My First Scholarship

Me at the Undergraduate Award Ceremony (May 9, 2013) receiving my Hilldale Award (the first scholarship in my life), with the chancellor, Mr. David Ward. I received the scholarship for my research project on the Manduca juvenile hormone binding protein.

 

 

Me and my two friends from the Department of Entomology.

Dumpling Making (Chinese New Year)

I posted those photos on Facebook, but they could only be seemed by group members so I'm posting them here so other people can see them. Those are not all the photos, though.

February 16, 2013: Chinese New Year celebration - dumpling making with oSTEM

It took a long time just to cut the pork and the cabbage.

We enjoyed it. One of the girls said, there is not a thing we added in the dumpling that I don't like.

I was so prepared in my Chinese shirt. I was teaching ancient Chinese secret! LOL

I think he really had fun chopping the pork.

Good arm exercise. :D

Why that expression? LOL

My friends were amazing. We made about a hundred dumplings. It was their first time making dumplings, they learned it by just watching me once, and none of the dumplings broke after boiling.

"My mind just had a little imploding (when I saw how a dumpling is folded)," he said.

It was so delicious! I was so happy and proud! :D

I let them try different sauces. I had soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and spicy bean sauce. They love it, even the spicy bean sauce. It must be a very different taste to them.

She was vegetarian, so she made a batch of vegetarian dumplings.

I think dumpling making is a great New Year tradition to carry on, isn't it?

Thanksgiving at Johnny's

(November 22 of 2012)
My friend Johnny invited me as well as other people to his house in Milwaukee to have Thanksgiving meal. The house was small but very charming, thanks to the decoration and neatness that Johnny's mom put efforts into. His parents cooked turkey stuffing that was so delicious when I mixed and ate it with mashed potatoes. His grandparents also came from Canada to enjoy the meal with us. I felt like I was the happiest person in the world!

Johnny drew a molecule on my name card because he's heard I like chemistry. He didn't even know what molecule it was, which turned out to be phenylmethanol (benzyl alcohol). That was funny; maybe he just didn't know how to draw an insect so he did that instead.

Science Cookies

There are some epic cookies that a member of the student organization, oSTEM, made for us. We get together every other week just nerding out. The ones in this picture are beaker, test tube, and flask cookies. There were some very pretty orbital-model atom cookies (you can see one on the corner) and others too. I think all science and non-sicence majors should be jealous!

潮蟲娃娃

今天下午到State Street上去逛了一會兒解悶，看到一個約20公分大的潮蟲娃娃(就是鼠婦，很多隻腳，會蜷起來變成一個球的那種生物)，用柔亮的金屬光澤布料作成，還真的可以捲起來，很可愛，可是要$30，太貴了，而且我早就不玩填充玩具了，算了吧！

我買了一個特價的乳牛花色馬克杯，下面還有四個腳做成乳頭造型，寒假要送給Meika叔叔，還有一張Wisconsin風景的明信片要寄給張媽媽。

希望沒被傳染狂犬病

昨天是我第一次對L比較兇，因為當我熄燈後，她(雖然早就想睡)還是躺在地舖床上，不肯把音樂關掉，好像是在做幼稚地報復；反正我那時也不想睡，就開我的音樂，繼續做我的功課。半小時後我厲聲跟L說：「你知道，我早可以叫警察的。你現在做個決定：把音樂關掉，我就馬上去睡覺，要不然我就整晚醒著跟你耗！」她才把音樂關掉。

既然我們都約好了星期一她會搬家，她至少不會露宿街頭，我也盡量配合她父母的時間，為什麼她就不願意好聚好散？一定要一直濫用我的同情心、試探我的脾氣和耐性，讓她自己的最後兩晚待不下去？

她前幾天寄給我一封電子信，說為她對我亂發脾氣感到抱歉，並說她明白我可以隨時請她離開我家。我知道人要一時改變很難，既然她道歉了，也似乎學了一些東西，我就幾乎原諒她了。但昨晚她所說的顯示她其實根本沒有學到；她說，「你又沒有被踢出你自己的公寓」，好像現在是我把她踢出「她的家」一樣。

我不是一個喜歡計較金錢的人，但L除了給我帶來種種不便跟困擾(要我都配合她的時間和方便，到最後簡直把我當女傭一樣使來喚去，我當然不想理她了)，還有一堆已經算是「間接要錢」的行為。我真的不知道這個人是遲鈍看不出我的付出，還是都當成理所當然？我沒要她房租不算，她也知道我的水電費比上個月多兩倍。她常常用我的食材，最近還每天跟我借手機，只為了跟她媽媽說話；我有告知手機費很貴，請她長話短說，她也看得到每通電話後自動簡訊告訴她通話費。就算我付出的時間和精力她體會不到，她平常對自己花錢斤斤計較，會感受不到這些金錢和物質上的付出嗎？

