World Cup vs Gold Coast vs Sleep

i want to watch England vs Ecuador..and also Netherlands vs Portugal (go Holland!)..but i'm so sleepy..slept at 4am only for 4 hours after watching Germany beat Sweden.. almost fell asleep in church today..still need to pack for my trip to Gold Coast on Tuesday..room's a mess..head's a mess..going to city tomorrow......................................... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

An Evening on the Futsal Pitch

Who says that a guy named Gary can't play futsal? (ironically there's another Gary in our team who is the striker [sigh, my name is not special anymore :p]) I felt the need to have a go at a game since I am bored for now. So there I was, filling in the boots of a defender (i was wearing my M205 Orientation t-shirt). True: I can't dribble. True: I rarely score goals (all my goals scored are due to careless defending rewarded by me poaching in the right place at the right time) True: my mistakes as a goalkeeper cost us some goals quite some time back (although when i became keeper for the first time i was invincible for 3 matches)..but today, up against some formidable opposition, we showed them that if they want to score, they'll have to work for it..my role for today sounded simple: marking and ball-clearing (ie kick the ball far far away)..wasn't as easy as i thought, being a defender against this opponent requires a lot of running (we relied on long balls for attack)..and boy was i damn tired after the game.. (a fellow teammate jokingly asked me to go in two-footed on the opposition, aka destroy the opposition.. haha - since i accidentally KO'ed a few people in the past before, why not? :p) but i'm happy at what we achieved..(2 games, 1st game lost 1-0, 2nd game lost on penalties).. i hate to lose, but i played well, we gave them a hard time, and the better team won.. i'll be back next time; with my Arsenal jersey..

4 things i hate about this year's World Cup

Disappointing:
1. Why do France and Spain meet so early in the tournament?
2. Why does Italy have to beat the Czech Republic? Why in the world did the US have to concede a penalty at halftime? (i was hoping for both matches to end in draws or US beats Ghana so that Italy and Czech go through)
3. Why the heck did Ghana go through into the last 16? (but don't really care, hopefully without key players like Essien and co. who are suspended, Brazil will beat them up nicely..)
4. Why are we going to see at least an underdog like Ukraine or Switzerland in the quarterfinals?

Well, at least most big guns made it through and it was not a total nightmare like the one in Korea and Japan 4 years ago..

Reflections: Living on Borrowed Time

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven;
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a tiem to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Random bits and pieces

For some reason I can't think of anything to blog now..anywayz, will be going Gold Coast for holidays, so stay tuned for tonnes of pix coming in the near future..

I've put on weight..pants are getting tighter since during exam period i developed the ability to gobble down 2 packs of Mars bars (12 in a pack).. and since taekwondo is in recess, i'm experiencing physical inactivity.. No!!!(wait, should i be complaining, this is more like girlie stuff leh..) anywayz, financial status: broke. thanx 2 my clumsiness during Easter camp at Great Ocean Road (i fell into the river while canoeing and lost my specs, make new one cost AUD400), ended up borrowing money from people every month to cover my expenses (dare not ring back home and ask for more money..)

darn..mind is blank now..duno leh what to talk about..

Convocation at Robert Blackwood Hall

I would like to come back to Melbourne after 5 years to graduate here..
(Picture from Screenshots - http://www.jeffooi.com)

Australian National Anthem

Advance Australia Fair

Australians all let us rejoice,

For we are young and free;

We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;

Our home is girt by sea;

Our land abounds in nature’s gifts

Of beauty rich and rare;

In history’s page, let every stage

Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair.

Blogitis

i've been going on a blogging spree lately..maybe i'm bored..maybe i just felt like it...or maybe i just caught a new disease, with presenting symptoms which include excessive addiction and desire for blogging..

Are you a doctor? Coz you don't look like one..

"Honestly you don't look like a future doctor to me lor.." a friend of mine commented during lunch just now..not really the kind of words I would want to hear after collecting my mock OSCE (refer to an earlier post on Mock OSCE) results.. i passed by the way..(yea so happy :p, although not without some screw-ups..)

but come to think of it, he's right in a few ways:
1. what kind of doctor would use indecent language such as %*$#%..censored..%*$#%? (it's now a rare sight in me, but still sometimes it happens) what kind of doctor would say ridiculous, out of this world things which are uncharacteristic for somebody studying medicine (i don't feel the need to specify what i mean by this) sure..many med students do it..Malaysian med students do it, locals here do it..so what...it doesn't mean I have to follow..
2. the tantrums are still there when things don't go my way..

