CAN NEVER GET USE TO THE TRAFFIC JAMS

I do not really like driving back from University Malaya Specialist Centre after 5 pm. Although its only once a month or maybe once in two months, its a stressful experience. The follow-up with my doctor is quite relaxing actually. 

 While waiting for him I would usually bring a book to read. And its quite relaxing actually. 

There are ample chairs, the toilets and the floors are quite clean.

  

The traffic crawl started just as I drove out from UMSC into Jalan Universiti. I had to tolerate the traffic lights at the junctions. The crawl started as i neared the junction of Jalan Utara and the Federal Highway. 

The time was 5.50pm. It was quite a hot day. 

This is one of the most busiest part of Petaling Jaya. And it is the time people were leaving their offices. They are going home after a hard day's work. And locals know that crawling traffic is a way of life in PJ. I do feel sorry for the PJrians.

Where else but in the Klang Valley we ignored the traffic lights during peak hours because we must follow the traffic police. Come to think of it, Malaysians are so dependent on the traffic policemen to regulate the heavy traffic during this time OR ELSE the Malaysian drivers will go WILD.

There must be hundreds of traffic policemen manning the traffic every peak hours on every working days in all the urban centres in the Klang Valley. Ever wonder what they do in between?

There's one officer there by the traffic lights. I do salute you sir. Standing for about an hour or so in the midst of the dust and air pollution commanding the flow of traffic.

The map is showing showing the Lebuhraya Persekutuan (Federal Highway) crossing Jalan Utara and Jalan Barat. When using the Federal Highway one must have a high level of tolerance and must be very very patient. As I turn right towards the Federal Highway towards Subang Jaya, I cannot help but feel very unhappy with the sight of crawling traffic although I knew that this is normal. The time is already 6.15 pm.

Although the sun was still shining bright on my right, the photos taken by my Balckberry looked quite dark.

I managed to get into the third lane from the right slowly and surely.

The above shows the traffic light junction that linked Glenmarie with Subang Jaya on the left and Shah Alam as we go straight. The time was 6.30pm. All this while I did not switch on the radio. I was more concern with trying to think of which route back to Shah Alam would be the best. But it doesn't really matter, there were traffic jams everywhere.

As I get to this traffic light I switched on my CD. I want to sing with Adelle to keep divert my restlessness and enjoy her songs.

But the traffic crawl was getting on my nerves. And I need to pee. I text my husband, I think I might pee in the car. Of course I will try my best to keep it but being him, he text me back, "WHO WILL CLEAN IT UP?" I text back, "Spa Abang Bangla". (That was meant as a joke dear).

It was really a bad crawl. My daughter text me telling me that there was a traffic light malfunction at the GIANT's Superstore junction. OH NO! And this has to happen during the peak hours. 

 The cars were inching forward actually.

I really need to pee. And its already 7 pm. Okay, I need to calm down. Since I started driving its my normal practice to recite prayers. So this time more than ever I prayed that I will reach home and pee comfortably in the toilet. Then I remembered my Westlife CD. Yes, I love their ballads. That will calm me down even more. Yes, I can see the traffic is getting less but there are just so many traffic lights.

 

Its getting dark now. I saw that the traffic lights are functioning normally again. I drove home and reached around 7.25 pm. My prayers were answered. Alhamdulillah. But I have to say that I will never get used to the traffic jam. And aren't we the hardworking Malaysian citizens deserve better than this? After a hard day's work, after being so productive, contributing to the development of the nation, that we deserve a less stressful journey back home?

RESEARCH AND PUBLISHING PROGRAM IN PORT DICKSON

20TH JUNE TO 22ND JUNE 2012 AT ILHAM RESORT, PORT DICKSON




Dr. Sabarinah and I did not take the UiTM bus, instead Dr. Sab drove her Honda Hybrid from the Faculty. I accompanied her and it was fun because I don't have to drive. Ever since the accident on the North-South Highway, I really do not like driving long distance much. We reached the resort about 12.30pm. We had a buffet lunch and then we checked into the 3 room apartment.
The rest of the group reached the resort around 1.30 pm. The participants comprises of post-graduates supervisors and the post-graduate students by research. There were also the secretariat and crews made up of administrative staffs and some students. The resort looks very pleasant, welcoming and relaxing. 

There are lots of coconut trees. Looks like its somewhere in Hawaii. 

And there are two swimming pools, one for children and the bigger one for adults. Looks so inviting right. I am just too shy to wear my full length swimming suit with so many of my male colleagues around so................sigh.............

The program started right away around 3pm with Prof. Dr. Abdul Hadi Awang giving and intoduction to the importance of the program. 

