[ cherlosophy ]

Ballet Revolucion

2012-01-10T04:26:00.000+08:00

Techno snagged free tickets to watch Ballet Revolucion over at the Esplanade so she invited me to join her.

At first, I thought it would some boring ballet but it turned out to be really enjoyable. The cuban troupe mesmerized with their engery and the accompanying live band really brought the performance to new heights. The band played a fusion of Cuban and pop songs that entertained the crowd. It was amazing how one male and female sing took turns to belt out hit after hit.

I wanna buy the OST...!

As it was the opening show, there were many VIPs dressed to the nines. Most came in suits and dresses, while Techno and I wore jeans and Tees. Haha! We also moved just under the ambassador's box a few seats away after the second song to catch the dancers at closer range. Hahaha!

I soon found my legs possessed as they shook to the infectious music!

Techno salivated at a particular dancer and we giggled she schoolgirls as she oogled and swooned over him. All the male dancers had rippling muscles that appeared to shine with their perspiration under the lights. The ladies, on the other hand, didn't look like they even broke out in a mist of sweat as they twirled and flew across the stage!

Damn.

Carbo Craze

2011-12-29T21:18:00.000+08:00

I've always had an unhealthy infatuation with all things potatoes ever since my childhood. Especially with Calbee potato chips! It's cheap, crisp and flavorful.

On occassion, I ddo treat myself to deli style chips like Red Rock Deli or Kettle chips but Calbee just knocks the competitor's socks with it's rocking level of comfort.I can go on and on about my love affair with Calbee!

And guess what, Watson's has brought in the same flavor and packaging of Calbee potato chips from my childhood!!! No, I'm not talking about expired food or miniature display items.

It's the Hong Kong version of Calbee's famed 'Hot & Spicy' and 'BBQ' flavors!I remember munching on the same packs of chips at the playground, where I would so stupidly bury my coins in the sandpit for 'safekeeping'. Of course, I never saw my money again but my pea brain would not comprehend that fact. Fortunately for me, there are other wildly stupid children in my neighbourhood so once in a while, I would chance upon somebody else's loot. Harhar.

Our local version just doesn't do justice to the original BBQ flavor. Bursting with a savoury meaty taste with a tinge of tartness! I LOVE IT...!! I almost slipped into depression when the local version decided to 'revamp' the original flavor. Cause our current flavor SUCKS!

However, our local hot & spicy is superb! It's spicier and loaded with hair dropping MSG, salt and flavor.

Just the way I like it...

Together with my obsession with fat canned Pringles, it's obvious this new year is really beginning to heat up, real good. And just so you should know, the thin canned Pringles taste like shit.

I'm a fat canned girl.

And if you don't know what I'm rambling about, you will never begin to understand my obsessive complusion.

And here's a peek at my scheduler for 2012... The first few months are already chock full of entries :D

Digital Phobia

2011-12-13T00:52:00.002+08:00

I consider it a compliment when someone tells me that I look “young”. This word, I use unadulterated from the horse’s mouth.

But it gets really tiring and lame when they say it with so much shock and do a massive up-down eyeball, complete with a gaping mouth. I mean, I don’t look much younger then my actual age. I look like an adult.

And I possess the vision to see that your reaction is clearly not in proportion to the situation.

It’s as if I have a third breast hanging out of my nose, nipples for eyes and perhaps you might like to throw in 2 vaginas coiled around my neck.

You so old meh?!! Cannot tell leh…!! I thought you same age as me one lor!!

Yawns.

Tell me something new.

What’s the big deal if I happen to look young? How does my appearance affect your life? Does my age make me less likely to be your friend?

I’m really curious to know how people expect me to dress. They still laugh when I wear berms. I mean, am I supposed to wear mid calf white panty hose or some frumpy dress?

Really wanna laugh.

Age, is just a digit to state the length of time you’ve spent out from your mother’s womb. In no way does it reflect your worth, honor, intellect or the impact that you have made in this lifetime.

If you feel that only mixing with people of similar ages can foster meaningful relationships, than I’m afraid you are missing out on a whole load of possibilities. Because each person has every opportunity to impart something special into your life.

And like my taste in music, I like the variations in my list of friends.

Another A7X Swoonfest

2011-12-12T01:19:00.000+08:00

I really love Avenged Sevenfold. Really, Really Love them. Really.

You get my drift. I so freaking want to get an A7X tattoo...!!! Any sponsors?!

Goodness. I can drown in my own saliva. And now you can sing along!! =D

2011-12-09T00:37:00.001+08:00

Another year goes by

In just under 3 weeks, we’ll have to sing a swansong to the year 2011. Which incidentally, has been quite an exhilarating heck-of-a-roller-coaster ride.

This time round, the highlight of my year must have been my tandem skydive in the Arizona dessert, amidst the haunting sandy shades of brown in Vegas with Ching and Sumi. Even stranger is how a single impromptu trip morphed into such a spontaneous and daring adventure that cemented our bonds.

I love my girls.

And this ward, this irritating yet alluring place that saw me slog my guts out seems to have somehow shifted to provide me a sense of serenity I can’t explain no matter how hard I try to express in words. The all too familiar shit we have to grit our teeth to endure and the darling staff that come so readily forward to buffer the extreme conditions we face everyday is perhaps best described as a cancer that grows on you.

And 2011 couldn’t have been a better year for Fluffy and Sharon Lee. With major milestones in their lives now set in motion, I’m wishing them the best in the upcoming year.
My beloved.

And to Ross, the new year will mark a closure in his contract which will hopefully see him beef up his pirates-of-the-Caribbean loot.

I’m really at my happiest. Ever.

Though perhaps just another Prada Bauletto would be just fine. Harhar.

So I’m going to clink those glasses (of sparkling juices), kick back and simply relish the ride towards 2012.
Here’s to 2011.

Dinner & Dance

2011-12-04T23:20:00.000+08:00

2011-12-01T03:10:00.000+08:00

I had a field day watching a salesgirl in Malaysia karaoke-ing to this song when she thought nobody was watching her. Totally loved her lip synching, neck thrusts and diva fingers rolls. Wahahaha...!Yes, I was ~~STALKING~~ exhibiting seletive voyuerism. That aside, I love Avril!

I HEART A7X

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

It's really easy to love these...

Avenged Sevenfold - So Far Away

and the light you left remains
but its so hard to stay
when i have so much to say
and you're so far away

RIP Jimmy

Avenged Sevenfold - Afterlife

I dont belong here
gotta move on here
escape from this afterlife

2011-10-20T03:56:00.004+08:00

Cherlosophy's Playlist -
From one of the greatest bands of all time... introducing... drum roll please!

T-R-A-I-N...!!

A hauntingly beautiful song made even more wonderful with this acoustic version

A fabulous song!

2011-10-18T02:29:00.001+08:00

Cookie Monster

I'm stuck in a "cookie obsession" with Fox's dark chocolate cookies. They are TO DIE FOR.

I'm salivating just looking at the pictures!

These delightful large chewy morsels come chock full of dark choc chunks that bring me to my knees. An insane orgasm explodes in your mouth after you start the first bite. As the cookie dough crumbles within your mouth, the heat melts the choc chunks that turn into a tsunami of dense bitter sweet choc!!!

Food Porn!

These sinfully addictive bites of heaven are available at most supermarkets like Cold Storage, 7-11, Giant, NTUC, Sheng Shiong etc. You'd probably get a better deal buying them from Sheng Shiong for under $5. They have a few other variants which I tried but non could compare to this.

A note to ponder upon though, just don't bother looking at the nutritional label. Things that taste this good can't possibly be good for that blardy waistline.

But you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll more then lift my saggy spirits ANY given day!!!

2011-10-04T01:21:00.000+08:00

Ross Can Cook

If you're wondering why I appear to be so bloated these days, it's largely due to Ross OVER feeding me. He whips up such a storm, all resistance is futile.
Wails.

I'll let the pics do the talking!

Fried Rice

Seafood Char Kuay Teow

Stir Fried Beef

Spicy Scallops with Prawns

Fried Macaroni

Char Kuay Teow again!

Even Fluffy caught the cooking bug and made me this sandwich =)

2011-09-20T03:35:00.000+08:00

Westlife - Safe

I know the people my age (all) love Westlife! Those days saw us belting out hit after hit of Westlife's karaoke friendly tunes. Those were the days where I would have gladly thrown my bra on stage at any given Westlife concert!

Harharhar.

Well, though the white hairs have sprouted and wrinkles sorely etched onto skin, I feel like a teenager again with Westlife's new single.

Hard to find a way to get through
It's a tragedy
Pulling at me like the stars do
You're like gravity
Even if the wind blows
It makes it hard to believe

How ya gonna love
How ya gonna feel
How you gonna live your life like the dream you have is real
And If you lost your way
I will keep you safe
We'll open up all the world inside
I see it come alive tonight
I will keep you safe

Doesn't even matter to you
To see what I can see
I'm crawling on the floor to reach you
I'm a wreck you see
When you're far from home now
Makes it hard to believe

So how ya gonna love
How ya gonna feel
How you gonna live your life like the dream you have is real

If you've lost your way
I will keep you safe
Well open up all your world inside
Til you come alive tonight
I will keep you safe

We all fall down
We all feel down
Cos rainy days and summer highs
The more we pray the more we feel alive

How ya gonna love
How ya gonna feel
How you gonna live your life like the dream you have is real
How ya gonna love
How ya gonna feel
How you gonna live your life like the dream you have is real

If you've lost your way
I will keep you safe
Well open up all your world inside
So you come alive tonight
I will keep you safe

Well I will keep you safe
I will keep you safe

2011-09-13T03:15:00.001+08:00

Rihanna - Cry

I love Rihanna's ballads because they have this uncanny knack of putting those tear ducts into overdrive.

I'm not the type to get my heart broken
I'm not the type to get upset and cry
'Cause I never leave my heart open
Never hurts me to say goodbye

Relationships don't get deep to me
Never got the whole 'in love' thing
And someone can say they love me truly
But at the time it didn't mean a thing

My mind is gone, I'm spinnin' 'round
And deep inside my tears I'll drown
I'm losin' grip, what's happenin'?
I strayed from love, this is how I feel

This time was different
Felt like I was just a victim
And it cut me like a knife
When you walked out of my life

Now I'm in this condition
And I've got all the symptoms
Of a girl with a broken heart
But no matter what you'll never see me cry

Did it happen when we first kissed?
'Cause it's hurtin' me to let it go
Maybe 'cause we spent so much time
And I know that it's no more

I shoulda never let you hold me baby
Maybe why I'm sad to see us apart
I didn't give to you on purpose
Gotta figure out how you stole my heart

My mind is gone, I'm spinnin' 'round
And deep inside my tears I'll drown
I'm losin' grip, what's happenin'?
I strayed from love, this is how I feel

This time was different
Felt like I was just a victim
And it cut me like a knife
When you walked out of my life

Now I'm in this condition
And I've got all the symptoms
Of a girl with a broken heart
But no matter what you'll never see me cry

How did I get here with you? I'll never know
I never meant to let it get so personal
And after all I tried to do, stay away from lovin' you
I'm broken hearted, I can't let you know
And I won't let it show, you won't see me cry

This time was different
Felt like I was just a victim
And it cut me like a knife
When you walked out of my life

Now I'm in this condition
And I've got all the symptoms
Of a girl with a broken heart
But no matter what you'll never see me cry

This time was different
Felt like I was just a victim
And it cut me like a knife
When you walked out of my life
(You'll never see me cry)

Now I'm in this condition
And I've got all the symptoms
Of a girl with a broken heart
But no matter what you'll never see me cry
On my life

I just LOVE Rihanna!!!

2011-09-11T02:46:00.003+08:00

Bad Habits Die Hard

How apt it is when the gossip mongers cluck their tongues in unison to slither the words “a leopard never changes its spots”...

My body tingles with an irrepressible urge. My mouth dries out.

And I brush my fingers nervously across my lips, only to feel the cracks upon.

On the bed, I can’t help but twist and turn. My heart races. My lungs on fire.

I bite my tongue and pace around. My mind, already beyond space. Logic escapes.

I try to busy myself. To detach my thoughts from the desire to be with you. With you.

I can no longer breathe. No longer think. Too lost in you.

Just you.

Steadily, will power dissolves into the night air. My feet, possessed. My mind, hypnotized.

In a waking moment, I find myself gazing across the counter. My finger points to you.

Crisp notes slip from my hands.

The transaction completed.

A click, then a swoosh. And a flicker of orange dances.
I pull you to my lips. My anxiety vanishes. My head starts to spin.

Drawing a deep breath, rainbows appear.
My world, suddenly spectacular again.

My beloved Texas Five.

2011-09-02T01:33:00.003+08:00

Stop And Smell The Roses

Meet Rose, the newest citizen of my cupboard. Hohoho...

This bag is made from smooshy, buttery soft nappa leather in an understated black which smells just divine! I can't stop myself from running my hands up and down the bag. Hardware and the infamous lettering logo comes in shiny gold. Swoon. The rose accents are also made from nappa, which has been lovingly coiled and sewn onto the front of the bag, together with a single leaf for added drama. Salivates.

It comes in a variety of colors (purple, fuschia etc) but I settled for the evergreen black.

This bag converts into a hand carry that looks great as an evening bag with its sturdy double rolled handles. Alternatively, snap on the attached sling and it transforms into a casual crossbody bag that still maintains an air of formality. A true statement piece!

I love it to bits!

2011-08-30T03:49:00.004+08:00

Sent

Life weaves in people to enrich our experiences. Some characters pique interest through their flamboyant antics, some bring utmost joy, while others bring lessons of an ache that words can ever translate.

A lesson nonetheless.

We all harbor secret letters in our hearts that we lack the courage to send. A piece that documents the sorrow, the pain, the anguish of it all. Either it’s because I’ve come to believe that words are better left unsaid in my own cowardice ways; or simply because maybe, just maybe, it’s better for the people involved to let go.

Reasoning fails me here, so I'm refusing to die with the regret of not sending mine out.

So here's mine.

No expectations, no regret.

2011-08-22T23:58:00.004+08:00

One of my very most fave songs of all time given a fantastic twist by the extremely talented Jason Mraz =)

Some day we'll find it
the rainbow connection
the lovers, the dreamers
and me

Dear Jim Henson would have been so proud if he was still alive to hear this rendition. But good news for all Muppet fans..!! There will be another Muppet movie scheduled for release this year...!! YAAAYYYYY.... I'm so excited...!!

Check it out!

Now I just have to beg Sharon Lee to help me source for Waldorf and Statler dolls =)

I'll leave you with a supercalifragalisticexpialidosious cover of the legendary Bohemian Rhapsody by none other then the hodge podge of Muppets.

It's mayhem!!

2011-08-22T23:42:00.005+08:00

Zero Hero

Some days are particularly rough. This was one of those days. With the incessant ranting of demented patients, non stop call bells and visitors that demand updates, it is days like these that cause the frustration factor to tip beyond boiling point.

I almost lost it with a patient. Her repeatedly unreasonable, attention seeking advances were simply too much to bear. It was an extreme feat to hold back my anger and I really had to have someone else take over. I was given the green light to restrain her but there wasn’t a need. It was just her blardy mouth that could not stop screaming. Other patients added to the drama by complaining and quarreling with her, making the ward sound worse then a fish market. One patient in the opposite room even threatened to pour water on her again. Yes, might i stress - AGAIN. It was THAT bad.

But anger is something that doesn’t go away despite you losing it.

And yet, at the end of my shitty shift, my loving colleagues handed me birthday gifts that they had put together secretly.

Tears.

It's not about the gifts. Though I'd like to add that the presents are damn cool. It's the love behind the deed that really warms me. I didn't even get them anything for their birthdays. Whacks head.

Good Lord, how do I leave them now?

You see, I had handed in my request to transfer to another department because I feel really stressed posted here. It’s so bad that I’ve even been in tears when trodden with the massive shit load of non stop work and non gratitude from the very patients I serve. To have a visitors eyeball me with suspicion or contempt hurts really bad.

They don't acknowledge the fact that I have to stay back beyond normal working hours to settle the outstanding orders and countless other side duties that management has decided should be distributed amongst staff.

Who bears witness to the battles that occur with every minute at work?

I understand that the cumulative stressors from disease and psychosocial factors add to both the patient and visitor’s anxiety but to have them lash out on me is something I still find very hard to stomach.

Especially when I give each patient my utmost each and every day.

I bathe you.
Feed you.
Comb your hair.
Change your diapers.
Ensure you take your medication even though you spit at me.
I still have to take your bloods despite you scratching me because the Doctors need to review your blood levels.

I carry out the neccessary evils brought about by modern medicine not because I want to hurt you, but because I want to help you get better.

Who else will do it if I don’t?

I take care of you even though you and your visitor complain and nitpick.
I may not carry a huge grin every single minute because some days suck bad.
But I always try to smile when I catch your gaze.

