Itty-Bitty World of MINE.

Te Amo

2012-02-18T05:26:00.000-08:00

I would spend hours and hours at Skype, for them:

I just realised I missed out pictures with my San Jie Jie!!!! Must take at least one when we skype the very next time.

Sigh, how I miss home. How I miss those people I love so much.

Love, Katherine.

Too special the boy

2012-02-10T05:11:00.000-08:00

Was talking with Ken over skype, just last night.

He, tried to get the best out of me, not giving in for the sake of giving in, even reasoned me out for my demands.

I never felt, not knowing what to do, not getting things my way, but having to discuss things over rationally. He's such a weird boy, making me feeling weird over feelings that I never experienced before.

I know i can be myself, with him around. Feeling safe knowing he would be there. Madness.

Thank you my sweetheart.

Can't wait to be back in Belfast! Argh, Derry why you so far from Belfast?

Love, Katherine.

Last Christmas :)

2012-02-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

I had it at Barcelona :D

It was a beautiful trip (minus off the part where Jon got pick-pocketed and i nearly got robbed).

I love the weather, it was sunny and happy!

We visited Casa Batllo, designed by Gaudi. He's amazing! Just look at how beautiful the architecture is:

He's a genius! The architecture is so colourful and lively, with elements of nature in it.

Then, the legendary Sagrada Familia:

It was still under construction when we visited since 1882, but it already looking so magnificent! Isn't that something? :)

A lot more beautiful pictures taken at Barcelona but I am really too lazy to get them all up ;p

Just last 2 pics showing my favourite food at Spain:

Paella!!!!

I can never get enough of it ;)

Would want to visit Barcelona again, since we missed out on Park Guell and the beach~

Till then, I shall work hard on saving for travelling ;)

Love, Katherine.

Bombshell.

2012-02-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

it's scary, when changes hit you so badly, and you are caught not having sufficient time to adapt, and most importantly, to get used to it.

it's all a mess, but am sorting out step by step, little by little.

just glad that he stays, despite how crazy situations can be, or how insane i can be.

love, katherine.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

May many many happy returns to my family and friends.

I miss my family and friends.

There's no distance between when we're close at heart.

To my loved ones, thank you for being involved in the year before, and I look forward to new memories in the year coming. I wish all beautiful and amazing things happen around and to yous.

It's gonna be a great year of Dragon ahead!

Love, Katherine.

Happy 2012 :)

2012-01-16T08:57:00.000-08:00

Brand new year ahead, with loads and loads of changes as a start.

Celebrated my 1st new year at Belfast with amazing Queen's people, and flew to Liverpool to visit Jeff right then.

Travel around England, starting off with Liverpool, then Chester, then London and finally Cambridge.

The places are so beautiful and i had so much fun with the my beloved Yvonne and Yi Ying.

*know that yous will be reading this: THANK YOU SO SO MUCH for the time and effort spent! yous do know that i love yous loads!*

Came back to Belfast on the 8th and got the biggest surprise of my life.

Thanks for popping the question and made me one very happy girl. I shall call him Mr. K onwards.

He makes me smile, he makes my mind runs like a roller coaster. Things have been great and let's just hope that it keeps getting better. :)

Started my 1st and last Student Selective Component on Cystic Fibrosis. It has been grand! M taking in more than I expected, learning is fun with great tutors and hospital staffs. The timetable was mad during the 1st week and today, i got to work on patients' sputum at the lab. Priceless experience with the presence of green sputum.

So yea, that's what has been going on since 1st Jan 2012. crazy how changes take places and fit into moments at its perfect pace, isn't it? Still loving my family and friends as ever, with an additional Mr. K this year. Everything's fantastic so far, and fingers crossed, again, for everything to keep getting brighter.

To my family and friends, wishing yous good health and wealth! May yous-know-who-yous-are obtain great achievement in studies, and make your loved ones proud of yous. We will all be working hard together, looking after each other's back, forever it will be :)

Love, Katherine.

of butterflies!

2012-01-15T04:15:00.000-08:00

one week and still counting :)

love, katherine.

2012-01-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

to quote my darling vonne:

'a relationship is a two-way traffic, not a one way street.'

*like*

that's why i call her my BFF, no, most of the time, more than BFF.

love, katherine.

2011-12-23T01:25:00.000-08:00

jetting off to barcelona in 3 hours!

holiday begins!! :D

last month..

2011-12-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

on my birthday, we went to this restaurant called the other place.

brilliant brilliant food!

was happy and had fun with lovely people! :D

so yea, here's a glance of us at the restaurant:

just a glance. ;p

love, katherine.

after so long.

2011-12-12T13:43:00.000-08:00

after 3 months, 2 weeks and 4 days, 3 of us are together again! (oh well, not really together together, but skyping together is the best we could have, for now)

though we're a dreadful distance apart, it didn't change the way we talk, the way we open our hearts to each other.

me, becky and kris.

was so reluctant to say goodbye. it's the hardest word and i learn to say every goodbye the hardest way. :')

2 very precious people in my life. promise we will attend each other's graduation ceremony, promise promise.

don't know when our next reunion will be, but i certainly look forward to the day, 3 of us hugging together, jumping in joy seeing each other's faces again.

love, katherine.

only 'ewwwwwww'

2011-12-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

to fatfat:

HAPPY 22ND!

one year older, one year wiser, one year happier.

may you have great joy on your birthday!

thanks for being my oldest friend, seeing me change from a girl, to uhm, not-yet-a-woman?

you are one gift in my life that i couldn't be asking for more.

wishing you all the best in your future undertakings, find more happiness and stay as true as you can be!

happy birthday love!

love, katherine.

2011-12-09T06:01:00.001-08:00

i, speak like a little girl to my papa and mama.

always and forever, the 3-year-old girl i will be.

miss home. badly.

love, katherine.

XxX

2011-12-08T03:41:00.000-08:00

7th till 8th december, marked my 1st mystery bus tour.

Mystery is a such a beauty.

love, katherine.

1st snow ever at Belfast!

2011-12-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! just so happy it's indescribable :)

a beautiful end to the weekend, and a wonderful start of another week!

yes, in the pyjamas, didn't want to miss the best part of the snow, grabbed my puffer and literally ran to the snow :)

THE SNOW!

snow and friends, best combination ever! :)

unforgettable night <3

love, katherine.

Just another birthday :)

2011-11-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

who says birthday is all about partying and going out?

on my birthday, i have to attend morning clinical teaching at the hospital.

nothing much to do in the afternoon, cz most of my friends are still at the hospital attending their classes as well.

so i have the whole afternoon to myself, thinking of skyping with my mama, then study for a bit, take a wee nap, prepare for tomorrow's tutorial, and that's pretty much how it's going to be till dinner with fellow friends at a restaurant.

look forward to the dinner and as for now, it's work time.

wanna get my mind off the result of my case reported collected this morning.

my mistake, to have jolted something heard, not seen, not examined by myself.

my bad. there's nobody to blame, except myself.

good lesson learnt, never trust what was told easily no matter how, no matter what.

everybody lies. that's an indestructible truth.

another point to note, be very honest to yourself.

i was told there's jaundice, but i could have checked before writing it down.

i could have done better, no, i can do very well in report writing.

not being honest with one particular info, my bad. i shouldn't have. big fat mistake.

talked to my consultant or rather, my consultant wanted to talk to me.

explained to him that i gotten the info after discussing with my groupmates, i cross my heart it's true, but i doubt how much damage i could mend.

good birthday eh?

on the brighter side, i am loving all the wishes received at facebook, via texts, via phone calls, via skype. they are all so lovely, and am really thankful to have meet and known so many awesome people, around the world, from all walks of life. i really do appreciate all the wishes, that warm my heart and make me smile.

being so far away from home, i thank the IMU ppl who came to belfast with me, putting in so much effort in the surprise last night.

the oreo cheesecake and the present, and most importantly, the effort and time, regardless how busy we all are right now, especially during weekdays when there are reports and tutorials to do.

i was really touched. i don't know how am i going to do without all these ppl.

really have to thank siew yee, for being there, cheering me up and listening to me bout my case report, with beautiful cupcakes and chocolate moose cake. that was really sweet of her. i am really thankful to have someone so sweet and caring around.

the national phone call, from home is the best gift of the year. those precious words and love.

i love my family. always and forever. i cried, the moment my daddy said 'i am sorry i couldn't buy you anything now, but when you get home next year'. it's not about the present, but the thought of making me happy that counts.

so yea, on my very birthday, nothing stops because it's my birthday. i have to get my work done, i have to keep my head up, and everyone else have to keep moving on.

as long as i am happy, everyday could be my birthday.

today is not the ultimate day for absolute happiness, i am fine with everything that's happening till now. be it crap or fab, i am grand.

it's more about growing up and growing wise.

i am not a little girl who needs everything to be fabulous and magical anymore, the taste of reality suits me better these days.

i am done for now, and will post up some pictures of the wee surprise and dinner soon.

happy birthday to me. being 22, is indescribable.

love, katherine.

2011-11-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

mummy and lil boy just sang me birthday song over skype.

T_______________T

y home so far?

love, katherine.

people change.

2011-11-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

i change.

so much when i looked back, i couldn't find the old me.

those who accepted me for who i am, i love you guys.

those who see me through all the changes, family and friends, i thank you so so much.

turning 22, it's just another number.

i am not going to stop changing, that's how it's gonna be.

not being able to celebrate with my family is like having one empty hole in the perfect piece of birthday cake right in front of me. how i wish they know how much i love and miss them.

actually i don't know how to celebrate without family and closed friends around. sad.

looking around, unfamiliarity is the new familiarity.

somehow, i quite like it that way :)

just some random shit talk. i am too lazy to start on my portfolio, finding anything to do but to start with it.

love, katherine.

2 very important men in my life.

2011-11-21T13:21:00.000-08:00

me: 'daddy, can't see your eyes. open them big BIG'

daddy: 'they are just like your eyes'

*daddy, lil bro and silly me laughing off*

i, love those smiles. :)

love, katherine.

oh my neck.

2011-11-21T07:18:00.001-08:00

so yea, TODAY, marks my 1st visit to the emergency department at Royal Victoria Hospital.

Wry neck it is.

a couple of days of painful and stiff neck it's going to be.

funny walking posture and whole body rotation to the left and right are happening.

nooooooo~~~~~~

y no sleep properly? :'(

love, katherine.

Reading week.

2011-11-12T09:36:00.000-08:00

how i abhor times flies so quickly, sometimes i find myself in a pool of mess, where i am not sure of what i did for the past few days. urgh, so hating the feeling of not being clear of what's going on.

did a few revision here and there, trying to finish as much as i could. but looking at all the notes that i piled them up over the past 6 week, woah, not easy task. procrastination, what a bitch.

in the midst of chaos, hearing what happened to my friend, brought me the thought of how important appreciation is in everyday life.

people around, they come and go all the time, do you just let them go, or hold on to them?

do you care as much as you are supposed to be, and do you just revolve around your very own centre?

easier said than done, not like i do appreciate people around me well, but i do still appreciate most of them pretty well, i guess.

time is officially insufficient for me, since i came to belfast.

there's always so much to do, so little time to spend.

i wish i could have more time, i need more time, to talk to my family and friends.

i miss them so dearly no one else could imagine.

tomorrow would be the last day of my reading week.

oh no, the annoying pile of notes is still there. still there. mountain high, oh so depressing.

celebrating a friend's birthday in an hour at a japanese restaurant. so much of me wanting to do hardcore revision. *bitch-slapping myself*

love, katherine.

on traveling craze (part II)

2011-11-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

more places: :D :D :D

Fjord Norway

Western Norway, known as Fjord Norway, is home to the world’s largest concentration of the saltwater-filled, glaciated valleys. The iconic destination encompasses 1,646 miles (2,650 kilometers) of pristine coastline, glaciers, mountains, and cascading waterfalls, including the 2,148-foot (655-meter) Mardalsfossen, the world’s fourth highest. The region’s six National Tourist Routes offer easy driving access to bouldering, ice climbing, glacier walking, base jumping, caving, and year-round skiing.

Four UNESCO World Heritage sites are located here, including the deep-blue Geirangerfjord (above), considered one of the world’s most unspoiled fjords. Fjords are best experienced from water level, so hop a ferry, book a cruise, or rent a kayak for unobstructed views of the surrounding snow-covered peaks, steep mountainsides, and abundant wildlife. The midnight sun in June and July brings near round-the-clock daylight and the most visitors. Days are shorter in May and September, but the lighter tourist traffic makes for easy meandering from Kristiansand to Trondheim along the Fjord Coast Route.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Nearly half of Mongolia’s three million residents are nomads, and most of the rest live in Ulaanbaatar—the country's capital and largest city. The cultural, economic, and transportation hub on the Tuul River is the starting point for two-humped Bactrian camel treks and other exotic Gobi desert expeditions, but its ten museums, close proximity to national parks, and collection of imperial palaces and Buddhist monasteries qualify Ulaanbaatar as a destination rather than way station.

Wander through the Narantuul, a 2,500-vendor, open-air market; visit Gandan Monastery—Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery—and the adjoining Megjid Janraisig and Kalachakra Temples; and view Stone and Bronze Age artifacts, sacred relics, and fossilized dinosaur bones and eggs found in the Gobi at the National and Natural History Museums. During the July 11-13 National Holiday, Ulaanbaatar hosts the nation’s largest Naadam Festival, a legendary cultural celebration featuring wrestling, archery and cross-country horse racing competitions, plus traditional costumes and dance.

Black Sea Coast, Crimea

The Black Sea coast of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula remains a mystery to most North American travelers. With its subtropical climate, underwater grottos, South Shore seaside resorts (including Yalta, Simeiz, Alushta, Koreiz, and Gurzuf), Russian imperial palaces, and dramatic white limestone backdrops, this former “Russian Riviera” of the Soviet era attracts savvy European visitors searching for a less crowded, close-to-home Mediterranean alternative.

