Thursday, October 09, 2003

Busy days ahead!

I got two invitations to talk in two scientific conferences. The first conference will be in Tokyo on Nov. 6-7, 2003 and the other one will be on Dec. 16 - 17, 2003 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I like these things because not only am I presenting my research and interacting with other scientists, I get to go places for free and with an extra allowance to boot. Its not really that bad. :)

So I am leaving for Tokyo on Oct. 26, and staying there for 2 weeks. Ayachi has e-mailed me rejoicing at the news she got from Dr. O of my impending arrival. She told me a story about the stupid adventures of the ever baka T. Its too funny, it made me miss my laboratory in Tokyo. :)

The ticket is being booked Tokyo side, as Dr. O informed me just a while ago via e-mail. :)
Clothes and shoes for the trip have been bought. That was fun! Ahaha.
I now have to prepare for 2 talks, one on the conference itself and another one on our laboratory's regular colloquium. WAH!

I should also not forget that I still have translation jobs galore. Deadlines upon deadlines upon deadlines...

So multi-tasking days have to begin...

NOW!

Monday, October 06, 2003

It has been a while, ne.

The last 6 months have been the most hectic period in my life. I spent almost 3 months in Tokyo for to measure the seawater samples. I had collected over the Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, Philippine Sea, and South China Sea for the rare earth elements. To think that there were 120 samples, and the job should have taken 6 months to finish.

While in Tokyo, a professor at the University of the Ryukyus invited me to spend 3 days at the Okinawa. This was a great opportunity for me to visit such a place that well... reminded me of home. I went back to Tokyo driven away by a typhoon, though. That took away time that could have been spent doing some serious shopping at the United Nations Avenue... But still I got to see the Shuri Castle with the Professor, who was really a nice person, albeit talkative. :)

Before leaving Tokyo, my face got bloated due to an allergic reaction to Bufferin. For a few hours there, I had lips that would beat any of the supermodels'. I had to drink more than 20L of Dakkara to flush away the chemical. Thankfully, the fluffiness disappeared the next day, but I looked like I spent the whole night crying.

I left Tokyo, more sure of myself, having learned to let go of my attachment to this city. It was easy in the end. I was free.

I am back here in Cebu. Working two jobs. One that keeps my soul alive and another that pays my shopping bills. Ahaha.

Things are falling into place. I am at the crossroads of my life. And I have never been this happy nor contented.