I work even when I'm sick.
I'm at work even when I have my own pressing family issues.

I’m human. And like you, I’m not perfect.

I really think being a nurse in Singapore is really difficult. But working in this ward is absolutely crazy shit psychotic on some days. I’d return my 2nd Service medal in a blink if I could moderate the level of nonsense I’m put through.

I’m praying for strength and thanking God. He’s put mighty warriors in this battle beside me. And for that, I should be grateful. I love my colleagues! Without them, I would die. Or probably (insert most evil suggestion here).

But I too would like some peace and worklife balance.

2011-08-20T01:54:00.000+08:00

The Queen of Spades

I was desperately sourcing for a bag organizer for quite some time before I got my grubby little fingers on this cheery, nautical baby with irregular red and cream stripes from Kate Spade. What got me smitten was actually the service tag, which reads 'have courage'. It's something I hold close to my heart...

Best of all, it's free! Weeeeeeeeeee......!!

This is supposed to be a large cosmetic pouch but I figured it would do nicely as my bag organizer because I seriously misplace my things whenever I change my bags!

It comes in 2 sizes, with this being the larger. Being greedy, I decided upon this since it could fit nicely into most of my bags. Though after a while, I realized that it's actually quite bulky so I'm using this as an underwear bag when I travel. Hahaha..

So, it's back to sourcing for my bag organizer and losing my stuff all over again!

2011-08-12T01:46:00.000+08:00

My Best Friend-in-Law

I cried my eyeballs out receiving Sharon Lee’s email. It, most fortunately, carried one of the best, best, berry best news this entire year. And what flowed from these coin slot eyes were a river of happiness.

Bliss.

Nestled within the email was news of her ROM along with pictures of the happy couple surrounded by their friends. Though I wasn’t able to attend their ROM ceremony per say; I was, well almost with her most step of the way.

I wept like a mother giving away her daughter. Blardy Hell.

We had shared the moment of when and how Berj proposed, the RING (yes, the one ring to rule them all) and thankfully she was kind enough to censor out the moments thereafter.

Studying the pictures like a PhD student, I soaked in the blissful couple’s happiness captured on celluloid. With the wind in her tousled hair, her (very slutty) little navy dress and a shower of baby blue geraniums, she took my breath away.

Doesn’t time fly?

Once upon a time, like a child hankering after a parent’s love, I was initially quite resistant towards Sharon Lee’s romance. A part of me was happy for her to start a new relationship given her slew of ang moh’s in a foreign land. Yet, there was another part of me that felt threatened by this intrusion into our life that could possibly rob me of her attention. Childish and defensive me got even more riled up when I first met Berj because he called her fat.

I so wanted to punch his face.

But time wore on and bore witness to his steadfast love towards my best friend. I saw how hard he fought to be with her. She loved him, but nothing can take away the memories that we have forged. Together. And I too, softened to accept this man that would be lovingly holding her hands in times of need. He’s proven that he's able to see her through tough times and as a result, they’ve come out stronger as a couple.

Heck, even Ross acknowledges the fact that we are both extremely hard headed women whom are a challenge to live with.

Ross, watch your mouth ah..

So I’m no longer the jealous brat of yesteryear. I’m going to love Berj because he’s my best friend-in-law. And come December, I’ll have a chance to ridicule him! It’s something I can’t wait!! Hohoho..

2011-08-10T02:14:00.006+08:00

Faded Glory

I’ve survived more then a year in my current posting of a shit-hole disguised as a ward. Can you believe it’s been a whole year? Now, it’s only another three (blardy long and painful) years before I can march into the DN’s office and throw my resignation letter on her desk.

That is, if I ever wanted to.
I would be able to yield THAT power in MY hands.
-insert deep throat evil laughter-

Alas, that is still a distant dream and for now, I can only bow my head in unbridled slavery before such a day blooms with the power of emancipation.

Reality sucks doesn’t it?

I’m not here to complain about the banalities of the job. I think the web is already oversaturated with that. Rather, I’m here trying to convince myself there has to be more to life then this. To be fair, this ward has been a Petri dish of opportunities that has allowed me to garner some accolades alongside its fair share of knowledge. Through the daily battles in the ward, I’ve experienced peaks that raise the bar through unparalleled camaraderie; yet concurrently made to endure dips that threaten to shove me out of nursing for good.

There are days when I feel so sick of it all; I give off sparks at the slightest provocation. Crash. Boom. Bang. Other times, I find myself voluntarily swallowing shit by the bucket loads.

And a quietly simmering ache that questions the need to face each day like this overflows.

Pragmatic me reasons that I need the job.
Altruistic me preaches on the opportunity to serve others.
Needy me revels in the sense of satisfaction that pours forth with reciprocated gratitude.

And yet the inner sadist just wants to slap all the fuckers till their cheeks explode. And maybe grab a spoon to dig out all the eyeballs of the bastards that roll their eyes so often.

I think I’ve come to the realization that although the world can think you work with passion and all that bullshit, you may one day wake to find that the work no longer unlocks joy.

Like a misplaced piece in an otherwise completed jigsaw puzzle.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have the courage to walk away from it all.

2011-08-02T03:15:00.000+08:00

2ne1 - Ugly

Love the cinematography and song but the lip synching really is damn sickening. Looks like someone dubbed them..! Wahahahaaa..

Girl's Generation - Run Devil Run

Ultimate fave song!! The chorus is the catchiest thing ever!!
You better run run run ~~

I'm aching to go Korea!! Aren't you?

San Fran Day 2 - Part 3

2011-04-03T02:38:00.000+08:00

Here's more pics from Day 2 in an awesome San Fran..

Alcatraz!

Blooms that signalled the start of Spring =)

Next, we headed to The Great Mall for the start of some serious shopping! Our local sales pale in comparision to the price dips over in the US. With prices starting from as low as USD5.99 for basic Tees, we bled money!

Our guide told us to save our dough for Tanger Outlets if we wanted to buy Coach as The Great Mall is slightly more expensive, but prices are largely similar for Polo, Gap, Old Navy, Levis etc. Rushing for time, we decided we'd rather roam what we could of the mall and pack our dinner, so we only grabbed dinner during the final seconds before leaving.

The mall is HUGE...!!

So we practically ran to cover as much surface area as our short limbs could carry us. I scored some Levis jeans (approx USD60 for 2 pairs) for Patrick and Gap tops (USD39 for a sweater, USD24 for shirts) for Ross and many stuff for myself!! Heehee..

Coincidentally, we found another Asian establishment in the mall - Jolly Bee!

Yummy...!

We ordered a family set that included fried chicken, fries, drinks, spagetti and pineapple pies (approx USD40) for the 4 of us which Sumi graciously sponsored. And they gave us loads of gravy for the chicken that better then KFC. The highlight of the meal was the spagetti!! Super nice! A definate must try for all noodle/pasta lovers! For the drinks, we tried Dr Pepper, but didnt really see what the fuss was about.

And here is what our hotel for the night looked like...

Love the huge beds!

This time, the coffee maker is strangely in the washroom!

our view...!

With the twinkling lights in the distant horizon, we cleaned up and slithered into bed, eager to see what the new day would bring...

San Fran Day 2 - Part 2 (PoFA, the Golden Gate Bridge & Pier 39)

2011-04-03T01:29:00.000+08:00

After Lombard, we walked around a little more to soak in the artistic vibe of San Fran before heading off to our next destination....

Now to The Palace of Fine Arts...!!

Modelled after the gardens of babylon, The Palace of Fine Arts is essentially a museum. The looming pillars together with its large domes reminded me of ancient Rome. There's a man made lake on the compound with fountains and a school of ducks that were delightful beyond words.

Caught this swan watching me watching her. Haha..

Another swan busy building a nest

These mandarin ducks couldn't be bothered with us

Notice how the statues all face inwards? Baby got back?!

I asked but nobody could provide an explanation.

I like how we all look so happy in this picture

There were houses around the museum which benefitted from the marvelous view. I wonder how much one house would cost. And I wondered when I would be able to live in a house (being a maid doesn't count) like that even more.

Picture taken by Francis, shamelessly ripped from his FB

A tour bus just outside the museum (pic also by Francis)

Next, the bus brought us across the entire length of San Fran's most iconic structures - The Golden Gate Bridge.

Eat. Your. Heart. Out.

I was here!!

Declared as one of the seven wonders of the world, The Golden Gate Bridge spans 1.7miles and links the city of San Fran to Marin County. Even on this particularly hazy day, I couldn't help but stand in awe at the massive structure that sliced through the Pacific Ocean.

The Golden Gate Bridge offers sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline and Alcatraz Island (guide calls it "Orchestra Island" once again). He also went on and on about "Angle Island". It was discovered to be "Angel Island" upon reading our itinerary.

The Bridge consists of huge ass 6 lanes that see vehicles of every make zip through and seperate paths for cyclists and pedestrians. We even saw some actual hitch hikers holding up signboards on the side lanes hoping to catch a free ride.

Epic fail jump shot. Hahaha..

Now this is what I call a jump shot!

We stopped by North Vista Point to look at some exhibits and to use their toilets. The one thing I have to rave about America is that their toilets are fucking clean! You can literally sleep in the loo. There's no disgusting stench of ammonia or super disgusting maxed out pads stuck on gawd forsaken nooks or crannies.

But, I also have to add - there's always a wide gap between the doors of the cubicles. Sharon Lee says nobody peeps through the gaps while standing in line to use the loo. I vehemently beg to differ because, I do! Hahahaha...

Well, it wasn't on purpose!! I swear..!!

Anyway, I grew out of that 'pervert' phase after a couple of days and I refrained from using the front cubicles because I didn't want to put on a free show for other folks!

The view from the Bridge

Next, we scooted off to San Fran's premier bay attraction, Fisherman's Wharf over at Pier 39! I cannt begin to tell you how pretty everything is there! The shops, the walkways, the trinkets on sale etc!

Credits to Francis

Dreyers ice cream!

Perhaps the main draw of Pier 39 must be the SEA LIONS...!!

Here's a pic of them kissing! Sweeeeeet...!

Though they look cute, the sea lions are damned stinky. Super duper damned smelly. If you must know how bad they smell, take some shit and smear it on your face. The smell that follows comes close. It is also an offence to feed them. Be it french fries or real fish, there are wardens around that WILL prosecute you if you try to throw them food.

Stay tuned for the final instalment of day 2 =)

San Fran Day 2 - part 1 (Chinatown & Lombard St)

2011-04-03T00:56:00.000+08:00

The second day in San Fran saw us going to have - get this... : Dim Sum over in Chinatown. Yes, we travelled half way round the world just so we could eat Asian.

Rolls eyes.

I have a vintage pendant that looks like this... hahaha..!!

The restaurant's deco looks stuck in the 60's! Bring on Austin Powers!! But thankfully the food wasn't too bad. We sat with a Malaysian couple. The lady was so petite and cuuuuute with her specks and bangs, while the male was a skinhead (highly suspected to be bald) with the BEST skin EVER.

I swear.

He has no pores whatsoever.

Life's a bitch, no?!

Anyway, here's food pics to get em' saliva flowing.

Ah Ching's plate filled with goodies!

Deliriously bored (and famished) just-crawled-out-from-bed-face

Next, the guide brought us to walk along the streets of San Fran on this lazy sunday morning. The architecture in San Fran is brilliant. I just love how the buildings all seem to exude an individual sense of personality and style.

Love the way how many houses have bay windows that you can emo in when it rains!

Us at the bottom of Lombard Street - the most crooked street in the world

The houses are gorgeous!

This cat motif is to DIE for..!

There's a tram stop when you get to the top. And with all iconic destinations, there are sure to be eager beaver tourists. Like us..!! We waved to them as they called out and waved at us. It was seriously dramatic. But oh so fun!!

Then something possessed us and we started this epic drama of taking jump shots everywhere we went!

On the way down, I don't know why but we all started screaming with excitement when we saw a fire engine come down the street. Then we ran down the street to snap pics, not realising the firemen were walking beside their ride inspecting the fire hydrants.

They walked up towards us and we thought we had commited a felony by taking pictures of government personnel. By this time, our guide had spotted us and sort of ran towards us cause he was afraid we were in some kind of trouble.

However, the firemen were LOVELY. They chatted up with us and asked if we were students on spring break (we got this alot. like seriously). He even volunteered to be our model!

Looks like Hulk Hogan right?!

I wish I lived here!!

Our guide told us that San Fran has a famous island named "Orchestra Island". It had me scratching my head bald in puzzlement as I had read up on the major tourists sites before the tour. And given my obsessive compulsive personality, how could I have missed this spot out?

We later came to learn that he was actaully referring to Alcatraz Island. WTF. Though really nice, we came to a conclusion that our guide is guilty of neologisms! Haha..!

Alcatraz in the horizon

Stay tuned for Part 2..!

The Great West Coast Adventure =)

2011-04-02T23:10:00.000+08:00

Day One/Two (SG-> TPE -> SFO)

I had an incredible experience touring San Francisco, Vegas and Los Angeles in the West Coast of the United States. After what seemed to be an awful mushroom of petty inconveniences that almost saw the lot of us diverting travel plans, we ultimately made our way across the globe for a spectacular trip of a lifetime! Woohoo...!!

We chose ASA’s 13D West Coast tour because its itinerary suited us best. They included an offer of 2N in Taipei (absolutely free!) on the return leg which we gleefully accepted. The total damage amounted to $2788 + $420 (taxes). The amount for shopping was, well, let's just call it shameless.

Hangs head low.

I had a meal for each leg of the journey! Heeheehee...

We spent a good part of the first day basically traveling. Our first flight of 5 hours took us from Singapore to Taipei’s Tao Yuan Airport where we stormed over to check out the Hello Kitty terminal and their duty free shops.

Scary Movie Part 1 - the dead body & the pseudo Japanese

Scary movie Part 2 - happy murderer at the pay phone

Once again, the calefare Pseudo Japanese girl. Wahaha..!!

The 2 hour transit flew by after an embarrassing impromptu video with me as the main lead! It's private so it's only for the few in the know =)

Tao Yuan airport even had a lovely orchid showcase!

I was quite pleased with EVA air’s leg room and the frequent round of drinks the stewardess made though I personally felt the food was merely passable. Entertainment wise, I was initially elated when I realized they had the latest Harry Potter installment!

But I accidentally hit the pause button twice and exited the movie. Urgh...!! Horrified, I tried in vain to fast forward the movie but it would simply freeze and auto exit after a 5 seconds. Exasperated after my feeble attempts to fast forward, I cursed and slept; waking up only to check if the parts I had watched were over. A couple of times, I awoke and tried to rewind but the blardy movie exited again!

KNNBCCB (in all it's glory) ah!!

I was this <-> close to punching the console with my fists!

I left my heart in San Fran too...!!

We finally reached San Francisco around 3pm after 13 hours in the sky! Hurray!!

Clearing customs was a breeze! The officers on duty took the time to make conversation and you have to stand in front of the counter to have a mug shot taken and scan in your fingerprints when you arrive.

As most of them are of Asian descent, I felt like I was back in Singapore. Only they have an American accent and are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more polite! Weather wise, San Fran proved true to its promise of cool winds and cloudy skies!

Just the way I love it!

Even the vending machines in San Fran are ass huge!

San Fran is a place where people can easily fall in love with. It's Sharon Lee's fave state, and mine too!

On our journey to the hotel, we passed by many lovely Victorian styled buildings and super colorful artwork splashed across the sides of buildings. Graffiti (in an awesomely good way) was everywhere!

We even passed by rough neighborhoods where shops sold their wares through windows which had bars as grilles. Just like in the movies where tough characters mingle along the sidewalks of the ghetto! The tour guide warned us not to head over to these areas as the evening would lure drunks and homeless people who could be potentially dangerous.

Obviously, we heeded his advice!

Sumi's fave in all the hotels are the superb coffee makers and their thoughtful takeaway cups!

Ching and I loved the fact that we could keep every single security card as a souvenir!

Though we all agreed the free toiletries that came with each room drove us delirious with joy!

The view from our room

We stayed in Hilton over at Union Square which was stuck in between worlds. If you walk towards the left from the main entrance, you’d see homeless people loiter the pavements. If you walk down the right, you’d be able to hit the 3rd largest shopping belt in the States – Union Square.

A very jet lagged Sadako in San Fran, while Ming is in the background trying desperately to ignore us, poor excuses for Singaporeans..! Wahaha...

This pic is so funny!

We chose the latter and soaked in the bright lights of the large stores over in Union Square. H&M, Forever 21, Macy’s! Sumi bought Benefit stuff while Ching and I attacked H&M. Basic tees were going for USD5.99! Lounge slacks for USD7.99!

My fats were giggly with joy!

