Exciting times!

Lately I have been spending ALOT of time at work - even if I am not at work, I find that I am thinking about work. I even dream about ATGCs! It is not a bad thing though - the scariest part is that I am enjoying it all!

I can't beleive that I am half way through my PhD already - and I am not sick of it yet! So YIPPEE! Who knows - maybe I will get sick of it later...but right now I am still very excited about my project. I still look forward to taking pictures of my gel and jump when I have nothing in my negative control!

On a totally unrelated note, I wonder if any of you people can help me! I am trying to find two people who were born on the same day, same time (to the closest hour) in the same city...

I was born on the 3oth of October, 1983 at 9:30pm in Tirupati, AP, India. Anyone match that? OR Do you know anyone who was born in the same city as you on the same day at the same time?

Piccies!

Brisbane Photos

I have put up the photos from Brisbane at the above URL... You guys will have to sign in to OFOTO to view it.

Once I get more photos I will put those up too. These are just the ones from my camera so I don't feature in many of them.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

I knew it!

I knew it wouldn't be long before Vedic Astrology found the Internet! I predicted this a few years ago - and I if I try hard enough, I can probably find the blog to prove it.

You guys should try www.freehoro.com. It provided me with lota of amusement - I apparently have a 75% chance of getting married this year and an even higher chance of "accquiring cattle"...

:P

PS: BRISBANE WAS FANTASTIC! Will write about it later! Going to bed now!

A Symposium of Nerds!

Apparently "geek" is the new "cool". To be a "geek" is supposed to be better than to be a "nerd". Did you know that??? Channel "E" did a whole show on that last week and I watched it! You know that "E" is not a "Nerd-y" channel just by knowing that it is called "E"... they can't even spell "Entertainment"! "Discovery" doesn't call itself "D" now does it??? (I think I may have overdosed on the quotation marks with that paragraph!)

With that aside, I am leaving for Brisbane tomorrow!!!! YAAAYYY!!! I can't wait! I will be at the ICHG (International Congress of Human Genetics) and I am VERRYYY EXCITED about it! I have been to a few other conferences and symposiums but this is my first International one! How cool is that?? I can't wait to get all my free pens! :P Any chance of meeting up with anyone else (by that mean - MEL!) at the conferance?? If you will be in Brisbane next week, let me know!!

After the conferance, I will be spending the weekend with my work buddies at Moreton Bay. That should be fantastic! I can't wait for tomorrow!

I am hoping to meet a few people during the course of the conference and establish some goood connections for my research. SOOO EXCITED!

In case anyone cares AT ALL... I GOT BISULFITE SEQUENCING TO WORK!! FINALLY! Can I get a global "Woohoo" at the count of three?? 1... 2... 3!!! "WOOOHOOO!!"

Bye-bye Accent... HELLO Yaris!!!

IT HAS ARRIVED!!!!!

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

It is gorgeous!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

VERY EXCITED!

Ten things I will never understand...

1) Rear "spoilers" on a car

2) Why parents think that kids as young as 6 need tutoring

3) What you should do at an intersection if you want to turn right and there is another person on the opposite side also wanting to turn right, and you both have to "Stop" or "Giveway", and there isn't enough space for both of you to turn right at the same time! (I think a diagram would have helped here!)

4) Why people smoke

5) Why Indian Call Centre callers speak with a wierd accent, that is neither Indian, American, Australian or that of any other nationality!

6) Why there is "enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed."

7) How you can remember the silliest details for life, and forget the really essential bits right after the exam

8) People - as a collective

9) Why embarassment always wins a battle between emabarassment and pain - You had rather be in pain than be embarassed.

10) Why you HAVE TO justify why you are a vegetarian or a non-smoker or a non-drinker, but are never to ask for justification for why someone isn't. "Because I want to" is a perfectly valid answer but, "Because I don't" is not??

Sleepless nights...

OKAY! Srini sent this to me yesterday just before my bed time and that got delayed by an extra four hours because of this stuuupid puzzle! So, I thought, I would share the fun around :P

http://n.nfshost.com/1.html

Basically that is the first page of the puzzle. You have to change the url to get to the second number, then the third and so on.

I am upto 23 and I am still going! So if you guys figure out the clue for 24 - HELP ME OUT!!!

Have a beautiful day!

A Series of (Un)fortunate Reminders...

I walked into the lab this morning and there was a post-it note on my computer that read as follows....

"Vidya could you please transfer my tubes from the 9600 to the -20 on the orange rack at the PCR machine. *heart* Des"

I then walked over to my lab bench.

There was yet another post-it note that read...

"An additional reminder: Vidya... could you please transfer my tubes from the 9600 to the -20 on the orange rack at the PCR machine. *heart* Des"

So I walked over to the PCR machine so that I wouldn't forget. There was yet another note on the PCR machine that read...

