Blueberries And Strawberries
I know I promised that I would be posting up pictures of food but circumstances at home hasn't been favourable. First my internet doesn't work, then I can't find the cable to transfer the photos then someone takes the camera somewhere else. However, everything is now in order and I can finaly post them up.
I've been waiting for a long time to resume baking and and finally the day has come. So I started nice and slow and made a Victorian sponge cake with strawberry cream, topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries.
It tasted pretty good, even if I do say so myself. I liked it so much I'm putting up 4 photos.
Next thing up is probably currypuffs.
Labels: Food
Sony Bravia
You know that you will never look at televisions the same again after you sit in front of a tv almost as wide as you are tall.
My father enjoys his tv time - which was why he finally got down to getting one.
First thing out of my mouth was,"That is
HUGE."
For all you people who have had huge tvs for the past 10 years or so - forgive me for being a country bumpkin.
Labels: Life
How Many Bags Do You Have?
I was introduced to a girl a couple of months ago and we became acquaintances. Not
friends. She was just someone I happened to know.
Her conversations with me were always pretty probing.
She: Hey, you know Girl A? Does she have a boyfriend now?
Me: Um...no, she doesn't.
She: Oh, really? Has she had a boyfriend before?
Me: Um...yes?
She: Oh, really? How many?
Me: .......
She doesn't even
know Girl A and she's demanding to know everything. *rolls eyes*
That already semi-offended me, but the next conversation I had with her was the clincher.
She: Hey, you know the Gucci bag you carry to uni? How much did you pay for it?
Me: Uh... *states amount* I think.
She: Really? I saw it in HK it was only *amount about half the price of what I paid*
Me: *disinterested* Really? The exact same color? Because it's still currently in season you know.
She: Um...well, no. That one was blue.
Me: Well, that's different then.
Girl didn't back off. She continued on.
"So, how many designer bags do you have?"
Is it me or do is that one of the rudest questions you can ask a person? It's like asking a person how much money they earn per annual year. You don't
ask people questions like that. Especially when you don't know them very well. I evaded the question.
"Oh, well, you know... every girl has a few here and there."
That bitch actually persisted on.
"Oh...yalah...how many?"
Pissed off. Go interrogate someone else.
Labels: Rants
Home Sweet Home
Here I am back in sunny and hot Malaysia and feeling great. Only struggle is that it's a bit
too hot and definitely too humid. But I guess it's something I'll get used to in time.
I can't wait to get to work on my baking and cooking now that I finally have a clean kitchen to work in. Looking forward to making Malaysian delicacies because of the wonderful ingredients available.
Running off now. Still have lots of errands to run, clean up my room etc etc.
Food posts very likely to follow soon.
Labels: Life
All My Bags Are Packed
My bags are packed, my room is empty and I'm finally saying goodbye to this chapter in my life. Or rather, good riddance.
I never loved packing. The hassle of deciding what to pack where and what to throw and what to keep is stressful. But never in my life have I been so willing to pack, so much so that when I finally found a place to stay I packed up every possible item in anticipation of the move. Because packing up means I'm leaving this place and hopefully the memories stay here.
I sound bitter. I know that. If anything, I think this year has taught me how to stand up for myself - but at the same time I look at myself in the mirror and see a person who could be nicer, but isn't.
Packing up my laptop now. Will blog again when I'm back in Malaysia.
Never have I been so happy to leave a place.
Labels: Life
Doorbell Ringers
Doorbells are an essential part of the house - especially if you stay in an apartment.
Correct doorbell etiquette in my humble opinion is that the doorbell should be depressed for less than one second. After all, the occupants in the house aren't deaf, are they?
Holding the doorbell down for
10 seconds is not funny. Especially when I am studying for an exam.
I was ready to be sympathetic for the new housemates that were going to move into my apartment. But now?
I hope those psychos are happy with the current psycho.
P/S: Packed up half of my stuff today including my
student card, which I had accidentally left in one of my bags. Had to reopen like 10 boxes before I found right one. Good grief, I'll be so happy when this is all over.
Labels: Rants
3 More Nights
3 more nights and I"m finally out of this apartment.
I've been waiting for this to happen for so long that now that it's finally here I'm in disbelief.
4 more nights and I'm back home in my own bedroom and a clean kitchen.
2 more nights and my exams are finally over.
1 more night to my oral exam.
Study study study.
Labels: Life
Little Manhattan
I finally got round to buying an external hard drive. It's all part of the plan to somehow try to get my laptop to run faster.
