Intermission #35

I can't believe that I haven't updated for around two weeks.

Truth be told, I've been trying to make heads or tails of a lot of issues. A whole lot of them, that enumerating them down one by one would take some time. So I had to make do with trying to rein them in my head, but honestly, it hasn't been working well.

I'm done with Orthopaedics, currently am in Paediatrics. Completed 7 days of tagging which, truth be told, gave me little opportunity to actually learn stuff. Maybe that's just me - right after I'm done in the ward, I head home and collapse. I've never been one to actually study in the ward even from my student days - trust me, with crying children and fussy parents/aunts/grandparents/what-have-you, ward rounds three times daily, and colleagues who are prone to crack jokes...any effort of studying is futile.

Even the Net bores me these days. I haven't been following any anime lately, and the only show that I finished was UN-GO (which was awesome, but I digress). Even putting my thoughts into words proved to be no small feat. Whatever scenario I conjured in my mind seemed unfit to be shared to the rest of the virtual world. Any string of words is mercilessly axed before any coherence is met. Any faint image, further blurred.

I frankly am losing control of my thoughts, my imagination, and I'm scared.

I've always been afraid to dream of beautiful, cheerful things.

But there comes a time when dark, haunting nightmares gather around me, and I could only cower, alone, defenseless, and left to my despair.

When that sliver of hope appears, I'm still afraid to reach out for it, no matter how desperate I am.

Maybe it's retribution. Maybe it's His Trial for me. Maybe it's just me.

I'm losing a battle with myself. What now?

Current Music: Kimi ga Matteiru kara - Gackt Camui

Compilations #11

It feels...not good.

I have yet to discover the clear demarcation between 'ignoring' and 'denying'. Perhaps it's because my head is never good with such distinctions, especially when it comes to subjective matters.

Just like I can't seem to practise this 'optimism' that people preach.

I wonder if calling me a 'walking paradox' won't be off the mark...

2. It feels like a love-hate relationship.

Lately I've been disappointed for far too often. Too often, too much. The anime titles that they're churning out are becoming more and more - shall I say - derogatory in nature, although there are a few selected titles that make me look forward to them.

This doesn't stop me from following up via anime blogs though. Why do I continuously subject myself to such trifles?

Is it something worth bragging about if I can walk into an anime store and give a synopsis of at least 85% of the anime stuff that they have? And let's not even get me started on the seiyuu themselves...

3. But I am getting utterly frustrated with the manga Detective Conan. It's like a bunch of filler chapters over and over again, except that the cases are not enticing to say the least.

The kids are an annoying bunch...and I kind of wish that Ran will just drop dead already.

4. Bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored....bored.

5. And yet back then when classes were on I was still stuck with boredom. What on Earth is wrong with me?!

6. ...I probably have been watching a bit too many movies. Is it normal to not feeling excited about having watched Kung Fu Panda 2?

Or maybe I just can't get over the talking animals.

...Somewhere along the way in the cinema I wondered if it'll be considered racism to be having different animal species in a movie depicted differently.

7. ...I probably should have put a warning before I actually started typing this entry. The obligatory "turn away if you don't want to be plagued by my despair or something".

Too late though. I apologise.

Current Music: Wonderland - Natalia Kills

Zetsubou-shita! Part 2

Wherein the real gravity of the situation becomes tangible, weighing me down. And suddenly the anxiety comes to haunt me wherever I go, in whatever I do.

It's not just pertaining to one thing, mind you, but in a lot of matters that I've already lost count and really, at this point, the number doesn't matter anymore!

Out for Blood

My choice in literature is simple: Give me a good mystery, preferably murder, and tell it in a good way. Bonus points if there are puzzles that have double meanings and have some reference rooted in history. (And I was not impressed by The Woman in White, although I lost sleep over the book because I couldn't put the book down owing to the sentiment running along the lines of "Good God, will you just end and release me from this torture?!")

But the current fad is - wait for it - vampires. Those blood-sucking undead with (close to) human faces and fangs that elongate when necessary.

And yes, while I do not see vampires as my cup of tea, allow me to say this: I want my vampire stories to have essence, at least one credible plotline, and characters that are fleshed out well and don't make me feel like I'm reading some self-fulfillment fantasies of an abysmal kind of writer who don't deserve to get her/his book published in the first place.

Do I need to mention the title, the so-called saga? I think not. Some people will be out for my blood...and as if I don't have enough social life at stake here...

Another confession: I have never read Bram Stoker's Dracula before. I do know a bit on the person he was based on - Vlad Tepes a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler, a sadistic prince from Romania who took pleasure in dining in his garden among his victims impaled on sticks, like a forest of bodies. The closest(?) vampire book that I read was Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. I read that thick book in the dead of the night while my roommates were asleep, and I got goosebumps. But I did finish it after several months, and while the plot was relatively unremarkable and the writing occasionally deteriorated to mundane description of landscapes, at least the vampires there had no qualms about attacking people to achieve their ends. Did it feel like some sort of a history lesson? Yes, but at least it wasn't as bad as our secondary school syllabus.

And Vampire Knight just didn't strike a chord even after I gave it the three-episodes-trial. The humour fell flat, and some things were just too unbelievable to take seriously.

