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First entry of 2007

It is ten days overdue, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just a quick note. Apologies for being quiet lately. Am in the midst of preparation for the final exams. Written exam on 22nd Jan, and then OSCE exams (that's practical exams to you) 5th-7th February.

And on February 10th, I'm flying home!!

So you won't hear much from me until then. After that date, if you still don't hear anything, it is safe to assume any of the statements below :

a) I totally burned out that I didn't even make it to the final exams.

b) Due to my ghastly performance I arrested (cardiac, respiratory, whatever)

c) Exams went fine, and I'm celebrating my brains out

Jokes aside, please pray that everything goes well for me. This is my final hurdle in med school, and I have to do justice to all the taxpayers' money.

Oh yeah, have a good year, everyone!

Howdy.

Had the best Christmas break ever.

Now I've to strap myself to the chair and revise like there's no tomorrow.

No space for teh tarik

I don't know if you can read that. I almost can't.

Read the article here.

Well, well, well.

We DO have decent experiments to perform in space

No, I'm not going to say "I knew that...they can't be REALLY playing batu seremban and making teh tarik.."

My uncle mentioned in his blog about the dangers of light-hearted statements made in jest being misquoted by the press.

The person who made the statement may well had been misquoted. I do hope, for everyone's sake, that this was the case. Being misquoted is one thing, but I guess one's got to be careful not to make such comments in the first place. Look at how ridiculous we looked in the eyes of foreigners.

Let's see what happens...

Confidentiality issues

I started my 2-week GP rotation last Monday.

It's been a good experience so far, the GPs are excellent teachers. I have, however, ruled out general practice as a career option (reasons why will be discussed another time).

Anyway, as I was entering the consultation room today (yesterday actually, since it's already Saturday), I bumped into a friend, who's also a medical student in my year. She was a patient registered under the GP surgery, and I guess she came in for a consultation.

When I went back home later in the day I mentioned to another friend that I saw so-and-so at the surgery. Only just a few moments ago I realized I've breached confidentiality; revealing a patient to another.

Every patient has a right to confidentiality. This includes his/her identity and anything discussed during a consultation. Health professionals have the duty to protect this and reveal to no one except those involved in the patient's care. This responsibility holds true even after the patient's death. Only in certain circumstances can the patient's information be revealed, e.g. if required by law or if the patient can potentially cause harm to another (e.g. when an HIV-positive patient refuses to inform partner of HIV status, and doesn't practice safe sex).

If the patient-doctor relationship is strictly professional, I guess it is easier to maintain confidentiality, by virtue of the fact that when the doctor leaves his office at the end of the day, he leaves his work behind. When the patient is also a friend, and known to others in one's social circle, all it takes is a slip of the tongue to reveal all.

Back to the friend I saw yesterday. You might think it's not that big a deal, since the only thing happened was that I met her in the corridor. It's not like I was present for the consultation or anything. But it IS a huge issue. She has the right to remain unknown.

The reason why I'm relating this story is to remind myself, as well as some of you who, like me, will become doctors soon, God willing. Better make mistakes now than later. Despite my occasional self-deprecating remarks about being a lousy medical student, I DO plan to become a good doctor. Borrowing Aunt Eller's line from Oklahoma! : I don't say I'm no better than anybody else, but I'll be damned if I ain't just as good.

Kamus NOGORI

Got this from Aniz, my childhood friend.

Although I claim myself a Negeri Sembilan girl through-and-through (I was born in Terengganu, but it wasn't my fault my dad was posted there), I have to confess my loghat nogori is abysmal. Oh, I can talk basic nogori, we often crack jokes using the dialect at home. But I can't talk the proper version of it. That's why I won't even attempt to write anything here in nogori, takut kena buang daerah hehe.

Neways, you Negeri Sembilan people out there, how extensive is your vocabulary? Below are over 60 words. I know 25, so I guess it's not that bad. How about you?

Enjoy

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

KAMUS NOGORI

1) ANGEK..............hangat, loghat

hangat

- angek boto badan budak ni, domam, gek eh!

2) AMBA...............tak ada rasa, tawar

- Apo lak amba yo gulai ikan semilang kau ni timah!

