Friday, July 29, 2011
*When Five Fell*
A short film directed by Wesley Chan from Wong Fu Productions.
Totally love the way he personifies the objects to portray the feelings and connections with a girl.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
《欒樹紅了》心灵讲座
谢丽华博士又写了新书，7月17日在静思书轩和大家分享这本书。
早在1999年，小学班主任给我们推荐了《欢喜感恩》，作者正是谢丽华博士，书里头还附加静思语小卡。
如今，有机会亲自出席她的讲座，心中非常欢喜，也特别地期待。
书名的第一个字 — 欒（栾），究竟怎么念？
哦，原来该念成“luán”。
哦，原来该念成“luán”。
“今天的我们与过去的我们息息相关。”
谢丽华博士谈到了软十力，应用在生活中，会有极大帮助。
- 安静的能力
~闭上眼睛聆听周遭的声音，聆听自己的心跳，有助于让六根清静。
倘若在同一时间内，又是说话，又是东张西望，又是听唧唧喳喳的谈话，这些感官信号同时往我们的大脑冲击，导致头脑错乱而起杂念，包括贪、嗔、痴。
- 专注力
~我们除了看周边得人事物，也不要忘了看看自己心中的烦恼。每一个烦恼，每一件事情，都有一个起因。
当然， 也不要抱这负面的思想或不好的念头，因为这样我们自然而然会奖一连串不相关的事情接连起来，然后编出一堆乱七八糟的理由，让自己觉得很倒霉。
- 感动的能力
~容易被感动的人，就会感恩，也会快乐。把自己缩小，周围的事情或事物，就算是小小一件，也会看起来很美好。
“我很富有， 因为我没有奢求，没有想要买那些买不起的东西。”
- 欣赏的能力
~不要被成果或成绩影响我们对人或事物的判断。学习看别人的好，看别人的优点，看他们努力中诚心地付出，再把它稍微放大，就算结果不怎么特出，也应该为他们的那分心意鼓掌。
- 联想力
~ 把别人的美好，转化为自己的最好。
LOGIC will take you from A to B;IMAGINATION will take you anywhere.
- 整合与分析能力
~ 整合“事”—能把诸多的好集合，也能去芜存菁。
整合“人”—合心协力，增加的不只是人力，还有人气和心力。
~许多事情，不一定要照着原始或最普遍的做法去做。 就如断臂钢琴师刘伟说的：“没有人规定钢琴要用手弹。”
- 处理问题与情绪的能力
~套证严上人的一句话：面对它、处理它、放下它。 我们要往前走，不要一直往后看，不然走路回跌倒哦。
~把坚强变柔软，就不会软弱。
- 人际能力
~除了脸带笑容，我们得学一学说话的艺术、沟通的技巧、声音的大小，更重要的是，聆听的能力。
~话，不能随便说，而是要用心讲。
~恋爱的人，之所以轻声细语，是因为他们的心靠得很进；
相骂的人，之所以高声喊叫，是因为他们的心离得很远。
- 善解与包容力
~你对，别人未必错。 我们须有一颗开放的心、真诚的心、祝福的心、警惕的心、同理心、平等心，才能活在知足、感恩及善解中。
~先让的人县赢，因为只有有能力的人才让得起。
- 行动力
~就算你懂很多，但是如果都没有做到，那业没什么了不起的。
听完讲座，受益不浅，满心欢喜啊！
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Cretinism
A father carried his son into the OPD. Anyone who sees the little boy will pause to take a second look at him.
Yes, by the look itself, he did not look like any other toddler.
Yes, by the look itself, he did not look like any other toddler.
He looked like he is 2 years old, but when I saw his details on the card, he is actually 5. His name is K.
He has the stature of a 2-year-old, with a large, protruding tongue being the most distinct feature, and a blank look.
Dr RB, my consultant paediatrician, exchanged looks with us. We knew, she had the diagnosis in her head. K's parents gave us a detailed history.
K is their 4th child among 4 other healthy children. He seemed alright when he was born but after 2 months, his parents noticed that their son was not taking feeds well. He did not seem to be able to swallow the milk fed to him, and often end up chocked. Along with that, they had noticed his tongue getting bigger, which later protruded out from the mouth. Tooth eruption is also delayed. Till today, he is fed with only semi-solids.
K is their 4th child among 4 other healthy children. He seemed alright when he was born but after 2 months, his parents noticed that their son was not taking feeds well. He did not seem to be able to swallow the milk fed to him, and often end up chocked. Along with that, they had noticed his tongue getting bigger, which later protruded out from the mouth. Tooth eruption is also delayed. Till today, he is fed with only semi-solids.
They were also worried as their son passes motion once in 1-1.5 weeks besides sleeping excessively. Besides, K's milestones are delayed. Since the age of 2, he was only able to walk with support. He coos and smiles when he is happy.
K's hair was sparse, and his skin was cold and dry. Anterior fontanelle was kinda soft. He has a short neck, supraclavicular deposition of fat, protruding abdomen, short limbs and stubby fingers. Slow pulse rate was recorded. Sluggishness and decreased muscle tone were also observed.
Thyroid function test revealed that T4 level was only 0.1 mcg/dL (normal range 4-12) and TSH level which should range between 0.3-3.0 mIU/L was above hundred! So, it is primary hypothyroidism and most likely a congenital one (though mother's antenatal history did not suggest anything).
On the X-ray, epiphysis of long bones were barely visible, most carpal bones were not osssified, suggestive of bone age of 1 year.
K was started on Levothyroxine and was told to come back for monthly follow up.
