rQ"" """" '

Through the years.

2012-02-18T13:26:00.003+08:00

Look at how we have grown... and how we have aged hahaha!

After all the highs and lows, I'm glad to say that we have managed to get through this crazy roller coaster ride called medical school together as one.

Thank you for being such precious buddies :)

Reflections

2011-12-22T23:58:00.006+08:00

2011 has been quite a crazy year for me.

I'd have to say the most memorable thing I did for this year would be travelling overseas alone for the first time. I went to Australia for a month for an elective placement in Austin Hospital. It was a very refreshing, satisfying and thrilling experience to live independently in a foreign country and to tour Melbourne with fellow meddies, my cousin Evelyn and her boyfriend Andrew. Also grateful that my boyfriend was able to join me on the tour right after my elective placement was over. It was our first travel experience together and I'm thankful that everything fell into place very nicely :)

This year is an important year because it is the year of graduation for my boyfriend!!! He was also offered a position in PWC, which is the company he was hoping to work in all along. Super happy that things turned out according to plan for him, and that he is happy where he is now (despite the sometimes crazy work hours hahaha) :P

Experiencing the musical The Lion King was also a fantastic event for me

this year! Was completely blown away by all the theatrical costumes, props, voices, stage set ups. Felt like I was in a magical world. Would be thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the musical again (not forgetting The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Love Never Dies... I'm gonna go broke at this rate).

I also took up Hip Hop dancing this year together with cousin Shirleen, thanks to my sister's influence and encouragement. It helped that she was the instructor too. Didn't regret taking it up at all! It was inspiring to learn a new skill and to witness how much my sister has grown over the years as a dancer. Damn proud of her, and damn proud of myself for taking the first baby step to a healthy lifestyle. Must keep it up when 2012 comes!

Of course, things are never always rosy in life. I had my fair share of downhills as well.

My family met many, many major bumps in our journey through the year. Things got pretty nasty. I felt like I was living in constant anger, worry, insecurity and fear. But hey, I can now gladly say that we have finally pulled through as a family. The horrible storm is over and clear skies are in the horizon. We may have lost some material things, but at least the family is still together AND happy. Guys, please don't ever take peace, love and harmony at home for granted. When all these are lost, it can really wreck you, like how it did me. Let go of the petty issues, and be thankful for what you have now :)

This year was also a year of many farewells. My grandpa left us in February due to pneumonia. My uncle suffered a heart attack and departed not long after. xQ's grandpa also departed after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. After hearing so many deaths one after another, I remember wondering who's next on the list. Praying hard that we won't get any bad surprises anytime soon. And must put in even more effort to spend time with my grannies!

2011, it is about time you hand the reins over to 2012. I'm really happy to be done with you actually. Let the year of the dragon reign!

Take a look around.

2011-12-21T00:22:00.003+08:00

Thinking about all the wonderful things that are happening to my loved ones right now.

My dad coping well with his new job.
My mom becoming happier and more settled now.
My sister getting the chance to learn Grade 5 ballet despite zero dance background at her age, and becoming part of the fantastic dance crew in Universal Studios.
My boyfriend receiving compliments from his bosses for assignments well done.
My bestie doing what she loves and being deeply in love with someone worthy of her.
My medical buddies passing exams together and enthusiastically planning for graduation trip.
Me getting love from all around, and making it to the final year of medical school.

There is actually a lot to smile about :)

Brewing

2011-12-19T18:05:00.002+08:00

I feel a dormant volcano just waiting to erupt.

Let it brew, brew, brew...

Be An Adult

2011-12-14T23:57:00.003+08:00

We'd like to think that the older we get, the more we mature.

Unfortunately, reality is quite the contrary.

How long more do we realize how selfish and childish we truly are?

Put your pride aside. Learn to listen. Think before you speak. Be responsible.

Be an adult.

Wedding Bells

2011-11-24T18:54:00.006+08:00

Congratulations to Wei Lee and Kelvin!!!

早生贵子 ok! :D

Giving Up

2011-11-19T21:49:00.002+08:00

I am willing to give up anything so that the people I love will be happy. I dare to say it out and loud because I did it before and I'd do it again if I have to.

But is there anyone who is willing to do that for me?

When it finally boils down to it, when the situation finally arises, are you willing to give up the other just because, and only just because, you know that it will make me happy?

Pet Peeve

2011-11-01T16:39:00.003+08:00

I must confess that I have a major pet peeve after all these years of taking public transport.

Imagine this:

It is 8am in the morning on a Monday. The peak hour crowd has occupied the bus stop as everyone waits anxiously for the feeder service bus. The bus has finally decided to grace us with its rare appearance as it crawls slowly and comes to a halt at the bus stop. Commuters rush to board the bus. You get pushed along and managed to get onto the vehicle. Alas, every single seat is occupied by a commuter who has boarded before you. More commuters continue to pour into the bus like water gushing out of a tap that has been turned on to its maximum flow. There is no sense of personal space, despite your hopeless battle to guard your self-proclaimed spot. The bus moves off and finally arrives at the interchange. You, half-dead from being squashed by fellow commuters and from standing throughout the journey, breathe a sigh of relief. Fresh air soon, you think to yourself. As you wait for the doors to open, horror unfolds.

Like buried dead rising from their graves, SEATED commuters start rising from their seats. And then, these SEATED commuters, like zombies trying to takeover the earth, decide to enter the bloody aisles. The aisles are already filled to the brim with standing commuters (yourself included), and there is barely enough room to breathe. But nooo, these zombies don't need air! They don't understand personal space! They only know one thing: THEY HAVE TO GET TO THE DOOR BEFORE ANYONE ELSE!!!

There are far too many zombies like these in Singapore.

Seriously guys. You've been sitting AND SNOOZING comfortably in your sacred seat for the past 15 minutes! Can't you learn to be gracious and let the poor commuters who have been standing in the aisles for most of the journey leave before you do???

Argh!

Orthopaedics SIP

2011-10-24T15:53:00.001+08:00

Awesome fellow interns + Awesome HOs = Awesome SIP experience

Birthday Bliss

2011-09-20T00:02:00.003+08:00

Nothing beats a nice cozy dinner with the best pals.

Happy birthday, Lynette and Sin Yong!

My Kind Of Therapy

2011-08-31T23:25:00.003+08:00

Play it out, sing it loud.

Break

2011-08-28T23:32:00.006+08:00

Too much has been happening.

I know this sounds very cryptic, but this space isn't the best place for me to be ranting about things that you probably shouldn't be hearing about.

So let's just say my 2 weeks of break didn't turn out to be very much of a break afterall. In fact, it was far from what I hope it would have been.

Ah well.

Shit happens to everyone.

Just gotta learn to flush it away.

But I must say that I am very very very thankful to have Chiewy, my sister and xQ around. Would have been a wreck without you guys.

Psychiatric Disorders - more common than you think.

2011-08-08T17:39:00.001+08:00

Even cartoon characters are not spared hahaha.

The Final Year.

2011-06-27T03:25:00.005+08:00

M5 has officially started.

I begin my final year with the Medicine Student Internship Program, whereby students (finally) become part of the team and learn to be a Houseman. The thought of it thrills, yet scares me all at the same time.

This attachment will be a glimpse into the real world of doctoring. We can no longer hide behind the safety of white lab coats. Death IS very real. So is the fatigue. I wonder if I have the courage to handle the gravity of it all.

But I do know that I won't be in this battle alone. My batch mates will be fighting alongside with me and I believe we will fight it well. We have come this far after all the sweat and blood we've put into medical school. Now let us all make it through the final year together!

I'll be legend - wait for it - dary.

2011-06-23T03:11:00.002+08:00

This is what you do to me.

2011-05-27T20:29:00.003+08:00

Over and over and over and over and over again.

Weeks Gone By

2011-04-20T00:41:00.002+08:00

Last week was hell.

This week is picking up.

I hope next week will be a blast.

Then again, I doubt it will be so because I'll be leaving for Australia next Thursday. As much as I am looking forward to the experience in Australia, I can't bear the thought of being so far away from my family and boyfriend for such a long long long time.

Oh well, it's high time that I practise what I preach to the patients in the community hospital - let's take one step at a time!

Thank You

2011-04-07T22:38:00.010+08:00

He was lying on the bed, with his left hand flexed over his chest.

"Stroke," I thought to myself. As I approached his bed, I realized that there was a nasogastric tube sticking out of his nose. His hair was grey with age, and he was not moving any of his limbs. He appeared dazed.

"Would you like to examine him?" the medical officer asked. I nodded my head and made my way next to his bedside.

Just as I was about to speak to him, the medical officer said, "Oh, he can't speak." She then left the privacy of the area drawn up by the bedside curtains.

