LASIK

The day started with multiple sms-es of wellwishes from couple of concerned friends. :) Thanks to T & S (is N included?) who volunteered sending me there and back. Appreciated. But all of you know how i hate troubling others with my unnecessaries.

Mobile-check. Cash-check. Card case-check. Payment receipt-check. Sunglasses-check. Umbrella-check. iPod-check. Reader'sDigest-check.

The wait from scheduled appointment time till surgery proper's bout 110mins. I was walking in and out of the Surgery Room's waiting area for water while the others were discussing and worrying bout surgery proper. Totally puzzled with their concerns! *_*

My turn came 'sooner' than expected. I was waiting outside the washroom for my turn when the assistant went about asking all the gowned up folks if their name's JR. There she found me, shocked she was. "You arent prepared for surgery?" And i went, 'Oh its my turn!? Ok i'll gown up now'

So unprepared for! First time in this entire LASIK episode. Im usually the calm and cool one.. Who strongly belives that i'll be able to go through it, no sweat. Not anymore!

I stepped in and was a lil relieved to see Yap washing his hands. :)

My back laid on an inclined chair in an operating theatre containing the laser system. The laser system included a large machine with a microscope attached to it and a computer screen. I was put to the vulnerable supine position and moved 90deg. to be placed under the laser system. There i saw the legendary red flashing light. Actually, i saw orange light too! A head and neck support flled with 'sand' was placed. Time check: What seemed like 1 min.

Anasthetic drops were given (Works like magic!), the area cleaned (The assistant was ROUGH la!), lashes taped and a plastic shield was placed over the unoperated eye. My eye lids were held open with a lid speculum (dental folks call it retractor? It was uncomfortable.)
My vision was dimmed while a ring was placed on the eye and high pressures was applied to create suction. It was uncomfortable but tak sakit. The microkeratome (a cutting instrument) is attached to the suction ring. The blade of the microkeratome cuts a flap in the cornea. Reminds me of how gingiva tissues are incised. Here, i experienced the momentary loss of vision! Scary woooot! The instrument and ring was removed and blurred vision was experienced!! The flap was lifted and gently folded back on its hinge. I could see the stick like instrument finding its way to lift the flap! Site was then flushed with saline. My fists were clenched and more anaesthetic eye drops were instilled. Time check: What seemed like 3mins.

The laser was then positioned and i was asked to look straight and stare at THE light. The laser came on with a ticking sound. Now, fear gripped me. Lotsa thoughts ran through my mind. But i had to trust the expert larh.
The computer controls the amount of laser energy delivered. Before the start of surgery, Yap programmed the computer to vaporize a particular amount of tissue based on the measurements taken on initial evaluation. After the pulses of laser energy vaporize the corneal tissue, the flap is put back into position and irrigated with saline. Time check: What seemed like 2mins.

Ta dahhh. Right eye done.

Similar procedures for the left, with more fear, surprisingly.

The chair was raised and i could see again! As i sat on the clear acrylic swivel chair, i smiled, thumbs up and went 'great success'! Yap laughed. And so did his assistant. He did a check using the slit lamp biomicroscope (i think) and everything looked fine. He gave me a friendly pat on my back as i thanked him with teary eyes.

Antibiotic eye drops (TobraDex) was instilled (It stings!) and the shield was placed.
I: I look hideous right. Like a mosquito.
Clinic assistant: No. Like Spiderman.
HAHA. And to prove my point....



The glare from the sun casted a dizzy spell which went away the moment i stepped into the comfort of home. Ignoring the hunger pangs, i instilled a/b eyedrops and went to bed without the help of sleeping pills despite the onflowing concern of sms-es. Woke up at 6+pm. Whooopee! Clear vision albeit a lil blurrrry on the left side.

A list of post op instructions was issued before surgery.

Religious post op regime:
Antibiotic eyedrops: Stings a lil on the left eye initally till bout 3am. To be used HOURLY on 1st day, 4 times daily from 2nd to 10th day.
Lubricating eye drops were efficacious. To be used every 2hourly for the 1st mth, and as often on the 2nd and 3rd.
Lid care eye wipes: Soapy feel, no-rinse off needed. Used twice a day for 3days.

3 sleeping pills (IMOVANE) were dispensed. Had no need of them cuz i dont wanna pig out my Sat!

Thanks to the dedicated team at The Lasik Surgery Clinic, Dr Yap Soo Keong, dad who drove me home, lil sis who brought hungry me a glass of HL Banana milk, mum who's ever so worried, bro who verbally showed his concern. Not forgetting my dear friends who sent their well wishes, i love you all! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo!

LASIK's the BEST MEDICAL INTERVENTION. Bidding good byes to dry eyes from contact lens wear, dirty nose pads from spects, unbalanced glasses due to mishandlement, vigourous rubbing when tired/before bed, etc. HELLO WORLD!
Im so gonna take care of my eyes from now on. But i cant promise not washing my face for 2-3 days. Think Avene's tissue off no-rinse extremely gentle cleanser. Just nose and cheeks la. I wanna get kissed ya know.. And heading to the neighbourhood salon for a hair wash? Sounds good.

Have i told you bout how i love breaking rules? Eg: I wear knee length shorts to clinical attachment although long pants and skirts are allowed. :) I like the idea of.. combination, versatility, fugly. =)

Ok total damage for convenience sake: SGD 2649.30. Excludes charges for 2nd and 3rd reviews.

Oh yes! Here's a picture of the surgery and waiting area. Authorised personnels only!



Up and about! Life resumes.
Lil sis and i met up at Dhoby Gaut for dinner (MosBurger AGAIN.) While doing grocery shopping at Carrefour, we chanced upon a yummy looking sushi bowl and decided to get that for mummy's dinner/supper. Upon asking for its discounted price, the indian aunty gave me a wink and signalled me to hold on. The crowd grabbing individually wrapped sushi(s) at 3 for $1.30 cleared the next minute and she printed a $2 label for us. Gleefullness!


Its 6th May 3am. Time for bed. I heard the sirens of an emergency vehicle. They call it an ambulance. It is a specially equipped motor vehicle for carrying sick or injured people to a hospital(usually).

Almost Here

A recent conversation with * brought back evanescing memories of the yester years.

Partial lyrics of Almost Here kept ringing in my mind. "But when I need you You're almost here And I know that's not enough And when I'm with you I'm close to tears 'cause your only almost here"

Strangely, i couldnt recall any happy memories shared. The cognitive processes of beings is indeed complex.

Im so excited bout entering a world of perfect vision that i forgot the entire shit bout resting my hazelnuts.

I need to relearn bout placing my priorities right. Cuz time wasted can never be brought back, Opportunities let slip will never knock again.

And i recollect how * totally ignored me in my darkest times.



5 O'clock. The sizzling aroma of fried onions wafer up. And i just retired for 4th of May.

Pre Lasik Evaluation

LASIK Surgery is the MOST APPEALING option to rid bothersome spectacles sliding off my low and oily nose bridge and dry contact lens wear!
After faithful matt red frameless glasses lost in a war with mishandlement by its careless owner, it 'mysteriously' became one-legged the moment owner jr came back from slumberland. No accidents were reported by sister/room mate of jr. After using one day lenses (which's claims to be damn comfortable) and crippled glasses for a couple of days, i decided on LASIK surgery after success stories of 5 friends. Moreover, im more or less done with school and am training to be a sloth under the influence of significant others. For many, the main reason for LASIK's either comesis or convenience. Me-the latter. I love everything bout my handicapped glasses and dont mind being diggggged at for wearing glasses to an important function.

The analogy of going to a private eye practitioner is similar to an orthodontic consult. A private clinic has shorter appointment waiting lists, shorter waiting time, service orientated pleasant looking staff, no significant differences in prices compared to stat boards, etc.

Located right in the heart of Orchard Road, Paragon is renowned for its upmarket fashion labels and worldclass specialist medical services. It houses The Lasik Surgery Clininc at unit #13-01/06.
An appointment was a phone call away. I was greeted by a courteous operator and given a slot to come in the very next morning at 9.30am!
Upon arrival, I was attended to immediately. I requested for Dr SK Yap. The waiting area's spacious with adequate seats, reading material, internet access and a lil pantry are serving light snacks and instant beverages. A Chinese national was helping herself to all things edible but i had to stay away from cariogenic bad carb snacks. :( I know im getting pudgier as days go by and i dont want Yap to faint from breath odour!

