30 August 2006, Birthday!

The day started with Eugene, Gau and Clyde surprising me at midnight with two mouth-watering and wonderfully chocolate-ty cakes, wishing me a happy birthday. Felt extremely touched, and as Myintzu puts it, very 'xing4 fu2'. Thanks alot!

Clinical skills later that day was quite fun, with us having 7min OSCEs practices, and my PBL mates sang me a birthday song! Whee. Bianca gave me a tantalising chocolate muffin (She's so nice -la-), and I was treated to a delicious strawberry cake (with a song too!) by Kristin, Fang, Gau, Eugene, Lee Ping, Myintzu, Debby, Jamie, YouWen, Tharani, Lam. Thanks lots, guys!

In the evening, went to eat at O'Connel's Cafe Primo (brings back lots of memories...) with Eugene, Gau, Clyde and Myintzu, and ate yummy Garlic Prawns with Italian Rice. The prawns were flamed with brandy, and tossed in a creamy cheesy garlic sauce. Tastes absolutely heavenly. Later on, went to Elephant Walk with Eugene and Myintzu, and had quite a good chat over Chocolate Pudding and the famous Sticky Date Pudding.

And finally, this morning, treated Kristin, Fang, Eugene, LeePing, Myintzu, Debby, Jamie, Bruce, Leny, You Wen, Lam, Moses, Aya and Tah Wee to a satisfying Mei Wei lunch (with probably will fulfill our Mei Wei quota for the year). Also managed to raise some money for Novita Children's Services, which is a charity organisation that supports disabled children in South Australia. Thanks for the support :)


I














really enjoyed my birthday, and it wouldn't have been so much fun without all of you, thanks again!

Psalms...

Praise the Lord, all the Earth
sing praises unto His name

He watches the sparrows from dawn to dusk
The flowers grow in the palm of His hand
How much more, does He care for us
more than a hundred sparrows, His love for each man

I will walk into dark forests
Into the deserts I will wander
With His word, He fills my hunger
With His love, He satisfies my thirst
I will fear nothing, He is my strength

O Lord, Light of my heart
Ever loving, never changing
Who on Earth is like you?
In my troubled moments
My drooping spirit, you renew

Magnificat:

Magnificat anima mea Dominum
Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes,
Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiæ suæ,
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in sæcula.

My soul glorifies the Lord
Mr spirit rejoices in God my saviour
He looks on his servant in her nothingness
Henceforth, all generations will call me blessed

The almighty works marvels for me, Holy is His name
His mercy is from age to age on those who fear Him
He stretches out his hand and scatters the proud-hearted
He casts the mighty from their thrones, and raises the lowly
He fills the starving with good things, and sends the rich away empty
He remembers His mercy, the mercy promised Isreal, to Abraham and his children, forever.

BBQ Thursday!

Organised a BBQ last Thursday with Eugene for our friends, and lots of people came! I had to buy and drag huge amounts of food, like chicken wings, sausages and more, on Tuesday, from Central Market home to prepare for the BBQ, that the bus driver was afraid that the bus would exceed it's weight limit when I boarded it when the foodstuff.

The BBQ was super fun, thanks to everyone who came! Eugene fried beehoon in the morning whilst the group of us had a bible study session. We then rushed downstairs in greedy anticipation of the delicious food that awaited us, barbequed chicken wings, sausages, squid, fried beehoon, chips, and all!

Yum yum...

Went to church as usual on sat, and ate periwinkle shellfish with Hans, Jin Quan and Eugene in the evening. Ingle Farm church was great on Sunday morning, and I enjoyed exchanging jokes with the absolutely adorable Kathleen, who kept bombarding me with Irishmen jokes.
"How do you drive an Irishman crazy? Write P.T.O. on both sides of his pillow, or ask him to sit in the corner in the circle room."
Was extremely entertained. Youth mass at St. Francis Xavier was great in the evening, with beautiful music, lively atmosphere, and great company.

ARGHS, it's so frustrating. It's been so long, but I'm still not getting better. When will it all end? Don't tell me forever. Even mountains don't last forever.

The Way We Were

Memories,

Like the corners of my mind

Misty water-colored memories

Of the way we were

Scattered pictures,

Of the smiles we left behind

Smiles we gave to one another

For the way we were

Can it be that it was all so simple then?

Or has time re-written every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again

Tell me, would we? could we?

Memories, may be beautiful and yet

Whats too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget

So its the laughter

We will remember

Whenever we remember...

The way we were...

The way we were...

Kristin's Birthday

Spent the weekend cooking for the University Open Day, with Friday designated as ingredients-shopping day, Saturday for cooking, and Sunday for running the stall at the university. Open day was really fun, with the various faculties setting up booths to provide important information about the different courses, the prerequisites and how to apply fo them. We also recevied many goodie bags, with brochures and items such as toothpaste and toothbrushes from the dental fac.

