New Toy: Lenovo Miix 10

This is the first time I used a Windows 8 tablet. Though it was an Amazon Warehouse deal, but to me it is still a new toy nevertheless. In fact, this time round, as much as it is a toy gadget, but I'm justifying its usage as an option to have a "work holiday" when I want to travel, yet still be able to work intermittently. It does help when I draw strength from seeing new stuffs outside Cambridge and then form some new ideas for my experiments.

Enough with the justifications, now back to the toy itself. I spent about £150 on this warehouse deal for a "Used-Very Good" Miix 10 Windows 8 tablet. It comes with original Windows 8, and Microsoft Office 2013 Student package, which helps a lot since I am using a Windows 8.1 laptop with Office 2007. I wanted to install Office 2013, but the product key only allowed ONE single installation *sad face* but I already have Office 2007 so it's pretty much the same.

Let's talk about the operating system (OS). When I purchased my laptop, it was on Windows 8. I wonder how many times I complained about how unfriendly it was. The signature Start button of all previous Windows (95, NT, XP, 7, Vista...) was removed, and I couldn't find my way around for the first few weeks. I sorta got used to it but I didn't like it at all. When Microsoft introduced its update to Windows 8.1, I freely embraced it. The signature Start was back!!! My days from that point forward were great, and are still happy with it. Now, Miix 10 is the first generation to Lenovo's 10.1" Windows tablet, and yes, it is no longer selling on Lenovo's website. Hence, I know it would come with Windows 8. Oh my horror! Then again, I could update it to Windows 8.1 so I didn't worry too much about it.

Though it was mentioned that the hard disk of Miix 10 is 64 GB, the space available was only about 45GB. I got over-excited when I received the tablet, so I started installing my usual need - Mendeley reference manager. Programs eat up disk space like a hungry PacMan. So when I finished with the necessary updates of Windows 8 to enable the upgrade to 8.1, the HDD didn't have enough. Well, finally after numerous uninstallation of unwanted apps,  I finally managed to upgrade to Windows 8.1.  It was as though life returns to the tablet finally.

Other pros and cons of a brand new Miix 10 which I found on the usual tablet review websites - I do agree. So I won't comment much on those aspects, since they'd know better than I do. I would comment on the basis of my current profession as a PhD student in the process of writing up the first year report to be upgraded to a PhD candidate. Since I am writing a lot, so Office 2013 (as I mentioned previously) is an additional bonus so one point for Miix 10. However, the annoying part that the virtual keyboard still pops up though it is docked to the external keyboard will be something I need to address and consider in future.

I'll share the part II of my encounter with this tablet and a possible decision of whether I will be keeping it in the next two weeks or so. My short trip to Lisbon will be an ultimate test for Miix 10 if it is suitable for my use.

Time to return to reality and work on my project. Till then....

Keep Calm and Start Writing!

How apt is this "keep calm" phrase!

Some of my friends have begun writing their theses, some had completed and submitted. As for me, I am just starting my PhD journey (finally!) when I joined this lab (Physiological Ecological Group). Looking at how four months flew off like lightning, I should begin writing the first year report soon since the deadline is on 1st June.

The reluctant mind and body says, "There is still time. Chillax!" But both know better that it is only a lie. One thing would lead to another, and there are thousands, if not millions of papers I need to wade through in order to seek for the knowledge. I have yet to start writing the ONE word needed for me to begin.

It's time to think. It's time to start writing. I shall.. Within this week. Now, I shall give my pair of fatigues eyes a rest. Ciao!

Anxiously Taking Off...

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Malaysia_Airlines_Boeing_777-200ER_9M-MRO_IST_2012-1-23.png

Finally, after 6.5 months, the first phase of my PhD is sort of taking off. I hope that this first phase will reach its final destination of a first year report which enables me to officially become a Cambridge PhD student, rather than the current probationary status. This post also serves as a tribute to all the passengers of MH370, the aircraft which also the last location where my cousin worked as the cabin crew. Despite not knowing him well when he was around because of our large age gap, I know David, my cousin, worked hard his whole life, and went through various struggles. He never gave up on life, on love. I wish I can learn this attribute of his.

I am nervous, and anxious too, especially after such a long hiatus on research due to my health, the travels, and the graduate conference (as much as I tried to deny the fact that I did put in much time and enjoyed doing it). Sometimes I dislike the fact that I could catch a cold too easily, and with the new addition to my medical history of acute sinusitis, my sinuses become infected twice this year alone. All these took time away from me trying to work hard because I sleep for days. Right now, I am worried I can't meet the par of passing my first year though I have another 3 months before the reality sets in. What if I have to go home because I can't complete year 1 and pass this probation? Everyone knows he/she has worked hard for a year, so it is natural passing first year isn't difficult. For me who spent most of my time sleeping and idling, it is as natural as them, only I'm at the other side of the fence. Working hard is not my forte. Yet, I know it takes hard work whether or not I'm good at it.

