Donations.

I received a call from NUH (National University Hospital) Blood Bank today afternoon asking me whether I am free to donate platelet this afternoon as in they have a patient needs AB+ platelet urgently (normally platelet is for cancer patient). I told them I'd had a fever on 20-something March and I'd took some Panadols. If you have donated blood or something similar before, you'll probably knew that you have to fill in a form to declare yourself that you are free from any diseases. One of the requirements is that the donator must has not taken any medicines (including Panadol) within 3 weeks. I knew it very well, thus I didn't donate on 1 April. Take note that platelet donator can donate every month but, as for blood donator, it has to be minimum 3 months. Today is 16 April and I'm not very sure about the actual date that I'd got fever, so I told the nurse I need sometimes to recall and check the actual date. If I'd had Panodols on 26 March or later, I can't donate today because it is less than 3 weeks time of the "window period" and the nurse would have to look for other regular donators.

With fingers crossed, thanks goodness, I seldom get sick, thus I've recorded the date that I'd got sick in my macbook's Stickies. I suspected that the recent fever that I'd got was spread to me by my nephew Sean because this fever came right after he'd got HFMD (hand foot and mouth disease). HFMD to an adult like me? How ironic! Fortunately, my fever was happened on 24 March and I'd had Panodols on 24 and 25 March for two days only. So, I'm "fit" to donate (initially I was planning to donate on 1 May to avoid any doubts and extra inquiries). When I called back to the blood bank to tell them the "news" that I'm fit to donate, the nurse that called me answer my call, the nurse was so happy and kept thanking me for doing her as well as the patient a big favor.

Well, if I were to have Panodals on 26 March or later, what would happen to the patient? Can the nurse find another regular donator? I don't know but according to the nurse, through conversing to the nurse while I'm having the donation, she said it's not easy to find a last-minute donator, especially on Monday. I felt really glad that I was able to help and I sincerely hope that the patient will get well soon.

So folks, please, be a regular donator, leave your phone number to the blood bank and stop assuming that the regular one will always be available to donate. Everybody counts, indeed. If you are foreigner and you think that you are not "obligated" to help, please think from the perspective of the world's populations because the one that you helped might willing to donate monies or other things to help other peoples in other country. Good deeds will circulate around the globe.

As the matter of fact, you don't have to wait for the "mobile-blood-bank" which comes to school or somewhere near your house's CC every 3 months to donate blood. Instead you may wish to consider to donate in NUH or HSA or other hospitals any time you want to donate!

Happy donating!

Superposition

It was taken in the Universal Studios Japan Jurassic Park The Ride 26-12-2007 (around 3pm perhaps?). Look at my “shitty” face and you will know how scared I was that time. You think you know the real meanings of “scare the shit outta me”? No one knows better than me!! LOL! I was so scared that I almost “shit it out”, I screamed until my voice cords almost break and I might puke my lungs and heart up if the ride were 1 meter higher! Well, honestly, it was fun though! Sometimes I wonder, why is it has to be scared in order to have fun? Why is it has to be exhausted than, when you come to bed and the moment you lie down, you can feel the “pleasure”? Why is it has to be very thirsty than you will find even pure water is sweet? How ironic!! Maybe ying-yang is one of the laws of nature? Perhaps quantum rules applied? In the regime of quantum physics, everything is in the “superposition”, meaning it can be located in your left hand, right hand or “left AND right hands” at the same time, if you could ever grab an electron with both of your hands! Another analogies, water in a lake. The water in the lake can help the passengers to cross the lake rather easier than walk cross the lake, if you’ve got a boat of course. Without the water, the passengers have to walk. With the water, they need only one guy to swing the paddles and the rest of the passengers can just sit back and enjoy the scenery. So where are the quantum rules, where is the “superposition”, you asked? The “superposition” is “convenience AND the danger of drowning”! The water can give the passengers convenience, danger and “convenience AND danger”. If you take it in a broader sense, everything applied to the quantum rules, regardless of government’s policy, the problem of overpopulation in the world, etc. In addition, mathematics is also correct, wrong and “correct AND wrong”. You really think 1+1=2 is really correct? Think again! As the matter of fact, mathematicians still unable to answer this most fundamental and basic question: What is number? Together with “what is time?”, “what is number?” is one of the most profound questions in Philosophy of Science. These questions are believed that can’t be solve in Science alone thus they need philosophy to get into the circle. If you cant answer me what is number, how can you be so sure that 1+1=2. I believe that even mathematics cannot escape from the nature of “superposition”: mathematics is “correct AND wrong”. In short, everything is “good AND bad”, “correct AND wrong”, etc. Notice that it’s “good AND bad”, not “good OR bad”. There is a difference between “AND” and “OR”. For instance, the problem of overpopulation: it benefits the economy (sell more and make more money) AND harms our Gaia. If it would be an “OR” case, it is either benefits the economy OR harms our Gaia. Got it? I hope you are convinced. So, now I think we can understand why is it so that you have to be scared in order to have fun (superposition of scare AND fun) a wee bit better. If you have a hardworking kid who likes to learn and study, you should start to worry because, in superposition, your kid is “good AND bad”. Good in academic AND bad in health. Well, I think you’ve got the idea and I should stop the reiteration.

