BIrthday Wishes

There seem to be a lot of December babies in the family, and here's two more...


Khas buat adinda ku Ely & anak buah ku Eiman,

Allah selamatkan kamu

Allah selamatkan kamu
Allah selamatkan Ely & Eiman
Allah selamatkan kamu...

Panjang umurnya
Panjang umurnya
Panjang unurnya serta mulia
Serta mulia
Serta mulia...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELY & EIMAN!!

Kak Eva doakan Ely sekeluarga murah rezeki aman bahagia hingga ke akhir hayat, amiiiiiin

To My Dearest Mom...

HAPPY 56th BIRTHDAY!!

May you be blessed with all the good things in life and more...

Thank you for everything mak, I owe my life to you.

Miss you & Love you lots and lots!


Hugs & kisses,
From your (slightly deranged) daughter ^_^

He's 31 Today!

My dear bro,

You're getting old, hehe...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMRAN!!

Wish you all the best and may your life be blessed with an abundance of love, laughter, health & wealth...

With lots of love,
Your sist ^_^

1431H

SALAM MAAL HIJRAH 1431

Tahun Baru, Buku Baru, Azam Baru

Only When I Sleep

One of my favourite songs from The Corrs. I love their unplugged versions. Listening to this sure does brings out a lot of memories...

Apa jadi dgn diorang ek sekarang ni?
Apa-apa pun, jom layannn... ^_^

You're only just a dreamboat
Sailing in my head
You swim my secret oceans
Of coral blue and red
Your smell is incense burning
Your touch is silken yet
It reaches through my skin
And moving from within
It clutches at my breast

But it's only when I sleep
See you in my dreams
You got me spinning round and round
Turning upside-down
But I only hear you breathe

Somewhere in my sleep
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside-down
But its only when I sleep

And when I wake from slumber
Your shadow's disappear
Your breath is just a sea mist
Surrounding my body
I'm workin' through the daytime
But when it's time to rest
I'm lying in my bed
Listening to my breath
Falling from the edge

But it's only when I sleep
See you in my dreams, (dreams)
You got me spinning round and round
Turning upside-down
But I only hear you breathe
Somewhere in my sleep, (in my sleep)
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside-down
But its only when I sleep
It's only when I sleep

[Sharon & Andrea solo]

Up to the sky
Where angels fly
I'll never die
Hawaiian High
In bed I lie
No need to cry
My sleeping cry
Hawaiian High

It's reaching through my skin
Movin' from within
And clutches at my breasts...

But it's only when I sleep...
See you in my dreams, (dreams)
You got me spinning round and round
Turning upside-down
But I only hear you breathe

In bed I lie
No need to cry
My sleeping cry
Hawaiian High

But it's only when I sleep
Got me spinning round and round
(Turning upside-down)

Up to the sky
Where angels fly
I'll never die
Hawaiian High

But it's only when I sleep...

BULAN BARU

I am not a Twilight-er and I haven't had the chance to read the books yet. The storyline is kinda interesting although I think I much prefer the DarkHunters because of the myths and legend background that are intertwined in the storyline. Nonetheless I was looking forward to this film interpretation of the sequel to Twilight.

I know a lot of you guys out there are Edward's fans, but if I were Bella I think I'd have chosen Jacob over him. True, vampires are considered cool, but the wolves are waaaaay cooler.. I wish I could have one as a pet, hehe..

Edward is as Edward was. Still pale and freakishly good looking, and most of the times emotionless (but hey, he's a vampire right). Tapi yg nak carik nahas sebab nak mati kalau si Bella tu mati apa ke hal nya, hisy...

I tried to give Bella a chance to redeem herself but, nope sorry, still can't say that I empathize with her. I've never liked damsels in distress and brainless careless hopeless damsels are much worse. Just like Sookie (of True Blood), she irritates the heck out of me. Sampaikan satu tahap tu heran gak apa lah si Edward & Jacob see in her, tak paham betul..

Jacob..well, gotta say he's changed. A lot. Thank goodness. Not through so many words he had managed to show his unrequited love for Bella through his actions and I really feel for him. Cian dia..

All in all, the movie was ok. Although not a fan I really enjoyed it. Oh, and it did help that the wolves were smokin'... :))

The Psychic Connection

Have you ever had someone calling you just when you were thinking about that person? Or people coming to see you because they suddenly felt like it when at the same time you just thought that you wanted to see them too?

How about the bad vibes; the ones where your whole being just tingles and you know deep inside that something is just gonna go wrong or something has gone wrong?

I don't know what all these feelings are and I can't really explain them, but I've been having them almost all my life. Some of the time I just disregard them because they made no sense at all, but most of the time they are right on. Confused? Yeah well I am too...

Just recently had an unexpected call from a long lost friend. Lately I've been wondering about how that person was doing and if there are any new developments in his life when BOOM! Suddenly today I got a call from him out of nowhere... And this had happened to me more times than I could remember. Not with the same person, but with other friends and family too.

But the one thing that I never want to experience again was when my father passed away. I don't know how or why, but the truth is deep in my heart I knew exactly when it happened. The dread and heaviness and emptiness inside me just got worse and the bad feeling just would not go away that up to a point I even told my friend that I knew something bad had happened and I think he's dead. Spooky? Heck yeah. There was also this one time when I was very young, my grand-aunt told me how I couldn't stop crying like as if I was spooked (macam kena sampuk she said) and at that same moment my mom was actually involved in a car accident somewhere else. Crazy huh..

And don't get me started on my dreams. As weird as they are, some actually did come true. And deja-vu? Well, it's getting worse nowadays because they are getting more and more frequent.

Is this normal? I'm sure a lot of people experienced these before. It's not a biggie, right??

I don't know, maybe these are all just coincidences. Maybe my connection with people close to me are strong. Maybe. Or maybe, I am slowly and gradually losing control of reality and losing my mind...

But don't worry, no need to get me into the straight jacket yet. I am still sane. I think. At least for now.

I WILL SURVIVE!!

Let's get jiggy, ladies!

At first I was afraid I was petrified

Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights
Thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong!
And I learned how to get along!

