Saturday, August 31, 2013

Which way is better

Should I plan tightly for every moment what I should do, or should I just take it easy and relax?

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Scientific Problem Solving

This is the classic steps for solving scientific problem.



















This is taught in secondary school, but no one emphasized it again later on.

"Drawing a conclusion" is the most important to me. Even the experiment fails and the data is not good. We should still draw a conclusion in this step of data and Think of a new hypothesis.

I hope I can remember this when I am doing research!

Complicated, unorganized thinking

These days I was having so much difficult kinds of thought about life, and they are so unorganized. Here I am just trying to list them and make it organized. (Well, I hope so)

Lack of objective:
Yes, even a guy who has dedicated to do research in the rest or most of his life found himself lacking objectives. As I grow up in Hong Kong, I started to develop a habit of making decisions with fear driving it. For example, we studied so that we didn't fail the exam. So that later we can get into good university and later that we can find good jobs and have a bright future. No one, or I would say, a few of us will try to fight for their dreams. (No offend) Some of my friend do say they fight for their dreams, but when I look at him as an outsider I don't see it that way. This shouldn't be how I rule myself for the remainder of my life.

Ok, so how am I suppose to find my objective.. do I really like research? yes, I am more than happy to do research as that gives me more challenge and more successful feeling. By doing research, I can also know the upfront knowledge, as I am actually pushing the boundaries. But, is that it? is research only about myself? Research can help the world. or I can say it this way, the research I am doing can help others to conduct research which can help the world.

Since I do research because I love to do so, so I should not work because someone ask me to do so. I read papers because that is the only way I can reach the boundaries. Only when I am at the boundaries, can I really conduct research.

Do research because I like to.
Read paper because I can reach the boundaries.

Aggressiveness:
People always say that if you want to survive in the world nowadays, you need to be aggressive. Yesterday I talked with a postdoc. He mentioned that I should consider different strategies when I want to choose different career plan in the future. For example, if I want to continue with academic, then I should start to know some big professors so that they can transfer me or recommend me to some good school. If I want to continue with industry, then I should focus more on the publications which is the only thing that industry will look at when they hire people.

I don't like to be aggressive. I don't like to think how I can be aggressive. It just isn't my character. I would just let it be. In lecture, if I have something that I don't understand, I will ask the professor. Well, just that simple.

Have questions, then ask.

Trust God will make a way (song):
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me.

Then I don't need to worry whether I can still have a bright future or not if I don't live with aggressiveness. Because only my path will be different in this materialistic world. The ending of my life will always be the same. So all the others are just not as important. All I need to do is to live the way He wants me to live, which is to read bible everyday and to preach His gospel.

Put everything aside and let Him guide.

Laziness:
If destination will be ultimately the same, why do I need to work hard? Why don't I just lay there and wait? I am sure this is not the way He wants us to live. He gives me unique abilities. Then I should follow what He planned for me. Only in such way can I live happily within his plan, like He must have already planned my job in the future, He must have already planned my partner in the future. This is a gift and I am very happy to enjoy His gift for me!

Live according to the ability that you are equipped. Don't waste it and treasure it.

Seems I have four of my rules for life. Let me test it with some real life situations!!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Buying Decision I

August 19, 2013, 5 days after I landed Ann Arbor, I bought a used bike, which cost me US$280 including lock and helmet. Two days after I made the decision, I start to think that this is actually not a very good choice.

Major trigger: Riding to and from lab takes only 5 minutes (takes 15-20 minutes to walk) and that is quick which is good. However, there involves many uphills on the way back dorm.

Now I need to climb hill everyday by riding the bike. I need to find a place to keep it when it rains or snows. I need to take care of it and prevent it from rusting. Apart from costing me $280. Good thing is I have more chance to do exercise.

So, Four vs two. A total disadvantage to buy one.


After this lesson, I guess I need to learn how to buy right things.


Buying things is not like downloading a software or apps where you can uninstall it.
Buying things is not like taking a picture in a digital camera where you can delete it.
Buying things is not like writing using a pencil where you can erase it.

In many cases, you cannot return the items that you have bought. Therefore, we need to decide carefully before making a buying decision, especially for routine use items.


Here is what I personally think about after a 5 minutes shower:
I should write down every advantages and disadvantages after buying that stuff. Of course money is one of the factors. Then allow a few days, or even a week (depending on the price of that items) for me to virtually experience that. For example, when I need to buy a bike, I should have walked to and from the lab route and see if I would like it to be biking instead of walking. And maybe after a few days, it rains. Then I can start to think about taking care of the bike when it rains, etc...

After all this is only a rough idea of how this work. I hope after a few of this practice (I may need to decide whether to buy a car or a house later). I will grow and can make better decision on buying.

P.S. I found a book which was bought by one of my good friends two years ago. It is called "The Decision Book". It is so amazing that after two years, I found that it is very useful for me. So lucky that I brought it along with me to the US.