stolen colours

Hello world. I’m sitting at a computer with an N95 mask pressing against the most sensitive parts of my face. Ach, eczema, ach!

I’m staying put in my current hospital, but being promoted to the second lowest lifeform in this current department. They want to minimse the flow of people islandwise, which would have happened next Tuesday at the change of postings. I’m probably one of the few people who’re rejoicing, because the thought of going to General Medicine in the hospital in the centre was giving me nightmares. We’ve no idea how long we’ll be stuck here. But I’ve been rostered to the busiest ward, so. >< It’s still really scary, being a HO one day and still earning uprolled eyes from my registrar, to being an MO the next day.

Two more calls to go, including this one. It’s a beautiful long weekend, and I’m on call two of the days *cries*
I have so much blogging and pic-spamming backlog to do!

It is deeply ironic that the first time in 2 weeks that I didn’t dream that I was in a middle of ward round was my quick nap during my first night call after returning from work.

Two more calls to go.

Today’s Colorgenics profile:

(more…)

Alright, the Hong Kong blogging is complete! No photos, because I’m too lazy to edit them.
Days 1, 2, 3 and 4.

And some spamming:

Kimi no ita Gozenfu by moran. I’ll be honest and say that this is one band that I started listening to solely because of their unique whimsical, melancholic image. But the music’s good.

I’m home.

Stole this quiz off rie:

1. You’ve got great self-confidence and you’re full of charm. Most guys who get to know you will be attracted to you. You are far from sweet and proper; your intriguing personality fascinates them. Most guys find it easy to fall for a girl like you.
2. You don’t really care about other people’s feelings. You do things the way you want and usually think only about yourself. You are easy-going and love to have fun, but you can be irresponsible as well. You are not keen on serious discussions because they can make you remember that life isn’t always about parties.
3. You are a bright, cheerful and bubbly person. You are thoughtful and considerate, and like to have fun. Everybody feels comfortable around you because of your pleasant nature. When you walk into a room, people’s eyes are likely to be drawn to you because of your charm.
4. Guys see you as being a thinker and a careful person. They will be really attracted to this quality in you, but you need to learn to speak your mind, otherwise people will find you too shy and quiet. Learn to relax and lighten up–it’s okay to have fun sometimes. When you learn to develop your fun-loving side, guys are going to flock to your side.
5. Your boyfriend believes that you are a strong and independent person. Your confidence and cheerfulness make you an attractive person to be around, but sometimes you need to pay more attention to what other people, including your boyfriend, are thinking.

I’d say everything is about there, except for point two. I do care a lot for what others are feeling; though due to my inherent android-like nature, I may not perceive their feelings too well.

The last day in Hong Kong.
Had our last dimsum brunch at Maxim.
The entire family was dragged by Sister to take puri, lol.
And I visited Tough Jeansmith; and bought enough to get a membership card T_T this happens to me each time I go there.
I missed the sunset on the plane. By the time I realised, the plane was making its descent and they wouldn’t allow me to snap away from the back of the plane.

I didn’t want to get onto the plane. I don’t want to return to work.
I’m really apprehensive about the next posting.
I don’t know what I want to do next.
I wish I had dreams. Real dreams. Concrete goals. I have enough of fantasies to keep me sane. I don’t want to just live from one weekend to the next. I don’t want to go to work each morning thinking “I can’t wait to go home.”

Most nights, my dreams involve me going through a ward round. Other nights, I don’t recall what I dreamt. I don’t have fun dreams. I don’t dream of riding a ferris wheel admist fireworks, or driving on winding mountain roads, or sitting at a grand piano in a room filled with the morning sun.

But everyone else is going through this, or has already been through it.

Today was much cooler than the previous two days. Bummed around after breakfast and walked into a Hong Kong bookshop with Sister. They have the cutest notebooks ever! The pages come with little illustrations and some even have a running storyline.

Took the MTR to Anna House at Kwan Tong – a 20plus-minute ride from Mongkok. I went to the wrong buildling at first, but it had many shops selling pretty Korean/Japanese imports at…unaffordable price. It was like a heartland mall of sorts. A shopkeepr asked me where I was from. “Singapore,” I replied. Her shocked reply, “What on earth are you doing here?” I then figured it was a good time to ask for directions. I eventually ended up at the right place, Lledro House, which is actually more like an office building. Anna House is run by a couple of motherly ladies. A workroom lies attached to the shop, just adjacent to the counter. More hats! I have a thing for hats.

Joined my family for dimsum at TST – Jade Restaurant at Star House. The restaurant has a lovely view of the bay. Loved the har gau, char siew soh and mango pudding. *bliss*

Back to Mongkok for more shopping. I spent my remaining cash on items. I really, really love scarves. And pregnant tops that all look the same. I wish Singapore were cooler; but just wishing for 5 degrees cooler would mean a daytime temperature of 30degrees Celsius, which is pretty hopeless. I had an impulse buy: a beautiful moonstone bracelet from a shop on the ground floor at Gala Place. They design their jewellery, the guy proudly said when I sadly told him I couldn’t find anything like their works in Singapore. He commented that the weather has been like summer for the past two days, unusual for this time of year. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was 35 degrees in Singapore just before I left.

