I Want....

A new CAMERA....

I've been giving it much thoughts about which camera to get...I def need a compact camera but at the same time I've always wanted a d-SLR. Don't think I qualify for a Pro-SLR yet, a semi-pro will do. But now..the compact camera are now made with a punch. They take great pictures and are still small n sleek, easy to bring around. STILL, nothing compares with a picture taken by the SLR tho...

Two camera in mind:

1. Canon IXUZ 100 IS
I saw this in Mid-Valley the other day and really liked it..cuz its sooooo sleek AND I trust Canon



2. Olympus E-P1
OMG...this baby is the bomb!! So is the price-tag that comes with it. Bad thing about it is that it doesn't come with a built in camera. Its sooo pretty in white. Read quite a few review on it already and they all sound good.



I can't afford both =( Maybe Daddy or Mummy or even Mama can get me one ;)

Pet-Peeves

There are a few things that I can't stand. They really annoy me..

1. People with bad manners.
It makes me wonder how their home environment was when they were growing up, did they learn nothing from their parents/parents didn't teach them at all? In school, didn't their Teacher did anything..serious was all that Moral classes for nothing? No wonder we had to do Moral Studies in College again. How are the ppl that they mix with? Manner-less like them as well??...

2. Kids running/shouting around in restaurants during dinner.
I know this one might bite me in the bum when I have kids. But I don't remember myself or any of my cousins doing that when we were young. The running I'm talking about is the aimless crazy kids on sugar running in between tables type of running. Its so dangerous. Imagine a kid running towards a waitress carrying a hot bowl of soup or chinese tea pot.

3. People who eat with their mouth open/with sounds
Its just rude and disgusting. Table manners people!! Japanese can't help it to slurp while they drink well cause that's showing respect that the soup is yummy. My jap host-bro tried not to slurp one day and he choked on his soup.

4. Kids throwing tantrums in the Mall.
I think this is going to bite me in the bum as well. Crying in the mall in acceptable for me but wailing and lying on the ground throwing a tantrum deserves a smack on the bumbum or a big talk at home afterwards. I will leave my kid on the floor and continue with my shopping if he/she does that.

5. People (mainly men) who don't open doors/keep them open
This is a chilvirous gesture that is definately dying in Asian countries. Must be that stupid Male dominance thingie we have here. I have walked up to a glass door and on the other side there was a guy and his girlfriend that arrived prob 2 steps earlier than me. He just STOOD there. I openned the door instead and he walked out first even before I could walk in!!! Hmph! Gentlemen are a rare species. Incident numero duo: Ppl walking towards a door, its automatic to hold the door a little while, while the person behind you get hold of the door. I've got doors nearly slamming onto my face if my reaction was a second slower.

6. People who spit in public
And here the Malaysian Health Ministry is wondering why we have a higher domestic transmission of Influenza A (H1N1) than imported cases. That because we have malaysians who do not have simple personal hygiene. Just reminds me of my research stint in China, walking to hospital in the morning, I had to be alert to avoid spit-balls!

7. People who leave things open
Okay this pet-peeves is something I can tolerate. People who walk in to a room and don't close the door behind them. Come on it should be an automatic reaction by now plus you're wasting electricity by letting the air-condition out. Openning drawers and not closing them. I used to not close drawers until I walked into one and got stabbed in the thigh. It was a painful experience.

8. People who shake their leg like a there is no tomorrow.
OMG. This is one of my BIGGEST pet-peeves that even gave me a nickname - Shake-Nazi (courtesy of Ms Dannie Soo). Go ahead shake all you like..you're the one losing all your fortune not me. BUT courtesy wise don't do it in the lecture hall when I'm sitting on the same bench with you...the whole bench SHAKES as well!!...and don't hit ur shoe on the back of my seat while doing it AND make sure your shoe doesn't make that squeeky/clickety-clack noise when its in contact with the floor, its distracting!

I have patience..don't test it.

*I have told ppl off about the leg-shaking thingie numerous times!

The Elders - New Batch

The ladies left and now I have the men.

Daddy, KauFu (mom's eldest bro) and EeJiong (mom's eldest sis's hubby) decided to come up to give Penang a visit o_O

This will never end. They always come at the best timing - near my exam.

Good thing is Jack is up as well, so he can bring them around...plus Dad knows Penang pretty okay. I just gave him my car keys and I can study alone at home.

*Drove around the Temple again, and KauFu pointed out a house nearby that apparently was Grandma's house. I've got no idea which house is it now..haihh...

Back to KL tomorrow and the time to THE DAY is ticking even closer. Very scared.

Day 3 - Temple Search

Drove around Georgetown (okay..I don't exactly know the street, so I'm using a very generalized area name) where all the old white buildings are on a mission to find where Grandma used to stay.

