Grumblings of a undermotivated, overassuming med student

2007-08-05T12:29:00.000+08:00

Yee's classification of cycling distances:< 5km: Test drive5-20km: Quick spin21-40km: Casual ride41-60km: Trip61-80km: Journey80-100km: Expedition> 100km: Tour de SingaporeTrip statisticsTotal distance: 115.46kmTime spent travelling: 6:08:11Total time spent: ~ 8 hrAverage speed: 18.8km/hMaximum speed: 43.5km/h (full MTB, with the help of downhills)Today's bicycle trip with Gerald and his friend

2007-07-07T23:32:00.001+08:00

Free Online DatingGood that i haven't forgotten most of my 8th grade (sec 2??) stuff...

2007-07-06T20:46:00.000+08:00

Reading the recent newspaper report about how a taxi driver was robbed, beaten and left unconscious and dying in a public area with no passerbys rendering assistance for a few hours sent a chill down my spine. That poor victim did not make it in the end. Though he was sprawled on the ground and bleeding from his mouth and nose, there were people who assumed that he was "just drunk and sleeping".

2007-06-25T19:11:00.000+08:00

I came across this red heart cushion named "Famnig Hjarta" (don't u love those weird Swedish names?) when shopping around IKEA Tampines for Pofun's desired birthday present. She wanted a blanket quilt, which i found rather ridiculous considering the hot weather here, but still it's great to abdicate the responsibility of choosing a present myself. Yeah, guys hate it when the girl replies "

2007-06-12T22:12:00.000+08:00

It's been quite some time since I last logged on.Like a once living being which had just breathed its last, the abandoned blog has a downward spiral of decay.After a week of inactivity, visitors to the site will start to decline.After a month, nothing seems worthy to write about.After 3 months, spambots will swoop down on the stricken blog, indunating the tagboard and comments section with

2007-03-17T22:07:00.000+08:00

After more than half a decade of battling with my chronic condition, with no signs of long-lasting remission even when on the final-line drugs, i am at my wit's end. Unlike most people who would try various modalities of treatment before turning to conventional medicine in desperation, I have always placed a lot of faith in modern Western medicine since the outset. However, i was led through an

2007-03-11T21:52:00.000+08:00

You know your life is pretty sad when you start referring to a weekend as "the holidays"... At least family medicine should be reasonably relaxed.Went on an overnight cycling trip, all the way from 9pm on Saturday to 6:30am on Sunday morning. It was organised by Huilin, who asked a lot of people but there were only 6 of us in the end. Actually that's quite a optimal number as too many people

2007-03-10T01:11:00.000+08:00

Moral of the day: Do not switch on your webcam window simultaneously on MSN for your girlfriend and your guy friend, lest your girlfriend thinks you're pointing your middle finger at her and your guy friend thinks you're trying to be gay.Ugh...

2007-03-09T23:36:00.000+08:00

Case scenario: You ordered some food from a hawker centre/eatery in shopping mall/posh restaurant in five-star hotel. You have just begun to tuck in when your sharp eyes catch sight of a hair sticking out of your food. Let's not mention what type of hair it is. What would you do?Hawker centre (< $5): You fish out the hair with your chopsticks and scrape it onto the side of your plate, then

2007-03-07T18:45:00.000+08:00

When i study for exams, there will be some topics i end up knowing everything about, some which i know enough to get by, and those which refuse to stick in my memory no matter how many times i read, go through mentally, repeat aloud. It's just like trying to stick a Post-It note on my nose: it's fascinating how that simply does not work. There seems to be little indication which topics would be

2007-02-15T01:06:00.000+08:00

I so do have to get my priorities right. At this time, it should be study, social life, and leisure, in this order, and not the other way round.Talking about social life, I remember in the gatherings with my sec sch friends we had talked about the "drifters", ex-classmates who had virtually cut off all contact with the rest of us, not replying to the usual modes of communication such as emails or

2007-01-18T20:13:00.000+08:00

The past week has been spent going door to door, trying to persuade residents to answer a tedious survey on dengue prevention and hopefully contribute a saliva sample. We were prepared for unhappiness amongst some residents and a certain percentage of rejection, but nothing could prepare us for some of ways in which we were rejected:Scenario 1: The HiderSome would simply refuse to acknowledge

