Finally Seeing Chen Song Lin (陈松伶)

Update on **29 June 2016**

I checked the YouTube to see if any interesting video in the recommended section.

There was 1 video that caught my attention that was Chen Song Lin/Adia Chan （陈松伶）-爱是永恒.

If you’re the big fan of Hong Kong TVB drama, you must know who was she. She played the leading roles in several Hong Kong TVB drama such as 水饺皇后，天地男儿，笑看风云 12 or 13 years ago.

I remembered her roles in天地男儿 the most among those dramas mentioned above. She got the romantic affairs with Chi Lam( 张智霖 )and Louis Koo(古天乐). Louis Koo (古天乐) loved Chen Song Lin/Adia Chan （陈松伶） but she loved Chi Lam( 张智霖 ). Since young age, I liked this type of three relationships love story. I don’t know why. LOL

Other than that, I got the strong affection about Chen Song Lin/Adia Chan （陈松伶）’s short while watching her in 天地男儿 . But I never cut it as I got the big round face and the barber certainly can’t cut that short hair’s pattern successfully.

Her attires in天地男儿 also not bad too. But if looking back天地男儿 right now, some younger generations like 90s strongly commented the hair styles and attires were outdated. Never mind, this didn’t included me.

Back to the topic, so many years I didn’t hear her news anymore because she no more acting in TVB drama.  She had been inactive for quite a long times. I was so determined to click I click “Chen Song Lin/Adia Chan （陈松伶）-爱是永恒.”

Her singing voice was damn powerful and touched me. It even made me fall in love with爱是永恒 too when she mentioned the reason behind she selected that song, 爱是永恒.

Her next song, 那个男人motivated me to watch it too. That song specially dedicated for her husband because her husband support her in the hard times. I nearly cried in buckets when I felt her gratitude in thank you her husband through the song.

Now when writing but still attracted by one of her song again, 追. That song looked very familiar but can't remembered when I heard it. 

Done writing, go watching!

How I Struggled With Very Little Water

Update on **27-28 June 2016**

I back to Saratok, Sarawak for Hari Raya holidays.

Yesterday afternoon, I wanted to fill the spraying water bottle and found no water from the tap. I was so curious at that moment.

After few seconds, I heard the loud yell from Naruto“ Bo Zui, Bo Zui, Bo Zui” (meant no water)

Mama: “Har? water crisis happened again! Oh no, I almost used half of the bail to clean the toilet.”

Nevertheless, Mama not concerned about the water crisis. She still in good mood to watch the cooking show. She worked hard to record the recipes from the cooking show.

Mickey just remained cool and she seemed didn’t bothered about it. She even told me the history of water crisis in Saratok and my family’s improvement in coping with water crisis. 

1^st time water crisis-family went to Iban long houses’ river for bathing. Mickey complained family needed to across the muddy path in order to reach the river.

2^nd  time water crisis- family still went to Iban long houses’ river but this time they went through stone path to reach the river.

3^rd time water crisis- family proceeded to Jakar (40 minutes drove from Saratok) and paid the shop owner for water usage. It sounded better than previous times certainly.

I was completely different with them as it was my first time to deal with water crisis. Thus, I quickly ask them to keep the rain waters when raining. 

So, here were the containers for keep the rain waters.  But Mama dissatisfied and took all the containers to backyard for heavy rainfalls supply.

During my shower time, Mama requested me kept little water for Papa. Don't overuse it. So, I planned the leftover water properly. First in my life, I needed to calculated the water except money. Oh No!!! For example:

1 Liter water for face washing

3 Liter water for body and hair

Inadequate water for me and Papa. Oh my goodness!

At night time, Papa responsible to call Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR), a body that in charge of water supply but get nothing satisfactory answer from them.

Before sleeping, Mama assured us tomorrow will have water because midnight JKR was going to settle the issue.

This early morning, first thing I did was check the water from the tap but still no water.

After that, Mama ordered us to go to Uncle’s home at Roban (15 minutes drove from Saratok) for bathing.

The car boot fulled with unwashed clothes, empty containers and new clothes.

We done our bathing and laundry after 1 hour. Luckily Uncle’s home had 2 bathrooms.