I hesitated for a minute, then asked, "Hello Mr K, how are you today?"

The gentleman turned his head to face me and to my surprise, lifted his left hand to his face and waved, albeit with some effort, as if to return the greeting. At that moment, I also noticed a pack of cards with words written on them on his bedside, along with a mini white writing board and a erasable marker.

"I am a medical student. Is it alright if I take a look at your arms and legs?" I continued.

He nodded firmly.

I proceeded to do a full neurological exam, and was very impressed with how well he could understand my instructions and how cooperative he was. Through the examination, I realized that he had right-sided hemiplegia (paralysis of the right arm and right leg). He was able to move only his left arm adequately, and his left leg slightly.

Just as I was about to finish my examination, the patient raised his left hand and placed it over the cards. I took the hint and carried the cards up to his eye level. He started flipping through the cards with his left hand, scanning them with his eyes one by one. However, he had to go through the pile of cards a few times before successfully finding the phrase he wanted to express. He pointed at it with his slightly clenched left hand and looked up at me, almost as if he was afraid that I would not understand.

I want to pass motion.

I did a quick check and realized that he was already on diapers.

"Mr K, you can go ahead and pass motion because the nurses already put you on diapers. They will clean you up later, don't worry ok?"

He nodded his head, then slowly rested his gaze on the foot of his bed.

"Mr K, how long have you been unable to talk?"

He motioned to his white board. I uncapped the marker, put it in his left hand, before holding the white board out in front of him. He started making messy strokes on the clean canvas.

23 天.

"23 days?"

He nodded.

I paused for a minute, wondering what it was like to be suddenly paralyzed and then be unable to speak for almost a month. The thought alone was already terribly depressing.

"Do you know why?"

He motioned to the left side of his head.

"Stroke on the left side?"

He nodded again. There was a distant look of sadness in his eyes. I later learnt that he had his first stroke a few years back which left him paralyzed on the left. He had been very active in rehabilitation, and actually managed to regain his mobility with the aid of a walking stick in a matter of a few months. Since then, he has been very compliant about his lifestyle and diet, putting in ample effort in reducing his risk for a subsequent stroke. Unfortunately, luck was not with him as he suffered another hit 23 days ago, robbing him of the ability to speak and paralyzing him on the right side as well.

I put the white board down and took the marker from his hand to recap it. Suddenly, he started motioning at his cards again. I picked them up and put it in front of him. He went through the laborious process of finding the phrase he wanted again, card by card, word by word. This went on for a few cycles, before he gave up, settled the cards down and put them away.

I felt helpless. Here I am, young and able, backed up with 4 years of medical knowledge, yet am unable to decipher what a poor old man wants to tell me. It was an extremely humbling moment.

A few seconds pass. He turned his head to look at me, then raised his left hand and started making gestures at the pillow.

"Do you want me to adjust your pillow?"

He nodded enthusiastically. I lifted his head and neck, placed the pillow in a more comfortable position, before resting his head back on it.

"Is this better?"

He nodded again. I thought I could see a smile in his eyes.

"Ok Uncle, I need to leave now." I said.

Upon hearing this, he looked up at me anxiously suddenly, and lifted his left arm to his head, repeatedly making gestures as if he was trying to get my attention frantically.

"What is it, Mr K? Is there something else you need?" I asked worriedly.

He repeated his gesture as he looked at me helplessly.

"Sorry Mr K, I don't understand what you are trying to say," I admitted, "Are you in pain anywhere?"

He shook his head, then put his hand over the white board. Once again I uncapped the marker and handed it to him before holding up the board in front of him. Stroke by stroke, he pieced his message to me. When he was done, he put the marker down heavily, as if the writing had zapped him of his energy. He looked up at me with earnest eyes as I bent over to read the message.

Thank You.

It was the messiest thank you I have ever seen in my life.

But it was also the most beautiful thank you I have ever received.

Communicating was already such a chore to him, and yet, despite his weakness, despite his poor left control, he ensured that his message of appreciation was brought across to me.

I was touched beyond words by his display of sincerity. I let my eyes linger on his masterpiece for a moment, before looking straight into his eyes.

"No Mr K, thank YOU."

General Surgery Elective

2011-03-21T22:06:00.003+08:00

And I'm convinced once more that Surgery isn't for me. Hahaha.

But I shall have my fun while it lasts ;)

Geriatric Psychiatry

2011-03-09T17:05:00.004+08:00

The past week or so has been the peak of my elective period so far! A mere glimpse into what geriatric psychiatry is all about has taught me a lot more than I thought it could. To be able to learn from so many intelligent, friendly seniors and to be given the opportunity to get to know as many in/outpatients as I can is truly an experience that I will cherish dearly through my clinical years. I never fail to be fascinated by something/someone every single day. Like I mentioned previously in my tweet, psychiatry is never boring... at least to me it never is ;)

Although I may not have decided if psychiatry is really the path I want to take, I have learnt one thing about myself and I can now confidently say that I really do LOVE to work with old people. I used to doubt my interest in the elderly population by thinking that it might just be a passing phase... but I'm more than certain about it now after going through this posting.

One good thing about being in geriatric psychiatry is the significant improvement it had on my Hokkien/Teochew! Most of the elderly communicate only through dialects and they use a much broader range of dialect vocabulary (compared to those in medical hospitals) due to the nature of their psychiatric complaints, hence exposing me to much cheem-er levels of Hokkien/Teochew.

It's such a pity that the posting will end in 2 days. I'm feeling a little upset about leaving the posting so quickly... I wished I applied for a longer period! Ah well. Let's hope that I will somehow get another opportunity to return to learn more!

The run that never happened.

2011-02-26T16:34:00.005+08:00

So much for all the preparation and anticipation for the first challenge of the year.

Thanks to a heavy downpour, our categories were cancelled and we couldn't do the run at all :(

All we did that day was eat an ice cream, drink 7-up, collect a free runner's water bottle and a medal. Yes, they still gave out the medals. The irony.

Congratulations, here is your medal for not running!

Oh well, better luck next time!

The Seventh Night

2011-02-25T01:18:00.009+08:00

The Chinese believe that when a person dies, his/her soul will return to visit his/her loved ones on the seventh night of his/her death.

Some return by appearing in their loved ones' dreams. Some return as supernatural beings not visible to the human eye (but may still make their presence known). Others return in the form of insects, usually as a moth or a butterfly.

O Hai, I'm back!

My first experience with this seventh night theory was during the death of my paternal grandfather. My sister was about 5 years old then. At such a young tender age, she did not even understand the meaning of "passed away", much less comprehend all the fussing revolving around my grandpa's departure. On the morning of the eighth day of his death, my mom casually asked if any of us dreamt of anything interesting the night before. Much to our surprise, my sister happily chirped, "I did!". It was then that we found out that she had dreamt of my late grandpa. She continued describing her dream innocently, saying that in her dream, she saw him walk into his master room, sat on the bed and pat it with a contented smile on his face.

All my parents and I could do was stare in disbelief at my sister.

Unknown to my sister then, the bed in the master room was my grandpa's favorite. He has been using that bed all his life, until chronic illnesses started robbing him of his independance. He was then brought to a spare room and nursed on another bed in order to facilitate caregiving purposes. Weeks before his death, he once mentioned to my grandma that that he would like to be brought back to the master room. Unfortunately, his wish couldn't be fulfilled as the room's setup was not ideal for his dialysis.

It may just be a coincidence, you say. But surely, this is too much of a coincidence for a little kid who barely understands teochew!

This incident got me wondering about life after death, but I decided to shove it aside and almost forgot about it... until the seventh night of my maternal grandpa's death.

As you have learnt from my blog post earlier, my maternal grandpa recently passed away on the 3rd day of Chinese New Year. On the seventh night, my parents and sister retired to their rooms while I was out in the living room watching "Family Guy" (yea yea judge me). I usually watch late night tv programmes in my room but for some strange reason, I decided that I prefer to be out in the living room that night. No, I didn't even know it was the seventh night (in fact, I thought it was the sixth). Suddenly, I spotted something flying through the window of the living room. It crashed on to the floor and started fluttering around. Initially, I thought it was a beetle because beetles are a pretty common sighting in my house (no idea why, maybe they like Belle or something). I eyed the fluttery insect suspiciously and started thinking of ways to make it go away... but realized that its size is too large for a beetle. And wait! There were flashes of pale yellow!

That was NOT a beetle. That was a moth! That was a moth with pale yellow wings!

Seeing moths or butterflies in my house is as uncommon as seeing a polar bear in the desert. I have no idea how this poor thing got here, and quickly called out to my mom. The minute she stepped out of her room, the fluttery moth flew towards her feet and landed right between them. And it stayed right there, as still as a rock. It didn't budge from its spot for the next half an hour. After my mom retired to her room, the moth started fluttering again, took flight and disappeared. My dad could not fathom where the moth went even though he was watching it the whole time.

