99%

We all want 100%. We all love 100%

Why don't we love 99% too?
It's only 1% less...1 out of 100..so insignificant as it seems.
99%.If your round it up, it becomes 100%
99%.Almost perfect.
Why cant we accept almost-perfect??

Imagine you are downloading sth and just when the download reaches 99% your connection mucks up all of a sudden. You have to restart the download n wait for another hour assuming it's a large file and your connection is slow. How would you feel?

Imagine after a long tiring day of packing and moving, you finally get to sit down and catch your breath. Suddenly you see a teddy lying alone in a corner of the room. You think you are 100% done with packing but one teddy drops it back to 99%. How would that feel?

Perhaps you can make it 100% by
giving the teddy away?
It's your favourite teddy given by someone special.
keeping it with your friend who is staying back?
There is no more space!
bringing it home?
It's too big to stuff in the hand luggage and the check-in bag is already full.

99%.How annoying.

Yes, nothing is perfect in this life.
Just becoz perfection is not possible, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a vision of what you want to achieve. So, dun just settle for less than perfect.
I believe dreams are given for a reason. I believe perfection is what we make of it.

99% packing progress

My brain food

Something that cheers me up after a long day in clinic

A parcel all the way from Taipei

a slight regret that i wasnt the first person to hold it but my neighbour/groupmate/fellow shopper/almost-housemate --> Helen, who joshed that she should have held it hostage...lol

bad bad girl *blekkk*

Slow down a bit, will ya?

I wish time could slow down a little just for the next couple of days

Yet, i can barely wait to go home.

haha...sure sounds contradictory to you

The reason being that i have so many things to settle in such a limited time (3 more days only!)
Pack, perio report, epf, residence fees, souvenirs, flight confirmation, network registration, bank errands for my aunt..... *gasp*

I was telling Ash last night that time somehow seemed to pass quicker than usual lately.
Yesterday i got back from Barkantine at abt 2pm, took a short rest, started up my laptop and was just about to do my perio report,

knock knock knock

It was Eric.

He looked intoxicated. The thing with him is when he is high he becomes super sociable, talkative and restless. So, i threw a sorry look at my report, promised myself that i would get back to it as SOON as i could.

Then , Foo joined in our conversation, followed by ash, pei lian, helen and yilun in turn. Funny that the conversation was constantly between 3 people. Each time one left the conversation, the other one showed up just in time to replace the third person.

So, half a day flew by b4 i even realised. My perio report was unwritten still.

Later in the evening, i joined flat k people for dinner. Bigger group, longer conversation.Make sense?

By the time i got back to my room and showered, it was almost 12 midnight...already too late to borrow a perio book from the library..moreover, i had an early morning today so no way to stay up just to do the report.

So, 11 hours (2pm-1am) after Barkantine my perio report was still a piece of blank paper.I mean within that 11 hours, i couldn't even spare a minute to write my report, not to mention other tasks on my to-do-list. What had i done then?Nothing!!

time oh time
plz dun abandon me
I'm trying my very best to catch up here

*moan*

Thanks for making my day :)

Never underestimate the power of compliment.

This morning i thought i was early when i got to Barkantine at 9.05 but to my surprise, the tutors were earlier! *salute*

It was the first time in a long time i had been the first of the group to be there.What a shame!
I kinda expected to do a treatment particularly a complex restoration today considering i made the effort to go in early. Yes, i have had enough of assessment!!

Anyway, life always has a plan of its own for everyone. One of the patients was early today and since i was the only person to have the bay set up and ready, Dr. McGeoch handed me the notes and asked me to get the patient in. I flipped to the last page of the notes --->supragingival and subgingival scaling

Argh!

''What's wrong with this f***king lady??Why would ppl come in so early just for scale and polish??''I cursed endlessly inside.

Then i saw Zulf setting up the opposite bay, looking sluggish.
Without a second thought, i went straight to him

''Hey Zulf, how r u??'

''I am so tired!''

