Thursday, April 28, 2005
well as most of ur know, i applied for the med course in NUS and i have to prepare a personal statement telling the panel why i want to be a doctor... for everyone who helped me in this and for everyone else interested to know the reason... here it is...
I have always loved children, especially babies. My mum would often tell me that as a toddler, I would give tips to parents with newborn babies. However it was only a few years ago, that I set my mind to become a doctor, or a pediatrician to be exact.
I was in secondary school and happened to chance upon a book of the series, One Last Wish, written by Lurlene McDaniel, who has a son with juvenile diabetes. Through the series I was brought into a world where children could not go to shopping malls at whim, or attend school regularly. Their lives revolved around hospitals, doctors and medicine. Despite such dire circumstances, they still found joy and meaning in their lives. Unlike them, each day was of little significance to me. I took for granted the simple daily tasks of life, such as taking a walk in the park or just eating a meal on my own. I did well in school only because it gave me personal satisfaction and there was little that I have done that I could be really proud of. It struck me then, that compared with the children in the book, I had so much more, yet I was so much less.
Of course, not everything in fiction is founded on fact but I know that there are children all over the world suffering, not just physically from illness but also emotionally, and my heart goes out to them. When I was in JC2, I had the opportunity to be a befriender at a Very Special Arts Camp, where I interacted with children who are autistic, with cerebral palsy or Down’s syndrome. It was an eye opening experience and it made me more aware of those who need special help and care. I gained empathy for those children and yearned to understand them better. I found myself asking whether there was any way to lessen the pain and affliction of these children as I believe every child should be given the chance to live and experience life to the fullest. Since I have been blessed with good health and a sound mind, I feel the least I can do is to help ease the suffering of those not as fortunate as I am.
During my eight-year ‘career’ as a chorister, I have learnt that teamwork is extremely important, because without it, a choir will never sound like one. Likewise in the medical field, there will be times where it would be necessary to work with other doctors especially in complicated cases where the expertise of more than one specialty is required. Furthermore, being in a Choral Olympics gold medalist choir, I had to continually strive to improve myself and not rest on my laurels. Similarly, doctors would have to seek personal excellence and keep updating themselves with the latest medical technologies for the good of their patients.
In school, I realized that I could grasp scientific concepts easily. As a result, medical issues such as the separation of Siamese twins, the H2N2 virus, as well as the recent Terry Schiavo case, greatly pique my interest. I am one who enjoys a challenge and am not afraid of hard work. Even when I had long hours of choir practice in preparation for an important competition, I did not let my grades suffer, through meticulous time management and prioritization.
With a medical degree, besides being a physician, where I get to work directly with patients and interact with them, I can also go into research. Perhaps I can find a drug which can effectively prevent perinatal (mother-to-infant) HIV infection, decreasing the number of children suffering from AIDS. Eager as I am to heal as many people as possible, I recognise the importance of practicing caution as many drugs are double-edged swords. They may have the power to cure as well as to kill and I believe patients should never be treated as objects because every single life is important and should be treated with respect.
I am well aware that as a doctor, the road ahead would be far from smooth sailing. In fact, I will have to conquer some of my own fears – such as death, failure and disappointment. Some people see doctors as akin to God and never fail to place all the blame on the doctor when something goes wrong. There will be occasions where my judgment could decide between life and death for another person or a lawsuit looming just before me, a very heavy responsibility indeed. Then again, I do not plan to take the easy way out and I trust that I will be able to overcome my weaknesses, make the right decisions and learn from my mistakes with a single-minded determination and 100% dedication. All in all, as a doctor, I believe I can fully stretch my potential and be truly enjoying what I do, making a difference in other people’s lives.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
I'm writing this post not too long after I woke up... yea... Take a look at the time and u will probably be chiding me for sleeping in... I'm an owl remember?
Anyway I slept around 3 am last night after I have finished reading this book, River's End by Nora Roberts. I practically cried throughout the whole book. I'm not sure if anyone of you who reads it will have the same reaction as I do but let me tell you what was it that sent my tear ducts working overdrive.