It's strange how coincidental things get huh? Whether you choose to believe in the seventh night theory or not, it is a fact that something DID happen on the seventh night.

As for me... it seems like there may be life after death afterall.

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-20T17:41:00.031+08:00

After months of leaving my blog to rot and enter a state of rigor mortis, I shall revive it with a kickass picture-filled post!

Well, technically it can't be revived if it is already undergoing rigor mortis... *cricket sounds*

Ok moving on.

What better event to blog about than Valentine's Day! ;) As usual, xQ managed to surprise me in more ways than one! This Valentine's was the longest I ever had, because we celebrated it over a span of 2 days. And the same rules apply - xQ wouldn't let me know what the plans were until the day itself.

We decided to celebrate it a day earlier (Sunday) so that it wouldn't clash with our school schedules and commitments. To kick start the celebration, we first met up with my dear Medicine friends to celebrate Charlotte's birthday!

We went to Spizza at Balmoral Plaza, as arranged by our dear magician, Sin Yong. I initially thought he was being thoughtful in choosing a place near Charlotte's place for her convenience. Truth is, he had a voucher to redeem HAHAHA! Ok la but I have to give him credit for going through so much trouble to make arrangements for this celebration :)

I had a great time catching up with all my favourite people. Too bad Jeff and Edwin weren't with us, or it would have been a full head count. Hope you like the present and had a great time, Char!

After lunch, xQ and I headed to Plaza Singapura for the movie - No Strings Attached. Sneaky boyfriend went to book tickets for it early in the morning! I'm thankful that he booked a comedy though. I remember the time he brought me to watch Hachiko before a romantic dinner. It was a touching tale about a dog's loyalty to its master. Coupled with my soft spot for dogs, you can imagine the amount of crying I did throughout the movie. I came out of the cinema looking like a suicidal girl with mascara smudged across her face, clinging on desperately to her uneasy partner.

Yea, so... good choice this time, xQ.

Waiting for our cinema hall to open its doors.

Tried mashed potato for the first time as my movie snack. It's yummy but kinda pricey (about $4)!

The movie was pretty funny, but it definitely didn't make it into my favourite movie list. Still, it was refreshing to see Natalie Portman act in a comedy, as opposed to her darker role in Black Swan (which is, by the way, AWESOME!!! It's a must-watch!).

After the movie, xQ told me it was time to head to dinner. The only clues he gave me were that it was at a hotel, and that it served Italian cuisine.

Making our way to the mysterious hotel.

Him carrying my m)phosis sale bag and looking a little lost haha!

Alas, we arrive at

The Regent Hotel!

At the spacious hotel lobby.

The interior of the hotel.

We took a lift up and the minute the doors open, we were greeted by this:

Pretty pretty pretty lights!!!

And the restaurant:

I must say that the service there is VERY IMPRESSIVE. They have the most attentive and patient staff ever. I'll elaborate on that later.

We were promptly seated at our table, and the waitress explained to us patiently about how the menu works in the restaurant since it was our first time there.

Appetizers and desserts were free-flow (ie. buffet style). As for the main course, we each get to pick one from their extensive list. Each dish is UNPRONOUNCEABLE, but thankfully there were succinct descriptions beneath each dish's name. I had a hard time deciding on what to get because every single main course sounded mouth-watering! I finally decided on squid ink pasta with giant scallops while xQ ordered grilled angus beef tenderloin.

Time to attack the appetizers!

Yums.

My favourites were the smoked salmon, beef cap something, freshly cut ham and the king alaska crab! Their real dish names were too difficult to remember, hence the lousy makeshift names haha.

I also tried all the different kinds of cheese... and ended up with a battle in my tummy. Luckily, it didn't progress to explosive diarrhoea :/

Waiting for my main course... (note to xQ: I was not thinking of other things!)

After an overdose of appetizers, our main course finally arrived.

Squid Ink Pasta with Giant Scallops - very fabulously done!

Grilled Angus Beef Tenderloin - pretty good too!

It probably isn't very obvious from the pictures, but if you are sharp enough you may realise that we had changed tables by now!

What happened was that xQ accidentally knocked his glass of icewater over, causing the table cloth to be partially wet. Almost immediately, a waitress rushed over to help clear the mess. We didn't even have time to react! She promptly removed the glass of water and disappeared into the kitchen nearby. At first we thought that was all she was going to do, and continued dining. Shortly, she reappeared with her manager, and politely asked if we would like to change tables since the current one is too wet to dine on.

Considering that the restaurant was pretty crowded then, I was really impressed that the waitress actually bothered approaching her manager to request for a change of tables on our behalf, even though we didn't make any demands for it! She could have simply ignored us and let us continue dining on that table, which wasn't THAT badly soaked to begin with.

That's the true service spirit, man!

The good service was not only evident in that waitress. The entire service crew was prompt in responding to requests, clearing of plates, taking of orders and serving of beverages. They were very proactive, and that is a quality I find very commendable, especially in the area of service ;)

But as good as their service is, they failed to inform me that this pot of tea costs $12 hahaha. This has gotta be the most expensive tea I have ever drunk in my whole life! It was good while it lasted though. xQ's cup of coffee didn't come cheap either!

When we were enjoying the aroma of our very expensive tea and coffee, xQ gleefully asked me if I was ready for my present. I was very surprised because I thought the dinner was already my present! He then told me to search my bag...

... which I did.

And look what I found?

My dream charm bracelet!!! Just the way I wanted it!

It has...

My birth stone.

Rabbits to symbolise xQ, who is born in the year of the Rabbit.

A collie, because it is my favourite dog breed.

A papillion, to symbolise Belle.

And of course, my initials :)

<3<3<3

I realised I didn't take any photos of the dessert, mainly because I was too full to move hahaha! I do remember that the red wine pear was good, although xQ disagrees. He liked the tiramisu but I wasn't very enthusiastic about it. But we both agreed that the gelato was great (I had the passion fruit flavour and he had the coffee flavour)!

After dinner, we went around the hotel to take some touristy pictures.

Posted a full length picture because I wanna show you how pretty my new chain wedges are :p From m)phosis at 50% off!

My lace/mesh dress is from Love,Bonito. Can't remember the exact name of this piece... I think it's Dream Loveboat or something like that. I've been wanting to get it since they launched it during their livejournal days. Thank god they re-launched it again! And it came just in time for Valentine's too! :D

My Valentine <3

Chillin' at the hotel lobby.

And he put the bracelet on me for the first time :) The heart-shaped chain is too cute!

Final picture of day 1 - my pretty roses from xQ. Another surprise because I REALLY REALLY REALLY believed that he wasn't getting any for me this year. Oh geeeeee!

As you can tell, I was an extremely happy girl that day! Never been pampered so much like this hahaha :p

But wait! There's more to come!

xQ told me to prepare myself for a second (yes, SECOND!!!) round of celebration on the actual Valentine's Day (Monday) because we will be "drinking some wine". I was perplexed... because it wasn't really our style to go around acting atas and drinking wine. Who knows what he's up to this time?

I met up with him after school at City Hall and had tea break at one of our favourite dim sum stalls. He then revealed that he was bringing me to The Singapore Flyer for the Moët & Chandon Champane flight!

I was in utter disbelief because I didn't know my boyfriend could be THIS romantic, and I couldn't fathom how he could have gotten so much capital to purchase such a crazily prized package!

And the truth was finally revealed

HE WON THE TICKETS!!!

Apparently, xQ went to participate in an online contest which required participants to submit stories/suggestions on an ideal date. Who would have thought that my boy could win not just an essay competition, but a LOVE essay competition! Hahahaha! He's so full of surprises, I tell ya! I already read his work, and I can fully understand why the judges chose him :p I bet the judging panel was entirely made up of girls!

Would love to post his entry here but I guess I have to get xQ's permission first :p

Touristy picture of Marina Bay Sands in the distance.

Our flight time was scheduled at 7pm, but we headed down to the Singapore Flyer way too early and ended up arriving at about 6.15pm. After checking in with the Guest Service Lounge, we were prepared to wait for another 45 minutes to pass before getting onto the capsule. But at about 6.30pm, the staff informed us that our flight was ready and escorted us up to the boarding platform.

xQ was initially worried that it may be too early for us to catch the sunset if we were to board at 6.30pm. But our worries were all thrown aside when we soon discovered that we were the ONLY couple boarding the capsule. Apparently, we were so early that the crew decided to let us board ahead of the other couples who were originally scheduled to board with us at 7pm! That means we get a WHOLE capsule to ourselves! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!

