Simmering
It all started when my housemate stepped on her pair of safety glasses before leaving for Shep. I gave her my usual pair and took out my brand new spare one to use in clinic.
Except I lost my new pair 2 days into using it. Annoyingly, I
saw it on the bench and told myself I had to remember to bring it home. Except I was buried under a mountain of paperwork and had an appointment with my research supervisor that I was already 15 minutes late for.
I can only blame myself. Furious that I was so careless, furious that I didn't choose to pour up my stupid model yesterday (if I did I would have realized that my safety glasses weren't with me) and furious about...
everything.
Yeap. A lot of pent up anger.
Chestnuts
Last weekend me and my friends decided to have a day in watching movies. That included food - namely chestnuts, exotic fruit and cheese fondue.
Having no experience roasting chestnuts except buying them from the old man around the corner who kinda fried them with coffee beans back in Malaysia, I told my friend that
probably we should just put it into the oven and let it roast.
Bad. Idea.
First we heard explosions happening in the oven. We figured that wasn't a big deal and that it would be okay when it was cooked.
When it was what we felt 'done', we took it out. We then heard a loud crack and saw chestnut powder sprayed all over the kitchen and chestnut skin on the floor. It happened a couple more times. Quite terrifying, to be honest.
Googling too little too late, we found out that before roasting chestnuts, one is supposed to
pierce them first.
Who knew?
P/S: I am
terrible at peeling chestnuts. Back home I would position myself next to my dad and pass him an unshelled nut every time I wanted another one. He'd then unshell it for me. In Melbourne, I had no such luxury. My progress was so slow my friends finally took pity on me and gave me several unshelled nuts.
What is a sign of love? When a person would unshell chestnuts willingly for you.
Labels: Life
Cake Plate
We drove down the main street of Shepparton and I saw a store called "Provincial Living". It struck my fancy and on one of the days when our clinic was cancelled, I forced my friend who was the driver to stop there for a while.
Went in and promptly fell in love with a cake plate on display. Only problem was that the price was outrageous. I refused to cough up the money and decided that I would come back to the city and look for a cheaper alternative.
However, things never work that way for Dental Girl. I came back to the city still lusting after that cake plate and could find
no cake plate in the city that had any form etched decorations at the sides of the dome. One could almost say it was
the one. In the end I gave in, dragged myself to the Provincial Living in Nunawading, coughed up and came back all smiles.
Told the shopkeeper that it was a gift. Which is not a lie. Me to me presents are still presents and deserve gift wrapping!
Out of the wrapping, onto the table.
Etched glass - the way I could not find anywhere in Melbourne city for love or money.
Promptly baked a batch of cupcakes so that I could see how my baked goods would look in it.
Bliss.
Labels: Shopping
Cupcakes
I've been stubbornly refusing to go grocery shopping for no apparent reason. As a result, it came down to the point that the only things I had in the house was ingredients to bake with.
Decided that one should not be deterred by such circumstances, I decided to bake cupcakes for dinner.
Decorating them was immensely enjoyable.
And the rest of the day? I ate instant noodles.
Labels: Food
That's What Girls Do
I was on call one of the days last week and at 8am my friend calls me and says that I'll have to go up to Douta Galla because her partner has called in sick.
Managed to get a 2.5 hour lunch break with nothing to do.
Deciding that one shouldn't waste the opportunity to enjoy life, we both got manicures done at a local nail parlour.
It was a fulfilling day.
Labels: Dental School
I feel a mixture of guilt, exhaustion, grumpiness and... remoteness.
I'm tired.
Labels: Dental School
The Quest For The Perfect Pen
I tend not to devote whole posts to what I have been purchasing but this is something that I feel is worth talking about - especially for other girls who are stuck in the same boat.
After a couple of years of lusting after the LV Agenda, I finally decided that buying it would be the only way to get over it. Happy ending?
Not so simple.
I discovered, like so many others before me, that LV has their
own agenda. The pen holder is
tiny. So tiny that in fact, the only pen that seemed to fit into it is by...LV.
Refusing to shell out another AUD200 or whatever the asking price was for that pen that didn't even look
that great, I found a mechanical pencil from Borders that fit the holder for AUD6. However, I always knew that one day I'd get
the pen.
