Chris's Mostest Awesomest Blog Yet

Here comes a new challenger!

2010-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

I'll get one next year :D

2010-02-10T04:54:00.000-08:00

This week has been a rather interesting week. It started off rather busy as the previous resident and registrar in my ward (Geriatric Rehab) were replaced by another pair of doctors.

Goodbye Adam and James. Adam is a pretty cool doc, really friendly dude, he was from penang too. And James, who is cynical like Dr House, but very funny. And hello Alice and Leyla, our new supervising docs.

As I said, Monday was pretty busy as the docs got me to do discharge summaries for the patients about to leave. Ward rounds took longer than usual as the new docs were familiarizing themselves with the patients. The patients at my ward are old timers, and some have interesting stories to tell. One elderly gentleman, Frank, is a veteran who fought in WW2 against the Japanese stationed on Borneo.

Tuesday was pretty interesting. I went to Dandenong town, and basically explored the area. I walked into one of the shops and guess what I found?

A dumbell.

Just what I needed to keep in shape! And at 11 dollars, it was a bargain :)

I realised I had to present my patient's case to the other final year students later in the afternoon, so I hopped onto a bus labeled "Station", assuming it will take me back to Dandenong station, where I can take another bus to the hospital. That was smart of me...

Instead, I ended up stranded on a bus sign in the middle of nowhere. It was 1pm and the Aussie summer sun was scorching hot. The next bus arrival was half an hour away. There was no shade around, and all I had was a useless dumbell I had just purchased. There seemed to be no one around, so I took off my shirt and tie (as the heat was unbearable) and started doing exercises with the dumbell (because I had nothing else to do). Anyone passing by would have noticed a strange shirtless Asian dude lifting weights on the roadside! But I wasn't that self conscious to bother. The endorphins from the exercise made the wait more bearable plus I got a nice tan (unintentionally).

I arrived at Dandenong hospital just in the nick of time as the case presentations were just beginning. I screwed up my presentation a little as I told everyone my patient had hypokalemia, even though his potassium level on my powerpoint slide was normal. How can I ever be a good doctor next year if I can screw up something so basic! Well don't ask me...

I was free today so I woke up late and headed down to the suburb of Oakleigh to buy some groceries. I bumped into an old friend of mine, Melissa, on the train! I hopped off at Oakleigh station and walked around town. Oakleigh is a town with many immigrants from the Mediterranean. There are many Greek coffee houses and butchers in this quaint town. It hasn't really changed much since I last left Melbourne 4 years ago. I bought blackcurrants (awesome stuff), king prawns (pricey stuff, 32 AUD a kilo), 3 boxes of bacon (only 2 dollars!) and some Greek pastries (baklava, eclairs etc.)

Tomorrow's gonna be another long day. I'll be having law tutorials on campus. Yawn. Law.

And my brother Fred is flying down to Melbourne tomorrow! Can't wait to show him around the city.

I'm beginning to love my new iPhone. Yeah, I'm hard to please when it comes to gadgets. But I'm glad it hasn't disappointed me yet. I had it jailbroken within the hour I had it and now it has all the apps and games I would ever want. Hundreds of dollars worth of medical applications and games (actually worth more than the phone's price) for FREE...shhhh :P Amazing little gadget!

2010.

2010-02-02T00:03:00.000-08:00

Ah. I do not know where to begin.

First off, Australia. I week in, and I have begun to readjust my life to the local Aussie ways. It's been about 2 weeks now, and I have a lot of things to tell about what's going on in my life now. It's been a season of reunions with old friends, meeting new and awesome (and less than awesome) people, and trying to lead a relatively normal life as a final year student doctor in a country I'm barely acquainted with.

My ex :)

It's way different here than it is in Malaysia. Firstly, all shops close by 5pm. It's summer now, so the sun rises at 6am and sets at 9pm! So we see shops closing in broad daylight. The weather bearable even on the hottest days because it isn't humid like Malaysia. A shower a day is usually enough :D

Can't you believe it's frikkin 8pm?