今天一早我還沒起床，她就起來，弄出一堆聲音後甩門而出，連燈都沒關。三個形容詞：忘恩負義、笨到極點、又超沒教養。在她心中也許我才是殘酷沒教養的那一個，但她把我逼到原諒她很難。反正現在我是屋主，她是不可能把我趕出這棟房子的，我看她今晚還敢不敢回來睡覺，走著瞧！我一直覺得這是她的損失，因為可能沒有另一個朋友會對她這麼好了。雖然我妹妹不喜歡瘋狗這個字眼，但我還真是撿了一隻流浪狗回來，流浪狗本來是值得同情沒錯，但誰知時間越久越瘋、越囂張，希望這段時間內我沒被傳染狂犬病。

我不知道被當成什麼了...

 我想我有點對同學L惱怒了。今天說了一些 ... 算是實話吧。

一早起來她就哭喪著臉說，我好害怕！我說怕什麼？她說：「我會被當掉物理課和化學課，你一定要幫我！」我問：「你有找過校園裡的免費助教嗎？」她說沒有。「我建議你多找幾個不同的資源，因為我只能非常有限地幫你。有時我很忙，而且有機化學很多我也忘了；我絕對不是一切。」說實在，她抱怨教授不好，或是上課她總是無法專心，課本不帶回來，也不做自己的筆記，就腦袋空空地希望我「餵」她，或是用我的筆記，我覺得學習態度不是很好。

幾天以來她不停地問例如，牛奶可以保存多久？吃什麼比較健康？我要怎麼吃Kale？什麼食物鐵質含量比較高？今天我忍不住說：「你可以上網嗎？我又不是百科全書。」她居然答道：「我老是忘記你不是百科全書，因為你什麼都知道。」真令人無言。我也建議她上網找食譜，可是她覺得食譜上的菜都超級麻煩。我只好跟她說，其實食物只要是熟的都可以吃，食譜是要教你怎麼樣比較「好吃」，你不必完全按照做法。一個一點時間跟心都不想花在煮飯上的人，又想學煮飯，還真難教。

雖然我告訴L她可以自己隨時到超級市場買菜，她希望我陪她。在Farmers' Market一路上她還是不斷的抱怨菜價很貴。我說：「你一直說很貴，可是這就是市面上的價錢啊！」離開超級市場前，她問：「你覺得我應該買起士嗎？我需要買牛奶嗎？」我忍不住生氣了，說：「拜託！你一直問我我沒有辦法回答你的問題。我不能決定你要吃什麼。」她居然一臉無辜的說：「可是我需要忠告嘛！」為什麼有人連自己早上要不要喝牛奶都需要別人告訴她？我開始覺得奇怪她過去到底是怎麼過的？

在回家的路上她又一直說，我覺得住在宿舍有好多時間可以念書。住在外面我的時間被採購食物、煮飯(她根本還沒開始煮)、和走回校園(我家離學校才10分鐘步程)占掉好多，還要扛好重的食物回家。因為她每天都在念這件事情，我今天惱怒地說：「我喜歡自己採購和煮飯的生活。有些事是無法改變的。例如很多台灣學生到這裡來，冬天很冷。你可以選擇適應這裡的冷天，並快樂地玩雪，或是每天抱怨、哭、只想回到家鄉的氣候，然後每天慘兮兮。這就是每個人對自己心態的選擇。」說了這麼多，我不知道她了不了解我的意思是什麼。今天問過她打工的意願，她想都不想，因為她不肯讓任何事情占掉她念書的時間，也不肯暫時因為家庭因素而退學一年。

好吧，我也是在抱怨。當初我幫助並收留L只是不想看到一個同學流落街頭，並順便教她一些基本生活技能如炒菜，讓她可以快一點獨立。因為我也曾經到過一個谷底，我知道在谷底時，有人好心，哪怕只是輕輕拉你一把，是很重要的。因為我們其實無親無故，我也不要求回報。我只希望她不要把我當成理所當然，或是全知全能的角色，除了收留她，還要負責她的功課和心理輔導；早點面對現實，並在除了讀書之外用點大腦。

與我共住數日的同學L ... 另一個中式教育的失敗品？

自從上星期意外地「撿到」同學L，她就在我家打地鋪，共同生活了好幾天。這種情況會維持到她找到校外可以住的地方。L和我之前也不算非常要好的朋友，但她平日認真讀書，沒什麼朋友，走投無路下只好找我，我也不忍心讓她到露宿街頭的地步。相處幾天後，我才發現她的生活中似乎缺了好多東西。

照年齡算，L比我大一個月。現在遇到困境，卻像黏著大姊姊般希望我教她功課、教她煮飯、怎麼找房子、生活中的雜事等。雖然在校成績優良，跟我一樣是榮譽學生，但很多生活常識都要重頭學起，例如現在菜市場物價多少到食物是不是要放涼了再放冰箱？可以保存多久？

