Appleseed » General

My Calling.

gloobergoshie — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:15:33 +0000

It has been almost a week since my granny got hospitalised. Her condition got quite serious that the doctor told us to prepare ourselves. Even our distant relatives came down to see her, thinking that they may never get to see her again. Thank God, she got slightly better yesterday. Get well soon, Nenek!

Anyways, I was reading through my Cancer lecture notes at my study table last night when I happened to look up to the wall in front of me on which I pasted a post-it that says “What Color Is Your Parachute”. It is the title of a book which I have been wanting to borrow for quite some time but never got the chance to (read: procrastinate). It is a book on finding your dream job, one that you will want to do as a living, one that you will do out of passion and love.

I have been asking myself the same old question always asked when I was young; What do you want to be when you grow up? If I were still a kid, that will be an easy question. I wanted to be a doctor. But that was, when I was a kid. Well, unlike those lucky ones out there, I amwas a college student who iswas still clueless about what I want to make out of life. I have been doing some personal reflection hoping that I’ll get some answers. And last night, I got what I have been searching for.

I actually did have something in mind but somehow or rather, find it a little unachievable. I haven’t told many people about this but this is what I really really wanted to do, until a few years ago. One of my childhood dream (the one that last the longest) was to be a doctor. I watched a documentary and was inspired by this doctor who went to villages around Asia to offer his medical services. I was too young then to take note of his name. Anyways, I was so inspired by him, I told myself this is what I want to do. I wanted to set-up my own mobile clinic in rural villages to provide healthcare services to the people and visit them regularly, once every 6 months or so, with my team of doctors and nurses. That kind of thing.

But then I went to college and found out that Medicine is not an easy field to go into. It’s very competitive, it’s very expensive, it’s very demanding etc etc. So I thought if I couldn’t be the doctor to provide the service, then I could be the person to get the doctor to provide the service. Well, basically I wanted to set-up an organisation or a team to provide this service to the villages. I could get doctors to provide healthcare needs, building contractors to sponsor the building of schools and clinics, students to volunteer their services during their school holidays and anyone who just wants to help.

Then I thought that it was impossible to start out just like that with no money, no credibility, no experience etc. So I wanted to get a high-paying job (e.g. accountant) to get some capital and learn more about the outside world. But I got many comments from friends saying that it is not easy to survive in this field, especially in my case where it is not my passion. And I heard from accountants/ex-accountants/friends of accountants about the demanding worklife. As in, I don’t think I will mind the demanding worklife but they say that a handful do quit the job after a few years.

And from there, I got lost.

Well, this is what I call to surrender even before you call for a war. I have not tried it but I am already admitting defeat. How I have never tried applying for Medicine and I am already pulling out just because I think it’s competitive. How I have never tried Accountancy but I step back to reconsider just because of what others say about it. I mean like, if I am affected by these it just goes to show that my heart isn’t in it. Because if I am dead sure that I want to go into Medicine/Accountancy, I would not be so affected by such pressures.

So last night, I sat down to ask myself what I really really really want to get out of my life. I guess as the days pass, come CT2s, Prelims, ALevels, Results Day, application for university, I am starting to feel the pressure of not knowing where I am heading to. About one to two weeks ago, I was studying in the ODAC Room when a senior from the 18th batch came and talked to us about university and life after college. He got me thinking about my life but at that point of time, I still could not get an answer.

And last night I found what I have been looking for. It suddenly dawned upon me that what I really want to be is a DIETITIAN. It has been in me for so long but I just fail to recognise it. Yesterday, I was dead sure I want to be a dietitian.

So this morning I got online to find out more about this field. And look what I found:

“What are the qualifications needed to be a Dietitian?
Degree courses are only tenable overseas from an accredited university by the Dietetics Association of the country. Depending on the country you obtain the degree leading the training as dietitian, you may be required to take a registration exam.

To be a practising dietitian, you must obtain one of the following:

1) Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics - 3-4 years
2) Degree in Nutrition -3 years + Post-Graduate Diploma in Dietetics
3) Degree in Science, majoring in Physiology and Biochemistry + Masters Degree in Dietetics – 2 years

In addition, at least 6 months of clinical internship must be completed.”