but I am still learning (Monash motto: Ancora Imparo), with His help..
for the first time, kena humbled unexpectedly by a layperson who may well represent one of my potential future patients..what a remarkably stark difference to what people have said to me in the past..
"....I am sure you would go on become a good and successful doctor."
said by:
My A-Levels deputy program director
My A-Levels biology teacher
The GP of my site visit
My PBL tutor
The head of the emergency department of the hospital where I volunteered
and a few more whom I am sure of but can't quite recall..
guess you really can't be complacent and take things for granted these days..
but wait a minute..whose expectations am i to follow? do i even have the right to daydream of the thoughts in green? good doctors usually did not expect too much of what people have to say about them..they just go about doing their job dedicatedly, with empathy, sympathy, no complaints about the patients, working hours, pay, stress etc. these are the criteria which i feel fit the description of a good doctor (they are also the features i mentioned during interview when asked)..a senior once told me; "the best brains don't make the best doctors". A gold medallist from an Indian med school was fired because she sutured the patient's outer skin into his own laceration..all the knowledge stuck in the brain but not put into practice..still wana go for the dean's list?

speaking of pride and tantrums..
i remembered when I was in Taylor's..i got an offer from Manchester..i was ecstatic..what more can i ask for? top 5 University in the UK, behind Oxbridge and the London University Colleges.. research intensive..state of the art facilities..multicultural campus plus the UK experience..the university's rep and my college's Deputy Program Director (DPD) congratulated me for the offer..for a moment i was on top of the world..imagine going from being on Cloud 9 to the world crashing down on you..

i was told by parents that i cannot go to Manchester..why? no money...(there are a couple of personal stuff which this stems from which i shall not elaborate on this to avoid further probing and unnecessary provocation) from that moment, totally devastated.. in the midst of this, i remembered doing possibly one of the stupidest things i have ever done in my life; telling God, "Why in the world are you doing this to me? I am one of the top 5A students.. I DESERVE (x10) my hard-earned place to go to the UK!!" (maybe that's why although expectations were running high from everyone, i got humbled in the A2 final exams, got a B for my Maths..) i should be happy.. i should be thankful.. i secured my entry into IMU..my results met the standard for entry into medicine anywhere in the world (except Melbourne uni)..but for some reason I was not..lost my appetite, turned my bedroom upside down into a tsunami disaster zone.. i was so disappointed of having let my teachers down..that night totally cannot sleep; wondering how in the world did those DOTA freaks get the better of me (for some reason now I'm a DOTA freak myself).. voices were ringing in my head included compliments from my friend's parents such as, "Gary don't bluff lar..You teacher said that you are very hardworking, attentive, she is very confident of you scoring straight A's.." Pride leads to downfall..lesson I learnt on humility.. bitter pill to swallow..

IMU was seen by me as a second chance to pursue my ambitions..i was given a warning that my only options were the cheaper unis of New Zealand (Auckland, Otago) and Australia (Adelaide, UWA, Newcastle, Tasmania)..but being the don't-give-a-damn type, i started saving money (the pathetic way; RM2 per day, keep new and crisp notes of RM5 and RM10)..since I was harbouring the sad, tiny hope of entering Melbourne or UK and having some cash handy then for additonal expenses.. (sorry ler, i should have been born Singaporean lar..so kiasu)

I remembered at 3.30pm on 2nd December 2005..Monash Malaysia called..my first response was, "Why the dilemma again??".. Honestly that phone call "Congratulations Gary, you have received an offer" was totally unexpected since i was hoping that they would have rejected me already after i reluctantly went for the interview (so that i can stay)..My prayers of desperation were initially answered when my parents miraculously decide to give IMU a chance (i can forget India)..Why uproot me now from a place which I am happy to have settled in? Signing the letter at the education fair accepting my offer was one of the hardest things for me to do..for the second time in 6 months I was wallowing in self-pity..