"If Vidya forgets, Could someone please put these tubes at -20 for me :) *heart* Des"

I had a good laugh over it then came over to check my email. I had a lovely email from another colleague that read...

"Please don't forget to move Des's tubes to the -20C freezer."

RIGHT! I think the people I work with know me a little too well!

NB: I may have forgotten about other people's tubes a little more than once or twice...

UPDATE:
I just wrote out a series of reminders for Des...

The first one read:
"Des, I have transfered your tubes from the 9600 to the -20 on the orange rack at the PCR machine. *heart* Vid"

The second one on her bench read:
"An additional reminder: Desiree... I have transfered your tubes from the 9600 to the -20 on the orange rack at the PCR machine. *heart* Vid"

I then proceeded to write a third note and stuck that one on the PCR machine and that said:
"If Des forgets, Could someone please let her know that her tubes are at -20 :) *heart* Vid"

I also wrote an email to my other colleague and said:
"Please let Des know that I have moved her tubes to the -20C freezer. Thanks, Vidya"

:D

YIIPPEEE!!!

I GOT A NEW CAR!!!

It should arrive by the end of the month! :D :D:D:D

http://yaris.toyota.com.au/toyota/vehicle/FreeText/0,4665,2742_662,00.html

That is it (Aqua Marine) :D

WOOOHHHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

The Nature of Happiness

"Maybe unhappiness is the continuum through which a human life moves, and joy just a series of blips, of islands in the stream. Or if not unhappiness, then atleast melancholy..." - Salman Rushdie, in "The Satanic Verses".

Someone else said something similar to me once. She told me how she trusted unhappiness more than happiness.

I think it is harder to fake unhappiness than happiness - not impossible, just harder.

Just a point to ponder...

In other news, I am hoping to get a new car really soon. A Toyota Yaris in Aqua Marine! Wish me luck! I am just waiting for them to approve my Finance!!

Fingers Crossed!!

I think I will miss my Hyundai Accent :'(

Birthday Pressie

It was a colleague's birthday party yesterday and I said I would buy the present on behalf of the lab. We decided to get her a purple umbrella.

I went shopping on Thursday (late night shopping), and after looking EVERYWHERE for an umbrella, I was just about to give up and say "Umbrella manufacturers are on strike!". I then came across a great purple umbrella at Target just before closing time - the very last one. I quickly bought it.

Yesterday - Saturday, I opened the umbrella only to realise that it was broken! It was nearly 4:30m then and I had to leave for the party by 5:30ish as the rest of the present was at work! Also, because I had looked for a purple umbrella EVERYEHERE on the Thursday, I didn't think that my chances of finding on in less than 15minutes was that high!

Along comes my mum... I said to her, "Quick! Where can I get an umbrella from??". My mum goes, "Oh! they have some really nice umbrellas at Price Rite! You should have a look!".

By this time I was all panicky. I wanted to message another colleague and say "The umbrella is broken. I will try to get a new one!". However, instead of messaging the other colleague, I ended up messaging the birthday girl! AIYOO! THEN, I had the added worry of spoiling the surprise - so my quick thinking brain sent of another message to the birthday girl that read, "Don't worry about the last message... that was supposed to be for my brother!". PHEW!

I then raced to the shops, managed to get another purple umbrella at Price Rite - just as they were closing, and then raced to Target to return the broken umbrella! After that, I had to buy my mum some paneer, so I drove to the Indian shop, got wet, bought the paneer and drove back home. Then I had to get changed and leave for the party!

OH WELL! All's well that ends well! :D

My Kinda Music!

There have been a couple of songs over the last few months that I have really liked. I don't think I mention music that much in my blog, so I thought I would just give you a list of songs that I absolutely love... These are the songs that I can listen to over and over again!

"To be a better man" - Robbie Williams
"Reason" - Hoobastank
"Into the Dark" - Ben Lee
"This Old Love" - Lior
"Upside Down" - Jack Johnson
"Sway" - Michael Buble

My all time favourite Tamil Songs...

"Nila Kaaigirathu" - from Indra
"Unnai Kaanadha Kannum" - Not sure what movie
"Kalangalil aval Vasantham" - Not sure again
"Aduthaathu Abujatha paarthela" - Ethir Neechal
"Ilaya Nila" - Not sure again (Mowna Raagam?)

All Time favourite Hindi Songs...

"Kasam ki Kasam" - ? (Meenaxi?)
"Khamosh Raat" - Thakshak
"Churaliyaa" - ?
"Dil Deewana" - ? (Maine Pyaar kiya?)

I haven't heard much Hindi or Tamil songs in the last few months, so I am a bit behind with my music there!

So there you go!

I don't really have anything else to say! Wishing you all a truly beautiful day!

Bio vs' The Other Sciences...

