Epidemic Diseases

We watched a video about human population and epidemic diseases today. Increase of human population has speed up and intensify the spread of diseases. Most epidemic diseases like HIV and AIDS were once exclusive in wild animals and later became adopted to human bodies. Most disease still stay in the first stage, spreading only within a specie. It would be hard for virus to adopt into a different species, humans, unless we are unaware or ignore this change. The speaker said that if all lives are to be written into a series of books. The first four books will be about virus, bacteria and microbes, while all plants and animals will be in the last book and humans will just going to be a footnote. True. We should investigate more on the fundamental level of diseases' origin rather than forces on the highest and narrowest level of spreading among humans, which is troublesome like a malignant cancer.

Recording Voice

To make a video for the Space Lab project, I had to record my voice to explain idea. However, I found it weird and difficult to record my own voices because I didn't feel conformable to listen to my own sounds. I was so frustrated that I didn't even listen to my presentation until I showed it to the teacher. I jumped around and looked at any stuff on desk when the teacher was watching my video. He said nobody likes their own sounds. Yet, half of it is right. My voice might not be beautiful and euphonious, but I was fine and satisfied with it. I was frustrated to hear my voice when the output of the sounds was not me myself. I'm unique in the world, nothing should have my voice. The reason Edison invented recorder was to keep the memory of his mother, although he succeed after her death. I don't think he had ever thought about this problem.

Space Lab

Space Lab is a contest held by Youtube, NASA and other organization that allow high school students to come up with experiments that to be done in space. For two of my AP classes, the teacher requires us to do this video. For weeks, I had been thinking about how microgravity can have any impact on lives. I learned that otolith organs are among the systems most sensitive to gravity and movements. Such organs are common in vertebrates, so use other animal to model human. After I read several scientific papers, I found that several studies have done experiments with zebrafish. How do otolith organs of zebra fish grow in microgravity environment? My hypothesis is that the growth of otolith organ will be different in microgravity environment in terms of the gene expression and morphology by image. Although I rushed out the last minute to finish my video, I'm very satisfied with my idea and method. Hopefully, after I get comments from teacher, I will reedit it really submit to youtube. 

Astronauts eat dried fish

I was thinking about an biological experiment that will have chance to be carried in spacecraft. I asked my mom, "It's better to use fish or microorganisms, like bacteria or e coli,  for experiment in an outer space?" She replied me, "Of course, fish! If there's something wrong or accident with shuttle and it delays to come back to Earth, then the astronauts can eat the fish." All of sudden, I literally felt like "lol". Silence for couple seconds. We laughed. "Yeah they will tell you 'Sorry your fish has died, so we ate them' but you will help them survive," said my mom. I told her with a serious face "Mom, the factor I'm thinking about is hypo gravity." She then replied, "Then definitely don't use fish because water will float in the air and they will all dry out. Wait. Maybe astronauts would like to have some dried fish since the food they eat in space is generally not tasty." LOL, I thought "Yeah, I will also include some salt in the material list of the experiment."

Heritage

Reflection on my Taiwanese Heritage: In my country – Taiwan,  there are about a total of 28 racial groups including 14 named aborigines and several from the mainland China. There are reserved areas, open museum and communities designed for different groups. People enjoy a lot different culture festivals and folk art. I am lucky that I have been exposed to many and I could speak two local languages and sing aborigines songs. I think I could share all these with people in college. I wish to make college friends to form a beautiful mosaic, with different culture, different beliefs, and different dreams.

Culture Difference

On a wall of my room is a blessed line-drawing picture of a rose with two sentences, “Thank you for being my friend. I’ll miss you.” That card is not only a memory of a friendship but also an experience of culture difference.

It reminded me of that summer I went to a summer camp at Ojai Valley School near Los Angeles. Carmen was my dormmate.  Although we did not join the same program, the time we spent together was very nice. I liked her because she was friendly and amicable, and she liked me for the same reason. However our good relationship didn’t last long since I had never recognized the differences between us.

