Blog Blog Blogging away

Usually I love Fridays. TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) really applies to me, usually but not on 29 July 2005.

My day started out pretty much decent enough until the moment I realised I had left my handphone on my table when, I was about 5 mins away from the train station.

I had no choice, I needed my phone and I needed to get to the train station before the time read 7.15a.m.

So, under the sweltering morning heat, I trudged back home, got my phone, practically ran all the way out to the train station (with my huge gym bag containing a hardcover text, files, clothes, umbrella & etc) I was perspiring buckets by the time I stepped into the train. By the time I finally dried off the sweat, naturally (all thanks to MRT’s airconditioning system), I realised yet again that I had to run to my class which, so coincidentally, had to be at the last block, on the sixth floor and which was starting in less than 5 mins.

I was zoning out from exhaustion when tutorial started. NOthing the good doctor said, went into my head at all.

After tutorial, I rushed for my psych lecture and I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut while I waited to tap my attendance outside the lecture theatre. I simply had to make a joke about the pysch lecturer when, lo and behold, he was actually standing in line behind me waiting to tap his card as well. Swell… just swell. I hope he does not recognise me.

As if the day could get any worser than that.

WWIII started @ about 11 am……

What happens when you have a mid 30s to early 40s bachorlerette (being polite) as a member of your presentation group, together with a mid 30s experienced programmer from india who simply do not speak the same lingo as the rest of the remaining 5 members in the group?

As I’ve mentioned, WWIII started @ 11am and lasted till 5pm.

  It felt like we had our own version of Fatman & Littleboy dropped on us. It totally 
  wiped everyone out.

I simply could not believe how a simple presentation could turn out to be so complicated with so many differing ideas on how it should be done. It gets worse when the bachelorette insists on being right, insists on us using her ideas, insists that the programmer was wrong, insists that the programmer did not understand her, insists that we did not understand her, believes that she is much more knowledgeable and smarter than us. To think that this person worked in HR before. No wonder lots of people don’t really like HR departments…..

By 1pm, the war was already deep in progress with littleboy being dropped once. I was fuming all through the lecture that afternoon and really really wanted to hit someone, anyone. I swore to myself then, that I will not be one in the statistic for a repressed SIngaporean who held their anger in check. I needed to take up a sport.

So, finally the nukes were removed and the grasses started to grow again by 5pm but, the damage had already been done. The grasses and all surviving people were radiated.

And, as if it could get any worser than that.

I was hot, sweaty and really in need of some hydration and thus, was looking forward to a really cool downtime at my sis’ place. Except that I reached her house only to find out that my mom gave me the wrong set of keys! WTF!

SO I stood outside there, disbelieving  my luck, with my big black gym bag trying to force the key to turn in the lock only to invite curious stares from the neighbours. Oh shite, I know exactly what they must be thinking!

Hurriedly I left and sought refuge at the community library with the intention to get some studying done while I waited for my sis to get back home from work.

Well, guess what?

The library does NOT allow self-studying at ALL TIMES. The tables are reserved for use of library materials. WTF.

I am hot, sweaty, thirsty, hungry, mentally and physically tired to give a shite about the rule. I just plonked myself down at one of the tables and flipped my hardcover text open to, study. FOr good measure, I took a library book and left it next to me. I was too tired to care even when my phone rang and, like a typical singaporean, I answered it and spoke at normal level all the while ignoring all the silent daggers thrown my way.

I finally got into my sis’ flat after I met her for dinner.

ANd, to end a perfectly horrid day, I managed to catch only a few hours of sleep-all thanks to the funny noises an HDB flat makes at night.

Despite all the stereotypes about nurses being a woman’s job, the man takes the cake for being a natural at it.

Why do I say that?

We had lab again, today. This time, we tried out scenarios in a hospital setting. The first pair of students (both female) tried it out first with one of them being the "nurse" and the other the "patient". The "nurse" though cool and calm initially, begun to stress out after the lecturer pointed out some mistakes. I have to say though, the "nurse" was really gentle though it might be perceived as being afraid of the patient.