Despite my lack of affinity with the supernatural beings (be it fiction or in real life, let's pray it'll stay that way!), already I have two vampire-related stories to check out:

(1) Shiki
It's the most anticipated series for the summer season, and will be a long series at over 20 episodes. Hope it's not anything like Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, because that one I couldn't tolerate although it was deemed as one of the best horror series. Others deem it a must watch for those who liked Ghost Hound, a title which I've been wanting to see as well. Still, this will be only kept in view while I embark on an adventure that is the fifth year (gasp!) because I discovered with Durarara!! that it is more fun marathon-ing the episodes rather than wait weekly.

To be honest, the character design irks me somewhat. Does the pointy chin serve any purpose beyond aesthetics?

(2) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
A new novel. Yes, Lincoln as in one of the past presidents of the US. Yes, he hunted vampires. Yes, it's a work of fiction.
...I'll just wait for a paperback version.

Yes, I am aware that I have better things to read. Thank God Durarara!! and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood are over.

...Until some other anime comes along. And one is already upon me. Begone, temptation!


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Now playing: OneRepublic - Secrets
via FoxyTunes

Moral of the Story?

1. Good grief.
As long as we are humans, there will almost be that probability that we _will_ fail to learn. No matter how many times the scenario is played from the beginning, there is still that nasty, stubborn stain in you that keeps clicking the replay button in you, which then resulted in the same response.

So much for conditioning. It's more of a masochism! Or a dysfunctional adoption of running on Guilt rather than being motivated by Rewards.

How flawed.

...And why is it that the urge to digress always comes at the most inopportune and inappropriate moment!? Only to be replaced by Indolence once a moment of idleness sets in? *headdesk*

2. As much as I heart Specialised Posting with all my heart and soul - not so for Radiology, but I'll let it slide for now - I'd much rather do Elective posting. Seriously!
Not going to ramble about the exam because...well, it's not good for my tender(?) heart.

3. Am really considering trying out Kaichou wa Maid-sama! because...well, simply because. Even if it's shoujo. Or the lead's a tsundere. Or all the bubbles and sparkles.

4. How to Train Your Dragon OST. A superb collection...also because of the bagpipes. Yes, I like bagpipes...ever since Gackt's Oasis.

Current Music: Wounded - How to Train Your Dragon OST

Intermission #8

Aaand...we're back to having uncreative titles. *headdesk*

1. Dear mind, stop being irrational. For God's sake please stay relevant to our current task. Kthx.

2. Something is so wrong. It calls for reformation, but something is holding it back...
So much for "History being the best teacher"; In the end it depends on one's own discipline and memory.

3. At times even having options would prove to be puzzling. It's like the more alternatives we have at our disposal, the greater the stress in figuring out which of them would be the best choice to go for...
Or maybe that's just me.

4. Maybe I'm just so deprived from my anime kicks that I'm starting to _not_ make sense. And here I thought I'd finally be able to move on for good...


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Now playing: Savage Garden - The Animal Song
via FoxyTunes

Intermission #7

1. Done with Radiology for now. My eyes hurt, my head spins. Making sense of a spectrum of gray is taking its toll on me...
Next, dermatology. Ack.

2. Case reports. Thank goodness they're done with.

3. Can't wait to go back next weekend. Got a call from the bookstore saying that Caleb Carr's The Alienist that I ordered one month ago has finally arrived. If I weren't at the hospital when I received the call I would've squealed like a fangirl on helium (or sugar rush, whichever is higher in frequency).
I did manage to finish Caleb Carr's Killing Time one week after purchasing the book (deliberate delay on my part), but God Knows that after I shut the back cover of the book, I had some bad aftertaste lingering in my buccal cavity. That's not to say that the book was _bad_ - on the contrary, it was well-written, and it highlighted one of the major concerns of this so-called information technology age - but maybe that's exactly it; It rings true to the current scenario, and I shudder when I realise that I could be playing right into the enemy's field, just the way they wanted me to. Tsk.

4. On a positive note, the so-called Book Fair - not many books to choose from, but I suppose I'm in no place to complain - did manage to provide me with three books that were awesome bargains. It just shows that there could be hidden gems among the, uh, not-so-worthwhile.
...So what if I still am only two-thirds through Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, and halfway through Simon Winchester's The Professor and The Madman?

5. Methinks I should widen my choice of reading materials. Sure, crime and mysteries are intriguing, but they highlight the dark sides of people - one that is willing to trample over others just to get their way, and to satisfy their selfish needs and greed.
...Somehow I can't imagine myself reading chick lits or Twilight romance stuff. I need more intricate plots, more complex characters, and story development that blows one's mind.
And I want Dan Simmon's Drood.
Writing is difficult. Which is why I haven't written much lately.

6. I'm all out for technology, but reading books the old-fashioned way still beats eBooks.
The same goes to academic books, alas.

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Now playing: Back-On - Sands of Time
via FoxyTunes

P/s: Naruto chapter 486 made me LOL (there's simply no other manner to describe it). Or rather, the reactions to that chapter... *snicker*

P/p/s: Am way behind Durarara!!...Maybe getting the DVD once it comes out would be a better option...

Laments of A Semi-Otaku

Warning: Emo-rage ahead.

I think my days as a semi-Otaku are numbered.

The sort of anime released recently have been, by my standards, average. Most have been adaptations from visual novels and eroge. While Suzumiya Haruhi, an example of the former, has been a worldwide phenomenon - for what reason, other than Kyon, I fail to comprehend - others have been so-so.

Taking example from the Autumn selection, my general impression would be cringe-worthy.

