30th Birthday Updates - sort of
1. Catch Sting in concert -- check
2. Catch Norah Jones in concert -- 27th Feb, akan datang but check
3. Sing on national radio - twice -- first round's over, but second one's on the way; not something I planned, but it's kinda fun. Check! :)
( Those interested in hearing me crow on air can SMS me to find out when I'll be put on the spot again; the prize is HUUUUUUGE and I've already overcome major odds to secure leave should I somehow win. Wish me luck! )
What I Think Of Tasmania - Part 2
Okay, it's hard to say bad things about a place -- even though I hated the food, the weather, and the Sleepy Hollow feel -- when your holiday photos turn out looking like a million bucks. I kid you not.
My camera's 4 years old and of the manual Advanced Photo System variety, but the pictures are amazing . Some of them are even more fantastic than those I snapped in NZ. What the... ?
Favourites of the lot:
Russell Falls at Mount Field National Park ( Hobart )-- A surreal three-tiered waterfall surrounded by little trees. Unbelievable on film. Top on my photo list.
Cataract Gorge ( Launceston ) -- An oasis of lakes, rivers, cool rock formations and a babbling brook, not to mention an outdoor pool, garden cafe and chair lift ride ( the last is extremely dangerous, if you really think about it -- ie. no locking mechanism on those "restraining" bars ). Beautiful.
Port Arthur ( Hobart ) -- An historic site where an old prison and various staff residences can be found, the sprawling grounds and gorgeous weather ( thank goodness for that! ) make this my favourite place Tasmania-wise.
Nature Shots -- Collected from a number of places, including the abovementioned. Flora and fauna are abundant on the island, and I'm particularly fond of my pictures depicting a wild echidna and wallaby ( the latter was successfully coaxed to nibble from my hand ), as well as a field of poppies ( never mind about the surrounding electric fence :)). The St. Matthias vineyard and Sorell cherry farm also turned out very well.
Best of all, my parents and I actually look happy and younger than usual. Hmmm.
Reading Material
Haven't finished the Poor In Singapore feature in today's Straits Times yet, but will discuss this further another day. I get so PO-ed when I see people throwing good money away on frivolous pursuits. Spare a thought for those in need, yeesh. Even if you're not the donating kind, at least save some of your dough.
The House Of God & Mount Misery by Samuel Shem; Complications by Atul Gawande -- Found them at a good price at the medical bookshop located in SGH. I just love that store. They even carry Christian fare! :)
That's it for now. Am suffering from a bout of nerves due to the upcoming singing thing. But hey, if you don't do this at least once in your life, what's the whole point eh? :D
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Newsflash
I think Urgh is a Woman. Check out her ( well, it could still be a Him, who knows... ) comments here.
A Memorable Sunday
Got confirmed today, and received my first holy communion. It was wonderful. :)
A Question of Money
There's a debate raging on re-minisce's blog, about the "right to spend", or more accurately, the "right to splurge because it's my money dang it".
I totally agree that no-one can or should dictate what you should or shouldn't do with your own hard-earned cash. I have my personal opinions about paying ( IMHO "too much $$$" ) for food that -- as someone so eloquently put it -- ends up in the toilet anyway. But then, that's just my opinion.
I'm sure a number of you shake your heads when I write about Clay Aiken's albums, books, T-shirts and concert programmes ( which aren't cheap ). I own way too many CDs, and don't really believe in bargain-hunting when it comes to overseas trips. Guess we all have our weaknesses.
But seriously, just as re-minisce has his idea of The Perfect Evening -- which apparently includes fine wine and food -- my idea of A Great Night Out is pretty simple in comparison ( and since I don't date much anymore, it's okay to post this online 'cos guys can't use this info anyhow :D ):
1. I must already find the guy attractive in a significant way.
2. Any place with nice, fresh food which doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
3. Ambience that won't make me uncomfortable -- ie. snooty waiters / maitre'ds, or worse, nasty patrons.
4. Easy conversation ( preferably NOT revolving around medicine ), lots of laughter ( that's what REALLY gets me :))
5. Maybe a stroll along a quiet, scenic stretch after the meal.
Alternatively:
6. Concerts are also great in my book. Especially jazz -- that revs me up big-time.
This list is mostly based on trial and error, and believe it or not, I've had a couple of evenings which had at least 5 out of the 6 above points. One of which occurred quite recently, in fact, but then, neither one of us wants to admit it was an Actual Date, heh heh.
So carry on with the jaunts to posh restaurants, my dear re-minisce, and don't let the comments get the better of you. But my personal favourite is still Mezza9 at The Grand Hyatt. Pretty reasonable prices, and that chocolate fountain during champagne brunch -- absolute heaven....
Not in the mood to talk about Tasmania today. Maybe some other time.
I think Urgh is a Woman. Check out her ( well, it could still be a Him, who knows... ) comments here.
A Memorable Sunday
Got confirmed today, and received my first holy communion. It was wonderful. :)
A Question of Money
There's a debate raging on re-minisce's blog, about the "right to spend", or more accurately, the "right to splurge because it's my money dang it".
I totally agree that no-one can or should dictate what you should or shouldn't do with your own hard-earned cash. I have my personal opinions about paying ( IMHO "too much $$$" ) for food that -- as someone so eloquently put it -- ends up in the toilet anyway. But then, that's just my opinion.
I'm sure a number of you shake your heads when I write about Clay Aiken's albums, books, T-shirts and concert programmes ( which aren't cheap ). I own way too many CDs, and don't really believe in bargain-hunting when it comes to overseas trips. Guess we all have our weaknesses.
But seriously, just as re-minisce has his idea of The Perfect Evening -- which apparently includes fine wine and food -- my idea of A Great Night Out is pretty simple in comparison ( and since I don't date much anymore, it's okay to post this online 'cos guys can't use this info anyhow :D ):
1. I must already find the guy attractive in a significant way.
2. Any place with nice, fresh food which doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
3. Ambience that won't make me uncomfortable -- ie. snooty waiters / maitre'ds, or worse, nasty patrons.
4. Easy conversation ( preferably NOT revolving around medicine ), lots of laughter ( that's what REALLY gets me :))
5. Maybe a stroll along a quiet, scenic stretch after the meal.
Alternatively:
6. Concerts are also great in my book. Especially jazz -- that revs me up big-time.
This list is mostly based on trial and error, and believe it or not, I've had a couple of evenings which had at least 5 out of the 6 above points. One of which occurred quite recently, in fact, but then, neither one of us wants to admit it was an Actual Date, heh heh.
So carry on with the jaunts to posh restaurants, my dear re-minisce, and don't let the comments get the better of you. But my personal favourite is still Mezza9 at The Grand Hyatt. Pretty reasonable prices, and that chocolate fountain during champagne brunch -- absolute heaven....
Not in the mood to talk about Tasmania today. Maybe some other time.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
A long overdue entry, with apologies.
Before I begin, let me just mention that we've activated the Guest Writer feature at The Lingual Nerve. Click on the link to find out who our first contributor is.
Recommended
Books:
1. Learning To Sing – Clay Aiken
I initially planned to write extensively on this, but am repeatedly limited for various reasons, so this is the truncated version.
As you know, I really enjoyed reading Clay’s autobiography. Wish I could say it’s toppled Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil from its top spot on my personal list, but the two novels are so different, it just wouldn’t be a fair comparison.
If you’re a fan, LTS is a definite must-have. But even if you’re not, I urge you to get it anyway. Of course, if you detest all things associated with Clay, then don’t bother, because the book contains deeply personal stories, which will either inspire or nauseate, depending on your own proclivities.
Personally speaking, I was extremely moved by his words from beginning to end – remember a comment about the Kleenexes? :) I don’t think I’ve shed tears over any novel since, let’s see, maybe Schindler’s List. ( TV and movies don’t count. I bawl over everything whether it’s on the big or small screen *bows head in shame* )
Clay starts off with a rundown of life events, from his early childhood to his current stardom. There’re things we’ve heard before, but also a significant number of new revelations, most shockingly those concerning his stepfather. ( If you want to know what exactly, go read the book! )
The second half dwells on his work with children with special needs and his religious convictions – immensely uplifting, especially for new or struggling Christians. But let’s not forget his large following of young, impressionable fans. Over the years, I’ve read numerous posts from those belonging to this subgroup, describing how Clay’s fine example propels them in the right direction, and brings a refreshingly moral touch to the otherwise degenerating media industry.
LTS has so many valuable lessons to convey. I couldn’t find copies of this book the last time I was in town, so I’m hanging onto mine for now. Maybe I’ll pick up a few paperback versions to give away in the future. :)
2. Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain
I actually brought this with me to Tasmania. I usually end up hating all the books I read overseas, so it’s interesting that I really loved this one. Especially considering that fact that the whole thing revolves around food.
Bourdain, to put it very mildly, is a colourful character. Self-confessed ex-drug addict, previously alternating between stylish gigs in 5-star restaurants and periods of doped-out unemployment, he’s managed a comeback of astounding proportions, and penned an autobiography that easily rivals those written by our generation’s literary giants.
Boasting an edgy, almost gleefully egotistical style, he effortlessly leaps from dingy diners to posh patisseries, unloading truckloads of information about ingredients, dishes, fellow chefs and his many bosses.
Much has been said about his “pearls of wisdom”, namely why you should never eat seafood on a Monday, and how a restaurant’s toilets act as red flags.
I, for one, love his character pieces. Some of the cooks are portrayed as veritable sociopaths. One in particular, a guy named Adam, is a genius with bread, but otherwise drives his colleagues raving mad with his erratic behaviour. There’s a whole chapter on this guy. I strongly suggest that you read it, even if you decide to give the rest of the book a miss. ( And if you’ve seen Northern Exposure in the past, you may draw parallels between Bourdain’s Adam and the show’s own chef extraordinaire of the same name. Coincidence? )
Another funny thing about KC is the innate similarites ( at least that’s my opinion ) between cooks and – get this – doctors. Something about boys’ clubs, the wielding of sharp objects, the glamour of the profession, even vigourous training through “college” ( with its own share of quirky teachers ).
The last bit falters a little, but the first 3/4 more than make up for it. A chapter on Bourdain’s rampage through Japan is worth mentioning as well. His gorge fest at a certain tiny eatery is a masterpiece! :D
3. Searching Issues – Nicky Gumbel
This was given to me by my church vicar, but for the main purpose of passing it over to a friend whom I’m witnessing to. However, I still consider myself a very young Christian, and often grapple with tough questions posed by non-believers, so I read through this in order to educate myself a little more.
For a thin volume, the book sure packs in a lot. From God’s role in suffering, to the issues of premarital and homosexual relations, Gumbel offers clear explanations, yet leaves the reader space to ponder further.
The eventual conclusion? The Bible does provide some answers, but in the end, there’s no way any of us can fully understand the Lord’s intentions. The big question is: Can and will you still trust in Him in spite of this?
Films:
[ No current ones to review. Will probably avoid cinemas until I’m back in the ER, or when Harry Potter 4 arrives. ]
1. The Day After Tomorrow
I realize this didn’t do very well at the box office, but if it’s somehow re released, it may make pots of money this time round, due to its significant relevance post-Asian-tsunami.
I was surprised to find myself perched on the edge of my seat throughout the movie, which offers everything from hurricanes to tornadoes to tidal waves. The last disaster is particularly frightening. Who needs Godzilla when towering bodies of water decimate New York City to much better effect?
Like Independence Day’s immensely likeable cast, Day After Tomorrow also has its share of admirable characters. Jake Gyllenhaal shines in an understated yet poignant performance, both as stranded son to Dennis Quaid’s frantic father, and as courageous saviour to Emmy Rossum, for whom he carries ten gigantic torches.
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
Heard of the dramedy ( e.g. Ally McBeal )? Now meet the docu-comedy. Michael Moore’s painful jab at the Bush administration has more laughs than some of Jim Carrey’s films. Boy does it pack a wallop! Tonnes of footage weaved seamlessly into a tapestry of gaffes make for compelling viewing. Add Moore’s sarcastically humourous voiceovers, interviews with parents who lost children in the Iraq war, and a few priceless stunts ( reading a bill Congress passed over the loudspeaker of an ice-cream truck, asking a Congressman point-blank if he’d like to enlist his son for army service in Iraq ), and you’ve got quite a piece of work.
Moore’s style hasn’t changed much since Bowling For Columbine ( the small-town visits, the deeply personal interviews, the stunts ), but the subject matter sure has. BFC addressed the breakdown of values in rural America, but Fahrenheit now goes straight for the American President’s jugular.
The biggest shock of all, however, isn’t the revelation that Osama Bin Laden’s relatives were flown out of the US just 2 days after 9/11, or that the Bush family has strong ties to the Saudi royal family, or that the administration so obviously LIED THROUGH ITS TEETH in order to justify a war. The biggest shock, my friends, is how, despite the allegations and the administration’s feeble defence, Bush still got re elected. SIGH.
3. The Bourne Supremacy
Somewhere in the middle of the film, I wondered if the sequel could possibly surpass its predecessor. It’s definitely terrific, with all the elements of the original that I love, but can I actually say that it’s BETTER? Shortly after the second car chase began ( the first took place in India ). Bourne, at the wheel of a taxi, shot through the streets of Berlin ( at least I think it’s Berlin, haha ) with a hired assassin hot at his heels. Traffic is heavy, the police are also in pursuit, then at an intersection, as Bourne turns his head to the right to reassess the situation, a patrol car slams into him from the left. That’s it! The moment I was waiting for! Yes, The Bourne Supremacy IS better than The Bourne Identity! ( cheesy, I know :))
Get a load of Joan Allen, who looks so much younger with longer hair, and generates great chemistry with Matt Damon even though they never appear together in any scene. The villain’s essentially the same ( Brian Cox ), while the assassin ( Karl Urban ) fails to live up to Clive Owen’s menacing coldness in the first installment.
Still, Damon’s excellent, and his biceps seem to have gotten bigger. What do you think? :P
Television:
1. The Apprentice 2
If the pilot is anything to go by, the second season is going to be a blast! I caught only the last episode in Tasmania, so I can’t possibly miss out on all the fun now, can I?
A priceless twist came early this time, with one member from each team ( men vs women again ) crossing over to the opposite side to act as project leader. The hilarious part? Bradford ( The Guy ), after puffing his chest out and promising to put the women in their place, is intimidated into quiet submission during a group discussion ( hahahahaha! ). Even his attempt to make an “executive decision” ( euphemism for “I’m the boss, you’re the cockroach under my shoe.” ) falls flat when his suggestion for a new toy receives a cool reception from Mattel representatives, and he has no choice but to accede to the suggestions made by the females instead ( surprise, surprise, their idea won in this first tussle, woohoo! ). On the men’s side, Pamela ( aka the Ice Queen ) had no problems with leadership, but failed to come up with a good idea of her own, preferring to let the guys derail the team with their moronic Crustacean Nation pitch. ( I’m no guy, but c’mon, who the heck wants to play with action figures depicting sea creatures?! )
Rob, the first casualty, would not have survived long in this motley crew. And let me insert one tiny spoiler now: Andy, the Harvard grad who’s also a nationally ranked debater, won’t either. ( In fact, he’ll be out-talked by a pair of gals, heh heh. )
Ah, how I’ve missed this show.
2. Manhunt
Available only on cable, this is essentially the male equivalent of Tyra Banks' The Next Top Model. Here, Baywatch slut ( I mean, Babe ) Carmen Electra plays hostess to a group of hunky hopefuls in their quest to secure a contract with a reputable agency.
Sounds tasty, yes? Funnily enough, I fell asleep during its pilot episode, which doesn't bode well, heh heh. Well, maybe I was just tired. :P
Best of all, Manhunt provides some prime examples of undesirable male traits, namely stupidity, vanity, promiscuity, and really dumb facial expressions ( in one hilarious scene, the contestants are asked to imitate Ben Stiller's Blue Steel impressions from Zoolander ). Absolutely classic! :D
3. American Idol 4
They're baaaaaack. If you have cable, you'll get to see it a full day before it's screened on local TV -- Jan 19 instead of 20. I watch only because I'm waiting for them to discover the next Clay Aiken, but deep down, I don't really want them to, so I'm content to shout "You're no Clay!" at the screen every week. :)
4. The Amazing Race 6
The 5th season sucked ( boooring ), but this new one rocks. Much more interesting tasks, lots of drama, and many good reasons to hate certain people. Watch out for intra-couple tension ( lots of it ), inter-couple tussles ( even more ), and ick factors ( one guy puked into his bowl of soup, then had to drink his own vomit, yuck!!! ). I've reached the point where I don't even like any of the remaining teams. Terrible, yet also fun. :P
5. The Bachelor 5
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm addicted, aargh! But let me just state, for the record, that Jesse what's-his-face isn't that cute, IMHO, so I'm tuning in for the Women, people! ( My favourite has always been Andrew Firestone. Pity about him and Jennifer Shreft breaking up, darn. )
Look out for Trish, the gold-digging, kid-hating, sex-hungry model. Even Jesse's best friend, who was planted within the group to act as a spy, couldn't convince him to drop her. A stunt to increase ratings perhaps? Hmmm...
This entry has gotten a little long, so more on Tasmania another time.
Before I begin, let me just mention that we've activated the Guest Writer feature at The Lingual Nerve. Click on the link to find out who our first contributor is.
Recommended
Books:
1. Learning To Sing – Clay Aiken
I initially planned to write extensively on this, but am repeatedly limited for various reasons, so this is the truncated version.
As you know, I really enjoyed reading Clay’s autobiography. Wish I could say it’s toppled Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil from its top spot on my personal list, but the two novels are so different, it just wouldn’t be a fair comparison.
If you’re a fan, LTS is a definite must-have. But even if you’re not, I urge you to get it anyway. Of course, if you detest all things associated with Clay, then don’t bother, because the book contains deeply personal stories, which will either inspire or nauseate, depending on your own proclivities.
Personally speaking, I was extremely moved by his words from beginning to end – remember a comment about the Kleenexes? :) I don’t think I’ve shed tears over any novel since, let’s see, maybe Schindler’s List. ( TV and movies don’t count. I bawl over everything whether it’s on the big or small screen *bows head in shame* )
Clay starts off with a rundown of life events, from his early childhood to his current stardom. There’re things we’ve heard before, but also a significant number of new revelations, most shockingly those concerning his stepfather. ( If you want to know what exactly, go read the book! )
The second half dwells on his work with children with special needs and his religious convictions – immensely uplifting, especially for new or struggling Christians. But let’s not forget his large following of young, impressionable fans. Over the years, I’ve read numerous posts from those belonging to this subgroup, describing how Clay’s fine example propels them in the right direction, and brings a refreshingly moral touch to the otherwise degenerating media industry.
LTS has so many valuable lessons to convey. I couldn’t find copies of this book the last time I was in town, so I’m hanging onto mine for now. Maybe I’ll pick up a few paperback versions to give away in the future. :)
2. Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain
I actually brought this with me to Tasmania. I usually end up hating all the books I read overseas, so it’s interesting that I really loved this one. Especially considering that fact that the whole thing revolves around food.