1st bathroom 

2nd bathroom 

To mitigate the leftover water usage at home, so Papa brought us for dining outside.

We had our breakfast in Roban. I purposely requested Papa brought us to Ah Dian’s shop for breakfast.

Ah Dian's Kueh Teow Soup, I was coming 

Incomplete family photo but still loved it 

Taking again but Mickey turned to be like that 

Since young age, I often had Ah Dian Kueh Teow Soup for breakfast. But he closed down his food stall in Roban market when I grew up. I got no chance to eat his Kueh Teow Soup anymore.

Few years ago, I heard Papa said he began his food business but can’t find any right opportunity to dine at there. Finally, today I caught the golden opportunity.

I was touching when seeing the Kueh Teow Soup in front of me. I never expected in my lifetime I able to taste Ah Dian Kueh Teow Soup again.

Not even taste it, I even could smell the similar aroma that I used to during younger age. Once tasted it, I knew that’s what I ate during grown up. It’s pretty decent!

This included dry noodles.

Then, we rushed back to Saratok since Naruto needed working.

During  lunch time, we used the paper plates and cups. Same things went for my afternoon tea time.

lunch time

afternoon tea time

At the same time, in the town area started gaining water supply. My residential area not yet and looked forward the first drop of water.

The body was sticky and hot when generating this blog entry. The water crisis completely destroyed my daily schedule and mood.

Sigh…..

Hope the water crisis was the first and last for my lifetime.

When Life Give You Fasting Month

Early of this month, 6 June 2016 signified Muslim’s fasting month.

All cafeterias’ that operated by Malays in my university closed down. But it still got 1 Chinese and 1 India food stall.

 Taken on 1st day of fasting month, 11.30pm 

Subaidah cafeteria

 TNB cafeteria 

Red house cafeteria

That Chinese food stall didn’t fit my schedules (sound like bossy). The time when it started business on 12.30pm every day represented my self-imposed working times.

The India stall was not reliable all the times. Sometimes opened and sometimes not opened for few days. T___T. 

One thing I disliked the India foods was lack of MSG. The foods with inadequate MSG tasted “bitter” for me. I loved the foods with enough saltiness and sweetness. 我很重口味的!

All these meant no foods. It created the problems for breakfast and lunch, which was extremely important for me because I was the morning person.

Looking back for past few years, I hated to stay in the university during fasting month due to no food issues and struggled for preparing the meals too.

This year I began to accept no food issues and choose to learn other easy 1 pot meals to substitute my usual lunch.

I even liked the 1 pot meals that were very clean and healthy. I didn’t know what’s wrong with me and no valid reason to explain.

These were few 1 pot meals prepared by me past few days. Regarding the meat, I had no choice and chose the cans’ pork luncheon meat.

At this time, I was not emphasized about healthy consideration anymore because I got no refrigerator in university dorm room and no clue where to get the fresh meats. 

 Tomatoes beans and Szechuan pickles with rice 

 Tomatoes and carrots rice 

 boiled broccoli and carrots, steamed luncheon meats and rice

 Corn and carrot rice (but the carrots were underneath the rice)

mushroom and tomatoes rice

 cube sized luncheon meats, broccoli and rice 

luncheon meat with rice 

I never thought that 1 pot meals could be tasted so decent.

When in home since young, Mama prepared all the meals. When in university, I always had meals in cafeteria. When working, I often visited restaurants.

I realized that the fasting month gave me opportunity to experience various 1 pot meals. And they’re so yummy.

Thank you, fasting month!

Then, I had to throw away all the miserable thoughts about fasting month that had been haunted me for few years.

I also understood 1 thing “when life give you lemon, turn it into lemonade”.

Now, it became one of my life principle.

Phd Has Changed My Life

Here are 5 things that Phd journey has changed my life.

1. Sleepless Night

Not only halfway of my Phd journey, I experience sleepless night but even the beginning journey. The supervisor is pushing to write the thesis, find more articles to support the arguments, stuck with the unseen problem that might not discover previously. All these make me wake up in the night with the answer to the problem I couldn’t solve the day before. Day and night, Phd is on my mind. All of the time.