“Where can I undertake my studies in dietetics?

There are currently no academic and professional courses for the training of dietitians in Singapore. All practising dietitians have been trained overseas, mainly in United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States and West Malaysia. The training takes 3 to 5 years, including 6 to 12 months of clinical internship. Some local science graduates have obtained Masters’ degree (2 years study) in Nutrition and Dietetics from Australian Universities.”

-Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association

Urgh. Overseas study?! Imagine the disappointment I felt when I thought that I knew what to do only to find out that I may never get the chance to do it. It’s like spending years looking for something or someone. And once you thought that you’ve found a lead, you realise that the road leads to a dead end.

I feel like banging my head on the wall.

I read and re-read and re-read and found this “Some local science graduates have obtained Masters’ degree (2 years study) in Nutrition and Dietetics from Australian Universities.” And I realised that there is actually an option for me:

“3) Degree in Science, majoring in Physiology and Biochemistry + Masters Degree in Dietetics – 2 years”.

I can actually get my degree in a local university but in order to become a dietitian, I still need to get a Masters overseas.

I have yet to research more on the route to become a dietitian. I have been jumping links to look for an Australian university that offers a Masters in Dietetics. University of Sydney (http://www.usyd.edu.au/courses/?detail=1&course_sef_id=Master_of_Nutrition_and_Dietetics_626) and Griffith University (http://www17.griffith.edu.au/cis/p_cat/admission.asp?ProgCode=5461) are just two of them.

But first, I have to get my degree.

(Does anyone know of any persons in this field? I would like to know more about it.)

House Tees

gloobergoshie — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:26:27 +0000

I’m in a dilemma. Should I go for kayaking tomorrow or next week? Erhm..

Ubin Recce was okay..I was kind of disappointed at myself because I knew some things could have been avoided if I had done something to prevent it. Sorry =( We took slightly more than 4 hours to complete the recce on bicycle. We actually took lesser time to recce on foot the other day but that was probably because there were on 5 of us but now we had 23 people. And the injuries and accidents that happened along the way slowed us down. All your injured people, do take care of your wounds and not let them get infected! Got to see the reckless side of some people. Yes, Syikin? Haha. The first aid kit with QA proved to be handy. Next time we shall not underestimate such activities and should always come prepared. Lesson learned. I have finally learned how to use the gear system on bicycles. I used to wonder why the GIs happily cycled up the slopes in Ubin during B2B when I struggled to crawl up the slope. The secret is in the gears. And I’ve got to learn how to fix the chains in case mine come out again during Ubin Ex. Shall dismantle my brother’s bicycle and try to fix it. Haha he’ll just slaughter me when he finds out.

Oh by the way, my 2nd brother is leaving for NS on 12th December. My 1st brother has already gone through that passage so I guess in a way my 2nd brother should be more prepared than my 1st brother. Watched him as he packed his bag for NS.

OH YA JIANI! Now then I remember. I’m following my brother to Pulau Tekong on the 12th! (Most probably.) OHH no wonder I felt that 12th Dec was so familiar. Guess I’ll may have to give the joustling tower pioneering session a miss =/

NS really change people. Like my brother.

Today was not a fruitful day for me. I had planned to do my holiday homework as it is one of my few free days left during the month of December but no, my mum just had to find something for me to do. So she got me to make pineapple tarts for Hari Raya. I still don’t see why she has to make kuih for Hari Raya Haji. So weird. So anyways, I spent some 6 to 7 hours sitting on the chair and cutting (?) the dough. Didn’t even get up at all. Eh no, I did get up once when I got pissed off at my sister and “went on strike” and refused to continue my work. Haha. But really, she pissed me off. Why?

