Congratulation doctors! You’re cordially invited to our Pre-graduation  picnic lunch (MBBS 2009)

Date: 21^st November 2009 (Saturday)

Venue: Werribee Mansion Park

Theme: Semi-formal picnic lunch

Dress code: Red

Guest (s): Family/spouse

Activities: Farewell speech/ Memory book signing session / Gift exchange/Photo session

*Each person has to bring your signature dish to be served on that day

The girls have been planning this trip months ago, to ensure the  girls could join in (acknowledging that we all have our own plans especially when graduation day is approaching in just 2 weeks). The masterminds have decided on the venue and activities. Numerous efforts have been put in to make sure everyone remembers this day as our unforgettable final gathering. Just to illustrate how much efforts have been put in, here’s the list:

Sue has been burning the midnight oil not to study! But to handmade the memory book for each and every one of us (big applause for your effort) and the result is fabulous.

Each of us have to prepare our signature dish on the day; and some of them are: Salmon quiche by Intan, Couscous salad and pudding by wahyuna, Lasagne by Azni, Chicken pie by Aliya, popiah by me and last but not least, sushi by Aya and Sue.

The decoration was beautifully executed by Albi, who patiently sewed the napkins the night before.

We were allocated with our own seats with our own name plates hahah. When we arrived at the park, we were welcomed by the drizzle which fortunately settled down not too long after that. We finished setting up the dining place by 11 am. The MC (Azni) who was supposed to run the event failed to control the starving crowd from eating before she gave her opening speech.

During the speech/memory book exchange session, some of us just couldn’t control our emotions. Some had to stop giving their farewell speech  and got teary, as a result Melbourne has been blessed with rain since yesterday late afternoon *just joking*.

The other special activity was to throw a surprise birthday celebration for him (wouldn’t want to elaborate on this since he wants to write on this himself). I hope you like the cupcakes dear~

It’s been a long 8 years that we’ve known each other and all sort of things have happened. Despite of all the fights that would inevitably happen if people stay together for a long time, we always find comfort and shelter with each other in times of trouble. I don’t know how much I’ve helped my friends throughout these long years, and if there was any moment I failed to be there, it was simply because I was busy in my own world and I truly apologise.

This entry concludes my pre-graduation countdown. Graduation day is coming in 2 weeks, so the next entry will be about my long-awaited graduation day. Can’t wait to see you girls in your best outfit. I’m sure you will look fabulously fantalicious

Gente,

Feriadao hj ne, fiquei de bobs passeando pelo Rio Sul com minha amiga… e paramos no stand da Clinique e ganhamos DI GRATIS uma avaliacao e aplicacao dos produtos… ADOREI!

Fiquei realmente com vontade de levar tudo. Sao produtos para pele, logo eu nao estaria infringindo o Project 10 Pan…(entrei no Boticario e resisti, fiquei com vontade de comprar 2 batons da linha intense, mas me controlei e somente ajudei minha amiga a comprar um blush em conta e bonitinho da linha intense)

Gostei demais destes olhem soh

Eh um esfoliante que eu adorei, a mocinha super simpatica aplicou na minha  pele..amei, mas tenho ainda um da Yves e so irei comprar esse quando o da Yves acabar, senao vai acumulando tudo e nao uso nada direito e como voces sabem to tentando levar a serio, tipo, podem me cobrar meninas ta!!! Preciso do apoio de vcs…

Esse eh outro produto que me pareceu muito bom, para área dos olhos…

Esse eh o passo 3, o hidratante…adorei eh em gel e super adere a pele, gente fica MUITO macia…

Passo 2

Essa eh a Clarifying Lotion que segundo elas eh mais do que um tonico.. e a pele fica muito boa dps de todos estes passos. No meu caso o meu numero eh a 3 (sao 4 tipos de Claryfing Lotion)

Adorei e tem tudo no site da Cosme de, menos o Oily Skin que procurarei no Morangao agora…

Tem umkit com todos eles por R$98,00 , um travel kit, olhem soh

Estou querendo comprar o kit para testar pois o sabonete para pele mista nao tem no site… e voces..ja usaram alguma coisa..contem!! Beijos

I had my long case yesterday at St V. Well, I wasn’t scared or nervous at all, that’s the worrying part. I got a patient with a metastasized colon cancer and she was a lovely lady. I should mention that the staff at St V were being surprisingly nice. There were a couple of issues with my exam:

1. The patient wanted to go for a walk before I started the history taking. I was 5 minutes early, so I said ” since I’m gonna take 1 hour of your time, just go for a quick walk”. After taking the history for half an hour, she again wanted to go for a walk. For fear that holding her would upset her (hence her coorperation), I let her go again and decided to scribble the obs and drug chart.

