Mentionables--Adventures of a Dental Student

Mid semester holidays

2008-09-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hey hey ! I am having a week off ( YES ! That means no patients, no lectures) and I am taking this opportunity to write some of my thoughts down.

It has been 4 months since my last post and many things have changed( but some have stayed the same). For one, I've completed almost all my assignments and all that's left is to pour over all the subjects in preparation for end of the year exams. Aside from studying, I've made time to ensure my peace of mind and insure my sanity through non-scholarly activities. Most of you whom have kept in touch with me through MSN will know that I am now a dance addict (namely salsa and swing dancing ) and an avid dessert creator ( maybe dessert modifier suits me more).
I've progressed from the simple panna cotta(gelatinous boiled cream) , to some of the more malaysian flavours like kuih dadar and kuih talam which I sorely missed before I knew how to make them. :P Getting the appropriate ingredients in Australia can be quite a hassle but I guess one would do anything when desperate, ie. scouring central market for gula Melaka in 3 different shops haha. I was lucky enough to find frozen pandan leaves as well.

My new passion for cooking helps me deal with stress because there is a sense of achievement when all the different components come together to produce an exquisite sensation delightful to the tastebuds. Its wonderful to see a cake rise or to observe a bowl of steamed kuih turn crystal clear from a murky mix. Of course, there's always time to do a spot of studying while waiting in anticipation.

Right now, I am at peace with the world and content. This is the best frame of mind to study effectively and so, toodles ! Off to the books :P

Cheers
Jun

HELLO HELLOOOOO

2008-05-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
Been awhile
Yet again
:P

let me write a letter to Self.

Dear Jun
Please start studying harder in order to pass your exams. You have one and a half years to go and it is a waste to let it just rot even though you haven't felt like yourself lately.
Remember that everything is in your hands .Remember that you become what you believe yourself to be.

So BUCK UP!!!!!!!

It is easy to stick your head in the sand like an ostrich but that never solves the problem of having the lion a few miles back. IT doesn't mean if you don't see it, the Problem is gone. However it does mean you may not even know what hit you and when it does it'll hit you bad. SO LooK uP , LOok around , and FAce your fears.

Take small steps, reach for the little goals first. Start eating right, start exercising more often, start on your assignments, start treasuring each moment you have and live in it like you always have but have neglected to lately.

WAKE UP from the nightmare you have constructed for yourself.
Wake UP!!! Wake UP!!!!

CNY

2008-02-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

This CNY has to be the best one so far in Adelaide :) Celebrating the traditional festival with a western touch was a different experience altogether. Imagine, good company, good food, good wine and good music for the night before! Of course , I miss the chaotic clicking of mahjung tiles, loud CNY music going dong dong qiang, people attired in their best red garments as well as the reunion dinner with a hot bubbling pot of fragrant steamboat. However, good company was the key to a good celebration. Kudos to Chen and Jelmer as well as all the dental buddies ! You guys made my CNY :P
Even though I had a practical test on the second day of new year, and I will have another written test next friday, they cannot dampen my new year spirit haha.... I was blessed with a wonderful start to the year of the rat and hope that everyone else is just as lucky :)
Uni has been more forgiving this week......the past month was a hectic time for me so this soothing week was just what I needed to rejuvenate and prepare myself for the challenging tasks ahead. Just had a briefing today about what to do and what not to do for patients , datelines for clinical steps etc. Suddenly, I can't help feeling that I have been truly sheltered in third year and fourth year will definitely require more guts. I realise that confidence in myself is the essential ingredient for a successful year. So, come to me positive thoughts that inspire confidence !! May I project the best I can be and get through this year of opportunity !

After a long sojourn away from blogging

2008-01-19T19:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

First of all, I'd like to apologise for my absence. Your dear blogger was too caught up with her day to day work and embroiled in the saucy affairs of college :P

This is an entry to remind myself that there is life outside of dentistry. There is life outside of college. And, there IS life to be lived even if one is tired out from the long and laborious lab sessions!

2007 has been one eventful year. 2008 has just started and it looks like it is just as fiesty . (pat on the back for myself for getting into Australia on time for the roaring 'fun' in 4th year commencement term.)

NOw, I just have to organise my thoughts and i'll get back to it.

.................
..................
2007 can be summed up in one sentence:
I still have alot to learn in this journey of life.

Therefore new year resolutions for 2008 :
1. develop patience and tolerance
2. keep my head in trying situations
3. seize opportunities as they arise
4.make the most of any situation i am thrown in
5. manage time well for balance ( Work/Play)

OK. Will update again later
CHeers and HAPPY 2008!!!!!

An eventful 21st :P

2007-07-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well well....its been two months since i last updated my blog. Maybe its time to voice my thoughts yet again. The last semester was a trying one. Stress levels rocketed especially in the weeks before the exam but i think that's what every student experiences so I shouldn't complain. That aside, being the total care operator for patients and truly making a difference in their lives made all the studying, preparation and manual dexterity exercises worthwhile.

11 days into the holidays and I find myself staring at the calender, wishing time would slow down. I'll be flying back on the 14 and reaching Adelaide on the 15 whereby I must unpack all the boxes and suitcases.....sigh.....thinking about that makes my back ache! But still, I am thankful for the break, time for me to recharge, catch up with friends and family and experience the loving warmth of home. Oh, shouldn't forget the good food too!

My 21st birthday was memorable one. However, some parts of it are memorable for the wrong reasons. Now I know how important it is to have control over one's emotions in every situation. I was really frustrated with the bad service provided by a reputable chain of restaurants where everyone was to celebrate the 'coming of age' together. I was incensed by the impunity of the hostess with regard to alloting tables and making accommodations according to the sequence of customers. Our party of nine had to split up into a table for 4 and 5 respectively in the end, both tables situated far away from each other. Furthermore, food was served 45 minutes late and only after it was served to customers who arrived later than we did. For what it was worth, we told off the manager and reprimanded him for the insolent behaviour of the staff. The mood and atmosphere was crackling with tension and I am grateful for wonderful friends who injected some humour into the situation. We ended up at Jason's place to cut the cake and take a few pictures. It was a rushed job because most of us had appointments to attend to. Looking back, I can't help laughing at myself and the whole comical situation of having to gobble up the cake :P

On the 9th of July, we set out for Gopeng at 6.35 am thinking it would allow us to have a leisurely ride and be on time. It was a leisurely ride but we were way too early---we reached Gopeng at 8.45 ( appointment with the guide was at 9.30 am). We took our time to have breakfast and catch up. After meeting up with Pei shan's car load of people and the guide, we left for Camp Murni. To our relief, the X-trail was a competent vehicle, it was easily maneuvered over the pot holes and dirt roads leading to the site. It felt truly Malaysian because we passed by a small kampung complete with kedai runcits and free ranging chickens, followed by a rubber estate and a kelapa sawit estate, before arriving in the reserve.

There, we were introduced to a different mode of transport : THE LORRY!!

All of us were excited at the prospect of being transported like 'cargo'. We felt like a lorry load of refugees hahahahahahaha. Holding tight to the sides of the wooden 'container' as the lorry rumbled through the estates and further into the forest, feeling the wind whistle by your ears, and keeping your eyes peeled for branches that may give you a painful whack, ducking as a reflex, all these things added to the sensational 'ulu' experience.

