Maryland Renaissance Festival

The Maryland Renaissance Festival is located on Crownsville Road, in Anne Arundel County in Crownsville, just outside of Annapolis, MD and opens only on weekends during falls.

It is a recreation of 16th century English village where adults and children can dress up in costumes (elves, pirates, dukes, dames etc) to relive their fantasies. Costume rental was available at the entrance. Some families even turned up in costumes. There were actors and actresses going around the village entertaining the guests.

Street and stage performances dotted the entire village for those interested in English playwrights. Shops selling various wares like wooden mugs, jewelry, pottery, leather-work, clothing, glass-blowing, paintings, and soft sculpture were but some of the artistry displayed. I was curious about the prices of the costumes that were sold and they do not come cheap! It cost around US$100 for a simple peasant shirt made of linen. There was a jousting arena where knights jousted in full armor. I pitied the knights since it was hot and dry that day.

I tried my hands at various game booths throwing axes and ninja darts since I would not have a chance to do it in Singapore. These would be considered as weapons. None of my axes got stuck on the wall and my darts were off the bullseye. There goes my possibility of being an assassin. I hesitated on trying a high striker (a.k.a. strength tester or strongman game) since it was public. For a dollar, you got must hit the bell three times to win a cheap necklace. I only managed to get the puck halfway up the tower. Well, I would need more practices to use my body's momentum to hit the bell or hit the gym to gain muscle before trying again.

Maryland Renaissance Festival pictures.

The Oxford Murders

An interesting crime mystery which revolves around Mathematics where a young mathematician was drawn into a series of murders. Together with a distinguished professor, they must solved the riddle to stop the next killing.

An unusual twist of events and easy reading make this novel a relaxing book to read.

The author, Guillermo Martinez, who had a Ph.D. in Mathematical logic inspired me to consider about writing in general.

Today, while browsing through the Baltimore City Paper, I came across an advertisement about getting a Master's degree in writing. Is this another sign?

The 126th Maryland State Fair

A tradition that has been running since 1878, the 126th Maryland State Fair opened from August 24 - September 3, 2007. There were livestock shows and exhibitions of farm and garden products, and home arts.

The cow in the picture had such a straight back that it seemed weird compared to my impression of a cow. Cows from different farms were paraded at a judging ground inside the Cow Palace where they were judged based on its meat or milk.

Horse competitions were more elaborate. Some owners even braided the horse's mane and tail (akin to hairstyling a doll). Their coats were combed and cleaned off any dirt by air brush and wet cloths. This horse's coat was combed to a precise angle (L.O.L) and it gleamed under sunlight. While I was busying snapping pictures of horses from the front, someone approached me and said I should take horses from the side instead as horses appeared to look like giraffes from the front according to his theory. Well, I can differentiate a horse from a giraffe by a giraffe's horns.

Competitions were also held for swine, goat and sheep.

The Animal World was a big favorite among children where they got to pat farm animals such as sheep, goat, duck etc. All signboards for the animals were correct except one which had a comical twist. A cow had a signboard saying, "Beef" instead of "Cow". I had a good laugh at this since it reminded me of a sweeping remark that Chinese would eat anything that fly, crawl or swim.

After visiting the livestock shows, I headed for exhibitions of farm products. I witnessed the largest watermelon I had seen so far where it weighed 77 pounds (35 kg). Tomatoes, chillies, gourds, corns etc were submitted for competitions too.

People interested in indoor hobbies could hop over to the exhibition of home arts. Among the displays were quilts, knitting, fine arts, food preservation, baked products and photogrpahy. I was also impressed by some of the photographs captured by young contestants.

There were rides and games for young and old. After touring the fairground for about five hours, I was tired but culturally enriched.

More fair pictures available here.

Finally got my hands on Harry Potter

Last Thursday (Oct 11), before I went for a camping trip at Delaware Water Gap (my future post as I am editing the pictures), I wanted to get a good fiction to read while I was camping.

After work, I dropped by the library and as usual browsed through the shelves for the latest series of Harry Potter. I knew it was available a few months ago after its worldwide launch on July 21 but the two copies in Eisenhower Library were always checked out.

There was no sign of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on the display shelves. By a "twist of magic", I decided to browse for it through the online catalog. Lo and behold, one copy was available. I went to the check-out counter and inquired if it was available.

The librarian said, "It had just been returned."

"Great!" I exclaimed. "I had been trying to get hold of it for a long time."

"It's a great book. Enjoy reading it."

"Thanks."

I was hooked on Harry Potter after borrowing the first series from my university library during my undergraduate days. Since then, I had always read the series on loaned from the library and the fourth series was borrowed from a friend. I only bought Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as a Christmas gift for one of my godsons. So, in keeping with this tradition, I was bend on getting my hands on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows though I could get it from Barnes and Nobles down my block.

However, I am not reading as fast compared to the previous six series because I would like to hold onto the suspense as long as possible. By finishing it, the "spell" of Harry Potter over me would also be lifted. Let's hope that J.K. Rowling can come up with another sellout series of fiction.

The list below was taken from Wikipedia on Harry Potter. Read the interesting annotation on translating British English to American English by clicking on the first series.