As most of you know, my younger brother Rama is currently studying Nanotechnology. As part of his course, he is required to take on a few biology subjects. I think it is fantastic because for the first time I have someone at home with whom I can discuss my project in any great detail. All my life I have had to hear my dad and brothers talk about the wonderful world of physics, electronics and communication systems. I had no one to talk to about the fantastic world of biological molecules and the cool things enzymes are capable off. Sad...but true.

So, as you can probably tell, I was overjoyed when I heard that Rama would have to study biology. I also know that if he didn't HAVE to do it, he probably would never have chosen to do it! He has a real dislike for biology.

That brings me to the topic of this post.

When I started university, I went in wanting to major in Chemistry. I had never done any sort of bio at school and I only took first year biology because I had to. I had some the BEST lecturers in first year - and coincidentally, some of the worst lecturers for chemistry, so the switch was made! I was sure that once Rama would start biology, he would give up on Physics (which is his real passion), and become totally amazed by the biological world.

I am extremely sad to admit that that has not happened :'(. Rather, he still hates biology and on top of that, tells me that he doesn't understand it! I find it hard to comprehend how someone could totally get Quantum mechanics, and not understand DNA synthesis! I was telling Rama how simple it all is and how amazingly beautiful Biology is, compared to Physics. He gives me the same lecture, only he gets the subjects the other way around.

This reminded me of Yoomi and Anika at Uni trying to tell me that Chemistry was a lot easier than Bio. I won't ever understand that either. I still dont know how to represent molecules in the Fischer model, or any of that stuff we had to do with stereoisotopes! Is it the L molecules that are biologically active or the D molecules??

I guess we are all wired in different ways and we are all able to understand and appreciate different things.

Isn't it wierd?

OOHH! I also don't understand how anyone can not want to study Science... but i also know that I am a bit wierd like that.

Dearest Hari-lu,

Wishing my dearest, sweetest, most lovable brother Hari and truly wonderful 21st Birthday. I wish I could stop you from getting any older!

Love you heaps and always will... Keep smiling chellam!

Big Hugs and 21 punches...
Gayu

It's all good...

Been a bit of a roller coaster week but as I am heading towards the end of it, I think I am reaching a bit of a plateau...

I love this song...

"Upside Down" - Jack Johnson

Who's to say
What's impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There's no stopping curiosity

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
I don't want this feeling to go away

Who's to say
I can't do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren't always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
We'll sing and dance and spread this love around
I don't want this feeling to go away

Please don't go away
Please don't go away
Please don't go away
Is this how it's supposed to be
Is this how it's supposed to be

Out of luck

I have always considered myself extremely lucky. I sometimes think that I have made it this far purely on luck. I have just been lucky all my life. Things have always fallen into place for me and I don't think I have had to put in that much effort for anything.

One of my biggest fears has always been, "What will happen when all my luck runs out??". I used to think about that alot. It would freak me out because I would be left with absolutely nothing.

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking that maybe my luck is leaving me now... slowly. It makes me uneasy and even slightly fearful.

It isn't all bad though, because I know it is a phase and I will get over it. I also believe in myself just a little bit - just enough to not lose hope completely.

Either way, it isn't a nice feeling to have.

Robbed...

We were robbed about two days ago. It has been a hectic day or two with everyone being a bit edgy.

It is funny when something like this happens because everyone reacts to it differently. My mum was under shock and then she picked herself up. My dad was worried sick about all of us. Rama and I felt like we should do whatever is necessary to get things back on track and Srini manages to see the humour and is a comfort in his own way.

We are all ok, and everything is getting back to normal. Things could have been far worse.

When things like this happen, you always discover something about yourself. I did something that I haven't consciously done since I was a kid. I think other older siblings will relate to this. I used to be the most protective older sister, and I saw that in me yesterday. Not just as a sister, but also as a daughter.

Anyways, all is well now...

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing my mum and my grandma a fantastic day.

My parents don't believe in Mother's Day or Father's day - they believe that we should be good to our parents everyday and not just a single day in a year. They think it is a very"Western" celebration... BUT I think it is nice to have an occasion to tell them that they are loved - and I like buying pressies!

I was thinking about this a few days ago... When my mum was my age, she had THREE kids, and was getting ready to leave India and start a brand new life in Fiji. I can't imagine having three kids at this age, or blindly following my husband halfway across the globe to a country that no one knew anything about! I can't get over how much more mature my mum was then, than I am now! Can't beleive how different our lives are!

My mum was talking to this family friend of ours today and they were talking about buying houses. About 8 years ago, we demolished our house and rebuilt our current home. When we were in our old house, we used to ALWAYS have visitors. We had on average, about 10 people staying in the one house! It was a three bedroom house and not particualrly big, but it was always full. One of the main reasons we had to demolish and rebuild was because our house was just too small.