It began to freeze as evening approached and I ended with hives as my denim jacket chaffed the dry skin over my arms. It subsided with a quick dose of Pred and loads of Burt Bee’s moisturizers (about USD10 for a large tube) which I bought from Walgreens, together with touristy magnets (which have incidentally become my latest obsession) and a hell lot of Reese’s peanut butter cups and organic milk!
Low fat milk tastes like fucking full cream!
We had dinner over at an Asian establishment where they included guidelines on tipping for the uninitiated. Like Sharon Lee had forewarned, tipping is expected and MANDATORY. Food was GREAT..! Seriously. The 4 of us shared 3 mains and a couple of drinks with each of us shelling out about 10USD including tips.

Just a part of our dinner!

And just in case you're wondering why some pictures look damn professional, it's because we really did have a professional photographer, Francis in our midst. And he helped us capture some great shots with his drool worthy kick ass pro DSLR.

More about our tour group later!
After which we walked off the fats with a nice slow walk around the community of hill after hill after hill, under a blanket of stars and the gentle embrace of the wind. A really nice way to end our first night in the United States of America!

Woohoo..!! And so the adventure begins....

2011-03-03T10:33:00.002+08:00

Superwoman

I had a super bad round of night shift last week. Nevermind the 20 patient load, I still had to serve the night medication and complete the changes for the new admissions, give a shit load of IVs, massive CB load of blood glucose monitoring (with their damned sliding scales!), the MF truckload of morning bloods; I still had to contend with a PMS +++ bitch from another department and a nagging mosh pit of relatives.

I understand their anxiety over the DIL status of their loved one. But updates given one too many times can be quite hard to stomach when I’m nose deep in shit.

I have other patients you know.

My last night saw me packing in 5 admissions. That’s my new record! Thankfully, 3 out of the 5 were relatively straight forward, the 4th came with some nonsense from the patient and her overly anxious boyfriend, while the 5th was DDIL. And CB A&E didn’t even have the cheek to inform us about the status!

Niiiice.

KNNBCCB..! Yes. Straight to YOUR mother.

I sincerely hope people from other departments can switch around often so we can all understand how it is to be at the receiving end of all the bullshit.

I’m hanging on by skin of my teeth.

2011-02-25T00:38:00.006+08:00

Keep Cheryl Happy

After a spate of explosive shopping sprees, the Bank of Cheryl is seriously undergoing a major review in her budget for the fiscal year.

Love my patent Timberland loafers in their
understated black leather and white rubber soles!
Got this baby at IMM Timberland Outlet store..!

This pair of nautical themed ballet pumps is from Summit,
a Malaysian brand rivalling our very own Charles & Keith.
This pair goes for a song at RM39.
Eat your heart out.

My new bling stilettos with ribbon ties and rows of bling!
I wear this around the house when I feel crazy.
Straps can be tied in different ways for different looks.
How cool is that?!
You know you love it!!

Though elated with my multiple acquisitions through the past few months, smiles fade when trodden with the harsh reality of a declining surplus.

Demands for payment have been coming in droves as the lure of beautiful shoes continue to sing their siren lullaby. Also noted is the heap of cash siphoned out for the upcoming trip due April. I'm so excited..!!

Even with the United Bank of Ross stepping in to buffer the weight of declining assets, I'm on my hands and knees praying for a meteor shower of cash!

2011-02-14T23:44:00.003+08:00

Bye Bye Bye

I feel a void whenever Sharon Lee leaves for the US. Before she left, she gave me a Coach keychain. The patent leather comes embossed with the C monogram, topped off with a pink heart charm.

It’s super sweet because I can slot in pictures of the people I love inside! Awwwwww...

One side will harbor my family, while the other side will have her face! Perfect.

I think it’s a very meaningful present cause I can carry it around with me constantly. A reminder of the people I love, safely tucked into my pocket :D Currently attached to my keys, this keychain will (I hope soon) be fastened with the keys to my new home.

Watching the movie reminds me of what Sharon Lee and I share. Like the protoganists within, we used to communicate via snail mail. We then progressed onto emails alonside the surge of technology and supplemented our updates with frequent and lengthy phone calls. So nostalgic!

Sharon Lee also surprised Rick with this super BENG Ed Hardy tattoo-esque Tee with a tiger emblazoned on the side and the logo splashed across the chest. OMG. Looking at the garish colors and loud print gives me headaches. Patrick gasped when he saw the Tee. My eyes widened and I hoped he would not say anything negative about the design.

To my amazement, he dropped his jaw and mouthed, “The tee is soooooo attractive.”

Faints.

Those two must be related because Sharon Lee picked the color she liked best in the store which happened to be Patrick’s fave color.

Serious.

I’m still reeling with shock.

2011-02-05T23:59:00.001+08:00

New Old Times

The lunar New Year demarcates the time for families to come together. My family had a rolling good time with the quintessential steamboat dinner, loaded with hot gossip. We also managed to scoot off to Batam for some R&R in Jan. The pig-shit cheap deal from deals.com.sg included ferry tickets, board, meals and even a city tour.

Basket worth it!!

We tucked into a seafood lunch and visited some shopping centers where Emms went wild. I raided Baskin Robbins and A&W..! woohoo..!

Gimme those curly fries!

I even managed to snag a few bargains myself (grins). But I guess its being close to family that matters the most.

Hearts.

Likewise, my best friend heeded the call of her Asian parentage and hurried home for the celebrations. It’s always a blessing to see her back home. Though fleeting, we celebrated our 18th year of friendship this time round. That’s more then half our lives! And how cliché it is to exclaim how fast time flies! But it’s so true!

We ploughed Singapore for great makan places and ate our way through most days, catching up on gossip and I soaked up how great it was to have her back. Nothing escapes her because I’m such an open book with her.

No secrets because there are no expectations.

This year, I also sold off my Schroeder Singapore Trusts which saw me incurring a 40% dip during the financial crisis. Thankfully, with the Government’s continuous aid, my stocks did recover and I managed to get back the principle sum invested together with a nominal interest. Ross urged me to invest in Gold but I remain the ‘once-bitten-twice-shy’ skeptic investor. Haahaaha.. I will not elaborate on the lengths this man has gone to source out his Canadian Maples, PAMPs or Credit Suisse.

But I assure you, I want to be a Taxi driver too.

I'll leave you with a super rocking mashup by uber talented DJ Masa...!! Love this track!!

2011-01-28T02:31:00.003+08:00

Warning : Reader Discretion Advised

The following entry contains the personal perspectives of the author on the topic of religion written without condemnation or disrespect. Read on only if you share an open heart and mind. The author will and cannot be held liable for any consequence that may happen thereafter. You have been warned.

Contemplation

Do you believe that your God is the right and true God?

Do you believe that He can move mountains, turn water into wine, perhaps walk on water? Or do you believe He would ask you to commit murder? Strap a bomb to your chest and run into a building, just to blow up whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Years ago, I took a first step into faith and chose to believe that there is a God. But I never could accept the whole package of sacrifice and the whole propaganda debacle.

The recent years have shone a spotlight on supposed Muslims who have only been seen to terrorize innocent parties through their Kamikaze bravado. I’m just curious why they aren’t labeled by their nationalities like most criminals. You know, like how one would say, “Gee, that (insert country name here)-ean murdered that (insert victim here).” But why is it that when someone who is remotely connected to Islam, the person will be automatically labeled a Muslim?

Muslims bomb market. Muslims gun down villagers.

It's as though anyone living in an Islamic country is Muslim. You living in an Islamic state? Muslim. Your neighbour is Muslim? You must be one too.

There is an inherent difference between a person and his so called religion. One can be born into a religion but not practice it. Similarly, one can practice a religion and yet not understand its true meaning. This flawed earth has its fair share of oppression, suppression and genocide. Thus it is little wonder why some individuals choose to take matters into their own hands. Still, name the person direct and not use a generic label.

A man is responsible for his own actions.

To me, being Muslim means to infuse a tolerant and spiritual essence into everyday life. From the time you wake till you close your eyes to drift off to sleep at night. No part of the Quran states that murdering your neighbor is acceptable behavior.

How can anyone say that they have a religion and then commit murder when murder is deemed socially and morally deviant? I’m unsure about many things in life, but I’m adamant that my God doesn’t ask me to kill.

My God is love.

Even while growing up, I heard the story where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. The story is supposed to be a testament of how strong Abraham’s faith was despite the odds. I thank God I’m not in Abraham’s shoes because I cannot imagine myself steadying my blade upon the neck of a child, let alone my own. I probably would have jumped off the cliff or done some other desperate act.

Ross says that’s precisely why Abraham was chosen to do God’s work. No offence intended but I’m sure no woman would have been able to have done the same. I’m unsure if Sara had known what dear Abraham had set out to do because there would have been hell and fire as a mother would protect her child, especially since she had waited for this child all those years.

Ross told me to cut Abraham some slack because it must have been very difficult for him to come to terms with the order from God. Though I still insist my God is love and would not ask me to do such things.

And the story about Jesus being tortured and killed on the cross to wash away our sins. I wasn’t even born when he was supposedly killed so I’m unable to absorb any responsibility for his ‘death’. Neither can I agree on the notion that I’m born with sin thus I need a mediator to contact God.

I never asked to be born.

God states that we are answerable for our own actions so we must live righteous, giving us the privilege to change through the course of our life. And whatever your heart desires, God promises, "Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find.”

Be prepared to face the consequences of your own actions.

What I believe is that Jesus is a great prophet. And how I love Jesus! Charismatic Jesus led a revolution against the superpowers of idol worship during his time. He taught the people to pray, to love (even the outcasts), to forgive, showered them with parables. He performed miracles that remain on people’s lips to this day, like walking on water and raising the dead. Yet he also prayed to God, kneeling in the gardens of Gesthemene, weeping as he questioned the need to endure such pain which proves there is a higher being and that he is no God.

He was someone who could heal the sick and revive the dead through the power of God. If Jesus was God, or part thereof, He could have jolly well burned the population to the ground and not weep so humanly.

Similarly, I never understood how the 12 apostles could turn a blind eye after they’ve witnessed the miracles Jesus did with the blessings from God. Enroute towards Calvary, the apostles were notably unwilling to defend this man they once called their prophet. I’m just baffled, because people, even strangers have been known to risk their lives for another but yet in this case, where Jesus had once performed miracles, why would no one revolt? Why did only a man and some ladies come forward to help? What happened to all the reciepients of His glory? What crime had Jesus done to deserve such suffering?

Or did they know something we don't?

And it is even more ironic that people today can worship the cross, the same instrument of torture that supposedly killed Jesus and countless other men.

Would you glorify the atomic bomb?

If God states that there should be no idol worship, then why harbor the need to even carry this disgusting symbol of torture?

It wasn’t until Ross shared that Muslims believe Jesus was never crucified. Since God had promised that there would be no more sacrifices after Abraham’s act of faith, God allowed Jesus to be swapped with Judas. Thus explaining why no apostle or why his very own mother had not come forward to shoulder the burden of the crucifixion. And even Judas had realized he could not escape the power of God and accepted the burden of the cross.

I like this version because I would rather Jesus be safe and for one thing, I know deep down in my heart that a person is responsible for his own actions. I like to think that even Judas was truly repentent during his last moments alive. Bearing witness to the cruelty of the mob, perhaps he was the one that said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they have done."

I guess we never know how much we can hurt someone until we are at the brunt of our own (mis)deeds.

As humans, we will surely buckle and swerve. Nonetheless, we can learn and gain strength to move forward. Some actions require effort, while some actions lead to revelations. I believe that violence begets violence. Look at the countless wars that have bred hatred through the centuries. It's something I know I can live without.

And as a believer in God, I believe my God is love. And I’m trying to live the best way I can, stumbling at times, through this path laid before me.

2011-01-16T00:26:00.000+08:00

Love, love, love this track!

2011-01-14T01:05:00.005+08:00

The Devil Wears Prada

Channel 5 made me happy with yet another rerun of this wonderful movie. I think I've watched this movie so many times I can safely repeat the more memorable lines.

I've always enjoyed watching movies. It's amazing how people can identify key issues and in turn, churn these parallels into absorbing plots. Throw in larger-then-life characters such as Miranda (played by the iconic Meryl Streep), fresh faced Andy (the lovely Anne Hathaway), an awesome soundtrack (my fave being Whitelijah Falls) and an array of colourful misfits and what you can safely say the stage is set for a lesson that lingers long after the final curtain is drawn.

Enter Andy.

Eager to make her mark on the world of journalism, Andy finds herself suddenly thrust face first into an alternate universe she finds both bizarre and yet alluringly seductive. She is startled to find the glitz, glamor and power, people in the world of fashion seem to possess. None more so then her boss.

Enter Miranda.

Infamously aloof, her reputation as a cold blooded mover and shaker in the realm of fashion is rivaled only to her quest for perfection.

And slowly, Andy unwittingly finds herself embroiled in this exciting new universe that starts to transform her into something she could never phantom before. From grandma chic to chanel kissed, Andy metamorphs into every man (and woman's) dream. Clothed only by the most reknowned fashion houses. Her arms always flanked with IT bags. Surrounded by the IT crowd.

However, it is this stylized image that gnaws relationships she's built over the years. Ah, but this strange beauty that hovers can't mask the nagging smell of stale humanity. At first, she tries to rationalize. Surely it cannot be this innocent job? Complete with all its resplendent perks.

"Everybody wants this. Everybody wants to be us," Miranda.

Well, how easy it is for anyone to walk that same path. If you're quick to deny, ask yourself : how often have you allowed yourself work a little extra for some cash to buy something you've been coveting? That bag sure looks nice. Or a trip that you've been dying to go? Bali. Greece. Moscow. Europe?

That effort you put into your job took time off from the people that should matter in your life.

So you see, we're all little Mirandas.

Unless of course you donated the earnings. Then you're a ~~fucking blardy~~ little Mother Theresa. Though I seriously doubt so.

That is the exception and not the norm.

Fortunately, the movie ends on a high note with Andy sobering up to realize what she wants in HER life. Without judgement to the people within either circles of her life, she withdraws under Miranda's wings to fall back down to earth.

Choosing real relationships. Real life.

Stark Reality.

Temptations is life never cease. People can and do sway. But at the end of day, if you can pick yourself up and have the courage to make the right decisions, life has a fighting chance of righting itself out. Mistakes are simply part and parcel of experiences that make life truly meaningful.

And kudos to Andy for tossing her cell phone into the fountain. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to re-enact her feat. Firstly, littering carries hefty fines in sunny Singapore. And secondly, I have no money to buy a replacement. Wahahaa..

So what's my take on this movie? Priceless :)

2011-01-10T02:23:00.002+08:00

Tae Yeon & The One - Like A Star MV

When translated into English, the lyrics are actually super stalker material. Hohoho... And although the english lyrics are grammatically an English teacher's worst nightmare, the fusion of these two artists is a dream come true. Tae Yeon's sweet vocals are complimented by the masculine tone of The One.

Why the hell he calls himself that remains a great mystery of our time!

OMG. I so wanna go back to Korea. SOBS.

2010-12-10T17:50:00.000+08:00

Find Yourself - Brad Paisley

When you find yourself
In some far off place,
And it causes you
To rethink some things.
You start to sense
That slowly you're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself.

When you make new friends
In a brand new town,
And you start to think
About settling down.
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell.
And you find yourself
That's when you find yourself.

Well you go through life
So sure of where you're heading,
And you wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen.
Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well.
Cause you find yourself;
That when you find yourself.

When you meet the one
You've been waiting for,
And she's everything
That you want and more.

You look at her
And you finally start
To live for someone else.
And then you find yourself;
That's when you find yourself.

We go though life
So sure of where we're heading,
And then we wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen.
Sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well.
Because you find yourself;
Yeah that's when you find yourself.

How many of us truly have the courage to lose ourselves?
Perhaps it's the only way we can find ourself.
Just like how we only learn to treasure
what we have before after we've lost it.

2010-12-06T00:05:00.002+08:00

KL By KTM (4-6th Dec 2010)

We decided to travel to KL via the infamous KTM trains after viewing a travel program earlier in the year. And since I had never experienced riding the train, I figured this holiday presented a great opportunity to sweep the whole family along for some bonding time before the final curtain calls upon the majestic Tanjong Pagar train station.

Remnants of its colonial heritage

Stepping into the railway terminal is like a trip down memory lane for Ross's folks. Although the super long ride made his dad exclaim that Japan's bullet train was by far, speedier in relation to the KTM's slow crawl through the Malaysian states. Haha..! And to think he could remember he took that ride in his (much) younger days when he was able to trawl the oceans as a captain of a commercial vessel made us lift eyebrows as we witnessed the irony of how ingrained memories can surface despite the deterioration of neurons.

We officially stepped into Malaysian territory in the station. There are 2 quaint coffeeshops inside where you can find some really mean, crisp prata and overstuffed curry puffs with hand pulled tea.

This was where we lined up to cross onto the boarding gates. Note that the customs officer only takes a portion of your white card and DOES NOT stamp your passport. My heart skipped beats when I saw my unstamped passport and I almost ran back to the counter in fear of potential illegal immigrant status.