Well, back to the photo of the ride. As a matter of fact, it never failed to make me smile every time I look at it. I always find it very funny (I’ve got the biggest mouth if you’ve noticed!) and I really like it very much. So, where is the “superposition” of the photo, you asked? This photo was around S$32 (¥1950)…

Make-up

She is not very beautiful

Or very pleasant to look at

Nor she like to put on a make-up

But she always carries the cosmetics

In fact, she has to carry the cosmetics

Without knowing it

Ready to put on a make-up whenever she found something

Funny, hilarious or comic

It was a smile

A make-up that would fade away itself

Nor last

Just like a shooting star

A smile of a starless night

It made her really beautiful just now

...

You really cannot ask

"How to have a beautiful girlfriend?"

Nor

"Don't you think I deserve a prettier girlfriend?"

Instead you should ask

"How to make her always put on the make-up?"

My bike (part 2)

I've just got my bike fixed. It cost me S$73. S$30 for the tow services, S$18 for the front break pad and S$25 for the wiring repair. It was the wiring that causing the problem.

Indeed, I really don't know who to blame. As the matter of fact, my bike has already given me the symptom that something is not right with it and I can save the bloody S$30 for the tow services if I think probably and did not listen to the mechanic who thought that it was the battery that causing the problem. I knew that the IU is still working fine and I somehow still able to start the engine after a few kick-starts before I got the battery changed. In fact, I can save S$70 (replacing the battery plus the tow services) if I insisted the mechanic to check the wiring thoroughly, instead of changing the battery, during the previous services. If I'm smart enough, it is not hard to find out that the problem got nothing to with the battery. How could a faulty battery still able to supply electricity to the IU but the motorbike to start-up?

This is a very hard lesson for me. I've wasted a lot of time traveling from my house to NUS and more than S$70 which includes all the public transports fees (buses and MRT). This really shouldn't happen if I was calm and analyzed the problem carefully. I think I'm a person who can easily lose my head. How weak!

Anyway, I'm glad that this nightmare is finally over.

On the other hand, somehow, I feel that I love my bike even more. Wayne (one of my very close friend, who is a biker as well) suggested me to change my bike to Honda since my bike given me so much problems (big question mark for the future as well). However, my first reaction was a big "NO!" and my gut instinct told me that I'll regret if I change my bike. I think I've put too much "effort" and time into my bike, thus I'm not willing to change it. I think my bike is my "blood, sweat and tears". (Ridiculous, huh?)

Lastly, will you change your bike if you were me?

My bike

My beloved bike broke down today. It was the second major break down since he was under my possession since May 2005. The first major break down was just 10 months ago and I've sent my bike to the bike shop, where I bought my bike from, 3 times in order to get the problem solved. It was the magnetic coil which controlling the spark plug that faulty causing the problem and it costs me S$220 to get it fixed. It was a very dangerous (broke down at the middle of the road 3 times) and horrible experience.

Now, here's another issue today. I don't know the root-cause yet as I just found out that it is faulty while I was trying to start the engine at home. I can't start the engine. There is no light from the "N"(neutral) light bulb after I've turn the ignition key switch. I've just got my battery changed 3 days ago (due to same issue but somehow able to start the engine again after a few "kick-start") and my in-vehicle unit (IU) is still working fine. Thus, it is not the battery that causing the problem, I guess (d**n! I've wasted bloody S$40 to replace a still functioning battery!). Fortunately, it wasn't happened while I'm on the way to an important event like exam or job interview.