Optometerists did the pre-LASIK eye examination which included the following:
1) vision testing to check the visual acuity
2) testing of the eye power (objective refraction)
3) subjective refraction to fine-tune the objective refraction
4) eye pressure checks for glaucoma (tonometry) [The optometerist let out an accidental shot of air which shocked the both of us. She apologised countless times!]
5) dilated pupil examination of the eye, with special attention to the clarity of the crystalline lens and excluding any retinal problems (such as retinal tears/retinal detachments) [I was momentarily shocked when the hazel wavelets of my irises were replaced by ultra huge pupils! This is what causes the glare, i think]
6) repeat testing of the eye power following the dilated pupil examination to detect any false myopia component (pseudomyopia)
7) measurement of the corneal thickness (pachymetry) to determine suitability for LASIK surgery (I had to repeat this procedure 4times. Ms Optom said either i moved (WHICH I DIDNT) or my lashes were too long ['is that a compliment?', i cheekily said.]
8) computerized mapping of the corneal surface to screen for irregular astigmatism and keratoconus. [Yap commented on my thick cornea!]

Following which was an approx10mins patient education clip on stylo mylo iMacG5, counselling session(think along the sake of informed consent) and a 40min wait for Yap.
The ang moh patient got a lil grouchy bout the long wait and started firing at the poor clinic assistant even after explaining that Yap's doing a procedure and has a patient(me) before him. Apologising for the long wait didnt spare her from the abundant fountain of expat saliva. Throughout, my brows were knitted with digust. I loathe patients who cant wait. Its like, EXCUSE ME SIR, if you aint got the time, reschedule your appointment since lasik's optional! The staff are here to serve but dont treat them like they owe YOU a living. Either you wait and be nice or (insert a vulgarity of your choice) off. Your slot can easily be filled. There they are slogging out and facilitating to serve you the best they know how and there you are, ass on the fluffy cushioned couch with a cuppa coffee watching Martha Stewart, totally uncouth!

Anyhows, Yap's a nice humble looking ophthalmologist who greeted me "Hello, hello, ni hao" which shook off all the tension in me. He did a detailed examination of the front part of the eye using a special instrument called a slit lamp biomicroscope, paying special attention to the cornea. He gave clear instructions. I was dismissed 5mins later to the payment counter.

An attractive staff came and instilled 2 kinds of eye drops after explaining the breakdown of charges.
A zillion thanks to Susanna Wong who told me bout SAFRA discount, slashing a significant (approx) SGD400 off the total bill! HAPPINESS + + + !!!
An even earlier appointment was given(Sat 1115am!) thou i prebooked a slot on Mon.

:)

Overall customer satisfaction (to date): 4.5 out of 5 dilated pupils.

The Lasik Surgery Clinic should use this as personal relations and give me a token of appreciation for such a whole and awesome review. Dont you agree?

Everyone's more worried than i am, esp Mum who kept grumbling bout the poor system at work cuz leave wasnt approved, who went on and on and on asking me to rest, post op care, finding someone to accompany me down, bringing sunglasses (OH YES! I CAN FINALLY PUT MY OAKLEY SHADES TO GOOD USE!!!!) mode of payment, and everything that i thought and knew what to do. Im not a lil girl anymore! I grew up long ago, momma. I think im THE KID who gives my parents the least worry. But the one who spends the most money (by working for herself okay! Aint no wastrel), although sometimes, being viewed by others as parsimonious.

Thanks to all my friends who apparantly are a lil like mum(Laughs out LOUD), i appreciate the thought. :)

Ok larh. I've to admit im a lil worried post op. =X

N's up next for LASIK pre evaluation on Wed! Grey irises the camera cant see.

Randoms

Although in serious sleep deprivation, my heart beats so fast, my mind races. I cant fall asleep.

Im thinking bout..
LASIK Consultation visit later at 9.30am.
Why i hate waiting..
Another tattoo
My wristlet on its way from US

Tested and proven. When i can see it, i have it. Eg:
Apple Power Book G4: Post card of it in my daily planner.
M.A.C. only make up: Viva Glam post cards
Crumpler: Was on my desktop
Coach wristlet: On desktop
Frietag: Donna on Desktop, homepage
Mp3: Korkor bought it!
Agnes B. wallet and necklace: Mental image.

And so many more!

We're all suckers for brands arent we.


And to kill time... Here's something i've NEVER done.
Two Names You Go By:
1. Jovelle
2. Ruth

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Kinky Pjs (Watch that buldge boys!)
2. One legged spectacles

Two Things You Want in a Relationship:
1. Trust, which's more important than monogamy.
2. Peace

Two of Your Favorite Things To Do:
1. DVD Marathon and scaring the others with my cackles
2. Does the recent mahjong craze count?

Two Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. Cash
2. And more cash. $_$

Two pets you had/have:
1. Fishies
2. Bunny (Who's called Hamster)
I WANT A TOY DOG minus its poo poo!

Two things you ate today:
1. Kakiage Rice Burger
2. Oatmeal Prawns

Two Things You're doing tomorrow:
1. LASIK Consult!!!
2. ? Date ?

Two Fav Beverages:
1. Iced Cafe Mocha with Skimmed Milk, Ice cubes
2. Iced Latte with Irish Cream and skimmed Milk, Ice cubes

Two Of Your Least Fav Things To Do:
1. Waiting
2. Assisting my beloved clinic partner J! Thankfully its over. :D

Another one.. Cause im listening to WESTLIFE!

[01] Is there anyone you love at the moment?
No.
Mum encourages no strings attached dating.

[02] Have you ever been given roses?
Yeah. (Posies dont move me an inch)

[03] What is your all-time favorite romance movie?
Titanic.
That was a lie. I need variety.

[04] How many times have you honestly been in love?
Should i include you in the count? :)

[05] Do you believe that everyone has a soul-mate?
Not yet.
Soul partner-yes. Soul mate plus sex partner. (Right CWk?)

[06] Do you think that you should put your friends first?
No.
Ellice or YOU-thats a difficult question!

[07] Have you ever had your heart broken?
Yupps. We all learn to move on right.

[08] Your thoughts on online relationships?
Gimme a break. Next question.

[9] Have you ever seen a friend as more than a friend?
It takes 2 to clap.

[10] Do you believe the statement, "Once a cheater always a cheater"?
No. We change. (Ok that answer was for political reasons) We cheat everyday, dont we?

[11] How many kids do you want to have?
Zero. Try changing my mind.

[12] What is your favorite color (s)?
Black. Red.

[13] What are your views on gay marriages?
Anal sex aint good.

[14] Do you believe you truly only love once?
No. There were 2 lucky men.

[15] At what age did you start noticing the opposite sex?
14? Haha!

[17] What song do you want to hear at your wedding?
At The Beginning.
Romance.

[18] Do you know someone who likes you?
Nope.

[19] Do you truly love someone right now?
No. Im a hard nut to crack.

[20] What's Their Name?
N.A.

I Me Myself-The Evil Trinity, Freak Accident

Personality
Its disgusting when one has an undue emphasis of self, basically,
1) self centered, (being absorbed in self)
2) self conceit, (exaggerated estimation of one's ability, an overconfidence in self, full of pride)
3) self willed, (stubborn, set on having his own way)
4) self indulge, (giving free course to one's own passions and inclinations)
5) self righteous, (righteous in one's own eyes)
6) self satisfied. (pleased with who and what one is)

Actions
While most people have performed a selfish act without realisation, it is probably more correct to say that "un-selfishness is a deliberate act, rather than selfishness, which tends to occur naturally."

Its a turn off meeting and getting to know a selfcentered being. The entire conversation gradually revolves all around him, and eventually this friendship consolidates into the hippocamus. And when i finally decide to give it another shot, it got no better.

Im not blameless to have cast the first stone. I respect my friends. I love my friends. To the extent i dont want them to remain the same. Hence, if you're truly a good friend of mine, i apologise for being blunt, but i do not hesitate in pointing out mistakes. Sadly, after being told more than once, he hasnt changed for the better. And i wish him all the best in his future endeavours as i move on (as i already had months ago), wishing mummy wont ask me bout this being anymore.

Sometimes i belive friends are here to stay, to be with you thru thick and thin (reminds me of kaya toast), toasted or soggy (just for kaya toast's sake). *Think fuglies. Other times, i believe friends come and go. *Like the many others in my phonebook.

But at all times, i'll not do anything that'll jeopardize the current relationships i have. I love and cherish all that i have right now.

I dont know where im heading to in this post. Im in serious sleep debt even after bulk of the rush is over. Never had the luxury of surfing for such long hours!
I went from informative points to rants to kaya toast to TALKING BOUT MYSELF (arhhh! Freaky!)

Oh yeah. A freak accident case presented at the clinic today. An incompetent lipped *Lisa walked straight into a freshly painted wall and fractured tooth #11. It was a 50% thru and thru chip with the incisive papillae holding the fragment in place. White flakes were excavated. To our pleasant surprise, it probably isnt any form of dental material but paint! Cut the long story short as its 6.40am, *Lisa had her meal, bathed, etc. before coming to the clinic. The fragment was bonded on ransom. :)

I'll be retiring for 2/5/07. As hawkers prepare for the morning crowd, i'll be curling up under the sheets, hoping beauty sleep be maximized. I wanna look radiant for my lil 'date' tomorrow!

