I'd like to think I am. So instead of writing my thesis as I should be doing every waking second, I have decided to cook. Picked up my lovely maize bridesmaid dress (it's gorgeous!!) this morning, got stuck in traffic for an unreasonable amount of time and then FINALLy managed to get myself to the supermarket to do some grocery shopping.

I wanted to make dinner for VL tomorrow, thought he might be too tired to cook dinner after his week away. I decided that I'll make lasagna, since it keeps well. So I did. Successfully made my first lasagna, grilled some chicken AND baked a Marble Cake (I love marble cakes!! Am relishing the thought of many happy hours munching away my cake!).

Funniest thing? As soon as I finished cleaning up, and sat down, I saw a text message from VL. They are going out for a celebratory dinner tomorrow night. Bahhhh- now I have too much lasagna in the house! Minus points to Majormojo for being too clever!!!

Let me just reiterate for the 2 millionth time how much I hate being in this lab. Don't get me wrong, I love the members (well some of them), but I just hate the situation we're in. Got an email regarding the cold room being cleaned out and our lab was specifically "urged" to clean out items that belong to our former members (who've left 2 years ago).

Since there's essentially only 4 of us now, two of whom have left for conference... and I was also "asked" to deal with the items considering "I'm the only one who knows these people" (not true).... I was elbow-deep in bacteria plates have that were 2 years old. Frankly, it's embarassing. We have cultures from 2007!! Back when we HAD honour students!!!!

I can't believe the lab practice of some people. Why would you teach your students to keep bacterial cultures for more than.. say.. 1 DAY?

UGH. Sorry. Major geeky rant.

Recipe:


Use about 500g of mince pork.
Marinade with 3 tbsp of light soy sauce, sprinkle of salt, pepper, and 3 tsp of sesame oil.
Chop handful of spring onion, mix in with mince pork.
Beat in 1 egg and add 2 tbsp of flour.
Add in dash of mixed herbs (rosemary, thyme).
Mix well.

Heat oil in wok.
Roll mince into balls, and fry till brown.
Remove once done.

To make sauce:
500 ml of water, add in 1/2 cup of tomato ketchup.
Add in 3 tbsp of sugar. Mix and heat in wok.
Add in 1 onions (cut into bite size) and 1 tomato (bite size). Can add little bits of cut chilli for the extra zing, but not too much!
Simmer on medium heat till almost soft.
Add in meatballs.

Allow to simmer so that the saltiness of meatballs can blend in with sauce. Can squeeze in half a lime (not too much so that it won't be too sour).
Thicken with cornflour.

All measurements are approximation, and recommended to adjust final flavour to taste- add more sugar if sauce is flat.

Like Bolognaise Meatball sauce!! Except with ketchup!!!

<

From Three Quarters- Almost There But Not Quite..

Weather report: Rain, rain, rain and blustering winds. Very good.

Day started great- I was the luckiest girl in Melbourne when my tram ticket that hasn't worked for 6 months suddenly worked, right before the tram inspectors came onboard. There I was planning to use the invalid ticket as my excuse for not buying a valid ticket (no change).

Got all my errands done. Which is always a plus since it ticked off lots of boxes in my head.

Then I got tired and cranky. Then I came to work. Ugh.

*&$#^&$)()!!!!!

I hate my lab! I hate some of my labmates!! I hate that they don't ever pick up after themselves. I hate that they don't care with tools and reagents. I hate my supervisor because he doesn't care. I hate men (since it's mostly the males that are being shitty at the moment). Yeah, I'm treading down the sexist, racist path. ARGH. I hate moments like this.

I just needed to rant.

2.5 years into my PhD, and only now am I reading a review on the basics of the virus I'm working on.

What took me so long? Stupidity??

That's why I will not make a good scientist. Meh.

Your result for The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test...

Pure Nerd

70 % Nerd, 43% Geek, 26% Dork

Take The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test at HelloQuizzy

Ya. Should I be pleased or not?

Your result for The Well Rounded Geek Quiz...

The Savant

53% Geekiness!

Take The Well Rounded Geek Quiz at HelloQuizzy

HEHEHEHE.

HOW DOES IT KNOW WHAT I DO AT NIGHT????

I'm writing this post in Bandar Utama, Malaysia. Yes, back in KL. But only for 10 days. It has been superbly fantastic to be home. It does feel a little like I hadn't left. Melbourne feels like a dream. Or should I say, KL seems like a dream that I don't want to wake up from.

This trip is somewhat bittersweet. I am undecided if I should write it down. Perhaps not then. When in doubt, don't.

How much information can I squeeze in within 5 minutes?

1. I've been so busy. And tired. Work pace is just crazy. Supervisor expects PhD to finish within 2 1/2 years. That's another 1 year to achieve aim 2 and 3. Plus, my research group didn't get any of the grant funding this year, and no one knows what's going to happen next year. Whether my supervisors will still remain here or not...

2. Prejudice can make people behave disgustingly. I'm disappointed with the behaviour of some people.

3. I'm moving out next year. Need a break from doing two jobs.

4. When I'm thinking of the important stuff to write about- nothing much except work come up. That's sad.

OK gotta run. Will hopefully find time to update more.