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 26 June 1997 (titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2 July 1998
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 8 July 1999
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 8 July 2000
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 21 June 2003
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 16 July 2005
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 21 July 2007

Survived driving to Washington DC

I apologized for the long period of absence due partly to my busy schedule as I am guiding two new postdocs who just joined our lab. Also, there are several posts which I wanted to post but I would upload my pictures first. I just got the photo-editing-software from Tom since my old laptop crashed.

I am frustrated that I did not do a backup of my travel photos on my laptop! Well, it happened some time ago and I had already moved on. I am entrusting my friend who is visiting Baltimore to bring it back to Singapore for data extraction. Pray that this works!

Anyway, back to this post. Today, the Singapore International Foundation organized a welcome event for all new Singaporean students studying around DC area. I was asked to pick up a fellow Singaporean staying at Reed Hall, Hopkins Hospital since she just arrived one month ago. We were the only ones coming from Baltimore while the rest traveled less than an hour.

The road directions in DC are confusing. The street that you are traveling on can become inaccessible after a junction since you would be driving against traffic. So, you had to navigate up and down to reach your destination. A good thing I had ShuZhen navigating while I drove. I could not imagine finding that restaurant without her help. According to Tom, the roads were designed to confuse the British during the civil wars (correct me, Tom if I am wrong). Well, they did successfully confuse anyone who do not drive in DC before!

At the welcome event held at the Malaysia Kopitiam, I met several Singaporeans who were interested in my work when I told them I am researching on influenza vaccine. A funny misunderstanding was that ShuZhen was mistaken twice as my wife since we came together.

The food was delicious. There were chicken rice, oyster omelette, curry, satay and tao suang for dessert. I also expanded my network of friends and get to know information from those who had stayed longer than me. Cecilia, the organizer, even suggested some places for me to visit.

There were games such as unraveling jumbled words related to Singapore, explanation of our unofficial language, Singlish and of course lucky draw. As usual, my luck was not good today.

Driving back was harder since the headlights from cars behind blinded me. I had to lean forward to drive safely. I drove ShuZhen and myself back safe and sound. The journey was smooth because I memorized the route from the ADC Map. I was proactive instead of reactive. Learning new things each time.

Listen!

My mind is constantly repeating this song, Listen by Beyonce after watching Dreamgirls. She sang with so much emotions that I could feel it reverberating through my body.

I also need an outlet to scream out today and this is a good song for doing just that. After two months of experiment, a simple mistake screwed up everything! I am so angry!

LISTEN by Beyonce Knowles

Listen,
To the song here in my heart
A melody I've start
But can't complete

Listen, to the sound from deep within
It's only beginning
To find release

Oh,
the time has come
for my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own
all cause you won't
Listen....

[Chorus]
Listen,
I am alone at a crossroad
I'm not at home, in my own home
And I tried and tried
To say whats on my mind
You should have known
Oh,
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what, you made of me
I followed the voice
you gave to me
But now I gotta find, my own..

You should have listened
There is someone here inside
Someone I'd thought had died
So long ago

Oh I'm screaming out, for my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside or worse
Into your own
All cause you won't
Listen...

[Chorus]

I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't....
If you won't....

LISTEN!!!...
To the song here in my heart
A melody I've start
But I will complete

Oh,
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what, you made of me
I followed the voice, you think you gave to me
But now I gotta find, my own..
my own

My first solo drive

Today marked my first solo drive in USA. After getting my Flexcar membership, I had tried to come up with a valid destination to drive to.

Vladimir, who was coming back from his honeymoon in Hawaii, decided to give me a call in the morning, checking whether I could pick him up from the airport. I had jokingly told him that I could pick them up last week.

I was mentally unprepared for this drive as I thought he would called me yesterday to arrange but he did not. I had imagined myself practising more before hitting the highway. Negative thoughts swept through my mind as I performed my experiment. However, I told myself not to let fear prevent me from taking action. Instead, I should channel it towards making me more alert and reactive.

I told him that I had to check online to see if there was a car available at that slot. Among four cars, all but one were reserved. I reserved the last from 2pm to 4.30pm. I got into the car at the appointed time by tapping on the card reader on the front screen. There, I proceeded to retrieve the key. Getting the hybrid sedan to start took me some time as I had to browse through the car manual.

After getting the engine to start, I took a longer route to get used to the car. I avoided the highway first since I was not confident. Traffic was smooth and I could find my way onto 295 South leading towards Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Driving on the highway was not as bad as I thought.

Thinking that they would need time to get their luggage, I decided to find the garage and meet them at the arrival hall. I followed the signs leading to the garage but missed a turn and ended up at the cargo complex.

Just as I was retracing my route, I got a call from Vladimir that they were done. I told them to wait for me at the arrival hall.

After they had got in the car, we headed back towards Baltimore. Vladimir who was trying to help by giving me instructions got me nervous instead. I told him to "back off" and that I was the one who had the steering wheel. The idiom "too many cooks spoil the broth" also applies here.

