Happy Birthday🎂

Sunday, December 7

154.3 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (7/6)

Went to yoga, which loosened me up nicely. On the way home, I finally tried the quesabirria at the taco truck I always eyed. It was so good. It is funny that I love tacos, yet I have not tried many in San Francisco🤔 I should explore more. After a short rest at home, we made boiled pork belly and pear ice cream. I did not expect it to be this delicious. Among the meals we have made, this is near the top. Cooking like this is healthier and saves money, so I will try to do it often. After a full meal, we took a walk and then came back to work. I wanted to fully understand the design and order the eBlock today, but there were more considerations than I had expected. I worked hard, but I couldn’t finish. Maybe tomorrow or the day after.

Monday, December 8

152.8 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (1/6)

We cleaned the DeGrado Lab −80^oC freezer. Every time I clean like this I feel that if I ever run a lab, I will enforce..! a clean, documented system so everyone can see and manage reagents and personal samples. If everyone puts in a little effort, everything gets easier right? There were unlabeled samples more than ten years old, which is frustrating. We moved the samples to a backup freezer, cleaned for a long time, and then defrosted them. In two days we will move things back and document the sample organization. After cleaning, I finally ordered the genes with a huge discount (make sure to get a quote!!!). After a surprise birthday celebration for Jo in our lab and a subgroup meeting, I worked a bit more and headed home. The pressure of the qualifying exam is intense, but I will try to remain calm and proceed steadily.

Tuesday, December 9

153.7 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (2/6)

I spent the whole day scheduling, and I finally got the date: March 23, for my qualifying exam. Strangely, across February through April the only date all four professors could do was March 23. I had to move quickly with emails, so nothing else was booked at that time. If you ever need to schedule something similar, I strongly recommend When2Meet. You don’t need to log in; simply fill in your availability grid, and it will suggest the best dates for you. It is very intuitive and convenient. After I complete my exam in March, I will practice driving so I can comfortably host my family when they visit in May. After work, I did a simple 5K on the treadmill and rested at home.

Wednesday, December 10

155.5 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (3/6)

I left work early and went to Chinatown for dim sum at Today Food. I always feel it is not easy to make someone feel better. As I get older I sometimes want to add my opinions, but I keep learning that quietly listening is often best.

Thursday, December 11

154.7 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (4/6)

Today was very busy, but I felt grateful. At noon I attended a seminar by Ning Zheng from UW on molecular glues and joined a student panel lunch with three other students. Although my current work is more chemical biology and basic science, I truly like translational science, especially therapeutics. If I continue research after the PhD, I think I will focus more on studying therapeutic applications. It would be incredibly rewarding to discover a treatment that helps patients with currently incurable diseases. In the afternoon, DeGrado lab had a white elephant gift exchange and cookie party. It was my first time, and it was very funny😄 Basically, everyone gets numbers 1 to N. Starting from 1, you can either open a wrapped gift or steal someone’s gift. If your gift is stolen, you can open or steal in turn. A key rule is that each item can only be stolen twice. I ended up with a cute Lego toy (I stole it😛). If this game were in Korea, it would be very popular. Highly recommend. I worked a little afterward, went home, and rested.

Friday, December 12

156.1 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Done (5/6)

It is my birthday🎉 From the moment I walked into class and the lab, people congratulated me, so the whole day felt good. I cannot believe this is already my second birthday in the United States. Thanks to the people I care about, the past year was filled with many happy and grateful moments. I had many lab jobs and experiments, so I finished late, but I had a wonderful dinner with my girlfriend. I didn’t get any photos because I ate too fast…🙏 She prepared a lot of lovely gifts, including a cake, headphones, a scarf, a heartfelt photo album, a letter, and a cute drawing. I was very moved. I felt bad that I couldn’t show my gratitude more because I wasn’t feeling well. Again, thank you very much.

Saturday, December 13

155.4 lbs (from 152.5 lbs on Oct 26) | 🏃🏻 Rest (5/6)

I have not felt well since yesterday, especially my neck, which used to bother me during very stressful days in pharmacy school. It is much better now than it was back then, but it has flared up again. I stopped by the lab briefly, then rested. In the evening I had a haircut appointment in Chinatown and ate dinner at Capital. Their chow mein was very good, although I think other places might offer better general dishes. The fried chicken we ordered was excellent. As you know, came the fortune cookie. I view it almost as a quarterly ritual. It suddenly said I would become rich through something unexpected. I do not take it literally, but I hope the unexpected thing is a happy one🙂