My friend who got it for me was kind enough to preload it with his collection of movies and TV shows. Naturally I'm in heaven. Only problem is that I probably should be
studying instead of exploring the collection.
Watched "Little Manhattan" today. It's about an 11 year old boy in love with a girl in Manhattan. Sort of along the lines of "My Girl" - also one of my favourite childhood romance movies.
Everytime I watch romantic movies set in New York, I'm seized with the desire to go there and see the place for myself.
Even without watching romantic movies in New York I always wanted to go.
You hear so much about a place and you just really want to go and see what's there. Of course, things aren't always what they seem - movies tend to make things look so much better. But I still think it's worth a visit.
Have to go there one day.
Labels: Life
Strangers
It is often said that you never know when a stranger will become your friend - but the opposite is also true. A friend can also become a stranger overnight.
When you connect with someone, you share things. You tell them how badly your day has gone, how happy you were when you got your test results back, how excited you are...basically everything. And a person who cares would really want to know these things too.
Then it comes a point when the connection is lost and all you can say is superficial stuff.
Friend: How've you been?
Me: Yeah, I've been fine...no problems. Everything has been great! *wan smile*
Friend: That's good...are you moving out? How's uni and everything?
Me: Yeah, I"m moving out. Everything is great! Just good..nothing bad you know... *wan smile*
Friend: Oh, you're moving? Why?
Me: Yeah well, you know... the lease has ended..so..yeah... *evasively*
You don't tell them the truth. You don't tell them that in fact, you're
not okay. You don't tell them that this year has been one of the more nightmarish ones in a long time.
Instead, you plaster on the generic smile and say the generic words.
We are no more than strangers.
Labels: Life
Cookie Cutters
Was browsing aimlessly and found cookie cutters. I want these!!
1.
Ballerina
2.
Hat
3.
Snowflake
4.
Lighthouse
5.
Linked Hearts
6.
Pirate Ship
7.
Flamingo
8.
Angel Fish
9.
Toothbrush
10.
Molar
It's incredibly ironic to eat toothbrush and molar cookies. When I become a dentist I shall bake molar-shaped cookies and give them to kids as their reward.
Is that wrong?
Labels: Shopping
Positive Thinking
Apparently positive thinking is everything.
If you think you can do it - you can. If you think you can't - you can't.
Of course, life is more complicated than that. But I am determined to positive-think myself into studying.
This semester has got to be the semester that I've crammed the least in my lifetime.
I'm just depressed/tired/listless all the time.
Sorry my posts have been so whiny lately. I promise when I go back to Malaysia I shall attempt to put up different subjects i.e. my adventures in the kitchen.
Just one week more...
Labels: Life
Sticks
I've been randomly surfing around in Friendster when I'm supposed to be studying, looking at photos.
Everybody I know is currently stick thin.
Alternatively, I've grown so fat that everybody looks thin in comparison.
Friend A: Well, everybody naturally puts on a bit of weight when they're studying overseas... there's nothing extraordinary about that.
Friend B:
I didn't put on weight! *smirk*
Me: *resisting the temptation to bitch slap B*
It's a raw raw nerve.
Labels: Ramblings
21st Century
Was reading a novel set in 19th century England and I have to say I am so grateful I am in this day and age.
I doubt living as a queen in that age is better than living as an ordinary person in this age.
I am grateful for:
1. Electricty - heating, air conditioning, lamps, washing machines, computers, etc etc etc
2. Toilets - self explanatory
3. Taps and sinks - imagine having to go to the
well for water
4. All forms of transport
5. Hospitals
And now I'm going to learn 21st century perio.
Labels: Life
Screwed
I have
1. A really bad headache.
2. Problems sleeping.
3. To learn how to bend clasps by Tuesday morning.
4. Lots more to study before I am ready to sit any papers.
5. Been daydreaming too much.
6. Painful bouts of homesickness.
7. Been irritable and restless.
8. No joy in anything.
9. Never been so ready to leave a place in my life.
10. The feeling that I'm nearing a nervous breakdown.
I need to get away from this place.
Labels: Dental School
Pressure
My mom called.
Mom: Your grandmother has been complaining why there hasn't been any weddings in our family.
Me: Uh huh...*disinterest*
Mom: All your cousins are all 25-30 and not even one of them getting married. Many are not even attached!
Me: Uh huh...
Mom: Why haven't you found a boyfriend?
Me: At 21, what is the chances of me dating and marrying the guy? I'm not going to get together and break up and waste my time. I have better things to do.
