March ended up pretty mundane and boring. Ever since the weekend away on the beach in Torquay, it's been work, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat. Throw in the occasional drink and a couple of easter bunny chocolates, along with the obligatory church services and that's been the past few weeks in summary. Probably never realised this until one night catching up with Cze-Hui, the conversation revolved around what's been happening in her life the past few weeks. Then when asked what's news with me, I struggled to think of anything newsworthy to report back.
I guess there is one thing: I have a PS3. Ha! How hilarious is that. Well technically it's Julius' but I'll claim it as my own little baby. It came as his birthday gift, the idea concocted by his girlfriend, and the willingness to fund this grand scheme by several people. It's funny how whenever you think of gifts to give to family members, you always think, "what could I use/want/need that I can pass off as a present for Mum/Dad/Julius". Voila! Hello, PS3.
And it looks like the Tibet part of my forthcoming adventure looks to be in jeopardy. Intrepid's cancelled the tour I'm doing up until June. I don't see how anything will die down until the Olympics in August which leaves two months before I set off for problems to ease. Needless to say, it's not something worth betting on. I feel for Tibet. I want the separatist movement, as the Chinese so dramatically put it, to succeed and force China to give them back independence. Yet the selfish me wants the PLA to hurry up and accomplish the more likely scenario of crushing the rebellion, so things settle down and I can go. Assuming the latter takes place, I guess going there is still risky. After all, I am Chinese. I should probably first get a custom-made T-shirt to wear whilst in Tibet which reads "I am not Chinese so please don't beat me up."
At least Nepal looks stable. But then their elections are coming up I think... Crap...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bad timing
So barely a week after I book tickets for my trip, Tibet's capital decides to descend into a state of semi-anarchy.
Wonderful...
Wonderful...
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The great bowling divide
The lawn bowls league used to be a harmonious gathering of friends, both retired and non-retired. Then one day a young lady, in stark contrast to the old lawn bowler stereotype, wanted to play. Unfortunately for her she had to tackle the progressively filling schedule of work and uni. The only day she could play was on Saturday. Therein lay the problem for her, since Saturday was gentlemens' day where only the males could play competition bowling that day. Not that it was discrimination of any sort since the ladies had their day too. Tuesday was ladies' day where only the women played.
Despite this the young lady cried, "SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY!!" The older women jumped on board, seemingly united by this one young voice who had the confidence to bring her opinions forward and make them be known. She took the league to court. Their main argument: males and females are equal in skill in the game of lawn bowls. Hence, the ladies should be allowed to compete with the men. Much to-ing and fro-ing later, the women were victorious and were officially allowed to play on Saturday against the blokes, much to the antipathy of the males.
"Well alright then" said all the blokes. If we can't have our day, the ladies can't have their's. So they went to the courts to argue that they should be allowed to play on Tuesday - Ladies' day. The judge ruled in their favour, and blokes began to play competition bowling on Tuesday against the ladies.
The blokes then proceeded to massacre the ladies on the scoresheets every Tuesday. Outraged by the turn of events, the ladies threw up their arms and shouted, "SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY!!" So back to the courts they went where they argued and whined to the judge like petty little 12 year old girls, saying that it's not fair the males could play with them because of their physical advantage.
But then the judge stopped and thought, "Hang on. Didn't you girls argue that you wanted to play Saturdays because you're just as good as the men?" With that, the case became a no contest, and males around the bowling clubs state-wide felt a sense of both justice and satisfaction from knowing that they had shafted the evil elderly (plus one young lass) feminists.
Q: What's the definition of irony?
A: Extreme (as opposed to the normal, mild) Feminism - They preach equality like it were more important than the Bible and the Qu'ran rolled into one. Yet what they actually want is usually unfair for males.
Another thought: what's with all the Michael Jackson remakes on the radio these days?
Despite this the young lady cried, "SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY!!" The older women jumped on board, seemingly united by this one young voice who had the confidence to bring her opinions forward and make them be known. She took the league to court. Their main argument: males and females are equal in skill in the game of lawn bowls. Hence, the ladies should be allowed to compete with the men. Much to-ing and fro-ing later, the women were victorious and were officially allowed to play on Saturday against the blokes, much to the antipathy of the males.