We went in circles 3 times before ending up on the right direction ie near Eu Yan Sang. Grandma n Mom kept on telling me that its near that place but seriously I've only been in Penang for 3 months-ish, I wouldn't know every single shop and landmark right.

Anyways...

Found the 200 year old temple in the end and needless to say, Grandma and EePo was very very happy. Well EePo can't really remember much cuz she left Penang at a very young age (Grandma n EePo has an age gap of 10 yrs). We went in for some prayers and also walked around. Grandma said that the Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple has not changed a single bit.

We went around the corner of the temple and Grandma pointed out her old house. Will go there again to take pictures of the place when I DO GET A NEW CAMERA!...

Dropped them off to Gurney Plaze for the rest of the day while I seek refuge with my USMLE in the Library. I'm going crazy...I just said studying for USMLE was my refuge.

Help Me!

Day 2 - The Elders

I had to sleep in the living room last night cuz when I went into my room, I saw Popo and Mom on my bed. I got kicked out of my room without notice. Thank goodness I have a single bed in the living room =)

This cracked me up during breakfast:
Popo: Haiyoo last night I went to toilet and I don't remember which room was mine, half way thru sleeping only I realized that it was Ah Chan (my mom) next to me...

Popo returned to my room instead of hers last night!!..Hehehehehehe..

I always told ppl that my mom always forgets to pick me up from school (which is very VERY true). During dinner I found out that, my GongGong (maternal grandpa) used to forget to pick my mom up from school as well!!!...Like Father Like Daughter!!!

It was really nice to listen to the Elders talk about the old days when life was hard. Makes me realize how lucky I am right now. Popo and EePo was born in Penang and tomorrow we're going to try to find their old hse in Georgetown.


"Wahhh..Penang didn't change much..but everything looks soooo old" - Popo, in the car looking around Jelutong.

The Elders are here...

Finally finished my pain in the bum-bum surgical portfolio. Note to self: Never ever EVER leave it to the last minute again.

Picked up Mummy, Popo (maternal grannie) and EePo (maternal grandaunt; grannie's sis) from Queensbay. When mom called I asked her which stop was she going to be Queensbay (she was there before, cuz there was a mall) or at Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal. So I asked her was she at the place with the mall and she said No. So I just assumed that it was the bus terminal she was at.

I reached there and she was no where to be seen. When I called her she said she's in the office near the main road 0_O...So I got a little worried..cuz the office in the Terminal is upstairs not near anymain road. So after a few more pushing high toned questioning in Mandarin, I found out that they were in Queensbay. Yes, I realized when I'm about to start an argument with my mom I start it in Mandarin....mind you, my mandarin sucks!

Brought them around Penang had a quick bite and then headed to Coldstorage to get some food for the hse. Yes I have nothing at home - I no longer cook here. No time to. We 4 got detoured on the way in by the word S-A-L-E...the four magic letters. Mom got me a new pair on beautiful comfy white heels for hospital from Clarks and Popo got me a pair of really cute red-ish ballet flats from Clarks too!!!... I was a happy camper. Mom got her fair share of shopping too.

On the way back home, Popo suddenly asked "Eh..Where is our luggage". EePo cheekily answered "On the bus..we left it there...haih after so many hours only you ask where are the luggage"

On the Verge...

Laptop died on me -again!- so instead of getting it fixed and waiting for it for a year, I decided to buy a new one (thanks mum!) because finals are in a week and USMLE is in about 3 weeks. What great timing the laptop has eh?!

All this case write up for Medicine is such a bore..the worst is actually compiling my surgery portfolio - 20 cases and 3 long cases and all the tutorials. It is sooooooo torturing and annoying!! I can't sit for my exams if i don't hand in my 10 cases for Medicine, I can't start next sememter if I don't get all 25 clinical skills signed off for Family Medicine and I don't wanna mess with Prof Lee when it comes to surgery - in general you don't want to mess with surgeons.

With all this work infront of me, I can't even find time to study for my USMLE. I squeeze in a page or two during my "break" from the other work and do questions in the middle of the night before I sleep. Seriously at this rate, I'm just going to to in for my USMLE exam and play ini-mini-mynie-mo

Doesn't help that Dad calls and dumps a shit load of things on me. He definitely knows which buttons to press. He also expects me to do EVERYTHING - he doesn't think mom is an ironwoman..he definitely thinks I am. It is not fair to hide things from me and then tell me 10 years worth of things to make me feel miserable and useless.

I'm on the verge of giving up both my USMLE and med school and it is not because of the work load or stress of med school. I can handle it but if I have to take a year off to deal with things at home, I will. Dammit I totally understand how Rahi feels now.