The weather was good.

The breakfast was filling.

Then my heart died a little.

Life goes on.

Ganbatte, Xiao!

You can do it!

You are a genius!

You will pass the exam and enjoy the year!

2011…

….. is the first year I am working as a registrar. Steep learning curve, no less. More of a clinical decision maker, than a jobs monkey. Much more stress but overall had been a really good experience.

….. I have joined the local basketball league, chasing my passion.

….. I have gotten my permanent residency.

….. I am glad to have expanded my circle of friends here and back home, even by a tiny little bit. Some of them, I’ve grown pretty close to. Special thanks to cheap alcohol in Tioman too! Hahaha.

….. I’ve attended a few weddings, one was a crazy 36 hours turn around to Kuala Lumpur and back.

….. I am getting to know her a little better, and probably her of me. I shall see how things pan out in 2012. She was more dismissive before, but things seem to have improved. Fingers crossed, things will work out well. No harm hoping

….. I’ve picked up a new hobby :- RC helicopter. Broken at the moment. I promise I will fix them once I’ve cleared my exam.

….. I did not manage to do any swimming.

….. I mended a broken friendship just before the year ended. Having not spoken for 4 months, and leaving each other on a bad terms, both of us sat down and chatted for six hours across 3 venues about almost everything under the sun. Hate to say, that Monkey, though forgetful a lot of times, had been one of my closest friends. And she just had to set a record on my Bejeweled 2!

…. the youngest pig in the family came to study in Melbourne, sponsored by the great me. High distinction wei, don’t play play.

…. the first time I’ve been asked to give a statement for a coroner’s inquest. Haven’t heard back from them. Hope it’s nothing serious.

…. I think I treated my interns/minions pretty well. I’ve been pretty lucky to get pretty capable and enthusiastic interns under my wing.

…. I had a taste what an intensivist’s work would involve. Honestly, I love it!

2011 had been a year of “doing” for me. Want something? Just do it.

What to look for 2012?

…. I shall aim to pass my FRACP part 1 and part 2. Though, preparations had been less than ideal thus far.

…. Getting my Oz driving license.

….. consolidate on things I’ve done e.g. basketball, RC heli,

….. lose weight (an annual recurrence) I believe I have to work harder on this the coming year. A BMI of 29+ is life threatening. Aim to lose 5 kg by midyear 10 kg by end of year.

….. hope to make more progress in my social life. Perhaps good thing will come out of this, whatever the outcomes.

…. I will be standing in as a Cardiology registrar. Albeit a little bit daunting, I hope this will give me an insight into another specialty I have my eyes on. Keeping interpersonal and professional relationship separate would be a challenge.

…. shall aim to reward myself with a new car when I pass my exam – a car with moonroof!

….. possible another holiday with my family, sponsored by the Dr. Siaw in UK of course Japan? Korea? America? Spain?

Arrivederci.

It’s 94 days to the exam.

At this point in time, unfortunately, I am severely underprepared. I refuse to panic, for now. It’s a real possibility that I might not pass it. I am not too sure to call that learned helplessness or silent confidence.

Study is going into a higher gear, definitely, though not as intense as I thought I would be. Would be heading to Sydney for an exam course which definitely will inch me closer to passing the exam.

Aiming more for a consistent and balanced study plan. Might need to finish up earlier at basketball practices. Probably 1 or 2 gatherings with friends a week. I refuse to be interrupted for a prolonged period, during this time before exam.

I realised I wasted quite a bit of productive time on social networking such as Facebook. Time to cut that down. Taking a step back, it’s probably delusional of me or any person thinking that knowing what another person, whom I don’t even see on a monthly basis anymore, doing on the other side of earth, is considered as keeping in contact.

Perhaps what matters the most ought to be the family and the people immediately around. Friends come and go. Words I speak and preach. Well, most of them, anyway. Nevertheless, it’s really funny how things’ve fallen into place. I guess I am really lucky to have met and befriended some very awesome people, in a land so far away from home.

As the saying goes, love your parents within your home, love your friends outside it.

Arriverderci.

2 pts – 4 rebounds – 0 asst – 3 TO

FG 1/1

3pt 0/0

Drove to the city over the weekend to get boxes of mooncakes…..wait…boxes of snowskin moon cakes!

Used to be such a rarity in Melbourne, but last few years I had more luck with them, finding them. Though the pandan flavor is sorely lacking…

It was pretty good all in all. Enjoying the mooncake, though briefly with a very warm company.

Perhaps, indeed, something good might come out of this. Who knows?

Exam is nearing, day by day…..need to keep working hard.

Arrivederci.