Statistics

Apparently, if we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:

There would be-

* 57 Asians and 21 Europeans
* 8 would be Africans
* 52 would be female, 48 male
* 30 would be white, 70 non white
* 80 would live in substandard housing
* 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth
* 70 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition
* 1 would be near death, 1 would be near birth
* 1 (yes, only one) would have a college education
* 1 (yes, again only one) would own a computer

Random thoughts

________________________________________________________
* Met Zee after ages....her love story is never ending...feel sorry for her but ugh....

* Also went for King Kong....quite a dissapointment actually.Was 2 hours into the show and they still hadn't caught King Kong....I was like what the heck, my bladder is full already!!Highlight of the show was King Kong and T-rex having a go at each other!Most disgusting part of the show....monstrous insects and...were they leeches??....ugh!

* Bought a nice new handbag.....and now for shoes to go with it :)

* Heard from Fahim after ages...gone are the days when we used to write pages and pages of mail to each other!Why do we have to grow up??

* Really looking forward to that trip to Goa with Raj(hopefully Teena and Arpana could make it too!) and meeting Farah in Pakistan.Also meeting up with Shafaat!!

* Miss Mom and Dad tons at times....It's sad to see them aging out.Then again living on my own does have its benefits....Mom can't breathe down my neck whenever she wants to!

* Elene sent this guy, Liam from Glasgow over for an externship at our hospital....he's such a hoot!!Wow....lunch hour is so much more fun and edible..."Stiff upper lip!" and tartan skirts!

* Am 30!!Unbelievable!

Profound shopping experience

Went shopping the other day with a friend of mine.
While she was trying out some clothes I was standing near the fitting rooms.I noticed a couple walking in and while the girl took some clothes in to try out, the guy stood with me and smiled at me a couple of times.I told him he must have a lot of patience shopping with women to which he just shrugged and rolled his eyes and smiled some more.
Then the girl opened the door of her room and then began a very intense and interesting conversation about the outfits....and the whole conversation was going on quietly with very rapid movements of the hands and fingers!
I realized then that either both of them or one was deaf/dumb(hearing/verbally impaired if i want to be politically correct!).
Both of them then turned to me and asked me in a sign language that I could understand, for my opinion.To which I promptly pointed out to the maroon and the chocholate coat and both of them beamed at me and seemed to agree!
It made my day!
Got me thinking how difficult it must be to have a handicap like that and still lead a normal life.Even to have someone special who understood and accepted you for who you are no matter the handicap.
I got myself a book which was written by a deaf and dumb author that day......have just started it but I already find it very moving and profound....Some excerpts from the book:

I walk in dreams. I rely on a vibrating clock to get up in the mornings and I stay up at the night when I cannot follow the day's discussions and must rely on myself to study. In twenty-four hours I start and end the day differently while adapting myself to your world.

If I could take the boors of society into my life for a day, I would stop the deaf from being mistreated mocked every day.

If I could show the world the adversity we face every day, the world would gain a newfound respect for the courage of the deaf.

If I could show you all that I have faced, the discrimination and prejudice, you would begin to see me in a different light.

The 21st century world is full of promise for people from all walks of life, deaf and hearing alike. But the deaf community will always walk in dreams until the world acknowledges their existence and importance in creating a better society for everyone.

I walk in dreams

The irony of it.....

Well, this isn't funny and in fact am really upset it happened to me.....but I can't help feeling so ridiculous that it ever happened at all!
Realized yesterday that my licence had actually expired about 2 weeks ago (yeah...been bravely driving with that and if at all a cop had stopped me...which has happened to me a couple of times, I'd quickly whip out my Doctor's ID card which I always have in my car and get away with it!)....
So anyways asked my colleague to cover me this morning and was on my way to get it renewed when this dumbass came and knocked my car....and it wasn't just a simple dent, my whole front passenger seat door caved in!Mind you this whole scenario took place just outside the hospital!The guy wanted to settle it out and not involve the cops but I was like no way!Then again I remembered that my licence had already expired and I would be in hot soup if the traffic cops came or if we went to the cops to report it.But I'd need to get a police report for my insurance claim......Imagine my predicament!
So this wierdo for some reason just wanted my phone number and took off as soon as he could...I could only come to the conclusion that he probably didn't have a licence either or that he was running away in a stolen car!
Whatever!
So I rushed off and got my licence renewed and then went to the cops and reported the crash....he looked at me funny at one point when he skimmed through my licence but I just put up the sorriest and the most pathetic expression ever that I could muster.I guess it worked in my favour cause then we both quickly went through the whole ordeal and he even asked me out for a drink!
I guess I have to be thankful that nothing really happened to me and even though it's gonna cost me (the car!)....it's a lesson learnt for me....never procastinate things till last minute(I'm a champion in that!).