2007-01-11T00:04:00.000+08:00

Two of my greatest flaws are seemingly contradictory: The inability to be satisfied with what i currently have and the reluctance to take steps to change an unsatisfactory situation. Having only one of the two would be a stumbling block but in no way crippling - either i jump off to greener pastures at the slightest opportunity or i try to make the best of my current situation without making any

2007-01-09T21:37:00.000+08:00

In the years to come, ex-CEO of NKF T T Durai will be remembered as the ultimate villain, the demon incarnate who single-handedly swallowed up millions of dollars with his lavish lifestyle. Since the money was swallowed up with such complete subtlety that not a trace showed in the building, it is natural that his board of directors would be completely oblivious to his actions, as long as their

2007-01-03T23:08:00.000+08:00

To the American dude who came to my blog by googling "Where do I place my defibrillation pads":Please search somewhere else for such information. The owner of this blog will not bear any responsibility if you kill someone. And no, i think you cannot sue me all the way from the USA (i hope).

2006-12-29T21:44:00.000+08:00

Today me and my friends were conned into sharing a $36 chicken for lunch at Lucky Plaza. There were 6 of us altogether, and the uncle recommended us to buy a whole chicken to share, saying that "young people like us should eat more". Turned out that 1/6 of a chicken each was less than if we had ordered separately, and the chicken didn't taste very special either. We were unsure about the going

2006-12-28T19:59:00.000+08:00

When your dentist tells you that you have strong teeth with deep roots and dense bone sockets, that is not necessarily a good thing. Not when the teeth he is referring to are those he is trying to extract.I had my wisdom teeth removed last Thursday. The last time i had an extraction at the dentist's was when i was in Primary 3. I had a supernumery tooth (which means an additional permanent tooth

2006-12-12T17:56:00.000+08:00

12/12/06 :: 0300hr :: Paramedic Dormitory in Sengkang Fire StationThe blaring alarm blasts me out of my stupor as i lay in half-sleep on an uncomfortable mattress on the upper bunk. As though on autopilot, i hopped down from the bunk and found myself in the ambulance within seconds. Moments later, Ash the ambulance attendant jumped into the ambulance too, slamming the heavy side door behind him.

2006-12-09T23:40:00.000+08:00

I think i overdosed on caffeine.It has been quite a hell of a week, crammed full of tutorials and in between, seeing the handiwork of horrific violence, in the form of slashed bodies drenched with their own lifeblood. On thursday was a teenager admitted with a shoulder dislocation and superficial lacerations from being robbed at knife-point. IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, DRAGGED FROM TAMPINES MALL TO THE

2006-11-18T01:03:00.000+08:00

Sad but true.Anyone who has followed my writings on this blog or simply browsed through my previous entries would have realised that my literary skills are becoming derelict. It's hard to imagine who would still take an interest to this site, considering that even i find my own writing terribly uninspired. Just browsing through the blogs of some others (mainly those semi-political, toeing the OB

2006-11-14T19:03:00.000+08:00

I signed for a petition against the proposed GST hike at http://www.gsthike.com . Wrote quite a long comment there and realised too late that there was a limit of 500 characters. It’s such a waste to throw it away though… So I’m posting it here:---------------------------------------------------------------I know this petition is probably going to end up useless, but i am compelled to put my two

2006-11-05T00:28:00.000+08:00

Does anyone still read this boring blog?Anyway, psycho med gives me new insight into the realm of personality disorders, and i was inspired to redo a rather credible looking online personality test, with my improved ability to interpret the results. The test was from this website.The results:DisorderRatingParanoid Personality Disorder:ModerateSchizoid Personality Disorder:LowSchizotypal

2006-10-24T14:29:00.000+08:00

Something you've always wondered about but never bothered to find outLet's say there is a bag with 10 balls inside, 7 white and 3 black. 10 people are required to pick a ball each from the bag, and those who draw a black ball would be required to do a task where whose who draw a white ball need not do anything. So, when should you pick a ball to give yourself the highest chance of getting a white

2006-10-05T23:49:00.000+08:00

I think i've just been frontstabbed. It's pretty damn ironic really, having someone talking bad about you behind your back on MSN, and accidentally sending that very message to you. It would be even more coincidential if a similar thing happened to your girlfriend years back, from the same sender, though that was through SMS. Kinda makes you think some guy up there is trying to make his own B

