Wednesday, December 17, 2008

If I were a boy....

There is a new song from Beyonce playing on the radio everyday now.
It begins with the line ' If I were a boy.....'

Hmm....got me thinking....if I were a boy....how would life be? Would it be different from my current life? I dunno. I don't think so. I think I am very lucky compared to women in other parts of the world.

And recently, there is this sudden outburst from Malaysian women, who complain about their husbands coming home late every night. It was such an uproar that they even pasted the pictures of their respective husbands on the wall of a prominent bustop!

Just now during lunch....a coursemate/friend of mine expressed his opinion that doing housework is a woman's job. I beg to differ....in this modern world, where we women also have to go out to work and also come back as tired and as worn out as you guys.....you expect us to still muster the energy to clean up the entire house, while you sit in front of the TV with your coffee?
Is that really fair?

Ok, I'll stop here for now before I go too overboard. I need to go back to my studies.....I don't even know whether I have the time to go through pbls and Health Issues....and yet I'm still here online. ....:p My lame excuse is that the house connection is so slow....

Friday, December 12, 2008

Memories....









Fond memories of IMU, Bukit Jalil Campus :D

So sad that we are parting our separate ways soon....

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Today's message

Hey readers,

Today I just want to tell you that we have a God who loves us so much that he is willing to sacrifice himself to set us free. Yes, we have a God whose love for us cannot be described in words. How awesome is that? All we need to do, is to accept His love.

Because the God I know is my tower and refuge.
The God I know, strengthens the weak.
The God I know is the Light of the City.

The message I received today just remotivated me to revive my blog ;)

Thursday, December 4, 2008



Don't I look cute? ;)

Was acting as the sheep in our own batch's 'costume dressup' for 'Agape', organized by IMU's CF.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Asia Conference 2008




Yes, I'm back from Singapore after attending the groundbreaking Asia Conference 2008 held there over the past 5 days.
I went on Thursday night by flight and arrived back here in KL early this morning by bus.

Not too long ago....God gave the founder of City Harvest church, Singapore, a dream. To organize a life-changing, record breaking event attended by more than 10 000 people. To organize an event that can touch Asia and transform the world.
This record breaking event is Asia Conference Singapore 2008. The first time in history so many people gather together for a Christian conference!

It was definitely a life-changing experience for me.

Listening to sermons from world-class pastors such as A.R. Bernard, Phil and Christine Pringle, Benny Hinn and Pastor Kong Hee himself.
And on Saturday night, I witnessed with my own eyes how people were cured from cancer, how the crippled could walk, the blind could now see, and the deaf could now hear. Amazing miracles performed by Benny Hinn, who is truly anointed with the Holy Spirit.
One more thing I learnt throughout the duration of the conference....patience. Almost our entire time there was spent queuing up!! Because there were thousands and thousands of delegates there, we had to queue up for practically everything.....queue for the next service, queue for food, queue to buy stuff, queue for the bathroom, and yes even queue for the toilet! Even after one service ends, people would already be queueing up for the next service!
And each night, we only got a few hours sleep, as the bus would come early to pick us up from the hostel. (Have to reach at the Expo 2 hours before service starts...have to queue ma....)

Alright, below are some pictures from the conference, enjoy!!



My cell group members :)

packed!!


Eaton Hall, where we stayed



Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Hallucinations....

This is a scene from the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy where Dr. Izzie Stevens sees an apparition of Denny, a deceased patient and love interest of hers. According to what we have just learnt in CNS- Izzie coud either be
a) really seeing a ghost of Denny
b) having hallucinations which could be side effects of certain anti-depressant medications
c) is suffering from schizophrenia
d) is smoking cannabis
e) this one we didn't learn- but is a fast spreading rumor among fans of the show- she has a brain tumour.

So which one is it?

p.s. I don't like the fact that Denny has to return and haunt Izzie....why can't the producers let her move on and go steady with Alex? But I have to say that Jeffrey Dean Morgan brings out the best in Katherine Heigl's acting.




Thursday, November 13, 2008

Mock OSCE

Yay, it's over!!
I think it went on smoothly, except for the fact that I fumbled in FIA's station, which was to examine a patient with hyperthyroidism.
Firstly, I forgot to wash my hands!
I started with the neck, until I remembered that I we have to inspect the entire body for this question.
When I've inspect the hands, eyes....he asked me whether there was anything else I would like to do. I stood there , not knowing how to respond. Nothing else crossed my mind.
Only after it was over, I found out that I had forgotten to test for the fine tremor (how could I! actually many ppl forgot that too) and to perform the 'H' test for diplopia.
He still passed me though...

The self standing stations were ok.