One afternoon, we were supposed to clean up the dorm. I brought the broom and proposed that I would sweep the floor of the whole room, instead of just my half, and she would do the mopping. However, she sat on the bed and continued working. She seemed to be annoyed by me. “You could do that,” she said. I felt the atmosphere was a little awkward, but since I thought my proposal was a good and efficient cooperation, I ignored my discomfort and started sweeping. When I finished, I gave her the mop. Now it is your turn to mop the floor,” I told her and laid down on my bed. Suddenly, she stood up, saying, “Why should I help you mop the floor?” she stirred at me. Smiling and thinking she was joking, I replied, “Because I helped you sweep your part and now it’s your turn to help mop my part.” Then she got angry and only mopped her part of the floor, declaring “When you help someone, you’re not supposed to expect a return. That’s not the right attitude.” I was shocked and confused. I tried to explain to her, but both us were too furious and emotional to listen to each other.

Activities

When I was working on application, I found that I had not joined many activities after I came to PAS. Most of the activities I joined here were community services. I joined community service club for 3 semester in which I went to St. Joseph Social Welfare every week during club time. I helped people with disabilities make crafts, which they can sell to make a living. I also accompanied them to supermarket and park and played with them. I also went on street to sell toothbrush for Eden foundation. I remembered I help out to separate and categorize trash in Tzu Chi recycle center. 

Winter Community Service

I went to Taichung for a meeting of Eden community service in winter today. It was like a activity which I have go to different sections for the main introduction and introduction of each place, and get a stamp from each section. Since I'm mostly interested in programs in foreign countries, I went to listened to about service in Nepal, India, Cambodia, and a special program for exploring new places to do service. I'm interested to go to Nepal the most because it's not very hot there and I have always want to go the mountain there. I imagine I will meet many cute and frank children and I will teach them English, math and science. Still not everyone registered can join the programs, they choose and schedule people by their list of priority of the programs by chance. Hopefully, I will have a chance to go to Nepal.

Yearbook

I made an outline page of yearbook for elementary school-time pictures today. Though we had had many club time periods, this was actually the first time I had contributed some progress in yearbook club. At the beginning of the year, I tried out several clubs, including chess, spanish clubs, to finally make up my mind to be in yearbook club. However, I didn't take photo nor make any photo edit until today. I was happy and proud of myself because before I began, no one would expect me to finish, even start, it. I can feel that they didn't have any expectation nor hope on me by the way they talked to me and annoyed to answer my questions about the format. They were discussing and deciding how to and what to do with outline when I walked to them and presented my outline. Yet, I knew they're surprised. Though, I was not as good as them on making yearbook outline, I tried and challenged myself only to do it but also facing their attitude on me. Now I have more confident on making the outline, and approach what I want to do whether people around support me.

Parent Expectation

Mr. Dahl did a quick head-down poll today when he asked us whether we thought we could be successful if our parents have put expectation on us or we could be as good without parents' expectations. I didn't raise my hand in either answer, but I could have rose my hand in both answers. My parents expect me to be myself. They never tell me to work hard, behave good at school, nor take care of my sister. Although they always tell me that they just want me to be happy, I know that they expect me to put good "expectation" on myself. Growing up with them I have known them so well that I can tell when they're satisfy with and  proud of me, and when they are disappointed with me, even though they have that mask and the same saying "as long as you're happy" all the time. Yet, you might think that I should've raised my hand for the answer in which parents' expectations have influenced and shaped me today. (continue tomorrow XD)

Mendel

I have always known that Mendel was who discovered the mysterious pattern of genetic inheritance by experiments with peas. When I was reading AP biology textbook this afternoon, I found that Mendel was actually a monk and he lived in a monastery. He did all those scientific experiment in an abbey garden! He and his siblings actually received agricultural training in school. After he finished university, he went back to the monastery, which sounds incredible and impossible for anyone today, at least for me. I also read about that all his monk fellows were fascinating with the breeding of plants. It's an interesting story, and many of the facts surprised me. lol  AP biology is truly more advanced than regular biology.