However, my fears were uncalled for. Apparently, that is the LEGAL way and on our way back, the customs officer came on board the train to manually check our passport and signed in our passports.

By far, this is the weirdest and most unique stamp I have in my passport!

Do note that the option for riding the train has its fair share of pros and cons though..

Pros:
1. Its cheap
Seniors and children pay only half price

2. It provides an alternative view of rural Malaysia

3. Snacks are sold inbetween every carriage
From Pringles to nasi lemak, the wide array of tidbits and junk to satisfy hungry patrons

4. Toilets are also inbetween every carriage

Though do note that points 2-4 are double edged swords.

No luxuries in this part of the train - economy
all the LCD played was re-runs of their own KTM commercial

Seats are 2-2 and half of the carriage faces front whilst the other half faces backwards. Views in reverse can be extremely nauseating for those prone to motion sickness and you are advised to ask other passengers to swop seats. Also notable was the fact that ALL the men that were supposed to sit beside me (as I was sitting alone) swopped seats with other women.

This can only mean 2 things:
1. The segregation of males and females in Malaysia is often upheld.
2. I am too chio for words thus Malaysian men find it a neccessity to maintain their distance as I may unwittingly unleash my womanly charms upon them.

My head strongly feels it is the former whilst my pride chooses the latter.

Cons:
1. Its damn slow and prone to mysterious delays
Our travelling time swelled to over 7 hours per trip. We boarded the train from SG to KL at 8am, only to reach around 4pm. It took us a mind-boggling 1 and a half hours just to cross into JB. Now that really sucks!

On our way back from KL, our ride was delayed by 30 minutes without any reason or announcement but since we had pretty much anticipated this, we used the time to hunt for food and magazines at KL Sentral.

2. The rural view of Malaysia
Apart from the busy expressways that you might find when riding the coach into Malaysia, the views from the train were really eye-opening. Most of the time, we passed by small towns, complete with traditionally built houses. Amidst this splattering of nice homes, there were also plentiful squatter attaps amongst heaps of litter and puddles of barren muddy patches that screamed orange alongside messy overgrown foliage.

If you are those that prefer oceanviews or a birds eye view then clearly the KTM is not for you.

3. Snacks on board are super overpriced
Like food aboard all vessels of travel, food options are super overpriced. A packet of nasi lemak/can of Pringles costs RM6 while a hot drink of coffee/tea sets you back RM3.

4. The Toilets are from HELL
While there was the convenience of having toilets around, the state of the restrooms were (to put it bluntly), fucking horrendous. The fucking toilets were dingy and small and the tap at the sink spits water in all directions with its nuclear pressure! Be warned. Toilets on board the trains are NOT for the faint hearted.

high rise buildings set amidst low rise shophouses

Upon reaching KL, we bought a taxi voucher from the counter to ferry us to our Hotel, Maytower Hotel (RM13 with surcharge) suggested by Ross's brother-in-law. Its located in a part known as Little India and boy, how true it stayed to its namesake.

found this grid of commercially shot pics of the hotel.
the rooms are SMALLER in real life!

The rooms were small but thankfully clean with a large LCD TV, ironing facilities, hairdryer and rainbath styled showerhead bathroom. Breakfast options were also adequate with an egg/omlette station, noodle station, porridge, choice of breads, cereals and a sprinkling of ready-to-eat dishes such as fried rice, sausages, hash browns, a salad bar and an array of tropical fruits that changes a little every day.

On the first evening, we explored the surroundings and headed to Sogo where we were bombarded with crazy sales! Homegrown brands like Padini, Vinnci, Seed and international brands like Guess bags, etc were screaming 50-70% discounts! Ross bought a box set of 2 Bum equipment boxers for RM11 (thats like blardy SGD5)!

On the 2nd day, we travelled down to Bukit Bintang for more shopping!

I snagged a pale beige chiffon blouse complete with a pleated bib detail and the most delightful tie at a 50% discount at RM79 (SGD30+) over in Lot 10. Then we walked over to Sungei Wang where more potential bargains beckoned. Though due to his dad's meal timings, we could not afford to shop there and went took the train to Times Square to have lunch. However, I managed to buy Etude House's BB compact at a 30% discount and paid RM46 (SGD20+) instead of SGD45 in Singapore! And some more chiffon blouses at RM25 each!

Crazy bargains!

Ross bought touristy KL magnets for 2 at RM8 (SGD3+), Padini shirts for RM59 (SGD30+) while Rick swept jeans at RM27 (SGD13), RM35 (SGD 16) and shirts at RM49-59 (SGD25-30), all of which were at 50% off!

What steals...!!

Food options over in Times Square was abundant and varied to meet all budgets. We had our lunch in the 2nd floor corner next to the small Watsons and paid just over RM100 for a meal for 6 together with main courses, desserts and drinks.

After sending his mum and dad back to the hotel to rest, we continued to wander around the surrounding markets where Ross bought some track pants and turkish sweets from the local supermarket.

We were then ferried over to Bangi, a 45 minute ride away from the city of Kl to visit their relatives. They have an 8 year old monkey, named Cocoa whom incidentally also has Diabetes. She was taken in by the husband and wife duo after her mother was shot dead by poachers in the tropical rainforests in Malaysia. Note that it is ILLEGAL to rear these exotic pets without a licence in Malaysia. Thankfully, Cocoa is legally under their stewardship.

Cocoa has spent her entire life in captivity and will not be able to fend for herself in the wild. She did not know how to peel bananas and had to be taught by her owners. Instead of trees and vines to climb, she has a man made gym built into her cage. She also does not possess the communication and adaptive talents found in wild monkeys so all the friends she has (besides her 'parents') are imported stuffed toys malued from rough play. I spotted at least 3 Russ bears littered around her cage. And although she gets the best medical aid her owners can afford, it cannot return her ailing sight.

Her cage is built at the side of the patio next to a Koi pond and fountain. Besides the school of Koi, the house also has a large population of stray cats taken in by the mistress of the house.

The cats are caged up at night because there have been several attacks on the roaming cats by packs of wild dogs. Thus these cats are only freed in the mornings when the owners are around and the packs are less daring.

While the husband is a retired architect, his wife still works as a director of a construction company in the city. And because they have no children, they love their pets as they would children. Cocoa even watches TV in the kitchen! Their house and car was bought with her comfort in mind. They had to get a corner unit so Cocoa's cage could be incorporated in the patio and an SUV bought to ferry her in her large transport cage.

Wow. Unbelievable.

Cocoa coaxed by a plum for some picture ops

However, no matter how luxurious a pet has it, I can't help but feel this twang of heartache for the loss of priceless freedom amidst their material gains.

What good is a guilded cage?

The ride back to KL was swift as their cousin drove through the silent streets of KL under the bright moonlight and shimmery KL twin towers near our hotel. We ended our night as the hours crept by and slumped into bed after the full day...

On our last day, we spent our time walking the nearby shopping centres to grab presents for their cousins while I stumbled onto some last minute bargains for scrapbooking obsession from a wholesale craft shop! Blings, satin flowers and ribbons at ridiculous prices!!

I could have died in the shop smiling!

While I will most likely NEVER travel to KL by train again, this truly was an unforgettable experience to walk away and learn from. At the very least, I can safely say, 'I did it!' through a smile that can flood my memories I share with the people I love and hold dear.

2010-11-10T15:55:00.000+08:00

My Own

On the 10th of Nov 2010; 1215hrs, I reached a milestone in my life. After what appears to be eons, I can finally afford a home on my own. Bought with my blood, sweat and tears, I finally experience the powerful sense of accomplishment that comes attached with being able to independently possess my own little niche in Singapore.

Located in the border of Sengkang, Rivervale's simple and colourful design sits alongside Tampines Expressway and is served by Rumbia and Bakau LRT just 2 stops shy from Sengkang Bus Interchange and NEL station. Rivervale Mall is within walking distance and there are plenty of food options nearby. The busy neighbourhood means it decreases the risk of walking through quiet, eerie lanes so I hope safety issues are tackled.

There are also many schools nearby which means there sure will be enhanced transport options so all the better for us. And the myriad of religious places of worship will definately open our eyes to the ceremonies in multi-ethnic Singapore. Thankfully, the places of worship nearby remain relatively quiet throughout the year as informed by Ross so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Punggol flanks one side of the estate whereas the other side nestles a large park where I forsee myself cycling in the sunset during my days off. Serangoon reservior meanders on the estate towards Punggol and I'm hoping that the park has food kiosks, treetop bridges or maybe even a prawning pond?!

Well, I can dream can't I?!

Despite its 99 lease, it is my biggest investment thus far and after a slew of unsuccesful BTO results, we had pretty much given up of getting lucky this year. I had initially begged God for success in balloting for a unit in Punggol 21 as it was situated near the NEL station or a unit over in Queenstown. However, I guess he must have foreseen the hefty pricetags that came with those premium units so He slipped me this offer.

Although I must say that He really had me by my hair when I was issued with a Q number 3Xs the number of allocated units and a distant selection appointment date. We had then hoped to capture a unit over in Fernvale Foliage as I was smitten by its overall design and wide open spaces. Not to mention its proximity to Jln Kayu where Prata royalty stays open 24/7 (minus Deepavali/Hari Raya).

Alas, Prata and I had our destinies cut short as I witnessed every single unit in Fernvale get sucked dry. So, impatiently I chewed on my nails and piled my hopes into grabbing a unit in Rivervale instead.

So off I went, chewing my nails and pulling out my hair from their roots as the days wore on and we tracked the dwindling units left for selection. Ross and his sister was frantic to research the best units available. This morphed into somewhat like a PhD thesis with his sister's office co-workers joining in the hunt for the best-unblocked-private-no afternoon sun-no expressway facing-fengshui worthy floor & unit number when it hit our turn to make a selection.

It wasn't easy to choose a unit with a reasonable amount of privacy in this dense estate but we managed by God's grace to secure a corner unit on a mid floor with all the must-have criteria sworn by his lovely sister's office folks. It is a pity we could not get a higher level, though the one we managed to get is on a super auspiscious floor!

I will roll oranges when we move in!!

We bought the optional components, which included the doors and tiles for the flat. I have yet to decide on how to renovate MY OWN (swoons) flat but if its going to be all earth tones I may just gag and aspirate on my own vomitus.

The floorplan

A model of the floorplan

The estate is due to be completed in 3-4 years but there is talk that the contractor will be able to finish the job earlier. Whatever the case, given the financial strain that loom over the horizon, there will be a good amount of lifestyle changes that need to be put in place, For one, I may just very well need to only shop in Malaysia!

Maybe it's best if I don't have enough to eat so I can lose some weight!

So next year will be may well be my swansong from far flung expeditions. Hohoho.. although there seems to be a train of options beckoning..! I pray money will sort itself out and life remains blissful in the face of adversity!

2010-10-15T11:54:00.000+08:00

Korea - Day 1 & 2 (SG->Seoul->Jeju)

This late entry is a combination of innate procrastination, a dysfunctional laptop and a whirlwind lifestyle that seems to have been solidly attached to my previously mundane life!

Anyway….

Korea was fucking AWESOME…!!

The night before my flight, I had to complete a scrap project for a colleague that had resigned. The ward had planned a farewell party to send her off on her last day and so, I stayed up pretty much into the wee hours of the morning cutting and pasting like the shoe maker's elves on steriods to finish the scrap before flying off to Korea.

By morning, my eyeballs felt as though they had been stung by bees!

Finished..!!
The ward staff took polaroids on the day of the event and pasted it in the blank space because they wanted to 'fill in' the gap. Hai.. can't anyone comprehend my artistic vision?

To keep in line with her cooking prowess, the ward decided to make her an apron so I thought it would be cute to incorporate that element into her scrap design. Cute eh?! I made the apron from scrap bits of paper and ribbon which coincides with her actual gift!

The next morning, I dragged myself to attend some conference at the hospital. And, as always, only my subconscious mind took notes. I met Aini there and we ended up yapping from start to finish. Thankfully, they provided pdf notes for the lectures so I was able to churn a pseudo authentic (what an oxymoron!) report. Heehee..

After which, I flew home to get changed for my flight at 8pm. Heeeeeeeeeeectic..!

Unfortunately, Asiana’s seats felt super cramped..! Their 3-4-3 arrangement seemed narrower then other planes and left me with a body ache that could only come with only economy class. Besides their staple beef Bibimbap (which I ate to and fro), meals were truly nothing to shout about. No dessert either!! Sad...!!!

Bibimbap set..!
Comes with a tube of hot pepper paste that you squeeze out and mix with the rice.

Entertainment wise, the console offered a large, clear screen and was pimped out with many Korean titles! Heehee.. And the flight offered the usual toothbrushes, blankets, eye covers, combs… etc.

Incheon Airport..!

After arriving in Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, we eyeballed the other tour mates. Our eclectic tour group consisted of a total of:

1. A pair of Hobbits
one always wore shorts. Yes, shorts in the 10 over degree weather! The other hobbit bordered slightly more onto normalcy. Sane her ,wore pants.

2. A pair of OLs
Short for office ladies. 1 was this wannabe fashionista whom incindentally always wore HEELS to the great outdoors and carried her neverfull as if it were gold. She also didn't thank Kristabel when she helped open the door so the claws came out and we went on a bitch fest with her as our main staple! Hohoho.

3. Husband and wife combo which was christened Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu by the tour guide. The man had a terribly distracting squint while the woman was Kristabel 30 years down the road. Plus or minus an uncle with a squint.

4. The four of us. Normal, beautiful and super chirpy people.

Hoho. This is MY blog. My opinion is and will be the ONLY opinion here.

We were then hauled off to have breakfast in a shop near the airport. The udon soup was fantastic! With free flow crunchy Kimchi readily available!

Super yummy, chewy udon soup!

The others were not as keen to eat, nobody except the 4 of us devoured the kimchi! I mean, hello, we’re in Korea! You’re supposed to eat Kimchi..!! Alas, this was to be the start of a truck load of eyeballing and bitching that was to pepper our conversations throughout the trip!

Then we went to Wolmido dock for the seagull cruise. Well, facts first.

Fact 1: The dock is damn smelly.
Fact 2: This is NO cruise. More like a ferry.

The whole ferry trip lasts about 20 minutes. On board, the tour guide bought a large pack of prawn crackers to feed the seagulls. If you dare, you can hold the cracker really between your finger and the seagull may just come bite it away! We tried that, but those birds probably had their danger radar on that day, because I would have tried to grab them! Hohoho..! Needless to say, besides the enthusiastic, beautiful and smart 4 of us, the others slinked into the resting area to….. sulk.

There's a little snack shop in the resting area of the ferry and the owner has a really, really, really noisy dog!

Next, we went to Dragon Hill Spa! Yes, the same Jimjilbang Quan Yi Feng went to on Sheng Qian Wang (king of thrift)!

Entering Dragon Hill Spa!

After buying an entrance ticket (inclusive in our package), you will be given a rubber bracelet with an embedded chip to tap your purchases whilst inside and a set of clothes. Shoes are placed in lockers on the 1st floor. After which, you proceed inside and choose the floor to change according to your gender (5th floor for females).

Wendy at the shoe lockers!

Facts first: Jimjilbang culture is an extreme shock to non nursing personnel.

Once the lift door opens, prepare to be bombarded with mass porn. Everyone walks around naked. Be it with perky boobs or nipples that threaten to graze the floor, young or old, fat or slender… 99% of the people are naked, though nobody bothers to look at each other. And the sickening thing is that we could not find a single woman with cellulite or stretch marks!

CHEE BYE!

We met the other tour members exiting as we were going up the lift. Clearly, the pallor and dilated pupils broadcasted their trauma. Still, we decided to give it a go.

Heck, when in Korea, do as would the Koreans!! There are toilets you can change in so one can easily change modestly upstairs.

Morons!

More Morons!

If you are comfortable with your own nudity (and that of others), you can soak in one of the tubs available AFTER you shower. It is a cardinal rule to scrub yourself clean BEFORE entering anything shared.

We took the lift back downstairs to explore the available saunas. Basically, Dragon Hill offers 2 types : Hot & Cold Rooms. Hot rooms has extreme heat and arecovered in jade, pine etc, while the cold room saw temperatures dip to single digits.

There is an open area on the 1st floor where one can watch TV, get some snacks and even have a manicure. All of which you can charge to your account via your electronic bracelet of course! Wifi is also avaible in certain areas on the first floor and the girls just went wild updating their FBs.

Besides the changing rooms and sleeping rooms (just a room full of mats), the other areas in the Spa are unisex. Therefore, be warned..! You may get to see some ‘action’ between couples. Read: Hugging/movement under towels/lying too close and pretending to sleep.

Not exactly conservative family entertainment!

There is a small family style restaurant in the basement providing moderately priced Korean fare. The food was amazing! I had the beef bibimbap (W8000, approx SGD10), LH had the cold noodles while Wendy and Kristabel had kimchi stew or something. Delicious!

