I'm back, ranting as usual

after a long hiatus, I'm back...I think the last I've blogged is probably > 10 years? many things have changed. I've no longer in the same country and currently is based Down under... loads of stories, trials and tribulations. for the next experiences, will update...signing out

reflection

It's been a long time since i last posted anything, well, apart from the CDC advisory on how to prevent the surge of H1N1 simply by a good practice of personal hygiene.

I came across this nice thai language song and I reckon the lyrics are pretty touching. Perhaps reflection on what has transpired.

Swine Flu

Concise and straight to the point explanation of Swine Flu and the measures use to contain and protect ourselves.

Speechless

something to ponder upon. cannot believe it's 1992 and now the environment is getting worst. Chills me to think what environment will our future generations inherit from us?

The last day....

The last day of the year, 31st of December 2008. Goodbye, it has been a year filled with memories. Fond or otherwise.

All the spectrum of taste has been experienced over the course of the 365 odd days that has come and gone. Sour, sweet, bitter and spicy. It has all. I reckon life as we see it is like that. The trick is to get up and pull ourselves together and face another year of challenges.

Hopefully 2009 will be sweeter as compared to 2008.

With forlorn and a heavy heart I bid farewell to 2008, It has been challenging and I reckon whatever obstacles thrown has been overcome; whatever bad things, braved; whatever emotional liabilities, stomached; Whatever illness , recovered; whatever speed lessons taught, learned.

It is not to say that 2008 were all bad, it has it's moments, and the goods ones will be remembered and cherished till the end of time.

With enthusiasm and hope, Welcome 2009!


HAPPY NEW YEAR! May the new year brings better things, good fortune, love and happiness to everyone! Cheers for Good health and Blessings.

top 10 "misses" of 2008

Here's a list of top 10 misses for the year; not necessarily in order of importance.

1) My Dad

It has been so many years since my dad passed on way back in '85. I still have memories of him but it has become increasing difficult to recall all the fond memories. Time is really screaming away at lightning speed and I find it difficult to play catch up with it.

2) My Mum

She passed away 2 years back and it seems like a life time. I still recall about her and dad once a while and it is kinda sad when you think of it. Ah well, hopefully they are in a much better existence.

3) Fitness

Yup, age is advancing and as time is scarce, having to work and all, I hardly find time to exercise. I used to make it a point to go for a run after work but during the past few months, I haven't had the urge to do it. Maybe a part of it is due to the issue of safety since there has been a spat of robberies and muggings in the garden where I used to jog at 10pm at night, or perhaps it's the act of being lazy that has been plaguing me, or the constant aches that I develop. I reckon part and parcel of growing older.

4) Relationship and the intimacy associated with it.

yup still as solo as I can be, it felt especially bad when I am lying on my bed, wide awake and wondered what happened? I cannot remember how it felt like being intimate and close to someone I love. The bed will be empty and cold especially when the chilly breeze blasts from the conditioner. Wonder if 12 months from now, would I be contemplating about what went wrong again?

5) Buddy

Every single one of my buddy is married, the last of the last whom happen to be my best buddy, just tied the know on Boxing day. I am happy for him, as he has finally settled, but it's bittersweet as I know that I am currently without even a compadre who can at least take some slack off me.

6) Health

I am not what I used to be. I am currently hypertensive, and i had initiated treatment myself. Age has taken a toll on my health, although I am asymptomatic, I find developing high blood pressure at 38 is really nothing to be happy about. I tried changing my lifestyle, have more rest, less stress and exercise more but sad to say, the pressure is still not ideal after all that. After seeing one of my friend develop high blood, stroke, diabetes, both eyesight blindness, bilateral kidney failure with amputated toe, it suddenly dawned upon to me that life passes by ever so quickly and we are merely transiting here.

7) Timing

one of the most important misses is I am unable to sell my invested properties. I had contemplated and actually taken every possible angle into account but sad to say that the recession that is happening now is earlier than I initially anticipated. So I am now stuck with having to pay mortgages right under my nose!

