intrigued

it's intriguing how people are different yet alike in so many ways.

how the world can be so big yet so small sometimes.

how the weather can be so hot yet so cold in just one day.

how we can be so far yet so near at heart.

how we can think of the future yet reminiscence of the past,

while living in the present.

what is it with tea-stained cups anyways?

have you ever wondered why the innocent looking tea stains cup as badly as coffee does? apparently it's not the tea's fault entirely. if the water that we use to brew the tea is unfiltered or contains heaps of minerals, the boiled water used will cause the rim staining in your cup. if you filtered the hard water, it is said that your cups will never be stained AGAIN! what do you think? how much truth is there behind what i just said?

have a productive day everyone! =D

p/s: obviously procrastinating...the day is too long! i like coming in late better...=(

1 FiNe DaY iN Melbourne...

When the bf came for a visit, we went roaming in the streets of Melbourne. Took random shots around Docklands on our way to look for the Southern Star i.e. Melbourne's equivalent of the London Eye. It is due to start operating in November but I was just curious how the progress is like, seeing it's gonna be a new shopping precinct as well!

Upon disembarking the city circle tram, couldn't help but noticed the gigantic robotic looking wabbit! Of course we cannot leave without taking a picture with the wabbit right?

Then we continue walking along the usual path and the bf pointed out that the colours on the nab bank building looks like that of a Rubik's cube. But I said that the cube that we have has white in it and the building doesn't. It is not only till later that we realised the colours are different on the cubes we see in Australia. Isn't it supposed to be standard?

Anyways, then we walked cross the pier. Another weird thing is that there's Pier 9 and Pier 14 and that is it. Wonder why it's just these two. Don't ask me I haven't got the slightest clue.

And of course we can't miss out a picture with the cow atop the tree branch, can we?

By the end of the journey, we were really close to the Southern Star only to realise the place was secured with security guards. So couldn't get a good picture of the wheel in the end...

is it something to be happy about?

I don't quite get it why some people are so happy that they're going to finish uni and don't have to study anymore! I mean, isn't learning a lifetime thing? Where goes the saying that you'll never stop learning even when you're well into...you know what i mean.

What about those stories from working friends that their day has become monotonous...wake up...go work...come back from work...too tired hence off to bed early...and the cycle repeats.

Technically doing PhD means that I'm still in uni. I'm still a student. A very 'old' student indeed. Like been studying all my life since ten thousand years ago. But I'm not complaining. At least I can still get student discount whenever I go out. Like to the movies which is always a plus! And 10% discount in Boost Juice! Other than that, the fact that we have flexible hours in research is great! Like now that everyone at workplace is getting along really well, we've even taken up time in the park playing Frisbee or footy or soccer as part of our schedule! Even the supervisor knows about it but he thinks it's actually a good thing. Happy to see a good learning environment over at St. Vincent's and we play and work hard too! We're socializing more around the campus as well organizing outings and friday drinks after work and birthday celebrations etc. This is especially good for people like me who don't have much friends here anymore since most have gone back to work and some are just anti-social in a way.

And being a PhD student we don't have exams anymore. Just hurdles like confirmation and progress report in a year but everything will be based on the final thesis itself. I like to tell people I'm actually a lowly paid research assistant because with a scholarship I'm getting paid to study. I don't see anything wrong with that at all! =D The main thing is time management really. You just have to pace yourself although things like experiments are sometimes not under your sole control, you can find other things to do to fill in the void. I'm learning to take things as it comes and trying not to think so far ahead of time. M (who I have self-appointed as my mentor) said it's good that I'm always thinking of things in the bigger picture but not to overdo it because we have to leave space for when things might not turn out the way you expected. Sometimes, I even take shortcuts, like besides trying to read up on literatures on things that I am interested in finding out, I'll send a short email to my supervisor and ask him about it! Save time on reading! Other times I'll go to my supervisor with ideas and ended up needing to read up more materials. O.o

All in all, it's all a learning process!!

After missing for more than a week...

...I am currently fascinated by pictures incorporating my feet