The Housewarming

When Joshy throws a party... everybody joins in the merriment!

At least everybody who was invited. Ah including those who had to do nightshift in the wards, oh for a little while. Well, even our next door neighbours came =)

Let it be known that Joshy boi can still throw a mean party. Never mind that I am now in Seremban.

Fabulous habits die hard.

That fine Saturday, I was just strolling in Pavilion after my tooth extraction. Gah! [Oooh there's Sales in Tangs!] And I passed by J.Co... and I thought, "DONUT PARTY!!!" I frantically called my housemates, "Let's do this tomorrow! Bring some life to our community!" *just because I felt like it*

Our conference call ended with, "Okay, set to go!"

Thus I drafted the text invite,

"Housewarming party tmr 8pm. My place. Feed yourself first. Only snacks and booze served." [SEND TO ALL!]

And soon it spread like wildfire! Within the own small community that we are here, in clinical school.

Nothing like early bird gifts to ensure punctuality. Godiva gave us the extra boost!


Food. Music. Booze. Gambling Games. Laughter.

Oh I shall not forget the magic of playing mahjong on a tiny coffee table and TAP TAP REVENGE!!! And drooling over CLEO's 50 Eligible Bachelors. Wait, I stand corrected. Just 3 of them. And I like, know 2 of them personally.


I had so much fun planning! And it was great having housemates who were equally enthusiastic and so accommodating of my crazy impulsive decisions. We even had a housemates' dresscode* which is a bit cornier-than-a-cornfield, I'd admit. But that was loved by our crowd. And that made all the difference. Oh yeah!

Good lighting really helped set the ambience. I was like flabbergasted when I saw the pictures taken.

"Wah, our living room never looked this warm and cosy!"

At the end of the night, everybody went home a little bit drunk, bloated and fingers hurting (Tap Tap Revenge 2 Tournament on my iPod touch!!!)


Tonnes of pictures were taken (and already up on Facebook!) as it is a result of the natural instinct of our generation.

Can't hardly wait till the next one! =P

*yes, an extremely gay gay gay thing to do

I feel a tad dumber

... cos I just lost a wisdom tooth. As of 11.30am today.

I am talking funny. I can only consume cold and liquid food items. I can't have chocolate.

Ouch!


So I went shopping. =)


And cooked up a plan for a party tomorrow, before the onslaught of a new week befalls us. It's kinda my trademark to do such things on impulse.

Ah well, lotsa time to work through the details. And to take my mind of the the persistent pain where a tooth used to be.

Wish me luck!!! =P

Good Good Day!

I don't know if it's actually a problem...

But I am actually liking Family Medicine (aka General Practice) waaayyy more than I ever expected!

Okay, getting answers right does motivate me much! And the occassional, rare praise from lecturers.

So I had just finished performing an ECG on an uncle, and was on my way back to the teaching clinic...

And there she was, an elderly Chinese woman, frail-looking, slightly kyphotic, with a walking stick right in front of the elevators. Her tears were welling up.

She looked up at me, and proceeded to grab my forearm.

Me: Yes, auntie?
Auntie: Boy, can you bring to the laboratory? I need to trace my reports. The doctor sent me up here to get it myself. My knees are in pain.

And then the tears kept pouring.

Me : *OMG OMG OMG!!! What did I do? What to do now?*
Auntie: My son is useless. His wife is heartless. They don't care about me. I am sick and nobody cares for me. I had to come to the clinic myself, all alone.
Me: Are they busy at work?
Auntie: NO!!! Today they have a day-off work. And they just don't care.
Me: I am so sorry, Auntie.

As we slowly walked to the laboratory department, she wailed. The crowd stared at me.

OMG!

Auntie: Nobody cares about me. I am going to die soon, and rot without anyone knowing.
Me: Don't be so sad, Auntie. You must take good care of your health! You must love yourself more.
[Corny, I know!]

I let her sit in the waiting area while I enter the lab to beg for the auntie's report.

Later, I walked her down to the Outpatient Department to see her doctor.

Auntie: My son is useless. He doesn't care about me. His wife is evil.
Me: Err... may be they have issues?
Auntie: They make me work at their bakery and care for their baby. But I get nothing in return. They treat me like rubbish.
Me: Err...

*Enter the Doctor*

Doctor: I very angry at this auntie!
Auntie: *cries somemore* Why you angry at me, Dr? I didn't do anything to you!
Doctor: I joke only, Auntie! Don't cry. I am worried because you always skip your appointments.
(err, bad timing for a joke?) Boy, tell this auntie... Blablabla.. medical jargon... blablabla... She is very lucky to have met you, boy! (Aww! *blushes*)

Then, I ran up to different departments to set the dates for her follow-up appointments for the upcoming months, collect her medication for her, gave her some 'patient education' material etc.

And I was practically her walking stick for the whole hour. Which involved me walking very veryyyyy slowwwwlllyyyy...

Auntie: I believe that people who do good will run into nice people who will help them. I do a lot of donations. Hehe!
Me: Yes auntie! Good karma?
Auntie: You have been such an angel to me, today! Come come, I give you the card to my son's bakery. I will give you a free Butter Cake when you come, since you have helped me so much today!
Me: It's okay Auntie! You're welcome! *beaming smile* Hehe!