8) A good night's sleep

I haven't had a good night's sleep for so long, it's not to say that i haven't slept at all but rather the sleep that someone can have, on and on and on. The sleep that makes u totally relaxed and at peace with everything, where you don't need to wake up by a specific time.. really haven't had one of those for so long.

9) Backpacking

I love backpacking and trekking. But I haven't been doing that for a very long time, ordinarily I would prefer taking the train and stopping at every station and explore to see what do they have to offer. Ever since practicing in private, the freedom to do anything is bound by the commitments that I have to my patients and my practice. It makes me wonder when is it going to end.

10) my mind

Yup, have been getting more and more forgetful lately. Perhaps I have early onset dementia? At times i cannot recall what has actually transpired in the last few months. I might not have Alzheimer per se, but maybe all can be traced to my lack of "sleep" and too much stress? I certainly hoped so, I don't want to be like Denny Crane with his "Mad Cow's"....

Dick FM?

I listen to radio talk shows every morning whilst driving to work, even thought it's a short drive but at times I do find some topic of conversation interesting especially contest based trivia Q&As. Just this morning there was a contests that supposedly pit a working adult's knowledge to that of a child.

The contestant today was a 29 year old Project manager, whom was asked 3 general knowledge based questions.

The first question is;

Host : " What is LED"?

contestant : I know that the E in LED stands for electronic or electric...But you want me to expand the acronym?

host : the "E" in LED is in fact not electronic nor electric, many people would have mistaken the "E" for that. It is "emitting".

contestant : I give up.

host : the full expansion of LED is Light Emitting Diode

contestant : wah! I know that!

2nd Question,

Host : what does Ohms denotes in electricity?

answer : resistance

host : very good answer!

3rd Question;

Host : and I hope you are good in your geography.

answer : NO, Not Geography, ask me something else, something easier!

question : what's the capital of Argentina?

answer : Give me a start or at least the First Alphabet?

host : it starts with a "B"

answer : BRAZIL?


I was like going WHAT? nearly puke myself when I heard this 29 year old Project manager utter Brazil as the capital of Argentina. Any oxymoron who watches FIFA world cup would know that they are completely different country. I was like HELLO?, Never heard of Buenos Aires?

The questions are easy, well at least it sounded easy to me which I reckon you don't need to study for it. It's basically just something a decent knowledgeable chap would know.

I wonder what people nowadays know? Project manager that doesn't even know the basics of,..... anything? Just imagine that when this chap is married with kids, the children would have inherited his ignorance, scary thought eh? sickening and scary thought, hell ya!

top 10 Global milestones of 2008

As 2008 comes to it's close and the new years looms knocking at the door, I reckon it would be great to list down some "10's" of everything before the year is over.

Here's the Top 10 milestones of 2008 (in no order of importance)

1) President elect Barack Obama :-

First colored president of the most powerful country in the world. If this is no milestone, I don't know what is? More than 2 decades later, a none white man has been elected to the highest office of the country, it's progress however way you look at it, sad to say that this will never happen in my home country.

2) Beijing Olympics :-

The 3rd Asian country to host the most prestigious sport event in the world, even though Asia is more than half of the world's population, it has only managed to be hosted in 3 Asian venues, talk about discrimination eh? Anyway spectacular games not without any "controversies" man made or otherwise. I reckon there will always be enemies to progress.

3) Global recession :-

Started with the sub prime mortgage crises crafted in the gold ole' US of A. It sort of started a "dominoes effect" triggering widespread recession of the world economy, joblessness, chaos and also dipping standards of living.

4) Fuel prices :-

Due to unscrupulous speculators, the crude oil per barrel shot up to 148 usd per barrel, highest in living memory. current crude oil prices is less than 40 usd per barrel. It's sheer greediness.

5) Terrorism in Mumbai :-

worst things happen to innocent people. I wonder why jihad has to involve innocent women and children? There is no sense of decency and humanity when it comes to serving "God". Wonder if "God" is merciful and compassionate? More than a few hundreds die for reason(s) best known to the perps.