So now you're back from out of space

I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock!
I should have made you leave your key!
If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me

Go on now, go, walk out that door!
Just turn around now
cause you're not welcome any more
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt (crush) me with goodbye?
Did I crumble
Did I lay down and die

Oh no, not I! I will survive!
Oh and as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive!
I will survive! Hey, hey!

It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
Kept tryin' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart!
And I spent oh so many nights
just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry!
But now I hold my head up high

And you see me somebody new!
I'm not that chained-up little person still in love with you
And so you feel like droppin' in
and just expect me to be free,
now I'm saving all my loving for someone who is loving me!

Pecah Kaca Pecah Gelas

I broke one of my mugs today. Again. Now I only have one usable mug. Oh dear, I really don't have any luck with mugs. That was the fifth one I've managed to break since the 5 years I've been here. One for each year. Ironic, isn't it?

As far as superstitions go, well I'm not really a believer, but I do hope everything back home is okay. A broken mug is just a broken mug, nothing more. I hope. Touch wood.

I know it has been a while since I've blogged about anything before the previous post, but I was too busy relocating my sorry behind to another apartment. Oh, have I mentioned that I've moved? Yes I have. My dear housemate Ms JZ is finally done with her studies here and has already gone back home for good, thus leaving me the thrilling task of finding a new housemate. But things didn't exactly go as planned, so I had to move out to another place. So now I am staying somewhere not really near the university but the distance is still okay, as long as I leave earlier for classes. And as it turns out my current housemates are also my classmates (people who have known me for 5 years now). They had a vacant room at the same time that I was looking for a place, and I guess things worked out in the end. Cool eh?

Moving to another place was really a hassle, especially when you also have to pack all the stuff and do all the cleaning/clearing/disposing on your own and you only have two days to do it. In the end I threw away most of the stuff that has been in the house for more than 7 years and just kept the things that I really needed. No point hanging on to things that in the end will only accummulate space and dust, right?

But what really touched me when I was really stuck and in need was the concern and help that some of my friends that had really surprised me. They had went all the way to help me move my stuff, and even consented on storing some of the things in their place for the time being. Some had even offered to help out in any way that they can, helped to look around for a suitable apartment, and some had even offered me to stay at their houses until I could find my own place. That was when I really felt that even though I am on my own here, I am never alone, for I have caring friends that I have considered as my family over here. Their concern and actions really really touched me and it brings out tears in my eyes every time I think about it.

Therefore, to all of you who have been there for me when I'm in need, THANK YOU from the very bottom of my heart. I hope I can be a good friend as you guys have been to me, and hopefully our friendships will last for eternity...


p/s: Sorry for the emo entry. Didn't plan it to be so, but I just had to get it out of my system... *sob*

Sesucinya Syurga Cintaku

CINTA:-

Cinta kepada Allah & Rasul serta agama-Nya;
Cinta kepada ibubapa yang melahirkan dan membesarkan kita;
Cinta kepada bangsa dan tanahair;
dan yang paling penting sekali;
Cinta kepada diri sendiri, agar kita ni sentiasa redha dengan qada' dan qadar.


Cinta itu adalah permulaan Jodoh.


Dan JODOH pula terbahagi kepada 3:-

Yang Pertamanya, dikatakan Jodoh dari Syaitan;
"Kamu berdua berkenalan, berpegangan tangan dan terus buat maksiat. Akhirnya Syuhada mengandung. Baru kamu menikah."

Yang Keduanya, Jodoh dari Jin.
"Kamu berdua berkenalan. Kamu sukakan Syuhada, tapi Syuhada tak sukakan kamu. Kamu bomohkan dan sihirkan agar Syuhada suka kepada kamu. Dan kamu berdua menikah."

Dan yang Ketiganya, Jodoh dari Allah.
"Kamu berdua berpandangan mata, terus menusuk ke dalam kalbu. Kamu terus meminang Syuhada dan Syuhada terima pinangan kamu. Dan kamu berdua menikah. Insyaallah, berkekalan hingga ke akhir hayat. Dan itulah yang dikatakan Syurga Cinta..."

- Petikan daripada filem Syurga Cinta -

Entah kenapa tiba-tiba je bergenang airmata bila dengar dialog ni. If only.....

Home Sweet Home

I'm hoooooome!! Been here almost 3 weeks now, and there were so many things have happened, so much to tell but so very little time. And all the running around + the weather is making me feeling sickly with the usual coughing fits and runny nose. Haiyo, manyak susah lor...

It was only tonight that I could actually sit at home and surf the net leisurely. Seriously, I don't know how the time just flew past by; from the exam session to the packing & room cleaning to the 2-days journey back home to the 3-days leadership training to the wedding preparations plus family time, I haven't had a full day rest as yet. Not that I'm complaining because all of those moments are precious and memorable (except for the packing part) but even though I don't feel my age my body seems to be constantly reminding me that I am getting older.

I had to pack all of my stuff before leaving coz I might have to move to another place when I get back to Romania. Thanks to some misunderstandings and kecoh-ness I could only start packing a day before leaving. 1 DAY. Apa lagi, memang speed packing la jawab nya.

I wish Iasi is nearer to Malaysia, because traveling for 2 days is just too much. Although there are other airlines that offer a much direct and simpler route, but the fare is higher of course. So to be economical I took the one with 3 transits (the last one in Dubai was 10 hours), left Iasi Thursday afternoon & reached KLIA Friday night. Memang pancit by the time sampai rumah.

And then out of the blue mom told me that she had already signed me up for a 3-days leadership training by ESQ 165 in KL. At first I was like "What??!!" and was really annoyed (to say the least), but after it was over I didn't regret it one bit. I am now proud to say that I am an ESQ 165 Alumni Angkatan KL-36. It was really a soul-cleansing and mind-stimulating training that I feel everyone should attend for a better understanding of what our purpose is on this earth. And the best part is, once you have attended the basic training and become an alumni you can come again for recharging sessions for free! You can visit their website for further info, and they have trainings all over the country plus they even do in-house trainings. I have went and recharged once at PICC last weekend, and planning to recharge again for the coming training insyaallah. Maju satria ESQ 165!