L不停地表示她覺得別人比較幸運，街上的每一個人都看起來比她快樂。像她看我的話就覺得我的命比較好，父母比較有錢，我的成績好是因為我天生資質就好，簡直是天才，平常運氣也比較好；她也老是覺得別人修的課比較輕鬆、有趣 ... 雖然很多不是真的。我提醒她，人們通常看起來快樂或強是因為他們把自己不快樂或弱的一面藏起來，每個人都有煩惱和不幸的地方；我也不是天才 ... 說著說著我開始覺得，怎麼好像都沒有人跟她說過這些？

我懷疑L的學習不得其法？她平日把大部分的時間花在坐在圖書館裡，從來不運動，常常也不好好吃飯或睡覺，連別人勸她休息一下下、走一走都不肯，這樣真的有效率嗎？她請我教她有機化學的NMR。NMR是一個完全靠經驗和推裡來拼湊出分子結構的方法，但L總是靜不下心，好好地把分子構造一步步地畫出來，總是想一下子畫出整個分子，然後自己在畫什麼都不知道，解不出來就大叫，完了！我考試要怎麼辦？我覺得這就像很多中國學生想在數學解題上找「捷徑」，不是真的想懂，只想在考試上拿分。也許是這樣，當需要理解的東西越來越多時，困難就出現了。

因為L在物理課也遇到困難，想申請進學校的物裡學習中心卻被通知名額已滿，我前天到學習中心去說情，跟助教說我認為她比我更需要幫助，幸好學習中心接受她了。有一天晚上，L絕望地跟我說：「我好想退學回家算了。」
又說：「可是沒有學位我會找不到工作。」
我說：「世界上有很多人沒有學位也工作著、生活著。」
她說：「可是我媽說，你不是要長得漂亮，就要聰明，不然你就沒有未來。怎麼辦？我什麼都沒有，我的未來完蛋啦！」
我答道：「文憑不是你的聰明才智的代表。」
講著講著她好像也不能接受，因為她總覺得我和她是不平等的。前天晚上我為了遺傳學期中考通宵，也拒絕在那時教她化學，她說：「你那麼聰明，樣樣都好，為什麼還要那麼拼命？」

我有時被L弄得又好氣又好笑，有時又很同情她。她的很多表現也不能怪她，畢竟家裡突然出狀況，她發現自己根本沒辦法照顧自己，功課又漸漸跟不上，嚇壞了。我只是在想，她能不能算另一個中式教育的失敗品？她的學習一向都不是為了樂趣，而是父母期望的。多年來被逼著讀書，被期望每個科目都A，結果缺乏生活中的常識，沒有可以讓自己開心的興趣，還換來一個不健康的心理；現在唯一讓她不退學的理由是，我父母會氣死，和我會找不到工作。這樣的教育模式還真可怕。像L到這個年紀，再來想要鼓勵她的學習動機(例如我勸她，可以不喜歡現在修的課，但試著不要討厭它們，和找到自己覺得有趣的部分)，或改變她的人生觀好像有點太晚。我只希望她可以好好的度過今年這一關，也慢慢改變認為「別人都比較幸運」的假象，不然不是要怨天尤人、不快樂一輩子？

Antisocial?

Boni suggested that we should have dinner together (college student craving for good Chinese food) so I invited Boni, Lucy, and Zach last Saturday. Some common Chinese dishes are very good to them. Boni said hi and smiled to my roommates and saw they went away without saying a word. She frowned and said, "Why are they so antisocial?"

When we were sitting at the table, my roommates went out and in several times, but never said anything or even looked at us.When Lucy tried to greet them, they went straight into the room and slammed the door. My friends felt offended and began to mock my roommates and asked, "Why do you have roommates like that?" I explained that I didn't know them before I moved here, and they may not be the most friendly but are not bad people.

Alright, then probably it wasn't my fault that Kelly blamed me for being disrespectful to them. Janie is reasonable and I talk to her sometimes. I rarely talked to Kelly and she often just gave me a seemingly unfriendly stare whenever I passed her by. I guess one of the reasons they ignored my friends was probably we were all speaking English. Janie and Kelly don't like to speak English and seem to stick with other Chinese all the time.

Wet Earphone

The kitchen in my apartment was ignored for way too long that it was so disgusting. I had to clean it. I spent two hours after dinner just to clean the microwave, stoves, and bench. The sink was clogged so the water just didn't drain. Suddenly, my right iPod earphone dropped into the dirty water! After I cleaned it, I could hardly hear anything from the right. I thought I ruined a set of earphones! Fortunately, it recovered its function after air-drying completely. Phew!

