10 things happened these days

1. I need to bring dust for today's teaching lab experiment. I collected one vial of dust from toilet fan because I was desperate that my and my friend's wall/ceiling fan did not collect much dust while my labmates only needed to collect dust from their own room(s). I don't know whether I must be happy or sad about it.
2. My friends who had done the experiment said that they used all the dust in the vial for the experiment (apparently, we needed to take 0.1 gr of dust). I just needed a small portion because my dust were heavy enough. So..... they came from all things in the toilet....... Imagine that if you wish.
   
3. Once my senior said that chemists are classified into synthetic and physical chemist. Analytical chemist (in broader sense: everyone that is doing/did something in analytical chemistry research lab and think/thought they are/were serious in it) is classified under physical chemist category. Wew. I still can't erase my image that physical chemists deals with quantum chemistry and thermodynamics and all that stuff. Scary and looks very hard. Luckily analytical looks more fun and applicable than that.... So I can be happy about it.
   
4. Today is the collection day of my physical chemistry (the "quantum chemistry and thermodynamics and all that stuff" one and not analytical one) mid-term and we had to collect it personally from the prof's office. I queued nervously with my labmates. I was shaking when I went inside the prof's office. I was shaking when he asked me to sign while he was taking my mid-term. I was shaking when I recalculated the mark as he wished and said thanks. And I was still shaking when I went out of his office and returned to the teaching lab. Thanks God the marking scheme was quite lenient... And some questions that I thought was mistakenly answered turned out to be correct =P
   
5. When my teaching lab TA said that today's session is the last lab session for this semester's lab, I wanted to scream. Next sem will be organic/synthesis lab that I (and some friends who chatted with me today) do not like, partially because of the synthetic lab TAs that earn money without doing necessary helping or teaching. They just stand there, chat with each other or text their friends/bf/gf. If we ask them anything, they may just shrug because they do not understand what we are asking if we don't speak in their language and go away (yes I'm talking about a certain nationality...) or direct us to the head laboratory officer so they can just hang out in the lab. Hey YOU ARE PAID FOR THAT!!!
6. I took a nap after I went back from lab. I planned to sleep for a while cos I still have CAs to prepare. Then it was raining...... And I was hibernating instead of napping.
7. The rain was IS quite hard and I was not able to go to the canteen to buy dinner (by now the foods must have been finished). I decided to buy instant noodle at vending machine for dinner, and I still have breads, milk and cookies if I'm still hungry. The bad thing about the vending is that it can only receive payments in coins. I only had 90 cents and I hoped that they had the 90 cents noodle (normal one; kimchi ramen is S$1.10). I saw from afar that there's no 90 cents noodle.... I prepared to starve eat loafs of bread the whole night. But when I came closer, they had the 90 cents noodle! Yay!~
8. Crazy semester: 12 CAs/quizzes for the whole semester and I'm left with 3. The closest one is on Saturday and I haven't really prepared. Exam period is coming closer and it means erasing the browsing history, especially the YouTube links.
9. I got this from AOL's article on Glee - Special Education ep (Sectionals, next week), about the song that Sam and Quinn will sing at sectionals.
   But, when Rachel finds out that Finn lost his virginity to Santana, she becomes emotionally distraught, giving Quinn and Sam the chance to prove that nobody puts baby (mamas) in the corner. (http://www.aolradioblog.com/2010/11/24/glee-special-education-songs-season-2-episode-9/)
   It is according to prediction =D PLEASE. MAKE IT REALLY HAPPENS. I hope it won't turn out lame; or it will become more and more lame (or lamer and lamer... whatever) if they delay this scene. =P
   
10. Glee will have a break on January (the latest episode shown will be shown at December 7 and the next one will be on early February). So, I don't need to download them from Indo during the semester break in January. Thanks God, the number of series-to-download decreases by one =P I can't download either, my home internet connection is limited with certain GB of quota for usage. The Lord's help really comes at the perfect time. =D
    

One month to departure!

Today is exactly one month to Christmas eve. One month to the end of exam period. One month to my scheduled flight back home.

Looking forward for Christmas at home =)

As someone had told me before, it's good to be at home, so go home when you still can do it.


Currently listening to: Deck the Rooftop - Glee cast
I always like this song. It's fun.

Faster, please!

My prediction had quite come true.

When I keyed in "Glee-Furt" (today's Glee ep) in google, all the tweets reported how sweet and adorable this episode was. And some things happened according to what I've been predicting and wishing upon watching the promo video.