The story is about a girl named Olivia, whose parents were among Hollywood's most glittering couples... until the night the monster came... the monster who killed her mum... the monster with the face of her father. At the age of four, Olivia was separated from her dad because of his cocaine problem and one night she saw her dad with a bloody scissors in his hand and her mum lying in a pool of blood. She then ran and hid in her closet among her soft toys, until a policeman came and found her. She was then sent to live with her grandparents in Washington as the press became a problem if she stayed in L.A. Her father initially denied the charge, saying he found his wife that way but was eventually convicted to 20 years of jail, 15 without the possibility of parole.
Years past, and Olivia grew to forget what happened but now a book is about to be written about what happened. A book written by the son of the policeman who found her, Noah. Her father is found to be suffering from terminal brain cancer and wants to give his side of the story despite years of rejecting interviews. He gives the author 2 versions of that night, one which found him guilty, another in which he was innocent. Due to his drug problem, he too had a problem remembering what exactly happened and he hopes through the book he can find the answer.
Her father is let out of prison early, due to good behavior and his illness, but not after serving at least 20 years of jail. Olivia's dreams are once again hunted by that fateful night. She knows her father is watching her as he leaves a white rose every time he came and even returned her musical box that he broke in anger many years ago. When she sees him in the woods, Noah, who was with her goes to confront him, thinking he was out to hurt Olivia. But lo and behold! During the confrontation, both men are hurt in a struggle with another man who happened to be Olivia's mum's twin sister's husband, David. David runs away just as Noah gets hold of a gun. Olivia runs into the woods after alerting her family and sees her father who tells her to run, that the man who hurt her mum is near but it is too late. On seeing David, her father, who was already badly injured, summons his will to try and shield Olivia and it was then when the truth was revealed. David loved her mum, but her mum only loved her dad whom David felt did not deserved it. On that night, her mum let David in, David started professing his love for her. But her mum said that he was out of her mind, and if he left that minute, she would forget everything that had just happened. However, the next thing David knew was that he had the scissors in his hands and her mum was dead.
To save his daughter, Olivia's dad flung himself at David but to no avail as David quickly took her hostage, holding a knife at her throat, when he heard Noah coming. However, Olivia stabbed him in the thigh and Noah shot him dead. A tearful but short reunion followed...
She pulled away and stumbled to the ground beside her father."Oh no, no, no. Don't. Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Daddy."
"Don't cry, Livvy." He reached up to touch her face. "This is the best way for me. My time's running out, anyway. I needed to see you again. It was the last thing I had to do...When I was looking for you, when you saw me, I wasn't going to hurt you."
"I know that. I know. Don't leave me now that I've gotten you back."
"I'm sorry,Livvy. I wanted you to look at me once, just once, and know who I was. In the end I kept you safe. Maybe that makes up for all the years I didn't..."
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Ok, I cried in the beginning for the little girl whose perfect world was turned upside down and for what she had seen. It must have been horrible seeing your mum and dad with blood all over. And suddenly everything she had ever known was snatched away. The last part particularly touched me for the misunderstanding all those years. If only the truth was revealed earlier, then it would have spared a lot of pain on both Olivia and her father.
I always hated misunderstandings cuz it brought unnecessary pain to all parties involved. And I would not want to live a life and look back with tons of regret. i guess the reason why im so affected by the book is because firstly for the child and secondly it contains the elements of my greatest fears - misunderstandings and regret (actually these 2 go hand in hand right?)
Monday, April 25, 2005
Went for a psychological interview today... talked for almost 2 hrs... from my family to my guiding principles and whole lot of crap... was at Institute of Mental Health aka Woodbridge Hospital... so ulu man... had so much trouble going to VJC after that...
Anyway just wanna share something with everyone (if you are the person involved pls do not feel offended):
A guy messaged me around midnight: are you lydea from vjc?
