Feels Like ...

It's been almost seven months now, I've been struggling hard to catch up everything which I feel left behind. I am speaking of my studies. This is due to my 1st qualifying exam which is due this coming June. The topics involved are general maths. But believed me, general doesn't mean easy. Since the question may varies. There are five topics to be covered (sigh). And right now I feel like I am becoming a math's student rather that a physics student. I can safely said that in my department, I am the only student who finished my degree in physics. Fortunate for me that I did some maths subject during my degree which help me to speed some of the understanding. But I don't think it's enough. Most whom I met (the students) have a pure maths background. And there's only one so far who did her bachelor in mathematical physics. Which I cannot compare myself with her since her grasp in fundamental of maths were gigantic as well. Lucky that when I have discussion with this student and when I cleared myself that I came from physics background, they being really reasonable. They treated me like I was in my first level of high school. Which is cool.

There's one thing that I've learned from these maths student is the way they play around with notations and indices. They can make easy generalization out from a very specific problem and apply them to a particular problem. They write equations a lot and tell a 'story' out of them. Numbers are hardly notice in our everyday life but variables are. Proof is normal thing to do and honestly, I don't really like to proof. One more thing is they like to discuss and presents ideas. Always. Right now, I am trying my best to be if not equal but at least not that far from them.

Note: My Chinese friend is more helpful than the whites (pure). If I asked only some idea to solve, she simply solved everything towards the end. thanks a lot. I may need to absorb everything from these people just to make sure that I am fully apprehended with the techniques before the coming of the exam.

Unnecessary 'Sound'

We have our final class last week with the rest of individual presentations as part of the marks for the course. I've given mine the week before, so I was more relax. We have extra audience this time, who was also the advisor of one of the student. From his figure, I can tell that he is one of a kind. We've been talking about this professor before. One of my friend told me that he has a sleep disorder known as narcolepsy. His hair is very white with half of his head being uncovered and he sit next to me. Before we begin the session, he told us

"I come here for my student, the rest of you just ignore me and act like normal"

Hmm...I am not sure what he meant by that. But in my opinion, something awesome will happened today.

Since his student presented the last, I found the professor sleep and snored most of the time. But at some point all of a sudden he did raised a question. A very insightful kind of question. I've seen this before during my other seminar.

But then, while I am trying to pay attention to the presentation, I heard someone fart. Though it was a very light sound and I just not sure if that kind of sound that I've heard. So I just ignore it. Next when our teacher trying to explain an extra input for the subject, there's another sound, huge, loud and clear (plus a vibration). And this time, I am so sure that the professor next to me was the one who blow it out. Thank god that no spreading smell.

I'm trying hard enough not to laugh and stay focus on the board. Our teacher also keep on talking, just like nothing happened. Owh like I thought, this professor is one of a kind. After the class, we went for lunch to celebrate our final day and laugh out loud for what just happened during the presentation.

The three of us, Sara and Alex. I missed Rodrigo's pic.

Because I Came from the Same Country as She is...

A Chinese guy came to our graduate room asked for our officemate Hyuan Yi. His speaking is hardly understandable because of the composition of Chinese plus English pronunciation. He stumbled on few words where he took times to think of the word in English. He showed much concerns if he cannot find the Chinese girl because he said he was late for the summer course registration. My friend was trying to tell him that the girl was just a master student and she has nothing to do with the course registration. One can always see for his/her advisor for registration purpose. Furthermore, the reception desk is available for any questions.

Then the guy explained to us that he really need to see our friend because he and the girl came from the same country, China. OK, it's not that I cannot figure it out. Everyone in the room can figure that out too. It was obvious. Next, we cannot offer him any help, so I offer myself to bring him to the reception counter. Outside the room, we bumped with another Chinese student and he started to feel comfortable speaking Chinese. And he don't need my help anymore.

Afterwards, the three of us who witness the situation, were confused of the important stuff he'd mentioned about the course registration. Instead of just smiling, one of my friend speak up.

"He just want to deal with a person who has a similar origin...that's all "

Weekly Discussion #...

On this weekly progress work meeting, there is also other student who joint me for my presentation. He was a previous student of my advisor. Very unlucky that I need to present on something that I didn't expected to do. Welcome to the real hectic world.

I've been asked to tell everyone what is the BCH formula is all about. This is not something that I'm ready for. The outcome is worse. I feel bad at the first beginning but towards the end I feel happy. A single force and unexpected things that is useful from someone, and you just need to do it (whether you like it or not) can sometime be very privileged. I really need to work on my style of reading and also in my style of understanding of every topics that I've read. And later tell it out loud without referring to a note. How many times that I need to remind me of this. Enough said. It's time to make it a fact.

Note: I'm in my PhD mood swing...

Lunch: Halal 786 Restaurant

We went out to try one of the famous Pakistani dishes at Montreal. The restaurant is situated near to Parc metro, Jean-Talon west.

Friends from McGill.

yummy...mutton curry

nice try out. Butter chicken

Pakistani "ayam golek"...

Journey towards PhD

From "A PhD Thesis Without Tears", John Creedy, 2007 (research paper)

During your preliminary reading, ...in describing what you want to investigate, you should be able to frame a clear question. One should prepare to answer questions like

1. 1. What was the question motivating this paper?

   2. What are the author’s major results?

   3. What do you regard as the main limitations of the approach?

   4. In what ways do you expect your research to extend existing literature?

Note: a very useful standard materials

Brush Everything Up!

This week, I've came up with three questions and one basic concept to be discussed with my advisor. I always try to think of, what is really there in a mind of a professor. It was very synonym that whatever kind of question that came up, these people usually have something to say about it and they explain it very well. Same happen to my advisor. He always have answer to all my question. And the best it, it is instantly giving question to an instantly giving answer. How do you feel about that?

There's a time, when he cannot think of a good way to answer, but he thought of it real deep, and the process was continuous. At the end, he will finally get to show ideas to solving such problems. Like what happened this week. He took more time to work out the solution for an if and only if statement prove. He wrote everything on the board and I try to get the idea of the solving method. When we sit down, just when I tried to wrote everything down in my notes, he said,

"so, that's pretty all of it. Afterward please brush everything up."

I looked at his face and not sure what kind of 'face' that I showed him, but he replied with

"no, no, I don't ask you to clean up the board, just detail everything up for that solution OK...", he laugh.

Owh, it's pretty obvious huh!!! @#$$$#&#&@@