Apart from cooking, Saturday was Kristin's birthday, and we organised an 'Amazing Race' game for her, in which she had to go to spots located all around the city to get clues, which eventually led her to Kublai Khan, this mongolian BBQ restaurant south of the city. We were treated to a sumptous meal of barbequed meats and vegetables, after which we sang her a birthday song, and ate orange tiramisu cake. Interestingly, 4 other tables also had a birthday girl/guy each, so they were all singing birthday songs at different times of the evening.



On Sunday, I went to Ellen's church, the Brougham Place Uniting Church, which had a great choir, and featured a grand pipe organ in the middle of the large church hall. Ellen played a solo on the violin, wow, so cool! Saw Annie, Sonia and Elenor as well, and got to meet Ellen's family, because they were in town for her cousin's wedding.

... ... ...

"You know, I can't remember the last time we kissed. Cos you never think the last time is the last time, you'd think there'll be more. You think you have forever, but you don't."

"I have a feeling. Yeah? If you wait long enough, it'll pass. Promise?"

"I promise."

-- Grey's Anatomy 2

Sighs...

...Why am I so pathetic?...

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate,
the beautifully exquisite,
deceptively bittersweet esctasy that explodes in your mouth.

My favourite chocolate, it even has antioxidants, and is extremely healthy (except when consumed in large doses).

Dark and bitter
Feeling like roadside litter
Tossed aside, thrown away
Outlived my usefulness for the day

I was there when you needed me
Cared for you whole-heartedly
Dried your tears when you were sad
Cheered you up when you felt bad

I was there, a true friend
When you were alone in a foreign land
Asking nothing of you
Just that you'd be there for me too

Once again, you are back home
With friends galore, in your comfort zone
"I don't see a point", you said to me
"I don't need you anymore, you see."

You just didn't want
to bother or care
It really hurts, and that's terribly unfair
Holding you back? Am I guilty of that? - Your excuses and lies-You used me-

If I could only turn back time
I would not change any deed of mine
I was loving, I was true
The thing I would do is to not choose you

Happy Birthday Myintzu

Myintzu's birthday celebrations comprised of a simple but warm birthday song just after PBL on Wednesday, together with a small cake and card, and a delicious dinner at Maya Indian Restaurant on Gouger street, wih sumptuous curry, fragrant rice and a delightful strawberry gateau, carefully adorned with two slender candles, and a bunch of dazzling sparklers! Absolutely fantastic!



After the cake cutting ceremony, we had group feedback (PBL style... bleah, Teddy must be proud of us), with onions, kang kongs, sambal, and even buried animosities, which were quickly resolved over the lighthearted atmosphere of the event.

Happy Birthday, Myintzu! Hope you have fun mountain climbing at the Grampions over the weekend!

DYNAMITE (Dee-Na-Me-Tay)

Went to watch Hoodwinked yesterday evening, with Eugene, Shaan (correct spelling?), Leny, Phyllicia and Bridgette. Fantastic movie, very funny and engaging! It was loaded with funny jokes, and beautiful songs, including "Red is blue", which had really interesting lyrics.

"Red is blue"

Everything is changing

You’re looking for the cure

And you feel like you’re the loneliest girl in the world

Trouble in your head now

Don’t know what to do

Seems like up is down and red is blue

Red is blue, Red is blue

Remember when we started

Days when all was fun

All that we could make when life was young

Now you’re getting older

Nothing feels the same

You can’t even make sense of your own name

Because red is blue (Doesn’t make much sense)

But red is blue (Messing with your head now)

In your heart there’s a room where you lock up

All the times and the things that she said

And now red is blue

What was near is far now

Red is blue... Like a fallen star... Red is blue...

Very nice song. Anyway, I love the Peugeot 206!

Slick, chic, and stylish! Can't wait to get one, when I actually have enough money to do so.

Anyway, I'm not sure why, but I'm really irritable these days. Like dynamite. Am feeling really really pissed and aggressive, and am trying hard not to yell or be violent. Gonna explode soon. Uh oh.

Recent events...

Last Saturday, I attended the ASBC (Adelaide-Singapore Business Council) annual national day D&D function. It was a really formal event, with a plethora of emminent guests, such as deputy high commisioner, AMBC and ASBC chairman, director of SIA and more. After sipping some wine, we were treated to a buffet of Asian cuisines, featuring South Indian style chicken, Asam prawns, stir-fried vegetables and beef in oyster sauce and chinese greens.

Sunday morning, I went to Ingle Farm, and Melissa Rogers was there to talk about her trip with Mercy Ships next year to Sierra Leone for 9 months. She's currently raising funds for her misson trip, because Mercy Ships is a non-profit christian organisation that provides third world countries with health and medical services, but it is entirely voluntary, and the volunteers have to pay for their own living expenses.

I think it is really noble of her, to embark on such a long journey, so far away from comfort zone, away from friends and family. I've been really inspired by her story, and am determined to schedule a year of missionary work before I'm thirty (maybe after my internship year).

Went to Aquinas International food night in the evening, and managed to meet many of my old Aquinas friends (although I felt kinda out of place, cos there were so many new people!). Got to meet some nice people, like Felicia, Cui Xia, Hun Wen, the two jap girls, Theodore, Victor, Mel etc etc.! And managed to play on the Gleeson piano, like old times. Miss it quite alot.