3) ANGKEK.............angkat, loghat angkat

- piah, tolong angkek air lam baldi tu....

4) ANCUK...............copulate, lucah ni

- beghancuk yo kojo eh budak ni

5) AGEH.................sejenis ulat agas, loghat agas

- ghumah onyang ni banyak na ageh, maleh la nak tido

6) SUKI = cukup

- ayam tu kalau suki makan eh..sihat la dehhh

7) GHOSAN = basi

- lauk ayam nia kok buh dlm poti sojuk..tahan la deh. kok bia

yo kek luar..ghosannn deh

8)MELANGSIT = tido yg bersungguh

- ekau ni kan, melangsit yo kojo kau. cubo la poie motong gotah

9) SENUGHEH : senonoh

- ekau ni tak senugheh boto lah. den lompang kang!

10) CHEMAT = rotan

- budak dogey ni cemat yo hukum eh. tak mau di koba org..

11) BOGIK = dogei mak amek

12) HOBIN - ho-bin : pukul atau belasah

ekau hobin yo muko dio tuh!

13) KITAI - ki-tai : mengibas atau merenjis (badan dan selalu nya utk kucing)

kucing tuh lopeh dimandi an memang gomar mengitai an badan eh

14) PELAIH- pe-la-ih : endah atau amik tau

bukan dio nak pelaih an apo yg den cakap!

15) TETOYEK - te-to-yek : mcm lebihan terutama bg rendang

banyak boto tetoyek ghondang nie

15) GHEMAH - ghe-mah : saki baki nasi yg bertaburan lps makan

apo la makan cam tuh... bersepah ghemah

16) ONTOK-ONTOK : diam-diam

heh, duduk lah ontok-ontok sikit

17) MENDODA - men-do-da : terlalu kuat

sampai mendoda bunyi eh dio bukak lagu tuh!

18) LELAN - le-lan : cuai

lain kali bawak keto, jgnlah lelan... bahayo

19) MENTENENG - men-te-neng : besar, boroi etc

menteneng poghot dan lopeh makan lomang nie

20) DODAT - do-dat : minum terus tanpa cawan

jangan lah dodat air tuh camtuh, amik lah cawan, karang ado org lain nak

minam!

21) BELOBAU- be-lo-bau : terjatuh

jangan ditolak kucing tu, belobau dlm kolam tuh karang!

22) KECENG - ke-ceng : kenyit

apolah terkeceng-keceng mato tuh

23) AMEK - sangat

Kau jangan bawak motor tu laju-laju amek jang, kang kok terjungkang kek

topi somak tu kang.

24) TONAR - kedengaran sangat kuat

Mak oi, kuek bonar budak tu menangih tonar sekampong.

25) LUNYAH - dipijak-pijak

Abih tompek tidur den di lunyah dek bebudak ni

26) TEBOK - tanduk

Semalam atuk den di tebok kek kobau nasib baik tak apo-apo

27) POLAK - rimas...

polak eh la pulak...ekau kipeh den sokojap../ polak tolingo den dongar

bebel kau ni..apo mulut kau tak bulih diam ko

28) BEJEOH (be-je-oh) = untung besar

Kalau dapek duit pelanting, bejeoh den.... hehehee......

29) PORUN (po-run) = bakar semak-samun/sampah-sarap

lopeh tobeh somak tu tolong porun sekali biar torang, nanti sonang nak

tanam apo-apo.

30) CENEKEL (ce-ne-kel) = tipu/ngelat

ekau main cenekel patutlah kau buleh monang

31) HONGEH ~ ho-ngeh - mengah/keletihan

"den tongah hongeh ni sobab baghu lopeh dikojar dek lombu garang"

32) HONGAP ~ ho-ngap - nafas

"hongap kau ni bebau rokok"

33) NGICAK ~ ngi-cak = minta

"tak habih2 budak ni nak ngicak kueh den yo kojo eh"

34) KELOKAIAN ~ ko-lo-ka-ian = habiskan

"mano ado tinggal laie, habih dikolokaian eh kek budak ni"

35) NONGGOK = duduk, tinggal

"ekau nonggok mano sokarang"

36) PEMONGAK = pe-mo-ngak = pembohong

"usah kau pecayo cakap2 eh tu, pemongak nak mampuih"

37) NGENDENG ngen-deng = mendekati seseorang untuk dapat sesuatu

"apo kau buek ngendeng yo ni jang, nak apo laie?"