It really feels awesome to be hanging out again with the old pals I met in med school when I first came to Melbourne in 2006. It been 4 years, frikkin 4 years!

1. Been hanging out a lot with a buddy of mine, Brian a.k.a. The Bulgogi Master. To be fair, he can cook up fairly awesome bulgogi. He sticks proudly to his Korean roots even though he's lived away from the motherland for more than a decade. This guy is true blue and I can see many more exciting years (and adventures) to come.

Hot Chocolate with Chillies @ Chadstone

2. I managed to hang out with some other old pals. Steph and Angela! Together with Shehara we hung out in Brunswick (or is it Fitzroy?), had a nice dinner at a vegetarian place (but I still love meat) and visited Angela's messy (an understatement) place in Carlton and played snooker along with her sis. Steph and Angela played way better than me that night (even though I first showed them how to play 4 years ago!). And I'm having my ex(guitar) back from Steph. Thanks Steph, you're awesome!

Steph and her imaginary paparazzi

Angela

3. Also got to hang out with another buddy of mine, Mano. Hung out in Clayton and went to a garage sale. We have a thing for bargains. Plus I got a poster for free. He's still one of the most funny dudes I know, and it never gets boring hanging out. Totally awesome.

This is hanging on my wall. Click to enlarge and enjoy.

4. Got to meet up with Aunt Bee Ling whom I first met at the Ong's. Went to Belmore Road Church of Christ with her family. Their worship session is in a capella and reminds me of Cornerstone COC in JB. Got acquainted with her son Cedric and his brother Nick. Cedric's a pretty cool dude. He can fix cars up and apparently went to kung fu school(how awesome is that!) Aunt Bee Ling made us satays for lunch and we played the Wii which was fun. Even though I kept losing @ Mario Kart to a 7 y.0. girl XD. And btw, I'm hearing a lot about liver flush and vitamins on both sides of the planet, thanks to Aunt Bee Ling and YOUR mum. U hear that Karyn? XD haha

So that's it for now. Next up, I'm gonna blog about what's going on at the hospitals. Lots of interesting stories so stay tuned!

P.S. This sums up my life right now

I wrote a friggin testimony

2009-12-21T05:59:00.001-08:00

Some people I've met in 2009

It's approaching Christmas and I've finally left the sleepy town of Johor Bahru behind. I've never done this before, but I would like to dedicate this post to some special people I've met this year who have made my stay in JB more bearable and actually even enjoyable. Yep, that's you alright! I'm writing this down for posterity should I ever forget your faces. A shot of cognac would help unleash my fuzzy memory. Here goes, with no clear order:

Mano
An exchange student from Melbourne. What can I say about this dude that I haven't said already? My 1st impressions of him: White guy with tight pink shirt. meh. Let's just say he overturned all expectations and we get along LEGENDARILY. He is the life of the party, getting drunk and ending up in all sorts of situations. Which makes for good stories to tell after that! When sober (more often than you think), he makes the best of company, with his quick wit and snappy comebacks. Other than YOUR MUM. He is into lots of things, from comic books (knows the difference between Marvel and DC, wow whatta geek) to training his enormous 'ceps, pecs and abs. The best thing about this guy is his amazing confidence, and he will get far in life with it. A true blue mate who gives without expecting anything in return as well. There are few pleasures greater than having ice-cold beers with ya. Let's just say this year would truly suck without you around!

Sam
A junior med student of mine. This girl is unique, if I have to describe her in one word. Quirky and bubbly, and has a megawatt-smile. She has an eclectic taste in music, like yours truly :) She appreciates art and architecture, just ask her about Art Nuovo or Art Deco. One quirk I find fascinating about her is her particular-ness. She would try out a dozen highlighters until she gets that perfect shade of yellow-green! She can be a little neurotic at times, especially when she worries a lot about small matters. Hanging out with Sam is a pleasure, its real fun and easy-breezy, be it catching films at the cinema or just walking around town. If I were to be stuck in an unknown city with someone, I'd pick her :)