Beyond the stress-reducing mineral spas, palm trees, vineyards, bike trails, and secluded beaches, the coast is a significant cultural crossroads blending ancient Greek and Roman, Byzantine, Russian, Tatar, and modern Crimean history and architecture. Visit the terrestrial and underwater ruins at the ancient city of Khersoness (4th-12th century B.C.), the neo-Gothic Swallow's Nest castle perched 130 feet (40 meters) above the sea near Yalta, and the Livadia Palace near Yalta—home of the last of the Russian tsars and site of the Big Three’s (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin) 1945 Yalta Conference.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Croatia's 1,104-mile (1,776-kilometer) island-speckled Adriatic coast is a popular playground for sea kayakers, sailors, kite surfers, and divers. Additional water wonders await those willing to travel inland (a four-hour bus ride from the coast) to the mountainous, eastern Plitvice Lakes region, site of Croatia’s first and largest national park.

Nature's color wheel is in constant motion at 114-square-mile (296-square-kilometer) Plitvice Lakes National Park (above) where 16 terraced lakes, formed by natural travertine dams, change hues throughout the day from bright turquoise to gray depending on the angle of the sun's rays and mineral makeup of the water. Well-maintained wooden boardwalks and trails link the lakes to the park’s centerpiece cascades, the largest of which—Big Waterfall—plummets 256 feet (78 meters) into the valley below. Home to abundant wildlife, including 261 species of birds, the walker-friendly park is divided into Upper and Lower Lakes sections bridged by the Lake Kozjak ferry.

Uruguay

A laid-back vibe, day trip-friendly dimensions (only 68,036 square miles/176,215 square kilometers), and lively beach scene make Uruguay a favorite getaway for the South American jet set.

The capital city, Montevideo, pulses to the rhythm of candombe, the thunderous Afro-Uruguayan, three-drum sound fueling spontaneous street parades, as well as the all-night Desfile de las Llamadas, the featured event of Montevideo Carnaval. In southwestern Uruguay, stroll the winding, cobblestone streets of Colonia del Sacramento’s 17th-century historic district—a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s only a 50-minute high-speed ferry ride from Buenos Aires—to explore the country’s Portuguese roots. Go west to the hilly interior to play gaucho at a luxury dude ranch or a more traditional working estancia, where tourists can trade labor for trail time. For sun and surf, hit the beaches of Punta del Este, the narrow peninsula dividing the waters of the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean.

Tunisia

With 713 miles (1,148 kilometers) of gentle Mediterranean coastline, Roman ruins and fortified casbahs, and glowing ribbons of Saharan dunes, Africa’s northernmost country offers adventure for all ages. Pictured here is a Roman ampitheater in El Jem, Mahdia, Tunisia.

In Tunisia’s sunbaked Matmâta region, explore the troglodyte lunar landscape (featured in the first Star Wars movie) and float—or walk, if the water has evaporated in summer—in the Chott El Djerid salt lake. June through September, hop aboard the historic Red Lizard train (Lézard Rouge) in Metlaoui for a 90-minute round-trip excursion through the Atlas Mountains. The narrow mining track winds through towering rock canyons and across barren flatlands to Seldja Gorge. Saharan expeditions include camel and dune buggy rides and camping in traditional Bedouin tents.

The eight-day Sahara Desert Trek led by adventure outfitter Exodus includes a five-day walking tour from the Sahara gateway Douz to the oasis village of Ksar Ghilane. One of North Africa’s best preserved Roman archaeological sites is Dougga, a window into life over 17 centuries in an indigenous Numidian city.

Shikoku, Japan

Mountain-ringed Shikoku—the smallest and least visited of Japan’s four main islands—is best known for its "walk of life," the 88-Buddhist-temple pilgrimage retracing the footsteps of the eighth-century monk and scholar Kōbō Daishi. Completing the 745-mile-plus (1,200-kilometer-plus) island-wide circuit on foot is an intense physical and spiritual workout that can take a month or more.

Save time—and your knees—by covering the steep route via bus and riding the train up Mount Koya, the pilgrimage’s traditional start and end point. Many Shikoku temples offer basic lodging for visiting pilgrims or o-henro-san.Affordable, traditional accommodations also are available at Shikoku’s rustic to luxurious ryokans, traditional, tatami mat Japanese guest houses. The island’s upscale Yamatoyabesso ryokan is located in Dogo Onsen, an ancient hot springs area welcoming nobility and artists to its therapeutic waters since the sixth century. Shikoku remains a thriving folk art center for weavers, washi(paper) makers, and candle makers.

Palawan, Philippines

Palawan’s limestone karst cliffs, coral atolls, mangrove forests, sugar-white sandy beaches, and extensive fringing reefs create one of the Philippines' most biodiverse terrestrial and marine environments. Designated as a fish and wildlife sanctuary in 1967, the Philippines' largest (in total land area) province encompasses nearly 1,240 miles (1,995 kilometers) of coastline stretching across 1,768 islands.

On the main island (also named Palawan) near Sabang, hike the three-mile (five-kilometer) Monkey Trail to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park's navigable underground river. The five-mile (eight-kilometer) coastal rain forest route is home to long-tailed macaques, blue-naped parrots, and other indigenous wildlife. In the province’s northern Calamianes islands, Coron Island is considered one of the world’s top scuba diving destinations, offering World War II-vintage wreck diving and snorkeling in calm, crystalline waters. Nearby Culion Island, a former leper colony surrounded by sea grass beds and coral reefs, is an emerging ecotourism destination worth a day trip.

Tasmania

In Australia’s smallest state, remote rain forests, secluded beaches, and more than 200 vineyards are accessible by foot. Tasmania’s mild, maritime climate and compact size (comparable to West Virginia) make this heart-shaped island 150 miles (240 kilometers) off the Australian mainland a year-round destination for walkers and hikers of all ages, interests, and fitness levels.

Great Walks Tasmania features seven distinct, guided walking tours ranging from the moderate 14- to 18-mile (23- to 30-kilometer) Bay of Fires wilderness trek along the coastal rim of Mount William National Park to the gentler 12- to 28-mile (20- to 45-kilometer) gourmand’s ramble through Maria Island’s eucalyptus forest and pristine beaches. In 2011, Tasmania hosts the biennial Ten Days on the Island international arts celebration from March 25 to April 3, an event that features nearly 500 artists in 111 venues.

Sardinia, Italy

Glitterati flock by the yachtful to Sardinia’s serpentine northern Gallura coast, where exclusive Porto Cervo and Costa Smeralda are two favorite summer playgrounds. While a winding coastal drive—perfect for a red Ferrari roadster—offers dramatic Mediterranean views and a powerful adrenaline rush, the real rock stars of Italy’s second-largest island are the actual rocks, or more precisely, the prehistoric stone dwellings found in the mountainous interior.

Sardinia is home to more than 7,000 stone nuraghi towers, Bronze Age castles built between 1600 and 1100 B.C. Best known is Nuraghe Santu Antine near Torralba, a well-preserved nuraghic royal palace surrounded by the eerie remnants of a once thriving nuraghic village. To experience modern village life on an island where sheep outnumber humans by nearly three to one, check into Hotel Su Gologone in Oliena, where hearty guests can sign up to shadow a local shepherd for the day.

Scottish Highlands

Fierce Bronze Age warriors, Vikings, and Gaelic-speaking clans all have called the rugged Highlands home. Today, the primeval landscape north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault attracts outdoor enthusiasts drawn to the mist-shrouded mountains, shimmering lochs, sheer cliffs, and sandy beaches.

Cairngorms National Park—the United Kingdom’s largest thanks to the incorporation of Highland Perthshire—offers recreation at every speed, from hiking in Leanachan forest to kayaking in Loch Insh and the Insh Marshes Nature Reserve. At Nevis Range—Scotland's highest ski area and site of the 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (June 4)—experienced bikers can take the U.K.’s only mountain gondola, which rises 2,132 feet (650 meters) up the slopes of Aonach Mor, to ride the 3.4-mile (5.5 kilometer) single-track Nevis Red Route down.

To experience more traditional sports like caber toss, tug-of-war, and piping competitions, cheer on the tartan-clad participants during Highland Games (above), held throughout the region from May to mid-September.

Dominica

A lack of white sandy beaches and an overabundance of rainfall keep this mountainous island of tropical rain forests off typical Caribbean vacation itineraries—a plus for adventure seekers.

Perpetual geothermal and volcanic activity—there are seven active volcanoes—make 285-square-mile (739-square-kilometer) Dominica, located between Guadeloupe and Martinique, a paradise in progress. Venture into the rugged landscape Spiderman-style on an Extreme Dominica canyoneering tour, which takes visitors rappelling down pristine waterfalls, deep gorges, and volcanic bedrock canyons. The seven-mile round-trip hike from Titou Gorge to Boiling Lake, a vapor-covered cauldron that reaches 198º Fahrenheit (92º Celsius), is strenuous but worth the panoramic Caribbean views from atop 3,000-foot (914-meter) Morne Nicholls, as well as the chance to explore the Valley of Desolation’s brightly colored sulfur springs, mini-geysers, and bubbling mud pools. Recharge at the locally built and staffed Jungle Bay Resort & Spa. The 55-acre (22-hectare) tropical retreat features 35 secluded, hardwood cottages perched high atop posts beneath the jungle canopy.

Emerald Coast, Florida

Autumn along northwestern Florida’s 24-mile-long Emerald Coast brings fewer tourists and lower, “value season” rates to the wide, sugar-white beaches of Destin, Fort Walton, and Okaloosa Island. The summer-worthy temperatures (highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s) are ideal for swimming in clear, emerald-green Gulf of Mexico waters or for golfing the more than 1,080 manicured, championship holes. October’s monthlong Destin Fishing Rodeo draws more than 30,000 saltwater anglers to the self-proclaimed World’s Luckiest Fishing Village to compete for daily, weekly, and overall prizes. Watch the daily weigh-ins of king mackerel, marlin, sailfish, and other game fish on the docks at A.J.'s Seafood & Oyster Bar. Sample fresh-from-the-docks seafood at historic Staff’s Restaurant, the Emerald Coast’s first eatery, which is housed in a 1913 barrel-shaped Fort Walton warehouse and open daily for dinner. The signature Broiled Skillet—grouper, shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat stuffing drizzled with cheese—comes with baskets of fresh-baked wheat bread.

Dublin, Ireland

Birthplace of Beckett, Joyce, and Yeats, Ireland’s capital and largest city is a youthful arts, entertainment, culture, and commerce hub. Fall brings fewer tourists and lower temperatures (40s and 50s in October), ideal for walking the historic Georgian streets and cruising the River Liffey. Discover your own Irish history at The Shelbourne Dublin, where guest amenities include a genealogy butler. Pack a hooded rain jacket (just in case) to explore the city’s 4,900 acres of public gardens, nature reserves, and parks, including center-city St. Stephen’s Green, which borders Grafton Street, one of the world’s most expensive retail locations. Stroll to main stage productions and film screenings at the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival (September 29-October 16). Along the way, nosh on traditional, paper-wrapped fish and chips at Leo Burdock. Healthier eats will be on the menu October 31, when more than 10,000 runners are expected for theNational Lottery Dublin Marathon, dubbed “the Friendly Marathon” for the affable crowds cheering on the pack.

Cannstatter Volkfest, Stuttgart, Germany

Munich’s Oktoberfest may be bigger, but Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volkfest—billed as the world’s second largest beer-drinking event—is considered Germany’s more authentic celebration of local heritage and, of course, beer. Launched as an agricultural fair in 1818—a symbolic 78-foot-high “fruit column” pays homage to the past—the three-week festival (September 23-October 9, 2011) features live music, a re-created Alpine village, and carnival rides. The action centers on massive festival tents accommodating up to 5,000 revelers each. Between steins of pilsner, sample traditional Käsespätzle (Swabian noodles with cheese) and make time to retreat to the Stuttgart region’s terraced hillsides and natural mineral springs, as well as the nearby Black Forest. Recognized as a global car capital—both the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums are worth a visit—Stuttgart also is part of one of Germany’s largest wine growing regions. Sample this year’s vintage and homemade Swabian dishes at a cozy Besenwirtschaftenor “Besa” (wine inn). Hosted by local farmers and vineyard owners in their dining rooms, kitchens, and gardens, these temporary restaurants only operate for four months between September and April, when they serve up some of the region’s freshest, homegrown fare.

Pictured here: A woman pours beer inside a wooden tent at the Cannstatter Volkfest in Stuttgart, Germany.

Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, Switzerland

The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces blanket the lower mountain slopes along the northern shores of Lake Geneva. Each autumn, the 2,050 acres of ancient vineyards—established by Benedictine and Cistercian monks in the 11th century and protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007—attract hikers who walk and taste their way along the 21-mile Grand Traversée de Lavaux from Ouchy in Lausanne to Chateau de Chillon Castle. Yellow arrows mark the main path, which leads though working vineyards (Chasselas is the region’s predominant wine grape variety) and medieval villages, facilitating frequent refueling stops at local wine cellars, pubs, and restaurants. Saturdays through October 15, the Lavaux Panoramic wine tasting tourist train rolls—on tires, not tracks—through the villages of Chardonne, Chexbres, Rivaz, and St-Saphorin. A crisscross network of public and private railways makes it easy to explore the entire Lavaux region on foot or by bike. Or, if you’re up to the challenge, join the thousands of runners expected for the Lausanne Marathon on October 30, which follows the shore road between Lake Geneva and the terraced hillsides.

so many places that i wanna go, so many different cultures and life that i wanna see.

money, pls drop from the sky. kthxbai.

love, katherine.

on traveling craze (part I)

2011-11-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

the title says it all. am so hoping to travel around whenever i can, and found out a few places where i am interested to travel to from national geography page. they all look so A-W-E-S-O-M-E and all the places are waving "C-O-M-E katherine C-O-M-E".

here goes the list:

Mongolia

Untamed Hovsgol

If you yearn for a connection to the wild, you will find it here. Hovsgol is the northernmost of Mongolia’s 21 provinces, shadowing Russia’s border and sharing the great Siberian taiga (subarctic coniferous forest). Lichens in bright greens and oranges color 10,000-foot passes, while sacred rivers, rumored to never freeze, feed lakes framed by snow-tipped mountains.