I'll never forget the experience of falling out of the raft. I said a silent prayer of thanks for being unscathed and also for the 'white water swim' training session. If not for that training session, i would have been badly injured. Everything goes in slow motion when you get the adrenaline rush and i know i had my feet locked into the raft. I fell to the side head first into the rushing water and my feet were still stuck in the raft, it was quick thinking on the part of the guide to push me out into the rapids to prevent my head from knocking against the boulders. Gosh, the instant i left the raft, i was face down in the water, which is a precarious position....luckily i assumed the' white water position 'quickly( lying flat on your back with arms to the side, legs together and bottom lifted) and followed the rapids into calmer waters. There, another raft rescued me with the paddle and heaved me onto the raft. I was quite shaken but happy I only have a bruised neck as a souvenir. Otherwise, white water rafting was a blast! We thoroughly enjoyed the clear waters , paddling , and hanging on to the raft as it bounced off rocks in the river.

After a traditional lunch, we proceeded with cave exploration. Caving was good fun but challenging. It was my first time trying out abseiling and climbing up steep rock faces with the aid of a rope. Consequently, i have aching arms today. Dark and dank, the cave, Gua Kandu had plenty of stalactites and stalagmites as well as dark passageways leading into the dark abyss. There weren't too many bats but you could pick out the not so subtle odour of guano. Moving in complete darkness with the torchlight in hand within the belly of the limestone fortress, we crawled, clung onto rocky out crops and grabbed onto ropes and chains for support to scale up the almost vertical walls. My greatest fear was not knowing where the next step lay. All of us emerged from the cave tired but triumphant with minor scratches.

The flying fox was also another highlight of the trip. We had to wear a safety harness and we were clipped onto the cable. The harness was a tad uncomfortable but i think it was probably more uncomfortable for the male members of the group haha...dangling by the cable was scary, I didn't dare look down unlike some of the others.

Alright, I think I have said enough. Have to go for lunch. Till next time

June

International night .....sorry guys busy busy...so just pics for now

2007-05-21T04:31:00.001-07:00

5 weeks into term time

2007-03-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody! Havne't been blogging for a while.....well...its been a whirlwind of activities here down under lol. O-week was as eventful as anticipated . Here are some of the pics that i'd like to share with all of you.
1st pic : The dental students on New year's eve
2nd pic : Me and Zhi Ling on NEw year's day
3rd pic : Me and Keith (well done cousin!)
4th pic : Opshop skirt 1$ :P Me and Ken
5th pic : Clement and Rajes
6th pic : Me and Chen with the winnning team --scavenger hunt 2007 !! WOOHOO those guys did the Rick Burge run ( kudos to them running butt naked all the way to the Blue and White cafe to get a straw and back! GOOD TEAM WORK GUYS!)
7th pic : Vong, Johnny, Rajes and Drew during the Barn dance
8th pic: Meow! kitties on the barn dance floor

ok....that's all for O-week

Stuff at uni:
1. saw my first two patients for the year.....phew.....i hope i do better next time....REMEMBER : for bitewings its 0.25 mili sieverts!!!! and always reassure the patient...they can be nervous about treatment. talk them through the procedure.
2. bought a few new books---gosh they are pricey
3. I will read up after lectures . I will make more notes. I will stay awake during lectures. I will book patients in a week beforehand. I will be calm and collected.

Till next time
toodles :)
june

oh, there are now three june's in college hahaha......one who is malaysian (me), one who is Korean (a guy !) and june in the office :)
hahaha

UPdates

2007-02-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

TO my Friends and Family back home and everywhere else in the world --- HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR (in advance) !!!!! May all of you enjoy a happy and prosperous new year !

:D

Brr....it is cold this morning. 20 degrees. What a drastic change from last week's weather (fyi, it was 40 degrees) ! I guess it is no biggie since crazy weather has been reigning supreme in recent years . BUt I am glad I am well prepared for it . Hold on...I'll correct that statement ---I am excessively prepared for it :P.
You know how it is with packing. One always wants to bring as much as possible to a foreign land where one knows that one will be spending most of one's time, just to make it feel more like home. Consequently, one is faced with the challenge of putting everything away ---and trust me, that can give you one heck of a migraine ! This being my third year in a residential college, I have accumulated a fair amount of 'necessities' which I conveniently forget when I am back home, resulting in a huge stash of 'treasure' that I then have to painstakingly reorganise each time I come back.
>>Word of caution to self --make a COMPREHENSIVE LIST before jumping on the plane...

College is livelier by the day. Plenty of new faces to greet. Sigh.....Reminds me of the time when I was a fresher myself. Gosh....we are all caught up in the flow of time. (as experienced now --lets not think about Einstein's theory of relativity at the moment :P) Still remember my first impressions of Adelaide ie. flat, broad , square, clean, SLOW cars etc
Now, as a relative 'oldie' it is fun to interact as the more 'knowledgeable' party hahaha and pull a few legs here and there. Looking forward to O-week (rubs hands with glee ) ......

In Uni, classes have commenced and we are currently undergoing a period of observation both in the lab and in clinic to ensure we meet the requirements before we are allowed to work on patients. Revision of all the different techniques is a must ....information gained from previous years must be intergrated and applied to the various situations we encounter. I am glad I have a strong foundation knowledge wise however I still need to improve on my manual skills.
>>Note to self --Practice Makes Perfect. Believe , Act and Achieve.

Festivities in Adelaide have kicked off for the year with last night's Symphony Under the Stars . It was a glorious display of musical talent and beautiful fireworks in tune to Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. Magical. Sitting on blankets ,huddled in a bunch and just looking up into the starry sky as melodies filled the air was a sublime experience.

MOre to come :)
Ciao

Before I go once more to the land of Oz

2007-01-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

COuntdown : exactly 6 days to departure......

After two months of unadulterated bliss ( as in not having anything urgent to pass up, no tests to sit for, no homework to haunt my thoughts, no worry of being late etc), I am reluctant to go back haha.....Every single year, these feelings of attachment to home grow especially pungent when I am about to leave and they linger on far into the weeks of uni life. Sigh....

So the highlights of my two month soujourn from uni are :
Trip to Bangkok : I was apprehensive about the trip due to the bomb blasts that occurred in the area but I am glad I went ahead. Sampled amazing thai food and bought plenty of things that are found nowhere else :P

Trip to KL : This came as an unplanned holiday. During the Bangkok trip, my dad messaged mom and asked if we wanted to go to KL and we were all for it. HOwever, immediately after the bangkok trip, I was in bad shape (probably the result of my gluttonous affair with the scrumptious fare in Bangkok) so I was about to forgo the trip. BUT, in the end I perservered because I just had to pass a very important gift to my best friend of at least 15 years :). AND that's when she introduced me to 'The Secret'. I am grateful that the idea of ' I think therefore I am ' is making positive changes in her life as it is in mine ,as I am reminded to feel gratitude for all the blessings in my life. THIs IS a Friendly Universe ! :D

Chefs at loggerheads : haha, I presented my dad with a challenge to make four types of nonya dishes with me without the help of receipe books. It was a blast preparing and cooking together :). I managed to successfully come up with Acar Fish while he contributed to much of the Curry Kapitan. Both of us messed up the veggies , mine was too bland while his was too salty, as a result, we were constantly at each others throats, blamming each other for the mishaps while vying for credit for the dishes that turned out well. In all, it was wonderful spending time cooking, even though it did take us amateurs about 4 hours to finish our job :P to the chagrin of mom. Poor mom had to wait till 3 for lunch!