Along the way, there were courteous drivers who let me overtake them and idiot drivers which nearly caused accidents! This marks the beginning of building my confidence on the road and the responsibility to drive safely!

Car sharing

Last Friday (Sep 7), I received a letter which I was waiting anxiously when I applied for a Flexcar membership on Aug 31.

Flexcar is a car-sharing company where members use cars when they need them. It is far less expensive than owning a car, and much more convenient than renting since there are four cars located at Homewood campus. I am just 2 minutes away from the nearest car. Students and affiliates of Johns Hopkins University are offered a special rate of $6/hour or $60/day. I also save on parking fees, car insurance and fuel which are included. Reserving a car is simply performed via online or phone.

While going to the gym, I happened to pass by a flyer which caught my attention and got me interested in the scheme. It was also featured in Hopkins newsletter.

Now, I can go to H-mart or anywhere as and when I like. Quoting Flexcar's phrase, "After all, why own the car when you can just own the drive?"

Pharmacology New Student Crab Feast

Today, we had our annual Pharmacology New Student Crab Feast. This event was to welcome new students as stated in the feast name.

September is also the peak season for eating blue crab where it is at its best. The crabs were seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning and steamed. They tasted salty and spicy.

Expect to be messy since the crabs were served intact. You would have to remove the shell and gills. Mallets were provided.

Since I used only my thumbs and index fingers to grab the crabs, my hands were not as dirty as compared to my colleagues who used all 10 digits.

I ate three crabs slowly, extracting meat from the legs, pincers and body while one of my colleague just gobbled up seven crabs from the body only.

In Chinese folk story of Journey to The West, the Monkey God, Sun WuKong and Pigsy each had a heavenly peach. Being greedy, Pigsy swallowed up the whole peach while WuKong took a small bite at a time.

In the end, while salivating and staring at Wukong's peach, Pigsy asked Wukong how the peach had tasted.

Moral of this story, taste good food slowly and not by quantity.

Smooth ride

Yesterday night, I took my new bicycle out for a spin. Changing to one of 21 gears was smooth sailing. Light squeezing of the brakes was sufficient to slow or stop the bicycle. Cushioning over bumps and humps was good. I was satisfied with what I had bought!

The cool air was refreshing as I cycled towards the supermarket. I reached the supermarket within 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes if I had walked.

To keep my balance while transporting my grocery, Tom suggested to me to buy a backpack. Back home, I would have hung the bags on the handles and maneuvered up and down hill. I took his advice and bought one from Rite Aid Pharmacy. I had a bargain where the pharmacy had 50% off on all backpacks since this was back-to-school week.

It seems that I do not have to stock up my refrigerator with food now except when the weather gets colder.

Getting more mobile

After getting my driver license on Wed, Aug 29, I added another mode of transportation to getting around.

I had wanted to buy a bicycle since the beginning of this summer. The big push was a bicycle trail map that I had picked up at The 126th Maryland State Fair where I intend to spend my weekends cycling on those trails. Seeing Tuanleng (Fish speaks) cycling also reminded me of my cycling trips back home. Since I live further from the supermarket nowadays (25 minutes walk), I will cycle to and fro instead of walking. Carrying heavy grocery had caused me neck strain.

This morning, I engaged a friend's help to transport the 26" Men's Schwinn Skyliner Comfort Bike ($149.63). I am grateful to Tom for sacrificing his rest day.

Labor Day, end of summer, beginning of school term

Labor Day in USA falls on the first Monday of September. This year, the date was Sep 3. It was a long weekend for Americans to experience the numbered days of summer.

I did not travel since I did not planned for it. Beside, my wandering lust was not strong enough to compel me to leave my experiments aside.

Anyway, as I strolled along Homewood campus towards church on Sunday, I witnessed the area bustling with activities. Long lines of cars were formed at hostels where parents were sending off their kids to college. There were farewell kisses and hugs plus some tears.

I also passed by a BBQ which was organized to help them make new friends. Others were at "The Beach", interacting in circles. Believe me that there is no sand nor a single drop of sea water. It is a big roundabout lawn where students often gathered to tan on the grass.

The freshies, travelling in twos or threes were also busy orientating themselves to where they can hang out. The shuttle bus would be packed again on Tuesday.

Yipee!!!!! Secrets of creative tension.

I once read a book which mentioned on creative tension. Let me explain what is creative tension with my experiences.

I had envisioned sometime in my future that I would like to drive a car instead of taking the public transport or walking.

Till this afternoon (Aug 29), I did not have a driving license to drive a car. Thus, there was a disparity between the present and the future which created a mental tension, propelling me towards getting my car license.

Being endowed with a brain to study hard so I could get my head Permantly Damaged (re-arrangement of Ph.D.) but not with abilities for driving, I had to overcome my limitations by practising more.

To cut the whole story short, I finally got my driver license today! I can rent a car to drive myself around in USA. I am no longer a "prisoner" of bad public transport.

For those interested to know the juicy part, read on further.

I have to thank Delores Henson, my lab technician who has the guts to teach me on the roads. She is 61 year old. She kept insisting to bring me to the highway (expressway) which terrified me since I am no speed demon. I want to get comfortable with driving first before heading out there. Getting my license is just the beginning, driving safely is the end.