My mum was saying how ironic it was that now that we have a bigger house, everyone is too busy to stay at home. We have all grown up and are rarely at home. With my dad in India, we don't have as many visitors either.

I think the thing that I admire about my mum more than anything else, is her stability. In the last 10 or 15 years, we have all changed so much. My brothers and I have grown-up, we have our own wants and needs. Even my dad has changed. Yet, somehow, my mum has always maintained her role. She is still Jayanthi... the SAME Jayanthi!

To this day, my mum walks around in a saree (often her blouse doesn't match), eats her rice, bargains whenever and wherever she can, talks non-stop, insists on watching her Tamil movies, and is always honest - to almost an awkward degree! I often yell at her for those very things.

"Nalladha oru podavai-ya katindaa thaan enna??" (Why can't you put on a better saree?)
"Shoe-a konja seriyaa thaan podaen!" (Wear your shoes properly!)
"Oru naalaikku, saadam saaptaama thaan iraen!" (Why can't you go without rice for a single day??)
"Aiyooo! Manniiii!! Yen nee ellathukkum bargain pannara??" (MANNII!! Why do you have to bargain for EVERYTHING??)

Yet, I know that it is these very qualities that make my mum, MY MUM!

Just writing this to let my mum know, that I love her just the way she is! She is the one person in my life who I know will never change. Even when everything else around me turns upside-down, I just have to look at her to see something the right way up!

Love my Manni and Amma VERY much! Missing my Grandma heaps!

Going Vegan... temporarily!

I finally got around to seeing my doctor today. I have been feeling sick for a while now, so I thought I should probably drop in and say "Hello" (and give "Aunty" (my doc) the goodies my mum made for her...).

I told her I have been feeling nauseus for days now. After the consult, she said to me, "I think it might be a bug... have you been eating out much?". I said to her, "Not that much - and even if I do, there isn't that much variety in what I can eat - nothing that can make me sick anyway!". I am very much restricted in what I can eat when I go out - it is either Pizza, or some kind of a salad!

Despite that last comment, my doctor told me not to take any dairy products - including cheese and YOGHURT, no fried food, nothing spicy, and I also got asked to avoid lentils. That doesn't leave me with much to eat!!! I am going to die! It is only for a week, but I am seriously going to die! I once stayed without yoghurt for two days and I couldn't do anything on the third day!

Is this what detox is all about??? Is my doctor trying to detox all the yoghurt out of me??? Is that what she is trying to do??? SOMEBODY TELL ME!!!

I went shopping with my mum today, and it was sooo hard to find snacks! Mel - I am probably sounding like EVERYONE else right now, but I seriously don't know how you do it! I have always respected your Vegetarianism - it is one thing to be born a Vegetarian, and another to choose to become one - but now I respect your Veganism a 100 fold more!

However, if I don't die, I might even move to the EVEN healthier side in the coming weeks... who knows! It is sooo hard to predict me!

This little piggy went to the market...

There are three places that I ABSOLUTELY HATE taking my mum.

1) The Indian Spice Shop!
2) Flemington Markets (for Fruit and Veg)
3) Parklea Markets (Fruit and Veg mainly but also other random gadgets...)

I hate everything about it! I hate looking for a parking spot, I hate how my mum points out spots that are closer AFTER I have parked, I hate the crowds, I hate people screaming out "2 for $3", "$1, $1, $1 yeeeeeaaaa $1, $1, $1...", I hate the crowded aisles, I hate having to hold my breath as I walk past the fish markets and above all I hate how my mum says, "That's all", but keeps looking for stuff!

AARRGGHHHH!!!

I took my mum to Parklea today and I was VERRYY good! I drove my mum there and I waited with the trolley. Once she finished with an aisle, she would dump the veggies in my trolley, and keep looking. This way, I wasn't rushing her and she wasn't asking me to look for veggies. I don't even know why she asks me to pick veggies - it isn't like I know the difference between a good coconut and a bad one! However, today was a good day - we didn't get on each other's nerves and we were both very well behaved! I think I deserve an eggless cookie for my efforts!

However, while at Parklea today I was sooo surprised at the number of Indians there. I mean, there is always a large number of Indians at both Parklea and Flemington, but I actually felt like I was in India today! There was just soo many that it felt like you could probably label the fruit and veg in Hindi, and it wouldn't have mattered!

About ten years ago, if you saw an Indian at the markets, you would go up to them and say hello and swap telephone numbers - because meeting other indians was a rare thing. If I was to do that today, it just wouldn't have been possible (there were atleast 70 Indian families at the Fruit and Veg section alone) and it would probably have been a bit odd! "Hi! Are you from India? Yes? Here is my phone number... do come over sometime for some chai!"... (See - that would have been odd!).