Diary of a Small Asian Medical Student

Resurrection

2007-05-14T13:44:00.000+10:00

Hello imaginary blog readers,

I have decided to resurrect this blog after 2 years of inactivity. Long overdue updates:

1. I am an intern, still in Melbourne.

2. I think this blog looks silly in pink.

Ok, that's all for now. Am working in 8 hours. Will blog about the experience if I'm not too tired.

Addit: Click here for my new blog - PART 2: Internship, the saga continues...

Immaturity and the impending 30s

2005-10-16T14:01:00.000+10:00

I have this inherent inability to sound mature on my blog. I mean, I spend ages rambling on about Nike Shoes and Bubble Tea when I do put up a post, which is rather rare these days with my *ahem* packed medical student schedule.

Speaking of which, I finally returned my blister-inducing Nikes to the manufacturer and received replacements in the mail yesterday.

Air Max TR cross-trainers.

They sent me MANSHOES! :( Oh well, at least they're comfy.

Going to the gym now. Toodles!

Psychiatry

2005-10-01T12:50:00.000+10:00

My mood has been pretty low lately. I am currently on my Psychiatry rotation and every morning I step into the Mental Health Services I get cursed by some old guy sitting on a bench. "Go back to China, you stupid shit head!" It doesn't help that I am sharing the rotation with a bunch of postgrad narcissists.

I had the worst conversation yesterday. I was tired, demoralised, and was just waiting for the day to be over. Narcissists A, B, and C are discussing plastic surgery while waiting for a tutorial. Undergrads A, B, and C (all young international undergraduate students) are talking about something anime-related. NB: these two groups of people don't get along AT ALL and I had no idea why, well, not until now, that is.

I decided to listen to Narcissists A, B, and C. Then I got jumped on: "Are you listening to our conversation or what? Look at me when I'm talking to you. Heck, I'll ask you a question: What do *you* want to be when you grow up?" I shrug, "I haven't decided, what do you guys want to be when you grow up?"

Woah, I could see his BP rising: "When I'm asking YOU a question I expect an ANSWER not another QUESTION. WHY did you even enter MEDICINE in the first place? Did you THINK about it properly?" Mind you, if this was done in a normal conversational tone it wouldn't have been offensive in the least. But no, he was doing it in such a condescending tone that I couldn't help feeling really pissed off and I think it showed on my face.

Fucking narcissists.

words

2005-09-24T15:22:00.000+10:00

There was an unbelievable amount of schadenfreude in the air today.

Bubble Cup Rampage

2005-07-21T21:42:00.000+10:00

I've been nursing a bubble cup addiction ever since they handed me one of those orange customer loyalty cards at the QV...

Lo and behold, home-made bubble cup recipes!

1. Ellen's Kitchen - click to make your own bubble cup :))) yum!

2. Thai style Bubble Tea

It's even got its own entry in wikipedia!

3. Pearl Tea on Wikipedia...

4. "Will Tapiaco Pearl Tea conquer Starbucks?"

Ah, yawwwwwwwn... I'm tired and I'm going to sleep now. Must be all that bubble in my tummy.

The New Ones are Never the Same

2005-07-21T18:51:00.000+10:00

Oh yeah, folks, I bought new Nike shoes!!!! Finally! But my Wallet is very light now.

(couldn't find a pic)

But... my feet are suffering from blisters. I am wondering whether I should return the new shoes or maybe the sores are from the old crappy shoes I was wearing.

Sigh. I really miss my old Nikes. They brought me to Uluru and back in perfect condition. NOTHING BEATS MY OLD NIKES...... :(

Nike Air Humara (now dead)
I can't even find it in the stores anymore. :(

And mine were nicer in colour.
"A rare find, the Humara is a Nike Trail Running Classic. Stylish and rugged."

Btw, check out this site- custom made Nikes! :) If only my boyfriend wasn't such a stingy old bugger and loved his girlfriend more.

RIP and I'm very sorry I killed you Nike Shoes

2005-06-10T00:28:00.000+10:00

Yes, I write about food so I can take a break from medicine, but yes, today I shall write a short paragraph about my beloved Nike shoes because I think this is marginally important despite the exams coming up.

In a state of coffee madness, I put my beloved Nike Airs (which cost me a whopping A$110; to all those jerks out there with silver spoon/golden backside, DON'T TELL ME YOUR LOUSIEST SHOES COST A$500+ THANK YOU VERY MUCH) into the washing machine without switching the hot air drier option off. And the shoes came out in 5 separate pieces each. I was in shock for a few days and then the numb feeling wore off. They are now residing in a Big W plastic bag because I am too heartsick to throw them away.

My current hospital shoes also need replacement as the heels have worn out and the suede is starting to look like rusty whitey gray sandpaper (original colour: a lovely deep gray).