I forgot to ask patient about their diet in the BS station. As a result, I didn't find out that patient was a vegetarian, so I couldn't diagnose the megaloblastic anaemia. Argh..

Nvm...at least it is over. I just need to improve on my OSCE skills.... and do well in the actual thing. :) Now, back to my notes which have been piling up for the past couple of days....

p.s. Thanks so much PuiFun and LiYann for volunteering to teach us OSCE!! I wouldn't have known a single thing had we not had the session....

Sunday, November 9, 2008

New hope?



With Barack Obama being the first ever African-American US president....maybe there is hope for the African-Americans and the other minorities living in the US. And maybe there is hope yet for the black skinned people all over the world. Their voices are finally being heard.

Maybe there is hope after all for racial equality. The word 'discrimination'- may it be extinct from our vocabulary.

p.s After yesterday, I have new hope too. A new life to live. I'm being reborn :)

Friday, October 31, 2008

M206 rocks!!

My batch's PMS matching results were released yesterday. For our seniors, there would be lots of tears- some of joy and some of disappointment.
But to our pleasant surprise.....basically almost everyone were happy with what they got! A lot of people got their top choices. (Including me....hehe....Seremban ;) ) Our batch is so blessed :) We get everything thrown at us.....EOS2 instead of 1, the new exam format, etc. stand alone OSCE....but we always pull through in the end. M206 is the best!!



p.s. Things are really looking up for me. I am feeling happy now!! :)

p.p.s Watching 'High School Musical 3' today made me realize that....we are all going our separate ways in a few months time....just like the characters in the musical...

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Hmmm......weird, why am I such an emo person? :p Well, this is the place where I vent my feelings after all....:p

I just want to praise God today. What started of as yet another gloomy day full of predicament took a drastic turn for the better later in the day. Free food, chattingwith juniors and seniors during lunch and dinner break, a friend telling me that she'll be there for me if I need her.I am surrounded by great people :) Guardian angels, I call them.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I spoke my mind. In the most calm, polite way I know how.
And now I feel like an absolute idiot, a selfish brat who just wants things to go her way.

*sigh*

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Temporary treasures


Remember a few posts back....I lamented on how I wish I had a best friend and a boyfriend?
Well, should I be jealous of Meredith Grey, who has both? :p (refer to pic above)
Anyways....I was reminded today of how not to be too attached to the temporary things of the world. Instead, I'm going to focus on storing treasures for the Kingdom of Heaven, where they last for eternity, instead of storing treasures here on earth, where they rot or get stolen. :)
p.s. Oh snap....the pic is too large, as a result you can't see the boyfriend. Click on the pic to see all three people ;)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Help to diagnose!

Ok, readers.....I need your help in making a diagnosis....

Symptoms include:
Misplacing stuff all the time, at least once a week. Stuff include....student ID, tendon hammer, library books, wallet , handphone....etc...
Leaving a place without something, and not realizing it until too late
Remembering something one minute....and forgetting it the next minute.

Any ideas? Any suggestions for treatment and management?

p.s. The funny thing is that my stuff is usually picked up and returned to me by people who know me. In the case of wallet and handphone, the 2 most essential items, they were returned to me before I even realized I had lost them!
And my tendon hammer.....I was about to pay for a new one at the VK Bookstore when the CSU nurse actually literally stopped me from buying, saying that she might have found my hammer!

I keep on telling myself to be more careful, but it always occurs again and again. One good friend even pointed out that ....is it even physiological anymore? it could be pathological, due to my medications. Hmm...could it be?
I'm very frustrated with myself, but it's no use. I'll keep on repeating this same mistake over and over again.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Tag by Joon Heng: :p