And after that there was the wedding of my beloved cousin. Hah ni satu lagi. I was really surprised and touched that she would asked me to be her bridesmaid for both the wedding receptions, but seriously woman, why lah so late. I was worried that I couldn't find anything suitable to wear for the occasion but luckily I have managed to find the perfect baju kurung (a traditional malay costume) for both our side and the groom's side reception. It wasn't that easy to find a nice silver and rosewood pink dresses with matching scarves but somehow or rather I've managed to find really pretty ones at reasonable prices. And what's funny is that I found it all under one roof. Convenient eh?
The wedding itself deserves its own post so I guess I better save the juicy details for another time.

And fyi, that was the first time I was a bridesmaid, first time that I had (allegedly) caught the bouquet, and first time that I wasn't really bothered by the most dreaded question that I seem to get every time there's a family gathering. I guess I've gotten used to it kot. Abis nak wat camno, senyum je la...

Sigh, the downside is, whenever I come back home I always get sick. I guess the humid dusty weather is just too much for my body after so long in a dry cold climate. Fever I can handle, but the chesty dry cough is the one that I most dreaded because it usually takes me several weeks for the cough to disappear. As I'm typing now I am barking like nobody's business that I think it can even be heard next door at my aunt's house. Yup, that loud I am and it has been so bad that I have lost my voice since yesterday. Oh and I don't think it's H1N1 because it's been 2++weeks since I've been home so there's no possibility of imported transmission. But then again local transmission oso got right? Hmmmm......

All in all, it's really good to be back home again. I've realized I miss having the family and friends around, the family outings and makan-makan get-together, and of course, the fooood! Here I am spoilt for choices, but nowadays I can't really eat that much anymore. And since I've been sick some more lah got no appettite. Tapi tak jugak turun-turun, rasa badan macam kena pam-pam je ni ada la. Isy, bahaya bahaya ;p

NB: Tak tahan tgk deghoyan, pulasan, rambutan, ciku, manggis, jambu batu, mangga...& sushiiiii.....cedapnyaaa.....

Lagu2 yg Menggamit Kenangan Nostalgia

Bila dengar balik lagu-lagu ni, teringat pulak masa zaman muda remaja belia dulu...

SHADES

Siap beli kaset diorang lagi tau (zaman dulu mana ada lagi CD-CD ni ler). Ada 2 sebab.
Satu: Suka dengar diorang punya harmonisation, & kalau diorang perform live best jugak la. Lagu 'Malam' & 'Jangan Kau Ucap Selamat Tinggal' ni antara my favourites & yang temankan study memalam masa kat asasi sains UM dulu.
Dua: Masa tu ada 'ter'minat gila kat one of them, heheh... :D

FEMININ

Adusss, lagu yang dipaksa kena nyanyi masa minggu haluansiswa kat 6th college dulu. Masa tu abis je lecture belum sempat kitorang nak keluar lecture hall seniors semua serbu masuk & terus 'kena'kan kitorang, huhu. Sebab nak kena ambik tandatangan punya pasal terpaksa la jugak tebalkan muka. Lawak la jugak bila teringat balik kena nyanyi lagu ni sekuat hati kat dalam lecture hall, nasib baik tak hujan lepas tu, kekekeke...

KOOL

Bebas; peribadi mu, perhatikan lah
Bebas; tingkah laku mu,
Jangan sampai tersalah pilihan hidupmu, yeah...
Jaga lah personalitimu
Bebas masa depanmu...

Good advice, ain't it? ^_^


Agaknya apa lah citer diorang semua sekarang ni ek?

I wonder.....

NB: Sah dah takde keja lain skang ni. Exam habis sudah, kena start packing+mengemas lah pulak. Aduhai, kemalasan melanda diriku ini.....

Does Voodoo Really Work?

So what do you think? :-)


NB: Post-exam mode. Very very sleepy. But very happy too. Very the unexpected. Very very tired. Now need to zzzzzzzzzz

Kempunan Mode

Selamat datang ke rancangan 'Mengidam' yang dibawakan khas dari Iasi dan diiringi oleh orkestra USPER:

Dengan ini adalah dukacita dimaklumkan bahawasanya saya telah pun mencapai tahap mengidam yang kronik sehinggakan terbawa-bawa ke dalam mimpi di malam (dan juga siang) hari.

Sekian. Terima Kasih.


Nb: Gambar-gambar di atas adalah untuk hiasan semata-mata. Sila klik pada gambar untuk ke laman web asal. Harap maklum.

Another year older...

...and none the wiser... *sigh*

THE day when I turned another year older was eleven days ago. Yeah I know, this is 'stale news' already, but I seriously didn't have the time to write about that day before this due to the exams.

When I was younger birthdays were anticipated events. You kinda looking forward to add that extra year in your age. But when one gets older one tends to stop counting the candles on their cake. Well, at least I did. Especially this year when my beloved classmates actually put my age's worth of candles on the ice-cream cake. Go figure the cake started to melt even before I blew out the candles, heheh...

And another first for me this year, is that we actually had an exam on my birthday! Luckily it was Pediatrics Surgery, which for me is a subject that is kind of interesting. The Qs? Undescended testis, esophageal atresia, Ortolani & Barlow maneuvers in congenital hip dysplasia etc etc. And alhamdulillah things were good during the exam. If not I don't think I'd enjoy the day as much as I did.

By the time I reached home after the exam it was already 2pm. After my (very much needed) short nap, the girls served me home-cooked pasta, some jemput2-like thingy (what was it ah Shrn??) and a birthday cake! Cho chweet of them, especially the cake part. It was sooooo my type of cake, and was made by my dearest roomie. Vanilla-flavoured-strawberry-swiss-rolled-up cake. Y.U.M.M.Y... Thank you Ms.JZ!! I wuv it! I'll upload a photo of it when (or if) one of you Gummus decided to send me the photos ok.

That afternoon was even merrier when Ms.Rv and Ms.KG came over and hang out. I missed hanging out with Ms.KG especially, as things weren't what it was like before after a misunderstanding/disagreement between us. I really appreciate the fact that she made an effort to patch things up between us as I am keen on doing it too. Well, we'll see how things go after this shall we.