Prof. Hadi is such a good speaker. His command of English is very good. He is the one of the 3 Vice Deans in FSPU. After his Introduction we heard from Dr. Zulhabri from RMI about the role of RMI (Research Management Institute). 

Later that night after dinner the Dean of FSPU gave his opening speech. 

My good friend Dr. Sabarinah who is currently serving in RMI is  the most important speaker for this programme. She gave a wonderful presentation about the abundance of research grant opportunities. Dr. Sab and Dr. Roshana are both staying in the same apartment with me. 

Basically the Faculty has about 6 Centres of Excellence and one of them is headed by Prof. Dr. Mohd. Yusof Abbas. Its called the Centre of Environmental Behaviour Studies (CEBS). I have been with the centre since 2009 and have been actively involved earlier as a committee member for its conferences and later as a board member of the International Scientific Committee (ISC) of Editors for conference proceedings and its journals.

 

 The above photos showed the parallel session for the CEBS group. We can see that Prof. Yusof is passionate about his centre. He is explaining what the centre has done and finally each participants must submit one abstract for the Cairo Conference in October 2012. 

These are 3 of my 5 post-grad students by research. Helmi, Hidayah and Diyanah. Helmi and Diyanah are both Masters by research students while Hidayah is doing her Phd research.

I am with my good friend Dr.Norhati. She is also a board member of the ISC for Prof. Yusof CEBS conferences. 

SO this is the MOST important person in this programme. Without her this activity could not work. Dr. Roshana Takim taking a break after the afternoon session. You deserve the break dear. You worked so hard. 

How I wish I am in the pool with her. She's enjoying her float there. 

While we were relaxing after the sessions, I found that the front door knob of the apartment did not work. I cannot open the front door. I called out to Dr. Azman who stayed in the next apartment and he tried to help but there is just no screwdriver around. Anyway, Thanks for trying. 

The next morning we had our last session. How to attract more post-graduates to study in our Faculty? We had a good session. It was a very productive discussion. And there were Dr. Norhati and Dr. Faridah sitting at the back row behind me. 

The programme ended with a renewed and recharged feeling of determination. Caiyok, caiyok.

Before leaving for Shah Alam I took a photo with Nehzat, an Iranian post grad student.

Good-bye Ilham Resort, good-bye, sea, good-bye coconut trees and monkeys too. 

  

Conclusion: All my post-grad students by research must submit an abstract for the Cairo Conference and also fill in at least 1 research grant application. My job is to do the editing and amending and continue to guide them in the best possible way. 

Busier and busier

Do my students ever wonder what I do during the free slots in my time table? Well, like yesterday, I have the whole day free of lectures SO I made an appointment with DEMC to have a blood test done. After fasting since 10 pm the night before I had my blood drawn at 9 am yesterday. After waiting for one hour I met with Dr. Rahman to tell me if there's any problems. YES, he saw that I have three problems but it can be managed and controlled, I hope and pray. And then he decided for a urine check. That takes up another hour. And again YES there's a problem. I need to be on antibiotics. After settling the payment and collecting the medicines I rushed to the office because I have an appointment with my Phd student. And after an hour's discussion with Hidayah, I have another discussion with my Master's student Wan Husna. All this finished at 1 pm. Rushing to the office computer, I did some work (actually 5 different different work, 4 different emails and 1 official letter). I keep glancing at the clock because I need to stop and do my Zohor prayers, eat something and then at 2.30pm I have to go to a briefing about uploading my conference papers into MPRA and Box.net. Actually I am also supposed to go and listen to a Nobel Laureate Prof. Ferid Murad's talk on how to write a winning research grant at the De Palma Hotel at the very same afternoon. THUS it was a tough decision to make BUT decided that I want to support my colleague Dr. Nasharuddin who took up this initiative helping his friends and colleagues to share our research work, findings and ideas worldwide. Good job Dr. Nash. Should have taken your photo yesterday. So there we were about 14 people in the computer lab. It was a fruitful experience and I enjoyed the session thoroughly. So that's a glimpse of one of the many busy days that I experience almost everyday. To write this blog I took some time from my lunch break and also a break from the many things to do on my waiting list. Like what the kids nowadays say, "Caiyok, caiyok!". I think it means, "Go, Go, you can do it!".   <(^o^)/

Beautiful Exotic Flowers: Queen of the Night

Recently my garden has the honor of seeing the blooms of exotic flowers. I call them the lesser Queen of the Night. They only bloom at night and only for one night. Rarely seen. I always look out for the buds because I do not want to miss these events. 

Around 8pm they'll open up a bit.

Around 10pm they'll open up more and gives out this wonderful fragrance.

By 11pm they'll look like this.

The close up.

I got the this plant from Jerantut, Pahang. I took a few leaves and just push them into the soil and wait for a few months to see them grow slowly.