Then the next pair (both male) decided to try another case setting.

From the beginning of the scenario to the end, they had the whole class in stitches. First, the male nurse though, systematic, forgot to fully assess the patient’s situation and asked unwarranted questions. Next, he made another slip-up when he forgot that his ‘patient’ was drowsy and insisted on stuffing the thermometer into the patient’s mouth. There were a few other slight slips but, despite it all, the male nurse kept his coolness and was collected in his delivery. What was even more interesting was the fact that, he was really serious about the whole exercise and he even attempted to calm his ‘patient’ with his voice. Man, if I was a patient under this male nurse’s care, I’d be re-assured by his voice which was strong, calm and collected.

After that little bit of exercise, I have come to realise that you do not just need to have the skill and touch to be a nurse, you need to have THE VOICE as well.

Well, I will now have to wait for my turn next week, to see if I make the grade at all.

I know I am quite a klutz, at times.

Yes, I do trip and fall down sometimes, smack my face with my own book, stab myself with the pen, bang my shoulders against the wall(ok I might have thought I was still slim).

BUT, I have been klutz-free for the last 3 weeks since school started until today.

The day started real early but it was still not too bad since it was raining and, I love rainy days.

We had to practice taking vital signs of our patients in the lab today. I practised with my lab partner who, was more eager about ending earlier. Sure, she could read my pulse since my pulse was pretty distinct and loud while hers was, faint and soft (kudos to me for an excellent-not, partner).

THen we had a short test on pulse & respiration rate taking. NOT only was I slightly ‘off’ in taking my partner’s pulse rate but, she had to breathe so rapidly and suddenly stop (kinda felt sabo-ed but I guess its not really her fault) when I was measuring her respiration rate. So, of course I failed in that aspect.

I decided to try practising on my other classmate for a comparison on my skills. So, as per normal, I told my classmate to lie down on the bed, took hold of her left arm and put it across her diaphragm when suddenly I felt and heard a loud ‘KR…ACK’ just as I put a slight pressure on her radial pulse.

Oh shite! I broke her wrist! I freaking broke my classmate’s wrist! I was momentarily stunned!

My classmate could not help but burst out laughing non-stop while I stood there gaping like an idiot.
My god, I felt my career flash me by when I heard the crack. What happened if it was a real patient’s wrist? What if I really did crack the wrist?!

THank goodness it was just a stiff joint in her wrist. 

As if.

Woke up to a wonderfully hot & humid saturday morning. Rushed down to the polyclinic to get my jab. In between, I had a cup of fake ‘tea su-su’ (those 3-in-1 mix) and a slice of  wonderously soft and delicious chiffon pandan cake. Spent a boring 1 hour plus wait at the clinic, watching the stupid digit SO not jumping to the next number. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to study a clinical environment.

My observations:

1) Saturdays are busy days at the Polyclinics
2) Their system is abit chaotic and everyone seems to be as blur as I am
3) As a result of the chaotic moments, queues get held up. People going into the wrong rooms.
4) There seems to be a lot of screaming and wailing babies
5) What baby crisis does Singapore have?
6) Mclaren makes baby prams and they look pretty solid & cool
7) The toilet is very, very far away from the Immunization rooms
Mr Andy Ong’s explaination about Pain psychology finally made sense to me

Let me explain (8). I had a psych tutorial yesterday, about pain. As usual, I was not prepared, not clued in to what the lecturer was saying. I did not really like psychology anyway. Mr Ong said that pain is a perception. Meaning, if we think its painful-then its painful. Most normal people turned away when a nurse jabs them. Well, so I tried to be abnormal.I wanted to disprove that theory. I had planned to look while the nurse jabbed me. I swear.

When my name was called, I silently prayed that the jab was not painful (I WILL not feel pain). SO I sat on a chair facing the nurse, my beating really fast and my palms turning clammy and cold. THen the nurse applied some alcohol on my arm, in a split second, I looked away-she jabbed me! Damn it!
Sigh…..

