Graduation

I can't believe my labmates, Jason, Sam, Lukas, Carolyn and Yushuan came for my graduation and stood there for like 2 hour to "shout" for me~~~ I am so surprised and so happy :)


Happy graduation.



More will follow ...

A long learning process

Today, I finally submitted my thesis. I was nervous for an entire day, and was afraid that I somehow could not make it due to some unexpected reason. There was this indescribable feeling the moment I saw Dr. Greenstein filled the last blank of my form with his signature & printed name... And then, every possible printer seems not functional ... at 3:30pm, I finally got everything needed after all the running (&rushing) around and worked out the last step.

I am going to graduate from Hopkins now!

I felt like I have been through a lot in the whole thesis writing process. There was time when my PI thrown back my paper, leaving two simple, but cruel words : "confused and lost". What really bit was, the same thing occurred TWICE. I could not even cry, my tears froze. Also, for the entire time I was struggling with the schedule issues with her. So many things bounced back and forth, so did my mood. I literally had only little hope in graduating on time.

I thank a lot of people, including my thesis committee, for their efforts in reviewing/editing, and for their kindness in getting it approved even it was not perfect. I am really grateful to Molly's last minute edit. Without her help I would not be able to get my PI's permission for getting my thesis out of the door. Despite the people that I already acknowledged in my thesis, I owe special thanks to TjenSin, Lu and Vanessa. I thank Vanessa for calling and suggesting the right thing to do -- to talk face in face with my PI and express my desire to graduate. I thank Lu, who had worked with me (like 7am in the library :p) and gave me emotional support . I thank TjenSin for checking on my progress and taking me to dinner when things turned really hopeless. I thank Bryce, who has provided me with editorial or technical assistance from time to time.

The process was painful, and was, indeed, the hardest thing I've encountered. The only thing worth remember is how so many people have helped me :*) I am lucky.

笑一笑

The past few days have been miserable. I have to try recording some happy moments to cheer myself up.

1. New Toy: Earrings!
Last Sunday, VPau took Lu and I to Towson to get our ears-piercing. Sat at a piercing station at the corner of "Claire", a cute guy performed the piercing procedure for us. Like a 7-year old girl getting her first ears piercing holding a teddy bear (lol)-- we de-virginized our ears. :p It was a mixture of excitement and nervous-ness.I picked a pair of birthday stone earrings. It's for October, and has a slightly pink color. I feel different with the earrings on. :)

2. New Bag: my new travel mate
I started to use my new bag when I went to Towson with VPau and Lu. I realize that this is REAL PRETTY... and useful too. :*) Thank you guys!

3. New Restaurant: Susie's soba
TJ and I went to an asian noodle place for dinner. It is in Hampden... The noodles were made family style, but with a very strong, salty taste. My seafood noodles were salty, but ... topped with numerous mussells, shrimps, and scallops. The seafood was so, so satifying. :&) ohhh and red bean ice cream too. :")

4. A refreshing dish: Makibi's creamy stew
Yesterday was an extreme, hopeless day. I was so damaged ... my mood was so damaged to an extent that I couldn't evey talk in the afternoon. Everything went so wrong. And that evening, I had the creamy stew made by Makibi. The creamy and warmy dish brighten up my mood so that I got a little bit strength and could work for a little bit more last night.

5. New Toy: Pandora
The on-line music radio Pandora is my new favorite. Tin-Yuin introduced it to me a while ago, but I only started playing it yesterday. The whole lab was mine, so I could play whatever music I wanted. That was the good thing about working alone and late in lab. .. I had my personalized radio as Jason Mraz, the radio selected songs from Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Cold play, Five for fighting...etc. I like it a lot!

陳綺貞 Cheer - 失明前我想記得的四十七件事

Happy Birthday

I had a happy 24 birthday. :")

My birthday started with Vanessa and Alan's calls... although I was waken up by the calls :p
My first surprise in the morning was birthday wishes from Aunt Shichin and Talisa. I missed their voices so much and had a good chat with them! Then, I got phone calls from mommy daddy and goo; from Clifford, and from Ting-Chi. I was on the phone for like 2 hours in lab. :p But whatever! It's my b-day!

I had a happy b-day party in the evening. Irene baked a chicken for me! She also made roast vegi (The leek is yum!). Eleen came and fried the 蔥油餅. Lu cooked salmon+cucumber+asparagus; miso paste beef+cabbage; and pork chop carrots corn soup. VPau cooked shrimp+mixed vegi. I also managed to cook a pork rib+ tofu+ seaweed; a mixed vegi & egg dish; and bakchoy -- for my distinguished guests.Everything was DELICIOUS. The dishes filled the whole table and I almost felt like it's new year. :p

I got a birthday gift from TjenSin Lu and Vanessa. The story started from an afternoon when TJ and I were at GRO coffee hour ... I was saying that I should have a more formal/mature bag to carry to interviews/work ... And so ... I got one! They spent quite some time to look for a bag on-line... and they bought it in Towson Mall. :*) The bag is cleanly-designed and pretty! And I personally believe that it will bring me luck because it carries the love & wishes from my friends.