As I was about to leave her and return to the teaching clinic...
Auntie: Is this your ID number on your tag?
Me: Yes. It's to identify me as a student.
Auntie: *took out a pen and started scribbling on her newspaper. THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF MY ID NUMBER!*

Auntie: Do you have a car?
Me: Yes, Auntie. I drive to the hospital/clinic.
Auntie: Can give me your carplate number?
Me: Auntie, you want to buy 4D ah? Strike lottery ah?
Auntie: Ya you also know ah? I feel very lucky today to have met you ma. Must try my chance.
Me: Okay Auntie. You take care okay? I have to get back to my class.
Auntie: Goodbye nice boy. I wish you every success in becoming a great doctor. I can see it in you already.

Me: *OMG I feel so shy shy leh!*

This experience totally made my day!!! =)

Great reminder as to why and what am I doing here in med school!!!

The experience just keeps getting harder, better, and the drive all the more stronger! Don't hate me, B!!!

The oddest thing was it all happened a few hours after I read Little Dove's latest post, right before I left home in the morning. =)


P.S. Half of Seremban had a major blackout just this evening!!! Even the streetlights were off!!! We nearly had to have dinner in the dark (there wasn't even a single candle at the restaurant we wanted to dine at!) Haha, good thing there is Aeon Jusco in Seremban 2!!!

Thanks again for dinner and the great company, buddy! =) Get me goodies from London alrighty!!!

Better Days - Jimmy Kane

You're always on my mind. ;P

Blunder #1

Today, as I was clerking a patient (with half my mind astray) I committed a huge mistake.

"Auntie, are you STILL married?"
(enquiring about marital status)

It totally exacerbated the auntie's bulging eyes.


My bad.

Without a doubt, I kena kao-kao from the supervising lecturer! HAHAHA!


FYI, she was really hyperthyroid.


P.s. I think I got winked at repeatedly by a senior paediatrician around campus. Mega-stroke for the ego! HAHA!

Today's a beautiful day to save lives!*

So let's get to it

Alright.

So I have been a resident of Seremban for the past … erm 3 weeks? Can’t say that I know this place all that well just yet. Heck, with my daily routine being home-campus-hospital-district clinic-food-home-comatose!

Haha I find consolation in knowing that mr. drownedglass is here as well, at least on weekdays. =) and there is company to find good food with =)

Yeah yeah. I am guilty of escaping the heat and humidity that is pathognomonic of this rustic dusty town, come the weekend. To where else but KL… where there are people who love me and more people who desire the sacrilegious inferno of my mortal soul.

Ah thank goodness there is such a thing as a SHOPPING! And credit cards…

Anyhoo, yes I am loving clinical rotations. Draining long hours clerking patient after patient, late night calls (for duty, instead of booty), mountainous piles of case reports to write and being reprimanded/scolded/bitched at without mercy. Hmm, not so loving that last bit just yet.

My spirits are still high and all gay. I may appear to be a walking zombie garbed in a white coat at like 7 a.m. but all that changes when I meet my first patient of the day.

Sure, we learn signs and symptoms, differential diagnoses and recommended management plans from all the ward work. That totally rocks!

But what truly keeps me going (and practically beaming) are their life stories and all the random yakkity yak which never cease to amaze me. =P

“..let this be upon my honour and dignity… now I go forth unto my calling…”

P.S. IMHO this post is pure gibberish… I am not having a cogent line of thought right now… cos it's a happy happy happy but long yet uber good day at the outpatient clinic, playing a Family Doctor.

*The inspiring surgical lecturer’s mantra to start his day!

Goodbye KL!

So this is it. In exactly half an hour, I shall begin my drive down south to the town (city?) of Seremban, where I shall be, for the most parts, in the forthcoming 24 months.

YES, 2 YEARS!

This really is the lake right outside my street!

Moving is such a bitch!

Oh yeah, thanks to all you people who were kind enough to have 'parties' in view of this. My dreaded departure from KL.

Damn you people who are celebrating the good riddance of moi!

I joke. The last one ended just a few hours ago. A movie night, 'Changeling' supposedly, at S's place. But we ended up chatting like the gay bitches guys that we are and Wheeee... it developed into a Gossip Girl screening. Thanks B and JD, especially the gracious host, S! =)

On my drive back to Sierramas (in the wee hours of the morning), I had flashbacks of my time here. You know? Like that thing that happens right before you DIE! Haha

All the great beyond fabulous friendships I have formed here; in university, friends of friends who lessened that extra one degree of separation, blogger friends etc. You know who you are! *winks*

All the money I blew away at the malls! Just doing my part to generate the economy! Haha and on toll fare!!!

All the crazy things we have done and places we hung out (destroyed!)...

Most importantly, I met the love of my life in this city! *swoons*

And I bade farewell to the LDP! Sunway Pyramid! 1U! The Curve! Ikano! And the city lights!

I *heart* KL!

Haha but then again, we can save the drama, I will be back next weekend!

Lost in Translation

So yesterday, I found myself, driving Mummy Dearest and two other aunts on a roadtrip to Bahau, Negeri Sembilan (somewhere in the core of Central Peninsular Malaysia). They wanted to visit some long-lost elderly relative.

I swear I never even knew the place existed prior to the trip.

The route there was extremely winding and tricky. I even saw ferocious-looking monkeys (apes?) by the sides of the road. Scary. But miraculously, by some twist of luck or rather my mum's impeccable memory (her last visit here was over 25 years ago), we found the relative's house.

Naturally, all the 'aunties' (my mum included) started recollecting the past, sharing grandmother stories and some catching up.