Oh, and I am also broke. Won't be going to the gym for a while, I doubt I can ever get the same pair again though. I miss my Nikes. :(

NB: I burnt my hospital pants too in that same state of coffee madness. Wrong dial on the iron, don't ask.

Pre-exam ramblings

2005-06-10T00:16:00.000+10:00

Oh my god I only have 1.5 weeks left till the final exams. And NO STUDY BREAK! Yes, we are still being taught cardiorespiratory medicine right till the Friday before our written paper. I really think my university, prestigious as it may be, has some ISSUES. Or maybe it's just the australian culture. Apparently people complained a while back and they proposed giving us at least a week study break, then some other nutcases complained that they wanted a longer holiday, and the majority won... so we HAVE NO STUDY BREAK. Ok, I know all you Aussies are geniuses, but I am from Malaysia and due to my 22 year history of Maggi Mee ingestion, my neurones are not as fast, my muscles fatigue easily, and my eyes can't keep open to read so much. Also, I don't have ANY connections in Australia. (Well, not lifelong ones anyway, so I've got those jittery I met you one month ago heh heh but no time to keep up because I'm so effing busy) And all these other locals have moms, dads, uncles, god-uncles, cousins, working in various hospitals and they can ASK THEM ANYTHING ABOUT MEDICINE. They reserve the good juicy questions for consultants while the dumbo ones like me ask stupid questions during tutorials like "I don't understand arrythmias, or arrythmic drugs. I've read every book and I'm still confused," while the postgraduates yawn and stretch and give each other roll-eyes looks to drive home the point that they are BORED.

Fruck, sometimes I hate this bloody situation. Then I realise that although there is always someone in a better situation than you (think silver spoon and a golden backside), the converse is also true (think 3 jobs supporting oneself in Australia for a medical degree and arriving sleep-dpreived and getting laughed at by the *ahem* stuck-up students when you stutter during a case presentation because you are embarassed by your strong accent).

Yes, I was going to write about my experience today trying to get a long case done and ending up doing scutwork in ED. Got home at 9:45pm. It's 12:25am and I still haven't had dinner yet. And I still don't understand arrythmias. God, it's going to be a long 1.5 weeks.

2005-04-25T06:19:00.000+10:00

My god, it has just struck me that I could really, really go for this woman subspeciality surgeon-researcher thing. Who gives a $hit about building a family? That house with a garden and 3 happy kids and Sparky the dog doesn't exist.

If I fudge my future career prospects trying to achieve the impossible I will never forgive myself.

Bottom-line for the confused: It is much easier for me to get into a training programme and work like a dog for 10 more years than to get the boyfriend to commit and/or his family to like me. Might as well give it up now. I don't know why I am trying so hard to hold on.

The old man on the hill was right.

Sneaky Rebellion

2005-04-24T19:03:00.000+10:00

I plan to wear my good old NIKE AIR sneakers to the hospital tomorrow.

Heh, I've had a fear of wearing those shoes for the longest time. I remember the pre-clinical years when eight medical students and a bored tutor (usually a health/science grad) huddled together in a small unventilated room. Whenever the person next to me touched his/her nose, I would think "Do my sneakers smell funky?"

Since the gastro wards smell x10000 worse than my sneakers, I shouldn't have any problem with my smelly-shoe paranoia tomorrow.

2005-04-20T23:24:00.000+10:00

My wallet and keys were stolen from me. The thief must have seen the bloodshot eyes signalling a lack of sleep... my housemate has been staying up late (3am...) to study and she has a tendency to slam doors and cupboards... I get up at 6am.

So I waste an entire week fixing my cards, worrying abt telltale slips of paper; today I realised my 512MB thumbdrive is missing as well. I sit outside the apartment doors, waiting for someone to help me get in, and I sink into deep depression.

Longest sentence ever

2005-04-18T20:49:00.000+10:00

Sometimes when I'm down and I wonder why I'm working so hard studying medicine in a foreign country where everything/everyone is always alien no matter how familiar I think I think I have become with the country and the people, I put my headphones on and listen to Jeremy Kay's "Have It All" and everything seems to fall into place, everything seems to make sense again.

Maybe it’s too soon to be sure but I
Really do believe that some day we’re gonna have it all
So I try so hard to keep the rhythm of a train
Rolling right along when the ride gets rough you got to carry on

:)

These days will pass. I'm going for gold.

Happy Easter everyone

2005-03-28T11:17:00.000+10:00

This is completely shite! The only treatment available for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is Vitamin C! Noooooo!!!! What about my future 10++ postgraduate training years? I'm only 21, I can't be crippled by multiple joint osteoarthritis at this ridiculously young age! Argh! So I am going to end up training in pathology* after all. Dark room, small microscope, bad halitosis. Oh, the horrors.

On the other hand, I've probably got medical studentitis...

Dumb joke.