Now the stoves are clean but the floor is dirty. I have to clean it tomorrow. I got bored so I went to another free music live, Steez, a somewhat popular Madison's local band. My friend Michael was there, too. Nothing could be better than listening to music while dancing with your friend!

My New Transgender Friend

I made a couple new friends today at an event. One of them was a strange transgender girl. She was very skinny, in a long skirt with 5 o'clock shadow, half-long hair, and a peace sign necklace.

She was initially a plant pathology major but now switched to political science, at the same time knowing quite some biology and chemistry. "Plants need a leader too," she joked. We began the conversation as I asked her if we have an introductory course about fungi in our school. (We do. It's much like the fungal counterpart of Prof. Y's entomology course. I don't know if I'll ever take it.) Then we chatted and laughed until almost 10 PM (because she could laugh at everything).

Even though I know a few transgender around campus, I don't really have such friends. When I think of her sometimes, I still intuitively think "she" is a "he". I need to get more used to that. I told her about that and she said it's okay, because she felt like when I talked to her, I treated her like a girl. Finally, she looked forward to become more girly after her hormone treatment months later ( ... who has been desparately wishing to have breast). Well, I hope that'll go well!

A Night with Color Me Once

I didn't do any homework on the first day of class but went to a bar to listen to my friends' duo performing. They're called Color Me Once. Ahh good day ... This is probably the last day I can hang out and kill time.

素炸醬麵和泡椒雞

Lucy來我的公寓借住兩晚，就請她吃炸醬麵！
這次嘗試用素絞肉(豆製品)做，很Q根本不像絞肉居然還要我一段段的把它切碎。雖然這玩意兒味道有點奇怪，但配料都正宗的啦！看我的室友和Lucy吃得多開心。

西雅圖之旅的一些照片

今年寒假在西雅圖過。

Good Memory from Thanksgiving

Thanks my previous roommate Yuli, who invited me to her friends' to have a heart-warming Thanksgiving feast.

Does Neil Sing Like A Girl? LOL

When I was at my roommate's friends', I mentioned Pet Shop Boys and one of the girls asked me to play some of their songs. When "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk" was playing, she said it sounds almost like a woman singing and reminds her of Enya.

While I was eating dinner today, I played Pet Shop Boys in my new apartment. My new roommate expressed her liking for Paninaro '95. I said PSB is a British duo. "Are they a man and a woman?" she asked. I said they're both male. "Then who is that girl singing?!" she said surprisedly, referring to the chorus, "Paninaro, Paninaro, oh-oo-oh" sung by Neil Tennant.

Is Neil Tennant's voice that feminine? LOL
I love his voice no matter how you'd like to describe it. Also his lyrics, and his sentimental, mild-mannered, sometimes sarcastic tone of singing/rapping.

At the Football Game

So, I went to the first football game in my life with some new acquaintances.
It wasn't a very comfortable place to be, because all the fans were too excited to sit down, so everyone had to stand for hours. Also it was cold.
I was still happy to see our school team kept scoring and won and big victory versus Purdue.

What surprised me was not the excited crowd or the game itself, but the non-written rules (traditions) the audience should follow at specific moments, such as take out keys and shake them, shout out swear words, or jump around with music at some points.

The people who invited me to the game.

Chinese Dinner with Friends

I invited Jodie and Linda to dinner on Saturday and cooked (and re-heated) several Chinese dishes. Getting their three meals normally at the school cafeteria, they were so satisfied with my food and kept complimenting. Unfortunately we're all too busy for the midterms next week to chat.

Now whenever a American person asks me, where can I find good, authentic Chinese food around Madison? I'll smile and said, I don't know, but I cook good food!

(Because Linda said she wanted to vanish on Facebook, so I'm not going to post her photos.)

A Day with John

I went to the Chinese church with my friend, John, and studied with him in the library afterwards. I don't really like the way the pastor preached, but it's nice to hang out with friends. It's kind of funny that he was the only white person in the church, but he can speak some Chinese! I think one of the reasons he befriends with me is probably finding more people to practice Chinese. He seems eager for the subject and he's really good - considered he has only been learning for 2 years!

笑死我了之不是竹筍

今天我的中國室友帶了同樣來自中國的朋友共進晚餐，當兩人高興的拿刀切開一物，不禁同聲驚叫。兩位面對這個紫紅色龐大的尖錐形物體，裡面還佈滿了白色的片狀與條狀物，花容失色的向我求救：「那是什麼？」
我看了看，摸了摸，又聞了聞，道：「香蕉花？...」
「阿！我以為它是竹筍！」室友一臉茫然，「這能吃嗎？」
我上網查了一些食譜，聽說燙過再炒菜是挺美味的，也許我下次應該試試。
那白色的片狀與條狀物是花苞和花蕊。
只是 ... 真有中國人不認得竹筍？我當場憋笑憋得好累，直到晚上才跟Abi一齊好好嘲笑她們一番。