Bourdain, to put it very mildly, is a colourful character. Self-confessed ex-drug addict, previously alternating between stylish gigs in 5-star restaurants and periods of doped-out unemployment, he’s managed a comeback of astounding proportions, and penned an autobiography that easily rivals those written by our generation’s literary giants.
Boasting an edgy, almost gleefully egotistical style, he effortlessly leaps from dingy diners to posh patisseries, unloading truckloads of information about ingredients, dishes, fellow chefs and his many bosses.
Much has been said about his “pearls of wisdom”, namely why you should never eat seafood on a Monday, and how a restaurant’s toilets act as red flags.
I, for one, love his character pieces. Some of the cooks are portrayed as veritable sociopaths. One in particular, a guy named Adam, is a genius with bread, but otherwise drives his colleagues raving mad with his erratic behaviour. There’s a whole chapter on this guy. I strongly suggest that you read it, even if you decide to give the rest of the book a miss. ( And if you’ve seen Northern Exposure in the past, you may draw parallels between Bourdain’s Adam and the show’s own chef extraordinaire of the same name. Coincidence? )
Another funny thing about KC is the innate similarites ( at least that’s my opinion ) between cooks and – get this – doctors. Something about boys’ clubs, the wielding of sharp objects, the glamour of the profession, even vigourous training through “college” ( with its own share of quirky teachers ).
The last bit falters a little, but the first 3/4 more than make up for it. A chapter on Bourdain’s rampage through Japan is worth mentioning as well. His gorge fest at a certain tiny eatery is a masterpiece! :D
3. Searching Issues – Nicky Gumbel
This was given to me by my church vicar, but for the main purpose of passing it over to a friend whom I’m witnessing to. However, I still consider myself a very young Christian, and often grapple with tough questions posed by non-believers, so I read through this in order to educate myself a little more.
For a thin volume, the book sure packs in a lot. From God’s role in suffering, to the issues of premarital and homosexual relations, Gumbel offers clear explanations, yet leaves the reader space to ponder further.
The eventual conclusion? The Bible does provide some answers, but in the end, there’s no way any of us can fully understand the Lord’s intentions. The big question is: Can and will you still trust in Him in spite of this?
Films:
[ No current ones to review. Will probably avoid cinemas until I’m back in the ER, or when Harry Potter 4 arrives. ]
1. The Day After Tomorrow
I realize this didn’t do very well at the box office, but if it’s somehow re released, it may make pots of money this time round, due to its significant relevance post-Asian-tsunami.
I was surprised to find myself perched on the edge of my seat throughout the movie, which offers everything from hurricanes to tornadoes to tidal waves. The last disaster is particularly frightening. Who needs Godzilla when towering bodies of water decimate New York City to much better effect?
Like Independence Day’s immensely likeable cast, Day After Tomorrow also has its share of admirable characters. Jake Gyllenhaal shines in an understated yet poignant performance, both as stranded son to Dennis Quaid’s frantic father, and as courageous saviour to Emmy Rossum, for whom he carries ten gigantic torches.
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
Heard of the dramedy ( e.g. Ally McBeal )? Now meet the docu-comedy. Michael Moore’s painful jab at the Bush administration has more laughs than some of Jim Carrey’s films. Boy does it pack a wallop! Tonnes of footage weaved seamlessly into a tapestry of gaffes make for compelling viewing. Add Moore’s sarcastically humourous voiceovers, interviews with parents who lost children in the Iraq war, and a few priceless stunts ( reading a bill Congress passed over the loudspeaker of an ice-cream truck, asking a Congressman point-blank if he’d like to enlist his son for army service in Iraq ), and you’ve got quite a piece of work.
Moore’s style hasn’t changed much since Bowling For Columbine ( the small-town visits, the deeply personal interviews, the stunts ), but the subject matter sure has. BFC addressed the breakdown of values in rural America, but Fahrenheit now goes straight for the American President’s jugular.
The biggest shock of all, however, isn’t the revelation that Osama Bin Laden’s relatives were flown out of the US just 2 days after 9/11, or that the Bush family has strong ties to the Saudi royal family, or that the administration so obviously LIED THROUGH ITS TEETH in order to justify a war. The biggest shock, my friends, is how, despite the allegations and the administration’s feeble defence, Bush still got re elected. SIGH.
3. The Bourne Supremacy
Somewhere in the middle of the film, I wondered if the sequel could possibly surpass its predecessor. It’s definitely terrific, with all the elements of the original that I love, but can I actually say that it’s BETTER? Shortly after the second car chase began ( the first took place in India ). Bourne, at the wheel of a taxi, shot through the streets of Berlin ( at least I think it’s Berlin, haha ) with a hired assassin hot at his heels. Traffic is heavy, the police are also in pursuit, then at an intersection, as Bourne turns his head to the right to reassess the situation, a patrol car slams into him from the left. That’s it! The moment I was waiting for! Yes, The Bourne Supremacy IS better than The Bourne Identity! ( cheesy, I know :))
Get a load of Joan Allen, who looks so much younger with longer hair, and generates great chemistry with Matt Damon even though they never appear together in any scene. The villain’s essentially the same ( Brian Cox ), while the assassin ( Karl Urban ) fails to live up to Clive Owen’s menacing coldness in the first installment.
Still, Damon’s excellent, and his biceps seem to have gotten bigger. What do you think? :P
Television:
1. The Apprentice 2
If the pilot is anything to go by, the second season is going to be a blast! I caught only the last episode in Tasmania, so I can’t possibly miss out on all the fun now, can I?
A priceless twist came early this time, with one member from each team ( men vs women again ) crossing over to the opposite side to act as project leader. The hilarious part? Bradford ( The Guy ), after puffing his chest out and promising to put the women in their place, is intimidated into quiet submission during a group discussion ( hahahahaha! ). Even his attempt to make an “executive decision” ( euphemism for “I’m the boss, you’re the cockroach under my shoe.” ) falls flat when his suggestion for a new toy receives a cool reception from Mattel representatives, and he has no choice but to accede to the suggestions made by the females instead ( surprise, surprise, their idea won in this first tussle, woohoo! ). On the men’s side, Pamela ( aka the Ice Queen ) had no problems with leadership, but failed to come up with a good idea of her own, preferring to let the guys derail the team with their moronic Crustacean Nation pitch. ( I’m no guy, but c’mon, who the heck wants to play with action figures depicting sea creatures?! )
Rob, the first casualty, would not have survived long in this motley crew. And let me insert one tiny spoiler now: Andy, the Harvard grad who’s also a nationally ranked debater, won’t either. ( In fact, he’ll be out-talked by a pair of gals, heh heh. )
Ah, how I’ve missed this show.
2. Manhunt
Available only on cable, this is essentially the male equivalent of Tyra Banks' The Next Top Model. Here, Baywatch slut ( I mean, Babe ) Carmen Electra plays hostess to a group of hunky hopefuls in their quest to secure a contract with a reputable agency.
Sounds tasty, yes? Funnily enough, I fell asleep during its pilot episode, which doesn't bode well, heh heh. Well, maybe I was just tired. :P
Best of all, Manhunt provides some prime examples of undesirable male traits, namely stupidity, vanity, promiscuity, and really dumb facial expressions ( in one hilarious scene, the contestants are asked to imitate Ben Stiller's Blue Steel impressions from Zoolander ). Absolutely classic! :D
3. American Idol 4
They're baaaaaack. If you have cable, you'll get to see it a full day before it's screened on local TV -- Jan 19 instead of 20. I watch only because I'm waiting for them to discover the next Clay Aiken, but deep down, I don't really want them to, so I'm content to shout "You're no Clay!" at the screen every week. :)
4. The Amazing Race 6
The 5th season sucked ( boooring ), but this new one rocks. Much more interesting tasks, lots of drama, and many good reasons to hate certain people. Watch out for intra-couple tension ( lots of it ), inter-couple tussles ( even more ), and ick factors ( one guy puked into his bowl of soup, then had to drink his own vomit, yuck!!! ). I've reached the point where I don't even like any of the remaining teams. Terrible, yet also fun. :P
5. The Bachelor 5
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm addicted, aargh! But let me just state, for the record, that Jesse what's-his-face isn't that cute, IMHO, so I'm tuning in for the Women, people! ( My favourite has always been Andrew Firestone. Pity about him and Jennifer Shreft breaking up, darn. )
Look out for Trish, the gold-digging, kid-hating, sex-hungry model. Even Jesse's best friend, who was planted within the group to act as a spy, couldn't convince him to drop her. A stunt to increase ratings perhaps? Hmmm...
This entry has gotten a little long, so more on Tasmania another time.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Review of Sting's Concert, Singapore Indoor Stadium, January 10 2005
[ Please don't read this if you're not interested, or if you're doing so only because you want to post nasty comments. Thank you.
And now, back to our normal programming. ]
Let me say this right now: STING IS HOT.
Let me also say that up till last night, I had never once thought of Mr. Gordon Sumner in such a manner. Sure, I've been a fan for almost 10 years ( missed his last show because I only started listening to him a few months AFTER that, aargh ). Since then, I've bought maybe 5 or 6 of his albums, including Mercury Falling, Brand New Day, Sacred Love, The Best Of Sting, and All This Time.
I've also got one of his concert VCDs, but didn't really like it 'cos he kept hitting high notes and sounded a little whiny doing it.
To my very pleasant surprise, his voice was nowhere near Irritating Level yesterday. In fact, he did so well I've developed new appreciation for his music, and am now playing his All This Time CD over and over again in my car. Unbelievable stuff. :)
The Indoor Stadium was filled to the brim with 10,000 fans, ranging in age from pre-teens ( I'm not joking ) to geriatric. Comprising mainly young professionals and a significant number of expatriates ( hence the tight security measures ), it was an extremely rowdy bunch, especially when you consider the fact that Sting is in his 50s ( 53 to be exact ), isn't a conventional rocker ( like Robbie Williams, who drove the crowd wild ), and last visited us about a decade ago ( the music industry is a terribly fickle one, but this show still managed to sell out within a month ).
I was seated to the left of the stage in the tiered section, about 10 rows away from centrestage. Superb view.
Things kicked off 45 minutes late, but we could all care less, judging from the deafening reception. The moment I saw him stroll to the mike and pluck at his guitar, my jaw literally dropped.
Like I said before, Sting is HOT. Tall, lean, and sporting longer-than-usual hair, he was clad in a slightly loose but still flattering dark suit with a white dress shirt. Very simple, with no further costume changes. The stage was equally no-frills -- just the band, giant speakers, and a 360-degree view of the audience ( yes, even the stands BEHIND the group were filled to capacity ).
No pyrotechnics. No elaborate attire. Just an ensemble of amazing talent and 2 hours of phenomenal music. And of course, the VERY HOT STING. :)
He opened with Send Your Love, then followed with a non-stop repertoire including ( just to name a few ) Fields Of Gold, Fragile, Shape Of My Heart, Brand New Day, Desert Rose, The Hounds Of Winter, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and Never Coming Home.
The audience devoured it all and howled for more ( I kid you not ). 10,000 rabid fans were on their feet for most of the concert, some even head-banging ( to Sting! ), and EVERYONE efforlessly belting out lyrics to classics such as Roxanne and Englishman In New York. The latter, in particular, was very amusing. I was shouting at the top of my lungs, of course, but as I looked around the Stadium and watched my fellow concertgoers ( some of whom were dressed to the nines and very proper in all respects ) rabidly screaming "Whoa-oh, I'm an alien / I'm a legal alien / I'm an Englishman in New York", a huge grin crept across my face, and I joined those sitting around me in raising our arms and punching at the air. ( Shhh, don't tell people at work. :))
Sting's energy is infectious. And boy does he have tonnes of it. This guy hardly broke a sweat during his physically demanding performance, effortlessly carrying difficult tunes, even grooving to the music from time to time ( did you catch those gyrating hips on Desert Rose? Ack! ). Where he gets the stamina, I have no idea. ( Never mind reports about his abilities at Tantric... ahem. :))
For the encore, he obligingly did 4 songs ( but I can only remember 2, thanks to my brain becoming mush after the first 5 minutes, heh heh ) -- there was Every Breath You Take ( naturally ), then A Thousand Years. Personally, I would've loved to hear every single song on All This Time, but I was YEARNING for him to at least do Moon Over Bourbon Street, Mad About You, ( If You Love Someone ) Set Them Free, It's Probably Me, We'll Be Together and Love Is The Seventh Wave. I also have a soft spot for All Four Seasons from Mercury Falling, but it's a really obscure piece, so there's no chance of ever hearing that on a world tour.
Now for the HOT bits. :)
#1: Roxanne
#2: Whenever I Say Your Name
#3: Sacred Love
#1: He already exudes animal magnetism, but when he sang this, it just hit the roof. I was so overwhelmed I can't even describe any of it. :D
#2: A duet with his backup singer, Joy Rose, but matches ( perhaps even surpasses ) the original version with Mary J. Blige. Rose has a powerhouse voice, and her chemistry with Sting is awesome. During the intro, she stood with him and they swayed to the beat. Then, he took her hand and placed it on his chest, tenderly holding it there as he stared at her with a dreamy smile. Yow. Trudie Styler you lucky woman, you. :P
#3: "This song is about sex." -- that's his description of this piece. One of the best songs on his latest album of the same name, Sacred Love boasts lyrics that go: Take off your working clothes / Put on your long black dress / And your high heeled shoes / Just leave your hair in a mess.
With his flawless diction, there was no doubt everyone heard this loud and clear. Bet a lot of guys got some after the concert last night. :)
For a 53-year-old, Sting sure doesn't look it. All those pictures ( magazines, CD / DVD sleeves ) and TV footage don't do him justice. In person, he is GORGEOUS. Not in the conventional sense, but there's just Something there you can't deny, and you get swept up in it and it lingers sensuously like a cloud of fragrant perfume.
Last night's gig was Sting's very first one for 2005, and he told us how thrilled he was to be back here again, even apologizing a little sheepishly for not returning sooner. "I was 24 the last time I came here," he joked, and the crowd cheered for a prolonged period to indicate a warm welcome and complete, unconditional forgiveness.
Rock on, Mr. Sumner!
[ Please don't read this if you're not interested, or if you're doing so only because you want to post nasty comments. Thank you.
And now, back to our normal programming. ]
Let me say this right now: STING IS HOT.
Let me also say that up till last night, I had never once thought of Mr. Gordon Sumner in such a manner. Sure, I've been a fan for almost 10 years ( missed his last show because I only started listening to him a few months AFTER that, aargh ). Since then, I've bought maybe 5 or 6 of his albums, including Mercury Falling, Brand New Day, Sacred Love, The Best Of Sting, and All This Time.
I've also got one of his concert VCDs, but didn't really like it 'cos he kept hitting high notes and sounded a little whiny doing it.
To my very pleasant surprise, his voice was nowhere near Irritating Level yesterday. In fact, he did so well I've developed new appreciation for his music, and am now playing his All This Time CD over and over again in my car. Unbelievable stuff. :)
The Indoor Stadium was filled to the brim with 10,000 fans, ranging in age from pre-teens ( I'm not joking ) to geriatric. Comprising mainly young professionals and a significant number of expatriates ( hence the tight security measures ), it was an extremely rowdy bunch, especially when you consider the fact that Sting is in his 50s ( 53 to be exact ), isn't a conventional rocker ( like Robbie Williams, who drove the crowd wild ), and last visited us about a decade ago ( the music industry is a terribly fickle one, but this show still managed to sell out within a month ).
I was seated to the left of the stage in the tiered section, about 10 rows away from centrestage. Superb view.
Things kicked off 45 minutes late, but we could all care less, judging from the deafening reception. The moment I saw him stroll to the mike and pluck at his guitar, my jaw literally dropped.
Like I said before, Sting is HOT. Tall, lean, and sporting longer-than-usual hair, he was clad in a slightly loose but still flattering dark suit with a white dress shirt. Very simple, with no further costume changes. The stage was equally no-frills -- just the band, giant speakers, and a 360-degree view of the audience ( yes, even the stands BEHIND the group were filled to capacity ).
No pyrotechnics. No elaborate attire. Just an ensemble of amazing talent and 2 hours of phenomenal music. And of course, the VERY HOT STING. :)
He opened with Send Your Love, then followed with a non-stop repertoire including ( just to name a few ) Fields Of Gold, Fragile, Shape Of My Heart, Brand New Day, Desert Rose, The Hounds Of Winter, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and Never Coming Home.
The audience devoured it all and howled for more ( I kid you not ). 10,000 rabid fans were on their feet for most of the concert, some even head-banging ( to Sting! ), and EVERYONE efforlessly belting out lyrics to classics such as Roxanne and Englishman In New York. The latter, in particular, was very amusing. I was shouting at the top of my lungs, of course, but as I looked around the Stadium and watched my fellow concertgoers ( some of whom were dressed to the nines and very proper in all respects ) rabidly screaming "Whoa-oh, I'm an alien / I'm a legal alien / I'm an Englishman in New York", a huge grin crept across my face, and I joined those sitting around me in raising our arms and punching at the air. ( Shhh, don't tell people at work. :))
Sting's energy is infectious. And boy does he have tonnes of it. This guy hardly broke a sweat during his physically demanding performance, effortlessly carrying difficult tunes, even grooving to the music from time to time ( did you catch those gyrating hips on Desert Rose? Ack! ). Where he gets the stamina, I have no idea. ( Never mind reports about his abilities at Tantric... ahem. :))
For the encore, he obligingly did 4 songs ( but I can only remember 2, thanks to my brain becoming mush after the first 5 minutes, heh heh ) -- there was Every Breath You Take ( naturally ), then A Thousand Years. Personally, I would've loved to hear every single song on All This Time, but I was YEARNING for him to at least do Moon Over Bourbon Street, Mad About You, ( If You Love Someone ) Set Them Free, It's Probably Me, We'll Be Together and Love Is The Seventh Wave. I also have a soft spot for All Four Seasons from Mercury Falling, but it's a really obscure piece, so there's no chance of ever hearing that on a world tour.
Now for the HOT bits. :)
#1: Roxanne
#2: Whenever I Say Your Name
#3: Sacred Love
#1: He already exudes animal magnetism, but when he sang this, it just hit the roof. I was so overwhelmed I can't even describe any of it. :D
#2: A duet with his backup singer, Joy Rose, but matches ( perhaps even surpasses ) the original version with Mary J. Blige. Rose has a powerhouse voice, and her chemistry with Sting is awesome. During the intro, she stood with him and they swayed to the beat. Then, he took her hand and placed it on his chest, tenderly holding it there as he stared at her with a dreamy smile. Yow. Trudie Styler you lucky woman, you. :P
#3: "This song is about sex." -- that's his description of this piece. One of the best songs on his latest album of the same name, Sacred Love boasts lyrics that go: Take off your working clothes / Put on your long black dress / And your high heeled shoes / Just leave your hair in a mess.
