Wonders in life

2009-05-10T21:48:00.000+10:00

July Chirstmas

2008-08-04T22:21:00.009+10:00

It is cold in Melbourne, and Prof Tan decided to have a July Christmas dinner in his house. He did some cooking, which was really fantastic. It is so hard to get good curry in Melbourne, and he cooks pretty well for that curry.

We talk, we chat and mingle around with the lab mates. I shall talk less and post more photo. I have to say that I really enjoyed the wine of Prof Tan's collection. 1988 and 1966..... so good......

Youth camp

2008-08-04T21:49:00.008+10:00

Last week, 26/7 and 27/7, I had a relaxed weekend.... Kinda relax, but it is more tiring than relax. However, the relax part is mainly due to finally finish my full draft of my Literature review and so I enjoyed the weekend without thinking of any work.

I went to a youth camp, organized by my buddhist society (SGIA), and the purpose of this youth camp was to help the youth to understand the importance of be alive and to a happy life by contributing to other happiness. So I really had prayed hard to also encouraged people in the youth camp to know appreciate life and to really put the knowledge of buddhism in daily life especially when they face challenges. With even a word that is put in our daily life, we can really encourage a person to be stronger to stay alive.

So on Saturday morning, my housemate, Thomas, Yan Guang and me woke up about 6.30 am and went to the Central station as we are required to reach the buddhist centre by 8am. After a briefing session in the buddhist centre, we went up to the bus and the journey was about 1 hours. Since I have come to Melbourne, I had never travel to the country side, so this time it is really a good time for me to open my eyes and experience the country life style. The place that we are staying is really good, open space, large piece of grass and the cows are moving freely enjoying chewing the grass. Fresh air, I experience, really totally different from the city, and the country side feeling is alike the kampung area in Malaysia. I try my best to explain how I feel the country side and the kampung. So in kampung area of malaysia, usually the soil is red and dusty, full of oil palm or rubber tree. Due to hot and humid, and often rain, the road of the kampung is muddy. But for the country side that I went on last weekend, it was totally different, as the air is fresh, the soil is clean, and now is winter, the weather is so nice just to relax on the greenary. And I started to understand why those aussie they like to go to the country side just for their long weekends.

So the thing after we reach that camp side, we are assigned with room, and it is a tiny room, with two double deckers bed. I slept on the top, as my friend was quite worried that he will fall from the top deck, so I just sleep up deck. And then we started our camp activity by chanting for 1/2 hours. Strong and vibrant chanting really makes everyone in the camp full of life force, and I had chanted for everyone around me to be happy, healthy and harmony. Then the next thing we know, is lunch haha.... Like a hungry boy, I line up to get the pasta which the kitchen cooked. All the food provided during lunch was vegetarian, haha.. so it suits me. It was really really really good, I am not sure whether it was because my hunger, or just it was really tasty. My friends all say the pasta is tasty, so I am convinced that it is really nice, and had double portion.

It was followed by discussion about absolute freedom in this life time, and as usual, there are many youngster asked question how to gain absolute freedom in this life, and I contributed my thought and encouragement to them and I am happy for them, because by looking at their face, I can feel their joy after understanding that they have the strength to know how to gain happiness. And the next activity was experience sharing by 2 person how they have overcome their challenges form applying buddhism in their life.

Then after the discussion, we had a chanted for 1/2 hours and then followed by dinner on 7pm. In the dinner, they serve beef fillet and some assorted vege, but for me, I took the vegetable burger fillet and it was so nice.. haha.. I wish I could get a second helping, but limited stock only. After dinner, we had some entertainment, games and camp fire. At night it was so cold, colder than in the city. Luckily, I am not a very fashionable person, where I brought along my super-thick jacket and also super-thick quilt. Compared to my friend, they were freezing cold, while I just had a sound sleep whole night, feeling really happy and refreshed the second day. It was also a starry night.

Second day, I woke up by 7.30, and prepared for 8am breakfast. Breakfast, they served such a nice and big pancake and it is really good. Although the serving is not as much as I hope for, but it lasted me for the whole morning, and followed by some lecture and Q&A session with seniors members of the buddhist society. Afternoon lunch, they serve vegetarian lagsania with salad for everyone... and it was the most satisfying lunch for all the meals, because I could have the 'quantity' that I want, and it was a 2 serving with extra big portion haha....

The camp wrapped up by 3pm, with taking group photo, and we reached melbourne city by 5pm. It was a tiring day, but I feel energized because I find new direction to work on my life, and I learn a lot how to support people when they need. At night, I had another round of discussion with my roommate with another senior member.

Some photos:

Beijing Olympic is getting closer

2008-07-30T19:27:00.006+10:00

Beijing Olympic is getting closer day by day. I remember last October I went to Beijing for a conference, they are still constructing the "Bird Nest" stadium.

I am quite touched by this song, 北京欢迎你, and I was told that there is another version done by the elderly from china, anticipating their olympic dreams. Read HERE. The production fee for this elderly version is amazingly cheap, only RMB 500.00 (equivalent about RM 250.00).

北京欢迎你

词：林夕
曲：小柯
制作：陈少琪小柯余秉翰

A1 迎接另一个晨曦带来全新空气陈天佳
气息改变情味不变茶香飘满情谊刘欢

A2 我家大门常打开开放怀抱等你那英
拥抱过就有了默契你会爱上这里孙燕姿

B1 不管远近都是客人请不用客气孙悦
相约好了在一起我们欢迎你王力宏

A3 我家种着万年青开放每段传奇韩红
为传统的土壤播种为你留下回忆周华健

B2 陌生熟悉都是客人请不用拘礼梁咏琪
第几次来没关系有太多话题羽泉

C1 北京欢迎你为你开天辟地成龙
流动中的魅力充满着朝气任贤齐
北京欢迎你在太阳下分享呼吸蔡依林
在黄土地刷新成绩孙楠
Solo
A4 我家大门常打开开怀容纳天地周笔畅
岁月绽放青春笑容迎接这个日期韦唯

B3 天大地大都是朋友请不用客气黄晓明
画意诗情带笑意只为等待你韩庚

C2 北京欢迎你像音乐感动你汪峰
让我们都加油去超越自己莫文蔚
北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起谭晶
有勇气就会有奇迹陈奕迅

C3 北京欢迎你为你开天辟地阎维文
流动中的魅力充满着朝气戴玉强
北京欢迎你在太阳下分享呼吸王霞李双松
在黄土地刷新成绩廖昌永

C4 北京欢迎你像音乐感动你林依轮
让我们都加油去超越自己张娜拉
北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起林俊杰
有勇气就会有奇迹阿杜
solo 京戏

A5 我家大门常打开开放怀抱等你容祖儿
拥抱过就有了默契你会爱上这里李宇春

B4 不管远近都是客人请不用客气黄大炜
相约好了在一起我们欢迎你陈坤

C5 北京欢迎你为你开天辟地谢霆锋
流动中的魅力充满着朝气韩磊
北京欢迎你在太阳下分享呼吸徐若瑄
在黄土地刷新成绩费翔
solo
A6 我家大门常打开开怀容纳天地汤灿
岁月绽放青春笑容迎接这个日期林志玲张梓琳

B5 天大地大都是朋友请不用客气张靓颖
画意诗情带笑意只为等待你许茹芸伍思凯

C6 北京欢迎你像音乐感动你杨坤范玮琪
让我们都加油去超越自己游鸿明周晓欧
北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起沙宝亮满文军
有勇气就会有奇迹金海心何润东

C7 北京欢迎你为你开天辟地飞儿庞龙
流动中的魅力充满着朝气吴克群齐峰
北京欢迎你在太阳下分享呼吸 5566 胡彦斌
在黄土地刷新成绩郑希怡刀郎

C8 北京欢迎你像音乐感动你纪敏加屠洪刚吴彤
让我们都加油去超越自己郭容刘耕宏腾格尔
北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起金莎苏醒韦嘉
有勇气就会有奇迹付丽珊黄征房祖明

C9 北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起全体群唱
有勇气就会有奇迹全体群唱
北京欢迎你有梦想谁都了不起全体群唱
有勇气就会有奇迹全体群唱

Revealing my new house........

2008-07-30T12:16:00.014+10:00

Have been a busy month, and I am aware that I didn't post many blog entry for the whole month. Basically I was busy with a few things on hand, 1) Moving to a new house, 2) Busy with experiments, 3) Busy with my literature review and 4) Busy with my Soka Gakkai activities.

Status report
1) New house - settling nicely with my very good housemate Thomas.
2) Experiments - it is a never ending process, progressing and promissing
3) Literature review - Yahoo!!! I finally finish my whole draft and my supervisor is reading it now
4) Soka Gakkai activities - So much to learn, and so happy to learn it. Basically we are learning how to respect each and every individual's buddha nature.

So this entry, I will mainly focus on my new house.

I know many of my friends and family in Malaysia have not seen my new house, and I shall talk more about it. On 20/7/2008, Thomas and I had invited some soka gakkai members to gather in our house as a house warming. It was a pot luck style gathering, so we bring our own food and just mingle around with friends.

In the morning, I went straight to Victoria market to buy some vegetables. I wanted to cook Hainan Chicken rice (without chicken) haha.. I was informed that Grace was cooking curry chicken, and so I just thought chicken rice (rice only) will be a good combination to go with the curry. And so I did cook oil the rice, and and mom, you will sure proud of me if you try the chicken rice haha...

And eventually, there are so many people coming to our place, and they brought so much food, more than even all of us can finish...

And so, everyone had fun, and really encouraging each other while satisfying their own stomach with the superb food that everyone brought to our house.

