Aussie

I'm going to Australia tomorrow. Even when we bought the tickets, when i went home to obtain the visa to get back to the states, when i got my business visa to aus, i never feel so real that the trip is actually happening until today!!! The trip that i have dreamed abt since i first got into grad school! The conference happens once every 2 years, and different continent by the next time it happens again, i will be graduated already.

One of the excitement is i will give a presentation among those famous and successful scientists within my field such as: Bob Field (MIT), John Maier (Basel), Mike Duncan, Scott Reid (Texas), Terry Miller(OSU), Mike McCarthy, Lucy Ziurys...I'm building up my scientific reputation!!!
This is happening made me feel that all of my sacrifices on my personal life worth it. Who gets to go to Australia for free like me. That doesn't happen that often even for best graduate student. I cant help but keep the smile on my face for this trip.
Here is the details schedule with my name as one of the Hot topics presenter

I will have chance to travel around Aussie. Trust me, I traveled around the States,Vietnam, and Asia by my money before. But travel to Aussie on a business visa, this is whole different story. It made me feel a lot like a grown up now. I have the chance to go to the world greatest barrier reef, and various cities such as Sydney, Brisbane, port Douglas, Melbourne.
The project that I'm going to be presenting ( visible spectrum of ZrO2) is never been detected before in the gas phases until I did, (but i don't want to talk about my project on something that I like to read back later on). Work stays at work only. I try not to bring work to home, or think about work at home, unless I really have to-like yesterday.
Best of all, I have chance to see my best friend in Aus, whom i havent seen in 7 years to be even. We talked about the possibility of me visiting her a lot before, but this time no more talking, everything happens so real now...
Now, my poster is ready, time to fix up my ppt. I have to made myself presentable right? especially in front of those ppl will offer me job next year. :P
Life is good. Keep smiling

Home...

Lost...

People said home is where your heart is…
I have a big heart to put my heart in everywhere I have been ..

I used to consider my Hanoi is home, until one day my parents are not there anymore.

Chưa bao h tôi kể, chuyện tôi lạc lõng ngay chính ở những con phố quen, về HN mà không dám về qua nhà, vì căn nhà tôi lớn lên nay được thay thế bởi những người khác...

Mỗi lần về thăm lại La Crosse, tôi ghé và ở lại nhà host, ông bà host hiền hiền luôn đón tôi như một người con đi xa trở về và mỗi lần ra đi mỗi một lần chia tay lại có chút bịn rịn và lưu luyến đến thế...

Mỗi lần đi xa trở về lại nơi tôi đã và đang sống trong mấy năm qua... lòng lại bình yên thêm một tí....
Many people have asked: Where is home, dear?
Every single time, It bothers me when I cant give the straight answer because, home is where the loved ones stay, and my loved ones are everywhere...
So, for now,  home is where the mom is... ^.^

"Miss Almost"

I was told once that I'm an “Almost Perfect” kind of girl.

And I’m like even though I know I’m not perfect in many ways don’t tell me that I’m not perfect…

So…

Randomly my thoughts about Almost are out… (so scattered these days)

So here is the deal.

I jump-started, changed the battery, that fixed up Phien’s car 2-3 days ago for Nikki (long story) by myself… I was like wow… I really scared of myself at this moment. I never underestimated what I can/cannot do but the more I approached everything else in life, I started to feel scared of myself. I don’t know what I have become.

Things like that are supposed to be the guy jobs, but… Well, when you have to learn to lean on no-one but yourself you have to learn how to do it all. I became so independent. I can’t tell how many times I’ve ALMOST (here that word again) cried within the last 6 months when I found out that there was something wrong with my car and I have to take care of it, when I overworked and in need a tap on my shoulder to ensure that things will work out eventually, when I came home on the last bus at night every single day for straight 2 months when there is no-one on the bus but me and the drunk guy who was in front of me, I felt scared of course (because all the crime rate in my city has been increased over the last year) so I put on the coldest face that I could pretend, hideaway my fear. Literally, when things like that show up in my life, I really wish I could have somebody to just be there with me. Being alone for so long I've learnt to deal with all of that by myself but sometimes you just can’t help but wished.

I learnt to be tough, to not cry, and to not show how I felt (except when I upset)… sometimes I feel scared of myself that the more I do these, then I don’t even feel anything anymore...

What have I become?

I really need to learn to show my feelings again… because when everything almost is not a whole… 99.99% is not 100%... Tears almost fall are not tears... the almost is just the halfway... 

So randomly
Có ai đó đã nói với mình rằng: "Em mạnh mẽ và độc lập đến quái thai"....

Abc...

How long the smell is supposed to follow and haunt you?!?
Tried the sleeping aromatherapy pillow mist in bath and body works yesterday... And wow some smell really lasted in your memory and really triggered at wrong moment!!

Sigh...

What comes from the heart, always to the heart

For Michele Strange and her retirement, my dear un-official host mom