Thanks Wal...

I'll try not to be so depress and get serious abt my writing while the mechanism is being fabriated in the workshop.

Thanks again...

======= Date Modified 15 01 2010 13:01:30 =======
Thank you for reading and sorry in advance for this rant.

I am feeling very down at the moment. My mechanism is not working and I am trying to fix it but I don't know whether it will work this time as it will take a month to be fabricated before I can test/ experiment it. I don't know whether the new formula that I'm applying works and I am also afraid if the workshop mechanics/ technicians will be angry at me because the mechanism will be difficult to be fabricated/ made. If it fails, it will take another two months to be reformulated, redesigned and refabricated where I should be doing the second phase/ part of my research by this time. If I can't solve this part, I won't be able to proceed to the next levels.
I have met a counselor, talked to few friends and taken few weeks off but I still feel like crying everytime I sit down and try to solve the problem. I am already in the second year now, but I still haven't produce any good output. Is there really a light at the end of the tunnel for me or PhD is just not for me? I feel very hopeless but if possible, I don't want to quit.

Sorry for starting this week with a negative thread, but I really need to get this out from my chest right now.

Any support/ advice/ comment/ reply is very much appreciated.

Thanks.

======= Date Modified 11 Nov 2010 03:25:02 =======
Today has not been a waste because I have finished my lab presentation for this semester... What a relief! Feels like a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulder. Hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Hoorayyyyyyyyyyyy! :-)

Now back to redesign my mechanism...(mince)(turkey)(sprout)

======= Date Modified 09 Nov 2010 16:03:01 =======
Hi:-)

I usually write down my personal problem in my diary if there's no one to talk to about it or if it still troubles my mind even though I have talked about it with someone... I write every detail of it- what has happened, how I feel about it, why am I so scared/ sad/ angry about it, what are my mistakes, what are the things that I regret, what's the worst thing that can happened... etc... etc... etc... & I usually end it with a more positive conclusions such as what I hope the solution will be or I hope that there's still a solution to the problem even though it feels like there's no hope anymore at that time... It helps me to see a clearer picture of the problems and think about them a little less as I have left them in the diary...
I used to do this many times before starting to study previously... After tired of writing everything in the diary and there's nothing else to write, I return to my study...

Hope this helps somehow...

(mince)(turkey)(sprout)

Today has not been a waste because I had....

1. Ordered the materials needed to refabricate my mechanism
2. Had discussion with my supervisor
3. Signed for my scholarship
4. Paste some pictures in my presentation slides...

They are all very small baby steps... But still better than doing nothing....(mince)(turkey)(sprout)

======= Date Modified 08 Nov 2010 04:01:22 =======
I'm in science too - mechanical engineering. :-)

What's your area/major?

Today has not been a waste because I had prepared the slides for this Thursday's presentation...

======= Date Modified 25 14 2010 15:14:23 =======
Hi!

I'm in need of some advices, especially from those who have encountered similar experience as me.

My research is on designing a new mechanical mechanism. I had made some calculations and then had fabricated the mechanism. Unfortunately it doesn't work as I hope. I think there are 2 possible ways of solving this problem:-
1. change my calculation and fabricate the mechanism again
2. add a new component
If I choose (1), it will consume so much time and money again and it might not work again, where I should be working on the next stage of my research by this time. If I choose (2), the design will lost the main characteristic that I would like to achieve, which is to use as low number of components as possible.
Is it common that people refabricate their mechanism after 1.5 years of working on it? Should people stick on their initial idea? Or does people usually loosen the design requirements and just move on with what they can achieve?

I will discuss with my supervisor about this, but I also need your opinions

Thank you very much.