After all these people had a full stomach, they start to mingles with dogs as well haha... This pair of dogs belong to Johnson, I am not good in taking care of dogs... if you want someone to take care of your cells cultures, then yes, you found the right person for your job.

Haha, when you persist to read until the very end, I know what you are thinking now..... You must me thinking how my room looks like....

The end, will be another journey's beginning

2008-07-19T16:04:00.002+10:00

Today I had received a shocking news, about my student in Monash. He decided to terminate his life, due to unknown reason.

I am quite close to him, as he was in my lab when I was a demonstrator in Monash. He was a good student and very cheerful person. I enjoyed talking to him. Here and here for the story.

Just earlier before I receive this shocking news, I had a realization of the wonder of life.

As there was a talk given in my institute, talking about gene, circuit and movement. I was amazed how complex our body works, and to walk properly, it took so many circuit to coordinate flawlessly. In our body, there are about 30,000 genes. Through the developmental process from embryo to a baby, all these genes must work in a synchronized patten only can form a wonderful person like you. Then these 30,000 genes must coordinate and then to maintain their function when you are growing or alive. So it must be a miracle when you are still a life, while the probability of all these 30,000 gene to work completely fine is (1/2)^30,000. (This is still without counting the time for every second). So being alife is really wonderful, and getting every neuron circuits work nicely is also wonderful.

However, there are too many people who doesn't realize this, and thought the whole world owe them all. Life if too short to begrudge, and we must life a happy life. See only the best in you and in others, and never give up to be happy.

My dearest student, Nick, Hope your life goes back to the universe and rest in peace.

I wish I could have more dialogue with you, so that I could carry your burden together with you, give you hope and courage. The end of your life, is another journey's beginning.

I will sincerely chant for you to so that you will have compassion, courage and wisdom in your life no matter where you go or reborn.

Nam myoho renge kyo, Nam myoho renge kyo, Nam myoho renge kyo.

I have move from Graduate House

2008-07-06T22:27:00.002+10:00

Bye Bye to my luxurious room in Graduate House.

I have move out from the 5 start room and start renting an apartment with my friend Thomas. So it is more economical and we have settled in nicely.

Father's Day Advertisement

2008-06-23T17:32:00.001+10:00

I found this super cool advertisement online. Just want to share with you guys. hehe.

A friday night out

2008-06-21T23:01:00.003+10:00

Last Friday, we had a marvelous time in Melbourne city for dinner and then just hanging around The Crown boulevard.

It is nice to meet Yan Guang in Melbourne, as he came almost the same time I touch down in Melbourne. As an exchange student from National University of Singapore, he is going back soon after he finishes his exam and tour with his family around Australia. Very active member of Soka Gakkai, and we really learn a lot from him.

So I made a video for him as a mementos:

Hope you all the best, and don't stop with your mission to encourage more people to happiness in future.

Determination!!!!!!

2008-06-21T22:53:00.004+10:00

Thank you Racheal for organizing such wonderful activity at the 'Hardrock' rock climbing session. It is really a challenging sport, where I enjoyed it thoroughly. All 14 of the lab members enjoyed ourself there.

It is all about determination - Ichinen......
and don't forget about muscles training.

Many body in one mind

2008-06-19T16:30:00.004+10:00

Many body in one mind, it seem like another normal term. But what is the essence of this? Why it is important to us, I never thought of it.

Last night I went to Yan Guang's house and chant, and then we had a chat regarding many body in one mind. And that discussion really refresh my understanding of many body in 1 mind.

I know this phrase for quite sometime, but it was until the Merdeka 50 Performance by Soka Gakkai Malaysia that I joined made me realize what it is all about. The greatness of human, is not an individual, but the greatness come from all people doing good for humanity and giving people hope and courage. Although the training was quite hectic in schedule, we had to prepare and rehearse for 16 days (8 months with only saturday and sunday) training whole heartedly for the success of the event. We know that we are making the good cause to brighten other people's heart. And 1500 people together working for 1 goal - kosen rufu (world peace) is such a wonderful experience.

So my past understanding of many body in one mind was just abundant of people working together for a project and then make it a success. But yesterday, I made myself think hard, whose mind we are following? Isn't is a freak if we are following someone unconsciously and at the end turning out to be mind controlled by some freaks?

With help of praying to Gohonzon, I try to make sense of this phrase again, then I have a new insight of this term. The one mind = the Buddha's mind, at least this is my interpretation at this moment, let me know if you guys have other angle to look at this phrase.

So I further question myself on this issue, why it is important for kosen rufu to have this many body in one mind, which I related to Buddha's mind? I try to find reason for this and I realized that because a Buddha is a person with WCC, wisdom, compassion and courage. And a Buddha is a person who is determined to use this WCC character to realize their vow, which is clearly stated in Lotus Sutra Chapter 16 (Buddha's Life Span chapter): This is my constant thought, how can I make everyone realize the Buddha's path and let them reveal their Buddha's nature as soon as possible. If everyone doing the buddha's work, and is constantly looking for happiness for others and one self, then world peace can be realize, kosen rufu can be realize. So the question of being mind controlled by a freak is not significant anymore.

However, we are living in a world with too much confusion. We are blinded with so much things happening around us, and forgot to ask ourself what bring us happiness in the first place. I need to emphasize that I am not a person who don't need material and still living happily. But material in our environment is just a tool for us and should not be mastered by those materials. Just for example, most of the guys love cars, computer, technology etc, and girl love shoe, handbags and everyone loves money. I have seen people who are crazily going after all these things. when a guy got his new car, of course he will be happy. But after a while, when he see other people have better car, and then he will not be as happy as when he got his new car. Like wise, when we ENTRUST our happiness on material and hoping it to reward us with happiness, it will do its magic, for a while I am certain. But it will not be long lasting. Worst of all, we are uncertain what we want in life, and we are always sway by different aspect of life, that we thought it is more important for us to pursue. By pursuing blindly something that we want without a reason, at the end, we will find our life without a reason. And that is ONE BODY IN MANY MIND. You will find yourself
constantly searching for happiness outside your heart and thought that things or people will fulfill your heart.

If we put ENTRUST our happiness from our heart, then we will know that whatever we have is just a tool for us to create the most value from it and the value will be expand to the fullest when we are doing for happiness of people around us.

You might say that it is such a hypocrite and just fake my vision to be so noble and even most of us can't be happy ourself, what can we do for other people? To answer this, I have to go back to my title, Many body in one mind (buddha's mind). We see other people suffering as our own suffering, we see other people happiness as our happiness. We are constantly thinking of how to make people understand that happiness is in you, but not externally.

I remember a passage from Ikeda sensei guidance, he state: "it is because there is death in our life, that is why it makes it so valuable. Because our value of life is determined by how much difference we make for the better of humanity and peace." We have been exposing ourself to too much Hollywood movie which always sound life is just being a net consumer and sound like this:" life is too short, so just enjoy life and let's party!!!!" Life is short, and that is very true, but enjoying life is not by being a net consumer. I belief it is to create more value to other people and yourself, like the sun shining endlessly to other people. It doesnt mean that you don't need to rest and relax your self with one or two parties session, but the point is we must create net gain value for our life and other people's life.

There are no external forces or higher intellectual being out there controlling our life. But it is us, ourself to understand that we give ourself a reason, and we burn our passion for this reason that we created. If you always wanted to be a singer, then work with passion as a singer and create harmony with your singing skill, that is your reason. If you want to be an engineer, than work hard in your skill and create value out of it. Don't give yourself excuses like people don't want me to be so or the god is prohibiting me to do such things.

For people who are not Buddhist, or can be a buddhist but not really understand the definition of Buddha, don't be intimidated if people telling you that you are a buddha. Buddha is not destination, like RPG game, you need to train your character until certain experience level only gain enlightenment. But Buddha is a life state, with abundant wisdom, courage and compassion, again, WCC. A buddha is not having supernatural power and can run like a bullet or produce lightning to zap the bad guys. It is all about life state, ie, buddha is every normal human being with wisdom, courage and compassion attitude within.

I am redetermined and focus myself to create more good cause for happiness of all, after these deep thought.

Hope everyone find happiness every moment.

A video ad for the blue cola.

2008-06-16T17:39:00.003+10:00

It is not good to drink carbonated drinks.

But it is ok to watch youtube. So just enjoy the video while not drink any carbonated drinks.

Let double up the football fever, with this advert which I love it also.

Father's Day special - Tribute to all dad

2008-06-15T15:31:00.002+10:00

The son speaks again for Father's day special.

I remember last time when I was small (maybe when I was 5-6 years old), people ask me whether I love my mom or my dad more...... (I wonder people still ask that question or not, and I have to say that it is instigate a child to decide this way, although in the child's heart they might have their own preference already haha......)

So to answer that question, I answered to him that I love my dad more. This is because my dad doesn't use the 'magic wandsssssssssssssss' which was my mom expertise. (Just in case you dont know what is magic wandssssssssssss, just check this LINK). And above that, my dad used to buy us toys haha.. Children just love toys and they are easily happy if you get them happy meals (but for current parents and future parents, please don't get your child McDonalds or KFC anymore, because it is totally unhealthy, and I could write a thesis for that one day!!!!!!)

So my dad is a person which action speaks louder than words. He is a person so focus on his work, and whenever you see him, you will see him writing and writing and writing without stop. I wonder what else does he do whenever he is not eating, sleeping and meeting his boss... and the word writing will pop up to my head. It is not that he don't enjoy life, but he just enjoy working.