I really want to watch it soon. Hopefully in 1 hour or so. Pleasepleasepleaseplease.

Mygosh. Lab report? Revision? Quiz-prep? I may be forgetting about them again after getting hyper because of this ep. Nooooo!


edited on 1pm:

Yeah that was adorable! Got the ep at around 11.30, watched it until three-quarter, then had a lunch break, then continued.

Awwwww...... A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! and fun!

And here's some highlights.

Things that I predicted and happened:

1. (The first and foremost wanted list) Santana confronted Finn about what happened between them last year, and how Finn trembled when he saw Rachel. Gotchaaaaaaaa! Total fun and anticipating for what'll happen next.
2. Sue rejected her mom.
   
3. Kurt moved to Dalton Academy before Sectionals. (this gave a biggest impact on me in this episode. I had predicted before, but when it came, I didn't feel at ease)
   

Things seen in promo video, but not happened according to what I had imagined:

1. The coreography at "Marry You" when New Directions went in together. I thought it'd be 10 of them going in, then closed with Finn holding Rachel in his arms (that's in the promoooo). But then those two scenes appeared at different timing of the song =( Actually I had seen Finn and Rachel went in together with the other 10 people.... But it'd be more "awww"-ing to see the coreography that I had in mind, as a lovey-dovey couple they were =)
   

Unpredicted things:

1. Mike Chang really SINGS!!!!!! I always love Tina/Jenna Ushkowitz's voice, tho.
2. Quinn got a solo at a New Directions performance (preview for Regionals? Interesting.)
3. Quinn got more attached to Sam (even she broke to his locker to take the promise ring). Looking back at her previous relationships, even the relatively stable one with Finn, she'd never looked like that in normal condition (the baby drama was exceptional). I noticed that somehow Sam had calmed her down.. If it was not because she matured after the drama that spanned during season 1.
4. The cover version of "Marry You", for me, was really worth it for Burt who wanted a great band. He looked unsure when Kurt told him that he was going to hire New Directions to sing at the wedding with no payment (just food and fun.. yes, students, friends helping friends.. been there), but, look at how great they were! (biased: don't really like Bruno Mars, and this version is suitable for weddings and show choir IMO)
   

LOL-ed at:

1. Brittany's continous claps when the other New Directions members had frozen and pointed to Burt and Carole.
2. Priest: "We usually start with a prayer, but a certain young wedding planner, who shall remain nameless, was afraid that some attendants might fall asleep..."
   Santana: *hit Brittany to wake her up*
   
   Brittany really made my day in the midst of lab report.. Thanks gal!
   
3. Burt: "(on Kurt) ...he grabbed me by the shoulders and he pointed me towards this woman right here, and he said 'there she is, go get her'..."
   
   Remember what was his original intention in doing this? =P
   

Loved the expressions and gestures:

1. Both Santana's expressions upon looking at Finn and Rachel together (when Rachel came to the room where Santana and Finn were at and at the wedding when Rachel sobbed)
2. When Finn was nervous after Rachel confessed that she'd never done "it" with Jesse. GOTCHA again!
3. When Rachel asked Santana to leave (softer word: to excuse) the girls with boyfriends to discuss about "saving private Kurt". It's like preview to what'll happen at Rachel-Finn-Santana "tragedy" =P
   
   Anwy, this is what was going through my mind when seeing the "seating composition" of the last scene (raw version, will edit it on holz),
   
   
   
   
   
4. Carole had Rachel handle her bouquet. Seemed like she approved her as Finn's girlfriend =)
   
5. Rachel's when Finn said that the couples in New Directions had nicknames: "Finchel" *typical Rachel smile* and "Puckelberry" *frown-fainted-sweating-disgust*
6. Quinn and Sam's small dancing at the beginning of their verses in "Marry You". Funny.
7. The ribbons at Artie-Brittany-Puck-Santana verses in the same song. And the two Cheerios danced with the ribbons. I remembered my high school marching band's ribbons then.
8. Mr. Shue's version of Sway and how he brought it up. And he threw the standing microphone: COOL!
   
9. Will Schuester's proud looks upon seeing his kids performing at the wedding. I have never seen a teacher who's as inspiring, impactful and proud of his kids and make the kids proud of him like that. One of a lot of things that made me jealous of New Directions: having a teacher like Mr. Shue.
   
10. All of Sue's! She's..... hilarious! Go Jane Lynch!

Cried/shed tears at: my mid term scores NONE. I'm feeling-less. Not like all the tweets saying that they were crying and such.. I only "awww"-ed and screamed and LOL-ed.