Special thanks to Ao Yang who "squeezed out" time from her busy schedule to teach me too.

I am grateful to Gregory Simon, my colleague who took me to Glen Burnie Motor Vehicle Administration for my test today.

We left work at 1pm for my 2.30pm appointment but he mistakenly took a longer way which left me with 30 minutes to practise with his car. I tried to do parallel parking with dismal result. Both of us had a rough idea where I stood for my test. However, since I had made an appointment, I decided to go for it, thinking if I failed, I could always try again. Skipping the test without trying would make me a complete failure.

Learning from my mistake with my application of learner's permit where I was rejected outright in the queue, I brought along my passport, social security card, working visa, bank statement and a void cheque, just in case some nasty and unhappy personnel was behind the desk.

Instead, I was just asked for my learner's permit and was sent to process my test application. The personnel serving me even wished me good luck.

I had to relief myself and calm me down before taking the test. The tester was reasonable and said I could ask questions if in doubt.

The first task was the turn about which I performed under 1 min 20 seconds (3-minute limit).

The second task was backing up (reversing) in a straight direction which was alright since the road was level.

The last task was the parallel parking which has a 3-minute limit too and the wheels must be within 12 inches from the kerb. In the midst of parking, I asked, "Can the wheels touched the kerb?" while the clock was ticking. I managed to clock 1 min 47 seconds and the wheels were way within 12 inches.

After this, he instructed me to drive out of the test circuit and told me I could collect my license on the spot. I was elated. My heart was pounding hard during the entire circuit. He also asked if I worked at Hopkins since I forgot to take down my badge.

When I recounted this to Vladimir who also got his license recently after a second attempt, he joked that he should have worn his badge too during his first attempt. His twist was that I got my license with my Ph.D. on the Hopkins badge. I rolled my eyes (implying, "Whatever"). I can sleep well tonight.

8 short minutes

Last Friday (8/24), I arranged for a driving practise to prepare for my driving test on this Wednesday.

The instructor called me at 8.52am to inform me that he had arrived. I told him that I was on my way to meet him. He was early since we fixed it at 9am.

When I reached my building lobby, I did not see his car so I waited till 9am before calling him. I found it strange that he should take 8 minutes to reach here wherever he was unless he was at a wrong place.

"Hello Mr. A, this is Paul. May I know where are you at?" I asked.

He replied, "Paul... bus ... back up ... crash... Re-schedule..." I could only picked up these words as he had a heavy accent.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I proceeded towards the Johns Hopkins shuttle and noticed there were more shuttles than usual. Sandwiched between two shuttles, there was a car. Its hood was crushed badly by the rear of the front shuttle. I realized the car belonged to my driving instructor. A good thing that no one was injured.

I felt bad that his livelihood was affected and was also reminded that life is fragile. Within a short span of 8 minutes, an accident happened. This episode served as a reminder to treasure each moment fully.

Getting my acts together

It has been 12 days since I last posted.

I am feeling lethargic lately and tend to procrastinate.

Need to gather myself together and focus on important things instead of letting precious time slips by.

Artscape 2007

I had been procrastinating with this post for three weeks since Artscape 2007 was held from July 20 - 22.

This annual event features the arts and crafts of artists. I was interested in the works of other photographers, trying to learn some tips from them.

There were outdoor performances, street theater and a section dedicated to children.

I was able to get onto a Ferris wheel, sponsored by McDonald's. Personally, I liked the shot of the Ferris wheel in motion.

More Artscape 2007 pictures here.

A love story by a male author?

As I was browsing for a new book to read, my eyes rested on the title "Dear John" written by a male author.

I found it odd that a guy would write about romance, so I decided to read it. I have always associated romance with female authors and the front cover has a picture of a man and a woman in embrace. I know I am stereotyping.

I was hooked after reading the first chapter and I could identify with some parts of the plot. Instead of describing the love making process between the lead characters (as in some romance novels), the author simply wrote in one sentence. The plot unraveled at the right pace and the ending was heart wrenching.

I had recommended this book to Heiny and would like to get feedback on whether males write romance differently from females.

Good morning, Baltimore

"Good morning, Baltimore" is the opening song of the movie musical, Hairspray. There is even a karaoke version of this song in YouTube.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this remake of the 1988 movie which was about misfit and racial segregation set in 1962 Baltimore. The tunes were catchy and sounded really 60's. I always commented that I am a old man trapped in a young man's body since I love the oldies. (Well, I cannot help it since I lived in a large family of uncles and aunts who listened to the latest hits then when I was very young). This is one superb movie soundtrack I will want to get my hand on. The dances were great too. I wish I could dance like that as my body is very rigid or I feel very conscious of myself dancing in public.

Finally, I can come out with a song that has Baltimore in it. I can usually sing a song from a word out of a conversation. Haha... People who know me knows I am a crazy guy who loves to sing.

Pre-42nd National Day celebration on Aug 3

I finally got to meet fellow Singaporeans at the Singapore Embassy since I arrived in USA 1.5 years ago; the occasion being celebration of Singapore's 42nd independence day.