1.EVER BEEN GIVEN AN ENGAGEMENT RING? Hah, in my dreams....
2. LONGEST RELATIONSHIP?BGR? Question irrelevant. Next....
3. LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? Chocolates from Amanda Albert
4. EVER DROPPED A CELL PHONE? Countless times
5. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WORKED OUT? A few weeks ago
6. THING(S) YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON? Clothes, DVDs
7. LAST FOOD YOU ATE? McDonalds, unhealthy I know
8. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE/SAME SEX? Girls work in pairs while boys work in groups
9. ONE FAVORITE SONG? When You Believe - Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey
11. HIGH SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED? Lodge School, Kuching. It's a private school
12. CELL PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER - Celcom
13. FAVORITE MALL STORE - Sungei Wang
14. LONGEST JOB YOU HAD - forever a student
15. DO YOU OWN A PAIR OF DICE? Nope..
16. DO YOU PRANK CALL PEOPLE?: No, I'm a good girl :)
17. LAST WEDDING YOU ATTENDED - don't remember!
18. FIRST FRIEND YOU’D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY: My housemates
19. LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR BEST FRIEND: Umm....I don't even know who my best friend is :p
20. FAVORITE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT: KFC
21. BIGGEST LIE YOU HAVE EVER HEARD
24. CAN YOU COOK? I can throw a simply meal together, but I'm lazy.
25. WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? Vios, back at hometown
27. LAST TIME YOU CRIED? A few days ago
28. MOST DISLIKED FOOD Baked beans, prickled vegetables, water chestnut
29. THING YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF Nothing.
30.THING YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF? Everything :p
32. LONGEST SHIFT YOU HAVE WORKED AT A JOB? None. Forever a student
33. FAVORITE MOVIE? Titanic
34. CAN YOU SING? Not really
35. LAST CONCERT ATTENDED? Passion Tour
36. LAST KISS? I'm still waiting for the first kiss
37. LAST MOVIE RENTED : I buy, I don't rent movies
38.ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT? My keys, wallet
39: FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Anywhere relaxing, beside a beach
43. LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER?Laptop, you can bring it with you wherever you go
44. FAVORITE COMEDIAN? None
45. DO YOU SMOKE? No, hopefully never will
46. SLEEP WITH OR WITHOUT CLOTHES? With
47. WHO SLEEPS WITH YOU EVERY NIGHT? My 2 teddy bears....Benee and Beanie
48. DO LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS WORK? Sometimes. Just ask my housemate
49. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE? Never
50. PANCAKES OR FRENCH TOAST? Pancakes
51. DO YOU LIKE COFFEE? Not really, but I drink it to keep me awake
52 HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? Fried or hard boiled
53. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ASTROLOGY?:No
54. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE: Mum, just a few minutes ago
55. LAST PERSON ON YOUR MISSED CALL LIST?:Mum
56. LAST TEXT RECEIVED?: Priscilla
58. NUMBER OF PILLOWS?: 2 small, 2 huge ones
59. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?Blue Giordano Tshirt and shorts
60. PICK A LYRIC, ANY LYRIC: There can be miracles, when you believe
61. WHAT KIND OF JELLY DO YOU LIKE ON YOUR PB and J?None
62. CAN YOU PLAY POOL?: No
63. CAN YOU SWIM? Yes
64. FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate and vanilla icecream
65. DO YOU LIKE MAPS? Meh
66. I LOVE ________everybody
68. EVER ATTEND A THEME PARTY? Nope
69. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? Spring
70. LAST TIME YOU LAUGHED ? Just now
71. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP THIS MORNING ? Jumped up of bed at 8:45 am, remembering have to go to church at 9:15.
72. BEST THING ABOUT WINTER?: Snow!
73. LAST TIME A COP GAVE YOU A TICKET? Never
75. NAME OF YOUR FIRST PET? A rabbit named Chalky
76. DO YOU THINK PIRATES ARE COOL OR OVERRATED? Way Overrated
77. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND?? Catch up on some revision
78. BIRTHDATE 15/9
79. ARE YOU ON A LAPTOP Yes
80. ARE YOU SMILING? No
81. DO YOU MISS SOMEONE RIGHT NOW? My friends in Cardiff
82. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD YOU GO? USA!! My dream place!!
83. ARE YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL?:No. I don't have fond memories of high school
84. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?: Yes ;)
85. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NAME? Amanda
86. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHING SUIT? black
88. DID YOU GO ON VACATION LAST MONTH? No
90. DO YOU HAVE A SISTER?No, I'm an only child
91. ARE YOU UPSTAIRS? Yes
92. ARE YOU IN LOVE? No, not my time yet
93. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL? Countless times. As a patient....twice (one for tonsillectomy, one for stitches)
94. DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SEE ANYONE IN PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW? My mum
95. WHAT JEWELRY ARE YOU WEARING? My apple earrings, the cross pendant Lynn Xuan gave me, and the pendant my mum gave me.
96. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER THIS SURVEY? Study
97. TAG THREE OTHER PEOPLE... no one, I don't want to take up anyone's time

Friday, October 17, 2008

IMU Cup Cheerleading Video



Finally, our IMU Cup Cheerleading video!! Enjoy!! :)
Thanks Jin Chong for uploading it onto Youtube!!

p.s. I feel better today :)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Things are not looking up at all.

Depression is starting to overcome me. I must not let it.

Going downhill....slowly but surely.

If only there is someone to go through this with me.