Very few made me intrigued that I went into research mode, like Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini, Kobato., Tatakau Shisho: Book of Bantorra, and Aoi Bungaku. Some tried to entice with a very dim light of hope, such as Seiken no Blacksmith (...what is up with that armour!?), Fairy Tail (Hirano Aya makes me go "...meh"), Letter Bee (what's with the loli?), Kimi ni Todoke (This turned out to be a pleasant experience), and 11eyes. Others made me rage (Miracle Train...what were they _thinking_, those sexist imbeciles!?), because they only relied on ridiculous excuse for a plot, cheap fanservice - abnormal anatomical proportions, indecent exposure, inappropriate camera angles - harems, and...females getting it on.

Really now. That's how I was reduced to an anime blog reader rather than an anime watcher.

Still, as I roamed around several anime blogs, it came as a nice surprise to see that the new Winter Anime list is already up.

Am eyeing for Durarara!!, Katanagatari, Nodame Cantabile Finale and Okami Kakushi. Some of the animebloggers said that the selection is more of a "quality over quantity" issue...Which may be good. It will allow me time to backtrack, to watch those that I've missed or had no time for before this.

Oh well. There's always manga.

As a side note, Sakura, I mean, Kishimoto, stop messing up with the plot already!! As if Itachi's death isn't good enough as a plot twist...I really should stay away from Naruto...

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Now playing: Fall Out Boy - Thanks For The Memories
via FoxyTunes

P/s: ...Will probably end up buying those Autumn anime that I wanted to check out. It's too much of a hassle to download or stream...

P/p/s: No, don't end, my break!! I don't want to start Ortho... *headdesk*

Confessions of a Semi-Otaku with an Autumn in Her Heart & Soul

A post that shows how limited is my focus on all things academic...

Every three months or so, there would be a new selection of anime in addition to those that they are currently showing. When the main plot takes a break, there will always be fillers to fill in, and from what I heard, the current arc in Bleach is pretty decent.

Right now, it's autumn in Japan. And the selection they have in store are mostly not my thing *shudder*.

Surprisingly, the titles that I initially wanted to avoid received favourable reviews. One being Kimi ni Todoke (Reaching You), mostly because the animation looks blah bland, plus it sounds like a generic shoujo romance. Then there's Letter Bee, which has an eccentric animation and sort of a bland premise (yerp, it involves postmen sending letters/parcels/etc, and apparently it's a dangerous job). Fairy Tail, despite the feminine title, is a shounen, and a fan favourite at a manga scanlation site...although the animation seems to resemble Rave's.

Kobato. - no typo there; the full-stop is really part of the title - seems to have sparked some interest from the start, and rightfully so, seeing that it's a collaboration between CLAMP and Madhouse. Awesome graphics, although it reminded me too much of Sakura and Syaoran...oh well, since Tsubasa came along, I guess I should've expected more crossovers in the CLAMP universe...

Others are a let down (Miracle Train, WHUT!!?? I'm avoiding you because your synopsis sounded dreadfully lame and shallow...). And I question if the promised anime-fied Winter Sonata will ever be shown, since they already planned to include it in the past season but it was never aired...I'm avoiding it too, if it ever comes out.

Anime!Bae Yong Jun wonders if he'll ever achieve the popularity equivalent to that of the real thing...

Compilations #3

Seriously, nothing worth reading will follow from this point.

1. Am already starting to miss Family Medicine. That's not to say that I'll be willing to do it for remedial though (Heaven forbid!), because I've got other plans. Hmm.

2. This, I need want.


When I saw it in real life, the price tag of RM400 was tempting. I mean, it's more or less priced the same as a handphone! *flails*
God Knows I can't be splurging now, of all times. There's this fear of eventually losing interest in the item after a certain time, and it'll be buried somewhere among my other things, perhaps not forgotten, but definitely collecting dust.
It's difficult when there are so many things that I want to explore, just to expand my hobbies and capabilities, but the time factor seems to be lacking...Sigh.

3. I can't believe I went ahead and defied what I used to obey-oh-so-dumbly. I guess the time to say "That's it, I'm sick of all this stupidity!" has finally arrived. Hee.
Still, I pray to God everything will go well...

4. Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, yes! I am pleased. Now all it needs is downloading...

5. Goodness gracious me, all the notifications that await me while I abstain neglect my Facebook account shows that I miss a lot. Not that I'll be upping my activity there, though...because other webpages are calling out for me.

6. It hurts when one is unable to express one's deepest desires freely.

Current Music: If Today was Your Last Day - Nickelback

Random Updates #1

It's obvious from all the recent #'s that I'm starting to get lazy to come up with creative and perhaps more accurate titles for my entries, but my thoughts nowadays are voluble, leaning more to the content than the heading.

Besides, given the correct settings, some may agree that I am by no means one of few words. As my train of thoughts rarely stop at the proper stations given the overwhelming gush of my standpoint concerning my everyday scenario, it leaves little time for me to carefully re-analyse them, what more to summarize when it obviously is impossible to.

Is it any wonder that I always have troubles summarizing my case presentations, that whatever I blurted out as a summary, it came out sounding more like a synopsis?

Anyway. After a brief research made possible because my case write up is finally completed on anime offerings for Summer 2009 which stretches from June to August, here is my first draft on what caught my interest:
1. APH Season 2 - Because season one is pure win, and I need more Arthur Kirkland. Make the episodes longer, please~!
2. Umineko no Naku Koro ni - People getting mysteriously murdered. Yesh! Although...what is up with the title? When the Seagulls Cry? EH?!
3. Zan Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei - Pessimists unite!