Me with my pet!

Ms Sagittarius

Okay so normally I don't bother with the star signs etc.
But since I would be hitting the big 30s soon,
I thought i should give this a read:

She's a straight shooting rebel who's always looking for the next adventure.She's smart, loves studying stuff that interests her but her relaxed attitude can often let her down and she tends to ignore routine and authority.

The tomboy of the signs, Miss Sagittarius loves the outdoors with the chance to travel as much as she can. She emanates a positive air and has a lot of energy to burn and dislikes getting into a routine; often she will have a list of things she wants to do before she will consider settling down.

Positive, free and easy she may be, even a flirt at times (although she does not even notice!) Miss Sag is very loyal in love, just as long as she does not feel fenced in; never try to clip this beautiful butterfly's wings or she may just hop over the fence to try a different garden.

She's impossible because she's easily distracted and will change her plans at the last minute and is slack at returning calls.Has no patience for whingers or shy people who won't ask for what they want.

Hmm....interesting.....

Pink Panther!

Came back from work to find a parcel for me!
A complete DVD set of Blake Edward's Pink Panther from Avi all the way from Glasgow!Christmas is still a month away but am not complaining....
Although there are no funny one liners, Peter Seller's riotous perfomance makes it so hilarious!
Henry Mancini taps his baton on the podium and the jazz band begins to play.....I do not even like jazz yet I practically worshipped the soundtrack as a kid.

Lewellyn and Lovelyn!

Was a lovely day at work where everything just clicked!
And I actually met a surgeon called Lewellyn and a little girl called Lovelyn!
Strange but true.....

Muiz

Muiz, our ex-prem Downy with multiple complications since birth came back one day after we discharged him from the SCN.
The fact is, no matter how much we teach and train the parents in the end their care could never be as good as the nurses' especially with their jobs,other kids and other commitments.
So, he's back and he's terribly sick again.....poor darling.....he's so cute.
Don't know if he is going to make it this time.

"My Way"

It was a wierd day of swapping lyrics and 'singing' songs via e-mails....
Just wanna share excerpts from one of my all time favorites by Frank Sinatra....
(While chomping on pancakes with ooodles of maple syrup on it , of course!.....)

"Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way....."

Thundercats!

Ended up having a 'deep' conversation about how cartoons affected our childhood and developing years.
I seriously think all the Japanese animation these days are crap!
We had the best cartoon period ever- 'Smurfs', 'The Care Bears', 'Jem', 'Voltron',and who could ever forget 'The Thundercats'??
One of the best cartoon series ever!
For old time's sake, "Thunder....thunder.....thunder.....thundercats!!!"

Helpless...

Dad's health is giving him problems again....and worrying us all no end!But it really is no use being a doctor or even having 2 docs in the family when 'The Don' refuses to listen to anyone really......just feel like pulling my hair out sometimes but even that wouldn't help!Aaaaaarrrghhhhhh!!!!!(had to let off steam somewhere!)

To tame the bird flu

________________________________________________________
The jury is still out.No one knows whether the increasingly threatening bird flu will ultimately hit humans in China in the wake of three major eruptions among poultry in the country within a month.
But we, the rest of the world, must make the best preparations for the worst case scenario.
As with SARS, avian flu respects no borders.Close global cooperation is a precondition for bringing an epidemic under effective control.

To marry or not to marry....

Was at my aunt's place the other day visiting for Eid.As always when there are family get togethers like this, invariably the topic swings in the direction of upcoming weddings and matchmakings waiting to be made since most of my cousins are all in their twenties now.