Relative: Eh I last saw you before you went overseas to study right? Where you studied ah?
Mum: I went to Columbia University.
Relative: COLOMBIA? There they have very famous coffee hor? Cheap or not?

*faints*

After clearing things out with her that Columbia and Colombia are not one and the same...

Relative: Ohhhh, so what did you study there?
Mum: I did a degree in Biology.
Relative: BUY-A-LOJI*??? (loji = plant in Malay) Wah you very expert now in buying loji-s ah? I never knew needed to go to university to buy them. So how many loji-s you have now???
Mum: No, auntie... Biology is the study of animals, plants and humans. The science of living things... *and she went to elaborate...*

And somehow the topic switched to me...

Relative: Wah your son so like giant already. So big boy. (gasp!) What's his name?
Mum: Some call him Joshua.
Relative: JOS-HUA? CHO-HUA (make flowers? in Hokkien) Why la name him that? Want him to grow up become farmer or florist is it? Tsk tsk.

She must really hate me. =(

Relative: Your car so small. 4 people sit somemore. If somebody farts, you all sure faint and collapse. Then how?

Grr...

I think my mum adores my hubby more than she loves me.

Grr.

I do feel sidelined at times. She asks about him and updates all the time.

Me? "I got no time for you-lah, boy!"


She will suddenly fire up and say things like:

"Why can't you be more like (the hubby)?"

"He is such a good influence on you. Makes you behave!"


And the worst hit, "I wonder what does he see in you!" *flashing sinister smile*


I guess I have to be grateful that The Mummy and The Hubby don't hate each other. =)

LOL Nostalgia...

Looking back thru the pages of my highschool yearbook (specifically the one in Form 5, where I was Editor-at-Large)...

Tonnes of sweet memories of our Mean Guys Gang, having personal assistants to buy keropok lekor for us (saves time queueing up at the canteen), crashing the proms of other schools, all the illegal racing on the expressways and having nasi lemak in class, while the rest of the school were at the assembly grounds and among other naughty naughty things. ;P

On another side of things; the time when I played competitive archery in the ASEAN School Games, the many many times we had hotel stays although our homes were a stone's throw away, the time our gang organised a project with 1000% profit (You read that right!!!) and all the crazy drives to Ipoh just for a dimsum breakfast!

Yes, we were all cuckoo teenagers with the hormones on overdrive.

I miss high school!!! =(

But the funniest thing has got to be my profile page.

Joshy - Voted Perkiest Butt in the Senior Class 2003!


ROFL! I totally forgot all about this.

But at least, I didn't win something like "Most Irritating Person of the Year" or "Most Gangsta". Thank Goodness! =)

I have to behave...

... and not party so hard.

Life back in good ol' sunny Penang has been great so far. Never been back for such a long break since forever and now I remember what I have been missing all this while being away.

It's probably sounding a little immature-plus-irresponsible but me, and the few buddies who are still bumming here awaiting our holidays to end, are living it large as we did when we were 17.

Young, carefree, careless and OMG wild.

Surprisingly, we still have a reputation going on (albeit a dying one, seeing that we are dinosaurs by definition in the local youth community) But of course, one can say that this island is so small that it is impossible that people don't know each other.

Honey, so wrong.

In what may seem like an idyllic beach holiday destination to the world, it isn't exactly a bed of roses to grow up in.

Here, you are either somebody OR nobody.

And it ain't easy being in either camp. From what I see, things are getting increasingly malignant. Think Gossip Girl and 90210 but more violent. Less fiction.

But yada yada yada. This can be extrapolated to be like a textbook. More on it next time.

I digress yet again.

I have resolved to not use up all my time being a social moth (cos I ain't nowhere as colourful as a butterfly) and throw those pageant-worthy hi-bye waves with a megawatt-smile more judiciously. Party less, sleep more, save up the ka-ching cash... and hopefully start on a little geeking out and actually study! [cos having too much fun for way too long can actually be kinda tiring and the bad B word]

But then again, I am booked all the way to Chap Goh Meh!

Ah darn, I guess the 'good boy' resolution can wait.


p.s. Hope everybody's having a blast of a wonderful time as well, no matter where you are. Soak in the sun, drink, be merry and stay all the more jolly! =P

Kung Fu Fa Cai!

I mean, Gong Xi Fa Cai and Happy Chinese New Year, everybody!

And to those who don't celebrate the coming of the Lunar Year of the Ox, Happy Holidays to YOU too!!!

Joshy is going on a short hiatus-slash-break from blogging for the next few weeks.

Reasons are as follows: (LOL, sounds like a documented report eh?)

1. Ugh. Never thought I'd complain about holidaying but yeah, it's such a hassle packing-unpacking-repacking for different trips.
2. I am gonna be moving to a new place by March. New start. New environment. Goodbye KL!
3. Well CNY IS the time to be spent with family, collecting angpows, stuffing up on great guilty indulgences and for me, catch up on MY SLEEP!

But fret not, I will still be reading up on other fantabulous blogs whenever I get the chance to. And probably there may some short posts if I encounter anything interesting. So y'all take care of yourselves, drink and be merry, party wild and hard!

I will miss you guys-n-girls! =P

Dot dot dot.

Gosh. This is weird.

I just received a mail from The Ex's Ex. (both are from like aeons before)

And he is visiting my hometown, Penang sometime next month and wants to hang out.



Surely, I am more than willing to show him around town (not that I am very much aware of the tourist attraction spots) and bask in the glory of a great host worthy to boast.

