Unknowns, No More.

Sec-butyl acetate

Cinnamic acid

Most of my Saturday was spent with these lovelies. It would have been pretty cool if my solid was C₁₀H₁₅N; it's funny how I thought that it could have been. Praise the Lord for allowing me to find joy in school, and try my hardest in my classes. Pray that I may continue to do so, these next couple of months!

Month One and Done

"Pride wilts in the atmosphere of the gospel; and the more pride is mortified within me, the less frequent are my moments of sinful contention with God and with others. Conversely, humility grows lushly in the atmosphere of the gospel, and the more humility flourishes within me, the more I experience God's grace along with the strengthening His grace provides."

- Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians

 30 days late, but happy 2014! 2013 went by so quick, it's a little hard to believe we're in 2014. This month has been a crazy way to start the year, not too crazy but I feel like so many things have happened so far.

• Parents coming back from the Philippines
• Dad going to the hospital and getting surgery
• Working on my research project alone
• Dealing with my serious attraction to staying in my bed
• Beautiful warm Southern California weather
• Attempting to get back into a consistent running mode
• Catching a fever and getting sick
• Busy Saturdays
• Jury duty
• First 2 weeks of Spring 2014

It's a two class semester, we'll see how this one goes. Praying that I can fight laziness and still do my best in my classes, and as I work on the numerous lab reports that I have to do. It's an exciting semester, and I pray that I can stay humble til May! (Actually, after May as well) I'm enjoying my classes so far, we'll see how I feel once I start writing lab reports, or when they get returned to me after being graded hah. Overall this month has been okay, although I wish my mood was not as unstable as an Astatine atom; thanks Fred for being patient with me. This month is going by so quick! Also next month is suppose to be the "short month".

Week 6.

Stayed up working on a lab report but I'm still not done. No idea why I'm still awake right now… I'm pretty tired, but I guess there's so much in my head right now. I think this blog is going to be pointless. The fact that my alarm goes off 2 hours from now adds to the question, what am I doing on here....

Anyways, praise the Lord for allowing me to make it through week 5, such a crazy week deadlines and exam left and right! But God is gracious, He's gracious in so many aspects of my life and I constantly pray that I need to show how grateful I am by the way I live my life. There are times  when  my thoughts and actions reflect the polar  opposite, but through the Holy Spirit , overcoming  these struggles don't seem impossible. Though week 5 is over, week 6 is pretty crazy as well; I have an exam on Wednesday for I would say, my most difficult class this semester and I haven't even started studying. I'm normally not the type to procrastinate but everything else has been due, I haven't had time to. That's probably not true, I'm pretty sure I could have studied sometime before. All I know is that I need to do a better job managing my time, maybe now more than ever, and I pray that I may prioritize the proper things and handle everything in a way that brings glory to God. My mind can't seem to think straight probably due to my lack of sleep and the time of day... Don't even know if any of this makes sense. But I know sleep makes sense right now... Goodnight!

Summer Vacation!

Glasses, retainers, hairband, dead looking eyes, jank, whatever!

I'm on summer vacation!

Praise the Lord, for getting me through another year of my undergraduate career! This school year year has probably been the toughest for me, spiritually. Fall 2012 was a very sanctifying semester; I was able to see how much of a sinner I am, and how dependent I am of God in my battle with sin. I guess you can say, I recieved a very humbling reminder of why my hope is placed in Christ and not in graduating or anything else.

Anyways, I wasn't sure if I passed my physical chemistry class this semester after taking my last final today. I basically needed a 56%  on the final to pass the class, but I rounded it to 60% (30/50) as being the "magic" number and I wasn't confident that I got the 30 right... I walked to my car after taking the final, praying that I can just place my trust in God. Not trusting in Him to get me a passing grade in the class but that I can trust in Him in whatever He plans for me in school for however long. Few hours later, I find out that I got a 30/50 on the final! Thus passed the class, lol! Praise God, still mind blown at the whole thing! Kinda weird how I'm sharing how I got a 60% on final and am super excited about it but let me tell you, 60% was the class average hahaha. I don't know how it is for other majors, but for chemistry majors a 60 is a pretty decent score #truth. Nonetheless, I know that it is only by God's grace, that I received that 60, and I give Him the glory.

First List of Summer 2013!