He is a person who try very hard to open a conversation with us, and his topic will always be the headline on the newspaper. So if you think that it is easy to make a conversation with a dad like that, haha, you better get yourself more reading of the current event and more headline. It is not like he doesn't have other better topic to talk, but you know la, a man got pride and it is not easy open for inner feeling. He has a lot of hope of us, but never say much about it. Any time when we hurt him, he will never say it out but just keep to himself, just like a sponge, absorbing all those dirty water and then will squeeze itself and clear it...... I don't know where he clear it, maybe to my mom? haha or maybe to his writing? or maybe just neutralize it himself.

I just remember once where I hurt him badly, when during my first year staying in CHKL hostel. If you are aware, hostel toilet is never as good as my own house. In addition to that, due to hormonal changes during my puberty stage, I have to admit that I have serious constipation problem during that time. And I could only release my so called 'internal pressure' immediately when I go back. As I remember during that time, I was a cool dude wannabe, which the definition was given during the mother's day special blog entry. So a mixture of 'constipated look' and too cool to give an answer kid, the journey back home during that weekend from CHKL to my home was seriously fanatically unpleasant. My dad will ask me how I am, I just say ok. Then whatever he told me about those "headlines', wanting to make a conversation with me, I will just reply 'erm....... erm........ oh........ erm .......erm....... erm.......'. Not that I purposely want to do it, it was just a moment I want to meditate and visualise my bowel movement and stimulate some parasympathetic nerve so that I could relief my 'internal pressure'.

As predicted, I went into the toilet immediately after I relief my 'internal pressure', my dad came to my room, and he was asking me:' What did I do to you that I deserve this kind of treatment from you?'. Then just went out from my room. Well, time has past and I finally put off my OSA (official security act - leyhian version) for this matter, so the confession is done on this blog entry.

I remember last time we often go out to have a meal in hawker stall, which was very fun. Then when he went back to work as the civil servant again, it was a change in our life. I was kinda feeling insecure to let people know about my dad occupation, as it might be not safe for me to walk alone on street. And so, it is hard to answer to my friends what my dad do during that time. And actually there are people who are intimidated with what my dad do.

My dad always say in chinese (translation) if you have the capacity, then you will have the fortune (有量就有福), so he is very generous in certain way to other people. I couldn't say it is like a philanthropy, because I am very aware that we are not that rich haha, but just will not kiam siap to other people lo. He, as a proud Eng Chun, always train us to remember our roots from Mainland China, and made us memorize who we are， and then we will answer with the standard answer wa si hokkien eng chun o niu lao...... (it means that we are from Hokkien Province Eng Chun Clan of Low's Family). Every chinese new year we MUST go back to MUAR BUKIT GAMBIR. As that is the only time he see most of the relative and I see him happy, I will also feel happy now.

After my Hons thesis submission, I went to Muar with Eng Tat and Yong. 3 guys having a road trip to Muar, and we met up with Jactty. When Jactty ask about my dad, and she was so shocked, and immediately bring me to her family, and only then I realized that my dad is a good friend of their family. And during the duration of the trip, I get to know more about my dad, and luckily I didn't do anything hanky panky in Muar or else with my dad reputation at stake, everything will go round the whole town haha.

What I really wish is that my dad have more rest and take good care of his body. One can never finish work, but they have the choice of arrange the workload. And I also really wish that my dad could one day start learning buddhism and do more reading on buddhism book but not only LAW books and newspapers. Hope that one day he could be active in Soka Gakkai also and have a strong heart for faith so that every slander that people do to us, we could accept it as a ocean but not as a cup of water. Nichiren Daishonin state: if you have a drop of black ink, when dropped into a cup of water, the water will turn black, but if it drops into the ocean, the ocean will not be affected. Same as life, it is not easy to work in your current position. However, buddhism will give you a new perspective for life and hope you attain happiness in every moment.

Finally, Dad, I love you. Happy father's day.

A Talk by a Neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga

2008-06-13T13:14:00.005+10:00

Michael Gazzaniga, Neuroscientist came to Melbourne to give a public lecture on his work in Cognitive Neuroscience in Split Brain. The talk was really wonderful, where he has summarized all this life work for 40 years into 1 hour. The feeling is really wonderful, where 2000 people turned up for the talk.

Split brain, is occurs in patient where the corpus callosum was excised from the brain by operation to relief patients from epilepsy attack. The corpus callosum was the major tissue to connect the left and right hemisphere of the brain. So the initial idea of the operation procedure was to take out the corpus callosum and hence disconnect the left brain and the right brain. By doing so, when there is epilepsy attack on the patient, the episode of attack will only affecting one side of the brain and hence one side of the body only and the patient has another side of the body to control the attack.

However, the question after the operation was raised whether there is any significant function of the corpus callosum or just merely connecting two side of the brain. Micheal Gazzaniga used his lifetime to carefully observed these patients, and found some interesting discoveries. Left brain, which is known for its logic, verbal and analytical function and right brain is known for its image visualization function. So when was shown to a patient with a word 'spoon' with left eye (right eye was blinded), and the patient was asked what was the word. The patient cannot answer and say I dont know. But during the same instant, the patient was able to select the object in front of him and by using his left hand only, without any conscious image, the patient was able to pick up the spoon as a respond.

Voice of angel - Connie Talbot

2008-05-31T20:15:00.002+10:00

It is so sensational when voice created by human can touch million heart of people. She is Connie Talbot, 6 years old impressed the judges of Britian Got Talent (like those American Idol competition) even Simon Cowel say she is great.

Enjoy the beautiful voice of her, and get touched by her voice in your heart.

The Buddha Geoff and Me

2008-05-24T20:09:00.006+10:00

I have been listening to this podcast for this book 'The Buddha Geoff and Me', and I could not stop listening to it everytime. I really would like to recommend to you guys. Hopefully these link could help you to link to the mp3 files of the original blogsite.

For the book website, click here 'The Buddha Geoff and Me'
(if you want to download the mp3 directly, right click and and save as)
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16

Enjoy listening for now, I will follow up with this topic soon.

The sprit of Autumn

2008-05-24T19:38:00.002+10:00

Life is a wonder, and life never fail to amaze you. There is a tree almost going 'bald' due the chilly weather going on. However it is getting cold, the spirit of survival still going strong.

This little leaf still sticking on it branch, refuse to give in to the windy autumn and keep surviving.

While fallen leave is around us, there are still some tree pretty green, or i should say it is red as well. This photo is like the 'stop look go signal' (red, yellow and green.)

Mother’s Day Special – Tribute to all moms

2008-05-10T23:27:00.002+10:00

Mother’s day is around the corner, and I wish to say to her Happy Mother’s Day and I LOVE you mom. I guess it is an oriental culture that we always preserve this word from parents, haha, but now I am in Australia, so it could be a change for better.

Raising a son like me is never easy, huahuahua (devilish laugh), and I think my mom will agree that I am quite a restlessly naughty person (like a monkey), maybe not now, but I used to be.

Let me share with you guys the story of my mom and I, and how we get along since I was born.

I really want to write about this story for quite some time while I am still able to remember some fragment of this journey, so that I could read this story if next time I am too old to remember what happen when I was small.

Of course, the story starts biologically when a sperm meet with an ovum, and I am the zygote. Days of after I am born as the eldest son after my elder sister, I received much attention and love from the family (this is as according to my mom, not self declared… haha). If I remember correctly, after giving birth to me, she quit working from the court as a translator, just because she wants to babysit us.

But baby sitting me is never easy. Why? According to non-scientific reasoning and it is a Chinese belief that, if a person has two rotary lining pattern of the hair on the temporal part of the head, and he will have the following characteristic: hyper, stubborn, aggressive, naughty, mischievous. And without much elaboration of my character that I used to possess, I just can tell you that I have two rotary hair lining pattern on my head. So I am already stereotyping myself as a problem maker and with attitude problem.

When I was small, I always see my mom as a very strict person. When people ask me, who do you like more, your dad or your mom? Of course I will say my dad, because my dad doesn’t really scold us while my mom is like a police woman in the house. But if that person asks me again today, I will say I will love them both as always. Not because I have learnt to speak in a politically correct manner, but it is just sincere in my heart that I understand them better now. But back then, she and her ‘magic wandssssssssssss’ (cane, rottan, and make sure you see the sssssss, meaning infinite number of the cane) is like many body in one mind (Buddhism with cane also, cool huh. haha). Especially when I created problem, and if I see her, I see the ‘magic wandsssssssss’. And the end result will typically be love bite by the cane all over my body.

If my memory serves me right, I was about 5-6 years old, and I light up a candle because I was a discovery for me to know that I could produce fire. And the next observation was, if I put the candle under a desk, then the desk will become dark (note: not burned, just carbon residues on the plank stage), and I could rub it off. So I just keep ‘experimenting’ with the fire. And it was my parents who found out that I locked myself in the room and play with fire, they rushed in and shout at me, and even beaten me, but in fact they had saved my life.

Another incident that I could never forget was that I was nearly got rid from my house by my mom before I got into secondary school. For certain reason, I couldn’t remember what the issue for the argument was, all I remembered was I had a big fight with my mom when I was 12, she was so pissed off with me. She scolded me with her ‘magic wand’, but I am also immunized with the ‘magic cast love bite’ with my thick skin. And further provoking her, she burst into tears, and then she was so disappointed with me and told me that she wants to send me to military school or outward bound school. And I don’t really care about that, and further provoke her. And then she immediately pulled me out from my house, and say she will get rid of me immediately. Normally a parent will not do that unless they are really disappointed with the child. And trust me, I been through that stage before. The idea of getting rid of me is very new to me, so I fear it might happen, as I am still aware that I couldn’t survive without a roof, and so I quickly let go of my mom’s hand and bear hug the pillar in front of my house and never let go. And she was so disappointed with me, she went back into the house. It was a lucky day for me, but I guess I hurt my mom badly in her heart.