2.  Becoming a Nervous & Anxiety Wreck

3 weeks equal to 3 months 

Waiting supervisor’s feedback, reviewers’ comments from the publication and the academic paper being published seriously increase my nervous and anxiety level. All these waiting are unpredictable. I’m not being notified how many weeks or months needed for waiting. Waiting after waiting without dateline is the painful experiences and really haunted me honestly. Recently, a publisher request me to wait for 3 weeks for comments but I end up wait for 3 months although in between I follow up with the publishers, they would say “your article now still in reviewing process. I will inform you as soon as I get the reviewer report.”

3. Not Much Talking to People

Talking with people is always undervalued for my Phd journey. This journey requests me constantly work my own research. But sometimes for weeks or a month, the only person that I talk to is my supervisor. I know it’s important to know more people, to talk to them so that they will help me in the long run. Nevertheless, meeting and talking with people really distract my research attention.

4. Poor Presentation

I admit that I'm like this during presentation 

Presentation (i.e talking to a group of audiences on the stage) is forgotten in my Phd journey. I spend majority of my times to read the articles, how to write like an academicians and digest supervisor’s comments. I seldom do presentation except attending the academic conference once a year. I lose the presentation confidences. So, you all can imagine how poor my presentation! I kept on looking the slides during presentation and the speed is fast too.

Sigh….

Sigh……

Sigh…… 

5.  Able to accept critics

Along the Phd journey, I always receive critics from the supervisor. E.g “your works need a lot of improvement”, “you must strengthen your write-up”. Luckily, my supervisor won’t be too harsh on me. I need to take those critics to improve my research skills. I remind myself don’t scare with the critics, in contrast learn as much as I can from the critics because they are constructive feedback.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

So, above are my personal experience deals with Phd journey. Hopefully those that interested to pursue Phd can prepare yourself for and mitigate if possible. For those that are in the Phd journey like me, did you experience them? Do share.

Once again, I never regret my choice in stepping into Phd journey even though this journey is lonely and a lot of ups and downs.

At least I out from my comfort zone- constant learning from supervisor, accept rejection to improve my own research and get to know that a lot of things that need to do before graduating.

p/s: I certainly don’t speak for every Phd students out there. 

I Strongly Believe in Fate and Meant To Be

I’ve few female friends that are keen to get married and boyfriends.

For that reason, some of them share their approaches to tackle the boyfriends and check his backgrounds. They end up not get the boyfriends even though they put effort.

Others told me the hurdles and challenges on their love paths. These hurdles at the end cause them breaking up.  

Their love experiences really made me realize we are destined to be with someone. If there is a love story that makes me believe fate and destiny, it’s my Papa and Mama’s story.

Papa came from Roban and he works at Saratok. If Papa never ever works at Saratok, Mama would not know Papa many years ago.

Papa then married Mama that loves him, understand him, make him happy for the rest of life. If Papa and Mama met earlier than they did, I wouldn’t be here writing this blog entry.

I believe timing also associated with the fate and destiny. There is a saying “right place, right time”. When in the right timing, “The One” (or Mr Right) will appear.

Sometimes, if “The One” is not meant to be, you would go through the bumps such as relationship falls apart on the love journey.

So, relationship falls apart actually bring you to someone that you meant for.

Besides love relationship, fate, destiny and timing also apply to job seeking, career path and longevity.

If you destined to success in the career, you will gain it in one day when times is come

If you destined someone will guide you in the career path, someone will appear when times is come

If you destined this job, you will get this job no matter how bad you’re when times is come

If you destined died on 40 years old, you will die no matter how healthy you’re when times is come

In other words, it will occur if it belongs to you. If not, don’t push it (命里有时终须有，命里无时莫强求)

So, that’s my two cents. I took years to get to this point.

However, I still work hard and put effort in achieving my own goals too. After I really work hard and can’t achieve, I’m going to think to this fate, destiny and timing principles. 

Sam Hui's from the heart of a loafer suits my thoughts very well

A Day In My Life As A Phd Student

Recently, I’m so interested to record how I spend my 24 hours from the Phd student point of view. So here’s this blog entry. 

7.00 am Wake Up Naturally 

Around 7.00 am every day, I wake up naturally without relying on alarm clock because I’ve strong sense of timing that allows me to guess the times accurately. 

