Chapter 116: Vortex Bones To Shake Well

And just when I thought I would be doing the same thing throughout my FYP, something new pops out.

A while back, I had subcultured six plates from my collection of isolated fungi, so we could prepare their DNA for identification later on, according to a method used by some company that is supposed to be more efficient than a pulse-field method (science talk), based on the limits of their own database.

What I didn't know is that we were going to do the preparation so soon.

Scraping the plates seemed simple enough on the surface... except my own plates happened to be pretty old, and the older it was, the harder it was scrape it off without breaking the celloplane membrane used. Even to the point of bending the inoculating loop, it still wouldn't budge. Yeast, of which I had one sample of was, was known to be harder to pick up into the loop for a sample than others. Heh. Even at this time, I won't get to catch a break. Oh well.

Vortexing the DNA after cycles of freezing in liquid nitrogen to disrupt the sample structures so as to get the DNA was quite interesting as well. Holding the samples to be vortexed onto the machine for two cycles of five minutes and then twenty minutes had no skill involved, but it sure rattled the old bones. Pain didn't last long either.

That will be all for now.

Chapter 115: Cross Words

Just the evening before, I headed to dinner with the people from NYP Campus Crusaders at Ang Mo Kio, after gym training.

What happened next was chaos in conversation. I cannot quite be sure of how it started, but one thing led to another and everyone soon became lost in translation.

I got involved until I learnt one thing. Keeping quiet in times like this is the best way to get untangled XD . As soon as I did that I got to finish my food easily. I was the last one to arrive, so everyone else was done and were just waiting for me while they chatted.

Lesson of the day. If you do not wish to be included in unwanted things being talked by others (this includes stupid gossip by others who happen to be in the same room), and know that getting involved has no purpose and will just result in disaster, just remember to keep the mouth shut, no matter how tempting it may be to say something. One of the main rules of survival here.

And that concludes it for now.

Chapter 114: If You Didn't Believe Me

When I claimed that NYP Mindsport's Chess Club was full of elitist geeks, let me share a dialouge with you.

Shaun: Is there any training today?

SCL Disgrace Upstart (AKA JerkFace): You Mean Chess?

Shaun: (Yes, you idiot, what else?) Yes

JerkFace: (Playing a computer game on his laptop) It will be in the South Canteen.

Shaun: South Canteen?

JerkFace: (Still playing and looking at the screen the whole time) I mean North. There's no room today (*He means there is no proper clubroom space available)

Shaun: Why?

JerkFace: (Still playing) There's no why. There's just no room.

Shaun: (Feel like slamming his laptop down and smashing his head onto it)

There you go.

I did spend a good deal of time talking with two friends of mine (Vyncent and Nat), mostly of any nonsense we could think of at random for no reason. It went down to talking about firearms and what we would do with a bazzoka if we had one shot. One of the topics was short, and was about driving a vehicle.

On account of keeping people from mistaking me as a genocidal madman, since I was only joking during my answers when we talked, it ended up with both of them agreeing that I should never be given hold of a vehicle to drive, or a firearm of any sort at all costs. I'll leave the rest for guessing. :)

I take my leave for now.

Chapter 113: You Need A New Laptop

... When you have to beg your current one to start up and not shut down at random, think of pounding your fists on it, or start sweet talking or coaxing it, in hopes that it is somewhat sentient enough to hear your pleas. Sometimes even apologizing for any past, slightly violent act or abuse you may have committed to it.

I was looking through some of the merchandise I purchased during the fair held recently, of which most, that is four of which, were books at a singapore dollar each.

I bought a school edition history book based on the British Empire and Commonwealh by George W. Southgate, the revised edition published in 1960, A 1962 school edition of My Early Life, by Winston S. Churchill and my favourite of the lot, Biology for Tropical Schools, Longman 1958, by Stone and Cozen. All hard cover copies. Smelling (No, I did not put my nose to it on purpose) and looking very old. But still readable in good condition.

The biology book still had certain writings of notes put into it by the original user, and has papers with personal notes written on it by the said student who used it once, slotted under the protective cover (Partially why I bought it). But the reason why it's my favourite amongst the ones I acquired is because this sort of biology is rarely taught anymore in universities, and was made at the time when biology knowledge was based on examination of body parts of creatures, rather than mainly on DNA. Very classic methods. Which is also why it's currently out of print, and most likely will remain so. It has got pretty good illustrations of things like parts of plants and the skeleton systems of animals like rats. I realised they did mention evolution and special creation but was very outdated when it came to DNA.

I can't even find the book for sale on the internet other than one copy of the same kind being sold on e-bay (and for Australian 48 dollars too, together with delivery charges at only Australia, what a deal >_<).

Strange as how they were printed in 1950s to early 1960s, and seem to have been used by a student. I can only guess it must have belonged to the elderly man who was selling them. He must have been a university level student at that time of sorts.

I will certainly treasure them though.

Chapter 112: Restarting in 15 Mins To Update

It had been a while since I had last attended a service and listened to a sermon. For couple of reasons, including distance. Mostly the usual tell-tale signs of straying away from a path, but nothing to write here about.

I decided to attend one at Joe's Church, Trinity at Paya Lebar. It was refreshing and renewing. It reminded me of how I had forgotten about God's presence and love, undergoing torment under satan's attacks, leading me to confuse the attacker as God Himself, confused between satan's attacks and God's blessings. I have always been labelled as quiet, 'extra', serious and stern looking, sometimes even scary looking. I just was not the type to smile too much. My thoughs on honour and discipline were a little different from the rest, which made me quite the outcast. That is, to the majority, except for those few whom I exchanged conversations with.