Meeting up with good ole' friends: Met up with many people who have touched my life at one point or another :). I give thanks for the people who make coming home such a joy , among them are : caryn, daniel, ghee, xinch, tst, seleen, jason, audrey, pei shan, chuan wei, jo, honey, yean, looi, lydia, tpt, xy, soon ying, si ling, ying kai, sze rene, shueh wen, soo yeah, aun ling, yi juin and many others.

Outdoor activities : I had a great time hiking up penang hill( the many different groups I hiked with have enriched my experience and opened my eyes to what's happening around me, hiking gave me the opportunity to relate to my friends in a more personal way and I am happy that ties were strengthened) , and canoeing as well as playing tennis( tst i'll be better at tennis next time --will train in adelaide :P ). The barbeque at the beach was fun even though we were blanketed in darkness and we couldn't get the fire started !

Indoor activities: The First few weeks of my holiday were characterised by exercise :P (in the gym, and shopping--hey, its tiring to go mall hopping). When friends got together, we had much fun singing in Red Box and laughing at each other , caught movies together and oh, lots and lots of engaging conversations.

Alright then, till next time

:)

Post.

2006-11-29T16:29:00.000-08:00

A week and a bit after arriving at my doorstep in Malaysia and all I can think of is this :
Anything to an excess is debilitating to health

sigh

Try telling that to my relatives. Their never ending quest to show their 'welcome' is starting to show on my waist line --ARGGHHGHHHHh

Ever since I set foot upon the blessed Malaysian soil, I've had to attend LARGE family meals with more than 8 different dishes at chinese restaurants all over penang in a continuum i hope to break! And yet , having to play the part of the grateful student deprived of the tastiness and goodness of scrumptious food not found anywhere else in the world ( except maybe in my over active imagination when the craving sets in), i am fighting a losing battle. It doesn't help to have to face the comments on how I look from the very same relatives who are the proprietors of these sinful banquets either........:(

I do cherish the time spent together however, sometimes, I feel that even though food may be the perfect opportunity rekindle weak flames of togetherness, shouldn't there be an alternative method?

Of the many family meals I have attended, the only ones where one truly bonds with family are those where all family members take part in the conversation. THat is almost unheard of when meals take place in crowded chinese restaurants full of roaring ruckus from other patrons. We literally can't hear what each other has to say and so, many are forced to bellow at the top of their lungs , entering the vicious cycle of talking at the top of our voices just so we can be heard.
HAH!! Don't even start about soft spoken cousins. The only way to communicate with them in a noisy environment is to sit next to them .Thus even though I may want to get to know them a little better after a long absence, I may not get the chance ---given that the opportunities to actually talk are so limited in the chaotic atmosphere of popular restaurants.

On a different matter, still in line with the comment on excesses:

I learnt a valuable lesson.

NEVER EVER EXERCISE TILL YOUR BREAKING POINT

just do so till 75% or 80% of your capability - know your limits

I am now paying the price for pushing my muscles over their limits 8 months ago on a threadmill in the gym. Right after that, I couldn't run, let alone jog for 3 whole weeks. However, when the pain subsided....I went back to my old ways, thinking that I was stronger from the 'fall' BUT after that, I would have recurrent pain sporadically at the area where the injury occured. Luckily, I still managed to train for the 12km run and finish the race without incident.
Now, 8 months later, just for running in the gym, the pain has returned ....worse than ever....and all I can do is wait till I find out what's wrong.....humph....my exercise routine is thus limited to brisk walking and hiking ..SHEESH

Mullings of a dent on holiday
June

SWOT VAC

2006-10-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Just another day at Uni.....albeit it is the last day of Second Year! With the exams looming in the horizon ( starting on the 9th of Nov), I feel slightly overwhelmed and yet also relieved. Relieved that I'll soon be heading home :). I was packing up my locker when a thought came to me. Savour this Moment. So, I did. :D Packed all my instruments one by one, into a big tupperware, heard the tinkles as they dropped softly onto the plastic. Smelt the odour of past composite resins and adhesives as well as amalgam ( the various restorative materials). Listened for footsteps of my other coursemates coming down the hall way for the last time this year. Then, came the biggie, my lab coat. I am not proud to admit that the pristine white has been progressively stained by a myriad of 'sauces' --- it has been through dissection lab with me ( sick isn't it?--yellow and brown stains), it has also been through my experience in lab burning teeth, drilling out amalgams liberating gray dust, and composite resin residues still sticking to the sleeves. Basically, it has been patterned by my experience as a second year dental student.

Its a good thing to have passed the barriers laid down before me so far.

Swot Vac ( study vacation) shall be adequately utilised.

Well, I want to wish everyone who is having their exams or will be having some form of assessment all the best in their endeavours . Positive thinking will get us through :D

Cheers
Jun

End of Hols.....Beginning of Term

2006-09-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

Thought I might give a little update since term will be starting soon so here it goes.

It has been a blissful two weeks of leisurely walks, early nights, early mornings, adequate exercise, tennis training, plenty of R& R. Basically, the perfect relaxing break that my body has been craving for. OK, there were also the assignments ---but they have been taken care of , of course there's the studying --of which I wish I had done more of....sigh....no use crying over spilt milk, time moves on, we either race along with it or trudge along , fingers barely grasping the ever elusive threads.

1. Went to the beach on the last day of term, (From Viewer's left, Mei, Lynn, ME)
it was Beautiful,
Sunny,
Azure blue skies without a cloud in sight,
Hot creamy sand ,
Icy cold sea breeze,
Freezing waters,
Pretty sea shells,
Intriguing pebbles washed up upon the shore with creatures of the sea clinging to them,
We built sand castles

2. Went for a performance put up by the Elder Music School....
Harmonious voices together with the harpsichord made for a glorious night
Not to mention the crackers and cheese diips with sundried tomato and advocado with cashews YUmmm and champagne to celebrate !

3. Watched a whole lot of anime, read a bunch of novels, magazines and watched lots of movies and window shopped hehe
- I know, quite antisocial :P

4. Hunted down my lecturer for my previous perio paper to learn from my mistakes
Note: I say HUNTED because I have tried looking for him since coming back from the July break.
Try no. 1 - He was on sick leave
Try no. 2 - He didn't turn up
Try no. 3 - He was there but busy with a patient
Try no. 4 -He was in the tutorial room with other students , busy as usual
Try no. 5 -Waited outside his office for 15 minutes after making an appointment with him....just to be told he has a patient booked in and will only be able to see me in another 2 hours! So, I duitfully came back again....thank goodness the hunt stopped there.....

5.Celebrated Mei's Birthday!
Sweet girl turned 24 !! Went over to her friend's place for dinner and desserts .