Hovsgol is just now opening its arms to travelers who come to catch and release taimen, giant salmonid “river wolves” that stalk Hovsgol’s waterways. Others come to ride Mongolian ponies in search of the Tsaatan, small bands of nomadic reindeer herders (above) who live in encampments and follow shamanistic beliefs.

Pittsburgh

Extreme Metropolitan Makeover

Three rivers. One reinvented city. On all counts, the Steel City’s transformation over the past quarter century qualifies as revolutionary. Its mourning for its industrial past long concluded, this western Pennsylvania city changed jobs and reclaimed its major assets: a natural setting that rivals Lisbon and San Francisco, a wealth of fine art and architecture, and a quirky sense of humor.

Pittsburgh’s century-wide swath of architectural styles persuaded British film director Christopher Nolan to use downtown as a stand-in for Gotham City in this summer’s Dark Knight Rises. Sustainable design has transformed Victorian landmarks like the glass-domed Phipps Conservatory and created contemporary ones like the swooping waterfront convention center (above).

New Zealand

Cyclists' Bliss

A violent struggle created this world, according to Maori mythology: Indigenous New Zealanders say Sky Father and Earth Mother were ripped from each other’s arms to make room for mountains, forests, and oceans. Around Rotorua, a Maori heartland and home of the mineral-rimmed Champagne Pool (above), it’s easy to believe the struggle continues, as the eerie landscape bubbles and churns like some primordial stew. Geysers erupt, mud boils, and steam seeps from cliffs and sidewalks, leaving a sulfurous scent in the air.

In a land where adrenaline lovers ride rockets suspended on wires and roll downhill inside giant plastic balls, biking seems one of the saner ways to plunge into a landscape that compels exploration: hot springs, glaciers, rain forests, and volcanoes, encircled by nearly 10,000 miles of coastline, packed into a country barely bigger than Colorado. New Zealand is made for journeys, physical and spiritual.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

A Capital City of Titanic Ambition

Finding yourself in the company of a chef from the R.M.S. Titanic is just one of the surprises that Belfast has to offer. "Barney" leads the Belfast Bred walking tour on an ingredient hunt, tracking the culinary heritage of the Northern Irish city that built the Titanic. The centennial of her maiden voyage—April 10, 2012—gives Barney the chance to share Belfast’s pride in the “floating palace” and show off a capital that is redefining itself in the eyes of the world.

Sections of the city have undergone regeneration since Belfast emerged from the Troubles, the three decades of violence that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The Titanic’s birthplace on the River Lagan is now called the Titanic Quarter (above). A $152.1-million attraction opens in April with audiovisual exhibits, underwater footage of the wreck, and a ride that re-creates a trip through the shipyards of 1911 to tell the passenger liner’s story.  The glossy venue overlooks the Harland and Wolff slipways where the Titanic set sail to Southampton to begin her fateful voyage to New York.

Greece

Ancient Beauty

Patrick Leigh Fermor, the dashing philhellene who died last June, knew that to get under Greece’s skin you must stray from the instant gratifications of its seaside resorts. Traveling on foot across the gorges of Roumeli and mountains of Mani, Leigh Fermor discovered a land of fierce beauty where traditions run deep. Eventually, he settled in Kardamíli, a sleepy hamlet in the southern Peloponnese, which he hoped was “too inaccessible, with too little to do, for it ever to be seriously endangered by tourism.”

Happily, he was right. While some islands have been scarred by unregulated development—and as the country grapples with the worst financial crisis in its modern history—Greece’s rugged mainland retains its unadulterated allure. Foraging for mushrooms in Epirus, watching pink pelicans take flight over Prespa Lake, listening to ethereal chanting in Meteora’s monasteries (such as the Roussanou Monastery, above)—there remain pockets of Greece where time stands still. You just have to know where to look.

Guatemala

Modern Maya World

Every year countless travelers visit the ruins of once great Mayan cities: Chichén Itzá (Mexico), Tikal (Guatemala), Caracol (Belize), and Copán (Honduras). The pyramids and stelae are well worth seeing, especially at jungle-shrouded Tikal (above), but here’s the thing: Maya civilization isn’t long gone. Its apogee may have passed, but millions of Maya people and their culture remain alive and well, most vibrantly in Guatemala’s Western Highlands.

The most alluring place in Maya Guatemala is Chichicastenango, a walkable town about three hours by road from Guatemala City where more than 95 percent of the people are indigenous. Each Thursday and Sunday, Maya vendors carry their goods on their backs at dawn to Chichi’s market, selling brilliantly hued textiles, fearsome wooden masks, golden and purple maize, necklaces, and produce arranged in Escher-like patterns. Smoke from grills perfumes the narrow aisles, and so many women briskly pat stone-ground tortillas into shape that it sounds like a standing ovation.

London

Faster, Higher, Stronger

In Olympic-ready London, a new landmark (City Hall) meets old (Tower Bridge) along the Thames. The last time London hosted the Olympics, in 1948, locals subsisted on rations, there was no budget for new sports venues, and many competitors slept in military huts in Richmond Park. Britain may be entering another age of austerity, but nearly $15 billion has been spent on sprucing up the capital for the 2012 Olympics.

Many sporting events have already sold out, but there will be hundreds of free cultural events to enjoy throughout the summer. The London 2012 Festival will turn the whole country into a living stage, from a multilingual bonanza of Shakespeare productions at Stratford-upon-Avon to a soccer-inspired art installation deep in a Scottish forest. David Hockney, Leona Lewis, and Philip Glass are among the heavyweights headlining in London.

Oman

Perfumed Oasis

While neighboring oil-rich countries on the Arabian Peninsula are building skyscrapers and convention centers, Oman is erecting an opera house and planting desert gardens amid capital city Muscat’s white stone buildings. Sultan Qaboos sparked the country’s modern renaissance with his rise to power in 1970—adding scores of new schools and hospitals and increasing the miles of paved road from six to over 3,700.

Many of Oman’s delights cater to the elite luxury traveler. The ritziest hotel in Muscat offers a helicopter landing pad out back. Pleasure yachts anchor off the coast; it can be easy to forget the sea is Arabian, not Mediterranean. Muscat's Park Inn, pictured here, has a roof terrace view to rival any.

Muskoka, Ontario

Quintessential Cottage Country

Just two hours by car—but a world away—from powerhouse Toronto beats the heart of Ontario’s cottage country, Muskoka. Families have gathered here for generations to revel in true wilderness. The 2,500-square-mile area includes 8,699 miles of shoreline, 17 historic towns and villages, and innumerable waterfalls and lakes (like Kahshe Lake, above) framed by the peaks of Algonquin Provincial Park to the east and the isles of Georgian Bay Islands National Park to the west.

There’s plenty to do here but nothing you’d put on an agenda. Lounge with friends, barbecue everything, watch the night sky from the dock in the pitch black, play board games while listening to the rain. And run around barefoot all day.

Sonoma, California

American as Apple Pie

“I’ve been to Napa and Sonoma,” you hear people say, as if they were one and the same. Sure, Sonoma’s 300-plus wineries, like those of vine-centric Napa, offer peak wine tasting, from Ravenswood’s deep Zinfandels to Gloria Ferrer’s sophisticated sparklers. But if you’ve visited only the county’s wineries, come back to sample the astounding diversity that makes Sonoma one of America’s travel treasures.

Spend some time floating in an inner tube down the Russian River and walking amid ancient giants—one over 1,400 years old—at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Poke around the old Russian stockade at Fort Ross, which turns 200 in 2012, or the Spanish adobe mission, San Francisco Solano, in Sonoma town. Hunt for antiques along Petaluma’s downtown Victorian row, and dine on seasonal sake-steamed, aged abalone at Michelin-starred Cyrus in Healdsburg. And don’t miss a flaky, fruit-packed slice of Gravenstein pie from Mom’s Apple Pie, a roadside stop outside Sebastopol. It ranks up there with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir as a real taste of Sonoma.

Costa Brava

The Creative Coast of Spain

The boats painted in yellow, crimson, and white that bob in the water could belong to any scraggy Mediterranean coast. The polar bear that guards them, however, means only one thing: Salvador Dalí’s home in Costa Brava. Dalí, one of art’s greatest eccentrics, came from this part of Catalonia, in northeasternSpain. His giant eggs, swan fountains, and melting clocks drew inspiration from this sunshine-laced wilderness.

The medieval city of Girona also overflows with creativity during its annual spring flower festival, the Temps de Flors. Surprising floral creations spill down cathedral steps and bloom-inspired art installations fill city squares and stone-walled courtyards. The fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell (above) charms with seaside restaurants and homes.

Virunga Volcanoes

Africa's Green and Fiery Heart

Perhaps nowhere on Earth is the dual creative and destructive nature of volcanoes more evident than in central Africa’s Virunga Volcanoes Massif. Straddling the borders between Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the eight-volcano chain is one of Earth’s most active volcanic regions and a veritable salad bowl for mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, and other wildlife. Landscapes in all three countries conjure visions of both Eden and hell.

In Congo, the swirling plume of the active Nyiragongo Volcano (above) beckons. Check on the security situation in the troubled country before going, but those who make the steep five-hour hike up Nyiragongo are rewarded with heady vistas of the world’s largest lava lake. Spend the night on the rim to fully experience the crater’s fiery light and sound spectacle.

North Colombia

Lost No Longer

Tayrona National Park's gorgeous beaches are a highlight of northern Colombia, home also to the famed Ciudad Perdida. The cleared mountaintop terraces of the "lost city" shine like a green grassy beacon declaring the country’s rebirth as a travel destination at the crossroads of the Caribbean and South America.

Istria, Croatia

On the Trail of Romance

Think Tuscany, but with a Habsburg past. The shady, rolling hills of Istria—Croatia’s northernmost peninsula—are bec

oming widely known for their truffles, Malvazija white wines, olive oil stancijas (estates), and crumbling hill towns. Cyclists can spin their spokes over some 2,000 miles of extensively maintained bike trails. Along the coast, sunny ocean views and impromptu opportunities for swimming and snorkeling abound.

The romantic town of Rovinj (above), a former Venetian vassal state, rises from the Adriatic like an estranged island of Venice. Pine-shaded Adriatic coves entice with a refreshing plunge. Evenings are capped off with Champagne cocktails at the Valentino Bar, a breezy boîte perched directly on the water and illuminated in vivid cerulean by underwater lights—not a bad spot to nurture your own inner Casanova.

Dresden

The Comeback Kid

Dresden shone brightest in the 1700s, when the kings of Saxony spent their wealth to turn their capital into “Florence on the Elbe.” But in February 1945, two days of British and American bombing destroyed much of Dresden’s center and killed tens of thousands of civilians.

Nearly 70 years later, the city has been resurrected as one of Germany’s top tourist destinations. The landmark Frauenkirche (“church of our lady”), a baroque masterpiece designed by George Bähr, was rebuilt from rubble in 2005 (above). Today it towers above a carefully reconstructed historic center that is home to half a dozen world-class museums—from the Albertinum and the Old Masters Picture Gallery, with its Vermeers and Titians, to the oddly named but unforgettable German Hygiene Museum.

Koh Lipe, Thailand

The Perfect Beach

Thailand's sun-drenched jewel in the South Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe has recently risen to the top of intrepid beach lovers’ A-list of island paradises. Considered an alternative to the overexploited Koh Phi Phi (which gained fame as the setting for the film The Beach), Koh Lipe is accessible only by boat, with departure ports that include Krabi and the nearby Malaysian island of Langkawi.

Crystal waters and pristine reefs surround the island. Up to 25 percent of the world’s tropical fish species swim in the protected waters around Koh Lipe (the island is in Tarutao National Marine Park). Pattaya Beach may be the island’s most developed tourist spot, but head to quieter Sunrise Beach, where a now settled community of “sea gypsies,” the Chao Lei, live and fish. Take in the view from Castaway Resort's "chill-out deck," above.

Iceland

Harmonic Convergence

Dusk falls on a primeval landscape on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. A final relic from the world’s last ice age, this North Atlantic island nation is a world of knife-cut valleys, gargantuan fjords, monumental cliffs, black-sand beaches, thundering waterfalls, and silent white glaciers. Recent volcanic eruptions remind us that Iceland is still a country in the making, with changed landscapes that even Icelanders continue to discover.

Three years of financial recovery have made Iceland more affordable, with consumer prices now largely pegged to the euro. The country’s return to a humbler attitude stems from a thousand-year-old tradition of self-reliance—a tradition that has preserved one of the world’s oldest living languages and harnessed some of the cleanest energy on Earth.

yes, yes, i copied and pasted. the pictures are just so nice!

am already at belfast (yippe~!) and i think london is happening next year (where my beloved vonne and ying will be at). gonna bug them real soon ;p as for the rest, oh well, see how far my luck and my schedule allow. fingers crossed that slowly and eventually, it all happens.

love, katherine.

just 2 weeks ago.