2. She wasn’t sure when she got in so I couldn’t decide how many days post-op she was. So I concluded that she was admitted on Friday since the drug chart began on the 13th, and since the 24 fluid balance chart started on the 15th, she must have had the surgery on the 14th. I hope I was right.

3. The relatives came in the last 10 minutes. I tried to withold them from entering but after the second request, the patient wanted them to come in since they’re from the country.

So there were some interruptions in my exam. The exam assistant was particularly concern whether I had enough time, but I guess; what could I do. I wasn’t frustrated or anything, since the patient was nice. When I sniffed to clear my blocked nose, she thought I was crying because of the interruptions. That was funny.

The examiner was my tutor when I did my GP, and I skipped half of her tutorial; my bad. LOL.

I pray that I pass this exam, Insha’Allah.

Clinique Happy To Be by Clinique is a floral fruity fragrance for women. Clinique Happy To Be was launched in 2005. The nose behind this fragrance is Olivier Cresp. Top notes are pear and water notes; middle notes are syringa, lilac, hibiscus and rose; base notes are sandalwood and cacao.

Clinique Happy is a fragrance of joy, the essence of a sunny, happy morning. Wear Happy and be happy! Fresh apple, plums and bergamot mixed with the fresh-air accord as top notes proceed into the egzotic floral heart composed of freesia, lily, rose and morning orchid. Musk and amber are in perfume’s base. It was created in 1998. Happy was created by Jean Claude Delville and Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Jean-Claude Delville. It received a 1998 FiFi award.

Clinique Happy by Clinique is a citrus aromatic fragrance for men. Top notes are lime, , green notes, mandarin orange, citruses and sea notes; middle notes are freesia, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and rose; base notes are cypress, musk, guaiac wood and cedar.

Clinique Happy Heart by Clinique is a chypre floral fragrance for women. Clinique Happy Heart was launched in 2003. The noses behind this fragrance are Christophe Laudamiel and Olivier Polge. Top notes are mandarin orange, cassia and cucumber; middle notes are primula, carrot and water hyacinth; base notes are sandalwood and white woods.

For some reason, I’ve got Christmas on my mind. We haven’t even made it to Thanksgivinging and I’m already itching to hang up the stockings, which is totally out of character for me. In fact, previous years saw me dreading the holidays; when you work in retail and you hear Jingle Bells every hour on the hour, the brightness of Christmas tends to dim. But now that I’m a bonafide consumer instead of the girl who hides behind the Clinique counter, I am (slowly, but surely) rediscovering the joy of this truly capitalistic holiday.

I am sick. I tried to fight it…Irish tea and chicken noodle soup, but to no avail. I even tried to bolster up my spirits in an attempt to swim today. But then Jamie, my youngest fish, came down with whatever this thing is, and I succumbed to the power of germs. I’ve spent the better part of this afternoon in front of my laptop, drawing those damned fish for this blog, sipping hot tea and gulping down bottles of Aquafina, and, of course, attending to Jamie (who believes he’s going to die). Ah, there’s nothing like being sick.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I have Gatorade in the fridge, chilling, and a new swim cap to wear. Practice should be interesting (it always is) and who knows who’ll show up at the pool tomorrow. Well, I must go – I’m going to pull myself up and change into some sweats and do some situps and bicep curls. After that, I can make dinner (eye roast, mashed potatoes, and stringbeans) and then I can curl up in my favorite (my only) recliner and watch some TV before bed. Whew!