And then later in the evening, my darling classmates gave me a dinner treat at a very nice eatery just nearby my place. Never knew of the existence of this place before, but the decor was so cozy I loved it. I was so touched that most of them came even though all of us were still pretty exhausted after the exam. We ordered, we ate, and then came the candle-full ice-cream cake. Honestly, I only realized that I am already THAT old when I saw the number of candles that they've managed to squeeze onto it. Gee, thanks for reminding me of my age yet again you guys... ;P

All in all, even though it was just another day in my calendar, it was definitely not just an ordinary day. I had fun, laughter and a blast with my friends and colleagues. They certainly made the day more bearable and something to be remembered back fondly.

And I love the pressies! I'll treasure them always. They're really cool and I especially love the treasure chests. Was just admiring them the other day in the shop while imagining how it would look on my vanity dresser and now I have them! Now that's truly the power of The Secret, teeheehee...

THANKS A MILLION guys!!

Hugs, hugs, hugs and more virtual hugs from me ^_^

n.b.: More piccas will be uploaded at a later date, haven't got the time to transfer them yet :)

I'll Be Back!

Have finally confirmed my flight ticket for July.
I'm going home for the holidays, YAY!

Will have several weddings to attend to; cousins', friends, friend's sister... Hopefully I'll get to go to all of them insyaallah.

Will be flying with TAROM and Emirates this time around. Have never taken Emirates before, wonder what would it be like. Will have transits in Bucharest, Istanbul and Dubai.
Isk, why lah Iasi has to be so far...

But, before the time comes for me to pack, need to go through the exam session first:
Pediatrics surgery, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Neurosurgery.....

Waduhhh....

Three Graduates and A Bride

Last Sunday was a very busy day. There was a graduation ceremony for the girls and a wedding of a friend. I was practically running around for both occasions, but in the end I'm glad that I did it although my feet were killing me by the end of the day.


The Wedding
Remember when I wrote about my friend, Ms.MCL's proposal during class? Well, they finally have all their papers in order and decided to register their marriage here legally. As she is of Romanian-American parentage and he is an Israelian, there were a lot of paperwork to get sorted out. But after all the hassle and running around, finally they were declared husband and wife on May 31, 2009 at the wedding registration place in town.

It was a really sweet occasion. Because it was all kinda last minute, they decided to forgo the pomp and frills and invited only close friends and family to the ceremony. I was deeply touched and honoured that she would include me in it and plus this would certainly be my first.

The ceremony itself was simple, short and sweet; practically hassle free and it took less than 30 minutes. The bride was really beautiful and glowing; she couldn't stop grinning all through it all, and I am really happy for them. As I said it was my first time in a Romanian-style wedding and was delighted to join in with the newlyweds-walking-under-flower-bouquets and rice-throwing thingy because before this we only got to watch how it was done from afar whenever we passed by this place while there was a wedding there.

It was a really really lovely affair, simple and sweet. No hassle no fuss. No frowns, only smiles all around. I wish I could have joined them after that when they went to Ciric to celebrate but I wanted to run back to the graduation ceremony before it's over. And so after giving her the flowers and gift I left the happy couple to join my friends in CUG.


The Graduation Ceremony
Got up early, got ready, and accompanied the soon-to-be grads to the university (5 minutes walk from our place) for a pre-graduation group photo taking session. After that we straightaway went to the Centrul de Providenta in CUG where the ceremony was to take place (which was very very far, according to Iasi's standard lah) and waited for things to get started. As I had a wedding to attend to at noon I had to leave and later on joined them again after the wedding.

The gummu girls :))

It was nice to see all of them happy and excited and seeing some juniors coming to show their support, but I was quite bummed coz didn't get to watch them actually walk onstage, receiving their scrolls and reciting the Hippocratic Oath. Rugi gila lah, tapi takde rezeki nak wat camno...
Eventhough people keep saying that our turn will only be next year, it's kinda hard for me to believe it coz it really felt like only yesterday that I had set foot in Iasi. Will I be ready to don the robe and cap and be a good physician in the future? Scary thought. Sigh, time flies so fast eh.....

I gave the girls white roses as a token of our (crazy) friendship which I had pre-ordered a day before and had asked the boys to pick 'em up for me and gave it to them because I wasn't sure if I could make it after the wedding. And after that we were just chilling out at the sistas place. Good times indeed, they were my travel buddies and also my partners in crime; I'll surely miss them when they've gone back home for good...

Oh, and I am really glad that I came back to the graduation place. Surprise surprise, I got to meet a friend who was with us for the first 3 years but had transferred to Bucharest in our 4th year. He told me before that he had exams the day before and couldn't come, so imagine my surprise when I saw him there. And apparently most of my classmates were there too, but only managed to meet some of them because they left early.

Wonder how our graduation ceremony is gonna be like? Compared to my first convocation several years ago in UM which was a very formal affair (DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah yg bagi scroll hari tu) the ceremony here is, I would say, semi-formal. Takde org kenamaan, cuma org2 besar & yg penting drpd uni kitorang je. Which is a good thing I think. Less hoopla, but a bit dragging also lah. Tak kisah la belalang, asal jangan tergolek doq masa kat atas stage tu nanti udah ler. Isy, malu giler tak terkata gamaknya.....

So, to the new bride and the new MD graduates:

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Update: Was asked to stand in line for the bouquet-throwing thingy, but the bouquet flew into the hands of Ms.MCL's bestfren. Fuhhh, nasib baik... :))

Zee Avi / KokoKaina

I love her musical style! So jazzy and soothing. A Malaysian with a Youtube success story. Read more about her here.

Enjoy!

The Moroccan Dream

One of my classmates is from Tangier, Morocco, born & bred. She's actually a Berber, and can speak several languages (jeles nya!). Eversince I've known her for 5 years now we have talked about lots of things, especially about our cultures, our homes and our families.

You see, I am an explorer at heart. I love getting to know about all these different cultures and their way of life, especially one that is so foreign from my own. I told her that one of my dreams is to go there for a visit, so that I can see the culture with my very own eyes and experience it, sample their cuisines while breathing the Moroccan air.
Sigh, that would be so lovely, wouldn't it?