I saw it this morning and replied: yea. you are?
guy: Casper (what the friendly ghost?), last time from SP, now in NS. im interested in making frens with you. can?
me: How did you get my number? Who gave it to you?
guy: A fren of mine gave me your number. Can i keep his name anonymous?
me: I'm not interested in making friends with total strangers. So i need to know who gave u my number.
guy: My mother told me not to talk to strangers (what? 21 yr old still such a mummy's boy?!) but i also know i cannot betray my fren. so confused... (roll eyes)
me: Well that person has nothing to be afraid of if he did nothing wrong...
guy: well you see, I saw your pic in the yearbook (that ugly ghostly pic in which i look like im about to bite fenny's ear off?) and i got ur no. without his knowlege... its wrong i noe...
me: in that case can u tell me who he is cuz it doesnt seem fair for me not to know who you are but u know me...
guy: this is the first time i do such a despicable thing (glad u know) You really want to force me to tell you who he is?
me: I wun force you, but i really dun want to make frens with people i dunno.
guy: He's from ur sch (duh...) and he is my buddy in navy... he wear specs one...k?
I then messaged my fren QY (the only one in navy, wear specs and has my number out of everyone i know): Your fren msg me say want to make fren with me... lol
After quite some time...
guy: guess i got no more chance to be frens with you...so sad to noe that...(thank God u got the hint)
PS: This isnt the exact transcript, basically is what i can remember and the words in brackets are my thoughts. im not so nasty... :P
Gosh, can't believe i wasted so many smses on him. sigh, i can't believe im attracting such ppl but honestly such a way will not get a girl unless u r talking about a 14yr old ahlian, not a 19yr old about-to-be-undergrad. guys out there, pls do NOT take a leaf out of this person's book and try more inventive ways of getting to know the girl u like.
added: Seems like my sec sch fren knows the friendly ghost too. so happens that they were looking at each other's year book and unfortunately i was in the same class as 2 guys with nothing better to do...
Sunday, April 24, 2005
You're like me! The intelligent loner. You're shy
at times but friendly, and you are never weak
and always independent. You are incredibly
intelligent (wise beyond your years) and have a
talent for many things (sports, music, art).
You have a kind and warm personality and enjoy
the simple things. Like hanging out with
friends and watching movies at home. But you're
sometimes quiet nature makes you a bit of an
outcast and a mystery to people. No matter how
pretty you are or smart or athletic, you just
can't seem to break into the crowd and be
noticed. Don't worry, try to be more outgoing
and speak out when you have more to say. Don't
hide behind your books and sports and computer,
get out there and get noticed. You also have
deep desires in life and feel vunerable and
alone at times. Don't feel sad either, What
helps me to express feelings and dreams that I
can't say to people, is through my writting.
Maybe you should try.
What kind of girl are you? (with pix!)
brought to you by Quizilla
At your best, you are kind, You
You are a Princess, accustomed to only the
best. Elegant and poised, you believe in High
Standards, and like your standards to be met.
You are gracious and kind, to those you find
deserving; but woe betide anyone who does not
meet your standards, you would dismiss them
with a casual wave of your hand. Not only do
you set high standards for others, you set them
for yourself also, and sometimes find yourself
struggling to meet them. .Most of your life you
have gained what you wanted, probably an only
or youngest child, you put you first! However,
saying that, you are not entirely self-centred,
only you have learnt to put yourself first.
When moved, you are capable of empathy and
kindness, and would willingly do your best to
help others; but your life so far has taught
you, that you must come first. You are also
well learned.
gracious, noble and focused; at your worst you
are selfish, dismissive and stubborn. If you
don't agree with something, you would nod your
head graciously, and refuse to be swayed.
are special, and everyone should know that.
Are you a Princess, Enchantress, Faerie, Mermaid or Toad? (with pictures!)
brought to you by Quizilla
Friday, April 22, 2005
As we all know, the Singapore government has just announced that not one, but 2 intergrated resorts aka casino will be built. I personally am not pleased and quite pissed that they announced it on my bday. But that is not the point, the point is that Spore is a 'democratic' country. The way the issue was handled has led me to believe that the government had made its decision way before the hype and all the debates & forums were just for show. If the NKF show was a circus, this could be a theatrical production. (I love my country but there are times I have no choice but to wash some dirty linen in public)
I had thought that early in the 'discussion', the incident where this man killed his whole family before committing suicide because he incurred debts he couldn't repay from gambling, was a clear sign to everyone from God that a casino is a VERY bad idea. But no, they just treated it as an isolated case(yea, since the whole family has been eradicated, so if the instinct to kill is hereditary, no worries there... as if) and it wasnt mentioned anymore. Now the government is offering a cool 1 million dollars to educate the public of the ills of gambling and urging counselling centres to help those addicted to gambling. All these after they announce that they will be building 2 casinos. I honestly do not know whether to laugh or cry about it. Its like they inject a patient with the HIV virus and administer anti-AIDs drugs to prevent the patient from developing AIDS. However eventually the patient still dies from AIDs related diseases cuz there aint no cure for AIDs yet. Sounds dumb right? But to me its seems like that is exactly what the Spore government is doing.Sigh...