Megan Fox is known for showing up at events looking ultrasexy, and part of her appeal (besides her rockin’ body) is her makeup. Her features are always emphasized without looking overly made-up. I particularly like her look in the photo above: her eyes are defined (yet not dark) without competing with her bright, glossy mouth, and her skin is glowing. After the jump, I break down the products you need to cop Megan’s glow.

Start by evening out your skin with a tinted moisturizer like Tarte Smooth Operator SPF20 ($35). Next, dab some luminizer on a foundation brush and blend on browbones, down the bridge of the nose, cheeks, and lightly across forehead. I love Smashbox Artificial Light. Blend a light pink blush like Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in Quickie ($17) on apples of cheeks.
For bold brows like Megan’s, fill in any sparse spots with a pencil. Try MAC Eye Brows ($15), a thin mechanical brow pencil available in a wide range of shades to match your brow color. Then define and set brows with clear gel; I love Ardell Brow Sculpting Gel ($4).

Sweep a gold-toned metallic shadow over the entire eyelid. Try MAC eyeshadow in Nylon ($14), a pale icy gold. For eyeliner like Megan’s, I like an automatic pencil with a smudger sponge tip built right in. BeneFit Automatic Eyeliner Duo Pencil in Wink O’Ink ($20) is perfect for this. Trace on a thick-ish line on the upper lashline, and then a thinner one on your lower lashline, and use the sponge tip to gently smudge the edges. Curl lashes and apply 2 coats of thickening mascara like Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara ($22).

Line lips with an invisible liner, then slick on a light berry lipstick like Clinique Butter Shine in Raspberry Rush ($14). Top with a light pink gloss like Sephora Brilliant Shine Lipgloss in Precious Pink ($10).

okay, i am a HUGE fan of eye liner user. of all colors too, blue, green, black, gray, purple, sparkles and glitter, liquid and pencil.. the list can ramble on and on about eyeliner.
however, one thing i am not a fan of with eyeliner is RACCOON EYES. let’s all say this in unison, “UGH!” hate it!!!

i don’t just hate the morning after raccoon eyes, i hate the during and half way into the night when you really don’t need to be hunting for a tissue paper through your purse and a mirror on some sort of reflective surface just to save your face through the night. NOT A FAN. DEFINITELY THE MOST IRRITATING THING EVER.

so when i tell you this, my loyal readers, i am telling you in all honesty… i am an eyeliner lurker.
if i read about an eyeliner, i go out and buy it- test it- leave it alone and come back to it to test it again. why?
because you NEEED to be dumping your eyeliner every 2-3 weeks AT LEAST anyhow, so why not go out and buy another product and see?

well, okok.. some of us aren’t as much as a makeup slave as i am, but hey, that’s what i’m here for…

so yes, the rave about the Urban Decay eye pencil kohl lasted as long as glitter in your eye socket lasted.. not very long. it was cool, but you know what…. it wasn’t convenient. and then Lancome came out with their Double Wear Zero Smudge Liquid Eyeliner… alright, alright i will admit they did something right with liquid eyeliner and i would highly recommend this product. so this too was a product of popular rant and rave about how it worked, how it stayed nicely in place and to really smudge it off warm water with soap was needed.  alright alright…. i like this liquid eyeliner..

now, eye kohls……. eye pencils…. eye liners that do not smear off and ruin dates or first impressions!!!

i guess it would be unfair to list my favorite one, due to fact that i wanted to just SHARE with you the best of the best…. so i’ll let you figure out which one is my ultimate favorite eye pencil!

(not in order of greatest to least best…)

FIRST in the books, Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof. it’s twist up, never gets dull, doesn’t smudge or streek, and best of all is WATERPROOF duh.

SECOND in the books, Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes. alright, talk about the smoothest application i’ve ever gotten to experience. streeking does not happen, but smudging can occur when really getting deep in there. it’s water proof and from my experience, doesn’t come off in any degree of water.