38) SEJOGHENG se-jo-gheh = secebis

"ado ko patut dibori eh den sejogheng yo, padohal banyak laie tu

hah..."

39) MENYONGOK = me-nyo-ngok/menjongok men-jo-ngok = menziarah

"aghi rayo aghi tu den balik kampong menyongok gf den...hehehe...."

40) KECEK = ke-cek = minta dgn muka kesian

"cubo kau kecek ado laie tu...."

41) BEGHAMUK = be-gha-muk = bergaduh

"apo dibuek eh kek bobudak ni, beghamuk yo kojo eh"

42) DOGHEH = do-ngeh/dedogheh de-do-ngeh= cepat

"jalan lah dogheh/dedogheh, agi dah nak malam ni"

43) BONGKAR = bong-kar = bangun

bongkar la copek..dah subuh

44) MENTOKODAGHAH - men-to-ko-da-ghah = makan

kuek amek mentokodaghah ko ni milah..abih duit den

45) POLOSER - po-lo-ser = pemalas

poloser amek ko ni jang

46) POLOSIT - po-lo-sit = jahat

Huh anak si Jang katek tu, polosit sungguh, mencurik ajo kojoeh.

47) BOSOLUMAK - bo-su-lu-mak = comot

humang aiii!!.......bosulumak boto mulut kau lopeh makan aiskrim tue

48) JEWAT - je-wat : capai

lupo lak eden nak jewat baju tido tuh tadih

49) METENG - me-teng /peteng - pe-teng - perati

apo yang dok peteng tuh jang.. berio bonar lak nampak eh.

50) TITIEK - ti-tiek / TALO- ta-lo = rotan

Ekao nak kono titiek tak ngan abah kao?"

Bang talo sikit Bidin tu, dogee bonar pulak dio

51) OCUP - o-cup = tenggelam

jangan mandi kek lubuk tu ocup kang

52) BUNGKO - bung-ko = bingai/bengap

apo bungko bona si acai ni, den dah koba bokali-kali masih tak faham2 laie

53) BENGOT - be-ngot = herot

bengot mulut kau konon kono mato kail tu

54) BOLENG - bo-leng = bogel

ajis jangan mandi boleng kono sekodeng dek anep kang

55) MOH DOREH - moh-do-reh = mari cepat

moh doreh kito poie beghayo ko ghumah tok imam

54) GODANG - go-dang = besar

godang eh lubang hidung kau

55) GOLO- go-lo = parah/susah

alahai kantoi lak dengan bini waktu dengan dating dengan senah tadi..golo

lah den

56) PENGOLAN - po-ngo-lan = pengait

bak sini pongolan tu fana..ekau duduk ontok ontok kek situ

57) OKAP - o-kap = tamak

okap bonar kau ni im..sumo asal cun sikit kau kobeh

58) KOBEH - ko-beh = kebas

ekau monyangkung lamo lamo tak kobeh ko kaki mizz

59) LOHONG - lo-hong = barai

lubang hidung jiman somakin hari somakin lohong sebab selalu korek hidung

60) KOMAN - ko-man = ketinggalan zaman

apo koman bona dressing kau ni sarip

61) BALUN = belasah

apo tersongge songge baco posting den..nak kono balun

itu ajo la setakat nie.........bhaso jiwo bangso!!

Ayat yang membuatku kembang tak terkuncup lagi..

Weh korang!

Guess what?

I had GP attachment this a.m. Had a quick chat with the receptionist. Pastu dia cakap :

"You look like you're not even out from school.."

Ehehe.

Now, before you start leaving bubble-bursting comments, hear (or read, rather) me out first. I KNOW she meant that I look young, mostly because at five past nine in the morning I hadn't the chance to make a monkey of myself, and she wasn't able to asses my competence (incompetence, actually) as a medical student from a 5-minute encounter.

What say you now?

Wooohooooo!! *melompat-lompat sambil menari tarian sumazau*

So I guess I have a few years yet before I need anti-ageing thingies. Maybe if I invest the money I put aside properly I'd be able to afford botox! Muahahahahahah!

