In the Ranks...
Mood:  bright
After all the noise of the ranking had settled, I finally decided to take a look at the UK-based “Times” news paper “Top 200 of Universities worldwide”. To be honestly, I don’t really believe in these so-called ranking lists. Just because some university managed to get a certain position doesn’t mean it is so super-calli-fragi-listic-expiali-docious, as well as not having made it into the ranking doesn’t mean you’re attending a bad university. And anyway, in the end, however good or bad your uni might be, it’s most of all about the effort you put into it yourself. But now let’s see; so the university I’m currently attending made it to the 169th place and my “scientific cradle”, Maastricht University, made it to the 157th position. Oh, and did I mention that, for instance, the Free University of Amsterdam (VU) was on the 186th position ? I guess this all means that, overall, both are not doing too bad, being in a list of some 3,500 institutions. So for all the people who were concerned about my future level of education in a far away country, be assured, everything's gonna be OK.

Bar flies
Mood:  bright
Topic: Night life & other action
The Luna Bar… I guess called like that for the fact that it is on top of a tall building, has the sky for a roof and thus enables you to stare at the moon and if you had enough of that you can enjoy what is probably one of the best places for a view over KL by night. With a small pool in the middle, a styled bar on one side and a large “window” on the other side, on its both sides a small wall covered by a curtain of water trickling down, it has a perfect, relaxing atmosphere. You can sit in one of the “glass” cubicles to look straight down on KL or at the sitting corner right next to the pool and enjoy the tasteful lounge music. I guess one has to see it with ones own eyes, that’s why I put up some picks of the place.
I took P. & F. there when they visited me last month, because you can’t miss this if you come to KL. A not so close friend accompanied us and we had some (overpriced – which is the biggest drawback of this place) food and drinks. Of course, being ourselves, we wanted to go Dutch, or at least something close to that. Unfortunately our “friend” was not familiar with the expression; either that or she was a rather cunning, professional barfly. Never mind, she pulled the same trick as a few days before, after which our ways parted and the three of us continued to play a few last games of pool in another equally nice place. The next day, after 2 exciting weeks, they left and for me things went back to their usual normal working pattern. Well… almost… for now I also had had a taste of KL nightlife for the first time in a year and it sure tasted good !! That’s why, in the subsequent weeks, I managed to get out there for some more taste, despite my financial- and time constraints. That’s however, when I discovered that it’s good to be a barfly… well, not really of course, but in many cases my friends were so nice as to be aware of my non-waged job and here and there cut me some slack. So… cheers to you all and thanx for all these times you’ve enabled me to join in on the KL nightlife.

Wet feet...
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: (scary) hospital stories
MMhhhh I knew it today when it started with wet feet... I was in the daycare and just emptying the bladder of a patient... I actually (almost pfffeewww) managed to pee in my own boots. Well, actually the patients urine, but that is a minor detail. Somehow it just wasn't a top day. Next thing I know I'm assisting one of my profs in a laparascopy. Halfway we had to change the instruments and before I know it my thumb is on one of the openings in the abdominal wall. Yeah yeah... the Dutch are saving the day again, as tradition dictates they are holding the finger in the dike...

And the next working day...
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: (scary) hospital stories
Mmmhhh... so typical... today she comes up to me and promises to compensate me for the laparascopy I missed out on... It puzzles me and I wonder if her spells are really only temporarily and as easily over and forgotten as they had initially started. Maybe after all it is only this big issue for her that upset her, even if to me personally it doesn't seem a big deal. but like my friend S. said; for Indians especially, the idea of seniority is a big thing...

Post scriptum... She'd already been spreading some nonsense story behind my back, even while pretending to be nice to me. never mind, for as my supervisor dokter P. said; a tree with strong roots and a broad base isn't afraid if there will be some wind, for it has nothing to fear... Only the weakly rooted trees will fear the wind...

Squirrel on a wire
Mood:  bright
Topic: House & Garden Philosophy
Yeah, that's life sometimes, I think... balancing on a wire, like the squirrel does. But now and then, like the squirrel, you sometimes reach a tree and you can sit down to take a rest, think things over. Now I've passed my MRCOG 1 I can take my momentary rest. I used the occasion to alter some things in the webb.. hope everybody likes it, cause I got quite some complaints about the colours of the text.. Anyway, let me know how ya like it, cheers.

Question 23: Ron's bloodgroup is 100% arabica roast; O true O false
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Starbucks
Nothing beats the tranquillity of the night after the rain has swept all the dust from the roads earlier in the evening. Just a bit drizzling, still, it won’t stop me from walking home when there is no cab to be seen in the whole area. When after some 3 minutes a cab is approaching, I hesitate for a moment, but decide to walk on. Especially up Hill Street there is a strong scent coming from the white flowers in this tree that I only know under both the name Japanese tree as well as Cambodian tree. I love the scent as it always reminds me of Bali and the times I spent there. Ahh, memories memories…
This evening was another evening of trying to cramp all the exam stuff in my already overloaded memory. This whole exam is really driving me nuts, and if I’m gonna make it through this exam @ all I actually ought to buy all the Starbucks people some cake or something. From time to time I must have looked quite sad, and they always seemed to know when blood levels where dropping and I needed another caffeine boost. If I would have gotten into an accident one of these evenings and they would have checked my blood group, they probably would have found something like 100% Arabica, double roast.
But still, it’ll keep driving me nuts for the next 9 days or so I guess. For anyone in the medical business who wonders what I’m talking about; go and take a look at the free physiology sample questions @ www.busyspr.com and see how you like it