Opp Deoksu Palace

Next, we headed to Deoksugong, a small palace where we walked around the grounds, admiring the lovely scenery. At certain intervals, the main entrance will come alive as actors re-enact certain rituals, like the changing of guards ceremony. Guests even have a chance to don the Hanbok for some photo opps. Although I tried in earnest to listen to the broadcast, which I believe was translated into something that sounded remotely like English, the accent was so thick I gave up and just took photos. Hohoho.

Fight Club..!!

The tour then brought us to a casino. I cant even remember what the casino is called (7 luck casino?) but I recall the guide saying that it is run by the Government and foreigners are given W5000 (SGD6) to play. But the catch is that the voucher can ONLY be played on the Big-Small table and you have to win at least 3Xs before you can cash in the chips.

Lessons learnt:
Nothing in this world is free. And Greed is often used as a ploy in business.

I didn't gamble. Gambling is wrong (in my books at least). Well, nobody played except Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu. Our guide placed bets on our behalf and managed to triple the money which was pooled into money to buy a meal towards the end of the tour. I was bordering delirium by this time and everyone was asking when we could just check in! Ok, I digress. Back to my day...

Next, we were dragged to Namsangol Hanok Village. Yes, the tour never seems to end! The village consists of many Hanoks or traditional houses, showcasing how people used to live in the past. There are areas where you can participate in traditional games, craft projects or buy souvenirs. If you’re lucky, like the enthusiastic 4, you may even witness a wedding!

A real Wedding..! The bride looks like Chermie..!

Look...!! Dragon Ballz..!! wahahaha...
The strange things I see while overseas..!

More sights around Namsangol =)

For dinner, we were brought to a seriously secluded restuarant for Ginseng chicken. The meal was alright, I much rathered the side dishes! Heehee.. and as usual, the other women in the flock didn't seem to enjoy their meals very much.

Ginseng chicken

We were then dragged to Gimpo Airport awaiting our flight to Jeju via Asiana Air. We ate at Lotteria, Korea’s answer to MacD, where they have gorgeous shaker fries and the most delightful cheese sticks!

Super yummy...!!

It was around 9pm by the time we reached Jeju. We finally checked in to Jeju’s Hanwha Resort near 10pm.

The quiet resort is made up of blocks of serviced apartments. Our room 375, was ondol styled, meaning it comes with traditional heated flooring. There are two rooms, one empty (though the unit comes with extra foldaway mattresses and pillows in the cupboards), one queen sized bed, one bathroom and a kitchenette attached to the main living room.

The living room

Living room offers a sofa, TV, an air con unit and a door you can open to a balcony. Our room was situated on the first floor so we kept it closed. Else, you can use it to hang your laundry?!

Fact: The large windows in the main living room may cause someone undressing in the living room to mistakenly think nobody can see them. Oh gawd, why am I always sooo HENG??! I am soooo thankful that my professional training has equipped me with strong eyeballs and a brain that can repel such a flurry of information.

The kitchen comes well equipped with cutlery, fridge and cooking utensils like a kettle, rice cooker and a stove! And boy did we make good use of it..!!

The room has a decent queen sized bed, while the bathroom was comfortably clean.

There are loads of extra mattresses in the cupboard so you can be like me and sleep as how Koreans would sleep! Yes, you guessed it... I slept on the toasty floor!!

We ended the day by rushing over to the supermarket for some late night supper before calling it a (good) night!

2010-10-05T03:09:00.004+08:00

I’ve just finished my blardy report on the Urology Conference I attended last Saturday. Yes, you heard it right. Saturday. The same day I flew to Korea. Obstinate me would not allow opportunities to slip by, so I agreed to attend despite potential jet lag and ugly photos.

Thankfully, Korea was effing AWESOME..!! Loved the weather!! Loved the shopping sprees!!

Unfortunately, my neurons are in dire need for some nicotine and sleep so updates will just have to wait.

2010-08-17T22:39:00.000+08:00

Just when I feel shit jaded, God sends rainbows n butterflies. Heehee..

Despite the gloomy skies, which coincidentally is my favourite type of climate, things were surprisingly rosy.

Even the ward was behaving today. Staffing was adequate and despite 3admissions, 1transfusion and a couple of nasty people to deal with, workflow was smooth and patients were extraordinarily loving. So much so, I even had time to draft my entry during break! Heehee..

Dinner at housemen canteen also sprang forth fireworks and rose petals.

The folks from the drinks stall, fruit stall and mixed rice were so friendly. Although I seldom patronize the fruit stall, the owner often talks to me. Today, seeing the drizzle, he offered me his umbrella after some light banter.

The lady at the mixed rice stall also gave me a discount and of course, the kopi uncle only needed to see my face to instictively make my order of iced teh si with a hold on the sugar. The others laughingly commented that he only remembers my order because I am his best friend.

It's like the cheers theme:
'A place where everyone knows yr name.'

But in this case, after almost a decade with my present company, they still call me Ah Mui and think I'm a spring chicken.

So yah, I'm grateful for the nice day I had today!

2010-08-17T00:16:00.008+08:00

The Dance of the Droplets

Today, the winds carried the rain; turning it into a fine mist that enveloped the pavement leading to my former campus. Under the crunch of my shoes, the gravel scraped each other, helping the droplets of water congregate into large pools of water. Which in turn, formed rivers that splashed as strangers walked past each other.

Couldn’t they see the puddles on the floor branch out into fine networks that linked every one on the pavement to one another? Each forming a tiny line that connected you to me, and me to you.
Yet never once did anyone of us offer a smile to each other.

I'd probably shoot you another glance only if you were on either ends of the gorgeous or slutty poles.

It’s ironic because what’s left of human interaction is mainly online. What once was a personal letter now is an email. And what I learn from another person’s life is largely via snooping around facebook or the likes of it. People resort to commenting on each other’s post instead of face to face conversation.

I’ve even read people commenting on the comments from the comments that they leave on their own posts. Wow.

Pathetic.

I’m wasn't born into the whole sms and instant messaging generation but undoubtedly, it is here to stay. And try as I might to adjust my bearings to embrace this popular culture, I remain a firm believer of the traditional pen and paper. So if you think I blog a lot, you should see my pile of frenzied chicken scrawls at home.

Against my other mountain of books and trove of cigarettes, it's a miracle I've not been burned to death.

I firmly believe the people that remotely treasure my friendship will bother enough to contact me direct. Either that or continue to just live in limbo of this make-believe virtual world where I only spin tales of what I want to share, where I’ll always be right and comments are always disabled.

Because frankly, I don’t care who the fuck you are here.

2010-08-16T23:13:00.009+08:00

Remembering Today

I blog because I have an innate wish to remember the significant milestones that I’ve encountered over time in a bid to etch an imprint to my ever failing memory. It's the ultimate etch-a-sketch.

And today could not have presented a better opportunity.

I will remember today as a day that brought forth a powerful lesson in strength. I will pen it down or rather, unleash the flurry of binary codes that will immortalize today's lesson to slap sense into me should I ever be so stupid again. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be going on the planned trip to Korea. The trip that saw me fervently planning for the past two years.

Yes, I am in shards.

The sudden news came as a cataclysmic shock to me. Never in a hundred years could I even phantom such drama unfolding. I exploded with anger which brought forth a bitter river of tears and disappointment.

I spent 2 years planning and waiting for next month’s trip. Spent hours clawing the net for info. Compiling my blood, sweat and tears to ink a little jotter book riddled with scribbles detailing where to go, what to eat…

But with heat, even glass shards can be recycled into new glass. I’m thankful to God for the opportunity for me to move on and live. Recalling a conversation I shared with one of my patients today while cleaning up her soiled linen:

I’m so old. I just want to die.

Each day passes even if we’re sad, so why don’t just be happy?

She looks into my eyes and cups my hands.

Aunty, though I can’t understand your pain, seeing you like this makes my heart ache.

We look at each other through watered vision.

Both brought up to rather swallow adversity then allow pride to crumble.

So emo. Bleah.

I can’t explain why I’m particularly drawn to this lady. Perhaps it’s because she doesn’t whine when we stick needles into her. Or perhaps she’s magnetically opposed to the call bell and would rather hold her bladder till it leaks then bother the nurse.

Or maybe it’s because deep down, I hope to have just an ounce of her tenacity.

My drama pales in comparison to the struggles she battle.

I just don't get to go some place. She doesn't get to live.

So even while one door closes, or one person doesn’t treat you how you expect to be treated, or whether events take a turn for the worse, life goes on.

Some people you can live with, and some, you should let go.

Inhale.

Remember the good.

Be grateful for the good times.

Wish them well.

Give thanks.

I will have my dream one day.

Freedom only comes when you allow yourself to set the boulders down.

Excess baggage just makes one hunch.

Exhale.

Move on.

It’s time Cheryl. It’s time.

2010-08-07T00:33:00.000+08:00

Updates

It’s been a heck of a roller coaster ride for me these past few months. With celebrations revolving around work and personal life, extreme PMS and a slew of super irritants, the dust has yet to settle on the whirlwind of events that have made the months of July and August truly exhausting.

Let’s start with pleasant updates.

July paved the opportunity for wild spending sprees at Stradivarius and good ol’ Pull & Bear after the company dished out our biannual bonuses in late June. With cash in hand, SI & I made deposits for our upcoming trip to Korea! Finally..!! And yes, I’m so excited!!

I also had the chance to meet up with the Girls. Rams was possessed by a French ghoul as evidenced by her thick French accent and an embarrassingly hilarious use of ‘oui’ peppering her sentences. And while Rams & SI discussed prices of chanel bags, the remaining peasants indulged in the plates of tasty handrolls and crisp breaded prawns laid out enticingly before us.

My birthday is also in August! Alongside SI and Deeva, us Leos are another year older and (hopefully) wiser! Ross contributed to my travel fund and together with family, we spent the evening eating cake and prowling the pasar malam nearby which leaves me still fuzzy with warmth.

August also saw the hospital celebrating Nurses’ Day with free food and my new ward topped it off with their own private celebration on the 6th. This ward takes parties seriously.

Really seriously.

We had a line up of acts and performances and catered a feast for the crowd. One performance included a group of (yes, grown) men dancing. Alas, this was no ordinary dance! Gyrating to dance beats, they pranced around ala Chippendales. As the music wore on, their costumes got skimpier until lo and behold, they appeared in midriff tees or bare torsoes! One guy even had wings made from cotton balls. I think that supposed ‘cupid’ ended up looking more like the fat caterpillar who became a butterfly from ‘A bug’s life’.

My gawd..! How my eyes burn. Should I witness the horror of his pink nipples again, I swear I will gorge my eyeballs out.

But yes, that slapstick dance brought many a wolf whistles and cat calls in good fun.

On a more somber note, the ward has been rife with irritants, making my temper rise to unparalleled heights. On good days, I’m PR queen, cracking jokes and chatting with almost everyone. On bad days, I’ve got my face quietly buried between the case sheets as I furiously try to finish routine work while juggling changes and follow ups. On even worse days, I’m ready to snap at anyone. I try not to yell though. But I can assure you that just my face is enough to portray my contempt at the world amidst my curses and spits.

Talking to Sharon Lee helps ease the inner turmoil within as she dissects my behavior to identify the root cause. Often, her statements are blunt and merciless, yet enlightening. But being able to speak openly about how I feel is helping me to get through this patch. And for this, I’m grateful that after more then half our lives together and oceans apart, we’re still in sync with each other!

2010-06-10T00:43:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Dad.
We still miss you dearly.

2010-06-04T02:21:00.005+08:00

Fuck You =)

School is scheduled to end in just a week. The past 8 months felt as like a trial by fire with its many hairpin loops and dead ends. All that’s left behind is a shadow of knowledge and this revelation that I should not give a fuck about what the hell other people think of me or my life.

It’s unfortunate that people think nurses from the cabin wards can’t work. And yet by the end of the first week, the managers are trying to poach me and I’m being asked to help the in-charge with changes. I dare say my colleagues from the cabin are damn good at what they do too.

Don’t overturn the whole ship just due to a few black sheep. These maggots infiltrate everywhere. Not just cabins.

And then the fucking whole other crowd who lament Gerontology an easy-peasy subject that only befits those who prefer a slooooooow pace. Sure pass, they say. Why don't you try? And that the likes of us can never amount to anything. Yet they forget, one may avert renal failure, checking into an ICU or what ever, but ageing is the only thing one can never escape. Who then do you run to?

The only time you should look down on another is when you are lifting him up.

I'm not implying that my specialization is the best. We all choose areas we prefer to work in. So what does my happiness got to do with you?

I work the same fucking hard where ever I go. And I have never been attached to any ward where I do not feel drained by the end of the shift. My colleagues also slog their guts out to uphold good care for every patient.

As I await my results and confirmation regarding my future posting, I’m kicking back and letting go. So here’s to whatever you think. Frankly, I don’t give a fuck because I’m over it =)

Hurray for me!

2010-05-23T02:39:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Mini Man..

We love you =)

Hope you loooove your present.

Well, you better! Or else...!!

2010-04-18T14:11:00.022+08:00

Go Genting!

I spent a wonderful albeit very tiring 3 days and 2 nights in Genting and KL with the girls earlier in the week. We left Singapore at 7am with a free upgrade from 5 Stars! Look at our bus!! Heeheehee.. it was super comfy. I couldn’t sleep a wink the night before so as usual, I slept most of the way.

Personal TV + game console! Whoopie!

We attacked the Yong Tau Foo at Yong Peng again (RM6). This time round, it didn’t meet expectations and with the swarm of flies that seemed to envelope every available space made me just want to leave that place ASAP. It was fly ~~heaven~~ hell. But I managed to buy my fave brand of Tau Sar Piah! And magazines at cheaper prices! Yay! So happy!

Fogging of lens due to really warm weather!

We each paid $88 for the Genting (First World Hotel) promo which includes the coach and the room (with complimentary breakfast). It’s seriously pig-shit cheap. The modest room now came with a hairdryer (no need for an RM50 deposit anymore) + more channel options + safe, alongside its infamous First World Hotel view, though this time, we had much more ventilation and our room was co-joined with Rams and Su!

You get what you paid for!

The Girls trying to look sexy

creepy clowns in the hotel lobby

Song Kran in Genting

On the 1st night, we went to eat at Marybrown (again). Everything was tasty and fresh. Appetite also returned with the absence of flies paradise.

Then we went bowling (RM7/game + RM3/shoe rental, add RM1 for socks if necessary). We cheered relentless of gutter balls or strikes, oblivious to the ruckus and stares from the neighboring players. The stakes were high…! Grand prize of RM1 for the winner!! Hilarious!

After which we went to sing some Karaoke (RM15/pax for our group of 6. Package comes with 2 hrs of unlimited use + 4 bottles of mineral water). Sia was super enthusiastic with her rendition of the Wondergirls’ “Nobody” with Su later entering as backup singer/dancer. Rams and Su equally hammed it up with Britney Spears, Lady GaGa…! Super funny shit! And then Rams went hysterically comical with the Spice Girls!! OMG… wahahahaha…!! Su and I then belted Linkin Park and other rock faves ala black metal version. She laughed so hard a big wad of spit landed on the floor! Unfortunately, Liya had to return to her room due to a headache whereas we continued our MTV prowess, milking the entire 2 hours for all it was worth.

WTF?!

Later in the night, Kris + Sia + me split to watch Clash of the Titans in the freezing cinema, whereas Rams + Su + Liya chose to watch Being Human. It later spawned Rams trademark “hot hot” lingo throughout her time in Malaysia!

We woke up late on the 2nd day and rushed through getting ready for our trip down to KL. We tried the complimentary breakfast which was much better (both in atmosphere + variety in comparison to our previous trip).

Then we headed down to KL via the cable car and bus combo (RM9.30 for both). The cable car ride was tympanic membrane bursting! Wahaahahaa… Kris hugged the pole so tight as the rest screamed. We couldn’t be bothered (as usual) of the stares!

Can you spot the monkeys in the tree?

5 monkeys in the the cable car + 1 behind the lens!

KL was immensely warm!!! I almost melted beyond the cool climate of Genting! We headed down Berjaya and shopped (and shopped and shopped). They have a Krispy Kreme on the 1st floor now! Too bad I didn’t have time to eat… sobs. We gravitated towards Baskin Robbins as they were having their ‘Pink Day’ (wear pink and get 2 scoops of their delectable ice cream for the price of 1). Then we split to hunt for bargains galore!

I wanna go back again!

Then the 6 of us squeezed into a sedan taxi and headed for the Twin Towers for makan. The taxi driver ripped us of for RM25 for the short ride and incessantly tried to converse with the girls. I couldn’t be bothered to entertain him. We declined his cut-throat offer to send us back and bolted after payment. Food at the food court was reasonable and quite good. Kris + I had the Penang prawn noodles and fried kuay teow (about RM8 each). Liya + Rams had the delectable sambal sotong and stingray which looked super duper yummy! We topped it off with Rams insistence of her to-die-for crepes (whom she pronounced as krep-py).