A young medical student wanted to find the cause of the symptoms of hypochondria so he read three medical text books. The first said that two thirds of the patients were worried about their health so anxiety was the cause, and the second text book said that two thirds of the patients were depressed so that depression was the cause, and the third text book said that two thirds of the patients were obsessesed with illness so obsession was the cause. The student then decided to ask his mathematics professor to help him determine the statistical significance of his findings, and the professor said that two thirds plus two thirds plus two thirds was six thirds or two hundred percent which makes all three medical text books 100% wrong.

*Disclaimer: I like pathologists. They are cool.

Dog Story

2005-03-21T17:37:00.000+11:00

If I had a dog, this is what it would look like.

It would sleep on a designer bed,

eat gourmet dog food,

and play with expensive toys.

If I had a dog, I would be a very poor medical student.

when its past midnight

2005-03-18T12:11:00.000+11:00

When we were in high school, we used to create elaborate theories about the world. For example,

1. The most kiasu* people are those who call others kiasu.
2. The truly rich do not feel a need to flaunt their wealth.
3. The people who complain the most are the least stressed.

When I look back I realise that the world does not exist in black and white.

*kiasu = 'afraid of losing'; antonym = bochap (don't care)
Yikes, they actually did a study and found kiasuism alive and well in Australian undergraduate students. Examples of kiasu behaviour - stowing reference books on different shelves, elbowing one's way in crowded lifts, and studying before semester commences. Click here to read. (heh, quite funny actually)

Belacan - smell-ful food #1

2005-02-27T20:32:00.000+11:00

Today I shall blog about belacan. Belacan, otherwise known as fermented shrimp cake (with lots of salt, and apparently, ash), is used in a wide variety of Malaysian dishes. It lends a subtle shrimpy (anchovy-like) seafood flavour to the meal.
Amy Beh has written a recipe for the famous sambal belacan in my favourite recipe site, Star Kuali.

Ingredients
# 10 red chillies
# 4cm piece belacan, roast till fragrant
# Pinch of salt
# 1 limau kasturi

Method
Pound chillies until rather coarse in texture.
Break up roasted belacan and add into chilli mixture gradually.
Continue to pound until texture is neither too smooth nor too coarse.
Add pinch of salt. Put sambal in a bowl. Squeeze lime juice in and mix well.
Serve sambal as an accompanying side dish.

Another great recipe from Amy Beh again: source here. This time she uses Maggi(TM) Belacan granules. The wonders of modern technology... :D

Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Sambal Belacan

Ingredients:
300g sweet potato leaves
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked, drained and pounded.

Pounded ingredients
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic
4 red chillies, seeded.
1 1/2 tsp Maggi belacan granules

Seasoning
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp chicken stock granules

Method:
Pluck the leaves out from the stalks. Cut the stalks into 7cm lengths discarding the tough parts of the stalks. Wash and dram sell.

Heat wok over high heat until hot then add in oil. Fry the pounded dried prawns until aromatic. Add the rest of the pounded ingredients and stir-fry well.

Put in sweet potato leaves and stalks and stir-fry briskly for 1-2 minutes. Add seasoning to mix. Dish out and serve immediately.

More yummy recipes here. Happy belacan-ing!

Undeserved A$150 fine, thank you very much, ma'am tram inspector!

2005-02-25T19:59:00.000+11:00

I was watching this old lady board the tram today. She had a skin condition, I remember, she had sores all over her arms and face. She probably also had osteoarthritis, judging from how painfully she boarded the tram. The schoolchildren rushed into the tram first, laughing and swinging their bags at each other. The adults waited for the older lady to board. I remember somehow getting pushed to the back of the queue in the process... never mind, I thought. I'll just squeeze in somehow.

So the tram was jam-packed full of kids, old people, and basically a random mish-mash of tram users. It was fun watching people, but heck, I couldn't reach the ticket validating machine. Also, there were an awful lot of old people on canes in the way. Never mind, I thought, I'll probably get on the next tram if nobody frees up the way. No worries, it's a bright and beautiful day.

Okay, so the next stop arrives. I hop off.

And get slapped with a whopping A$150 fine.

Inspector Robot: "Your ticket is not validated, I give you a fine. I give you a fine."

This not the first time they've screwed me over. Stupid tram system. And I've just found out that inspectors get A$20 for every person they 'catch'. Explains a lot.

PTUA (Public Transport Users Association) - FAQ re. travelling rights on trams.

Yeah, I think I'm going to lodge a letter of complaint with this one.

Mad School

2005-02-25T12:48:00.000+11:00

I have nothing to write today, really. So read this if you're bored.

The reason it's taken me so long to get used to telling people that I'm a medical student is that people invariably follow up my admission with comments about how tough it must be, how hard I have to study, and the long hours I'll face in the all-too-near future. Usually, at this point, my eyes glaze over, and I say something pithy like, "Yeah, it can be pretty tough, but it's okay as long as you keep a balance between school and other things."

It talks about the stresses of being in medical school. But then again, it's Harvard.

