Today I presented a paper in our weekly journal club. My topic is about the Hi-C technique used to mapping the long-range interactions between genomic loci. I adapted a short love poem to describe the long distance relationships between chromatic elements.
Original Version
Though miles lie between us,
We're never far apart,
For friendship doesn't count the miles,
It's measured by the heart
My version
Though millions of basepairs may lie between us,
We're never far apart,
For chromatic interaction doesn't count the basepairs,
It's measured the 3D structure
It may requires some biological knowledge to tell the meaning, here are the slides of my presentation. [slides]
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. - James Dean
Goodbye to Randy Pausch!
It was a coincidence, but it became more meaningful if I linked those two things together.
Yesterday, I first came to know the quotation in the beginning of this post:"Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today". At the time I was wondering in Target aimlessly. I just bought a car and drove myself to this super market. It made me feel excited and powerful to control this big toy. But on the other hand, I had a strong feeling I should do something more meaningful. The first year of my PhD life seemed so flat. There was nothing noticeable and I am not sure what I should do in the future. Then I went by the picture & frame section, a poster with a white-black portrait of a serious man attracted my eyes: there were a line saying "Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today" and the man was James Dean.
This morning I heard of the death of Randy Pausch in New York Times: Randy Pausch, 47, Dies; His ‘Last Lecture’ Inspired Many to Live With Wonder. I expected this result when I first heard of Randy Pausch: miracles seldom happens in real life. Randy was a virtual reality pioneer, a computer scientists and a professor at CMU. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Aug. 2006; then he gave a series of lectures called "The Last Lecture" in the year of 2007, which inspired many people thanks to the internet. His most memorable lecture was about his childhood dreams and how he achieved them. If he had ever heard of James' words, he must have a better understanding of it.
First I announce I will go back to China this summer. I will stay there for nearly one month: from May 9th to June 6th. I am happy for I will see my family soon and can enjoy the leisurely life at home.
When counting down the days before leaving, I clearly realized that I have been in America for nearly one year. One question came to my mind:"how do you sum up the past year?" In the first glance, the year 2007 was unusual . I graduated from USTC in July and then came to United States, a country many people dreamed of coming to. I started a new life here and of course there were inevitably excitement and challenges though some challenge may seem a small piece of cake. I became acquainted with many people. While studying at USC computational molecular biology program, I allowed myself considerable freedom to enjoy America. Santa Monica, Laguna Beach, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Yosemite: I went to some many places (I myself can't believe it!)
However, I feel that I don't have a clear memory of the past year. It seems strange but that's my true feeling. I know I was really excited or disappointed when somethings was happening. For example, the joyful feeling was really from the bottom of my heart when I first saw the beauty of San Diego bay; but that feeling became so distant now that I hardly recall. Maybe my limited memory can't hold so many things. Or it is still too early to give a summary of the past year: the meaning of many things will become clear when we look backward from a longer time scale.
Anyway, I am planning to go back home now. Yesterday a very old song suddenly came into my mind. The last time I listened to this Song dates back to about eight years ago when we still used cassette tape player. That song is Sailing by Rod Stewart.
And the lyrics
SAILING I am sailing, I am sailing, Home again cross the sea. I am sailing, stormy waters, To be near you, to be free.
I am flying, I am flying, Like a bird cross the sky. I am flying, passing high clouds, To be with you, to be free.
Can you hear me, can you hear me Thro the dark night, far away, I am dying, forever trying, To be with you, who can say.
Can you hear me, can you hear me, Thro the dark night far away. I am dying, forever trying, To be with you, who can say.
We are sailing, we are sailing, Home again cross the sea. We are sailing stormy waters, To be near you, to be free.
Oh lord, to be near you, to be free. Oh lord, to be near you, to be free, Oh lord.
Even if you are a man, it may make you in tears when you listen to Wish You Were Here alone in deep night. For the first time I felt alone in this strange place. I miss badly family, friends and an uncertain "she". I followed Pink Floyd and sang "wish you were here" again and again.
Wish you were here Lyrics Pink Floyd
How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old ground. Have we found The same old fears. Wish you were here.
And do you know I was singing to you? I guess we are two souls hoping to approach each other, at least I hope so. But I don't know you enough. You made me sometimes happy and some times nervous. I want to take care of you with my whole heart, but real life is full of cheating and betray. How I wish you could show a signal to get me out of all worries; however you face the "same old fears".
Mom, you know I was also singing to you. You made me assured. You loved me without reservation. It is some kind of happiness. I wish you were here. It will come true soon, I promise, mom.
you should say it because everything is uncertain and that's why you should tell her~~
Yesterday I had a long msn talk with Paige. When she asked suddenly about my "girlfriend", I kept silent for a long time, and then replied, "I feel I like her but didn't expressed it. I don't know whether I should tell her since we are going to graduate and everything is uncertain." Maybe she is more intelligent than me.
Merry Christmas to all.
These days, I have been listening to six songs again and again. MAGIC BOULEVARD by FRANCOIS FELDMAN Down By The Sally Garden byEmi Fujita Pour que tu m'aimes encore by Céline Dion The Power Of The Dream by Celine Dion Un garcon pas comme les autres by Céline Dion Wa Su Re Na Gu Sa by Keiko Utoku
I was alone on my way She was celebrating her birthday A party full of cake, candles and friends But without me, I have no chance to say
Happy birthday!
Maybe she is alone like me In a place far from home and family Do her accompanies care for her deep, subtle feeling? All are my imaginatins, but I have no chance to ask
Are you happy today?
I decided to sent a mail to you yerstoday Simplyt to say HAPPY Birthday As a most common friend will do. But I can't help picturing myself as the boy who will never be tired with saying annually to you
Happy birthday!
I sent the mail today, and leave the computer right away Looking farword to your words, being afraid of hearing from you I am never so nervous as today "Let me be your common friends, that's enough",I comfort meself.
Your coming letter released me, it's a simple word: thank you plus three !!! I am happy that we are still friends There are fifty minutes left before tomorrow, let me say it again Happy birthday!
Summer holiday 2007 ends. As a tradition, I put a summary here, one eye looking backward at the past and one eye looking forward at the future.
This summer holiday is not a ideal one for me.
At the beginning, I returned home and found grandma heavilly ill. I accompanied grandma for nearly half a month and then I had to leave her because I grow up and has many things to do. When on the train back Hefei, tears filled my heart. Though I pray for grandma's getting well, I can't help worrying about grandma's passing away suddenly one day while I am far away from her.
When I got Hefei, I began to work on our research project on which however I made little progress until then. I waste too much time on trivial things. Additionally, I began preparing studying abroad.
Our lab hold the first meeting tonight. We need a new beginning. Come on!
These days I have been spending hours surfing the websites of Graduate school in order to find a right school in the meaning that I will be proud of entering it and it will be satisfactory of accepting me. There are so many schools and so many mentors that I can not make a choice. I am just playing a gamble.
When I decided to enter an university three years ago, I didn't have such a tough time because my family helped me and the universities are in China. But this time, I am going to study in America which I have never been and is unfamiliar with. It is said America has many good schools and more opportunities. Like the people on the boat of Mayflower, I cherish this dream and take the risk to pursue it.
This morning, my roommates, who is also preparing to study overseas, told me he dreamed that I reveived many offers last night. I hope it is a good signal to me.