6. Culminated the holidays by going for a cocktail party organised by the three universities.
Impressions Night : All that Jazz
It was a parade of formal wear -- dresses of all designs but the cocktail dress with flared skirts and a ribbon as a sash to cinch the waist was the crowd favourite. Suits with ties were the choice attire for the gentlemen.
Jazz music was a bit of a disappointment because it soon gave way for house music. Otherwise, the cocktail had highlights such as the food(oysters both raw and kilpatrick, prawns in thai sauce, mushrooms with cheese dip, vietnamese spring rolls, curry puffs, nuts and noodles in a box!), the company ( friends from Lincoln, friends from Uni), and also, the lucky draw ( I won a book voucher :D)
There was an after party but it was too smoky for my liking and I was already tired. It was held at Club 199, an establishment with posh decor on the ground floor but tacky ambience on the top floor ---first time I saw people dancing in a cage ! ( I leave the rest to your imagination).

7. Preparations for exams
One of my finals is scheduled for next week YIKES! and I have two other tests lined up for me. Maybe the book voucher is something to urge me on!

Alright, bored yet?
LOL
Cheers

SHuffle Muffle~~

2006-09-17T03:16:00.000-07:00

1.) Put your music player on shuffle2.) Press forward for each question.3.) Use the song title as the answer to the question.4.) NO CHEATING!!!

1.) How am I feeling today?
The Lark Ascending-Janinie Jansen
2.) Where will I get married?
"He's fought and he's fallen, He's on his knees before he's on his feet, A sinister romantic, Oh, he's about to be and she's about to see" Shakespeare In Love--Layla Kaylif
3.) What is my best friend’s theme song?
Nella Fantasia--Il Divo
4.) What was highschool like?
Havanaise Op. 83--Janine Jansen
5.) What is the best thing about me?
"There you'll find their heroes alive, protecting their innocence.Bless them all, their simple soul so pure and so wonderful" Water / Va Pensiero -- Ten Tenors
6.) How is today going to be?
"Hey everybody, let's have some funYou only live for onceAnd when you're dead you're doneSo let the good times roll, let the good times roll" Let the good times roll--Tony Bennett & BB King
7.) What is in store for this weekend?
"I WALK THE MAZE OF MOMENTS,BUT EVERYWHERE I TURN TO,BEGINS A NEW BEGINNING,BUT NEVER FINDS A FINISH,I WALK TO THE HORIZON,AND THERE I FIND ANOTHER,IT ALL SEEMS SO SURPRISING,AND THEN I FIND THAT I KNOW" Anywhere is--enya
8.) What song describes my parents?
ban ye sui bu zhao jiao, ba xin qing heng cheng ge,........ Wu Ding --Jacky Wu and Landy
9.) How is my life going?
"I tried to swallow my prideBut I felt my heart start to tremble inside,Wish I didn't know cause I can't let you go,Tell me,Why" Why oh Why--Celine Dion
10.) What song will they play at my funeral?
"Immortality, I make my journey through eternity, I keep the memory of you and me inside" Immortality--Celine Dion
11.) How does the world see me?
"For all those times you stood by me, For all the truth that you made me see, For all the joy you brought to my life, For all the wrong that you made right, For every dream you made come true, For all the love I found in you, I'll be forever thankful baby" Because you Loved me --Celine Dion
12.) What do my friends really think of me?
"Stars when you shine, You know how I feel, Scent of the pine, You know how I feel, Yeah freedom is mine, And I know how I feel, It's a new dawn, It's a new day, It's a new life, For me, And I'm feeling good" --Feeling Good--Pussy Cat Dolls
13) Do people secretly lust after me?
"you and I , we two, Alone here in the terrace by the sea, the sun is going down, and in your eyes, i see the changing colour of the sea" --Photograph --Karen Lane
14.) How can I make myself happy?
"There may not, Be another way to your heart, So I guess I'd better find a new way in, I shiver when I hear your name, Think about you but it's not the same, I won't be satisfied 'till I'm under your skin" Shiver--Maroon 5
15.) What should I do with my life?
"I dig you and you dig me, we went as far as we felt like going, and no restrictions..."--I dig you --PCD
16.) Will I ever have children?
" The sun comes up, I think about you, the coffee cup, I think about you, I want you so, its like I'm losing my mind"--I'm Losing my Mind--Sumi Jo
17.) What is some good advice?
"When I saw the break of day I wished that I could fly away Instead of kneeling in the sand Catching teardrops in my hand " --Don't Know Why--NOrah Jones
18.) What do I think my current theme song is?
Fairy tale of New York--celtic Music
19.) What does everyone else think about my current life?
The Bride's favourite---Banjo solo-Celtic Music
20.) What type of men do you like?
"Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morningBorn of the one light, Eden saw playPraise with elation, praise every morningGod's recreation of the new day"--Morning has broken--Jheena LOckwood
21.) Will you get married?
"When I fall in love, it will be forever" --When I fall In love--Linda Rodstead and Josh Groban
22.) What should I do with my love life?
Lullaby-Alfred Hornoung and Niall Brown
23.) Where will you live?
"This love, this love is a strange love"--This Love-Fantasia inspirational moments
24.) What will your dying words be?
"That the consequences of your actions really are just a game That your life is just a chain reaction taking you day by day She says nothing's forever in this crazy world " --Poster Girl--backstreet boys
25.) When Im having sex I say…
"Everywhere I go I get so confused You're the only thing that's on my mind "--Lost Without you--Delta Goodrem
26.) When I meet a guy/lady for the first time I say..
"Banging on your front door My pride spilled on the floor My hands and knees are bruised and I'm crawling back to you "--Crawling back to You--Backstreet Boys
27.) When my parents are angry I say…
"There's something sweet and almost kind, but he was mean and he was course and unrefined" --Something there--beauty and the beast

The tagged:
Wei Zhi
TST
JIah Ling
Ghee
Siow Yng

tag game ....sigh.....these relentless people :P

2006-09-07T04:12:00.000-07:00

Name 20 people you can think of and answer the questions below. Then, you can tag 5 people to do this survey.

1. Lynn
2. Jennifer
3. Rajes
4. Chen
5. Jiah ling
6. Joanna
7. Ghee leng
8. Wei Zhi
9. Jason
10. Shin Yee
11. Shao Ting
12. Chuan Wei
13. Xin ci
14. Zhien May
15.Jo Shien
16. Wei Yean
17. Han Nee
18. Ping Tee
19. Yi Juin
20 . Sheau Yuen