Lord, help me.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Bad Day

Today is just one of those days when you feel like everything around you is dark and gloomy.
And you feel like just falling down a pithole or something, and that no one would really care if that actually happened. I reached the lowest point this evening....just felt like breaking down into tears....but controlled myself. A phone call to mum made me feel much better.

Everyone is beginning to feel the pressure and stress. It is beginning to show in our actions and our faces. Well, this is semester 5 after all. Everyone is now starting to get too caught up in their own studies to even bother to socialize or interact with ppl outside of their cliques.

And the biggest stimulating factor for the depression today- the official start of CNS lectures.
I am reminded of just how tough and complicated learning about the Nervous System is.
How did I manage to get through 3 whole years of studying that subject?
And now, I am reliving the nightmare that is the nervous system.
Ppl say that it should be easier this time around.....but I beg to differ. I totally forgot everything that I've learnt in my Neuroscience degree!

I'll try my best to help out anyone who needs my help (my 2 housemates are already asking me questions) but no guarantees here. Because I myself don't really know what exactly I've learnt for that 3 years in Cardiff...:p



Why is the human brain such a complex organ?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Hmm.....why am I being so emo lately on my blog ? :p I am feeling fine in real life, I assure you readers. I just thought I wanted to let some stuff out which have been nagging my mind for a really long time. And for me, the best way to express my inner feelings is through writing.
But, I'm fine :)

Other people have so much more bigger problems to worry about than me. Mine are just trivial stuff. Others are caught in between their parents- which I assure you is a much worse problem to have then growing up with just one parent.
Others are being beaten, tortured, and battered daily for the sake of living for Christ in certain countries, while the most I get is just being ignored by the Malays.

I shall not moan.

I want to be able to reach out to others in need, to show my compassion to others. Because I know that having a soft and kind heart is one of the gifts (a subtle one) that God has given me.
I want to be able to use my gifts to do wonders for Him!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Alone....

Sometimes I wonder to myself why I always end up alone. It has been that way my entire life.
Did I do anything wrong?

But lately it hit me, maybe the problem lies in myself. I somehow withdraw myself from others without even realizing it. It's like a subconscious automatic reaction of mine.
I never allow myself to get close to anyone, girl or guy. Because I am subconsciously afraid of the hurt I would feel when I 'lose' the person. Childhood experiences- being abandoned by my father, being left out by my best friends in primary and secondary school.... I think it was then that I made an unspoken vow to never ever let myself be really close to anyone again.

My housemate mentioned recently that I am always 'not around' (esp. lately)that's why she couldn't get closer to me, compared to my other housemate. Yeah, I admit that lately I've always disappeared to somewhere else (usually the library).

I just somehow feel very comfortable doing things alone, without need of company.

I need divine intervention....to help me open up my heart to receive others into my life. But at least I received Jesus into my life, and that's the most important thing :)


Question:

Do we all need a best friend or a boyfriend in our lives? Or both? Or can we do without either?

Because lately I've always been lamenting over the fact that I've neither....and I better stop moaning and start thanking God about all the things in life that I DO have.... (like a mum who listens to my every complaint :p )



Friday, October 10, 2008

Cleansing tears

These couple of days- especially late at night alone in my room......I let the grief and sadness concealed in my heart all these years just flow out in the form of tears. Cleansing tears maybe?

The feeling of abandonment (from father, from best friends ,etc.) the feeling of being always taken for granted, being cast aside all the time, being left out, being misunderstood..... it all just comes and engulfes me.

But God is here. I know he is watching over me, feeling my hurt, and wiping away all my tears. He is the God who feels our sorrows.

I know that one day- everything will change- I'll be this well respected doctor who will save lives both physically and spiritually. But until then, I'll wait on Him :)

p.s. I watched 'Mamma Mia' this evening! Enjoyed it, especially the ABBA songs! Makes me wanna download some ABBA songs now!

Monday, October 6, 2008

I wish....

You know....sometimes I wish that I can be like somebody else.
I wish that I can be as smart as this person.
I wish that I can be as cheerful and carefree as that person.
I wish I can be as charismatic as him.
I wish I can be as likeable as her.
I wish I have a natural sense of humor, and a natural charisma.
I wish I can be as strong-willed and independent as my mum.
I wish I am stronger physically and mentally.

But after today's lecture- I know that I am still more fortunate than others. I have to be like Helen Keller, raising above all the limitations that I have to be a useful and successful person in the future.

I have to daily remind myself (because I always forget) that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in His image, and that I am unique and special.

p.s. improving oneself is a lifelong process, right? Because we always have things to improve about ourselves right?

