Monday, February 18, 2008
Oh well...
I don't get the urge to blog quite so often now. So it's worrying when I do. I think it's an indication that my mood's not well moderated - either too high and I wanna exclaim to the world, or too low where, actually, i should be thinking of ways to cheer up instead of moaning about it here.
Abruptly, it is a good time now to announce that I am moving. Since when did life get so complicated? All these flat viewings, negotiating rent, bills, taxes.... feels terribly adult. I haven't secured accomodation yet (and that is causing sleepless nights) but I do have an idea where I'm going to go... and if it doesn't work out, I do have a Plan B i.e. I won't be sleeping on the street. But the hassle! Packing, moving, unpacking... all the time and effort required...
6 weeks to my holidays.
8 weeks to moving house.
That's what I'm obsessing about nowadays.
On a slightly more positive note, I am working in a job that I love (for the next 6months at least) - doing stroke rehab. I just love the challenges and the variety. No 2 strokes and no 2 persons are the same... in fact, tomorrow, I'm taking a bus into town with a patient! We're practicing to get from his house into town so he can get to the supermarket! Simple things that I don't even think about mean so much to them...
And with that, I'm going to end this post filled with disjointed sentences and abrupt thoughts (the product of a stressed mind) and hopefully, the next post will be a lot calmer.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Holiday!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Edinburgh Festival
Apparently, this dude spent 10years learning,
practising and perfecting his performance.
I actually know what this is about!
Italian opera...
Lovely girls, lovely costume and wonderful voices...
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On our way home, we passed by this shop that smelled heavenly.. couldn't resist and had to go in. Turned out to be the "Fudge Kitchen" where they handmade fudge - mainly made of sugar and cream (heart attack, diabetes, obesity, tooth decay etc... disaster for the body, heaven for the soul) right in front of you.
Stirring the pot of fudge.
He was loving the attention!
Pouring the fudge onto a large marble table
The marble absorbs the heat to cool the fudge down.
Adding walnuts into the fudge and mixing it all up.
He was doing this for a good 10-15mins, to introduce air into the fudge
(to make it light and smooth)
Good arm muscles, I say.
Obviously, the woman has to wash the big pot.
Typical.
Finally!
Shaping it into a log.
This would make 70 slices of fudge
(each about the size of a swiss roll and would sell for about £3)
Absolutely delicious!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Home Internet!
My internet package allows me "unlimited" usage subject to fairuse policy. In the language here, it means "not really unlimited". I get 3GB. Which EVERYBODY I spoke to before getting the package told me: 3GB is a lot! You probably won't even use it all.
Evidently, they have no idea how I use the internet. One week after I got the package, I'm up to 2GB already! 10days on, I'm at 2.5GB... I am now prepared to get a letter from the company asking me to reduce me usage. Apparently, "unlimited" = 3GB but on reaching the 3GB, they do not terminate my account (now, that would be waaaaay too cruel). Instead, I'd get a letter politely (I think) asking me to reduce my usage. If I still do not comply, then the speed of my internet would be reduced. Which, all is all, is not that bad in the worst case scenario.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
8th of March!
Right. Quick update on major changes:
1) I've been changed from being on a temporary contract to being a permanent member of staff now. Hush hush...nooooo... that doesn't mean I'm NOT coming home. Ahem, it just means I can decide when I'm coming home instead of it being decided by my employer. More power to me.
2) I've started driving lessons! Hoho... had my second lesson today, went onto the main road... Woohooo...exhilarating! But oh... oh.... what stress! Clutch control (yeah, yeah, MANUAL car this time. Major culture shock. Apparently, only disabled people drive automatic cars here. Bummer.)
Anyway, back to where I was... clutch control, check rear mirror, blindspot, indicator, traffic lights, traffic signs, pedestrains, bicycle, buses! Arrrghh... drives me absolutely mad. Too much stimuli. Kindda like putting an epileptic into a room filled with multi-coloured flashing lights. Result? An epileptic fit, obviously.
OR, (wait for this) indicating left but tried to turn the car right!
Instructor: What are you doing? *attempting to steer the car left*
Me: Turning left. *steering the car right*
Alternatively, me turning a corner, letting the clutch go to quickly, hence almost heading into another car.
Instructor: Turn! Turn! You have to turn the wheel. The car won't turn itself.
Me: *slowly turning the wheel* Aye.. we'll be fine.
That said, I'm not a disaster, I hasten to add. I have not stalled the car. I have not run anything over. I have not mounted the curb. I have not stopped inappropriately i.e. at a green light. In other words, there is hope.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Inverness
Before the photos though, I have to say I'm so happy these days I'm literally bouncing around. Jude (friend and colleague) has been going around asking people: Why is she so happy? What's she on?
Haha...nothing really. Sunshine I guess. It's crazy. Everybody's left second-guessing the weather. Last year, Aberdeen had a late winter - heavy snowfall in March. This year, we had, like, errm, 2 days of light snow in February. The sun's been glorious the past week. But everybody's still cautious and nobody's saying that winter's over. Yes, I'm absolutely delighted with the sunshine we're getting! That's the reason I'm happy. High. Manic. Delirious. Whatever.
The Drive... to Inverness.
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Minz & Gaurisha in Jenna's garden
See? Country house - big garden! Excellent!
Minz & George... Awww...
Debated with myself for a long time if I should include this photo.
But yes, here it is.
Me. On the piano. After a whole year and a half.
Of not having a piano to play on.
It's true.
You don't miss it until you lose it.
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Minz, Gaurisha & Jenna
in a book/coffee shop with a real furnace in the middle.
