I'mm 5..

Have you heard about Enneagram of Personality? Do you know which Type you are?

I am a Type 5 - The Investigator or The Thinker.. :) 

 And I am most probably 5w4, if you wanna be more specific..

Some of the things written about Type 5..

Fives are usually somewhat restrained when it comes to emotional expression, but they often have stronger feelings than they let on. Few people know what is going on beneath the surface, as Fives have an often exaggerated need for privacy and a deep seated fear of intrusion. Because of their sensitivity and their fears of inadequacy, Fives fear being overwhelmed, either by the demands of others or by the strength of their own emotions. They sometimes deal with this by developing a minimalistic lifestyle in which they make few demands on others in exchange for few demands being made on them. Other Fives make their peace with the messiness of life and engage it more fully, but they almost always retain their fears that life is somehow going to demand more of them than they can deliver.

~ taken from Eclectic Energies

Behind Fives’ relentless pursuit of knowledge are deep insecurities about their ability to function successfully in the world. Fives feel that they do not have an ability to do things as well as others. But rather than engage directly with activities that might bolster their confidence, Fives “take a step back” into their minds where they feel more capable. Their belief is that from the safety of their minds they will eventually figure out how to do things—and one day rejoin the world.

Fives spend a lot of time observing and contemplating—listening to the sounds of wind or of a synthesizer, or taking notes on the activities in an anthill in their back yard. As they immerse themselves in their observations, they begin to internalize their knowledge and gain a feeling of self-confidence.

~ taken from The Enneagram Institute

How to Get Along with Me

• Be independent, not clingy.
• Speak in a straightforward and brief manner.
• I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts.
• Remember that If I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it may be that I am feeling uncomfortable.
• Make me feel welcome, but not too intensely, or I might doubt your sincerity.
• If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place.
• don't come on like a bulldozer.
• Help me to avoid my pet peeves: big parties, other people's loud music, overdone emotions, and intrusions on my privacy.

~ taken from 9types.com

Fives are truly the most independent and idiosyncratic of the personality types, the people who could most appropriately be called "loners" and "misfits." They are people who truly march to a different drummer, pursuing their interests and curiosity wherever their investigations may take them. Some Fives can seem downright odd to people while others keep their "weirdness" more below the surface. In either case, Fives are intensely determined to pursue the questions and ideas that fascinate them: so much so that relationships and financial considerations can become unimportant to them.

~ taken from here

Famous 5s:
St. Thomas Aquinas, Issac Asimov, Tim Burton, Björk, Richard Chamberlain, Agatha Christie, Kurt Cobain, Michael Crichton, Daniel Day-Lewis, René Descartes,  Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, T.S. Eliot, Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Foster, Greta Garbo, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins, Howard Hughes, Ted Kaczynski, Franz Kafka, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Stanley Kubrick, Gary Larson, Annie Leibowitz, John Lennon, George Lucas, David Lynch, Sam Neill, Friedrich Nietzsche, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Jean-Paul Sartre, Vincent Van Gogh, Jules Verne.
Fictional characters: Bruce Wayne (Batman), Dilbert, Fox Mulder (X files), Scrooge, Yoda (Star Wars).

~ taken from Enneagram Exploration and Enneagram Institute

So what type are you??

brainless..

Tell me what do you think about the following 3 scenarios..

1. Threaten to ban doctors who are working 36-hour shift from using mobile phones COMPLETELY because the public complained that the doctors are always busy "texting their friends"...
2. Conduct spot-checks on doctors' quarters and give doctors warning letters for, among other things, not tidying up their rooms and for having TWO pillars on their bed!!
3. Banning doctors from wearing jeans because it is NOT formal...

When I heard these from my sis, I wasn't surprised at all.. these are the sort of things that our civil service and government are good at.. nitpicking over superficial and unimportant stuff, while avoiding REAL problems..

My thoughts on them..

(1)
It is good to remind those who are working from being too engrossed with sms-ing or playing games on their phones but banning mobile phones altogether is NOT the solution. Unless there is serious medical oversight caused by rampant irresponsible usage, mobile phones are crucial in ensuring every doctor on duty is contactable..

If the administration truly wanna ensure no misuse or overuse of the mobile phone for non-work purpose, then they should provide a designated mobile phone to ALL doctors on-duty in ALL wards/departments. That require lots of $$$ which this hospital clearly do not have, since departments here often run out of lab testing solutions, gloves, face masks and other medical supplies..