Maybe I never tell my mom what was the reason for my mischievous, so I shall use this blog as my platform to convey this message:

Mom. Sorry that I have created so much trouble in the past. It is not that I want to be naughty, but I am just being too creative in many ideas and want to try to see what the outcomes of these ideas are. Please forgive what I have done to you.

Going to secondary school is a turning point to me, as I stayed in hostel. The first step I step on CHKL hostel, I smell the sense of freedom. Freedom from my mom’s ‘magic cast’ and freedom to create more creative ideas. So my peers always have problem with their stay in hostel as their find themselves too homesick, but I enjoyed all my moment in hostel. Since I thought I want to be independent, I just have to know how to survive with my hostel mates, and made many sincere and long lasting friendships. Still, I will be rebellious, with new ideas.

Mom, if you remember after I enter CHKL hostel, I was a period of very cool and dull, don’t speak much. Have you figured why I did that? If not, today you will have your answer. Staying in the hostel is like mixing a pot of red bean, green bean and even soya bean, and then cook until become congee. While I was in hostel, I meet some of the ‘cool’ kids, where they don’t speak much and that was the fashionable character in hostel to show that you are cool. So I thought that I could adapt that character in me, as I was never been labeled as a cool student. But it was also this character that made you worried a lot. I am sorry again.

Six years of hostel like is not too long, but for me it was the place where I structured my character. I became more matured from the hostel experience. But it was also this six years, which started a ‘normalization diplomatic status’ with my mom haha. After graduation from CHKL, I stay back home again. I realized that are too many things to catch up in the family.

I also remember having a sincere dialogue with my regarding how to improve my relationship with my other siblings, since I haven’t communicating with them much during my hostel period. Open heart dialogue will always lead to sincere understanding of both people.

Just like any relationship, there are ups and down. I have not been a good son since I am young, but then I have made changes. I don’t know whether she will agree, but I can proudly say that I give less trouble to my mom. Maybe is lack of creativity to be mischievous as I aged, but who cares, as long as I am no trouble maker, that is a good sign.

I also admire my mom as she is also a wonderful woman. She has strong will to do things for the sake of the family. As a housewife for more than 10 years, she decided to take up Law subject in the age of late 30. I don’t see many people can do that, but because of my mother’s challenging spirit to study and to take care of us, it was no easy task for her to challenge everyday routine house work life and need to study until 3am in the morning to do her revision. And I could say that I am really learning this spirit from her everyday.

I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful mother. This year, I am not around to celebrate mother’s day with you. Haha, also not like I will do something special when I am at home. But I promise to take good care of myself over in Melbourne, and just like the Gosho, as a votary of Lotus Sutra, the heavenly god will protect him faithfully.

P/S: Please ask Ley Tian, Ley Yee and Ley Yeow to read this: Please take good care of mom and not let her worry for our daily life. We have a wonderful mom and we have to treasure and cherish her every moment possible. Of course, there are ups and down, so just be patient and you have to know that our mom love us every single moment forever.

I love you mom. And salute to all mom around the world.

I think I should write something during father’s day also. Good idea? Haha.

Cool Bros

2008-05-07T13:37:00.005+10:00

Autumn is always a season for fallen leaves.....

Many great poets have been endlessly describing the season of autumn.

Let me copy and paste from the internet to share with you some of the classical Chinese poem related to autumn:

秋思
中秋人役在边防，凝望一轮思故乡。
明月有心相配对，乱云无意促成双。

中秋月
每逢十五悲伤多，圆月离人无奈何。
遥望一轮平地起，相思天际会嫦娥。

望月怀远
冷露侵衣月照楼，夜阑无语倚清秋。
乡关一望天涯路，常恐归思易白头。

橘子洲
独步江洲忆旧游，凭栏回望一轮秋。
心偕湘水天边去，难却思乡万里愁。

归戍边城
一杯送别江南柳，九月迎来塞北寒。
莫道征途千万里，青春志在守边关。

扬州月夜
皓月当空照古城，风摇木叶响秋声。
谁家夜半箫声起？独伴寒灯到五更。

秋怨
落叶纷飞细雨寒，秋思来去总无端。
愁眉横锁心头事，望眼直穿万座山。

Since it is getting colder, it is a season to start wearing thicker jacket.

Although it is not very cold yet, but I just want to conserve ATP so that I could use the ATP for my brain instead to generate heat.

This photo was taken in TLC (Teresa, Lucia and Carl) House warming dinner. Dickson and I had a cool post with Grace looking from the back of us.

Chinese Special Event......

2008-04-27T18:16:00.002+10:00

Lately, it has been a sensitive period for China with their policy with Tibet. I had heard some of the story behind, conspiracy theory etc etc, and I am not really interested with it haha. But when you see a bunch of Chinese gathering, you don't really want to mess with them.

Couple of weeks ago, they had a protest for Tibet independence, and the whole of Swanston street was flooded with Chinese people around in Melbourne. I am not a crowd lover, so whenever I see there is a lot of people, I better siam ji peng (n. Hokkien dialect, dodge away).

Yesterday, when I was on my way to SGI Kaikan, I passed by Federation square... and I saw a big crowd of chinese guy again.... thinking that they are protesting for Tibet independence. But I also saw there is a few lion dance and dragon dance. Thinking to myself, hrm.... it seem like because of the olympic, those chinese are more cultured for many things, including the way they protest

Haha.. but when i move forward and have a look, I might be wrong. They might still be as fanatic as before, but this cultural scenario is just because they are celebrating the last 100 days before Beijing Olympic.

It is a cloudy day.. and they are so happily waving their beijing olympic logo.

It has been a while for me to see a dragon dance, probably since Chinese new year. Feeling like home when meet cultural event like this.

However, I must admit that a successful Olympic game in Beijing is a proud moment for every chinese in the world, no matter where you are born.

Good luck Beijing 2008!!!

Many cut above.....

2008-04-23T15:53:00.004+10:00

Back home, there is a hair saloon, named 'A cut Above'.

I remember I watch a TV programme about how this lady Winnie Loo (if i am not mistaken), and I really admire how she as an entrepreneur started her saloon and eventually become a academy for hair stylist. Really really long journey to climb up to the top of the hill.

While in Melbourne, finally got my hair cut last saturday, and it was fast, just 10mins to cut my hair. And now I look like this..... More ventilation to cool my head down. hehe...

I just found out a very interesting virtual barber shop. Put on your ear phones and listen closely.. very real effect.

DOOLAN!!!!!! The aussie way......

2008-04-18T17:03:00.004+10:00

It is such a fine Friday afternoon, and my colleague suggested to go for a lunch at Prince Alfred restaurant. It is a good lunch with my colleagues, as get to talk more with them together and we had fun. It is especially timely, because I could use this lunch to celebrate my experiment finally working for me this week. Repeated my experiment for quite a while since last week.....

As usual, being a kiam siap eng chun (n. a place in hokkien province) kia (n. Kid) (the kiam siap-ness it is in my hokkien genes, i couldn't help it), I am so used to order hot water and not interested with any other drinks, while all my colleagues ordered beers or sodas. And Putz ( He is a german post doc, and he is a very cute person) immediately spot my hot water, and keep on asking whether I like hot water very much or just it is because it is free...... Haha... of course I have to say I love hot water, as my dad drinks a lot of hot water too... as it is so healthy to drink non-alcoholic and non-gassy drinks. But deep in my heart... huahuahua.... you know my eng chun clan well, then you will justify my action the other way.

Well, when I was eating my lunch (i ordered vegetarian burger), I saw a lorry which passes by the street. I couldn't help myself to stay put on my chair. I quickly stood up and briefly told my colleague and supervisor that I saw a special car, and I really need to take a photo of that lorry. Without waiting for their respond, I ran to the lorry, and took a nice shot with my hp camera.

I am so proud to say that I am a hokkien eng chun, and I am also proud to see the aussie enjoy using hokkien words for their BRANDING and MARKETING......

Haha.... so after I finish taking the photo, I shared it with my colleague. "what is so special of that truck" they asked. And I reply:" it is actually a hokkien dialect vulgar world to swear if you are piss off." And I hinted that my big boss Prof Tan should know what it means haha.....

I wonder the owner of the truck is hokkien also? He better is not a hokkien, or else the slogan of the truck 'A gentle mover......' will sound so SARCASTIC.

To all my colleagues: "Use DOOLAN at your own risk. I am NOT RESPONSIBLE for any of your words coming our from your mouth!!!"

Mitosis of Fresh Spirit ---> Seeking spirit!!!!!

2008-04-13T17:31:00.007+10:00

Fresh spirit had went through mitosis (n. separation of cell).

One big group splits into two smaller groups and continue growing.

This is a photo as a memory of our first SEEKING SPIRIT meeting:

From left: Ley Hian, Thomas, Kian Meng, Michelle, Yee Fei, Annabelle, Janet and Ujjal.

Photo courtesy from Ujjal.

Last Tuesday was a fresh start for our group, and all of the members seem determined to strife hard in their life and well as kosen-rufu.

Let us do our best to grow our self mentally with SEEKING SPIRIT through our mentor and disciple relationship.

Friday night entertainment..... AND IT WAS FREE!!!!!!

2008-04-12T12:00:00.004+10:00

Last tuesday, Prof Tan given me two tickets for a stand up comedy show. And know what, before that, I have been telling people around that I am very reluctant to go out for any entertainment as there is no FREE entertainment around me. So my kiam siap character keep reminding myself that just stay in my room and sleep will be the best entertainment.