Then my boyfriend and I rushed down to Takashimaya, got his stuff, my stuff, stocked up on Famous Amos cookies, took a bus home. En route, we saw a Singh in a bright pink shirt (long sleeve) and a …..MATCHING PINK TURBAN!! Wow! He was a really tall Singh too and, he was standing at the bus stop waiting for a bus. I believe lots of people took a double take then. Wow! Pink.

Now I’m home….attempting to catch up on my studies while my dad is blasting the radio with his ‘These Magic MOments….I want to hold you tight….lalalal’ oldies.

Talk about being an airhead. I’ve never felt stupider in my whole life than this very period.

Yup, 3 weeks of school is passing me by and I’m still struggling to keep afloat in the choppy waters.
I have no idea when my tutorials are due, what presentations are gonna be done in a group or individually. Shite I don’t even know what course number belongs to which module name.

Everyday for that last few days, I walked around the school with a ‘knowing’ look but actually, my mind is only filled with thoughts of "shit…shit….what was the lecturer talking about?Huh?HUh?HUH?!"
BUT WHEN a classmate talk to moi about the course, I’d go…."yeah…have you done so & so?" before I blank out again. Oh NO!

OFFICIALLY, I’m in deep shite.

Friday, the weekend was near when I woke up that morning. Yippee! The last day of week 2! Just another 4 weeks before my 1st assignment is due-an assignment I have not even read a word about. Excellent!

Then my mom told me that a childhood pal (the 1 whose dad is the lawyer) might have ovarian cancer and she just turned 21 yesterday. What?! Everyone in the family was pretty upset about the news, I was simply stunned. Then worry gnawed at me, she has not even seen the world or reached a quarter of a decade yet and she’s gonna get this huge emotional & physical rollercoaster ride coming up. Did I mention how the big man loves a good joke? Well, I hope this time its really a joke-cause it’s not fun watching a young girl wilt away for no reason.

Just before I stepped out of the house to head to school, my mom read the OBITUARY section in the papers and had another shock. Our uncle had passed away. EXCELLENT. The news just keeps coming in better and better. So, it was another round of furious finger dialling (on my mom’s part-of course) to make sure the papers did not screw up. But of course, they didn’t. People actually have to pay about a thousand bucks to post an obituary of that size and I don’t think they’d post one with the wrong picture. Even if it was for fun.

Hm. Excellent way to start the weekend. A hospital visit and a funeral wake.

Looking on the bright side of things, I’d say both events are once in a lifetime adventure. Being in the hospital is not the end of the world. BEing dead does not mean its the end of the world, it is the BIG adventure in the whole cycle of life.

WOw, I must some wierd freako to think like this.

It gets worse when I get to actually work in the hospital.

Usually I do not take any breakfast, light or heavy before I set off from home for school or even for work.

Eager to try out a theory about pooping, I took a cup of black coffee before I left the house.

Normally I would be dozing on the train but this morning, I was AWAKE. My eyes just couldn’t seem to close for some reason! I tried dozing off (imagine having trying to doze) but I got a major headache instead.

So during lecture, with the lights dimmed and the lecturer’s voice droning on about sociological imaginations I thought I was going to be able to doze……..not.  AMAZING.

In fact, I felt a kind of hidden energy that suddenly burst forth from its dam deep within my being. I could do anyting!! ANYTHING!! I was thinking of using this unspent energy to sign up for Akiddo, sign up for volunteer work, start an amatuer softball team…..WOW! My mind was raring with ideas, pulsating with speed all through the morning and early afternoon.

Then I came home, had a shower and, am now feeling the effects of mental drainage. If it was possible, you might actually see some grey matter seeping out of my brain, bit by bit.

Wow. Nescafe Gold Blend.

Don’t let the day wear you out, grab a cuppa.

Nescafe, Gold Blend. Rich Taste…….Fresh aroma.