2006-09-30T00:33:00.000+08:00

On a much brighter note, a patient whom i took blood on today actually said i "had expertise" and told his wardmate that "medical students take blood actually not painful"! It was not a very easy vein either... Can be palpated but not seen, being deep within the flesh. About bloody time... Haha. Must thank all the patients whom i've poked twice or even thrice in my Draculean attempts to fill up

2006-09-29T21:57:00.000+08:00

Mdm N, who had a past medical history of diabetes and is a bedbound tetraplegic due to a previous stroke was admitted complaining of vomiting and upper abdominal distension. A diagnosis of gastroparesis was initially made, thought to be due to autonomic neuropathy from her diabetes until she developed jaundice and sepsis from biliary obstruction. Turned out there was a large tumour at the head of

2006-09-19T19:34:00.000+08:00

A single sigh, the unspoken lamentation, carries the weight of emotion which a thousand words cannot hoist.

2006-09-03T23:01:00.000+08:00

I feel sick... :(How i wish i could rewind this weekend and have 2 more days to rest properly...What if i spread something to the patients in the hospital?Have to wear a mask like Wenyang...And my comp's totally fried, in case u all don't know.Have to use my dad's laptop...Which gives me electric shocks whenever i touch the exposed metal parts...My COFM patient moved house, i can't contact him

2006-09-03T17:29:00.000+08:00

InflexibilityThe following is what i witnessed at the western stall in the AH canteen:Customer: Can i have a burger without the patty?Stallholder: Cannot! If you want the burger then it must have the patty. The burger comes with the patty.Customer: But i'm vegetarian. Can't you just leave out the patty?Stallholder: No cannot. How can that do? If you don't want the patty, you have to ask my boss

2006-08-27T23:46:00.000+08:00

Different place, different time, different people. Same old situation. Seems like a few recurring themes in my life are what causes me the most angst. No matter. Same old situation, but certainly there won't be the same old mistakes. I've not learnt to handle things better, only how to prevent myself from imploding in the process.Maybe some things aren't meant to be understood, or dealt with.

2006-08-18T21:58:00.000+08:00

It's been a long time since i came here.Blogging seems to die out once we reach our clinical years. Maybe it's because we have nothing much to talk about except medical-related stuff, or maybe our hectic schedule spares us little time for sleep and rest, let alone expendable activities like blogging. Or maybe i'm just lazy. Anyway, i've just finished my medicine posting at SGH, passed clinical

2006-07-02T13:03:00.000+08:00

I've seen a couple of hilarious brands around recently... Like this brand of perfume called "La Mer". I wonder if its scent is midway between La Me and La Mest. Was tempted to go up to the salesgirl and ask "Excuse me, how much does this LAMER perfume cost?"Another one is this brand of some expensive beanbag, advertised as being the pinnacle of comfort. So very appropriately, it is called "

2006-06-18T16:27:00.000+08:00

Brief facts of an electronic police report i filed today:"My friend and I were cycling at the Tampines Biking Trail when we turned a sharp bend and chanced across a totally naked, middle-aged, potbellied male. He was just standing there, right beside a wooden marking pole, as though he were waiting for somebody. When he saw me, he gave a start and immediately ran further into the trail. My friend

2006-06-17T23:50:00.000+08:00

Being too lazy to upload hundreds of photos one by one using blogger, I've decided to do the smart thing and get a Flickr account (though my sister suggested Photobucket). So for all who have too much time on their hands and wish to browse through the photos, it can be accessed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeeyucai/Anyway, went to Khubai Khan International Buffet for dinner today, a treat from

2006-06-10T22:33:00.000+08:00

Just back from my trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was a very spontaneous decision by my father to accompany his friend, who went to attend an MLM (read: evil) seminar and visit a businessman friend in Vietnam. I was asked whether i wanted to come along barely 2 days before we flew off. Went to many attractions and places with good food, thanks to my father's friend's friend who knew the

2006-05-31T22:05:00.000+08:00

I wonder if doctors in real life do complete, thorough examinations of the relevant systems when the patient is admitted, or that they narrow down the scope of bedside investigations based on the patient's history. Cos every time i do a complete examination, i will feel very bad for the patient. Although there are a few who seem genuinely glad for the attention and company provided, most of them

2006-05-21T23:29:00.000+08:00

Today, one of the conveyor belts at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station broke down. I was rather amused to see people still getting on the stationary belt and walking to the other end. The strange thing was that the belt was even more crowded than the space meant for people to walk. They reminded me of lemmings, mindlessly following each other do pointless things. The stranger thing was that none of them