With his flawless diction, there was no doubt everyone heard this loud and clear. Bet a lot of guys got some after the concert last night. :)
For a 53-year-old, Sting sure doesn't look it. All those pictures ( magazines, CD / DVD sleeves ) and TV footage don't do him justice. In person, he is GORGEOUS. Not in the conventional sense, but there's just Something there you can't deny, and you get swept up in it and it lingers sensuously like a cloud of fragrant perfume.
Last night's gig was Sting's very first one for 2005, and he told us how thrilled he was to be back here again, even apologizing a little sheepishly for not returning sooner. "I was 24 the last time I came here," he joked, and the crowd cheered for a prolonged period to indicate a warm welcome and complete, unconditional forgiveness.
Rock on, Mr. Sumner!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
What I Think Of Tasmania -- Part 1
Yep, this is going to be serialized, heh heh.
The Bad
I'm talking about this first because it's my Pet Peeve. Tasmanian food SUCKS. And this is coming from someone who knows what good food is, but whose stomach is strong enough to withstand the sorry meals she has to wolf down in every single ER she's ever worked at.
#1: What oil do they use over there?!
It tastes funny, but in a horrible way. The cooked breakfasts, with their scrambled eggs and grilled mushrooms, made me nauseous. And I've eaten such fare in places ranging from the UK to NZ to Bali. Even the cooking oil used in Sydney and Melbourne didn't give me the urge to barf. Plus, cooked breakfasts at some Tasmanian hotels apparently don't come as a package with your accomodation. Which means you have to fork out AUS$20 per head if you want to eat eggs, some pieces of charred meat, veggies, maybe some toast, with beverages on the side, when all of this actually costs only a few dollars. Highway robbery! Which is why we made a beeline for the nearest convenience store, stocked up on bread loaves, peanut butter and jam, and cup noodles, and elected to stay in our rooms and have our own breakfast for 1/10th of the cost. Plus, it tasted much better.
#2: Nothing beats fritter-izing.
Okay, this appears to be a Tasmanian trait -- and it needs to be changed, pronto. They fry almost everything in batter. Even "sweet and sour pork". And it isn't even nice batter. It isn't the soft, flaky, melts-in-your-mouth, juicy thing. Instead, it's a hard, better-insure-what-remaining-teeth-you-have, impregnable iron-like shell, which may I remind you, TASTES FUNNY, THANKS TO THE HORRIBLE OIL THEY DIP IT IN.
What's worse, the seafood doesn't live up to its reputation. You MUST try their fish / prawns, etc, everyone says. I ate at more than 10 different restaurants while I was there, and only one -- the Me Wah restaurant in Launceston -- served up truly good ( ie. fresh and well-cooked ) seafood. Nothing's worse than chewing through all that yucky batter and getting equally yucky fish / prawns inside. Bleah.
#3: Even the Chinese food isn't up to par.
I've noticed how, no matter which ang-moh land I'm in, I can almost always chance upon really good Chinese eateries. But Tasmania is a virtual desert in this aspect, and I started feeling very deprived just 48 hours after arriving on the island. ( Yes, it's that bad. ) The cuisine is mostly home-cooked, and often drowned in soy sauce. Even my favourite among the group, the aforementioned Me Wah restaurant, can only measure up to some of our better HDB estate coffee shop establishments. Nothing quite beats the likes of, say, The Soup Restaurant at Paragon. Ahhhh. :)
#4: Everything costs an arm and a leg.
Meals approximate AUS$40-50 each for the 3 of us, and this includes the fact that we usually order only 2 main courses, and maybe one starter like a soup. And don't even step into their "food courts", mini-Kopitiams / Food Junctions but without the quality or low prices. Again, everything's super-salty ( to cover up the blandness of the ingredients ), and a simple plate of "Asian noodles" costs AUS$10. And did I mention their EXPENSIVE breakfasts? Yeesh!
#5: I hate sandwiches.
Sandwiches are big with Caucasians -- something I will never understand. I mean, they're cold, tasteless, and not very substantial. At least that's my opinion. I got a lot of sandwiches while I was there. As picnic lunches provided by whichever tour I was with that day, and as *sob* my Christmas Day lunch, since every single restaurant in Tasmania ( save for hotel kitchens ) was closed that afternoon. ( Thus my vow to NEVER spend the holidays overseas ever again. Unless someone gives me tickets to a Clay X'mas concert, haha. )
#6: You'll feel your cells aging.
OH...MY...GOSH...
Waiting for food in Tasmania is... intolerable! And it isn't even because the cook's busy! There's one place in Hobart where we had to wait 30 minutes before our RICE arrived, for Pete's sake. And we were the ONLY customers.
At all the other eateries, the same interminable wait was unavoidable. If there's a crowd, better give yourself an hour. Being used to the 5-minutes-and-4-dishes-are-on-the-table efficiency so typical of Singaporean restaurants, this change of pace almost killed me.
Enough of The Bad for now. ( Yes, there's more. Later. )
The Good
Tasmanian television saved me. Literally.
My first night there, I caught the 2nd season of Nip/Tuck. As a doublebill. In its uncensored glory. ( Let me take a moment to savour this. :))
My second night, I saw the final season of The Practice -- the one with James Spader in it ( for which he won a Best Actor Emmy ). Fantastic. :)
My third night, I saw the finale of The Apprentice 2. So yeah, I know who won. And he's absolutely adorable. :D
I also caught "live" telecasts of Carols By Candlelight, an annual X'mas concert held in Melbourne, and featuring luminaries in the Australian entertainment industry. One guy to watch out for is Australian Idol 2 runner-up Anthony Callea, who looks like Adam Garcia ( the hunk from Coyote Ugly and Bootmen ) but has a voice that rivals Clay Aiken's in terms of clarity and power. His signature tune, a cover of The Prayer ( previously done by Celine Dion / Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church / Josh Groban, and Lulu / Russell Watson ), is a solo effort, but astounding. Guy Sebastian can't measure up at all.
In Other News
I'm now at the SNEC, which is HUGE, with 80 doctors in just one department, 4 floors of clinics and OTs, an entire floor of clinical offices, and apparently, no five-day work week.
As one senior MO pointed out to me the first day: "People don't see us very much, so they may think we lead senang ( Malay for "easy" ) lives, but we actually work very hard." I've seen firsthand what goes on over there, and I can tell you right now that HE'S RIGHT.
Clinics, for example, start at 8:30am on the dot. Without exceptions. Not showing up on time will probably get you blackmarked in some significant way. Morning sessions last till 1pm, followed by a very hurried lunch, then afternoon clinics from 1:30 - 5pm. With 6 rooms functioning and close to 10 doctors fielding cases continuously, it's a mad flurry of activitiy from beginning to end.
But still, I don't think the intensity of these clinics matches that of the ENT department, with its patients complaining of tinnitus, giddiness, rhinorrhoea, and "throat discomfort". There are some extremely neurotic people attending ENT SOCs. Cannot tahan.
Thanks to some sick passenger on the plane I took from Sydney to Singapore, I've now come down with a viral infection, complete with sore throat, fever, and severe myalgia. But it's the lethargy that always gets to me. Still, better now than when I'm overseas.
My cat, who was boarded with a pet hostel for 2 weeks while we were away, has gone into affection overdrive since we brought him home. He's given himself a hoarse voice after meowing too much, and is practically glued to us whenever we're at home. So cute. :)
A friend of mine is currently in Aceh as part of his military assignment. Hope he's doing all right over there.
I have serious doubts about the handling of huge donations in the tsunami afternmath. Call me cynical, but giving money to countries like Indonesia, Thailand and India isn't a good idea. And the relief supplies aren't finding their marks easily either, whether due to ground conditions or warfare issues. I know they need the funds, but I just can't bring myself to write a cheque. Best to leave this to the respective governments, if you ask me.
Book reviews are pending, with apologies. Will try to do them when my brain clears up.
He Just Isn't That Into You by Greg Behrendt
Caught this on Oprah today. Quite an eye-opener, even though some of the things mentioned are mostly common sense.
Behrendt worked as a co-writer on Sex And The City. Yet although his views from a male's perspective appear simple on the surface, the more telling thing about this episode is how many women are in a state of denial, which is the true root of the problem. Sure, the guy is blowing hot and cold, unwilling to commit, etc, but the girl keeps making excuses for his behaviour, coming up with her own reasons to explain her insecurities away and keep the man looking good in her eyes no matter what.
I know this because I was guilty of it once, heh heh.
Anyhow, there're a few valuable lessons to be learnt as well.
1. If a guy doesn't make the effort to call or see or spend time with you, he just isn't that into you. Even Bill Rancic, who won on the first season of The Apprentice, made a short appearance via video, and stated that, "If a woman I'm into is on the phone, I'll put The Donald on hold to take her call." Awwww. :)
2. Let the guy make the first move. ( A man said this, so there. :))
3. It's okay if a guy doesn't like you as much as you like him, or if he's unsure. He has a right to be unsure. Just as long as he doesn't lie about it.
4. Sometimes a man will string a nice girl along, the same way author Behrendt has a closet full of shirts, some okay-looking, others really gorgeous, but he never wears the gorgeous ones, preferring to wait for the perfect time to put them on. But he keeps them around anyway, because he's hoping that The Right Moment will present itself, then he'll be ready. ( Funny analogy, but kinda works, no? )
5. If you know the guy you're with isn't a good person, drop him pronto. ( I'm with you there. If only I'd known better 5 years ago. )
More ramblings another time.
Yep, this is going to be serialized, heh heh.
The Bad
I'm talking about this first because it's my Pet Peeve. Tasmanian food SUCKS. And this is coming from someone who knows what good food is, but whose stomach is strong enough to withstand the sorry meals she has to wolf down in every single ER she's ever worked at.
#1: What oil do they use over there?!
It tastes funny, but in a horrible way. The cooked breakfasts, with their scrambled eggs and grilled mushrooms, made me nauseous. And I've eaten such fare in places ranging from the UK to NZ to Bali. Even the cooking oil used in Sydney and Melbourne didn't give me the urge to barf. Plus, cooked breakfasts at some Tasmanian hotels apparently don't come as a package with your accomodation. Which means you have to fork out AUS$20 per head if you want to eat eggs, some pieces of charred meat, veggies, maybe some toast, with beverages on the side, when all of this actually costs only a few dollars. Highway robbery! Which is why we made a beeline for the nearest convenience store, stocked up on bread loaves, peanut butter and jam, and cup noodles, and elected to stay in our rooms and have our own breakfast for 1/10th of the cost. Plus, it tasted much better.
#2: Nothing beats fritter-izing.
Okay, this appears to be a Tasmanian trait -- and it needs to be changed, pronto. They fry almost everything in batter. Even "sweet and sour pork". And it isn't even nice batter. It isn't the soft, flaky, melts-in-your-mouth, juicy thing. Instead, it's a hard, better-insure-what-remaining-teeth-you-have, impregnable iron-like shell, which may I remind you, TASTES FUNNY, THANKS TO THE HORRIBLE OIL THEY DIP IT IN.
What's worse, the seafood doesn't live up to its reputation. You MUST try their fish / prawns, etc, everyone says. I ate at more than 10 different restaurants while I was there, and only one -- the Me Wah restaurant in Launceston -- served up truly good ( ie. fresh and well-cooked ) seafood. Nothing's worse than chewing through all that yucky batter and getting equally yucky fish / prawns inside. Bleah.
#3: Even the Chinese food isn't up to par.
I've noticed how, no matter which ang-moh land I'm in, I can almost always chance upon really good Chinese eateries. But Tasmania is a virtual desert in this aspect, and I started feeling very deprived just 48 hours after arriving on the island. ( Yes, it's that bad. ) The cuisine is mostly home-cooked, and often drowned in soy sauce. Even my favourite among the group, the aforementioned Me Wah restaurant, can only measure up to some of our better HDB estate coffee shop establishments. Nothing quite beats the likes of, say, The Soup Restaurant at Paragon. Ahhhh. :)
#4: Everything costs an arm and a leg.
Meals approximate AUS$40-50 each for the 3 of us, and this includes the fact that we usually order only 2 main courses, and maybe one starter like a soup. And don't even step into their "food courts", mini-Kopitiams / Food Junctions but without the quality or low prices. Again, everything's super-salty ( to cover up the blandness of the ingredients ), and a simple plate of "Asian noodles" costs AUS$10. And did I mention their EXPENSIVE breakfasts? Yeesh!
#5: I hate sandwiches.
Sandwiches are big with Caucasians -- something I will never understand. I mean, they're cold, tasteless, and not very substantial. At least that's my opinion. I got a lot of sandwiches while I was there. As picnic lunches provided by whichever tour I was with that day, and as *sob* my Christmas Day lunch, since every single restaurant in Tasmania ( save for hotel kitchens ) was closed that afternoon. ( Thus my vow to NEVER spend the holidays overseas ever again. Unless someone gives me tickets to a Clay X'mas concert, haha. )
#6: You'll feel your cells aging.
OH...MY...GOSH...
Waiting for food in Tasmania is... intolerable! And it isn't even because the cook's busy! There's one place in Hobart where we had to wait 30 minutes before our RICE arrived, for Pete's sake. And we were the ONLY customers.
At all the other eateries, the same interminable wait was unavoidable. If there's a crowd, better give yourself an hour. Being used to the 5-minutes-and-4-dishes-are-on-the-table efficiency so typical of Singaporean restaurants, this change of pace almost killed me.
Enough of The Bad for now. ( Yes, there's more. Later. )
The Good
Tasmanian television saved me. Literally.
My first night there, I caught the 2nd season of Nip/Tuck. As a doublebill. In its uncensored glory. ( Let me take a moment to savour this. :))
My second night, I saw the final season of The Practice -- the one with James Spader in it ( for which he won a Best Actor Emmy ). Fantastic. :)
My third night, I saw the finale of The Apprentice 2. So yeah, I know who won. And he's absolutely adorable. :D
I also caught "live" telecasts of Carols By Candlelight, an annual X'mas concert held in Melbourne, and featuring luminaries in the Australian entertainment industry. One guy to watch out for is Australian Idol 2 runner-up Anthony Callea, who looks like Adam Garcia ( the hunk from Coyote Ugly and Bootmen ) but has a voice that rivals Clay Aiken's in terms of clarity and power. His signature tune, a cover of The Prayer ( previously done by Celine Dion / Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church / Josh Groban, and Lulu / Russell Watson ), is a solo effort, but astounding. Guy Sebastian can't measure up at all.
In Other News
I'm now at the SNEC, which is HUGE, with 80 doctors in just one department, 4 floors of clinics and OTs, an entire floor of clinical offices, and apparently, no five-day work week.
As one senior MO pointed out to me the first day: "People don't see us very much, so they may think we lead senang ( Malay for "easy" ) lives, but we actually work very hard." I've seen firsthand what goes on over there, and I can tell you right now that HE'S RIGHT.
Clinics, for example, start at 8:30am on the dot. Without exceptions. Not showing up on time will probably get you blackmarked in some significant way. Morning sessions last till 1pm, followed by a very hurried lunch, then afternoon clinics from 1:30 - 5pm. With 6 rooms functioning and close to 10 doctors fielding cases continuously, it's a mad flurry of activitiy from beginning to end.
But still, I don't think the intensity of these clinics matches that of the ENT department, with its patients complaining of tinnitus, giddiness, rhinorrhoea, and "throat discomfort". There are some extremely neurotic people attending ENT SOCs. Cannot tahan.
Thanks to some sick passenger on the plane I took from Sydney to Singapore, I've now come down with a viral infection, complete with sore throat, fever, and severe myalgia. But it's the lethargy that always gets to me. Still, better now than when I'm overseas.
My cat, who was boarded with a pet hostel for 2 weeks while we were away, has gone into affection overdrive since we brought him home. He's given himself a hoarse voice after meowing too much, and is practically glued to us whenever we're at home. So cute. :)
A friend of mine is currently in Aceh as part of his military assignment. Hope he's doing all right over there.
I have serious doubts about the handling of huge donations in the tsunami afternmath. Call me cynical, but giving money to countries like Indonesia, Thailand and India isn't a good idea. And the relief supplies aren't finding their marks easily either, whether due to ground conditions or warfare issues. I know they need the funds, but I just can't bring myself to write a cheque. Best to leave this to the respective governments, if you ask me.
Book reviews are pending, with apologies. Will try to do them when my brain clears up.
He Just Isn't That Into You by Greg Behrendt
Caught this on Oprah today. Quite an eye-opener, even though some of the things mentioned are mostly common sense.
Behrendt worked as a co-writer on Sex And The City. Yet although his views from a male's perspective appear simple on the surface, the more telling thing about this episode is how many women are in a state of denial, which is the true root of the problem. Sure, the guy is blowing hot and cold, unwilling to commit, etc, but the girl keeps making excuses for his behaviour, coming up with her own reasons to explain her insecurities away and keep the man looking good in her eyes no matter what.
I know this because I was guilty of it once, heh heh.
Anyhow, there're a few valuable lessons to be learnt as well.
1. If a guy doesn't make the effort to call or see or spend time with you, he just isn't that into you. Even Bill Rancic, who won on the first season of The Apprentice, made a short appearance via video, and stated that, "If a woman I'm into is on the phone, I'll put The Donald on hold to take her call." Awwww. :)
2. Let the guy make the first move. ( A man said this, so there. :))
3. It's okay if a guy doesn't like you as much as you like him, or if he's unsure. He has a right to be unsure. Just as long as he doesn't lie about it.
4. Sometimes a man will string a nice girl along, the same way author Behrendt has a closet full of shirts, some okay-looking, others really gorgeous, but he never wears the gorgeous ones, preferring to wait for the perfect time to put them on. But he keeps them around anyway, because he's hoping that The Right Moment will present itself, then he'll be ready. ( Funny analogy, but kinda works, no? )
5. If you know the guy you're with isn't a good person, drop him pronto. ( I'm with you there. If only I'd known better 5 years ago. )
More ramblings another time.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
A Close Call
So my parents are probably going to dangle this over my head for the rest of my life, but for once, I'm happy about it.
News of the tsunami was beamed on Tasmanian TV on Boxing Day, and the first thing that hit me was: we originally intended to spend the holidays at the Maldives, but my mum and dad vetoed the idea at the last minute, 'cos they're not fans of beach resorts / snorkeling / sunbathing, etc, and we ended up going to Australia instead.
I'm still in a state of near-shock -- yes, even now -- and even though Tasmania didn't feel anything significant in terms of tremors or aftershocks, the ocean was turbulent, and the annual Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race saw many experienced sailors bowing out of the competition due to bad weather. Temperatures in Hobart hit half of its usual average, causing our teeth to chatter even in the midst of summer. Not fun.
The day the earthquake hit, I was at Salamanca Place visiting its famous weekend market. Located next to a wharf and adjacent to an area of open sea ( ie Sullivan's Cove ), I can still remember standing right next to the coast, a few metres from lapping waves, snapping away with my camera, just hours before Asia was turned upside down. If the quake had occurred any closer, I most definitely wouldn't have survived.