Btw, I already have a standing invitation to go there. Tempat tinggal makan minum tak payah nak pikir dah, cuma kena beli sendiri tiket kapalterbang nakgi sana je. Bestnya kalau leh pegi.....


Disclaimer: All the piccas above are not mine. Click at the images to go to the original sites. Thank you.

"What do you mean you cannot drink milk??"

"It's because I have Lactose Intolerance (LI), ok? "

I got asked this a lot. And when I told them why, they automatically assume that I don't drink milk. Actually, it doesn't mean that I cannot take milk at all, in fact I love dairies, but consuming milk or any type of dairy products will eventually cause bloating, flatulence, abdominal cramps, and last but not least, acute diarrhea that could lead to dehydration if proper countermeasures are not taken.

Why me??
Well, thanks to the 1/8 chinese, and the remaining jawa part of me = Genetic predisposition, of course. And plus milk-drinking is never really a Malay culture, isn't it?

When will I have the symptoms??
Whenever I have appeased my cravings for something dairy i.e. milk, yoghurt, cheese, ice-cream.....YUMMM!!

How come??
Basically, we lack the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose, a form of sugar found in milk & other dairy products. Lactose is a big-moleculed sugar and cannot be absorbed by the small intestinal (ileum) walls.
Therefore;
No lactase --> Lactose passes intact from ileum to colon --> Fermentation of lactose by the normal intestinal bacteria --> Production of a lot of gasses --------> Bloating, Flatulence, Cramps + Diarrhea (by lactose that attracts water into colon)

What to do??
Avoid dairy products (unless they are lactose-free), oral rehydration salt, water, water, water, water, water... + Oral enzyme substitution (never tried this before coz can't seem to get my hands on it yet)

Where??
Check out the prevalence of LI in the world population:

If you are still clueless and don't know what I'm talking about, go watch White Chicks the movie. Pay attention to what happens to one of the agents when he ate cheese. Oh yeah, I soooo know the feeling. Been there done that, sigh....

IMHO, being lactose intolerant ain't fun I tell ya. Especially for a person who loooooves dairy and can't live without them, like moi. And yes, different individuals have different levels and degrees of intolerance. But 'lucky' me, I got stuck with the one-glass-of-milk-will-make-you-have-diarrhea-the-whole-night type of LI. And imagine what would happen if I'd have 1 glass milk+1 slice cheese+1 stick ice-cream, in 1 day. Berkampung kat dalam bilik air ler jawabnya...

A lactose intolerant gal who loves lactose-full dairies. What a bummer, ain't it?

Aching Legs

Went gallivanting around town today:

1. Left home early to go to the Neurosurgery Hospital, but upon reaching there I was told that class was canceled. Haiyaaah... Decided to walk back home and so began the 30 minutes journey up & down the hill back to the house...

2. Reached home, had some snacks, and then went out again for some gift-shopping with Ms JZ to the mall. Went round and round the mall while keeping an eye for the things that we wanted to get and had lunch at the food court there.

3. Left the mall at half past four. Ms JZ went back home while I went to the Paediatrics Hospital (which is just 15 minutes from the mall) on foot, walking uphill, for a garda session with our paeds surgery lecturer.

4. After garda, walked back down the hill with the boys and then walked back home alone...

Mak aih, patut la kaki rasa macam nak tercabut je. Nasib baik pakai sneakers tadi, kalau tak, isk...

And now my feet and legs are aching and it feels like the muscles are being twisted in knots. Can't tell you how much I'm longing for a foot and full body massage now, sigh....


NB: Yeah, I know I'm out of shape. I should be used to walking a lot here, but I guess going up and down the hill was a bit too much for my sleep-deprived body today.
Sungguh lah tak fit nya diriku ini, hmmmmm.....

98 DEGREES & Counting

Remember this?

At the time when boybands were sprouting like poisonous mushrooms everywhere, I've gotta say that 98 Degrees is definitely a class above them all. Unlike other boybands that were assembled by the recording/talent companies, these guys actually had formed a group on their own before getting themselves a manager and signing on with a record label.

I love their voices, how they harmonize and blend their voices with each other. And yes, they sound good live too! In fact, personally them singing live is way better than the recorded stuff. And I could still remember my sister telling me "Sedih kan sebenarnya lirik lagu Invisible Man ni? He likes her but she doesn't notice him. Cian kat dia..."
Ingat lagi tak ezra? ;P

They came to Malaysia a couple of years ago (when I was in college) to perform. At the time I was already a fan, and plus the tickets were very very affordable. Buy 1 cassette you get 1 ticket, buy 1 CD you get 2 tickets! Crazy right? It's as if the tickets were free only. Plus you get to keep the CDs/cassettes some more. Since it was a no brainer I went and bought 1 CD and 1 cassette, finally had gotten myself 3 tickets in total: 1 for me and 2 for my (younger) sisters. Bawak la diorang sekali sebab kesian tak penah gi tgk konsert kat mana2 lagi kan. Kakak mithali, chewah... :D

The showcase was at the Sunway Lagoon amphitheater. All through the show, there were lotsa screaming fans (it was mostly girls, go figure) and they were literally shrieking away when they were not singing along with the boys. Saya pun agak teruja lah jugak masa tu, tapi takleh nak lawan dgn adikku si dokter yg memula malu-malu tapi akhirnya terjerit-jerit keseronokan jugak, hehehe... It was really fun because I got to see and hear 98 Degrees live, watch the antics of fanatic fans, and see that my sisters had fun that night too. Well I've never really asked them how it was for them, but by them screaming their heads off and singing along means that they were having a good time then yeah, they might be. As for me, suffice to say that I had a sore throat that lasted for 2 days, a side effect from the sing-a-long cum shrieking session that night, lol...

98 Degrees didn't get as OTT famous as BSB or N'Sync back then although their sound has quality. Hey, I love BSB and N'Sync too ok. Yeah peeps, I was a boyband fan, huhu. But the truth is I like music for its sound and harmony regardless who performs it and from which genre it is. I can listen to any and all kinds of music EXCEPT for dangdut and house/club. Serious tak boleh layan ah lagu-lagu cenggitu, isk...