Oh yeah, and the Pope got a tracheostomy.

Blogging delirious...

2005-02-23T21:35:00.000+11:00

Grarrgh, I am so tired. It is 9:15pm, the pillows are all mucky sweat - my 5 minute nap after classes somehow morphed itself into a 4 hour hibernation period. The weather is horribly hot and dry and I have a sore throat. *cough cough cough*

Staring at the mountain of textbooks, post-it notes, random medical literature, jottings... Jottings. ARGH! I can't remember writing these notes. *stares at neon pink notepad*

"Read up - anatomy of the HAND and FOOT"
"When doing an ankle examination, eversion/inversion = supination/pronation."
"Tenosynovitis, read. Also, common bone tumors (oxymoron)."
"Read up - anatomy of the forearm, arm. Blood supply, nerves supplying forearm & arm, course"
"Read up common plastic surgical procedures."
"Different techniques - knee and hip joint replacement."

The list of 'Important! To finish tonight!' items looms ridiculous. Also, for some reason, my joints are aching like crazy. Tiger Balm is not working. Speaking of which, I was telling a colleague about Orang Kampung Longjack and yes, the name's not that funny unless you're an English speaking Malaysian.

------------------------------
'The Coral - Dreaming of You'
------------------------------
What's up with my heart when it skips a beat? skips a beat...
can't feel no pain but not under my feet under my feet...

chorus
I fill my lonely room wahooo... when I'm dreaming of you wahoo...
But what can I do wahooo...
I still need you wahooooooooo........(drag 'ooo')
But I don't want you now ooooo...

When I'm down and my hands are tied hands are tied...
I cannot reach your pen for me to draw the line draw the line...
From this pain I just can't describe can't describe...
It's gonna hurt but I gotta say goodbye say goodbye...

repeat chorus

random man saying 'Oh yeah'

Guitar rift.... blend into...

Ting ting ting ting ting (triangle sounds)

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh (men singing 'oh-oh-oh')

repeat chorus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TIME TO BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Exploding CD - what are the chances?

2005-02-20T20:11:00.000+11:00

ARGH!! The original CD I borrowed from the clinical school just exploded in my boyfriend's CD ROM drive! I didn't even get to use the program!

Recap: I slid the CD into the slot, pushed the 'close drive' button. After a few seconds, I noticed that the CD drive was taking unusually long to read the VERY EXPENSIVE ORIGINAL MEDICAL CD(not a crappy generic CD mind you) and started tapping my fingers impatiently. Meanwhile the CD ROM unit was spinning faster and faster (judging by the humming noises)... and then suddenly, it made a loud 'SNAP' and ejected the halfway exploding CD, pieces flying everywhere.

On hindsight, I am thankful that the CPU is on the floor, the exploding CD bits could have flown into my face!

Anyway, just spent the whole afternoon dismantling the CPU / CD ROM drive (Conveniently, the warranty has just expired. Stupid high speed readers) and am very very very behind on my study schedule.

I am looking at the remains of the VERY EXPENSIVE ORIGINAL MEDICAL CD. Boyfriend has given me a small plastic bag to put all the bits in. Oh damn. How am I going to explain this to the clinical school?

EDIT: Apparently this happens quite commonly with 52x CD-ROM units, as evidenced by this article.

Which Scrubs character are you?

2005-02-20T14:44:00.000+11:00

You are Turk!

Which Scrubs character are you
brought to you by Quizilla

Apparently I'm a young black male surgical resident. And I chose "Elliot" in the last question too. Ah, the wonders of TV-land...

Internet Addiction Disorder (hmmm)

2005-02-19T11:20:00.000+11:00

I just read about this 'new' psychiatric term which has been juggled around in modern psych research for the past few years. It's called IAD, or "Internet Addiction Disorder".

Dr. Grohol adds his own hypothesis complete with explanatory flowchart:

new online activity -> stage 1 (enchantment) -> stage 2 (disillusionment) -> stage 3 (balance)

stage 1 - obsession
stage 2 - avoidance
stage 3 - normal

Apparently the problem occurs when users get stuck in the 'enchantment phase'... o_0

What then, constitutes normal Internet use?

Another interesting article - Is the Internet Addictive, or Are Addicts Using the Internet?

Okay, gotta log off. Barely have time to blog these days... lol...

I love Fridays because of the Saturdays next

2005-02-19T10:57:00.000+11:00

Yay! It's the weekend already! I was so exhausted yesterday I passed out while having dinner in my boyfriend's house. Okay, checklist of stuff I have to do next week:

1. Watch a total hip joint replacement / total knee joint replacement. The surgeons only allow one student per arthroplasty because of contamination issues. The hospital I'm based in right now has one of the lowest infection rates in the district and they are planning to keep it that way.

2. Scrub in and assist in surgery. Must...study...anatomy...

3. Prepare for my orthopaedic presentation... *groan*

Oh yeah, I cooked dinner last night. No, it wasn't that bad I was just tired.