But this is like awkward.

We don't share any animosity and we do acknowledge each other's existence in a very civil manner. Hardly friends though; more of like acquaintances I reckon. He really is a nice guy and sensitive blablabla all that jazz.

So yeah I don't mind meeting up with him and be a tourguide... but, but, but... I don't know what to say to him. To maintain a fulfilling conversation.

What now?

YES to hanging out and probably be better friends? Plus being a good spokesperson for my town?

or

NO, make up some excuse about not being available and continue moving on with our respective lives; with the occasional "Hey just checking if you are still alive!" scribbling on facebook walls.


I honestly don't know.

SOS! Help? Anyone?

I'm Back

It is not easy being a globe-trotting* himbo.
(p.s. I use 'globe-trotting' very loosely in this instance.)


But it helps having great traveling mates. With your iPod blasting amazing tunes.

Also, a credit card when you run out of cash! =P

And phonecalls from the love of your life to warm the cold nights. Aww.


Gotta re-pack for another trip next week kinda bums.

2009 seems to be great thus far. There be greater things to be done here. Be done with nostalgia. We have got a whole life waiting for us ahead.


Love.

Only In Malaysia

How cute right? I never knew the local hospital functions as the SPCA as well? lol

How truly-uniquely Malaysian!

I just had the craziest exams ever... (I must say that the presence of external examiners there truly elevated the stress levels, aihhh all in the name of Quality Assurance)

Tomorrow's the last day and thereafter I shall be a free man! For 7 weeks or so...

And I need to figure out how to spend the time fantabulously... I can't afford to go on holiday for 7 weeks! Any other suggestions?

Probably I should tweak this blog a little bit huh? But I am such a noob la at techy stuff. Anyone wanna help joshy out?


Alrighty.

Have a cheerful and productive week ahead! (or whatever's left of it!)

"Damn Those Angmoh Durians!"

WARNING: The video below is a techno? song performed in the Hokkien Dialect. Hilarity ensues.



Durian Sisters (played by May & Choy) performing 行情坏/Bad Times, although I'd think Lousy Economy is a better translation.

Ah wonders of YouTube!


"Damn those Angmoh Durians!" *quoted verbatim from the movie.

HAHAHAHAHA! At the end of this scene (cut off, obviously), they are seen throwing those star-dagger-thingies at their rivals, the Papaya Sisters (the protagonists)!

Okay technically the twins are NOT angmohs and they are obviously lip-syncing poorly but it's so-funny-I-can-die! Which reminds me how much I love the 881 movie lah~! It never fails to entertain. Royston Tan is a genius... Who else can make such a bombastic movie about the getai industry???

Getai = Stage performances usually in season during the Hungry Ghosts Festival or other Chinese-related Deity/God's birthday/Canonisation Day or something...

Hmm, looking at the video... What kinda bottoms are they wearing? Inverted plastic skirts?

I think I shall upload this song into my iPod =P Just to remind myself that I shouldn't spend too much...

Tell me if anybody wants a translation... cos I am kinda lazy to do it now. LOL


Happy New Year again! 2008 has been a blast...

Probably The Last Post of The Year

Gah! All the studying is driving me mad!

Anyways, this is just gonna uber brief.

1. Christmas Eve was good. Busy busy day, ended with a great dinner at a quaint place with my OTHER family, the friends who made my med school life thus far relatively sane and smooth... and we are notorious as "The English-Speaking-Spoilt-Rich-Kids Gang" LoL
   
2. Then we went back home to continue studying. =(
3. The Christmas long weekend was all about le familia. I love my family. Along with all the drama!
4. Babysitting my nephew and niece is as effective as a few sessions at the gym. LoL
5. Ended Saturday, pissed drunk, at a party. That's all I remember of that night.
6. Discovered that the cufflinks I have longed for actually costs RM55,905 a pair!!!
7. I have run out of storage space for my ties.
8. I am having banana leaf rice wayyy too often. [And I just got back from my 4th nasi daun pisang meal in 2 weeks!]
   
9. And NO, I don't make New Year resolutions cos I never keep up with them. A few weeks down the road, I will most likely forget all about them.
10. The only thing I am looking forward to (with a happy mood) in 2009 is seeing my face in PRESTIGE magazine.

Happy New Year y'all!

Mucho love from joshy!

Paris de Java

Hey people!

I know, I know. It seemed like forever since I last posted anything here and the cyberspace, for that matter. Did you all miss me? Or just didn't notice my absence... lol eitherways I have still tonnes of love to share.

The year is coming to a close. A time where lives are hanging in the balance and we are all going completely bonkers.

Well, the part about losing one's sanity may be exclusively reserved for me.

Gosh, I just sat for the hardest, suckiest exam I have ever encountered in my entire medical school career. Being totally shaken and traumatised, I wasn't very much myself. You know, all the kiss-kiss muah-muah, being totally himbotic in public and cracking lame jokes.

But yeah, the LOTR Symphony with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (and YKLS and KL Children's Choir) did soften the emotional blow a little bit with great music and a night of dressing-up-to-the-nines and splendour with a late supper at Jalan Alor.

But came Monday, I was feeling all down again (and discouraged, a seriously rare condition for my hyperinflated ego).

And so I called a few of my 'reliably crazy and spontaneous' friends and got ourselves on the next flight available to Bandung, Indonesia.

Despite the fact that I have a HUGE professional exams (determining my life and death!) within 2 weeks and I should be grounded in the library, studying all the stocked books.