2006-05-14T15:46:00.000+08:00

Went to a friend's house for mahjong yesterday. It was my first time playing with money and completing the whole set of 4 feng1 (winds), and i was worried i would end up losing more than the $20 i had in my wallet. We decided to play a minimum of 2 tai2 and a maximum of 5 to prevent anyone from losing too badly, with each tai2 worth 20c. Things took off with a bad start in the first few rounds,

2006-05-03T20:47:00.000+08:00

I got my ass chewed off by a patient today when trying to take his history. It started off well enough, with him consenting to be questioned and the preliminary questions answered without event. However, his attitude took an about-turn when i inquired about the incident which landed him in hospital. It seemed a fairly innocent question to me: but his face darkened immediately as he snapped in

2006-04-23T20:43:00.000+08:00

Defamation suits - a tool for the exclusive privilege of the rich and powerful. While there are proper uses for them, they can also be highly effective in silencing potential critics. One only has to look to the NKF saga for a perfect example of such. Turns out that all the "unsubstantiated allegations" regarding NKF (the gold taps, flying first class) were true, just that the people pointing

2006-04-22T00:06:00.000+08:00

I once told myself that i would never make writing here become an obligation, and if i don't wish to write anything this blog will remain derelict. Guess i'm making good my promise. It's not that things don't happen, you know; more of me not bothering to record them down these days. There's really not much point in writing about my cycling trips or badminton games or rollerblading experience,

2006-04-08T16:10:00.000+08:00

This is something which many would probably have experienced when they pay bills using cash. As an example, let's say you're paying for for a karaoke session costing $21.70. You give the waiter a $50 note, and the change is returned to you on this black leather folder which is supposed to be for holding credit cards. It will consist of something like this: 2 $10 bills, 3 $2 bills, 2 $1 coins and

2006-04-04T23:13:00.000+08:00

It's been quite a long time, hasn't it? During the past week or so, day slid into night which lapsed into day again in an endless cycle devoid of meaning. The day of the week and time of the day lost all its significance, as all that mattered was the number of topics left to cover and the number of days to the 2 examinations which would (hopefully) mark the closure of my second year of studying

2006-03-21T01:49:00.000+08:00

I think i suffer from a psychosomatic disorder. That's when u imagine u have some symptom and keep imagining and believing in it that u end up really having it, and that reinforces your belief that u have some deadly illness. If that's what i get for learning medicine, i believe i'll go insane before i even get my degree......

2006-03-17T23:44:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been really, really angry before? Not the sort of angry which makes you scowl and snap at others, but rather a snarling, animal fury which transcends words and instead relies on fist, tooth and nail to get its message across. These days, i find that i am moving progressively closer to the brink of such temporary insanity. Many a time now have I felt heady with a sort of drunken

2006-03-11T14:12:00.000+08:00

Search terms which led to my blog... Haven't checked those in a long time, and some really tickles:medicamp blogspot safpu cmpb underwear safpu mp changi roadblock whoring your girlfriend for cash singapore blog depressed end my life nus snob fake kazaa accounts

2006-03-11T13:08:00.000+08:00

Dad: This is ridiculous! Every single coffee shop raised their price of kopi by 10c together! This must be some conspiracy!Mum: And they have the cheek to increase the price of Milo by 10c too! If the increase in kopi price is to cover the rising price of coffee powder, why is the price of Milo increasing too?Me: You all think you have it bad... But i went to 7-11, and found that the price of a

2006-03-06T23:45:00.000+08:00

The passion that drives people to fall in love cannot be helped, but to stay in love after the initial rush of euphoria has subsided is a conscious choice.(Disclaimer: A random thought. This statement has nothing to do with me whatever. At least, nothing more than the truth of it, which would apply to everyone.)