Eventhough they haven't split up 98 Degrees are now in a hiatus. I hope they will come out with something new soon because I'm sure their fans can't wait for their reappearance in the music scene (termasuk lah saya rasanya)... ^_^

Paediatrics Surgery Test

.....is tomorrow. If we don't pass this test we won't be allowed to sit for the final exam.

Wish me luck!!

Nb: I love doing garda with our paeds surgery lecturer. He's a hoot, and the surgeries are pretty interesting. Will definitely join him again for the next garda.

The Beriyani Experiment

Out of the blue today I got a hankering for some nasi beriyani. And since I have (almost) all of the ingredients in the kitchen, I attempted to cook it myself. Mind you, I've never tried making it ever, but there's always a first time, isn't it?

So I Google-d some recipes online and finally decided to try out the Beriyani Kurma recipe found on mesra.net resepi webpage with some modifications of my own. Instead of using beef I used chicken breast meat since that's all that is available for me here, and I substituted evaporated milk with yoghurt and I also added a handful of raisins.

The verdict:
It turned out well enough, albeit a l'il bit soggy. My bad in over-estimating the water for the rice (as I usually do, lol!). What's more, I didn't use Basmathi rice (mahal lah) and used another type of long grain rice instead. All in all it was edible (and I think it was kinda tasty too, hehe) although it wasn't visually appealing. But hey, everything's gonna go into my tummy in the end right, so what's the biggie? As a side dish I made some spicy tomato-based acar timun (I used pickled cucumber), and VOILA! Dinner is served. Yummmmm

It's usual for me to cook in abundance and finish it in 2-3 days. Why do I do this? It's because food keeps well here due to the weather but actually the main reasons are pure laziness and no time. This way at least I could have something that is cooked and meaty instead of bread and eggs all the time, oh man...

So, what else to cook next week? I'm craving for fish but the fish here is so not very the fresh. Tuna/sardin dalam tin pulak dah naik harga skang ni. Telur lagi lah nampaknya, hmmmmm

Selamat Hari Buruh

Yup, Labour Day is celebrated here too. It's celebrated globally in fact. Saya baru lah tau ari tu, hehe...

So, it's an off day today. No classes. Cuti, woohooooo!!

But it's Laundry Day for me today lah, sigh...

Oh, and I am currently on a Star Trek Voyager marathon, again. Makes me realize how much I love and miss this show. And Battlestar Galactica. And Stargate SG-1.
Huhu...gimme more please!

Swine Flu - The H1N1 Influenza A Virus

With the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza viral infections in several countries, and also several reported deaths in Mexico and the US, are we going to be facing a global spread anytime soon? Will there be a phenomena like the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918? Is there a reason to panic?

Well, maybe not yet. Although it's not imprudent for us to take extra precaution to prevent further spread of the disease as announced by WHO. For now, we should practice good hygiene (i.e. hand washing, masks), cover your mouth and nose when sneezing/coughing, and avoid public places if you're down with flu to avoid infecting other people. And make sure that you have a healthy immune system, because our immune system plays a vital role in combating viral infections. And no, antibiotics DO NOT work against viral infections and flu. Unless you have a secondary bacterial infection, only then you should be taking antibiotics. This is important because if antibiotics are used too often generally then there will be a bacterial resistance phenomena, which we definitely do not want to happen.

What's interesting is it's the same etiological agent for both the Spanish flu back then and the swine flu now which is the H1N1 influenza virus. Moreover, there were six genes from American swine flu that have been identified; they are a mixture of swine flu, bird flu, and human flu viruses, and it is also a virulent strain. And because of this the WHO has increased their alertness level to level 4 (on a scale of 6) to prevent transmission and a possible pandemic situation.

Should we be scared and paranoid? I don't think so. But it doesn't hurt to err on the side of caution, don't you think?

Prevention is definitely better than cure in this case.

UPDATE: The WHO has advised against the use of the 'Swine flu' term and instead we should be referring it as H1N1 Influenza A Viral Infection.

The Day When The Earth Shook

I've been here for almost 5 years now, and have experienced earthquakes TWICE. Thankfully though, it wasn't the earth-shattering ground-splitting type. It was more of a rumble and shake, thank God...

The first one was on September 27th 2004. It was exactly after 1 month we landed in Romania. At the time I was staying in an apartment on the 6th floor, couldn't really feel the first shake. But when it shook again a few seconds after that, my roommates and I grabbed our passports and jackets and ran downstairs! It was at night, and it was rather eerie coz the streets were filled with people and steam. At the time it felt surreal but we then met up with some of our friends a few blocks away and waited for things to calm down before going back to the house. Cuaklah jugak masa tu, isk...

The second time that I've experienced an earthquake was just yesterday, April 25th 2009. This time around even though the earthquake originated from Romania, we only felt a minor shake. At the time both Ms JZ and me were in the hallway having a lively conversation (i.e.mengumpat session, lol) when we suddenly felt the doors shaking. I was stunned, but thought that I had somehow experienced vertigo (ala-ala nak pitam gitu), while Ms JZ thought that someone had slammed the entrance door downstairs until our doors shook. Well, this was rather an acceptable explanation because we live in the first floor and my room is just above the entrance of the building (memang boleh sekodeng orang kuar masuk from my room's balcony, hehe). But out of curiosity I took a peek out of the kitchen window and saw people running out of the opposite block like as if there was a fire or something. It was only then that it had occured to us that it was an earthquake! Talk about clueless, lol...

So, having had the honour of experiencing 2 earthquakes in my 5 years here, and being the paranoid freak that I am, can anyone blame me for having a pre-packed bag containing several essential items in case of emergencies?

And no Erin, not only expecting mothers have the emergency bag, I do too!!

Yup, confirm. Your friend is a paranoid freak... ^_^

Reel Time

Definite must-sees on my list:

1. Angels & Demons - Another of Dan Brown's masterpiece presented on film directed by Ron Howard

2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - A sequel with more action and adventure directed by Michael Bay

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Based on book 6 of the series by J.K.Rowling and directed by David Yates

4. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Starring the delectable Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner


and last but not least...

5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine - More of Hugh Jackman? Bring it on!

So, movie date anyone? ^_^

When I'm Home Alone...