Thinking back on this now makes me envy myself HAHAHA!

Anyway, I started looking around anxiously for our capsule and it wasn't really that hard to spot because it was so beautifully decorated! This is how it looks like:

Plush illuminated gold seats

You can imagine the amount of stares we got from curious onlookers who were boarding the normal flight capsules. The minute our capsule glided passed their boarding platform, camera flashes started going off like nobody's business! I felt like I was a superstar facing an onslaught of paparazzi!!! I know I was supposed to feel like a queen with all that envy and attention but really, all I could feel was embarrassment! HAHAHA!

Champagne in a pretty glass.

Innovative wine glass stands and a glass full of strawberries and chocolates.

Bose speakers playing a wonderful mix of love ballads from an iPod.

I thought the music was a perfect touch, in addition to all the visual beauty around us. Crooning, soulful voices singing familiar all-time favourite oldies were exactly what we needed to bring the experience to its full potential. The music provided the perfect ambience for our very first slow dance together :) Of course, the fact that we were alone helped too haha! It was so romantic I could cry!

One capsule, all to ourselves.

Enjoying champange!

We are at the peak!

Artsy shot of me looking at the magnificent horizon.

A good boyfriend helps you take many pictures of yourself so that you don't feel guitly about being zilian hahaha!

Another couple shot. I look funny because I was eating a piece of chocolate.

I couldn't ask for a better way to celebrate Valentine's Day with xQ. Thank you my dear, for the wonderful surprises and for putting in so much effort in making this celebration so memorable. Most importantly, thank you for loving me the way you do and for teaching me to be a better person.

"The best thing about me is you."

- Shannon Crown

Goodbye, 公公。

2011-02-08T01:14:00.003+08:00

My maternal grandfather just passed away on Saturday night.

Goodbye, grandpa. I will remember the times we spent playing badminton together when I was a child. I will remember how I will always find you seated in the shop repairing badminton rackets. I will remember how it feels like to run my hands over your head of short stubby hair. And I will remember how you will always laugh every time I do that. I will remember your favourite wrestling channels, and how much you love to drink teh si ka dai. I will remember what a great grandfather you have been, and all the work you've put into giving our family what we have now.

I will remember you grandpa. Thank you for hanging on and for giving all of us a chance to say goodbye. We will miss you very dearly. Wherever you are now, I hope you are free from all the pain and suffering. I would love to see you smile again. Oh, and I hope you get to meet my 爷爷, I'm sure he will make great company.

I miss my grandpas very, very much.

First Challenge of the Year

2011-01-26T20:44:00.003+08:00

My first challenge for the new year:

xQ and I decided to sign up for the Safari Zoo Run. Ok it was more like I forced him to join me hahaha.

Anyway, I am very proud that I took the first step to get myself up and going again. Must motivate myself to exercise, tone those fatty legs and most importantly, start a healthier lifestyle! At the age of 23 years old, I'm not exactly THAT young anymore and should really start doing something about my health before I end up with an AMI (heart attack).

We both signed up for the Safari Challenge and will be running a distance of 8km through the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, as well as Mandai Lake. I know 8km doesn't sound impressive at all (especially to you crazy 42km marathon runners), but it's a pretty big step for someone who HATES running since her secondary school days. And am very thankful that xQ has been extra supportive in helping me take this step. He's been my very dedicated personal trainer, meticulously planning our route, exercises, and continuously encouraging me to keep going. I guess that's what you get when your boyfriend is a running junkie hahaha.

Alright let's do this!

MIA-ing

2011-01-04T23:18:00.004+08:00

In case you have been wondering why I have gone MIA...

This is the reason why:

I have to sit for a very very very important Pathology exam, which is scheduled conveniently RIGHT after Christmas and New Year's celebration. How fantastic!

Can't wait to do a big post to sum up my 2010. Yes I know how laggy I am!

Till 11 Jan 2011, see ya!

Oh, and Happy New Year ;)

Headbands

2010-12-24T04:10:00.006+08:00

I am very much in love with my headbands!

From polka dots to denim with heart prints to floral prints to black glitter to basic white... I have them all! To me, they are the most convenient and prettiest hair accessories around. Forget hair bands, hair clips or hair buns. Just let your hair loose and zhng it simply by choosing a pretty fabric of your choice. Get creative with the way you want it tied and TADAH! Hair in its full glory!

And there are soooo many fabrics and patterns to choose from... which is why I never run out of choices (and have a never-ending collection)! My most recent addition to the collection is the Rosette Beaded Headband from F21.I tried it on at the store and it exuded such a regal feel that I knew I had to have it. I love the fact that the beads are glossy and that the entire headband (including the flower) is made completely from beads. It's something new compared to my other headband designs too! Will probably debut wear it on Christmas day hahaha.

Christmas Shopping

2010-12-20T16:07:00.007+08:00

Braved the insane crowds in town and did some shopping for both Christmas and CNY with the family. The decorations along Orchard Road this year are stunning! Too bad it doesn't snow in Singapore or it will be perfect :)

Little Birdie

2010-11-28T23:06:00.003+08:00

I feel like a little bird trapped in a tiny cage, along with all my dearest birdie family and friends.

I want to open my wings! I want to get out! I want to fly! I want to see the sun, feel the rain, caress the wind!

Am pretty sure all my birdie family and friends can't wait to taste freedom too. If you feel exactly the way I do, just remember I'm going through this with you, and you are never alone! The cage doors will open very soon :)

An Ethical Exam

2010-11-24T15:19:00.004+08:00

Tomorrow, all M4 students will be going for an ethics exam.

I still can't understand the logic behind an ethics exam for medical students. How is it possible to accurately assess a person's level of ethics by getting him or her to write er... 2 ethic essays?

This has got to be the most ridiculous exam I'll ever be sitting for in medical school.

Everybody needs a happy picture!

2010-11-21T19:50:00.004+08:00

Credits to my cousin's blog @ theundevelopedstory-.blogspot.com

Look at him smile while basking under the sun and frolicking about in the greenest pastures!

This is definitely one of my happy pictures! Hope he made you happy too :D

Beauty Product Review: Shiseido Aqualabel Milky Mousse Foam & Habo Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

2010-11-21T14:40:00.007+08:00

I don't usually blog about beauty products, because I am not the type who sticks to a particular brand or have been extremely impressed by the products' quality (and cost).

But I shall make an exception today because I have been thoroughly impressed with the new facial care regime I have been trying out!

You see, before I moved on to this skin regime, I have been experimenting with all types of facial foams, ranging from Eau Thermale Avene to ZA Cleansing Foam. Most of the foams worked okay but they weren't spectacular. I guess the urge to search for the perfect foam came on full force after the horrible ordeal I had with my previous facial foam. It made my skin so dry that I thought my face was going to flake off into dust.

So I decided to search for a better facial foam, and that was when I gave the Shiseido Aqualabel Milky Mousse Foam a shot!

Been using it for about a month now, and I must say that I love the texture of the foam and the soft, springy after-effect it has on my skin! My face feels clean yet not overly scrubbed, unlike the previous foam which felt like sandpaper on my face. I was a little apprehensive about the rose fragrance at first because I have never been a fan of strong fragrances in cleansing products. Thankfully, the foam only had a tinge of rose fragrance which wasn't overpowering at all. And the best part? It retails only at about SGD$15.90! That's a super affordable price for a facial form so efficient and pleasant to the nose.

Of course, my facial regime doesn't end here.

I MUST tell you about the wonders of the Habo Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion!

This product has been a hit ever since it has been in stores, but I never got round to trying it out until recently. I was really dubious about its effects prior to trying it, thinking it was just a marketing gimmick (one sold every four seconds?! Really??!), but this product has definitely proved its worth! I don't know how it does it, but the lotion has improved the hydration status of my skin by leaps and bounds. It could just be that my skin was terribly dry to begin with, but I can't dispute the fact that it did a great job at restoring my damaged skin to its original form.

There is another type of Habo Labo lotion with a blue cap, which is known for its whitening effects (in addition to hydration of course). Having tried both versions, I'd recommend that you get the white capped one if you are looking to hydrate your skin intensively, because its hyaluronic acid content is much higher (thus, making its consistency is thicker) compared to the blue one. I believe each bottle retails for about SGD$20 plus.

Looks like I'll be loyal fans to both products for some time! Hope these products will work as well for you guys if you are intending to get them :)

Broken Shell

2010-11-20T01:05:00.003+08:00

Been plagued with a series of unfortunate events at home lately.

It started from a single event... which kick-started a massive chain reaction that doesn't seem to be resolving anytime soon.

I will be lying if I said I am not affected at all.