Contrary to my earlier declaration to party on New Year's Eve, I spent it curled up in bed, praying for those who perished, for those who lived through the tragedy, and for those who've lost loved ones. Today, as I attended a friend's daughter's church wedding, conversation at the lunch reception revolved around only one single topic: the Asian tsunami. People asked me what drowning is like, what smell corpses bloated with fluid and decomposition emanate, whether I know any of the medical volunteers being sent to Sri Lanka and Aceh. It was a grim reminder of so many of life's lessons: how human existence is a truly fragile entity, how merciless Mother Nature can be, how one must never take anything for granted.
My church vicar has already conducted funeral services for two Singaporeans who died in Thailand. And there are others who either directly or indirectly know a number of the missing. A few members related tales similar to mine -- life-saving choices such as deciding not to spend Christmas in Phuket or neighbouring areas... tourist hotspots now decimated in the blink of an eye... muddy graves suffocating thousands.
Two of my friends recently went diving in Malaysia over the X'mas weekend. I wasn't sure where exactly, but a frantic check with one of their blogs revealed the location of an island off Sabah which -- if Google searches can be trusted -- isn't affected by the tsunami. Unable to reach either person via phone, I'm still anxious about their safety. I hope to hear from them by tomorrow. Call me already!!!
I apologize for the rather sombre nature of my opening entry for 2005. Perhaps, when the disaster situation has stabilized, I'll write a little about my trip to Tasmania. I've read recent comments requesting that I continue posting here, and fret not, I'll certainly take them to heart. :) Also, I'm wondering what the HECK happened on 28th December -- according to the site meter, almost 500 people visited my blog that day. WHY???
In any case, the year has so far gotten off to an, err, interesting start. Came face to face with James Lye and Diana Ser at the church wedding this morning -- they look even better in person, wow. Watch for some exciting developments at The Lingual Nerve, thanks to Victor ( a member of the original Magnificent Seven, heh heh ) who's set up the Guest Writer feature, thus enabling us to collect entries from our more illustrious medical counterparts. Then of course, there's the charity project.
But best of all, a childhood friend of mine has agreed to start going to church, after straying ( as I once did ) for more than a decade. Quite a miracle, even by my standards. :)
God speed, dear readers.
So my parents are probably going to dangle this over my head for the rest of my life, but for once, I'm happy about it.
News of the tsunami was beamed on Tasmanian TV on Boxing Day, and the first thing that hit me was: we originally intended to spend the holidays at the Maldives, but my mum and dad vetoed the idea at the last minute, 'cos they're not fans of beach resorts / snorkeling / sunbathing, etc, and we ended up going to Australia instead.
I'm still in a state of near-shock -- yes, even now -- and even though Tasmania didn't feel anything significant in terms of tremors or aftershocks, the ocean was turbulent, and the annual Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race saw many experienced sailors bowing out of the competition due to bad weather. Temperatures in Hobart hit half of its usual average, causing our teeth to chatter even in the midst of summer. Not fun.
The day the earthquake hit, I was at Salamanca Place visiting its famous weekend market. Located next to a wharf and adjacent to an area of open sea ( ie Sullivan's Cove ), I can still remember standing right next to the coast, a few metres from lapping waves, snapping away with my camera, just hours before Asia was turned upside down. If the quake had occurred any closer, I most definitely wouldn't have survived.
Contrary to my earlier declaration to party on New Year's Eve, I spent it curled up in bed, praying for those who perished, for those who lived through the tragedy, and for those who've lost loved ones. Today, as I attended a friend's daughter's church wedding, conversation at the lunch reception revolved around only one single topic: the Asian tsunami. People asked me what drowning is like, what smell corpses bloated with fluid and decomposition emanate, whether I know any of the medical volunteers being sent to Sri Lanka and Aceh. It was a grim reminder of so many of life's lessons: how human existence is a truly fragile entity, how merciless Mother Nature can be, how one must never take anything for granted.
My church vicar has already conducted funeral services for two Singaporeans who died in Thailand. And there are others who either directly or indirectly know a number of the missing. A few members related tales similar to mine -- life-saving choices such as deciding not to spend Christmas in Phuket or neighbouring areas... tourist hotspots now decimated in the blink of an eye... muddy graves suffocating thousands.
Two of my friends recently went diving in Malaysia over the X'mas weekend. I wasn't sure where exactly, but a frantic check with one of their blogs revealed the location of an island off Sabah which -- if Google searches can be trusted -- isn't affected by the tsunami. Unable to reach either person via phone, I'm still anxious about their safety. I hope to hear from them by tomorrow. Call me already!!!
I apologize for the rather sombre nature of my opening entry for 2005. Perhaps, when the disaster situation has stabilized, I'll write a little about my trip to Tasmania. I've read recent comments requesting that I continue posting here, and fret not, I'll certainly take them to heart. :) Also, I'm wondering what the HECK happened on 28th December -- according to the site meter, almost 500 people visited my blog that day. WHY???
In any case, the year has so far gotten off to an, err, interesting start. Came face to face with James Lye and Diana Ser at the church wedding this morning -- they look even better in person, wow. Watch for some exciting developments at The Lingual Nerve, thanks to Victor ( a member of the original Magnificent Seven, heh heh ) who's set up the Guest Writer feature, thus enabling us to collect entries from our more illustrious medical counterparts. Then of course, there's the charity project.
But best of all, a childhood friend of mine has agreed to start going to church, after straying ( as I once did ) for more than a decade. Quite a miracle, even by my standards. :)
God speed, dear readers.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
I never thought this day would come. It feels good. :)
Finally finished up 6 weeks of ENT, ending off with a big bang -- aka the Mother Of All My ENT Calls -- last night. Sure, I got roughly 3 hours of sleep, but factor in the crummy 10 hours I had prior to the actual call ( which officially starts at 5pm ), followed by another 10 hours of non-stop activity ( who would've thought an ENT patient would suddenly decide to stroke out, or that the anterior ethmoid artery of another would choose that very precise moment -- 1:15am, just as my head hit the pillow -- to bleed? ), and you've got one half-dead MO trolling the SGH corridors.
I used to HATE internal med clinics, but ENT takes the cake. 50 patients per MO session in the mornings, 30 in the afternoon. With medical patients, you can just talk to them, write prescriptions and order the necessary tests. Not so in ENT. Here, you have to do nasoendoscopic examinations for almost everybody, not to mention lengthy aural toileting, with the odd minor surgical procedure crammed in the middle of the whole mess ( care of a minor OT located at the back of the ENT Centre, hurray ). Another thing I'm not too happy about is how certain consultants have a habit of sending us their cases, even when we're hanging by a thread ourselves. "Language barrier"? What the heck are the nurses for?!
Anyway, why complain any further when freedom beckons? Ahhhh. 10 days of brain-rotting relaxation amidst the tranquil beauty of Tasmania. National parks, vineyards, good food and liquor, trips on the lake... just what I need after a year of absolute hell in the work department.
I've never spent Christmas overseas before, and am greatly looking forward to it. Was contemplating a trip to more temperate climates, but why suffer cold weather when I'll get plenty of that during HMDP? :P
January promises a new set of challenges. Will be posted to the Singapore National Eye Centre, with a few stints at the SGH ER here and there to re-acquaint myself with the new system ( and force me to revise a little, heh heh ). In the past week, my responsibilities have suddenly quadrupled, with assignments for the SMA News, Singhealth, and some webmaster thingy for the local and Asian Emergency Physician chapters. I said yes to all of them, even though in the back of my mind, I realize I may be piling too much on my already small plate. The reason? They're tasks which I know I'll definitely enjoy. One even provides opportunities for doctors to do a lot of good in the community, especially for those much less fortunate than ourselves. Funny thing is, this happened quite by chance. Almost as if by divine intervention, haha. I hope I won't let anyone down.
As 2004 nears its end, I can't help but look back on the past 12 months, and marvel at just how much has occurred. I don't think I've had such an eventful year in quite a while. Passing the Part 2, meeting celebrities ( and shaking their hands :)), being guest editor, writing for The Lingual Nerve, and now these additional responsibilities.
Not too long ago, I wondered if I SHOULD whack some unsuspecting guy on the head and embark on a relationship. But now, I understand that this isn't who I am, and isn't what my life is meant for. One of the lessons I've learnt from Christianity is how God leads you in every aspect, and how, despite the doubts and occasional loneliness, you have to trust in Him and thus discover your purpose.
All through medical school, I had a plan for my future: get married by 26, complete my family before I hit 30, everything else being pretty much secondary. As you know, none of that ever panned out. And only now does it all make perfect sense.
To my well-meaning friends, don't worry about me. And please don't ever try setting me up. :)
To my parents, whose love is infinite, and whom I travel with not because I have to, but because they're the only people I can hang out with constantly and not drive me completely insane, I only wish I could say how much I care for you both. But then, that's not our style is it? :D
To the readers who don't know me personally but who visit regularly, thank you for taking the time to plough through the whiny drivel I produce.
Apologies for long overdue reviews of books and other assorted things ( but I will tell you that National Treasure was DISAPPOINTING ). I can't promise an improvement come 2005. Work commitments will put a damper on the frequency of blog entries, while a growing yearning for anonymity may just prompt me to leave this site dormant, and post my opinions elsewhere ( close friends will of course receive that new address :)).
But that can be left for another day. In the meantime, a very Merry X'mas and Happy New Year to all. I'm off to get some R&R. :D
Finally finished up 6 weeks of ENT, ending off with a big bang -- aka the Mother Of All My ENT Calls -- last night. Sure, I got roughly 3 hours of sleep, but factor in the crummy 10 hours I had prior to the actual call ( which officially starts at 5pm ), followed by another 10 hours of non-stop activity ( who would've thought an ENT patient would suddenly decide to stroke out, or that the anterior ethmoid artery of another would choose that very precise moment -- 1:15am, just as my head hit the pillow -- to bleed? ), and you've got one half-dead MO trolling the SGH corridors.
I used to HATE internal med clinics, but ENT takes the cake. 50 patients per MO session in the mornings, 30 in the afternoon. With medical patients, you can just talk to them, write prescriptions and order the necessary tests. Not so in ENT. Here, you have to do nasoendoscopic examinations for almost everybody, not to mention lengthy aural toileting, with the odd minor surgical procedure crammed in the middle of the whole mess ( care of a minor OT located at the back of the ENT Centre, hurray ). Another thing I'm not too happy about is how certain consultants have a habit of sending us their cases, even when we're hanging by a thread ourselves. "Language barrier"? What the heck are the nurses for?!
Anyway, why complain any further when freedom beckons? Ahhhh. 10 days of brain-rotting relaxation amidst the tranquil beauty of Tasmania. National parks, vineyards, good food and liquor, trips on the lake... just what I need after a year of absolute hell in the work department.
I've never spent Christmas overseas before, and am greatly looking forward to it. Was contemplating a trip to more temperate climates, but why suffer cold weather when I'll get plenty of that during HMDP? :P
January promises a new set of challenges. Will be posted to the Singapore National Eye Centre, with a few stints at the SGH ER here and there to re-acquaint myself with the new system ( and force me to revise a little, heh heh ). In the past week, my responsibilities have suddenly quadrupled, with assignments for the SMA News, Singhealth, and some webmaster thingy for the local and Asian Emergency Physician chapters. I said yes to all of them, even though in the back of my mind, I realize I may be piling too much on my already small plate. The reason? They're tasks which I know I'll definitely enjoy. One even provides opportunities for doctors to do a lot of good in the community, especially for those much less fortunate than ourselves. Funny thing is, this happened quite by chance. Almost as if by divine intervention, haha. I hope I won't let anyone down.
As 2004 nears its end, I can't help but look back on the past 12 months, and marvel at just how much has occurred. I don't think I've had such an eventful year in quite a while. Passing the Part 2, meeting celebrities ( and shaking their hands :)), being guest editor, writing for The Lingual Nerve, and now these additional responsibilities.
Not too long ago, I wondered if I SHOULD whack some unsuspecting guy on the head and embark on a relationship. But now, I understand that this isn't who I am, and isn't what my life is meant for. One of the lessons I've learnt from Christianity is how God leads you in every aspect, and how, despite the doubts and occasional loneliness, you have to trust in Him and thus discover your purpose.
All through medical school, I had a plan for my future: get married by 26, complete my family before I hit 30, everything else being pretty much secondary. As you know, none of that ever panned out. And only now does it all make perfect sense.
To my well-meaning friends, don't worry about me. And please don't ever try setting me up. :)
To my parents, whose love is infinite, and whom I travel with not because I have to, but because they're the only people I can hang out with constantly and not drive me completely insane, I only wish I could say how much I care for you both. But then, that's not our style is it? :D
To the readers who don't know me personally but who visit regularly, thank you for taking the time to plough through the whiny drivel I produce.
Apologies for long overdue reviews of books and other assorted things ( but I will tell you that National Treasure was DISAPPOINTING ). I can't promise an improvement come 2005. Work commitments will put a damper on the frequency of blog entries, while a growing yearning for anonymity may just prompt me to leave this site dormant, and post my opinions elsewhere ( close friends will of course receive that new address :)).
But that can be left for another day. In the meantime, a very Merry X'mas and Happy New Year to all. I'm off to get some R&R. :D
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Review Of Learning To Sing
... is going to be slightly delayed. No Blogger at the hospital, hence I can't post anything even if I'm sitting around twiddling my toes during a quiet call ( not that I EVER have quiet calls, sigh ). I just love this book, and want to lift quotes, discuss my impressions, etc. Doing this pre-call and post-busy-day-of-clinics is close to impossible.
But here's one I found on the Net. Not the most flattering, but hey, it gives me a chance to rebut it later. :)
Beavers On Idol Review
Reunion
Monday was horrible -- the ENT registrar actually drove us all out for lunch so I wouldn't be so "moody", haha -- but the evening ( despite my exhaustion ) was therapeutic.
If you read my blog faithfully, you may recall a particular character I mentioned previously -- a guy who reminds me of Jesse from Gilmore Girls, and who drove hospital nurses wild even though he wasn't a flirt or even remotely friendly. This is the same person who had a habit of playing MP3 songs from his PC during phone conversations. Cool fellow, very opinionated, and -- in my personal opinion -- really sweet. :D
Met up for dinner after a 2-year hiatus, and he hasn't changed a bit. Spent 3 hours catching up, gorging on pasta and ice-cream, then took a leisurely stroll down Orchard Road in the light drizzle. He's still moderately grouchy, but I noticed he was making an obvious effort to "chit-chat" ( most unusual ). However, the best part, I think, was how we rarely broached the subject of work, mostly because he absolutely HATES discussing it. It was refreshing to hang out with a fellow doctor and have animated debates about everything from religion to politics to hobbies, without the expected exchanges on work-related issues. He also let me fiddle with his iPod, which holds 10,000 songs, some transferred from his collection of 1000 CDs, others downloaded from the Internet. There was a song by a group called Ass Ponys, heh heh. Didn't listen to it though. :)
Half an hour after we parted ways, he sent me an SMS, which was again very out of character, never mind its contents. :) He's single. No girlfriend for as long as we've known each other. And guess what, I think he's cute, and he's always been extremely accomodating towards me, without the trademark you're-female-and-may-misunderstand-so-no-i'm-not-going-to-be-nice-to-you attitude.
Will this lead anywhere? Let's not dwell on that. :D
The Pleasure Of My Company
Steve Martin's latest novel is my current reading assignment. Aside from being a comedic genius ( ie. The Man With Two Brains, All Of Me, Housesitter, Bowfinger, Roxanne ), he's also a very intelligent writer. Shopgirl -- which I read years ago -- was engaging, but Pleasure is a complete turnaround, and totally hilarious. Think Adrian Monk from that terrific TV series, but with 10 times the neurosis.
More on this later. Learning To Sing will come first. Naturally. :)
Allow Us To Be Frank -- Westlife
Long-overdue review of the album, argh.
In short, it's great, buy it!
As for the longer version of the story, here're my favourite tracks:
Summer Wind
Let There Be Love
Clementine
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
That's Life
I've basically been alternating this CD with Clay Aiken's Merry Christmas With Love for the past few weeks. Drives my parents crazy ( "Can you play something ELSE already!? ). :)
But I can't get over Westlife's effortless transition from boy-band pop to big-band posh. I can't believe lead singer Shane Filan can sound so smooth and classy -- not to mention almost unrecognizable if not for his famous vibrato. Or how the rest of the group is able to carry classic tunes so competently. Style is a vital component here, 'cos Shane is clearly the only strong vocalist among the 4 ( Brian McFadden has officially gone solo ). A major saving grace is the supporting big band / orchestra, not to mention whoever was in charge of arranging all the music.
Will be blasting this on my Discman when I tour Tasmania. Have to pack my bags soon. Shall also include:
Merry X'mas With Love ( was there ever any doubt? :))
Measure Of A Man ( another Clay Aiken must-have )
Closer - Josh Groban
On The Moon - Peter Cincotti ( as well as his self-titled debut album )
Twentysomething ( special edition ) - Jamie Cullum ( it's got a cover of Frontin', which is just soooo sexy :))
Hopes and Fears - Keane
MTV Unplugged - George Michael ( Star People is one of the best songs EVER )
Ladies & Gentlemen ( a greatest hits compilation ) - George Michael
All This Time ( excellent "live" concert recording ) - Sting
Sing When You're Winning & Swing When You're Winning - Robbie Williams
Wish I could bring Michael Buble along, but a friend of mine is still holding onto it. She reads my blog, so CY, if you see this, please return it soon! :D
I Dream
Just happened to hear Singapore Idol winner Taufik Batisah's single on Class 95, and boy does it sound good! His voice has a slightly different quality to it when heard through earplugs. More grownup, fuller, richer, and indistinguishable from any other Westerner ( I didn't even realize it was him until the chorus ).
Must pick up a few copies ASAP. Gonna mail them to a few key people overseas -- friends from American radio stations, music industry insiders... :)
On call tomorrow. Better rest up. Long day, long night, crappy luck. :/
... is going to be slightly delayed. No Blogger at the hospital, hence I can't post anything even if I'm sitting around twiddling my toes during a quiet call ( not that I EVER have quiet calls, sigh ). I just love this book, and want to lift quotes, discuss my impressions, etc. Doing this pre-call and post-busy-day-of-clinics is close to impossible.
But here's one I found on the Net. Not the most flattering, but hey, it gives me a chance to rebut it later. :)
Beavers On Idol Review
Reunion
Monday was horrible -- the ENT registrar actually drove us all out for lunch so I wouldn't be so "moody", haha -- but the evening ( despite my exhaustion ) was therapeutic.