"Hello Frodo!" "Sorry Sam, i forgot your breakfast"

Mah Jong

Here's how i spent the May Day. :)

Dad was sweet to have made his way from Bayshore Road(Eastern part of Sg), picked me up from home(Do i need to emphasize that i live near town?) just to send me to N's place(Northern part of Sg). Else it'd more than an hr to get there!

On a side note, I guess time heals all wounds. Cant help but reinforce that forgiveness comes before an apology. Live and let live, my friends. Laugh as much as you breath and love as long as you live. :)

Merci beaucoup[mer-see boh-koo] to N who was such a nice host! That darling boy served us like princesses, making sure there were enough chairs and getting us orange and sky juice.

Mahjong's the new 'healthy sport' that piqued my interest, thanks to CWK and Bondevia (http://www.bondevia.com/).

S, the self acclaimed God of Mahjong, did his utmost best in teaching me bout "prevailing wind" and "game wind". Amounted to nothing as i proceeded directly to gameplay. The experienced can have that calculated while i focus on getting LadyLuck smile at me. ;)

Dont the chinese characters of 7 and 9 look alike!?
I wanted to form sequence (a set of 3 tiles of the same suit, in consecutive values)





but ended up 'aborting' the game when i 'gamed' with








J: I thought my Chinese's bad enough. Yours's worst.

I make a perfect B Chinese candidate, dont you think?

Not forgetting N's feline friends, kitten Frodo and fat cat Sam. :) Frodo's damn cute and has 'something' for me. Im gonna visit him soon! Grow up and fool around cause you're not sterilised!

Wee Nam Kee

Apologies to N, misjudgement in travel times. thanksforwaiting!

Headed for Novena Ville's Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice stall, al fresco style.

The rice was richly flavoured with ginger & garlic, wasn't too greasy or clumpy. Doused with a light soya sauce dressing, the perfectly cooked meat's tender and juicy. On each table are bottles of garlic-chilli sauce, ginger, dark soy sauce and the works.
Roast chicken is actually Cantonese cuisine in origin, but they serve it too, for variety's sake?
The rice's addictive but i managed to restraint (1/2 a plate) due to health constraints.

Mr Wee Toon Ouut
Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice & Restaurant
275 Thomson Road
#01-05, Novena Ville
Singapore 307645
Tel: (65) 6255 6396
10am - 2am daily

Next stop was LiquidKitchen@Thomson.Each time a goal is scored on EPSN, cute waitresses go round taking your 30% discounted orders, does not apply for the first order. :) Its a familar hang-out spot. The only difference-splendid company and grey irises.

Its 5.15am. I hear the shutters of market stalls. Another day has begun. Mine ended.
I wanna hang out at the beach with a couple of friends, chatter and observe the transition as dawn breaks.

Kel's 20!

Thanks to CWK and Chen mama for hosting an impromtu mini gathering. It was a hell load of fun meeting up ex school mates, NE liner cum subclique member CYY, chowing on sinful pizza, gluping tooth eroding cola and partaking kfchicken soaked in 2001 shivaz cabernet.

Sherm sure did a good job being the GameMaster!
1. Clapping game. Forfeit was to eat kfchicken dipped in wine. Having chicken breast meat made it worst. Think bout signature ColonelSanders 11herbs&spices seasoning recipe soaked in unpalatable (to me) wine.
2. Goggles up! was hilarious.
3. Idiot Card Game. (Nettx). Somewhat like HeartAttack or SharkAttack as what some call it, it was Idiot Attacked for Nick. His desperate attempt to get some into his caste system was a tough but successful one. It subsequently became useless when everyone began shutting him out. No one dared to speak till he sportingly quaffed his forfeit. Is that conditioning at work or what.
4. Mafia. Hail the Queen of Mafia-Me! Poor Nich got arrowed in EVERY panel and is superb with his defence speeches while Sherm's the best-est narrator. Clara is too sweet and gentle to be true. But couldnt get away faking that she isnt a Mafia. I smiled the widest, laughed the loudest, winked the cheekiest yet didnt get discovered being a Mafia, but and was accused Mafia when i really was a lowly town peasant.


Lass: (Left) Carmen, Clara, Lynette, Wei, Jiemei, Me
Lad: (Left) Sherman, Jenwei, Jonathan, Richard, Nicholas.
Not forgetting KinMay the Aunty Sha Shou who left early. :)

Advertisment/PR ?

I was about to do a mini 'advert' for http://myurbancouture.livejournal.com/ when i wasnt sure to title it as Advertisement / Public Relations. And so for the sake of my dental mates (? solely kellylogy cuz carrie and the others are either lost or unaware of whats cooking in here), i present to u a lil article bout the differences between advertising and PR.

ˆThe key word is credibility!

Advertising is a biased message paid for by a company with a selfish interest in what the consumer consumes. Nothing wrong with that in itself. But do you believe what you read or hear in an advertisement?

Conversely, do you believe what you read in the editorial sections of the newspaper or the radio and television news reports? Generally, the answer is an emphatic YES.

Research shows that PR has six times more credibility and understanding than advertising. Until a new brand has some credentials in your mind, the impact of advertising will be limited. You can't build a brand if you can't win the battle for the mind.

Advertising does not build brands, it defends them.

How do people make decisions about new services or products? Most people determine what is best by finding out what other people think is best - and the two major sources for making that determination are the media and word of mouth.

PR is not a panacea. There are side effects.

you can't control the content, timing, visual appearance of your message,
you can't even be assured your message will be delivered
you can't rush the process

But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Advertising is incredible; PR is credible
Advertising is expensive; PR is inexpensive
Advertising is short term; PR is long term

So, next time you're about to dig deep in your advertising pockets, spare a thought for public relations - at the start of your campaign. PR should be an integral part of your pre-planning, not an add on.

You decide if its advertising or PR.

Upnext, if a-d-v-e-r-t-i-s-e-m-e-n-t is pronounced as "ad-ver-tahyz-muhnt" or "ad-vur-tis-muhnt". From what i know, the former's an American way of pronounciation, while the latter's British. :)

Say "Cheese!"

With graduation round the corner, everyone's snapping away! This post is dedicated to a lady with hazel brown eyes, ounces of body fats here and there just to compliment -me. And to Fuglians who's always ready with molar-molar smiles.

"Ah! I look blubbery! Delete that N-O-W!" You dont know how depressing it gets when i need to take 10 shots to capture that O-N-E perfect shot.

Ever been tempted to destroy a picture because your eyes were closed or because the camera added those pounds? Blame it on lighting.

Slate says "The flat, even illumination on the red carpet makes it hard for the camera to capture dimension, unlike in a photo shoot with flattering soft lights. Cast from an angle, light creates shadows that sculpt the face and body by hiding unwanted flesh. Softer lights can hide wrinkles and smooth out the skin for women, while harsher lights on male faces exaggerate lines for a chiseled look. Without the aid of shadows, however, light exposes the imperfections of the face and body and makes the resulting image bigger and flatter."

With point and shoot digital cameras, the flash is located in a place that does not flatter peoples faces. But if you turn the camera upside down and capture, the light comes from below, taking out dark circles under the eyes and smoothens out the face. Putting a coffee filter over the flash helps soften the light.

Unlucky for us, we don't have the luxury of having our own lighting technician casting light in all the right angles. Here's secrets to looking thinner in photos.

1) Turn partially sideways, planting one foot in front of the other.
2) Pull your head forward to eliminate double chin. (Try reaching your soft palate with the tip of your tongue. I do that if i remember =X )
3) Hold arms slightly away from the body. (Minuses the flabby triceps)
4) Take a deep breath as you pull your shoulders back, chest forward. (Forget bout KD's signature slouch!)
5) Look away from the camera, then turn towards it, breaking into a smile before the camera clicks. (Not gonna work if HPB's folder runner Osman the photographer-he doesnt give warnings & audaciously flashes a smirk. Know how your photographer counts. Eg: "Helen" counts 1,2,snap.)
6) Dont wear too low cut a shirt if you're top heavy. (Save boobs from disgrace, pls)
7) Everyone knows that wearing black gives a thin illusion. But if you don't want to wear black in all of your pictures, make sure your undergarments aren't too tight. Those bulges under a bra line show up a lot worse in pictures. (Consolation for cwk and i for being not as well endorsed as the other 4 fuglians)

Confidence captured in an image is sexier then any tense aritificial pose. You're beautiful. Embrace every bit of yourself. Ten years from now, those "extra" pounds are not gonna matter. What matters is the special moments captured.

But if you're corpulent due to diet issues, stop whining and quit munching on whatever-hooks-you, hit the swimming pool/gym: with me. :)
Anorexic looking lassies lack sex appeal. Get your fair share of chocolates!

While many people see chocolate as a wicked indulgence and health purists deny themselves its pleasures, recent research shows that good-quality chocolate has health benefits.