I tried very very very hard to remain as unaffected as I can, by packing them into little boxes and shoving them into the darkest corners of my mind. I tried to go about my everyday life in school like nothing has happened, and kept telling myself that everything will be fine by the time I reach home at the end of the day.

But no, nothing has changed.

As each day passes, ugly thoughts overpower me. Why must things like these happen to me? Why don't people have worries like I do? Why can't I have what others have? Why must we struggle so hard just to attain half of what others have? Why why why why why... It isn't fair!

And when I realized how selfish and ungrateful my thoughts have been, I feel so ugly inside.

But it is so hard to keep up the positivity when events around you constantly destroy your faith and respect in the people you love.

Sigh. I am just a girl who wants her family to be happy and stable. Is that too much to ask?

Children

2010-11-11T23:41:00.003+08:00

The innocence of children is so endearing.

Sigh, they make me wish that I was a child all over again. I would like to see the world the way I used to see it years ago - simple, beautiful and genuine.

Funny how I couldn't wait to grow up and be an adult when I was a child. But now, at the age of 22, I wish I never left childhood at all.

Love You Long Long

2010-11-04T21:19:00.003+08:00

I love you, xQ... even when you end up looking like this.

Heehee.

Hope your Halloween was spooktacular! :)

24 Accents

2010-10-05T21:36:00.003+08:00

This guy is amazingly talented in mimicking accents! Hear it for yourself!

Lots swearing though haha.

I think he should attempt the Singlish accent :p

Universal Studios

2010-09-29T23:56:00.001+08:00

One of my favourite pictures from our trip to Universal Studios Singapore.

I want to go there again!!!

Kotex WOW

2010-09-28T22:15:00.005+08:00

(This post is obviously targeted at my female readers. Or male readers who would like to pass the info on to their sisters. Or male readers who are erm, interested for some reason. *suspicious look*)

Check out the new Kotex LUXE Ultrathin pads!!!

I never knew pads could be made so pretty and colourful!!!

Not that it really matters since nobody (except yourself) will be seeing it anyway but hey, anything goes as long as it helps to brighten up your mood on one of those days right?

Click here to redeem your free Kotex goodie bag (and help me earn Coffee Club discount vouchers :p)!

P.S. Just a random thought. I hope the colour prints on the pads won't run or it will be quite disastrous HAHAHA.

B . L . A . N . K

2010-09-26T20:28:00.002+08:00

I am so uninspired to blog that it's not funny.

Maybe it's time for a revamp.

Stressssss

2010-09-21T16:53:00.004+08:00

After all these years of experience of being put under the pressure by the education system in Singapore, I should long be ready to take up any test or examination confidently without a flinch.

But I still find myself battling exam stress and anxiety almost every single day. There are so many assessments (mini-CEX, OSCEs, OSSEs, MCQs, essays), numerous quotas to meet, and an overwhelming amount of content to study.

When you are being piled with mountains of work like that, it makes it so difficult to fully appreciate the beauty of medicine, and so easy to lose sight of your final goal.

Sometimes I even forget why I am here, and why am I doing this.

But somehow, I know that one day, all the effort will be worth it. I can't wait for that day to come.

A little gesture goes a long way.

2010-08-31T19:09:00.001+08:00

From PostSecret.com

The Stars Are Talking

2010-08-30T22:12:00.003+08:00

"If the state of the world, or recent disappointments, or ongoing challenges are causing you to have a rather gloomy view of life right now, you need to find a way to restore your faith in your beautiful destiny. It's easy to get caught up in problems when they seem to be knocking you down. But you have a purpose in life, and very soon you will have the chance to take on a very important mission - one that involves your reason for being. So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and find the inspiration and motivation that will take you where you need to go."

Scarily accurate. But thanks, I needed that :)

O&G is...

2010-08-24T18:34:00.002+08:00

... one word - Graphic.

My Secret Garden

2010-08-23T23:47:00.007+08:00

This is almost two months late, but here's a memorabilia for a very wonderful 22nd birthday celebration with my boy :)

xQ decided to bring me to My Secret Garden for my birthday dinner. My Secret Garden is tucked away in a corner of the busy streets of Bugis, and upon arrival, I felt like I was stepping into an enchanted garden right in the middle of the heart of the city. I love how romantic and cozy this little surprise find is. There was a garden swing right on the deck of the restaurant, which is great for camwhoring :p They also have a crazily beautiful patio (air-conditioned too!) with a glass ceiling, which is apparently a hot spot for couples to hold their engagement ceremonies. The staff were very attentive and eager to serve, which made the dining session very pleasant. The western cuisine was pretty good as well, but there was nothing exceptional to scream about.

The best part of the dinner?

My dinner dateS of course ;)

Say hello to Ivy the rabbit!

P.S. Check out her long thick strands of eyelashes!!! So pretty right! Wish I had that kind of lashes on me instead hmph!

You know, the thing that has blades and cuts stuff.

2010-08-21T23:19:00.002+08:00

Mom: Please bring me a pair of scissors.

Me: What scissors do you want?

Mom: 剪刀。

Me: Erm I mean what TYPE of scissors do you want?

Mom: 用来剪东西的咯。

Home - Kit Chan

2010-08-13T02:49:00.002+08:00

It makes me swell with pride everytime I hear Kit Chan singing Home, because the sound of her beautiful vocals over the poetically patriotic lyrics is simply magical. It is the only National Day song that has truly touched my heart.

It still does.

Orthopaedics VS Anaesthesia

2010-08-05T21:54:00.001+08:00

This is epic hahahaha!

Afterthought

2010-07-30T16:14:00.004+08:00

Out of the four collapse cases I saw in the A&E, three didn't survive.

As for the lucky one who did survive, the patient was the oldest, frailest and skinniest person I have ever seen - someone whom I thought had the least chance of surviving amongst the four.

Funny how death works.

Sir, sir, are you awake??!

2010-07-22T19:07:00.002+08:00

A few things I discovered today during the Basic Cardiac Life Support Training (BCLS):

1. Chest compressions are deceivingly tough to do.
2. Movies are highly inaccurate when it comes to life-saving.
3. Don't rub the paddles of a defibrillator against each other unless you want to risk an explosion in your face.

And most importantly...

4. Don't defibrillate yourself for fun. Hahahaha.

My Secret Obsession

2010-06-29T18:45:00.001+08:00

Not so secret now :p

Emptiness

2010-06-24T17:54:00.002+08:00

Been feeling very empty inside for about a week now. It may probably just be PMS or something (what a convenient excuse) but I think it may be more than that.

I think I lose my ground too easily, especially with all kinds of influences around me. I find my perception on things changing, changing, changing... it never settles. I am now left with a whirlpool of information and an abundance of views from others. I can understand them all really, but ultimately...

What do I think? How do I feel? What do I do?

Sadly, I do not know.

I don't know what my views are, I don't know how I'm feeling, and I don't know which stand to take. I think I've lost myself. I may have an able body, but I seem to have lost its soul. It's all empty.

Have I lost the ability to think and feel? Or have I lost the courage to know what I think and feel?

It's probably time to pack my bags and go to the mountains to do some soul-searching.

Blog Drought

2010-06-16T21:59:00.005+08:00

This blog has been severely neglected, I'm very well aware of that. My sincere apologies to my loyal readers!

Haven't got the mood to write much recently, although I have lots of fun during the past 3 weeks and have so much material to blog about. Shall do up the posts once I'm inspired to start working on them hahaha. Procrastination much?

Oh, and I think I've caught the football fever. Dad decided to subscribe to the World Cup channel on the day of the opening ceremony. I initially thought he went kukoo because it wasn't in his nature to spend so much on TV programmes, but hey, spontaneity is what defines my family culture hahahaha. So for the past whole week, my family has gone into a routine of placing bets amongst ourselves every evening, before proceeding into a crazy bout of cheering/booing whilst watching the matches. Yup, my family is crazy like that :p

Alright I'm going back to the match between Spain and Switzerland. SPAIN FTW!!!

Optical Illusion - Spinning Woman

2010-05-26T17:22:00.004+08:00

Which way is she spinning for you?

Now try to imagine her spinning in the opposite direction.

Yes, it's possible to make her spin in either direction at your own will! Don't give up, keep trying! I assure you that no computer tricks are involved!

I first saw her spinning clockwise, then spent about 10 minutes trying to make her spin anti-clockwise. Now I can get her to spin in either direction I want her to! Awesome powsome.

This is how it works:

"The spinning girl is a form of the more general spinning silhouette illusion. The image is not objectively “spinning” in one direction or the other. It is a two-dimensional image that is simply shifting back and forth. But our brains did not evolve to interpret two-dimensional representations of the world but the actual three-dimensional world. So our visual processing assumes we are looking at a 3-D image and is uses clues to interpret it as such. Or, without adequate clues it may just arbitrarily decide a best fit – spinning clockwise or counterclockwise. And once this fit is chosen, the illusion is complete – we see a 3-D spinning image."