Eveline

Evelin is woman who was going to leave her home to and have a new life with her husband in another country. Although she had a dutiful life at home and didn't have a pleasant childhood, she was averred whether to go on with her husband or stay at home. She was not able to let go her past while facing her future life. Sitting in her house, she heard the organ from the street. It reminded an anecdote in the past when the family went on a field trip and her father made a joke to made the children laugh. She realized that after all her father was not always mean to her -- he loved her. She saw her husband as a saver from the dutiful life that she had once resolve not to be trapped in that life as her mom did.  After all, whether she went with her husband....><

Rainy Day

It rained heavily but I forgot to bring my umbrella when I went out in the evening. A stranger, a women asked me whether I wanted to share umbrella with her, so I walked with her. She was so nice to me that she would walk with me to where I was going, although she's actually going to the opposite direction. I was lucky because if not her, I would have been all wet. However, I didn't want her to walk with me too far because she would have to walk back, so, saying "thank you" many times, I told her to leave me on the half way. Walking on my own, I regretted but when I looked back, she's gone. I should have let her walk with me to the restaurant and buy her some tea. Next time, I will bring a big umbrella with me and seek if there's anyone without one.

Stressed

Why I have so many things to do? Beside all the homework and tests, which already tie me up stressfully,  Space Lab, science fair and application essay are going to put me into a hot boiling pot. Just looking at my notebook, I cannot even sit still. In the evening, I wondered  around everywhere in school trying to find a place that is quiet where I can calm down and work alone. However, I never find such a place because the problem is within me not the place. One of the reason is that I'm too tired. Before I live in the dorm, I usually went to before 11 and waked up at 5, but now I go to bed so late that I feel every day is the extension of yesterday and there's never a new, fresh day. I put a quotes on the desktop of my computer: "Wisdom is the ability to calm anytime and do whatever is needed to be done."

Poster

How the poster had made me satisfied and happy is how it made me frustrate as if I was pulled down to the bottom of sea and almost suffocate. I was once happy with it because I thought I had done it very well. Although I finished it on the week that is due, I had spent a lot of time researching and linking the two characters. I even made an outline on a separate document summarizing the text from the story and analysis of the characters before I started making the poster. But all that effort was futile as I made a such big mistake and didn't even recognized it right away.  When I was told to talk to the teacher about my poster, I was first shocked and then depressed when I realized what I have done wrong. I should have done it carefully, and notice the part that was not written in my own words. Though it was terrible, I learned not to ever copy anything for my work anymore.

New Stone

Today I went swimming with my father. When we were relaxed in the sauna, I told him that I did not feel easy after taking the SAT test, instead I was more stressed by numerous essays that I have to finish within a month. He replied me, "It's not that bad. At least its a 'new' heavy stone falling down on you." Never having thought dad would answer me in that way, I laughed. "Don't worried, I would not shy away from it." I replied.

Mad

On my mom's shirt shows "We're all mad here!" Yes, everyone is mad everywhere. Stress from anything, unknown of the future, makes us insane, crazy and mad. I found that dad, mom, teachers, principle, head of school...are somehow childish. Indeed, everyone was once a child, and that inner nature of child has always rooted in one's bottom of mind. After seeing the "performance" of the principle and the head of school,  I realized that no one is really matured and we're all humans, species that have emotions. You probably don't agree that every is crazy. But think in this way: If everyone is mad, then no one should be considered ridicule. So it's normal to be mad.

Volunteering Service

Planning for Christmas, I'm thinking about joining a volunteering service in a foreign country. I imagined I am in a undeveloped town on a hill, teaching and playing with children. Though people there are as educated as people in Taiwan, they genuine and kind. I would meet a amicable child who would invite me to her house on the other side of the hill and tell the story that has been told by her great grandfather through her father and to her. I would enjoy the scenery of mountain and the unmeasured vastness of the sky. Although I might encounter some difficulties with language, food, or weather there, I would like to have such special experience to help others.