''What are you doing today?'' i was eyeing the patient notes on his desk

"Endo!'' He groaned

Suddenly i saw some light amid the gloom

"Would you want sth simple like scaling?''

"Scaling??" he repeated the word and then shook his head

Sighhhhhhhh

See, even a sleepyhead would rather go for RCT than scaling!

''Nvm.It's better than assessment.'' I consoled myself while getting the patient in.

For the next two hrs, i switched from cavitron to cross-cal to hand instruments n back to cavitron to do a full mouth scaling. Lucky for me that the patient had high pain threshold so i got to carry on with subgingival scaling (deep scaling) without local anesthesia.

Then, Dr. Hurst(another tutor in Barkantine) came to check my treatment.

''Excellent!" he said as he probed around the teeth

We all know Dr Hurst is always generous with praise so i din take the compliment seriously until he suddenly looked up at me and said,

"I'm impressed!There is no sign of calculus.You've really really done a great job!!"

He then turned to the patient,

"Should i show you how well your dentist has cleaned your teeth?'' he handed her a mirror.

Buzz!

"Brilliant!" he walked off with a satisfied smile.

Then came the patient's turn to flatter me.

"You're such a good dentist!Can i take your name down so that i can request for you to be my dentist next time?''

Buzz!Buzz!

..................................................................................................................................

"What do you think of your clinical skills?'' a routine question from Dr Hurst

''Hmm..merit?" not what i would say normally but since he seemed happy with my scaling, i decided to try my luck at a better grade.

"Well!I think you deserve a distinction.''

Buzz!Buzz!Buzz!

''Thank you '' felt like walking on the cloud *grin*

I left the clinic, beaming from ear to ear.

A boring, undesirable treatment turned out to be a satisfying one thanks to all the compliments.

I love Sunday

I love Sunday becoz

it's a holiday
it's always sunny
it's the start of a brand new week
it's the day i laugh to forget
it's the day i decide to change
it's the day i find my new baby

That's what i love about Sunday :):)

Shine on, my new baby!

Are you ok?

Sometimes the simple questions are the hardest.

"Are u ok?''

You may think the answer is either yes or no, as simple as that. If you compare how many times you say yes to that question with no, you will probably realise your answer is always yes. You may say yes without even thinking most of the time.

Why?

Is it becoz you are always at the top of your form when people ask you 'r u ok?'
Or
Is it becoz that is what people always expect as an answer?
Or
Is it becoz you are afraid that people will start asking if you say no?
Or
Is it becoz you think giving a positive yes will make others happy, despite your own feelings?

Happiness is meant to be shared because it doubles when you share it
Sorrow is better kept to yourself although people say shared grief is half the sorrow
Why should you make others as sad as you when they don't deserve it?
You will appreciate it if you have a shoulder to cry on, an ear that listens and a hand to hold when you are down but you wont want the whole world to grieve with you.
The pain will still linger even if the world falls apart.

So, think twice before you ask someone who is obviously unhappy "are you ok?''
Perhaps a smile, a pat on the shoulder or a hug is more comforting than asking ''are you ok?''

Fail

It's easy to recognise your enemy
It's hard to face your enemy
It's even harder to defeat your enemy

If you win, you will become stronger and more confident.
If you lose, you will be thrown into the abyss of depression and self-sabotage.

I'm hanging on the edge of the cliff
No hands to hold me from the edge
And i'm sliding over slow.......

Konnichiwa, Nippon!!

Phewww...i have finally made up my mind that i'm gonna do my elective in JAPAN- Land of the rising sun!!

Why?

Free accommodation
The world's no.5 safest country
The Asia's top fashionable country
Home to 150 hot springs (onsen)
Cherry blossom viewing
Japanese martial arts - Sumo, Judo, Karate, Kendo
Bunraku - puppet theater
Gion festival in Kyoto - famous street parade in Japan
Close to South Korea ( been watching Korean dramas lately..lol)

Above all, dad said flight tix will be on him if i go back to Msia after elective..woo hoo!!