2011-11-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

SQY [kath]hoi! was shocked to c u here! I'll compose when I've no one to talk to lol joking.take care too~
2011-10-26 4:18 PM

#
katherine shiongqi!! hey ya! i do still read your blog, do update whenever you can i like to read~ and take care sq! i miss our group a lot here. xx
2011-10-24 8:44 PM

he was still replying me.
i miss my old friend.

love, katherine.

i need a hand

2011-11-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

a hand that can help my friend, to get through his obstacles in life.

i wish i could send a note to god, asking for nothing else but a recovery.

it depresses me so much to hear about his news, it breaks my heart.

i want to see him smile again, like how he always does.

so mentally torturing and it tires me so much.

i don't know why i am feeling this bad, and i just can't help it.

pls my friend, you have got to get through this.

love, katherine.

2011-11-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

it takes a minute to remember somebody, and a life-time to forget somebody.

not true.

apparently, it takes only a while, maybe a week, maybe a month, a year at most, but not a life-time to forget somebody.

yes, i am good at that. so, who are you again?

when monday is NOT blue.

2011-10-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

i am so afraid that i would forget how happy i am feeling today, i am going to write it all out.

i had the greatest weekend of all, and the happiness intensifies on monday, today.

yes, i know it's weird. but it just happened.

looking at all those pictures over and over just made my smile wider.

the halloween on saturday.

went for my tutorial at the hospital, learnt something as usual, and collected my 2nd case report, jumped in joy to get an 8 out of 10 (way better than the 1st one, it was a 6. meh!)

yes! i was so happy i literally jumped! all those eye-bags and dark circles are well paid off.

excitement of the day: one of my group-mates proposed to her gf and it was a success! oh my gosh!!!!! feeling so happy and excited for him. they have been together for 8-and-a-half years! from high-school sweethearts to marriage!

got home, got in to the kitchen, ate my home-made baked pasta (yum yum!) and laugh over silly stuff over the weekend with the flatmates. madness. kate's reaction after we set her funny pic as profile pic was epic. so hilarious i nearly chocked on my food.

and then, gotten one invitation that got me hopping around in joy like a silly bunny!

this is complete happiness. unexpected surprise! he just makes me so happy.

palpitation and thrills were all over! how i wish this feeling stays forever :)

so yea, never thought i would say this, but i LURVE monday. one particular monday.

love, katherine.

another article that i came across and got me paused.

2011-10-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Why we left and why we will continue to leave...

Posted by: MS Mohamad

I read an interesting article today about a few prominent figures addressing their concern over the increasing UKM and UM medical graduates who have left the country to continue their medical practice overseas.

After reading the news for 3 times, I called a very close friend, an MD (UKM) graduate to ask his opinion on how the news might have affected him. He has been working in Singapore for more than a decade as a Consultant Surgeon with a certain sub-specialty

"Why be a slave in your own country, when you are a king in another?" He replied.

Indeed, if anybody would want to find a reason why all of us left, either after housemanship, after being a specialist, or even after sub specializing, and now, even prior to doing housemanship, they need not look at our payslip, or the wealth that we have gained overseas, but only to the Medical System that has been rotting in the ignorance and politic-based stupidity that Malaysia has been well-known for (in the medical field).

I have served the system for nearly 2 decades of my career, waiting for it to improve for so long, and only finding myself in despair, quitting with a 24-hour notice and serving abroad. The system is, in my opinion, keeping doctors, since the beginning of their career as House Officers to the end of it, in the lowermost priority. When I was working there, doctors are so ill-treated, while the nurses and the medical assistants are overpowering us.

I still remember the days when I was doing seeing patients and rounds as an MO, while the staff nurses would mind their own business, having breakfast in the pantry, or having gossip chats at their own leisure. My House Officers would then have to do merely all the labour-work, up to the extent of setting intravenous drips, and serving medications. If I am to expect the nurses, my patients would have been dead, or the work would have been too slowly or incompletely done.

When I was a House Officer, I had to run down 4-5 floors just to review a blood investigation of a dying dengue patient. The ward staff would either be nowhere around, or will say that he is busy (busier than the doctor?) or the answer I got at that time:

"Doktor nak cepat, doktor turun sendirilah, gaji doktor lagi banyak dari saya"

Even when I was a Specialist, the staff nurses had to be called again and again just to make sure the management plan for the patient would be done. I was already used to answers from them:

“I’m busy with something else"

“My shift is already over"

...it was routine for me.

The Medical Assistants were worse. They would hide behind their so-called boss, the Head of Medical Assistant. They feel hiding behind him would make them not under our jurisdiction, that we have no power to instruct them in managing the patient, that they have power to manage own their own. I've seen them giving medications not as we prescribed, performing procedures without our knowledge, as if they are the actual "Doctors". They are in their own world, and we have to do their job, taking blood, labelling samples, and even cleaning gadgets from the procedures that we have done.

Oh, but the ministry loves this group. They even let them run a clinic now, instead of upgrading the clinics already run by doctors. The government feels that the MAs are very important and should never be ill-treated by those big bad doctors. One time when I was a District Hospital Medical Officer, I was conducting a delivery of a baby. An MA insisted that I remove my car which was block-parking his car. I answered through the phone that I was busy.

He came to the labor room and yelled "Semua orang pun sibuk jugak, macamlah doktor seorang yang sibuk!”

It is insulting that an MA or a staff nurse claims that they are BUSY, as busy as a doctor? As a Malaysian Doctor, I have even worked for 72 hours straight. I have experienced working until my 6 month old daughter did not recognize me at the end of the week.

Is that how busy they are? I am very sure that they are so busy, that they can only spend 2 hours at the nearby Mamak stall, or can only leave at 5:10 PM instead of 5, or can only have 1 hour of lunch.

The management staffs are worse. I have to beg and plead so that I can get my on-call claims, of RM25 per 48 hours of work. While sitting in an air-conditioned office, they will at their own leisure, process my call claims so that I will receive them by the next decade.

The state health or Hospital Director would just give another inspirational talk (of bollocks) on team effort and beauty of teamwork.

That is how Malaysian doctors are treated in the government sector: without respect, without dignity and without significance. Why?

It is because we are bound by ethics to try our best to save lives, despite how ill-treated we are. We hardly have time to complaint because we are too busy or tired, and we would rather spend the precious time resting or seeing our loved ones. The burden of trying to save lives is on our shoulders alone. No MAs or Staff nurses would shoulder it with us. They have their own bosses: the Sisters, Matrons, or Head of MAs, which job description is to ensure that the big bad doctors will not ask their underlings to do extra work.

This is how the Malaysian Ministry of Health have treated their doctors. I am very sure that in each and every doctor, there is a slowly-burning patience in serving the Malaysian people, which will eventually fade and cause them to surrender to serving a place that treats them better.

A few colleagues who graduated from UK choose to serve there:

"The pay is more, and we get the respect we deserve"

Another works in Brunei:

“Here the staff nurses respect Malaysian doctors, and they are very co-operative" (He ended up marrying one)

A few are consultants in Singapore (working with me):

"Here we are treated well, we spearhead the management, and every else do their work to the best of their capabilities".

A few even enjoys working in Indonesia:

“The work-load is horrible since there are a lot of patients, but we are well respected by every hospital personnel" (They have migrated there for nearly a decade)

I am sure that people will see doctors as power-hungry individuals who want to be the boss in the hospital. Trust me, after having graduated 6-7 years of medical school, earning a DEGREE, and subsequently MASTERS, and SUBSPECIALITY, you would expect a degree of respect and being considered important. We are trying our best to improve patient's quality of life, or making sure he lives another day. Is it too much to ask from the system that we are important?

I find that Malaysia is the only country that is making doctors' lives miserable and treated like rubbish. It was never about the pay in the first place. It is about the treatment we are getting and the false political-based promises. Do you know that the so-called circular about doctors can have the day off after working 24 hours straight released JULY 2009 is not yet implemented? Do you know that the raise of UD 41 to 44 does not involve every doctor in the government service?

We are waiting for improvement. We have waited a long time when we were working in the system. Somewhere along the line we decided to leave and wait outside the system. Until the system changes, we will continue to work overseas, in countries which are appreciative of us. Trust me, Malaysian-graduate doctors are considered highly skilful and competent in neighbouring countries, and the 15 % brain drain is more significant than you think.

We will return when the system prioritize us and gives us the quality of life we deserve.

If it stays the same, Malaysian Hospitals would end up having Staff nurses and Medical Assistants as "Doctors", and we would have to send patients to Indonesia for an appendicectomy.

Hear our voice. We hardly speak, but will usually fade away from conflict (and fly to another place).

2011-10-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

hey ya!

happy 2-month-old at Belfast!

keep going :)

love, katherine.

2011-10-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

2 days of memories is NOT enough to keep me going for the next 5 days.

how i wish you could understand that.

sigh. it just keeps getting harder and you're not putting in much effort.

2011-10-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

when something bad happens, you have 3 choices.

you can either let it define you,

let it destroy you,

or you let it strengthen you.

like to see lovely quotes from fb. :)

a phase.

2011-10-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

sometimes, it feels right, and sometimes, it feels wrong.

like, you are happy for a min, the next sec, discomfort kicks in.

i am in this phase, where there's crazy mixed feelings coming all together in a day, playing roller coaster in my head.

talked to carl, and she called that, ADAPTATION.

so yea, picking up bits and pieces of belfast here and there.

from times to times, it could be fun, it could be difficult, it could be titillating, it could be exhausting.

growing up is never like holding a big giant lollipop in your hand, and when you lick it, it's so sweet you smile like an innocent baby. growing up tastes like strawberry now, it's beautiful, when you have a bite on it, it could be sweet, it could be sour, but it still gives a smile, that's full of contentment.

i like it this way now, it reminds me that i am living a direction. taking tiny lil steps one by one, it feels not too bad after all.

p.s. to my family and friends who hear me out throughout the past one month, thanks!

love, katherine.

2011-10-05T08:55:00.001-07:00

miss home so much. i can't stop crying.

this is post-daddy-mummy-me-skype syndrome.

^_____^

2011-09-28T04:33:00.000-07:00

so, it's true that if you keep your faith strong, believing in your belief, standing firm for yourself,

you eventually get yourself to right where you should be.

caught a silver lining. that's one comfort that words can't describe. it's beautiful, there for a moment, and it left a mark forever. i, just had one amazing morning.

love, katherine.

my daddy is cute!

2011-09-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

was talking to my dad over skype:-

daddy: so how's your classes so far?

me: daddy, there's this very nice ANG MOH who walked me home today after classes.

daddy: AIYOOOOO~~~~~~ THIS IS TERRIBLE. no more next time pls.

me *ROFL*

daddy: better behave. if not, i am not sending you money.

me: *ROFL x2!*

my teddy daddy is so kawaii.

just to be safe, i better check my account tomorrow. don't wanna starve. T.T

love, katherine.

finally.

2011-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

starting clinical attachment unofficially today and officially tomorrow.

it has been a month. wow.

one big twist coming tomorrow. i have no idea of what to expect.

someone told me, no expectation equals no disappointment.

well, i don't know.

see how it goes then and fingers crossed it would be grand.

love, katherine.

i wish

2011-09-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

to hug them all in my arms right now.

yes, not forgetting the legendary carl.

i shall call this, something awesome beyond love.

love, katherine.

2011-09-16T03:46:00.000-07:00

Munching on yummy ridged potato crisps, working on portfolio, listening to Glee.

Look out of the window, it's drizzling again.

Oh dear, i miss home.

love, katherine.

food for thoughts.

2011-09-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Gotten across 2 articles after talking with Vonne over skype, that touched my heart, got me thinking, there's so much more in life to live. so much more that words couldn't describe.

Read:

He did it his way

By NG ZHU HANN

A young man who placed family first showed that nothing is impossible when your heart is in it.

MY best friend Terrence Phang Ying Choy was from SMK Bandar Utama, Selangor. I had known him for 12 years, since primary school. I literally grew up with him and he was like a brother to me.

Ying Choy came from a poor background. His father is a contractor and his mother, a housewife. He had two younger siblings and they live in a rented apartment.

Like most Chinese-educated students, his command of English was comparatively weaker than that of his peers. He was also an ordinary student with no special talent in sports or music.

However, Ying Choy worked twice as hard as his peers and did really well in school. He scored 6As and 1B in his UPSR, 8As in his PMR and 9A1s and 2As in his SPM.

Despite his good results he failed to secure any scholarship after Form Five. Because his father’s construction jobs are seasonal, he decided to work to supplement the family’s income and support his younger brothers, instead of furthering his studies. He did sales and marketing for his uncle’s firm, worked on a construction site and gave tuition four times a week for one full year. In fact, he was the sole breadwinner during the economic downturn in 2007.

When his father’s income became more stable as the property market picked up again, Ying Choy decided to go back to his studies. He felt manual labour was not enough to help the family.

He enrolled in Form Six, studied for about three months, then dropped out. He switched to A-levels at Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College, where he got a full subsidy for his course. But he dropped out after two months.

Finally, he enrolled in Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman for a foundation programme, which he completed. Once again, he stopped studying and went back to work for some months.

Ying Choy dropped out three times because he could not focus on his studies knowing that his siblings would be leaving school soon and needed money to further their education.

One day, he saw some Facebook pictures of his secondary school friends who were studying in London, on tour in the Swiss Alps. He wondered why others could do it while he could not. He realised it wasn’t because they were smarter but that they had better opportunities.

So he withdrew the RM17,000 he had saved from working and took a leap of faith – he signed up for an express A-levels programme that Sunway College had just introduced.

The gamble was that if he did well, he would get an offer from a good university, which would enable him to get a scholarship. He could then use the money to study and save some for his family.

After being away from books for almost one-and-a-half years, Ying Choy had to struggle to cope. Every day he attended college from 8am to 6pm; went home for dinner; gave tuition from 8 to 10pm, and then revised his lessons from 10.30pm to 12.30am. He did this for a whole year.