- NeuroLogica Blog

Heh heh heh do not belittle the power of the brain ;)

HTC Desire

2010-05-22T16:11:00.000+08:00

IT'S FINALLY OUT!!!

I lost my wallet :(

2010-05-11T15:54:00.003+08:00

Always always always trust your intuition. If you think something doesn't feel right, CHECK. If you think something is missing, CHECK. Urgh, should have trusted mine!!!

Started the week off with a horrible encounter - I lost my wallet in the operating theatre changing room, and along with it my IC, driving license, and ATM card. Thankfully there wasn't much cash and there weren't any other important passes or cards in the wallet. That saved me from more trouble than I already am in.

But what pains me the most, is the loss of the WALLET itself. It isn't just any wallet. It is an extremely special wallet that means a lot to me because it was a gift from xQ during our very first Valentine's day celebration. Boyfriend has been really nice though, telling me not to be upset and that it isn't my fault and all... but I still feel like an utter failure for losing something so precious. I think part of my heart died along with the wallet :'(

Maybe it's a sign from the Gods above teaching me to cherish what I have and not take things for granted. If that is so, I got the point (albeit painfully), thanks.

I had enough of irony.

2010-05-09T10:30:00.004+08:00

It only takes one small mistake to erase the positivity of an experience.

It's ironic, isn't it?

The one who made it happen, is now the one who destroyed it.

The one who cared, is now the one who is uncared for.

The one whom people should thank for making things happen, is now the one who should apologize.

The one who is innocent, is now the one who has to pay the price of ~~one~~ two mistakes.

Should we be angry or sad?

Ip Man 2

2010-04-29T00:03:00.006+08:00

Woohoo it'll be out ~~tomorrow~~ later today!!! SO EXCITING I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!

Secrets

2010-04-28T16:34:00.004+08:00

How long can you keep them?

How not to love mom?

2010-04-24T20:21:00.002+08:00

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the day, feeling all flustered with the never ending list of undone tasks, I received a random SMS from my mother.

It read:

"Hi Rui Qi, Love you always! Jia you ok :-) :-P"

It was such a simple message, but it made me day.

How not to love mom, you tell me?

Get Mad!

2010-04-18T01:14:00.003+08:00

Was looking through my facebook photos and came across this really old picture of my favourite 4 ladies. The photo was themed "Angry", and I love how everybody showed their individual styles of getting mad hahaha!

Reminds me of alllll the fun we had snapping silly photos :) Let's do it again when you are back, Yunnie!

Uphill

2010-04-12T21:23:00.004+08:00

I hope that things will get better from here...

For my family.

For my boyfriend.

For my dearest friends.

For me.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, brace yourselves, then set off with purpose and speed. Let's do this!!!

Too much gravity, Too little fantasy.

2010-04-04T21:35:00.002+08:00

I think I lost my imagination.

Can I have it back, please?

Poke poke poke

2010-03-29T22:02:00.003+08:00

Just for the record, I managed to set my very first IV plug and insert my very first nasogastric tube today!

I guess it's something worth remembering :D

Our very own BeeGees.

2010-03-23T18:25:00.002+08:00

From left to right: Uncle Lawrence, Uncle David and my Dad

Snapped this picture during one of the family gatherings and I think it's really cute! If there is anything that can keep the 3 of them occupied all at once for hours, it would be Karaoke. Hahahahaha!

Ah Kiang

2010-03-21T21:21:00.002+08:00

My very own 24/7 rant bin who is always patient, always guiding, always loving.

This is what death smells like.

2010-03-11T23:57:00.006+08:00

Was posted to HSA mortuary for the past week for my Pathology posting. It isn't everyday that you get to witness how autopsies are conducted on fresh bodies - there wasn't even a chance like this during our medical school's anatomy lessons! So naturally, I was extremely excited about visiting the place and scrubbing up to enter the restricted area.

When I first arrived at HSA mortuary early in the morning at 8.30am, I was surprised to see the enormity of the crowd gathered in HSA mortuary's office. There were people everywhere! Some were sitting on the chairs, others along the steps, and most were standing around. But there was a striking characteristic that everybody in that office shared - their eyes were red and teary from the weeping.

I felt very out of place when I entered the office. There I was, feeling as excited as a young child waiting to open his christmas presents, while relatives of the deceased were crying their hearts out mourning over their kins' unexpected deaths. I almost felt guilty for feeling excited. It felt as if I was taking advantage of the loss of the relatives, as if I were in favor of the deaths in order to secure an enriching autopsy session. The smile on my face faded as I made my way to the waiting room as quickly as I could to avoid stares from the crowd (AND to avoid staring at the crowd).

It took an hour before we were finally briefed by the forensic pathologist, Dr W, on some aspects of an autopsy. My whole CG was selected to be scrubbed in first, while the rest had to view an ongoing autopsy via the gallery (ie. they didn't have to be scrubbed in). We got our gowns and aprons on (sounds like a weird combination if you take it in layman terms but that's not what I meant hahaha), and proceeded to the holding area before entering the autopsy room.

When I entered the holding room, I was greeted with a wall of body storage metal cabinets (I don't know the term for this), with several corpses arranged neatly in a row in front of it. Apparently, the bodies were awaiting their turn to undergo autopsy. Hah, even after death you still have to queue up and wait for your turn :p I promptly swapped my slippers for clean scrub shoes, took a deep breath, and opened the door leading to the autopsy room.

As the door slid open, the sight before me came as a shock. It took me about 30 seconds before I budged from my position at the door. There were 2 rows of bodies, 8 in total. Each body had at least one pathologist working on it. All were already cut open, with their organs placed on the stand for further inspection. Yes, it was quite a bloody sight. It almost resembled a... slaughter house.

But what was more chilling was that I could see each corpse's face extremely clearly. And because of that, the corpses aren't just... bodies anymore. I could distinguish one from the other, just like how I can tell patients apart. They felt like real people. Not that they weren't, but I just wasn't quite used to the idea of cutting up things that still looked somewhat... alive. I think my brain had some difficulty convincing itself that the corpses are truly dead. It even came to a point when my brain concluded that the corpses were just well-carved mannequins. Hahahaha I think it must have been too much to take in at one go.

And the smell... oh god, the smell. I will never forget the smell of death. It wasn't the smell of blood alone. It smelt almost like... garbage that has been left untouched for years. It smelt raw, like a wet market full of pork and beef. It wasn't a stagnant stench that remained throughout my stay in the autopsy room, but I suspect that's only because the mask I was wearing was thick enough to ward it off at most times. BUT when the smell was detected by my nose, it came in THICK, LONG WHIFFS. If you didn't escape fast enough, you might find yourself gagging and throwing up. It was bad. And for some reason, the intestines seem to smell more than the other organs. Result of the food contents, I guess?

Anyway, SY, Char and I decided to shadow the very same doctor who briefed us earlier. He introduced his case to us and took us through the process of identifying gross pathological changes in the organs of the deceased. It was quite an experience because we got to see close-up what FRESH human organs really look like, and even got to touch and hold the various organs. Yup, we examined the brain (feels like squishy tofu), the liver (feels like pig's liver actually), the lungs (omg I'm shocked at how black a city liver's lungs can be!) and so on. And that also involved a lot of 'escaping' when the smell hit us from time to time hahaha. Wonder how those pathologists can remain in there all their lives. They have my utmost respect!

We came across quite a few interesting cases, from cardiac collapse, to falls, to drowning. Am very thankful that my group was blessed with such a productive day in the autopsy room. Too bad we didn't get to see (or smell) a body which has been decomposing for days. But I doubt that my stomach will be able to take it :p

One thing's for sure though. I now know what death smells like.

P.S. Must thank the deceased uncle who so kindly provided us with this opportunity to examine his organs. Wouldn't have learnt anything at all without him.

Tenacity Class Reunion Dinner

2010-03-08T21:42:00.001+08:00

It sure is great to see all these familiar faces once again :)

@)#%>?!

2010-03-03T23:43:00.003+08:00

Feels like a mess.

Here comes the Tiger!

2010-02-18T00:38:00.001+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year everybody!!!

Have a roaring good year, and be nice to kitties! :p

I won a ClubCouture dress with...

2010-02-12T13:52:00.005+08:00

...this photo.