Question time:
1. How did you meet #14?
Met her in College --Great friend I found ....lol.....exercise buddy, psychological counselor and compassionate soul all in one !
2. What would you do if you hadn’t met #1?
Umm......I would think its weird because I had heard about her from my mom's friends even before I went to uni. I would probably call mom's friends' *forgetful
3. What would you do if #20 and #9 dated?
hmmmm.......never occured to me before :P I'd probably Cheer them on HAHA!
4. Would #6 and #17 make a good couple?
Don't think so. Period.
5. Describe #3
Rajes is just gorgeous. She has a compassionate nature, quite the nerd in a good way, dances very well, sings marvellously( hoping for another duet gal!), takes good care of her friends and adores her family. One of my best friends here!
6. Do you think #8 is attractive?
Yes. He has many good qualities is one of my good 'bro-like' friends!
7. Tell me something about #7
He is the one who tagged me! Additional info: has a blog with an infuriating pop up , has a philosophical approach to life, currently studying in HK, another one of my good 'bro-like' friends :)
8. Do you know anything about #12’s family?
Erm, first saw his parents at the passport office? LOL.....
9. What is #1’s favourite?
Currently fanatical about prison break, loves her life at the moment....shares a soft spot for dense chocolate chip muffins :)
10. What would you do if #11 confesses that he/she likes you
I have no idea.....never thought about that .....
11. What language does #15 speak?
English, BM, Mandarin and French!
12. Who is #9 going out with?
No idea..hahaha....he is pretty 'mysterious' when it comes to that aspect lol.
13. How old is #16?
20.
14. When was the last time you talked to #13?
umm.....honestly i think it was beginning of this year.
15. Who is #2’s favourite singer?
I don't think she has a fav.....she listens to a variety.....so i can't say
16. Would you date #4?
nope.
17. Would you date #7?
don't think so lol....
18. Is #15 single?
Not sure....been out of touch...unfortunately.
19. What is #10’s last name?
Ng.
20. Would you consider being in a relationship with #19?
Guess we are already in a FRIENDSHIP relationship LOL......not thinking of anything further than that lol
21. What school did #17 go to?
PCGHS
22. Where does #6 live?
Lincoln college
23. What is your favourite thing about #5?
She is my best friend from way back! can count on her to have a story to share, laugh about, even cry about ! miss the good times....feels really far away...at the moment.
24. What do you think about #13?
I think she has nice hair :P, great conversationalist, cute as ever!
25. What do #4 and #18 have in common?
Both are always on the roll....ready to go!
26. What special qualities does #5 hold in your life?
Unconditional friendship

Tagged:
Jiah ling
Wei Zhi
TST
Chuan Wei
Lydia

AFter the long break between posts ---a short interlude :P

2006-09-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

Hey there....it has been a while....well, I have been doing quite a bit of studying as we just had a biochem test two weeks ago and a neuroanatomy test last friday ....Anyway, Here are some of the highlights for week 3- week6 of uni
1. Dental Ball was last saturday however, I elected not to go just yet....waiting for Half BDS ball hehe. Instead, Friday night ( celebration after tests), there was a wonderful baking session with the girls from lutheran --we made yummy Flan ! AFter which we watched The Devil Wears Prada ...hmm.....quite a fashionable movie...and then we played Taboo! It was hilarious trying to describe the words :P Saturday was spent doing my biochem tutorial , swimming and watching episodes of Chasers (Sheesh, They do get on my NERVES! )Sunday, finally went for choir practice then spent the night practising as well as tried my hand at sketching . Great weekend in!
2. Back tracking to the past week, Attended Sarah's birthday party! Yummy food and great company, need I say more?
3. Week 5 was the first time I actually gave a real patient a general dental examination! well, all I learnt from that experience was to keep the big picture in mind. DO NOT GET DISTRACTED BY FILLINGS! That was one crappy week but all turned out well in the end.
humph, can't think of other things just yet......will update when more things pop up
CHeers
june

TWO Weeks into Uni......

2006-08-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the gist of it :

1. Learned to give various types of injections in the oral cavity --------PRACTISED ON EACH OTHER!!!!!! Going to give inferior alveolar nerve blocks next week....yikes........needles are about 5 cm long and need to jab the patient as far in as 2 cm ......hmmm....hope my partner knows what he is doing .....hence the need to study anatomy...

2. Dissected my first head + neck .....ewwwwwww.......the fat oozing around is pretty disgusting. but thanks to the generous souls, we had a feel around :P Muscles, nerves, vessels, fossae, osteology, vertebrae.........

3.Mounted my first dental model ----a step into the world of occlusion

4.First pub crawl ---Lincoln College Pub crawl ( last friday)
Second pub crawl--- Dental Pub crawl(yesterday)
All I can say about them are as follows:
a) Lots And Lots of smashed people
b) Lots and Lots of smashed people doing silly things
c) Lots and Lots of smashed people dancing the night away
Otherwise, they were quite fun. You see the other side of people and wonder :)

5.FOund out that i'll have no time to fly home to malaysia next year till december.....sigh.......NO Holidays!! can you believe that?? We'll only get 1 week in april and one week in september , other than that, its full on! And to add salt to the wound, I'll start in mid January!!

6.Tried fudge .....mmmMMmmMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Yummy!

OK, till next time.....
cheerrrrrrrrrrs
June

ON this hazy day

2006-07-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

Morning has broken to the sound of hammering
The smell of acrid pollutants hang thick in the room
A sense of unease creeps over my tingling skin
Behold, the unmistakable fog blanketing the coastline
Its heavy presence weighs down on my chest
The air is still

Today is not the first
and I know it will not be the last
As habitats bear the brunt of greed
As the excesses of man billows upwards
A smog

Ok, this is depressing.
I'll stop there.

hmmm......maybe it is my imminent departure to Adelaide that is weighing on my mind lol.
So far, I've had a wonderful holiday---a relatively healthy one too HAHAHA.
What with all the hiking (not advisable in hazy weather), canoeing ( again proceed with caution) , caving ( as long as it is not the bat season), gymming ( yay for air conditioning), shopping (AIr conditioning heheheheh) and eating ( erm....guess this one is not as healthy hehe)

Well, here are the highlights :
1. Caving Experience
I would like to ask everyone to put caving in their 'to-do' list ( ONLY FOR NON-CLAUSTROPHOBICS). Firstly, I was Awed by the natural wonders available in Malaysia --guess i never saw M'sia that way or only pretended to believe in it while writing pages upon pages of essays during my time as a high school student. Now, I am a true Believer :P Gua Tempurung had just as much charm and charisma as caves in China which haul in tourists by the bus load....sadly, Gua Tempurung is less publicised. The halls were magnificent and you can definitely let your imagination run wild within the cool interiors filled with stalacmites and stalactites. The pressure difference between the large chambers and the smaller ones serve to give cavers a unique experience because of the constant blowing of wind in certain sections of the cave. Besides, some chambers were shrouded in thick mist , belieing their true depth and posing as a risk to thrill seekers who, God forbid ,may lose their footing on the slippery steps. Into the belly of the cave we crawled and slushed around the seemingly crystal clear waters --however the guide told us not to drink it because it might have some 'added ingredients' such as guano :P. Also , experience TOTAL DARKNESS...now that was freaky.

2.Canoeing
Procured an aching back, tired muscles, shooting pain through the deltoids....but hey, it was fun!
Although I must admit, I was scared out there , thinking about the jelly fish floating around , the unknown depths, the mysterious current which kept drawing our canoe to the wrong side(out to sea), almost capsizing at least 3 times ......Still, at least I learnt how to steer( albeit clumsily) and yup, I know now that when two people row, both have to be in sync to allow easier passage.....haha...

3.Hiking
Hiking up parts of Penang Hill is one of the healthiest activities available in Penang. HIking and then going for breakfast is not as healthy but it allows one to really enjoy a meal in the company of friends. hahahahha.......Winding paths, steep slopes, irregular steps, the occasional stinging insect or centipede, beads of sweat running down your brows---all part of your average hiking experience :) Which I will sorely miss .......

Ok....will blog more soon
TATA

Birthday musings

2006-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Helloooooooo everyone! IT is WONderful to be home ( a fact that I can never tire of repeating hahahha) well, since I have hit the 2 decade mark this year , I can't help but muse over my life so far ...hmm.......it has mostly been devoted to studying ---yes yes, i know i am a geek.....ish....but also, it has been about learning to treasure family support and friendships, to understand other cultures and maturing outside my comfort zone, as well as improving oneself in aspects dear to my heart.