1. Memphisssss! 

2. It's been so long since I've watched live TV, or turned on the TV in my room. 

3. I've missed you NBAtv (:

4. Split-ends everywhere!

5. Haven't ran as much these past weeks, gotta get back into my running game,

6. Super excited to read this summer!

7. Working in lab for summer again!

8. My last summer vacation? WHAT.

Pre-Week 15 Post.

My my, it's week 15! Making this week the last week of classes for the semester! I find it unusual, that I'm so chill at the moment. Well, thinking about it.. I think it is due to, me taking my last midterm of the semester on Friday, and that I only have two finals left (where only one is cumulative). Definitely not on that panic mode, more on that sit back relax and let yourself go, don't sweat what you heard and act like you know mode. (Bonus points, if you know that reference) Despite my laid back attitude toward school, I am well aware about my personal worship toward God. I know that God has placed me in school for the sole purpose of glorifying Him and right now what I can do is, do my best in studying to the point where my motives are still pure and not corrupted by my selfish wants.

This past weekend went by quick! Ehh, too lazy to write, time for a list!

• Walked out after taking my pchem exam, knowing I did my best and praying for contentment.
• Setting up for the SBCAC's women's tea party.
• C&C bible study, followed by boba loca visit.
• Dresses, hats, pastries and Godly women at the tea party!
• Answered prayer for contentment with my exam score.
• Study night with the cousins and brother turned into Monopoly and in-n-out night.
• Sunday worship
• Starbucks study session
• Violin session.

Man, I am so blessed to be part of a local church that loves the Lord and His church, and understands that Scripture is the final authority. We are not a perfect church, we as sinners all have our personal struggles, but it is only by the Holy Spirit that we are able to overcome it and continue with our pursuit of holiness. (Woo, refrencing Sunday's sermon).

No idea on how I ended up there, but I'm gonna end this with a psalm:

I love the Lord, because He hears
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.
The cords of death encompassed me
And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
I found distress and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!”

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
I believed when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
I said in my alarm,
“All men are liars.”

What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
I shall lift up the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the Lord.
I shall pay my vows to the Lord,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His godly ones.
O Lord, surely I am Your servant,
I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,
You have loosed my bonds.
To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
I shall pay my vows to the Lord,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 116

Lab Partners

Names: Melody and Angelica
Alias: Dynamic Duo
Relation: Lab Partners
Occupation: Undergraduate research assistants
Group Affiliations: Slowinska Research Lab
Specialties: Producing pretty colored posters. Oh and I guess Organic synthesis'... for now.

Soon to be added to the long list of famous duos, including pairs like Louis and Clark, Batman and Robin, Mario and Luigi, Cory and Shawn, Walt and Jesse.

Late night blogging #7

It's so weird, how at around 11 I feel like it's super late already. I sleep early this semester and I have late morning classes... but I don't take naps anymore. Well, I do sometimes but not every day like I would the past semesters. I would normally sleep around 1AM and have class at 8, then nap away once I get home. Bleh. who cares about my sleeping pattern.

So I found a new study spot today, I'm pretty sure I'll be going there often now, since I'm tired of paying to study, or going all the way on campus to study, or smelling like coffee from studying. Taking advantage of the city's public libraries. A huge amount of hours today was spent on studying for my pchem exam on Friday, man I'm so scared for this exam. I never do good on chem exams, well no one does, but I'm planning on changing that for pchem. Praise the Lord I was able to finish chapter 2 today, one more chapter to go! Mr.James Prescott Joule and Mr. William Thomson thanks for all your discoveries that prolonged my review on chapter 2 til 1 AM.

This blog is sooo pointless, from now on if you see a late night blog, I would advise you to just skip over it, unless you for some reason would want an insight into my mind at this time of the day.

1. I miss lab work, paitently waiting for our materials to come.
2. Gotta get this coupling done, so we can make crystals!
3. "The Holy Spirit is our only sufficiency for the work of mortification. All ways and means apart from Him have no true effect. He is the only power behind it, and He works in us as He pleases." -John Owen. This, today, amen.
4. I should be sleeping now, my eyes are starting to feel it.
5. I seriously thought about deleting this post before I started this list, but that would mean I stayed up writing it for nothing.

Goodnight!

