Thursday, February 28, 2008

Update

We had an earthquake recently, which received minimum coverage.

Was listening to music when I felt the house shake. Not too much, but the fluid level in my alarm clock was moving, so it wasn't me suddenly developing resting tremors. Brought me back to the time I thought I was shaking my legs a little too violently, back in Vista Komanwel. This time around, I thought it was a lorry passing by our house, which is by the main road. Maybe I just like normalizing events.


Have just started a gastroenterology rotation at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, where I'll be working come August.

Proof that patients say all sorts while you do stuff to them:
- Had a conversation about ferrets today, discussing the relative merits of having one as a pet.
- Discussed my career path options, and why I chose medicine in the first place.
- Had people compliment me on my Liverpool accent.
- Another discussion on my views of marriage.


Other thoughts taking up brain space include:

NEEC '08, which I should really have paid more attention to before this. Ernest from church is doing his level best to organize things and I've finally decided to get on board. Trying to contact fellowship leaders from different churches, though a tad late, but hopefully things will get moving soon.

Easter outreach, in which I've had tons of time to think, but am afraid to act on my thoughts. Every single thing I thought of, I'm afraid to do, as it seems so ambitious. We're set on doing a short skit and a song so far, though.



I find myself questioning why I do things now. Something I should have started doing a lot earlier in life.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

David and Goliath

This is old news by now, with Novak Djokovic winning the Aussie Open 2008 but I'm amazed every time an underdog (though in this case, Djokovic is no one's canine) snatches a win away from the jaws of the mighty Guy-Who-Wins-Every-Match (Federer in this case).

Brilliant serves under pressure, brave shotmaking into the corners, and unforced errors are the name of the game here. Not particularly the best tiebreaker I've watched, but considering the result, I'm happy.

One more for the underdogs!

Though I have to say, I'm happy to see Federer is every inch the sportsman people claim him to be.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Will's Lullaby



Joshua Radin - Everything's Gonna Be Alright.

For Dr Tan Cher Han, who reads this space to go to sleep:-)

Monday, February 04, 2008

Church, Crime, Culture, Comedy

A rather jagged month. Hospital is still consuming days, where I'm becoming increasingly integrated into the role of a doctor, so much so its scary. I get plucked out of ward rounds to write discharge letters, to prescribe fluids and to answer calls from departments I never knew existed. Needless to say, most of the time I'm pretty clueless. Having witnessed my total inadequacy, I'll be very surprised if anyone in the Acute Medical Unit welcomes me with open arms should I get to work in the Royal.

Speaking of which, most of us around UK in our final year know where we're going to work come August 08. Except us applying into Merseyside. Should know any day now I guess. Not sure exactly how many of us got what we wanted/expected/thought we deserved, but in the words of Ed, life's like that.

Liverpool is the capital of culture this year. Not of England, or UK, but of Europe. Meaning it encapsulates the grandeur of Paris, Rome, Berlin, and just about every other superstar city in Europe in terms of culture.To that end, weird stuff seems to be happening. Like as I was walking to town last Saturday, this parade was happening, and everyone I talked to had no idea what it was about.

Watched a stand-up comedy as part of a friend's bday-going out-getting pissed routine. The comedians were very much like what one would see in youtube, only they focussed on Liverpool culture, sex, Liverpool people, and the Liverpool accent. Had a pretty good time, all things considered. The atmosphere was pretty intimate, with people clustered around small tables facing a small stage, and a bar at the rear end of the room. Good crowd interaction was the order of the day, with the noisy people getting singled out by the host of the evening. Jack's interested now, so we might have another comedy evening out sometime soon.

Walking back from the event, I passed by a couple wearing hoodies. Unwittingly caught a whiff of their conversation which consisted of the guy saying "....where's the rest of your five hundred?" Pausing for a minute to look back, the girl seemed pretty much at ease, not tense at all. Was wondering whether to stop and observe further, but decided against it. Afterwards was running through possible scenarios - she could have been mugged, or she could have been buying drugs from him, or.... Upon discussion with other people much much later on, I concluded that in future, should the same situation occur, I will:

1. Stand at a respectful distance
2. Pretend to be talking into my mobile phone
3. Yell or call the necessary authorities if necessary (which i could do with the mobile anyway)


Ken Lee, a John Moore's graduate in mechanical engineering, flew back to Malaysia for a holiday and to celebrate CNY before planning to come back and work. We sent him off with a (of all things) dim sum brunch at MeiMei's, incidentally the first time we'd eaten there as a group in weeks.

Read Max Lucado's 3:16 over the weekend, when I really should have been doing my report on pulmonary embolism. I havent read any of his books in a long, long while. He always writes great stuff, starting with his page of dedications, in which he never fails to mention his family, particularly his wife, in the most affectionate terms. The book itself dissected John 3:16 (yes, from the bible) word by word, devoting a whole chapter to each. There was a particularly good chapter on Hell, which according to him, does not get mentioned often enough nowadays, compared to when Jesus was around (apparently 13% of his ministry comprised talking about hell at some point).

If anyone is in Liverpool, has a thirst for reading, and has access to a Wesley Owen outlet, they have this great book called Spread The Word, which consists of chapters taken from books by various authors. Its meant to be a taster for the different books, in the hope you'll be attracted to buy them at discounted rates. And its free. Max's 3:16 is in there too. Not sure if this is available in all Wesley Owen stores around UK, but its around till April 08 at least.

Wow, that took long. I'll leave the 'church' bit for a later post then.