If you read my blog faithfully, you may recall a particular character I mentioned previously -- a guy who reminds me of Jesse from Gilmore Girls, and who drove hospital nurses wild even though he wasn't a flirt or even remotely friendly. This is the same person who had a habit of playing MP3 songs from his PC during phone conversations. Cool fellow, very opinionated, and -- in my personal opinion -- really sweet. :D
Met up for dinner after a 2-year hiatus, and he hasn't changed a bit. Spent 3 hours catching up, gorging on pasta and ice-cream, then took a leisurely stroll down Orchard Road in the light drizzle. He's still moderately grouchy, but I noticed he was making an obvious effort to "chit-chat" ( most unusual ). However, the best part, I think, was how we rarely broached the subject of work, mostly because he absolutely HATES discussing it. It was refreshing to hang out with a fellow doctor and have animated debates about everything from religion to politics to hobbies, without the expected exchanges on work-related issues. He also let me fiddle with his iPod, which holds 10,000 songs, some transferred from his collection of 1000 CDs, others downloaded from the Internet. There was a song by a group called Ass Ponys, heh heh. Didn't listen to it though. :)
Half an hour after we parted ways, he sent me an SMS, which was again very out of character, never mind its contents. :) He's single. No girlfriend for as long as we've known each other. And guess what, I think he's cute, and he's always been extremely accomodating towards me, without the trademark you're-female-and-may-misunderstand-so-no-i'm-not-going-to-be-nice-to-you attitude.
Will this lead anywhere? Let's not dwell on that. :D
The Pleasure Of My Company
Steve Martin's latest novel is my current reading assignment. Aside from being a comedic genius ( ie. The Man With Two Brains, All Of Me, Housesitter, Bowfinger, Roxanne ), he's also a very intelligent writer. Shopgirl -- which I read years ago -- was engaging, but Pleasure is a complete turnaround, and totally hilarious. Think Adrian Monk from that terrific TV series, but with 10 times the neurosis.
More on this later. Learning To Sing will come first. Naturally. :)
Allow Us To Be Frank -- Westlife
Long-overdue review of the album, argh.
In short, it's great, buy it!
As for the longer version of the story, here're my favourite tracks:
Summer Wind
Let There Be Love
Clementine
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
That's Life
I've basically been alternating this CD with Clay Aiken's Merry Christmas With Love for the past few weeks. Drives my parents crazy ( "Can you play something ELSE already!? ). :)
But I can't get over Westlife's effortless transition from boy-band pop to big-band posh. I can't believe lead singer Shane Filan can sound so smooth and classy -- not to mention almost unrecognizable if not for his famous vibrato. Or how the rest of the group is able to carry classic tunes so competently. Style is a vital component here, 'cos Shane is clearly the only strong vocalist among the 4 ( Brian McFadden has officially gone solo ). A major saving grace is the supporting big band / orchestra, not to mention whoever was in charge of arranging all the music.
Will be blasting this on my Discman when I tour Tasmania. Have to pack my bags soon. Shall also include:
Merry X'mas With Love ( was there ever any doubt? :))
Measure Of A Man ( another Clay Aiken must-have )
Closer - Josh Groban
On The Moon - Peter Cincotti ( as well as his self-titled debut album )
Twentysomething ( special edition ) - Jamie Cullum ( it's got a cover of Frontin', which is just soooo sexy :))
Hopes and Fears - Keane
MTV Unplugged - George Michael ( Star People is one of the best songs EVER )
Ladies & Gentlemen ( a greatest hits compilation ) - George Michael
All This Time ( excellent "live" concert recording ) - Sting
Sing When You're Winning & Swing When You're Winning - Robbie Williams
Wish I could bring Michael Buble along, but a friend of mine is still holding onto it. She reads my blog, so CY, if you see this, please return it soon! :D
I Dream
Just happened to hear Singapore Idol winner Taufik Batisah's single on Class 95, and boy does it sound good! His voice has a slightly different quality to it when heard through earplugs. More grownup, fuller, richer, and indistinguishable from any other Westerner ( I didn't even realize it was him until the chorus ).
Must pick up a few copies ASAP. Gonna mail them to a few key people overseas -- friends from American radio stations, music industry insiders... :)
On call tomorrow. Better rest up. Long day, long night, crappy luck. :/
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Recommendations
Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science -- by Atul Gawande.
Full review available here.
I just made an entry on The Lingual Nerve as well.
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time
Finished it a couple of days ago. Easy to read, quite funny in the first half, but got a little tedious towards the end. Still, its novelty is a strong point, and Mark Haddon's writing displays great insight into the autistic mind.
The protagonist, Christopher Boone, is a memorable character who will prove a huge challenge to play on the big screen. To date, only one name comes to mind -- you guessed it: Haley Joel Osment. But Jamie Bell ( from "Billy Elliot" ) may be a surprise choice ( his performance on cable's "Nicholas Nickleby" -- based on a Charles Dickens tale -- was laudable ).
In any case, reading The Curious Incident was enjoyable partly because I was constantly reminded of Clay Aiken, whose lifelong work with special needs children ( in particular, Mike Bubel, who has autism ) has gained significant prominence since his profile shot sky-high on American Idol 2.
And speaking of Clay...
Learning To Sing -- by Clay Aiken
I just got this book from a fellow local Clay fan yesterday ( thanks, M! ). I'm currently halfway through it, but at the rate things are going, I'll probably finish it today, and use up every Kleenex in the house before I'm done.
A proper review will follow soon. So far, I've read chapters where Clay relates experiences from a painful childhood plagued by family conflicts, violence, alcoholism, and cruel schoolmates. It WILL get better, I'm sure, since we all know how the story ends, don't we? :)
The Kleenexes started disappearing last night as I sat in bed, riveted for more than an hour ( had to stop reading at midnight 'cos of church this morning ) by Clay's narrative, which switches easily from the past to the present, alternating between despair and hope, tears and laughter. Some stories have been told before, but others are new -- and heartbreakingly so.
Clay just turned 26 five days ago ( I failed to mention this on my blog, aargh! *smacks forehead* ), but his maturity and strength never fail to amaze me. Here is a young man whose ability to inspire and teach far exceed that of most many years his senior. And his mother, Faye, has indeed done extremely well in inculcating the right values and, more importantly, the conviction to live by them no matter how strong the temptation.
Last I heard, Learning To Sing recently sold out at Borders and Kinokuniya. Pre-order yours ASAP, 'cos it's going to fly off the shelves again, and this is one book no-one should miss out on.
Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science -- by Atul Gawande.
Full review available here.
I just made an entry on The Lingual Nerve as well.
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time
Finished it a couple of days ago. Easy to read, quite funny in the first half, but got a little tedious towards the end. Still, its novelty is a strong point, and Mark Haddon's writing displays great insight into the autistic mind.
The protagonist, Christopher Boone, is a memorable character who will prove a huge challenge to play on the big screen. To date, only one name comes to mind -- you guessed it: Haley Joel Osment. But Jamie Bell ( from "Billy Elliot" ) may be a surprise choice ( his performance on cable's "Nicholas Nickleby" -- based on a Charles Dickens tale -- was laudable ).
In any case, reading The Curious Incident was enjoyable partly because I was constantly reminded of Clay Aiken, whose lifelong work with special needs children ( in particular, Mike Bubel, who has autism ) has gained significant prominence since his profile shot sky-high on American Idol 2.
And speaking of Clay...
Learning To Sing -- by Clay Aiken
I just got this book from a fellow local Clay fan yesterday ( thanks, M! ). I'm currently halfway through it, but at the rate things are going, I'll probably finish it today, and use up every Kleenex in the house before I'm done.
A proper review will follow soon. So far, I've read chapters where Clay relates experiences from a painful childhood plagued by family conflicts, violence, alcoholism, and cruel schoolmates. It WILL get better, I'm sure, since we all know how the story ends, don't we? :)
The Kleenexes started disappearing last night as I sat in bed, riveted for more than an hour ( had to stop reading at midnight 'cos of church this morning ) by Clay's narrative, which switches easily from the past to the present, alternating between despair and hope, tears and laughter. Some stories have been told before, but others are new -- and heartbreakingly so.
Clay just turned 26 five days ago ( I failed to mention this on my blog, aargh! *smacks forehead* ), but his maturity and strength never fail to amaze me. Here is a young man whose ability to inspire and teach far exceed that of most many years his senior. And his mother, Faye, has indeed done extremely well in inculcating the right values and, more importantly, the conviction to live by them no matter how strong the temptation.
Last I heard, Learning To Sing recently sold out at Borders and Kinokuniya. Pre-order yours ASAP, 'cos it's going to fly off the shelves again, and this is one book no-one should miss out on.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Backdated Entries
It seems SGH computers have banned Blogger from its list of approved websites. How annoying.
In any case, there're a couple of new posts here, so scroll down if you don't want to miss them.
The day after the Singapore Idol finals, breakfast with fellow MOs revealed that one senior ENT trainee actually voted! For Taufik! And you thought only squealing young girls bother. :)
My call yesterday was -- to put it simply -- crappy. Started out with a busy day of clinics, which gave me a throbbing headache by lunchtime, then got worse as the afternoon wore on. Finally finished seeing everyone at 5:45pm, after which I camped out in the call room, unable to sleep and ploughing through Mark Haddon's novel, before venturing out to grab some dinner chow from Delifrance, then disposing of an A&E referral ( from a fellow A&E trainee who's done 6 months of ENT before some more; eh, don't like that lah ). At midnight, I was paged to resite two IV plugs. and by then, I felt ready to lie down and get some shuteye ( my biological clock has been hotwired after 18 months of ER postings, such that I can only doze off after midnight, and wake after 8am. Which, of course, has wreaked havoc on my system this past month, since we routinely start work before 8 and finish after 5. )
So there I was, sighing as I lay on the pillow, when my pager went off. It was my on-call registrar, informing me he was about to perform an elective tracheostomy, and would I like to come into OT to see it? You see, earlier that same morning, I'd told the head of department at a meeting that I very much wanted to see this procedure. True, I was present during an emergency trach last month ( read 210 Minutes on The Lingual Nerve ), but it happened to fast I didn't even catch it. All I remember is: Get me the tracheostomy set! Jab, slash, shove ETT in. The end.
The leisurely version was much more useful ( though I would've preferred that it take place at a less insane hour ). I got to see the neck structures in proper detail, and my reg assured me that should the need for an emergency surgical airway ever arise in the ER, if the patient is already flat, just cut and stick the tube in, and worry about haemostasis later. I feel more confident already. :)
The rest of the call, sadly, was quite eventful. Anaesthetist's spouse admitted for an oesophageal foreign body necessitating rigid scope for removal. A page at 3am for something I can't even recall ( hope I didn't order the wrong drug in the process, haha ). Then another trip out of bed at 5:30am to submit an OT chit via computer for the aforementioned patient. Not a busy call by conventional standards ( those I did in medical departments were the WORST ), but I wasn't feeling too well to begin with, so it felt like Torture.
So...no more whining about my love life. For now at least, heh heh. Who would've imagined that a JC mate's innocuous comment would trigger such a major response from readers? Must tell him the next time we meet.
Will now take a long overdue nap. Have the whole weekend off, yay. :)
It seems SGH computers have banned Blogger from its list of approved websites. How annoying.
In any case, there're a couple of new posts here, so scroll down if you don't want to miss them.
The day after the Singapore Idol finals, breakfast with fellow MOs revealed that one senior ENT trainee actually voted! For Taufik! And you thought only squealing young girls bother. :)
My call yesterday was -- to put it simply -- crappy. Started out with a busy day of clinics, which gave me a throbbing headache by lunchtime, then got worse as the afternoon wore on. Finally finished seeing everyone at 5:45pm, after which I camped out in the call room, unable to sleep and ploughing through Mark Haddon's novel, before venturing out to grab some dinner chow from Delifrance, then disposing of an A&E referral ( from a fellow A&E trainee who's done 6 months of ENT before some more; eh, don't like that lah ). At midnight, I was paged to resite two IV plugs. and by then, I felt ready to lie down and get some shuteye ( my biological clock has been hotwired after 18 months of ER postings, such that I can only doze off after midnight, and wake after 8am. Which, of course, has wreaked havoc on my system this past month, since we routinely start work before 8 and finish after 5. )
So there I was, sighing as I lay on the pillow, when my pager went off. It was my on-call registrar, informing me he was about to perform an elective tracheostomy, and would I like to come into OT to see it? You see, earlier that same morning, I'd told the head of department at a meeting that I very much wanted to see this procedure. True, I was present during an emergency trach last month ( read 210 Minutes on The Lingual Nerve ), but it happened to fast I didn't even catch it. All I remember is: Get me the tracheostomy set! Jab, slash, shove ETT in. The end.
The leisurely version was much more useful ( though I would've preferred that it take place at a less insane hour ). I got to see the neck structures in proper detail, and my reg assured me that should the need for an emergency surgical airway ever arise in the ER, if the patient is already flat, just cut and stick the tube in, and worry about haemostasis later. I feel more confident already. :)
The rest of the call, sadly, was quite eventful. Anaesthetist's spouse admitted for an oesophageal foreign body necessitating rigid scope for removal. A page at 3am for something I can't even recall ( hope I didn't order the wrong drug in the process, haha ). Then another trip out of bed at 5:30am to submit an OT chit via computer for the aforementioned patient. Not a busy call by conventional standards ( those I did in medical departments were the WORST ), but I wasn't feeling too well to begin with, so it felt like Torture.
So...no more whining about my love life. For now at least, heh heh. Who would've imagined that a JC mate's innocuous comment would trigger such a major response from readers? Must tell him the next time we meet.
Will now take a long overdue nap. Have the whole weekend off, yay. :)
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Wedding Conversation
[ Since my private life has generated more hits lately. :) ]
No two wedding dinners are ever truly alike, despite the monotony of 10-course menus, yam-seng's, video presentations set to mushy songs, and even mushier declarations of love.
I've found that my mood totters between the extremes of immense happiness and a newfound faith in Love, to utter discomfort and lamentations over the Hopelessness Of Ever Finding Love.
Last night was a case example of the latter. Most unfortunately. ( But nobody's fault. Really. )
I can't explain why. It was a rather posh affair celebrating the union between a med school friend and another doctor a few years our junior. My friend's relationship history has been a tumultuous one ( sorry, I refuse to reveal details ), and the strange part is, although we hardly spoke to each other during our university days ( we moved in different social circles, and besides, he was attached in every sense of the word ), we became close during our housemanship stint in general surgery, often discussing the complexities of life during our many night calls together, even "illegally" sneaking out of the hospital for lunch at Eastpoint's Jack's Place during a particularly long, boring Sunday, frantically fielding pages while stuffing steak down our throats. :)
Watching him walk down the aisle with his wife yesterday, I was -- as usual -- filled with a great sense of joy. And when he whipped out a guitar to serenade his bride with a Chinese love song ( causing her to burst into tears ), I too was moved ( after recovering from the initial shock, that is, heh heh ).
So why the melancholy, you ask? I suppose it's because everyone at my table was either married or "with someone", and I realized I'd become the proverbial Odd One Out. As in The One Who Doesn't Belong In The Equation. Or whatever _expression you may prefer.
But more importantly, I began to wonder Why. Why was I still single after all these years? Was there something wrong with me? Was I sabotaging myself on some subconscious level? What?!?!
Thankfully, I caught up with a fellow classmate -- now a paediatric registrar, female and single like myself, and equally perplexed. A sample of our little conversation:
"So are you dating anyone?"
"Nope. You?"
"Nah... Y'know, I sometimes wish I had someone."
"Yeah. But you can't rush these things. Better to be patient than to end up with the wrong guy."
"But it would be nice... to have someone to share things with, y'know?"
"Sure, I feel the same way too. Sometimes . *laughs* Hey, don't think about it so much. Let's meet up on New Year's Eve. Have a blast."
"*smiles* Good idea."
Well-meaning friends and relatives have offered their takes on my singlehood over the years. Am I too picky? Am I restricting myself to doctors? Am I being a bit too stand-offish? Am I frightening prospective suitors off because of my writing / reading / blog-ranting, etc?
Yeesh, how the heck should I know? Ask the guys lah.
Potential suitors... one thing I can say is this: I seem to attract men who are, err, over-enthusiastic. One guy was convinced I was his dream girlfriend/wife after meeting me ONCE. Another made up his mind before we even actually went out, telling me over dinner that "I NEVER ask a girl out unless I'm SERIOUS about her." ( I spent the rest of the evening suspended between a state of paralyzing fear and an overwhelming urge to bolt for the horizon. ) Yet another used to tail me all over the hospital on the pretext that we were MOs in the same team ( Although I must admit he was generous to a fault. Not that I ever took advantage of it. )
Maybe I'm so "scary" that only borderline psychopaths are daring enough to approach me. O-kay, looks like I should just throw in the towel right now.
So this other guy -- another fellow I did general surgery with as a house officer -- drudged up memories from 4 years ago, when his long-drawn-out pursuit of another female doctor stagnated and we sort of developed a liking for each other.
Me: So is it true you're dating someone now? ( I overheard this when someone practically interrogated him earlier. )
Him: Um, yeah.
Me: What does she do?
Him: She's a lawyer. Friend of a friend.
Me: Is it serious? Is the next wedding going to be yours?
Him: NO LAH. I'm not even close! ( pause ) So do you still watch movies? ( He knows I'm a film buff. We both are. )
Me: Yep. Just watched "The Incredibles" recently.
Him: I want to watch "Saw" actually. You interested?
Me: ( reeling but hiding it ) Don't you see movies with your girlfriend?
Him: She doesn't like horror films.
( I can't remember what I said next -- must be all that reeling, heh heh -- but it was probably something to the effect of "No, thank you." Too complicated. )
Cathartic
None other than Sex And The City -- The Novel.
Picked this up from the Tanglin Club library ( ooh yeah, they actually stock books like this! ), and despite the facts that (1) Candace Bushnell is no Jane Austen ( like some crazy reviewer gushed ), (2) the female characters are bitchy sex maniacs, and (3) the male players are horribly caricatured ( one is nicknamed The Bone, another Mr. Big ), I did draw some positive energy from my reading experience, purely because hey, these are successful, single women in their 30s and 40s, yet also suffering from my ailment: Wondering If There Are Any Good Men Left In This World, And If Yes, Where The Hell Are They?
I don't want this blog to turn into some angst-ridden Lonely Hearts Journal -- which it ISN'T. Let's just keep it the way it's always been, shall we: Single Female Doctor With No Social Life Complaining About Idiotic Patients And Waxing Lyrical About Clay Aiken On The Odd Occasion.
( And by the way, Merry Christmas With Love has sold out all over Singapore. BMG is ordering a second batch as we speak. Woohoo. :D )
Quack advice welcomed, except if your name begins with "U" and ends with "h". :)
Current Bedtime Companion
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
Beautifully written. Three words for the ( inevitable ) movie adaptation: Haley Joel Osment.
[ Since my private life has generated more hits lately. :) ]
No two wedding dinners are ever truly alike, despite the monotony of 10-course menus, yam-seng's, video presentations set to mushy songs, and even mushier declarations of love.
I've found that my mood totters between the extremes of immense happiness and a newfound faith in Love, to utter discomfort and lamentations over the Hopelessness Of Ever Finding Love.