The view from the foodcourt

The MRT is just below the Twin Towers so going to KL Sentral for the bus back to Genting was a breeze. We took only 15 min. Things are cheaper in KL compared to Genting so you are advised to save your dough for KL. We took the last bus back at 7pm.

The night cable car proved another unforgettable experience with its blinding lights amidst similar screams.

We cleaned up and everyone came over to our room for an instant noodle + steamed corn party later! After makan, Liya + Sia left to rest while Kris + Rams + Su + I played ‘heart attack’ + Uno. Wah lao.. super fun! On the 2nd night, we went to watch “Haunted Room”, a seriously disappointing Thai horror flick, but the entertainment with the Girls was more then enough to make up for it.

Instant noodle part-tey...!

Loot..!!

We slept till checkout on the 3rd day. Each of us had eyebags the size and color of large black rubbish bags! Liya continued her shopping spree at the traditional goodies shops while we settled for their roasted chestnuts at RM4/small bag.

So not feeling it

Yong Peng's chicken horfun (RM6) was surprising good!

In all, the trip was truly an unforgettable and crazy experience! I love my GIRLS :)

2010-04-13T00:10:00.004+08:00

Bye, Bye, Bye

Last week saw us sitting for the Psycho-socio paper. Ms Wee trotted in the middle of the exam to survey the class reactions. The stress was clearly stretched across her tense features. Bet she was most interested to see how we were answering the essays. 3 freak essays with 5 subdivisions!

Ms June was far more relaxed as she whispered a lengthy conversation with another lecturer. Heng heng I wasn’t placed near them. How to concentrate with all that muffled whispers?! I would have been sure to snap!

Shuddup lah...! Heehee..

I finished my healthcare management paper today amidst cursing and swearing. Sweating through the hour long theory paper with 2 SAQs and a grand total of 4 subdivisions, I gritted my teeth as my vision scanned across the paper, trying to dissect the statements for what they’re worth.

Last paper down!! Woohoo..!! Its Genting with the girls to escape the heat tomorrow!! Yay..!! I love my girls!!!!

I’ll worry about results after I’m back. (spits)

Ms Joan was in a particularly joyous mood today. Even her step was light as she joked around and pushed my head to wish me good luck.

That’s her way of showing her love.

She’s really awesome and such a joy to be around when she doesn’t go into PMS mode. She even gathered HCM notes from classmates to use as references in case there were failures. But she said she’s keeping her fingers crossed for all to pass!

This sickening HCM is infamous for its uncanny knack of sending students sub papers! Someone please bitch-slap Chinny! She didnt even give tips! Make us die to cram info from 12 contact lectures, 3 external lectures and an E-learn. Cheebye lor.

And her lectures are soooo damn boring and such a chore to even sit through. SI and I can't stand and don't bother to attend any. Heeheehee.. Her voice is so super high pitched and irritating.

Fingernails scratching a chalkboard! Nabeh lah!

The drama of the class chalet continued after the paper as the treasurer called for an emergency meeting to finalize details and wring $5 from each student that would not be attending. Hurhur.. But since the money would be going into a fund for Ms Joan’s present, everyone coughed up the moolah.

Oh yah, did I mention that Ms Joan almost kicked my face because I wasn’t going for the chalet?! She was standing on the bench beside me and I was seated just a meter away! I could smell her toes!!!

But yah lah.. I know she loves me. She’s just super inapt at displaying it! She and her rough love. Sheesh.

I also had my appraisal done by my ward sister last week, where we spent 90 minutes just talking. Though it was awkward to carry a decent conversation with her, she stripped defenses and ranking away to chat with me like someone who is really concerned about me and my future. She cited F4 held a special place in her heart because we are the first batch that came to her after she was posted here.

How sweet.

Which supervisor helps you with basic care, takes the initiative to clear diarrhoea, walks to the canteen to buy you food and gives every single staff on shift money to buy whatever they want as as incentive to work on a PH or readily stands between staff and complaints?

Ours does.

Nonetheless, F4 wishes her hearty congratulations on her new posting to the AIC, where she’ll work hand-in-hand with Snoopy.

I’m sure Snoopy will take good care of her =)

6 months have come and gone, and what seemed to be a lengthy 8 month course in November, will soon take its final bow. After another 2 months of attachments, everyone will return to their respective hospitals.

Let’s hope that ties forged will be treasured despite the distance.

2010-04-10T00:03:00.003+08:00

In Sickness and in Health

I was having a conversation with Ross earlier today. Firstly, we were heated in debate regarding whether contents in a book, or any book should be taken at face value. Personally, I feel that whatever is written is based on the perception(s) of the author; which is undeniably an individual opinion.

There’s no wrong in that, but when we don’t bother to validate the statements within then we’re open to what could, jolly well be flawed logic. That’s why I always urge him to verify statements in books with reliable texts. Though I’m glad that he often searches for answers to his questions from credible sources, his views on certain subjects can often veer along the borders of extremism.

Then we hurled into the topic of on the topic of illness and he verbalized it brings about an opportunity to acknowledge the privilege it brings. Impossible? Not when you're Ross, man.

To Ross, there are always possibilities.

Ross asks when we is the time we remember our maker. My stark reply was, ‘when we’re near death’. He then goes on to explain that whilst some people require gentle nudges to reminded of greater power, others may need jolts to revive faith.

And it made me remember what Mani told a certain patient of mine whom asked why he was unable to die. Mani went on to expalin that God was giving him the opportunity to right the wrongs in the remainder of his life.

Similarly, I too, am regrettably ashamed to admit that I fall into this same category of selective amnesia Ross states. Most of the time, I pray only when I have an urgent need or when exams are looming into view. Incidentally, I pray before every major exam to calm myself and conveniently cast faith aside thereafter. Previously, I had also assumed that people riddled with disease were paying for their past mistakes.

They must have done nasty things. This is their karma.

When in fact, I have no right to condemn or belittle. We all live our lives the best way we can, adapting to situations being thrown at us and trying to make best choice possible. Sometimes, despite moral obligations or positive life choices, we choose to do otherwise and life doesn’t turn out the way we plan.

That’s because all choice carry consequence.

But sometimes, when we drift too far away from our faith, disease presents with an opportunity for us to remember our Maker and mend our stray ways to get back on track. At the same time, the latent benefits also spill over into the people who care enough to bother and may also draw them closer to their own faith (whatever it may be). Whether we survive the episode of illness shouldn’t matter. We have to acknowledge the ramifications of our choices and focus wholeheartedly on going back to Him.

If this world is just a passing station, then I pray I get a chance to return to Your embrace.

I firmly believe that if you believe in a singular God and sincere in treating people with respect, then open your heart to see that God talks to people in different ways.

Live and let live.

2010-04-05T00:11:00.003+08:00

AI Updates

Well done andy! :)

Love your voice, love your story!

Another killer performance from Crystal...!!

Sadly, we said goodbye to Didi Benami.. but I do hope she'll audition again next year!

2010-04-04T16:47:00.005+08:00

I Heart Chouette

My heart melted upon setting eyes on these bling bling Kitty timepieces from Hong Kong based Chouette. I swear I'm willing to trade Ross's arm or leg or even both.. well, ok, Í'm exaggerating.

Maybe his butt cheeks? I'll give you both!

Prices start at a disgusting $1.3k so they're not your average Hello Kitty watch. Just take a look at how pretty they look!!

i like the red and purple!
Damn Chio ah...!

Back detail of watch shown below

Fave colour!!
Comes with bling LCD display and hidden messages!

This is the more luxurious range with stingray strap and rose gold bezel!
Loves!
Betcha I would have to trade Ross's liver for this!

2010-04-02T01:51:00.003+08:00

Time Crunch

As usual, time blazed by. This time, it had me running to Crescentia’s house early sun morning (insert song here) as I prepped to be one of her groupies for her wedding. Mind you, I had to rush through alterations to de-sluttify a gown she bought for me way earlier. Despite haggling with multiple seamstresses, no one wanted to take on the job so I ended up doing the alterations myself. I fucking sewed the lace on the backless prostitute-ty dress and removed the satin bow behind because I don’t think I should be prancing around in such cutesy numbers!

Lace $15
Workmanship, priceless!

And let me tell you, even the bride herself commented it was nice! Call me Marc Jacobs babeh! Hoho..

Upon her insistence, I had to reach her house at 7.30am to slap on the thick ICI paint and do my hair for the ceremony. And as the cliché goes, makeup (complete with falsies) does wonders to a face obviously deformed by sleep deprivation. The wedding party had loads of fun hamming it up in front of cameras for the vid which was later played at the dinner.

“Mei jin..~~!!”

At the dinner ceremony, Apple and I were given the honors of manning the counter over at the bride’s side and we ran a competition with the groom’s side to see whose guests would arrive first. Hahaha.. Unfortunately, we lost. But we were beautiful losers!!

Bad pics due to extreme fatigue, but trust me.. Cre was stunning!
and food at the Four Seasons was fantastic!

Apart from the drama caused by my talking shoe (soles came off.. I so fucking hate cheap shoes!), everything else was picture perfect. Crescentia looked resplendent in her flowy gowns! Heck, even my Kumar-esque layers of makeup (well, majority anyway) stayed put gracefully under the humidity of local weather.

Then came the wave of cramming my Healthcare management and 3000 word research essay which I vomited out after 3 days of mental torture. I coughed up the slides in a night and completed my essay in a whirlwind of vulgarities and temper tantrums. With all the missed lectures, I owe it to all the people in my group (sans 1) and SI that I finally could cross this research hurdle.

It was good to hear positive reviews at the end of my group presentation too… SI really helped me scrape through this last bit of school as energy levels nosedived, making me feel like throwing in the towel.

Thank you.

I think I damaged a chunk of my neurons in the process. Percuss my head and you’ll be greeted with resonance. Oh well, that ties up loose ends and spells (almost) the end of my advanced dip! Yippee..!!

I can finally start getting ready to learn Hangul!

Time sure flies doesn’t it? What’s left is just another 2 theory papers in a week’s time, another essay due during attachment and then its back to the wards. I’ll miss sitting in my usual place on the left side of the classroom and shouting rude comments during lectures! And not to mention bitching about Ninjas, Babats and MMPs..!!

Its such a double edged sword.

It’s like looking back at a field of lovely memories and then turning my gaze forward at a hazy unknown.. Ross needs to provide me a lil pick-me-up!

Well, look what lovely Fa baked for us as a farewell gesture. Seems like people named Fa loves to bake..?! Haha.. It was a seriously touching gesture!

Really feels like a dejavu doesn't it?

And to sort of celebrate the closing of academia, SI and I went over to IMM to do some window shopping where I saw an amazing pair of Timberland loafers! Unfortunately, they didn’t have my size!! Urgghhh… pulls hair. But we did find a seriously pig-shit cheap steamboat place over at the ground floor. Check out the array of food we had between us! Yums!

$8.90 for all these!
Add $1 for free flow of iced lemon tea..!
Super value!!

Slurpss...!

On a lighter note, management has developed a conscience and has decided to revise everybody’s pay! Yay..!! I’m seriously dipping into debt with my meager salary here! They’re also giving out a (once-off ) $200 worth of NTUC vouchers which I’m so going to stock up on junk food!

School should really learn from management and start to give tips for the upcoming exams too!

2010-04-01T03:31:00.000+08:00

iLove

It’s been 4 months since I got my grubby little fingers on the iPhone and I’m absolutely loving every minute of it. Mine happens to be a super sleek, glossy black beauty! Previous trauma had left me skeptical about returning to Apple products, but SI gave me the iPhone last Christmas after raving about its user friendliness and multiple applications, I decided to give Apple another try.

Trading in my SE, the price of the phone came up to approximately 200+ which was quite a good deal. Moreover, the plan comes with a 12G data! I can surf till I'm practically blind. Spying via Facebook!! Since then, I’ve downloaded some wildly addictive games and applications!

Awesome!

Power at my fingertips! (insert evil laughter)

I no longer sleep at night....!!

I can even draw on my phone!

Ross has converted and wants to get one this June after his plan matures in June. That man changes his phone every year leh. I’m wary as he is infamous tof being super careless with his phones. No doubt he doesn’t lose his phones, but he drops them like ripe durians! So I hope he doesn’t wreck it..!

2010-03-18T02:25:00.000+08:00

Q&A

A group of Professors from the Japanese University affiliated with my school popped by to conduct a research on creative education. Cinthia and I were thus invited by a very persistent Ms Joan, to provide insight on this topic.

The Japanese ladies; fair and poised were aided by yet another Professor from the National Institute of Education to translate our views. Though conversation was strained and forced at times, there were sparks of brilliance.

The freezing room comprised of advance dip students, some of which I recognized or knew. Some spoke with thick slangs that made me wonder what the hell was wrong with being local.

Does speaking to Professors warrant slangs?
Will it make you look smarter?

And boy, did the people with slangs talk and talk and talk and talk. I even noticed one of the Profs eyes glaze over as she started to pout.

Shuttup already!

When asked what creativity meant to us, one student expressed it as being brave enough showcase what you had to offer. Cool!

I interpreted it as an individual opinion. If I felt what I did was creative, then it is. Cause what applies to me may not apply to someone else.

When asked what emotion or feeling we associated with creativity, I simply answered ‘happy’. Hurhur.. its as simple as that, because I feel I need to be happy in order to be creative. I’m destructive when I’m angry.

Some people went on and on and on like energizer rabbits and ran totally off tangent with their rants. If looks could kill, Cinthia's stares would have left gapping stab wounds.

Finally, they asked what we felt was different between creative education and non-creative education. I replied:

‘non-creative education is route learning. Learning a set of skills that requires me to memorize and vomit out in an examination. Whereas creative education is learning the same set of skills but allowing me to be able to manipulate it into different scenarios.’

Cinthia also said that non-creative education doesn’t deserve such a beating from everyone because again, it can be interpreted differently to everyone and regular education doesn’t mean we stop being creative.

Power.

After a series of 10 questions, they opened the floor to questions. As it was late in the evening, everyone wanted to rush off into the sunset, complete with dinner plans and what-nots, but the Professor kept looking at me because maybe it would have been rude or we would seem disinterested if nobody asked?

I just asked:
“so.. what do you feel you did creatively to research this topic on creative education?”

People broke into laughter and the Prof from NIE lamented between guffaws it was extremely difficult to translate my question. Hahaha.. The Japanese Profs replied that other researchers normally used conventional methods like surveys which would not have been able to garner such spontaneous answers and I congratulated them for their creativity and hard work.

Calling the interview to its end, they handed out tokens of appreciation to the participants and bowed as we exited.

Super courteous! My SNM should learn from them! Or would my hospital like to send me to Japan?! Please.. please.. please..

2010-03-16T02:03:00.000+08:00

I think Casey James did an impressive rendition of Keith Urban's "You'll think of Me".

A fantastic interpretation from Crystal Bowersox once again!! I do hope she stays!

2010-03-15T01:57:00.000+08:00

Flying Without Wings

Saying time flies is such an understatement. The months have just whizzed by like some nuke on steroids. My month long attachment in an acute and comm hospital is over!! Woohoo..!! What’s left is another 2 presentations, 2 essays and 2 papers before I can finally salute academia a final farewell.

The health assessment was undeniably my worst nightmare. The consequences of laziness and procrastination really slapped me in the face. There were some who clucked their tongues in disgust, chiding my inability to memorize the steps just days shy from the test. Lucky for me, Rams and SI helped guide me through the steps and lock some portions in the ol’ grey matter. Even Ms Joan, who had previously fervently refused to see me for extra lessons, rang the alarm bells after assessing me hours before the actual exam.

She told me I would fail.

I really tried to gather my thoughts but threw my paper away and just laid on the floor outside the examination room in the mid afternoon, which once again brought the onslaught of eyeballing and fresh comments. Hahaha..

Entering the room, I whispered a prayer for God to move my hands. Well, God upped the ante and covered Ms Joan’s eyes! Hohoho... In fact, Rams broke out into palpitations and cold sweat worrying for me! I felt my heartbeat and breathing slow to a crawl and with Rams prompting, glided through the 40 min assessment. Even Ms Joan was surprised, stating the marked difference mere hours ago. With a sigh of relief, Rams hugged and congratulated me inside. We practically jumped for joy! What a sight it was.

Ms Joan said I was very lucky to have friends like them. She’s damn right.

The next 20 minutes saw me frantically scribbling the 3 page long documentation as I squeezed every ounce of info onto the black lines. I’m so glad the torment’s over.

Thank God for Rams, SI and Su.

The gang’s has planned a mini getaway to Genting after exams to unwind and basically just lie around and do nothing. Did I tell you slumping on the floor is my forte?! Hah.. and Malaysia provided the best location due to monetary constraints. Sobs.

I do hope salary fattens up quick cause I’m really dying here. I really do hope I can go Korea in autumn to ~~oogle at men~~ lug bargains back!