THIRD in the books, Stila Convertible Eye Color. i recommend this product to a lot of beginners who aren’t too comfortable with eyeliner, what to do with eyeliner and how to really get the looks they want to achieve. it’s a great multi purpose tool that gives you a smudge look and a smokey eye look when using the foam applicator that is attached to it, yet with the same consistancy and build as the Lancome eye pencil, you are saving yourself some money.

and FOURTH in the books, Clinique Quickliner. all time favorite for a lot of people.. you don’t need to shapen it, it has a twist top. comes with a smudge tool, which is always great for being on the go. the formula is smooth and doesn’t chunk up, i’ve never had a clog or melt down with this product and the best part about it…… Clinique is a brand which makes products that are hypoallergenic.
that means, yes, you too cousin who is allergic to everything in the world, you too can use this eyeliner and not worry about massive amounts of bacteria, or getting itchy eyes from the dye coloring!

and there you have it world…… my 2009 eye liner picks.

may all of us eliminate the term ‘raccoon eyes’ and party on!

This would be a wonderful item to buy for yourself or to give as a gift. QVC has an exclusive Prescriptives Set of 4 Eyeliners (it has four double ended eyeliners in a cute shiny blue bag) for $26.82 plus $3.97 shipping. This set has eight different beautiful colors: Khaki/gold sparkle, brown/cocoa sparkle, navy/teal sparkle, and black/plum sparkle.

I also saw this at QVC, a Bobbi Brown travel-sized skincare set. I know people rave about her makeup, how is her skincare? This looks like a great way to be introduced to the products. The Hydrating 4 piece Skincare Set contains a full size hydrating eye cream (0.5 oz) and travel sizes of hydrating face cream (0.5 oz), intensive skin supplement (0.1 oz), and lathering tube soap (0.5 oz). This set is $45 plus $5.22 for shipping (the eye cream alone normally sells for $45).

At Macy’s with any $49.50 Clinique purchase you will receive a free silvery tote (this year’s version has a pretty gold stripe running down the front). You can also pick up an entirely different silvery tote (with an exclusive design available only there) at Clinique.com with any $49.50 purchase with code TOTE at checkout. Both are available while supplies last. Also at Macy’s, today and tomorrow only, online and in store, with any Lancome purchase (including the Lancome Beauty Box in the exclusive white train case) you will receive your choice of a bonus sample: Either a 0.25 oz Renergie Eye Cream or a 0.5 oz Renergie Night Cream. Shipping is free when you spend $99 on Lancome products with code BTYBOX at checkout, through November 18.

The Phyto Friends and Family Sale ends tomorrow, and they have discounted some items even further, some products are now up to 55% off. The Origins Friends and Family Sale continues through through Thursday (25% off any purchase, excluding gift sets) and they’ve sweetened the deal by now offering free shipping with ANY purchase, through Thursday.

Sephora has added new items to the Sale section of the web site, almost 200 items are now on sale.

If you have not yet joined the Test Tube beauty sampling program, they are again offering your first Test Tube for only $9.95. For those who don’t yet know about it, this is a wonderful program where you get lots of smaller sized beauty products to try (with occasional full sized products thrown in) for $29.95 plus shipping, see their site for membership details. This introductory offer is valid for new subscribers only. And I just realized I never posted the contents of Test Tube #13 which I received last month (sorry!). This is what my most recent shipment contained, your Test Tube may or may not contain these products:

• Befine Cooling Peel Off Mask with Apple, Lemon, and Green Tea (1.5 oz)
• Bioelements Power Peptide (2 oz)
• Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing/Antiwrinkle Day Cream (0.34 oz)
• Academie Soin Lift Galbe Visage et Cou (Reshaping Lift for Face and Neck, 0.5 oz)
• Estee Lauder New Advanced Night Repair (0.24 oz)
• Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor (0.4 oz)
• Kerstin Florian Chamomile Body Lotion (1 oz)
• Kerstin Florian Chamomile Shower/Bath Gel (1 oz)
• Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb EDP (0.24 oz)
• Daisy by Marc Jacobs EDT (0.1 oz)
• Supersmile Quikee (0.21 oz)
• Supersmile Professional Whitening Toothpaste (4.2 oz)
• Anastasia Brow Gel in Clear (0.02 oz)
• Colorescience Glow and Go Travel Puff in Pearl Powder (one puff)
• GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Detoxification Formula (four packets)
• Lipstock Cream (2 minis)
• Gift card for $20 off a $100 purchase at Spalook.com

Today’s new coupons:

Benefit Cosmetics coupon: Purchase the Glitz, Glam & Gloss holiday gift set ($26; three double ended lip glosses) and get free shipping. Enter code GLOSSKIT at checkout. Expires November 24. If you spend $35 you will also receive a free full size Miss Popularity highlighter ($24 value), it won’t show up in your cart but it will ship automatically with your order.