(a) Beef and Lotus Root Soup - recipe here
(b) Chicken in Soy Mushroom sauce - recipe here
(c) Stirfry brocolli, french beans, and carrots - stir-fry recipe collection here

And the elbow joint is where again?

2005-02-17T16:39:00.000+11:00

That little man in my head is not doing his job properly! I must have been on a winning streak this whole week. I had the right answers to the right questions, yeah, I felt like a winner alright. Then today some guy came in with a snapped biceps tendon; his arm actually looked like Popeye's - EXCEPT the biceps was sitting bunched-up on the top part of his arm, and not DOWN the bottom like how they describe in the textbooks... usually the upper biceps tendon gets snapped off, not the lower one*.

Ruptures of the distal tendon near the elbow are rare. They usually occur when an unexpected force is applied to a bent arm. For example, a snowboarder can rupture the distal biceps tendon if he or she uses the arm to try to break a fall during a turn.

The proximal biceps tendons near the shoulder tear more easily. Tears can be either partial or complete. Often, these tendons are already frayed, particularly if you are over 40 years of age, have a history of shoulder pain, and participate in activities that involve overhead motions. Among the elderly, biceps tendon ruptures near the shoulder are often associated with rotator cuff tears.

Anyway, I don't know how or why, but when the doctor asked me what I thought had happened, I said

"Looks like the coracobrachialis tendon was snapped."

*pindrop silence*

Gah, the look on his face made me want to sink into the ground. The coracobrachialis tendon???? What on earth was I thinking??? *tears hair out*

Geez, someone has to hit the books... hard.

Anyway the rest of outpatients was fun. =D I really like orthopaedics. Sort of like carpentry with bones, lots of blood... and then some swift needlework at the end.

* Story: He was being attacked by wild animals and was flinging his arms about when he heard a snapping sound.

Too tired to blog... (or, it's Sunday already?)

2005-02-06T08:21:00.000+11:00

Trying out this newfangled email blogging system**. I hope my dear readers do not mind the fact that my thoughts have become medical student-ised. (Check out my serious dot-points.)
2/2/05
1. Flight was uneventful other than the fact that I didn't sleep a wink and therefore have been sleeping in the day these few days which translates to serious jet lag. On the food side of things, I had tangy squid rings and sweet'n'sour fish for dinner.

Late Morning 2/2/05
2. Arrived a little later than the expected time. Baggage was NOT torn like the last time, which is good. Was surprisingly cold outside. Then, of course, the freak storms came. My boyfriend* thinks I brought them on. He must think I am some sort of dark mysterious lady who summons rain (and hail) and thunder where-ever I go. Or maybe he just suspects that I keep a giant rain charm in my (really heavy) backpack.

Afternoon 2/2/05
2. Ride home was uneventful. The arrival HOME however...! I was cheerfully greeted by a stuffed-full mailbox - filled with expired cookiesample deals, expired discounts or promotions, and BILLS. *grumble*

3. Shocked to learn that the landlord is planning to increase the rent. (nooo!)

4. Slept. Woke up at around 7pm. Had Maggi Mee for dinner thanks to the FREAK STORMS freaking me out. Nice weather to sleep in though... or so I thought. o_O

3/2/05 *tic toc tic toc*
5. Major jet lag... could not sleep the whole night and thereforespent time unpacking and cleaning the apartment. Also, bedsheets were so dusty... keeping the windows closed helped but the problem is that I left the apartment in a mess anyway. Which is UNACCEPTABLE in the world of Australian medical students from Malaysia***.

-----------------

** Email Blogging did not work so I am reposting this on the 6th February. On a lonely insomniac morning.

* Spent the following 3/2 - 6/2 going to and fro between my apartment and my boyfriends' (40 minutes away, 1.5 h two-way trip) because (i) we have not seen each other for 2 months, (ii) we will not see each other again for the next 6 weeks, (iii) I have 101 intangible things to do in the apartment, like, dusting the last piece of dust from the floor and helping my housemate fix the lightbulb and I feel bad leaving her all alone to satisfy her criteria of apartment cleanliness of CNY just because I am sloppier than her (note: I am already the most fussy clean in my family).

***It seems all the medical students I hang out with in Australia have a thing for tidiness... and washing hands... and antibacterial products. OCD or too much graphic Microbiology? My mind goes into Malaysian mode when I balik kampung so I amazingly transform into a pig (hey the maids clean the house anyway) everytime I go back to KL. THe metamorphosis from pig to lady though, takes a bit more time. Which is why I like to come back early to Melbourne, but of course, tell people things like this and funny looks you will definitely get.

NOTE: it is almost 6am on a Sunday. No, I did not sleep the whole night, but I slept in the afternoon. Okay, staying awake the whole day today (Sunday). Not gonna sleep. Just yeah, unless I want to die a natural death in the hospital.