2006-02-20T20:07:00.000+08:00

Have you ever had the feeling that behind the smiling facade, someone is busy making derogatory remarks almost behind your back, subverting the opinions of others towards you? I say "almost behind your back" as somehow, a few words or broken phrase will slip into your ears, almost gone unnoticed but strangely sticking in your memory. Then you'll wonder, sometimes hours later when the significance

2006-02-04T00:20:00.000+08:00

Of late, it seems trendy to either delete blogs or stop writing in them. Such a turn of events make me very sad. Why? For i derive pleasure from reading them. I chortle at the pathetic attempts of some to sound angsty and jaded, as if the entire world owes them a living. I scoff at those which are used as an extension to their owner's social life, better known as the "tag-whores" and "

2006-01-25T18:30:00.000+08:00

Henceforth, let Jan 25 of every year be anti-propaganda day.Things to do on anti-propaganda day:- Take a copy of Epoch Times, the pro-American, anti-China Falun Gong mouthpiece and wipe your arse with it after shitting in the toilet.- Very politely tell zealots from the Campus Crusade for Christ to "fuck off and die", when they attempt to hand you fake survey forms which serve as openers for them

2006-01-22T15:10:00.000+08:00

I should have been very suspicious of barber shops which still charge $10 per haircut during the pre-Chinese New Year period. I should have been even more wary when i saw no long queue of people wanting to take advantage of the (comparatively) bargain price, and should have left without looking back when i noticed all of its meagre clientele consisted solely of old men and NSFs.But noooo... My

2006-01-14T21:28:00.000+08:00

It never rains but pours endlessly;It never shines but scorches relentlessly.- Me on the weatherMy father just returned from a business trip in Bangkok, where he went for a massage at some sleazy back alley. He didn't request for "extra service" though, or so he claims. Anyway, he bought a lot of cheap stuff from there, including a shirt and belt at SGD$3 each. They actually look quite nice and i

2006-01-09T21:22:00.000+08:00

AftermathThree words to sum up the two CAs which I took today: I Deserved That.I deserve the mortifying results i am going to get in a few weeks' time, for if i tear aside all excuses and justifications, the simple fact remains that i haven't studied hard enough. It's not about the holiday mood and the sadistic date on which the papers had been set, on the first day of school. It's not about

2006-01-07T12:31:00.000+08:00

There might be those who are wondering about the dearth of posts on this blog in the past couple of weeks (or maybe no one really gives a shit actually), i really wish i can say that it's because i'm very busy preparing for my CAs these days, but unfortunately the truth is so. Well, guess all i can say is that for the past few weeks, i've been feeling totally apathetic and lazy and playing

2005-12-23T20:07:00.000+08:00

Taiwan HumourOn our first day at Taipei, my family was walking along a street when my younger sister saw a cat curled up in a corner. She went to shoo it away, and the cat dived into a pile of debris in which a dog was snoozing. The dog immediately started barking at the unwelcome intruder, to which my sister turned to me in amazement and exclaimed, "korkor, Taiwan cats woof!"* * * * * * * * * *

2005-12-13T22:20:00.000+08:00

Going for a holiday in Taiwan for the next week. I'll be unreachable by handphone, though i may get to check my email now and then over there. Don't miss me...

2005-12-10T23:19:00.000+08:00

Spent a fun-filled day at Sentosa today, from getting lost initially to a picnic by Palawan Beach, eating pofun's home-made mango salad and sandwiches, to lazing around and getting nibbled by ants. Following that was a trek through medicamp's Fright Night route all over again, while reminiscing the going-ons at each station and discussing the things that had gone wrong. As the shadows began to

2005-12-05T20:51:00.000+08:00

Went for my annual pilgrimage to the Great John Little Warehouse Sale yesterday, and bought another year's worth of clothes. With $113.80, i bought quite a lot of stuff. There's this yellow T-shirt and another greenish-brown one, a bloody-looking shirt, 1 pair of khakis and 1 pair of casual shorts which i intend to use for cycling, another pair of jeans, a pair of black trousers, a beige

2005-11-29T17:08:00.000+08:00

Went to the Giordano Warehouse Sale at Paya Lebar today. Honestly, i was sorely disappointed by the wares put up for sale. Most of the clothing seems supiciously raggish and threadbare, and most of the T-shirts available are those with that horrible "ME" design. Little wonder why so many of those made it to the clearance sale. Seriously, the person who designed that line of T-shirts should be

2005-11-22T20:34:00.000+08:00

Commercialism is everywhere these days. It's hard to avoid, as money and the pursuit of it is what makes the world tick today. However, what i saw today is where i draw the line.At Level 4 of Cineleisure, just right of the escalator when coming up, was this restaurant. I forgot its name. Anyway, it was offering set lunches at $7.50 for a main course and free flow of soup and soft drinks. It