Mom: Well, just be friends!
Me: I have friends. Isn't that good enough?
Mom: Well, it's not the same as a
boyfriend.
Me: *Exasperated*
Apparently she has concluded that at 21 my single status is starting to worry her.
Here's the thing - I don't want to settle for something that is not enough to push me to do more. I am not going to settle for ordinary. I'm looking for extraordinary.
Maybe I am too fussy and maybe I shouldn't have such high expectations about what I want in life. But I don't believe myself to be so. I have met many guys who are good boyfriend material - but there just hasn't been that extra
something that I have not found. Maybe I'm over-romantic. Maybe I should be realistic.
But to me, it's all or nothing - there is no middle.
Mom sniffed. "Well, I guess you're left with
nothing then."
Isn't 'nothing' better than a husband who gambles, cheats or a relationship that is passionless?
Labels: Life
Trust
I've always treasured my relationship with my parents. Throughout the 21 years I have never kept anything from them. Granted, I may have changed the actual price of some of the items I've bought in my lifetime but other than that, I've always been relatively honest.
Mom: So, what are you planning to buy when you come back to Malaysia?
Me: My laptop is getting kind of cranky. Thinking of getting a new one...
Mom: Do you actually really need a laptop?
Me: Well, I suppose I don't
need one... but it would be really nice if I could change it.
Mom: Well, you better think about it then and see how it goes.
If I had sworn my laptop was giving me hell ( which is semi-true) , I have a brand new one now.
Aargh...
ethics!Labels: Ramblings
It's All About The Money
It's a fact. Money can't buy you happiness, but it sure can help.
After much indecision and a lot of self-loathing, inward battles with myself and heaps of attempted common sense, I decided that I should get a housemate instead of staying alone.
Because my parents don't print money and I should understand that I should try to be less of a burden to them. Because I should be grateful to even be here instead of... I don't know, being sold as a prostitute in Thailand. Because there are people out there in the world who don't even have enough money to buy food. Because I should realize that 'torture' by
my definition is 'heaven' to another person. Because there is every reason to get a housemate and only one reason not to - my own selfish desire to get out of a potentially difficult position of living with another person.
Now every 2-3 days I panic that I could have potentially made the biggest mistake of my life -
again - after it has been made clear that you never know who is a psycho until you live with them.
Didn't help that recently my friend launched into a story-telling session about crazy housemates that almost froze my blood in my veins.
This should be easy. This shouldn't be something that I should see as a big deal. I shouldn't panic. Every other unscarred person out there gets a housemate - hell, even 2-3 housemates - without even blinking an eye and they're
fine.
I'm the crazy person who is getting panic attacks over moving in with someone new. Now
I'm the potential psycho housemate here.
What is
wrong with me?!?!
Labels: Life
Dreamland
I slept at 3.30am yesterday and woke up the next day at 1pm.
That's all good and dandy, except at 2pm I decided I was tired again and
went back to sleep. For another 2 hours.
Fantastical dreams that I had include:
1. Having my 17 grow in front of my 15 with some really weird morphology. The dentist extracted it while I was demanding to know how such a thing could happen when I already had ortho.
2. My aunts coming to my apartment, telling me off for even
considering living in such a pigsty, refurnishing it zen-style and then
moving in.
Talk about nightmares.
Labels: Life
Life of a Non-saint
I am no saint.
I wake up every morning and I tell myself," Alright, today is the day you do everything
exactly right. You're going to brush up, head straight to your books, stay away from MSN, eat a sensible healthy lunch, avoid snacks at all cost, resist from being a judgmental bitch about everything and anything, be a more understanding and caring person, clean up your desk instead of leaving your notes all over it before going to bed and stay away from DVDS."
Then I walk into the bathroom, see the state it is in, get
angry and start cursing my housemate.
I had a chat to my friend today whom I hadn't met for about 2 years.
"You know Dental Girl, you've changed. A lot. You used to be a lot less bitter and calm. And
way nicer. Heck, 2 years ago if I asked you to bake a cake for me, you would have done it. Now you tell me to get my girlfriend to do it."
"That's because you have a girlfriend and that's her
job. I'm not going to bake for someone who already has someone designated for the job already," I snapped.
"See? This is what I'm talking about! Chill, girl!"
So I admit it - I am no saint. And I get irritated very easily. I guess over the past two years lots has happened to change my perception in life.