Well, this morning after I had my shower and was looking for something to wear, I saw my blue Cedar house tee in the cupboard and reminded my sister that she could wear my green or yellow house tee but not my blue one which I’m keeping in my Cedar box for memories sake. The thing is, I took the blue house tee out to wear it during Guides camp and so it ended up in the cupboard after being washed. While making the pineapple tarts, my sister came out of the room after her shower wearing my blue house tee and I told her to immediately get out of it but she refused despite me telling her countless times. So I shut up. And just 5 minutes later, she dirtied my house tee with some chilli sauce or something and the stain could not be washed off. She just had to do it! What pissed me off was that I #1 told her this morning not to wear the blue shirt and #2 it could have been prevented if only she had changed out of the shirt when I told her to. ARGH. And because I scolded her for dirtying my house tee, I got scolded by my dad for being stingy with my sister. What crap. Of all my house tees and camp tees and OAC tees in the cupboard, she just had to make me angry and wear my blue house tee AND dirtied it. #$%^&

Erhm I’m still wondering whether or not I should go for kayaking. I’m thinking I should go tomorrow but what if something unwanted happens? Argh.

Check-ups & Rentals

gloobergoshie — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:57:52 +0000

We were supposed to have Refresher Course & Mini Sea Expedition yesterday but we had some troubles at the WaterVenture kayak rental shop. Apparently we needed our 2 Star Kayaking Certificate as a proof before we can rent the kayaks but we didn’t know so none of us brought it along. Then we thought that they could check for us from their system but they only had records of members’ certification and only 9 of us were members. So in the end we cancelled the kayaking session and push it back to this Saturday. We went to Suntec Pizza Hut (Again. The inter-faith discussion place.) and had a late birthday celebration for GT. This time round we didn’t stay for long ’cause the place was getting crowded and we decided to leave the place. Spent some time outside Carrefour deciding where to go. In the end a few of them went to fetch the OCIP Laos people from the airport and the rest went to LF’s house. I decided to give that a miss and went home early, hoping that my dad wouldn’t make noise when I go Ubin on Friday and kayaking on Saturday.

Today was spent accompanying my Granny for her check-up and to replenish her stock of medicine. She usually goes to Marine Parade Polyclinic but it closed down for renovations so we brought her to Geylang East Polyclinic instead. So cool, they had a section in Geylang East Polyclinic for Marine Parade patients. So while waiting for my Granny to have her check-up I did a few Sudoku puzzles from my Sudoku book! My sister tried doing one ‘Easy level’ puzzle but couldn’t go before filling up 2 empty squares. Haha.

Okay. Time to watch my show!

PS: Ubin Recce tomorrow! =D

Next Year.

gloobergoshie — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:02:19 +0000

Went to back to school to meet LF to discuss Ubin Ex stuff. Something embarrassing happened on my way to school. I was at the bus-stop waiting for 135 which I just missed. I was wearing my red handphone strap around my neck. Then suddenly I was wondering why does the phone strap feel very tight. So I felt around my neck trying to loosen the strap. Then I felt something. The piece of tag that is usually at the back collar of T-shirts is at the front! OH MY GOSH! Which means, I wore my shirt front to back. Not wanting to believe it, I checked my shirt (I was wearing the ‘VJC has low electricity bills..Cos Victorians are too bright’ which has a ‘V’ at the front and a ‘J’ at the back of the shirt.) And true enough, instead of seeing a ‘V’, I saw a ‘J’! I contemplated running to the Braddell Heights CC toilet to change my shirt but 135 had to appear at the junction at that exact time. I couldn’t possibly miss the bus again just to change my shirt. So I tried to maintain my cool and board the bus, hoping no one would see me. When I alighted the bus, I hurried into school and to the toilet to change my shirt. Felt so relieved after that. Luckily no one saw me on the way to school.

Discuss Ubin Ex stuff, just emailed the proposal to LF. We needed to buy aluminium sheets for a few of our checkpoint tags which went missing. Tried the hardware store in Parkway Parade which didn’t sell it. Walked around the Marine Parade food court area looking for a store but couldn’t find any. Took 31 to Bedok where LF said maybe got sell but ended up getting disappointed. My mum said the hardware store near my house sells it. So we went home hoping that it does. And sure it does!! =D Bought 6 metal tags for $3. Not bad lah, at least the uncle didn’t extort money from me! Went home with a peace of mind =D

Read LH’s email. CAPSIZE! OMG. I thought we wouldn’t have to capsize anymore. Why why why? Just learn our strokes and manouvering the kayak can la. GG. I just hope my dad wouldn’t make so much noise when I leave the house for Kallang tomorrow morning.

