A letter to my father-in-law

Dear Sir,

I am sorry. The temptation was too great! A couple of weeks ago, I saw a sale on TradeMe (NZ local ebay equivalent)... someone was selling his 2009 Macbook Pro for NZD400! The seller said there was a problem with the computer - the fan is constantly spinning at high, the battery is not charging, the power must always be connected! I did a long in-depth research, and speculated that it was a problem with SMC. Meaning it could be as easy as resetting the factory SMC, and all could be solved! The worst scenario was that there could be a corrosion with the logic board! Changing the logic board would cost approximately about NZD400 (making a total of NZD800, which is still cheaper than what is on the market for a used Macbook Pro). However, after checking the computer, I think that even if there was a corrosion, it was a very minor one because everything else works fine. The only issue was the battery charging! I was still skeptical about the computer (who would sell it so far below market rate!), and did not bid on it! It was sold to another person.... I was disappointed, but I told myself - it's probably not meant to be! However, a week later, the laptop appeared again on TradeMe. The seller commented that the previous buyer wanted to run a photo editing software that required a certain hardware, and unfortunately, the buyer does not want to invest in new hardware for the laptop. So here it was again...for sale!

I gave in! I bought the Macbook Pro! I migrated everything (programs, files, documents, pictures etc) to the new Macbook Pro. Now my IBM sits in a climate-controlled dry-box! :) I run the PC programs (the only ones I need to run on the PC are Primer and Scubase) off VMware and it still runs faster than the IBM. I reset the factory SMC, and now it runs with the fan low...no longer spinning at fast speed constantly! Also, although the LED light on the charger doesn't light up, it is charging the battery (at a VERY low rate).

So, sir... I am sorry. I have converted and joined the gang in the family who owns Macs. I have persisted for a long time, even with my IBM running at his sub-optimal, taking 10mins to start-up, not being able to run 2 programs at the same time, and not able to run any major statistics! I had hoped that things will take a better turn with the IBM, but we knew it is near its end! And it's as if someone is listening, and send this Macbook Pro my way. I couldn't pass it at NZD400. However, this is no ordinary Macbook Pro..it has the old IBM in it... so in a way, I feel I still am holding on to the working portion of it, and making it better!

Chinese Lantern Festival

I was going through some older photos (actually not too old!), trying to clear the 8GB disk in the SONY which is filling up very quickly. I realised that we took quite a number of photos during the recent Chinese Lantern Festival (Feb 2013), but had never posted in on the blog. The first time we were at the festival were with Hannah's parents 3 years ago,then another time with Alfred and Cheryl. Since then, we had missed the festival. This year, we were determined to set aside some time to go and enjoy ourselves. And that's what we did! We walked around Albert Park, took numerous photographs, admiring the various beautiful lanterns, enjoyed some local Chinese food (including squid tentacles!), and watched the Chinese mini "orchestra"before we headed back home. It was a wonderful day.... reminded us that we can enjoy ourselves without needing to spend lots of money.

Hannah VERY HAPPY with her squid tentacles

Yummy ice-kachang

in-situ nutrients manipulation device

After a few months of brainstorming, Brendan (the School of Environment technician) made and assemble the in-situ nutrients manipulation device! He even managed to test it out, working out the working beginning and resultant volume of nutrients based on the amount of PSI input. We were really excited about this because no many students build any device for their research. Most of them just use whatever is available. Unfortunately, this will not be part of my research anymore. There are so many work involved already, even without the eutrophication portion! However, I may just bring this device to Taiwan in June and test it out in the field :). There is definitely someone out there in need of this device!

A fruitful weekend

Hannah went to a mutual friend (Selena) 's party in Auckland. I was invited too, but I (according to Hannah and Selena) am a grouchy old man who would rather stay at home! :P. Anyway, I stayed at home, did a whole bunch of writing, planning, and research for my experiment. In between writing for papers, and working on the experiments, I also managed to plan out my lecture for the Monday BIOSCI lab - Gene expression. Also Alfred introduced me to this website which host a lot of asian movies...so I did take a break here and there to watch a couple of kung-fu movies.

Sunday morning, I joined a group of volunteer divers from NZ Underwater Association, and Auckland Uni Underwater Club (AUUC) to do a couple of transect surveys around Waiheke. They picked me up on the AUUC club boat at Little Oneroa beach, and off we go taking turns to do underwater surveys in pairs. The purpose of this survey is to see whether it is feasible to propose a Marine Protected Area around Waiheke. We managed to carry out surveys on 6 out of the 15 stations before it got late, and everyone was tired. We decided we would stop for the day, carry on the next time. They dropped me off at the Little Oneora beach, and I was home, washed up and writing by 4pm! It was great to be diving even though it was very short dives (two dives, approximately 16mins each dive).