Irene also bought me a pair of earrings; they were little owls and were lovely. Although I haven't gotten my ears pierced ... I guess the earrings will be my motivation! The cake ... we had two dessert experts who made me really fine cake ... Irene made me her featured Tiramisu. I have taken this Tiramisu for granted for like one year and never learned from her... Nimra made me a cheesecake with Raspberry toppings ... believe me; Those cakes were phenomenal! (I am stealing this objective from Alan)

I thanked all my friends who spent such efforts in making the dishes, making the cake, getting me birthday presents, and sharing the birthday evening at 604!

The whole drinking started after dinner. I still don't know who got me 3 bottles of hj. I was asked to directly drink from the bottle ... I did not do so because it's not well-behaved to drink that way ... but I still drank 5 glasses of wine, which basically meant one full bottle... My lips ended up dyed by the wine ... they were really dark and purple. I looked like wearing an horrible make-up. :p Thanks for my friends' tolerance about my vampire-looked appearance that night. I will manage to drink with straw next time.

The cake attack routinely (?) occurred after I got out of my bathroom ( trying to get rid of the spilled wine on my shirt ...) It was a reciprocation from TjenSin ... sigh. He was so creamed on his birthday ... I couldn't help to burst into laugh whenever I see those pictures. I am glad I did not get the same level as he did... :p



I remember Tjensin asked several times "Kai xin ma?" ... Yes I really was! I thanked Irene Eleen Renee Lu Vanessa Nimra Tracy Harry Russell Nikhil Andy Bryce and TjenSin ... for the fun time we shared and for making me the happiest birthday girl :)) Pauline and Clifford were not here, but I know their love was with me. :*) (Though I did miss them)

Gray

I am not in a good mood right now.

I am not feeling well for some reason. My GI track feels weird. I almost wanted to throw up when I saw the ice cream cake this afternoon. BTW, it's for Carolyn's bday ... my favorite girl in lab.

I stayed at the library until 3pm yesterday. I don't know why but I just had this hard time composing my thesis -- the part my PI doesn't even care. While my other friends were having fun, my weekend was filled by an endless writing process.

I guess I just sucked in writing.

My personal highlight for the past week is 1) I got the birthday present and letter from Mou-zai. I seldom got to this extent of excitement by receiving mails. :p I torn it open like very carelessly right away (in a way that the envelope was badly ripped)... and couldn't even wait to go back to my apartment at 6F. I read the letter while climbing the stairs.

2) Knowing that the birthday party was cancelled, Eleen delivered her creation of rolls and seaweed salads for me in Saturday evening. I was really touched and 大心. In this lonely time for me, I almost felt like she's the only one who cared about me... I know it was an exaggeration. But literally the rolls made my day. :*)

I thank them wholeheartedly for being so considerate.

A recent update

My best friend since high school, Wu Ting-Chi is admitted into the PHD program AT U of Miami! Woohoo! It is definitely the best news for me recently. I am really happy for her, and for myself, too, since I now have one more companion in the u.s.! She visited me with Ting-Ting last February in Baltimore -- as one of the very few friends who actually visited me during my study here! We met at the first day when we entered high school. Ever since then, she is always the one who supports me, and shares my good and bad times -- even when we are oceans (and 8 time-zones) apart; And I know that I am just the one for her at the same position! I am now giving her the warmest (virtual) hugs to celebrate her great great accomplishment, and also my best wishes to her new journey starting soon in early August ~~~

As for myself, things havent' gotten really promising. I am probably going to continue an academic career in California, starting this September, which is sub-optimal -- with the cost of intensive expenses. I am also expecting an equally- intensive work load, which will doubtlessly consume a hell lot of my time and youth. :"(

I am now trying to stitch every little pieces that constitute my thesis, which is painful. The recent weather is -- endless rain, just as endless as the process of my writing. The good part is, I experienced a rain of cherry blossom at my way to school this morning (very poetic). Technically speaking, it was rain, along with the falling petals of cherry blossom. I guess that's part of the unique experiences one can get in Baltimore! My personal happiest thing lately is that -- I got my PS2 receiver (a part of FPGA project) working yesterday! Now my Xilinx xxx1000 board can display on the LEDs the key-in from keyboard! Well, yesterday I was supposed to sit in the library and do my thesis, but I ended up sticking with my PS2 for an entire evening.

I am really glad I met Jenkins in my last semester here. He seems to think that I am talented and likes me a lot -- which rarely happens between me and a professor. He even considered hooking me up with his organization (APL). However, this opportunity seems to fade-out due to my status. Most of the jobs there, especially FPGA related ones, require a citizenship to get a security clearance. :( Anyhow, I'll stop for now. I hope I can murmur more about some happier things around me next time!

To all of my friends in Taiwan: I miss you all! And for those who are in the same boat as mine-- thesis writing and hoping to graduate, wish all the luck and powers are with you!