Dinner was a restaurant near our hotel. The set menus here are really, really generous.

Sprinted off to Sino Centre again. Got rie what she wanted. Echo Records is my favourite shop this trip. They were palying X Japan’s Last Live on the TV, so I stood there watching Tears and Kurenai, partly spellbound, partly deciding if I really wanted that Prince in Prague photobook or not. A fellow customer was singing along to Tears. A poster on the wall announced a hide gathering on 2nd May. I eventually decided to get the photobook (ARGH!) and slipped along a hide DVD. The shopkeeper asked, “Did you go to watch X Japan?” I replied in anguished tones, “NO!” He mused, “Ah, they were in Hong Kong.” (But I’m not living in Hong Kong T_T)

RAYDANCE! What happened to going to watch X Japan, crying on each other’s shoulders and waving our hide plushies! *latches on to raydance’s leg and refuses to let go*

The night was cool and windy. I wanted to stay out longer just trawling the streets, taking in the nightlife. But well. Traveling with family has its restrictions.

We went to Shenzhen in the morning. It’s really quite convenient; take the MTR, get through customs, and take a short train ride over there. There was a ‘cosplay cafe’ at 老街, which turned out to be a maid cafe with manga. We steered clear of the place as only one table was occupied, instead walking into the adjacent bustling Chinese eatery. There’s also Saizeriya there! Whatever costs S$8 at Liang Court costs S$2 here. Also bought Spiderman wallstickers from a pretty cool toy shop. There was also this jewellery stand that had a sign saying “Terima Kasih! Sudi datang lagi!”

In the afternoon, I was at Tsim Shat Tsui hunting down a shop selling gothic accessories at ChungKing Express. I went into the wrong building, Chung King Mansions, which is like Peninsula Plaza, just seedier. A nice Indian uncle helped me with directions. LOL. I felt like I was back home taking to an Indian shopkeeper in English, instead of halfbaked Cantonese with someone of Chinese descent.

Then hunted down Vivienne Westwood. THE NEXT TIME I GO TO VIVIENNE WESTWOOD I WILL FINALLY BUY THE FREAKIN’ RING. As it is, $530 is too much to spend on one piece of metal.

Dinner with family, a restaurant set dinner. Sharks’ fin, huge abalone, birds’ nest, the works. Father paid, no complaints there!.

AND THEN! The highlight of my trip! I headed to Sino Centre, because rie had already pre-empted everything and found me directions. Sino Centre is HAVEN for music and anime goods/magazines. WHY DON’T WE HAVE SOMEPLACE LIKE THIS HERE! If you like X Japan, hide, L’arc en ciel, Luna Sea, you’ll be very happy. They have lots of old stuff too, like Shazna! But precious little MUCC, Plastic Tree, etc; hey, at least in Taipei, they were plugging pura’s Utsusemi album with the poster displayed proudly above the cashier!

I was in Echo Records (basement) for ages, buying posters one after the other; ended up with a pile of DBSK merchandise, and adding on Mayday’s latest DVD collection just for the cred. But they already labelled me as a fangirl T_T as I was walking out, the guy slipped me some photocards (which turned out to be of Jaejoong and Junsu, so I was exhilarated.) Echo Records accepts credit card. Important fact. I was looking at the Prince in Prague photobook, but it was horribly costly. Later in the evening I managed to chat with rie online via Brother’s laptop and hotel LAN connection; and was tasked to return for more merchandise.

rie, the things we do for each other.

I arrived in Hong Kong in the late afternoon. Teresa picked me up from my hotel, and patiently brought me around Mongkok as I tried to locate various GL shops that I’d sourced from the Net. Couldn’t find Dracula or Baby Cupid; but Spider is still there at King Wah Shoppign Centre. Teresa actually called the shop up to ask for directions.

Anyway, Hong Kong is accessory heaven! Bought a million hat hairclips – my new weakness. And because I can’t escape from medicine everywhere I go, I followed Teresa to a hospital as she delivered dinner to a friend who was on call. Their scrubs say “Doctor” on them!

It was really great catching up with Teresa. I’ll say that raydance and AA were the first two people I spoke to on my first day in secondary school, but I knew Teresa way before that. We were sharing our experiences as house officers; I said I liked paediatrics, and she said she hated it. And then I realised that she had to deal with an entire ward of national parents. Usually, if I have one or two in my ward, I find myself spending a lot more time on communication than for the average patient. -gets bricked for saying politically incorrect things on a public blog-

Dessert at Azabu Sabu there.

Deluhi’s Two Hurt performed live is freakin’ awesome. Come out with your CD+DVD already, dammit!

I’ll be back on Wednesday, tata. Off to a land with cooler weather!