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Your Beauty lies in Contradiction. Controversial, unpredictable, and never what anyone expects.You appearance and your personality are two Some Things That Represent You: Element:Fire, Water Animal: Chameleon Color: Gemstone:Opal Mythological Creature: Gryphon, Quote:"Appearances can be deceiving."
opposite things. Even your appearance sends different signals to different
people. To some you may look innocent and sweet, to others you look mysterious
and intimidating at the same time. No one ever knows what to expect with you.
You are a little bit of everything all mixed together. You can be watching
the football game with the guys one minute and the next out shopping at the
mall. You seem to be almost a different person every time you meet someone, but
at the same time you know exactly who you are and there is always that one
thing that makes you you. You enjoy keeping people guessing and people love how
completely unpredictable you are.
Dark Tones, LightTones Song: Everything by Alanis Morriesette
Expression:Half-smile
Half-breeds Planet: Mars Hair
Color: Red Eye Color:Brown
Where Does Your Beauty Lie? ..::Original Pictures Are Back! Detailed Results::..
brought to you by Quizilla
Your element is Fire: Strong, hot tempered, powerful, and passionate. Well now lets see, being fire you are quite strong and powerful, people look up to you greatly and often seek your protection. You have the ability to gain many friends and you are always one people can count on to do what you say you will do. You are extremely loyal be it friends or family you'll stick up for them and you are never willing to put them in a position that could hurt them. You know what role you play in life, leader, and you intend to let people know it. Not everyone is capable of leadership but you certainly have the willpower and flare to do it. You have quite a temper if it shows itself, one that can often lead you into trouble. Once your mind is made up there is no changing it but no one said that was a bad thing.
.:-What is your true element?-:. -With Anime Pictures and detailed answers-
brought to you by Quizilla
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Many times we complain that some people are just plain rude, knocking into others and not apologizing or raising their voices in a crowded bus, contributing to the noise pollution without any consideration to the people around them. We are quick to judge others but often we fail to see that we too make such mistakes from time to time.
I am now reading this book, Second opinion by Dr Richard Horton and in his preface he relates an incident during his days as a houseman. His main responsibilities then were taking histories from new patients and one day he met a man in his sixties. He went through a brief and ruotine lecture about the dos and dont's of the ward, the man looked at him vaguely,even after he pushed the consent form in front of the man. He then raised his voice a little and asked the man again to sign the form. the man mumbled something back to to him but he couldn't understand the man and he started to get irritated. Then the man wrote down,"I am deaf".
I am sure many of us would have reacted the same way the doctor did, after all, we just want to do our job. But being healthy and perfect that we are, we all tend to lack that basic consideration and sensitivity to those who are not as fortunate. Perhaps the next time we meet someone who has trouble understanding us and the world that is moving all too fast, maybe we should take time and lend them a helping hand. It will do wonders to both you and the other person!
i happened to be reading xiaxue's blog as well as the many comments to one of her recent post about her friend's death. i shan't be a hypocrite and say im deeply saddened by her friend's death, since i do not know him but i agree that his death was truly tragic and its sad when someone dies young.
anyway in response to her post about how a pastor is considered insensitive when he evangelised at a funeral. i was shocked to read that some ppl who called themselves christians actually disagreed with the pastor. to me, he did no wrong in preaching the gospel at the funeral, perhaps the manner in which he said it was insensitive cuz he did not know the guy who passed away but his action and motive cannot be deemed wrong esp in the eyes of chrisitians. if u happened to be attending another chirstian funeral, the pastor would probably be saying something along the same lines.
now why is this so? simply becuz the death of a loved one causes us to pause and think of life's fragility and how transient we all are in this lifetime if we are not too preoccupied with grief. many ppl fear death simply becuz they do not know where they will end up? my mum says that after knowing Christ, she no longer fears death because she knows that when she dies she will be with the Lord. aint that a comforting thought?
