Friday, May 21, 2010

'Just do it..do silly mistakes..!..'..and so I did..

Remember previous post.. I mentioned Tony asked me to just embark whichever experiment I'm trying to do?When I told him I was quite slow as I need time to assure what I'm going to do..he told me..just do it..you'll find the answer along the process...do silly mistakes...don't worry..because you will always learn..

And last Monday..the silly mistakes??Yes I did!As it's quite been a while since I last did the experiment (before I went back hometown)..err..this was just reason!!I think I was not quite myself...I didn't know what was I thinking...I randomly put the crucibles for the sample roasting..RANDOMLY in the furnace..regardless the  sequence number of the crucibles which every unit I've weighted before the roasting...owh..what a waste of time!. I couldn't proceed with the rest of the samples.the rest of the day..as the experiments needs a total of at least 5 hours to be completed..and the time after the first stage roasting was already 1.15 pm...I can't stay in the lab until 6++!!(with the permission procedures..bla..bla..which I didn't prepared beforehand..)So that was it..lessons learned..

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Don't wait...Don't waste your time!

Earlier this week; Monday..Julian has asked me about my work..and maybe all of us in the research team could discuss about our work together, .since it has been a while we have not sit together chat about our research ..Alhamdulillah...I'm blessed...since I came..Andrew, Julian and Martyn have been very helpful and supportive of us..

Yes..this realization made me think of God's miracles..whenever I felt lose, He heard me, and at that very moment, whenever I have this confusion about my literature reading, whenever I felt stuck and lost, felt like I do not know how to move on. or I can't move on... always Andrew, Julian or Martyn asking me how I've been...

So we're going to have our discussion together with Toby and Syrish sometime this week...informal discussion...Julian said : 'let's help each other.me and Martyn...we're here to help.."..Coincidentally, last 2 days..miraculously, just before Julian asked me about that, I've just met Keith, mentioned to him that I need consultation regarding my research as I felt lost...and today..we had our meeting, together with Tony..

I always had this fear to see them if I felt I'm not ready or...I don't really have any progress to show...but yes..actually I do...right before I went back to my hometown, I did this one trial experiments, got some results, but didn't manage to discuss with them...and I recalled, when I presented the data during my annual progress assessment the other day, Tony and Keith did mentioned we have to sit down and discuss the result further..it's just that...after that assesment..have been 3 weeks since..but I didn't do anything except, literature reading that brought me to nowhere!I felt that I'm, very...very slow..

Anyhow, despite the 'fearness' of meeting and discuss with them, I felt so relief..after the an hour discussion this afternoon..We discussed about the research direction..what to focus next...and more indepth about the research...everything gets so clearer now....I  learned that I shouldn't drag my confusion for long...as Keith always mentioned...if u wait for us..you will not get to see us...you  have to knock and remind us..you have to guide us as well..and Tony always said..I'm busy yes..but I always have time if u need it..and indeed when I met Keith to set up our appointment, Keith told me..'Don't keep your confusion, if you're stuck..you have to tell us right away..'..yes..I shouldn't have drag for too long...time doesn't wait.

So today..I learned that...no matter how you felt about your research , you stuck somewhere, and you fear to see your supervisor (s) just because you felt that you're not progressing well, so be it. Eventually, you still have to see them anyway. Don't drag the matter for long..or you will ended up, wasting your time, drag something not worth the time, as you could have done something really valuable to fill the time gap u've wasted lingering...because at the end of the day..this is your work, your PhD!

So start from tomorrow..I  know now what to do!

Ya Allah, I thanked you...blessed me with such  good people surrounds me in my PhD journey..I should appreciate this..and speed my work...like Tony always said..."Roll your sleeves!"..

Alhamdulillah..