Last post from Malaysia...

2005-02-01T04:03:00.000+11:00

Okay guys, last blog entry before I pack my laptop into its snug leather hibernation bag.

*drumroll*

...I'm flying back to Melbourne tomorrow!

I am feeling something halfway between sad and happy. That makes me... sappy? But overall, I'm frantic busy. (EDIT: Not busy enough not to blog)

"I felt the arrows of sadness piercing through my heart as I looked around at the earnest faces of the people who cared for me. Suddenly, I felt lost; I was bobbing around in a sea of uncertainty, like a marshmallow floating around in a cup of Milo. I waved a limp goodbye to my dear family and friends, and pushed my luggage-laden trolley towards the automatic gates."

Hm. That attempt at melodramatic writing was horrendous. And I usually wave a curt goodbye and just go. Two lives, one in Melbourne and the other in Malaysia... unfortunately both are incompatible. :(

Such is life.

Bye holidays! Bye ~~fair~~ tan Malaysia, dodgy weather, oily food, rude shoppers and all!

He-llo again, my old buddy, old pal, MEDSCHOOL!

Medical school an expensive luxury?

2005-01-31T02:17:00.000+11:00

Being an international full-fee paying student is definitely not fun if you're not from a multibillionaire family (A$30+K a year!). But some people just have to make it worse. The comments I have heard range from:

1. The snarky
"You international students have it easy, the entrance requirements for the more sought-after courses like Medicine and Engineering are lower for full-fee payers. The university just wants your money."

2. The conspiracy-theorists'
"Did you know that examination results for international students get marked up? That's why they get the marks they do despite their lesser understanding of [insert subject here]."

and

3. The frustrated
"International students are bringing down the quality of the university."

Although rants like these don't really bother me, its the comments like:

"You pay how much? That's for the whole course right? WHAT? Each YEAR? So you pay 6 times that?? Do you have a job? WHAT? NO? Hahaha, you're on scholarship right?"

that give me this really large lump in my throat (not globus hystericus) .

I am up to my neck in debts. I calculated that I cannot repay the money I owe even if I work steadily for a full 10 years. Recent articles in the Star have highlighted the fact that the 'trend' for Asian families to push for a child to pursue Medicine, whether consciously or subconsciously, is going to result in a whole generation of disgruntled, destitute doctors in say, 6 years time.

ARGHHHhhhhhHHHh..!!! *tears hair out*

Why didn't I just settle for a nice secretarial job with my excellent typing skills?

Apathetic boring day, and then some.

2005-01-30T02:56:00.000+11:00

ap·a·thy
1 : lack of feeling or emotion : IMPASSIVENESS
2 : lack of interest or concern : INDIFFERENCE
leth·ar·gy
1: abnormal drowsiness
2: the quality or state of being lazy, sluggish, or indifferent

from Merriam-Webster.com

Dear Diary,

Today must have been the most boring day in my life. Other than the fact that I really should be doing my packing for my flight on the 1st of February (yes, a full 3 days from now), I feel no urgent need to do anything remotely useful.

The height of my apathy was showcased during my trip to Carrefour(TM). I knew that there was going to be a problem when I entered the complex. The bright lights, the red and gold colours, were making me feel strangely light-headed. Or maybe it was the throngs of people in their ultra-fluorescent clothing (accentuated by the overhead fluorescent lighting) scrambling for 'BEST BUY' items... Bleh, even recreating the scene is giving me a headache.

Here's a snippet of the conversation i had with Mom.

Me: "So Mom, what are you getting?"
Mom (pushing trolley around aimlessly): "I don't know."
Me: "We are heading towards the fresh produce section."
Mom: "And therefore we will get vegetables."

Maybe apathy is infectious.

Even worse, I spent some time pushing some guy's cart around thinking it was Mom's. I didn't realise until the cart owner (young giggly boy) had finished jumping up and down next to me for a good few minutes. I apologised sleepily and looked around for the trolley I abandoned.

Sigh. Must go to sleep now. Must be something in the air. *Cough* *Cough* I hope I haven't caught dengue fever.

Selangor, Malaysia on Alert for Dengue Fever

Malaysia, Jan 02, 2005 - A dengue alert has been issued in Selangor (West Malaysia) and the Federal Territory where 100 suspected cases of dengue are being reported daily. The sudden increase in the number of cases was seen after Hari Raya last month. Hospitals and health authorities have been directed to thoroughly check all people, including children, showing signs of dengue fever. All state and district health departments have been instructed to increase their area inspections and take action against those found breeding Aedes mosquitos. Local authorities in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur have also been enlisted to clean up drains and areas with stagnant water. Between January and September [2004], 8273 people were affected by dengue fever and 360 from dengue haemorrhagic fever. During this time, 38 people died from dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Source #1

Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever. The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children.

Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body. Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about 5 percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults.