**********
It is sad to say that K has been brought for treatment pretty late.
His parents are illiterate and live in a village pretty far from a town, explaining their ignorance about the child's special condition and their visits to a so-called local doctor who gave K oral medication to reduce the tongue enlargement. WTH?
However, I noticed something more than their ignorance. K's parents, especially his father, are very concerned and protective over his son. Being poor and uneducated, working as a manual labourer doesn't stop him from giving his unconditional love for his special child. I saw him changing K's diaper one day, and I would say he is definitely gentle and skillful at it. I must have judged him wrongly when he spoke to us a little rudely in Kannada.
K is unique and adorable, not because of his congenital condition, but for who he is. I felt so sorry for him when we had to prick him to collect blood sample. He was apprehensive with strangers around him, but we failed to reassure him probably because he couldn't comprehend. He was scared and cried. His cry was weak and coarse, there were no tears, but it hurts to see the fear and sadness in his eyes.
K enjoyed banging the railing of the bed against the frame while he was cruising along the bed. He chuckled at the loud sound produced and looked at us, as if he was telling us ''It's fun, you wanna try?'' Even the consultants paused to look and smile at him during the bedside discussion. No one tried to stop him. No one could resist the innocent smile on his face.
I think K does learn things his own way. Someone gave him a phone to play with, he brought it to his ears and started ''talking'' on the phone, smiling all the way. He must have observed the adults doing it. I gave him a keychain with a tiny bear dangling from it and I swing it in front of him. Then he took it from me, swing it also, looked at me and smiled. Later, he went faster and faster, the bear went round and round like riding on a carousel on turbo, and K got even more happy and excited.
However, K did not like measuring tape. I was trying to take record his anthropometry and he got irritated, pulling the tape away from him. Sorry,boy.
No matter what, he is still an angel to everyone.
I hope he will improve.
I hope he will improve.
Monday, June 13, 2011
barefoot
A father brought 2 daughters to the Paediatric Department.
One of the girsl was wearing her school uniform which looks like it has not been washed for years. Crumpled, faded, and dirty.Her yonger sister, who is thalassemic, was also wearing a dress in the similar filthy condition.The first thing that came to my mind was, they must be really poor. Sigh.
However, when I spoke to the father, he appeared to be decently dressed from head to toe.
I took a second look at his daughters. It's obvious that their hygiene, cleanliness are simply neglected.
Since the younger child's haemoglobin is only 3.5 gm%, she needed to be admitted for blood transfusion.
As they were leaving the OPD, I noticed both the girls are not having any shoes on!!
My goodness! How can a father let her daughters walk around in this rainy season without any shoes or slippers on when he himself has a comfortable pair of protection??
Selfish parents.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Deliberate Ignorance
Another month of Rural Posting under Department of Community Medicine.
I've chosen Primary Health Centre in Handignur, an agricultural village 20 km away from Belgaum.
After working there for 3 days, I'm not sure whether to be surprised or not, to realise that those who are in charge of seeing the patients are prescribing medicines rather inadvertently.
We had more than 100 patients in the OPD today.
The pharmacist came to help as well. And she saw patient faster than I did.
I'm not impressed.
Why? Not because of my language barrier I see patient slower.
Because before the patients could finish telling their complaints, she already threw the medications in front of them with instructions given faster than a bullet train, and called for the next patient.
Any old patients with bodyache, joint pain, Tab. Diclofenac BD.
Anyone with pain abdomen, Tab. Dicyclomine.
One patient had a right sided abdominal pain. Before i could ask more, she threw (YES, she threw) the drugs in front of him and sent him off.
I couldn't even call him back because the whole OPD is congested. Patients kept pouring in. And they don't sit down and wait. They crowd around you!
I couldn't even get up from my seat. They just pushed their way through and pressed their OPD slips right in front of you.
I can totally understand that these villagers are illiterate, uneducated, ignorant, and sometimes stubborn.
They come demanding for injections for every single complaint, right from fever to flu to bodyache to cuts.
Most of the times, these injections are not required at all. Instead of explaining to them patiently about their illness, the suitable treatment given and why they do not require injection, those who are working in the OPD just give them an injection, simply a Diclofenac IM, or Cyanocobalamine IM, just to shut them up and send them away.
Yes, i know. They are uneducated. They will never understand.
They think that injection is the miracle treatment.
But if no one ever explain to them, sensitize them, remind them, make them understand, obviously they will never know. It is not something which can be achieved in just one day. It is a long process.
But nobody ever seem to make an attempt.
Blame it on the montly rotation?
Interns work for one month and the following month next batch of intern comes. New faces every month.
Patients try asking for injections again, and also tell you that the previous doctors used to give them injections.
To save the trouble from spending 10 minutes explaining to them, most people choose to ask them to lie down, expose their butts, load the syringe and poke! Easy! Takes hardly 60 seconds.
Even the Boss adopts this approach. He is the only person who has been permanently working at this place. Patients know him, and they trust him. He says "Give injection", what can you say?
Fine. Injections. With safety precautions, risks of infection can be avoided. The drugs given does less harm than advantage to the patients. They are vitamin deficient anyway. It eases their pain, and also acts as a placebo. I shall say nothing.
What about prescribing antibiotics for only 3 days? Reason being, these people won't bother continuing taking their medications after they get slightly better. So why waste medicine.
So, the instruction given is : NOT MORE THAN 6 TABLETS OR CAPSULES SHOULD BE GIVEN.
Instead of Amoxicillin 500mg TID for 5 days, BD 3 days is given.
