septic

Been sick the last few days. It was horrible...

Tmax 39.7, chills & rigors, thunderclap headache, myalgias, arthralgias, awfully painful throat..
And with differential diagnoses of 'meningitis', 'breakbone fever aka dengue','septicaemia', 'subarachnoid hemorrhage','esophageal cancer' raging through fried brains, it was pure agony.

Stayed home, bedbound for 2 days, chugging on ciprofloxacin the wonder drug..Not too great a start for SIP..

So i returned to the hosp today with 50% attendance so far, and some houseman making snide remarks about me being a slacker. Thank goodness for understanding MOs, registrars & consultants.

Anyz, some verbs/nouns/adjectives i don't want to be associated with
sepsis
septicaemia
staph
strep
sorethroat
sick
sian
did i say sick
Argh.

i really shouldn't whine but it was awful.. almost forgot how it felt..It's only after times like this that you realise how important health is. Really. think i'm going to need a good rest!

Anyz before i go, here's some photos from last week..

Dinner @ Lei Garden, Chjimes with joline, mark, sabrina, lydia

Some highlights..

the prawns battered in egg yolk was absolutely yums peking duck was crispy, light and overall very good!er..i can't remember what this was..oh dear..but i'm sure it was delicious! haha the kailan & noodles were very tasty too!

After a satisfying dinner we headed to Menotti, an italian cafe for dessert.. joline & mark with their tiramisus...
sab & steph

surya & guy chefs

Surya (sun) is the Soul, both of the moving and unmoving beings.
---The Rig Veda

Sun salutations (Surya Namaskar)
I'm getting more and more hooked on yoga! Tried this other class by Adeline, who's one of Singapore's best yoga teachers around. She specialises in more intensive forms of yoga like Vinyasa & Ashtanga..I went for her Asthanga class, which was a real work-out! The thing about yoga is, though you're not running & jumping about, somehow you work out a sweat just by controlling your muscles, stretching and concentrating on your breathing. I may be imagining things but i left the class feeling detoxified & purer!Hahaha..maybe it's all in the mind, but who cares!! ;)

Gathering at Nic's

Last night had a good dinner at Nic's, where he had a gathering mainly for his cg members. We had pasta with spicy tomato, beef & mushroom sauce, stuffed colourful peppers with rice, minced beef & cheese and assorted sushi. Our main chefs? Nicholas (who prepared the first 2 dishes) & Ramesh (who prepared the sushi)!

So there was this discussion over dinner about how guys seem to be doing more of the cooking these days. And coni, shang yee & i agreed we should STRONGLY encourage this trend. (Hehe Zhenbang revealed he cooked for coni several times in paris..and his speciality is Fried Fish. how sweet.)

Anyz, the guys were taunting us girls about our lack of cooking skills and asking us what could we do. Coni said 'We can eat!' And the guys duly reminded us that eating was an ADL (actvitiy of daily living). One guy said: cooking is an IADL (indepedent activity of daily living) so probably 50% of medicine girls are IADL-dependent. Haha. Very funny.

Well, we definitely aren't bra burning feminists, but the guys seem to enjoy cooking! So why stop them? Hehe. Plus somehow i realise guys are alot more methodical & practical so they're less likely to screw up a recipe. Nic has super good sense of timing, like 'We have to throw in the diced veggies when the beef is 90% cooked'. My gosh, how do i tell if it's 90% cooked?

Whatever. I think a guy looks sexy in the kitchen anyway! Hehe..so girls, let's keep praising the guys' cooking and hopefully they'll keep it up!!!!=)

dappled thoughts

...memories


drove past my old sec school along steven road a couple of days ago.
saw a girl, in the familiar washed out navy-blue pinafore--belt slightly too low, skirt slightly too short, hair in a swinging ponytail, face a look of youthful anticipation and carefree defiance..
she looked just like a girl i knew back in pinafore days..
memories came flooding back, nostalgia hit me hard.

miss those good old days..of innocence, carelessness, simple wants, hardly any needs..honest laughter, naive tears, true blue friends who stuck by you through competitions & detentions..

and i remember they made us sing this song during music class..the tune has stayed with me through all these years.

BOTH SIDES, NOW

Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere, i've looked at cloud that way.

But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on everyone.