Located in Washington D.C., I had to take JHU shuttle, MARC train and Metro, followed by walking to reach my destination. With so much hassle, it strengthened my resolve to get my driving license soon.

Since I had some time to spare, I visited the National Postal Museum which was located just outside the Union Station. There was no way I would be walking around in a long-sleeve shirt with temperatures soaring above 90 degree Fahrenheit.

Inside the museum, I saw some rare collection, the various modes of transportation to mail to the remotest parts of the country like Alaska or Grand Canyon. I also got to know some of the famous people and their achievements as they were commemorated on stamps. One way of learning a country's culture is through stamps.

After that, I proceeded to the embassy where I had a bottle of Singapore-brewed beer, Tiger to reminiscence things Singapore. Spring rolls were served as appetizers which tasted delicious but I felt left out because most of them came with family members. I was not the gregarious guy I thought I am.

As I went out to sit on a pinic table, I saw a familiar face. The stranger also found me familiar but we could not pinpoint where we could have met. We thought we were in the same unit in army but then his wife came over and asked if we were in the same polytechnic. That was when I realized he was my classmate but in a different clique.

We lost touch since then but met at a faraway place from home. We caught up while having Singapore dishes (chicken curry, fried tofu, fried beef). I had a great pigout where the cream from the cream puffs just burst in your mouth upon biting them. Yummy...

To end this post, I wish my country, a happy 42nd National Day!

Knowing how to pamper oneself

Occasionally, you may feel down because life is not rosy all the time. I have been feeling down for some time (God knows how long). Little things add up to my frustration.

Well, to snap out of it, talking with someone helps especially if that person gives you good advice to rethink. Once you think from a different angle, things do not seem so bad after all.

Exercising induces the body to secrete endorphin, the natural feel-good hormone. This evening, I swam hard and fast, keeping my mind from wandering by concentrating on gliding in the water.

Helping someone puts a smile back too. I did stroke corrections with someone who was swimming front crawl with difficulty. He was willing to pay me to teach him but I declined. Instead, I suggested that I could see him once a week to see if he had improved by practising what I had taught him.

I also treated myself to a sumptuous dinner at a restaurant where I could simply eat and pay without preparing the food and washing the dishes.

Life is good to me, I can sleep well tonight.

Practise makes perfect

After my fourth attempt at Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay, I managed to shave off four hours of handling time with sixteen mice without compromising on the number of viable splenocytes (cells from the spleen). ELISPOT is usually used for monitoring immune responses in humans and animals since I am researching on human flu vaccine.

This record time came with practise where I became familiar with the experiment and by planning ahead. I am looking forward to my result tomorrow.

Conquering the Impossible: My 12,000-Mile Journey Around the Arctic Circle by Mike Horn

My attention was caught by the front cover when I was browsing for a storybook at the Eisenhower Library. It looks very cold to me which reminded me of the past winter.

The author is Mike Horn, a professional adventurer and he was wearing a wolverine hood, which will never freeze even at -70 degree Fahrenheit (-56 degree Celsius).

From this nonfiction, I learnt a lot of vocabulary concerning the Arctic e.g. floe, tundra etc. Also got some tips on how to survive in the cold winter. For example, the human nose often form mucus at very cold temperature and it can be used as a natural moisturizer, as practiced by the Eskimos.

I also wondered why would anyone do such a feat of walking around the Arctic Circle on foot.

Personally, I find stepping out of one's comfort zone is an adventure itself. Different people in their own unique ways seek various options (physical, mental, spiritual) to conquer the impossible. Ultimately, the aim is to better ourselves and know what we are capable of accomplishing, where are the boundaries of our limits and our weaknesses.

Havre de Grace, MD

Havre de Grace, a quaint town with Victorian houses located in Harford County, MD offers a relaxing weekend where one can fish, boat, bird-watch or stroll on a boardwalk along the Susquehanna River which runs into the Chesapeake Bay.

To remind people of the importance of not polluting the Chesapeake Bay, there is a crab painted on the pavement next to a drainage. Protecting the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem helps to sustain the many habitats and wildlife organisms found there, and human activities such as fisheries, tourism etc.

There are many antiques shops lining along the Main street for antique collectors. Since Maryland is famous for making decoys for hunting ducks, there is a Decoy museum.

I found this signboard eye catching which served its purpose. There were two bronze sculptures of kids playing with bars outside MacGregor's Restaurant & Tavern where I had my lunch. The beef sandwich soaked in onion soup was marvelous.

Havre de Grace photos.

Chattering "magpies"

After a hard day of work, you would expect quiet and peace on your ride home. Well, it depends on your luck to avoid noisy and loud "magpies".

These "magpies" were so obnoxious where they had to talked so loud on the shuttle bus as though they were the only passengers on the bus. Their volume was loud even though they were sitting beside one another.

Either they are hard of hearing or they cannot control their volume! I am not interested to hear your conversations, so be civic minded and tone down your voice.

Horse back riding

He-ha, giddyup, rodeo, cowboy...

I fulfilled one of my childhood dreams on last Saturday when I went horse back riding. It was organized by The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) at Johns Hopkins.