And maybe due to my intense Inchinen (n. japanese, intense thought in one moment), I got my thought answered. So, last night I went to watch Jason Bryne with Kien Yew.

Jason Bryne is an Irish, and he cracks all sort of jokes with his intense humor and also quick spinning mind. I just share with you guys some of the you tube click with you guys.

Thanks Prof Tan for giving me the tickets!!!!

MC of the day

2008-04-06T21:49:00.002+10:00

Thank you Tirthi to be my partner as together we become the MC for today's meeting.

I guess we really have fun to host the meeting.

This is my first time become a MC, and I know there is so much room for improvement in the future.

I will definitely do better next time.

Pregnant dad!!!!!

2008-04-05T00:43:00.003+11:00

Hi guys and girls,

In this modern society, anything can happen, but have you come across with a pregnant dad?

Please read Yink Heay's Blog for more detail.

Eventually from Yink Heay's Blog, I found a comment which is more facsinating. There is a real man carrying a baby also through ectopic placental and fetus implantation in the abdominal cavity.

Mr Lee Ming Wei

The ten worlds in our life

2008-04-05T00:04:00.001+11:00

(photo linked from: http://www.rec.uk.com/_uploads/imgpool/rollercoaster.gif)

It has been an emotional roller coaster week for me...... And it has given me something to think about, and it is how to overcome my fundemental darkness. Everyone like to win, and I know that I am one of them. And I always want to achieve my target. For doing that, I can work day and night, and I can walk the extra mile to get where I want to be. But the thing is when I walk the extra mile and I couldn't make to where I want to be, I feel really emotional about it. And now I recognize this problem, so it is time for me to make a change of this character.

This story also starts from sunday, as early in the morning, after my breakfast, I went to my lab to continue my experiment. Knowing that I have much beginner luck, and I my technique for western blotting is getting mature, I am very thrilled to work on sunday and get even more experimental result.

By 11:45pm, i was so thrilled by the result that I had. It was a day long experiment from morning until night. And so, I started to do some notes on my "brilliant" result. However, after doing comparison, I found out that the experimental result was really crappy. It was just a nice pattern without any meaning after all. And i look back to my methods, and found that I altered a step because lack of a reagent, and I started to feel anger with myself. Instantly, my emotion started to blurred with the sadness and anger without advance notice, and started to blame on many things......

When I reach my hostel, started to chant for wisdom and courage to face the challenge. I feel better, but still angry with myself. And I have a good friend in Australia, she is Jactty. Although she is in Adelaide, thanks to 3 mobile network, we have much credit that we could use for communicating with each other. We always keep remind each other to write thesis and to troubleshoot experimental design. Bad days like that occurs constantly, and for me, the best way is to channel out through talking......

Thanks to her as a listener, I started my week again on Monday. By chanting for 1/2 hour in the morning, I am determine to start my week with full of courage and wisdom. So I quickly set up my discussion with Jason (my supervisor), and update him about my experimental result during the weekend, and ever determine to get this 2 days experiment running again.

Waiting for my babies cell to grow to the amount that I need, on Wednesday, I repeated my whole experiment again. This time, is with cautious and care. It is very important that I never do the same mistake again and I will get my result. And so, after a whole day of working in the lab, that night, I got wonderful results, and I am ready for present during the group meeting on Thursday night.

Exhausting long hours, but fulfilled heart. And I am ready to take the experiment to the next step. But I am very cautious with my emotion. I have been not very stable with my heart. I know it is a great challenge for me to sustain high EQ at every moment, but I fail again when I thought that my mic had broken. And it is now ok again.

Life is like a roller coaster, and sure it will bring you ups and downs. If we analyze all these emotional states, we could see that it actually resemblance of the 10 worlds in our life.

Let recall the 10 worlds in every moment:
1) World of Buddhahood (佛界)
2) World of Bodhisattvas (菩萨界)
3) World of Cause-awakened One (缘觉界)
4) World of Voice-hearer (声闻界)
5) World of Heavenly beings (天界)
6) World of Human beings (人界)
7) World of Asuras (修罗界)
8) World of animals (畜牲界)
9) World of Hungry Spirits (饿鬼界)
10) World of Hell (地狱界)

I am very aware that probably now I am still in between world of asuras and world of human beings. And it is time for me to chant and challenge the problem. As a disciple of Ikeda Sensei, we have to fight with the fundamental darkness in order to win in our life. It is a constant battle of good and evil in our life. And we must always strive to the best against our fundamental darkness.

Band of brothers

2008-04-04T18:05:00.001+11:00

I remember Yong lent me a very nice DVD video series, known as "Band of Brothers" I love it so much. Not because I am a big fan of shooting / war / violence, but I always respect how these guys have trust on each other and become very good heng dai (兄弟)

I always image the SDS-PAGE of proteins as Bands of Brothers

(Picture linked from: http://protocols.nature.com/image/show/183)

This is because all protein are from the same cell, and it form bands on the gel due to separation of different sizes. And it is all these wonderful proteins in the cells that does everything that occur in the cells, and they have to support to maintain each and every protein in the cell to maintain stability.

Jeff Dunham comedy

2008-03-30T15:11:00.002+11:00

Yong introduced me a comedian few days ago, and I really feel funny watching his act.

Enjoy with these show.

Mentor and disciple spirit

2008-03-30T11:06:00.003+11:00

Autumn wind is breezing and it turns cold and rainy more often. I have been in Melbourne a month, got everything I need to do my PhD, so I have no more lame excuses to be slack in my PhD progess. I kicked started my project, but still challenging my literature review with burning passion spirit like my supervisors and peers around me.....

Having passionate supervisors is really wonderful...... Maybe some of you guys are not agreeable with my statement, I still stand firm with my words, maybe it is also depend which aspect you view it.

My current Principle Investigator (PI) is Prof Tan Seong Seng, and the second one is Dr Jason Howitt. Both of them are really good supervisor and researchers and I am eager to learn from them as much as possible.

Prof Tan in his lab
(photo source: HFI webpage)

Dr Jason Howitt
(photo source:www.leadernews.com.au)

I attended many of the motivational seminar for successful people wannabe, collective data from those seminars show the factors which could lead you to be successful are:
1) To be hardworking
2) Keep learning
3) Environment
4) Peers
5) Mentor
6) Chance

The factors are not in order and each of these factors are equally important. But today I will just talk about the mentor factor.

Before I came to Melbourne, I have been introduced many time about this word: Mentor and disciple spirit. Much often, when I read Ikeda Sensei article, he always stress a lot of this Mentor and Disciple spirit, and how he and his mentor Toda Sensei strife together for world kosen-rufu and world peace. However, as much I wanted to understand what is the true meaning of this, I find myself don't feel much about this spirit before I came to Melbourne.

I doesn't give up with my quest for searching for the true meaning of Mentor and disciple relationship. And it is not something which has a standard definition and fit for everyone. After I come to Melbourne, this mentor and disciple spirit seem to show with my current situation
After reading only 2 volumes of "Human Revolution" which I brought to Melbourne, I always feel there are resemblance of how a disciple should work the utmost for the common goal for both the mentor and disciple. The spirit that I have been long searching, is actually reflected in my daily life. Maybe this is just another wonder reason for me to be in Melbourne, to understand my mission in life, in my career and in kosen-rufu.

The more I read Ikeda Sensei's guidance, I am really touched by how his fighting spirit from his early days even now, it flaming passion it still on. I shall also pledge to work hard for my scientific career mentor and also my kosen-rufu mentor.

I have learn a quote from Ikeda sensei's, which I used it for the M16 performance couple of week ago.
"True character is forged only through hardship and suffering. Moreover, it is the mentor disciple relationship, not organizational structure that builds character. Many scholars, pioneer and leaders of the world have come to know how crucial this mentor and disciple relationship is"

I guess I am fortunate enough to be able to strife harder every day with my mentor, seeking the fighting spirit to challenge every task and build my character as a youth.

A letter to my little brother Ley Yeow

2008-03-28T21:24:00.001+11:00

Yo Bro,

Loosen up a bit, dont let those kind of dissapointment feeling affect your emotion.

Even though your situation is not as good as you expected, yet the main reason for you to be not really happy in your situation or in your life in within your heart. It is the way you think which make a decision whether you want to be happy or not.

Many people think that, well, I had paid my school fees, why didn't I get these, why the lecturer is like that, why everyone get all the lecturer notes and I dont have it etc etc etc......

To be happy, is not only though chanting, no doubt chanting is the first step, but after chanting, you need to also transform the way you think. For example, you learn how to appreciate things the best way no matter what. Make it your best moment in your life although it is not in your favour.

Nichiren Daishonin say in his writting in Happiness in This World: Suffer what you have to suffer, and enjoy what you have to enjoy. There is no other true happiness than chanting Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo. Because when you chant, you will understand that you are creating happiness or creating sadness. You are the cause, but not the environment which cause you the sadness. When you are creating good cause and good mindset, then you will feel happy no matter what situation it is. It is not a fantasy escape mindset which people created to escape their problem. But Nichiren Daishonin buddism is teaching us to be happy and face our challenges with full of courage and fighting spirit,

When you chant, you also have to set your mind set and telling yourself that you are truely bless in many ways, and reciprocate and bless the people around you to be happy. It is not possible to be happy when people around you is sad. So maybe you try to chant for the happiness of people that you love, then more importantly, you MUST chant for the people that give you the most trouble. They give you trouble is because they are not happy in the first place, then only they give out on you.

