This is my fourth semester as a postgrad at university and I am still tutoring as much as ever. I sort of promised myself to tutor less this semester, and I even did this by booking myself a holiday somewhere in the middle the semester to go on holiday! I thought that would sort of turn off tutor to look for other students to do the tutoring, but apparently not. It is so difficult to say no when people want to give you work, and for good money at that! I am kind of in need of money so, could not really say no....And that said another unit I am tutoring is thinking of giving more hours than I was expecting, how could I say no?!?? It is so nice to be appreciated for work. So here we go again, let's see if I have the same level of optimism at the end of semester.
But today was a good day, my research went well today. I think I cracked something that I was working for the past 2-3 months! If it really works then I would be really happy. I need to do more validations tomorrow but it seems to be working well. Hopefully it would be better sailing from here on out. I really want to go to another conference this year, one that is more applicable to my work. And more importantly I hope to get a journal paper published.
I think it's really tough to get a journal paper published in my area, very hard work to get such a code working properly and getting good results from it. But when things go well, this package I believe beats any commercial package out there. Other guys in my office are already publishing papers this year, and they started later than me. Well, they are doing experimental work, and I reckon that is somewhat easier than what I am doing. But still, a paper is a paper and they are so much the better for getting their PhDs. I am not really being competitive or anything. But I too really want to get my thing going faster and better.
Think my learning methodology now is working well, proof from my progress this week which has been quite amazing, even to me. Did not expect to crack this so soon, I expected to crack this perhaps in the following month. But this is great, I can get on with my work now. Hope things go well this year. Last year was horrible. Well, let's consider it growing pains, last year was my full-fledged academic year and it was quite tough. This year hopefully would be better. Such a great feeling to feel more competent of my work, it was really frustrating before.
And there's something else to talk about. I just found a great group. The Western Australian Marathon Runners Association. Did not know there was so many runs in WA! I could pretty much keep up my running throughout the year. And just found out there was a Rottnest marathon, very interested in doing that. But perhaps next year, maybe I will do the half marathon this year? I love running, perhaps one of these years I will try the Ayers Rock run as well. That sounds awesome. Also, I better start on my running regime again, need to train for the Asics Fun Run which is 10 km and that's in April. I want to get a good time, never done it before. But it seems good to do. Hope I can be free from illness and injury this year to do all these things.
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