Since I had no car, fellow members were kind to offer a ride to Misty Manor Riding Stable and back.

It is located in southeastern Carroll County, MD and there is no public transport. I arrived late since we could not find the stable. A handler was pushy in asking me to fill up the liability form quickly as the trail ride was beginning soon.

I was expecting some form of training lesson since I had no prior experience. They did (in less one minute). To go left, pull the left rein; go right; pull the right rein; to stop, pull both rein and say, "Hold" and to go forward was to kick except I was not shown how to kick. Lean forward when going uphill and lean backward when going downhill.

Anyway, my horse's name was Heather and she headed straight for the trough for a drink as the weather was hot. Heather was gentle and knew what to do. She moved forward without me kicking her and stopped when there was no space in front. I just sat back and enjoyed the ride and taking pictures. Along the trail, I leaned forward to pat her.

It was fun and refreshing walking in the river on a hot day. Since horses cannot perceived depth, I had to guide her to shallow grounds along the river bed and away from low branches. I also learnt that horses would not move a foot when they urinate, which was why I was behind the group at the river.

She did galloped at certain stretches of the trail which was exhilarating. However, my camera was hitting my back with every stride.

In future, I would like to go for a longer ride and maybe go for riding lessons.

Pictures taken.

Congratulation to my complex relationship friend's wedding

A BIG congratulation to a great couple, Edward and Jade on their marriage on 07-07-07!

Edward is my sergeant in the army, "investor" during my graduate study, godson in faith though I am younger than him and a bosom friend in general.

We were in the same team in army which was how I got to know him. We went through thick and thin during army exercises and had our fair share of funny army tales. After army, we went out often to cycle or explore since both of us like outdoors and were waiting for school to begin. He went to Australia for his degree while I studied locally.

After his overseas studies, he started working while I continued to pursue for a higher degree. He would often treat me to lunch since I was a poor student then. That was how he was also know as my "investor" and I, his "investment". He is thinking that someday when I make it big, I will treat him back.

One day, he asked me if he could attend mass at the church I attended regularly. I guess God was using me as His instrument to be a companion in faith. He was my last godson, I have five.

Jade is a very fine woman who is compatible with Edward. I knew of their courtship from what Edward told me. I am happy for him to find a good wife!

I was there during their engagement ceremony where I volunteered to be their photographer. Jade was "bragging" to her friends that she had a Dr. photographer. Haha...

It is sad that I cannot go back to attend their wedding but I called them on Skype to send my greetings from Baltimore. They were tired after a whole day of activities and Edward was drunk from sabotages because people wanted to get back at him for making them drunk when they were grooms.

So, there might be a truth in the saying, "What goes around, always come back around."

A nauseating experience at the gym

Now that I had recovered from my cough, I have been working out and exercising regularly to de-stress and get the natural high feeling from endorphin.

Yesterday while running on the treadmill, a long-haired guy came and used the treadmill beside me. He was running feverishly and began to perspire. That was when I started to smell a stale, sour foul air enveloping me.

As I was in the middle of my run, I did not wish to change machine. Besides, there was no free machine available. So, I had to put up with the odor.

I tried holding my breath several times but how long can one hold since he was doing aerobic exercise. Next, I tried to swing my towel to move the air away.

In the end, I just focus on running and was glad that my 30-minute run ended.

PS: For those who wish to reduce fats, you must do aerobic exercises (running, swimming, cycling etc) for at least 20 minutes for the body to burn away the excess fats. Usually, I go for 50 minutes. Do gradual increment of time and intensity based on your current health! Go for the long term goal of being healthy and not fast drop in weight only to gain it back more. There is no short cut to health.

Don't need to travel out of Maryland to get stuffs

What stuffs you would ask? Chinese stuffs like Chinese herbs, condiments, tidbits etc.

I went to the AA Supermarket at Security Boulevard on last Saturday with Ao Yang to do grocery. This supermarket is nearer than HMart and sells Chinese products. The prices are cheaper than HMart but the vegetables and fruits are not as fresh as those at HMart. Given that this supermarket just opened a few months ago, hopefully, it can bring in fresher products.

Meanwhile, I do not have to travel to Washington D.C. or New York Chinatowns to get Chinese stuffs now or even Singapore except for ingredients for Singapore dishes. I miss the spicy food of my homeland.

A controvesial novel?

Just read The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow about Mary of Magdala during Jesus' time.

She was depicted in the Bible as a prostitute and a sinner. But in this novel, she was the beloved disciple of Jesus and his close companion.

It tried to follow along the storyline of Jesus but that he did not raise from the dead.

This is a serious contention to the beliefs of many followers of Jesus Christ. Decide for yourself.

A keen eyesight for good sales

I spent the last weekend shopping at various malls, hunting for good deals.

For example, this Levi's Red Tab jacket would normally cost USD$69.99. I saw the discounted price at $19.99. When I paid at the counter, we (including the cashier) were amazed that the price was actually $9.99. She scanned a second time to confirm and it still registered as $9.99. I encouraged her to buy for her hubby or children since it was such a good bargain.