Secondly, you must also chant for the courage to face your challenges in your study. Mom told me that you face a lot of challenges which you feel like helpless in many ways and also feel like going over to India to study. Well, I guess you have to ask yourself what is the reason you want to study dentistry. Think of the mission that you first started to do your dentistry. You studyin this course because you have a wonderful mssion in this field, and you are going to help other with their dental problem. So are you going to defeat by your challenges and forget about your great mission?

Please chant for your success, chant for your courage, chant for your faith to grow and chant for your happiness.

I would like to share this quote by Ikeda Sensei:

"There is a saying that the earth upon which we fall is the same ground which enables us to push ourselves up again. There's another which maintains that barley grows better after it has been trampled on. Human relationships are sometimes painful, but there is no such pain from which we cannot recover. It is up to us to decide to live a life free from self-doubt and despair in spite of our failures. Indeed, it is during our most humbling moments that we should show greatest poise and grace. Then the dignity of our lives will truly shine"

There is no reason for you to be sad while facing challenges. Sometime we win and sometime we lose, but never the less, we shall never feel defeated, because we will be standing up again in no time. Remember Ikeda Sensei's guidance and use it in your daily life

Speed master challange!!!!

2008-03-25T15:04:00.004+11:00

I remember about 10 years ago, when the so-called the latest technology was introduced to handphone - the SMS (short message service), it was such a WOO HAA during those days. Many great new breeds of warriors was born. And these warriors specialized in SMS with their infamous speed.

And I also remember MAXIS was so eager to have these SMS speed masters challenge. Because the more you send the SMS, they will sure untung (n. malay, profit) more la. I wonder why I don't see any of these challenge anymore. Maybe things are pretty different those days, as people are so bored and tired with their non-coloured screen and mono-function handphone, and their only entertainment is SMS, play snake and also miss call.

Well, I decided to hold a Speed Master Challenge to resurrect our dream 10 years ago..

This is the Speed Master Challenge - Keyboard Special Edition.

60 words

Speedtest

Oh.... I am such a lame typist...

To enter this challenge, please click HERE

Please tell your friends to have this challenge. and post back what is your typing speed in the comment box.

This challenge will last for 2 week (until 8/4/2008).

Gambate to all my friends with this challenge haha!!!

Easter Party.... + Birthday Party + Welcome Party

2008-03-23T12:57:00.010+11:00

Easter holiday, and Melbourne city is quiet, my lab is quiet, even my hostel is quiet. While it remains quiet, I enjoy the quietness and I can take my own sweet time in the lab and in the hostel resting and doing my labwork.

However, the hostel cafe is not serving any dinner, so on Friday (21/3/2008) I decided to call my friend out for dinner together. Kien Yew, he is my CHKL brother. We used to study in 5S3. I still can't forget the good memories that our class have during that year. Nostalgic image keep entering my mind....

Kien Yew he is a nice guy, and you could feel how sincere he is when you talk to him. And he has a pair a good looking eyes. haha... Don't worry mom, I am still straight....

At first we wanted to go somewhere to eat, but ended up he invited me to his house and have home cook dinner with him, his sister, sister's bf (Ah Lo) and their friend (Han Guang).

Kien Yew told me that after 5 years staying in Melbourne, everyone can cook. And I shall let you see how serious is he when he is cooking.

Man at work.... Do Not Disturb!!!!! haha...

After that dinner, he even invited me for a second treat which was yesterday (22/3/2008) for his home BBQ party. That event for to celebrate Han Guang's birthday, which was 3 days ago, then also welcome Ah Lo, the fun guy for his arrival to Kien Yew Place for a short visit and also to have easter break party..... The event was fun, and seriously, it was the 2nd most highly interactive session with so many Malaysian in Melbourne (1st highly interactive was during the JPA meeting in the city)

So these are some of the photo with them.

Ah Lo and Kiew You having a dart shooting competition for a sip of whisky.

And Ah Lo won.

Mah Jong Session for the girls. The girl in white T-shirt is Kien Yew's sister Pei Lu.

Hang Guang and Ah Lo are good buddies.

I really appreciate I was invited by Kien Yew. Thank you brother!

P/S: I left my handphone in you car also... pai seh la haha

Lab pigs....

2008-03-21T17:32:00.009+11:00

For such a long time, I wanted to write something about my lab. But I didn't really have the time to take photo. Today is Easter holiday and my lab will be having break from today onward until Tuesday. Since I am a kiam siap guy, and I don't really want to spend to have a vacation to Great Ocean Road or Philip Island, I am contented to stay in my hostel and do some lab work.

I wanted to call myself a Lab Rat, but I don't think that it suits me..... So I will call myself a Lab Pig. Haha... Born in the year of Pig.

Today, I brought my camera along to capture some bacteria plate picture, and finally have a chance to take some nice photo about my lab. hehe.. it is a wonderful lab, and I enjoy working in this lab.

I shall start with this building. This is the Alan Gilbert Building. My lab is not in this building, but some of the administrators and professors are sitting in this building. The Centre of Neuroscience is in this building as well. I have to come to this building once a week to have combined lab meeting. It is fun and very useful to listen the progress every week.

Then now I shall show you another building, which is the lab building. The institute name is Howard Florey Institute. It is named after Sir Howard Florey, who was the Nobel Prize Laureate for his contribution of spreading the research and development of penicillin. Aussies text book will say he is the person who discovered of penicillin, well, I would suggest otherwise that he is just the one discovered ways of using penicillin hehe.

To enter this building, I have to use a passcard. It is quite easy to use and very convenient. However, there are times where I forgot the bring my passcard, and it really is a pain to get into this building during those time.

My lab is quite big area, and more often, it is like a war zone for us to work. However, today no one is working, then I manage to sneak in and take some nice photo to show you guy, without my peers hehe.

Yeah, this is my lab space.. I quickly tidy it so that it looks neat. But Eng Tat will sure laugh and tell you guys that my working habit is totally not neat at all. I work in random and inspirationally guided. If I think of some experiment that I want to tryout, immediately I will start preparing my work. Haha, messy bench is a good place to start because I can find almost everything that i need on my bench.

Here I am with my sterile gown preparing for my cell culture procedure.

And my lovely office space for me to do some literature search and writting. Haha, but most of the time I am just browsing the internet without doing much.

M16 Musical Performance

2008-03-20T16:55:00.000+11:00

Last Sunday, Yarra Yarra Region Youth Member had mark a victorious performance, whereby we did our best in performing the musical dance.

Since I am glad that I am one of the performers, which contribute to this performance.

I wanted to edit this video on Sunday night, but then I only realized that my notebook is not able to edit the video due to lack of performance. Anyway, I manage to squeeze some time during my weekday and edit this video with my institute computer at night.

Hope this will bring us to refresh the memories we had in this performance. And hope more performance will come soon haha.

M16 Performance Practise + Rehearsal

2008-03-16T15:04:00.000+11:00

Tomorrow will be a day for our Yarra Yarra region performance. I guess shall do the best for tomorrow. I just edited a video clip. Hope you guys like it.

I shall take my rest now.. and prepare for a victorious performance tomorrow

I am physically challenged!!!!

2008-03-15T15:35:00.001+11:00

It has been a warm week in Melbourne, and today is quite hot.

Struggling with the warm weather it is very physically demanding. You think Malaysia is hot, I used to think that too. But it seem like the heat wave in Australia is worse. Let me reason it out for your discussion: -

I have heard before that people die from the heat wave in Australia... But I never ever heard of people staying in Malaysia die because of the heat in Malaysia.

As I am not in my comfortable home in Malaysia, there are many challenges ahead that i need to overcome. I need to do my human revolution. The biggest challenge is my work is physically demanding work. Maybe I am still new in this science and research business, but it is not easy at all. Running around from one corner to another corner, and yet need to do my experiment, and then at night need to do reading and writting. The most amazing part is that you see all your peers in the lab will still keep their engine moving from 8.30 am to 6pm, and write at home, make me really feel like I am incompetent at all. In fact, I am the one who choose to come here, so I shall take the challenge to overcome this situation.

In the morning, I could be super energetic and determine to carry out all the task. Everyday, in front of the mirror, I tell myself today it is a good day to work and make breakthrough result. haha.... good attitute huh..... Just like a full blown balloon.

But by mid day... i become lau kui, (n. Hokkien, tired, flaccid) and can't event think properly. Just like a flatten balloon.

When I think back, it could be my fundamental darkness, where I am used to be too relaxing from the place I come from. And I remember from Grey Johns lecture last week, he told us that getting a benefit from chanting Nam myo ho reng ge kyo is not the end, but it is just a beginning. It is a beginning as we have the chance to do human revolution. For example: A person chanted for getting a good job, and eventually he got it. And he happily goes to work everyday, but then found out that the job is actually very complicated and full of difficult task. Then he stated blaming of his job, also started thinking why did he prayed for this job. In which this person didn't do make full use of his chance at all.

Grey Johns shared with us that once we got the benefit is a point that we have larger responsibility to maintain the benefit by transforming ourself to be a better person. The real benefit is the inconspicuous benefit where our character has transformed, and to convert our karma. Then this will only lead to have greater benefit, greater responsibility and larger form of character building and karma conversion.

For my example, I did my prayers with 3 person prayer objective in the past whole year, which are:
1) Get the best supervisor for my PhD
2) Get the best university
3) Get the best scholarship

In fact, I have everything I prayed for, meeting with Prof Tan, get into Melbourne University and of course not forgetting to mention that super prestigious JPA scholarship. So now the responsible is on my shoulder, and I have to march with vibrant pace, to ensure that my responsibility is fulfilled.

There is a reason for me to be able to come to Australia safely and without financial worries. I belief that the mission behind is not only to work in my Neuroscience PhD, but it is a chance for me to able to do worldwide kosenrofu (n. Japanese. World peace mission) with Ikeda Sensei and to grow in my faith.