Sometimes, what a overworked boy really needs is just a holiday away.

And so I (with my entourage of psycho-shoppers) totally painted the highland-plateau-city red/orange/rainbow with our fabulous antics. For the SECOND time in 5 months!

Shopping frenzy, that is.

I think I maxed out my cards cos they didn't work when I tried to get Duty Free alcohol at the airport. Bummer.

Bandung is very popular as a shopping city among Javanese. Jakartans swarm the city on weekends to shop, shop, shop and shop somemore! Which means the connecting Cipularang expressway will be totally jammed like our NSE during the Chinese New Year season. (Good thing we went there on a weekday!)

Probably that's why they hardly advertise this attraction of Bandung as the city of factory outlets of major international brands. I swear, there could have been like 200 over such shops in the city. Sadly, we only visited almost half of that within the 72 hours :(

And there was ZERO chance we could have purchased any counterfeit products cos The Grecian whose Bible is French Vogue, GQ, Details and the sort; was there to supervise our value buys. Lest we commit the unredeemable sin of purchasing some fake stuffs or worse, *gasp* OFF-SEASON fashion!

Bandung is also known for the volcano, Tangkuban Perahu... But yeah, we didn't visit it AGAIN. Retail therapy totally distracted us. "The volcano can wait," said The Singaporean.


Since IT IS A RETAIL THERAPY HOLIDAY, very few photographs were taken. But yeah, this is a sampling of what Bandung (aka Paris de Java, as referred by their colonists) was like for lil joshy boi.

Rumah Mode is one of the largest shops with totally elaborate landscaping. It felt more like an amusement park or monument site with the abundance of Hindu-Buddhism-inspired statuettes.

Es Duren... blergh... No thank you! And Es Shanghai is serious NOT for everybody.

BUT OMG I LURVE ES JERUK & TEH SOSRO. And the BATAGOR & SIOMAY outside The Heritage is da bomb!

LoL yup we totally had a buffet on the flight back.Hardly had time to have proper meals the whole time there. We got our set priorities right you know? *winks*

As I return, feeling somewhat rejuvenated from a fruitful shopping trip, all geared up and ready to face the torments of hitting the books, I revel at the thought:

It's actually kinda nice to be sleeping in my own bed again.

Thanks again for my presents (you know who you are). Big smoochies - you rock!

Take care lovelies! Have a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Joshy is going to be spending Christmas and Boxing Day with his family. Lotsa times to stuff up with Mummy's best recipes and quality time with the nephew and niece.

5 Years Today

'Permanent' by David Cook.

Both of us first met, today, exactly 5 years back... I still remember it almost to crystal-clear perfection. It's really shocking to realise it has been half a decade.

It was at Fort Canning. A mutual friend, T brought D (The Ex, as mentioned in prior post) along for a sightseeing picnic and photography trip. It was a picnic alright, with Coca-cola and Pringles.

A few hours later, I found myself sitting next to him at the Dhoby Ghaut Interchange while waiting for a Red Line train to send me back to Newton. Yes, he was on the same line too; in another direction. We finally started talking. Three hours later, we were still there with a few bucks burnt off our ezlink cards. (SMRT's crazy scheme of having time limits for travels!)

And we hung out the next day. He brought me to his favourite chocolate bar at the Esplanade. (closed down in 2005! Bummer!)

As fate would have it, we ended up in the same JC. Thank goodness we weren't in the same class, or else it might be pretty odd seeing each other for close to 10 hours daily.

We were already chatting on MSN (compared to ICQ back then!) or glued to phone till the wee hours of the morning.

Anyways, we were an item 2 weeks later!

In retrospect, it's pretty hilarious how teensy we were as a couple. We used to write love notes for each other and slipped them into our respective lockers on an almost daily basis. There were times when I found a balloon tied to my locker or when he found his favourite chocolates inside his locker (Okay I hacked in lah, he has this habit of using the same combination for all his locks) among other mushy things.

Not long after, things began to change. Arguments were a daily staple inclusive of the dramatic events (yes, very painful for both of us, I believe!) I figure we were both pretty emo teens back then; me being a dumb 17 year old and he was 16.

We broke up and got back together a few times. Unknowingly, we grew further and further apart. Enter: More emotional tension and a storyline worthy of a Hollywood script. With a pretty ugly climax - the final break-up was a messy one.

We didn't talk for months.

It must have been some miracle or divine intervention cos we started being friends again. Our dynamics worked even better than ever before. From boyfriends to best friends, we grew and matured together.

Throughout the past 5 years, we have each experienced umpteen ups-and-downs and I was his rock and he was my anchor. Haha I wish I could share the traumatic stories, but they are just too damn personal lah.

Argh, I have digressed so much. And this post was supposed to be a short one, within limits of like 300 words max and now I have blabbered on so much.

It's really amazing how our friendship has stood strong against the changing tides of time and distance. Especially, noting how our story unfolded.

It's comforting to know that no matter what happens, he will always be two steps behind. I know he's got my back (when he is not out saving all of humankind!) Of course, I have other fantabulous friends who will also do the same lah, but just focus on him for this post alrighty!

Oh, he is also one of the very few people who I know have zero expectations of me :) That means a lot.


What we have is small but special.

What we share is permanent.

We are permanent.


p.s. I just got a postcard from him! the picture was of Bulls... LOL

Christmas Care Package From The Ex... and Indulgence!