Sales in USA are really worth waiting for. The discounts can be up to 80% off. Singapore sales should emulate if it wants to be a shopping paradise and not offered only 50% off on off-season stuffs!

Taking a bite at The Big Apple (NYC)

I went to New York City (NYC) from June 15 - 17 with Fero who is leaving USA to go back to his homeland, Slovakia in July. We had free accommodation at Fero's friend, Isabelle's home in Brooklyn.

We took Greyhound from Downtown Baltimore at 4.15pm and the travel time was about four hours. We reached Manhattan at 9.30pm instead because the coach took a detour to Newark to pick up some passengers.

The next day, we toured Brooklyn Chinatown. I noticed that along the side walks, they had gates leading to the basements. This is a pedestrain hazard. So, do keep a lookout and not be engrossed in sightseeing.

Next, we walked across The Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan over The Hudson River. The sheer size of the bridge was impressive. After that, we headed towards Chinatown along Canal Road which was packed with tourists. Vendors were selling souvenirs, perfumes, watches etc.

We also took a free Staten Island ferry ride which allowed a good snap shot of the city scape of lower Manhattan and passed by the Statue of Liberty. On Staten Island, the buildings were mostly four-storey high in contrast to the towering skyscrapers in Manhattan. I actually preferred the tranquility of this island.

On Sunday, we attended mass at St. Patrick Cathedral which was packed with tourists and worshippers. The church looked grand but I could not worship fully with so much distractions. We walked around the main shopping belt and the items were pricey. Next, we visited the Bronx zoo where I had a good shot of the tiger up close.

Spending 4 days in the Big Apple was too short for me to cover everything. I will be visiting here again whenever I can.

NYC photo album.

A literally wet Thursday indoor and outdoor

I was woken from my sleep by my ringing cell. I checked my clock and the time was 2.48am. The call was from BJ, our lab manager. I was thinking it was strange for her to call me at such an odd hour.

I was shocked when I heard the bad news. "The laboratory is flooded and your new laptop is drenched," said she. She was informed by the night guard who noticed water flooding the ground level. My lab was located on the third level. You could imagine the amount of water flowing. Thinking that my experiment might be affected, she thus called me so that I would not be shocked when I reached the lab in the morning.

After our conversation, I could not get back to sleep as my mind was racing through the different possibilities of savaging the damages. I tried to get some sleep as I had been deprived of deep sleep by my persistent night cough which had kept me awake till 3am for the past few nights! Frustrated after tossing around, I read a chapter of The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow before sleep caught up with me again after 4am.

Before I left for the lab, I prayed from the prayer booklet which I got from joining the prayer group at Blessed Sacrament Church. What struck me was the aptness of the prayer, The Serenity Prayer with regards to my situation.

O God and Heavenly Father,

Grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed; the courage to change that which can be changed, and the wisdom to know the one from the other, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

I reached the lab before 9am and noticed puddles on staircase landings. Workers from house cleaning were busy drying the floor. I checked my work bench and was surprised to find that it was completely dry but not Vladimir's and Greg's.

The fire sprinkler at Greg's area had burst. Greg's new laptop (USD$2500) was spoilt. The irony was he would bring it home every night but yesterday he did not bring it back since he had social engagement. Also, the sprinkler was actually leaking a few weeks ago. Maintenance was informed but no action was followed up.

There were dark water marks on the walls, cupboards, etc. The damage ran up to more than $50 thousands. Fortunately, the departmental manager said the lab was insured. I helped Delores to throw away the heavy water-soaked stuffs. Vladimir had to pull out all the drawers to drain the water since it had seeped in.

The lab was running again by afternoon.

In the evening, the sky was overcast. So I checked with weather.com for the forecast. It stated 20% chance of precipitation. When I reached the bus stop, there was already a long line waiting for the shuttle bus heading towards Homewood campus. There was no way I could get on the first shuttle that arrived. Just as the late bus arrived, it started to rain and the front passengers were quickly loading up the bus. Since I could not get on this bus, I ran back to the lab to wait till the rain ceased. However, just as I was crossing the road, I heard the bus driver informing the passengers that the bus had broken down.

Today was like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Beach house at Barnegat Light, NJ

After my failed attempt to visit NYC over Memorial long weekend, I got another chance to travel out of Baltimore from Jun 2 - 5. This time, I went to a beach house at Barnegat Light in the Garden State, New Jersey with Eduardo and Punar households.

Prior to our trip, we decided that each household would cook dinner for the three nights while we were there. I made Chinese dumplings (as requested), Greta cooked lots of Brazilian meals (lunch included) and Stephanie whipped up chicken stroganoff.

We arrived around 12pm and were tired since we met at 6.30am and had travelled for 4 hours. I wasted no time to snap pictures of the beach house. From the website, the interior looked pleasing but there was no picture of the exterior. We suspected that there was something amiss. Sure enough, we drove by the house because it was inconspicuous and some paints were peeling. We did not mind the exterior since it was comfortable and cosy inside with TV, DVD player, washer, dryer etc.

I tried not to sleep, so I went out to explore. The Barnegat
Light State Park was located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. There was a group of unicyclists touring the light house which I managed to capture secretly.