Early 2009, Ying Choy received offers from five top British universities: the London School of Economics, Imperial College London, Warwick University, University College London and University of Cambridge. He also got offers from Melbourne University and the National University of Singapore.

He was shocked and elated. He least expected to get a place in Cambridge, which many top Malaysian students had failed to get into, what more a boy whose pre-U studies was never exceptional.

Despite the good news, he still had to get the scholarship.

After being rejected by various companies and foundations, he finally received an offer from Sime Darby, one month before Cambridge’s acceptance deadline. Ying Choy had defied the odds to attain a place in the one of the best universities in the world.

That year, he stepped on an aeroplane for the first time in his life. It was his first trip abroad and the first time he had left home. He was the first in his family to go for tertiary education.

He promised them he would come back and life would be good after he graduated. He would take them to Europe and buy a new house so they need not have to rent.

Ying Choy spent wisely and saved substantially. Every month, he sent home a large portion of his allowance.

He did remarkably in his first year at Cambridge, scoring first class honours and was ranked 37 among the 160 engineering students in his batch. He did equally well in his second year.

In July, Ying Choy came home for the summer holidays. His family had been looking forward to his return and everyone had a good time with him back.

But life took a cruel twist on Sept 1. At 6am that morning, he had breathing difficulties and collapsed by the side of his bed.

My best friend died about six hours after I last saw him. He had looked perfectly healthy then. In fact, he was a basketball player and a gym rat.

He was buried on Sept 4. He was only 22.

A large portion of his savings – he had saved over RM50,000 for his siblings’ education – was used for the funeral expenses. His family, who are still in shock, now have to worry about their younger sons’ education even as they grieve for their eldest boy.

Ying Choy strongly believed in self-help. He was vehemently against using connections as the way to success. He was living proof that meritocracy still exists today.

I will always miss him.

____________________________________________________________________________________

and this:

A Friend Departed.

by Yvonne Lim, on 2nd September 2011

Phone rings.

Amanda Chong : Hi Yvonne. Have you seen what's on Facebook?

Me : Nope, I haven't been online much. What did I miss?

Amanda : Oh. You know Terrence? He just passed away.

Me : Terrence? Terrence who? (continues staring at the TV)

Amanda : Terrence LAH. You know...

Me : Oh wait. You mean Terrence Phang Ying Choy? The Churchill one? The one we often have dinner with?

Amanda : Yes. Him. Gone.

Me : WHAT??? (at this point the TV has been muted, if you must know.)

*pause*

Me : HOW? WHEN? WHY? GONNNEEE??!!

Amanda : Yes. This morning. Breathing difficulties aparrently. Geoffrey has more info.

Me : You sure? How can????

Amanda : I know right.

Me : Oh ok ok I'm gonna call Geoffrey now.

And that was how I got to know that you, Terrence, have left us. Just like that. It came as a shock to me as to everyone else, too much of a shock.

Immediately, your blur face came into mind. Your lanky self along with your toothy grin. Slowly it started to sink in. I have been avoiding to mention the words 'death' and 'dead' when I passed the message around, when I sought confirmation from Geoffrey. But soon it finally registered. You, Terrence Phang Ying Choy, are dead (yes, I'm cringing as I type that) and you're not coming back next Michaelmas term.

I won't go on and on about how you were. People who knew you would know that. People would think of the potential you had, being the smarty-pants hardworking Engineering student in Cambridge. But to me and all the rest of us that I've tagged in this note, your demise poses a different meaning. A gap, a void, a friend already gone.

I wish you could see this, but clearly you're not able to. I wish I had talked to you over the summer, but I didn't. I wish I was able to attend your funeral, but I wasn't able to make it. But I hope that you'd know somehow, that we will miss you; that I, though not a very close friend, will miss you.

Memories of you started flashing across my mind. You never failed to lend a helping hand when I needed help with CUMaS events (for those of you who don't know, that stands for the Cambridge University Malaysian Society). I often needed help. I called/texted you and you'd never say no. You'd always come with a keen spirit and your toothy grin. You never minded what was to be done, you'd do it and do it well. In our first year at Cambridge, we rarely saw you. In our second year, we saw more of you. You'd come for birthday dinners, formals and CUMaS events. We would often have dinner at Sue Bee's place followed by us girls comparing your dishwashing skills to that of Ryohei and then having long chats in Sue Bee's room. We'd all hang out occassionally, but it was all fun when it was just the group of us. We'd make you ask a girl out in Revs (along with Geoffrey, with stupid pick-up lines), talk about your next target. Those were the times.

Now as the word 'death' brings more weight to me than it did when I just received Amanda's call, I immediately notice the little things that will be different now that you're not around. We have one person less on the Hill, one person less to take the taxi to town and back, one person less to have around for dinner, one person less to wash the dishes, one person less to make fun off, one person less to hang out with.

One vivid image that came to my mind was this. I used to wait for you and Geoffrey at New Hall porters' lodge so that we can get a cab to town for formals. I'd complain about how you guys were always (slightly) late. You'd always blame Geoffrey (and you're right most of the time) so each time, I would get you to make sure that Geoffrey won't be late. More often than not, as I'm about to call you/Geoffrey and scream over the phone asking where the hell are the both of you, I'd see you both strolling coolly in your suits, along the walkway towards the plodge. Sometimes we'd walk instead of cab, and moan about the cold as we trek down the Hill. But from next term onwards, I'd never see you again. I'd never be able to call you and screech like a banshee while asking whether you guys are in New Hall yet; I'd never be able to see you strolling along the walkway looking apologetic at your slight lateness while darting a nervous glance at Geoffrey; I'd never get a reply when I text you to ask whether you're joining us for dinner/cab/clubbing/formals. Sue Bee, Amanda and I won't be able to make fun of you washing the dishes anymore whenever you turn around with the helpless look on your face, holding the pot and saying "Err I don't know how to wash this, you all wash can ah?". We can no longer poke fun at your stomach which is like a bottomless pit comparable to that of Geoffrey's whenever Sue Bee makes dinner (while Sue Bee and I would discuss multiple times whether the food is enough to feed you two gluttons). I could go on, but perhaps I should stop.

As my finger hovers over the delete button on my mobile phone with your name and phone number higlighted on the screen, I thought better of it. Deleting it would mean that youwere my friend. Keeping your number despite knowing that it will never be you on the other end means more. Much much more. It means that you ARE my friend and will always be.

Goodbye.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A stranger to me, but his story, is nothing like the others. It brought not just inspirations, but strength, to encourage people to move on, to keep up with life.

Not knowing this boy, i salute him for his wisdom, his love for his family, his passion in studies despite all the obstacles. He made me realised, the true meaning behind 'where there's a will, there's a way'. Easier said than done, but he did it. i respect him for how strong he stood, with his very own strength.

Keep feeling bad over split milk? Keep feeling sorry for what did not happen? Keep wondering 'what if'? Keep holding on to what's never yours? Keep pondering on false assumption? Keep hoping for sheer miracles? Oh come on katherine, there's so much more in life. There's still so much to learn from, to explore, to experience.

To this stranger who's already gone, I thank you for your story. Your journey is one to look up to, something to remember and never to be left behind. It's a great loss to have him gone. To his family and friends, despite his absence, I bet he lives in your heart, with every single beat, he sounds.

Now, tell me if you have seen life, or are you living one?

Love, Katherine.

exactly 2 weeks.

2011-09-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

it's amazing and scary how time flies.

settling-in can be really crazy, yet fun; challenging, yet happening.

still in the process of settling-in, it's madness.

friends from IMU, new friends, strangers, etc. etc. they have been great!

lucky to have ppl around to help out, and lucky to be here.

love, katherine.

2011-08-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

my heart's a stereo.

it beats for you so listen close.

HELLO FROM BELFAST.

2011-08-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

Just got back wandering around the city =)

4th day here.

the place is so beautiful, loving it!

wish mah family could be here to see it all with me.

love, katherine.

Sweetest things.

2011-08-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

hi, the amazing people i met throughout my 22 years of insanity.

to the 2 people i love so much, thank you daddy mummy for everything!
2 big fat giant pieces of me. x)

to the 3 monkeys that drives me crazy most of the time, love you 3 nevertheless.
i so wish to bring you guys together with me everywhere i go in a magic pouch. ;)

to my oldest friend, you have been there through my silly evolution.
i am glad to have grown with you.

to my KL^cube, you gals have been the most wonderful friends.
just look at how far we have traveled with doubts and how we all ended up at standing at where we are now with courage.

to my powerpuff gals, we met by chance, knew each other by heart, stay strong together by thrust.
you 2 left one massive impact in my tiny little heart.

to my godma and family, the cry baby is still a cry baby, the only difference, would be seeing the cry baby no longer clinging on to her milk bottle, but towards her dream.
forever loving the soup godma boiled with love.

to my cutie pies from IMU, you guys are the only reason i miss IMU.
how am i going to study happily without you ppl?

to my alpha boomers, so glad we stayed after 2-and-a-1/2 years of chaos.
no doubt we are the strongest orientation group ever!

to my handsome muar guys, you guys gave me eye bags, fat-deposited tummy from all the yam-cha sessions, but, i like it.
the laughter matters most and i had so much fun around you guys!

to everyone else, bitter and sweet, hate and love, those who helped and failed, i appreciate every single good and bad, nobody grows without struggling and not forgetting the toss and tumblings here and there, i have learnt so much from people around, coming from all walks of life, and i thank you. =)

sitting here in my room at belfast, loads of thoughts going on all the time.

all that i want is to move forward, further, and closer to the future.

leaving so much behind, it's hard, have got to make it worth, isn't it?

for MBBS!

love, katherine.

can't be bothered.

2011-08-04T23:44:00.001-07:00

i respect, each and every others' thought.
i respect, your very own point of view and all.
i respect, any action or any word of yours as long as you are happy with it.

but, but, but..
it annoys me when you, you and you expect me to hit your expectation.
i am not fucking perfect.
i have flaws and all.

that's just me, i really can't be bothered by what each and every others' thought of me.
i do no pleasing, so,seriously, suit yourself around.
if not, just go.

i am already working on myself, trying to be better for every tomorrow.
just, don't cross the line, and push me off my limits.
it's really not nice.

love, katherine.

2011-06-10T01:02:00.001-07:00

i have no idea how it's gonna be like in 3 months time.
too many changes at a time.
and i am catching up, not trying to, but am literally catching up with all.

i am scared and i need a lot of people to be there for me, just me. really do.

love, katherine.

Bahhhh, exams.

2011-05-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

all right, i am like forever having exams.
summative is on friday.
not not prepared, yet not totally prepared.
duh. how? *cry*

at least, at least, i am done with ielts (last week), done with mock osce (yesterday) and after tomorrow, i would be done done with summative, and what's left would be EOS 5 and real OSCE.
so many exams can die. hah.

hang on there katherine, hang on there tight. everything's going to be all right.
*have been telling this to myself for so many times i can even say it in my dream ;p*

i miss home. like a lot. like madly. like seriously, i'm just 2 hours away from home, and i can't afford to go home. mummy and daddy, little ying and little yong, really hoping that they would all come visit me at KL soon. too bad carl is at aus. sigh.

and shopping! ah! how i miss the smell of new clothes, the coziness of shopping malls, and the art of purchase. just wait, wait till my exam's over. just wait~

k, it's time to sleep and continue with the never-ending revision first thing after sleep.

good night world.

love, katherine.

spell, crazy.

2011-04-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

busy like crazy with almost everything.

i.m.so.busy.com

i.need.more.time.com

my.blog.is.so.dead.com

gg.com

uhm, i shall beautify my blog after exam, k?

can't wait to get over this craziness. sem 5 is such a bitch! opps. sorrie. whatever. blek. ;p

p.s. i am missing the cheeky me. work-overload is making me a sadist.

love, katherine.

ah! songs!

2011-03-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

found some cool lines from 'someone like you' by adele:

Never mind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"

Nothing compares,
No worries or cares,
Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made,
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

was feeling really touched for a while =)

p.s. am addicted to the 'colourblind' results of stumbling upon little ying's blog. thanks ying! xxx

love, katherine.

T.B.T.B

2011-03-07T04:12:00.001-08:00

Too Busy To Blog.
have been really occupied with SEM 5.
phew.

not in the mood for anything else besides facing the handsome-beyond-words lecture notes.

classes starts at 8 a.m. from monday to friday without fail.
i love my alarm clock so much i hug it to sleep every night.

happy studying katherine kang.

will paint 2011 first with preparation for exams, then exams, then HOLIDAY!

love, katherine.

sparkles!

2011-02-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

too many things going on, while having the least time ever, gives sparkles.
the past few weeks have been amazing!

i can't even think of where to begin this one simple post. xp
well, after saying goodbye to 2010 which seems like it's just yesterday, times flies so fast that it's already FEBRUARY.
been to Hong Kong and visited Kuantan in Jan.
both trips were good and i would definitely want to go back to those places again, hopefully soon, hopefully hopefully.
took loads of amazing pictures, and i shall upload them little by little, when i revisit those albums.
i have no idea since when it has became a habit of mine, looking back once in a while, through pictures, enjoying myself down that memory lane. it gives great feelings, like i have been moving forward all these time.