So, yeah. That should be enough.

By the way, why would anyone bother making an anime version of Winter Sonata??

Current Music: Taking Back My Love - Enrique Eglesias feat. Ciara

Filler entry

Indeed. I should just enjoy what little time I have during this break.
Such enjoyment includes immersing myself in pages and pages of Skip Beat! manga, which is relatively more entertaining than the anime version. And this is coming from someone who usually avoids shoujo's like plague.
I am totally shipping RenxKyoko! Finally, a female lead that doesn't bug me!
As for the list that I've compiled earlier - after some adjustments, only Kuroshitsuji and Hakushaku to Yousei are left after the rest are cancelled out. And, the newest addition to it would be Amatsuki. Makes me regret it for not buying it when I had the chance...

Current Music: Speed of Flow - The Rodeo Carburettor

A Point of No Return?

Yes, I've attempted to extricate myself from this intricate web of anime addiction many a time, and yet it has always managed to pull me back, little by little...
...Anyhow. In view of my current lack of free time, here are the reminders about what I have to watch later.
Here we go:

1. Kuroshitsuji
2. Vampire Knight (...yes, despite the irritating female lead...)
3. Vampire Knight Guilty (ditto)
4. Hakushaku to Yousei (Let's try to ignore the female lead and focus, instead, on Edgar and Raven...)
5. Ga Rei: Zero
6. Yozakura Quartet
7. To Aru Majutsu no Index (???)
8. Chaos;Head

Current Music: Signal - Kelun

untitled. for no good reason.

Countdown to end of break: Roughly around 3 weeks more. Which means that the end to this luxury of idleness is nigh.

I realise that I've been looking at the television set quite frequently. No, the word 'looking' previously was not mistaken to carry to same meaning as 'watching'; Simply, 'looking' denotes a lack of focus on the show, which happens when the television set is on - just for the sake of having a background sound around - while one busies oneself with other stuff like reading or munching on some grubs. A waste of electricity? Probably.

Sometimes watching shows that are centred on romance irks me. For instance, nowadays I made it a point - not too strong a point though - to follow a Korean drama (Sassy Girl Chun-hyang), the Japanese drama Proposal Daigakusen (Naohito Fujiki, anyone?), and the English new series Pushing Daisies. Too much of sap, while does lift up one's mood, only manages to leave a bad aftertaste in other instances.

Watching the main male character chase after the main female character with such determination and stubbornness makes me wonder if the drama production crew is pushing it a little too far. Or maybe I'm just too incredulous as to how emotional guys could be when football is not involved (not to offend any Euro fans or something, mind you). I mean, from my understanding, guys have a certain un-emotional trait that sets them apart from girls. Generally speaking, that is. In short, it felt too much unrealistic. Like how the events play out and all. But hey, that's the plotline and script for you.

Or, another plausible explanation to my uneasiness is simply this - that I know such fantasy-filled scenario would never happen in my life, so why bother?

Perhaps that's why I'm hesitating even in my choice of shows to watch. There's this new anime called Special A, which looks gorgeous and funny, but knowing that the plot might not be for me...I feel dubious as to whether I should start dabbling in it...

...Perhaps I worry too much. Rather than cracking my head trying to come out with a decision, it might be wise to just stay put and see how the future unfolds itself...

Your Mind is 88% Cluttered

Your mind is incredibly cluttered. You have so much going on in there, it's hard to think straight. Consider talking to a therapist. It's a good idea to sort through your thoughts, if only to see which ones are worth hanging on to.

How Cluttered is Your Mind?

What Drives You?

My Result: Stability

People driven by Stability are concerned about security in many different facets of their life. They take comfort in knowing they're prepared for their future and as such, take the necessary steps to make their life more predictable. Whether that means setting up a good savings account, educating themselves so they're prepared for their next job or child, or physically safeguarding their home with alarms or new storm windows, they do well when stability is in their sights.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=selfmotivationogt&c=50652

A testament to my Libra sign?

You Are A Chocolate Ice Cream Girl

Dramatic. Powerful. Flirty.

What Flavor Ice Cream Girl Are You?

Eh? I think not...Flirty? Seriously??

What's Your Secret to Success?

My Result: Balancing Skills

From your home or job to your family and social life, an active and busy person like you has a lot on your plate. But that doesn't mean that you let it get you down or get the better of you. Quite the opposite — having a packed calendar and too much to do is probably just the way you like it.


Whether you've got a million items on your to-do list or just a few big ones, you've got a knack for keeping track of things and staying on top of them. Where some might sink under an avalanche of duties, projects, and appointments, it's your time to rise to the top and show off your true talents. Way to shine!

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=secretsuccessogt&c=50652

Next entry (Probably. Unless other issue props up or my laziness gets the best of me) - Of money and value.

Current Music: New World - Back-On

Looking Back

Considering the time span between the present and the last time I wrote an entry for this blog, a lot has happened.
Now, I am at home and despite the time (1.22 a.m.), I am still more than half-awake, no thanks to a glass of iced nescafe and another glass of mocha smoothie, and with ample time and idleness, it allows me the opportunity to just...think back.
Let's proceed systematically, for once.

