My PHD: Google Drive

Assalamualaikum wbt and a very good day.

For all who knows about Alif, you might also know about my super busy schedule.
And yes... sometimes I feel like an Ultraman, after 8pm the red light on the chest start bllinking saying... hey not enough energy now! Please recharge.... hahaha

Instead of seeing that as a problem, I see that as a challenge.

How can I do my PHD, study, try to graduate on time and fulfill all my kids needs (especially Alif's)????

So I thought to myself, if there is an hour or more between any activities, while waiting for the activity to be compeleted, and looking at the place surroundings, I have to study!

How can I do that being mobile at all times?
The answer is my office/ study area must be mobile too...

I can use any devices to store my reading/ study materials.

The problem is,what if that day I forgot?? (Being me, you tend to forget stuffs a lot!)
So, I cannot study!

One day I just had a revelation....
I saw my smartphone updating Google+, and stored all my photos automatically to the Google website, where I can view all pictures and clear the smartphone memories (ok back then I used Alcatel from my soulmate which he bought about RM360, and the memory was merely 3GB).
 Then it clicked to me, "Hey, I can use a cloud storage!!!!".

So, from there on I started using Google Drive!!

It is so easy... It is just like having a desktop online...

It is similar to Dropbox, and you can share any documents with anyone with just an email add.

Been using this and I find that it helps me to study anywhere, access my files anywhere and in terms of security, with the password protected accounts, and document password I put on it, I think it is safe enough for my standard.

Plus, Google gave 15GB Free storage for pictures, email and documents!!

So, what else do I want??

Only and ultrabook and a really very super duper extra fast internet connection...

Ok, got to go now...
I have a list of things to do before 12pm.


Salam Saidul Ayyam & let welcome Ramadan with eager hearts.
Let's use and not loose Ramadan.

-Hezlin Aryani-

Alif: Special Journey on Learning (part 5)

Assalamualaikum wbt and a grand day to all...

I haven't updated on Alif for quite a while.
First and foremost I must highlight that the reason I made the stories about Alif available online, is to document his journey and to share my experience with others. As a human, sometimes frustration and emotion can get the best of us. I am trying to be as sincere as possible. InsyaAllah.

Last two week ago, while I was busy with my slides for PHD... I received a call from Puan Hajah Muliani (Dyslexia Centre Section 7), the report for Alif was emailed to me and she expressed her sincere apologist for the delay. Thank you Puan Hajah Muliani for your hardwork in getting the report and made my RM200 for the report  worthy. Surprisingly, the same week... she texted me.. a long text message.. She told me she read about Alif in my blog (yup here...) Apologizing about all the weaknesses in the Dyslexia Centre system. Seriously, hats off.. such an honor. Not just anyone can admit their fault and apologize, while at the same time promise to make improvements to the system. Only someone noble and pure can do that.

Thank you Puan Hajah Muliani, for at least understanding our stand and accepting our comments publicly.

Anyone with Dyslexic kids, if you send them to Section 7 Shah Alam, I can guarantee that they will receive help from this sifoo, in good hands too.

UPDATES ON ALIF

After crying my hearts out, beside the road near a housing area in Section 7... I remembered it was Teacher's Day that day. I was suppose to be celebrated on that day. Instead, I was feeling awful.

I broke down.

In my mind is how to help my child...

Alif...

Muhammad Alif Hazimi...

Abang Long...

After that spectacular melt down, what changes??

1. SCHOOL

I enrolled Alif to Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Raja Muda, Section 4, Shah Alam, to a special program for special kids called PPKI( Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi).

Reason being, I love the environment there.

There, Alif is no different from any other normal 'aliran perdana' kids. 

Plus, the teachers there welcomed Alif with open arms... a warm smile... a sign to help him in his journey.

Tawakkaltu Alallah... InsyaAllah... Mama hope that is the best for you, Alif.

2. OCCUPATIONAL TERAPHY (OT)

Thanks a an old schoolmate, he directed me to Urbane Ethos Early Intervention Centre. The location was the same shoplot with the Les Copaque studio, famous for Upin & Ipin cartoons. He told me, UE can help Alif more than any other place. 

Kudos Farid & Naufal.

It did. 

I was happy with all the steps UE took for Alif, I enrolled him to an Intensive Program (20 hours a month). 

RM100/ hour if compared to RM60 for an OT session at Smart Integrated is a lot of difference. In my own opinion, because Alif has more than just motor skill issues, so UE is much better for him than Smart Integrated.

I am not saying Smart Integrated is no good.

I love the OT Illi, even Alif still wanted to see her.

She helped a lot... 

I just want more. that's all.

Thank you Illi & Naza for being a part of Alif's journey. Never will be forgotten.

Illi, this is for you... Alif 'help' did it....

He still talks about the day he went shopping with you. 

How special you are in his life.

 3. A NEW ROUTINE

Of course with the change of school, there begins a new hectic schedule for SuperMAMA!!
Alif will go to school in the morning, Papa will send him by motorbike.

Mama send Aimy & Ariq to their destinations... everyday mundane drama will be there everyday...

The catch is the teraphy sessions at UE are not fixed like at Smart Integrated. So, sometimes... it's a bit tiring. driving all over Shah Alam to fit everyone's schedule (what about mine???).


SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
During the school holidays, Mama is a bit relaxed.

 Thank you Atuk for fetching Alif for every Friday prayers, even for lunch and a short stay while Mama is doing her work. My Papa is the best. Also thank you to Ibu for all help, indirectly or directly...

Thank you Phica, for a short visit and a dinner appointment with us...
All the way from Kedah really made Alif's journey worthwhile (sampai asthma attack kejap...).


I know I am thanking all people in Alif's journey.
Because indirectly, everyone help in a positive or negative way.

Salam Ramadhan.

May Allah ease our way to jannah.

Still a long journey... ahead.....

My PHD: MS Words & Mendeley Workshop

Assalamualaikum and a great day ahead to all.

MasyaAllah, it has been a while since my last entry.
My latest achievement was writing a journal paper myself. Just submitted it to my supervisors. I do hope it will give a positive impact to them as well as to myself.

(Hahaha.. poyo lah, itu pun nak share ke?)

Anyway, A GRANDE TIP from yours truly for any PHD candidates, please go to a Workshop for Ms Words and Mendeley. Seriously, it will help you minimize your stress for writing your thesis of even any papers you need to publish/ write!!

I went to one last week, I felt like it was worth every dime and time I spent there. I was just angry I didn't get to attend the workshop earlier, that is before my PHD started! It could have save me more time... We literally got the IPSIS template to write our proposal and thesis!

Anyway, whoever has yet to use Mendeley, please use it right now... Seriously... You will be blown away by it's sofistication and so-darn-easy steps to it. Just with a drag of your mouse, all your reference papers can be organized and called in a blink of an eye... (ok, a bit exaggerating now... ).

You know how I don't have time to sit down at some times, that my schedule is such a disaster. Sometimes I thought I might just end up laying flat on the road, while rushing to different places in a day, because of exhaustion!!

Yikes!!

P/S: Just bought a new smartphone... An ASUS Zenfone5. Now I am in the midst of looking for an ultrabook (most probably an ASUS too...). Why?? Haha... coz it's cheap of course, and it performs just at par of any 3-times-it's-price devices... so why not. I can save money and spend it on my kids.. Ayoyooo... I heard myself in my soulmates voice. Subhanallah, I am now thinking like him!

My Special Journey on Learning - My PHD

Assalamualaikum wbt. and a very good day to all.

Guess where I am right now... I am at home, at the comfort of my study table... In front of my lappy... Just finish printing stuffs for my presentation today.. YES! TODAY I have a progress presentation.

Alhamdulillah. I had been slaving preparing the slides since last week. Actually to think about it, the content of the presentation starts from the day I register my PHD! Anyway, I completed the slides and emailed my SV on Monday. On Tuesday, after a long loooongggggg day with Alif's therapy and a visit to Urban Atheos, I brought Alif and Aimy to the office coz I was suppose to meet her regarding the presentation today. She gave some improving comments. I was actually surprised that she actually praise me for it. Alhamdulillah.

So, what have I done so far to improve my PHD journey?

1. I change my PHD journal to a proper PHD file. I was stuck using the journal that it was difficult to get the thing I want. I felt very sloppy and not organized. I mean, It was convenient when I had a handful of task I did. But when it came to more than 10 task performed, my collection of mind maps and hideous notes, it made me miserable!

\

What is inside? 

• 1. Well, I have a calendar for the whole year for a start. I jot down all appointments, even weddings and birthday parties I need to attend. 
• 2. The to-do-list, so that I know what I have to do everyday.
• 3. Discussion tab is what I jot down during the discussion with my SV.
• 4.  Result tab is the results of task I did - it might be a summary of my reading or the results from a computer program.
• 4. Mind map tab is where I compile all my mind maps from concepts I learn by reading the papers and books.
• 5. Paper Read tab is the material I am still reading. So I make notes for every paper I read (yes, each and everyone so that after 1 year I can just refer to the notes w/o having to read back the paper!).
• 6. Other tab - anything else will be put here.

2. I enrolled myself to a Postgraduate lab. Why? Why should I run from the comfort of my office room? I don't have to share with others? Everything is already there! Well, I need to motivate myself by surrounding myself with people like-me. That's all. When I was in the room, I had an urge to keep on studying. Strange but true. It might work for me, might not work for you.

3. I learn how to organize my files in Google Drive. I have to do work on the go, anywhere and at anytime. All the restriction with thumbdrive and email, I can't be doing that anymore. I learned that by installing Google Drive, I have more freedom and not attached to conventional media storage. Try it! 

4. For the Progress Presentation today....

Tadaaaaaa....

Slides ready, even already printed for the panels.

The mind map I mad using Coogle. Try it! Very nice software.... I recommend it.

Now what I need is to keep calm and deliver what I should. 

Rabbi yassir wala tuassir, ya Allah. 

May Allah ease everything for me. 

Pray for me. 

P/S: I hope this entry helps those doing PHD like me. Everyone told me there's a thing called the Curse of PHD. I don't call it curse. I call it dugaan. Hey, I know the feeling of alone and lost too. You can also comment and share your tips to a more effective post graduate study.