On putting on the (gender - based) thinking cap

So my colleague is doing some renovation to the new house her husband and herself just bought. And she's been super busy with the interior designer, cracking her head on the tiniest thing in the house.  From normal tile vs marble tiles, to sinking basin vs fit in basin and even the cabinet in the living room! I'm amazed how a person would actually be so detailed in home deco.

What happened today at work...

Colleague: do u think this is better? Or this one? (Showed me the 2 designs she had on the pc screen)

Me: I don't think there's much difference. But perhaps you would want the second one.

Colleague: I think so too. Looks more modern...but why do you say so?

Me: As the potential housewife in the future... when you mop the floor... it's easier to have more space underneath the cabinet. You don't spoil it if it's made of wood.

Colleague: 鸡蛋糕。like that also you can think of.

Me: *grinning proudly*

On the Gift from Boss

So he came into the ward that morning, that day after we had lunch outing together, blowing off candles in conjunction of the birthday of the April babies, and someone mentioned it was my birthday...

Boss, "Oh happy birthday! Here's something for you."

Moi, "Why thank you!"

Colleague, "C'mon, seriously?"

Boss, "No seriously! I bumped into the drug rep on the way just now. So I asked for more. Here's one for everyone."

And so, everyone has a new pen that day...

Not taking it to the heart boss! ;-)

On the Second Blow

So it is actually the second year I'm applying for the residency in the state. Failed the last round, so I waited for another year, and gotten myself more prepared, and applied again...

Received an email earlier telling I didn't make the cut again this year.

I was numb to be honest. I wasn't exactly sad. I was just disappointed. I had been telling my friends and my family that I wasn't putting much hope because I didn't want to. I would just go with the flow, if I get it I get it; if I don't, I don't.

But somehow, looking at the mail again, I realized I actually wanted it so much.

I just didn't know what to do now. I feel so empty inside.

The future seem grey.

Should I just prepare and go along for a placement in the hospital there or should I just wait for another year again?

I'm lost...

On the Scheduled Posts

Oh yes. I know I bore you. But do I care? NO.

I've decided to do CPR on this dying 4-year-old blog by boring the readers. LOL

Psst... If you'd like to know, I'm doing all this scheduled post when I was in the Emergency Room at 8am on 20/9/13. *Ooops*

On the "Lantern"

Happy Mid Autumn Festival!

On the Gossips Behind Running Late

Pertaining to me being late on 2/1/2013, I walked into our pantry later on that day and everybody just jumped in excitement.

Colleague A: OMG MEDIE! Epic!

Colleague B: I know what happened last night!

Colleague C: What what?

Colleague B: He went to this bar drinking and there was this ang mo bartender...

Colleague D: But why would you even go drinking?

Me: It's New Year's day!

Colleague A: Then? Why would the bartender be in the picture?

Me: It's a bar obviously.

Colleague D: Then? You got drunk?

Me: No la... It's just that I woke up this morning at 730am.

Colleague A: OMG? At the bar?

Me: Nooooo... At home...

Colleague A: So what, you brought the bartender home?

Colleague D: Wait wait wait, is the bartender a guy or a girl? That's the ultimate question...

Me: A lady...

Colleague B: SO you went and drink alone and hook up with the ang mo bartender and you ended up turning in late today...

Me: *faint*

Then again, gotta thank these guys for keeping everyone sane...

On the Second day of New Year

Friends on my Facebook would've seen the photo I posted yesterday. For a while I'd have thought I was in some land far away where the bartender is not Asian but rather, some caucasian girl. And this morning, I woke up to the worst day ever a person could start with.

It was 430am when the alarm on my phone rang. I just switched it off knowing that there'll be another one at 515am, and 530am and 545am.

Horror ensued when I suddenly wake up, realizing it seemed so long that the alarm didn't even ring. And it was a freaking 735am!

I jumped out of bed screaming 'fuck', put on my clothes screaming 'fuck' under my breath, and dashed out to the road trying frantically to get a cab. Bus would've been practically impossible now that I was supposed to be at the hospital at fuckin' 7 am! I cursed under my breath that I'd be doomed. 3rd month into Surgery and just a few more steps into finishing this housemanship, definitely would not want any reason for anybody to fail my posting. I practically 'fuck'-ed under my breath all the way for 20 whole minutes, imagining the worst that could ever happen.

And I dashed into the clinic to find another colleague there, claiming he got the call from the clinic to run the clinic. Only God knew how relieved I was to have my ass covered for that one hour while I was 'fuck'in my breath away...

What a way to start the year...

On the Cannonball Lesions

During exit round one day, the MOs were all excitedly talking about some lesions here and there, guessing where would it all arise from and all. I was wondering what and who were they referring to and all, but I didn't actually bother asking as I was, well... basically lazy.

And then amongst the HOs, we were looking at our list and I exclaimed, "Ooooh! New case! What is this about?"

The MO who was earlier on excited about some X-ray turned his laptop screen around and showed me, "This."

The first thing I said was, "OMG, is that cancer?"

Everyone laughed. At my first remark that was.

And yes, we did work out later on down the week that she had cancer. Final stage as well. Palliative medicine was consulted, and she died the following week at home.

On the Jurong Lake Run

Remember that I actually registered to run for this?

Guess what, 2 weeks after I collected the running kit, come the Sunday when the run is supposed to take place...

I was here...

Snoring away.

LMAO.

That vest cost me 40 dollars! And what's that, 100RM???

Sleepyhead me. But with work and all and business and well, sleep seems to be the better one of the choices available on a Sunday morning when I don't need to work. LOLOLOL.