Life being a PhD student is hard... you kinda have to be constantly working!... if you are not working on your research/ experiment, you would be writing paper, grants applications. If not, you are reading scientific papers, or analysing your data! Thus, when one of my colleagues (who is thinking of applying for PhD) asked me, I told her you really need to know why you want a PhD if you decided to go this route. Do not do a PhD just because there is nothing else better to do! There are always time for fun as well. Just need to plan your time properly, and be discipline. I have a couple of goals this weekend. I stayed back, and finished them..now, I am going to watch a movie :) Good night.

Field trip and earthquake

I was involved in the field trip for NZ Ecology and Conservation course this weekend. After a whole month of dry spell, the rain finally arrived this weekend. And coincidentally, the field trip also happens these two days! So, we were out with the students, braving the rain, the cold wind, and waves, counting the different species on the rocky shoreline at North Head, Devonport. I was lucky I had good students on both days. They were really enthusiastic despite the poor weather, and I think they got really good data as well. And most importantly, they enjoyed themselves.

Today (Sunday), Hannah messaged me at around 4pm. Her message "Holy crap, I think there was an earthquake!" And immediately, one of my students' dad also called her to make sure she was safe. Her dad had felt the earthquake in Auckland city as well. I was jealous because I have never experienced an earthquake before! And all I could do was hear Hannah's experience when I got home later this evening. Everything was in order when I got home - no collapsed cupboards, or shattered windows.

According the the New Zealand Herald
"A "moderate" 3.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Auckland today was the biggest in the city since February 2007, GeoNet says.

The tremor, which struck at 4.05pm, was five kilometres deep and was centred near Motatapu Island, 15 kms north-east of the city."

You can read more about the "moderate" earthquake here :
NZ Herald - Quake rattles Auckland

And finally, more good news!... The water delivery guy came today, and now, we have a full tank of water! Time to shower, do laundry, and wash the dishes :)

Jet training NZ Schutzhund

Jen (another member of the NZ Schutzhund) offered to give me a ride in her van to training yesterday. I really appreciate it as she has to put her two dogs in one kennel, just so that Jet can have his own cage. The training takes place at Sean's house. It was a really nice place, with lots of space for tracking, obedience and protection work exercises. Also, we have the chance to take a break, have a drink and snacks between exercises.

Tracking was a disaster! Jet was having a good life (I made the newbie mistake of feeding him breakfast!), and he was not too enthusiastic about the food that was left in the track. So, back to the scent pad for Jet, and he will have to start working on tracks a couple of times a week to earn his meals. I need to be more discipline to continuing working with him. Obedience was not too bad. I need to be clearer on commands, and what actions I need from him. Protection work was the best. Jet has an innate civil aggression, thus it is easiest in all the three exercises. There are lots of plans (seminars, trials etc) for NZ Schutzhund this year, and everyone agrees that Jet can be ready for his first BH certification end of this year if I train hard enough. So I think I need to live up to their expectations! The club has a lot more regulars than before - Jen (with her dog : Demon - Dutch Shepherd and Ash - German Shepherd), Matthew and Cara (Jet - Doberman), Sean (Kara - Rottweiler), Jonan (his dog is in Germany at the moment), Craig (German Shepherd).

First week of semester 1, 2013

Wow, what a hectic first week! Hannah and I are working a lot this semester. Between tutoring and demonstrating, Hannah is working about 4 days a week, and I am working 2 days a week. There are also marking of lab assignments, writing papers, planning experimental designs etc. It feels that we have accomplished a lot in the week, and therefore, we really appreciated and enjoyed the weekend off from work. The school campus are filled with freshmen, who are excited about every new aspects of their newly found freedom (from home and high school), and university classes. And then, there are the international students queueing outside the international office, waiting impatiently for application of their student visa. Clubs and student societies are trying their best to recruit new members.

The BIOSCI lab coordinators put me as the tutor for Monday labs. Hannah was joking about the "poor" students who have to get me as their tutor in the very first class of their first day in their university life! And this is the opening slide of my first lab (Microscopy) :) :

Another exciting news - we submitted the endolithic microbial paper for review. Now is the waiting game - to see when the reviewers will get back to us on changes etc. In the meantime, still working hard on the other two papers, while finalizing the first experiment for my PhD research. The first experiment (which will be carried out in June/ July 2013) will be focusing on identifying and correlating biological/ molecular for stressed coral colonies. I am excited and nervous at the same time! Also, I just received the confirmation that I passed my provisional PhD, thus making me a full-fledged PhD candidate now.