How to change a character, I might ask all the time. And I found this guidance is quite useful. and I would like to quote Ikeda Sensei word:
" The human spirit is the strongest force there is. As long as our spirit remains unbroken, there is no defeat. In life, spiritual defeat always precedes actual defeat. Guard against laziness, cowardice, carelessness, impatience, resignation and despair which corrode the human spirit and sow the seeds of defeat."

Let strife our life with our full passion and compassion.

Antibody and Antigen

2008-03-09T11:35:00.000+11:00

I remember when I come across with topic related about antibody, it was usually drawn as Y-shape. How come all antibody is figured as Y-shape?

This is because antibody are structured with 2 subunits (Heavy chains, and light chain)

I shall link a typical antibody structure (from wikipedia):

And now, I have some atypical antibody photo to show you (modified from google map satelite photo):

It was a wonderful thougt to have the "antibody"-architectured Medical faculty building. And apperantly, my research lab (Howard Florey Institute) is the "antigen" of the antibody.

And my hostel is just close by to my research institute, which is good, because I could work till late night and still be able to walk back to my hostel easily and have enough rest.

Chong Hwa friend in Melbourne

2008-03-08T06:07:00.000+11:00

Meeting old friends or home town friend in a foreign country is always delighting. because you will feel a sudden warmth with that person who speak your language, or just happen to know you long enough, make you feel really comfortable with it.

I meet with Shiang Wei (my Chong Hwa classmate, and also studying in Monash for IT) last weekend (sorry guys, I know my blogging speed is way too slow, just bear with it). I invited Shiang Wei to visit my campus, and then have lunch together.

So we just walk around the campus, and I just grab this chance to take more photo of those unexplored places.

This piece of model seem like an orbit to electron......., maybe my guess is true as this structure is located just beside the Old Physics building.

The building in University of Melbourne is not standardize, there are some old building, and also a mixture of new building. These are some classical design of an old building.

And then we went further up to the sports arena.

There are so many arena for sport, every weekday it is crowded. But since it was a weekend when we went there to explore, it seem empty.

The swimming pool is just few lane and you need to book the lane if you want to use it.

After our walk in the campus, I suggested to have lunch near the campus. And the best part of that restaurant is it is a Malaysian cuisine restaurant. What is a probability of meeting a Malaysian friend in Melbourne and having Malaysian food together? I guess it is quite rare to be honest.

Walking into that Nasi Lemak House, it seem nostalgic with the aura of the restaurant. Everything seem so "Malaysian". The food looks like food back home, the customers in the restaurant seem like the people back home, the tauke's (n. hokkien, boss) constipated look, and even how the tauke treat the employee also feels like back home...... haha...

This story start when I ordered my nasi lemak, and tauke seem like any normal malaysian food stall owner face... and not even joyful for me buying her nasi lemak.. Maybe she had a bad weekend. And so Shiang Wei and me just wait for our nasi lemak, and keep talking to each other.

In a sudden, the tauke shouted:" How many time have I teach you to do this way, you still make mistake after so many months. Next time, if you make the same mistake again, I will deduct 5 dollars from your salary each time you make the same mistake"

Well, again, it really sounds like Malaysian tauke style,
it really looks like Malaysian tauke style,
But I am not sure whether she is Malaysia-styled Australian tauke or Australian styled Malaysian tauke... (haha.. please compare and contrast)

The fact is she is in Australia, and yet still inherited, and continue using the Malaysian way of doing business. Well done, Syabas, MALAYSIA BOLEH!!!! (especially tomorrow is the polling date for Malaysia)

Finally, after my long waited nasi lemak, I start to enjoy my first Malaysian cuisine in Melbourne.

It looks nice, and really delicious. But the bad thing of this nasi lemak is the price of this nasi lemak is equivalent to approximately 20 bungkus of nasi lemak (those brown packed, 1.50 riggit / bungkus type of nasi lemak). It cost 9 dollars...... Anyway, I just have to treat the nasi lemak as gold plated rice and not to waste even a single rice.

Finally, we just took a photo as mementos.

How to get exponential phase for your learning curve?

2008-03-05T23:16:00.000+11:00

For you guys who study microbiology, I am sure that you will come to know that bacterial growth will go through 4 phases, which are:
1) lag phase
2) exponential phase
3) stationary phase
3) death phase

For your learning curve, has anyone come accross with how to get or maintain exponential phase all the time?

I guess the best way of learning is: To throw you into a big pool full of sharks... and let you swim back alone.

I am experiencing this kind of experience now.

I am currently working in a lab with all the techniques that I never dream of using it, but it has become reality. And before I even know there is such a machine which do that technique, my personal tutor in my lab, Anh (she is a vietnamese and working as RA for my supervisor) will start telling me what to do and start delegating works for me and work independently. As if throwing me into the pool to let me swim back.

I find this experience is thrilling, and full of excitement. Of course, the risk is high, but it can be rewarding if you are careful and lucky in your work. So, I am determine to work double time to read up the theory of the technique once I start using that technique.

I am very fortunate that there is someone in the lab can guide me to kickstart my project. And I shall express my greatest gratitute to my lab tutor, Miss Anh.

Switching room

2008-03-02T17:00:00.000+11:00

Staying in a graduate house is good in many ways, like:
1) it is catered with buffet style breakfast and dinner (but the rule book says that we are only entitle for 1 serving of food every meal) (Hello Graduate House warden, ANG MOH’s and ASIAN’s definition for 1 serving can be very different.),

2) Cleaning up your room once a week,

3) Coin operated laundry facility,

4) Just 500 meter from my lab and etc.

And after comparing with my friends who are staying in the city central and want to find a good apartment out there in the city with all these facilities, I think my room rates is one of the best that I could get.

But I had to switch room, to a bigger room (queen size bed, with a tv lounge), but you know, harga bilik put naik……

This is because the rooms are fully booked by the time I booked my room back in January. So they had arranged in this way, and they will settle me down 15 days after I stay in this big room. It cost AUS 413.00 per week, which is quite a pain in the ass to this Kiam Siap Ma Lat Lou. If I have my way, I would just take the cheapest room (single room, shared bathroom), which is AUS 280 per week.

Previously, I have stayed in another room, which I find quite satisfying. It is a single room with bathroom. And that was AUS 343 per week. Looking forward to switch back to my single room with bathroom again (shared bathroom even better, haha), so that I will not need to carry all my heavy luggage up and down again.

Does this look familiar? Could it be the dog in Stephen Chow new movie, CJ7?

Just let you have a look of my room.

Single bed with bathroom:

Current room (Double bed, shared bathroom and with tv lounge)

Shrine of Remembrance

2008-03-02T04:30:00.000+11:00

Last Saturday (23/02/2008), it was my fifth day in Melbourne. I was windy, but not as cool as these few days. Aunty Yap and Aunty Jenny Yau came to my graduate house to visit me. It is good to meet them again, as it has been a while I last meet up with them in chanting session back home. Aunty Jenny Yau is also a photographic lover, and she took many shot of the place I stayed. And most importantly, she told me that she has a mission from my mom, which is to take photo as evidence to proof that I am not fooling around in Melbourne. (In pic: Left Aunty Jenny Yau, Right: Aunty Yap, but both of them looks like the sister in red)

Together, we went to Victoria Market to wonder around, and obviously as a fresh guy in town, I cannot resist myself to compare our daily Pasar (n. Malay, Wet Market) with their Market. So excitingly comparing, until I forgot to take out my camera to take some shots for the famous Victoria Market in Melbourne. And I shall do it during my next visit.

After spending some time in Victoria Market, we went to Soka Gakkai Kaikan in Melbourne for an activity.

Later in the afternoon, we went to the Shrine of Remembrance. After visiting that place, I still don’t know much in depth about that place, so I shall just quote the tourist map explanation for your understanding oh Shrine of Remembrance. “The Shrine of Remembrance is Victoria’s memorial to the men and women who have serve Australia in armed conflicts and peacekeeping operations throughout our nation’s history.”. So in other words, it shall be like Malaysia’s Tugu Negara, but with a bigger building and some cliché building design, such as the ray of sunlight shining on the stone on 11.00am and etc.

For me, this is just another sculpture to remember the one who made supreme sacrifice.

Big building for remembrance.

A big red cross, if you see closer, you will find 3 person in the red cross.

A good shot of skyline in Melbourne

The guard is having nice time chatting with the girls. And interestingly, I saw there was a sign there like that. I am wondering whether the guard is giving them some good tips how to roll (emphasize on this point, ROLL home, not walk back home)......

It looks like summer. Sounds like summer. But I am not sure whether it is summer????

2008-03-01T15:57:00.000+11:00

From the weather forecast, Melbourne city will be sunny and warm until on Monday. However, you never know what will happen for the next minute. ""Melbourne weather is just like WOMAN, you would never know what they are thinking the next minute."

Weather in Melbourne can be very unpredictable. To my best knowledge, the current season is summer, but I shall have to rephrase that infamous quote:

"It looks like summer.
Sounds like summer.
But I am not sure whether it is summer????"

The first day of my arrival, it was pretty hot. And it was even hotter than Malaysia. So my first impression was that the weather is just hot and dry, so need to put more lotion with higher SPF index.

But, the second day it was raining hard. Third day even worse, it was shiny, then went rainy, and became windy and shiny again.

The weather here is unpredictable, and one shall never trust the weather prediction. Because you would never know, what will come around the next minute. And please, if you are planning to visit Melbourne, remember to bring along a strong and solid umbrella. Because it might be raining any minute. And if it is rainy and windy, your umbrella might just unfold just like this:

(Picture is linked from ABCnews.)