Source #2

Okay, maybe not.

Hey peeps, before I go, here's a link to the Rice Box Project, a fun crash course for learning Cantonese (their words, not mine). The site's only half complete but 3 sets of tutorials are ready for the taking.

The word of the day is:

Pin yin : Oi
Definition : Love

Walking around in KL 28/1/05

2005-01-29T04:12:00.000+11:00

Here are some more pictures from my trip to KL... I spied a pet shop near Petaling Street with a huge sign saying "Zoological Supplies". They had a cute parrot up the front munching on an apple slice. :D

Emily Strange vs. Jack Skellington

2005-01-29T04:03:00.000+11:00

I came across this stall while walking around in KL today...

I want an Emily Strange wallet! It disturbs me that Emily Strange wallets are being sold alongside Jack Skellington merchandise (as well as stuff featuring a pink drugged-out bear character - off my radar) at a roadside stall. The shop on its left was selling pirated GUCCI handbags... so I'm assuming that these wallets are... fake???

They sell for about RM30-50, bargainable.

:(

1. Emily Strange
Have been wanting an Emily Strange ever since I set eyes on the eye-catching black and red storybook at a Paul Frank clothing store in Melbourne.

Emily Strange links:

Official Emily Strange website
Which Emily Strange Are You? (Quizilla)
A life-sized lego Emily scuplture by a fan
Article detailing the history of Emily Strange's creation
***A real life Emily Strange? (Emily "The Strange" Brontë, hehehe)

2. Jack Skellington
Ah, the king of Halloweentown, star of Tim Burton's inspired masterpiece - The Nightmare before Christmas. I think I was... 10 years old when I first watched it? Time to go video hunting...

This first modern stop-motion animated feature film is a musical spectacular with incredible attention for detail and design. The story is based on an idea Burton developed when he was still working as a conceptual artist at Disney, but which was discarded by the studio because it lacked the "Disney feeling."

Read more here at Dan's Definitive Tim Burton Page.

Poor Jack Skellington...

How can I resist his hollowed-out eye sockets, impressive set of crooked teeth, and long spindly limbs?

I want a Jack Skellington wallety too!

Chinese Restaurant, Indian filmstars.

2005-01-28T02:36:00.000+11:00

Tonight we went out to the Crystal Palm Seafood restaurant near Jalan Ipoh. We had a typical 8-course Chinese dinner. Food was fantastic - we had really good sharks' fin soup. :D

For some strange reason, we decided to take photos of the toilets.

Hehehe, a Kamal Hassan look-a-like.

Tired middle-aged lady.

Nian Gao, Nian Gao everywhere!

2005-01-27T04:09:00.000+11:00

Look at what we found at our local supermarket!

Nian Gao is a sticky sweet delicacy made from glutinous rice powder and brown sugar. According to wikipedia.com, the reason why nian gao is so popular during the Chinese New Year is that:

The Chinese word "nián" or "to stick" is similar in sound to "year", and the word "gao" or "cake" sounds similar to "high/tall". As such, eating "nián gao" has the symbolism of raising oneself in each coming year, or "nián nián gao sheng".

Heh, I even found a recipe for homemade nian gao at yumfood.net:

Basic Nian Gao Recipe

2-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4-1/2 cups sweet rice flour (glutinous flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

sesame seeds

Heat the brown sugar and the vegetable oil together, stirring constantly, until sugar melts. Cool slightly. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir cooled brown sugar mixture into the flour. Drop batter by the spoonful into a bowl of sesame seeds. Coat completely, then place balls into a steamer. Cover and steam 50-60 minutes.

There's other recipes like banana leaf nian gao, baked non-asian nian gao, and of course, you get to take the nian gao to the next level by frying it with yam or sweet potato.

The darker side of Hindu festivals :-0

2005-01-27T04:04:00.000+11:00

More than 250 killed during Hindu festival in India:

"Police chief Chandrakant Kumbhar said the incident began when the temple floor became slippery from a ceremony that involved breaking coconuts in front of a deity. Some pilgrims fell and were trampled to death by others propelled forward by the mass of people behind them trying to get into the temple to make offerings.

'When their relatives, who were still climbing the stairs, heard the news, they became angry and set fire to some shops,'' Kumbhar said.

The fires were set along a packed, narrow walkway lined with tea stalls and shops leading up a hill to the temple. They set off what witnesses said was a stampede of screaming crowds fleeing in horror.

At least 258 people were killed, while another 200 were injured, Subha Rao, the top district administrator, said Wednesday. But the death toll could rise as rescue workers shifting through the debris looked for more bodies."

No words to say...

