A Clogged Sink... and more
Yeah, I just finished helping my dad attempt to solve a clogged up sink that is terribly designed -- which is currently still clogged.
For the past 2 months, most of the hours of my life was devoted to the lab. I'm not complaining, because I do find it interesting, fun, and exciting. Not forgetting frustration, impatience, and disappointments -- loads of it. And I must admit, a presently faint and budding hope of being able to publish a paper before I graduate. Of course, exciting only when the project does move on, inter-mingled with small doses of triump and celebration when troubleshoots are successfully solved, and when the agar plates do have colonies growing.
Unfortunately, I do find myself spending lesser and lesser time at home. Lab hours, the frequent dinners and birthdays spent with friends (of which I'm thankful, as it shows that people still regard me as a friend), piano lessons and pool trainings all occupy much of my time. Of course, the occasional family dinners during certain weekends and birthdays are still intentionally organised and treasured. But day to day, only mum and dad's at home between 5-11pm.
There is a sense of guilt at times, when I sit down and realize (like now) that home is slowly becoming like a hotel. Check in for the night, and temporarily check out for the day. Of course, minimal room service provided. So, the clogged sink actually provided an oppotunity for me to do something together with my dad. Wierd huh... but else, sometimes it's just hard to find a common topic to talk about. It is sad too.
But talking about the clogged sink. If I were to own a house in the future, I'll just get a plumber. Or maybe not, 'cos I guess I have not experienced how it feels to pay out of my own pocket something I know I can reasonably fix on my own.
Cleaning the incubator (that had E.coli spilt all over, and a conspicuous looking 1litre flask with a shattered hole and my name written over it) was indeed a big challenge. Dismantling the entire machine was probably my most recent encounter of doing something very much technical. Coupled with some really microscopic and tightly screwed in screws, my blood was boiling in a matter of minutes. I destroyed 3 alan/allen keys in the process of loosening those screws. But with some summoning of determination, creativity and a certain degree of quick-mindedness, I managed to get the job done.
I have to admit, these traits of looking for alternative methods to get a job done, finding unharmful short-cuts, and the determination to finish tasks that look impossible were inculcated during army days as a CQMS. Dealing with logistics and lots of manual labour, sometimes you just have to think of alternative methods on the spot when a certain something so happen is lacking. Especially when you're out in the field, and resources are limited. And, my trusty storemen never fail to come up with whacky ideas, creative methods and surprisingly simple ways of getting various jobs done. Despite their limited years of education or bad history with the law, I really admire and respect them for some of their ideologies and the hardships they have to endure. I must say, army has opened my eyes and provided me a window to see and encounter people and situations that I would never even get close to.
I have recently begun to appreciate Celtic and World Folk music. I never knew it is pronouced as "Cal-Tic" music till of late. Perhaps the tranquility, mysticism and imagination it invokes makes is kind of enchanting. Think misty mountains, rippling streams, dancing faeries, craggy vikings and bewildering forests. Also the medieval tunes likened to castles, dungeons, jesters, carnivals... ... Ah, I would love to explore Scandinavia one day.
So, about the clogged sink. Despite dismantling everything and clearing the unexpectedly imaginary clogged drainage pipe, the sink still remained clogged. Pretty bewildering. For me, I think I would extend an invitation to the plumber.
My dad however, thinks otherwise.
posted by chwh @ 12:14 AM
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