Borba coupon: Today only take $10 off all Age Defying and Advanced Aging products. Enter code ADAA at checkout. Valid today only.

Estee Lauder coupon: With any $50 purchase get free shipping plus these freebies: An eyeshadow quad in shades Roseberry Duo, Chocolate, and Ivory Box, Pure Color Crystal lip gloss mini in shade Light Copper, a Beautiful EDP purse spray mini, and a three piece eye brush set. Enter code HOLIDAYLOOK at checkout. Expires November 25 or while supplies last.

Estee Lauder offer: For three days only these seven gift items ship free: Golden Lattice Powder Compact, Golden Cobblestones Powder Compact, Makeup Brush Traveler, Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palette, Mascara Traveler, Lipstick Luxuries, and Gloss to Go. No code needed. Ends November 19.

Fresh coupon: With any purchase get free gift wrap. Enter code GIFT09 at checkout. Expires December 22.

H2O Plus offer: With any $35 purchase you can purchase the Luxury Almond Bath Trio for only $15 (its a $54 value that normally sells for $28). No code needed. Special pricing ends November 25.

Jo Malone coupon: With any purchase receive free shipping, two free fragrance samples, and a deluxe sample of Grapefruit Shower Gel (15 ml). Enter code SEASON09 at checkout. Expires November 22.

L’Occitane offer: Purchase any Limited Edition Gift Set and get free shipping (even the $12 soap trios are included). No code needed. Expiration unknown.

Lancome coupon: With any $50 purchase receive free shipping plus six deluxe samples: Definicils mascara, Le Rouge Absolu lipcolor in Amanda Sucree, eye shadow quad in shades Daylight, Icy, Snap, and Statuesque, Bi-Facil, Genifique, and Absolue Premium Bx SPF 15 cream. Enter code ADDICT3 at checkout. While supplies last. Through Friday also get three additional deluxe samples: Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup in Matte Buff, L’Absolu Rouge listick in Exotic Orchid, and Juicy Tubes Ultra Shiny Lipgloss in Hallucination.

Lancome coupon: With any $50 purchase receive free shipping plus six deluxe samples: Le Rouge Absolu lipcolor in Champagne, Color Fever Shine lipcolor in Tempt Me, eyeshadow compact with seven shades in Off the Rack, Snap, Backstage Pass, Waif, Volcano, Statuesque, and Daylight, Hypnose mascara, Bi-Facil, and Absolue Premium Bx SPF 15 cream. Enter code WARMTH at checkout. While supplies last. Through Friday also get three additional deluxe samples: Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup in Matte Buff, L’Absolu Rouge listick in Exotic Orchid, and Juicy Tubes Ultra Shiny Lipgloss in Hallucination.

Prescriptives coupon: With any $50 purchase get free shipping and a free full size lip brush ($16 value). Enter code LUSTRE at checkout. Expires November 21.

Skinstore coupon: 20% off any purchase (though some brand exclusions do apply). Enter code HOL20 at checkout. Expires December 2.

Smashbox coupon: Spend $60 and get a free Shadow & Liner Trio in Hot Date ($28 value), enter code HOLIDAY1; spend $75 and get Shadow & Liner Trio in Hot Date plus a Precision Liner Brush #28 ($48 value), enter code HOLIDAY2; spend $100 and get Shadow & Liner Trio in Hot Date, a Precision Liner Brush #28, plus a Lip Enhancing Gloss in shade Gilded ($66 value), enter code HOLIDAY3. All codes expire November 24. Cannot be combined with Let’s Do Lunch promotion.

Smashbox Let’s Do Lunch offer: Today only make any purchase and checkout between 9AM-2PM PST and you will receive a free full size Lip Enhancing Gloss in shade Protege ($18 value). You will also get free shipping. No code needed, cannot be combined with other offers.