Eh. Takdela. Gurau je. Ko ni cepat melatah la senah!

It's SUCH a beautiful day...don't you think?

"I've had..time of my life.."

I'm listening to Dirty Dancing's soundtrack right now.

Watched the movie for the first time a couple of weeks ago (don't know why I never got around watching it before), when I visited Leicester and stayed with Peah.

Everytime they played a song in the movie, I went like "Ouh! I know this song!!" and then sang along, much to everyone's disbelief. (I'm sure they thought : WHAT DECADE is this crazy woman from??)

What can I say, I am more at home with songs from my mom's era. Should've been born in the fifties/sixties. I would've been SUCH a cool person back then! However, living in the current time and place, with my taste, I am doomed to be a geek and totally, totally uncool (by virtue of the fact that I can't connect with my peers, but can sing along with their parents).*sigh* Oh well. You people just DON'T KNOW how to appreciate me *pbbtthh*.

Now I have all the songs from the Dirty Dancing movie, thanks to Peah who delivered them to me and to Sid who obligingly downloaded them for me!! Remind me to belanja you fantastic people later!

If you'd excuse me, I'm gonna put on my 60s retro sunglasses and sing some golden oldies. ALOUD.

I WANT TO GO HOME.

The only place where I think, act, feel like myself.

Being away drives me positively nuts. It's like being on a roller-coaster ride. I'm not even pleasant company most of the time.

Everything's moving too quickly for me.

Astagfirullah. I know that I am ungrateful. By right I should feel nothing but happy.

So why do I feel like crying for no apparent reason?

**Addendum 09/12/06 9:40 pm: I'm fine. Just had a bad case of PMS. All is good now.

WOULD. YOU. LOOK. AT...

THAT.

Saw the advert on tv.

Introducing Nintendo's Wii (well I'm sure most of you already know about it anyway).

Has a wireless controller, which acts as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions.

That means, if the character in the game you're playing is in a swordfight, YOU are executing all the moves. If it's a golf game, you are literally the player (although I can't imagine anything less exciting than that).

I've given up my game controller ages ago (cewah macam bagus je) but I think Nintendo's latest release has taken gaming to another level.

Please excuse me while I drown in my puddle of saliva.

Ummm Santa? I've been a *ahem* good girl this year...do you think you can put this up on my list? Pretty please?? *with big shiny eyes ala2 kartun Jepun*

Owh. I forgot. Santa Claus doesn't exist. And I don't celebrate Christmas.

Drat.

Well, how about a belated birthday present? Anyone?

Hello?? *distant echoes are heard*

Ah well.

Too revealing?

Interesting piece of news on The Star Online today. To read it click here

Or if you're too lazy, the picture below sums up what's going on :

There's a RM500 fine for those who go against it. As expected, the 'Do's and Don'ts list' has sparked protest and outrage in some quarters (as reported here)

Their arguments were, in my personal opinion, valid points. Women have always been blamed as 'the source of evil'. It is unacceptable to say if a girl dresses a tad 'too revealing' and gets assaulted that 'she asked for it'. Honestly, does anyone still buy that argument?

How are they going to determine what's 'tight' and/or 'revealing' and what's not?

Before doing IB, I spent one semester doing matriculation locally (in Malaysia, that is). After spending 11 years in an all girls' day school where most of my friends were non-Malays, I got my very first wave of culture shock there.

My first Pendidikan Islam lesson, the ustaz threatened us with his 'kad kuasa', and said that he was authorised to 'tangkap khalwat' any couples seen doing anything funny. I was like, "oookay..."

That was a 'nice' welcome.

The whole environment of the campus was...well..to put it in a way, very religious. Now, I had no arguments against that (in principle, that is). I was ok with the fact that they tried to take care of everyone's 'spiritual well-being'. But I objected to the way they did it, and how they targeted only us girls.

Friday night ceramah focused mainly on how girls didn't wear camisoles with their baju kurung, or how thin the fabric is, or even how some girls don't wear socks. They made jokes at our expense, and the boys snickered at the front while us girls seethed with anger at the back.

