got lucky, some are still praying for the miracles. I'm glad for them, to be adventurous on having a family of three. I cannot imagine the antics the baby made at nights, but they seemed happy with those.

Comments: In that ONE YEAR, I've done several hikes and sightseeing as well. I should be able to weave some stories of my journeys soon when I am able to share the pictures. Don't give up on me!

No woman no cry...

Late Winter welcoming the Spring! Yosemite National Park

I am listening to this version of Marley's awesome 'No woman, no cry', by Katherine Jenkins (feat. Cody Karey) while typing this entry...

Sigh, I think it's been like..a couple of months since I last put a piece in here. Many things to do, yet not enough time and hands to do all of them.

But coming back to my intent on the thing that I'd like to publish today, no woman no cry. Rivetingly true, I've to admit.

When I hit that age of breaking away from my mother for a 3-days-2-nights school camp, I remember sobbing uncontrollably with a whole continent of people watching me, puzzled. I still do now every time I leave my beloved mum home.

I still remember crying endlessly when my sisters hurled some words that cut me deep as a result of my stubbornness antiques. In the dark, even. I still do now, for them, in the dark but for missing them dearly when they're most of the time out of physical reach and hugs.

There was a time when I get to know bright and awesome girls back in school days and enjoyed raptuous candours of gossips and boys. Then it hit me like an oncoming truck when we've to lead our own lives paths, pursuing what we needed to achieve as we chose to go to other colleges. I remember I cry for ages, refusing food and living only on photographs of our great school days. I still do now, whenever I go through those big smiley photographs of angel like girls--cried a few buckets at that but this time with few cookies in a hand!

"Lunch for 1, La Castanogla, San Francisco"

So, you see, if there's not a woman in my life, I don't think I'd shed so much tear. But without a woman in my life, neither laughters nor bonds coming my way.

Comments: A strength of woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she can be until you put her on hot water.

What a ROYAL week!

Splash across the newspapers websites across the globe are the pictures of the newly wed Brits popular Prince.. Well, I don't know what to comment more since everybody has already their put their two cents here and there.. I guess I'm taking the 'indifference' mood this type.

On the serious note, I had just finish writing and submitting papers for peer-reviews. Man, what an intense week it had been! Finally today I've some time to sip my coffee, and read newspaper properly which leads me to write this entry (or otherwise I would make an excuse for myself to keep procrastinating it..).

I've come across this section in TheStar that was reviewing something about brain drain and Malaysia. Phew..I just cannot believe that I said those words in a breath. As if both of them are parallel to each other since the beginning of time.

Anyway, the report was based on the published findings of the World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/my) that says every 1 out of 10 Malaysian brains migrate out of the country. With a population of about 28 million, that makes it 2.8 million talented Malaysians are abroad!

Well, I don't wish to engage in the issue of brain drain affecting the country here. I'm sure that there are many reasons why one leaves, returns, or ways on how the authorities are doing to tackle this diaspora.

I think it's unfortunate that the talents are leaving the country in search for greener pastures, but it's unavoidable (unless the country is going to strict regime like North Korea). I think while we can still try our means to attract those who have left, we should focus our energy even more on educating, properly train and equip those who stayed behind.

An example of such a measure is actually already in place some years back, when the government announced that mastery of Science and Maths in English is the way forward. I lauded it back then and still is now, though I cursed them for not introducing the plan years earlier when I was in high schools. One may have to despair a lot of the time with the switch, but gradually it's always a win-win situations.

I have been educated in a system with Malay as the medium of instructions, learnt everything about Science and Maths in Malay. So when it was time to enter university and sit for SAT exams, I found it cripples me to re-learn everything and express it in terms that the world understand, English. Now, after years of learning everything in English, I find it impossible to help with homeworks for my nieces and nephews. The Physics jargons that I know by heart in English now seems so alien in Malay. I bet my nieces have thought low of me now that I couldn't help but ask them back to explain what the questions want to know.

So, bring back the English as the medium of instructions for Science and Maths. I know from heart that deep in the rural areas in Borneo (or anywhere for that matter), someone will one day come out and say it out loud that if it's not for English-taught Science background she/he had, she/he would not be where it's now.

Comments: Too tired to process my hike to one of the best Day's hike in the world, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a couple of days back. Like I said, it WAS a week full of royals and majestic landscapes!

Stop sensationalize frivolous issues from dumbing us down!

Maybe it's just me, being away for so many years from home, seeing and reading everything from a distance, through a 3rd person eyes.

Every day, I usually make an effort to read newspapers portals (pro-and anti-governments) over the net--just to keep abreast of issues at home, in particular education-related matters. Such raised news that made it to the front pages usually have high fidelity with my soul. Perhaps, it's because I'm very much a campaigner of a better education for deserving children of Malaysia.

Sadly, in recent years it has become very much politicized, to its core that it just completely turned me off. I feel the same way as reading rubbish comments on how the work of literary Interlok being riddled with 'racism' and what nots to reading the latest new-found sex tapes allegedly involving some political figures. These kind of things (sex tapes etc) are not suppose to make it to the front page for our children to read at school. If you're to ask me why not, I'll tell you straight in the face that you might as well allow public screening of any porn videos in cinemas, as much as you want to publicize (or character assasinate) a person (or a group of people) bedroom antics in national newspapers (and the Parliament!).

It all comes down to what our mentals are curious of. And at the moment, it seems like our news room are feeding us with junkies that will not contribute to empowering national development, improving economic standing, reducing poverty and crime, to list but a few. Rather than engaging in discussions that can lead towards betterment of English proficiencies and competence of generations of talented Malaysians globally or how to tackle the rising cost of living of average Malaysians, for example, people in the higher echelon of the House prefer spending time watching smut videos and that too at the expense of the citizen time and money.

We cannot allow such trivialities making their way to the top of the country's priorities and dumbing us down along the way.

Comments: In the recent natural-disasters affecting the world, when tens of thousand people died, cut out of basic necessities, unaccounted for, I find it befuddling that inconsequential matters like smut videos printed in bold, huge fonts on the country's newspapers frontpage.