It was warming to know that God was eternal, and that he always saw every creation as perfect.

Today was equally busy, as I opted to help sell animal (?) - shaped and strange unrecognisable sculptures of balloons to children at a fair, later learning how much teenage St. John first aiders have this strange fondness of such things. Good thing too, which got rid of the items we were trying to get rid of by giving out for free later, instead of bursting them right away. Someone even traded away a balloon for an origami, as other store owners were trying to get rid of their stocks at hand, especially foodstuffs.

I knew that boys had a liking to gun and sword-shaped balloons, so I sort of attempted to create two gun-shaped ones (Two since there was a lack of resources by then), which sort of was successful.

I used some of the coupons my father gave me as he had purchased them and forgot about the even until I told him about my going off to work there. There were quite a lot, of which another person used to buy lots of food. Even chocolate, despite the heat. But I guess he had the best of intentions, which was what really mattered.

Looking at the balloon sculptor hired to entertain the kids, I was quite dazzled by not really the balloons, but mainly the professionalism and skills he had in his own field. That was something one could admire. He knew how to entertain them well, using vibrant and rhythmic music, along with well-known cartoon sculptures made, inviting the children up with him. The clown-like costume and make-up he used was quite something too.

I guess that would be all for now.

Chapter 111: @FYP Halfway

Been a while since I started a whole semester of lab. Every morning, I could even recognise the smell of the corridors by heart. It was e-learning week lately, and my dream of empty canteen seats were shattered nevertheless.

Oh well, at least I learnt how comfortable it can be to have both breakfast and lunch, as well as slacking off and rest just sitting outside the lab corridors, with a nice breeze and view from above unless it rains. Since it's usually just me who would dare to do such a thing, it's only one person so no one else, even my technical support officer (TSO) and supervisor seem to mind. I still get occasional glances by people who don't appear there too often enough to recognise the quiet figure there. Sometimes Joseph from level 5, also my current gym trainer (Too stingy to hire an actual professional =P), arrives to autoclave a few items or do some work there would exchange a few words.

Came to be my favourite corner after a while. Since there's a crusade corner, I hereby call it the, er... , fungi guy corner. Apparently, I'm one of the two people working under the fungi specialist supervisor, who happens to spend most of his time in the same lab doing fungi work. Okay, maybe all the time, other than when I'm sitting at the usual corner.

I did come across a biohazard label sticker, and was almost tempted to take it back with me, which would be breaking a lab rule. It reminded me of how I used to collect random stickers when I was four to five years of age. I can't even comprehend what was going on within the head of mine when I still had that hobby.

I guess the latest embarassing moment would be when I was caught mentioning my TSO when wondering if I should arrive late like the others and slack off and figuring out what I would say to him if he ever asked me to go back to work, during a chat with Joe. Until he told me I could say whatever I want to him as he was behind me >_< . Good thing I changed my words to something I actually wanted to ask my TSO sometime, about certain technical details of campaign work.

At autoclave room:

Shaun: Maybe I should see if I can get away with coming at 10 am +, taking a 3 hour lunch break and doing nothing but slack the whole day, just like almost everyone else on the same level, just for once. If Travis asks me why and tries to order me to go back to work, I would just say- "

Joe: Er... you can say whatever you want to him. He's behind you.

Shaun: ( Turns around, shocked, slightly stuttering) Erm, Travis, - (Thinks of something good to say)

Joe: ... You wanted to tell him about how you wanted to come late?

Shaun: No lah, Joseph, such a joker... Don't talk rubbish... (Can't help but laugh and panic inside for a while)

Shaun: Oh, (Changes subject), Travis, I've been meaning to ask you about what I should do after putting the dissolved extracts in the weighed and labelled falcon tubes.

That said, I still came super early as usual the next day... -_- . No guts, have I. No glory either I guess.

Chapter 110: Differences

Just contemplating on differences between older gangsters compared to young ones. Especially after having some interest in the recent attacks. This is mainly based on local gang behaviour.

Such public attacks seem to be mostly done by very young gangsters. They do not seem to have enough brains to understand what it means to be a 'secret' society and love to attract or do not seem to mind getting unnecessary attention, especially on the front pages. They just want to prove themselves in toughness, hoping to be respected and feared. Very reckless, not knowing the consequences of such idiotic acts. More dangerous than senior gangsters in this case.

Senior gangsters are more experienced, and while they will fight for turf and to keep people out of their territories, they try as hard as possible to do it away from the eyes of security, knowing they can never truly win against the government and police. They will still beat people up for not paying up extortion money or loans, though. They are mainly interested in profitable crimes, like smuggling of contraband goods, dealing in illegal drugs, managing illegal betting houses, loan shark business, etc.

Chapter 109: Regarding Enid Blyton

I happened to find a book written by Enid Blyton, a well-known children's book writer and decided to flip through. I recalled reading books such as those from her, but I had neglected such collections quite a couple of years.

At first glance, it consists of very simple yet clear plots, upon which easy-to-read sentences utilising a fairly sizable vocabulary are built around.

That said, it is capable of giving an excellent start on building one's vocabulary. The simple writing style, and yet descriptive enough sentences allows one to exercise their imagination to create images of the events within one's mind. The simple plots helps one to get ideas on what can be written about, should they decide to compose essays of their own for practice. The illustrations are enough to help boost imagination, and yet not too much to prevent one from concentrating too much on them rather than on the words depicting the stories, which should be the main point of focus.

With simplicity kept in mind to keep the eyes of readers glued to the pages, the grammar used is perfect. Great for early readers. I guess I still keep them around as a reminder of times past.