.....after failing to wake up early in an adventure to visit the neighbourhood Starbucks for free coffee (Read Janvier's post for more info) and possibly get another tumbler. Hey, I drink (coffee) like a fish! *I got the last anniversary tumbler at the outlet!*

Yes I wish to stress on the failing. I woke up 4 hrs later. Bummer, no free coffee for me!

Anyhoooooo, just as I was about to leave the house (the grill door was already wide ajar)... the postman came with a package!!!

Whooppeee!!! A present? For me? *obviously, the season's bug has bitten me*

It's kinda huge huh?

And it's from The Ex (in Singapore)...

Short note on the aforementioned-ex: Great guy, hyper-altruistic (seriously, he's a borderline martyr) and we dated for about 4 years (dog years, that is!). The lovestory was far from a fairytale and was fukking complicated; too much drama, not enough sex along with some psychological damage. Okay, maybe the last part is just a half-truth.

Cutting a short story into an even briefer one, we finally decided that we would scrap the romantic part and remain platonic. And for the record, we are more successful at being close friends.

He is one of the 2 ex(s) who are still on talking terms with me and does not actually pray for me to burn in eternal inferno. That's another plus-point.

Oh, did I mention his family operates a uber-huge company in the Lion City?

We last spoke like 3-4 days ago and he didn't mention anything at all, so yeah, this came as a total surprise no doubt! His signature Christmas Care Package!


And I blame him for my affinity to bakkwa. We used to always talk about these dried grilled? slices of pork (and could be very well Singapore's best EXport to the outside world, excluding Stefanie Sun or that Tammy video thingamajig few years back). Not forgetting that we always fight about where the best bakkwa comes from? Penang or Singapore?

So in line with our neverending debate on the issue, he sent over air-tight bite-sized tidbit bakkwa. I wonder if they sell this in the Bee Cheng Hiang branches around Malaysia already?

Okay D! Singapore bakkwa is more progressive!!!

Being a total photography affecionado, he included some of his 'masterpieces' in the package too. SHOW OFF! Haha... Ahhh, how I miss the Esplanade and Kallang River! =(

Ooo, there are two t-shirts too!!! Yeah, these are like all he got me from his various travels around the globe. Whatever happened to local handicrafts? LOL not complaining, a gift is a gift is a gift.


I honestly don't have a clue what this is... a name card designed for me? LOL if only I could call him and question him down to the core, but no, this guy has to go like, skiing in Siberia for the winter holidays!

Oh yes, I have to thank him as well. Haha!

As I digress, I would like to include what has kept me sane and NOT emo, what with the over-the-top stress levels.

The reason why my drives home from KL to Penang takes 7 hours! LOL... detours to the Indulgence Restaurant and Boutique Hotel (which I can never afford).

Fudge on Fudge and The Ultimate Fudge with cream and fresh strawberries!

Fudge on Fudge, served warm... simply irresistible!

Many thanks to the Diva Narcissist Princess from Ipoh for the chocolate lurrve from Ipoh!

Alrighty then. Back to mugging like a crazed student...

*cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail! cannot fail!*

Happy Mid-Week everybody! =)

Sock Me Crazy!

Okay, I'll admit it. I have bloggers' block. And my condition is pretty severe.

But I can't help it!!! I have nothing absofukkinglutely interesting happening in my life right now!

Unless the general public can regard the 'Anatomy of the Human Head and Neck' a great read!

Studying (and other things relevant to school) is pretty much swallowing me up like a black hole. Say goodbye to life for me. I am so totally beyond screwed in my exams =(

Probably it's just me, being horned up and all, but do the paragraphs above have an underlying perverse connotation or what?

Hmm, hey I have blogged about my ties! It seemed like fun huh? Why don't I blog about my sock collection?

Yes Houston, we have contact!

FYI other than ties (and its population in my wardrobe is still increasing), I spend waaayyyy too much on buying socks. Especially dress socks! To most people, they are simply foot-garments and protective gear. (Stinky foot, GO AWAY! NEVER COME BACK PLEASE!)

These three can pay last month's electricity bill!

To me, a good pair of comfy, snuggly and haute socks just makes it a lot easier to survive a hard day (in fact, no specific day in particular!) in the wards/on campus!

No surprise there that a fag legally half-a-fashionista like me must have a collection of socks to totally rock my wardrobe. (Well undies too, but that's another story for another day!)

Affirmative!

It can be still shocking for my himbo-self to receive compliments on my sock selection for the day, on occasion (What about my new Paul Smith shirt? These Banana Republic cufflinks?) It has happened frequently in the past few moons.

But I thank you all the same.

Outrageous? Ahem ahem.
(The one on the extreme right, with the heart, was a gift from The Husband. *swoons*)

H. H. Munro said: "His socks compelled one's attention without losing one's respect"

A lot of things can be said about a man, based on his dressing. His demeanour, estimation of his bank account and how much he loves himself. Shocking to see how many people totally lack some sock-sense. But each man to his own style. I shall leave the judgement to the fashion police.

Like hello! Isn't wearing leather shoes WITHOUT SOCKS a crime?

Stinky foot, GO AWAY! I beg you!

I love to shop for socks (along with everything else) and sock-shopping can be an economical therapeutic experience, when one is borderline-bankrupt and has to consume white congee for meals yet still craves for retail therapy!

I should stop before I blabber on about crazier sock-philosophy. Can't imagine anyone liking that, uhuh? Besides, I am le starving.