So I set out for school this morning, dragging my well-stuffed Carl’s Jr stomach from last night all the way to the MRT station. By the time I reached the gates area I was panting and sweating like a piglet. Damn it! The weather was so freaking hot!! It made walking such a sluggish chore.

Alright then I got into the train, pushed my "slim" self in between people C-F* at the door, managed to shove quite a few passengers out of balance as I had misjudged the tiny space and found it really tiny to squeeze into. Okay, that pissed me off already. I need to work out or something.

Then the train pulled into Aljunied, NOBODY got off, more people GOT on instead. I saw an ‘Ah-Pek’ about 70-ish or so, slightly balding with white hair which only accenuate his frailness, just stepping off the escalator when the door alarm went off to indicate that it was closing. Suddenly ‘Ah-Pek’ sprang into action, he hopped sprightly and I swore that he was not gonna make it BUT, he did! He slipped himself in just as the doors slid closed with a "thud". (think of Gwyneth Paltrow in the movie ‘Sliding Doors’)I thought I detected a glint in his eyes too.

I was not the only one in the train shocked by his close shave with the jaws of the Me-RT. A few gasps could be heard over mine. When I looked over at Ah Pek, gone was his earlier macho stature of shoulders back and head held high and his glinting eye, in place was just an Ah Pek I saw stepping off the escalator earlier.

Frail and tired.

*C-F a vulgar word coined by Eugene.

Joke #1
Guess what? I might actually like chemistry.

And guess what? Its all thanks to this injun* Doctor. <gasp> Injun??!!

Unbelieveably, I understood every single thickly accented word the Doctor said. Surprisingly, his lecture was filled with analogies and really good illustrations to describe the synthesizing and de-synthesizing of atoms……oh, it also helps that he has an eery grin plastered on his face after every sentence.

I want you to imagine a slightly balding injun(the dark ones), with neatly trimmed moustache with a pair of simple gold frame spectacles perched on his nose, grinning-baring his impossibly white teeth, against a darkend lecture theatre. Pretty imposing eh? What’s even more ironic is the fact that I actually understood him more than I did the local lecturer! WHat’s even more ironic-the injun doctor is only subbing for the local lecturer for a week!!!

Sometimes I think the big man up there loves to pull a fast one on me.

Joke#2:
So I met Ms Holly after school today. As usual, we talked about food. School food versus working food.

"Food must be damn cheap, right?" Ms Holly asked with that knowing glint in her eyes.

ANd I proceeded to relate my lunch menu for the last few days and the amount I spent so far. It went something like this:

Chicken Rice + Soup = $1.50      
Laksa= $1.20 
Vegetarian beehoon + 3 side dishes = $2.00
Rice + 2 meat + 1 vege =$2.00

I was gleefully recounting the bargain I got for food now when I noticed that Ms Holly did not seem as surprised or pissed as I would have expected of someone who had to pay standard $3-4 per meal.

"Eh, it is almost the same as gombak. Except that its $1.50 for the veg beehoon + side dishes…….well, they have to cater for the ns man so it must be cheap also…" Ms Holly explained.

DANG! DANG! DANG! $1.50….CHEAP…..NS man…..

And here I thought I was having the time of my life being a student while the rest of the people I know slog it away at work……

The big man simply loves to put these little info just within my reach to, annoy me.

So right now, I’ve decided to try the nasi padang for lunch tomorrow and see if the malay food is cheaper than the chinese food.

But first I got to do something about this ache I’ve been having around my shoulders and neck AND NO-IT’S NOT LIKE THE MOVIE SHUTTER.

I. DO. NOT. HAVE. AN. ENTITY HANGING ON MY NECK. PERIOD.

It has been a freaking freaking HOT day today.

It is the 2nd day of school and well, at least I’m not late.

GOt to know my classmates a little bit more and also found out that Beckham was at the school during lunch.

What??!! David Beckham??! When??

Well, we saw a crowd and quite a long queue in school during the lunch hours or so and dismissed it as……Blood Donation drive. WTF.

Sigh….. I cannot do much blogging now that I’ve realised how close to the Beckham I was…sigh.