Wow, I realise I often take family for granted especially in my teens ...sob....officially out of teens and at the brink of adulthood now...ARGHHhhhhh----AAAAHHhHhhhhhh IT Still Seems TOo SOON! Thank goodness for the guidance and advice of parents and grandparents however they do sometimes underestimate your virtues :P ( guess I'll always be a little girl to them)

Friends are indispensable for survival. The saying new friends are silver and old friends are gold rings quite true --they are both precious and have different properties :D Friendships built to last are hard to find but once found, must be upkept as well ,to function as a constant reminder of good times and a foundation for future happiness. New friends on the other hand are like delectable discoveries , each lending new flavour and spice to life , as we slowly explore the possibilities and travel along a common path.

Guess I've only been overseas for 1 and a half years but I think I have grown much in that period hahahha....;) Being exposed to a culture other than Malaysian culture was and still is a breathtaking experience---(under construction with new 'items' turning up everyday heheh)

okok.....I want to sincerely thank my friends for being there for me and making my birthday a few 'days' to remember LOL ......Thanks to my Adelaide friends who sprung a surprise the night before I left which involved lots of whipped cream and some chocolate sponge cake....Thank you to my college friends who brought me all the way to ipoh and celebrated my birthday with a Green pandan cake and loads of nangka and crazy pictionary games AND going Caving!.....Thanks to my primary school friends who surprised me with my best friend of 15 years and counting in the movie theatre which then progressed to lunch and karaoke at red box LOL .......WOOO HOOO......blew candles 3 times over , made 3 different wishes ( hmm....wonder if they will count) ate three times worth of cake hahahhaha :P

All in all , a marvellous experience.

will blog about more stuff soon
Grinning from ear to ear :D
June

Home :)

2006-07-01T01:56:00.000-07:00

Ah, the comforts of home :) Glad to be here with family and friends once again . (I am also grateful for the yummy food) .
sigh.....I'll be home throughout the holidays because my Pulau Perhentian snorkelling trip has been cancelled......OH nevermind....
That means more time to finish my Assignment and MOre time to spend with friends!!
Sounds Good to me ;)

Cheers
June

HOMEcoming hehhehehehehehhe

2006-06-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

IT is Great to have the time to blog again :) hahahaha......I am glad the exams are over --expected results are hazy though....humph ....still unsure if the information I wrote in the papers was what they wanted ......SNAP out OF it !!! I can't do anything about it now! Just have to hope for the best ...
Today I woke up at 4am. I know that's silly since I slept at 12.00 am.......and I missed the Aus VS Italy game!!! SHOOT .......heard that it was such a close call ......poor Aussies .....
All the same, I just couldn't sleep because I was thinking about all the possibilities ---things to do, places to see ---Back home! I'll be catching a flight home on Friday and after that, there'll be a weekend spent snorkelling in Pulau Perhentian ...I am so excited !!!
What could one do at 4 am?? well, for starters, I read through a pile of fashion magazines to get myself up to speed ( isn't it just great to be able to waste some precious time? ), did some exercise before going for breakfast and then Hit the gym at 11.00am( just to make sure I don't wake up at unearthly hours again sheesh)......Later I'll probably go window shopping since I'll be home soon :P
Hmm.....oh I was recently tagged ----strange things they are .....just like chain mail .....
HERE IT GOES :Few Simple Rules of this TAG GAME:~-The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different points about his/her perfect lover.-Have to mention the gender of his/her perfect lover.-Tag eight other victims to join this game and leave a comment on their blog.-If you are tagged the second time.There is NO need to do this again.-Lastly, most importantly, HAVE FUN DOING IT!! ^^
1. For starters, it'll have to be a guy :P
2. Loves me for who I am and who I will be
3. Sincere
4. Loyal
5. Trustworthy
6. Kind
7.Compassionate
8.Someone I can have intelligent conversations with and connect with

The 8 people I'll pick:
1.hmm....don't really feel like tagging people at all so anybody will do
2. ''
3. ''
4. ''
5. ''
6. ''
7. ''
8. ''
Ok then, I'll update again when more interesting things crop up
Cheers
Dentist on Holiday!
June

Exam lifestyle

2006-06-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hello hello hello !
I have turned to blogging as a form of stress relief. Expectations hang heavy while coping ability is close to a level of alarm.
Firstly, this is my exam timetable :
22/06--Dental Clinical Practice
23/06--Structure and Function
26/06--Dental Health Science

that leaves me with about a week and a half of time to complete my revision.

Secondly, this is my current study timetable:
From now till the end of exams , I should have finished 3 text books and 3 piles of notes about 5 inches thick.
Ok Ok.....I should just quit assessing my workload because it is making me feel overwhelmed. One step at a time, one hope then another, one day it will all resolve.

Been running with the wind lately...and I don't think I like it. Therefore, it is high time that I return to discipline and exercise and sleeping at 'normal' hours. Don't ever mess up your sleeping patterns friends because there is so much to pay! Concentration levels dip, moodiness sets in, body feels fatigued--these are among the symptoms of sleep deprivation.

Other than sleep , another important aspect to look after during periods like this is to eat well , meaning less oily food, more veges and fruits , drinking more water and having regular meals. Then there 's exercise ......gosh, found that it can be a great mental booster as long as I don't exercise until I am extremely tired.

I Think I am rambling ......
better stop now
Dentist in the making who is anxious about exams,
June

EXAM!

2006-05-26T01:29:00.000-07:00

HEy hey......sorry for the long pause between blogs hahahaha......been very very busy with work and lab . OH welll........a student's life.....Just before I launch into full blown study mood....i'll talk about parts of my life first.
firstly, EXAMS are here!!! Many of us are either in the middle of exams, swotting for exams or starting to swot for the exams .....so, ALL THE BEST!!!
I have three Delicious' exams coming up next week of which two are practical lab exercises and one is written. SO I have to study at least half of my text book for the written test and all the lectures that have been given for the lab assessment and pray that I have good concentration , a sturdy hand, and great angulation to succeed (that's for the lab assessment). POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!!!!!

Well, so far, I am now qualified to scale and clean teeth safely YAY.......Other than that, my lab skills have been improving but still need lots of work. Did MO, DO, O, Prox box, tunnel prep, fissure sealants in GIC, Composite Resin, and amalgam. PHew.......
(For non-dentists out there, its just different cavity designs with different materials as fillings)

Tonight is Hens and bucks night.......so, i can look forward to a quiet early night but NOISy corridors towards the morning with generous spews strategically located ...ugh.....part and parcel of college life.

okok.....we celebrated international night last week and there was lots of Indian influences ---food, attire and music....hehe....( I wore a sari !) It was a good night -- for once, a non-alcohol based event! there were plenty of performances ---plenty of talent in college :).

next week is the last week of the semester after which it will be study break for two weeks and then ---EXAMS......sigh...better start work now.

Cheers
dentist at work
June

In my quest for motivation---:)

2006-05-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

What if all we see about us are reflections of what we think is so?

What 's reflected when we decide to change our thought?