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Sometimes I wonder why I am so sensitive. I worry every single second about how others perceive me. I worry about what others think about me all the time. It's bad, I know, but I simply can't stop it. And it makes me stressed. Every single action I do is based on how I would come across to other people.
But despite that, I know that I still leave a bad impression on some people. And it's very frustrating. I try my very best to be this perfect person in others eyes- but sometimes I am still human and make silly mistakes. And I scold myself and tell myself to learn from them, but I repeat those mistakes again, and I end up being mad at myself again for not learning.

I want to be good in everything I do, but I just can't. I'm frustrated.

And the worst thing about me is that I have trouble accepting the fact of life that you can't please everyone, and that not everyone is going to appreciate or like you.

I also feel like my whole life is a waiting process.
Waiting for the day I graduate from medical school.
Waiting to become a successful doctor in the far future
Waiting patiently for my family to get to know Christ
Waiting to grow up to be a more mature and independent person.
Waiting for my Prince Charming to come.
The list goes on....

Friday, October 3, 2008

Lucky

Recently, my aunt and uncle lost a beloved dog, who got run down by a car :( Needless to say, they were devastated.

So my mum decided to buy a puppy for them.

My cousin, who went with us to select the puppy, decided to name him 'Lucky.' The puppy flew all the way back to Bintulu from Kuching! He is a lucky dog, being welcomed into a loving household.

He stayed overnight in my house, and I suddenly wished that he was my dog :p So cute and adorable!!

I know I already have 2 dogs at home, but Lucky is different...






Saturday, September 27, 2008

Malaysian Studies project

Earlier on this week (from Monday-Wednesday) my batch organized a food fair cum exhibition which served 2 purposes:-

a) for our Malaysian studies assessment ( I still don't understand why a future doctor has to learn about the history of Malaysia :p )
b) to raise some money for our convocation magazine

Earlier in the year- our Malaysian studiees teacher (who tells us stories in class) asked us what type of assessment do we want for the subject. She gave us a few choices of assessment:

i) the traditional paper format
ii) presentation format
iii) carry out a project

Option (i) was definitely out for me, I hate sitting for exams. The teacher also discouraged us from choosing that option, as according to her, as medical students, we already have tons of facts to memorize. She didn't want to burden us and overload our brain cells any further.

She encouraged us to choose option (iii) instead, as she believes that university life should not be all work and no play. At the end of the day, she said, it is these extra stuff we do that we would remember for life, and not studies. You get to mix around and interact with students from other races, quarrel a bit and learn from it, and basically just have fun...she said. I agreed with her then.

When the time for the project drew nearer, we all suddenly realized it was not such an easy task after all. Tons of preparations had to be done- in all departments..... Academics, food, music, decoration, publicity.... I initially put my name down under the food department, but then was told that department had too many people, and decoration department had too few people. So I ended up in the decoration department.

I learnt to make lanterns from angpows, tried to learn to make ketupats...:p

The Saturday before the big day, we returned to uni to set up all the decorations. Many people helped me to set up the flaglines and ceiling decorations....I was so grateful for the help!

On the 3 days of the project- we were all being kept busy.... stalls selling many delicious food were set up, and there were performances- martial arts, dancing and singing. I helped Ed to sell curry mee too on the first day.

Although the entire project- right from the planning to execution required lots of time, energy and effort, at the end of the day, we know that it was all worth it. To see people from other batches ( and also batchmates) crowding around the stalls to buy the food, and gathered at the atrium to watch the performances, there was this sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

I'm not sure how much money exactly was raised, but I know it was a significant amount.

Besides getting our marks for the assessment, and raising money for the convo mag, we took with us life long lessons. Learning leadership skills, learning to take charge (like my housemate Rachel who had to choreograph the Chinese dance). And most importantly, we learnt to bond with people from other races, backgrounds and religions.















Monday, September 22, 2008

Victory!!

V is for Victory!!

Ahh....the sweet taste of victory.

Finally, all the hard work and training (we trained almost everyday, at least a few hours perday), paid off!!

Yes, I'm proud of us, Stallions. We put our all into the routine, and we won the gold medal for cheerleading!! I have a gold medal in my collection for the very firs time in my whole life :p

I remember the hours we all sacrified to practice our dance routine and stunts, when we should've been busy studying like the others. I remember how our routine was so messy and disorganized at first. The injury count, especially on the eve of the actual competition. (people were getting anxious by then). The last minute changes to the routine, the last minute cut of certain parts of the routine.


That day itself, people from all batches, and even those not from IMU itself were wishing me good luck. Suddenly I felt important, like I was representing my batch for a huge and significant event. :p

When it was almost our turn to perform, my heart was pumping wildly. I don't know why I suddenly felt so nervous, even though I wasn't even involved in stunts.