Well, if patient is not compliant, we can't help it. But at least i think we could have tried explaining to them to create the awareness of completing full course antibiotic.
But when the doctor/pharmacist is the one who prescribe an incomplete course, it is a whole different story. We are the one responsible for causing the emerging and worsening of drug resistance.
I really thank my post graduate who have guided me while i was posted in Khasbag Urban Health Centre last month. She is one doctor whom i look up to. She warned me about Antimicrobial Resistance, which is the theme of 2011 World Health Day. She is one doctor that i see talking to the patients very patiently, telling them every detail of their illness in the simplest way they can understand. She never raises her voice at patients. She definitely makes a good Community Medicine doctor. And I think a good doctor should have these basic qualities.
How i wish i could speak the local language better, so that i can speak to them better.
Though i can manage with my broken Kannada and Hindi, majority of the villagers in Handignur speaks Marathi, as it is close to the Maharasthra border. I need to pick up another language in a short time to make myself useful for this one month. Wonder if it is even possible. But I'll try.
A professor of mine once said, "You don't need to be such a hero, to try save the lives of a hundred people and hurry through all of them, but neglected most of them. All you have to do is give your full attention to that one single patient you are attending to at a time, give him the best you can. That is suffiecient."
I've chosen Primary Health Centre in Handignur, an agricultural village 20 km away from Belgaum.
After working there for 3 days, I'm not sure whether to be surprised or not, to realise that those who are in charge of seeing the patients are prescribing medicines rather inadvertently.
We had more than 100 patients in the OPD today.
The pharmacist came to help as well. And she saw patient faster than I did.
I'm not impressed.
Why? Not because of my language barrier I see patient slower.
Because before the patients could finish telling their complaints, she already threw the medications in front of them with instructions given faster than a bullet train, and called for the next patient.
Any old patients with bodyache, joint pain, Tab. Diclofenac BD.
Anyone with pain abdomen, Tab. Dicyclomine.
One patient had a right sided abdominal pain. Before i could ask more, she threw (YES, she threw) the drugs in front of him and sent him off.
I couldn't even call him back because the whole OPD is congested. Patients kept pouring in. And they don't sit down and wait. They crowd around you!
I couldn't even get up from my seat. They just pushed their way through and pressed their OPD slips right in front of you.
I can totally understand that these villagers are illiterate, uneducated, ignorant, and sometimes stubborn.
They come demanding for injections for every single complaint, right from fever to flu to bodyache to cuts.
Most of the times, these injections are not required at all. Instead of explaining to them patiently about their illness, the suitable treatment given and why they do not require injection, those who are working in the OPD just give them an injection, simply a Diclofenac IM, or Cyanocobalamine IM, just to shut them up and send them away.
Yes, i know. They are uneducated. They will never understand.
They think that injection is the miracle treatment.
But if no one ever explain to them, sensitize them, remind them, make them understand, obviously they will never know. It is not something which can be achieved in just one day. It is a long process.
But nobody ever seem to make an attempt.
Blame it on the montly rotation?
Interns work for one month and the following month next batch of intern comes. New faces every month.
Patients try asking for injections again, and also tell you that the previous doctors used to give them injections.
To save the trouble from spending 10 minutes explaining to them, most people choose to ask them to lie down, expose their butts, load the syringe and poke! Easy! Takes hardly 60 seconds.
Even the Boss adopts this approach. He is the only person who has been permanently working at this place. Patients know him, and they trust him. He says "Give injection", what can you say?
Fine. Injections. With safety precautions, risks of infection can be avoided. The drugs given does less harm than advantage to the patients. They are vitamin deficient anyway. It eases their pain, and also acts as a placebo. I shall say nothing.
What about prescribing antibiotics for only 3 days? Reason being, these people won't bother continuing taking their medications after they get slightly better. So why waste medicine.
So, the instruction given is : NOT MORE THAN 6 TABLETS OR CAPSULES SHOULD BE GIVEN.
Instead of Amoxicillin 500mg TID for 5 days, BD 3 days is given.
Well, if patient is not compliant, we can't help it. But at least i think we could have tried explaining to them to create the awareness of completing full course antibiotic.
But when the doctor/pharmacist is the one who prescribe an incomplete course, it is a whole different story. We are the one responsible for causing the emerging and worsening of drug resistance.
I really thank my post graduate who have guided me while i was posted in Khasbag Urban Health Centre last month. She is one doctor whom i look up to. She warned me about Antimicrobial Resistance, which is the theme of 2011 World Health Day. She is one doctor that i see talking to the patients very patiently, telling them every detail of their illness in the simplest way they can understand. She never raises her voice at patients. She definitely makes a good Community Medicine doctor. And I think a good doctor should have these basic qualities.
How i wish i could speak the local language better, so that i can speak to them better.
Though i can manage with my broken Kannada and Hindi, majority of the villagers in Handignur speaks Marathi, as it is close to the Maharasthra border. I need to pick up another language in a short time to make myself useful for this one month. Wonder if it is even possible. But I'll try.
A professor of mine once said, "You don't need to be such a hero, to try save the lives of a hundred people and hurry through all of them, but neglected most of them. All you have to do is give your full attention to that one single patient you are attending to at a time, give him the best you can. That is suffiecient."
Negligence
Was posted to Under Five Clinic.
My job is to weigh the kids, measure their heights, plot their growth charts, ask about their diet, schedule them for immunization, ask their parents if their child is ill.
Easy job. Stress free.
Senior doctors are also there, to manage more complicated cases, which is however, hardly any.