I stumbled across these questions in a book by Richard Bach, called 'Curious Lives' Adventures from the Ferret Chronicles. It gave me much needed contemplation about how I should handle dentistry in the laboratory and in clinical practice.
Realising that your frame of mind greatly affects your actions and that learning is not always easy , i guess I start to see the point of being more patient with myself.

yet another quote:

Sometimes, unless you start over, you'll never start at all.

hmm.....Maybe if I start over with a fresh frame of mind and by making a choice to use each session to my highest sense of right , taking time with the journey to fully comprehend its workings....I can overcome my limitations.

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.

keeping that quote in mind may also help. LOL :D

Visualising a better session :)
Competance and Excellence
Jun

Patience and Calmness

2006-05-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

WOW........I just realised the importance of being patient and doing things slow and steady. Being calm helps too. Laboratory session went better than last time (even though my amalgam carving still sucks) , at least my composite resin fillings were satisfactory. Clinic on the other hand was a nightmare......

It was a routine procedure -- Rubber dam application : putting on a sheet of rubber on a patient by clamping it down onto a tooth with a suitable clamp after appliying topical anesthetic.
Well, the first placement went well. however, the patient was in pain and wanted the second one done quickly......therefore, in the rush of the moment, my fingers slipped and the clamp clamped onto his gingivae vertically!! From then on, due to my increasing anxiety and the patient's constant moans of pain....it was downhill.....sigh.....

One lesson I learnt it to keep the panic within. Show the patient confidence even when you are quaking inside.....DO NOT let them have a mirror to see the damage as it increases the psychological pain....

Oh well, I'll have to face him again next week so I'll have to prepare myself mentally first . Wish me luck guys!

Cheers
Dentist at work
Jun

Uni Life

2006-04-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

Hello!! It's been a while since my last post. Alright, just to get everyone up to speed, uni has started once again and it is only 1,2,3,4,5,6 WEEKS TO the Midyear Exam!! Gosh.....time flies.
The holidays provided much needed 'personal' time and now I am somewhat more refreshed haha. Just had an evidenced based dentistry test on friday--hopefully i'll pass that . Had an awful session at lab but i know now there is no where to go but up the improvement curve :P

Packing amalgam was a great work out! Gave me just as much weight training as would a gym workout with weights. Carving amalgam on the other hand took more patience. Drilling the cavity : even more patience.

Currently catching up on subjects like salivary glands, periodontium, effects of local anaesthetic and also sleep.

Oh, there have been new additions to the tea collection in college : lovely peppermint tea and green tea +jasmine tea heheheh.....Great news for me!

The yoga classes i went for, umm.......hehe.....only managed to go 4 out of 10 times....it was way too dehydrating and taxing....left me with no energy for anything else. Still in search of a suitable time for a flu jab ...SHEESH--everyone around me is either recovering from a cold or at the brink of getting one! Heralding the start of winter....with drizzles and strong winds.

Till next time
Cheers
Dentist at work
June

Easter Holidays!!!

2006-04-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

YES!!!! FINALLY........some break time :)

The embryology test went well.....had a bit of fun last night at Red Square ( a club) however somehow, I still think clubbing is not for me. I actually have more fun listening to music in my room ,enjoying a goood book or chilling with friends. I Guess the club scene is way too 'happening' for me ....especially the smoke and the alcohol.......But it was a good experience.

Woke up this morning with dark circles under my eyes.....humph....must be the fun and exams taking its toll...Gonna have to make up for the lack of sleep during the holidays :). Had a great Malaysian lunch at relative's place --Hokkien Mee and Gado Gado ....yummm......(that's why i can only start eating 'healthily' from monday onwards )

Here is what I have planned for the two week break :
1. Sleep before 11.00 pm( Sunday onwards)
2. Go for yoga classes ( starting on tuesday) at least 6 days of the 10 day pass
3. Go to the gym ( monday onwards) at least 2 times a week
4. Eat well : ration my meals and eat healthily ( Monday onwards)
5. Catch up with friends through email and msn and through this blog
6. Tidy up my room and file all relevant documents
7. Revise biology
8. Copy and understand most of Ten Cate Oral histology and embryology
9.Study for Evidenced Based Dentistry test and finish the assignment
10. Read some good novels
11. Learn to sing and play the piano at the same time
12. Buy the clamp ( w8A) I lost.
13. Go shopping
14. Check out the research opportunities in the Dental Hospital
15. Get a flu jab ( tues or wed)

hmm.....I think that covers it :P

Till next time,
Ciao....will see how long I take to complete the list :P

Dentist on holiday
June

TEST SOOOnnnn

2006-03-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

Hi there, well, the holidays are almost here, however, that also means that my term test is here too . Always take the good with the bad ....universe in a balanced state, such is the law of ying and yang? Wish me luck as I battle on with understanding embryology, tooth formation, enamel formation, dentine formation, and pulp complex. In addition to that, I shall have to keep on top of physiology ( We've been given one system per week and expected to fully understand and be able to apply our knowledge in clinical situations) in the biology stream , and also finish at least two assignments per week. Dentistry is not easy hahahhahaha.....should have become used to that by now :P . At least I am making some progress in Lab with better dexterity :D.

Sigh, Haven't been able to go to the gym for the past week due to bruised ankle ( from ice-skating last friday). But, I'll definitely make up for it during the Easter Break hahaha......Gonna try out HOt Yoga and make it to the gym every other day hehehhe.....looking forward to doing some cooking and shopping as well as going crabbing !!

YUp, have to complete assignments and study for evidence based dentistry test as well during the holidays .....hahaha, balance ...balance....

Currently doing research on Facial Swelling . Quite interesting actually , Cellulitis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Sialadenitis ( some dental jargon to scare you guys :P)---WOW, lots of things contribute to inflammation.

Quite excited about tommorow ---going to assist my tutor as she does a restoration on my clinic partner :)

Ok then, Till next time , tata
Cheers
BUSY --dental obligation
Jun

Persian Festival......hmmmm......

2006-03-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hey guys ! its me again....Well, had a rough week but i guess it will continue to be rough for a while before calm seas ....:P Filled my first six teeth with GIC and CR material on Friday hehehe, its a great feeling to pack the gooey stuff into the cavities and light cure them ( make them harden) after carving them... Never knew dentistry involved art to such a great extent!
We are now studying the liver and blood. Read up about all the different blood disorders that may present themselves in patients and WHOa ....they are numerous.
Also studying about alcoholic liver disease ----people, please do not exceed two standard drinks per day if you drink everyday and oh, Try to stay away from ALCOHOL because it really messes up your system. Yeah, you get a high for now , BUT you will definitely get a low soon enough......
Went for the Persian Festival on Saturday night and had my fortune told ----Ended up being quite a disappointment as she only told me what I already knew ie. YOu are Worried about your Studies!! BIG DEAL , I mean, I AM a student SO i'd obviously be worried about that ....ish....
other than that, There was free massage, henna tattoo and GREAT music....so the five bucks I paid did not go to waste.