He just came into the room and talked to me.

Dad: When does school reopens?

Me: Next year.

Dad: Then what about the new kids (referring to the J1s ‘09 batch)?

Me: Next year.

Dad: You don’t anyhow go and take care of the new kids okay.

Me: (Gives a silent hmm)

He doesn’t know that I am an OGL. Shrugs.

Oh by the way, I couldn’t get to watch Avatar on TV last night =( Bro made me watch it from the CD and I gave in to temptation and watched 4 more episodes when I should only be watching that particular episode that airs last night. Sigh.

AVATAR!

gloobergoshie — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:21:29 +0000

You know, I have never been so crazy over a cartoon show that I will do everything I can just to catch it on television. Yeah, it’s AVATAR! The legend of Aang =D My brother happily burned the whole series of episode and have already finished watching every episode, from the first to the last book. It’s really tempting to reach over and grab the CD but nope, I shall hmm watch it on television so now at least I have something to look forward to during the holidays. Maybe if the show hasn’t ended when school reopens, maybe I shall watch it from the CD. But till then, tv it is.

It airs on Okto, every weekday, 730pm! =D

Maybe it won’t make much sense if you watch it now. You should watch it from the start, then it’ll make sense to you. But but, it’s really nice so you should watch it too. And as you can see, I’m waiting for the show to start. 21mins more!!

By the way, I’ve already told my dad that I will be going kayaking this week. He didn’t look too happy but heck at least he didn’t scream and shout at me! He just asked whether I need to pay for it and I told him for the rental of the kayaks, yes. Erhm after receiving the relay regarding the mini sea expedition and the rental costs, I’m thinking maybe I should have signed up for WaterVenture membership. $30 for a whole day rental for non-members but only $12 if you’re a member. Hmm.

I have a feeling I’m going to have to fight for the television later. ‘Cause my whole family. except my dad, is watching Enemy of State. ARGH! I told you all I chope the television already! Don’t want to watch from the other television ’cause the screen isn’t clear. Makes me get a headache. GRRRRRRRR.

Today something funnily weird happened. It was about 4pm and everyone was lazing around in the living room. I was just lying down switching between channels when I a Makcik came knocking on my house door. My brother answered the door and she asked for my mum. Well, she was going from door to door selling some ointment kind of thing. I found her kind of hmm I don’t know how to put it. First she asked for a cup of water. So I went to the kitchen to get her a glass of plain water. Then she asked if I could add some ice cubes, which I went on to do so. Then while my mum was giving the glass to her through the door, she asked to sit down. So my mum let her in. And offered her some kuih which happened to be on the table. Which she ate. Then she even went on to ask me for a refill. By that time I started to find her rude. Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s my generation of youth. But I just find that she was getting pretty hmm..I mean like, if you ask for a cup of water, fine I’ll give it to you. Then you ask to come into my house to take a seat. Hmm..Starting to get on my nerves. After she left, my dad asked why waste money to buy the stuff she was trying to sell. My mum said she bought them just so she would go away. Then my sis said maybe she does this to all Malay houses she go to just so the hosts would “chase her away” and buy her goods. Hmm.

I’m really starting to feel that I won’t be able to watch my show! Grr.

December Proposals

gloobergoshie — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:52:23 +0000

Just emailed Fong the Ubin Ex proposal. Actually it’s not really a proposal, just a brief outline of it, put together after our recce yesterday. Just the skeleton of the proposal. Details and such have yet to be discussed. Meeting him this coming Wednesday to discuss about the Ubin Ex, do up our first proposal and send it to the DI. I have to make up for all the times I made Fong do all the proposals when my computer’s Microsoft Word got screwed up. Haha sorry luh. But I have to do my fair share of work too since he will be pretty busy with DARE. Fair and square! But I kind of like doing proposals because I am a details person so I like looking at details. Ask the ‘07 guides and you’ll know what I’m talking about. But not loads and loads of proposals! Just enough to keep me occupied for a few hours a day, that I like. Haha. Sounds crazy huh.