Being a Christian is more than just waiting to go heaven, it means having a relationship with God our Father, obeying Him, loving Him and others as He instructed us to, living our life on earth purposefully. The reason why Christians seem so keen on 'mass-conversion' is because of our Great Commission - Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mark 16:15). it is the Lord's wish that everyone is saved and yes, if one does not have Christ as their Saviour, he or she will go to hell, for "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Believe it or not, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) . Yes, God is love. But He is also holy, hence He cannot condone sin. If we sin, we cannot enter heaven. So to solve this, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
An entry into heaven is as simple as that! i guess in our complicated world, when things are presented so simply to us, it seems too good to be true, so we simply dismiss it. let me tell you that God's grace is beyond human understanding. being as kiasu that we are its ironic that we are refusing to accept this free gift, no strings attached. exactly what is stopping ppl out there from receiving Christ as their Saviour?
as for why would God allow suffering perhaps ur should take time to read this articles:
Why would a good God allow suffering? - http://www.rbc.org/ds/q0106/
Why would God allow bad things to happen to "good" people? - http://www.rbc.org/questions/answer/god/character/allowbadthings.xml
i'll elaborate on this another day, after im done with the bible study. =)
For those who read this, please take time to think about what i said. Thanks. God bless!
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Alrite... just to set the record straight: I do not perm/curl my eye lashes. to me, sleep is more important, so it'll take a miracle for me to wake up extra early just to beautify myself like putting makeup, unless absolutely necessary. also, i do not like to put on make up cuz it clogs my pores and no i do not enjoy having to unclog them thru merciless squeezing. i dun see the point to go thru great lengths to put the make up on, then go thru some more great lengths to remove them later, lest you get a breakout. why not dun put make up on in the first place? u'll save money cuz u wun have to buy makeup either :)
Phew... just came back from my bbq... im not gonna organise another birthday party for myself again. firstly its nerve wrecking, u got to iron out all the details, play a good host (which im terrible at), another is that next time i probably will not want to remind myself of my age... haha... also i realised i rather be in the background than in the spotlight...although i would like to thank all my frenz who came and for all the wonderful presents i received. i got 2 bags, both pink... thankfully they arent the same. i also got 2 gifts from the same jewelry brand, a pendant and earrings. there was also one from a guy who wrote in the card 'from:me!' if i did not have a good memory, i would have been wondering who gave me that. been pampering myself these two days, since my bday is on mon, with a new haircut (it was free btw, hee, won a voucher mths ago but never got a chance to use it till today) as well as this facial thing that my beautician has been bugging me about ever since i commited to 30 sessions of facials. u see my face is like a wok, a total oil zone, maybe they should try harvesting oil from my face since now there is a lack of oil. anyway, my face is covered with oil-clogged pores and pimples. so the moment i started working, i decided to treat myself, since it was a promotion then, and my beautician insisted i needed at least 30 facials for me to gain a flawless complexion(i doubt it would be flawless but at least it will be better... i hope) its really a sales tactic, cuz the first time i went, there were no painful parts to the facial, but ever since then, every fortnight, i become a masochist and subject myself to my beautician's squeezing of all my blackheads on my face... i wun be able to blog as often as i like now cuz the computer recently overheated (dun ask me how come, ppl leave their comps on for like forever and that never happens to them) so my dad is limiting the computer usage to like 6 hrs a day. which is quite pathetic compared to some ppl especially since this comp is shared by 5 ppl... which means i ought to get a laptop soon when i get into uni, but i guess i have to live with it for the time being...
anyway, had my hair cut today. asked the hairstylist for something feminine and fresh. had wanted to chop off my locks, but she said i would miss my hair so its now at shoulder length. i used to avoid this length cuz my hair would 'qiao' - curl up, but i guess if u can't beat 'em, join 'em. =) only problem would be i would need to use some wax or gel so give it the wind-swept look. i came home feeling pretty, something i normally dun after a haircut due to past experiences. however, when some of my frenz saw me, it was only after quite some time that they realised i cut my hair :( ... sigh...
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Just concluded a bible study on "Why did Christ have to die?" and i came across this page which talks about the words of the cross. Here is what it says...