Last night was a case example of the latter. Most unfortunately. ( But nobody's fault. Really. )
I can't explain why. It was a rather posh affair celebrating the union between a med school friend and another doctor a few years our junior. My friend's relationship history has been a tumultuous one ( sorry, I refuse to reveal details ), and the strange part is, although we hardly spoke to each other during our university days ( we moved in different social circles, and besides, he was attached in every sense of the word ), we became close during our housemanship stint in general surgery, often discussing the complexities of life during our many night calls together, even "illegally" sneaking out of the hospital for lunch at Eastpoint's Jack's Place during a particularly long, boring Sunday, frantically fielding pages while stuffing steak down our throats. :)
Watching him walk down the aisle with his wife yesterday, I was -- as usual -- filled with a great sense of joy. And when he whipped out a guitar to serenade his bride with a Chinese love song ( causing her to burst into tears ), I too was moved ( after recovering from the initial shock, that is, heh heh ).
So why the melancholy, you ask? I suppose it's because everyone at my table was either married or "with someone", and I realized I'd become the proverbial Odd One Out. As in The One Who Doesn't Belong In The Equation. Or whatever _expression you may prefer.
But more importantly, I began to wonder Why. Why was I still single after all these years? Was there something wrong with me? Was I sabotaging myself on some subconscious level? What?!?!
Thankfully, I caught up with a fellow classmate -- now a paediatric registrar, female and single like myself, and equally perplexed. A sample of our little conversation:
"So are you dating anyone?"
"Nope. You?"
"Nah... Y'know, I sometimes wish I had someone."
"Yeah. But you can't rush these things. Better to be patient than to end up with the wrong guy."
"But it would be nice... to have someone to share things with, y'know?"
"Sure, I feel the same way too. Sometimes . *laughs* Hey, don't think about it so much. Let's meet up on New Year's Eve. Have a blast."
"*smiles* Good idea."
Well-meaning friends and relatives have offered their takes on my singlehood over the years. Am I too picky? Am I restricting myself to doctors? Am I being a bit too stand-offish? Am I frightening prospective suitors off because of my writing / reading / blog-ranting, etc?
Yeesh, how the heck should I know? Ask the guys lah.
Potential suitors... one thing I can say is this: I seem to attract men who are, err, over-enthusiastic. One guy was convinced I was his dream girlfriend/wife after meeting me ONCE. Another made up his mind before we even actually went out, telling me over dinner that "I NEVER ask a girl out unless I'm SERIOUS about her." ( I spent the rest of the evening suspended between a state of paralyzing fear and an overwhelming urge to bolt for the horizon. ) Yet another used to tail me all over the hospital on the pretext that we were MOs in the same team ( Although I must admit he was generous to a fault. Not that I ever took advantage of it. )
Maybe I'm so "scary" that only borderline psychopaths are daring enough to approach me. O-kay, looks like I should just throw in the towel right now.
So this other guy -- another fellow I did general surgery with as a house officer -- drudged up memories from 4 years ago, when his long-drawn-out pursuit of another female doctor stagnated and we sort of developed a liking for each other.
Me: So is it true you're dating someone now? ( I overheard this when someone practically interrogated him earlier. )
Him: Um, yeah.
Me: What does she do?
Him: She's a lawyer. Friend of a friend.
Me: Is it serious? Is the next wedding going to be yours?
Him: NO LAH. I'm not even close! ( pause ) So do you still watch movies? ( He knows I'm a film buff. We both are. )
Me: Yep. Just watched "The Incredibles" recently.
Him: I want to watch "Saw" actually. You interested?
Me: ( reeling but hiding it ) Don't you see movies with your girlfriend?
Him: She doesn't like horror films.
( I can't remember what I said next -- must be all that reeling, heh heh -- but it was probably something to the effect of "No, thank you." Too complicated. )
Cathartic
None other than Sex And The City -- The Novel.
Picked this up from the Tanglin Club library ( ooh yeah, they actually stock books like this! ), and despite the facts that (1) Candace Bushnell is no Jane Austen ( like some crazy reviewer gushed ), (2) the female characters are bitchy sex maniacs, and (3) the male players are horribly caricatured ( one is nicknamed The Bone, another Mr. Big ), I did draw some positive energy from my reading experience, purely because hey, these are successful, single women in their 30s and 40s, yet also suffering from my ailment: Wondering If There Are Any Good Men Left In This World, And If Yes, Where The Hell Are They?
I don't want this blog to turn into some angst-ridden Lonely Hearts Journal -- which it ISN'T. Let's just keep it the way it's always been, shall we: Single Female Doctor With No Social Life Complaining About Idiotic Patients And Waxing Lyrical About Clay Aiken On The Odd Occasion.
( And by the way, Merry Christmas With Love has sold out all over Singapore. BMG is ordering a second batch as we speak. Woohoo. :D )
Quack advice welcomed, except if your name begins with "U" and ends with "h". :)
Current Bedtime Companion
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
Beautifully written. Three words for the ( inevitable ) movie adaptation: Haley Joel Osment.
Friday, November 26, 2004
"Just Whack"
Cradling coffees and hot chocolate with college friends a few nights ago, I was given the following advice by a recently married fellow:
"You know ah, (my name), if you are interested in a guy, JUST WHACK LAH."
Laughter all around, then silence. They were waiting for me to say something, but I chose to say nothing. ( Thank goodness another friend arrived a few seconds later, taking the uncomfortable focus off my sorry state. :))
But to be fair, I do realize that men nowadays wouldn't be totally averse to being pursued once in a while. And believe it or not, I've done my share of "mild whacking" on a few occasions, with mixed results. However, at some point in the not-so-recent past ( a year maybe ), I decided to avoid it altogether.
Reasons:
1. It's just too d*** tiring.
2. Certain guys like to play games. I hate that.
3. Being the "whacker" puts you in a strange position and skews relationship dynamics, so to speak. And if the guy has a big mouth ( happened once before, eep ), it's just plain embarrassing. And annoying.
Or maybe I've just made a slew of bad choices on whack-able men. But then, I'm not a smooth operator like some of my contemporaries. I really suck at this, sigh.
So there's my ( delayed ) reply to my friend's comment. He meant well, but I'm a lost cause in that department. :/
To Continue...
Some extra stuff here -- since I'm stuck in the ER and hey, the computer's free! :)
Right then. Apparently, guys I consider whack-able may not be "right" for me.
This should be an interesting discussion point for those who actually know me well.
Male traits I find attractive ( for some reason or another ):
1. Slim / athletic physiques ( no gigantic bulging biceps please )
2. Beautiful hands ( I try to do this subtly, but in truth, it's the one thing I scrutinize closely. I just find doctors' -- especially surgeons' -- hands fascinating. Same goes for those belonging to musicians and artists. :))
3. A sense of humour ( exuberant, but not excessively so )
4. Intellect, without the high-and-mighty attitude ( i.e. the ability to "agree to disagree", and to respect our differences )
5. A level of comfort. Funnily enough, I had this with most - if not all - of the guys I "whacked", with each reciprocating in various friendship-transcending ways. Why it never progressed further is a mystery. Didn't bother to ask them the reason(s) either.
Experience-wise, they've run the gamut from outright playboys to guys who've never been known to have girlfriends. In terms of looks, their features span a wide spectrum ( but none resembles my ex -- a major criterion, heh heh ). Interests include extreme sports, fast-car fetishes, compulsive clubbing, the usual music / books / film / comics.
Although... one guy used to spend time simply blasting MP3 songs over the phone, while our conversation screeched to a halt. It was really funny ( but in a good way ), precisely because of that Level Of Comfort.
The above list isn't exhaustive, of course. Attraction can be immediate, yet its true nature intangible. It's that "certain something" that draws two people together, that tells you: Hey, the possibility is there.
Was I imagining things? Let's just say these guys gave not-so-subtle indications that they were indeed aware of my ( rather feeble ) tactics, and returned fire. But somewhere along the way, the momentum began to wane, and in a couple of cases, I could actually see them battling some internal conflict ( what exactly, I didn't ask ). It was like taking one step forward, then two steps back. Perhaps I wasn't aggressive enough. Maybe I should've just yanked them by the shirt collar and yelled, "Stop pussyfooting around already!" But then... that isn't my style.
My problem? At midnight, after a long day in the wards and the ER, my judgement may be clouded. But I suppose it stems from a combination of a reserved personality which requires time to penetrate, a reluctance to exert force of any kind, a few cases of missed opportunities ( some of which were my fault, I admit ), and -- cheesy, but not entirely without merit ) -- an element of Fate. You know, right timing, favourable conditions, etc.
So, no more whacking for me. Getting too old for all that, and lack intuition on "reading the signs".
In short, I'm the one who needs to be hit on the head.
Cradling coffees and hot chocolate with college friends a few nights ago, I was given the following advice by a recently married fellow:
"You know ah, (my name), if you are interested in a guy, JUST WHACK LAH."
Laughter all around, then silence. They were waiting for me to say something, but I chose to say nothing. ( Thank goodness another friend arrived a few seconds later, taking the uncomfortable focus off my sorry state. :))
But to be fair, I do realize that men nowadays wouldn't be totally averse to being pursued once in a while. And believe it or not, I've done my share of "mild whacking" on a few occasions, with mixed results. However, at some point in the not-so-recent past ( a year maybe ), I decided to avoid it altogether.
Reasons:
1. It's just too d*** tiring.
2. Certain guys like to play games. I hate that.
3. Being the "whacker" puts you in a strange position and skews relationship dynamics, so to speak. And if the guy has a big mouth ( happened once before, eep ), it's just plain embarrassing. And annoying.
Or maybe I've just made a slew of bad choices on whack-able men. But then, I'm not a smooth operator like some of my contemporaries. I really suck at this, sigh.
So there's my ( delayed ) reply to my friend's comment. He meant well, but I'm a lost cause in that department. :/
To Continue...
Some extra stuff here -- since I'm stuck in the ER and hey, the computer's free! :)
Right then. Apparently, guys I consider whack-able may not be "right" for me.
This should be an interesting discussion point for those who actually know me well.
Male traits I find attractive ( for some reason or another ):
1. Slim / athletic physiques ( no gigantic bulging biceps please )
2. Beautiful hands ( I try to do this subtly, but in truth, it's the one thing I scrutinize closely. I just find doctors' -- especially surgeons' -- hands fascinating. Same goes for those belonging to musicians and artists. :))
3. A sense of humour ( exuberant, but not excessively so )
4. Intellect, without the high-and-mighty attitude ( i.e. the ability to "agree to disagree", and to respect our differences )
5. A level of comfort. Funnily enough, I had this with most - if not all - of the guys I "whacked", with each reciprocating in various friendship-transcending ways. Why it never progressed further is a mystery. Didn't bother to ask them the reason(s) either.
Experience-wise, they've run the gamut from outright playboys to guys who've never been known to have girlfriends. In terms of looks, their features span a wide spectrum ( but none resembles my ex -- a major criterion, heh heh ). Interests include extreme sports, fast-car fetishes, compulsive clubbing, the usual music / books / film / comics.
Although... one guy used to spend time simply blasting MP3 songs over the phone, while our conversation screeched to a halt. It was really funny ( but in a good way ), precisely because of that Level Of Comfort.
The above list isn't exhaustive, of course. Attraction can be immediate, yet its true nature intangible. It's that "certain something" that draws two people together, that tells you: Hey, the possibility is there.
Was I imagining things? Let's just say these guys gave not-so-subtle indications that they were indeed aware of my ( rather feeble ) tactics, and returned fire. But somewhere along the way, the momentum began to wane, and in a couple of cases, I could actually see them battling some internal conflict ( what exactly, I didn't ask ). It was like taking one step forward, then two steps back. Perhaps I wasn't aggressive enough. Maybe I should've just yanked them by the shirt collar and yelled, "Stop pussyfooting around already!" But then... that isn't my style.
My problem? At midnight, after a long day in the wards and the ER, my judgement may be clouded. But I suppose it stems from a combination of a reserved personality which requires time to penetrate, a reluctance to exert force of any kind, a few cases of missed opportunities ( some of which were my fault, I admit ), and -- cheesy, but not entirely without merit ) -- an element of Fate. You know, right timing, favourable conditions, etc.
So, no more whacking for me. Getting too old for all that, and lack intuition on "reading the signs".
In short, I'm the one who needs to be hit on the head.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Alamak!
A check with the comments box for November 15 showed a post from ( I presume ) a member of Budak Pantai.
It goes:
"sad that you missed our concert, but our 3rd and Live Xmas CD is out @ Esplanade shop, thanks ."
Okay, now I'm obliged to link to them lah. :)
Budak Pantai Website
I haven't been following their careers very closely, but do remember them from a talent competition some time back, and watched them during the Esplanade's open house as well.
By the way, isn't there a doctor and a lawyer among the dudes?
In any case, very very nice a cappella fare. Must sample their album and attend their concerts, haha. :D
That's it for today. Have you bought Clay Aiken's CD yet? No? WHY THE HELL NOT?
A check with the comments box for November 15 showed a post from ( I presume ) a member of Budak Pantai.
It goes:
"sad that you missed our concert, but our 3rd and Live Xmas CD is out @ Esplanade shop, thanks ."
Okay, now I'm obliged to link to them lah. :)
Budak Pantai Website
I haven't been following their careers very closely, but do remember them from a talent competition some time back, and watched them during the Esplanade's open house as well.
By the way, isn't there a doctor and a lawyer among the dudes?
In any case, very very nice a cappella fare. Must sample their album and attend their concerts, haha. :D
That's it for today. Have you bought Clay Aiken's CD yet? No? WHY THE HELL NOT?
Sunday, November 21, 2004
For those of you who don't want to read about Clay Aiken's X'mas album, scroll down till you see the words "End of review" in bold type. Don't accuse me of not giving you fair warning, ahem.
Merry Christmas With Love -- Clay Aiken
THAT CD Shop outlets at Pacific Plaza and Great World City haven't even gotten their stocks yet, and I picked up a copy at... Sembawang Music. At a neighbourhood mall ( well, it's a rather large mall, heh heh ).
I just bought it this afternoon, but have already heard it from beginning to end at least 5-10 times. Get ready for a track-by-track! :)
O Holy Night -- From the first moment I heard his voice, I've waited patiently for him to sing this classic, preferably with a full orchestra and backup choir. With this version, I was far from disappointed! Kicking off the very traditional feel of this CD, Clay's vocals and inborn knack for making even the most beloved songs all his own breathe new life into this cover, with the trademark glory notes, emotional delivery, and perfect diction. Breath-taking!
Sleigh Ride -- Always a fun piece. Clay breezes through effortlessly, giving it a fresh yet romantic tinge. You can easily visualize his gorgeous smile as he sings this. Ahhh. :)
Silent Night -- Another familiar favourite, but goosebump-inducing nonetheless. Give it a listen and let the music speak for itself!
Medley: Hark The Herald Angels Sing / O Come All Ye Faithful -- Have I mentioned his fantastic pronunciation? :D This is a prime example of how Christmas carols SHOULD be arranged and sung. None of that edgy hip-hop / rock / pop-disco nonsense other artistes like experimenting with, yuck. Imagine this track "live". In a gigantic church hall. By the way, I love the piano accompaniment. Wonder how I can get my hands on the score.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -- Lovely lovely lovely. Enough said.
Mary, Did You Know -- First time I've ever even heard this piece, and what a privilege that it's a Clay Aiken version. :) Absolutely exquisite, with poignant lyrics and a haunting melody, and delivered flawlessly .
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? ...
This child that you delivered would soon deliver you...
The blind will see, the deaf will hear
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the land
A perfect TEN, this one. :)
Joy To The World -- Grand and uplifting.
The Christmas Song -- One of my very favourites, done by everyone from Nat King Cole to New Kids On The Block, 98 Degrees and Michael Buble. Clay sounds good as always, but I felt the tempo could've slowed down a tad to allow more room for his lush vibrato. But still, it's a nice transition to...
Don't Save It All For Christmas -- He first sang this Celine Dion-penned piece on last year's American Idols X'mas Special, knocking all our socks off with his powerful performance. Here, his lower register shines through ( and it's such a pleasure to listen to this through my headphones and on my car stereo -- full blast! :)), then gradually escalates to the higher octaves, before hitting The Glory Note. Bear in mind that he's fully capable of doing this "live", which is exactly what happened during the AI X'mas Special taping. This guy has the most amazing pair of lungs!
Merry X'mas With Love -- Sweet and wistful. Clay captures it all wonderfully.
Now a heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with the song...
Merry X'mas to all who may dwell here
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry X'mas with love.
Winter Wonderland -- Not one of my favourites, but hey, Clay can sing the phonebook and I'd still love it. :D
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? -- A romantic ballad through and through. Ack, what're you doing to all your female fans?! :P
Maybe it's much too early in the game
Oh but I thought I'd ask you just the same
What're you doing New Year's Eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it's exactly twelve o'clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year's Eve?
Maybe I'm crazy to suppose
I'd ever be the one you chose
Out of the thousand invitations you'd receive
Oh, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance
What're you doing New Year's Eve?
This may be a Christmas CD, but the quality is far superior to that of his commercial album, Measure Of A Man, in terms of production and song choices. Some say it's because he had more time to work on this second offering. Or maybe the pieces are tried and tested, and you can't possibly go wrong there, right? Or perhaps Clay's sales success has given him more clout, and hence, more say in vital aspects. In any case, this is a must-have for anyone who'd like to add an excellent X'mas album to their collection. I'll be bringing this to Tasmania. Can already imagine plugging it into my CD player, then sitting back in the coach seat as the countryside or national park scenery rolls by. Only a month more, and I'll be outta here! :D
*End Of Review*
CD Overload
I'm going to leave the above review here for a while. Partly so it won't get lost 'cos I've asked a few other people to read it. Partly 'cos I need time to get through 6 other albums I bought in the past 2 days, heh heh. :) Couldn't resist -- Westlife's jazz compilation Allow Me To Be Frank ( preliminary assessment: FABULOUS ), Peter Cincotti's On The Moon ( this guy just gets better-looking with each CD cover :)), Jamie Cullum's special edition of Twentysomething ( with bonus tracks Everlasting Love from the Bridget Jones sequel, and Frontin', yow!!! ), the soundtrack to De-Lovely, Russell Watson's latest ( You Raise Me Up exceeds Josh Groban's ), and *pant pant* 1 Giant Leap ( which has been out of stock FOREVER, till I grabbed the one and only copy at Great World, hah! ).
A Good Day
Ever have one of those really exceptional ones? The last time I was this happy was last December, during a quiet afternoon spent at the edge of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, NZ.
But today... today I was in Singapore, and on a major high. :)
Started off with a gorgeous morning sky, then witnessing a Singapore workout session at a basketball court nearby ( blasting Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley and the song That Thing You Do! from the PA system ), then a moving sermon from renowned Armenian missionary Revd Samuel Doctorian, who reduced many to tears ( including myself ) despite a relatively simple story involving his need for a specific amount of funds to rebuild an orphanage in Beirut.
Following that, a trip to the gym ( endorphins overload, haha ), a delicious dinner spent with parents, a hilarious episode of Gilmore Girls ( Luke makes his move on Lorelai! Jesse's back and ready to rekindle with Rory! ), and major catch-up with friends at the Clay Aiken Singapore forum.