So that's it for this ep.. I shall get back to my Beer-Lambert's Law, BAPNA solution and enzyme kinetics. Well I managed to fill in some data while watching =) I should keep it up and start firmly saying no to procrastination.

Next stop: REGIONALS! (and exam period *cry*)
Reportedly Santana is going to have a solo and I am TOTALLY looking forward to that.

Current track: Marry You - Glee cast version

I hope this is not an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

I'm attracted to neatly organized things, and I have a strong sense and urgency to revamp or re-organize everything that are not neatly arranged.

So I really want to revamp this blog. But I don't know how, and most importantly, where to start. And when.

Maybe I can do it during December holiday.. But internet connection in Indo flaws (admit it!) and I have to build my mood, put some effort and spare some time to redesign the whole thing (isn't this my intention from the past one year? YES.) I need to collect enough materials to do this (especially additional Photoshop brushes.. and some useful skill on HTML coding).

And I hate procrastinating. It's my biggest enemy, biggest temptation which hinders me the most in achieving all that I want, including to do my hobbies. Look at how many things on the right bar that I highlighted and what are they? Mostly they are one-time accomplishments and not those that need endurance and continuity.

Sheeshhhhhh. My holiday plans (and most of my daily plans) has never worked perfectly. I must plan a new one and try my best to accomplish each point in the plan with no procrastination on YouTube, windows live messenger, movies and series inside my external HD. I need to be more productive and efficient.. and the way to do it is without procrastination. Where has my perfectionist side gone?? ='(

And I need to normalize my biological clock, even during holidays. No snoozing of alarms, and no stay-ups until late. I must start from this point of time. It's 1 am now, and to have a normal sleeping hours, I need to sleep immediately.

Bonjour!

I only know two words in French: bonjour and merci. (but I don't know how to pronounce them)

Recently the promotion of AirAsia is going to Paris with discounted price.

Yes, Paris. I just checked the fee for the upcoming summer holiday and it costs around SGD 750 for a return ticket... From KL, though. But still cheap, right? That price is similar with one-way Air France ticket (Singapore-Paris), so AirAsia's is approximately half of the fare to fly with Air France. Price is directly proportional to facilities, though =P

However, I think the entry visa may take some time and be quite costly. And it needs effort. Then I must pay for the connecting flight from Singapore to KL (or bus.. but plane is faster and more convenient if you're not into taking photos and all that stuffs).

But... It's Paris! With one ticket, during the travelling period I can also go to its neighboring countries rather easily. Efficient, isn't it? =D

My (wanted) western and central Europe tour: France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Rep., Germany!!

Oh how I really want that!

If only I can speak French. I heard people there do not treat tourists who can't speak French well. =(

Why don't they have promotion for flight to Germany instead? At least they are more friendly towards English-speaking tourist.. And my German is not that bad =P
*begging Lufthansa to have that kind of promotion*

I.hate.careless.mistakes.

And procrastinating, too!



*Haibara is shouting from the bottom of her heart.*

Ababil

What does "ababil" means?

During the past few months I've seen some people using it. And I think it's a term in Bahasa, and even Indonesian teenagers studying abroad are using that term. So it may be pretty popular, isn't it...?

But I don't know what it means. But I'm shy to ask people cos it will reveal that I am... Too anti-social? =P (in other words, can't understand her mother tongue properly)
Eventually, I asked my roommate and she also didn't know what this is. This is the effect when two people who does not communicate intensively in Bahasa Indonesia try to understand a slang in Bahasa. (just guess what has happened to us)

So, like e-mails to profs...
Please enlighten me on this! =D

aw!

The current header in gleeforum.com (can't upload the image! sad.) : Is this a representative of what's coming at next week's Glee?

Apparently next episode is reportedly including:

1. Sue's Nazi-hunter mom
2. Kurt's relationship and a wedding (from the promo)
3. Rachel and Finn take a "big step" at their relationship (plus I heard that they are NOT breaking up this season). So so so so so so so? Rachel-Finn-Santana? =P

Looking forward to it. Aw =)

Aniway I just found a pic of Rachel Berry drinking starbucks while holding a lunch package a-la NTU "tapao" styrofoams. I blurted immediately. It was epic.

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.

In case you're not familiar.. Tapao (I'm not sure about the spelling, though) : having a "take-away" food package.

Later if I'm free (exam period is near!!!) I'll post the pic. Lea Michele bringing NTU "tapao" box = a delightment from late night spectroscopy =P

o.O

Are any of the names below seem familiar?