Even in dying, Christ taught us how to live.
1. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. - Luke 23:34
Forgiveness is better than revenge.
2. Assuredly, I say to you, today you wll be with Me in paradise. - Luke 23:43
Faith is rewarded with promise.
3. Woman, behold your Son!... Behold your mother! - John 19:26-27
Our own needs should not overshadow the needs of others.
4. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? - Mark 15:34
Anything that could jeopardize our relationship with God should produce anguish.
5. I thirst - John 19:28
These words, spoken to fulfill prophecy, remind us of the authority of Scripture
6. It is finished - John 19:30
Do not let yourself lose sight of your goal of doing God's will.
7. Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit. - Luke 23:46
In your suffering, entrust yourself to God.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
if ur have realised most or all of my posts are near midnight, im really an owl. so when a school called my house at 730am, almost everyone at home woke up, and i was still half asleep when i agreed to go to a school in an hour's time. although i wasn't really prepared for a relief teaching assignment (just when i got axed), im real glad my friend, felicia, remembered me when the school she is teaching at needed a relief teacher.
i had 7 periods in a row, from 830 to 1215, without a break. since when were home economics lessons 3 periods at a go? had 2 classes of sec 1 home econs, and i had to answer questions like what does perishable mean and what is vitamin E used for? when i couldn't come up with an answer, they were asking if i the teacher didn't know, how am i to expect them to know the answer. some were asking how come they were not doing needlework. hmm... good question, problem is im no more skilled than they are when it comes to that subject...
my last period was a sec4 class for chem. with everyone bigger sized than me, it was very difficult to keep the class quiet or make them do their work. when i arrived most were deep in conversation, and later on, 2 guys were playing catch. i tried using reasoning but it din work, the class just got noisier so i used the most intimidating thing i had - my loud voice. however it din really help much either. thankfully the lesson was only 35 mins long, any longer i would probably have lost my voice and patience as well.
Friday, April 08, 2005
by a suggestion from one of my close friends, i have decided to put up a tag board for any of ur who just want to leave a note. if u can't see it, scroll down the right column, its all the way after the lyrics. for those who have read my earlier post, the lyrics was from the song which i had playing in the background initally, however as some of your had trouble loading the page due to the song, i took it off.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
i just changed the background to black for all those who complained that they have problem reading the words... wouldn't want to be accused of spoiling anybody's eyesight... but i still think that white suits the baby better although i agree that black is more striking... comments anyone?
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
First and foremost, I am gonna apologize to the people reading this post, if there are any, cuz I think I'm gonna sound like a bitch who is suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome but I'm not. Believe me, this moods where I feel like airing my grievances are few and far between unless many things happen, which is seldom since my life is as bland and tasteless like stale water.
Ok, the one thing that is really getting on my nerves is my email provider, mail2world, everytime i try to open an email, it pops out this error message and after like 5,6 attempts, i am still unable to read the email or delete it.
Sigh, the only reason why I am not deleting this account is thanks to its 250mb storage space which I'm using to store some private and confidential emails ie passwords...
Now comes the real deal, I'm sure anyone in Singapore or perhaps even Johore who has watched tv recently has seen one of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) advertisements. Please dun get me wrong, I have nothing against the organisation despite all the hype recently about them having a few hundred thousand (or was it a few million?) in their treasury although they are a non-profit charity organisation.
However I disagree with their method of trying to woo people to call in or sms so as to donate. I always felt that it went against logical reasoning to try and entice people to donate money with cash prizes. If they had cash to spare, why dun they just transfer the money immediately into the fund? Why go through the roundabout way just to show that Singaporeans are really generous? So what if they raised a few million? The very fact that it was a donate and reward system, its bound to raise a few eyebrows.
I can understand if the prizes were cars, houses, electronics,etc as this could be due to certain companies not being able to donate cash outright, still, to truely show how big-hearted Singaporeans really are, I feel no prizes are needed. Take for example the Ren Ci charity show or the tsunami fund. There were no rewards given, except for the knowledge that you have helped another person, and money still came pouring in.