Chocolate
1) Is highly seductive. Even the smell of it slows brain waves, inducing a sense of calmness. Rated for a pleasant odor and being relaxing.
2) Causes the brain to release endorphins, the natural opiates that are our pleasure chemicals, and a compound in chocolate, phenylethylamine (PEA), is supposed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love.
If you feel inclined to eat 25 pounds of chocolate at one sitting, you might feel the effects of the chemicals in chocolate which are similar to those produced by marijuana.
3) Has nutritional value as it contains a reasonable quantity of magnesium and iron, 50 milligrams and 1.2 milligrams respectively in 1.75 ounces of plain chocolate. The same amount of milk chocolate has 110 milligrams of calcium.
4) 1.5 ounces of chocolate, or a cup of cocoa made with 2 tablespoons of powder, had about the same amount of antioxidant phenolic compounds as a glass of red wine.
5) Flavonoids contained in chocolate seem to reduce the time it takes for blood to clot, which might lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
6) A Harvard University study of 8,000 men over 65 found that, on average, those who ate chocolate lived a year longer than those who didn't. This was put down to the polyphenol antioxidant compounds in the chocolate.
Dr David Southgate writes in a review of Chocolate and Cocoa: Health and Nutrition in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Clearly the antioxidant potential of cocoa is very high."
7) Fats in chocolate come from three sources: the cocoa bean, vegetable oils & milk. The fat in the cocoa is stearic acid, a saturated fat, and this makes up about 30 percent of the fat content of a bar. But while we usually think of saturated fats as unhealthy, the stearic acid from chocolate converts partly into oleic acid in the body, a monounsaturated fat of the kind found in olive oil, which is linked to health benefits. There are mixed reports about the advantages of this fat profile. It does not raise the damaging LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, which is good as far as heart disease is concerned, but it seems that the good HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is suppressed, as are other compounds, which could suggest an increased risk of heart disease. Conversely, the antioxidant compounds in chocolate help to protect from heart disease.

In people prone to migraines, amine compounds in chocolate can trigger attacks, as sufferers have low levels of an enzyme, phenol-suphotransferase, to process them. Yet because cocoa reduces blood platelet adhesion, which can lead to headaches, it may be beneficial for other people.

In research published in the EJCN, a cup of cocoa made with water was just as effective at limiting platelet stickiness as aspirin though the same effects cannot be expected of cocoa made with sugar and milk.
Chocolate: Cavity Fighter?

Some health benefits may be even more surprising. A report in New Scientist discussed a compound found in the cocoa bean husk that could help to cut tooth decay. The compound is found mainly in the husk, but some still finds its way into chocolate, and the cocoa butter that coats the teeth is thought to protect teeth by preventing plaque from forming.

When cocoa-bean husk was added to the drinking water of rats, they had half as many cavities when fed a sugary diet than those not given the compound. Dr David Beighton, of Guy's, King's & St Thomas' Dental Institute in London, says these compounds certainly had an effect, but that good oral hygiene is still the best way to healthy teeth.

The problem with chocolate is that we often do not know when to stop, and most of our intake is not always of the best quality. Most popular chocolate products have sugar as the main ingredient, and high fat
levels.

The answer may be to eat high quality dark chocolate with a 60 to 70 percent cocoa solid content (normal dark chocolate has around 30 percent). As they are very rich, a little goes a long way. And high-cocoa chocolate can be suitable for diabetics as it does not create a blood sugar rush in the same way that high-sugar chocolate does. Chocolate has low levels of caffeine; its main stimulant is theobromine, which has a much milder effect. And the darker the chocolate, the higher the amounts.

There may also be a case for organic varieties, as the pesticide lindane, linked to breast cancer, has been found in chocolate. The chemical is in the process of being banned for use here but is still used in developing countries.

Craig Sams, of the chocolate producer Green & Black's, is a committed campaigner for organic food production. "The cocoa bean is a remarkable food as long as it is eaten in good-quality, high-cocoa mass chocolate." he says. But most chocolate consumed has as little as 10 to 20 percent cocoa mass, with a lot of sugar and hydrogenated vegetable fats. If it is not organic, it is usually heavily sprayed because cocoa is such a valuable crop.

Gecko

I rode through a cloud today.
Why the social stigma attached to body art? It has a magnificant history! Why the increasing number of clients at tattoo studios? (Clients are aged between 18-early 30s) Why removal via laser treatment when there'll be scars? Why even get one when its eventual outcome is an unsightly scar?

I've never paid much attention to the gecko on me, nor given much thought bout why/how i decided on it. Why not a dolphin, fluttery butterfly or Tinkerbell?



Definately not a temporal excitement as i had the stencil of it with me for months before visiting D at 17 Baghdad Street and im not one who make impulsive decisions. Yet, at that time, i was telling a classmate; 1 life live it. and another; you dont gather courage to ink it-you just do it.

And there i was, somewhere Sept/Oct 2006, seated in front of the artist's desk, legs crossed while improving & perfecting art, debating on size, etc. I placed full trust in the hands of the professionals, there were not much questions asked. The next 35mins were spent clenching (of teeth) in pain with whimpers fading into the 'drilling' sounds of the machine. It sure was nasty.
My new found mate was wrapped in shrink wrap







as we made our way for yummy murtabak supper. I was instructed to slather on moisturizer every other hour and to stay away from swim and sun for 2weeks. The punctured wound
scabbed







and wala!














Mum was totally cool bout it when i told her of the nights' adventures. So was dad when my new found friend peeked out of my hipster shorts during supper at Prata House a few weeks later.

Till now, i do not know how an idea of a cold blooded got onto me. Probably taking after its characteristics, having unique vocalizations(among lizards), being unusual in other respects, an ability to shoot an irritating liquid out of the end of their tails. Above all, specialized toe pads that enable them to climb smooth vertical surfaces and even cross indoor ceilings with ease.

I enter this post with much difficulty in articulating what really is inside me.

Kel, this's for you.

And the only regret? A tad too small.

D was right. You never stop at one. You'll regret if the size isnt right. Next up: Colours flatter fair skinned!

Wk 16

15th Apr, Sun 8pm.
The hunt for a suitable swimsuit for sis began. Bishan > ToaPayoh > Orchard-a failed attempt. Ended up a shopping trip! With ALDO having a sale on a pair of red loafers i used to like, the temptation was sensational, minus the fact that there wasnt stock for size 5. Ended up buying elder bro a discounted LeCoqSportif tee and an electric blue Nike polo for lil sis. Plus an indentical etched white Nike polo for myself-just for fun larh.
16th Apr, Mon
Complete lil sis's Aesthetic Project. It stimulated my creative juices by using materials(junk) found around home! Dexterous me crafted her a rose out of galvanized wire! :)
17th Apr, Tues
Ric and Kel joined sis & i for dinner at self acclaimed town area neighbourhood, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre. Popped in my earthquake shaken home (measuring 6.2 on the Richter's scale for areas other than my room) for UnoStacko and DaiDee 101. Dental student CWK didnt prove nimbly when the blocks tumbled helplessly before the next opponent had the chance to save her from embarrassment. And to prove that the above statement is not defamatory, here goes.
Ric and lil sis gave a DaiDee 101 for Dummies-cwk and gpy. cwk's surname has since been changed to dwk-Dolt w** k**** after committing serious feeble minded moves. Eg: While playing pairs, she threw cards 7 & 8 and insisted, "thats a pair!". (It took 3 of us 68 seconds to convince her of her mistake) and throwing biggest card (2) when she has other single cards to clear, etc, just to name afew. To everyone's surprise, dodo dwk won the 1st round! (Say she was faking it all? Food for thought!) While coach ric and lil sis were imparting all they knew, i won the subsequent rounds! Pro Ric lost once and got spared from a grilling 'tell the truth' session. Oh i mean, poor ric. Lol. That night was full of laughs and repartee between cwk and i.
18th Apr, Wed
Attachment today was about 1)HR meeting that was a total turn off with most of my queries answered with 'these events are judged on case to case basis'. And the greatest revelation: every issue (whether monetary or annual leave) is prorated. Say.. The 'payback' amt for terminating a contract before full course. And probably leaving a bad impression for subconciously, vigourously shaking my legs and asking questions bout breaking the bond.
2) Class and main supervisors' phototaking session at HPB with frolicsome O(who never fail to say 'raining arhh'), the stand in 'photographer', taking substandard shots. And YKC who got caught by HCY and i for fetching his gold framed studious-looking-on-him glasses before the shoot. Not forgetting individual shots with supervisors and the various cliques. When the zygomatic major muscle contracts together with the orbicularis oculi, stunning shots of memories are captured! (No doubt i got an A for Head&Neck Anatomy. Haha! Credits to Yahoo, actually.) Cant wait for them to be compiled and uploaded! Well, not complete without 1 taken with Sunshine LSD larhhh. We'll soon be collegues lehhh. Cant put my professionalism at stake righttt.
HPB DT Manager MT's Polar Curry Puff treat to all. Sweetest tank-euuu!
Went over to a friend's place for dinner and a DVD session. In a mad rush after work plus project discussion, ordered dinner from a small scale (less than 15 dishes) tze-char store and informed that i'll be back 20mins later before heading home for a bath. i was peeved when told that my order wasnt forgotten nor prepared. in addition to poor customer service, the boss continued whipping dishes for dine-in customers while his assistant dilly-dallied in preparing my order. being the ever civilized singaporean let out a "tsk", frowned and patiently waited for dinner while making an apology phone call for rubber time. god knows why didnt i cancel the order and head for another around the corner. American Wedding sent both of us rolling on the sofa bed overlaid with rouge linen.