So many things i would have done but clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,

From up and down,

and still somehow

It's cloud illusions i recall.

I really don't know clouds at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud to say "i love you" right out loud,

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, i've looked at life that way.

But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they sayI've changed.

Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,

From win and lose,

and still somehow

It's life's illusions i recall.

I really don't know life at all.

breath of life

Breath of Life..
That's the title of an AWESOME piece of dance choreography by NUS Dance Ensemble..more on that later!

PS Cafe & Harding Road
i told you i'll be baaaccck!

Yup, this time i tried other main courses and dessert, but still enjoyed the food very much! One thing not so good though--it seems they have tried to squeeze more people in the same room, so the tables are much closer and the place much noisier..so the whole dinner Nic and i had to shout at one another in order to be heard. i think they shouldn't compromise ambience for more patrons lehz. Duh.

But later adrian joined us and we adjourned for the tables outside, where the night air was crisp and cool with the refreshing after-rain scent and crickets singing incessantly in the darkness. That was nice..what i call a great chill out session;>

Mushroom soup for starters..

Seafood filo. Yummy--a mix of crispy spring roll with succulent battered seafood filling and salad with a japanese twist to it (i think it's cos of the sauce) Pink Salmon--Baked & fresh..kind of an oxymoron rite? but yup the fish was simply well cooked!Banana & Mango crumble with vanilla ice cream. haha the name sounds delish & kinda says it all doesn't it?;) Key lime pie..very apt combination of a sweet soft biscuit crust at the bottom and twangy sour lime cake! i like.

The Next Wave 2006 @ University Cultural Centre

I think The Next Wave is one of my favourite concerts of the year, every year! I've been going ever since i entered NUS-- 1st year i was in the audience (that was when i decided i wanted to join dance ensemble!); 2nd year i was manning the ticket & program booth (i was a junior in dance ensemble); 3rd & 4th year i danced (Dancing in The Next Wave is always an amazing experience becos of the large scale of the production and the countless talented choreographers & dancers you work with); fifth year (back in the audience again)

Anyz to those who haven't watched The Next Wave you don't know what you're missing. Like Dan Kwok's item 'Breath of Life'. I was totally blown away by it. There are always these gems of dance items in a show where the choreography is so epically powerful it BLOWS you away and throws your heart & mind into turmoil..just cos it's so achingly beautiful.

Dan's item was one of those. The last time i cried in a dance was when i was part of it. Yep, sometimes you get so immersed in the meaning of a dance that your soul just gets caught up and you cry while dancing. Don't laugh, it's happened to me so i'm not kidding. Dan's item was so powerful, the movements so synchronized, the effect of the costumes so simple yet intense, and the dancers performed with such devotion that it just reached out to you. i think this is the first time i've teared while watching a dance performance!

To the dancers of The Next Wave, congratulations on an excellent show. Our dear classmate taufik was in Dan's item and others as well. Girls, you should have paid $16 just to come see him take off his shirt. Haha.

I think one of the highlights of the show was the dancers' bodies. Naturally the girls all have pretty hot bods--they're generally very toned from all the dancing. But the guys.. hoot..even Ramesh was impressed. it doesn't matter even if half the guys are probably not straight--WTH, they can dance & their abs are rock hard..And like they always say, it gets better when they start sweating and their body starts glistening. haha.

Yippee..the girl with many huge bouquets of flowers & adoring fans after every concert since RGS days. hey girl, dunno how you can juggle work & dance so damn well. Lao shi will be proud that you're still dancing! And please lah, the fact that you can wear a white midriff-baring tube with white hot shorts speaks alot for your body (don't you dare say you're fat, ever). i would NEVER be able to pull of that costume. Felicia. I loved your dances! Choux Pastry Hearts was so sugar-sweet & pretty. Any guy would have been smitten..But the technical standards were pretty high too! Great work. And you & amy were so hot in X.II lah!Amy! Hey babe, Hot stuff in X.II. Haha i think Zaki never fails to shock/amaze and make the audience sit up. He did it again this year! And i personally liked Huang Zheng's item, loved how it's so unique and how there's so much meaning to the dance, AND how she manages to use live music so darn well! i think she's one of the few choreographers who can do so.