2005-11-18T21:27:00.000+08:00

Is it possible to whole-heartedly believe in something and yet be aware that what we believe it may not be correct?Aristotle said, "It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." I would extend his statement further, and say that it is the mark of both education and humility for a man to accept a thought without thinking that he must be absolutely

2005-11-06T19:38:00.000+08:00

Haven't blogged in a week. The thing about blogging is, the less you blog, the less you feel like blogging. Hmm.Anyway, I've been wondering. Smokers have been lamenting about the steep rise in cigarette prices in recent years. Are they awake that 80% of cigarette smoke is not breathed in by them, but rather escapes as slipstream smoke which is breathed in by people who do not appreciate the joys

2005-10-28T22:56:00.000+08:00

Today's neuroscience was disconcertingly simple. So simple that i predict i'm not going to do very well, for everyone's going to churn out the perfect model answer, and my answer will be peppered with minor flaws and perhaps one or two glaring omissions. In the land of people with perfect eyesight, the one with 6/9 vision will be the visually handicapped. As for COFM, I'm actually feeling quite

2005-10-27T12:01:00.000+08:00

A picture speaks a thousand words.

2005-10-24T00:07:00.000+08:00

I am experiencing a growing dissatisfaction in the way i lead my life. Things will not remain the same for me for long, i promise.

2005-10-22T22:42:00.000+08:00

Kudos to the M2 Playhouse team for putting up such a wonderful performance today!!! I enjoyed every bit of the play, especially the tongkat ali joke, the Mastercard spoof ("but there's only enough for one bird"... Haha!) and the mesmerising fight scenes. Certainly worth every penny of mine... Wait. I didn't spend anything. Well that's even better isn't it. It's really regrettable that there isn't

2005-10-19T20:17:00.000+08:00

I hate it. Even since i've been on isotretinoin, my acne's become even worse than before. That shouldn't be the case as it's considered to be the last-resort drug. If that doesn't even work for me, what will? Anyway, the dermatologist diagnosed my case as a secondary Staphylococcal infection and prescribed a large dose of antibiotics (erythromycin 400mg bd, that's 800mg per day) for three weeks.

2005-10-14T20:06:00.000+08:00

Apparently, a euphemism for children with Down's Syndrome is calling them "God's little clowns".If that were really so, then God must have a sick sense of humour.

2005-10-13T16:36:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, someone sent my mum a bouquet of flowers. Not a secret admirer or competitor against my dad, but rather more for business purposes. Apparently, this man accepted this job offer my mum gave him, but a few days before he was due to report for work, he inexplicably turned down the offer. Gave my mum a whole lot of administrative hassle, and the flowers were sent by him as some form

2005-10-07T20:29:00.000+08:00

Certainly a busy week for me, with twice-a-week tuition for both my tutees. Didn't help that i contracted a nasty cold bug, suspected from one of my tutees on Monday. Bloody bugger was coughing all over me throughout the 2 hours. An occupational hazard, i presume. Anyway, here's a gem i acquired from my tutee during Monday's tuition...Me (Long-suffering tutor): Ok now let's talk about drug abuse.

2005-10-01T17:26:00.000+08:00

Act blur, live longer.The old army adage, proven true time after time.In civilian life, this still holds, though it would be more of "Act blur, keep your friends".

2005-09-28T14:52:00.000+08:00

Today my stomach was very unhappy.PBL ended at 12:15pm thanks to the brisk way in which Prof. Edmund Lee conducts his sessions. The rest of my group headed for lunch at the Science canteen, but i had other plans. Heeding the call of my stomach, i rushed over to Tampines Mall for my favourite beef noodles. When i reached the food court, i realised that it was all walled up, and a sign read "Closed

2005-09-26T20:04:00.000+08:00

Had a rather nasty bout of food poisoning on Saturday night, after dinner at Sakura near Parkway Parade. As i sprawled on my porcelain throne, hearing the gargling of the septic brew in my stomach and letting loose torrents of muddy liquid, there were only two things on my mind: raw oysters and conveyor belt sushi. It has got to be either of them. The shells of the oysters were coated with grime

2005-09-21T15:35:00.000+08:00

Watched "Be With Me" (M18) yesterday, directed by Eric Khoo of local directorial fame. When i stepped out of the cinema, i felt that giving a few slaps to certain people would be in order:- A slap to all local film directors who try to imitate the style of foreign arthouse films and failing miserably cos there's no substance whatsoever in their productions.- A slap to all the atas people who