20th Apr, Fri
Lil sis settled on a black Speedo swimsuit. It was a steal at $39.90! :D Headed for a 20lap swim in the evening. 16th lap got dull and hence challenged myself, frog style, by pitting against 3 boys in the 17-19yr old range. I started after the second completed 1/4 lap and managed to catch up with 2. Whoopee! It sure felt great. :X

21st Apr, Sat
The day ended with a quiz lil sis's googled. Not one who's religiously into personality tests but here're the results:

Evaluation...
You have scored -1 points, out of a range from -50 (100% Gothic) to 55 (100% Punk).

Goth-Punk. You have an even balance of goth and punk characteristics. You hopefully have the good qualities of each, rather than the bad side of each.
Photo justified:

22nd Apr, Sun
Its 4.15am and im wide awake. Please call me up at 9am for work. xoxo.

Joke of the day

I feel like having fries right now.
Yas: Me, chicken.
Im a whore. (Stretches out my hand)
Yas: You’re not a chicken. You’re a chick.

Why does fries taste so good?

Sonic clinician, 251

And so, tresses pinned up in a sexy bun, ultra back revealing (ugly faint tan lines!!) yet fully clothed front top with tweed shorts, arms akimbo infront of the mirror, strutted off to work by 7.36am. :)
The usual day at work went by. And at 4.30pm, i wasnt expecting any more patients and started packing up. Surprise surprise, a folder under PersonalQueue came in at 4.50pm! The ever bubbly J and choleric me(thanks to hormonal changes of mother nature) were silencing effing the STCS young lady. Did an E&D, scaling polishing and fissure sealant on the #46. By 5.12pm, she was dismissed. Thought that was a sonic experience. Anyhow, i wasnt able to catch a glimpse of my visual treat. How am i to survive Thurs Fri Sat Sun with THAT form of human escape. I'll ride out the weekends with occassional gawkings at mum's oh-so-well-painted Fu Lu Shou figurines. **Bronx cheer*

P, E, C and i transformed into pulchritudinous tootsies heading for dinner at O'Brien's. I had Turkey and Brile sandwhich ($7.60) which was AWFUL(ly) yummy, served with heavily salted potato chips before heading for the prickly hedgehog-like outline landmark of Spore, The Esplanade. The evening was overflowing with uproared merrymaking. (Think about: Being lesbian for 10mins, practising overly amiable greetings and excruciating hand shakes with L snarling in the background- all so in a failed attempt to give D, P's male friend a mini culture shock.) Nonetheless, there were times i felt a lil out of place when i attempted blabbering junk, offbeat jokes to PEC and was totally ignored for Christ's sake. Laughs out loud!

251 clearly indicate the changing trends of performing arts in Spore. Side track: Today's access to adult content, sexual/violent scenes from the media, etc might dilute the intense conservative Asian culture. And talk bout Birds and Bees, whats the appropriate age to do so?
Anyhows,
Its applausable how main cast, Cynthia Lee, was able to transmute frm an apt PSLE student to a delicious scarlet. However, thought that the tit showing scene wasnt felicitous. Its amazing how the transitions took place, how the audiences were engaged. And how music really changes the mood.
The audiences were tickled at how certain political affairs of sg were raised. (Shamelessly admit i was laughing away).
The 2 ang-mohs beside me got lost in an entire scene of dialect. (Thankfully they didnt turn to me for translation. I was laughing my toes off)
Also got a funny glare from C when i was giggling to myself when they brought "cunnilingus" into speech. She'd probably laugh her orthodontically aligned teeth off too, if she knows the defination. :P
Director Loretta Chen was present that night. :)
Kudos to productions of sg.

Grey description of NachoLibre and lil sis' wordplay

We were busy.
We had time to buzz.

Lost a person i was comfortable with.
A person you can fart in front of.
A person you can laugh out loud with.
A person you can hug and not feel a tinge at your heartstrings.

He's clowny personified.
But now we're diversified.

Our time is distributed to other attributes.
And who's to say what exactly transpired
And whatever eventuates,
It was 'shamelessness' that brought us together. :)


"Sister baristas better coffee with butter fingers"

Sending out trucks of xoxo for a great day ahead!

Strangers

I visited you for a while
Maybe I shouldn't have texted but someone had to be the first to break
Has your opinion changed?

We can head for the usual
It don't matter
I'll be courageous if you can pretend.

'cause I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize this place
We don't talk much anymore
I keep running from the pain
You don't know the strain
Till one day, when you feel the sprain
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again

Everyone's got an agenda
Don't stop keep that chin up; you'll be alright

What the hell
It doesn't really matter
How do you redefine something that never had a name?

Conk-ing Out

Petered out after work on Sunday.

Dead. Monday. Have yet to hunt down my Basic First Aid notes, dont mention reading an ounce.
And Clinic Management Assignment: Started on a paltry paragraph. Dead. Monday.

7-11 Convenience Store stocks Starbucks Coffee. Mocha: a disappointment. Nothing comparable to Iced Cafe Mocha w Skimmed Milk.

NDC Oral Viva

AfuckadaOooLaaLaa
Dental Hygiene's oral viva was hunky-dory. Tackled the bombardments satisfactorily. Half the time, i was tittering(literally).

HN's usual unfathomable questions included one on the MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY of the periodontium. Caught unaware of whats under the junctional epithelium. (Indeed ANYTHING under the Dental Hygiene scope. Damn) After prompting by MO the living-doll, i muttered bull's eye answer; CONNECTIVE TISSUE. They chuckled. And i went, 'magic word'. And they chortled.

25% MO 35% HN, with KCG dominating the 25mins grilling session by 45%.

Quite a light hearted session, lah.

Cheers to DT04! Great success, Hoo Haa! (Thumb up, beats chest)

Guffaws

"Bang, tolong diam"
Brother: Huh? (And carried on with his nettlesome speech)
"Terima kasih,
Adik ai tak cek"

Haha! Translated:

"Big brother, please shut your buccal cavity" (Malay)
Brother: Huh? (Expression)
"Thank you, (Malay)
Lil sis, me, (Malay) wanna do some studying (Dialect)

Lil sis and I convulsed with laughter.

Bed time. 2am.

Would..

like to drive aimlessly, reflecting on where the winds will take me, what it is will break me.
Deep down, i yearn to pack a suitcase for a place none of us has been, a place that has to be believed-to be seen. Let me fly away, a singing bird in an open cage who only flies for freedom.

"And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong"

Cyclics

After work, I wanted to change my life and start working on burning those thick love-handles and thunderous thighs that plague me for a big part of my life. By the time I hit home, the temptation to "i'll do it tomorrow" and while the night away in sendentary activities kicked in. Fatigue got the better of me.
"I feel that many of those skinny girls who whine about being fat are just like me, forever in the 40-something-kg range." was what i bloviated on 9.2.05. No longer holds true.

Whenever I entertain the mere thought of asking someone(s) out, a little voice in my head and the ass hugging black pants would remind me that I am less than worthy of dating the lad of the moment.

As the evening wore on, I stumbled on the biggest revelation of my current life, im so fearful of rejection that i've never given myself half a semblance of a chance to fight for Sunshine. (How bout catching "251" on the first date? If u ever make the 1st move, i'd promise u an evening of banter and laughter.)
And there is this undeniabe slight tugging at my heartstrings when we(obviously not the mentioned abv) text. Maybe Its not that i dont dare to, its more of the fear of being judged.
Cause obviously, they're out of my league.

And those chronic insecurities bout the future stems from my environment; how i was brought up, what i went thru, etc.
The scary thought that crossed my mind was how easy it can be for me to just go with the flow and then wake up suddenly one day at 30 wondering why I have let success slip through the palms of my hands. As discussed at clinics, where's the u-turn in our lives?

Way Back Into Love

Way Back Into Love by Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett
Soundtrack of Music and Lyrics Movie by Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore

This song..
Least describes me. I'm strong and I've moved on.

Dating's Rule Of Thumb

Was talking to P bout the status of being single and going on no-strings-attached dating.