"Well alright then" said all the blokes. If we can't have our day, the ladies can't have their's. So they went to the courts to argue that they should be allowed to play on Tuesday - Ladies' day. The judge ruled in their favour, and blokes began to play competition bowling on Tuesday against the ladies.
The blokes then proceeded to massacre the ladies on the scoresheets every Tuesday. Outraged by the turn of events, the ladies threw up their arms and shouted, "SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY!!" So back to the courts they went where they argued and whined to the judge like petty little 12 year old girls, saying that it's not fair the males could play with them because of their physical advantage.
But then the judge stopped and thought, "Hang on. Didn't you girls argue that you wanted to play Saturdays because you're just as good as the men?" With that, the case became a no contest, and males around the bowling clubs state-wide felt a sense of both justice and satisfaction from knowing that they had shafted the evil elderly (plus one young lass) feminists.
Q: What's the definition of irony?
A: Extreme (as opposed to the normal, mild) Feminism - They preach equality like it were more important than the Bible and the Qu'ran rolled into one. Yet what they actually want is usually unfair for males.
Another thought: what's with all the Michael Jackson remakes on the radio these days?
Friday, March 07, 2008
Booked
So it's all settled then.
On the night of October the 3rd I go to the airport, likely dragging along some poor member of the family who has to then make the hour drive home at about midnight. As the clock ticks over to the 4th, the Singapore airlines plane jets off to Singapore (you don't say!?). Upon arrival I bludge for three hours in transit at Changi. Hopefully the first flight isn't delayed because if I miss the connecting flight this whole trip is screwed. Anyway, at some time in the morning I drag myself up to another plane which takes me to Kathmandu. I arrive in the afternoon and spend the first day there by myself in one big jet-lagged ball of mess.
On the 5th I join up with the rest of the small group at some hotel, and for the next three weeks I trek through the Himalayas around the Annapurna massifs with the company of these complete total strangers, who will be all good people...hopefully.
On the 26th I arrive back at Kathmandu and join up with another small group. We then take a plane to Lhasa, Tibet and work our way south-west back towards Nepal, stopping along Everest on the way. The key word being along not on. I ain't crazy.
On the 9th of November we arrive back at Kathmandu where I spend the next two days by myself, with my friend Lonely Planet.
On the 11th of November I fly back to Singapore, where I transit for another few hours whilst wishing I could just go home, for six weeks away from your own bed, and your own pillow is a crime against humanity.
I get home on the 12th provided I am still alive.
On the night of October the 3rd I go to the airport, likely dragging along some poor member of the family who has to then make the hour drive home at about midnight. As the clock ticks over to the 4th, the Singapore airlines plane jets off to Singapore (you don't say!?). Upon arrival I bludge for three hours in transit at Changi. Hopefully the first flight isn't delayed because if I miss the connecting flight this whole trip is screwed. Anyway, at some time in the morning I drag myself up to another plane which takes me to Kathmandu. I arrive in the afternoon and spend the first day there by myself in one big jet-lagged ball of mess.
On the 5th I join up with the rest of the small group at some hotel, and for the next three weeks I trek through the Himalayas around the Annapurna massifs with the company of these complete total strangers, who will be all good people...hopefully.
On the 26th I arrive back at Kathmandu and join up with another small group. We then take a plane to Lhasa, Tibet and work our way south-west back towards Nepal, stopping along Everest on the way. The key word being along not on. I ain't crazy.
On the 9th of November we arrive back at Kathmandu where I spend the next two days by myself, with my friend Lonely Planet.
On the 11th of November I fly back to Singapore, where I transit for another few hours whilst wishing I could just go home, for six weeks away from your own bed, and your own pillow is a crime against humanity.
I get home on the 12th provided I am still alive.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Annoying patients/clients
Just because you're allocated 40 minutes for your assessment doesn't mean I have to give you 40 minutes. If all it takes is 30 minutes then that's all it takes! It's like going under the knife for a triple bypass operation that's allocated three hours, but all it takes is two and a half hours, and I wake up to tell the surgeon, "hey, hey! I'm given three hours here, so unstitch me and keep operating buddy."
In the same vein, I don't try to bargain with the surgeon to take 17% off the price because it took a shorter time. What are we? Roadside market health practitioners?!
Silly people.
In the same vein, I don't try to bargain with the surgeon to take 17% off the price because it took a shorter time. What are we? Roadside market health practitioners?!
Silly people.
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