2005-09-18T00:33:00.000+08:00

I have an extensive vocabulary for expressing the darker emotions. Anger, hate, angst, bitterness, all these are painted in reasonable detail using dark, forbidding words. I can be coolly logical and concise over scientific issues or in debates, with a friend describing my language as "surgical". But when it comes to joy, my eloquence fails me.Shall i say that i'm "happy"? But that word sounds

2005-09-15T19:00:00.000+08:00

Ponned school today, and spent most of the time at home baking cookies to fulfill the orders taken. Baked from 11am to 5pm. What the hell?This time, it was more or less a solo endeavour. Mixed the ingredients, put the dough on the cookie tray, watched the baking all by myself. The end result was satisfactory, and finally i can declare this batch of cookies as my very own creation.However, i must

2005-09-15T00:51:00.000+08:00

Beauty does not necessarily imply perfection. Perfection is hard to attain, hard to maintain, something divorced from the realities of the world. I don't think i'm deserving of perfection, and neither does my dignity permit me to accept a perfect being. On the contrary, imperfection can be breathtakingly beautiful; the imperfection which is very much real, alive, seeped in the experiences of life

2005-09-14T17:09:00.000+08:00

The following nus_med_2004 poll is now closed. Here are thefinal results:POLL QUESTION: Do you want a class jersey?CHOICES AND RESULTS- yes, 38 votes, 79.17%- no, 3 votes, 6.25%- undecided, 7 votes, 14.58%......Did i hear someone say "no-response bias"?

2005-09-11T15:37:00.000+08:00

Pofun was right. The autofocus function that most digicams have can be irritating at times. Getting the focus on this red dragonfly was tricky.

2005-09-09T21:50:00.000+08:00

Goddammit. Spent the greater part of today mass-producing oatmeal raisin cookies to sell for fund-raising for that Myanmar overseas project which i signed up for. Now i'm feeling sick from all the cookies i sampled (for quality control) and eating all the burnt raisins which were dislodged from the cookies. I know i shouldn't have done that, but i'm too cheapskate to throw them away. Probably

2005-09-09T00:05:00.000+08:00

Your Birthdate: July 19Your birth on the 19th day of the month adds a tone of independence and extra energy to your life path. But at the same time, it poses a number of obstacles to overcome before you are able to be as independent as you would like. The number 1 energy suggests more executive ability and leadership qualities than your path may have indicated. A birthday on the 19th of any month

2005-09-06T17:40:00.000+08:00

I wear my flaws on the outside, like someone who puts on his jacket inside out.Not due to humility, not because i don't have that many flaws to present, but rather because i cannot bear the feeling of being a fraud when i pretend to be better than i actually am. And if i recall, the few times i tried, i didn't fool anyone.But creating a good first impression is usually important. Most people

2005-09-02T20:52:00.000+08:00

These days, dengue fever is becoming a real problem in Singapore. A total of 7,403 cases of dengue fever has been reported in the first eight months of this year, nearly double the number of 3,782 cases for the same period last year. In one of the COFM lecturers, we were shown a chart showing the number of mosquito breeding sites found in Singapore compared to the number of dengue cases diagnosed

2005-08-31T19:41:00.000+08:00

"Perth: The Geylang Massacre" is one of those movies that try to convince the audience of its artistry by its grainy indie-style film, random incoherent scenes which somehow keep repeating and its characters' lack of constructiveness whatsoever. Oh yes, and throw in a bit of nudity and lots of gratuitous violence to stir up some controversy, and add just enough "cheebyes" and "fucks" to top up

2005-08-30T22:13:00.000+08:00

I was cutting my fingernails just now when i realised that the nail of my right thumb is becoming detached from the nailbed. At the edges, at least. Not only was it a little freaky, it was also quite painful when my nail-clipper bit a little too deeply into my fingernail by accident. I don't think this is a normal phenomenon, and if pressed for possible reasons i'll probably ascribe it to some

2005-08-28T23:10:00.000+08:00

Things really do seem different when you're happy. The colours of all around you become brighter and more vibrant, you notice the singing of the birds up above, and people who usually ignore you when you walk by will suddenly approach for friendly conversation. Even the pain in your chest when running up that steep incline mysteriously vanishes.I could get used to such a feeling...