My humble view is summarised:
To put in your best effort, holding on to the idea that although transient, the moments spent together has been a thrilling journey.

in-VAY

A dinner to Lavender Food Street last night after work brought back regrets of a wrong decision i made 3years ago. And worst, whatever got into me, to sign on a bond 2 years back.
Do you know, the bond for Dentistry is such that u pay for which u have not served. (and my mum and sis let out a "fking hell" on that). And the dental nurses are paid while they study, with no strings attached! Be it bond for the dentists or the dental nurses, the all new dental hygienists and therapists loose out big time.
**Shoot me, somebody.

What have i been doing these 3yrs of my life? Whoever takes 3years to learn how to do scaling polishing root planing, extraction(w/o elevators), fillings(kinda exclude asthetic dentistry), infiltration. Yes, talk bout holistic education, learning BUSINESS MARKETING and taking 3 years of sociology and psychology, excluding modules on prosthetic, aesthetic dentistry, implantology, etc. Hence the need to read up alot more, work, ask questions that seem silly to clinic supervisors, etc.

No point inveighing cause nothing's gonna change. And if u talk bout writing to Straits Times Forum or something along that line, no point. We wrote to feedback.gov.sg in year1(how audacious!) bout i-forgot-what and all has remained status quo, as far as we see it. Doesnt the 'bill' call for exigency accelerated?

This post isnt elaborate. Cant vomit 3yrs of thoughts into a single entry rightttt.

I've wallowed in self pity the past 10mins. Its time to give myself a kick in the ass and start on case report for MT due 2/4/07.

This entry and its comments is solely the thought of a human whose future is at stake. Read at your discretion. The writer shall not be liable for any hurts caused in the event.
Haha.

Asylum of the Saint. (Read: Insane)

YFT wishes to nominate my classmate+dental proj grp member+ex clinical partner+No. 1=Elder AAB as Saint for she has a heart for multicellular organisms of the kingdom Animalia, differing from plants in certain typical characteristics such as capacity for locomotion, nonphotosynthetic metabolism, pronounced response to stimuli, restricted growth, and fixed bodily structure(Read:Animals) and wouldnt even lay a finger on small arthropod animals of the class Insecta, having an adult stage characterized by three pairs of legs and a body segmented into head, thorax, and abdomen and usually having two pairs of wings(Read:Insects).
Whilst YFT was confessing bout his appalling childhood experiences (eating ants off the walls), AAB wouldnt even pinch an ant. Anyhows, YFT justified his actions with this; "Ants are good for the bodily system, you know".
Neither would you catch AAB smacking on a mosquito feasting on her sweet blood. (And we went "Oh poor thing, suck more, send invites to all your female friends!") Waggish humour only those present can comprehend.
She'd probably shriek and faint if she witness the swatting of cockroaches.

Why didnt cockroaches perish together with dinosaurs. They are such disgusting creatures. And should be wiped out of mother earth for the sake of all.

One kudo to AWW upon the long awaited Cl3 Driving Lic.

A dialect adjective for clinics today: Eng eng cheng cheng.

Its a very hard undertaking to please all.

Accept the fact, let out a loud sigh, curse for a day and move on. You've made the choices and done actions that work best for you. You know you cant please everyone, and that's fine. :) Let me hear your rants, followed by a deafening laugh and that silly " ^_^ + ;P " expression.

Camry experience

After church, lil sis and i met Dad and i drove them to Blk 680 AMK Ave 5 for western food at Botak Jones. We had salmon, steak(medium) and lamb chop(medium). Salmon($12)-damn juicy. Steak(200gm $14) and lamb(200gm $11) were done to purrrfection, pretty-ly pink and tender. They claim to have the steak tenderized via non-chemical means. Peppery brown sauce was served on a seperate saucer, allowing carnivorous me to sink my teeth into BEEF. It was so palatable without the sauce that i almost went "mooo". White sauce trickled down the lamb chop that was seasoned with rosemary. Each set was served with generous amounts of lettuce, tomato, colesaw and crinkle cut fries seasoned with spice. The average wait time's bout 45-60mins, but the first set came at bout 25mins later. All of us were feasting after 35mins.
After which we went for a spin in Uncle Patrick's Toyota Camry. He's out of town on a business trip and has given me full permission to use his car. ;) But sorry folks, not confident on parking, still an apprentice under Dad's control.

First destination was Tanglin village at Dempsey Road as i wanted to check Oosh out. Unfortunately it was raining and we didnt get out of the car. Afterwhich, we headed for Mount Faber's Jewel Box. Heading home on the expressway, it poured cats and dogs. I could barely see the left rear view mirror and needed extra eyes during lane change. Man, it sure is dangerous driving in bad weather conditions.

Had to take a couple of evasive actions, all of which are caused by taxis. Some were high beamed, some were cursed by Dad, none were horned. Key lesson for today: Remember to check for safety and blindspots before taking evasive actions.

The Camry's quite cool, when compared to the Altis and Lancer! Its seats are adjusted electronically. The seats can not only be brought forward or backward, its height and incline is adjustable too! Imagine incorporating a back massage. Fabulous. Its handbrake is located mesial to the footbrake and its interior is spacious.

Kel, sorry for not replying to your sms. I got a good tongue lashing for sms-ing at the traffic light. Phone was confiscated for a moment. And by the time i laid my hands on it, i rather let u sleep soundly. :)

Cheers and x o to D.

Get Voguish; Celebrate Curls! And Curse Not.

3+pm, 23/3/07
Was contemplating between going to a home salon or an Orchard Road salon for hair rebonding. Home salon > more expensive, somehow. Settled for all time trustworthy home salon, Audrey@NEL8, despite multiple persuassion from Ping.
Upon learning that i like my hair's natural waves when towel dried, Audrey immediately did a wash and applied STYLIUM Soft Airmousse. Its effect was jaw dropping. Never knew i had such wavy hair that could stay in place (hair products arent created for no apparant reason, silly me!)!! Aud's advise was to leave my crowning glory as it is, as i've gotta have it tied up 80% of the time. Left me for another customer, giving me time to reconsider sleek, accident causing hair under deleterious influences of rebonding chemicals. In that iffy situation, i weighed the pros and cons, finally decided to rebond the frame defining fringe ($50). *Celebrate curls!!! She gave me a crash course on hairstyle maintainence, without pushing any hair products. Merely said, take the chemical and ........... .
She's definately not totally after my money. She could had made $180, yet advised me to go back to her when i cant live any longer with frizzy fringe. But i desperately needed chichi looking fringe la. Gets irritating when im running late and have yet to ∫blow the dripping∫ fringe (no pun intended). ;)
Requested the purchase of a leave in moisturizer and airmousse upon payment. Amounted to $104. The products should last me 6months, taking into consideration that i go to work with out-of-bed,just-tie-it-up-la hair. :P

Honestly, felt chic for a moment. =X

∫Smirks irks old man
This old man placed his 'barang' on the seat beside him in the train. And it seems least considerate as there were folks gripping tightly onto the railings. Stood infront of the barang's seat, tapped him on the shoulder and gave a smile, expressing 'excuse me' in the most polite manner. Ignored me and shut his eyes. This time, i tapped and gave a loud "excuse me, Sir." Irritated but obediently placed his bag under the seat. ^^
Propped my butt down after offering the seat to an Indian lady. I sensed something was amiss when i saw him(via reflection) glance at me. Held my Frietag Donna in my bosoms, right hand placed strategically on the mid of my tote, such that if i see the slightest nonsensical i-wanna-brush-you initiation, it'll hit hard(thanks to books, hair products, >750ml Nalgene water bottle) on his forearm. Cheers to woman's intuition, he attempted to brush but was disappointed. Senior Prurient let out a loud "tsk, your bag la!" I smirked and sarcastically remarked "Ops sorry!" (Dhoby Gaut - Lil India Station)
Destination: Farrer Park (After Lil India)
I stood up, and i guess he couldnt take his gaze(read:stare) off a pulchritude. I smiled and headed for the exit. Just before stepping out of the train, i paused, turned back and flashed my pearlie whites again. As i headed to the nearest escalator, he turned back to my direction and started cursing. Too bad i cant lip read at that speed he was speaking. I couldnt help but graciously beamed.
Ops. It kinda slipped my mind that this entire 3min incident be witnessed by commuters.
Im a woman, hear me roar.

1020pm, 23/3/07
First drive upon obtaining class3 license!
Being a dainty eater, i drove dad n lil sis to Changi Point for Tekong Satay. :) Sinfully yummlicious. Shared a medium plate of hor fun and 'har gow'. Headed to Siglap as i wanted to catch that "chill, weekends are here mood" before hitting the expressway for home.
Its definately easier driving an automatic transmission vehicle. But far too unvaried-boring.
Initally, it was difficult keeping in lane, but got used to the Toyota Altis after awhile.
Would seriously consider getting a manual car over an auto transmission. (if im still in touch with manuals lahhh)
Dad said im a dangerous driver. But hey! It isnt my fault when i accelerated and overtake right after passing the vehicle! You gave instructions w/o ample notice man!!! Ok la..Angelic reflections: Im a P plate and should just proceed to the next exit, loop around and get lost, instead of putting others in danger rightttttt.
He too, brought me to narrow winding roads for practice. (Hey papa, my test route was SOMETHING like that lah)

Long overdue bonding session with Fuglians on 30th April 07.