The greatest and awesome-est thing so far, is to have celebrated Chinese New Year with my most beloved family.
just by sitting with them, eating with them, watching silly movies with them, gossiping with them, even arguing with them , i feel stupidly happy deep inside.
okay, maybe not the arguing part. xp

i'm going to take being a chinese for granted for once, just to have another list of wishes for Chinese New Year.
haha, i simply can't be NOT greedy and i blame it on the China gene.
now, here goes another list:

first, i wish that my family stays healthy and happy forever.
Second, i wish my parents great wealth (so they could afford our education fees with less burden).
third, i wish to get good PMS and great company.

and i guess, i can't just keep wishing stars dropping from the sky and not do anything, isn't it?
jeng jeng, i present myself with resolutions:

first, i shall get rid of the lazy bones inside me. (i have been lazing around so much during this holiday and it's driving me a lil crazy)
second, i shall stick to my goals and not deviate as much as i could. focus!
third, i shall have better control over my awful temper.
forth, i shall complain less. life's good, everything's good.

okay, that's pretty enough fo the time being.
will be going back to Bukit Jalil in a while and i am so going to miss home, i can even feel it now.

ending this post with a picture of my FAVOURITE FAVOURITE people:

my very pretty mummy and okay-looking dad. xp

LOVE YOU 2 MOST!!! lub lub lub lub lub. hugs hugs and kisses kisses.

love, katherine.

Struggle.

2011-01-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

got tired of guessing what i did wrong to make what's happening happens, got even more tired of thinking that i am the source of what's happening.

i tried fixing what's wrong, and there's limitation to my strength.

letting go doesn't mean giving up, but setting free.

i believe you must have your reason, it's either being revealed by time, or swallowed by time.

for now, i needa breath for my own, cause i do worth it.

as long as we still say a simply 'hi' when we accidentally meet, or better, asking 'how've you been?' when we see each other's face, i am okay with anything.

i tried my best being the nicest, when you're around;
being just me, whenever there's you and me.

now, breaking free, to be a better me.

i just want the simplest thing, called happy. =)

Complete HAPPINESS.

2011-01-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

HE, LOUIS KOO 古天樂 WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF ME YESTERDAY!

*tachycardia* *tachypnoea* *hyper-perspiration*

few days of laughers with...

2011-01-22T04:28:00.000-08:00

SARAH-RAH~

introducing my lovely friend, sarah who flew from melbourne to visit malaysia for a few days. =)

spent the 1st day at muar town, indulging our stomachs with muar delicacies;

visited malacca on the 2nd day, engorging ourselves with 4 meals;

went up to KL on the 3rd day and spent the rest of the day with Jojo Pan Mee and had shopping spree at Pyramid;

on the 4th day, had Tim Sam and Sing-K at Puchong, visited KLCC, continued shopping at Pavilion, MET LOUIS KOO 古天樂at Pavilion (he's mad macho and handsome! *went crazy*), dinner at Hutong @ Lot 10, another continuation of shopping at Sg Wang.

5th day, had bah jut teh near Pavilion and sent Sarah off at LCCT. (sad)

i love the pictures we took at malacca most, see see see:

in front of the museum.

think this is the cutest picture of the day. tehee.

us, with Zi Ang at the back. credit to him for the nice pictures.

something interesting between me and sarah, our birthday is different only by a day and a year. LOL. mad-ness.
it's great having sarah-rah around. we talked a lot and were surprised that many things happening to us are SIMILAR. wicked.
we have almost the same likings, we have almost the same point of view, and we even encounter almost the same adventures in life.
LOL. manic.

i am so going to miss this dear friend of mine.

love, katherine.

HongKong-ing part I

2011-01-16T04:08:00.000-08:00

hmmm..too bad my memory card failed me where i couldn't upload pictures from the 1st few days of Hong Kong. would try my luck some other time.

went to the DISNEYLAND. it's a dream-come-true!!!!

pictures:

well, pictures say it all.
i had loads of fun, with people whom i lurve. that's everything that i wanted.

too lazy for captions, so yea, that's all for this post. xp

love, katherine.

HongKong-ing. Part II

2011-01-16T02:02:00.000-08:00

more pictures:

yeap, still too lazy for captions. that happens when i got tired after uploading mad-lots of pics. xp

short notes:
my favourite place of this trip would be the temple.
i always fancy visiting holy places, seeing religious architecture, and admiring sacred art, as some of them are undeniably the most beautiful and interesting sights you'll encounter in your travels.

so much to shop, so much to see, so much to eat, so much to experience.
i shall visit Hong Kong again. ;)

love, katherine.

Happy 2011~

2011-01-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

woow woow woow, time, not too fast!
it feels like 2010 was just yesterday, and now, a brand new chapter, a brand new year, 2011 is right in front.

2010 was good and hoping 2011 would be better than ever!
i can't remember how things went by in 2010, so many things happening around, and in a blink of eyes, it's all the past, new histories. tehee, isn't it amazing how people twist around the time, dancing through every moment, leaving with them, memories.

well, it feels like i was riding on a roller-coaster ride in 2010, there's ups and downs (hopefully, in this 2011, there would be more ups. ;p), where i learnt to be a better person, hopefully i am now, can't be too sure and can't be too boastful, can i? ;p
in between here and there, there's accomplishments and to balance things off, there's regrets.
accomplishments where i was taught to be more humble; and regrets where i was taught to be brave and honest about myself.
one of my wishes this year, would be to live with no regret, at least less regret.

knowing myself too well, my self-contradiction has grown worse, and also the OCD.
gosh, emotions emotions, you guys have got to behave.
OCD, well, it's funny how it affects me these days. i am so obsessed with tiding probably there would be no ending to it. scary.
another wish of mine, to be more emotionally stable and have control over the wild OCD.

i have seen enough of 2010, call it drama, or reality, i am happy to have found genuine kinship, precious friendship, though with the lack of proper relationship.
i am thankful for my wonderful family and trustful friends.
it's always the people that make things different, unique, and memorable.
i had uncountable incredible times with all these people, be it happy or sad, i appreciate everything that comes.
and for people who know me well enough, relationship has been tough for me, it's tiring me so badly that hopefully it won't be this year, amen?
this year, i wish good luck, better wealth and best of health to my family and friends, and good relationship comes to me.

partner medical school a.k.a PMS is my one and only MAIN concern this year.
i am totally clueless about where i would be in another half a year time, which university would i settle down till i get my MBBS.
the though and questioning of those 2 asking quickens my heartbeat every time i have them in mind.
i feel so unsure and insecure, and to worsen the situation, luck it is that i am depending on.
biggest wish of all, i hope to be enrolled into my choice of university with nice batch-mates.

i hope i am not too greedy with my wishes and all. ;p
hoping it's still not too late here, wishing everybody a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
to the past, to today, and to the future, cheers!

this is happy katherine signing off. HAVE AN AWESOME 2011 AHEAD.

love, katherine.

unexplainable sensibility.

2010-12-17T09:36:00.001-08:00

i am, happy with the current not-so-stable condition, where i have no idea where i would be in another half-a-year time, where i know that i would be leaving my awesomely cool groups of friends, the worst of all, where i would be away from my dearest family to further my studies.

the choice i made put me here, where i am standing on a thin rope with no balancing stick.
i am happy, contented, blessed, and at ease.

strangely happy, weirdly contented, unusually blessed, abnormally at ease.

love, katherine.

quick update.

2010-12-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

oh yeah! i finished my assignment #2 in 3 hours! free! finally free of selective!
have been caught up with loads of stuff, uhm, loads of playing and eating actually.

i, need a list, a TO-DO list for this holiday to not lose track of what i am suppose to be busy with, instead of total slacking.
i shall not sleep, nor eat excessively (reminding myself X 100000000 times).

will be back to consistent blogging after friday. friday is a big big day ;)
celebrating early christmas with my IMU dearest fellows. really excited bout it.

oh, one last thing before i leave this post, i've collected my selective result, and can shameless-ly announce that it's a B-.
goodbye C the arsehole. i don't wanna see you again, not anymore in my life.
will work harder for the better. this i promise myself, and my mummy!

happy holiday, peeps!

love, katherine.

2010-12-10T04:07:00.000-08:00

it took me a while to blog about this.
my hands still tremble since the accident.

encountered my very 1st and hopefully the last car accident in my life at 3.30 p.m.

lesson learnt: never speed. it's better to be late than never.

thank god. i met an angel in disguise.

thank you dad and mum for being ever understanding and supportive and caring.

love, katherine.

Hiphip~

2010-12-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

Have nothing better to do on the Saturday, Kris, Jonjon, Shiong qi, shan, and me headed to MALACCA! the food heaven! =D

Jon slept for only 3 hours the night before, and shan's even worse, he slept for only 2 hours, owing to his love for clubs. we can't expect shiong qi to drive, as it might take us forever to reach malacca, which is why kristel ended up being the one driving. well, as for why didn't i drive, kristel is a better driver~ i tempt to speed most of the time. *shh, keep this not-a-secret-anymore secret, would you? xp *

lucky boys sitting at the back, relaxing themselves. kristel was driving and i was navigating.

upon reaching malacca, we switched driver, to me, Katherine the Great. because i am familiar with malacca mar. our very 1st destination, JONKER STREET.

we started of with this Chinese biscuit shop, btw, it's also the shop selling my favourite pineapple tarts and 'lao po' biscuit, which i think they make them best!

hungry stomachS of 5 people needed to be filled, the very next place that we wanted to go would be the legendary chicken rice ball shop!

upon walking there, we stopped by here and there to grab some pictures~ out of my selfishness, i made the others stop at some temples (i love the architecture of temples/church/kuil) for pictures. here goes the pictures:

and finally~~~ we got ourselves at the chicken rice ball shop!

there's a long queue, and our very nice gentlemen patiently waited in the queue. well, not wasting our time, kristel and i took some nice pictures around, since the chicken rice ball shop so happened to be situation right at the starting point of Jonker Street, perfect spot to take picture as memory! haha.

after 30-40 minutes of waiting, we finally got served with yummy yummy oh-so-yummy chicken + rice balls!

it's totally worth the wait!

btw, that was our breakfast!

after breakfast, here comes the dessert!

we tried this durian chendol at the shop right opposite the chicken rice ball shop, cause the guys got so attracted (or rather cheated) by the posterS hanging all over the building. see, guys are really good at judging a book by the cover. tsk tsk tsk.

and so, the durian chendol turned out to be...*drum rolls pls*...

UTTERLY NOT NICE! AHAHAHAHA!

moral of the story: don't judge a book by its cover. like duh.
it's always easier to say than to carry it out. xp

but the packaging of the dessert is really cute. not to waste the idea behind the lovely design, we camwhore-d with it.

durian kang

durian yap

durian hiu

durian yeoh

durian shan

moving on, we walked along Jonker Street, going in and out of what i call the 'nonsense' shops, bought some 'nonsense' here and there, before we came to Jonker 88 a.k.a the food heaven in katherine's little world.

how to be sure that the food is absolutely good? follow the queue! which is why we were queuing AGAIN. note, this is the 2nd time.
and my stupid mouth spilled this: 'if i had to queue for the 3rd time today, i would bang myself on the wall.' stay tuned to know what happened after a few hours.

Jonker 88 is a food heaven for by just looking at the pictures of the food, you know it's good. okay, i might be exaggerating here, but we really did enjoy the food! the pictures are currently making me craving me for more! urgh.

after lunch, we continued walking here and there, and see what i got here, it's pictures of us in the so called 'nonsense' shop:
i use the word 'nonsense' for good reason, k? anything there is not long-lasting with almost no purpose of use. one good thing bout the 'nonsense' would be making a good souvenir, i guess.

found a huge mirror at Jonker Gallery which is just perfect for a group picture!

we were done done with Jonker Street and our next stop was to have nice dessert (again) at Dataran Pahlawan. well, with the spirits of cool tourists, we WALKED there~

and again, we stopped here and there for some pictures:

(random random)

oh yeah! another group picture! thanks to stranger #1.

this is my favourite picture of the day! hearts!

see the benefits of walking there? we got to capture the beautiful scenery and fascinating buildings! with the plus point of burning some fat. we ate so much since morning, and losing the calories collected is definitely a must.

after walking for what seemed like forever, we made it to Dataran Pahlawan.
to the dessert house:

THE CREPES:EXQUISITE.

DIVINE.

SUCCULENT.

we rotted at the dessert house for a while, chilling, talking, laughing, snapping pictures, relaxing, and pampering ourselves like never before.

well, realising it's time for dinner, and not wanting to go back kl too lately, with all our strength and will, we got our butt off the cushy cushy sofa, walking back to the car.

and being us as usual, we stopped by here and there (again and again) for pictures:

we've gotten a drama while going back to the car.
earlier that morning, we parked jon's car at the other end of Jonker Street, and i forgot bout the night market which goes on every weekend. we got back to the car, finding the car being surrounded by HAWKER STALLS. i remembered myself hanging an opened mouth on the face. haha.
shan's driving skill was really cacat it took him a while to get the car to the exit.
anyway, it was one funny incident! haha. never fails to happen in every outing.

driving to the famous satay celup place was a pain in the arse. the traffic's crazy, reminded me of KL. and remembered the stupid-est thing that i said, like queuing for the 3rd time?
FOUL MOUTH i had. just when i thought we were early for dinner, we still had to queue.
check out the queue:

mad, crazy long queue at Capitol Satay.

hungry us with the food =)

MOUTH-WATERING:

after dinner, back to KL we went:it was one great outing, with good food, with cute people, with tonnes of fun.

BYE BYE Malacca. I HAD A GREAT TIME.

love, katherine,

Can you sing non-stop for 6 hours?