Week 3

This week has been sanctifying, that's pretty much all I can say haha. I know, and it's only week 3! Deadlines left and right! However the Lord has been gracious to me, He's blessed me with a wonderful lab partner who can adjust the work that we need to do around my deadlines and such. I've been behind on my readings for my classes because I got my textbooks late.. and also my no class Tuesdays and Thursdays are my study days but these past 2 weeks, I had to meet with my lab partner to work on this poster that we have to make, and were only given a 2 weeks head notice about it. So we've been working on that, and it's not for a class. Gladly, we pretty much finished today and printing day is Thursday so we even finished early! Yeah anyways, I have to plan a new study schedule since my study/lab/rec center Fridays can't go into full affect due to certain circumstances; however I understand there is a need somewhere else. I've also been given the opportunity to serve the church in plenty of different ways and it's been wonderful. Plenty of sacrifices going around, and also exercising that selflessness for a lot of us; and I know it's all not possible by ourselves because of our selfish sinful flesh, but because of the Holy Spirit who works in us. That αγαπη love going around, with God who showed us how.

Sunburnt

From my sister's graduation., then sunburnt again from today's yard sale. It's a good thing I really LIKE the smell of of sunblock (:I think by the end of this holiday weekend I'm going to have a sunglasses tan on my face especially after Memorial Day at the park this upcoming Monday. I am truly grateful that it's summer and for all the free time I have; I just pray that I may use this time wisely and do things that are pleasing to God.

Also I am truly thankful that I passed all my classes this semester! Wooo praise the Lord! 3 MORE SEMESTERS, 3 MORE SEMESTERS! (Lord willing) Then I can lock myself in a 20° C laboratory and have some real fun with my personal timeline that I made for myself for the decade or so that Mimi knows about... (I know you'll read this eventually) and we all know how accurate those always are... hahaha. Still excited for the future nonetheless!

I'd like to write more, but I can't do everything I wanted to do tonight. I also wanted to do some late night thinking to myself before I fall asleep, but my eye-bags are filled with exhaustion and just want to call it a day/night. Super tired from today, goodnight!

Anti-Huntintin VL domain - 3LRG

Currently working on my protein structure report, it's pretty much the only thing I worked on today, (I didn't even read the Bible, convicted much?), well I tidied up my bedroom... Yeah anyways, I pretty much started today, and I wanted to finish by tonight. Although it's due on Monday, me being the person I am I wanted to get it over with so I can work on my journalism paper and have less things to worry about on Sunday night after my baptism! I never really liked working in groups for school assignments, but I'm really grateful that for this report we work with partners; which is the reason why I think I can finish this assignment in one day.  However, God has humbled me by not being able to finish tonight hahaha.

There's only one more week of classes left, then it's finals week! Which means, Summer is right around the corner! Ahh quite excited, I am. I just have a few more things to finish up then I can actually start studying for my finals. I'll list them at the end of this.

Had an interesting phone conversation with my dad a few hours ago, haha. So excited for his arrival! I like how the first thing he says after saying hi and how are you, was if I got the item that he sent me, from my cousin who just came back from Philippines a week ago. I think it's funny how I still haven't gotten it, and how I think I would be getting it faster if he just brought it with him here when he arrives. Then the subject of marriage came up and my dad literally said, "I'm gonna bring a shotgun to your marriage." AHAHAHAHAHA, with my dad being a fob I believe that by saying "marriage" he meant wedding. Oh man that was seriously hilarious. Then he started talking about marriages today and I told him that's why they're supposed to be Christ-centered, I mean marriage is suppose to reflect Christ's love for the Church (Ephesians 5), and I can tell you that most marriages today don't. Anyways, then he basically said he knows and just doesn't want us (me, my brother and sister) to end up in a marriage like those. I pray that he really does know and wasn't just saying that. Being unsure about the status of my dad's salvation I just want to be a good witness and share Scripture with him to have him be able to grow a relationship with God. We continued our conversation and awkward questions came up ahahaha, but I was surprised with how much Scripture came out of my mouth, without even having it open, shows how much knowledge the Holy Spirit has allowed me to understand. Even if it isn't God's will that I get married, I have no choice but to submit to His will, and to be content with being blessed to be able to spend even more time studying Scripture. Yeah... and that was my conversation with my dad haha.

Man, why is it so easy to write on a blog, than it is for me to write my protein report... S'all good though. I totally don't know where I am going with this blog, so I'm just gonna end it after doing my list.

Things I need to work on
1. Finish my protein structure report
2. Journalism paper
3. Literature paper
4. Time management
5. Self-control. Be angry and do not sin! Ephesians 4:26
6. Killing my pride.
7. Reading disciplines
8. Starting my experiment for research lab
9. Wash my car...
10. Sleeping earlier.