Mont Kiara Jazz
Mood:  suave
Topic: Night life & other action
Last weekend I finally visited the Sunrise Jazz & Rhythm Festival 2005. Cipto came home late after a surgical battle with the old man… Having no energy for anything else and me being sick & tired of MCQ’s we decided to go there for 2 hours. Good choice, it turned out. I should have brought my camera cause the setting was quite ok. As the matter of fact, it was a bit similar to the Jazz-in-Duketown-thing in my own country. While sitting down and actually realising that I miss my country the way it is in Summer time, I also felt a bit at home, for the mere reason of ending up in a similar atmosphere. To make it even more complete, I even managed to get my hands on a 2 bottles of White Hoegaarden beer from Belgium… It cost me dearly, but it was definitely worth it and for a moment I was back home again. And as far as the music was concerned, it was definitely worthwhile and good for a second round, either next weekend or next year.

The Italian job
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Starbucks
Well, thought it was about time for a tribute to my barista's; the people who make sure my cafeine levels keep on flowing on steady levels without too many fluctuations, unlike my life... I must say that the absolute summum of their service extends to even getting me home. Having spent another heavily intoxicated evening with me, my laptop and an occasional ICQ-er intruding my study activities (huh-huh), they were so nice as to bring me home @ the end of the evening. This meant that all 5 of us managed to get ourselves in one of these small, "mini"-like cars you see so often around here (Kancil). Well, my salut for its horse powers, for the driver (who would have done a good job in the F1) managed to steer the thing around the catacombs of the parking basement in the way they drove those mini's in the above mentioned movie (they have more than just espresso in Italy I guess).
Anyway, turns out I'm not the only one maintaining his blog here, so here some attention for another blog that might bring us some interesting topics in the future. I must say that the topic on panty liners was very educational hehehe... Check it out on the "Mi log"-link @ the left. Unfortunately I couldn't leave comment, one apparently has to log in, but here's my cheers for the site...

Flat tire...
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: House & Garden Philosophy
The sound of one of those squeaky children’s shoes comes from around the corner, even before I can see the kid. The novelty was introduced some time ago, I cannot even remember if it was before or after I came to live here. Children are given these shoes that make a fairly irritating squeaky sound at every very step these children take. Till this very day I still haven’t figured out why people buy their kids such shoes. I’m sure it’s not like tying a little bell to the cat’s collar, as if they would otherwise attack some harmless little bird. I still feel it’s more like this guy I once knew, who gave his hyperactive son a drum set as a present…. And severely regretted it afterwards. This time, however, it’s different, being… more monotonous than normally. It takes me a few seconds to figure out why, but soon enough I realize; this kid has a flat tire. Somehow the sole of the shoe got punctured and killed the little bird inside, silencing the kids’ foot forever. I wonder if its parents now feel 50% relieved, having only one intact sole left…

Better in bed....
Mood:  don't ask
Topic: Everyday life (weirdness)
Sometimes it is better to just stay in your bed cause nothing possibly good can happen when you close the door of your house behind you...
What am I talking about ?? Well, could be anything, you flunked the exam you had been studying for untill the extent your brain felt as if it went through the microwave, your boss might not allow you to take up your saved-up leave from your unpaid job, forcing you to just "burn" it, you might take a last minute to Jakarta but get stranded at the airport cause the option of getting visa from the airport is not an option anymore. The stupid aircon in your not so cosy new home keeps you awake, rattling all night and while you're walking to the LRT station you manage to fall in a man-deep sewer pit. Ah life is sure fun. I actually hate myself, for not being as meticulate in these things as I usually am and taking more time for the few fun things I plan to do for myself. Then, to compensate for my lost outing, I went to a book shop and afterwards hated myself again, having bought 2 books instead of 1 only. Money money money... the eternal headache. Nevermind, I just bought a book that attracted me so much that I had to buy it. "Shantaram", by Gregory D. Roberts. Basically it's a book about not giving up, I guess, but.... well, just read this short summary below and think of it.... this guy actually had to rewrite the book twice, for prison guards in India destroyed the first two versions... Oh yeah, I almost forgot, it's got 900+ pages !!

Shantaram is a novel based on the life of the author, Gregory David Roberts. In 1978 Roberts committed a series of robberies while addicted to heroin, and was sentenced to nineteen years’ imprisonment. In July 1980 he escaped over the front wall of Victoria’s maximum-security prison, in broad daylight, thereby becoming one of Australia’s most wanted men for what turned out to be the next ten years.

His journey took him to New Zealand, Asia, Africa, and Europe, but his home for most of those years was Bombay — where he established a free medical clinic for slum-dwellers, and worked as a counterfeiter, smuggler, gunrunner, and street soldier for one of the most charismatic branches of the Bombay mafia. He even got involved with a Bollywood movie...