Driving & Civic Education

21/3/07.
Passed driving.

Worked for 15 hours straight (Attachment, driving, work) and a splitting headache followed. Gritttt my teeth and stayed till 2.45am doing NDC's case presentation competency, filling in the dental charts of my study subect and tie up loose strings. Amounts to 20hours of non stop work! *Brain fagged.

Traffic Police Test incident report:
1) Entered the balloting room after it has started! Embarrassment +++!!!
2) While the greetings of others were "Good afternoon, Sir," Im not sure what made me go "Hello!" in that unusually peppy tone.
3) Sauntered to the Black Mitsubishi Lancer with instructor following behind (Took occassional glances using glass reflections) upon reaching, took my time placing coins ($4.90 worth, thanks to the use of a payable public toilet) into my purse and had a sip of water. Act like i was adjusting mirrors, seat, blah, not forgetting a kooky look checking blindspots and mirrors.
4) Circuit - phenomenal, zero mistakes, unlike 20th March- 2nd night session, went circuit, knocked down 1 pole(first time!), mount kerb(2nd time), had to reverse manovuer in S course, stalled on slope - Diasterous. Uncle Philip: You going for war tomorrow leh!)
5) Stalled once when exiting KampongUbiDrivingCentre. Thanks to a P Plate Black Mazda 3 which dashed out, giving me a lil shock. Hurry clutched in and restart, act zai and look silly checking checking checking i-dont-know-what.
6) Fear gripped me, suddenly. Turned the radio's vol up at red light. (Uncle Philip's comments: First time in history this happened. Dare devil.)
7) On minor road, need to turn left to major road. Left lane's que was damn long, checked and wanted to head for the right lane when he again said LEFT! Realised im taking a TEST and am supposed to be a goody-goody. Checked and braked and turned left. Cost: 8demerit points for taking evasive actions.
8) Fail to give signal and slow down during lane sharing. Cost: 4demerit points
9) Occassional failure to check blind spots. Cost: 4demerit points
10) Back in evaluation room, "Your driving is gooo, no, ok." And all that nagging bout signalling, blind spots, slowing down..
Upon ticking PASSED, i was GLEAMED, and stood up almost IMMEDIATELY. "I pass you, you very happy huh?" I went," Ya, happy, very happy" And my butt was down the next second. IC & Test paper returned. Had to wait to watch a video, took photograph and la kopi with Uncle Philip and his probably aphrodisiac friend. We joked, teased, praise each other and laughed out LOUD.
11) SMSed while 'watching' the video, processed the application form and made a new friend, WanTing.

xxx scored 26points on draft paper, but demerited 18 on paper. Justice undone! Is it the hot pants or blackcurrent hair? Either one.

Ecstasy of passing was short lived. 45mins?

Dad drove me to work.
1 high vac went missing that night and poor Peg. had to dig the trash. :(

Dad was juiced up. He wanted me to drive him and lil sis for supper! Rejected the kind offer, thanks to judgement impairing misery in the head. At supper, he bought $30 worth of 4D tickets-something i never knew he did. Is it habitual or in the name of helping the handicapped?

Thursday, 22/3/07
TSK - initials of a realllly sociable patient. While waiting for KCG(check SRP), we exchanged views about members of the society, how ugly Singaporeans get, past experiences, politics, and a hell lot more. She just came back from Penang and bought us mangoes and sweet-sour-preserved-lime. Striked upon me once again, that it really is the personal touch clinicians have with clients that motivate them to continue treatment with you. You need not be the brightest crayon in the box to make it in the real world. Fundamentally voices down to communication. Not forgetting responsibility, which basically means Response Ability.

And it really makes me ponder, how many folks thank the cleaners at the hawker centres verbally? Or even flash a warm smile for helping clear the mess in front of them. Has everyone ever imagined what it'll be without these folks who clears after you? Have you ever smiled/greet the toilet cleaners in the morning or asked if they've had their meals?
A beer-bellied balding man irked Kel Carmen and me on Wed. While the cleaner was a step away, he conveniently swept a piece of tissue onto the floor. And pointed his stubby index finger to the table, 'signalling' her to clean it. Obliged to pick it up, wiped the table after. Confession: I was cursing him like i never did in my entire 20years. No 19years. Next, he asked his FEMALE collegue to down the oscillating speed of the wall fan (the switch was so high up i could see her granny undies when she stretched in a failed attempt to reach). And went on complaining bout the fan while fixing that few strands of hair(exaggerating). And came the food, he was whining bout how sub-standard it was. Come on, you want clean chairs and tables, cool temperature, gourmet food and pretty ladies, pay the 10% service charge and go ahead with fine dine and wine. When you're in Rome, act like the Romans do!

Respect of spatiality

The respect of spatiality and its horrendous results. It'd had been less awkard if i knew you better, or if u arent hard of hearing. Ear syringing might just be the solution.
Vaguely recall what i said / did in THAT sticky wicket, just bewildered by the amount of 'courage' i gathered.
And im seriously wondering, what my hair was like at the pantry.

To a..
1) Stranger/Acquaintance: There'e thread on your pants.
2) Friend: There's something i cant take my eyes off; the thread on your sexy thighs. *Gladly reaches out and removes it, accidental brushing of the PERKS is unavoidable*

Someone said im a 'cock teaser'. Whatever that meant, the previous paragraph probably justified his speech.

Girls, lesson learnt: Dont try too hard pursuing your eye candy nor initiate a conversation before rehersing a line 1billion times. :)

Helter skelter

The following is making life hell of a wreck!
1) NDC case study report
2) NDC oral viva
3) HPB case study report
4) Clinic management assignment
5) HPB reflections
6) Marketing research, write up and presentation
7) Driving test
8) The urge for lower leg brazillian waxing
9) Desire for a COACH legacy leather wristlet (So diff from my FREITAG Donna! Aint a sucker for LV Gucci Prada, but looking at its classic design and threads.) Contribution to the COACH Relief Fund is available. Enquire within 'comments'.

10) Sunshine. Who's near yet so far.
11) Lack of Starbucks and the company

Not a bad mix of tiny and large stress boulders.

Apologies for wasting 2mins reading trash. Lets hope boss is not behind you, nor is he taking down this address for personal 'gratification' (No pun intended.)

GET YOUR ASS BACK TO WORK! (If its between 9.30am - 10am, i make a good break khaki.) ;)

Ok lets waste another 30secs.
Lil sis bought 3 magnificently finned male Guppies (red, yellow, blue) and 1 fugly looking pregnant outcast. Analyzing it for 20mins sounds totally absurd, but we did.

Speaking of which, P, C and I (not K, as in Phua Chu Kang-Ahhh ha, cheesy) cut some slack (1hr +) in the pantry this morning. Exchanging views bout work in the near future, upbringing of kids(1980s VS 2000), how we used to get caned, marriage, what you'd do if your patient starts wailing, etc. (Too tired to continue, Check this space for updates tomorrow, or maybe never. Blame my short term memory.)

Some say, the tissue regeneration peak is from 12-2am. They dont call it beauty sleep for no apparant cause.
Hypothesis: Chronic sleep deprivation can thus, indirectly lead to some form of low self esteem due to irritated looking skin.

Get that ass moving.

Mum's pleased with her lassies (sis and i) when we finally made a decision to tidy up the room! Man, it was hard work clearing clothes, receipts, tissue paper(YIKES), lecture notes, worksheets, magazines, and all that what-nots. The most amazing find: 8x3 packets of electronically tested and lubricated condoms! Compliments of the nation! Brother's in the army, as a medic you see. And he was in charge of giving out condoms to hormone charged lads, which included everyone in his platoon, noobs included, when he was away for training in Thailand. Before you wonder what i did with 24 individually packed condoms, i kept them in a zip-lock bag. And what should i do..? Suggestions, anyone?
In any case, we vacuumed and mopped, headed to PS soon after for window shopping. :) At the end of the day, realise its your family member(s) who cares most about you. And it really is ok farting in front of lil sis, do silly things together, talk to her with grody morning breath.

You've been crossing my mind. Im jeopardised.

Insomnia

I need Dormicum tabs before dawn breaks.

Monsters without rest

It was Dad's treat to zi char!! Was at Bedok South for dinner; Curry fish head and veg, ceral prawns and stir fried deer's meat with ginger and onions. After dinner, lil sis and i played childhood game "chi-ko-pa" in silent mode 'cause we didnt know which action corresponds to chi, ko, pa. Turned heads of the football fanatics when we burst out in uncontainable shrieks. Its easy to condition lil sis. And when i succeeded, i won her 7times straight before she realised! The trick? Amplify actions and give loud "Ahs!". At the same time, study her patterns and the cheeky look combined with 'what-if-i-loose-AGAIN'.