Karyn
First thing that came to mind is that she is very pretty. An understatement really. Nice cheekbones and perfect teeth. Makes the guys go woot-woo! Any guy would do a double-take :) I suspect she already knows it...
You'd think she'd be a total angel or something, with God-fearing parents and Sunday morning services...but even I was a little surprised. Turns out she has a morbid sense of humor, and she's pretty sarcastic to boot. ALMOST as sarcastic as me. Bantering with her can be fun, and frankly annoying sometimes. Hanging out with her is fun most of the time (The other half honestly makes me think of murder) and her mood swings are like a roller coaster, when hanging out becomes more like hanging on to your life! She has her unique quirks too, like her obsession with hygiene and she avoids fruits like the plague. She is pretty awesome with kids, knowing when to discipline or reward them. She is extremely capable and independent, especially with stuff like laundry and finances where she likes to have her way. She can be sweet occasionally, and you'd kinda forget how evil she can get at times...No one gets on my nerves like you do, and that's one reason why you're special!

Yu En
Another junior meddie I got to know better this year. She is slim, elegant and extremely ladylike. The moment you meet her, you'd kinda sense that she is used to the finer things in life. Plenty of guys are after her, I figure. She says that she is spoiled, but she likes spoiling others as well. And it shows :) Thanks for your kindness to me throughout the year. She is a brilliant medical student and is super humble about it. That is...until people like me screw up with the facts. Then you'd correct me and I'd go WOW. She can be rather suspicious of people's motives at times, which I think is a bit pessimistic. She is also pretty health conscious and knowledgeable about things like nutrition. And one of the best drivers I know, teaching me a thing or two about parking properly. It's been a pleasure getting to know you.

Shan
This dude is Karyn's younger bro. He has the same good genes and height, so he's naturally a hit with the ladies. Except I left out the fact that he's only thirteen. He's reached puberty and is enjoying it A LOT. He is a pretty emotional guy and falls in and out of love quite a lot. He's a cool dude nevertheless and I'm beginning to miss those punching games. With a little direction and guidance, I'm sure he'd reach his full potential and achieve a lot in life.

I may or may not see any of you anymore, so I want you to know how much I appreciate every moment we've spent this year. You have enriched my experience in a town I once thought of as dull & boring (I still do). Cheers and goodbye for now!

Weather Forecast

2009-12-14T05:44:00.000-08:00

Four corners of sky blue he stumbled in,
A familiar world within a nation of strangers,
Eyes glued to a glowing screen, over machinery din,
Relaying tales of scandal and unforeseen dangers.

The fallen angel sits in her usual posture,
He barged in without a welcome for the matter,
Throwing caution to the wind he sat, in his head a picture,
To relive a moment or two of merry chatter.

A duel of words they engaged a while,
With no intent of malice, just light-hearted banter,
Sarcasm a theme as bitter as bile,
The result a hint of a smile; or light laughter.

As they say all good things come to an end,
Drumming light taps on the door a bad omen,
A banquet ill planned and a will to bend,
An exchange of harsh words, it felt an hour or ten.

Dismayed he watched a fading smile as uneasiness lingered,
His efforts at giving solace were as futile as ever,
A dark cloud she became, rainfall and murder conspired,
The storm was coming and there was no shelter.

His welcome was soon over, out he was ushered,
In the darkest hour, his guitar the greatest comfort,
Damned he sat, numbed from being clobbered,
Knowing twilight will end without need for pointless effort.

Homemade phone themes

2009-12-09T03:34:00.000-08:00

Got bored with my phone theme so I decided to design a few myself, as I have a lot of free time as of today. Free to download and use, as long as you don't sell it. Karma's a bitch like that.

Envy Download here

Bloodlust Download here

Ultraviolet Download here

Wine Download here

MBBS Finals results.

2009-12-03T07:00:00.001-08:00

Well it could have been worse.

Purgatory. Not Hell.

The most spontaneous trip ever!

2009-12-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

Take that, NASA!

Today, 5:30 pm. She calls.

She: Chris, what are u up to now?

