Time to start writing.

I realized I’ve been traveling, packing and moving from one place to another yet, all by myself, for a surprisingly fair bit now. It all seemed to start in my Trainee Intern year in 2007; and it is amazing to think that this time, arriving in a completely strange new city, with virtually nil social contacts but a trusty map in hand, can actually start to feel familiar.

But it has been very enriching I must say – as I look back to the places I have stopped over, remember the things I have encountered, and think about the times I have spent alone, and with God. Maybe I’ll write more about some of the life things I’ve learned, next time, hah.

Day 0

Day 3

Day 14

Day 21 - but I'd like to think that my room's not usually this messy

Sorry about the lack of updates here – I was without access to the Internet for a few weeks.

I hope to get back to updating more often now!!

You’ll be able to relate if you’re as weak as I am. Good times, though!

On an unrelated note, so my quiet year in Tauranga has come to a close.
It certainly felt fast. Oh well, thanks lots for everything, guys and girls – time for me to move on now!

Happy 2010, everyone!

Kaitorete Spit, South Island

We went around both of NZ’s North and South Islands.
New Zealand indeed has some epic sceneries! Nature is awe-inspiring.

Tunnel Beach, South Island

Kaituna Old Rail, South Island

Te Äpiti Wind Farm, North Island

Mt. Maunganui, North Island

SH 87 with Mount Cook in the background, South Island

It took more than a long fortnight of wait in the hospital before he was finally scheduled to undergo the operation the following week. The consultant cardiologist and I went to see him that Monday to tell him the good news of the confirmed operation date, but Mr. G surprised us completely.

He started off painting a rather awkward atmosphere talking about scars and the cross, then later declined the operation, politely but adamantly. He told us a friend from church had visited him over the weekend, and over prayer he now felt different – he was convinced that he has been spiritually healed.

“I have faith. Give me the chance to prove to you that I am right,” he said with a smile.

And I stood there – on my left was the consultant who didn’t immediately know how to respond from a cardiologist role, and on my right the patient whose claim couldn’t be explained easily with human wisdom.

At that moment, I suddenly wasn’t sure who to root for…
I have been thinking about it.

Old (top) to new (bottom) - is this all I've drawn?!! =_=
It is amazing to realize this blog is a project five years old and still going. Putting this collage together was somewhat nostalgic...!

Welcome to my new address!!

I’ve moved over from my old livejournal blog. In the process, I read through some of my old, old posts. Indeed, browsing through them is like taking a little trip back in time – unknowingly I would already be reading entries from three or four years ago! Some things change a lot, and some things change a little.

This blog is now powered by the poetry of Wordpress (and I had good fun designing the new layout and problem-solving with html, css, and php!). I figured it was time to get a domain of my own too after years of having my photos, drawings, and websites on various hosts. I’m obviously still taking my sweet time dreaming of the main page of tablecolorworks.com (there’ll probably be nothing till next year haha).

For the record, anything below this post is imported from my old livejournal blog, including all comments.

Have a look around and make sure you leave a comment! I’ll be updating soon.

Those poor souls all looked absolutely miserable, I have to say, but they had nothing to warrant admission into hospital. So I said sorry and sent them home.

I remember thinking to myself as I walked out of the ED consult rooms – that I better not get sick after being in close contact with them!

And who would have guessed, the next morning during the post-acute ward round, I sensed an itchy throat creeping up. That very night and the following two days, my nose was running like a tap, my eyes were watering like a poor lemon being repeatedly squished, and I was madly sneezing in spasms every couple of minutes. I was practically bed-bound in a dark room, constantly feeling like tearing my sinuses out. I haven’t had a cold/flu as bad as this for years!

Oh boy, how am I able to be a front-line doctor, if seeing a few infectious patients knocks me down completely for a few days and renders me weak like a kitten for a few days more?

I am at least glad I am recovering, by God’s grace. Strangely I now feel like a special survivor.

It is wonderful, too, to be able to walk around comfortably without being sick.

Just back from a trip to Adelaide and Melbourne. Had a great time!
But I am now seriously shopping-mall-phobic.

I find it hard to believe too that I actually have friends whom I haven’t met for 10 years — that’s gotta mean something about the stages of life we’re entering!

GPO, Melbourne.

Melbourne’s nightlife and the Yarra River.

Melbourne Central.

Something to explore at every corner of Melbourne’s CBD!

Matsuri Restaurant, Adelaide.

The attack of the Mushroom Man!

Southern Cross Station, Melbourne.

–

Blockbuster movies, parties with friends, breakaway shopping sprees, travel trips, hunting for music, chasing good books, enjoying food, and all the colorful product advertisements everywhere – do they not all target at our search for satisfaction? And the world is just full of such promises of satisfaction – that it is blinding.

Many of them are short-lived. Some of them are lies. We all know. Yet it is easy to get lost, and in the process, all we end up thinking and speaking of is about ourselves. All of this is like “a chasing after the wind”, as the book of Ecclesiastes aptly puts it.

There is much more to say, but I’ll stop. It actually takes some effort to think about this in the context of our personal lives (yours and mine)! But tell me what you think.