Piece of My Mind

A lot of things have been happening in my life recently... some worth mentioning, others not so. Since the last time I blogged here, things have changed. Been doing some thinking, no, lots of thinking. For the most part, the thinking happens when one enters med school. In that context, a lot of thinking happened when we started studying for the mid-sem exam until the day of the actual exam. After that, there was SPC and CBP to complete, 2 major assignments of 2nd year. But more than that, beyond the academics of med school, I've been thinking about life in general. People change, things change, circumstances change... yeah you get the picture. But that's what makes life unpredictable, yet at the same time, beautiful!

For one, as I'm typing this, I realize that in a little over 24 hours, I would be 21! Yeah, the "legal" age.. as people would call it. The right and "privilege" to vote for the nation's leaders is one thing, but the label of a full-grown "official" adult is another issue to contemplate with. Important decisions will be made this year, whether by hook or by crook. The gravity of each decision would depend and rest a lot on the choices available and the circumstances that each decision was made in. Fortunately for me, this is something I realized a long time ago... LASHES Suyin, for giving me the title "Mr. Obvious"! Well "obviously", we managed to convince so many people that Monash is a dwelling place for penguins! Hi-5 to that! Oh btw, glad you enjoyed being a SP!

For those who are wondering what LASHES means, it's a Timonic™! Tim-0-what, you may ask? For those who want me to clarify or to wipe off the frown on your individual faces, a Timonic™ is an "amalgamation" of my first name's first syllable (Tim) and the word "mnemonic". Hence, you get the new term "Timonic™"! Get the picture? Newaez, so what does LASHES stand for? It's actually my own version of the "lol" or "rofl(mao)"mnemonic. So ladies and gentlemen, *drum rolls*,

LASHES officially stands for Laughing Abruptly So Hard Everything Shakes!

Most people enjoy receiving gifts. I don't know bout you, but I have to admit that I'm very much blessed in so many ways, ways I never thought were even possible. It's not just the material gifts that one receives. Sure, for my 21st, the thought that I will be receiving a new camera and a pair of top-brand sunglasses are certainly mouth-watering and exciting propositions to looks forward to. Not to overlook the fact that my parents already got my mode of transport "upgraded" from a Honda Accord to a CRV just a few hours ago. Friends have been asking "indirectly" what I might want for my 21st. So not very "indirectly", I would very much appreciate personal notes that come from the heart... probably a scrapbook of notes and pix :)

But far more than that, everyday I thank God for the gift of people who love and care for me so abundantly. Parents, family members and dear friends... all of whom I treasure, although there would be the rare occasion where I may take them for granted or not respond in kind, whether I realize it or not. But without people around you, just imagine how lonely life would be. Ask yourself this: What would you do and how would you feel if you were the only person left on the planet? Treasure life and live it to the fullest!

That being said, I'm kinda lookin forward to the rural attachment in Segamat next week. Me and my meddies have already decided that amidst the many rural assignments there, most of us are gonna have fun, hopefully even more than what we had last year. As a matter of fact, it doesn't have to be decided, it goes unspoken. Last year --> 1 week only. This year--> 2 weeks!! Basketball, L4D/DotA, late-night chats with close friends, etc... feels as if we're paying Monash to give us good retreats like the Orientation Camp last year in Port Dickson. LASHES!

On another note, being an EE trainer this sem so far meant that most Sunday afternoons were sacrificed for my trainees' benefit of learning to evangelize effectively. Some of you might not know this, but I was a little skeptical about being a trainer this sem as I knew that time spent going for Sunday morning classes and OJTs after church service was time I could very well spend on my ever-hectic schedule of learning and mastering medicine. However, after personal encouragement from special certain people in my life and continuous prayer, I decided to take on the role. My FGT youth pastors said that I would learn more being a trainer than a trainee. And they were right. For the good first few weeks, my co-trainer (Wui Jia) and I took turns sharing different parts of the EE presentation, which in turn, reinforced what I had already mastered last year. Being a trainer also meant that I was both a role model and a mentor to my trainees. I'm doing a lot on my part, my trainees, so buck up... especially as the mid-term checkup is coming up this week! Don't let us down!!

Yeah, that's about it from me, folks! God bless y'all and take care!

Peace out!
~Tim~