We had a false start, due to a technical glitch, and had to restart. Well, everything went on smoothly, the dance went on well....without any errors. (Except for the fact that I didn't open the 'Stallions' banner properly at the end.

After the performance was over, everyone applauded, our batch cheered the loudest. We knew then that we had done it. 'Great job, well done' people told me (and the other cheerleaders). People were saying that they were awed and amazed by the entire performance.


It was then that I knew that it was all worth it in the end. :)

Thanks to Shao Wen for choreographing the entire dance routine- and for bearing with us all this while. And thanks to all the cheerleaders (especially flyers , and spotters and bases) for making this a success. And thanks to everyone from our batch (and other batches as well) for cheering and supporting us!!







Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Birthday wishes...

How fast times flies. Especially when you're busy.

For the 25 years that I've been in the world....how much have I accomplished? Well.... a degree in Neuroscience, scholarship by MARA.....not bad, I suppose?
But I can't help thinking that there are people my age who have accomplished much more than I have. Most people my age have already starting working for quite a while, they have already gone out to face the real world. As for me? Still stuck in my comfortable little cacoon. :p
Oh well, I shouldn't complain. Anyways, the student years are the best years of your life, they say. I just get impatient once in a while, and feel like I'm stuck in this student phase of my life like forever. But like one friend said, I should enjoy and cherish every moment and every phase of my life.

My birthday this year was simple and lowkey, but filled with warmth, love and blessings. My mum and uncle David were in KL for the day before flying off to Paris. So we had lunch at McD's (my request:p ) At night, 8 of us (me, my housemates, Chong Bing, Wen Chong, Sandy and Edwina) went to a restaurant opposite of the Store. Oh...and the night before, my housemates did our birthday tradition of holding a midnight surprise....

I received quite a number of gifts this year.....a brand new digital camera (from mum), an external disc drive (from uncle David), a photo frame (from Tze Wei), a dairy (Tze Chien), a box of chocolates (from Pam), a necklace (from Lynn Xuan), a box set of Pastor Kong's sermon series (from friends) and a daily devotional book (from cellgroup). I love all the gifts! :)
Plus the numerous birthday greetings I received in person, via cards, via text message and online via Facebook. Yes, I do feel blessed :) And encouraging messages are the best gifts ever, they really make your day :p So thanks so much, everyone!!

My birthday wish is that God would (continue to) use me to be the salt and light and inspiration to everyone around me, and to be able to serve Him in more ways.

p.s. Our Izzi broadband suscription has expired, so I'm typing this entry using the library computers. Luckily they have much more computers in uni now compared to before. Also, I wanted to upload more birthday photos onto Facebook, but couldn't because no connection at home.

p.p.s Two more days- to Cheerleading! Go Stallions!!



Friday, September 12, 2008

Busy life....

More than a week of the MSK (musculoskeletal) system has passed, and I barely have time to breathe. Ok, ok, I'm exaggerating. What I mean is that I barely have any 'me' time anymore. I've to start to learn how to reorganize and repriotize my time.

Everyday, there is something going on. I just feel busy every single day :p Be it cheerleading practice, an afternoon in Seremban, planning for the Malaysian studies project, doing PBL, catching up with lecture notes, or simply catching up with others...

Cheerleading practice is getting on fine now....I am personally quite pleased with the progress we made. If before this week, our entire dance routine was in a mess, but on Monday, Delia (who replaced Shao Wen as our 'eyes' for that day) made us dance in small groups. And we really went through each step one by one. That was when our dance became more synchronized, and everyone including me became more confident of their dance steps.
So now, we've got the basic flow going, all we need is some fine tuning and we are ready!
I really hope that we can win this.....

I'm under the decoration department for the Malaysian studies project. Have to get some material for the 'ketupat' and gather 'angpows' and some other decorations to be set up for the 3 days that the exhibition is on. (22-24th September). This big project is basically for our Malaysian studies assessment. It involves a lot of work and planning (and money), but personally I still prefer this better than having to sit for an exam. :p Oh...and the funds raised will contribute to our convocation magazine fund.

Yesterday, a big group of us went all the way to Seremban to clerk patients. The patient my group got was really great. He had psoriatic arthritis, which is arthritis plus psoriasis. He must have encountered medical students countless times in his life- because the moment we entered the room, he was telling us to look at his hands, and then telling us his entire medical history in chronological order.
We also got to meet many seniors who are now doing their phase 2 in Seremban. (Was overjoyed to see David and Sue Wen especially). I had so many questions to ask them ,so little time. But from what I gather, phase 2 is very different from phase 1. The doctors/lecturers there expect you to know everything. And they expect you to learn everything by yourself. Independent self-learning. Yup. They have to clerk patients in the morning, lectures in the afternoon.... And if you are doing the Surgery rotation, you would be on call at night....and still have to wake up early in the morning.
That would be my life in less than 6 months time......since I'm going to Seremban....
Scary right?