7.15 am Checking Email, Facebook and Instagram

I spend 15 minutes to read email, whatsapp, facebook, instagram, twitter, dayre.  I regularly texting good morning to my family chat group. Sometimes, I overspend if the contents are too interesting. 

7.20 am Wash My Face & Brush My Teeth

this is where I clean my face & brush teeth

I pull myself out from the bed and go to the bathroom which is few steps away from my room for washing face and brushing teeth. Normally, I use cold water instead of warm water to wash my face. I also spend very short seconds to brush my teeth because no proper skills in teeth brushing. 

7.40 am Quiet time with the Buddha

Buddha, candles and a cup of water

While I still in my pajamas, I offer holly sticks for Buddha and communicate with Buddha. I light a candle and practice mantra chanting on my study table. Other than that, I feed the wild birds with uncook rice in front of my dorm room. The praying really strengthen my spirit and ease my future challenges ahead. 

7.50 am I Do my Laundry Everyday.

Because I hold the principle “don’t put off what I can do today for tomorrow” (今日事，今日毕). I never ever left any single unwashed cloth in a day because I insist to wash it no matter how late night it is.

8.05 am Making Simple Breakfast

It's simple like ABC

Roti telur for breakfast is my main option when I'm in Nasi Kandar Cafeteria

For breakfast, I make very simple one which I really know such as spread peanut on the breads, hard boiled eggs, instant noodles. If I got energy I will go to cafeteria, far a bit to “tapau” nasi lemak, fried beehon, roti canai.  

8.15 am Taking Shower

The bathroom looks very clean. Cleaner clean it almost every day

8.30 am-11.30 am Doing Research Works

I get on to my desk of my dorm room, turn on my computer and start reading articles or writing. I love to do my research works in my dorm room. It’s quite and easy to concentrate. Reading a lot of articles is part of the research process for my Phd journey (business management field). But different fields have different research methods.

Some are doing experiments in laboratory, collecting data and analyzing data. Others are writing codes and building machines. Or some are like me, read a lot of articles, figure out the research problem and recommend solutions. 

11.30 am Lunch

Don't be surprise, all are Malay foods. 

What I've everyday (within RM 3.00-RM 4.00). Mostly are vegetables rather than meats 

I go for lunch at the cafeteria near my university dorm room, called as “Proton”. This cafeteria wins my heart in fact because its foods like my taste followed by the fresh fruits. It seemed like “one stop center” for me.

12.00 noon Back to Dorm Room & Bathing

I back to my dorm room and then I take shower as I almost sweat like buckets if I outing.

12.30 pm Continue reading, understanding, thinking and writing my theses

3.00 pm Leave Research Works

I tidy up my writings to put aside, off the laptop and go for afternoon nap. At that moment, the bright afternoon sun shines stretch across dorm room. It causes the room incredible hot and kills my mood to read the articles.  

4.00 pm Room Cleaning

My messy room 

It considers as my daily exercise. I’m so lazy to go to university’s sport center for workouts.

4.45 pm Making Dinner

my own version of simple dry noodles

partially cook by me because I bought ready made Tomyam soup and add spiral spaghetti  

Sometimes, I bought spaghetti (less oil) too 

I cook my own dinner instead of cafeteria foods. I really enjoy cooking my own dinner. At least the foods not burning my stomach. The fried-related foods such as fried noodles, kueh teow are too heaty and oily for me. But once in a blue moon, I indulge myself in those foods too.

6.00 pm Shower & Relax

I usually online watch Hong Kong latest drama. Thanks to university dorms’ WIFI is very good. Either way, I write the blog and read other blog.

9.30 pm Get Ready for Bed

After several hours of watching and reading, I close the laptop and get ready to bed. Usually, I off the lights on 10.00 pm. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

So, that’s my life as a Phd student from Monday to Sunday. It becomes exciting when I travel or back to my hometown.

I explore the new attractions, foods and people during traveling. When in hometown, I got parents and siblings to share with. It sounds like more “colorful” life.

Even that way, I still enjoy as a Phd student. I manage my own working hours as long as I meet the dateline. I able to prioritize my tasks.

Finally, how does your life? It’s quite fun I chronically list down my mundane daily life. Maybe now it’s not interesting but I belief few years later when I look back it is so awesome.