We were proper second-class citizens, the female students. Actually, even worse than that. I felt the scavenger cats at the canteen were treated better. Then a sequence of events took place which left me properly traumatized. But that's a story for another day. Let's just say I never felt so happy to leave a place in my life.

Back to our main topic. Yet another article here (sorry! I make you read lots this time around). Statements such as, and I quote “A woman who wears an indecent outfit does not respect herself, so how can she expect men to respect her?” and 'there was no denying that men would be aroused by a scantily- dressed woman, as this was human nature' are ludicrous.

What is THAT all about?

At the same time, I do feel that we Malaysians have become too westernised - our clothes, our thinking, heck, even right down to our American accents we picked up from tv. Scantily-clad girls are no longer found only in 'large cities', as small town people would say. They now can be found in your own hometown. She can be your neighbour. Or your best friend. Or even your sister. It's such a norm now that people rarely bat an eyelash when they see such things.

A few years ago (when we Malaysians were still conservative...remember those times?), at a wedding reception, my mother made a remark about the bride, who wore a sleeveless, a-bit-on-the-sexy-side dress, saying that she 'tak tau nak hormat majlis,' showing her underarms to guests and her elders. At that time, I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Now I think I understand where my mom was coming from.

If you were to attend, let's say, your best friend's kenduri, you'd choose what you wear carefully. Or if you were to go to meet your relatives, your mom will surely ask you to wear something 'decent' (that is, if you have one like mine). If you go for a job interview, you'd spend hours deciding what to wear. Even in the medical profession, there are standards on what doctors should and should not wear. You may ask, why? Out of respect for the other person. You do not dress simply for yourself, it's also for every single person you meet that day, whether you know him/her or not.

As it is wrong for people to criticize you on how you dress, it is also unacceptable to impose your dressing on other people.

I guess what MPKB is trying to do is 'protect' their people from being keBaratan, while still trying to preserve eastern; and most importantly, Islamic values. And to be honest, when I went to Kelantan last summer, it was really nice not to see people 'flaunting' themselves, that everyone looked so well ummm... decent.

I feel SO old saying that.

But I still object to the statements made in the papers. Totally devoid of respect towards women.

That's the problem. They blame us for everything, and teach their brothers and sons that women are the root of all evil. They never taught their sons to respect their mothers and sisters, to love and cherish and protect. Instead they are taught to look at women with contempt.

And seriously, if you want to fight 'immorality' and 'indecency'? EDUCATE the people. EDUCATE them. EDUCATE them. Teach them good values; show them how to think for themselves; teach them the importance of respecting others, and also one's self. Only then will we stop being the mindless sheep we have become.

Not so easy, huh? We always prefer the quick-fix method, washing our hands off the problem afterwards, claiming we've done all we can. How myopic. How irresponsible. How typical. (Oh dear, it's the 't' word...again).

Hmmmmm

Just look at that.

I'm usually a neat person - well agak neat la. In my younger days (cewah) I loved spring cleaning, everytime I got stressed I'd clean the room from top to bottom - usually after midnight. (I know...I have weird habits, like bathing after 12am..there are even weirder habits you'd find out about if you get to know me better). Can't even be bothered to clean up anymore. Everytime I do, it gets messy again double quick.

The state of the rest of the room is more or less the same. Oh, I can still see the floor,thank heavens, but things are cluttered in groups - in an 'organized' sort of way.

You should see my laundry basket. It's like a volcano ready to erupt. In fact, it has a slightly smaller twin - the 'handwash' pile and the 'washing machine' pile, you see. Sometimes I yell at them : "Why can't you wash yourselves??"

My dishes get that a lot too.

I also wish that the food in the freezer would defrost themselves and voluntarily jump into the cooking pot.

I really marvel at my friends who are still studying and are also married +/- with kids. Cammane korang cope haaa? Aku kat sini diri sendiri pun tak terjaga. Mungkin sebab tu la jodoh korang awal and mine is still on suspension.

More friends are getting married within the next few months. I wish you all infinite joy. Me? Everytime anyone asks about 'my turn' (tak serik2 lagi ke?), my standard answer is now "Rabu. Datangla ye..bawak hadiah sekali.." (well I haven't used the 'hadiah' bit, but I think it's a good addition. Gonna use that next time).