So anyways I found out that one of my guy cousins in India would be getting married soon.This is a guy who depends on his Dad's wealth to keep him going ; though he thinks and calls himself a devout muslim, I know at one time he's tried almost everything under the sun....(well, people change for the better so I have to keep my mouth shut here!)and he thinks he's ready to have a wife and a family.
As simple as that!And his parents have found him a girl whom they think would be suitable for him......actually they found a couple through various means and he got to pick whom he wanted!

I just find it mighty amazing that somebody like him is going to be settling down soon.....to what I wonder!!If I were in his shoes, I'd worry about standing on my own two feet first and then worry about making my spouse miserable.But some of my family members think in fact this is a blessing in disguise for him as this would make him more responsible and would mend his ways.HOW???!!!!It's not logical!

The funniest thing though was that most of the objections were from us, the girls while my other male cousins mostly just kept defending him somehow...now I don't know if it's a male solidarity thing but come on....you gotta put yourself in the girls' shoes too.I mean what kind of life would she have living with someone like that?(Though it's a different story that her family and the girl herself know what they'd be getting into!!)

Moral of the story is.....people marry for the wrong reasons these days....pressure be it social/family and ideologies have gone for a toss.It is true in a way that our parents had it a lot easier when things and relationships weren't so complicated.When marriage, having a family, buying properties, educating the young ones and retiring to a good life with the wife was the norm and not divorce,infidelity,job insecurities,worrying about having how many kids,saving enough for the retirement home etc.....

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

________________________________________________________
"Maaf Zahir dan Batin".
My friend Linda said it well,

"Ampun dan maaf andainya,
Terkasar bahasa,
Tersilap bicara,
Termarah yang tak kena,
Tertanya tak tentu hala,
Tersasul yang tak sengaja,
Terpukul kat mana-mana,
Terpekik di telinga,
Terhantuk di kepala,
Terpinjam harta benda,
Ter'moody' tak semena-mena,
Termacam-macam lagi yang kena-mengena....
Semoga dimaafkan!"

"And He gives you all that you ask Him: and if you count His favours,you will not be able to number them....."

Have a blessed EID everyone!

Shereen,Ferne and Faiza's miracle Baby!

________________________________________________________
What an aweful week again!
We lost Hanis and Daniel......At least i strongly believe they've moved on to a better place devoid of daily suffering and may their souls rest in peace.
But in the midst of all the heartache, we actually had a miracle happen and our miracle baby is actually going home this weekend!
p/s: hope the above pix isn't disturbing to some of you.

Fasting and being on call!

Had a killer weekend!
The labour room kept calling to stand in for fetal distress like 6 times yesterday!I wanted to strangle Chew and Erica by the end of it...long story......anyhow, thank god none of the babies required intubation cause I didn't have anymore ventilators to spare in any case.
It was a very tiring especially with me fasting for the month of Ramadhan....somehow survived through it....all my babies are alive and kicking!
Sigh....back on call again come Monday!They are hell bent on me working my ass off for the rest of the year since I took some time off from work.....Can't wait for new years!
On a sad note....with the busy calls this week I've been completely oblivious to what's been happening around me in the world.May God bless everyone who has perished in the earthquake in South Asia.....

Building a nation Camp

the great outdoors!

Last 2 weeks were amazing!Good fun,great settings,brilliant company....lots of talented and amazing individuals!I hope we all came out as better individuals.....

Monsoon Wedding!

________________________________________________________
Went to an Indian wedding after ages....i normally don't look forward to weddings but I couldn't miss this one as I've known Geet since we were 10!Missed most of the ceremonial stuff early in the wedding cause the idiots Dave and Bala took their own sweet time getting ready and we got lost and were going in circles (and forgot the invitation card where the directions were printed!)....Made it somehow in the end!
As usual an Indian wedding wouldn't be complete without a grand meal of exquisite Indian curry/Biryani!Great food Geety!And after the guests had all left we decided to have a late night drive and ice cream with the couple(us still clad in our sarees and Howard and Dave wearing Kurta....yeah the fools weren't goin on a honeymoon like normal people do (they've postponed it to december!).And then it started drizzling and we almost got drenched....ala hindi movies....we were just waiting for Geet and Howard to break into a song and run around trees!!
Good fun!

Surfing!