6) Sichuan earthquake :-

Many lives are lost, one of the calamities that has happened to China. Sad, sad sad. tried volunteering my services.

7) Lost of 2/3 majority by ruling Barisan national.

Best piece of news that I've heard in so long. But then again the political climate is still status quo, those in corridors of power is still whacking the money like there is no tomorrow, brazen and rash outbursts in Parliament is the norm, MPs spewing foul mouth rhetoric and despicable languages. I have since given up on this country.

8) Bangkok Airport seize :-

Sad case for democracy. Protester seize the Suvarnabhumi International Airport causing so much misery to tourists and hurting the Thai economy even more in addition to the global economy crises. The fact remains that the previous TRT party has been democratically elected by the population.

9) Piracy in the gulf of Aden

Somalian pirates are taking a leaf from "Pirates of the Carribean". Plundering, robbing, pillaging and taking to kidnapping for a tidy ranson, vessels passing through this gulf. According to some reports; it seems those pirates are having a time of their life, having women and spending lavishly.

10) Landslides in Klang Valley

Many landslides occur recently due to the rainy season, these has been one of the wettest monsoon season. Biggest landslides was the one that occurred in Bukit Antarabangsa where many lives were lost. Authorities were slow to act, ( as per usual). A few more landslides around the unstable highlands.


Well that's the 10 milestones that crept into my mind this morning, I am sure there are more, but I just couldn't recall..

next posts, my own 10 memorable events.

38 years ago today

Exactly 38 years ago today, i got my first spank, my first taste of being prodded, stabbed and tubes stuffed into me. It was also when I first shed my tears. Today passed by just like any other day, boring and without any interesting plans. Ah well, hopefully there are many more of "todays" to experience.

I reckon I have been blessed with having most of the 38 years. It's about getting comfortable and accepting our lives as it is and looking back, I reckon I should be happy with where I am. Here's to a good and fulfiling life! Next plan? Jogging in the treadmill...Will probably need to slot in as much exercise and rest as possible. I know that I am not old, but as things are, i can feel that my body is not like last time.

My future plans? no future plans apart from continuing what I am doing, work, and hopefully semi retire in the next couple of years, try to go to as many places as I can and live my life as it is! Next stop, Bangkok in febuary!

Montezuma's revenge, rubella and the agony of losing a life

I haven't been actively blogging, I reckon that's given, since this blog has been virtually quiet over the last few month. Loads has happened, some pleasant, but mostly not so.

Over the past week, i have been sort of 'under the weather' having recurrent aches and discomfort, malaise and also insomnia. I think due to all these culmination of factors, I contracted rubella. Funny that an old man like me can contract such a trivial viral infection. Anyway suffice to say that I had rashes all over which inadvertently makes me look rather "flushed".

It took me a few days to recover and during these period, I got food poisoning, hence the Montezuma's. It was a whole week of protracted discomfort and irritability. I reckon when age advances our resistance will invariably dip and when it does, all infirmity will surface.

The reason of me highlighting all these is because I had a patient yesterday, considerably young, at 42 came to me with an acute chest pain. He was strutting in nonchalantly alone and it immediately struck me as Myocardial infarction or in layman's term, a sudden heart attack. His blood pressure then was non recordable. I did my best to stabilize the patient, and called the ambulance. Ironic thing is that he felt much better also what I did and I was relieved after it became apparent that he will pull through and not lapsed away in the clinic. As per usual, the ambulance came after 45 mins, which in a medical emergency situation, "deplorable", even his brother, whom i manage to contract reach faster even though he was situated further away.

Well, i did my part, sent him to the hospital much to my relieve and believe that he will be able to pull through, much to my chagrin, all was well until they instituted treated for heart attack to him in the tertiary hospital. He collapsed and died according to his brother who made it an effort to inform me. It's sad especially when you've done all you can but inspite of doing everything, you still lose a life. This was one of the reason why I didn't want to work in a hospital. The emotions and the tense situation was just a tad too much for me.

I reckon life can be what you want it to be, perhaps seeing someone slip away relatively young should be a wake up call for me as it should be for everyone?