I am not as nice as I could be anymore because I don't want to be taken advantage of - and more importantly I don't want to be taken for granted. I don't want to be a doormat just waiting for people to step all over me. I
refuse to be a doormat.
That's the thing isn't it? Because if I was truly a nice person, I would happily allow myself to be taken advantage of. I would happily be happy to be of service without any form of gratitude or recognition. I"ll be happy to be a doormat. I'll be happy just to be of service.
I am no saint.
Labels: Rants
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
Surfed around aimlessly and ended up in the Tiffany & Co website. Haven't visited it for a while now - and was pleasantly surprised to see a few new things I liked.
Tiffany Swing - I've seen this in real life before. Chunkier than it appears to be in the picture but still really really nice. And really really expensive.
Tiffany Snowflake - Diamonds, platinum and snowflake in the same sentence. What's not to like?
Tiffany Etoile - I like how the diamonds are not the same size and are scattered seemingly randomly.
I'm so sick and tired of studying and I still have 4 papers to go.
Must persevere.
Labels: Fashion
Evacuation
I've stopped cooking anything in my apartment for about 3 weeks now.
While the moving out of the kitchen thing has been the best thing that I could have ever done for myself, it has been detrimental for my wastline and pocket.
I was even considering moving back into the kitchen to cook, but decided against it when I had a look at what was going on.
Stale milk was just left on the floor, countertops and stovetops filthy, unwashed dishes... the list goes on.
15 days till I get out of this place once and for all.
Labels: Ramblings
Traumatized
Just weighed myself after avoiding that unpleasant task for about a month. I guess I wanted to live in blissful ignorance.
Traumatized by the figure displayed.
Labels: Health
Dinner
It's a well known fact that if you attend a formal dinner and you're single - the seating arrangement predetermined by your lovely host or hostess is going to make or break your evening.
My evening was broken.
In times like this one can only assume that the person hosting it either
1. Hates you to the core.
2. Doesn't know you at all.
In my case - it was probably a mixture of both.
I was seated between a flower arrangement and a girl that I never had anything in common with - which I thought was a well-known fact, but apparently not. Opposite were two girls I barely knew.
Spent the night getting increasingly bored.
Snippits of conversation:
"You're a dental student? Ohh...hey, I have a wisdom tooth that's erupting. Should I extract it?"
"So, do you actually
do stuff to patients now? Like
real actual patients?"
"Does tooth whitening really work?"
Would have enjoyed myself so much more if I was in bed with a trashy paperback novel.
Avoidance
I hate prosthetics. Which was why I have done everything I can to put off studying it. Like:
1. Doing my laundry.
2. Rearranging my bags according to size, color and type.
3. Painting my nails.
4. Shopping.
5. Eating out.
6. Reading blogs.
7. Analyzing my handwriting.
8. Thinking about what I'm going to do when I go back to Malaysia.
9. Reorganizing my room.
10. Making up new playlists on iTunes.
Geez. I must
really hate pros.
Labels: Life
At Last
Concluded I needed retail therapy after a long hard year of dentistry as well as dealing with a psycho housemate.
So I went to Collins St and came back with this:
Had a very hard time deciding but finally decided on the Epi Leather Pochette in Mandarin from Louis Vuitton because:
1. I had a credit note from LV from the last time I bought a Multicolore Porte-Monalle and decided that it was a silly purchase.
2. Mandarin is no longer in production. Had to jump onto the bandwagon before it left.
3. I wanted a small bag after always buying bigger bags because 'it's the practical thing to do'.
Bought the extension as well (the tiny piece of metal you see at the end of the strap. It's meant to be a keychain but they use it to extend the strap so that it's not so short. That's because the strap is meant to be a wrist strap, not a shoulder one. That piece of metal cost almost 1/3 of the bag. Ouch.
I'm a poor poor student now who needs to study very very hard to ensure that I really really pass all my tough tough exams.
Happily my friend cheered me up.
"You're poor in cash - but at least you're rich in bags!"
I am comforted.
Labels: Shopping
Milk Frothing
I've been really into soy chai lattes lately and suddenly realized that I was drinking about 20 dollars worth of soy chai lattes a week.
So I decided that I should figure out how to make my own soy chai lattes at home.
Which was why I bought a milk frother.
A milk frother basically looks like a coffee plunger. You pour the milk in, plunge the handle up and down a few times and you get frothy milk. Soy milk takes a little bit more effort but it pays off.
So basically steep the chai tea in 1/3 the volume of water you usually use to make tea, and make up the chai latte with 1/3 of the concentrated tea and 2/3rds frothed milk. Add sugar if desired.