Oh yeah, Clay's birthday is 9 days away. Yes yes, re-minisce, I see your eyes rolling all the way to London. :D
In case you're wondering, Friday's call was HORRIBLE, but I've thankfully recovered from it, after 12 straight hours of snoring from 7pm Saturday to 7am this morning. I'll probably write about it on The Lingual Nerve at some point. But not tonight. Can't think straight after hearing Clay's album, heh heh.
Have a good week everyone.
[ freshman: still hunting for reliable info on that plastic surgery question you posed. ]
Merry Christmas With Love -- Clay Aiken
THAT CD Shop outlets at Pacific Plaza and Great World City haven't even gotten their stocks yet, and I picked up a copy at... Sembawang Music. At a neighbourhood mall ( well, it's a rather large mall, heh heh ).
I just bought it this afternoon, but have already heard it from beginning to end at least 5-10 times. Get ready for a track-by-track! :)
O Holy Night -- From the first moment I heard his voice, I've waited patiently for him to sing this classic, preferably with a full orchestra and backup choir. With this version, I was far from disappointed! Kicking off the very traditional feel of this CD, Clay's vocals and inborn knack for making even the most beloved songs all his own breathe new life into this cover, with the trademark glory notes, emotional delivery, and perfect diction. Breath-taking!
Sleigh Ride -- Always a fun piece. Clay breezes through effortlessly, giving it a fresh yet romantic tinge. You can easily visualize his gorgeous smile as he sings this. Ahhh. :)
Silent Night -- Another familiar favourite, but goosebump-inducing nonetheless. Give it a listen and let the music speak for itself!
Medley: Hark The Herald Angels Sing / O Come All Ye Faithful -- Have I mentioned his fantastic pronunciation? :D This is a prime example of how Christmas carols SHOULD be arranged and sung. None of that edgy hip-hop / rock / pop-disco nonsense other artistes like experimenting with, yuck. Imagine this track "live". In a gigantic church hall. By the way, I love the piano accompaniment. Wonder how I can get my hands on the score.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -- Lovely lovely lovely. Enough said.
Mary, Did You Know -- First time I've ever even heard this piece, and what a privilege that it's a Clay Aiken version. :) Absolutely exquisite, with poignant lyrics and a haunting melody, and delivered flawlessly .
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? ...
This child that you delivered would soon deliver you...
The blind will see, the deaf will hear
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the land
A perfect TEN, this one. :)
Joy To The World -- Grand and uplifting.
The Christmas Song -- One of my very favourites, done by everyone from Nat King Cole to New Kids On The Block, 98 Degrees and Michael Buble. Clay sounds good as always, but I felt the tempo could've slowed down a tad to allow more room for his lush vibrato. But still, it's a nice transition to...
Don't Save It All For Christmas -- He first sang this Celine Dion-penned piece on last year's American Idols X'mas Special, knocking all our socks off with his powerful performance. Here, his lower register shines through ( and it's such a pleasure to listen to this through my headphones and on my car stereo -- full blast! :)), then gradually escalates to the higher octaves, before hitting The Glory Note. Bear in mind that he's fully capable of doing this "live", which is exactly what happened during the AI X'mas Special taping. This guy has the most amazing pair of lungs!
Merry X'mas With Love -- Sweet and wistful. Clay captures it all wonderfully.
Now a heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with the song...
Merry X'mas to all who may dwell here
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry X'mas with love.
Winter Wonderland -- Not one of my favourites, but hey, Clay can sing the phonebook and I'd still love it. :D
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? -- A romantic ballad through and through. Ack, what're you doing to all your female fans?! :P
Maybe it's much too early in the game
Oh but I thought I'd ask you just the same
What're you doing New Year's Eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it's exactly twelve o'clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year's Eve?
Maybe I'm crazy to suppose
I'd ever be the one you chose
Out of the thousand invitations you'd receive
Oh, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance
What're you doing New Year's Eve?
This may be a Christmas CD, but the quality is far superior to that of his commercial album, Measure Of A Man, in terms of production and song choices. Some say it's because he had more time to work on this second offering. Or maybe the pieces are tried and tested, and you can't possibly go wrong there, right? Or perhaps Clay's sales success has given him more clout, and hence, more say in vital aspects. In any case, this is a must-have for anyone who'd like to add an excellent X'mas album to their collection. I'll be bringing this to Tasmania. Can already imagine plugging it into my CD player, then sitting back in the coach seat as the countryside or national park scenery rolls by. Only a month more, and I'll be outta here! :D
*End Of Review*
CD Overload
I'm going to leave the above review here for a while. Partly so it won't get lost 'cos I've asked a few other people to read it. Partly 'cos I need time to get through 6 other albums I bought in the past 2 days, heh heh. :) Couldn't resist -- Westlife's jazz compilation Allow Me To Be Frank ( preliminary assessment: FABULOUS ), Peter Cincotti's On The Moon ( this guy just gets better-looking with each CD cover :)), Jamie Cullum's special edition of Twentysomething ( with bonus tracks Everlasting Love from the Bridget Jones sequel, and Frontin', yow!!! ), the soundtrack to De-Lovely, Russell Watson's latest ( You Raise Me Up exceeds Josh Groban's ), and *pant pant* 1 Giant Leap ( which has been out of stock FOREVER, till I grabbed the one and only copy at Great World, hah! ).
A Good Day
Ever have one of those really exceptional ones? The last time I was this happy was last December, during a quiet afternoon spent at the edge of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, NZ.
But today... today I was in Singapore, and on a major high. :)
Started off with a gorgeous morning sky, then witnessing a Singapore workout session at a basketball court nearby ( blasting Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley and the song That Thing You Do! from the PA system ), then a moving sermon from renowned Armenian missionary Revd Samuel Doctorian, who reduced many to tears ( including myself ) despite a relatively simple story involving his need for a specific amount of funds to rebuild an orphanage in Beirut.
Following that, a trip to the gym ( endorphins overload, haha ), a delicious dinner spent with parents, a hilarious episode of Gilmore Girls ( Luke makes his move on Lorelai! Jesse's back and ready to rekindle with Rory! ), and major catch-up with friends at the Clay Aiken Singapore forum.
Oh yeah, Clay's birthday is 9 days away. Yes yes, re-minisce, I see your eyes rolling all the way to London. :D
In case you're wondering, Friday's call was HORRIBLE, but I've thankfully recovered from it, after 12 straight hours of snoring from 7pm Saturday to 7am this morning. I'll probably write about it on The Lingual Nerve at some point. But not tonight. Can't think straight after hearing Clay's album, heh heh.
Have a good week everyone.
[ freshman: still hunting for reliable info on that plastic surgery question you posed. ]
Friday, November 19, 2004
Boy Does It Sting
The past 3 days were extremely fun, thanks to a well-organized and fascinating HAZMAT course conducted by fellow A&E colleagues. 2 days of lectures ( and a test!? ), followed by Day 3 -- spent at a very ulu location in Western Singapore, involving training in spacesuit-wearing, time spent in a tear gas chamber, and sharing of "state secrets". :)
I dedicate this entry to the tear gas experience because... it HURTS. Don't know why I always had the opinion that it only stung a little, because this couldn't be further from the truth. We sat in the chamber in full PPE gear for about 5-10 minutes before our instructors asked us to take turns removing our masks before walking out of the room. The very moment you take the headgear off, you feel it: the pain, the HORRIBLE PAIN. And your eyes are on fire. You stumble out because the tears cloud your vision. Out in open space, the tears continue to flow unabated, and your face feels as if it was just dunked in a pail of chilli padi. 5 minutes later and you're still suffering. And the guys are faring even worse.
Earlier this year, I remember a Fear Factor episode where the contestants were placed in a similar chamber, but sans protective suits / masks. One guy lasted 5 minutes. I have newfound respect for this person! :)
As for the "state secrets" bit, let's just say some scenarios, no matter how far-fetched, really aren't so at all. I found it very amusing that our manual has the words "Not to be released to the press" printed on the front, heh heh.
Singapore Idol -- The Final Two
Sly made it, woohoo! But honestly speaking, even though I'm a fan, I firmly believe that Taufik deserves the title, and will do Singapore proud at World Idol. Sly has the X factor, but needs to hone his vocal skills a while longer. He sings Mandarin songs well, so maybe he should branch out in that direction.
When it comes down to crunch-time, I'm voting for Taufik. Sly, you've come as far as your fans could've hoped for, and will no doubt carve a successful career for yourself, but Taufik's appeal is a potentially global one. Who knows, perhaps he'll beat all the top dogs and do a Kurt Nilsen by winning the competition. Wouldn't THAT be something! :D
Casino?
As usual, the local government could care less about what we think. Or they do care, but won't change their minds despite our protestations.
Polls indicate a 50-50 split on this issue, but Minister Vivian Balakrishnan practically scolded Singaporeans in his press statement, saying we should be ready to take responsibility for our actions and face the consequences, etc.
The morning this appeared in the papers, Class 95's Morning Express DJs had an animated discussion, and I was one of the listeners who called in. Basically, I told them my stand: I'm TOTALLY against the idea. Then, I mentioned how I've had close personal experiences with compulsive gamblers, who include highly-educated people who should -- technically -- "know better", but are unable to resist the temptation nonetheless. I told them how gambling not only destroys the person, but his/her family as well. Then The Flying Dutchman asked if Singaporeans are ready to take responsibility for their actions, to which I replied: Some of us are, but there will always be those who will give in, even if they know it's wrong.
And the potentially inflammatory comment I made? "If the government feels we're ready to take charge of our own financial situations, why don't we do away with the CPF?" DJ's response: Whoa...
They didn't comment further on this, however. Not that I'm surprised. :)
And I sound different on radio, hmm.
Busy Lah
On call, and have been running around the whole day. Very tired right now, but at least I had dinner with a fellow ENT MO, and watched the Singapore Idol results show. Just hope for an uneventful ward round tomorrow, then an early departure from the hospital.
The good news, though, is that I removed 2 fishbones from the base of tongue today. Have acquired a tongue-depressing skill which allows me to pick bones using only a Tilley's forceps through the mouth. Cool. :)
Another referral beckons, sigh. Don't tell me I'm going to take a shower at 3am AGAIN.
The past 3 days were extremely fun, thanks to a well-organized and fascinating HAZMAT course conducted by fellow A&E colleagues. 2 days of lectures ( and a test!? ), followed by Day 3 -- spent at a very ulu location in Western Singapore, involving training in spacesuit-wearing, time spent in a tear gas chamber, and sharing of "state secrets". :)
I dedicate this entry to the tear gas experience because... it HURTS. Don't know why I always had the opinion that it only stung a little, because this couldn't be further from the truth. We sat in the chamber in full PPE gear for about 5-10 minutes before our instructors asked us to take turns removing our masks before walking out of the room. The very moment you take the headgear off, you feel it: the pain, the HORRIBLE PAIN. And your eyes are on fire. You stumble out because the tears cloud your vision. Out in open space, the tears continue to flow unabated, and your face feels as if it was just dunked in a pail of chilli padi. 5 minutes later and you're still suffering. And the guys are faring even worse.
Earlier this year, I remember a Fear Factor episode where the contestants were placed in a similar chamber, but sans protective suits / masks. One guy lasted 5 minutes. I have newfound respect for this person! :)
As for the "state secrets" bit, let's just say some scenarios, no matter how far-fetched, really aren't so at all. I found it very amusing that our manual has the words "Not to be released to the press" printed on the front, heh heh.
Singapore Idol -- The Final Two
Sly made it, woohoo! But honestly speaking, even though I'm a fan, I firmly believe that Taufik deserves the title, and will do Singapore proud at World Idol. Sly has the X factor, but needs to hone his vocal skills a while longer. He sings Mandarin songs well, so maybe he should branch out in that direction.
When it comes down to crunch-time, I'm voting for Taufik. Sly, you've come as far as your fans could've hoped for, and will no doubt carve a successful career for yourself, but Taufik's appeal is a potentially global one. Who knows, perhaps he'll beat all the top dogs and do a Kurt Nilsen by winning the competition. Wouldn't THAT be something! :D
Casino?
As usual, the local government could care less about what we think. Or they do care, but won't change their minds despite our protestations.
Polls indicate a 50-50 split on this issue, but Minister Vivian Balakrishnan practically scolded Singaporeans in his press statement, saying we should be ready to take responsibility for our actions and face the consequences, etc.
The morning this appeared in the papers, Class 95's Morning Express DJs had an animated discussion, and I was one of the listeners who called in. Basically, I told them my stand: I'm TOTALLY against the idea. Then, I mentioned how I've had close personal experiences with compulsive gamblers, who include highly-educated people who should -- technically -- "know better", but are unable to resist the temptation nonetheless. I told them how gambling not only destroys the person, but his/her family as well. Then The Flying Dutchman asked if Singaporeans are ready to take responsibility for their actions, to which I replied: Some of us are, but there will always be those who will give in, even if they know it's wrong.
And the potentially inflammatory comment I made? "If the government feels we're ready to take charge of our own financial situations, why don't we do away with the CPF?" DJ's response: Whoa...
They didn't comment further on this, however. Not that I'm surprised. :)
And I sound different on radio, hmm.
Busy Lah
On call, and have been running around the whole day. Very tired right now, but at least I had dinner with a fellow ENT MO, and watched the Singapore Idol results show. Just hope for an uneventful ward round tomorrow, then an early departure from the hospital.
The good news, though, is that I removed 2 fishbones from the base of tongue today. Have acquired a tongue-depressing skill which allows me to pick bones using only a Tilley's forceps through the mouth. Cool. :)
Another referral beckons, sigh. Don't tell me I'm going to take a shower at 3am AGAIN.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Atypical
Yesterday was officially The Best Night Call I've Ever Had. Two A&E referrals around 9pm, then totally nothing thereafter. But I still woke up at 4am for no particular reason. Checked my pager just in case, then dozed till 7. Unbelievable. :)
I usually have really bad luck on-call. Must be my reg who cancelled that out, haha. Got another one with him this Friday. Let's see if the winning streak holds.
The Incredibles
*spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers*
On-the-spur-of-the-moment decision to go catch this after reading re-minisce's glowing review. GV Grand was all sold out, so I settled for the theatre near my home this time round. So bloody crowded. So many ^&%* kids. Somehow, GV Grand doesn't gnaw on my nerves as much.
Good seats notwithstanding -- final row aisle, unobstructed some more thanks to the funny staggered arrangement -- I found it lacking when compared to Finding Nemo, which remains my favourite "modern animated feature" to date. ( This is in contrast to older cartoons, No. 1 being Disney's Sleeping Beauty, No. 2 Cinderella, and No. 3 The Aristocats. Ask me to recite dialogue or sing a few songs and I can probably do so off the cuff. Not that I actually would, of course. :))
Maybe I went into this with too many expectations. Or maybe Finding Nemo is simply the better movie. Or perhaps -- and this may be the clincher -- I don't like humans as much as I do fish / turtles / seagulls / other assorted sea and land creatures.
But there were a few memorable moments. The harrowing plane crash over the ocean; Dash's dramatic escape from pursuers through dense jungle and across a wide vista of water and rock formations; Elastigirl's Mission: Impossible-esque confrontation with enemy guards as she neutralized each man with a separate limb while sandwiched between at least 3 different doors ( if that makes any sense to you ).
The best one, though, involves baby Jack-Jack, whose superpowers are unveiled in the last 5 minutes of the film, and is an absolute riot! Alternating between demonic fire-child, a red-faced devil with horns and, at one point, a vibrating human drill, it had the whole audience in stitches.
However, in terms of humour, I'd give Finding Nemo the ultimate thumbs-up. I laughed a lot harder at that one. But then, that's just me.
Next up, the Bridget Jones sequel. :)
The American Music Awards 2004
Missed the first hour while at the gym, aargh!
Terrific line-up, as usual. And with some wonderful collaborations in true AMA tradition -- remember Alejandro Sanz and Destiny's Child a few years back? Yowzah :)
This year, there was John Mayer -- mesmerizing; Alicia Keys -- gorgeous and edgier than usual; Josh Groban -- so handsome and intense ( and playing the piano, yes! ); Gretchen Wilson -- a relative newcomer who ROCKED with Redneck Woman ( take that, Shania ); and Bon Jovi -- sounding a little off, but scoring high with their overall energy.
Duets: Alicia Keys and Usher ( delish ); Snoop Dogg and Pharrell ( minimalist but very effective ); Rod Stewart with Dave Koz ( can't tahan the former, but love the latter -- too bad he's gay ); and the biggest surprise of the night: Jamie Foxx doing a Sexy Jazz / Soul Man routine. Some of these Hollywood actors are so gifted musically, the acting bit seems a bit of a waste. Kevin Spacey and Kevin Kline have beautiful voices ( and Kline plays the ivories ); Alfred Molina ( Doc Ock in Spiderman 2 ), Jonathan Pryce ( the villain in that Bond film with Michelle Yeoh in it ?title ), Victor Garber ( Jack Bristow in Alias ) and Hugh Jackman ( who can miss Hugh Jackman :D) are Broadway veterans; then there's Glenn Close ( Sunset Boulevard ) and even Antonio Banderas ( not too bad a voice, dances VERY well ). And though I don't like her much, I will admit that Catherine Zeta-Jones is an accomplished performer.
Clay Aiken also made an appearance with Kathy Griffith to present an award. Wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking a little sleep-deprived, he still got Griffith all hot and heavy under her wedding dress ( I kid you not ), and eventually pacified her with a mock proposal.
( Earlier in the evening, the AMA host ( Jimmy Fallon is it? ) also took some liberties with poor Clay, joking that Anna Nicole Smith has stolen his virginity. By force. I thought it was quite funny, but my mom said it's in poor taste. Wah, quite protective eh. :))
Fantasia Barrino sang her new song, which sounded awful. She totally overdid it, blech.
Will be away from the wards for 3 days starting tomorrow. HAZMAT course. Promises to be loads of fun.
Yesterday was officially The Best Night Call I've Ever Had. Two A&E referrals around 9pm, then totally nothing thereafter. But I still woke up at 4am for no particular reason. Checked my pager just in case, then dozed till 7. Unbelievable. :)
I usually have really bad luck on-call. Must be my reg who cancelled that out, haha. Got another one with him this Friday. Let's see if the winning streak holds.
The Incredibles
*spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers*
On-the-spur-of-the-moment decision to go catch this after reading re-minisce's glowing review. GV Grand was all sold out, so I settled for the theatre near my home this time round. So bloody crowded. So many ^&%* kids. Somehow, GV Grand doesn't gnaw on my nerves as much.
Good seats notwithstanding -- final row aisle, unobstructed some more thanks to the funny staggered arrangement -- I found it lacking when compared to Finding Nemo, which remains my favourite "modern animated feature" to date. ( This is in contrast to older cartoons, No. 1 being Disney's Sleeping Beauty, No. 2 Cinderella, and No. 3 The Aristocats. Ask me to recite dialogue or sing a few songs and I can probably do so off the cuff. Not that I actually would, of course. :))
Maybe I went into this with too many expectations. Or maybe Finding Nemo is simply the better movie. Or perhaps -- and this may be the clincher -- I don't like humans as much as I do fish / turtles / seagulls / other assorted sea and land creatures.