2005-08-27T00:09:00.000+08:00

Today i did something really cock. Thinking that he was my counsellee, i approached this stranger of an M1 and talked to him for a whole 15 minutes. It was only after we parted when David told me that guy was HARUN, not SHARIFF. I bet Harun must be thinking who the f is this crazy M2 who just approached me and started talking as though i'm his some close confidante.My parents did something cock

2005-08-25T20:25:00.000+08:00

I need a sign. Please give me a sign.

2005-08-24T21:52:00.000+08:00

"They don't make men like they used to nowadays," is the prevailing sentiment i hear echoing around the female community. It is quite commonplace to hear girls bringing down their male counterparts for not giving up their seats to them on the bus or opening the door for them, or sighing to the characters in "Casablanca" or "Pride and Prejudice" and wondering why the males of their generation are

2005-08-20T19:59:00.000+08:00

A FableTwo good friends were trekking across a vast desert. One day, they had a heated argument and in a fit of anger, one of them gave the other a tight slap across his face. Incensed by the slap, his friend wrote on the desert sand:"Today my good friend slapped me."They journeyed on. A few days later, the man who got slapped stumbled onto a patch of quicksand, and would have perished if not for

2005-08-18T22:58:00.000+08:00

I think i did something stupid today. Ok, maybe not stupid. Maybe it's just a mistake. No matter... Mistakes do happen.Anyway, my nose tested negative for Staphylococcus aureus. Which means that the patient whose open wound i sneeze into is not as doomed as if someone carrying that bug in his/her nose does the same.5% Sheep blood agar plate showing growths of white bacteria colonies, probably

2005-08-16T21:25:00.000+08:00

It was another one of those boring COFM lectures, this one on health and the environment. I tried to stifle a yawn as i sneaked another peek at my wristwatch and gathered what's left of my wits for his closing slides. The lecturer was droning on about avian flu, and measures that Singapore is prepared to undertake if it strikes home. As though i was underwater, his voice seemed far away and

2005-08-15T22:33:00.000+08:00

Things have quite changed, haven't they? I don't know what to say.

2005-08-15T19:58:00.000+08:00

Someone wants me to do this quiz? Inane as i agree it is, your wish is my command, Gerald...THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:1. Yucai (just about everyone)2. Yee (circle of closer friends)3. Eugene (my parents and Xuan Rong, period.)THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:1. Yee!2. yeeyucai (if login required)3. Velderos (MUD)THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:1. Height2. The prominent veins on my

2005-08-13T01:04:00.000+08:00

Colorgenics Mood Analysis TestAt this time you are really feeling quite exhausted by all the conflict and quarrelling that is going on about you and you are looking for some sort of protection from this state of affairs. Ideally you are seeking a peaceful condition and a tranquil environment in which you can be afforded the chance to relax and recover.You are working extremely hard trying to

2005-08-11T20:33:00.000+08:00

Watched the Land of the Dead with Kevin at Tampines Mall today. Last year i watched the Dawn of the Dead, directed by the same George A. Romero (and i thought my friend was bullshitting me when he said that guy specialises in zombie movies). I've always believed that the secret to a good horror show lies in its subtlety, how it should play on the audience's own imagination rather than relying too

2005-08-10T22:19:00.000+08:00

This morning, at about 5:30am, i awoke with a start, with my heart thumping hard against my chest and the tingle of adrenaline in my extremities.Something had jolted me from my slumber. A dream i should think, but as hard as i racked my brains in an attempt to recall its content, i had absolutely no impression. Whatever that had startled me had sunk deep into the murky depths of my subconscious,

2005-08-08T22:59:00.000+08:00

Better now... Sort of. I bounce back faster these days.Still, i have nothing to write. Work starts to really pick up after National Day, and i feel like i'm just counting down the minutes to the inevitable. Soon it will be back to the daily school routine, albeit busier than last year's. It's not a bad thing really. Constructive work takes your mind off frivolous matters.Nothing really exciting

2005-08-02T18:10:00.000+08:00

I think i'll take a hiatus from blogging. I feel sick, inside and out. All that i can post in this sort of mood are probably all those whiny depressive posts that no one wants to read anyway. For the next couple of weeks, there will be nothing here. Go check this out instead, or this, or even this. I assure they'll make your day.Please go away. The owner of this blog is not feeling well.