I saw this online when I was searching for the quote... "Don't be upset with the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do".

Source: http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/insecurity.jpg

I guess me browsing through the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is a cause of my anxiety. There is a group who is doing an awesome job with malaria. I saw their papers and found those interesting. Who am I to compare to them? All highly-skilled bioinformaticians and biologists; big brains gathering big data as a team of researchers. I need to overcome this insecurity I feel from within, really.

This is my behind-the-scene, nothing too bright or shiny, as how anyone would see a Cambridge graduate student should be. We all are still graduate students, just like anyone else in the world. We struggle too, and maybe, more than the rest of the world.

The Fifth Month of PhD

In another seven months, I will either be deported back to Malaysia without completing a PhD, or successfully passed the benchmark of first year. I have three days before hitting the end of my fifth month here at Cambridge, and entering the sixth month of this caffeine-pumped, worries-filled life of mine.

Developing a proper research area and questions is something which has been bugging me since day one of my PhD. I know everyone is worried, especially the Man Above (MA). I do have some ideas forming at the back of my mind right now, but I'd have to test them out before talking to him. MA is a kind supervisor, but it is due to my own guilt of not doing enough that I find him fearsome. I guess I'd have to slowly work out that fear and guilt I feel within me when it comes to speaking to MA.

I'm still keen on doing forensics-related research which has connection with my team's main work on Molecular Evolutionary Genomic Analysis. It all has to do with my previous Masters research on DNA profiling. It is all possible, but I'd need to read more before presenting the baby to him. Let's just say I'm interested in the works on Kenneth K. Kidd for now...

Source: http://blog.illumina.com/img/dna_mag_300.jpg

Writing Your First Year Report

I attended the course conducted by Dr. Geraint Wyn Story for GSLS (Graduate School of Life Sciences) PhD students to learn how to write my first year report. I know it is still a few months away before I start freaking out totally about it, but I guess it is better that I prepare myself right from the start rather than stressing myself out not knowing what I need to do when it is time to submit that very report which will determine if I stay or leave Cambridge. To be honest, I am freaking out already despite the fact that the first year report seems to be a very informal event in the division which I am in. Furthermore, the man above has been pushing me to produce results. I feel like a child who is asked to run when I am still learning how to crawl. Yes, the sense that I am stupid exists, and I feel very real about it, though I am more assured after attending the session that it is alright to feel how I feel.

One thing which is encouraged in developing our writing skills is to write regularly as a on-going process. A new concept (maybe not-so-new) was introduced -- "Writing to Prompts". This concept uses question or fragment of a sentence to stimulate the writing process. I do find it beneficial as it helps to focus our mind into writing something. Personally, I tend to break down the things I want to write into subtopics, and then explore the literature and read them accordingly, sometimes making notes based on sections of the same paper.

Another interesting idea is to do "Free Writing" of about 5-10 minutes with a suggested ideal frequency of 3 times a week. Writing without stopping for a duration of time on a certain topic indeed will help to free-up the writer who is bogged by the research and improve self-confidence. When we practised this concept, I came up with a short entry on "First Year Report Training".

One more concept before I end this post is the introduction of "Writing Groups" to act as a social activity plus an encouragement to help us write, and to make writing fun. Anyone would like to be my partner in crime for this?!

The usual culprits of a good report would the standard format, and everything else is rather dependent on the department. First year report should focus on introduction and future works with some prelim results and methods if there is any. A little about referencing was covered, and the importance of knowing who will be reading the first year report, and who are the examiners, plus the importance of appointing a secondary adviser. Gantt's chart is suggested to be a part of the first year report to give an idea of the audience what I plan to do.

This takes a bit of my time to digest it.

I'm ending this with something from PhD Comics. Cheers!

Source: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd030712s.gif

First Year Report Training

The day was gloomy when I woke up after the multiple alarms went off. It was a dread to try to wake up these days but I knew how important it is for me to connect with people studying Life Sciences and to know about first year report. The people in........***censored***........... It has been a lonely journey.

After a series of missing bus, getting lost and finally getting there to listen to Dr. Geraint talking and the PhD probationary students speaking of first years' worries, though more questions popped up but I'm assured that I'm not alone in my struggle to bear future responsibility as a Cambridge grad. Perhaps it doesn't take a super genius to get a PhD done here.

There's still some time left. Let's see how it goes.