Hershlag, Natalie; Ian Hurley and Jonathan Woodward (October 1998)."A Simple Method To Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar". Journal of Chemical Education. 75 (10): 1270.

Figure it out?

Well if no... I will copy what is written in wikipedia:

As a student, Portman co-authored two research papers that were published in professional scientific journals. Her 1998 high school paper, "A Simple Method To Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar," was entered in the Intel Science Talent Search. In 2002, she contributed to a study on memory called "Frontal Lobe Activation During Object Permanence" during her psychology studies at Harvard.

Get some clue?

That journal paper was first-authored by Natalie Hershlag, whose professional name is Natalie Portman.

This young woman.


This super talented, beautiful, Harvard-graduate, Jewish actress who filled my childhood days with Star Wars prequel trilogy (if you understand Bahasa Indonesia, you can browse my earlier posts if you want) and all those good movies..


She published a journal paper at J. Chem. Ed., a journal cited the most in my teaching lab manual, as a first author when she was still in high school. That time I did not even think that I would pass NTU entrance exam. And I just had a similar chance in my 2nd year in uni.

She published a chemistry paper in a journal and later studied psychology. In Harvard University.

She is smart, both academically (HARVARD!!!!) and *erm, what should I call this? entertainment-ly? socially? don't think any of those words fit my description..*. She is beautiful. She is an actress. She acted in good movies. She is hard working. She is another talented Jewish artist, like Barbra Streisand and Lea Michele. She is an only child, same as me.

Similar situation. Very different fate.

THIS WORLD'S UNFAIR!!!!!!

And when can I be like her?

pics cr: wikipedia.

night sky

This evening's sky was awesome!

But, again, shame on my old compact digicam, the picture was not so good (noises, blurry image, etc etc). One of its weakness is on night shooting.

If the result were good I might had used this for my paper cover's suggestion. Too bad this just made me crave more for a semi-pro =( It is quite worthy though, my dad's super powerful compact is almost as expensive as that brand's semi-pro.. So why don't invest a biiiiiit more to get a much better one? *asking my dad*

I can hear my dad's reply --> "If I bought semi-pro then you would take it no matter what".

And uploading photos to blogger took forever.

Aniwai, enjoy the night! =D

Paper Accepted!

Yay~

This is ultimately beyond what I am only able to dream and wish.
Thanks Chem. - Eur. J., prof and my co-author. THANKS GOD! A big awe for this opportunity and blessing He'd given me.

Really happy now.
And furthermore my paper is invited as VIP paper and they are asking us whether we are going to submit our cover page (frontispieces). I really want to do design or submit my photograph.. But I haven't found any good object or any ideas for the design. I still have a lot of quizzes, practice for upcoming service at fellowship, and some ECA works to do.

But I really want to do my own design!! This is a good opportunity to have my side-work, right-brain-long-awaited-activation project published. Journals are a good place to publish, though, since it'll be hard for me to participate in an exhibition. LOL. Beside that I don't have time and my design is not good enough, I'm also afraid that my design is too pop-art. Well, I'm still young and I can't design "scientifically" (define by yourself what I meant =P), so I wonder whether chemistry journals accepts things like that. Let's see whether I manage to make it, though.

I'm still in high mood (and also sleepy because of morning Prayer Meeting this morning). But let me go back to polymer and physical chemistry. Plus that spectroscopy that may not be so much applicable for my current research (I want a microscopy module....). Student responsibility awaits =P

No time to rest on the laurels

My prof once wrote:

As my old mentor said, you are as good as your last paper. So there is no time to sleep on the laurels :-).

My sequence of horrible CAs, quizzes, mid-terms, or anything *you name it =)* has just finished. The rest are coming in some time later with better timing adjustment. So I need to rest for one day or two right now, while keeping myself on the loop of increasing activities of my right brain (decors and piano/keyboard practice for upcoming fellowship) and routine schedules.

On the other hand, I need to work harder. CAs were not as good as I expect them to be, so I need to push myself harder to keep my grades up (must be the main aim right now!! Sometimes, perfect understanding does not correlate with good results, not like in high school back then) and hopefully, if, just IF, I get to go for PhD later, I will get a good scholarship, or simply to get a good job later on. No Glee, no The Mentalist, no YouTube (IMB has finally over, anyway, so no need to catch up on anything!), no random browsings, no brushes and hues, and no daydreaming, please?

I have no time to rest on the laurels, cos I'm as good and shiny as the stars constellation above =D