Then some shopping...
Haha.
The first ZARA I see in SCOTLAND!
That happiness is unimaginable.
Incidentally, Jude has something to say about my shopping habits.
She says: You need help, girl.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
The "M" Word
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Photos See The Light Of Day
My fish was bigger...
Could have been me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back home, there weren't many photos either, although it was an insanely wild time packed with activities that were definitely legal (lunch, dinner, family-oriented events) and activities that were possibly illegal - no way else to explain an unpleasant run-in with an "officer of the law" (very unprofessional officer, may I add) who threatened to shoot us. Ok, it's actually much less exciting that it sounds, and nobody had to be admitted to the hospital (or the morgue) with a gunshot wound but still, I will hardly be able to forget that policeman's name. When I'm old, demented and unable to remember my own name, my children's names, my address and date of birth, I'll still be muttering his name under my fiery breath. Oh yes, I will...
So here are a selection of photos of some activities featuring some people (I'm hardly going to display my entire family online, am I? They deserve some privacy. And the weirdos out there don't need to know about them either). Other activities, like dinner at fish&co with the cousins, I have no photos of - because everybody thought everybody else was bringing a camera!
Chris, Minz, Freda, Cui, Sheena & Boon
@ The Balcony
------------------------------
Minz & Bro @ Crystal Jade Vivocity
(First event of the evening)
And then on to the second meeting
Christmas Gift Exchange @ The Canary, Clarke Quay
Back (L-R): Shu Min, Cui, Jon, Freda
Front (L-R): Minz, Yuhan, Boon, Sheena
And finally, the 3rd part of the evening...
Tau Huay @ Geylang
with Jon & Terence
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Christmas Eve itself was spent at Raffles The Plaza attending Ern & Kris' wedding dinner. Photos were taken by professional photographers but I haven't seen them yet! I've only got photos of the post-dinner clubbing @ New Asia Bar. Terrible music, lots of Caucasian party-bodies, very strange mix of people and - get this - $40 cover charge (it's Christmas Eve after all).
Absolutely insane.
I almost shook my head in disapproval at all the people there.
$40 to get in to mix around with an odd assortment of people.
And listen to rubbish music.
If I had paid, I would have felt terribly cheated.
But because I didn't pay, I left 20mins later
without feeling absolutely stupid.
A fool and his money etc etc...
Jeremy (who flew back from Oz to attend the dinner)
& Jeff, Ern's best man.
Mins, Sey Ing, Danlin & Reo
The ice-man at the door!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Insanity & Beyond...
For my 3-month employment, I'm entitled to have 49.9hours (yes, we are that exact here) of time-off and I think I'm sorely in need of a day off to do nothing but lie in bed from dawn till dusk - not that there is a lot of difference between the two because it's winter and dark almost the whole day. But at least, if I lie in bed, I don't put myself in potentially stressful and/or frustrating situations.
Before this past week, I've never experienced a nosebleed. Oh, but the joys of returning to a country with practically non-existent humidity include TWO nosebleeds (quick first aid quiz: when a person gets a nosebleed, should he/her tilt his/her head forward or backward?). To add to the stress of having a nosebleed, what better time to have it then in front of a patient! But bless the gene that allows me to be "calm" in a situation like that and "control" the nosebleed. "Control" meaning, take repeated deep breaths rapidly through the nose to try to "dry" the bleeding - it worked! (See what I mean when I said "humidity was non-existent". That's how dry the air was.) Thus, I managed to save dripping nasal haemoglobin, platelets and what-nots onto my crisp white uniform (it was Monday, too!) And so, my 84 year old patient and her 78 year old brother never had a clue that I was having a personal crisis while I was saying "Uh-huh", "hmmm" and "yeah" through the whole conversation while they were feeding me lies...
Oh yes... trying to pull the wool over my eyes, taking extreme liberties with the truth (euphemisms are ever less harsh) while I was trying my best to help them:
Me: (deep breath - I was having a nosebleed, remember?) Are the both of you coping at home?
Brother: Yes, no problems.
Me: Is there anything I can help you with? Organise services to lighten your load or provide equipment to make your life easier?
Patient and Brother: Oh no, we're fine.
Me: (looking at Brother) Are you keeping well? Were you recently hospitalised too?
Brother: Oh, no no... I was not.
Me: The nurses said you were recently hospitalised (*mumbles* for an overdose of aspirin in a suicide attempt, no less).
Brother: Hmm...
Me: Were you recently discharged home?
Brother: Y...eah.
Me: So why were you hospitalised?
Brother: For no reason, I was in one day and out the next. Just for one night.
Me: Yes, but why were you admitted into hospital?
Brother: I was feeling tired... I just came into the hospital to rest.
Me: Okayyyyyyyy...
The joys of my job!
And speaking of my job... my job description is changing! It's expanding actually... Literally expanding geographically - to include being posted to a hospital in the countryside for up to 6 months at a time. All new staff that join will have to be able to drive because the hospitals in the community are about 1hour away (by car) from the city area. Strangely though, there's no talk of providing us with cars, nor compensation for travelling time, nor allowances for petrol, insurance or road-tax. Current staff (me included) will have the option of opting into this new scheme. We are, of course, trying to get funding for "job re-training" to equip us with the ability to drive. Cheeky, yes... But no harm asking, yeah? Squeezing blood from stone comes to mind though...
That concludes this installment of insanity and beyond. Future installments are in the works, of course and perhaps I will tell you about an extremely interesting Russian patient I have (once I figure out what he's trying to say).
And finally, if you didn't understand a tenth of what happened above, that's perfectly alright.
I was just rambling...