The first child of the day came. 14-month-old. I weighed him and checked his records. His weight has been been same in his last 4 visits (months). 9kg.
I thought, something must be wrong with the bathroom weighing scale. I set it to zero and weighed again. Same. I put him on the infant weighing scale instead. It showed 8.5 kg.
Whether is it 8.5 or 9, he is definitely underweight. He should be weighing at least 11 or 12 kg. On top of that, his growth curve on the chart has been plateauing since the past 4 months. This is the earliest sign of malnutrition.
I tried to ask the mother about the childs diet, eating pattern, so that I could advice further. I was attempting with my super broken kannada. She couldn't understand me. I tried my hindi, she knows only kannada.
Feeling useless, I seek help from the community medicine postgraduate, who was posted together with me. He looked at the chart, and said, "It's ok. Nothing serious." And he sent both of them off and continue reading his newspaper.
I told him again, "Sir, his weight has not been increasing for 4 months.".
He got a little irritated, "Ya ya, it's ok."
I could do nothing. I was thinking to myself, 'Are you kidding me? What's the point of running an Under-5 Clinic, if you could detect malnutrition at the earliest but do nothing about it, just because you are to lazy to do the already very easy job.
We know many of them are uneducated, or unaware about their children's growth adequacy, nutrition, hygiene, etc. To prevent severe malnutrition which are not treated in its early stage, we do primary prevention, i.e. Growth monitoring. Even health workers are trained to pick up this skill. It is anyway nothing difficult. This it's the main aim of Under-5 clinic, Anganwadis, to tackle this problem at the so-called 'grassroot level'.
But when a qualified doctor, a soon-to-be community medicine specialist, who is sitting in a tertiary hospital, does not bother about spending a little extra time and effort to look into one child's nourishment, do you think others, especially those posted to the rural areas, won't have such similar attitude.
I feel bad for the parents who are willing to bring their children, monthly, for growth monitoring, but not only they are not told about the problem they will be facing, the doctors in whom they trust don't give a damn about them.
How do they expect improvements in healthcare when the attitude of the healthcare provider is so disappointing?
My job is to weigh the kids, measure their heights, plot their growth charts, ask about their diet, schedule them for immunization, ask their parents if their child is ill.
Easy job. Stress free.
Senior doctors are also there, to manage more complicated cases, which is however, hardly any.
The first child of the day came. 14-month-old. I weighed him and checked his records. His weight has been been same in his last 4 visits (months). 9kg.
I thought, something must be wrong with the bathroom weighing scale. I set it to zero and weighed again. Same. I put him on the infant weighing scale instead. It showed 8.5 kg.
Whether is it 8.5 or 9, he is definitely underweight. He should be weighing at least 11 or 12 kg. On top of that, his growth curve on the chart has been plateauing since the past 4 months. This is the earliest sign of malnutrition.
I tried to ask the mother about the childs diet, eating pattern, so that I could advice further. I was attempting with my super broken kannada. She couldn't understand me. I tried my hindi, she knows only kannada.
Feeling useless, I seek help from the community medicine postgraduate, who was posted together with me. He looked at the chart, and said, "It's ok. Nothing serious." And he sent both of them off and continue reading his newspaper.
I told him again, "Sir, his weight has not been increasing for 4 months.".
He got a little irritated, "Ya ya, it's ok."
I could do nothing. I was thinking to myself, 'Are you kidding me? What's the point of running an Under-5 Clinic, if you could detect malnutrition at the earliest but do nothing about it, just because you are to lazy to do the already very easy job.
We know many of them are uneducated, or unaware about their children's growth adequacy, nutrition, hygiene, etc. To prevent severe malnutrition which are not treated in its early stage, we do primary prevention, i.e. Growth monitoring. Even health workers are trained to pick up this skill. It is anyway nothing difficult. This it's the main aim of Under-5 clinic, Anganwadis, to tackle this problem at the so-called 'grassroot level'.
But when a qualified doctor, a soon-to-be community medicine specialist, who is sitting in a tertiary hospital, does not bother about spending a little extra time and effort to look into one child's nourishment, do you think others, especially those posted to the rural areas, won't have such similar attitude.
I feel bad for the parents who are willing to bring their children, monthly, for growth monitoring, but not only they are not told about the problem they will be facing, the doctors in whom they trust don't give a damn about them.
How do they expect improvements in healthcare when the attitude of the healthcare provider is so disappointing?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
PINK150
I didn't notice the '40% off' signboard...
When I went to the cashier, it showed rs150 on the teller...
Wow... I was extremely happy... first of all, I'm happy enough to find a pink umbrella, that too a soft pink and not electric pink... and to pay only rs150 for such a good quality umbrella with uv coating, it is definitely the best deal !!
I shall call it 'PINK150'...
PINK150, you made my day!
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Dear Japan, hang in there!
The day after tsunami hit Japan, I was having breakfast in Eefa. Sitting at the table next to us were a man in his sixties and two other women. I did not pay much attention to them.
While they were leaving the man approached us and said something which I couldn't hear properly. The first thing that came to my mind was, this man must be asking if we are from Thailand or Korea and what are we doing in Belgaum. (Incidence like this happens frequently ever since I set foot in India 4.5years back. It irritates me.)
So, I gave him this blank stare, which I myself know very well that it's rude.
After a few seconds I realized that he was asking if we are Japanese, how are our relatives back home, and if they are badly affected.
I was shocked. This old man actually cares and concerns about the Japanese after learning about the mishap from the news. We told him we are Malaysians. And he expressed his sympathy for the tsunami victims.