Well, I have to call for tow service again but unfortunately, today is Sunday and Hari Raya Haji. Meaning tomorrow Monday will be public holiday. I won't get my bike fixed until Tuesday.

Sometimes, I really hate my bike so much. I didn't hit the roof, however, but I just kept scolding vulgarities when I've found out the incident. My bike is going to burn another big hole of my pocket and causes me a lot of inconvenience soon. However, by looking back, it has accompanied me for more then 6 years. I really enjoying riding it and it "shared" a lot of my bitter and sweet moments (especially when I'm studying in NUS). When I'm studying in NUS, it never caused me any major issue and he just silently performed up to my expectation. I "talked" to him as well when I'm in rage or sorrow, despite the fact that I knew he would never answer me anything. I like to sing out lough while I'm riding, too. So he is not only my transport but my biggest fan and best listening ear as well.

He's really a good machine, no doubt about that, but the luck just wasn't at my side this time, I guess.

Anyway, would like to take this opportunity to thank you as well.

Love you, my bike.

Star

What does an outer space planet and a flower on earth share in common?

No, nothing? Think harder.

Well, yes indeed they are beautiful (don’t you agree?) and…?

To me, they are all stars.

A planet is a star in the sky. A flower is a star on the earth.

Both of them are colorful and beautiful.

However, they can never say “Hi” to each other.

When the stars in the sky appear, the stars on the earth will disappear.

When the stars on the earth appear, the stars in the sky will disappear.

…

Twinkle twinkle little star.

How sad I know what you are.

Plan.

This is a mascot of NUS graduate in gold robe, which represents Bachelor of Science (gold with white represents Engineering, etc).

Yes, indeed, I'm a Bachelor of Science, major in Physics now (since July 2011) and I can tell you that it was very hard and bitter for me to become a "bachelor".

When I was year two taking a module called Experimental Physics, Dr. Colla Massimiliano once said this to me: "Shame on you.", Prof. Tang Sing Hai said "I think you should go back and revise all your secondary school physics." and Asst. Prof. Ariando said "Seriously, are you *really* a physics major?". They said these to me while they, individually, examine my lab report and asked me questions (in NUS, we call it VIVA). I was stressed and panicked. I couldn't utter a word. I can only say "Er... I don't know.." I was so embarrassed for 3 different VIVAs! However, eventually, I'm still able to get through the module but with pretty bad grade (expected, right?).

I stared at the mascot yesterday and it brought me back all the bitter memories (low grades even though I've tried study very hard, studied until 2am to 3am, rain while riding bike to school and got wet, etc) throughout these 3 years of Physics education in NUS. This little soft toy really means a lot to me!

Now that I'm done with my bachelor and I think I should continue to do physics, as in do my own research without any supervisor. I wanted to do master in physics but unfortunately, due to my poor performance, I don't think NUS would like to have me as their master student. Well, by looking at the bright side, it actually opens up another window to me. I think it's pretty cool to do research (theoretical physics) without any supervisor! Many many thanks to Wu ZhenZhou for his motivation on me and his encouragement! As the matter of fact, in order to do theoretical physics, all you need are a pen, a paper, Mathematica or MatLab (mathematics is the boss of physics!) and the ability to reach all the research papers as your reference (as alumNUS, you can pay 5-year membership package of S$400 to obtain library membership so that you can reach all the research papers). Well, like what ZhenZhou said before:" it might be hard, but not impossible." Thanks again, Zhen Zhou!

Of course, research is only a "part-time job". Eventually I still need to look up a full time job to earn a living. I haven't decide what to do for my full time job yet at the moment and I'll think about it again while I'm travelling in Japan in mid November later.

Since I like to take photos and write "nonsense" which "provokes emotions", I'm also considering to write a book which consists of a lot of photos with my "poem", short story or simply my imagination with regard of the photo. Just like "Junction". I've already came out with the title of the book, namely "Photostories: Through my camera, through my mind". I hope you'll like it!

Well, here's my plan at the moment.

What's yours?