Not going home for Christmas holidays. Somehow that thought makes me depressed...

Past the point of no return

I've done it.

I wrote to the medical school, and my name has been removed from the MTAS (just found out what MTAS is..it's Medical Training Application Scheme).

For better or for worse, Malaysia, here I come.

Burning the bridge (warning : ramblings ahead)

A couple of weeks ago, the job application forms for PRHO FY1 (Pre-registration House Officer, Foundation Year 1) came out. Final year medical students who are applying for FY1 posts have to fill in the application form, answering questions six questions on why he/she will make a good doctor, giving examples etc.

Yup, pretty wishy-washy.

Based on the new system of application (in its 2nd year this year), applicants are awarded 85 points in total, with academic ranking contributing 45 points maximum. The rest of the points are academic achievements, other prizes/awards, etc. To be honest, I don't know what's going on exactly.

Why? Because I'm not applying, that's why.

When I first started med school at Barts and the London, I intended to go back straight after qualifying. When I started my clinical year (year 3), I thought that staying would be a good idea, so that I can at least clear all my membership exams before going home, making it easier for specialist training. Last year, the UK Home Office came up with new immigration laws, affecting all non-UK/EU citizens across all professions, I'm sure. Because of the new laws, international students who qualify from UK medical schools are allowed to stay for the Foundation Year training (FY1 and FY2), but afterwards we'll be treated like any other foreign doctor. After finishing FY2 we'd have to apply for job permit, and employers are allowed to hire non-UK/EU citizens only when there is no one with a UK/EU passport who can fill the post. Even if we do get the job, work permit lasts only for the duration of the employment, afterwards the whole job application process repeats and work permit has to be acquired all over again.

If that doesn't stink, I don't know what does.

So, being discouraged by what's happening, my plans changed again. I'm going back to Malaysia. Those who are staying are either hoping to save some money before going back (to buy a car, a house, get married..that sort of thing), and some want the GMC registration before going back.

The GMC registration sounded attractive at first. But then I asked myself : will I ever use/need it? Now that prospects of postgraduate training in the UK are very slim, what do I need the UK GMC registration for?

One reason why I want to go back quickly is that since I'm most likely to go postgraduate studies back home, it helps to get into the civil service earlier to those who are staying behind. As it is now, my peers in Malaysia are already in their 1st year of housemanship. And back home, seniority counts (salary-wise, career progression-wise). And with the government sending SO MANY students to do medicine worldwide, as well as having medical schools practically in every state in Malaysia, I can foresee an major influx of doctors in the near future. Better get into the race sooner than later.

I've informed my medical school of my decision of not applying, and an email was sent to me and several other Singaporean students who've had job offers from Singapore, stating that :

"if, at a later date, they (i.e. non-UK/EU graduates from UK medical school )want to return to the UK to practice or undertake clinical research, they will find it very difficult – despite full registration with their home GMC or equivalent body - to update their UK GMC registration from provisional to full. The GMC does not accept retrospective approval of PRHO posts and also does not allow UK graduates to undertake PLAB. Thus even if a UK graduate is fully registered with their "home" GMC or equivalent body they will have difficulties in gaining registration with the UK GMC on return to the UK."

Reading those words, I faltered.

Oh, I knew about it even before, but having those words coming from THE authoritative source made me doubt myself.

Not enough to change my resolve, but enough for me to question whether what I'm doing is right.

I'm supposed to reply to the email, stating 'my intentions' and request for my name to be removed from the FY1 application process.

Do I burn the bridge now? Or simply wait for the application deadline to pass quietly?

With all my 'big talk', I'm not a brave person after all.

What is a typical Malay?

I have heard of (and also guilty of using) the phrase 'typical Malay' often enough.

What does being a 'typical Malay' mean? Saying to someone that he/she is acting like a typical Malay is akin to accusing him/her of being lazy, narrow-minded, short-sighted, too complacent, easily swindled, prone to petty jealousies....etc...

I was reading Nik Nazmi's thoughts about our Malaysian astronaut playing children's games in space, and someone accused him of (and I quote) "perasaan hasad dengki dan iri hati orang melayu kepada org melayu yang ingin mencapai kejayaan..Another ol typical malay!!!!"