With lodging and flight being sponsored, i can allocate more money on food, traveling and .....SHOPPING!!!

SO,

Japan, see you next summer!!

*grin*

Tokyo - Neon-light jungle??

Shibuya - classic shopping haven in Tokyo. It looks like Times Square to me

Variant is probably the right word for Japanese fashion

Japanese street fashion..cool huh? Dare to try??

Embarrassing moments

Embarrassing things happen in every one 's life i believe. Always, you can never think of them on the spot for some reason but when they happen you r like 'this should be my most embarrassing moment.'

Farting in public, peeing in pants while laughing, walking out of the loo with toilet paper stuck to the shoes, stepping in a huge pile of shit, stumbling in front of your crush, calling a stranger whom you thought was your friend, complaining about a tutor to someone whom u later find out is the tutor's daughter, slamming into a glass door, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, tripping while walking in high heels, falling off a moving chair, getting on a stranger's car, stomach rumbling in a meeting, skirt flying on a windy day, loose shoe coming off when marching, wearing the same dress as another girl at a party....bla bla..the list nv seems to end.

I have been thru most of the embarrassing situations mentioned above and after today i shall add one onto the list *blush*

It happened in a cafe called Roastar.
There was only one barista, an asian guy, on duty there today. A new face. (I have been to Roastar frequent enuf to recognise all the workers there)

Then came my turn to order. The barista looked at me and asked, '' Are you a dentist??''

For a second, i thought it was written on my face 'i am a dentist"

"err Yes, i am. Do i know you?'' i wondered

'' i've seen you in Malaysian Society. You r a Malaysian, right?'' he went on
"yea..... '' thinking of wat to say

''So, the dentists are still attending uni?" he asked

"yea..sorry,you are.....''I was clueless who he was

"Shaun'' he smiled

"i c, u r QM student..." Duh!

I thought if i pretended to remember him, the situation might be less embarrassing for us and the conversation would just come to a full stop.

I was wrong!

He kept talking while i tried to act friendly and at the same time thought of how to end the conversation. I jz wanted to get out of that place. Talking to someone i dun remember and pretending to know him r simply bizarre.

There came the most embarrassing moment when i thought i cud finally break in an ending line, '' enjoy your long summer break coz you wont get so many holidays in second year.''

"I'm doing my final year law next year.''

Both f us kept silent all of a sudden.
My face turned red. Feeling like a dumb duck, i fled the cafe with my coffee.
Just at that moment, i loathed coffee!
It was the culprit of the whole story.
But, come to think of it, i should blame myself for being such a poseur all along.

What's the big deal about telling a person that you can't remember him/her???

Where shall i go for elective??

The deadline of elective proposal is just around the corner but i have yet to decide where to go and what topic to do for elective.

It wasn't this difficult until our hopes of going to NYC and Aus got trashed due to visa issue (NYC) and daylight robbery(Aus).

Then, our third option which was Saudi Arabia was deterred by the extremely hot weather over there.

After the first three were out, we came up with more backup plans.There came the problem of deciding which place to go to.

South Africa? Scandinavia? Switzerland? Japan?

Arghhh...my head is going to burst!!!!

Can someone plz tell me where i shud go???

*grunt*

I can smell home!

In 2 weeks time, i'll be home..woo hoo!!
As the time drawing near, i get more n more excited ..and nostalgic tooo

...been thinking of what to do in one precious month of holiday recently...even dreamed that i was having laksa at my beloved local hawker stall on the way back to London from Birmingham...*drool*

Things-to-do-in-Malaysia list :

• EATtttttttttt - diet is on hold until i come back to London...who on earth can resist laksa, char kuoy teow, nasi lemak, roti canai, satay, chicken rice, prawn mee, curry mee, mee goreng, pisang goreng, wantan mee, bak kut teh, dim sum.....................arghh,,,i cant wait to go home!!