Me: *explosions in the background* Video games. I've sunk to such low depths to cure my boredom.

She: This might sound crazy. Lets hang out in Singapore.

Chris: Hahahaha.........OK. Meet me downstairs in half-an-hour!

She: I have to change...find my passport..get ready...ok see ya

6pm. Changed money, felt poorer. Took a bus down to Singapore.

Went around Bugis Street market. Durian season is on!

Hung around Raffles Mall. Had a banana souffle. Good stuff.

Then the Esplanade. Haagen-Dazs :)

Took the MRT back to Woodlands. They removed the bloody seats so we had to stand the entire journey! Got some wall hooks and batteries. We tried haggling down the price for pirated monopoly but failed.

And back again.

Its 12 am. I'm tired. But it was awesome, fun, spontaneous! Thanks. Made my day :D

Crocodile fail

2009-11-25T21:03:00.001-08:00

I'm a crocodile. Top of the food chain. I'm bulletproof yo! Falalalala...

OMG who peed in the pool?

OH SHHHIIEITT! OWWW! I'm sorry!

Denim crazy. Part educational part insane rambling.

2009-11-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make.

I am a jeanophile. A denimhead. A denim snob. Looking for the holy grail of indigo pants. Most people are happy with mall bought jeans that fit but I am rather obsessed with quality.

Warning. This is more of a guy thing so female readers might roll their eyes into their sockets. Women care more about whether it makes their ass look good. Ugly truth. shhh.

It all began a few years back, when I got a pair of Levi's Jeans. They were the local ones sold in local Levi's Stores(Levi's are different in each country). They fit me really good and for two years, I wore them almost everyday and subjected them to the daily grind of life. Every ripped seam, every tear in the denim told a story. They became in essence, an extension of me. Sadly, they became quite loose and sloppy looking. I needed a replacement.

I started looking towards designer labels. Calvin Klein, Paper Denim etc. I figured that they would be better than my old humble Levi's. But I was wrong. Sure, they were relatively well made and looked good. But they lacked the character and toughness of my rough and ready Levi's. Plus, they were overfinished and seemed contrived. Kinda like the gayer metrosexual cousins. Personally not into embellishments and all that. So my search continues..

Exhibit A: True Religion Jeans. Kinda gay/metrosexual IMHO

I soon found out that the Japanese have had an obsession with high quality denim for decades. Famous "connoisseur" japanese brands include Evisu, Samurai, Sugarcane and Denime to name a few. They yearn for jeans from simpler times, when jeans were made of tougher materials and were crafted to withstand hours upon hours of manual labour without falling apart. They continue to maintain old fashioned shuttle looms to produce quality selvage denim. They obsess over seemingly minor details such as the copper rivets and thread used for stitching. They also popularized raw denim, which is denim that is not treated in any way (eg. sanding, washing, enzyme wash etc.). But alas, most of their fits are rather old fashioned as a homage to vintage redline Levi's 501s from decades ago. The "Made in Japan" Levi's I wore were really well made, but rather baggy and high waisted so they weren't the most versatile pairs I had. The hunt continues...

Exhibit B: Samurais. Awesome fading on Jap jeans

Then I looked to the Swedes. Brands such as Nudie Jeans, Acne Jeans, Cheap Monday and Fillipa K have a cult following among people who appreciate premium denim. They boast of having quality denim cloth and modern fits. Nudie started the unhygienic trend of not washing your jeans for 6 months to get perfect fades! Acne Jeans(bad name!) is rather minimalist in their designs in contrast to flamboyant(gay) American designers such as True Religion etc. I prefer jeans that don't shout "Look at me! I am expensive and trying too hard!" Not bad for people who were once Vikings who pillaged and looted wherever they went a thousand years ago.

To sum it up, price does NOT equal quality. Flashy brands are expensive only because they spend more on marketing and celebrity endorsements. Be your own judge as to what defines quality in a product.