..... I bake. A lot. It's Easter break and I'm stuck at home here, so what else to do but cook and bake, heheh...

What I had: Baked chicken (with 3 types of seasonings/marinades = sour cream+mushrooms, lemon+herbs, tandoori style), baked pasta (creamy baked pasta, mac&cheese, tuna casserole with tonnnes of cheese on top), pastries (butter, cheese and also chocolate filling), chicken curry with lots and lots of potatoes, ayam masak lemak cili padi (which was waaaaay too hot for me! Nasib baik tak kena diarrhea, lol...) and maybe tomorrow I might bake a banana cake if I could find a couple of ripe bananas today. Yummmm....

And suddenly yesterday I was hankering for some roti canai banjir! Sabar jelah... Since I've no patience (and skills) to make it from scratch, I decided to improvise and make them using some ready-made pastry dough that I've found in my fridge. Had to use lots and lots of oil (got no ghee), some sprinkled sugar, pan frying, and voila! And guess what, they turned out good! I was surprised myself, but when I had them with some fish-less fish curry with potatoes and carrots, oh my oh my oh my..... I even made some mamak tea (used fresh milk instead of condensed milk) to accompany my meal..... Ahhhh.... a little piece of heaven from home.....

Oh dear, all this free time and good food is so not good for me, I know. So don't be surprised to see me bloated up and round when school starts next week mi amigos!

Apart from cooking up a storm, I do go out and stretch my legs. The weather currently is so fine, and last sunday was Easter for the Orthodox. Went gallivanting around town and sat in the park for hours enjoying the sunshine. It was kinda peaceful this week, thanks to the fact that the city is almost empty because most of the students had gone back to their hometowns for the holidays. You see, Iasi is a kinda like a college/university town; it's quite small but has quite a number of colleges around here. So, the usual crowds during normal semester would consist of mainly students, while during the holidays (eg. Easter, Christmas, summer) it's practically quiet around here.

Hmmm...maybe I should go and settle my internet bill today coz it's so nice and breezy outside. Could just pay in the bank downstairs, but why not take a tram and a stroll to their office, eh? And since I have the student's transportation pass that enables me to hop on and off any busses, trams or maxi-taxis (like a van), I could go wherever I want (within the city's limits of course)!

Hope you guys are enjoying your holidays!

Birthday Girl

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY ELISSA!

Auntie wishes you all the best in the world and here's a big hug & kisses for you, mmmuaaaaah!

On Bended Knees

Today was a day of proposals. Why?

1. In real-time:
My dear friend and classmate, Ms.MCL is now engaged! And it all happened in Ophthalmology lab just now. Her bf (now fiance) actually got down on one knee, told her that she was the only woman that he wants to spend his life with, and asked her if she would do him the honour of being his wife! It was a lovely and sweet surprise; I knew I was gaping throughout and our lecturer (and some of the strapping macho guys in the class, heheh) were moved to tears. It was kinda like one of those Hallmark moments, because the love that they had for each other really shone so bright that it was almost blinding. But the best part of it is that I've actually had the chance of watching something like that with my very own eyes and not only on TV. How cool is that! I am really happy for her, and wish nothing but the best for both of them.

Congrats my dear MCL! May your lives together will be full of love, joy & laughter forever and ever...


2. On reel-time
This was about something on the House tv show. Yeah, I'm fan, and have been faithfully following each and every episode without fail. I really love the show, but needless to say after the shocking (to me at least) twist in the previous episode (S5 Ep20) regarding the untimely and rather gruesome and tragic passing of one of my favourite characters, Kutner (he was supposedly to have shot himself due to unexplained reasons), I did not expect that the writers would come up with another surprise in the show in S5 Ep.21 when Chase got down on one knee and proposed to Cameron! And this I watched on the telly just a few hours after the real-time proposal in class! Seems like spring and wedding bells are in the air.....


So, the conclusion is:
"Love is in the air, everywhere we look around...."


p/s: Am trying to compile plausible answers for one of the most dreaded questions that will defintely be thrown at me during my cousin's wedding party this summer. Ideas anyone??

Hibernate Mode...

Salut!

We have just started our Easter break, so now I could finally finish up the posts that are currently in the draft folder. I know it has been a while since I last updated this blog, but things have been pretty hectic lately that I found myself unable to even compose a coherent paragraph.

But even with the packed schedule and on-calls, I am really having a blast! It's kinda funny coz --> Medicine=Fun -- is deemed impossible. Maybe it's something in the air, maybe it's the current lovely weather, or maybe it's the fact that I am in the 'zone' where life is like looking through a rose-coloured glass. Well, whatever the reason is, I am grateful and thankful for His mercy, love, and abundant bestowals in whatever form they may be. Alhamdulillah....

Alrighty then, back to draft board!
But, uhuh, maybe I could do with some shut-eye and mental cleansing before attempting those. So, see y'all (not too) soon okay!

Toodles!!

And to my Orthodox friends:

PASTE FERICITA !!

My Mosaic, My Life

1. My first name
2. My favorite food
3. My high school
4. My favorite color
5. My celebrity crush
6. My favorite drink
7. My dream vacation
8. My favorite dessert
9. What I want to be when I grow up
10. What I love most in life
11. One word to describe me
12. My flickr name

Numerology Personal Profile

Just for fun and as a cure for boredom during the weekend...

OVERVIEW

There are several different sides to your character but your energy is primarily pointed in two contrary directions. A good part of you is free-spirited and adventurous -- at least in spirit but often in fact -- and doesn't want to be restrained in any way. Another strong side of you tends to be introspective and reserved, concerned with inner needs and private projects. During your youth and young adulthood, you'll struggle to balance your need to do your own thing with enthusiasm and excitement with the equally strong necessity of spending time alone in study or contemplation. You'll probably sometimes take care of one and sometimes the other, but rarely to your complete satisfaction. As you get older, you'll probably learn how to balance your free-spirited side with your studious, solitary side so that you can feel comfortable with both.