I felt bad. I'm sorry to judge him.
For the first time, I felt love and kindness, in India. Especially when everyone is busy celebrating the World Kannada Formation Day, flooding the town just to see Aishwarya Rai, blasting music at wee hours; when many who are involved in the medical field shows no empathy to patients but thinks only for themselves, blinded by success and luxury, when nobody gives a damn about others unless they need help, a thought like this really made me feel warmth.
I really wanted to thank him on behalf of the Japanese.
Even when the majority do not seem to care, a single soul who shows his concern and support is worth more than anything.
For those who are struggling to survive, or those who are overcoming the grief of losing their loved ones and their homes, stay strong! Ganbatte!
While they were leaving the man approached us and said something which I couldn't hear properly. The first thing that came to my mind was, this man must be asking if we are from Thailand or Korea and what are we doing in Belgaum. (Incidence like this happens frequently ever since I set foot in India 4.5years back. It irritates me.)
So, I gave him this blank stare, which I myself know very well that it's rude.
After a few seconds I realized that he was asking if we are Japanese, how are our relatives back home, and if they are badly affected.
I was shocked. This old man actually cares and concerns about the Japanese after learning about the mishap from the news. We told him we are Malaysians. And he expressed his sympathy for the tsunami victims.
I felt bad. I'm sorry to judge him.
For the first time, I felt love and kindness, in India. Especially when everyone is busy celebrating the World Kannada Formation Day, flooding the town just to see Aishwarya Rai, blasting music at wee hours; when many who are involved in the medical field shows no empathy to patients but thinks only for themselves, blinded by success and luxury, when nobody gives a damn about others unless they need help, a thought like this really made me feel warmth.
I really wanted to thank him on behalf of the Japanese.
Even when the majority do not seem to care, a single soul who shows his concern and support is worth more than anything.
For those who are struggling to survive, or those who are overcoming the grief of losing their loved ones and their homes, stay strong! Ganbatte!
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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
first post for 2009
happy 2009...
i know im a little late...
hahaha...
eggie has been complaining that im not udpating my blog...perhaps u miss me really much right eggie...
m supposed to continue my post bout mungod...
but doesnt matter..this is a special post by request from eggie...
thanks for the phone call from indonesia... i got so excited lah... i know phone was lagging but i cant help shouting...haha...sorry... haha... feel so warm to hear ur voices...good old terrence sounded the same...haha...
my last theory paper was alright... i think im lucky enough coz things that i din have to revise were not asked.. .hehehehe...
din really celebrate my birthday... frens came to my room at 9:30pm 15/2 (malaysian time 16/2 00:00) with cakes n sing song...blow candles...the usual custom that we do here...just casually had dinner with few friends... nth much to do here in belgaum also... but it was just a simple birthday... which is exactly what i want... n im satisfied :)
but the only thing tat doesnt quite make me happy is... i've aged... i'm getting older... 22 seems like a big number... hehehehe...
alright eggie i'l post after my exams lah k... be patient...
tara~!
i know im a little late...
hahaha...
eggie has been complaining that im not udpating my blog...perhaps u miss me really much right eggie...
m supposed to continue my post bout mungod...
but doesnt matter..this is a special post by request from eggie...
thanks for the phone call from indonesia... i got so excited lah... i know phone was lagging but i cant help shouting...haha...sorry... haha... feel so warm to hear ur voices...good old terrence sounded the same...haha...
my last theory paper was alright... i think im lucky enough coz things that i din have to revise were not asked.. .hehehehe...
din really celebrate my birthday... frens came to my room at 9:30pm 15/2 (malaysian time 16/2 00:00) with cakes n sing song...blow candles...the usual custom that we do here...just casually had dinner with few friends... nth much to do here in belgaum also... but it was just a simple birthday... which is exactly what i want... n im satisfied :)
but the only thing tat doesnt quite make me happy is... i've aged... i'm getting older... 22 seems like a big number... hehehehe...
alright eggie i'l post after my exams lah k... be patient...
tara~!
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Hidden Heaven of the Tibetans - Mundgod
Mundgod, also known as Mini Tibet, is located at the suburbs of Karnataka, with the most number of Tibetans out of all the Tibetan settlement all over the world. Looking at the outstretched lush greeneries on both the sides of the highway, one will not expect a small town to be hidden amongst the greens. There lives the Tibetans for the past 40 years in Doeguling Tibetan Refugee Settlement.I have been wanting to go to Mundgod since last year when I found out about this place from a mandarin speaking Tibetan monk who got admitted in the Surgery Ward. Finally, we made a trip there yesterday. 9 of us. It took 2 and a half hours to reach.
We first visited the newly built Drepung Loseling Monastery, which was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in January this year. My Tibetan friend invited me to attend the inauguration but too bad i went back to Malaysia. The monastery simply looks majestic, with red pillars and a very large shrine hall. There are statues of different god and goddess in the shrine hall, with Lord Buddha sitting in the middle. We offered white robes (Khata offering). The robe is then placed in front of a cardboard model of Dalai Lama on his throne. (I'm not sure if we are offering it to him or to Lord Buddha. But I guess as long as there's sincerity in the heart, what makes the difference?)
We then went for lunch in Lama Society Restaurant. They served Indian food. Was expecting Tibetan food, but my senior who came for the 4th time said they serve beef and we all don't eat beef. And so happen that the veg dumpling stall is closed. As all of us were hungry, we didn't really mind it. Everyone got excited to see chopsticks on the table. I guess, eventhough some of us don't know how to hold chopsticks properly, but seeing something like this just make us feel at home. And the menu is written in Tibetan Language. Cool huh...