The opportunity arose when I misplaced that pencil at Knox. I concluded that losing the pencil was a sign that it was time to move on and get the definitive pen to go with my agenda.
After a couple of weeks, I went to Tiffany, firmly telling myself that it was the place that I would find the pen that I've been seeking. I duly fell in love with a pink pen on display. Only problem was that the experience was reminiscent of Cinderella's stepsister trying to squeeze her too-big foot into the too-small glass slipper, only in this case it was a too-big pen into a too-small holder.
Devastation.
Decided to give the issue a rest and used some other pen I had for the time being, all the while knowing that that was the pen I wanted.
Today I went to Tiffany, requested to see the pink pen again and slipped it into the ring.
I have not used that holder since the last time I tried to stuff it in and failed.
Conclusion? I made it happen, and it was destiny.
Feel free to write me off as crazy.
A present from me to ...what...me?! *gasp* I shouldn't have!
My pink pen in my red agenda. Bliss.
Okay,
fine. I'm sure other people with LV agendas will be able to put this Tiffany pen into their agenda at first try. I just like to dramatise my life. Other pens that fit include a couple other Tiffany ones (both signature Tiffany Blue in colour), a AUD500 sterling silver Hermes one (comes with a chain to chain it to your agenda so that you don't lose it) and LV's own range (of course).
Labels: Life, Shopping
Macaroons
A friend of mine who was studying pastry in France finally came back to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago. Since I just got back from Shepparton I seized the opportunity to get him to fulfill his promise to me - to teach me how to bake macaroons.
Macaroons all piped out on the tray. Apparently the reason why they're staggered rows is so that they bake more evenly. Something about airflow.
Out from the oven.
The filling - An outer ganache ring with some nutella with some paillete feulletine crushed in.
End product!
It's hard work!! I doubt if I would ever do it again, but the results were pleasing. When I sandwiched the macaroon pieces together I couldn't stop smiling.
Now...if only I can get him to teach me how to make molded chocolates next...
Labels: Life
Nine Mile House
One of the weekends when we were up in Shepparton, we decided to visit the Nine Mile House.
it's essentially a cafe which is owned by the same people who run a dairy farm. Thus, we had cheese that came straight for the farm there. Being a cheese lover, I had to go.
Spent the day waiting for the food to arrive. It took a grand total of 2 hours, because there were so many people who wanted to eat there and only
one person in the kitchen.
It was worth it.
Labels: Life
My Happy Place
After a few drinks, my mind clouds and I enter the zone.
Colours are brighter, jokes are funnier, the rhythm of music is irresistible.
I love that place.
Labels: Life
Dentistry and Me
As I plug amalgam into another 36MO, I wonder if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Don't get me wrong - I don't dislike dentistry. But do I
love it?
I love the feeling of the periodontal ligaments ripping when I finally extract a tooth - triumphantly. A patient told me last year that he didn't believe that I could extract teeth - I looked so weak and ... un-dentist-y. I guess that makes my successful extractions taste sweet.
I love it when the resin composite is the exact color match to the tooth I'm working on.
I love removing walls of calculus on lower anterior teeth with the ultrasonic scaler...seeing all the pieces of calculus flaking off, exposing actual root surfaces.
I love removing caries with a slow speed round bur, the leathery stuff coming off in small clumps and then powder, leaving a polished hard clean surface.
I guess I love at least
some of it.
Labels: Dental School
Referencing
The end of our Shepparton rotation draws near and I have mixed feelings. Half of me is happy that I will be able to go back home to my apartment in Melbourne and enjoy the joys of having internet that actually works in my room.
Wirelessly. Another half of me realizes that the end of Shepparton just means the start of new GP sessions in the hospital.
That does not please me.
The world of having no assistant and the pressure of finding a presentation patient is just around the corner. I feel like drowning.
Doesn't help that our last week here is clouded over by a project that we have to complete. With referencing.
I
hate referencing. Typing out random author's names with dates, commas, periods, brackets etc drives me crazy. And having to reference every single statement that is made in the project (pretty much every sentence) just makes me depressed.
The good news is that last weekend, I ate the best fish and chips ever. Photos to follow...soon.
Labels: Dental School, Life
Transformed
Just watched Transformers last night. Yes - I am so behind. Somehow I haven't really been watching any movies for the past couple of years.