• Travel - mom said she's booked a trip to Thailand..guess it'll be an eat-n-shop-till-u-drop trip...My super-traveler aunt is coming back for holiday too ..she will definitely make us go somewhere.

• Shop - July and August r the mega sale periods in Malaysia. How can a shopaholic like me not join the fun??

• Haircut - i'm bored with my current hairstyle ..it's time for a new look!*wink*

• Spa -beauty salons are mushrooming in Alor Star as spa has gained popularity among the locals. I'm really curious abt what a spa day is like...hope it's not massage

• Birthday celebration - it's gonna be dad's 58th birthday this yr...my family's way of celebrating birthdays is very conventional - birthday cake, family dinner,presents..but this time things will be different..hehe

• Visit friends - most friends r working or studying in KL so AS is practically a no-friends-town now....have to go down to KL to meet them

• Visit godmother - it's been a routine to visit her n family every time i go back to Msia so this yr is no exception...which reminds me that i havent got a souvenir for her...sighhh

• Work - mom's school is always understaff so i'm sure i'll be her free labour when i go back - typing,teaching,marking papers,mentoring....*frown*

• Sports - yay..finally i can do some outdoor sports...i miss swimming so so much....the first thing i go back, i'll get myself a new swimsuit and then sign up for yoga class or aerobic class...have to stay fit even tho on holiday

• Drive - i need to brush up my driving skills..it's been a long long time since i last drove. Driving is crucial in a place with inefficient public transport system like AS. i learnt my lesson last summer..there is only one word to describe life without a car in AS - Dead!

• Concert - jz learnt there r two hot events taking place in Kl this August - High School Musical Ice Tour (15 - 20th august) and Avril Lavigne Live in Malaysia (29th august)..I missed her concert in London so shud i go for her Malaysia concert?? hmmm...

• Social events - as a daughter of a busy working mom, attending her social events has become my obligation esp when her friends know that i study in London n only go back once a yr...well, words spread fast in a small town..although i dun like it, i can't bear to make mom look bad..jz keep my fingers crossed that her schedule wont be too tight this time...

• Volunteer - mom is a staunch buddhist so i surely cant escape from getting involved in the charity work organised by the local Buddhist society.

Sounds like this summer break is more for fulfilling a daughter's duty rather than relaxation...lol
Anyway, there is nowhere like home. ..looking forward to 10pm, 1st August!!!!!!

my beloved hometown

Honesty, no longer the best policy

Today i learned that being honest can do more harm than good.

After a long morning in Barkantine, i headed library to print out my ssm report which was due today at 5pm.

Hmm..2 copies of reports - checked; plagiarism declaration sheet - checked; cover - checked

Pheww..was relieved that i got everything nicely printed and ready to submit.

Slowly, i went up to the 6th floor of Dental institute and saw Ms Job (the person in charge of collecting our assignments) waiting in a small room by the entrance.
With a smile, she took my assignments and flicked through

"All right, you've got plagiarism form, cover, 2 copies of reports....where is the evaluation form?''
''Pardon?''
"The practitioner evaluation form that marks your performance at the practice,'' she showed me a sample of the paper she was talking about.

Dammit!I dun have it!!

''err..I din know we have this evaluation sheet. I din give it to my practitioner''
That was the truth, i swear.

She stared at me with the you-are-an-idiot look and said,''You'll have to speak to your practitioner about this and get him to fax the evaluation form over. I can't let you sign in until you have got this form back. It is part of your assessment.''

She then turned her back on me.

Since i didn't have the dentist's no with me, i had to rush back to my room to make the phone call.

................................................................................................................................................

Outside, it was raining and i left my umbrella in the room.Drat!

It took me 10 min to look for the contact no thanks to my messy room and another 10 min to connect to the dental practice. Yes, Bricketwood Dental Practice is a busy buzzy practice.

''Dr. Patel is away. He will only be back tomorrow. Can I take your message?"the lady on the other end of the line just trashed my hope.