YOUR FREE-WHEELING CREATIVITY -- HOW IT WORKS FOR AND AGAINST YOU

Your 5 Life Path And 3 Birthday

You were born with considerable versatility -- the ability to do almost anything you attempt with superior skill. As you can imagine, this innate capacity allows you a boundless freedom most people can only dream about. One of your major lessons in life is to learn to use this freedom constructively. Since you have so many talents and so many opportunities for the use of those talents, you probably have to learn to focus your energies on a limited number of ventures rather than attempt to take advantage of all the possibilities.

When you want to, you can express your joy in living by socializing, either with many friends in varied activities or in the company of a few intimates engaged in quiet diversions. You probably also express yourself in some form of creative activity.


YOUR FINE ANALYTICAL MIND, SPIRITUAL AWARENESS -- AND INTROSPECTIVE SIDE

Your 7 Expression

That versatile and creative side is a primary part of your makeup. There are other aspects of your personality which contribute to the overall picture even though they're of lesser influence than your versatile side. If there are any conflicts between your free-spirited traits and the other characteristics, your free-spirited side usually wins out.

You have a fine analytical mind and are capable of much in the way of learning. Others will recognize your potential to understand fundamental truths as well as your capacity to search for ultimate meanings. They may turn to you for your knowledge and, perhaps, the benefits of your wisdom, too. You may choose a line of work involving complex technical, scientific or philosophical studies. You probably also spend time working to achieve the peace of mind that is important to you.

True or not? Entah...

Ehem!

Woke up this morning with a scratchy throat, and by mid-day there was definitely a sign of a throat irritation. Aiseymen.... this is the one thing that I have been trying to avoid, coz when I get the coughing fits they'll usually be accompanied with chest pains and insomnia and plus they'll last for at least a week or so. I hate it when this happens coz I could really bring the house down with the sound. Yup, that loud my coughs were.....

Already bought some lozenges from the pharmacy. Hope it'll help. Am keeping myself warm too, and definitely only warm water/drinks from now on.

Cepat lah sihat, penat ah sakit ni..... :((

Daylight Saving Time

... or DST is when the clocks are moved 1 hour in the spring. In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1:00 a.m. Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). It begins on the last Sunday in March (which is today) and ends on the last Sunday in October. In the EU, all time zones change at the same moment.

Why do they do this? This is to make better use of daylight, as the days in the summer are longer than in the winter. More sunlight, less electricity consumption, better environmental outcome so on so forth... Simply put, by turning the clocks 1 hour ahead, people get the opportunity to enjoy the day and the sunlight more.

(gambar hiasan)

When I first came here, I had no idea about DST. As a result, I was 1 hour early for Anatomy class! Yup, it was October and I was in front of the uni wondering why it was so deserted and freezing my a** off at 7.30am (according to my watch) when it was actually 6.30am!! It was only later that I found out from my classmates about the time change. Nobody else to blame but me for my ignorance, haha...

And guess what, I still am confused by the time change up till last year. If my friends haven't reminded me I would have totally forgotten about it. But this year I do remember, and have been preparing for it, i.e.waking up 1 hour earlier than my usual wake-up time in the morning for the past weeks. Since we now have morning rounds/classes everyday I figured that my body and mind would need to get used to waking up at an earlier time. Have to do this, because I found that nowadays my body is less adaptable to changes as I get older. Oh well, what to do, old already maaah...

FB

Apakah??

Lama giler tak log-in tengok2 diorang dah tukar lay-out la pulak.

Hisyy...kan ke dah konpius skang ni? Nape kena tukar lay-out/settings yang lama tu? Dulu tu okay dah apa...

Sabar je lah, hmmmphhhh.....

Case Study Presentation

Yeah I know, this entry is kind of backdated. Had the presentation last week but was too busy and sick to write about it. Well, here's the gist of it...

As I've mentioned before, my group had the honour of making the first case presentation for the class. We are now in our Paediarics cycle and are currently assigned to the Paediatrics Cardiac Clinic. Our case study was about a female patient aged around 1++ years old with Tetralogy of Fallot. She was practically bluish due to her heart problems.

TETRALOGY OF FALLOT is a congenital heart defect that consists of 4 anomalies (hence the name -tetra):
1. Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
2. Pulmonary stenosis
3. Right ventricular hypertrophy
4. An aorta that overrides the septal defect

All these anomalies result in a right-to-left shunting of the blood, that leads to the cetral cyanosis. In addition to the cyanosis, she also has clubbing of the fingers and toes (Hippocratic fingers & toes), and poorly developed teeth and poor growth. She was also dyspnoeic during feeding (difficult to breath during drinking/eating), so the mother had to feed her slowly so that she could catch some breath in between swallowing. She could only sit/stand with support because her legs couldn't really support her body. Both the patient and the mother were very cooperative, and according to the mother the patient only cries when she's hungry and sleepy. Other than that, she's fuss free.

Clubbing of fingers and toes

She will be undergoing surgery to correct the defects. And she's also given Amoxycillin as a prophylaxis for endocarditis. Children with heart defects are also prone to get respiratory infections, and that's why she came to the hospital this time because she had pneumonia. She recovered from her pneumonia and was discharged on the day of our presentation while waiting for her surgery next month.

Our presentation was almost doomed from the get go. Apart from being notified last minute about it, we were supposed to present the case last two weeks, but due to unforeseen circumstances (n.b.kes terlupa bawak usb, lol) it was postponed to last week. And out of 9 people in my group only 6 of us were present during the presentation day because 1 was sick, 1 was taking care of someone sick and 1 went MIA. But all in all, it was a success and we really rocked! It was really satisfying to know that you've gone all out and gave your best. What we were happy about is that our supervisor was really proud of us that made it all worth it...

So, next case presentation for us will be after our Paediatrics Surgery cycle starting next week. Saw some really interesting cases recently and Dr.AL had hinted that one of them may be the subject for our case study. Oh well...

The peeps in the my group (minus Mr.MA who's taking this pic, and Mr.OAH who's forever MIA...)

Well, guys, congrats for a job well done and hope we'll rock again next time!

n/b: The patient was also recently diagnosed with an atrial septal defect. Thus she now has a pentalogy heart defect, sigh...

Salam Takziah

Just got the news from my mom about the passing of my SIL's father in Kedah.

Semoga roh-nya dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan bersama orang-orang yag beriman. Amin...

AL-FATIHAH