3 weeks til 3 months of break, then 3 semesters left.

After coming home and eating a late lunch, more like mirenda I ended up knocking out, from like 3PM-7PM. Way to go on managing time Ica.... Haha, well I must admit it felt good. I wanted to get close to finshing up this lab report, because I want to turn it in early, and so I can be able to focus on the 3 papers that are due next week. What kind of science majors writes this much? Hahah, well two of them are for capstone classes, and the other one is a protein report for Biochem, so I guess it's not that bad. I'm rambling because I can't sleep due to that wonderful "nap" I took earlier. I have class at 8 AM tomorrow, and then I'm done for the day. It's been hard to attend this class lately, because it's been my only class on Tuesdays and nothing happens in class; no attendance, no quizzes, no gaining anything from lecture either and I've been waking up late hah. I constantly question if waking up and driving to school is worth going to class. But I know, I shouldn't be ditching class. I plan on studying outside tomorrow after class, probably the Starbucks I usually go to or maybe a different one hmmm not sure at the moment, so I can write write write. It's hard for me to write when I'm in my room, because it's so easy to be distracted. Doing bookwork in my room is fine, but when I have to do work on my laptop it's pretty hard. I think I work better when I'm not home is because when I'm in a public place, I don't the people around me to see that I'm just online and not doing any work, so I'm motivated to not be on Facebook and act productive.

Just like last semester, I missed my last Two class Tuesday, again. Because I didn't really feel like going to that physics lecture, and ended up coming on campus 3 hours later for lab ha. Now that we're done with physics lab, I don't have a Two Class Tuesday's for the remaining 2 weeks of the semester! After a year of Two Class Tuesdays,, it came to an end last week (well technically, it was April 10, since I didn't go to class the Tuesday before last Tuessday...) Since next semester, I won't be having any classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This semester is almost overrr, 2 more weeks til finals then it's Summer! Praise God, that this semester wasn't that stressful, if you compare me to last semester, even from my blogs, I talked about school a lot more specifically Ochem, but through His grace I got through that, and also am getting through this semester. 3 more semesters... I know that is still a lot, but compared to the 6 semesters that I've had, it's good to know that I'm more than half way.

Sorry this blog is pretty much about school, something I talk about a lot. Forgive me reader for my non sense rambles. I wanted to blog about something else, but that can wait til another time. Goodnight!

Planner Substitute

Since I misplaced my planner somewhere that's not in my room (most likely in my inorganic lab classroom) I have no planner... And I feel so unorganized without it. And I have quite a lot of things that are due soon, so I feel like listing them here, I guess...

The madness begins
1. Inorganic lab report due Thursday.
2. Inorganic prelab due Thursday.
3. Physics lab report due Friday.
4. Literature and Medicine presentation on Monday.
5. Biochem exam on Monday.
6. Literature and Medicine online discussion assignment due next Monday and Wednesday.
7. Biochem Jmol assignment due next Wednesday.
8. Physics exam next Thursday.

I feel a lot better seeing some of the things I need to do for the next two week, but overwhelmed at the same time. I hope my planner is somewhere on top of those counters in lab... Hah. Yeah, can you pray for me for these next few weeks? I really wouldn't want to make an idol of school and spend all my time doing school work and forgetting the true motivation in trying my best. A person can't glorify God if they're neglecting personal time with Him to make time for their own personal wants (ie: good grades).
Sorry for a random blog, this is one of those blogs where I'm already laying in bed while blogging.

Second day, second month, second semester.

I'm warning you guys now, the probability of this post being all over the place is really high. In other words I don't think this post will have some kind of structure haha.

D'awww, thanks Pops! Love you too, see you in May!

So my dad went to the Philippines today, nothing out of the normal for us. Found out he was leaving for the Philippines on Sunday! Haha sure it was a surprise to find out he's leaving 5 days before he actually leaves, but the thing is, it's not a surprise that it's a surprise. One time we found out he was coming home when he called us and was at his stopover! That's my dad for ya. Not even gonna lie though, when I came home and saw his note on my desk, I got all giggly (not sure if I used the correct term for this one, but I'm not good at explaining how I feel hahaha). Anyways, when I saw it the first thing I said was "Aw, my dad's sweet." So odd, but yeah if you know my family we're not really an affectionate family haah. I mean we love each other, but we don't really express it vocally.. or at all haha. However, I like this one, good job Pops!