But there were a few memorable moments. The harrowing plane crash over the ocean; Dash's dramatic escape from pursuers through dense jungle and across a wide vista of water and rock formations; Elastigirl's Mission: Impossible-esque confrontation with enemy guards as she neutralized each man with a separate limb while sandwiched between at least 3 different doors ( if that makes any sense to you ).
The best one, though, involves baby Jack-Jack, whose superpowers are unveiled in the last 5 minutes of the film, and is an absolute riot! Alternating between demonic fire-child, a red-faced devil with horns and, at one point, a vibrating human drill, it had the whole audience in stitches.
However, in terms of humour, I'd give Finding Nemo the ultimate thumbs-up. I laughed a lot harder at that one. But then, that's just me.
Next up, the Bridget Jones sequel. :)
The American Music Awards 2004
Missed the first hour while at the gym, aargh!
Terrific line-up, as usual. And with some wonderful collaborations in true AMA tradition -- remember Alejandro Sanz and Destiny's Child a few years back? Yowzah :)
This year, there was John Mayer -- mesmerizing; Alicia Keys -- gorgeous and edgier than usual; Josh Groban -- so handsome and intense ( and playing the piano, yes! ); Gretchen Wilson -- a relative newcomer who ROCKED with Redneck Woman ( take that, Shania ); and Bon Jovi -- sounding a little off, but scoring high with their overall energy.
Duets: Alicia Keys and Usher ( delish ); Snoop Dogg and Pharrell ( minimalist but very effective ); Rod Stewart with Dave Koz ( can't tahan the former, but love the latter -- too bad he's gay ); and the biggest surprise of the night: Jamie Foxx doing a Sexy Jazz / Soul Man routine. Some of these Hollywood actors are so gifted musically, the acting bit seems a bit of a waste. Kevin Spacey and Kevin Kline have beautiful voices ( and Kline plays the ivories ); Alfred Molina ( Doc Ock in Spiderman 2 ), Jonathan Pryce ( the villain in that Bond film with Michelle Yeoh in it ?title ), Victor Garber ( Jack Bristow in Alias ) and Hugh Jackman ( who can miss Hugh Jackman :D) are Broadway veterans; then there's Glenn Close ( Sunset Boulevard ) and even Antonio Banderas ( not too bad a voice, dances VERY well ). And though I don't like her much, I will admit that Catherine Zeta-Jones is an accomplished performer.
Clay Aiken also made an appearance with Kathy Griffith to present an award. Wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking a little sleep-deprived, he still got Griffith all hot and heavy under her wedding dress ( I kid you not ), and eventually pacified her with a mock proposal.
( Earlier in the evening, the AMA host ( Jimmy Fallon is it? ) also took some liberties with poor Clay, joking that Anna Nicole Smith has stolen his virginity. By force. I thought it was quite funny, but my mom said it's in poor taste. Wah, quite protective eh. :))
Fantasia Barrino sang her new song, which sounded awful. She totally overdid it, blech.
Will be away from the wards for 3 days starting tomorrow. HAZMAT course. Promises to be loads of fun.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
This Is The Life -- Not.
Yeesh, it's been the longest 12 hours ever .
Am on call today. Rounds began at 8am. Took rather long despite the short list -- 13 patients, I believe -- but by 10:30am, everything was done, my reg ( who, in conformity with the department's culture, doesn't stay in-hospital for calls ) bade me farewell and "good luck for the both of us haha", and I've been wandering aimlessly ever since.
Lunch, followed by a couple of hours reading in my room, followed by a trip to the ER to meet up with a good friend ( who just turned reg ) and catch up with a few consultants and nurses, help see patients, take blood, set plugs ( yes, I was that bored :)), then back to the ward for a venepuncture ( 4-year-old kid who needed vanco levels and a plug!!! ), dinner with A&E friends, back upstairs for the peak vanco withdrawal, then at present, since I can't figure out what to do next, a blog entry.
You wish you were in my shoes, you say? How can I complain when I'm earning good money for doing nothing? I suppose this is precisely why I chose to do emergency medicine, with its unearthly working hours ( 5-day work weeks don't apply to us, the only "dang it" in my book ), insanely busy shifts ( especially in this particular institution ), call requirements up to senior consultant level, and low remuneration. ( And funnily enough, the number of traineeship applicants continues to increase with each passing year. )
Suffering comes in many forms. Being idle is one of them. :/ ( This is why my parents always scold me for dragging a book along wherever we go. 5-minute wait for a meal, and I whip out a thick novel, reading maybe 2 pages before I have to put it away again, but feeling pretty darn good about it. :D)
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
This was on HBO last night. Have seen it before, but the perfect pairing of Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey is something I just can't pass up. Like Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman in Someone Like You. Great stuff.
But seriously though, it raises an interesting question. How does one lose a guy anyhow? Too clingy, too distant, too dependent, too independent -- you think women are complicated? Men sometimes ask too much of us as well -- although a certain Mr. Wong Hoong Hooi ( aka Singapore's -- or more accurately, The Straits Times Forum Page's -- resident misogynistic anti-feminist-movement chauvinist ) will heatedly disagree. If Mel Gibson's film poses the "What Women Want" dilemma, then I wonder: what do men want? Really?
Never mind that. Sometimes the answer is obvious. The dangerous part is when the man changes his expectations somewhere along the way. You start out in a relationship and slowly enter a "comfort zone". Then one day, the whole arrangement falls apart. He wants somebody who's the total opposite of yourself. He wanted to tell you so many times, but couldn't bring himself to do so, so instead he bought you an engagement ring and told your parents you were going to pick a wedding day, and took you house-hunting... How very interesting.
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days doesn't address the above issue, of course. It's one of those whimsical romantic comedies with silly storylines and ditzy scenes. The wardrobe is 90% blue-with-black-stripes, the acting occasionally forced, the script a little ludicrous at times. But McConaughey has never looked better ( even better than in EdTV, A Time To Kill and The Wedding Planner ). And I just love that Southern accent.
Something to add to the "What Women Want" list perhaps? ;)
Sex And The City -- Aleksandr Petrovsky
I once said this series is worth following only because of its male characters, and I stand by that statement 100%. :D
Mikhail Baryshnikov. Need I say more?
Well actually, I want to say more, haha! I don't read reviews for plot giveaways, so when he suddenly popped up 2 episodes ago, I was over the moon. He's short, no doubt, but ages beautifully. Late 50s, but with a full head of blond hair, a lean physique, that delicious Russian twang, and an eye-popping scene where he bounded after a taxi for about a hundred metres, leaping over a stack of trash cans in the process. ( He's a famous ballet dancer -- along the lines of the late Rudolph Nureyev -- which explains this deliberately staged sequence. )
How many episodes will he stay for? Maybe Xena can tell me, heh heh. :)
Singapore Idol - The Final 3
So far, my gut instinct has been correct. Sylvester Sim has "something", as the judges so succinctly put it. And now, he's made it to the top 3. To be frank, I agree he isn't the best singer when compared to Taufik and Olinda. But personality draws the crowds, and this applies even to Clay Aiken.
You can win the title like Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson did, but still fail to topple Clay's triple-platinum record sales. Think Fantasia Barrino is also faltering. If Sly plays his cards right, he may walk away from this the biggest winner even if he isn't crowned the Singapore Idol. I know I'll pick up his album if he releases one. Quite a feat, considering the fact that I've never once taken an interest in anyone who looks remotely like him. Weird, ain't it? :)
*looks at watch*
Hmm, think Charlie's Angels is on. Okay then, time to go to the staff lounge for a bit. Only 12 more hours to go. Sigh...
Yeesh, it's been the longest 12 hours ever .
Am on call today. Rounds began at 8am. Took rather long despite the short list -- 13 patients, I believe -- but by 10:30am, everything was done, my reg ( who, in conformity with the department's culture, doesn't stay in-hospital for calls ) bade me farewell and "good luck for the both of us haha", and I've been wandering aimlessly ever since.
Lunch, followed by a couple of hours reading in my room, followed by a trip to the ER to meet up with a good friend ( who just turned reg ) and catch up with a few consultants and nurses, help see patients, take blood, set plugs ( yes, I was that bored :)), then back to the ward for a venepuncture ( 4-year-old kid who needed vanco levels and a plug!!! ), dinner with A&E friends, back upstairs for the peak vanco withdrawal, then at present, since I can't figure out what to do next, a blog entry.
You wish you were in my shoes, you say? How can I complain when I'm earning good money for doing nothing? I suppose this is precisely why I chose to do emergency medicine, with its unearthly working hours ( 5-day work weeks don't apply to us, the only "dang it" in my book ), insanely busy shifts ( especially in this particular institution ), call requirements up to senior consultant level, and low remuneration. ( And funnily enough, the number of traineeship applicants continues to increase with each passing year. )
Suffering comes in many forms. Being idle is one of them. :/ ( This is why my parents always scold me for dragging a book along wherever we go. 5-minute wait for a meal, and I whip out a thick novel, reading maybe 2 pages before I have to put it away again, but feeling pretty darn good about it. :D)
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
This was on HBO last night. Have seen it before, but the perfect pairing of Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey is something I just can't pass up. Like Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman in Someone Like You. Great stuff.
But seriously though, it raises an interesting question. How does one lose a guy anyhow? Too clingy, too distant, too dependent, too independent -- you think women are complicated? Men sometimes ask too much of us as well -- although a certain Mr. Wong Hoong Hooi ( aka Singapore's -- or more accurately, The Straits Times Forum Page's -- resident misogynistic anti-feminist-movement chauvinist ) will heatedly disagree. If Mel Gibson's film poses the "What Women Want" dilemma, then I wonder: what do men want? Really?
Never mind that. Sometimes the answer is obvious. The dangerous part is when the man changes his expectations somewhere along the way. You start out in a relationship and slowly enter a "comfort zone". Then one day, the whole arrangement falls apart. He wants somebody who's the total opposite of yourself. He wanted to tell you so many times, but couldn't bring himself to do so, so instead he bought you an engagement ring and told your parents you were going to pick a wedding day, and took you house-hunting... How very interesting.
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days doesn't address the above issue, of course. It's one of those whimsical romantic comedies with silly storylines and ditzy scenes. The wardrobe is 90% blue-with-black-stripes, the acting occasionally forced, the script a little ludicrous at times. But McConaughey has never looked better ( even better than in EdTV, A Time To Kill and The Wedding Planner ). And I just love that Southern accent.
Something to add to the "What Women Want" list perhaps? ;)
Sex And The City -- Aleksandr Petrovsky
I once said this series is worth following only because of its male characters, and I stand by that statement 100%. :D
Mikhail Baryshnikov. Need I say more?
Well actually, I want to say more, haha! I don't read reviews for plot giveaways, so when he suddenly popped up 2 episodes ago, I was over the moon. He's short, no doubt, but ages beautifully. Late 50s, but with a full head of blond hair, a lean physique, that delicious Russian twang, and an eye-popping scene where he bounded after a taxi for about a hundred metres, leaping over a stack of trash cans in the process. ( He's a famous ballet dancer -- along the lines of the late Rudolph Nureyev -- which explains this deliberately staged sequence. )
How many episodes will he stay for? Maybe Xena can tell me, heh heh. :)
Singapore Idol - The Final 3
So far, my gut instinct has been correct. Sylvester Sim has "something", as the judges so succinctly put it. And now, he's made it to the top 3. To be frank, I agree he isn't the best singer when compared to Taufik and Olinda. But personality draws the crowds, and this applies even to Clay Aiken.
You can win the title like Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson did, but still fail to topple Clay's triple-platinum record sales. Think Fantasia Barrino is also faltering. If Sly plays his cards right, he may walk away from this the biggest winner even if he isn't crowned the Singapore Idol. I know I'll pick up his album if he releases one. Quite a feat, considering the fact that I've never once taken an interest in anyone who looks remotely like him. Weird, ain't it? :)
*looks at watch*
Hmm, think Charlie's Angels is on. Okay then, time to go to the staff lounge for a bit. Only 12 more hours to go. Sigh...
Friday, November 12, 2004
I am exhausted.
Read this to find out why.
A fellow ENT MO told me that earlier today, he'd developed "a bad feeling". It turned out to be "the right feeling".
Read this to find out why.
A fellow ENT MO told me that earlier today, he'd developed "a bad feeling". It turned out to be "the right feeling".
Fresh Blood
We have a new member to The Lingual Nerve, ie. Maria, who runs a terrifically written blog (her 8 Nov entry is fantastic ).
Still working on the "guest writer" feature. Hopefully that'll be up and running soon, 'cos we've got an exciting line-up. :)
We have a new member to The Lingual Nerve, ie. Maria, who runs a terrifically written blog (her 8 Nov entry is fantastic ).
Still working on the "guest writer" feature. Hopefully that'll be up and running soon, 'cos we've got an exciting line-up. :)
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Living Up To Re-minisce's Description Of Me On His Blog -- Yet Again :)
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O Holy Night was MADE for his gorgeous voice. :)
James Galway's Concert Nov 9 At The Esplanade
A legend if there ever was one. I watched this gentleman play his flute on television even before I started primary school. Memory's a little fuzzy, but didn't he toot the Pink Panther theme or the Baby Elephant Walk at some point?
Anyway, seeing him "live" on Tuesday night was... surreal . Like seeing Michael Jackson, Barry Manilow, Cliff Richard and The Chieftains -- all successful musical artistes with huge followings, and more than 30 years ( each ) in this tough business.
As you know, I'm not a connoiseur of classical music. So yes, I can't recall much of what I heard -- pieces unfamiliar to me, but wonderfully played by the Munich Chamber Orchestra. The opening number -- an Elgar composition -- was especially moving. The closing -- Serenade For Strings by Tchaikovsky -- was exquisite.
I realized halfway through the concert that having only string sections can be quite an advantage. For me at least, I prefer the purity of tone, without the noise ( ie. all those bass and percussion instruments ). A friend told me our local Tang Quartet is pretty decent. Maybe I'll give them a try one day. New hobby. :)
When Sir James Galway stepped onto the stage, I literally got goose pimples. Clad in a golden waistcoat with elaborate embroidery, and an outer long coat ( which looked a little like a robe, haha ) coloured a deep wine red with intricate patterns, he beamed and waved at the audience before conducting the orchestra for their first piece. Then, it was his turn to shine as he performed two Mozart works, then a Cimarosa duet ( with his wife Jeanne -- a very regal blonde ).
Galway, despite his 65 years of age, has remained sprightly and energetic, treating us to his signature style of acrobatics combined with effortless emotive skills. Completely at ease on the concert stage, he even broke tradition by bantering with the audience a few times, cracking subtle jokes in his Irish accent.
Highlights: his stunt with a Chinese flute thingy, the encores ( which included an Irish jig and rendition of Danny Boy ) and -- my absolute favourite -- another duet with his wife, none other than the Turkish March from Mozart's famous Sonata In A ( aka my Grade 8 piano examination piece -- man, lots of late nights practising that one! :)). Everyone around me began to hum the melody on cue, and did the same for Danny Boy later. The lady to my right even knew the entire Tchaikovsky Serenade by heart. Whoa. :)
The autograph session took almost an hour, but Sir James was accomodating till the very end, giving each of us a jolly greeting, then bestowing meticulous signatures, followed by the chuckle "Step inside the studio" whenever someone brandished a camera ( the "studio" being the space behind him and his wife, that is :)). Lady Jeanne was equally lovely and friendly to a fault. Wonderful couple.
Not sure if the Galways will ever perform here again, considering their age. The reception was warm, but for some reason, only a handful of concertgoers obliged with standing ovations. Still, I'm very glad I got to see him in person. It was an unforgettable experience!
Check these out:
Greatest Hits album -- sample of the Pink Panther theme available ( scroll down )
Complete Discography
Return of the King soundtrack -- in particular, tracks 15, 17 and 18
Singapore Idol -- The Final 4 -- awaits. Good luck, Sylvester!
--> xncmksdlwpalqkwmdmcfnvkfkgollljosoidhjnf
O Holy Night was MADE for his gorgeous voice. :)
James Galway's Concert Nov 9 At The Esplanade
A legend if there ever was one. I watched this gentleman play his flute on television even before I started primary school. Memory's a little fuzzy, but didn't he toot the Pink Panther theme or the Baby Elephant Walk at some point?
Anyway, seeing him "live" on Tuesday night was... surreal . Like seeing Michael Jackson, Barry Manilow, Cliff Richard and The Chieftains -- all successful musical artistes with huge followings, and more than 30 years ( each ) in this tough business.
As you know, I'm not a connoiseur of classical music. So yes, I can't recall much of what I heard -- pieces unfamiliar to me, but wonderfully played by the Munich Chamber Orchestra. The opening number -- an Elgar composition -- was especially moving. The closing -- Serenade For Strings by Tchaikovsky -- was exquisite.
I realized halfway through the concert that having only string sections can be quite an advantage. For me at least, I prefer the purity of tone, without the noise ( ie. all those bass and percussion instruments ). A friend told me our local Tang Quartet is pretty decent. Maybe I'll give them a try one day. New hobby. :)
When Sir James Galway stepped onto the stage, I literally got goose pimples. Clad in a golden waistcoat with elaborate embroidery, and an outer long coat ( which looked a little like a robe, haha ) coloured a deep wine red with intricate patterns, he beamed and waved at the audience before conducting the orchestra for their first piece. Then, it was his turn to shine as he performed two Mozart works, then a Cimarosa duet ( with his wife Jeanne -- a very regal blonde ).
Galway, despite his 65 years of age, has remained sprightly and energetic, treating us to his signature style of acrobatics combined with effortless emotive skills. Completely at ease on the concert stage, he even broke tradition by bantering with the audience a few times, cracking subtle jokes in his Irish accent.
Highlights: his stunt with a Chinese flute thingy, the encores ( which included an Irish jig and rendition of Danny Boy ) and -- my absolute favourite -- another duet with his wife, none other than the Turkish March from Mozart's famous Sonata In A ( aka my Grade 8 piano examination piece -- man, lots of late nights practising that one! :)). Everyone around me began to hum the melody on cue, and did the same for Danny Boy later. The lady to my right even knew the entire Tchaikovsky Serenade by heart. Whoa. :)
The autograph session took almost an hour, but Sir James was accomodating till the very end, giving each of us a jolly greeting, then bestowing meticulous signatures, followed by the chuckle "Step inside the studio" whenever someone brandished a camera ( the "studio" being the space behind him and his wife, that is :)). Lady Jeanne was equally lovely and friendly to a fault. Wonderful couple.
Not sure if the Galways will ever perform here again, considering their age. The reception was warm, but for some reason, only a handful of concertgoers obliged with standing ovations. Still, I'm very glad I got to see him in person. It was an unforgettable experience!
Check these out:
Greatest Hits album -- sample of the Pink Panther theme available ( scroll down )
Complete Discography
Return of the King soundtrack -- in particular, tracks 15, 17 and 18
Singapore Idol -- The Final 4 -- awaits. Good luck, Sylvester!
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