ORIANA & TAUFIK: hey didn't get to see you guys but i just wanna say you were beyond awesome. it's dancers like you who really inspire!

And Lijing--Thanks girl for accompanying me to the concert. Glad you enjoyed it! Enjoyed the nice dessert of double chocolate cake & girly talk late into the night with ya too! Perfect way to end a day. ;>

OMMMM...

Inner peace

Yoga is invigoration in relaxation. Freedom in routine. Confidence through self control. Energy within and energy without. ~Ymber Delecto

Whee..feeling alive! Just got back from a yoga class..
It's been ages since i had such a great stretch, but that euphoric feeling one gets after pushing one's body to the max is finally coming back!

I've stopped dancing for more than half a year, and there have definitely been bouts of desire & wishful longing to dance again..especially since i've been dancing for more than 10 years. (Though my technique was never great, i just loved the rhythm & freedom of contemporary dance!) But then i no longer felt comfortable performing, perhaps because i felt myself ageing (haha..no, really..i mean it) so i stopped..

Now i'm just really glad i'm rediscovering the joys of a good stretch & dynamic postures once again! I completed a basic yoga class years back..but stopped after i got my cert cos i kept falling asleep during class (I swear--i was unusually relaxed--i don't think even yoga is supposed to put you to such an utter state of relaxation)

And the place where i'm now learning is really uber cool--a shophouse with antique furniture, dim lightings & warm chiffon/gauzy curtains (pictures next time). My yoga instructor is beautiful too--she has this hynotic zen look about her. She was an ex-ballerina so you can imagine how flexible & svelte her body is.

Anyz i'm feeling happy, peaceful & calm right now. Hope this lasts..through SIP (though i think that's gonna be tough)..and through year 5 (am i asking too much?)..and through Housemanship (now i really am pushing it aren't i?)

Haha we'll see.

Warrior pose battles inner weakness and wins focus. You see that there is no war within you. You're on your own side, and you are your own strength. ~Terri Guillemets

growing younger

Sugar in the gourd and honey in the horn,
I was never so happy since the hour I was born. --Anonymous
haha..another birthday come and gone, another year older..
Some people dread growing older, but as long as we stay young at heart, it really doesn't matter!
'It takes a long time to grow young.' - Pablo Picasso

Thanks everyone who msged me all those lovely thoughtful birthday greetings & emails, and shared this special day with me in some way or another! :)

Thanks Joanna & Jon for the birthday treat today..it was awesome seeing you guys=)

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age. - Robert Frost

sashimi lover

Tatsuya @Crown Prince Hotel
As a Jap food lover, i can't say i've tried many fine dining japanese restaurants..but 2 of the best so far must be Hachi ( a really small gem of a place that sits only 14 people, and everyone around you is speaking in Japanese. There are no menus, you eat whatever Chef places in front of you. But believe me, you will NOT be disappointed..this place is too wonderful to talk about in public..heh i'll rather not) & Tatsuya.

I've heard sooo much about Tatsuya--from magazines, other food lovers, food reviewers, and my interest was piqued by the fact that there's a restaurant by the same name in Sydney that is consistently ranked top 5 in the WORLD.

Tatsuya is famous for their sashimi & sushi. They sure do not come cheap, but they're supposed to satisfy even the fussiest ofJapanese expatriates. When my family went there today, the other patrons were mainly Japanese too.

Well, it was a real fine dining experience..The food was outstanding, and so was the service. We let our waiter decide what to serve us (since he seemed pretty experienced) and i must say his choice of dishes far surpassed our expectations!

Avocado salad for starters. Ooooh the sashimi was melt-in-your-mouth succulent & fresh, no less. Sigh, i think i can eat sushi every meal, every day..if all sushi was as well done as Tatsuya's. They actually smear just the right amount wasabi between the slice of sashimi/grilled meat and rice..And the rice is delightful! Kama Shioyaki. this was the large cheek of the yellowtail fish. Whoa it was very well cooked, done just right. We also tried their Unagi Kabayaki (eel with egg sauce) but let's say i've had better unagi..
Dessert was on the house! How sweet of the waiter.. Sesame, peach & citrus sorbet.