Oh, so I have a confession to make... I'm excited... for a number of things actually. A couple of them are school-related. Whaaaaa? Me excited about something dealing with school?!! I know right? Hah. The Lord has allowed me to see that through His providence He has blessed me with a college education. Yes this college education that I'm always complaining about, complaining as if I deserve more than what's been freely given to me, so selfish Ica. Anyways I'm excited for this semester, even though it has already started; I'm liking my classes especially my Chemistry classes. Not so much with my capstone classes, I actually have to write an essay this semester... I haven't written one since like... Freshman year haha, s'all good in the hood though! I'm also am excited for doing undergraduate research! Wooo, tomorrow should be the official first day. Going to school on a Friday and having no class on Fridays, you would think someone would be bitter about it, haha but noooope! I was suppose to sleep at 11.. but I've been saying that this whole week... hasn't happened..

Another thing I am excited about is discipleship! God has answered one of my prayers by blessing me with a discipler! Ahhh, the opportunity to deepen my knowledge for the Lord through a godly woman at such a personal level! Why shouldn't I be excited? Oh and LABTS for the semester started today and starting to serve in ministries at church, ahhh so many things going on, so excited!

With all these things going on, I pray and ask that you also can pray that I can be disciplined in my time management. That I not allow any of these things to take away my personal time with His Word and my time in prayer to Him.

Migraine Monday

I was doing my reading for physics like an hour or so ago. I read it, and I get it, then I keep reading and I'm so confused... Yeah, so if you know anything about electric fields, let's talk hahah. But I think I understand it as of now... thanks to YouTube or this guy specifically. So I don't want to continue reading because I think that if I do, I'll just end up being lost.

So in class today, I printed the slides notes for lecture today, but I decided to not print the 2nd section, because I assumed we wouldn't get that far today and if we did it doesn't really matter because I didn't print out the slides for the first lecture day. Turns out we did get to it, so I got ready to take notes on normal sheet paper. Then the girl sitting next to me looked and saw that I didn't have it, and said, "Do you want the slides? I printed two." and already handed the slides to me before I could even say yes. How nice. Haha, okay that was that.

Last Monday of the first month of the year!
1. Really enjoying my Biological Chemistry class, not even gonna lie.
2. Histidine, is the hardest basic amino acid structure for me to memorize.
3. Thanks to the girl who sat next to me provided me with the printed slides.
4. Half the class is spent watching videos in Journalism class.
5. Had a really bad migraine today. It was difficult to play attention to my last class.
6. Thanks to Aileen for letting me borrow her Physics book for this semester!
7. Having the same class with a cousin is pretty cool. I feel like this is common for me haha.
8. Me and Bobbie have gift cards to the same places haha. Considering the fact that they're from the same people haha. Cousin bonding.
9. Praise the Lord for answered prayers!
10. Excited for the next few months, or I guess I can say the future haha. Awkward.
11. Sore from yesterday's squats, lunges, and whatever else we did haha.

Two class Tuesday tomorrow! I wish they were back to back classes but I'm not complaining (: The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to go to college, why would I not try my best in what He has given me? Soli Deo gloria!

Happy Birthday Pops!

Totally need a recent picture with my dad

Praise God for blessing my dad with another year! Gotta admit it's good to have him here on his birthday, I don't think we've celebrated his birthday with him for like 3 years! I believe 2008 was the last time he was actually in America for his birthday, cause he's been in Philippines during this time for the past 3 years ha. So I'm excited to spend Christmas with him as well. Having a dad be in and out of the United States and Philippines pretty often isn't the easiest thing but God has blessed me with a wonderful Dad.

Sooo to avoid the corniness... I PASSED OCHEM THIS SEMESTER! Whoooo, praise the Lord; only by His grace. No seriously. I was at the point where I was 110% sure I had to retake it, however through His sovereignty He proved me wrong once again. It was one of those it's impossible for me to pass the class, however as it says in Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think..." His work isn't limited to anything! I don't feel like saying all of the details on here, so ask me in person! Haha.

What a Friday
1. Totally mind-blown after finding out my grades for the semester.
2. Helped Dad with the gate.
3. Ran errands with little cousins.
4. Hung out with family at home.
5. Adopted by Jason and Ann for the night along with Cj.
6. KBBQ with brothers and sisters in Christ to celebrate Fred's birthday.
7. Chilled at Jason and Ann's house.
8. Harvey and Paolo are in my room as I type this.
9. Christmas eve is tomorrow!