Ah, bloggers' block... If my symptoms progress to something of a worse prognosis (I can't imagine what!), I might actually resort to photographing every meal I have, cos boy! I eat a lot!

That's evidence of me committing the ultimate crime in Italian cooking - frying pasta in an aluminium wok!


From the look of the blogs, sounds like everybody is on their best worst behaviour as usual, or worst best (open to interpretation).

Toodles! =)

Has Dating Turned 'Retail'?

It is always depressing to see the campus crowd dwindle down to a bare minimum.

Gosh, it’s like everybody in the School of Medicine has vanished to Bora-bora or Mauritius for their holidays, save for those in Year 2 and Year 3 (like me!) Even now, hardly half of my class attends the lectures anyway. I think the attendance peaked at the movie-screening

(Yes people. Watching a Hollywood blockbuster which was playing from the lecturer’s pendrive is part of our medical curriculum.)

Gah, no more junior eye-candies strutting Banana Republic jackets, Club Monaco slacks and Massimo Dutti shoes.

Reckon it to be even more saddening for Ms. Beauty Queen (who entered medical school to totally inject it with glam and fabulosity – that’s what SHE said). Who has pretty much the eagle-eye.

As we lunched over curry chee cheong fun, she let loose.

“All of us girls’ problems are related to MEN!”

“MENstruation. MENopause. Even that god-darn hyMEN!”

“Like totally,” was all I could blurt out in response, as I chewed on my packed lunch.

Little Bo Peep said, “I am sick of meeting Mr. Wrong.”

“Honey, isn’t dating so much like shopping? You look around the boutique for something that suits your taste. If you’re lucky, you manage to find something. Try it on in the changing rooms and a few fabulous twirls in the mirror…” Ms. Beauty Queen revealed the answer to the Dating for Dummies 101!

“If you don’t like it, put back on the display then!” I butted in.

Ms. Beauty Queen went on. “So very true. We shopaholics, Hallelujah for plastic!, know how sometimes we see something we like on the hangers, and upon trying, ugghhhhh right?”

“While most people assume they understand their own tastes and style, it may not be so simple at the time. A skirt I likey so very much may not bring out my uber pretty legs.”

Little Bo Peep, always seeing a silver lining in every cloud, “Hey, one woman’s poison may be another woman’s meat!”

“Meat indeed, Little Bo Peep!” I coughed.

*smacks me really hard* She continued, “Some of my galpals met their boyfriends on The Net.”

Ms. Beauty Queen: “I was never really a firm believer in online shopping.”

So has dating morphed into what-now-resembles retail? Is searching for Mr. Right an adventure similar to shopping for T-shirts?

What happens if the design you just purchased goes out-of-season?

“Next?”

In another un-related fashion emergency, like OMG, what on earth am I going to wear to the Graduation Awards Photoshoot tomorrow???

Help!!!

Oh yeah, I won ‘Himbo of the Class’ Award FYI! *beams*

Lunch With The Barbie Dolls

God, save my mortal soul!

My life for the past few days have been mostly revolving around my 350+ lecture notes, mountainous textbooks that never seem to end, and my coffee [Oh I love my Davidoff coffee! I am more than an addict!]. I reckon my sleep-wake cycle has altered to that of a nocturnal being. What else can you call a guy who retires to bed at around 6-7am and rises to (what else?) continue on the crazy revisions from lunchtime (tea break time, if I am really drained).

It's like my day is coordinated to the UK timezone... GMT 0.00 hrs.

Plus, being grounded at home is detrimental to my mental health.

Okay, technically the last time I left my postal code zone was on Saturday for the Les Mills GX Instructors' Quarterly Workshop. And the last 'hangout' was Friday dinner in Bangsar (which somebody was NOT invited along to).

But it felt like effing forever and ever after already.

Imagine my joy when my girl-friends called me out for luncheon today. Yup, the same bunch of Barbie Dolls. Almost plastic, they are.

Okay, with more normal make-up palettes el finito.

What makes a wonderful meal is the quality of conversations, no? But we were getting dagger stares from the crowd at the restaurant. I swear we would have been exiled to the 21SX room, if there was one.

"All that I really need after a rough week is some quality girltime like this!" Natasha said.

I was flabbergasted, "Like hello? What am I doing here then? Are you implying something, Nat?"

She responded, "Oh no munchkin, I don't mean it like that. We need all the testosterone you have in you. If you were a full-fledged queen, we'd be fighting for the same guys. Haha."

Err, ya right.

"One of the primary reasons we love you is that you are gay!" Samantha disclosed.

Thank you for announcing my sexual orientation to the whole restaurant, Miss Jones.

Then it began.

"I have a question," said Eleanor. "Is it okay to dump a guy just because he is a bad kisser?"

Natasha thinks out loud, "That's awfully harsh of you, Elle!"

"I swear his tongue was all over my mouth. I could even feel him licking my teeth."

"He raped my face!" Eleanor said. "I am NEVER EVER seeing him again!"

"Yeah, the next thing you'd know is his tongue inside your stomach," said Samantha.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

"Oh well, I think my boyfriend is a pretty boring guy. He's sweet and all. So I just cook-up some excuse to pick a fight with him."

You go, Stella!

"He is so sexy when he tries to make his point."

"You mean, when he makes his woody point? Haha. Otherwise, he is just a plain block of wood huh?"

LOL!

"Seriously, what has happened to pool of guys here?" Samantha continues.