Today it struck my mind, that maybe I was so foolish all along..Finally I saw the reason why i probably ended up in Australia..Why do I need the UK / to stay at IMU when:
1. I am going to get stuck with the immigration rules there, postgrad cannot complete, RM1 million wasted by having to come back and work..(maybe He saw this coming, and saved me the trouble)
2. I may not like a curriculum which is 90% do-your-own-research PBL from the start.
3. I can take the USMLE and go to the US, or maybe do my MRCP later..Australian degree, UK specialisation, work in the US..sounds great..
4. I pay Malaysian fees and get the same medical degree of an Australian university ranked in the top 50 of the world (way above almost all of IMU's PMS) - plus additional bonus: best of both world's teaching (1 year Clayton, 1 year Sunway and opportunities for cross-cultural intercampus exchange)..
5. I get to do dissection for the last time before it gets abolished next year
6. I am learning how to cook here (something other than Maggi mee)
7. Monash is willing to listen (we get our chance to have a say in how the program is run at Monash Malaysia)
8. I am getting to know more people (more connections)
9. I am privileged to be part of a different culture
10. I went to and will be going places which I have never thought of being able to go (Philip Island - saw penguins, Melbourne city centre in conjunction with Commonwealth games festival, Planetshakers, Easter camp at Great Ocean Road, Gold Coast, Cairns, ski trip - snow!!! etc) ..good thing to visit these places now, otherwise no time for these already in clinical years..
11. Beautiful campus, large and space aplenty..
12. Refer to Sunday Star Education on 9 April 2006 :p
13. Last and most importantly, serving a wonderful CG and church down here..

I am not saying that I have totally gotten rid of my short temper or proud attitude..Honestly, I do not deserve all this, but I believe that there are more things to come. I really don't know what to say..Thank you Lord.. (no offence to the IMU folks..i still really miss IMU's orientation style and less-packed timetable)

I've had various dreams in the past; family, exams, overseas experience (used to be UK, but now i'm happy with Australia) and other things 'yang sewaktu dengannya' :p. Is it wrong to have dreams and aspirations? I don't think so. In one way, I felt that it has given my life more meaning, something which drives me when things aren't looking too good, something which causes me to strive hard for what I really really really want (although i must admit i procrastinate and can be considered quite lazy at times :p). Do dreams change people? I think they do, both for better or for worse.. But the most important thing i feel we need to ask is; who or what is at the centre of our dreams? Are we doing things by our own strength or by His? Right now I can't really see the future..I can go on wondering, "What kind of doctor will I become?", but I leave that to You.

Oh, and sorry for being such a perfectionist..this post has been edited no less than 10 times :p

Photoblog 6 (Autumn: The Beginning of the End)

Autumn Leaves (Picture from Screenshots: http://www.jeffooi.com)

Federation Square in autumn (Picture from Screenshots: http://www.jeffooi.com)
Howitt Hall

Ivy's Birthday (belated post)

Hmm..dim sum..(long time didn't eat dy..i like!)
Jeffrey: Look, I am going to perform a magic trick with closed eyes..see the teapot cover switch places with my nose :p
Antonius: Porridge again ar..? (shark fin soup oh shark fin soup i miss you..) :p
Rachel: Why is there a fly swimming freestyle in my tea ar?
Ian: Stop taking my photo!
Posing under the sun (those on the left side got enlightened)
Roarr!!! Hungry lion pretending to call for pizza..

A-Levels..PM6 Class of 2004/2005

Rememberingthe fact that it has been 1 year already since I officially completed my Cambridge A-Levels at Taylor's College..

Happy Birthday Serene and Cheryl..!

Birthday cake
Pizza
Cheryl, one of the birthday girls (sorry lar Serene, who ask you to follow Malaysian timing some more lar hah..padan muka no photo lolz :p)
Caesar's salad
Calamari rings
Serene: Ok, since I 'm the oldest tai ka jie of the 2 here today I shall have the first and largest piece of cake! (lolz..come late wana lebih-lebih pulak..afterwards we finish the cake let you eat the strawberry only baru tau :p)
Pose for the camera! (aiyo, Cheryl don't blink lar..)
Outside the restaurant after dinner..(who's that 'sesat' guy wearing Kingston United jacket? :p - Jeffrey)
Michael (far right) trying to do a model pose, but 'tak jadi' :p
Glen Waverley ice cream shop we went to after dinner..
Another view of the restaurant (Sofia's)

Funny Articles, Episode 1

NST
Amir Muhammad on Thursday
Going bananas over fritters

A raging debate. Is it ‘pisang goreng’ or ‘goreng pisang’?THE eminent historian Jonathan Swift, who lived thousands of moons ago, once wrote of a conflict between two groups of people: Those who believed eggs should be broken at the broad end, and those who strongly felt they should be broken at the narrow end.

He estimated that 11,000 people had been killed for refusing to be small-end egg-breakers. Even the century he lived in, the 18th, was referred to as the Egg of Enlightenment. In Malaysia, a similar war is on the verge of being waged. This time the produce isn’t eggs but bananas. A huge conflict is brewing between those who feel fried bananas should be called goreng pisang and the other side, who prefer pisang goreng.