Also, I feel that NKF is indirectly encouraging people to gamble. You see, once you donate (a minimum of $5 per call/sms - exclusive of G.S.T), you stand a chance to win cash prizes of $2888 or a $710 000 condominium. Only a person with really low intelligence can't see that its a real good deal.
On the other hand, the more times you donate, the higher your chance of winning, hence many people will call/sms a few more times in the hope of winning a prize. Obviously, the organization wouldn't mind it either as it works to their advantage - more calls=more money for the fund. Let us not forget that most gamblers are superstitious (this is a generalization but not a baseless statement), so they believe that their luck will get better if they do something good, why not donate money(good deed=better luck) and have a shot of winning money or a car? Isn't that like killing a few birds with one stone?
Another thing, in the advertisements and tv programmes they show how kidney patients can still lead normal lives yet on their charity show, they feature celebrities visiting patients with problems other then kidney failure, and everyone starts crying. I rather they cut the pity crap and show them trying their best to lead extraordinary lives and succeeding.
Before any of you call me a cold-hearted b****, I do empathise with these patients, but I believe what these people need is not just sympathy. If you truly wish to help these patients, and touch their lives in a special way, volunteer your services and you will find it extremely rewarding. For those who are satisfied with just exercising your fingers on a phone, I would have to say you are definitely missing out on something.
My sympathies to the MediaCorp artistes who have to put themselves in sometimes perilous situations year after year to an organization who may or may not need that much help. So at the end of the day, although a charity organization has the funds to build salt-water aquariums with clown fishes and anemone in their dialysis centres for the comfort of the patients, how much good has actually been done?
Let me point out a question many have asked, what about other charity organizations who are doing the same kind of work and in more need of funds than others but lack the publicity? Perhaps we ought to learn to share the funds, since everyone is doing it for the same purpose - to help the less fortunate. And to the really ignorant ones out there, yes, there are charity organizations other than NKF.
p.s. thanks to everyone who had the patience to read the whole post. =)
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Wow, I can't believe it has been one week since I last posted... You can say my enthusiasm wore off for a while. But I was busy... busy being bored...haha... On a break now from my job, something most of my friends are totally envious of, but it ends on 11 Apr and till then I would have had approximately one month of no work. NO WORK = NO PAY. Sigh... Now I understand a little how jobless people feel, at least I'm spared the burden of having to support a family, instead I have become a liability to mine =(...
Ok, let me tell you how I have been occupying my time so far, basically I'm hooked onto the computer and watching as much anime as possible (currently at my 145th episode of prince of tennis :P) being a girl, most guys are shocked to know I watch anime like hunter x hunter and absolutely love it!
Somehow shounan is more likeable than shoujo, to me - for those who aren't in the know how, shounan is the word used to describe anime/manga that appeals more to guys with their masculine themes ie blood, gore and loads of fighting, whereas shoujo is for anime/manga that is about girl power, romance, spice, sugar and everything nice.
Dun get me wrong, I am not an advocate for violence, in fact I abhor it, but hearing girls whine every other episode about their boyfriends can get on my nerves. Also, most shoujo portray girls as helpless, brainless creatures with probably their looks as their only redeeming feature. Being a pro-feminist, it is obvious I take insult at such a generalization but then again it seems that some if not most guys go for helpless, brainless, good looking girls for a girlfriend.
My only reason for such a phenomenon is that guys need to feel superior to their girlfriends and enjoy playing the knight in shining armour to the damsel in distress which smart women often aren't. Also, a guy's ego is extremely important to him and he will not enjoy having a girlfriend beating him in any area. Perhaps there are guys who would beg to differ, in that case, why would an intelligent and fairly attractive girl like me be still unattached?
ok...kidding... dun get me wrong cuz I am NOT trying to act desperate here but rather stating things as a matter of fact (at least I'm not that thick-skinned to go so far as to say I'm gorgeous) ... then again I enjoy being single (less worries, I have enough to deal with...) so well thanks to everyone for letting me air my views over this matter... I believe there will be people who will disagree with me and some who will nod their heads in agreement, whatever the case, everyone is entitled to their own opinion right?
I think I have said enough for today, anyway for any of your who have visited this site, I hope your are not running into any problems viewing it, if you are, please try to leave a comment somewhere so I can correct any problems.
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
Adobe Photoshop Elements for supernatural abilities