-+-+-+-

i. First Professional Exam
Date: May 12 - May 14
I figured that I'd be off the wall during the two weeks of revision period prior to this huge event. I mean, we are talking about covering two years' worth of lectures and stuff, compressed into an oh-too-short duration on a mere 14 days, and that's before we subtract all the little yet important activities that one does as a normal, sane human being - eating, sleeping and napping, procrastination, periods of emotional upheaval and negative vibes, and, as one with limited focusing ability, goofing around.
Yes, I remember going out at least three times, spending an average of three hours minimum at a shopping mall, shopping for things that are not exactly in my high priority nor urgent list. Though, buying food to nibble on and for dinner (ah, the memory of heating sausages and crab fillets come to mind effortlessly) does constitute as a normal activity...one imperative for survival and health.
So, as usual, there were hints dropped by the lecturers - one reminded us many a time NOT to ask her again pertaining this matter - as well as our usual practice; that is to say, targeting and...interpreting dreams.
This latter act is, I must confess, one that I engage in, although not without a pinch of salt. Given the fact that it did prove to be useful in the past, it's like a guide courtesy of my instincts, which most of the time is pretty helpful. One prime example is when I dreamt of Dr. Imad in Y1B3, and sure enough, an essay on Hepatitis viruses came out. Then in second year, a dream of Dr. Saxena dictated another essay on pharmacology; of Dr. Emad was on embryology (Development of the female genital tract)...Yep, I know they were long shots to begin with but hey, one's gotta start somewhere.
Just before my Y2B4 (Neuromuscular block) finals, I dreamt of Dr. San San telling me "Ascending tract" over and over again, but not narrowing it down when I specifically asked which one. Of course, Dr. Saxena also made his appearance (which is pretty logical, seeing how hardworking he is). So, when the questions did come by, I was kinda shocked - pharmacology because a tip I received from my classmates actually came out (drugs in epilepsy, hmmm...I seriously thought RA would be asked) and, instead of ascending tracts, Dr. Emad's corticospinal tract (i.e. descending tract) came out!
Being a little optimistic, I reasoned that my instincts were actually pointing towards Pro questions.
But no...Instead, we got repeated questions.

Essay - Cardiac Cycle (which was asked in Y2B1), Anti-diabetics & OHAs (Y2B3), and the one question that was a lil surprising: Streptococci & the medical conditions that they cause. Something like that. This paper also marked a change in my pattern of answering; instead of answering the essays according to their order i.e. their numbering, I skipped question two, going straight for question three once I was done with question one. So I broke one of my personal rules...Sigh.

Short Notes - Uhm. Killer. Getting shocked five times, one for each question, is never good. Inguinal canal (came out once in the past Pro question, but I didn't expect it would make a reappearance!), Biosynthesis of thyroid hormones (exact question in Y2B3...but my answer this time around was worse than back then, mainly because I only glanced at the topic at the last minute...), Congenital toxoplasmosis (not too surprising, but I had expected hookworms or ascariasis or hepatic amoebiasis...), Spinal shock & its recovery (Ha? It was asked as an essay in Y2B4, but now...I didn't remember as much...), and for our Islamic Input...Controlling anger as taught by the Prophet S.A.W. Yup yup. Killer questions.

OSPE - One thing I'm thankful for is that my group was the first to go, which means more time for any last minute preparation for the next paper (said last minute preparation contains, for the most part, an extended afternoon nap...). So...quite a few immunology questions (Ha? A sterilisation technique? Didn't remember much, and the word "autoclave" was completely MIA in my head...), histopathology slides, ovarian cyst (what, AGAIN!? Wasn't this, like, the third time already? ...Not that there was any improvement in my answer even after all that...Tsk tsk), one question about the leg muscle Flexor Digitorum Longus (instead of digitorum, I got confused between digitalis and digiti...Needless to say, since I spent significantly more time with my pharmacology notes, I went for digitalis. Unforgivable, since drugs are way off...I suppose answering 'digiti' - which refers to the fingers of the hand - would make more sense...), one question about anti-lipid agents (I read it already, but I couldn't remember! *tugs hair*), and...many more. Snakes didn't come out at all...Tch. Oh, and another blunder: I forgot how to spell Sarcoptes scabiei.

PBQ - I figured it would be Dr. Naznin's...Peptic ulcer, probably, since it is common and, despite it already being asked in Y2B2's PBQ and PBL, there was still a chance of a repeat question, given the nature of the questions in the essay and short notes papers. Or, Heaven forbid, cancer...Seriously, we had at least two cancer cases already for our PBQ (cervical cancer in Y1B2, lung cancer in Y2B1) and countless in our PBL sessions (oesophageal cancer...). What came out? Hypovolaemic shock due to spleen rupture (reminiscent of a PBL case in Y1B1 and PBQ in the same block, except that the spleen was uninvolved...). Yeah. Histo of the involved organ? Uhm, didn't remember much...Wound healing? Yeah, so Dr. Naznin did say that it was important during our revision class...

MCQ - Where to begin...If short notes was a killer, this was like some sort of divine punishment. For starters, the questions were new, 99.8%. The first question - what I like to call the mood setter - set the wheels in motion by asking, of all things, about the female pelvis (I forgot, despite reading it up a few times!), then another question had to ask about purine metabolism (Yup, read it too, despite half-heartedly...). Yeah, so it was like Y2B1 Minitest I all over again - it was the time when we had close to 100% new questions, and only 20 people passed the paper...
The problem with MCQs is that, being the final paper, means that we, the students, were already exhausted by then. The night before the paper was filled with light if not futile attempts at revising, because the attack of "I wanna go home already!" had started to amplify.