2010-12-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

guess what, i can, and I DID. haha.
kris and i went to IOI mall at puchong to kill time on the Friday.

we didn't had our breakfast and lunch before going red box, plus me waking up late (sorry kris i made you wait again..), we were dead hungry before singing.
ordered the food before singing, but the food came really really late, like an hour after placing the order, we ended up singing in hunger for the 1st hour.
well fed in the middle of the singing session, happily singing MANY MANY songs.
and just when we thought we're almost done with singing and can leave for dinner at around 6, a waiter came in and announced:
'you girls can sing till 8.'

we were shock at first and even asked different waiters for 3 times just to make sure that there wasn't any mistake, and just to be sure that we didn't have to pay extra without knowing it..

so yea, we confirmed that we could sing till 8. AWESOME!
we sang with full strength for the past 4 hours and continuing to sing for another 2 hours was a real challenge.
anyway, just to not waste the offer, we didn't give up, and continue to sing.

and kris kris chose songs like 'Hurt' by Christina Aguilera, 'How to Live Without you' by Mariah Carey, and 'It's my life' by Bon Jovi, which are quite vocally-challenged, to sing.
we nearly, NEARLY died singing. and we even altered some lyrics, from 'i just want to live while i'm alive' to 'i just want to finish this song while alive', showing how burned-out we were. haha! good time!

pictures of the day:

the mic that i was so committed to for 6 hours.

kris and i. we can sing! wee~

kristel again. x)

i was so happy to have gotten to see my beloved Raymond Lam.
my heart melts whenever i see his face, though it's through the pathetic television screen.

feeling tired after 4 hours.

imagine how tired after 6 hours.

anyway, it's super worth it!!!!! it's only 16 bucks each for a 6-hour singing session, with drink and meal! muahahaha! i love RED BOX.

dead hungry after trying our best singing, we went to try out a new restaurant at IOI Boulevard, called Vive la Vida.

waiting for the food =)

nice ambiance.

quite an interesting hanging lamp.

look at the bottles! simply lovely! xp

THE FOOD!

yummy yummy pennette pasta!

heavenly mushroom soup! it's really satisfying!

so so cheese bread. wouldn't wan to order it for the 2nd time. xp

we guess the pork knuckle at the restaurant is kind of splashy as we saw many diners having it. hmm, must give it a try the very next time with more people around. =)
it's too much for just kris and i.

i had one good day! SING K AGAIN SOON! ;)

love, katherine.

holi-holiday!

2010-12-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

i am, enjoying the best time of my life in 2010!
right after summative 4, it feels all different! the stress is gone FOR THE TIME BEING (before sem 5 hits!).

well, since 26th, there has been complete relaxation!

26th : banana leaf rice + movie (Rapunzel)
27th : shopping + fish spa + movie AGAIN (Megamind) + drinking
28th : clean the house + rest *got a cold*
29th : satisfactory sleep + 1st day of selective + dinner at Victoria Station + chill-out at kris's
30th : skipped selective *down with cold* + reading at home + watch HOUSE MD.

(gosh! just look at how time flies)

1st DECEMBER : lunch at Village Park Restaurant + chill-out at 1u + preparation for BBQ at wei hoong's place + dinner at Meng Tian + Pyramid-ing with kris and beck
2nd : selective + uncle got my air-cond fixed + BBQ & chill-out at wei hoong's
3rd : sing k (IOI's red box) with kris for 6 hours + dinner at IOI Boulevard
4th : malacca trip!

will come out with the pictures one by one when there's more time ;)

lil brother's coming to KL tomorrow. will have to think of where to bring this little boy to~
can't wait to see him! i miss him loads!!!!

good days! good good days! cheerio! =D

love, katherine.

BEST gifts ever!

2010-12-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

on my birthday a week ago, i've gotten this most precious gift i can ever asked for!

A BOOK OF MEMORIES!
made by kris kris and becky.

the contents that i would go through almost every night before i sleep:

all those pictures and captions never fail to put HUGE HUGE smile on my face!
I LOVE ALL THOSE PICTURES, not because it all has gotten my face in it, but the 2 lovely people in the album! thanks for the memories throughout the 2 years!

thank you, becky, for the letter!

thank you, kris kris, for the letter!

i love the album, AND I LOVE YOU GALS MORE!!!!!

and today, i receive a card from a lovely lady! from UK!

my favourite colour: PINK!

and being as yvonne as ever, you, vonne, SUMMARISE KATHERINE KANG OF TAYLOR'S IN A CARD! i couldn't stop laughing reading the card!

THANK YOU, vonne! i know you would be reading this. you know me well enough and BFF till the end of time!

3 girls mentioned above, THANK YOU for the best birthday gifts EVER!

I LOVE YOU GALS, A LOT!!!!

love, katherine.

Can you stand the craziness?

2010-11-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

crime scene: vista B2-01-1 living hall.

crime evidence: vodka and whisky.

illegal activity: CELEBRATING GOING INTO SEM 5!

crime committed: playing sick card games.

and the CRIMINALS!!!

Happy criminal: PHILIP!

Crazy criminal: JEFF!

Funny criminal: JON JON!

Pretty criminals: KATHY AND BECKY!

now, let the pictures of silly moment begin!!!

just look at that face of jonie, my art work. *proud*

phil and becky~ super cute!

i simply couldn't understand how much the boys love the floor!

look! he was stealing my nintendo DS for the whole night.

look at this naughty face! haha!

and jeff! lying so gracefully on the floor.

with style, he lied.

he's obviously HIGH!

philip boey, with his very own hand-sign.

the tanker in disguise! he has got a miri's liver.

group picture #1!

group pic #2! my favourite pic! =)

me and becky! <3

this boy wasn't himself for a moment that night.

phil's wicked pose of the night. lol.

this boy got hungry..and..

all the rest got instant noodles prepared by lovely becky.

becky, still sober enough to text. ;)

2 bitches. they call each other so, not me who started it. okay. explanation, clear!

my bed was stolen for a night. grr.

should have thrown these 2 in the living hall and let them freeze to death sleeping on the floor. muahahaha!

it's one of the funniest night i ever had. it's a booster in some boring time having these people around. =)

how's your weekend people? i had an awesome one. hope you guys did.

love, katherine.

i'm alive!

2010-11-27T22:25:00.000-08:00

it feels so different after summative 4.
am officially a 3rd year medical student!!! YEAH!
this path is getting heavier and heavier each step, but! it's still good after all. =)

the stress that i was bearing vanished right after the 3-hour paper, at 12 p.m. on 26th november!
since then, i have been having so much fun that i don't wanna waste a minute sleeping.

watched Rapunzel after lunch with purna, mali, waipeng, shan, felix, viki, jon, kris and becky~
wandering around pyramid after movie, had nice hoegarden at republic, and 2 nice pork burgers for dinner. yum yum!
had a pleasant talk with beck till late at night, and we even tried skype-ing with kris kris as we really missed her lots!

got my nice 8-hour sleep back! ahh~ i'm so being revived!
went out with jon and jeff to midvalley. did a little shopping with the boys, with jon gotten himself a G2k collared shirt, jeff one converse sneakers, and me 2 pairs of new vincci shoes.
HAPPY!
watched megamind, which i got a little disappointed since it's not as funny as i expected it would be. so many people have been saying that it's MAD funny, but it's just all right. anyway, it's still a good movie after all, carrying the value of finding one own self. =)
and i did fish spa with jon anf jeff before movie! it's so ticklish but it gets quite comfortable after getting used to it. there's 3 categories of fishes, from small, medium, to big. like duh. xp

the crazy moment starts at night with crazy drinking with crazy people.
and the crazy people, being jeff, jon, phil, becky and me.
really wicked and sick drinking games we played, and we laughed so hard that i even rolled on the floor. crazy night it is and pictures will be up in the next post. ;)

spent 2 hours cleaning the house. i now, need to eat. roar!

p.s. the cat caught a cold sleeping on the couch without a blanket. *sneeze sneeze cough cough*
needa get well soon for more fun!

let the selective begins! on monday! =D

love, katherine.

mah HAIR!

2010-11-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

i've gotten really obsessed with my hair after gotten it straightened!

camera attack!

can see how straight it is now? XD

the side!

the back! ultimate ultimate love!

i even like to flaunt it over my face! crazy shit!

the straigh-ness is titillating!

now, throwing the bomb!!!!!

self-obsess picture # 1.

self-obsess picture # 2.

self-obsess picture # 3.

self-obsess picture # 4. (my favourite, btw.)

i love my straight hair! it's so neat and obedient that i don't even have to bother combing it anymore!

do know that too much of hair-straightening can cause hair fall, so, i started using hair tonic a week after straightening. ehehehehe.
i wanna be, the next rapunzal, with dark, brown pretty long hair!

love, katherine.

thanksgiving day!

2010-11-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

BOHOOOO!!!! XP

whow! thanksgiving day is just a day after my birthday!
just found out about it, as i have been really caught up with exam to the extend that the only thing that was on my mind was 'exam's on the 26th!'.
and finally it's over! yeahhhh!! i am so happy!!! =D

well, i would really love to celebrate this special day with my loved ones.
my family, who's always there for anything and everything!
my friends, those who really care (you know who you are ;) ), for helping me, teaching me, working through all the ups and downs with me.

THANK YOU! with loads of loves!

love, katherine.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2010-11-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

yeap! i turn 21 on this very special day.

went to sleep with a big great smile (come to think about it, it's funny and scary in a way), and i woke up with a bigger and greater smile. =D

mummy being the very 1st to text me her wishing, and 9 awesome people started my birthday with 'rompak rompak', scaring the shit out of me, making me scream so hard that i think the only person i scared most was myself. it's a surprise that i would never forget. thanks guys!
got a video call from jul before sleep and that's the start of my very one and only 21st birthday.

first of all, thank you mummy, daddy, carlyn, ying ying and yong yong! i'm so happy to have gotten texts and calls from you lovelies!
next, thanks kristel and becky for the surprise and the memories kept in the album!
next, thanks jon jon, daniel, whay chiat, shan, alex, shiong qi and edward for bringing so much laughter throughout the surprise!
btw, special thanks to jon for being raped twice. i laugh so hard i nearly teared.
next, thanks jul babe for the wishing!

yi ying, thanks for the 8 a.m. call! followed by vonne! i went back to sleep, as usual.
i am so happy to have heard from jul, ying and vonne despise the distance! love you gals!

had breakfast at starbucks with leafy and kris.
it's a good start of a day with toffee nut frappuccino! it's christmas in a cup!

well, as summative is in 2 days, less than 24 hours time, you can guess what i did for the whole day after good breakfast.
i mug! hehehehe.
as a reward for my, being a hardworking imu student, i bought myself shushi zenmai as snack.
the birthday girl needs to be pampered. xp

had dinner with my best girls at imu (leafy, kris and becky) at my favourite restaurant, the chili's!
thanks for the dinner girls!

and then, here i am, back at vista b, feeling really tired of one long day, resting for a while before studying again.

i am truly thankful for every wishing sent, through sms-es, phone calls or facebook! thank you!
the effort of typing it, tapping the keypad brought me a smile. it's lovely!

it has been a great day!
i don't need any luxury as i have gotten the best of all, family whom i love and love me as much as i do, and friends who care.

as long as i am happy, every single day could be my birthday!

wishing people whom i love and care stay healthy and happy!
wishing imu people pass every exam with good result!
keeping my last wish to myself, it's a secret that i will never tell. ;p

post-birthday celebration there will be after exam! wohoo!

and i really really don't need a party, cz i am already happy. =)

love, katherine.

tsunami of emotions.

2010-11-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

at this very moment, i can't hold the indescribable feeling i'm having any longer.
it's at my throat, choking me so badly, i want to vomit it out.
it's in my stomach, aching so much that i just want to roll on the floor and scream.
it's in my brain, stinging every single cell so intensely that i wish my tears could ease it.
it's running under my skin, trying to push out of it that maybe exploding is the only remedy.

THIS FEELING IS KILLING ME.

i feel so bad, so guilty, so ashamed, so disappointed, so sad, that i have been taking so many things for granted.
well, this feeling comes with a reason.

was talking to geena, jon and jeffrey. it's a very nice heart-to-heart talk.
we talked about the reasons being at imu, and i was touched to know that they are doing medicine because they really want it. i see passion and appreciation in them, doing what they have in their mind and heart.
they truly appreciate medicine, and as for me, i feel sad for myself. i can be totally honest to myself that i have been taking medicine for granted, i always feel like i am being forced to do so, and i always have it in mind that my passion or interest is never in medicine.

they said that it's a blessing for them, a blessing! to be doing medicine as it's not affordable for everybody to do so. and jon, as a scholar, have been really glad and thankful that he has gotten the opportunity to fulfill his dream. geena has been really considerate towards her family, saying that she has been really lucky to have her family supporting her to IMU and she's doing local, not wanting to burden her parents, being considerate as she has a sister who would be furthering her studies to UK soon. and jeff, has sort of decided to do Biomedical Science before twining, wanting to lighten his family's burden as he has younger siblings waiting to go universities.

i mean, everybody has been so considerate and understanding, that makes me think why haven't i been one.
yes, medicine has never been my very first choice, as i didn't have any choice on my mind after high school, not even after college. i didn't know EXACTLY what i want.
i was silly, wanted to be a designer, and wanted to just get easy with accountancy, and medicine came into the picture, simply because i want to be someone that people would look up to.
i want to see envious in the others' eyes.
i want my parents to be proud of me.
i want to be superior.
i want to be rich.
and i always conclude that i want it because my family wants it.
it's all so superficial!

i have been finding so many excuses simply because i am not enjoying what i have been doing.
that's really foolish and shallow of me.
and my attitude and mental thoughts bring me bad results for the past 3 semesters!
C+! it's a SHAME! and i always thought that as long as i pass, it's all right.
it's simply NOT ALL RIGHT AT ALL!
what the fuck is wrong with me. i hope my mum could just slap me on my face to wake me up.

i should have appreciate my parents better, for being always there, throughout my ups and downs.
they have been giving me their support in everything that i did, i do, i want to do.
they never pressurize me of what grade should i get, and where should i go.
it has always been me, making all the moves with my selfishness.
i am so ashamed of myself, for not concentrating on my studies well enough, i know i could have done better, but i just didn't push myself hard enough, cz i know i can afford to disappoint them.
i am so guilty for asking so much, for a DS, for a camera, for a car, for an I-Touch, and they never ask for anything in return.
my parents NEVER ask me to excel in my studies for anything, and i have been taking it for granted.
ever since i left home for college and uni, i have been taking everything for granted.
and i got worse at uni, i enjoy myself without thinking of giving back.
how could i not know how lucky and blessed i have been?

i could have been done everything better if i have been appreciative.

i am more than thankful having my family, loving me, regardless how disappointing i am today.
thank you mummy, daddy, carlyn, ying and yong.
it's time for this silly girl to wake up!

the conversation, was a good wake-up call.
a knock on my head, open up the stubborn chest.
there's a lot to be filled in that pathetic chest, a lot of effort and work needed.
well, that's all right, i think i can do that from this moment onwards.

to my family, sorry, i am late to realise how blessed i have been.
sorry, i have been taking everything for granted.
sorry, i could have been better.
last but not least, sorry to myself.
i will make a change, no, changes, for good.

love, katherine.