Mummy & me. Thanks Daddy for the treat! It was a great dinner..but we certainly missed the joy of our family--lina. But guess that makes family get-togethers even more special! Miss you dear! Can't wait for our family to have a nice family dinner again soon!=)

happy as a lark

The end of break!

i am feeling kinda sad & wishful that hols are over..of course we can always do with longer hols. But i do feel refreshed & recharged somewhat..And i'm glad my mind has been off work the past few days..Did many things i wanted to do but never found the time to during clinical postings: Retail therapy to sooth my muggerish soul, eating to my heart's content, meeting up with friends i don't often see, spending quality time with my dear mummy, enjoying quiet late mornings lying in bed & having leisurely breakfasts while reading the papers, going to the movies, sleeping early.. yup the little things in life, which add up to fill your world with joy!

'We must dare to be happy, and dare to confess it..'
--Henri Frederic Amiel

Also, thanks to people who have made my days extra special!

Thanks dear for being such a sweet guy..Really really love my early bday present. i think it's absolutely gorgeous :)

Thanks Mummy & Tina for preparing a yummy steamboat dinner..for us & angela!
Thanks Angela for the beautiful Crabtree & Evelyn gift basket! So luxurious & pretty.. and lavendar is such a pamper-me-to sleep fragrance. Thanks very much=)

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. --Abraham Lincoln

local talent

Oh by the way, forgot to add in my last entry (my mind was only thinking about food then)..
If you haven't already watched it, go go GO WATCH Singapore Dreaming!
i quite like watching local movies (Must suppost local talent mah!)..but this is one of the better ones. i would say it's pretty darn good! Very close to the heart, and i'm sure each of us will be able to identify with some parts of the movie. It'll make you laugh, cry, sniffle inwardly or maybe even outwardly (like it did to me)..and such a movie is hard to come by!

(i mean, seriously, how many of us can identify with the hunky heroes & blonde chicks of those hollywood films? But then again, i cannot wait for Miami Vice to come to theatres! Gong Li is ultra sizzlingly sexy..)

How to be what a pig ought to be

How to be what a Pig ought to be
Is not easy for young Pigs like me.
Human beings I'm told
Talk of Pigs bought and sold
Never thinking that a Piggy should be free!
-Monard G. Sanford

Sorry i can't help but feel like Miss Little Piggy..cos i'm soooo stuffed from my pigging out session today! *oink*

Ma Maison @ Bugis
Tucked in a little corner of Parco Bigis Junction, this is a hugely popular jap-western restaurant. It was almost 2pm by the time we got here but there was still a queue in front of and behind us!
We noticed it seemed to be pretty popular among expat/local japanese..The staff seemed authentically japanese too. (Not like those annoying local staff at japanese restaurants who scream out japanese greetings whenever you leave or enter in a scary japanese accent--never fails to give me goosebumps)

It has nice interiors.. dark wooden panelling & old english country decor..Gave a cosy rosy feeling=)

Food was pretty good! Especially the pumpkin soup & japanese curry rice.

zhimin, stephthepig, liz, sujen

Imperial treasures @ Marina square

Hey babes: Lijing, Eliana, Val, Shanxian, Gerr..it was fantastic meeting you guys at Marina Square. Too bad couldn't spend more time with you girls but glad u guys had fun in Sentosa.. You girls definitely looked refreshed & 'glowy'! sorry no photos..Gerri i'll get them from you soon!:)

Ah Hoi's Kitchen @ Traders Hotel

It's on the fourth floor of Trader's hotel, and is actually set amidst the rooftop garden of Tanglin Mall. Most people dine alfresco by the poolside, but i'm a sucker for aircon (esp in this humid singapore heat) so Nic & i sat in the cooler interiors..

Ooooh look they served us peanuts in a basket! How cute.

Food was not bad! It serves up authentic local cuisine and some exotic dishes like the crocodile kebabs below! Interesting...slippery but tasty beef horfun with egg.

Mixed vegetables with beancurd. liked the black fungus!:)

Poh piah..i thought it was yummy but nic is certain that his mum makes much better poh piah.. and i do agree!Overall verdict: Stuffed like a stuffed pig..but i'm one happily stuffed pig. Err ok i think i'm pushing that pig metaphor a little too far. Haha.

"But most of all

the small pig likes to sit down

and sink down

in good, soft mud."

-Arnold Lobel