"It's like they have this sign on, 'DON'T DATE ME, I AM NO GOOD!' "

"Joshy's board says, 'DON'T DATE ME, I PREFER PENISES!" Natasha added.

This is what I get for taking time out to chill with these old friends - Public Advertisement as a homo manwhore.

Nat, "Whatever happened to the guys of our dreams?"

"Intelligent, but not a bookworm. Sensitive but still masculine. Sharp looks, well-dressed gentlemen who are not fat, old or a gnome," Eleanor, the new graduate-Actuarist, lists her strict criteria out.

"Elle, who do you think you are? Blair Waldorf?"

Obviously American teenage dramas is their new religion, especially for Samantha, the journalist.

Either ways, she carried on, "Those guys are most probably dating each other anyway."

Wait, did she just winked at the pretty hunkadory cashier? While adjusting her bra-strap? *faints*

Obviously excited, Eleanor went into her matchmaking mode.

"Hey, I may have someone Natasha might like. Mr. ABC. What about him?"

*pitch raised a few keys too high* Nat: "ABC? Are you kidding? He is somewhere between Mormon and Moron!"

Then it went down the road to this topic - SEX!

Sure, some of us have had it and some of us haven't, but the truth is, we're all thinking about it and clearly, the four of us are talking about it. There's the which-college/university-has-the-most-sluts, which always involves some person sleeping with a lecturer or staff. Guess what? Even in med school, it happens. LOL

Then, there's the who-would-you-do-it-with-if-you-could-do-it-with-anyone thingy kinda quiz, which almost always is a celebrity like Robert Pattinson these days.


Needless to say, we couldn't stop talking about sex. Well, the 3 horned-up Barbie Dolls couldn't. I mostly just observed. Cross my heart and hope to die!

And now that I've spilled my guts, I herewith give you permission to spill yours. Don't be shy. After all, it's anonymous right? Unless you don't want it to be. ;P

Have a kick-ass week and try to not lose or break anything that I wouldn't like lost or broken. Wink wink!

Up The Butt

Adventure.

Hmm, a guy like me sure loves that word. How exciting!

An exploration into an unfamiliar space, especially when it's somewhere very few people have gone before. Sometimes, an adventure can be a strong proof on how well a person has challenged his personal limits on so many levels.

After all, isn't adventure is defined as any activity comprising of risky, dangerous and uncertain experiences?

No people, I am NOT talking about my hike up Mount Kinabalu; which by the way was a life-defining moment.

Ah yes, *cue suspense musical theme* this is a note on me shoving my finger up the asshole of an elderly man.

As part of the training in Clinical Skills, we (medical students, in general) have to learn how to perform a per rectal examination... BUT ONLY ON PLASTIC MODEL BUTTS SO FAR!!!


So imagine my anxiety and fear when the General Surgeon (who FYI is kinda hot and omg is now my Idol No. 2) instructed me to do it on a middle-aged man with benign prostatic hypertrophy [basically, an enlarged prostate; a normal, non-pathological incidence].

A truly unexpected journey and adventure into the unknown alright. Where the sun don't shine.

Even explaining the whole procedure to the patient was like OMG.

"Mr. XYZ, today I am going to perform an examination on your prostate* and this requires me to insert my finger(s) into your butt anus (oops! jargon!) the place you pass motion from."

"It may be a little uncomfortable but it shouldn't cause any pain. If there's pain anytime during the procedure, please don't hesitate to stop me."

"May we begin?"

All in HOKKIEN!!!

As I gloved up and lathered rather generous amounts of KY Jelly onto the area covering my index finger, I had an internal monologue "I am going in now, so HELP ME GOD!"

I quickly inserted the said finger into his you-know-where and there it was. The warmth totally made me shiver. "Oh nooo... LET ME OUT!!!"

Right at that moment, The General Surgeon said, "Okay, Mr XYZ. We're doing good. Now, you need to squeeze your muscles as tight as you can on Joshua's finger."


And strongly he did. I WAS STUCK! There was no turning back! *Note to report: Good anal tone

"Okay okay, calm down Joshy boi. You can do this like a professional," I said to myself.

Then my himbo alter ego (unnamed as of today) popped out and responded, "Ewww. this is fukking gross. I feel violated"

However, I successfully manage to kick the abovementioned alter ego back into hiding.

Yes, I was deluded.

Finding myself stuck (in more ways than one) in such an unfathomable situation which I was abruptly thrown into, I had to remain calm and strong.

Even if it included lying to myself. "Wait, is it really MY finger inside that uncle's butt?"

All the psycho-mental babble took a grand total of approximately 3.57 seconds.

With a few swipes, feeling the rectal and prostate surface, I was done.


"Retreat with respect!"

"Exit the same way you entered, slow and steady" were among the things The General Surgeon subsequently drilled into my almond-sized brain that morning.


Once out (and then there was light!), inspect the glove for shit, blood, mucus, tissue etc. [I heard some other med schools make students SNIFF the glove *faints*]

Yup, and the novelty of the procedure went out the window right there and then.

Tell me what am I doing in med school again?

All you need is the right guy, and the right amount of lube. ;P

p.s. NO, being a sexually-active gay young man does not make me well-adapted and MOST DEFINITELY not an EXPERT at this.

p.p.s *If anyone knows what prostate is called in Malay/Tamil/Mandarin/Cantonese/Hokkien, please let me know! It will be a great help to me

p.p.p.s. All pictures featured in this blog is of the plastic model prostate examination simulator set used by my university.