"Could you put Dr. Liyanage on the phone, please?'' sounded desperate

"I'm sorry.There isn't any dentist available today. Dr. Patel is out for jury service and Dr. Liyanage is only coming back on Wednesday.Is there anything i can help?''

Bleak!

I was silent for a second but soon i recovered from my disappointment and told the lady the reason i called and the urgency of the evaluation form.

"I see you have to hand in your work by 5 o'clock. I will do what i can to pass your message to Dr. Patel but i can't guarantee you will get it back by today. Anyway, I'll fax it over to your uni when the dentist has signed it. What is the fax no?"

''owh..can i call you back later coz i dun hav the fax no at the moment.''

Again, i dashed out of my room without realising that i left my swipe card and assignments behind.

It was simply silly to run all the way up to the 6th floor jz to get the fax no. but i guess that was my punishment for being so careless and unorganised.

After i gave the lady the Uni fax no. i thought might as well submit my work since i was there. To my horror, my assignments were not with me! I was so in a rush that i forgot to bring them along...arghh!! No choice...had to run back n get them. It was still raining hard outside and i forgot my umbrella for the second time.

Only did i realise i 4got my swipe card too as i was running towards Floyer. Honestly, i felt like stabbing myself with a knife at that moment.

Anyhow, God still loves me. A familiar lanky figure appeared far ahead.

ASH!!!!!!!!

I screamed on top of my voice.

Panting and gasping, i ran to her. I wanted to hug her to show her how grateful i was when i saw her but i din have the time to do so.The clock was ticking! If i din get my work signed in by 5pm i would be doomed.

Quickly, i grabbed my papers and of coz, swipe card, headed Dental Institute for the third time around.

Guess what i 4got this time....umbrella? correct and one more....MY BAG!

So you can imagine how devastated i was as Ms Job asked me to call the practice again for their fax no. when in fact my mobile was left in the bag.

The rain poured heavier as i was sprinting back to Floyer. I wonder if the sky was grieving for me.

"We have been having problem receiving fax with the machine. I can only fax out but not in. Anyway, i'll give you the no. if you want.''

Sigh!

At least, they have a fax machine which can fax out.

I looked at the clock, 4.25pm. 35 min to go before the deadline ends.
This time, i checked if i've got everything with me - handbag, mobile,assignments,swipe card,keys and the last thing, umbrella.

......................................................................................................................................

"So, you have got everything complete now?" Ms Job threw me a sharp look.

"Erhmm..sort of...i spoke to the dentist. He said the earliest he can fax it over to you is tomoro...''

"Did you fax the form to him?'' she interrupted.

"No, i din. Apparently his fax machine can only fax out, not in. But i have given him all the details on the evaluation sheet.Only that the format wont be exactly the same.''I explained

She looked at me skeptically, as if i was making up a story to cover my ass!!

''I need to speak to Dr. Islam and ring the practice to find out what is exactly going on. You wait there for a moment. I'll get back to you as soon as i've spoken to them." she disappeared with a box of papers and the register.

Tick tock tick tock...I was left sitting in the room for a good 20 minutes, keeping my fingers crossed that everything went smoothly. After all, i just wan to hand in my coursework.
Is that too much to ask for??

.............................................................................................................................................

"Right, Dr. Islam said he will get in touch with the dentist tomoro to get it sorted out. And now, you can sign in and leave your papers with me. The time is 4.50pm.''

What more can i say?Signed the register, clutched my bag and went off as fast as i could.

Just before i left the dental institute i bumped into some of my course mates. I was told many people actually forgot about the evaluation form but they got away with the excuse that they misplaced it and were going to hand it in some other time. Some of them didn't even bother to go in for work placement and fabricated the evaluation.

I was speechless. Guess I would have got away easily like them as well if i did not tell Ms Job the truth. All the troubles i had just gone through could have been avoided if only i were not being so frank in the first place.

Honesty is the best policy.

Says who?

I told the truth but i paid a big price for doing so. They lied but they got off scot-free. How ironic!

In reality, masters of deception survive better.