On the Bones and the Babies

So we were going to end our rotations in internal medicine and this colleague of mine would be going to orthopaedics while I, the dreadful paediatrics. I was the least happy so to speak, utterly moody for a while, and kept teasing the colleague to swap with me...

Me: Take all my babies... Please... Give me your bones...

Colleague: You'll be superb in peds!

Me: I don't want babies! I want your bones! And you can have all my babies!

And coincidentally the superior was there, eyes wide open, trying to figure out what exactly was going on with me and my babies.

Argh. I still can't get over it. I simply am not prepared for all those crying machines!

On the Dramatic Reply

So now you know why I'm actually still blogging.

I might perhaps forgot everything I've studied in the past 5 years. But who'd know I might actually end up doing other stuffs next year. And I could hear some conservative consultants commenting "Yorrr... Young houseman nowadays, a bit of work and a bit of lack of sleep and a bit of torture already want to complain." Erm... Yeah.... Okay... Whatever.

Like I'd say. It's not easy to get into medical school (not referring to the *ahem* private schools). But it's even harder for me to graduate. So I'm taking my time off, 'aye! And thou shall not pass any nasty remarks.

Though if you do, erm, nothing's gonna happen anyways. LOL.

Letters went out on 30th of December 2011; when the reporting to induction was on 27th. And... the whole family were still in Singapore. Funny though, I never actually returned a signed copy of me accepting the offer back then (just yet), in the hope that the letter calling for induction wouldn't arrive. But it did. Guess Mum was right. They'd call you in no matter what. Oh, did I mentioned the government office actually CALLED me when I was in Thailand? @.@ It was so shocking that I thought they're going to take legal actions because I didn't returned a signed copy of the offer letter!

But now that it was done, I haven't heard a single sound from them since.

Mixed feeling whether I should return.

ps: clearly this was a backdated post. meh. 2 month old HO... and i feel like i've worked for eons... i'm drained to the bones.

On the Open Ticket

Honestly... I postponed my working.

Which is why I'm still at home. And when the relatives were asking, I kept mentioning I'm unemployed. Mum and Dad would say "CHOI!" Every single time. I kept my return ticket open, as in, I haven't even got any tickets to go back to KL. It's not like I'm moving back here. I still have my loads of shirts that I wear daily over in peninsular. Just that, I guess I haven't had enough fun.

Aunt: Whoa! Open ticket. So good ah.

Medie: Wanna have fun first.

Aunt: Walao. Not bored? How long have you been holidaying?

Medie: Like... erm... a few months...

Mum: Half a year already!

And the conversation would drift on to the pay as a doctor. =.="

Aunt: Nevermind la... Next time work 2 or 3 months can cover d.

Mum: If only he goes back to work!

Medie: =.="

On Rooms For Rent

I don't know about you, but I have definitely encountered similar situation before when I desperately needed to look for a room to stay that is. It gets worse when you don't have the luxury of a time. As you'd need to relocate in the shortest time possible, considering the time frame that you have before you needed to settle down for work and study or what nots, sometimes it'd just leave one crying helplessly.

But fret not!

Now that I've came across this website on the net about room renting services, situation gets much easier. You don't have to go through some agent who'd suck half a month rental from you, or even more (Personal experience). And it's none other than iBilik where you have the preference of browsing through numerous of listings in the area of your preference... I'm sure some you've seen it somewhere. Or heard it somewhere. But it just never comes into mind when you really need it.

Come on, it's all over the taxis! LOL. Yes, I never thought about it too, until I was reminded when I Googled for rooms.

So yeah, I too was desperately looking for someone who could help me out in sourcing a room. But more often than not, it boiled down to some agents who would come to you with numerous documents and requirements and before you know it, you just signed the contract without giving in much thought, because you were just too confused. Adding that to the stress of relocating. Situations can be very overwhelming at times.

Therefore, when I came to know about this website, things started to be more calming. Not too much just as yet, I have yet to find a suitable room.

Mum said, It's different now, you have to learn to grow up. Like it or not, relocating is going to be a stress factor. Despite having been to and around the place for vacation and visits, nothing is ever the same like that of moving permanently to the area.

The only drawback is, sometimes, the website doesn't really explain what the condition of the room is all about. Okay, perhaps it was just me. But I'd like it if there's a glossary somewhere. What's common room by the way? Hmph.

And... Why is it that everyone who's looking to rent the rooms are looking for females? Males don't get to rent? Hmph.

But that shall not stop me from searching. Just like how the Mandarin proverb goes, '衣食住行', a place to set foot in is one of the 4 main survival criteria. Without a nice house, how else could we live?

The website is pretty neutral. Some comes in expensive, others are pretty affordable. It'd help if there would be more information, i.e. pictures of the rooms and what nots. But beggars can't be choosers no? Yes yes, speaking right from the heart of a person who is desperately looking for a room.

God bless me. May I find a nice room soon.

PS: Rooms/Units advertised covers Malaysia, Indonesia as well as Singapore!

On the Job Placement Letter

The official letter calling for induction finally arrived. Mum was so surprised it was so soon! After all, even though we received it much later, but the fact that the letter was issued 3 days right after my oath taking ceremony was just... *speechless*

Mum: Goodness, they grab you so tightly and don't give you any space to breathe!

Me: I'm not surprised.

Mum: Ridiculous. So how? I courier over to you tomorrow?

Me: I'll come back and read it during Chinese New Year.

Mum: Will it be too late?

Me: I don't care. It's not like I OWE them anything. I'm not on their scholarships.

Mum: True, but you still after all, owe them a whole lot because they subsidize more than half of your tuition fees.

Me: Besides, if I start work before CNY, I won't even get any leaves for CNY!