Here are my most often worn jeans:

Acne Moc Raw

Origin: Sweden

Cut: Straight Leg

Paper Denim & Cloth GTO

Origin: USA

Cut: Boot Cut

Attachment Jeans

Origin: Japan

Cut: Slim Straight

Nudie Thin Finn

Origin: Sweden

Cut: Skinny

Wonky Wednesday

2009-11-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've written anything down here.

No shit, sherlock.

Exams are officially over and it's suddenly dawned upon me that I'm free. No more sleepless nights trying to cram in stuff from thick dusty textbooks. No more agonizing over the side effects of different drugs. Just pure ignorant bliss :)

All this free time... Apart from chilling with my buddies, there's little else I can do in JB. Soon, all my colleagues will be back in their hometowns, leaving me all alone in this godforsaken town. And the drunk will be back in Oz. Sob story. Nevertheless, friends are not hard to come by. And the best part is that you create bonds with people when you least expect it.

Perhaps I should get back to singing-songwriting. I know that it comes naturally to me and it would be a waste if I don't sharpen my abilities. I just have to pick up the guitar, strum a few chords and the rest is automatic. Sounds pretty gay, but you appreciate music best when you create it yourself.

I am really excited about going back to Melbourne at the beginning of next year. It would be hella awesome to reunite with friends I haven't seen in ages. Has the city changed much this past 4 years? I'm gonna find out. It would be summer in January so that means fun, sun, beaches, barbies and hot freshies ohh hell yeah. However, I'm starting with my aged care rotation so that means spending the best part of summer with old people. Oh well.

Which brings me to my future as a doctor. This sort of sounds depressing, but I have a notion that I would be leaving Malaysia for quite a while after I graduate. Career prospects and standard of living certainly seem greener on the other side that is Australia. If things do not change for the better in Malaysia soon, I would seriously consider getting an Australian PR and then a citizenship. It would be regrettable as I feel a deep connection with Malaysian culture, its people, food and just the nostalgia of growing up in a familiar setting. Plus, in the past few years I've been in Johor, many people I've met here have told me the same thing: "I'm hope you'll succeed in becoming a good doctor and serve the people well."

I shall, one day. I promise. To return, to lead, to make a difference.

It certainly is quite mind-blowing knowing that I'll be fully independent financially in a year. Sure, I've managed to survive on my own this past 5 years away from my family. The prospect of earning my own money, buying a car and a home, meeting new people never ceases to excite me. And finally earning the title DR after years of hard work. That would be priceless.

And the best part of it all? It's just the beginning. Life is fascinating just because it is unscripted. And full of possibilities.

Cooking: Malaysian Bachelor Edition

2009-10-07T05:38:00.000-07:00

I've been looking through pics on my phone. And remembered that I have taken quite a few photos of my dishes from these past 2 years in Johor Bahru. I'm not a really great cook, but a guy has got to fill his stomach once in a while. Better than eating mediocre hawker food. Here are some of my dishes.

1. Spaghetti with pan fried chicken liver & heart

2. Sirloin steak with chips and carrots

3. Spaghetti with basil, tomatoes and cheese

4. Flame grilled chicken breast with noodles

5. My version of Foochow Kam Pua Mee (Dry noodles)

6. Buffalo steak with fries and cream cheese

7. Flame grilled sirloin steak with cream cheese

8. Kick-ass pumpkin soup with olive oil and herbs

On Pap Smears and Commitment

2009-09-28T03:37:00.000-07:00

I had a fun raya holiday mostly being unproductive and NOT studying. Didn't fly back to Kuching as usual but spent time in JB hanging out, eating and watching shows. Well Monday has arrived and I'm feeling the Monday blues.

1. Had a stressful morning trying to convince ladies waiting in the clinic to volunteer for Pap Smears. Not very successful as I only managed to get one patient, and that was with the nurse's help. Well I don't blame them. Imagine a guy coming up to you and asking if you want him to stick a brush up your vag. Yeah, I'm that guy.

2. I chatted with a pal about things. And got me thinking, what's up with my committal avoidance issues? To be honest, I don't know why I have it. I NEED HELP?