Outcome - Three candidates for Viva Voce for distinction, two of which got it. None for borderline Viva, and likewise, zero failure! Thank Heavens! Quoting Dr. Naznin, we're 40% doctors already! Third year, here we come!

ii. Preclinical Years Recapitulated
It was fun, in spite of the obstacles. The doctors, I hope I'll never forget how fun the lectures were...and the feasts that we had. Really, from the breaking of fast and Raya feasts and our appreciation lunch...It's a fresh sight, seeing how the lecturers reveal a little more human aspect, and not merely the lecturer with his/her powerpoint plus lectures mode.
Still, one conclusion would be that we humans are easily motivated by food...
Cough.
Then comes the issue of how our batch be labelled as the troublesome batch. Decidedly, in academics, we may not be too mad...But when it comes to discipline, let's just say that there's plenty of room for improvement. And, Minitest I in Y2B1...the lecturers had to have a meeting to discuss the unbelievable drop in our achievement. Also, after an essay in Y2B2 on Drugs in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, I expect they had another meeting for that (Dude, seriously? IBD isn't that common in this part of the world...).
So, yeah. We're something...let's just leave it at that. And we seem to force the doctors to hold meetings that discuss about us...Are we craving for attention or something?

iii. Miyavi Bu-Jae Chiaki
If it sounds like a mixed-up name conjured from a random machine, it's not. It's actually the name for our new car, which is under joined ownership of my sister and me. It's a black Myvi...and no, we didn't want black in the first place ('coz black is too ubiquitous, and silver rules), and I didn't want Myvi, although a small voice in me said that the probability of the new car being one is too high to be overlooked.
It turned out that practically everyone in the family loves him (yes, the two of us decided that the car's a 'he'...Don't ask) but I was less than enthusiastic...
Not too aesthetically pleasing, but hey, I rarely get to make the final call anyway...I'll work for my own car, then...

iv. Break
One and a half months before we officially enter third year as clinical students. Sure, it sounds long (it's the longest break we'll ever have as medical students...) but if I don't make proper use of my time, it'll seem as if it had gone by that it'd shove itself right into my face when it's finally over.
My plans are these, not in any particular order:

1. Cooking and baking - Does it seem that I've finally embraced the feminine passion within me? Will it actually become a reality?

2. Learning Adobe Photoshop - Well, I do get requests of drawing comic strips once in awhile, so why not make it really manga-like? One needs to develop the creative brain too...
Plus, I need to finish another comic strip for MSC's DVD, and I owe someone (who has been waiting patiently for it) a Natsumi of Taiho! Shichauzo drawing.

3. Galileo - A J-drama featuring Fukuyama Masaharu as the brilliant but eccentric Physics lecturer, and Shibasaki Kou as a determined detective, who solve cases. Add a bit of Numbers, a tinge of CSI, and a spoonful of mysteries...
So far I've downloaded four episodes. There're six more to go. Frankly I thought I'd give up on J-dramas for good, since Nodame Cantabile had practically raised my expectations and appreciation level sky-high...that I might never enjoy another J-drama (or any show for that matter) in this life as much as I enjoyed Nodame anymore.
So the drama has rekindled my adoration for Fukuyama Masaharu, whom I last saw in Beauty or the Beast.
Which reminds me...Why is it so hard to find (Not So) Perfect Love nowadays!?

4. Anime - I am guilty in that I tend to spend money to buy anime but only watching it halfway (perhaps less than that...), if at all. Example, Tactics , Peacemaker Kurogane, Honey & Clover II, Saiunkoku Monogatari Season I, to name a few, fall under the category of "To Complete" a.k.a "When are you gonna finish this one, you fickle minded woman?!" and Full Metal Alchemist, Saiyuki Reload, Nodame Cantabile (Anime), Code Geass: Lelouch no Rebellion, etc are unfortunately under "To Begin" a.k.a "Have you forgotten about us, scatterbrain of a woman?!". Bleach, Naruto Shippuuden , Tennis no Ouji-sama are just too long and draggy, they're considered "Dropped" for the time being (Actually, I'm thinking of categorising Code Geass: Lelouch no Rebellion under this category as well, since I feel nothing for the characters and am not so curious about its second season...).
What's the worst thing? Apparently I have this knack of expanding my anime collection rather than finishing them properly. I'm looking for One Piece, impatiently waiting for Gintama, containing my curiosity towards D.Gray-man, Shounen Onmyouji, Saiunkoku Monogatari Season II (despite suddenly developing a slight distaste towards the female lead, hence the laziness in actually continuing Season I)...
It's unfortunate that money is the limiting factor in this equation.

5. Manga Scanlations - Anxiously waiting for the next update of 07 Ghost and Volume 62. If finding the scans were easy, I'd like to find more Meitantei Conanof Samurai Deeper Kyo, Gintama (for the heck of it), Saiyuki, Kingdom Hearts, Spiral, etc...
Greedy, greedy. Guilty of greed, Your Honour.

6. Studies - It's a sad fact, isn't it, that this is numbered 6...which means that it struck me later than all the previous things enumerated. So, perhaps now it's time to concentrate on polishing what I've learnt plus reading up a bit on the clinical aspects and physical examinations...
On a side note, I should've bought Hutchinson's rather than Talley & O'Connor...

7. Keyboard - The musical instrument, not the one you type with. It's my dream to at least know how to play one musical instrument, although I know my parents would object to this...