P.S. don't comfort me or lye to me saying that i am okay and all right, cause i really am not. i need a slap on the face or a punch on the head. i need no sympathy but constructive criticism, for i really need to be a better me. i am still strong enough for any straightforward advice.

behind those smiles and laughter, there's also tears and pain.

blackout!!!!!

2010-11-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

i, katherine kang, experience 2, TWO, dua blackoutS in a week.

one on tuesday, and the other one just yesterday.

one at IMU, and my pbl was forced to be canceled and my effort of waking up early at 8 a.m. went wasted.
one at my b2-01-01 hostel, which explains why i am now at kris's house.
thankiu kristel yap! my savior for a day!! mwah!

i now, totally, completely, utterly, wholeheartedly believe becky's saying that, the FUNNIEST things happen to us, as in me and her.
i think we could write a book bout life in bukit jalil.

love, katherine.

panicking, AGAIN.

2010-11-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

exam's is on the 26th.
10 more days.

i don't know how well i am preparing me for it.
good thing, i have read all the notes at least once, and am on my way of finishing 2nd-time reading.
bad thing, i can't study in my room at vista b at all!!! i need to be out. library, mcd or starbucks.
this is mad.

after this summative, i promise to enjoy myself to the fullest.
i WILL go lagoon, go shopping, go skating, go eating, go swimming, go clubbing, watch movieS, and play mahjong!

bring it on, babeh!!!!

love, katherine.

hair cut.

2010-11-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

i am always reluctant to go for hair cut, till last week, when i was back home, and mum commented on my messy and wayyyy too layered hair, i decided to take mumsie dearie's advice, to thicken, shorten and straighten my ugly-looking hair.

left: before.

right: after.

not very good pictures to show the change, as i haven't been taking much pictures for 2 reasons.
one being the pimply face, thanks to my disastrous stupidity of trying on new face product with the hope of better skin when i don't really need it.
secondly, the lack of must-take-as-many-picture-as-possible-whenever-and-whenever mood, since there hasn't been any outing with the gang, plus the exam which is coming in 2 weeks time, kills the mood inside out.

anyway, the change is pretty good! i like it. a lot. =)
actually, more than just 'like'. i am so mad in love with the new hair! love love love!

left: the messy ends.

right: the satisfactory ends, and mad straight and thick-looking hair, though lot shorter.

note: i will take more pictures of the new hair soon after the exam.

thanks mama! i love your idea!

love, katherine.

eek! uncertainty!

2010-11-11T03:07:00.000-08:00

i think, it's all right to be not sure about things sometimes. no?
since the only certainty in life is uncertainty. no?

can i be superb optimistic, but still saintly realistic?
there are so many decisions to make, so little assurance i have. the balance is not there!
how can i ever put 'definitely' and 'certainly' in what's gonna be. grr, this is not fair.

not having control of one really important thing, makes me really insecure now.
can't be sure of where i would be twin to, it's like throwing a dice, letting the luck and fate decide where i would be. everybody, wishing me best of luck, pleaseeeee.

doing medicine at imu, is like taking a roller coaster ride. scary, yet exciting, nerve-cracking, yet comforting at times. i don't know, it's driving me a little nuts, ironically, it's teaching me how to pull myself back as well.

exam's in 2 weeks. i am panicking like an ant on hot pan. the nervousness is burning hot!

i, just came back from mcd, not for supper, but to study, with jon and shan.
have been doing late-night studies till 3 for 2 days.
still alive, miracle it is. haha.

can't wait till exam's over, and before the very next exam, i just want to be sleep well, eat well, and play well. till then, i would be one step closer, to leaving imu, and to another new start. intoxicating!

love, katherine.

chin up!

2010-11-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

so much of cheering for the others, i need somebody to cheer for me right now.
yes, cheer for me to cheer me up, now.

all that i have wanted is to transform from:

THIS:

caption: me, who is retarded much, who knows how to eat, sleep, spend, shit, crap. thing that i could do best would be study, maybe (wait a minute, i can't even achieve oh-so-fantastic result.wtf.). as a whole, a useful person wanna-be i am for the time being.

to...

THIS:

caption: professional-looking/intelligent much? someone who is needed, someone useful, someone my parents would be so proud of, a doctor, or even better, a surgeon! someone with confidence from inside out! ahh~ how i wish i was already a doctor wearing that scrub!

from a cocoon to a butterfly! the transformation that i want so badly now.

there's a super long road ahead for me to walk down, with strength and courage, with passion and enthusiasm, with smile and tears, with family and friends.

i just have to keep reminding myself to keep moving. it's suffocating sometimes, to be stressed most of the time, nevertheless, i am still me, being as optimistic as ever, hoping for the best after every trial, despise each ends with a fall or success.

for every better tomorrow! cheers!

i end up cheering for myself. kind of cool after all, no?

well, going off to bed now as i have a dialysis center to visit tomorrow with my pbl-mates. good night.

love, katherine.

10 bucks a day!

2010-10-31T11:16:00.001-07:00

i'm crazily hoping that saving money from today onwards, and for a year helps in making life easier when i twin to oversea, to the world.

like maybe, 1o bucks a day, katherine will have RM3650, which is around 730 pounds next year to shop hopefully and preferably at UK.

may my saving plan work and may my little dream of shopping at UK be realised.

it's said that when you strongly believe one thing, with no doubt, but determination, your wish would be granted.
i believe.

from now onwards, no money no talk! haha.

love, katherine.

sunny sunday!

2010-10-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

gotta be in november starting tomorrow!

got back home last thursday, and came back yesterday.
be surprise at how 2 days can make a change.
i got myself some nice time, eating breakie, and had some thoughts for myself.
i was just thinking how much changes has taken place in the past 10 months.
countless.

have been talking more with my mom about where i would be in a year time, what would i be doing then, and how would i do.
growing up with more responsibilities, has not been easy, but i am glad to have my family and awesome friends beside all these while.

gonna hit 21 soon!
excited bout it but the fact of having an exam 2 days after my big day is not very cool. haha.

okay, this is pretty random, i just feel like writing something, maybe. heh.

time to get cracking! go, fight, win!

love, katherine.

something, not significant, not nothing either.

2010-10-25T05:03:00.000-07:00

MOVE ON.
IT'S JUST A CHAPTER IN THE PAST.
BUT DON'T CLOSE THE BOOK.
JUST TURN THE PAGE.

and then i realised, i have turned so many pages, and yet, there's something, not meaningful, not meaningless either; not happy, not sad either; not nothing, but, there's no relief and utmost happiness.

next page, perhaps?

p.s. i am all right, just got this thought while sitting on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

love, katherine.

playing catch-up.

2010-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

catching up with the lectures that i missed for the last one month.
*puffing*

almost there. almost finishing endocrine, reproductive system is up next!

today, i MUST finish endocrine, by hook or by crook.

i was supposed to study for saturday, but i ended up reading 'message in a bottle' by nicholas sparks, and sleep! bad bad bad! i could be done with endocrine by now. argh.
okay lar. study.

love, katherine.

Of no where and no reason..

2010-10-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

i miss..

LAW YI YING!

JULIA LAU!

YVONNE LIM!

oh my KL3!

love, katherine.

Some colours.

2010-10-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

there hasn't been any picture due to my laziness, i admit. xp
wanting a colourful blog, so here goes:

me! i like this SS pic of mine EXCEPT that one of my eyes is smaller! irritated by the fringe. haha. nevertheless, nice overall. haha! super SS now.

the medicines that i have been taking since last friday. mad a lot!

say hello to:

Intazin : Cetirizine Hydrochloride.
Apo-cimetidine 200 mg
Dhamol : Paracetamol 500 mg (me like!)
Indomethacin 25mg
Metrogyl : Metronidazole 200 mg
Betamox Capsule : Amoxycilin 200 mg

c-o-l-o-u-r-f-u-l

tadah~~~~~~ my wosdom tooth removed!
star of the month!!!!! hahaha!

something bout today:

had my MUET speaking test this morning. and i woke up at freaggin 6 a.m. for preparation. it feels young and feels high school-ish to wake up at that hour. haha.

the test was held at SMK Bandar Sri Petaling, and i waited in one of the classroom with the others for bout an hour before my turn.
was grumpy and still sleepy, me, being the emo kid for a while, dozed off while the others chit-chatting around.
was in the 2nd group, and the topic of discussion is the most important quality of a good tutor.
there was 4 in a group, we're 'labeled' Candidate A till D.
i was Candidate D, and the point that i got to evaluate was: a good tutor should be patient and friendly.
being katherine as usual, i crapped my way through.
saying that patience needed in teaching and learning for better understanding, blah blah blah, being friendly helps to build you good tutor-student relationship for a comfortable learning process, blah blah blah.

there's a malay girl who apparently is a debater, got the point saying that a good tutor should be hardworking and committed, kept shooting me back like nobody else's business during the 2nd session, which is the group discussion. she started of by giving her very own definition of hardworking and committed, then set up examples of hardworking from i-forgot-i-am-sorry and example of committed from marriage. okay, i shall stop describing her. not to remember her much. xp

anyway, i think should be safe. waiting for the other tests ont 13th of nov and i will be done done with MUET. hehehe.

cheerio!

love, katherine.

home sweet home.

2010-10-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

i am at home, and at ease.

at this very moment, typing this post, i just heard an OWL howling! gosh! of everything and anything, AN OWL! i was shocked by an owl at this funny hour! FML.

forget bout the owl, i am extremely happy to be at home!
hehehe!

mum bought me nice mee pok for lunch on friday, and after lunch, she brought me to clinic goh to see if i needed a lower-sacral x-rays. Muar definitely has got better GP than those at Sri Petaling lor. Dr. Goh did physical examination on me, twisting my legs up and down to check if there's any pain at the lower sacral area. my coccyx and lower sacral bones turned out to be all right, lucky to be not badly injured by the fall. and he explained so nicely that the pain caused by the fall is due to minor tear at the ligaments. takes some time to heal, and not too serious to the extend where x-rays is needed.
stupid doctors at Sri Petaling who are up to cheat my money didn't even helped to check my back or anything, charged me 45 bucks for some pills! lousy shit!

taking anti-histamine drugs for my allergy and anti-inflammatory drugs for the inflammation from the ligament tear at the back and the ankle.
those drugs keep me so sleepy that most of the time i spend at muar is wasted sleeping.
mummy keeps saying that all that i need is to rest more and rest well, and i feel so bad doing nothing, helping her nothing, but troubling her to cook, to bring me water and to put me to bed.
i love my mama!!!!!!!!

and today, one nice saturday, mummy woke me up at 9 in the morning, to get me to the dentist.
i had finally gotten my wisdom tooth removed!
ONLY the injection part is painful like shit. thanks to the anesthetic, i felt nothing at all at the pulling out the gigantic tooth. and i have got a stitch of silk tread in my mouth! will have to get it removed after 2 weeks.
by the way, i kept the tooth! haha. wanna take pic of it and shall post it up somewhere as a memory! a painful memory though. wisdom tooth is really a bitch!
the bleeding and swelling after my minor surgery were awful!
i eat like a baby, with the swelling, i can't swallow properly and can't take warm food.
took porridge that i hate the most after the tooth abstract, and mum was mashing the porridge, yes, mashing the porridge just to make sure that it's the food is so liquefied that i eat with less effort.
once again, I LOVE MY MAMA!!!!

the dentist gave antibiotic and that adds on to the crazy amount of medicine that i am already taking.
after lunch, took my medicine, and i couldn't help but to sleep again.
i slept so deep on the couch that i didn't even know when mummy went to work. she had the air-conditioner on and got me my blanket and pillows from my room.
my mama is the best mama ever!

after the nap, it's already dinner. i ate and watched tv program alone till i am hungry again, mummy drove me out to da bao wan tan mee.
i, ate again, followed by taking the stewpid pills that make me feel sleepy and funny.

jolting down the messy pieces of today and yesterday, i don't want myself to forget how reckless i have been at taking care of myself, and how much trouble that i am giving my mom from my recklessness.

i shall get well real soon and i promise, to take better care of myself!

off to bed, again!

love, katherine.

Cheer-leading!

2010-10-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

i, hurt my coccyx and a few sacral bone, injured my ankle, got a collection of bruises, and brought myself painful back and knee, all from cheer-leading.
still, i am enjoying every moment of it.
let it be stressed, tensed, or tired, everything ends with contentment and one very special happy feeling that can't be described by words.

whay chiat was commenting on the performance, to quote him 'even if you were lost and couldn't find your position, just smile.'

isn't that something? haha.

it's has been a great experience! worth the time spending, worth the effort given, and worth the injuries collected.

the cheer-leaders actually have to cheer themselves more than they cheer for the others just to cheer for the others. it hasn't been easy, but the process of trying and all the practices have been amazing.

come on, griffin! let's do it! monday is the day!

p.s. i am so loving my very 1st cheer-leading uniform! =D

love, katherine.