Tomorrow marks the beginning of the holiest of seasons, the Easter Triduum, where Christians everywhere commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ--the core of Christian belief.  So, right now, the clueless chemist takes a break from brown-nosing her labwork and reminisce (and reflect) on Easter Triduum past, back in Manila.

I have fond ( Read more... )

For 3 months or so already! >_< Anyway, just a quick update about my long-term adventure here in Leuven--it's been 6 months since I got here!

UPDATE 1: Work - focusing on another plant instead of "The Lady"...with weird, mixed results.
- Crude extract works in mice, which is a good thing.  But on my preferred model organism for quick-screens ( Read more... )

At last, home alone (The Great Escape from Leuven ended before dawn today, when my 2 friends finally boarded their respective trains back to their unis)...a state perfect enough for some bit of "reflection writing".  Not as deep as a formal reflection paper, complete with a comprehensive discussion of the given exegesis, but more of a "thinking out ( Read more... )

Holiday packing = 0 ; Procrastination = 1 ; Restlessness = 100

The Great Holday Escape from Leuven (as The Clueless Chemist would like to call her Christmas trip to Heidelberg) is nearing, and I haven't done anything definite with the packing.

Why "The Great Escape from Leuven"?  I want to escape this quaint, storybook Flemish university town, but ( Read more... )

(previous draft got deleted a quarter of an hour ago...surprise fire drill in the residence)

Been very busy in the past days, hence the lack of update on this corner of the internet.  Rest assured that the Clueless Chemist is alive, still a bit chilled with the autumn weather (now fast approaching winter) and busy as ever.

But that doesn't mean that ( Read more... )

I get this a lot lately, not being recognized as a Filipina (of course Filipina, not Filipino, since I'm female).  Take your pick--I get spoken to in Dutch by shopkeepers here, my Flemish labmates assumed that I came from the US...and even US seminarians thought I'm American myself.

Oh, boy.  This is troubling.

There are times that I catch myself ( Read more... )

I've been doing this a lot lately online, during Skype video chats with friends based in Germany and friends back in Manila.

What?  Who?  Two basic questions just to keep abreast with news and issues.  My ears miss listening to (certified true) gossip either in English or in my native tongue.  Not so much as to spread the news, but to understand ( Read more... )

Grey autumn night, with rain.  Makes me think of this song...but I've been thinking of this song since yesterday, while working in the Pinoy scholars' charity event for Typhoon Ondoy victims.

Nothing Without You
Vienna Teng

It's the quiet night that breaks me.
I cannot stand the sight of this familiar place.
It's the quiet night that breaks me, like a ( Read more... )

Back in Manila, I don't really relish bathing in hot water.  I get splotchy and itchy with hives, even if warm-to-hot baths are a must during the cool/dry season (Dec-Feb).

But after suffering through the autumn weekend bathing every night in icy-cold water, getting hot water again from the kitchen tap and shower stalls is something to rejoice.

Such ( Read more... )

One month down, 59 more to go.

It seems impossible, but yes, I'm here in Leuven for a month now.  On my own.

It feels weird to think about that little fact, that without realizing it, time has flown and this is where I am right now--a quiet, little university town with amazing buildings and rich history.  The place which I am in love (for now...but ( Read more... )