Sipping my 3rd cup of soy chai latte now.
Labels: Food
Sports Smorts
I never liked sports. Had a discussion with my cousin today about why it was so and this is why:
1. We had to wear long sleeved school mass-produced shirts that had an
extremely itchy collar.
Long sleeves. In
Malaysia. Geez.
2. We had to wear long track pants. In
Malaysia.
3. The teachers who taught sports were always so sarcastic. I still remember a teacher saying that she doubted I could even lift the javelin, let alone throw it. Bitch. I hope one day I get to do a root canal without LA on her.
4. I never saw the point in a 45 minute PE session when 15 minutes was spent changing, 10 minutes spent getting down to the field and the remainer doing some warm-ups. Then back to changing.
5. I never saw the point of running laps. Or anything, really.
As a result, I'm not exactly what people would call 'fit', although I do play tennis.
Dental Girl is a lazy pig.
Labels: Life
Clasp Bending
Why do we have to bend clasps for acrylic partial dentures?
Why?
There are people in this world who can bend clasps in less than 3 minutes - possibly less than a minute. When such people exist, what exactly is the point of making lowly dental students spend
hours trying to bend circumferential and gingivally approaching clasps? What?
Looking forward to the day I become a dentist and ship everything off to technicians.
Labels: Dental School
Frosty
When I was at work and there were no customers, I used to flip through real estate fliers with houses for sale to pass the time. My workmate commented that the houses I liked were predictable.
Apparently, I like 'painfully clean looking houses with light timber flooring'.
Anyway, flipped through eLuxury and have picked a few items that struck my fancy. All Louis Vuitton - been going through the Vuitton phase for a while.
Everything in various shades of white.
Louis Vuitton Suhali Leather - This bag is way beyond budget. Doesn't stop me from loving it.
Louis Vuitton Mirror Compact - Yes, I am going out of my mind.
Louis Vuitton Antigua - Only problem with this bag is that it's canvas. Which means it'll be grey in less than a week.
Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Organizer - Latest series from LV. Love it!!
White rocks.
Labels: Fashion
Siberian Tigers
When I was young I told my parents that I wanted a horse as a pet. Then I could ride it to school and gallop on the beach (no beach in my hometown -
no idea where I got that notion from).
Then when I grew up I concluded there were better pets that I could come up with. Like Siberian tigers.
I always thought that tigers were one of the most awesome animals. Lions - supposedly the king of the jungle - has always struck me as dirty. Probably because their manes always looked so unkempt. Plus the female lions always have to do the work.
Not sure if the female tigers do all the work too - but I still prefer tigers.
I want a Siberian tiger - preferably a tame one.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'll learn my cephalometric points now.
Labels: Life
Channing Tatum
Watched "Step Up" last week.
Channing Tatum is hot.
Yes, I like trashy teenage shows. Yes, I actually pay good money to watch trashy shows in cinemas. Yes, the main attraction was Channing Tatum. Oh, and the dancing - which was good. I liked the soundtrack too.
If I could choose what type of body I would like to date - this would be it.
Dental Girl is going into the realm of fantasy once again.
Labels: Hotties
New Habits
Over the course of this year, I've developed the habit of:
1. Washing my bedsheets every week. Used to be longer than that. Now I get all germophobic and change it weekly.
2. Using Post-It-Notes for everything. I stick them on my laptop, my organizer, my bags, anything.
3. Using an organizer. Looks like I'm starting to become a control freak.
4. Flossing daily. I used to do it only when I thought about it - which was about every 2-3 days.
5. Buying loose Koko Black chocolates and eating them in multiples of 2 at a time. So either I eat 2, 4 or 6 at one sitting. Depending on how depressed I am for a day. Very expensive habit.
6. Wearing flats. My days of frivolous high heels and running around in 3 inch heels are over.
7. Sleeping at least 9 hours a day.
8. Drinking soy chai lattes. I'm addicted to that beverage now.
9. Taking vitamins and cod liver oil.
10. Writing notes on study cards.
I've stopped:
1. Putting on makeup daily. I'm just too lazy now.
2. Using perfume daily. Same reason as No. 1.
3. Eating yoghurt.
4. Counting calories.
5. Reading trashy magazines.
6. Shopping on a twice weekly basis. Now it's more like... I can't even remember the last time I bought something new related to fashion.
Gawd...I"m turning into a psycho control freak - and an ungroomed and unfashionable one at that.
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
Labels: Life