There, we met a very helpful lama who could speak fluent mandarin. He came from Sichuan and has been here for almost a decade. He helped us order food and my senior started chatting with him. I was interested in their conversation, but I'm not sure if i could join them as I presume Tibetans are conservative and the females shouldn't talk too much. So i could only eavesdrop. Thanks to my senior for being extremely sociable and managed to make friend with anyone in just 1 minute. It turned out that this lama became our tour guide, showed us 2 very important places, where a normal tourist wouldn't have a chance to visit.After lunch we headed to Gaden Jangtse Theosam Norling Monastery. The sky looked extremely beautiful. The shrine hall and the statues looked almost similar to the previous monastery. Later I realized that in fact they are all similar. All monasteries have the symbolic thing on the roof -- 2 deers (i think) and a wheel. (I haven't had time to find out about this, sorry if i give wrong info)
The lama then took us to a house, which was where an old lama used to stay previously. This house is now frequent by many pilgrims. Why so? It is said that this lama is clinically declared dead but his mind is still in a meditative state. The surprising thing is there is no sign of decomposition until his meditative state has ceased, which was 3 weeks later. Samadhi is the word they used to describe it. They have now put him in a big wooden squarish box which i assume he is in a sitting position inside.We paid tribute to him and sat down in the house to listen to another English speaking lama tell us more about this lama and Mundgod. Didn't snap any pics here. I don't think we should.Our 'tour guide' lama was still with us. My senior was again talking to him. I sat beside him to listen to what he says. He kept saying that his mandarin isn't so good. But i personally thinks that his mandarin is good. Good enough to convey his thoughts. It was just a casual talk but I gained a lot from it. And I would say it was my most pleasurable moment in this trip.Will write about it more in my next post.
The last destination is Drepung Gomang Monastic University. There is also a big shrine hall, basically it is also like all other monastery. On the top floor is H.H. Dalai Lama's room and his conference room. We managed to enter and look around. Thanks to our 'tour guide' lama. We were told that there is a room for him in every monastery. For him to stay whenever he comes. (But so far, he has only been to Mundgod twice. Once in 1995 and once in 2008.)
This trip wasn't anything exciting or adventurous. It was simply pleasant. Just pleasant. Being there makes you feel calm, no burden, no troubles. The streets are not busy,no litter, no paan, no spitted sputum lying aroun like what we get in Belgaum. There are not many vehicles. You will only see many monks dressed in their traditional maroon-coloured robes on the streets, whether young or old. Perhaps another factor is the faces. Majority are tibetans. We all look-alike. So we don't feel like we are in a foreign place at all.
I'll definitely go back again. I will.Monday, October 06, 2008
Hari Raya Open House - part 2
shabbi, priyanka and me
prisy and priyanka
abhishek bachan lookalike and me
my batchmates
all the guests
my chinese juniors
some of the many girlsHari Raya Open House
the best dress for male is won my avinash nair
this is us with the female best dressed- datin prisaana ramakrishnan
girls
meSunday, October 05, 2008
The Making of 'Erin and her Cheongsam'
On the invitation card, one of the events scheduled was ‘Best Dress’.
I guess everyone is attracted to this, especially the girls. Or should I say only the girls.
All planning of what traditional dress to wear, cracking their head, went shopping for material, hunting for tailors who are willing to make baju kebaya or baju kurung.
As for me, hmmm…
I’m not sure if I’m excited over the ‘Best Dress’ thing…i guess not... but I simply got excited, simply want to join the fun and dress up a little. Wanted to wear kebaya, but I left my saree material back home, so I din want to get another new material. Didn’t have baju kurung also.
So, my final decision is…. ‘Cheongsam’!
(Must portray the beauty and elegance of this traditional dress of the Chinese culture maa… cannot bring disgrace to the ancient Chinese culture)
So, basically…all I need to do is to make sure that there’s no excessive unnecessary adipose spare tyre…But I only have 1 week’s time…Gosh!
I don’t remember when i started it. I didn’t really plan it out. And I know the way I ‘diet’ is really unhealthy.
But I didn’t diet till pengsan loh…thank god... still fit and energetic and conscious.
Had 1 episode of hyperacidity. I could feel some burning sensation in the stomach and oesophagus. Relfux? GERD? Immediately ran to café and ate something right after class. Damn scared. Sometimes experience postural giddiness/ hypotension. And that’s when I know I shouldn’t go on like this anymore.
Meanwhile, my evil friends sabotage my plan… keep tempting me with food… ask me to go dinner with them and make me be their DBKL like how I always do. Looking at the food, being their so-called growing child who requires adequate nutrition, always eating double the portion of what a guy eats.. haih… I gave in lah… but not during yesterday’s dinner! I can’t let my effort all this while go down the drain. I have to disclose something private and confidential here. My stomach has quite a big capacity. And each time after eating a proper meal, it will enlarge to the size of gravid ‘tummy’, like a pregnant woman, with a fundal height of 36 weeks. I’m not kidding!