Sadly enough, when someone uses that 'typical Malay' phrase others know exactly what he/she means.

The question is : how long are we going to stay 'typical'? The negative traits mentioned above (and more) are pathognomonic (using a medical term here, meaning diagnostic for a particular disease) for being Malay.

Doesn't anyone else think it is getting old? Malays acting 'typical' and other people accusing us of being so. Somehow it sounds worse than Chinese or Indian people being called 'typical Chinese/Indian' (whatever they mean).

As you can see, I rant a lot nowadays. Pre-exam fever has kicked in. Oh yeah.

More about Malaysian in space...from a non-Malaysian's point of view

My sister sent me this article by Michael Backman, an 'internationally renowned author and columnist' - While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry. To read the article, click here

Also by the same author : read this

Bitter pills to swallow, and yet there's truth in them. I wish I have the resources to send them to every Minister in Malaysia; via email, snail mail, text message, voice message...heck, I'd even enlarge and paste them on every billboard available in Malaysia.

Someone MUST be made to listen. This has got to stop before we lose the last precious shreds of dignity we have left!! (Although at this point I even doubt its existence...)

Today's News....

I was reading The Star online (yes, I do keep up with news from home) and this piece of news caught my attention. (note : I've added comments in between...just to express my sentiments)

Malaysian's first astronaut to do what no one in space has done before -->why do I get a feeling it's gonna be something silly?

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first astronaut will do what no one in space has done before: play traditional Malay children's games without gravity. --> yup, I was right

The astronaut - yet to be selected - will play "batu seremban,'' or "five stones'' and spin traditional Malay tops in space--> WHAT THE...???!!??, Agriculture Ministry parliamentary secretary Rohani Abdul Karim told parliament on Wednesday.

Rohani, who was replying on behalf of the Science, Technology and Innovations Ministry, said the astronaut would also do batik painting and making teh tarik-->errm excuse me, but HOW does this benefit anyone?? Roti canai takde ke? Correct me if I'm wrong, but being in a zero-gravity environment, won't the teh tarik fly everywhere? The Russians might be a bit peeved for messing up their space station...you know, nanti lekit and the space ants will come in no time.

She said this in reply to comments made by MPs on what the Malaysian astronaut might do in the International Space Station.-->I'm sure they were expecting a more intelligent answer, but then I might be wrong....

Rohani said the training programme for the Malaysian astronaut in Russia would not cost the Treasury a single sen.--> and as such you think it's okay for the astronaut bearing Malaysia's name to make an intergalactic fool of himself???

Replying to Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan), she said the programme was provided free of charge as part of an offset programme for the purchase pf Sukhoi fighter aircraft from Russia.-->*snorts* was it a second-hand plane? (probably the Russians felt bad for swindling us so easily and offered the programme to make amends)

She said the benefits of the programme for the country were numerous, including the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments in space.--> yeah, so why don't we?? If we actually are I'm sure people are more interested to know about that than making teh tarik and play batu seremban

Such experiments will also be studied by our own scientists in the medical, science and educational fields.

Schoolchildren will be further motivated to increase their interests in science and technology when our astronaut holds a live teleconference with students from several selected schools,” she said, adding that the astronaut would also conduct several experience on micro-gravity in front of the television camera.-->to be honest with you, schoolchildren will be interested in ANYTHING if there's a scholarship offer attached to it...don't have to go through to all the trouble of sending a man to space.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Kapten Dr Faiz Khaleed, who had been selected for Malaysia’s first astronaut programme, are now undergoing training for a year in Russia before departing for the International Space Station.-->what? a year to learn how to play batu seremban and gasing and make teh tarik? What do you need those doctors for? Might as well send a teh-tarik man and the johan kebangsaan in batu seremban to accomplish those things.

Only one of them will board a Russian rocket for eight days of space travel on Sept 2 next year.-->so, how do you choose? Undian SMS? My bet is on the better-looking one then...

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Reading ridiculous articles like this makes me so angry I want to cry.

Another piece of news from the same source:

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is now recuperating from a mild heart attack, had received information that he would be booed if he attended the Umno general assembly. Mukhriz said his father had been booed before, even when he was still the party president...