*Sighs. Round 2.
Aint a jaunty night out.
(A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day. We'll have good times more, i guess.)
Handful of anorexic-looking females lurk in Blk 85 Bedok's Food Market. No wonder they can afford the calories from oil painted char grilled satay, ghee filled roti prata(s), barbequed finger-licking-good chicken wings, etc. Dressed in uber short "peach" showing denim skirts, tank top and flip flops, feasting away on what seem to me like a zillion calories. Side track: Envious but I dont quite worry bout what i see in the mirror. Even if its concave. They always say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder right..And even if the entire world is grossed out by me and pimply cellulite, Mum thinks im her gorgeous. Hence, I wouldnt resist food even if its 10mins before bed. I rather be few grams heavier and enjoy life than be worried all the time. Back on track: D was chatty for awhile, recounting an interesting day, yet i was out of sorts, too tired to reciprocate. And soon we both got rather silent. D waited far too long for his soupy pork noodles (more than 40mins!) and decided to walk away after we downed the sugar cane juice. The hawker probably forgot his order. Monsters without rest, isnt it so true?

I suppose sometimes, we should take time once in a while to just.. enjoy the moment. Silently sipping a cuppa caffeinated goody and read the papers at Starbucks, watch DVDs at home and occassional punches of banter. The perfect "date".

My plan was for D to have dinner/supper, and head to Siglap for Iced Cafe Mocha. Foiled by fatigue. :(

Conclusions drawn:
Be careful what you put into your body, health is too important to ignore.
Taking a power nap from time to time can put you back in the pink!
Simplicity-a marvel if you truly live it in this age.

Upon reflecting how this week has been, i'd say: Bumpy. Joyce and i soared to limits in clinics. Guess we tongue-lashed each other every other day. (Or was i the only one yelling away?) Hmmm.. Isnt my 2007 resol. to live and let live?
Remember the buddy system.. because two have more fun than one!

Kel: This's for you.
I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts or fears.
But I can listen to you, and together we will search for answers.
(Guess I have more than you. But just swallow this effort, lah. Just for YOU.)

I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain,
nor the future with it's untold stories.
But I can be here with you now.

I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting, but I can cry
with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them back in
place. (Think: Chopped onions)

I can't quite recall what we bitch about,
But I can recall the smiles and puffs I had with you, and Fugs.
Its written in the stars.

Back tracks.

Wed 14 March 07.

Adequate sleep help the body metabolise free radicals, which are thought to acclerate ageing and cancerous growths. Chronic sleep deprivation(sounds like me) has been shown to lead to obesity, chronic memory loss, suppressed immune system and increased risk of diabetes and gastrointestinal disease. Upon digesting that information, i decided to retire as soon as i got home from work(11pm).

Sleeping early (12am, still unable to determine what really transpired.Was it marketing assignment, deep thoughts bout what the future holds, monetary issues, or is my hair just too wet for bed) on Wed, hoping to wake up fresh on Thurs was a futile bid. Sluggishly dragged myself to the basin for a splash, waking up to the idea that im running late, uniform's not ready, NDC's stuff not prepared, etc. ( I've eased my reader into Thursday, 15 March 07.)

Combine the effects of high estrogen & progesterone levels and waking up on the wrong side of the bed, poor lil sis was bawled out early in the morning for conveniently leaving sweet wrappers on the dining table. Passed her a nougat (compliments from KD for sending her my well wishes when she was not feeling well) and she thought its part of an apology. Sisters are silly lil creatures who look up to you, wants to wear your clothes, wows at your new buys, complains for not taking dinner with them, and the list goes on. Cute.

Side track.. Forgiveness comes before an apology.

Oh. And i smiled at eye candy in horridly "displaced" after-a-mad-day-of-work-in-that-shower-cap hair. What was i doing. Im supposed to portray an in·di·vid·u·al·is·tic image, an emerging sophisticate.

"You're just too far, from where we are, gotta go home, let me go home"

I cant wait for Friday / Saturday's midnight(overnight) tryst with D!
TGIF!

NewYork NewYork (CityLink)

Get together session at NewYorkNewYork, CityLink. The que was horrendously long (they dont accept reservations beyond 0630pm. To make reservations at NewYorkNewYork (City Link), call 6341 9695.). Service was prompt. Portions generous. And company: Fabulous with fits of hysterical laughter from Gina and i.
I had Fish and Alfredo, of which i totally regretted. Creamy +++! But that halfed the sin when i got so sick of the smooth and creammy divine-at-first crap. (Read:Which means i've got more sin points)
Couple of side dishes and desert ordered, strictly for sharing.
Tonight's ultimate experience: Mudpie. Sin level : 7/10. The warm chocolate over that crust and sponge is definately worth breaking your new year resolution; 'i-want-to-eat-less-of-THE-brown-stuff'. 3.5 stars.
Iced mocha was a tad too sweet.


















Would die for: Starbucks Iced Cafe Mocha, skimmed milk, ice cubes, no whipped cream or Iced Latte and a pump of Irish Cream, skimmed milk, ice cubes, no whipped cream.

Who's the last person on your mind, and the first when you wake?

I respect monogamy.

I am experiencing a bad episode of ** withdrawals.

Fri night. No Sat 1.30am. Met ^^, sans make up;au nauturale. Parked at Specialists and went on a Starbucks hunt. Sadly, yet expectedly, shutters down at 2am SHARP. :(
Strolled and teased on down aimlessly, in an attempt to negate some calories from brother's syringing of Heineken when i lost in his vicious game of poker earlier that evening. That aside, "" and i landed up at a pool area, where i lost 2-1. Fiasco. Forgiven thou, 3rd try at this, minus yahoo pool.

Headed to ||'s place for dvd marathon but things heated up. The rest: history.

Am in the midst of conditioning --. E.g.: Who is the lady who looks good because she has dark brown faintly seductive eyes? (You)

Driving instructor: "Dont drive like an experienced driver when you're still a learner. Slow down, be patient and look silly checking blindspots all the time." Is that a compliment?
javascript:void(0)
Quoting from PM Lee HL,
"You go to work, you come back from work, you take public transport. You have a car on the weekends, you take your car out for a spin."
Pushing for more red plate users..?

Joining the league-in my TWENTIES.. An exciting expedition up ahead. Looking forward to being 21, start a trading account, adding zeros to my bank account. Yet.. Countless worries bout THIS bleek future. Parliament: Give us all, a sign!

The worst relationships are the ones that wear away at you by attrition.
One modest disappointment after another.
A neglected call.
A missed dinner date.
A forgotten gift.
Love isn't always about grand gestures and flowery apologies.
You never had to spend much time with me.
And I never asked for much - just the certainty that when you said you'd call back, you would. Or that if you couldn't make it in time, you'd let me know.
Simple courtesies like that.
Do you know the amount of time I spent waiting for you to call?
Or keeping my fingers crossed in agony over whether you'd make it to see me?
I would put my plans on hold for up to a week on the off-chance.
Of course I grew tired of waiting.
But then I'd wait some more.
Of course I'd tell myself that I would never let anyone else string me along this way. But when the opportunity presented itself, I'd just do it all over again.
That's why I said that knowledge makes me vulnerable.
Nobody but me should know that I suffered like that.
I never told you because I just wanted the few times we had together to be happy and free of these banal little irritations.
I just assumed things would get better with time.
I never told you because I needed to preserve my dignity.
I was a strong, confident woman who didn't need anyone else in her life, who had a string of people who loved to spend time with her, who went through men like water.
Why was I being over-sensitive and needy and pathetic like this?
Absolutely out of character.
I had to disown that part of myself.
And thus, I had to disown what I felt about you.
And so I did things to sabotage our relationship.
I kept the truth from you.
Because that was the only thing I had control over. I had to convince myself that I didn't care. I had to numb myself to what I felt. I used other men with their tokens of affection to fill the gaping void you tore inside me.That's how it all works together, okay? Like a bird with a broken wing. Looking out at the sky and wanting to fly but knowing it never will. And so it begins to eat away at its feathers and starve itself in despair. Knowing that the more it destroys itself, the less chances it will have to escape the cage it's in. I wanted to respond to you today. And I began to, in a rather clumsy and inadequate way. But you see, I started crying at my phone and everyone started looking at me funny. And I had to stop myself. It's not that I wanted to shut you out. (What would be the point since you know too much already.) It's just that I can't talk about it right now. I just can't. Maybe one day we will have a "Before Sunset" moment. Or not, as life sees fit. You asked if I thought about you. Well I do - and I did especially when I watched that movie. Sentimental me. If you want answers, come find me another day - at the right time and in the right place - and I will tell you everything. Or maybe you will read this and you'll know. Whatever it is, until I next hear from you, take care of yourself.

down down down

down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down down for the past few days.