Oh....I finally got to serve in my City Harvest cell group (even if it's just leading games).
Honestly, having all the IMU students in one cell group is a good idea afterall. :)

Monday, September 8, 2008

Tired....

Only 1 week into semester 5 and I'm already tired :(

I really hope that I can cope with this.

I know i can. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me :)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

*faints*

Ok, it's almost 10:30 pm and I've just reached home.

And I left my place at 8 am in the morning.

Welcome to semester 5, Ailing.

Here's my timetable for today. I don't want to bore you with my daily timetable, but just wanted to give you a glimpse into what this semester is like...

8 am-10:15am :- 2 lectures- include one confusing one on MSK development

10:15 am :- queue up to collect selective results

10:30am :- PBL 1- brand new PBL groupmates (my cousin is also in my PBL group, hah :) )
Not brand new faci though, I had CKK before in sem 2.

11:30 am:- down to canteen for early lunch. Loiter around chatting until 12:30pm.

12:30pm :- up to library to do some PBL research

2pm-3:30pm:- CSU session- examination of the shoulder

4pm:- meet with groupmates for GP posting presentation. I was selected to present later, argh! And I had some finishing touches to do for GP posting portfolio

5-6pm:- GP posting debriefing session, presentation and hand up portfolios

6:30 pm - 10pm: cheerleading practice


OMG, *faints*

If this is my schedule everyday, I would die.

We are going to have cheerleading practice almost everyday from now onwards.....until the competition day...

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Singapore

Time to blog about my trip to Singapore...

Went there for a few days, from Wednesday 27th August til Friday 29th August, with mum and Uncle David.

We had some important bank matters to sort out, so the first day there was in the bank

The second day, we walked down Orchard Road, window shopping. We didn't really buy anything, because the stuff there was so costly! No discounts, and try converting the items from Singapore dollars to Malaysian Ringgit- you know what I mean.

We stayed in a hotel in Geylang. For those of you who know what the district Geylang is famous for, I wouldn't elaborate any further. I wasn't the one who did the hotel booking after all :p

Let's just say that I had the very rare opportunity to see with my own eyes a whole different world altogether... as we go down for our night strolls, we could see the entire district come into life (yes, it's the most popular night spot), the people, the houses, we pass by those. Nothing happened of course, but it was an interesting experience altogether.

Anyways, some photos from the Singapore trip....


p.s. Apologies in advance to any Singaporean who might be reading my blog, of course this doesn't depict the Singapore we all know and love






Sunday, August 31, 2008

Merdeka!!




Today marks the 51th year of independence for my country, Malaysia.

We, the younger generation, tend to forget and take for granted all the sacrifices that our ancestors had to make in order for Malaysia to be the peaceful country it is today. All their sweat, toil, blood and tears shed, just so that we can experience the freedom and benefits of living a comfortable and safe life in this multiracial country.

Our forefathers had to battle against colonization- first from the Portugese, then the British , then the Japanese. They also had to face the communists. Those who lived in that era, and still survive to tell their harrowing tales, will tell you how they would defend their beloved country at all costs.
And yet what do we , the younger generation have to battle against? Corrupt politicians, some internal bickering between politicans...and that's it.

Compare to those living in other countries. You hear about natural disasters- hurricanes in the U.S., thypoons in Taiwan, earthquake in Japan and Indonesia, the tsunami in Thailand, war in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan......the list goes on.
Malaysia, so far (knock on wood) has almost always been spared from all these disasters.
I do believe that this nation is blessed abundantly by God.

We've come a long way as a nation, and let's continue to propel forward.

Therefore, it's my hope and prayer this National Day that there would be a revival in this country. I pray that God would work through the young generation- all on fire for God and all determined to preach the gospel to the entire nation. I believe that God can work wonders in this country.

God bless Malaysia!

p.s. Just returned from an entire day of Emerge conference. It was tiring but worth it. I wish I have some pictures to show for Emerge, but somehow I was being out of character today- being lazy to snap photos.
p.p.s My trip to Singapore! I forgot to blog about it as well.... Will do so in the next entry....

Monday, August 25, 2008

Grey's Anatomy



Guess what I've been doing this past week or so?
Yes, catching up on the 'Grey's Anatomy' season 1 and 2 DVDs which I bought last month.