Stadium Popiah

2005-01-26T02:09:00.000+11:00

I visited the neighbourhood pasar malam (night market) tonight and guess what I found... *drumroll* ~ the Stadium Popiah* stall!

the master at work

wrapped

unwrapped

the filling is a secret recipe but we identified taugeh, sengkuang, taukua, lettuce, fried onion, chinese sausage, chilli sauce, sweet black sauce...and ate the rest

*Here's a nice long textbook-style passage for those of you interested in the nitty-gritty of popiah-origins and popiah-making. I lifted the text off here as the site is rather advertisement heavy.

Popiah is believed to have originated in China during the Qing Dynasty and was usually eaten during a time when there was a surplus of vegetables in the market, such as in spring. Other ingriedients have found their way into the Singapore version of this dish.

First the different vegetables are prepared - bean sprouts are blanched, bamboo shoots, sweet turnips and carrots sliced fine and stewed, eggs are boiled and mashed, prawns are boiled, shelled and sliced thinly, Chinese sausage is sliced fine, coriander leaves and local lettuce torn into portions.

Then a "skin" made from rice flour is spread out, smeared with a paste of garlic, chilli and sweet soy sauce. The various ingredients are loaded onto the centre of the skin, and the skin wrapped to form a parcel, which is sliced into four portions.

The skill of the Popiah-maker lies in getting the proportions of ingredients just right so that you taste all the different flavours; and in getting the amount of filling just right, so that the parcel does not disintegrate when you pick it up to eat!

'Popiah parties' are popular in Singapore, where all the ingredients are laid out, and guests get to make their own Popiahs, with varying degrees of success and plenty of fun!

Yum, I feel like eating another one already.

Happy Thaipusam! 25/01/05

2005-01-25T16:58:00.000+11:00

I found this great traveller's page that tells you and me about the weird and wonderful celebrations going on 'round the globe. For example, did you know that in the town of Lerwick, Scotland, a fire festival named Lerwick Up Helly Aa is being celebrated today? Every year, during the last Tuesday in January, the townsfolk dress up as Vikings and then proceed to burn down a Viking ship.

Then there's our very own annual Thaipusam gathering at the Batu Caves. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival which commemorates the day when the Goddess Parvathi gave her son Murugan an invincible vel (lance), with which he vanquished the evil asura (demons). The 3 day festival actually begins at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in the Chinatown district. It is from here that the 50 000-odd Hindu devotees escort the statue of Lord Subramaniam the 13 kilometres to its final resting place in the Batu Caves.

Oh yes, and the procession is truly a sight to behold. Self-mutilation, astonishing feats of strength, lots of chanting, the oddly high pain threshold... For more information, check out Audrey Lim's article on Thaipusam here.

I, personally, have been to the Batu Caves once. It was not a bad trip; my brother got bitten by a monkey and I got a bad case of vertigo. I said I'd give it another go in 10 years time... when I turn 23.

Strange Dream This Morning

2005-01-24T17:51:00.000+11:00

I had the strangest dream this morning. I dreamt that I was coming home in a standard issue baju kurung - to this huge mansion of a house. That would have been great and all, me being the materialistic bastard I am, but no, the house had to be crazy spooky. First off, the exterior was painted entirely in shades of black and gray. There was an old tree overlooking a creaky old swing set in the garden area. There was absolutely no grass. Just suspicious looking dried spiky things sticking out from the ground.

I had this awful sense of deja vu as I looked around the courtyard (!!) . The baju kurung'ed schoolgirl I was playing in my dream seemed to be oblivious to my escalating sense of dread.

And the swing set swinging itself with the lack of wind was totally freaking me out.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I struggled to wake up before the mother opened the door to let her daughter inside the creepy house. Who knows what horrors lay within? I kicked and screamed and punched and swore. When my eyes finally forced open, I noted that the bedsheets were barely ruffled. Strange.

Damn sleep phenomena.

I came down for breakfast at 8:00am. Earliest I've woken up this month.

New BLOG! New POST!

2005-01-23T08:24:00.000+11:00

Blogspot, here I am.

It is 5:03am here in Malaysia. It is a cold and lonely night/morning. Cold. Because I am sitting right below the air-conditioning system blowing icy cold daggers of recycled air on my head. And lonely. Because everyone has gone to sleep leaving me to type in the dark*. Yep, another one of those horrible insomniac nights. I think I just gotta take up yoga again - I can't say I haven't tried it before, but I just couldn't discipline myself enough to do all that breathe-in-breathe-out monk meditation stuff without letting my thoughts wander: (a) have I locked the front door, (b) that assam laksa sure was yummy tonight, (c) eh, have I told Mom about that strange rash on my face yet? and then (d) I wonder what's on ASTRO tonight?

Someone once told me to use this thing called i-m-a-g-e-r-y. Apparently, the trick is to visualise little scrunched-up balls of paper. Everytime a silly thought bounces into my head, I zap it into a scrunched-up-ball-of-paper and aim it into an imaginary trashcan.

Ok, ciao. I'm gonna go try that trashcan thing now.

* I am crashing in my brother's room thanks to the family happily demolishing my room once I left for Melbourne.