2010-02-21T04:01:00.004+08:00

Use Somebody - Pixie Lott's Cover

I've been roaming around
Always looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach

You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you

And all you know
And how you speak
Countless lovers undercover of the street

You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you

Off in the night
While you live it up, I'm off to sleep
Waging war to shake the poet and the street

I hope it's going to make you notice
I hope it's going to make you notice
Someone like me
Someone like me
Someone like me

Go and let it out
Someone like you
Somebody
Someone like you
Somebody
Someone like you
Somebody

I've been roaming around
Always looking down at all I see

2010-02-21T01:15:00.001+08:00

My faves for the NEXT American Idol =)

Andrew Garcia..!!

Crystal Bowersox!! Doesn't she just look like Drew Barrymore?!

Didi Benami..!!

2010-02-20T00:42:00.002+08:00

Action Potential

Akin to an avalanche set in motion, 2010 brought along a myriad of challenges. Once again, I find myself standing at crossroads, with choices urgent and beckoning beyond the horizon.

Certain choices are harder and more painful, whereas some appear absurdly straightforward and simple. However, all choices require me to face consequences squarely. Breathe.

Some like to comment that people change. I’d like to ask who doesn’t. I’m not the wide-eyed 16 year old flipping burgers in the fast food restaurant, nor am I the same as what I am 5 minutes ago.

Just like the earth is round, life revolves.

Not around one singular entity, like a person or possession because life’s much more than that. Biologically, I’m transforming. My neurons are dying and whatever left is desperately trying to establish new connections. Psychologically, my emotions are riding the waves brought about by hormones or an over-stimulating environment. Hoho..

So whether people care to admit or deny, we’re all changing.

Life, in all its complex strata, encompasses experiences that empower if we look beyond ourselves. The path of life at times covered with pebbles can morph into mountains. Each obstacle presents itself with perspectives only we, ourself can control. It boils down to choice.

You can choose to live. Or wallow.

People drift in and out of lives. No doubt all leave footprints behind that impart special lessons especially for me. However, I’ve no interest in people who mop around, dragging their feet in the sands of pity.

I’m due to graduate in just under 4 months. In retrospect, alongside my classmates, we’ve ploughed through ICAs, bio, multiple essays, presentations and even managed to showcase my acting chops in the counseling vid to snag grades that stretch into a smile. As I ready myself for the upcoming finals and the fact that I’ll soon bid school (another) fond farewell, there’s the apprehension of returning to work and what the future may bring.

I’ve no regrets in entering this course. Opportunities seldom repeat itself. Despite the bombardment of assorted assignments, the golden opportunity to learn always sparkles. What I’ve learnt thus far is actually how little I actually know about nursing and it is in fact, rather scary.

I hope my hands carry my patients a little stronger once I’m back by their side.

In this last leg of the journey, I’m cramming whatever I can before I return to the wards. I’m grateful that attachments (no matter how shitty they can be at times) exposed me to different locations alongside their cultural idiosyncrasies.

It's been a priviledge.

Hopefully, I’d be able to reward myself at the end of this tumultuous journey =)

anyone game for walking amongst the clouds?!

2009-12-30T02:17:00.002+08:00

Almost Over

After a long hiatus from blogging, I’m glad to throw myself into the throngs of the keyboard and allow emotion to be explained in words.

Ah.. such cathartic bliss

The past month saw a whirlwind of events.
Attachment. Presentations. ICAs. Human dynamics. Money.

There were good memories of makan sessions with family and friends. Like when Leni met Stick Insect and I for dinner at Crystal Jade over in a corner of Orchard Central. Food was cheap and good, with excellent company!

I also enjoyed the outing with Deeva, Su + Rams and of course, Stick Insect! Gorging ourselves silly over in Wheelock and bickering over comparisons between Korea and Japan, bitching about everybody’s fave man, Shu Ger aka "Sugaaaah" (Brother Shu) and just letting the imagination run amok was such a great bonding experience.

School also gave me the opportunity to tour several local nursing homes and care centers, allowing me a glimpse of all the back breaking effort required to keep these places running. Salutes! I especially enjoyed touring Pertapis and Lion’s NH..!

It also opened my eyes to see how much my classmates and Ms Joan actually love the elderly. I can only hope when I’m old, I get nurses like them to look after me.

And Sharon Lee and BF are back. Well, were back. They set off for Australia earlier in the evening. Fortunately, I managed to wish her bon voyage before her journey. I’ve known Sharon Lee for more then half my life. And undoubtedly, like all friendships, ours have been not without rough waters. But I’m glad at the end of the day, we manage to settle our differences and salvage what we hold dear. Each other.

In hindsight, I’m unsure of whether age has brought about my raging hormones. I cry so easily these days. My tear ducts are on hyperdrive. Angry, cry. Sad, cry. Laugh also can cry. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me. My tear ducts were once bone dry, you know!

And I do not think menopause will strike me this soon. Will it?!

Though besides the good times, December also brought on the cataclysmic revelation on the health status of a loved one. It also saw a series of never-ending events resurface to implicate me in drama that I am not responsible for.

In a moment of severe duress, I asked Ross why such events befall me. He’s answer was stark and simple : “you’ve been given the opportunity to learn patience.”

Trust Ross to match hideous situations with opportunities to “learn”. And as much as would like to have slapped his mouth with a slipper, his words echo a strange reminder to exercise self control in situations that may not necessarily go our way.

Lastly, in line with wrapping up another great year, I thank the Lord for my life. And I pray for strength to remember Him always.

2009-12-02T01:48:00.000+08:00

www.3logysingapore.blogspot.com

fantastic beyond words!

2009-11-09T00:28:00.000+08:00

Satiated

You believe a man can change his destiny?
I believe a man does all he can until his destiny is revealed.

Earlier this evening, channel 5 replayed “The Last Samurai”. Minus off the bad interpretation of Asians with the persistently thick Japanese-accented dialogue and you’re left with a pretty good storyline.

And yes, I adore Ken Watanabe. I think he’s so MAN. THE man. The perfect face of a gentleman warrior. MY ultimate samurai hero in the movie. But I sure wouldn't want him to really be a samurai... errr.. because I read that they practiced shudo which are against my moral ethics. But that's another story!

I am an old woman. I have every right to oogle at old men.

The misinterpreted protagonists within run in little circles for what they perceive to be at the heart of their existence. We can mock them for their apparent stupidity but we should question; given the same circumstances, environment and way of life, would we end up at the same point?

Essentially, it is a poignant tale of how greed manipulates the ~~meek~~ weak willed. Propelled by what they believe as anomalies in appearances, the ignorant justifies the use of violence by labeling the other party as a threat.

However, when stripped of its façade; No matter what color, race, gender, age, health status or religion you possess, beneath all, red blood flows. We all experience hunger when we don’t eat, cry when sadness overwhelms and smile at the faces of the people we love.

Perhaps the only difference lies in the intensity in which we feel.

You can be bitter about the wars and the suffering that history has dealt, but when you recognize we are but pawns in this propaganda scandal, you’ll know better then to allow yourself to be embroiled in the whole debate.

People were simple minded back then.

Will you allow yourself to tread that same path?
It’s your choice.

And parallel to the storyline in the movie, adversity breeds courage. It’s ironic that we need such drastic events to stir otherwise dormant courage. And like many of life’s great lessons, we learn through defeat.

You learn to pick yourself after you fall.

A friend (Zul) once said something so miraculously clever its been burnt into memory…

"And sometimes things happen to me at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection I realized that without overcoming those obstacles I would have never realized my potential, strength, will power or heart.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless."

2009-11-07T12:36:00.004+08:00

Updates

Last week proved to have an exciting spat of eye popping events. Firstly, we had ‘ang moh’ mania. Our ad hoc lecturer was this dishy Owen-lookalike who had the class erupt with enthusiasm.

(almost) anything for Mr Herd!

Who would have thought Podiatry and compression bandage could be so fun?!

Campus also held an IT fair with Ipods and other IT paraphernalia at discounted prices. The new Ipod Nano that comes with a camera and video function is so damn super cool! My neurons weighed the consequences of armed robbery versus starvation while caressing the sleek, smooth edges that encapsulated the vibrant dancing colors in the LCD screen.

dontcha' just want one too?!

It took a great deal of will power to wrench myself off that potent magnetism to return to reality.

And with fairs, food follows! So, lucky for my ravenous appetite, the school brought in Ramly burger!! Hohoho.. no need to beat down the Mats and Minahs plastered beside the burger stalls at pasar malams!

Alas, the majority of the student body was also mesmerized by the wafting smells of frying patties and I had to join the snaking queue for my dose of Ramly heaven.

See the ooze the burger made! Unfortunately, the burger looks better then it tastes. Though at $2/burger and made fresh on-the-spot, it was passable.

Our research lecture is by far the MOST boring subject in the curriculum. Having slept through and blatantly skipped lectures, I can assure you now that anything I learn, or will learn about research will probably be garnered online or vomited by the lecturer during tutorials instead. Hahaha…

The runner up to the most boring subject is taken by Counseling. With video after video of emotionless actors and a lecturer with an absolutely irritating pseudo-minnie mouse-ish voice, it becomes such a chore to sit through lectures.

the cabbage patch kid lookalike in the vid

Counseling ICA begins next week, with mine due in week 6th. I will be putting on my “Golden Horse” (the Asian equivalent to the Oscars, because I am rooted in my Chinese-Asian culture!) award winning acting chops for Stick Insect in her rendition and vice versa.

Topping off the week’s adventure must be the comical ‘dancing man’ we met on the MRT. He sang, danced and ‘interacted’ with grab poles, his own reflection and other commuters on board.

My gawd, it was hilarious!

our 'star' is the one in stripes!

To protect the anonymity of the abovementioned, alongside the possibility of a civil suite, the man’s face has been strategically obscured by way of impressive camera angling and artistic vision.

2009-11-02T18:31:00.000+08:00

I wish all classes were like this! Haha

2009-10-27T17:43:00.004+08:00

Drama Mama

jam session on campus

I’m into my 2nd week of the school term and I already have an assignment due 3 weeks later. Haha.. Apart from the pig shit cheap assortment of readily available (junk and non-junk) food choices littered all over campus, I don’t have much else to look forward to.

Instead, an endless stream of drama prevails.

Chicken Rice and the Yong Tau Foo! $2/each!

the insanely cheap noodles @ $1.30!
and the FRESHLY cooked, super crisp peanut butter waffle $1

Initially, I had thought that the school environment would bring a lot of excitement and joy.
Instead, school has brought an uncanny array of disturbing mix of Rambo-Korean Drama minus the good skin.

People just love to quarrel.

Of course I enjoy the process of studying. There’s Bio, which brings back wonderful YKJ and T Tan, my loopy course coordinator, amongst other interesting ‘specimens’ in the form of ad hoc lecturers.

sooooooo cute!
and super smart

Consisting of 48 students from all over the island, my class is made up of a melting pot of people from all walks of life. We have drama queens (with me at the top of the list), fashion divas, cam whores, eager beavers and those that look as though they prefer to haunt the shadows at night.

in class

Seeing Saz always alone in a corner, I invited Saz to hang out. Though sometimes she craps about her relationships from yonder years, I felt bad when she confided that she doesn’t eat during break because she doesn’t know her way around. Sad eh?

There are many more like her.

Being a mature student is not easy. I guess it’s easier when you look like a student. But when you obviously do not fit into that mould, then life gets a lot harder. People mistake you for a lecturer, or someone else's mom.

And with a large group of women (and only 2 males), you can be sure of an estrogen tsunami. Though most of my classmates don't bother each other and try to mingle, there are still people that prefer to stick within their own circle.

With repeated drama sparking a slew of never ending scream fests, its getting harder and harder to control my emotions.

Rage is extremely difficult to control.

What used to be a slow burn I can snuff out, explodes in a snap. It’s so bad I can feel myself turning violent. The best solution I can think of now is to avoid such blardy situations.

On the home front, life’s ok. Gremlin’s having his exams and revision’s underway. Hopefully he can pass. Though through time, I’ve learnt that its wise to not have undue expectations. Haha.. As long as I’ve done my part, I have the courage to say it’s alright.

I can live with it.

Right now, I'm looking forward to Sharon Lee's return in Dec. This round, Berji will also be popping by mid Dec so it'll be awfully nice to finally meet him!

2009-10-14T00:51:00.003+08:00

Food Fest

Today, we decided to venture down Raffles and have lunch at the insanely congested Market Street Food Centre right next to the Golden Shoe carpark. We arrived right smack at lunch time so most stalls already had snaking queues.

Pushing through an ocean of office workers and using our noses (and the queues as a deli-index) we shorlisted a few stalls to try before deciding the claypot over on the 3rd floor. And my goodness, what esctasy that was! Even Stick Insect's hooked! She looooves the Claypot!

Claypot fried mee sua @$4
this is really super!!

Claypot chicken rice @$4
much MUCH much better then chinatown's

Nanyang Old Coffee's Iced tea and Milo
@$1.20/each
the taste is average, only comes packaged nicely

We also saw some mobile adverts outside the MRT station. Quite silly don't you think?

Then we popped by Lido to watch "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" in 3D, costing $10/tix. The movie is chock full of silly antics with the usual underlying morals highly suitable for children and adults alike.

And I spent the evening making some cards to express a little thanks to the people that have guided and selflessly protected us through all this while.

2009-10-10T23:47:00.000+08:00

Updates

Last week brought on a series of activities to fulfill. Firstly, we had to attend the orientation over in school, where we met our soon-to-be lecturer in-charge and course mates.

Strolling back into school brought fond memories as the regular convenience stores and cheap food loomed into horizon. I also noticed many renovation and new additions in the food department as the central court gave way to new stalls and pushcarts.

We managed to spot a few familiar faces amongst the sea of people over in the lecture hall along which brought whispers of gossip as people eyeballed each other’s dress sense and shoulders parading branded bags.

Students looked trendier compared to the past, as they strutted about in tediously styled locks and micro mini dresses, more becoming in the streets of Orchard rather then in campus. If they put in half the effort of dressing up in their studies, I bet they’d all be able to attain merits!

In the evening, we went to our company’s annual dinner and dance. Our table, determined to rebel against this year’s theme of rainbow colors, wore mostly black.

Once again, the food was mediocre. And like clockwork tradition, we pimped out the merlion! This time with strands of jellyfish hair and half a cherry tomato. Quite reggae don’t you think?

The highlight of the evening must have been the emcee blatantly announcing a particular senior ward manager as “aunty” repeatedly as she vied to win the hula hoop contest. Decked out in a skin tight chilli red dress showing off all the wrong curves, I felt my eyes explode into flames as her paunch gyrated to the music.

my eyes! oh.. how they burn!

We even had MJ and a tranny!

and Cheers to the people who made it all special..

The finale!

2009-09-22T22:00:00.000+08:00

Table Scraps

Here's a little something I made for Stick Insect about our trip some time ago. Thought it would be nice to post the pictures in the blog in case I forgot how it looked like. Heehee..

The staggered layout includes pictures of the places and food we experienced in Hong Kong and Macau. I used a girlish aged pink base and accented the plain background with the red die-cut flower at the side together with some polka dot paper.

I made this little corner logo using different papers and inked in the 'stitching' around the edges of the round flower design.

I repeated a similar bird pattern on the envelope that came with the card and added some rub-ons and a bow. It's a little suprise for Stick Insect to find in the layout. Heehee..

2009-09-21T22:40:00.000+08:00

2009-09-20T02:48:00.008+08:00

Here's wishing all Muslims a Selamat Hari Raya!

Ramlah recommends thislady over in Plaza Angsana, Johor.

Whereas I can't resist gobbling down the freshly baked crispy baulu over on the 1st floor. And they make the most buttery pineapple tarts too! I swear that shop is resposible for my blardy ballooning weight! I don't know what's the name of the shop so I'll try to snap pics of the booth the next time.

2009-09-19T02:04:00.005+08:00

Updates

I finished my BCLS recertification the other day and I'm glad I can buy another 2 years before sitting for both the LSCN and BCLS modules. Hah!

can you see my red wrists?!

The class went rather smoothly although Kym schedules the worst of shifts. I had the recert session in the afternoon from 1-5pm and then had to take the stinky train back to work til 9.30pm while others could merrily head home. Sobs!

Heng heng, I managed to finish at 4pm. Hohoho.

Today, my ward manager officially announced that all applicants for entry into October’s advanced diploma intake were successful. Thus, we’d be collectively bidding our fond farewells soon.

Akin to fine chocolate, this farewell is bittersweet.

There’s been quite a load of drama brewing in the ward lately, with falls and backstabbing specifically leading the top charts. I’m just mindful of the salary slash since ward and miscellaneous allowances would be absent. Hopefully, since I’ve never done much night duty, I'm guessing it will not affect finances that drastically.

The orientation is scheduled on 9th Oct, which coincides with our Dinner and Dance. It’s our last gathering together as a ward, considering all the people that have left or are heading in different directions.

I pray new paths lead to greener pastures.