But I am still young. I like flirting and being intimate. But I am very vague when it comes to questions like "where are we?". I have never told anyone those three syllables. Perhaps I have boundary issues I need to resolve. Perhaps I am just too affectionate by nature. Maybe I'm afraid things might not work out the way I want them to.

Or it might be simply because I have never made the plunge before. Perhaps I just haven't found the right person for me. Or I have, but it isn't the right time. When I finally commit, it will be wonderful.

To whom it may concern

2009-09-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

My confidence has never taken a hit like this, but I'm glad to experience it once. My huge overblown ego needed taming anyway. I wouldn't go all the way to say it was a mistake, and I do not regret making the decisions I have made. Neither should you. It was my mistake for sending out the wrong signals. And it was yours for reading it as over-interest. I like your company and friendship, but it will never work out between us.

I'll make a quick reevaluation of my life. I am happy with my life, I have awesome friends and family, a good future, good health, and youth on my side. The world is my oyster, with new things to learn, experience and enjoy each day. I guess once in a while, I feel the need to share it with someone on a whole new level. You seemed keen, so I naturally picked you over others.

I admit I'm just as confused as you are, and I don't blame you one bit. Some time out would be good. Just continue smiling, our lives are yet to be written, it's gonna be a great tale I'm sure.

Btw Megan Fox is totally not a guy. Idiot.

Recap: The weekend

2009-08-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

Setting the floor on fire with lighter fluid. Ring of fire! Go figure...

It has been an awesome, busy, fun weekend. Not very productive by med school standards, but satisfying nonetheless.

1. Barbie at Ali's place on Friday evening. A nice way to chill after a week of blood, gore and babies. Mano had two of his friends driving down from KL. Both from munchessttter. And apparently they got lost and we had to look for them. Wait for it.................females! Nah, to be fair, JB is not a very easy place to navigate around.

The Bras (Alvin, Lawrence, Daniel, John) were there too and they did most of the grilling. Then we headed off to Cantina near Ali's place. It was a sports bar and we had real fun singing along to cheesy old songs and playing pool. By the time we left, we were filled with beer, and emptied of dignity!

Night ended with a trip to Cabana by midnight. The place was packed as it was the weekend. And we got in free thanks to an insider. Wooh! I was pretty tired by then, but we danced the night away. Becka claimed to be the most sober so she insisted she rode shotgun to make sure we got home with our lives intact. I think Ali was sober enough to drive anyway.

2. Saturday was a blast as well, a nice slower pace. Woke up real late and met up with a new friend, Karyn. We went off for a drink and chat at Roost as there was time to spare. She was so cute, especially with those teal retro sunnies. We went to my church service later and walked her back to CS. I remembered I had wanted to watch UP! for a while, so Sam and I did just that. Poor Sam haven't had her dinner yet, so she snuck some macaroni into the cinema. The movie was really nice and touching. After that she bought those pair of shoes she had been wanting for a week. I said go for it :)

3. It's now Sunday. I'm gonna sit at home and relax. No schedules or plans. Quality time with myself. It's honouring the Sabbath, no?

Things I want to learn within 1000 days

2009-08-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

Life's too short. We only have 30,000 days to live, on average. As a young man about to be thrown into a mundane, albeit well regarded career field, time's a-ticking. So here's my to be reviewed list of things to do within these few years!

1. Learn to ride a motorbike: No, not the tiny annoying mosquito types (Honda, Suzuki etc). But a classic Harley or a Vespa. For some reason, cruising on a bike has this appeal to me. Wind in your face, and the freedom of going off road if needed.

2. Learn to shoot. Like a 9mm revolver. Just for the sake of it. Archery is for sissies (No offense)

3. Learn a martial art. This is long overdue. Just in case I need to protect myself and whoever is with me.

4. Learn to dance. Street style or salsa. No more stumbling around on 2 left feet.

Hi!

2009-08-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for ages, perhaps due to lack of time...or laziness. So here I return with a vengeance.

And fewer words in a post too. I'm thinking lists.

Just a brief glimpse into what's going on with my life at the moment.

My old blog is Misadventures

Ciao!