I heard a sexist quote here, and it sounds like that
"Melbourne weather is just like WOMAN, you would never know what they are thinking the next minute."

Yes, mom and sister, I know you ladies will give a big protest back home after reading this. Haha, but I didn't actually say it, it was just a quote from that ANG MOH. Please bear in mind, this quote was from an ANG MOH, and who say only CHINAMAN can be a chauvinistic sexist when I heard this from ANG MOH??? HAHA.

Anyway, thing are going smoothly here, and more workloads piling up already.

I shall keep my blog alife, or update it at least during weekend so that family and friend around the world (especially Malaysian Income Tax Payer) will know what i am doing in AUS without fooling around with your investment on me.

Night walk in Melbourne City

2008-02-25T22:48:00.000+11:00

Back in a few days time, I went to have a walk with my new friends to the city during the evening. From . The route that i use was identified on the map. It is cooling to walk here, as you will not get sweat all over your body easily. It is convenient to go anywhere just by walking, because the road sign is so well labelled, and most of all, the all the places is so new to me......, and it makes me excited to take some shots at it.

Well, this time, less talking and let you enjoy some of the shots I took.

I started off in front of my hostel (Graduate House), and the first picture i took was the Alan Gilbert Building. It is part of my institute where my big boss Prof. Tan Seong Seng office is. However, my lab is not in this building. This building is mainly for office work, seminars, lab meeting etc etc. The design is nice, and it is not symmetrical at all. I wonder is there any reason for putting those curve glass design on building? My wild guess might just be to maximize the sunlight usage for the office. Maybe you can comment on that.

As I continued my journey, I saw some nice clouds. This photo is like a feather of an angel. Arggh.... I am brain washed too much by University of Melbourne already. Hehe.. If you can search University of Melbourne website, you will definitely know why it keep reminding me of the angel.

This shot looks like a fire behind the houses.

And this one just feels like a patch of cottons peeling off from the building.

And yes, Choo Peng say I am very "lou tou" (n. Cantonese, old fashion, square thinking person) as i still draw shapes with fingers haha. I guess it is true to a certain extend, especially when come to spending unnecessary money, I can be damn "kiam siap" (n. Hokkien, a stingy).

Then this is just a sculpture, where there 'person' pointing upwards. And I think he is trying to say:"help me!! help me!! the crane up there seem unstable and falling on my head!!"

Night life in Melbourne city can be exciting, but I don't think I will spend much of my night time in the city any time soon...... Too many reading material and journals lining up for me to read. the most I will just go for my buddhist society meeting near by.

When i passed by the Melbourne city library, there was a piece of the library sinking into the ground. And there are no tunnel to go to that library, so those civil engineers who might want to tender a project in Melbourne, please send your proposal to the Melbourne City Municipal Hall ASAP. Help is needed haha.

Last but not least, there is a fountain in the park behind my hostel. It will be a nice place if the fountain is tuned with nice music and changing colour with the tune. Yet, it is just a nice cooling fountain.

The evolution starts here

2008-02-24T19:35:00.000+11:00

I shall make a statement for all Chong Hwa High School KL student (or even allumni):
Before we graduated from CHKL, often asked by peers around us, where do you want to go next??? We will have an imaginary vision in our mind, and wish ourself to be in a very huge campus, with full of campus life (wonderfully this phase 'campus life' is cited many many times but not everyone know what is its full defination, ranging from the university scenery, to activities even the way the lecture should be conducted). I don't about other CHKL guys, maybe you feel like denying it, but it was truely how we felt last time. If not, then I felt it last time.

I wish to go to a campus with good scenery, with fun activities and etc etc. However, I never had enter any of these 'wonderful before' until now...... So The evolution stars here, when i arrived in the University of Melbourne campus.

This a main gate for University of Melbourne, and the fun part is there is no fence for University of Melbourne. If you are skillful enough to find your path in and out from any corner, then you might enter the campus area. Then you might ask, it is a safe place to go to, my answer would be yes. Let me walk you through some campus shot and we will discuss the security problem later.

In my fantasy university, a university should have a lake in the campus, so that it could be a most romantic and 'economic' dating spot for couple to date or just look into sky and draw shapes with fingers pointing to the clouds. Or the guy could just play guitar to the girl he likes all day beside the lake (maybe Ley Yee could do this to his gf in University of Malaya).

There is small water pond beside the lawn of University of Melbourne. I don't know how deep it is, and don't feel like trying the water anytime soon. The water pond just blend nicely to the whole scenery just like kaya and butter combination.

When I was here last year for my interview, I was totally shocked, as students in groups will just seat on the lawn, discussing and talking during lunch hours. I guess over here is cooling enough for you to seat all day long. Back home in Malaysia, I will never do this, and also never will encourage friends to sit on the lawn during lunch hours, unless, you want to get yourself roasted like Char Siu (n. Hong Kong style roasted meat, the best quality of this roasted meat should have a layer of lean meat and a layer of juicy fat to keep the meat texture sinfully juicy and tasty haha).

This time around, haven't encounter the crowd yet, maybe because the orientation week start from this week onwards, so more people will come in and I shall let you guys see how crowded it is to be in the lawn during lunch peak hours.

There are even people just lying down on the lawn. I rather do that on my bed, as my mom always say lying on the floor will get 'arthritis or fung sap(in cantonese). Well, I am not really worried for my arthritis problem anyway, just because I am lazy with washing another dirty shirt without the luxury of free washing machine like i am used to in my home.

In conclusion, the photo shows that University life can be relaxing, comfortable and it is like a heaven in the campus (even birds like to rest on the lawn). But any science student will be very alert that graph, figure and statistic can be deceiving when you only try to show those "wonderful and nice" result.

I will have to keep myself on the ground and keep reminding myself that I have owe all Malaysian Tax Payer 300K ringgit for my PhD in Unviersity of Melbourne. And my buddy Eng Tat who is very anxious about this fact, as he has started to pay income tax will keep me alert everytime i see him hehe.

During the orientation, those Prof. keep on telling us that it is not easy to get into University of Melbourne. But I have another type of interpretation, which is it is not easy to get into the University of Melbourne, and it is also not easy to get out from University of Melbourne with the old mind set which I have attained from previous place. I need to keep up my pace with my research, I need to change my lazybum attitute, and I need to have better time management.

So, I shall end this blog with my title" THE EVOLUTION STARTS HERE"

Bon Voyage Leyhian

2008-02-23T20:41:00.000+11:00

Finally, the time has come where I need to depart from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne to start my next journey in life. Things are never be the same again when one has to leave to a new place to start his own journey there.

Most of my friend warned me, that bidding farewell in the airport is always ended up with burst of tears, and sadness etc etc. Well, I am well aware of that,and try to control my emotion. (emergency pack of tissue standing by in my handbag, just in case).

My family and friend came that day, i was thinking, oh dear, please don't make me cry. I guess i am just another scientific freak with less 'emotional nerve' and 'tear glands' which at the end, I passed through the immigration counter without much sadness.

Perhaps, there are something more interesting which i desperately want to experience. It is the business class treatment from MAS. I am very fortunate to have an upgraded seat to business class, and always wonder, what is the feeling of having a business class seat. And i never would go for a business class seat unless, there are someone willing to pay for the seat.

Heading to the GOLDEN LOUNGE, with my thought focusing how can an airline company change so much for business and first class air ticket, then only i notice the tremendous difference of a economic seat and a business class seat. Let me bring you through my experience for a business class seat.

1) Exclusive waiting area
Usually for a economic ticket, no one bother where you wait, and they will just make sure that you go on board the plane on time to depart. But it is a totally different situation in business class, where they have a exclusive waiting area, with FFF. So what is FFF? For a ma lat lou (n. cantonese pronounciation, a person who dont really care much with his style and at times really untidy) like me, this FFF is a supreme gift, it means Free Flow of Food. I enjoyed myself in there.

2) Seating arrangement and control

The seat is definitely a new kind of experience, with so many space for your leg to stretch. I don't know about how you feel about this, but it really make my journey more comfortable. For friends who know me, I am lanky with long limbs, so this really suits my height and long legs. And furthermore, the seat can be adjusted just like a dentist chair, but it is way way scary-less than your dental appointment. This wonderful chair can be adjusted so that you are able to lie down completely and have a soundly sleep. Another function is the LCD and it even have a built in massage function, which ease your waist pressure when you need them most.

3) Food with artistic decoration
For friends who know me as a vegetarian, I am still a vegetarian. Don't get shock because they serve smoked tuna in my flight food. I tried to request for vegetarian meal, but according to MAS, they are out of vegetarian mean for business class...... how can this be true??? I want my vege back!!!!

Food for business class passenger are delicious, and most of that are very well decorated. I don't get these for my economic seat. But over here, the food is served with plates.

So i enjoyed throughly during my flight, but still couldn't sleep well, because not used to buzzing sound of the air plane.

Viola, I reach Melbourne with a exciting flying experience. During landing, this photo was taken as if the shadow is chasing the big bird.

End of this post.

1st timer with my blog

2008-02-23T20:33:00.000+11:00

I never used to blog, due to personal reason, and never thought that i might come up with my own blog. Thinking of my title when i register my blog name, I thought hard, what to write for my title. And I decided to make my title name as "wonders in life".

Nope, it is not a fantasizing life, but it is to remind me how to appreciate every single good thing that is happening around me, especially now i am starting my new journey in life, which is to do my PhD in Melbourne University.

Ok, just to encourage myself, "Good Luck and Persist in writting blog"