Must thank Vee for his awesome photography and directing skills :)

Submitted this picture about a week ago to Melissa, who is a ClubCouture ambassador. Some of you may recognise her as the model from the Fujifilm Finepix F70 advertisement. She was holding a contest for her blog readers, requesting them to submit a photo of their sexiest pose to her in order to win a Brenda Lace Dress . And yes, I submitted mine just for fun... It was so convenient anyway - my photos were all stored in my computer drive, and sending one to her will just take a mouse click.

Imagine my surprise when I saw her reply in my mailbox, informing me that I won the dress and that she would like to have my permission to post up the picture on her blog!

Hahaha I was thrilled to win, of course - who doesn't like winning free things??? But to be honest, I'm a bit paiseh when she asked if she could post my photo up because firstly, I didn't see this coming and secondly, Melissa is such a popular figure and to be 'featured' on her blog suddenly sounds a little... intimidating?

In the end, I decided to give her the green light to post my photo up because what the heck, how often does your photo end up on a popular blogger's website (in a good way)? And I also thought that it would be hard for her to account to the other contestants if she only announced who the winner is without any pictorial evidence, since her contest title is all about photos of sexy poses. I think that I think a lot heh.

Anyway... My photo is now up on her blog :D And I can't wait to receive my dress!!!

Hachiko

2010-02-08T22:40:00.002+08:00

xQ brought me to the movies on Friday, not revealing the show that he booked tickets for. My initial guess was "The Ex", since he is already aware of my obsession with horror flicks. It wasn't until I saw the first scene of the movie before I realized that my guess was wrong - A Caucasion cast is rather atypical of a Thailand horror show hahaha.

Instead, the show was about another favourite thing of mine - Dogs.

How thoughtful can my dear boyfriend be? :)

"Hachi" is based on a TRUE story of an Akita puppy being brought together with its owner by pure fate. It eventually grew up to be a valuable companion, accompanying its owner to the train station every morning when he leaves for work, and arriving at the train station punctually at 5pm every day without fail to await his return so that he could accompany him home. This went on for a long time, but as we all know it, good things never last. One fateful day, the owner died from a heart attack at work. Life had to go on for the owner's family, but poor Hachi never gave up on waiting for his master's return. Everyday at 5pm, whether rain or shine (or snow!), he would be waiting patiently outside the train station.

And get this, Hachi did this everyday for NINE YEARS, until he died.

Now, that's loyalty.

This movie isn't exactly a 5 out of 5 movie. It doesn't have action, doesn't have clever digital effects, and doesn't have an exciting climax. The story is even a little too simple on the whole.

But I guess that's the very beauty of this movie. It touches your heart very deeply with just the simplest of lines and simplest of plots. I think I cried more buckets for this than for My Sister's Keeper. Hurhurhur.

Go catch this movie if you haven't, because it's a story you'll want to remember. And yes, Richard Gere is starring in it! Oh, and ladies, bring tissue if you are a weeper like me :p

Attn: Ruigene

2010-02-04T00:15:00.002+08:00

A casual MSN conversation between xQ and me.

rQ says: Feeling lousy :(

xQ says: Why are you feeling lousy? Come come, pour ur heart out to me =)

rQ says: I'm scared that I won't do well.

xQ says: Aiyoh...... Hey shorty, don't think so much okay. We must have faith and confidence and hold onto our beliefs.

rQ says: HAHAHA!!!

P.S. This is an inner joke among Shannie, Eugene, xQ and me. It's ok if you don't get it! :p

CHP

2010-01-31T12:36:00.003+08:00

Has finally come to an end.

Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think that's because we had really awesome leaders (Sng and Paul - ultimate combo!) who went more than the extra mile and supervised the project from start till end. The other members of the group were equally easy to work with, and that certainly made the entire process much more smooth-sailing and bearable. Must commend on the brilliance of some of the group members, because I don't think we'd ever manage to present the data in such a meaningful way without them :p Not to forget Professor Lenny who has been consistently guiding us and helping us maintain focus throughout the project.

Am very thankful that the CHP project has ended on such a high note!

But it scares me how quickly time flies. I still remember wondering how my CHP project would be like when I was in M1. Whether the group would work out, whether the topic of research will be interesting... To think that I am actually done with it in a blink of an eye. Heh, the next thing I know, I'd be in M5 slogging my life away for the final MBBS.

*shudders*

Ok better enjoy whatever peace I have for now and WELCOME CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

Insecurities

2010-01-28T21:01:00.001+08:00

Guess what? This is life.

You don't really have a choice.

Face them, rQ.

Comixed.com

2010-01-28T00:01:00.004+08:00

OMGz

Family Portrait

Door To Door

ROFL!!!!!!

Must thank Xiaxue for tweeting this link! Got me occupied for quite some time :p More at comixed.com!

Tiny Ruler

2010-01-27T22:31:00.001+08:00

SO CUTE HAHAHAHA!

How I am feeling right now:

2010-01-27T01:40:00.001+08:00

RAAAAR!!! :(

Because we are boliao like that...

2010-01-24T22:15:00.015+08:00

... We decided to get a goldfish to fill up the empty tank standing alone atop our fridge.

Yup, goldfishes.

It's been eons since my family owned pet fishes, so it's about time we reconnect with our distant fishy buddies :D Dad says he'll bring us to pick 1 or 2 goldfishes sometime over the upcoming weekends, and I'm actually feeling VERY excited. Don't ask me why... I never thought myself as a fishy person (cos I'm honest and upright HAHAHA ok lame).

Since we're already pretty set on getting a new pet, I figured I better read up more on the varieties of goldfishes available in the market before deciding on which breed to keep! See, I'm such a responsible pet owner! *beaming with pride*

Ok la, the main reason was because I don't want to get an ugly goldfish for CNY :p Don't judge me please thankyouverymuch.

ANYWAY, I've looked up PetGoldfish and am super astounded at the amount of different goldfish types.

We have...

Ryukin Goldfish.

Known to be a hardy goldfish, which makes it an excellent breed for beginners.

Looks pretty, and sounds like a safe investment!

Bubble-eye Goldfish.

Known for their, well... bubble eyes. As bubbly as those eyes are, these fish have poor vision and should be housed with slower fish lest they lose out to competition in getting food.

I know some people find the bubble eyes ugly, but I like them! In fact, I find them rather cute hahaha. I do remember owning such a breed before, and I also remember the bubbly eyes being VERY accident-prone. There were a few unfortunate incidents whereby the poor goldfish got its bubble eyes stuck to the filter. Thankfully, we always managed to free that fellow! But I wouldn't want to put another fish through that traumatizing event again.

Pearlscale Goldfish.

Its scales are thick and domed, hence giving its name, Pearlscale. This breed is particularly sensitive to wide fluctuations in water temperatures, and should not be kept in water temperatures below 55°F.

Look at how fat and squishy it is!!! SO CUTE!!! But it sounds like a troublesome fish to keep.

Ranchu Goldfish.

Also a rather fragile goldfish and thrives only in water above 55°F.

What's with goldfishes and their preferred water temperatures??? Anyway this one doesn't interest me at all. Looks stubby and lazy! And what happened to the long flowy tail that every goldfish should have???

Veiltail Goldfish.

These fishes aren't elegant swimmers, and should not be placed in aquariums with sharp objects, as they can easily damage their fins.

Riiiiiigggghhht. Appearances are deceiving, eh? This 'chor lor' (rough) fish sounds like a perfect match for Shannie HAHAHA. I wouldn't mind this long-tailed beauty though... It'll be living alone in the tank and can be as 'chor lor' as it wants for all I care.

Oranda Goldfish.

Has a growth or wen on its head, and are very sensitive to cold temperatures. Recommended for experienced fish keepers.

Firstly, the wen looks like a malignant tumour growth on its head. Secondly, I am inexperienced at fish keeping. Thirdly, I don't have time to test the water every hour to make sure it isn't too cold for the fish. This Oranda breed doesn't sound like the fish I'm looking for.

So after my detailed (ahem) analysis of the different types of goldfishes, I need YOUR help. Which fishy do you think I should get???

*Information and images credited to PetGoldfish.

Essential Hair Mask

2010-01-23T19:26:00.009+08:00

Was one of the lucky 50 girls to get picked for the Essential Hair Mask trial!

I was originally scheduled to receive the Rich Premier mask (orange), but after having my hair assessed by the hairstylist at Platform Salon, she recommended that I used the Nuance Airy (pink) one instead.

Pretty booth setup!

There's even a laptop for you to surf the Kao website hahaha.

xQ was sweet enough to accompany me for this trial, despite knowing that it may take more than an hour. Thankfully, the whole treatment took only about 45 minutes :p

I must say that I'm really astounded at how big a difference my hair felt after the treatment. It morphed into this super soft texture and I was FINALLY able to comb my fingers through my hair without experiencing any tangles! Ok la maybe the hairstylist has good skills hahaha.