I thought of just watching for fun initially, so that I wouldn't be too bored at home. Furthermore, maybe, just maybe- I might be able to gain some insight into the life of doctors.

And I ended up getting rather caught up in the series! See, that's the reason why I am very cautious about starting to watch a programme, I might get absorbed into it....

I think Grey's does indeed do a good job in showcasing the life of a doctor. Of course being just a TV show, some aspects of it might be exaggerated. But I think the producers have got the gist of it.I love the fact that the show balances the screen time between patients and the doctors themselves. Every episode, there would be patients being admitted into the Seattle Grace hospital with interesting cases.
Among the most memorable patients are Dorrie who had quintruplets, one patient who couldn't handle the prospect of not being allowed to drink water and gulped water from the toilet bowl, a male patient who claimed that he was pregnant, but it turned out to be a huge teratoma ( I guessed this correctly, yay me!).

And we also gain some insight into the private lives and relationships of the doctors working in the hospital. Of course, the main characters of the show, Meredith Grey and Derek Shepard- you just have to root for them to be together. I recall, one of the most defining moments of season 1 was when Dr. Shepard's wife, Addison Shepard, appeared in the hospital. That's when Meredith's life went downhill... I was rooting for Alex and Izzie to be together..... but apparently he was not good enough for her? Was bummed when George and Meredith didn't work out together....


I actually like all the characters- Cristina is smart, funny, hardworking and driven although she had a horrible bedside manner and can be an emotionless person. Izzie on the other hand, tends to get too attached to her patients (read: Denny), but has a kind heart. George....I just love him, he reminds me the most about myself. Alex- I hated him in the beginning, but quite like him in season 2. Meredith- I don't know....with her moaning about losing her Mr McDreamy, and her one night stands.... :p But I like the way she treats her patients.

The episode I most remember is 'It's The End of the World'- the episode whereby there was a bomb inside a patient's chest cavity. And of course, Meredith had to get herself into trouble by being the one with her hand on the bomb. What an intense episode, with so many things going on at once! Then there is the Thanksgiving episode which reminds us that these doctors simply cannot live outside of the hospital.....

Ok, enough rambling about my newfound favourite show....

Some people have been telling me to watch 'House' instead....but I don't want to get hooked up to yet another show!



The main characters of the show...renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepard (Patrick Dempsey) and intern turned Resident, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Silver is better than nothing....


Yes, I did watch the gold medal match of the men's badmintons singles in Beijing.
And yes, like all other Malaysians, I was fully backing Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's current hero, to win the first ever gold medal for Malaysia.

And yes, I was truly disappointed, when we didn't get the gold the entire nation had always been yearning for.

And I have to admit....I was rather frustrated with the way he played that night. I thought he was holding back on his smashes and he lacked all the energy and passion which he exhibited in the semifinals match. Maybe the fact that the hopes and eyes of the entire nation were on him....(he was Malaysia's only hope for a gold or even a medal) caused him to crack under pressure. Or maybe Lin Dan was just too good a competitor for him.

Anyways, Chong Wei still gave his best and gave Malaysia her first silver medal. :)


Saturday, August 16, 2008

The long lost siblings

Let me tell you a secret.....

I have an elder half brother. His name is Khai Azizi. I can't remember when was the last time I saw him. I think it was almost 10 years ago.

Well, we share the same surname. And we have the same baby face. And we are both on the plump side. Maybe all these we inherited from our father. We have different mothers though. (his mother is from our father's first marriage).

Anyways, he searched my name on Facebook earlier on this year, and found my Facebook profile. He sent me a friend request. I added him without giving a second thought, thinking that it was just a random stranger. He started sending me many application requests, but I ignored them all.

Until one day, it suddenly struck me....the name seemed familiar. Could it be....no it can't be , can it? So I personal messaged him on Facebook. And yes, it turned out to be my brother.

So after exchanging a few more messages and SMSes, he invited me to meet up with him on Thursday night.

As I arrived at the cafe earlier, I waited nervously for him. Finally a guy with specs came up to me and extended his hand. He could still recognize me. But I couldn't recognize him at all.

Oh, and his girlfriend was with him as well.

So we sat down for a good chat and I got to know both of them. Khai is now working as a Senior Engineer. He got his first degree in the UK.

Later on in the night, after he sent me home, I invited him to meet my mum.

Anyways, it felt really good to be able to meet up with my brother. Even though we are just half siblings, but we do share the same blood and genes in us. Maybe next time we can look out for each other, like what siblings do.

You know how a lot of TV shows have all this long-lost half sibling stories going on? (Read...'Lost' with Jack and Claire, 'Grey's Anatomy' with Meredith and Lexie...the list goes on).

Well, mine is real :)