Stay tuned…
Monday, September 22, 2008
重新上路！！
每个人 都有脑袋。
每个人 都会思考。
但为何我的脑袋比任何人的思考那么多？
惹来一大堆的烦恼。
哎~ 可笑吧？
没关系，反正现在把心情整理好咯！
超开心的！
不再想那么多了！
或许也因为有人给了定心丸，
现在
信心十足、精神饱满的我，
要上路咯！
每个人 都会思考。
但为何我的脑袋比任何人的思考那么多？
惹来一大堆的烦恼。
哎~ 可笑吧？
没关系，反正现在把心情整理好咯！
超开心的！
不再想那么多了！
或许也因为有人给了定心丸，
现在
信心十足、精神饱满的我，
要上路咯！
Saturday, September 13, 2008
moon no cake
It’s mooncake festival tomorrow…
No special plans, its just another Sunday for me…
I don’t mind at all…
But I have no mooncakes to eat…
But this is the first time I have no mooncakes to eat… (sob)
I still remember, during the first mooncake festival I celebrated in India 2 years back, I called up all my ah gong ah ma uncle aunty to wish them.
Everyone might be thinking that it was just another mooncake festival, no big deal, but for me, and for the first time, I was counting down the days and was listing down the ppl whom I wanna call.
It was a big thing for me… it was a bigger thing when I started crying when my ah ma ask me if I was taking good care of myself.
My friends and I manage to bring some mooncakes before we left
But it was sufficient... we even drank chinese tea (brought from home)…
It brought lanterns also…lit them up last year…but this year a bit lazy… all I want is MOONCAKE…!!!!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
im a ''proud'' malaysian
microbiology viva...
"good morning ma'am."
"good morning...where are u from?"
"ma'am, malaysia."
"originally from malaysia?"
"err no ma'am...my ancestors are from china..."
"ok...so tell me about the infectious diseases which are seen in malaysia.."
"..... errrr ..... ermmm.... tuberculosis?! err...not so common...but in rural places... (crap crap crap)"
"OK so tell be about tuberculosis!"
aaaahhhh!!!! so dead..
ok i know about tuberculosis...
but i dunno my country!!
n i have to serve my country in the future...
yeah i know this is bad....
i did think about knowing the epidemiological diseases in malaysia.... t
hought of finding out n read more after my exams...
but i didnt expect her to ask about it in my viva lah....
hope she doesnt know i gave the wrong answer lah...
but she's one smart associate professor...hmmm... is it possible that she doesnt know?
arghhh...
shame!! shame!!!
=(
"good morning ma'am."
"good morning...where are u from?"
"ma'am, malaysia."
"originally from malaysia?"
"err no ma'am...my ancestors are from china..."
"ok...so tell me about the infectious diseases which are seen in malaysia.."
"..... errrr ..... ermmm.... tuberculosis?! err...not so common...but in rural places... (crap crap crap)"
"OK so tell be about tuberculosis!"
aaaahhhh!!!! so dead..
ok i know about tuberculosis...
but i dunno my country!!
n i have to serve my country in the future...
yeah i know this is bad....
i did think about knowing the epidemiological diseases in malaysia.... t
hought of finding out n read more after my exams...
but i didnt expect her to ask about it in my viva lah....
hope she doesnt know i gave the wrong answer lah...
but she's one smart associate professor...hmmm... is it possible that she doesnt know?
arghhh...
shame!! shame!!!
=(
Saturday, August 23, 2008
nice uncle
was rushing through my forensic medicine notes when my study table light started blinking...then it got back to normal...n blinked again after a long time..
i thought something was wrong with the electricity...not bothered..
when i came back to the room after my exam, my study table was like disco lah..the light was blinking non stop...hahaha..
it was past 5pm..went to search for the hostel electrician but he was no where to be seen..nevermind lah..
one more subject to go, i had to sit on my bed to study to get proper lighting...cant be studying in dark as my eyesights are almost gone..
after my last paper today...came back...hunt for the electrician...
then he came...standing at the door smiling...hehe...
he told me to write a letter of application (leceh procedure... to fix the light also must write love letter to the warden)..then he started checking..then replaced with a new tube or starter...(forgot to ask him wut was wrong)...
then he was searching for the transparent shield that covers the light..hehe..i took it out long time ago n was on top of the cupboard...filled with dust...paiseh lah..told him i'l fix it myself coz its dirty...
uncle so nice la..he say come come i wash for u... aaah? no need gua..u good enough to come fix the light d...
so he went to wash in the kitchen..wash with soap n scrub sumore lah... took longer than my dish-washing time...
then he dry it...then he fixed it...
then i saw screwdriver sticking out from his pocket..wanted to borrow to fix 2 screws jutting out from my rack... he asked me wut i want to do with it..i show him the screws..and he fix them for me also lah..!!!
because of communication problem..all i could say was..thank u bhaia...thank u..hehehe..thank u...
he also kept saying welcome madam...welcome...hehe..
oh..n i remembered..he fixed my bicycle reflector long time ago...i only asked him if he has the 'nut' to replace the missing one.. n he fixed the whole thing for me..hahaha..
nice uncle...simple humble helpful polite responsible efficient..
the maids in the hostel should learn from him, rather than sitting n chit chatting whole day..
or maybe... everyone should be like him...hehe..
i also muz learn from him n not always be a fighter cock...despite having language problem here...muahahaha!!!!
i thought something was wrong with the electricity...not bothered..
when i came back to the room after my exam, my study table was like disco lah..the light was blinking non stop...hahaha..
it was past 5pm..went to search for the hostel electrician but he was no where to be seen..nevermind lah..
one more subject to go, i had to sit on my bed to study to get proper lighting...cant be studying in dark as my eyesights are almost gone..
after my last paper today...came back...hunt for the electrician...
then he came...standing at the door smiling...hehe...
he told me to write a letter of application (leceh procedure... to fix the light also must write love letter to the warden)..then he started checking..then replaced with a new tube or starter...(forgot to ask him wut was wrong)...
