My week

Was kind of demoralised last week after meeting Siva, and Daniel kept telling me my project isnt going to work out. It's nice of him to continuously troubleshoot my project for me, but when things arent progressing much, it gets even more demoralising. Managed to see Siva again on Wed regarding my Materials and Methods, finally able to see some hints of light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Went to BTNR on Wednesday night, for my trap setting, for Daniel's frogging @ Seraya and Yeatian's frogging @ catchment path. Took 4 hours, reached home at 12midnight, with my hot fudge sunday and fillet-o-fish burger for dupper.

Thursday's cell bio lecture was canceled, thus decided to date Siva out to Nee Soon so that he can teach me how to map streams. Emailed Ms Karen, my SP1202 tutor to ask if I could bring forward the consultation (supposed to be tutorial, but this week is our 20min 1 - 1 conference on our research paper) so that I dun have to waste time in school and can have longer field trip. Was totally shocked to receive her email.

OK, frightfully busy girl, I'll meet you at 11.30 on Thursday. Oh, and we'll have to do the conference in the heat, humidity, noise and lack of privacy surrounding the table outside the classroom -- these things I'm not too keen on.

Would like to point out that you're suposed to be having an SP1202 class till 2 pm on Thursdays, so this "rushing off" for the field survey on Thursday afternoon either speaks of rather bad planning or your taking my flexibilty and time for granted. Nonetheless, since you are willing to come earlier and still put in the time and attention, I don't mind working with this arrangement (please do not assume your other tutors in future can similarly oblige).

See you then,

Ms K

I found it totally bitchy, if she's unwilling she could have just said No I am not free.
Decided to defend myself and so I sent her an email on Wednesday night, no should be Thursday morning 3am, in an attempt to justify myself in a sarcastic way. I know it's stupid to rebutt, but I felt that I have to justify myself and stop her from judging me like a Year 1 like all my other classmates. Perhaps it's just unfortunate that an Arts grad might never be able to understand what research is.

Thursday came and I told myself to be cool about meeting her, to retaliate only in a mature way. She hasnt read my email, but was very nice during the consultation, which made me wonder if my email would be too harsh if she didnt mean to be bitchy in the bitchy way. but I was quite put off by the way she kept fanning herself throughout the consultation. oh well, not everyone is brought up to like outdoors, to like nature. some are just used to air con. so i cant blame her for not being able to understand the beauty of going into the forest at night.

Got a mate for my little Irmy ( Irmengardia johnsoni, one of the 3 endemic freshwater crabs in Singapore). Anne named the guy Daniel the crab after Daniel the human, and she was amused when I said we could name the girl Hello Kitty then. but I was never a fan of Hello Kitty, so till now the girl is still nameless.
Dr Darren Yeo, one of the lecturers in my lab was amused with the sticker I pasted on the tank.


It says " Hi we are Irmys, the Irmengardia johnsoni. Our hometown is in BTNR, Singapore. "

Darren: "We are the Irmys?? Oh.. Irmengardia johnsoni. Wahaha must you do this? our hometown is in .. BTNR. o_O" I should take a photo of this.. Haha. U shouldnt be so attached to the crabs, otherwise you cant bear to Pickle them"

Me: " PICKLE THEM?? no no I dont plan to, I'm just trying to get them to mate. I dont want to PICKLE them"

Darren: " We can always help you to do it. We always pickle them."

NOOooooooo!!

BiOlympics Tea
It's a yearly games week held by the honours students in Department of Biological Sciences for the department. (opps soki n ger, DBS and BMS are not friends.. haha!! ) Had the prize presentation and Tea on Friday. Brought food back to lab for Dr Ng ngan kee. Weiting commented that we look like ants carrying food back to our nest. So I told Ngan Kee that she's our Queen Ant. She luffed and thank us for the food, which became her lunch.

Siva now calls me the Smelly Crab Girl. and during the lab's friday evening drinking and gossiping session in lab, after Jeff said that my stuff smelled like dead dog, Siva happily said that he went to the Body Shop and wanted to buy a very nice citrus smelling body lotion for me coz I'm too SMELLY. The cab driver to field site thought tt I brought animal onto his cab coz of the stench. The driver back to NUS tot I brought salted fish along. Tt's the extent of the 'pleasant smelling' ROTTEN PIG LIVER.

Thanks Paul, Darren, Siva, Ngan Kee, E-wen for all the inspiration. Hopefully my project will work out. Got to chiong all my preliminary studies and start the actual survey in Nov, which means 3 - 4 days of field work a week.

SUU SUU yiteng!!!