For decades the people of this peninsula have referred to the yummy things as goreng pisang. This strictly speaking should denote an action rather than an object, but it somehow stuck. Goreng pisang became an indispensable part of the social and cultural life, as seen in weddings and parties.

Then in the last quarter of the last century, the anti-goreng pisang movement was started by firebrand elements who had been educated overseas. Filled with the righteous fervour of youth, they demanded that this popular snack be referred to only as pisang goreng from now on, and that any other terminology would be unacceptable. The public would not even be allowed to choose the term they prefer. "That would be giving in to the forces of pluralism and liberalism," says a bearded spokesman. "Goreng pisang is a term from The Dark Ages," he continues. "Every time someone says it, our dead ancestors would be insulted. They didn’t know enough about grammar then, the poor things.""This is quite worrying," says Suspuria Chen of the human-rights NGO called Hakmu."For centuries people have lived in tolerance and mutual respect no matter how they fried their bananas and named them. Now there is a growing push to narrow the boundaries of civil society."

The bearded spokesman dismissed her criticism by saying: "She should not be commenting. She doesn’t even eat bananas."This debate is strictly for banana eaters. Non-banana eaters are cautioned to stay away from all banana-related discussion as it could lead to trouble."The sellers of fried bananas are the ones most affected by this potential clash of terminology."I live in fear," says a Kampung Cendana seller who refused to be named for fear of recrimination."I put up a sign advertising goreng pisang only to find it torn down the next day. The pisang goreng movement is very persistent in this area."

This movement will not just focus on bananas but plans to branch out. "Our next target is Perdana Menteri," he says, causing us to gasp in shock. "Why is it not Menteri Perdana? Surely that is more correct, since perdana is an adjective. Perdana Menteri makes no sense."

When asked if this means that the pisang goreng movement has political aims, he says: "Bananas and politics must always go together."The idea of separating them is a Western one designed to weaken the foundations of our plantation industry."Just for fun, this worthy organ asked the bearded spokesman to weigh in on the small-end versus large-end controversy about eggs that existed centuries ago."All egg eaters are damned no matter what they do," he says cheerfully.

A rare sight caught on film

A MOTION-TRIGGERED camera yesterday captured the image of a Very Important Person paying his traffic fines. This is believed to be the first time that such a rare sight has been captured on film.

The VIP spent less than 20 minutes in the office and three distinct photographs of him were captured by the high-tech camera, which is designed to go off only when it detects the sound of expensive shoes. In two of those shots, the VIP’s face and name-tag were clearly visible.

The incident occurred at 9.15am at the Jalan Dugong Road Transport office. "Even the location is perfect," says media commentator G. Pundeet. "A VIP who actually pays his fines is rarer than a dugong.""But the fact that this needs to be commented on," continues the seasoned commentator over a naan meal, "is itself problematic.

We obviously now expect all our VIPs to dodge fines. Why have we become so cynical?"Not everyone is so analytical. "We are just thrilled," says the spokesman for a conservation body. "For years, international commentators have thought that this species was extinct in Malaysia. But we have proven that at least one survives. Maybe more can be coaxed to come out of the concrete jungle."

The body will lobby for a postage stamp to be printed with the image of this endangered species: "After all, children have never seen one before and we don’t know how many are still alive."

Photoblog 5 (Snapshot Wars Episode 2: Sights and Sounds of a Beautiful City)

Flags of the Commonwealth nations
QV Shopping Complex
State Library
Melbourne Town Hall from another angle
Yarra River
Federation Square
Bali Memorial
Flinders Street Station
Victorian Arts Centre
Federation Square at a closer look

Photoblog 4 (Snapshot Wars Episode 1: Melbourne Misadventures)

Melbourne Town Hall
Australia messed up our fish (look at next photo)
That is probably the ugliest thing I have ever seen :p
Yarra river and MCG in the background What are you looking at? Meet my new buddy :p
Like my new car? (another potential future occupation if cannot become doctor; replace Michael Schumacher lolz..confirm will attract many female fans :p)

My spare car (Philip will be so jealous :p)
This is what happens if you have been waiting 100 years for the bus..

Photoblog 3 (CCM Narnia Nite)

Photoblog 2 (Monash Medical Faculty Transition Residential Camp, Philip Island)

possibly the most ridiculous thing i have ever done at the camp
Nope, i wasn't paid to do this..
Signboard you won't find in Malaysia
Transition group mates
Lakeside view
Giant swing on a cloudy day
Me preparing to go on the giant swing :p

Breakfast!
The Monkeys from Monash Malaysia