Today has not been a total waste because I....
-had a discussion with my supervisor
-printed a datasheet to be read tomorrow
-printed a paper that seemed to be interesting
-checked tomorrow's flea market venue and schedule
-moved an amplifier from the shelf to my table- it was so heavy
-tried to figure out how does the amplifier work- but still have no clue although I had spend about three hours on it until I got really fed up
-set a time to chat with my friend to discuss/ talk about my problems tomorrow
-watched '30 Rock'
-watched 'The Social Network'
-replied an email from my friend which had been delayed for weeks- don't have to think about it anymore
-read and posted few threads in this forum - it's a kind of motivation
-trying so hard to sleep right now. It's already 3.05am here... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

======= Date Modified 22 Oct 2010 18:40:57 =======
Hi
I'm feeling the same way too today. My mechanism doesn't work as expected and I don't what else to do to make it work. I had discussed with my supervisor what are the possible causes/solutions, but didn't have the strength/energy to carry out the tests- I can't face/ accept anymore failures today. I'm afraid if all my work in this 1 year plus is a total waste. I have lab seminar soon, and don't know what to present as there's no good results yet. I'm feeling so guilty and really wonder if I will ever graduate... urrrgggghhhh :-(
I'm taking the day off tomorrow and hope to feel better on Sunday.

Hi! :-)

I'm currently receiving Monbukagakusho scholarship, since about 3 years ago.

As far as I know, there are two ways of getting the scholarship.
1. Through the application/ examination held by the Japan embassy in your country, which I think is mentioned in one of the websites I saw below... I sat for this exam in 2003 but couldn't manage to get the scholarship. It was so competitive in my country. During that time, the exam tested the students' English language capability.
2. Through the prospecting supervisor, but I think this is only limited to few universities/ departments and it is for Master/Phd/ Research students only. Thank god, I managed to get the scholarship by this way. After I was informally accepted by the supervisor (which he informed through the email), and was about to send the formal application letters to him, he asked me whether I am interested to get Monbukagakusho scholarship, I answered yes, and he forwarded my application to the administration office. I think students have better chances of getting the scholarship this way...

Besides Monbukagakusho, some of my friends also receive scholarships from JASSO (not sure what it stands for) and a friend of one friend of mine also receives scholarship from a Japanese company (not sure which company)- & he gets more monthly stipend than us...

155000 yen is more than enough if you are single, leading a quite decent life without spending much on pubs/clubs/alchohol, even if you live in big cities like Tokyo. If you live/ study in a rural area, or choose to live in the hostel, you could even save much more money.
During my time, the university informed me how much money I needed to bring- but I can't remember how much. If I'm not mistaken it was 100000yen.

Life is much better if you know the language... Depending on your lifestyle, in Tokyo, the house rent costs around 40000-80000yen/month (you can get cheaper/ more expensive places than this), national health insurance- around 1000yen/month, food around 20000yen/month or less, other bills around 20000yen/month or less and you can spend the rest of the money to travel or buy a ticket to go home or save it or spend it on anything as you like...
If you study in small towns or live in the hostel you may be able to cut down the accommodation cost up to around 20000 yen/month and the other bills up to around 10000yen/month...

Good luck and all the best! (up) :-)

Hi everyone...

Does anyone here use/ set up/ familiar with xPC Target Matlab? I really need some help...

Thanks.

Hi Joyce!

May I know the title of the Dunleavy's book? Thanks

Hi Vilee...

I'm sorry to hear/read about your situation...

If it is really true that you can't get a PhD on time, can you apply for an extension? Maybe within that period you will be able to have enough/significant data/results for PhD level. As for the lack of supervision (I'm also in this situation), & in case you can't find other person to advise/ discuss about you research with, I think maybe you can just send your paper for international/high impact factor journal publication from now on, without waiting for your supervisor's feedback (since you have waited for one year). If it is accepted, it's good- that means your research is up to a high standard, but in case otherwise/rejected, I believe the reviewer comments may help you in reshaping/ rethinking what were inappropriate about your previous methods, etc and how to improve them. I think the modifications/improvements/corrections can be  made based on the both paper's and viva feedbacks during the extension period. These are just my suggestions and point of view. Anyway, it is all up to you...

Today, I...

-simulated something, but didn't include one condition - have to include that condition later
-started to write a paper to be submitted to a summer workshop, which is due next week
-received a gift from a moving company :-) -just got a new neighbour today
-had ice cream for supper & good laughs watching 4 episodes of 'How I met your mother'

Today has not been a complete waste!