National Day Celebrations!

Top right: Jamie, Gau, Shaan
Middle: Jamie and Eugene
Bottom right: Felicia and me
Bottom left: Bridgette and me... haha omg she looks so cute in this pic!

I can't sleep (2)

I can't sleep, but this time, it's because I'm high. Really, really high. I'm not sure why. :p it rhymes! It's 12:15am now, and I really feel like running round and round the field or exploding or something. PBL today was boring, but everyone brought food, and I think I ate some foods (esp. Maddie's muffins with icing and additives, and Alice's sinfully chocolate cake), which is driving me crazy now. Cos on Today Tonight Adelaide, they've found a correlation between food additives in school canteen snacks, and how hyperactive and rowdy the children are. And I think it's making me really, really restless. Aahh.

Anyway, we had the Singapore National Day celebrations today, which was quite a success, because many many many people turned up, and we had lots of fun playing the games, singing national day songs, winning prizes, making silly jokes. It was -fantastic-. I got to meet lots of people too, and amazingly, most of the people I met are not from Singapore, they're China, Hong Kong, Indonesian or Malasian nationals! I'll upload photos soon! Whee.

Mood is improving, so I hope it'll stay that way. I'm going to do alot with my life, and first of all, I'm gonna start learning to be happy. I have instructions and directions, just gotta get around to doing it.

You said you'd understand if I thought you didn't deserve my friendship, but you were the one who didn't want to retain the friendship. I really don't want to have anything more to do with you. It still hurts, maybe because I still care. Well, I'm going to be extra nice, thoughtful, patient and caring the next time, just so I know you're missing out on that much. Hee hee hee...

Crap, I'm still really really high. Oh no. Wheeeee...

I can't sleep

4:30 A.M, I'm awake again
Singing to the dark through open eyes
While dreaming I see only you and me
Stuck between desire and compromise

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

You're leaving these scars scattered round my heart
A road map of the places you have been
But I can't escape, can't wash this away
When love has burned your mark so deep within

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

"I can't sleep" - Above and Beyond

Happy Birthday Clare!

!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARE!!!

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The past week has been quite bad towards the end, with me fluctuating from being utterly depressed, to plain sad melancolic, to bitter frustration and constant irritability. It is particularly interesting to note the similarity between my moods and the Indonesian tsunami in 2004, which is extremely annoying because it can be seriously disabling at times.

-

Was pretty sad on Friday, (I have no fucking idea why) and probably looked so moody no one was bothered to talk to me. It's a trait of depressed people, that others are worried it might be infectious, and go to all means to avoid them. It's like happiness, which -in conclusion- is why people enjoy hanging around happy people, and not sad people.

-

Hmm, I've really got to work on that, got to learn how to look happy. That's a start, I guess.

Anyway, Friday evening was better, with me going for Pre-clin pub crawl. Got to meet lots of people, and dance with my favourite Kudnarto (and I forgot to compliment her on her dress!!! ARGH what was I thinking..).

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Happy Birthday Clare, hope all your birthday wishes come true. =)

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I'm not sure when all this will end. Soon, I hope. It's just a pesky, lingering feeling that haunts me constantly, and doesn't seem to get better with each passing day. Maybe it's not a matter of letting go. Maybe it's just something I have to bear with until it wears away with time... soon, I hope...

Some cute cartoons...

I've realised that not everything should happen according to the way we want, or expect it to be. We've just got to trust in God, that things happen for our own good, be it to prepare us the future, for something better, or for our role in His plan.

The world doesn't owe us happiness... it's the other way around.

Sometimes, acceptance can be so hard. It's so difficult to move on, maybe because I still believe in you. Believe in us, maybe?

It's pointless I guess.

I wish...

First week of August!

Last week was really crap, my mood felt like shit. Maybe it's because I checked her blog, so am so reminded of her.

Anyway, last Sunday, Ingle Farm church service was good, and I got to watch dozens of bubbly children in action, scampering around the hall, squealing in delight. Their energy and laughter is really infectious. And I've discovered Sara sings really -really- well, because I was sitting beside her, and got to hear her sing AND harmonise with the hymns that were sung by the congregation.

After church, I was invited to Kevin and Ann Rogers' place for lunch! I met their children, Melissa, Tom and Kayla, and Tim and Joanna, and was treated to a delicious feast of roast pork and chicken, baked potatos and absolutely fantastic mushroom sauce. I had strawberries and ice-cream for dessert, and drink two glasses of wine. I felt really at home by their hospitality and nice family warmth.

Melissa is a physiotherapist, who works at MINDS, which is a non-profit charity organisation that helps children with physical and mental disabilities. She's going to go over to Serra Leone next February for nine months, to help the underprevilaged disabled children there. Amazingly noble of her. Wish I could get to know her better, but she doesn't go to this church.

There was youth mass in the evening at St. Francis Xavier, and went for dinner with Leny.

Was quite happy from lunch, and the week started to improve after that. YaY.