My December will be pretty much packed. Just hope my dad will not nag at me!

2 Dec: Meeting LF

3 Dec: Refresher Course & Mini Sea Expedition

5 Dec: Ubin Recce with Instructors

15 Dec: OGL Training

16 Dec: OGL Training

17 Dec: Pre-ITC Training

18 Dec: Sea Expedition

20 Dec: Instructors’ Training Camp

21 Dec: Instructors’ Training Camp (BRO’S BIRTHDAY)

And I have not included Thor meetings and other trainings (eg. First Aid refresher course) which have yet to be told to us. Sigh. I’m thinking whether I can skip Mini Sea Expedition because according to my dad, the last day of 2Star Kayaking was the last day I’ll ever go kayaking again so maybe if I were to skip mini sea ex I can tell him that I have to go for refresher course and sea expedition because refresher course is to prepare us for it and to ensure that we remember our skills before we embark on the sea expedition. Makes sense to him I guess. Just hope he wouldn’t be unreasonable. So I guess I’ll have to buck up, be nicer to him, do my homework and revision etc. And not make him find any faults with me.

Speaking of which, time to let my bro use the com and time for me to do some work! Haven’t been following my study time-table ever since I was sick a few days ago.

Oh and I wonder where my 2Star cert went to..

FEVER!

gloobergoshie — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:36:18 +0000

Going Ubin recce with senior LCs, fellow LC and the two ITC nightwalk I/Cs tomorrow. FYI I’m sick so hopefully I’ll get better by tomorrow. I’m feeling pretty okay now so I really hope my fever will not act up tomorrow morning! Ubin reminds me of Changi. Changi reminds me of kayaking. Kayaking reminds me of bus service 109. That scary night.

For the record..I survived a fever (etc etc) without medication! =D Crazy? No. I just feel that if you allow your body to fight an illness, your immune system gets stronger. Your body slowly gets used to it and will know how to treat it on it’s own. This may or may not be scientifically proven, I’m no doctor. But that’s just how I feel. I just feel that we should not be too dependent on chemicals aka medication. That is why I am anti-panadol. Panadol is a no-no for me even if I’m suffering from the mother of all headaches. After turning to panadol each time you’re in pain, soon one tablet is no longer enough to ease the pain and the next time you’ll pop in two, then three. You see, say no to panadol.

I’m not crazy.

Actually, I’m a little scared of night walk. A little. I’ll just walk because I know I don’t have a choice and I just pray that the end will be just round the next bend but I’ll be slightly freaked out. And if anything out of the norm happens along the way, I will freak out. But sometimes, if I’m in a good mood, I’ll just treat it as a personal time and just walk without freaking out.

For now, let’s just try to build up my night confidence.

It was Goodnight, now it’s Goodbye.

gloobergoshie — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:10:27 +0000

Look what we’ve become.

From friends to strangers.

OP

gloobergoshie — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:20:59 +0000

OP is finally over. I don’t care how I performed, I don’t bother to. All I know is that this shit called ‘PW’ is over. Well, not really. There is still I&R but now that OP is over I don’t quite care about that . I know that I ought to put in more effort for I&R since I screwed up my EoM (#1 I left out my source of EoM article and #2 I exceeded the word limit) and will probably be heavily penalised for it. But right now, it just seems insane if I were too fret over my I&R. I’ll just print whatever draft I have now and ta-da I’m officially through with PW =D

8am; meet Mrs Liew for filing of GPF and then I can peacefully delete the PW folder in my thumbdrive ’cause I want no memories of it.

I am supposed to go for the Guides Annual Camp tomorrow but my mum just told me 2 hours ago that she has yet to tell my dad about the camp. So let’s see what my dad will say when my mum finally tells him that. Or maybe, she won’t even tell him. And I’m dead. But I don’t give a damn ’cause there is no way he is preventing me from going for annual camp and other camps IN SINGAPORE since Singapore is so safe, unlike India.

Depressing is setting in..

Silent Cries

gloobergoshie — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:43:09 +0000

Every night you cry yourself to sleep
Thinking “Why does this happen to me?
Why does every moment have to be so hard?”