8. Japanese language

9. English language - You wouldn't believe how my English has been impaired over the years I'm in Uni. Oh, the irony! Sad, isn't it? I used to write and read a lot, and now I'm reduced to just an average speaker. Not that I'm aiming to be the best debater or speaker but still...This is a life-long thing!

10. Polishing up my driving - 'Coz driving in Kuantan takes much more skill, gut and mental preparation than in PJ, enough said...

-+-+-+-

So that's it for now. Although all the caffeine still wrecks havoc in my brain, my prefrontal area emphasizes that it's time to actually get some sleep. Or at least, endeavour to. I wouldn't want to spend an entire Sunday afternoon sleeping. It'd be a great waste, worthy of a whole week of repentance.

Note to self: Nasi lemak as breakfast is a huge no-no, unless you plan to sleep for a huge chunk of the day. The same goes for roti canai...

Current Music: Kiss shite - KOH+ (Theme for Galileo. I adore the ending sequence!)
Current Book: Kafka on the Shore - Murakami Haruki

With all the downloading that I've been doing...I can't believe I only had around 3 hours of sleep the night before! Of course, total this with my lack of sleep during the exam period...and soon I might look like a zombie. Or L. Whichever.
Speaking of zombie...Maybe I should resume downloading Zombie Loan? Even if the main character is pretty annoying?
Btw, so far, the most annoying main female character to me is still Honda Tohru (a frigging Mary Sue I tell you!), Daidouji Mayura (because her head's empty) in second place, followed by Haruno Sakura (simple because she's still into Sasuke...See, usually I only get irked when she's associated in any manner to the Uchiha) and then... Amano Misa (...ugh. She's like barnacles on a Raito-ship)...
Suffice to say, the list is pretty long. Somewhere, it also includes Fujioka Haruhi (too unrealistic), Meyrin Hawke (...unremarkable, especially when one puts Cagalli in juxtaposition), and that main female lead in Saiunkoku Monogatari. A pity, since I liked her at the start...but when she starts being the centre of romantic attention of a bit too many guys, that's when I draw the line.

Yes, I am aware that this entry is pointless.

To make it less so, let me just introduce the Pocket PC I got from my father. His name is Houraiji Tatsuma-kun!
Smirk.

Current Music: Chain - Back-On

Fansubbers vs Pro (?) Subtitlers

And such, ladies and gentlemen, is people.
The local tv network started airing Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (which, henceforth, shall be abbreviated to SHnY for one very simple reason - I'm too lazy to type...) tonight, in the non-chronological order. I pity those who might find it hard to grasp, but saa...that's life for you anyhow.
Although the tv people retained the series in its original language (yay, no dubbers for this one! I'm getting bored figuring out who's who...it's no fun, unlike in the case of Japanese seiyuu...), the subtitles still present a big problem.
Fansubs are, without a doubt, more dedicated in the cause compared to the people who work as 'subtitlers' by a long shot, hands down. The former beat the latter in three categories:
1) Timing: Yup. Higher accuracy. You know how sometimes the dialogue overlap? Fansubs have enough common sense and generosity to include both (or more!). Simply superb (what else can I say?).
2) Detail: Sometimes a series introduces certain terms integral to the plot, and to make the viewer more acquainted with the world in the series. We don't see that plus-point with our local subtitles. Amazingly meticulous (and generous, too).
3) Creativity: Nice fonts and colours (which is sometimes used to distinguish the speakers, particularly when there's dialogue overlap). Aesthetics count.
What's interesting about fansubbers being superior to subbers...is that the former don't really get paid (or do they?). They know about the series in and out (or, at least, almost), and they utilise their knowledge and sacrifice their time so that other fans can benefit from their hard work.
Without money coming in.
But the pro-subs (...I'm starting to think the term is inaaccurate...) are paid. They get to put their names at the end of the series.
Still, fansubbers are better.
Which goes to show that passion and interest do play a humongous part in determining the outcome, and not just money.
Saa, quoting one of our respected lecturers in my Uni..."Remember to have fun!"

Current Music: Mosaic Kakera - SunSet Swish

P/s: The PV for this song is pretty good. Not top notch, but nice. How the vocalist walks on while the buildings and other stuff organise into their forms in the background...Tho personally I must admit I was surprised to see how the vocalist looks like. His voice gave me the wrong idea on how he could have looked like...
Anyhow, it's the 2nd ED of Code Geass (which, although I can safely say I've all of the episodes so far, I've yet to _really_ immerse myself in the story), and perhaps, in my opinion, the best song for the series, collectively.

...ah.

It is with open arms that I welcome Shuuhei-kun to join me in my never-ending quest to...search and fulfil my many meanings of life!
Shuuhei-kun has come in to replace Mika-chan, who is, as yet, still out of work due to her regrettable circumstances. It'll be some time until I muster enough courage to plug Mika-chan into Chidori (a laptop at home) to see if there is no positive development in her condition. A price of Rm58 for the 2Gb-sized Shuuhei-kun...saa, not bad, not bad indeed...
Of course, if it has a purple coat I'd be jumping with glee but...saa, it'll be awfully OOC (out of character) for me...
Kudos to my uncle for putting up with my choosiness. I wasn't there with him when he looked for a new pendrive for me, so he had to call me up at least 3, 4 times to ask my opinion, giving me descriptions and stuff...Sorry if the phone bill escalates to the heavens this time...
My downloading spree of now includes...
1. Code GEASS: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Fourteen episodes done (in only four days!), nine to go...
2. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu - Okay...having read reviews and stuff, I'd say this one should be the answer to my requirements of humour! We'll see how it fares...
3. Spiral the manga
Those are the cream of my spree for now. I'm really still wondering if I should complete my collection of Matantei Loki Ragnarok...The ending is...unbearable IMO.
Pink haired girls annoy me.
Has anyone noticed that Euphemia from Code GEASS has the exact colour theme of Lacus Clyne of SEED? Pink hair, purple eyes...and I swear, they're the same down to the exact same shades of colour! Is that why people are comparing Suzaku to Kira...