*sigh* This is how we treat the person who's done so much for the country. Grown men playing schoolyard politics...they even act like children. We applauded him when he spoke out against the Western giants, but can't take it when we receive the same kind of treatment. I'm not saying he's always right, nor am I siding anyone but surely things can be solved by acting maturely. Not all this bickering that comes out in the papers. It's just downright silly.

Birthday reflections

Turning twenty-four makes me realize that:

1) I am old(er). Sigh. Wiser? Maybe not.

2) I will be thirty-four in no time. Ack!!

3) By UK standards, I still look twenty at the very most (wahahahahahahahah!*gelak evil*)

4) I can be just as childish as I was ten years ago, but with more serious consequences.

5) I feel comfortable going out without fussing about my appearance like I used to a couple of years ago. (Yes, yes, I have my share of vanity, so sue me).

6) Lots of my friends have gotten married/engaged to be married. My sister started her "I was engaged at twenty-four" spiel officially today, joining my mom who started a while back. Sigh..nantilah ye...

7) My biological clock is ticking. Caught myself a few times looking at adorable babies thinking "I want one of those..."

8) I want to graduate and get out of medical school!!

9) There are some people you went to school with that you never dreamed you'd be close to after leaving school. Surprisingly, they are now your closest friends.

10)I rather spend the night talking to a few close friends than go out gallivanting with a large group of people

11)I sleep no later than 12am. It's almost impossible to stay awake after that time.

12)There are quite a few things I regret doing. Wish I had done things differently

13)There are a few crazy things I wish I had done when I was younger.

14)Most of all, turning twenty-four makes me realize that every second of my life has been a blessing, and I have so much to thank God for.

Dusting the cobwebs

Berposing di pagi raya...

Yes, this blog has been neglected for quite sometime.

No, I've not been kidnapped by aliens and having my internal organs rearranged. Am very much alive and well. Thank you for wondering (or not).

It's not too late to wish Selamat Hari Raya! Hope your Eid was a good one. My last Eid away from home (insyaAllah), am looking forward to celebrating Raya in Malaysia once more with great expectations.

Final exams are looming over the horizon, 12 weeks to go! Even yours truly, who usually is a last-minute crammer is starting to feel the heat. Having exams is one thing, but the thought of being a full-fledged doctor by August positively terrifies me. It IS a welcome change, after being in med school for 5 years and 2 years IB before that. Most of my friends have started work ages ago. But I hate change. At the same time I look forward to it as well.

Another reason to be intimidated is because I'm planning to work Malaysia once I graduate. Having medically trained in English, my Bahasa Melayu comm skills is gonna stink big time. You might see me saying the following a lot:

Anxious relative : Bagaimana keadaan dia, doktor?

Me : (In my white coat, looking at clipboard). Keadaan dia stabil. Tapi dia perlu banyak berehat.

Or........

Anxious relative : Bagaimana keadaan dia, doktor?

Me : (coming out from the operation theatre, in my scrubs, slowly shaking my head at the patient). Kami telah cuba sedaya upaya. Bersabarlah, ini semua kehendak Tuhan.

Arrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!!

All the times I laughed so hard at those corny lines in Malay films/drama!! It's gonna come back to haunt me!

On a different topic altogether, for those who are on Friendster, have you noticed that it has turned into a site for new moms and dads to showcase their offsprings, and for married/engaged people to show others how happy they are?

Is it just me or did you notice it as well??

The ranks of single people of my age are thinning. Fast. How depressing is that? (Of course I'm happy for them, just saying that I'm not getting any younger. Gonna be over the hill before I even realize it).

That's life, I guess

As soon as I say I won't be blogging often, here's another entry.

Typical.

Been hooked on youtube this weekend. Saw Lea Salonga's (now Lea Salonga-Chien) wedding in 2004 video, I LOVE the song she sang to her husband!! *sigh* What a dream. Her husband actually cried (kinda cute actually..who wouldn't?).

Also watched Les Mis in various languages on youtube. Now I SO wanna go around the world and watch all the Les Mis production there is!

(Since $$$$ is not unlimited, I guess there's plenty of room to dream....)

Yana, let's GO!!! We'll sing along every show!!