Anyway, I've reached a conclusion.
I want a Transformer friend.
Labels: Ramblings
When A 4 Gets With A 8...
At my friend's 21st, in my semi-drunken stupor a friend asked me how things were going.
Friend: Are you with someone special?
Me: No, I'm not. Special people don't walk around very often.
Friend: You know Dental Girl...you just have to
go for it. I mean, look at the world. Do people who get 8/10 always go out with 8/10? No, they don't. Sometimes 8 goes with a 4....4 goes with 8...etc!
Me: Uh huh...
Friend: So why is that? It's because the 4 just
went for it. Believe me, it's wayy more attractive to a guy if someone who isn't Jessica Alba asks them out than if Jessica Alba just ignored them.
I think I was just told I am a 4.
Ouch.
Labels: Ramblings
I Feel Loved
Lately all the small gestures that my friends display have really gotten me all emotional. In a happy way.
Random things like remembering that I feel that having no sausages in a barbecue makes it an
incomplete barbecue, choosing NutriGrain as the cereal of choice because that's
my cereal and washing the grapes for me because the dishwasher in Shepparton has spoiled me to the point that I don't want to touch water anymore makes me all warm and glowy inside.
I heart all my thoughtful friends.
My non-thoughtful friends? I still heart you, just not in the same way.
Labels: Life
Green
I feel a sense of uncontrollable envy and a mixture of rage every time I come across pictures on Facebook of friends who are studying in Europe and have the opportunity to travel around during their holidays.
I want to do that too!!!!!
Yes, I am guilty of covetousness.
Labels: Life
Tedium
After 2 weeks of no practice, I must confess that coming back to the gore of seeing severe periodontitis and teeth so broken down all you see are stumps - depresses me.
I've been sleeping 10 hours a day...possibly more - and I still feel tired. Perhaps it's because I am sleeping
too much, which is not unlikely.
I need excitement.
Labels: Dental School
Shepparton Orgy
I've been back in Shepparton for 24 hours and have eaten:
1. A pack of KFC Wicked Wings - my weekly ration.
2. 2 chicken breast, cheese and egg sandwiches - very generous sandwiches.
3. Half a pack of Cheezels
4. 2 triangles of Mega Toblerone...you know, the 400g ones.
5. Heaps of leftover cake from the birthday.
6. Half a packet of Kettle Chips.
7. Huge serving of green curry with rice.
8. Oreos.
Feel. Like. Exploding.
Labels: Food
Cupcakes
After 2 weeks of on and off baking I finally finished all the cakes for a 21st birthday party. Because of the immense effort involved I'm going to show them off one by one.
Before
AfterIt was a Earl Grey chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache icing, topped with a hazelnut.
Making them gave me great pleasure.
Labels: Food
Camembert Cheese
I love Camembert cheese.
The end.
Labels: Food
Dicing Icing
I'm sitting in the middle of my kitchen surrounded by icing, what seems like thousands of miniature cupcakes and
no plan.
Argh!!!!!!!!!!
Labels: Life
Optus Mobile
After 2 years of paying 30 bucks a month so that I get my phone free, I decided to downgrade and go for a 19 dollar cap plan.
Me: So, is this all done?
Salesperson: Yup! All done, we'll submit everything and it will reflect in your bill next month.
Except the month after that, my bill
still read 30 dollars.
I called up Optus to bitch about it and they said that although they received my application, it 'didn't go through'.
Me: Well, why didn't it?!
Representative: Well...it says here that you were advised to call to confirm that it happened.
Me: ....NO HE DiDN"T ADVISE ME TO DO THAT.
Representative: Well, it's written here.
Me: ....................
So effectively, I wasted 11 bucks last month.
Fuming. Would like to tell them that I have enough and would like to quit, except all my friends are on Optus - and they probably know it.
Stupid salesperson I could strangle him now!!!!!
Labels: Rants
Back To School
So after a week of holidays, dental school throws us straight into lectures.
For example, take yesterday. We had lectures from 9am straight to 8pm. Fine...maybe we had a 1.5hour break for lunch and another 1.5 hours for dinner. But believe me - it's very stressful! 8 lectures a day
can't be good for health.
This morning we had 5 lectures back to back, with a half an hour break in between.
My. Brain.
It. Hurts.
Labels: Dental School