Post-treatment, with visibly good results!

Enjoying the smell of my hair after treatment. See, even xQ likes it.

And he is more surprised than I am at how smooth my hair is...

... Till the point of wanting to gobble it up.

I also received a little goodie bag after completing the treatment. Guess what it contains? :D

A free bottle of Nuance Airy hair treatment!!!

Just in time for CNY!!! I sure am gonna make full use of it, along with the other shampoo/conditioner samples :D Teehee cheap thrill.

Cannibalism

2010-01-22T01:19:00.001+08:00

These people are SICK.

Click here to read.

Academic Week

2010-01-21T20:56:00.001+08:00

xQ: It's Week 2 at last!

Me: Oh for me it's Week........... I lost count.

That's Medicine for you.

My Favourite Snapshot at the Zoo:

2010-01-21T14:42:00.003+08:00

Otters.

They may be smelly, but cute nonetheless :p

SoFabric

2010-01-20T20:31:00.004+08:00

Check out my new zebra preeeeeens pencil case! So glad with the how classy the prints turned out to be and am already loving it to bits :D Can you see my little pug key chain staring up at you from the corner?

Got this gorgeous pencil case from SoFabric.

It's a blogshop set up by my secondary school choir mate, Tracy, with her buddy, Jia Min. They are both friendly sellers with VERY efficient service! You can even request for customizations/alterations to the original design in each collection, like what I did to mine. The zip was originally one-quarter across the surface of the pouch, but I wanted it in the centre instead. Even though alterations had to be done, SoFabric was prompt in completing and sending the item out to me. Must say that I'm thoroughly impressed! :)

Do check out their website if you are looking for anything fabric, from handphone pouches to laptop covers. You won't be disappointed ;)

Through thick and thin.

2010-01-19T23:09:00.004+08:00

I want to.

2010-01-17T23:58:00.005+08:00

Backpack across Europe. Try skiing in Switzerland. Attempt parasailing in Orlando. View cherry blossoms in Japan. Discover pyramids in Egypt. Go on a Safari adventure in Africa. Track polar bears in Atlantic. Dive the clear seas of Tioman.

I want to travel the world with you :)

情

2010-01-17T15:38:00.002+08:00

叹。

Look what xQ got me!

2010-01-11T20:01:00.002+08:00

Hello Kitty Sanrio Character Prize!!!

AND

CHICKADEES!!!

He caught like, 5 of these in total! He went on a crazy rage a few weeks back catching (he prefers to call it 'rescuing' *rolls eyes*) all these little chicks in the UFO catching machines, with only 1 try each. Must give him credit for attaining such a (useless) skill hahahaha.

I currently have 1 at home and 2 in the car now. Gave the rest away during a christmas exchange. Yes, I have an abundance of chickens.

I'm not complaining though! :D I'm pretty sure every girl wouldn't mind being the one at the receiving end of such adorable plushies hehehe.

So... who wants more chickens? You know who to call hahaha!

Lumix Test Shots

2010-01-10T20:52:00.005+08:00

Played around with my new toy and did some test shots a few weeks back while waiting in the car for my mom to knock off from work. I must say that I'm pretty pleased with the quality of photos taken by this compact camera!

Raindrops on the window.

Grainy portrait shot of my sister.

Pinhole mode. That's my sister singing, oblivious to the camera.

She demanded I snap a photo of her doing this in grainy mode. I actually kinda like this hahaha.

Definitely one of my favs lol. You go daddy!!!

Me peeping through the front seat. Yup, all shots were taken within the car.

And I also discovered that the camera's frame mode consists of cute frames like this:

Must thank my sister for bringing out the full potential of the frame hahaha.

Very glad with my new camera. My standards aren't probably very high since I'm not a professional photographer, but I must say it has surpassed my expectations. Didn't know Panasonic manufactures such great cameras :D

I will miss you Lynn!

2010-01-03T22:00:00.004+08:00

It's been great catching up with you after so long! All the talk about everything under the sun reminds me of our secondary school days which I dearly miss. Stay safe and have a great trip over at Suzhou :) Keep in touch!

My December

2009-12-29T18:09:00.005+08:00

More pictures up on Facebook!

It's been such a lovely December this year! Cousin gathering was fun, christmas was wonderful, and my grandma's birthday celebration was fantastic! Not forgetting the countless rounds of the game, Murderer, we played throughout this festive season :p

I really wanna do up a proper blog post right now but my CMPS report is calling out to me. Gotta rush it out before next Monday!

Till then people, have fun before the magical year ends! :)

Miss USA 2009

2009-12-15T22:24:00.002+08:00

Absolutely in love with the colours and gradients of this dress! It looks so soft and flowy! Would like to see the rest of this gorgeous gown but I'm just too lazy to google it.

The gown would have worked wonders if she didn't have that lousy hair. Wonder why the stylists gave her the I-just-Got-Out-Of-Bed look. Makes her look so haggard!

Ok I shouldn't be here talking about beauty pageants dammit. Back to Psychiatry!

Future Jason Mraz

2009-12-10T23:38:00.002+08:00

Well, at least he's got the guitar part done hahaha. Soooooo cute :P

Psychiatry

2009-12-06T16:30:00.002+08:00

" Falling in love is just like getting depression.

You can't sleep, you can't eat, you become so preoccupied with thoughts of the person.

And then, you get suicidal - you get married."

- Prof Ong, on depression.

Talking Dogs

2009-12-05T02:12:00.002+08:00

From huskies that scream "I love you" to mongrels that say "I want it".

This has got to be my favourite-st video to date!!!

Are you feeling low?

2009-12-02T23:43:00.001+08:00

Fret not, go to the Flattering Machine now!

HAHAHAHA.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat!

2009-11-29T00:49:00.003+08:00

Prepping my house for my favourite time of the year - Christmas!!!

What's there not to love about christmas?

It's the season for loving, sharing and giving!

The season of carols and music filling the air!

The season of cool air and breezy nights!

The season for late night shopping and huge discounts! (!!!)

It's the time when everybody is happy that the year is coming to an end and that we can all finally move on to a brand new start :)

Maybe it's just me, but I feel that everytime Christmas is here, people on the streets seem to be smiling a little more. Ok, I think it's just me hahaha. Or maybe there are more psychotic people on the streets.

Anyway, my family doesn't have a habit of celebrating Christmas the traditional way. In the past, we used to drive down Orchard Road in our family car on Christmas day to admire the pretty lights, and debate among ourselves on which was the building with the best decorations. Sometimes, we would just go for a simple family gathering organized by a close relative. There were no house christmas decorations, big christmas trees, turkeys for dinner or whatsoever.

But this year, we're doing it different.

We decided to put a little more effort into decorating our house with pretty ornaments. We hung big shiny stars from the ceilings, decorated the living room mirror with snow spray, and even brought out the little christmas tree in the form of a reindeer.

I feeeeeeeel the festive mood now!!! And I really can't wait for christmas to be here :)

(Because it also means that my Pharmacology exam and Psychiatry EOPT will be over.)

Belle...

2009-11-28T15:50:00.000+08:00

... is a pink nun.

CG Mates

2009-11-23T19:44:00.002+08:00

The people who keep me going :)

Extrovert? Introvert?

2009-11-19T21:31:00.003+08:00

I think I've grown to be quieter and softer over the years.

If you knew me in primary or secondary school, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have known me the way you know me now. Back in those primary and secondary school days, I remember the burning desire to take up all kinds of roles. I wanted to experiment with everything, get to know everyone, try to be that super girl that everybody looks up to. I devoted my time to taking up all sorts of leadership roles, from the class monitor to the choir VP to the student council, to have a taste of it feels like to be up there calling the shots. To be honest, I enjoyed it. The novelty of being a leader was fresh and appealing then, and I guess that was the main motivating factor for me to put myself out there and push myself to the limits.

But when I entered JC, things changed. Or rather, my perspectives of things changed. I believe I know what was the cause of the change, but it'll be a story for another day. Let's just say I'd rather keep it personal for now, and it pretty much influenced the way I behaved and what I wanted in my new chapter of life. So that was how I begun my 'quiescent' state.

I guess that is why the personality quiz I was taking just now kept insisting that I was an extrovert, based on the things I have done before in my life (I've redone the quiz THRICE, and the word "Extrovert" remained in all 3 quiz results -.-) Sure, I may have done lots of things before, but the quiz didn't take into account WHEN I did them. I'm pretty sure I'm not much of an extrovert now, because I know I'd qualify as an introvert much better.

Not that it really matters. Zzz.

Mind Over Matter

2009-11-19T15:51:00.003+08:00

"Age is an issue of mind over matter.

If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

- Mark Twain (American humorist, writer and lecturer)