then he was searching for the transparent shield that covers the light..hehe..i took it out long time ago n was on top of the cupboard...filled with dust...paiseh lah..told him i'l fix it myself coz its dirty...
uncle so nice la..he say come come i wash for u... aaah? no need gua..u good enough to come fix the light d...
so he went to wash in the kitchen..wash with soap n scrub sumore lah... took longer than my dish-washing time...
then he dry it...then he fixed it...
then i saw screwdriver sticking out from his pocket..wanted to borrow to fix 2 screws jutting out from my rack... he asked me wut i want to do with it..i show him the screws..and he fix them for me also lah..!!!
because of communication problem..all i could say was..thank u bhaia...thank u..hehehe..thank u...
he also kept saying welcome madam...welcome...hehe..
oh..n i remembered..he fixed my bicycle reflector long time ago...i only asked him if he has the 'nut' to replace the missing one.. n he fixed the whole thing for me..hahaha..
nice uncle...simple humble helpful polite responsible efficient..
the maids in the hostel should learn from him, rather than sitting n chit chatting whole day..
or maybe... everyone should be like him...hehe..
i also muz learn from him n not always be a fighter cock...despite having language problem here...muahahaha!!!!
Sunday, August 03, 2008
what should i say?
it was Saturday afternoon. longing for this last class to get over by 4pm.
using the antique over head projector, Madam was changing the yellowish transparency one after another, explaining meanwhile.
students were copying down the notes, or reading other stuff under the table, or dozing off with eyes wide open, or playing games with their mobile phones.
suddenly...
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? SLEEPING? GET UP!! YOU !! YES YOU!! SLEEPING?? GO OUT!!"
blur-looking boy got up...mumbled something like "no ma'am i wasnt"..
"birthday boy!! ~haaappy birthdaaay to yooouuuu~..hahahahaaaaa..."
"WHAT? *BUTTER*DAY? I DONT CARE..I KNOW YOU ARE SLEEPING. GET OUT!! AND YOU! YES THE ONE BEHIND! YOU ARE ALSO SLEEPING? GET OUT!!"
"no ma'am...i wasnt sleeping.."
"GET OUT!!"
"no ma'am...(explanation and explanation)"
"GET OUT!!"
"oh no birthday boy...~~happy birthday to you~~waaakaaakaaaa....muuaaahhaaaahaaaa... "
*Killer Stare ALERT!!* Madam switched off the OHP, grabbed her transparencies and stomped off. upon reaching the door, she turned. *Higher Voltage Stare ALERT*
"ALL OF YOU WILL BE MARKED ABSENT FOR 2 CLASSES!!"
class shouted : "NO MA'AM..PLS MA'AM...SORRY MA'AM....hahahahahahaha"
immediately the lecture hall turned into a fish market...guys cheering for their victory upon defeating their target...girls complaining about their innocence and for losing their attendance..
someone came trotting down the hall towards the door...it was the class representative...
class remained a fish market...
10 minutes later, class rep came back and told everyone off, giving warning to those who created the havoc.
So, class ended early. indeed.
everyone happy?
me? hahaha..whatever...
i hurried back to hostel before it started pouring...
using the antique over head projector, Madam was changing the yellowish transparency one after another, explaining meanwhile.
students were copying down the notes, or reading other stuff under the table, or dozing off with eyes wide open, or playing games with their mobile phones.
suddenly...
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? SLEEPING? GET UP!! YOU !! YES YOU!! SLEEPING?? GO OUT!!"
blur-looking boy got up...mumbled something like "no ma'am i wasnt"..
"birthday boy!! ~haaappy birthdaaay to yooouuuu~..hahahahaaaaa..."
"WHAT? *BUTTER*DAY? I DONT CARE..I KNOW YOU ARE SLEEPING. GET OUT!! AND YOU! YES THE ONE BEHIND! YOU ARE ALSO SLEEPING? GET OUT!!"
"no ma'am...i wasnt sleeping.."
"GET OUT!!"
"no ma'am...(explanation and explanation)"
"GET OUT!!"
"oh no birthday boy...~~happy birthday to you~~waaakaaakaaaa....muuaaahhaaaahaaaa... "
*Killer Stare ALERT!!* Madam switched off the OHP, grabbed her transparencies and stomped off. upon reaching the door, she turned. *Higher Voltage Stare ALERT*
"ALL OF YOU WILL BE MARKED ABSENT FOR 2 CLASSES!!"
class shouted : "NO MA'AM..PLS MA'AM...SORRY MA'AM....hahahahahahaha"
immediately the lecture hall turned into a fish market...guys cheering for their victory upon defeating their target...girls complaining about their innocence and for losing their attendance..
someone came trotting down the hall towards the door...it was the class representative...
class remained a fish market...
10 minutes later, class rep came back and told everyone off, giving warning to those who created the havoc.
So, class ended early. indeed.
everyone happy?
me? hahaha..whatever...
i hurried back to hostel before it started pouring...
Friday, July 25, 2008
不能输给压力！
考试要到了，许多人都开始紧张了。
也许我不想承认，不过我好像也是啦。
我知道这样很不好，
所以拼命提醒自己要平静心情。
还得一直鼓励自己，给自己很多很多的力量！
最近怎么搞的？
想煮粥就会放太少水，结果煮成饭。
不管了，饿了就吞。
想煮饭，也会变成粥。
有得吃就吃，没时间埋怨。
最近，身边的人的怪脾气，
都因为考试压力的缘故，
一一显露出来了。
我希望我不是这样，
也希望他们不要这样。
要天天对自己微笑，
保持好心情！
加油加油！！
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