My daddy

Kedine
Kamille
Tina

Today, (February 3, 2008 - the day I started this post), would have marked my daddy's 54th birthday, had he been alive. Whats the value of almost 21 years lost of those 54 years? What legacy have I been left? I have a lifetime to answer these questions, but to start - three lovely sisters: Keds, Kam, and Tina.

You three ladies have taught me the value of 'sisters by birth, but friends by choice.' Today I lift my glasses to you because you have conquered every conqueror that tried to conqueror you. We have risen above it all and here in 2008 we stand united as the legacy of the man Milton S. Lawrence. If only he could see us now. I know he'd be proud. Cheers my sisters. I love you more than words could say.

Having clients are just like having a wife

Talent + Business Sense = Successful Business

I know some talented people who are trying or who would love to make their talents thier business and source of income. However, form some I know who have attempted this, I have learned that having the talent isnt sufficient to make substantial income from. There is a key piece, which may even more than the talent, that is of significant importance to the success. It's called Business sense.

A huge part of that business sense is handling clients. And just like what Ive heard many married men say about a happy home, having your clients love you and keeping them happy, like a wife, is the key to a happy business relatonship and referrals, like a happy home. Though is hard some times, it is necessary.


I dont have clients, so I dont have first hand experience with it, but I know from being a client that we can drive the professional mad. LOL. I hear my husband talk about his clients all the time. Sometimes they drive him up the wall, but... he has to love them and keep them happy thereby making them love him. With that, everyone is happy.

My friend was a wedding cordinator for superclubs resorts in Jamaica and I often heard him speak of his bridezillas. But he remained true to one thing - his job is offering a service to them and a part of that is making their wedding more than what they imagined. Now, if they are no happy, he's not happy, and so no one is happy. So he applies this concept all the time.

Question - do you have clients? Are they happy? Are you happy? Would they refer you?

Sweetest thing Ive ever known was... dark chocolate

Today I learned for myself something I heard my mother and others talk about - self-sacrifice for the good of the family or the good of society. Sometimes, the sweetest thing you have ever known may need to be sacrificed because your indulgence in your 'sweetest thing' may bring ill consequences to the family or to society. Sometimes, there's a bigger cause than you to be concerned about; preservation of something thats not necessarily worth more than your 'sweetest thing' (or is it?), but defintely worth preserving.

"Some things worthy of your preservation may also be more worthy than the sweetest thing you have ever known."

Somethings are like dark chocolate...

Peace, in its truest sense...

That time at LLU again - Memorial Day weekend

Everywhere you look in the Basic Sciences buildings at Loma Linda there are Dissertation Defense Notices - every notice board; so many thatthey are covering each other. It's that time when senior students are most stressed, most missing b/c they are home writing, and most nervous b/c their fate is in the hands of five or so professors who will or will not sign their Form 'D.' However, for the not-so-senior students looking on, it's a different experience.

I remember the first dissertation defense I attended that impacted me. Before I get there, I'll talk about the first Oral Proposal I went to that moved me - The now Dr Theodore Garnett was the senior student when I entered the PDH lab. He presented this oral proposal about a year after I joined the lab and it was different for me. I knew him personally, I had hear him present his work over and over in lab meeting, I had seen the actual powerpoint before he presented it to the public. But... I learned that even with all the prep you do and with all the confidence you have in your work, presenting it to Scientists can be nerve-racking, to say the least. Even more importantly, answering the questions about YOUR work can be intimidating and nervousness can let you lose yourself. Oh! And how could I forget to mention the importance of knowing the names of the scientists whose work you cite - that was a new one for me being so new. Then at Ted's (Theodore is affectinately called Ted) dissertation defense I watched him lay his work down on us like never before. Thats when I learned that when I present my work I must keep in my frontal lobe that THIS WORK IS MINE! I OWN IT! AND NO ONE, N.O. O.N.E. CAN TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT THAN I CAN TELL THEM! That turned my perspective around and has been a powerful guiding factor in journey.

Today, I had the honour of seeing the senior student in our lab Sandy, oops Dr. Sandy Tungteakkhun :), defend her dissertation. Sandy has been an integral part of our lab and her PhD work is one of those few that you see going into clinical work very soon - thats what you call 'Im very close to the end of the tunnel and I can feel the light.' Anyways, she's a great presenter, hard worker, perfectionist, and very very very smart. As always, she made us proud today. Congrats Dr T. We are very very very proud of you and we admire you tenacity. YOU ROCK!

So this brings me back to where I started... what times like these mean to pre-doctoral students like me. These times give the adrenaline boost, the motivation, the light at the end of the tunnel that you never knew before existed; no sight and even more no touch. These are the times you breathe encouragement and cant evade its forces b/c its in the air you are surrounded by. It says 'you can do b/c they have done it and are doing it.' I dont know how many people this will mean something to, but for those of us who have traveled or are traveling that long road (whatever and wherever you journey has and is taking you) and can neither see or feel the light, be encouraged and be reminded others have done it, others are doing it, and YOU WILL DO IT!

Hang in there.

Peace & Blessings

My first comment

Havent done a post in a while, but I do enjoy going to other people's blogs and making comments. One such is Ross Oscar Knight - as soon as I figure out how to add the 'favourite websites' option to my page, I'll add his blogspot. Nonetheless, Im motivated today b/c I got my first comment from a fellow blogger who visits Ross' blog - Angelique. Thats dear for your warm words and for the motivation. Ive been thinking about how much Ive been neglecting my blog and your visit and comment just gave me a push.