(2)
Seriously, this is a MAJOR violation of basic rights! The hospital has no right to go into doctors' quarters (within the hospital's compound) without permission. These are professional working ADULTS, not some underage juvenile. So what if their rooms are dirty? The hospital administration should look into the reason WHY the rooms are untidy. Frankly, who wants to live in a messy shack? It is administrative incompetence that the doctors do not have sufficient rest time, much less time to do housekeeping.

Also, a warning letter for having two pillows on the bed????? If 2 pillows meant having someone over for the night (which in their dirty mind meant illicit affairs/sex outside marriage/etc.), 3 pillows would then meant having a threesome!?!? Hello!! These are DOCTORS for goodness sake! They must have seen enough penises and vaginas to be struck blind thousand times over if we were to follow the (twisted) "theory" of these high-level narrow-minded moronic bigots.. What consenting adults want to do AFTER office hours behind closed doors are NONE of the hospital's business..

(3)
Before they start nitpicking on doctors for their attire, the hospital administration should think things through. If the hospital wants to uphold its professional image, they can decree no torn, low-cut or loose jeans. They should not ban it totally. Cos frankly, jeans are much more comfortable and suitable for female doctors than skirts or other long dresses. Do they want the doctors to be more worried about their attire than their patients?? Jeans and pants allow female doctors to move around more freely without having to worry about issues of "indecency" or "wardrobe malfunction".

Doctors are employees, not slaves. They are in the hospital to save lives, not to look good. If their attire is not hindering them from doing their job, we should leave it to their discretion on what to wear. Doctors are making life and death decisions all the time, yet we can't trust them to make rational decisions regarding their own wardrobe??? How ridiculous is that??!!?


Possible scenarios if these "bright" ideas are implemented:

• A patient couldn't be saved in time because the nurses can't get hold of the FEW doctors who are on-duty (especially at night) as mobile phones were prohibited.
• A patient couldn't be saved in time because the doctors on-duty had to go back to their quarters to clean it up as they do not want to be getting warning letters.
• A patient couldn't be saved in time because the doctors can't react fast enough as they were suffering from chronic pain caused by stiff necks/stiff shoulders/bad backs/etc (due to being allowed only one pillow).
• A patient couldn't be saved in time because the doctor was trying to make sure her skirt/dress was properly rolled up first before she could get onto the patient's bed to do CPR or whatever that was required to keep the patient alive...
• A patient couldn't be saved in time because the doctors had to take time to make sure they are "properly attired" before going out and face the public, less they get complained and blacklisted.

When death happens, who is going to answer and be responsible for them?? The doctors, of course! So they are stuck between a rock and a hard place...

With all these absurd hogwash being imposed onto the doctors, compounded with the sadistic working hours, is there any surprises why doctors kept leaving the government hospitals once they received their practicing licenses?? DUH!!!

aussie masterchef

Currently, I am hooked on season 2 of MasterChef Australia. ..and am watching them over on YouTube.. :)

After following a couple of reality cooking shows from the US, I've noticed some slight differences that I really liked about MCAU..

A. More Supportive
Unlike some of the shows in the US, the judges here are more supportive, giving positive affirmation and encouragement. The judges, Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston don't use sarcasm, intimidation or give harsh criticism. They always find something good and positive in the dishes to praise and commend. They give constructive suggestions and informative pointers on how to make the dishes better. It is nice to see a reality show that doesn't try to break people down just to get some ratings.

B. More Passionate
MCAU contestants are not trained chefs, they are ordinary people who love to cook. It is really heartening to see people who are so passionate about cooking that they are willing to give up their career (some are lawyers, auditors, engineers or other professionals) to pursue their culinary dream. Some are in their early twenties while some are already in their forties. The love for food knows no boundary and one is never too old to pursue one's dream. :)

C. More Camaraderie
Contestants in MCAU were much more friendlier with one another. There were almost no instances of backstabbing, bitching or badmouthing, among or between them. Everyone is genuinely supportive and helpful. They give compliments freely and encouragement sincerely. They take responsibility, instead of blaming others when things go wrong in a team challenge. They want to succeed but not at the expense of their fellow contestants which I think is very admirable and rare when compared to US reality shows...