In the evening, we went to the beach. Boy, it was chilling with strong winds blowing across the cold Atlantic Ocean. We did not stayed there for long because we were not dressed for a cold spell. Instead, we went to the bay side where the sea was calm. We even started to have a stone skimming contest among the adults. The highest number of bounces was six, held by Sthefane.

Unfortunately, it rained for the next two days where we spent the time watching DVDs and eating. I was teased for sitting in front of the box because I had said that I did not come to a beach house to stare at a TV. Well, I had to eat my words. On Monday, we went to a mall since we had two toddlers who were hyperactive. We needed them to run around so that they would be exhausted and hopefully sleep early. I bought myself one box of cookies & cream smidgens, and strawberry smidgens from Gertrude Hawk Chocolates to try out this chocolate chain. The sales tax in New Jersey was 7% compared to Maryland's 5%.

On our way back from the mall, we stopped by a surf shop. I bought a bodyboard and luckily, the rained had stopped and the evening sun was out. We quickly went to the beach to compensate for the lost time spent indoor. The water was icy cold and our soles even hurt standing on wet sand! Courage was needed just to go into the freezing water and the waves were towering. Anyway, you can see me riding the wave which was a superb feeling when you disregarded the numbing cold.

On our last day (Jun 5), Eduardo, Greta, Mathias and I went to the Barnegat Lighthouse before proceeding to the beach again. Climbing up 217 steps inside the Barnegat Lighthouse and carrying a 15kg-toddler was an intensive workout. We were panting when we reached the top. I had a good view of the island, the bay and the Atlantic Ocean at the viewing deck. The view was picturesque!

More photos are available here.

My first trip to a physician here

After suffering from a sore throat which developed into a cough, I finally went to consult a physician after coughing for a week.

I called to make an appointment with the University Health Center. As this was my first visit, I had to filled up a 66-questionnaire so that the center could serve me better. Next, a nurse took my blood pressure and temperature before sending me off to a physician. The nurse had to retake my pressure because it was slightly high as I had walked for 20 minutes.

The physician was energetic and professional. I was diagnosed as having a cold, thus there was no need to prescribe antibiotics. But I requested for some medicine to decongest my lungs. She wrote a prescription for two cough syrups.

The difference about the health clinic here is that you do not get your medicine at the clinic; only prescription. Instead, you go to a pharmacy and buy your medicine. I found this inconvenient since I was not feeling well and I had to go to another place to buy my medicine.

Another point about the health care here is you need to have a medical insurance in USA, else pray that you would not get sick because you could be turned away because you do not have insurance. A good thing my fellowship covers my medical insurance so I do not have to fork out a sum of money! A normal consultation can set you back by $75. Let's see how much this would cost.

A sad thing I heard from my friend was that once her husband was suffering from a heart attack and she rushed him to a hospital. Instead of attending to him upon arrival, an administrator asked my friend if he had medical insurance. Of course my friend was furious and asked her to go away. The administrator was persistent and my friend said her cash and credit cards were in her bag and could take it if she wanted.

HonFest 2007

HonFest is the brainchild of Denise Whiting, celebrating the culture, language and people of Baltimore.

The word "Hon" is a friendly Baltimore greeting for honey. There were street stalls selling clothes, crafts to food, which covered four blocks on 36th Street in the neighborhood of Hampden.

In conjunction with this festival, The Baltimore's Best Hon Contest had women dressed up like in the sixties with beehive hairdos, pointy glasses, spandex pants and things associated with leopard print. Some even had curlers on their hairdos walking around (that day was a good excuse for not taking out those curlers).

I was drawn to the stage by a catchy tune Good Morning, Baltimore from the movie, Hairspray. Sitting down, I felt relaxed and began to appreciate Baltimore as a local rather than a visitor.

Sick

Lack of sleep plus clocking in over 12 hours of work daily equals weaken immune system.

Weaken immune system plus pathogens equals sore throat which developed into fever and cough.

Taking a relaxed pace now to heal myself and administering a cough syrup that makes me drowsy. I need to sleep more.

Talking about cough syrup which I bought over-the-counter, a 17-year-old track star died from over usage of anti-inflammatory muscle cream, the kind used to soothe aching legs after exercise. Never would have imagined that this cream can kill people. The old philosophy of exercising, "no pain, no gain" is flawed. We should listen to our body and rest when it is hurting too much.

Rest when pained to go further,
Gained by no injury to self.

Intuition

I enjoyed the novel, Intuition by Allegra Goodman, thoroughly who had done an excellent job of writing a story I identify presently since I am working in a wet laboratory.

The story revolved around on the need to balance between rushing to publish preliminary findings to gain a head start and confirming the findings are accurate. It also depicted the lives of overworked post-doc fellows "slaving" in the lab in wee hours of the night.

The reason why I have not been blogging is that I am busy with my experiments now. One ELISpot experiment usually takes three days. If I am not doing it, I am performing other experiments (such as ELISA, cloning etc.) or preparing for the next ELISpot experiment.

Look out for Barnegat Light, NJ pictures and adventures

In the process.....