Given my newly acquired step into another decade, returning to the likes of school sure feels weird. I’m a little apprehensive, yet strangely expectant of this new page in my life. I've always been fond of studying.

I know, it's sick.

It's just that returning to a school filled with much younger people is kind of paiseh. Maybe I should start wearing overalls, tie huge ribbons in my hair and suck lollipops hopping about campus?! Hahaha..

I'd probably end up in IMH.

Though, knowing Stick Insect will be with me through another chapter etches a smile on my face. She even gave me some stationery for the new school term. So sweeeet hor?! Together with all the stationery we'd bought in HK, we're almost ready for school.

I'll let you peek at the delightful Jetoy pencil case she got me.

the cat details are everywhere!
We HEART Jetoy ++++

We can’t predict where we’d be posted to after our graduation but we’ve got a heck of a school term to raise havoc =)

2009-09-17T04:22:00.000+08:00

Change

Another person has left my ward. This time, it’s a very capable Naz. Recently promoted to a supervisory level, she’s posted to the Infectious Disease Unit in the main building where she’ll join some of our old colleagues that have departed earlier.

Once again, we’re left with a void.

We're banging our heads on the wall and protesting for them to take Kym instead. Take her!!!

Work wise, Kym is fuming mad with the spike in the number of falls. And as usual, she’s doing a heck-of-a-job airing her displeasure. Sometimes, I really have to bite my tongue to stop myself from repeating a shouting match we exchanged earlier.

Hohoho.

Thus far, I’ve not received any news regarding my application for the advanced diploma due in Oct. The company has asked me to apply for the utilization of HMDP funds for the course sponsorship, which adds up to an extension of another 2 year bond period.

Truthfully, I just need a break from work so I hope to use the time off to reignite the dwindling passion towards my craft, spend some quality weekends with family and hang out with Stick Insect.

Also, since an advanced diploma is absolutely necessary in the eyes of my employer, I just want to get it over and done with while the neurons are capable of some electrical activity.

Sharon Lee is not too keen on my extending my bond though. She laments better prospects are aplenty in the private sector. She even wants to loan me money to pay off my current bond. Join me in the US. However, the thought of servicing a huge ass loan and skirting the rim of bankruptcy should opportunities lack is something I dare not jump into.

Like many others, I can tell you for sure that a higher paycheck is always enticing. I’ll never get rich here. Branded with the toxic combination of multi strata bureaucratic red tape ever prevalent in a large company, hormonally imbalanced colleagues and egocentric patients, it can be extremely difficult to draw joy from the banalities of work.

But when I reflect and ask myself, can I leave my patients behind? My hands are tied.

I hope life sorts itself out and sets me free.

2009-09-12T23:35:00.000+08:00

Jump!

Largely due to Gremlin's insistance, we went to watch Jump! at the Esplanade on saturday. It was funny how the 3 of us wore matching striped tops! Hahaha!

One word sums up the entire 90 min spectacular.

WICKED.

We managed to snag unblocked views of the stage because we booked early. However, like most of our outings, we bumped into a weirdo seated a couple of seats away. Before the show started, he fixed his gaze solely on Stick Insect. She's such a weirdo magnet! Luckily for her, a couple came and blocked his unobstructed access.

After what seemed like an eternity of awkward eyeballing; the lights dimmed, marking the start of the show. The performers spun gracefully through the air and infused a good dose of humor in the storyline, making the crowd chortle and guffaw at their silly antics.

Gremlin loved the entire performance, laughing merrily away as the performers catapulted through the air in gravity defying acrobatic marvels.

The audience participation bit was equally enjoyable as they pulled guests up to mingle with the cast. I loved that the show has little dialogue, breaking the language barrier between people.

Anyone, from the young to the old, can and truly will enjoy the experience of being able to laugh wholeheartedly. Truly, it is worth every cent we paid.

I so wana go KOREA!

2009-09-02T02:34:00.009+08:00

Reader Discretion Is Advised

Warning - The following entry contains my personal views of religion. It is in no way meant to coerce of offend public opinion.

Please read the entry only if you are able to remain open minded in the realm of differing religions.

Fast Forward

Once every year, Muslims worldwide will fast from dawn to sunset for a period of a month. This period called Ramadan, falls on the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and is revered because it is believed that this was the time the first few verses of the Quran was revealed to an illiterate Mohammad.

You can read many facts and information on the origins and the likes on the web. Many people will share that the act of fasting is to experience hunger to appreciate how the poor and starving feel. Sure, this is valid enough. However, Ross explains Ramadan from a slightly different angle.

To him, this simple act of fasting stems from a deeper level derived from obedience.

How so? You ask.

Look at it this way. It is natural for anybody to want eat when hunger pangs set in. To have someone tell you to reject this basic physiological need goes against the natural order of things.

For Ramadan to work, you need to first believe that there is a higher, greater order in this world before you can throw reason away and heed the command to fast.

To be able to control this physiological urge to eat when the stomach contorts with hunger is quite a feat. And let me share with you, going without food or drink for a good chunk of a day when the rest of the world is happily munching away requires immense willpower.

There is an indescribable sense of accomplishment that accompanies the completion of a day of fasting. And if you can pull that feat off, the will to resist temption can be brought across to other aspects in your life.

Perhaps it is easy enough to fast for a day, but multiply that by an entire month and you get the picture. If you don’t have enough faith in your religion, it’s easy to fall through the cracks and give in to temptation.

Like doing the 5 mandatory daily prayers in a set regime and timing, fasting, the call to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, making a donation etc, all requires an immense discipline to follow the rules stated by God. And the beauty in obedience blossoms a strong faith.

A faith in that there is a God.
A faith that you can obey.
A faith to resist temptation.

However, I don’t believe anyone should be punished for disobedience simply because religion cannot be forced upon anyone. To comply with something just because you are obliged to, serves no purpose other then marketing oneself as a devotee.

What use is there in acting when the act is involuntary?

To flout commands when you know its consequences should be between God and you. And not man versus man.

Hats off to all those making the effort to strengthen their faith. It is a blessing to be able know that there is a God.

2009-08-31T13:32:00.006+08:00

Inspirational

It’s truly remarkable how a spark of ingenuity can create shockwaves to change destinies that would have otherwise been cemented in ruin.

Such is the story of a prison located in Cebu, Philippines; where the majority of the inmates are awaiting trial or have been convicted of violent crime. Every moment in the prison was etched in tension and turmoil with corruption by the guards fuelling episodes of violence after violence.

Enter Byron Garcia.

Heading the once notorious prison housing the nation’s most violent group of prisoners, he chanced upon footage of a typical afternoon march. He innocently thought it would be fun to inject an element of dance into it and then introduced this idea to the inmates.

That eureka moment transformed lives.

The dance exercises occupied the idle minds of the inmates and soon eroded animosity between the rival gang members within the grey washed walls of the prison.

How can you be my enemy when you are my friend?

Thus the seed was sowed.

In the process, violence within the walls plunged to zero and joy started sprouting from within the inmates. Every month, the inmates will perform a routine for visitors at the monthly show. Each mass collaboration is videoed and posted online on youtube for the world to enjoy.

Nobody hides their face (nor the pride they feel) because they are genuinely proud of the work they’ve done. Each step, paves the way to a lighter soul, even if it does little to change their grim reality.

Watching their dance routines online, you sincerely feel the joy that radiates from a soul finally freed from the troubles of the secular world. And it’s difficult to not be moved by something so innocent as carefree dance.

Inspirational.

It doesn’t take a hell lot of money to make change. It doesn’t matter if it costs a dollar or 10 cents. All that matters is that change does occur. You just need to let it happen.

I'm going to break into song and embrace dance too! So don't be alarmed if I walk with a jiggle and a step lighter the next time you happen to spot me! I'm allowing myself to experience joy.

Support the Cebu Prison project and spread the word.

Hope truly exists.

********************

Watch their story here

2009-08-30T13:52:00.000+08:00

愛請問怎麼走

I'm so crazy over this song

2009-08-16T02:40:00.001+08:00

cherlosophy's playlist

1. Ban Qing Ge - Yuan Ruo Lan
2. Ru Yan - Olivia Ong
3. Very Heartbreaking Words - Alex Ft Jisun
4. Can You Hear Me Now - Lee Seung Chul
5. What Do I Do - Jisun
6. Remember - Kim Sung Tae
7. Be Nice To Me Please - Kim Hyung Joong
8. Love You - Howl
9. Fight The Bad Feeling - T-Max
10. Sha Gua - Landy
11. Sometime - SS501
12. Do You Know - Someday

2009-08-14T01:16:00.000+08:00

Deo Juvente

The haziness between life and death never fails to baffle me. Teetering among the living and the dead at work most days of the year reminds me incessantly about the importance of life that I would have otherwise taken for granted had God not siphoned me into nursing.

Of course there are days (and sometimes even weeks on end), where I feel jaded and sick of the job with the shit I have to shoulder from irritating patients and colleagues with hormonal imbalances and/or psychological dysfunction.

Then God intervenes.

My blunted senses become astute as the neurons kick into action with rapid fire. And without fail, a lesson unfolds.

The ward received a case a new case recently. Enter Rm37, labeled as uncommunicative and DIL (dangerously ill list) on MWM (maximum ward management), he came to us with the smell of death encircling. The palliative team in charge of his care ordered no observations necessary. Yes, not even OM parameters.

“just maintain the IV fent”

It was clear that our role was solely to provide comfort in his final stretch.

He was breathing with the aid of a tracheostomy, had end stage renal failure with dialysis stopped and an active bleeding gastrointestinal tract. Modern medicine had pinballed him from the ICU to a general ward, from hospital to hospital, postponing this man’s imminent death for approximately half a year since his collapse.

I found to my surprise that despite his condition, he was quite lucid. And with that revelation, came a wave of irrepressible empathy as I cupped his cold fingers in my warm hands.

A reflection of the vigor of my own life.

I asked him about his tattoo on his arm, the adventures in his youth and whether he wanted us to reinsert the nasogastric tube that he had pulled out earlier. Through the whole conversation (well, I talked while he mouthed his words slowly and at times repeatedly), he remained engaged and displayed no sense of frustration at my feeble attempts to match lip movements with words.

In fact, his pale face even broke into broad smiles occassionally and slipped into slumber as I patted him.

Whatever hatred I felt for my problems in my world faded into the distance as I acknowledged the opportunity God has granted to comfort another.

2009-08-05T17:29:00.006+08:00

Hello, Anybody Home?

Yesterday afternoon, I attended the EXSA course at YWCA. This blardy award had my ward manager jumping mad. Allow me to clarify matters.

She had called and texted me on my handphone. I called back the ward but nobody knew a thing so I called back a little later. After 3 tries of trying to catch a hold of her, she blasted me and asked why I didn’t call her cell instead.

Why didn't you leave a message?! Is this course supposed to be a secret?!

I mean, if you’d called me from the ward, I’d just find you back in the ward. Then I found out that she had called Stick Insect’s DAD because she didn’t answer her phone. Get this – Just to find me. Good grief.

Woman, what is the matter with you?!

Does that mean she will call my (dead) father if I don’t answer my cell the next time looking for Stick Insect? Wahahhaa… my goodness.

Anyway, the course comprised of the usual mandatory humiliating moments with involuntary games and introductions. There was this super soft guy from another department inside who was peculiarly slapstick.

Conflicting with his beefcake bod and GI Joe hair, he whined girlishly about the warm weather over his phone as he feverishly fanned himself. He was indeed the magnet of attention for all present.

In the evening, I met up Crescentia, a good friend I’ve had since my secondary school days. It’s been a while since we last met up but that sweet girl still remembered my birthday and brought me to Vivo where we had a buffet steamboat just behind Daiso.

We could see the entrance of Sentosa from the restaurant. Though we were definitely more interested in the seafood spread on our table! We gorged our faces like old times and starting off awkwardly, we kicked the gears into motion and shared about the times we’ve spent apart.

And today, my ward supervisor texted me to call my ward manager URGENTLY (forever). She informed me that I needed to complete some forms for a HMDP sponsored course.

Or maybe they're using the HMDP fund for my adv dip?

Nevermind, I like free courses. Especially if I get to sleep =)

2009-08-04T01:05:00.002+08:00

Surprise Surprise

Today, we went for lunch at Hokkaido Ramen over in Ion Orchard where we met Zoe Tay with her son and maid. She’s really slim and pretty in real life! Then we went for a drink at MOS Burger before accompanying her to Clarke Quay to get something from her sister.

What a conspiracy lor!

She actually masterminded a surprise birthday celebration for me. Hahaha.. That’s twice in a row! In cahoots with F3 + Leni + Von + YC + Farha + Mardi, Stick Insect lured me to Clarke Quay, wanting to give me a ride on the reverse bungee. I really didn’t suspect anything at first because we had planned to go Holland for dinner but I knew something was viciously off when I saw Mokie at Central.

Where got so qiao?! Hmmmmm…*rubs chin*

It dawned on me that history had repeated itself! Hahaha.. Thank you guys!! They brought a cake and celebrated Stick Insect’s birthday simultaneously because hers would fall on National Day.

Since I had eaten, I declined the offer because I would have brought the Singapore emblem to Gmax (read : Merlion).

Instead, I totally enjoyed watching the other guinea pigs suffer as the flipped and turned on the metal contraption. There was such a stark difference between the screaming trio of (Group 1) farha + YC + mardi and (Group 2) Mokie + Von.

The 1st group screamed like banshees as they were catapulted up into the air. They mouthed loads of their hair as the bungee flipped and twisted. Mardi looked as though she was in labor. Wahahha… And even when the bungee neared its end, they were still screaming!!

It was hilarious to watch!

Mokie + Von, on the other hand, remained silent as though someone had muted the volume. So strange! They were like robots! Silent robots. Minimal expression and zero noise!!!

We then headed to find a café for dinner but Minds and whatever was closed on Mondays so we went to Timbre over at Boat Quay where we spent the evening bitching. And Mokie, the ever avid photographer made us camwhore for laughs. My silly pics are probably circulating the web as we speak. Hahaha...

Birthdays are meant to be celebrated by people whom you love and love you =) I spent Sunday with family and Monday with my BFF + pals. It’s the people who care that matters the most.

Thank you again people!

2009-08-03T12:18:00.004+08:00

Hong Kong Day 5 - Hong Kong Island (again)

Out of sheer exhaustion, we decided to exhalt the laziness coursing within our bodies and wake near 11am because check-out was due at noon. I chapped the skn the skin over my shoulder lugging heavy bags of goodies around and the ache was really killing me. Stick Insect had to take over my shopping load too.

Thanks babe!

the last view from our room. goodbye voyuers!

Leaving our luggage with the concierge, we headed back to Hong Kong Island for some last minute shopping. There, we went back to Jardine’s Crescent and got a basketful of lovely trinkets and presents for ourselves, family and friends.

Bling it on..!
we bought a Hello Kitty jibbitz from the Crocs store opposite Times Square

Then we popped by Sogo again to see if there were any more bargains to pick up. We ended up buying Paul and Joe stuff which Stick Insect adores. Then we moved onto Times Square in search for Stick Insect’s NARS concealer.

love the jingly music from the ice cream truck!

The Nars guy is so super cute, albeit a little niang(soft). He had such clear complexion, but not those sickly white faces many Hong Kong guys somehow possess. He looked like a hip Korean. So KHJ! His ability to laugh after every sentence simply magnified his charm. They way he giggled made us giggle too. Hahaha..

If I had stayed there any longer, I would have drooled on the floor.

Do patronize him at the NARS counter over at Lane Crawford (Times Square Ground Floor) if you require any makeup from the brand. His name is Yan Dao (handsome). Wahaha.. His service is really good. His looks are better. Hohoho..

We heart Yan Dao..! We have faith we can MAN you.. wahahha..

We ended up having lunch at Freshness Burger in some shopping center. Its very much like Mos Burger. Though pricier, the taste and quality of the food is unbeatable for fast food standards. The thick corn soup reeked of real corn and the burger patties were succulently juicy. We also tried the tangerine(yuza) soda which was tangy and sweet. Yum yum!

the double burger (left) and the tofu & avocado burger (right)

We didn’t enjoy the buffalo wings though. Very disappointing scrawny wings drenched in a watery tomato-based sauce.

Not having enough time to catch a movie, we returned to the hotel to await our shuttle back to the airport.

we had the freshly made crepe with dark chocolate gelato at the basement of our hotel

Broke after 5days of incessant bargain hunting, we had to change every last bit of SGD for HKD and dig every last cent for dinner. And that’s after we spent our food money on Disney merchandise. Hahahaha…*slaps forehead*

We had to whip out the cards again to buy cakes for Stick Insect’s family. I bet her mum would scream murder if we ‘forgot’. Heeheehee.. In the end, we managed to scrape enough to each get a meal. And here’s what we got from the final stretch of this trip. This wonderful trip =)

It has been such a wonderful experience in Hong Kong.

And for this, I thank you.