D. Nicely Paced
At first glance, MCAU seemed way too lengthy with 84 episodes for Season 2 in 2010. However, this lengthiness actually provides viewers with an opportunity to follow the culinary growth of these contestants - a "front-row seat" in witnessing their transformation from amateur cooks to good chefs.. It is hard not to get emotionally invested and have favorite contestant(s) to root for.

E. More Educational
Every week, both George and Gary would conduct cooking classes for the contestants, showing them what they did wrong in previous cooking challenges and how certain dishes can/should be cooked. We were shown how to fillet a tuna/salmon, shuck oysters and julienning vegetables, among many other useful techniques. And every week, they will invite renown chefs to come and give a tip or two to the contestants. Dishes showcased here appear less intimidating and more achievable by home viewers, unlike those from Top Chef.

Again, all these could be due to the way the show was being edited by the show producers.. but I do believe that Aussies are generally friendlier and more down-to-earth..   :)

All in all, I am really enjoying MCAU.. once I am done with season 2, I will start on Junior MasterChef Australia.. I might not be aspiring to be a great chef, but I do love cooking.. and I definitely love to learn a few cooking tips and some great recipes.. :)

Sunday Serenade: the blower's daughter

I like Tanya Chua (蔡健雅)'s voice..love most of her songs.. and this song sounded very different from the original version by Damien Rice.. Love the simplicity of just an accompanying guitar..

It is such a sad song... and to think that this song used to be in my playlist.. looping.. over and over again..



The Blower's Daughter
written by Damien Rice

And so it is just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
most of the time
And so it is the shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...
And so it is just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time

And so it is the colder water
The Blower's Daughter
The pupil in denial
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
my mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new




Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and cheery!! :)

not worth...

One reason why I haven't been blogging much about what's happening in this country is that there is simply way too much ridiculous absurdities going on everyday.. There are so many things that are wrong about the country.. so many things that the government should be doing but isn't.. so many things that the public should know and demanded but don't..

Some of the recent "circus performances"..

Watched a segment of evening news last week that made me laugh and cry at the same time... A BN candidate for the Sarawak state election, a fifty-something-looking guy was crying to the tv crew because someone has thrown some red paint onto his campaign poster.. Imagine seeing a guy, who is old enough to be a grandfather, shedding tears on NATIONAL TV because of some red paint on his posters!! My GOODNESS!! What if he gets shouted at or threaten when he tries to settle some disputes in his constituency.. is he gonna shit his pants??? Such is the "talent" of our so-called "statesmen"... 

Then there was the MACC buffoonery... it is not enough to have just ONE "mysterious" death, we get a sequel!! Either the perpetrator(s) are incredibly stupid pulling the same trick twice or they know they can get away with it AGAIN..  After so many months in court, we are still nowhere close to getting the truth which is as plain and clear as the sun, at least to those who DO have some gray matters between their ears... and I seriously hope that there will be no episode No. 3 to this farce...

Next the crazy deluge of As awarded to SPM candidates few weeks ago.. Now, there is 3 different "A" - A+, A and A-.. maybe in a couple more years, we will have 5 different "A" - A++, A+, A, A- and A-- . Seriously, the grade "A" should be reserved to those who TRULY deserve them - people who produce excellence, not anyone who can regurgitate lock, stock and barrel back to the examination board!! With the grading standards going down and number of As awarded going up, is it any wonder why so many local graduates remain unemployable?

Finally, how can I forget about "the" video that has everyone talking.. everyone, except me.. I don't care who it was who got caught on camera getting laid.. there are so many pressing national issues to look into than to waste government resources investigating such video.. are these people so deprived of "it" that they became upset when they saw someone else getting "it" from a young lady?? In our society, the more something is treated as taboo, the more people get "excited" by it.. sex is as old as human civilization.. get over it!

So many things need fixing in this country yet this government is too busy lining its pocket and fattening its cronies to care... thus it comes as no surprise that it is trying its darnest to stay in power.. bribing, intimidating, tampering, deceiving, fabricating, provoking, denying, twisting, sensationalizing, diverting... using all the tricks in the book and more... doing anything and everything BUT to make this country good (I won't dare to use the word "great" here)..

I refuse to get sucked into these negativity.. and I am sure not gonna waste my time and effort writing about the things that should but will never change..