Current Music: Vio Pipe - Butterfingers

p/s: This song was used in our Geriatrics seminar...Don't know why I bothered. Maybe it's the bagpipe-like sounds? It reminds me of Oasis...
Worse aspect of the song? Not the song per se, but the band (?)...Yup, it's a local band. I'm allowing my eardrums and my hearing organs access to local stuff... *shudder*
...Oh, the horror!

p/p/s: Meaningless entry, ka? I just thought I should introduce Shuuhei-kun...God, I love that name. *smirk*

Of mosquitoes and music

Back home, I'm lazing off (is there such a verb?). Let's just face it: This week has not been productive in the least, with much doodling and just....sitting around. If it happens that I'm at home, I'm just sitting around downloading random stuff off the net.

Not that I haven't been exercising at all. I have been on a killing rampage lately (mosquitoes shall DIE!!!!). I swear, it's as if the mosquitoes are lined up, that as soon as one of them (the one in the battlefield) happened to be struck K.O., the next one in the queue would immediately set off to take its dead comrade's place.

There, I just killed a third one in less than two minutes. If I keep this up, I might get to be in the Guinness Book of Records for 'Killing the highest number of mosquitoes in the shortest time'.

On a happier note...I've rekindled my fan-girl adoration for Nagase Tomoya. I mean, I was wondering why people say that Tokio's Sorafune (Airship) is such an amazing song, so my inquisitive nature begins its search for the one true answer. The PV is, simply put...simple. No fancy dancing, just the band in the rain, Nagase singing so heartily, the other four playing their respective musical instrument, with occasional screenshots of a city in the night (Tokyo, I presume?). But the song! It isn't your normal sappy song. Really, go and find out for yourself!

So what have I achieved when I reached home? I've searched high and low for my geriatric seminar (with disappointing results...), downloaded Shippuuden episodes 6 to 12, Ouran episode 26 (I still don't get how people can rate it so highly), more j-music, downloaded Naohito Fujiki's HEY! FRIENDS PV (and found Misa! Yuck...), resuscitated Clie-chan, read a couple of uber sweet stories, getting over the fact that I'm not too stressed over my crummy test (I still don't know my marks tho...), figured out how to download stuff off Youtube (I love my Avicenna even more now!), and...yeah, loads of other useless stuff.

To top the list, I'm still procrastinating! Haven't really ventured deep into whatever it is that I found on geriatrics and for Solicitude Unit.

Tsk tsk. Shame on me...

So! I need to find J-dramas starring Nagase; namely, Tiger and Dragon as well as My Boss, My Friend (or something like that...).


Current Music: Nagareboshi ~Shooting Star~ - Home Made Kazoku

Title-less

...which means that this entry is going to be, in one word, random.

Since my break started, I've been doing nothing but going on another downloading spree (last time, it was Gackt - this time, it's scanlations...including doujinshis).

Reading really overwhelming doujinshis, in addition to watching Naruto - from the final 20 episodes of the first season to the most recent five episodes of the new season Shippuuden, thanks to my classmate - and to wrap up Ouran Kouko Host Club plus reading a new manga called 07 Ghost...I'd say they're more than enough to keep me in hyper-otaku mode for days, if not weeks.

Oh, did I mention that I'm waiting for Youtube to finish loading an episode of Death Note the anime, just so I'd be able to listen how Yamaguchi Kappei and Miyano Mamoru perform?

Not to compare them to Matsuyama Ken'ichi and Fujihara Tatsuya (of the movie of the same name), definitely, since real-life movie =/= anime.

Oh, I suppose I should add that I've just finished Death Note: The Last Name (i.e. the second installment of the 'rea-life' movie). The subbing was atrociously appalling, I could only try to guess what they were saying (knowledge of the storyline helped a bit, since the movie adopted a slightly different approach). And, for the love of God, you _don't_ translate people's names! It's enough to make me grind my teeth in absolute dismay - and astonishment - as to _HOW_ people could lack simple common sense.

Argh, having Ryuuzaki being referred to as dragon (...you've got to be kidding me...) and Raito as Moon (how feminine is that, being contrasted to Ryuuzaki's one...dragons are totally more masculine than the moon~!) ...made my hands itch, eager to strangle the necks of the so-called translators.

Also, I've been hanging around Youtube rather often lately...I can't belive I'm losing sleep over this, yet I don't feel half as sleepy as my campus days.

Aah, the beautiful, mysterious affect a simple thing such as a break can do to you...
Looking forward to more 07 Ghost and Shippuuden!

But first I need to finish the third arc of Bleach...

And I want plushies! I think my bed is finally ready to shelter more...occupants, in addition to my notes and books.

Not forgetting to stock up on my anime list!

Yamaguchi Kappei is <3!