Cheers
.....still reading about liver disease and cirrhosis,
June

7 things ......:P

2006-03-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

7 things that scare me:
1) The Dark ( pai seh, still sleep with my night light most of the time :P)
2)My imagination...overactive as ever ...ish
3)Being below average----umm....kiasu is the word
4)BEes!!!! AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
5)Wasps!!! Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
6) Hornets!!!! AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhh
7) come to think of it , anything which has stings or poisonous fangs which can harm me....."_"( people included---eg. backstabbers and the like)

7 random facts about me:
1.I Love TO SING
2.I read a lot ......books, newspapers, magazines, and recently for study purposes ....journals --boring right?
3.I work out at least twice a week
4. My cousin is getting married in April but I won't be there ...sob....
5. I recently told a friend off (embarrassed)
6. I got hit on by a sleazy guy in the gym last week ---EWW
7.I have plenty of fruits in my room ;)

7 things I hope to do before I die:
1. Travel the world :D
2. Raise a family
3. Earn a comfortable living
4. Eliminate fear of visiting dentists among my patients
5. expand my interests and hobbies to include scuba diving :P , skiing and......still thinking about it....
6.Adopt pets and care for them
7. Basically live every moment to the fullest.....hahaha

7 things I can do:
1. I SING
2. I Play the piano---need more practice
3. I can dance :P .....learning from Rajes heheh
4. I can eat 6 apples, 3 oranges , 12 biscuits, 1 nectarine, and still go down for dinner which consists of two skewers of chicken and a bunch of carrots and beans ---had a stomach upset later hahah
5. I can write poems when fancy strikes me
6. I can cook --- my cod fish with lemon butter and herb sauce is superb :P, other receipies are in the works
7. I can look good in red pants --a recent discovery ;)

7 things that you like:
1. Travelling ---Seeing new places, experiencing the culture
2. Catching up with friends and Doing fun things together
3. Singing
4. Reading
5. Nature and the great outdoors ....not when it is too sunny and I am without sunblock :P
6. Animals!!
7. enjoying good food......yummm.......

7 things you just can’t live without:
1. The air we breath
2. The water we drink
3. The food we eat
4 . A place to stay
5. My parents' love
6. My friends
7. My education

7 people that should fill in this:
1. Since Caryn has done it......hopefully erm.....hhmmm.....Lydia
2. TST
3. LWZ
4. Shin Yee
5. Jason
6. Temme
7. Yi Juin

Long Weekend!!!! YAY

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

YEs!!!! The weekend is near .....gosh, this has been a busy week and I think the trend will continue throughout the year :P .....But, I am still thankful that I have weekends to look forward to.
Had another lab session on drilling for upper teeth the other day and sadly, I am still wanting ......SHEESH.......Maybe I need to relax a little and 'feeel ' the Drill . Clinic was not too bad as I had retained my skills as a competent operator hehehe.....managed to identify decay !
Still thinking hard about treatment plans for patients though .....hmm...need more research on that. Oooh......the cardiovascular system was a lot more fun than embryology but I am still working on both.
Been trying to work out more often of late (wish me luck on maintaining a steady weight :P) and eating more fruits and vegetables --mom don't you worry about my nutrition hahaha.
Oh, Lincoln College won the swimming event !~!! Unfortunately I had night clinic ( Yes , I Have Classes At Night ----not by choice ) so I couldn't be part of the cheerleading team ...sigh.....brought back loads of memories from last year ;).
That's all ....Need to walk back to college now , will update when needed ...till then, TATA
Exhausted from work out,
June

The Drilling Begins

2006-03-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

The Drilling Begins----------often heralded as the start of our life's work as a dentist ,my love affair with the drill got off to a shaky start. Guess we can't be naturally good at everything :P

It was a hot 35 degree friday afternoon when we met. It was lying in a shiny metallic box, newly oiled and slippery to my gloved hands. Oh the feel of its smooth lines and little bumps on the grip gave me the shivers. I was finally getting to know its tunes and vibrations! ---Alright, before I make your flesh curl to the point where your knees go weak in 'anticipation', I'll lay off the overly dramatic language and get to the clinical view.

We are entrusted a high speed drill and a low speed drill. The high speed drill has to be used with water while the low speed drill doesn't need water. Drilling through enamel, one is adviced to use the high speed and the low speed drill is for the dentine most of the time. I learned to use the low speed drill in the gruelling 3 hour session ( my arms still ache on saturday morning ) because we were to drill simple patterns in the acrylic base to adapt to the controls. It was then I realised that drilling with a rotating instrument is no child's play.
Due to its rotating bearings, it tended to move towards the left ( not desirable when we are trying to drill a straight line!)Thus more force was needed to guide the drill. Depths of the pits were hard to judge and i'll need to work on that. My patterns came out worse than I had hoped....to the extent the tutor could hardly find anything good to say....---all he could say was that I was conservative in drilling! (meaning i did not remove too much from the allocated area)
Hope I perform better in the next lab session.

Friday night, me and my pals went to the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts to watch the Sky dance . It featured some great orchestral pieces and some eerie contemporary pieces accompanied by ballet in the sky LITERALLY!! The dancers were suspended in mid air above the river and they were seen 'floating and flying from one end of the river to the other illuminated by sky lights. The evening was enchanting....and fantastical.....

Hmm....Adelaide seems to be coming to life this year with so many festivals ---now i see why it is called the Festival State!

Its off to work now---studying embryology at the moment ......

The singing dentist,
June

Orientation week and Fringe

2006-02-27T20:36:00.000-08:00

It is good to be back in Adelaide....hahaha ( Of course I miss Penang but who am I to complain when I don't have a choice? Might as well make the best of what I have) Yet another year of hard work and great opportunities has begun. Got back here last Saturday morning phew and finally finished unpacking on Sunday night hahaha ----not bad for someone with 'excess baggage'!
To see the juniors go through what I went through I must say is very amusing :P There are many 'bunny rabbits' this year and we seniors are 'hunting' them down! Orientation week composed of the usual games to get to know each other . There was a beach day, Op shop ball, quiz night ( skulling down gooey smelly gunk, stuffing marshmellows by the tens, gargling with mouthwash for periods of up to 15 minutes --that has to hurt) , plenty of after parties for drinking, pub night etc.
I was also fortunate enough to sign up for volunteering at the clinic to check out the first years hehehehe ( we were assigned to 5 freshers and we conducted a general dental exam of their hard tissues which means it is a general examination of their teeth). WOW! let me tell you that the first years are HOT!! This is from a girl's perspective , the guys think so too:p Wish there were more hot chicks in our year but....right now that's not the case lol.....some of us are working on it ;).
Had a bit of a headache yesterday trying to save some money on the dental instruments we had to buy. Glad to say that I succeeded! hehehe.....buying instruments from the school and also from another shop in Adelaide. I am really excited because we'll be learning all about restoring teeth and local anesthetic this year .
On a lighter note, I attended the 'Fringe Festival' last night. This event is celebrated every two years in Adelaide ( Adelaide has plenty of other festivals --it is not called the festival state for nothing ). The Fringe Festival offers a variety of shows performed by artistes . We witnessed a parade down Frome street and Rundle street after which there was a fair with ferris wheels, flying trapeze, merry-go-rounds, freak shows, weird talents, plays and even burlesque shows! We broused around and left for the after party on the fields around 10.30. Gosh, never seen so many people gathered in one place in adelaide before. It was PAcked! Music was wanting though---it was a mish-mash of beats which didn't seem to correlate to each other. After a while , we decided to leave. All along the roads there were street performances --flame throwers, sketches, dances and the like.
It was a good experience. However I was tired and walked home before 12 back to my comfortable bed in college. hahaha....not much of a night person :P
The singing dentist,
June