I have a bit of a problem with regards to personal space. If I’m having a bad day, it’s usually its triggered by my morning ride on the MRT or bus.

I’m not comfortable with strangers invading my personal space. Every time someone stands too close… I think they are:
1. trying to brush their body against me for a cheap thrill
2. trying to smell my hair
3. about to grab my ass

I get uncomfortable when someone:
1. is standing too close to me
2. walks pasts and brushes against any part of my body
3. breathing down near my neck
4. yawning at close proximity, especially if they have morning breath! Pls cover your mouth
5. burping at close proximity, especially durian burbs, that’s just foul!
6. digging their nose right next to me, and proceed to flicking it off their fingers! Or god forbid, rolling, then flicking!
7. Picking eye dirt, it could easily fall on my shoes or shirt!
8. picking their pimples in public
10. Scratching their drandruff scalp, this one is horrible, because dandruff flakes are light and will travel when airborne.
11. Reading smses/magazines/books off my shoulder
12. Body Odour
13. After school smell

The list could go on, but I’m trying not to sound like a brat. But some people just have zero spatial empathy!

Testing…very testing…

Anyone else feel the same? Or do I seriously have a problem?

Eye bags and hand bags. Ready to fly home!

Testing out the slow motion function on my canon P&S, probably should have been taken in proper lighting.

Elzena looks like she is being eaten up by her own hair

I interrupt my India travel posts to write about something which really annoyed me 2 weekends ago. We were at the family dinner table one evening discussing about AccordingToPatients, a website that allows you to rate and review healthcare professionals in Asia, what we coined like a TripAdvisor for healthcare professionals, when my mum told me about her worse experience with a doctor.

Opthomologist by profession, brown-noser by name. This is not a post to question his capabilities as a doctor,but to bring to light REAL experience at his clinic. I really hope you can take the time to read how the day unfolded.

 CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY (opens in new window)

Absolutely appalled by this story. My mum isn’t the sort of person who would react to the situation, but on hindsight she wished she has given him her piece of mind, reported him to the Singapore Medical Council, and asked for a refund.

She did send a complaint letter to his clinic, but as expected, no reply.

I was furious after hearing this and what my mum had to tolerate that day at the clinic. So in addition to writing here, I’m posting it on AccordingToPatients.

If you’ve had bad (or good) service, I think it’s important to share this information. If not, more people are going to be sucked in and sent to doctors who don’t give a damn.

I think patients needs a voice. Well I’m going to rate and review that doctor tonight on behalf of my mum.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

1927 prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann (1872–1945)

I found this terribly amusing. During our trek in Manli near sundown, you would see cows walking back home to their master’s house, down the hill and into their pen on their own!

Remember the idiom “Till the cows come home”? Don’t think that doesn’t apply here in India. The cows are back home on time before dark! Probably because they have food waiting for them back home.

Till the cows come home
Meaning: For a long but indefinite time.
Source: Cows are notoriously languid creatures and make their way home at their own unhurried pace. That’s certainly the imagery behind ’till the cows come home’ or ‘until the cows come home’, but the precise time and place of the coining of this colloquial phrase isn’t known.

In India, cows are usually reared for their milk and their poo. Their dung is made into dung cakes used as a mosquito repellent and burnt as fuel.

Another interesting fact. When the time comes when the cow isn’t useful any more (unable to produce milk), alot of them are left loose to wander on their own. They can’t be killed because of their holy status, but are sometimes sent off to non-hindu butchers.
fuel.

And this I didn’t know until today. These neglected cows are sometimes sent to cowsheds called goshalas. Goshalas are protective shelters in India for cows that have been neglected, focused on treating cows in accordance with Hinduism philosophy.

So what did you do this Valentines Day? I just spent it at home with food poisoning, but did manage to get out of the house and see the lil one at the hospital.

I’m one of those girls who doesn’t like the idea of Valentines Day, and I’m especially bitter this year because it seems like everyone else around me is in love.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss being in a relationship, but at the same time I don’t want to waste my youth on duds or people who don’t know what they want.

People say don’t go looking, it will just happen. Well I haven’t been looking. Maybe I should turn to the Laws of attraction, if you want something really bad, it will happen right? But that would just prep me for major disappointment. I think I will start living up to my disappointment, that way it’s easier to achieve.

I think it’s official, there are no men in Singapore for me. Where are you Magenta!

*Update
Aiyo… no he is just a friend. Was just using this photo for the post.

So level 1 Español Classe is over, and I should be signing up for Level 2. But I missed out the last few lessons at Las Lilas and don’t feel like I’m ready for it yet. Guess I need to self-tutor myself those last few chapters.

Have always loved the Spanish language, and I’ve got this ‘in-my-gut desire’ to go to South America.

And an idea came about early 2010 to quit my job, go to South America and volunteer for 3-6months. So I took up Spanish lessons to make it easier for me to communicate while I’m there.

But as all laid out plans turn out, it DIDN’T go as planned. I DID quit my job, but I soon fell into another one straight after and had to shelf that idea for now.

But having said that, I’m not that upset by it at all. I’m doing something I truly enjoy and will continue to enjoy for years to come.

Got a lil excited when I saw this ad below. From 28 March 2011, Singapore Airlines flies three times weekly to Sao Paulo, their first South American destination. And even better, via Barcelona!

I may not be able to go there for 6 months at a go, but I definitely feel with this new flight route a trip is in the horizon. The places I’d like to go: Cuba, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil.

Since we’re on the same topic, here’s one of my fav Buena Vista Social Club song.

A more modern version of the same song

Someone asked me on formspring recently what is my ideal man? There are lots of qualities and criteria that makes up a really good man, but for entertainment sake, here is my combination of The Superficial “One”.

John Mayer + Gael Garcia Bernal + Johnny Depp + Orlando Bloom + Alex Rose + Jared Leto

What is your combo? Write it in the comments!