Spalook offer: Spend $100 and you will receive $30 in Spaloot good towards your next purchase. No code needed. Ends November 23.

Clinique decided to dazzle the holidays with violets: Black Tie Violets, to be exact. I need to make a confession: I love violet makeup. Plums, lavenders, smoky purples…they are all a hit with my coloring (fair cool-toned skin, green eyes, light blonde hair), and I have more shades of violet in my makeup bag than I’m willing to admit. Needless to say, I’m thrilled to see this collection. And if you don’t have coloring like mine, you will happy to learn that these shades flatter mostly all skintones.

Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher ($29.50) contains 4 bars of blush nestled side-by-side to give you a glowing, multidimensional flush. It starts out with a light pink and ends with a lavender finish. Swirled together, these colors blend to give you a customized glow. Love.

The Color Surge Eyeshadow Quad in Black Tie Violets ($25) is a dream come true for eyes. 4 pans of velvety rich color infused with shimmer will light up eyes. Start with the lightest pink shadow, sweeping it from brow to lashline. Use the darker pink on lids, and the light chocolate plum in the crease. Define the outer corners with the darkest shade in the compact, and you have eyes glammed up for day or night.

Made to complement the Color Surge Quad, Brush-on Cream Liner in Violet Luxe ($14.50) is a shimmering lavender-plum. I adore cream liners lately, and this one even comes with a mini brush to create a perfectly-defined eye.

I think the lip products are really where this collection gets really interesting. The colors are simply amazing, and beyond flattering. Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine Gloss ($17.50) is a dream come true for thin-lipped ladies. The triple-action plumping gloss puffs lips for up to 6 hours. And even if you don’t need a lip boost, the colors are to die for. Just look at them!

High Impact Lip Color SPF15 in Extreme Pink ($14) is one of my favorite new lipsticks. The color is just ridiculous! Look at how vibrant and luscious the pink color is. I adore this. Added bonus: the color is super comfortable on lips, and moisturizes while you wear it, unlike other lipsticks that tend to dry out lips.

So my girl Stella recommended a new product for me that she is so enthusiastic about I have to try it for myself (and obviously boyfriend has to try as well). It’s Clinique’s Turnaround Radiance Peel, a once-a-week peel that is the equivalent of a 30% glycolic peel over 8 weeks. The system supposedly refines your skin over time by “training” skin cells to generate more quickly and frequently through exfoliation. There are a few obvious advantages: the stress on your skin is minimal and not noticeable at once, so you don’t have to deal with a sandblasted face, the convenience and ease of doing it at home, and the price — at $55 it’s essentially $7 a week, which, if effective, is a great value.

The reviews on MakeupAlley are not amazing but there are only five and it seems like three of them didn’t give the product a chance to work before reviewing it. The reviews on Clinique’s website are much better and there’s a bigger sample. Stella said this peel made her pores shrink, her skin glow, and her overall tone even. She is used to fancy facials on a regular basis so if she is raving about this mask something good must be going on.

Boyfriend and I tried this out last night. We completely washed our faces, applied the peel with a cotton ball, and finished with our normal moisturizer. He had some redness on his forehead and little bumps, like a rash, but it faded after 30 minutes and the application of the calming cream. My skin tingled — in some placed it felt slightly uncomfortable — but by the time I applied moisturizer there was redness but no pain.

Clinique Turnaround Radiance Once-A-Week System, available at Bloomingdale’s, $55

Update: I wrote this entry last night and was all set to post this today with a “no changes yet—will update next week” but I am already seeing a difference. The red rough patches on my forehead are almost totally gone and my chin is smooth and has no spots. Usually my big complaint is that my chin has permanent clogged pores just under the skin so the skin is really uneven and tends to breakout. The change is startling. Can’t wait for next week! I would do it again tonight if I could but the Clinique girls were really adamant about sticking to the schedule.

What better way to spend a saturday morning than conjuring up a new look for fall. Through in Mom and a friend and it is a guaranteed good time. We dared to go sans makeup to perfect our faces for optimum result. I am definately a victim of “Brow Beating”. I have finally through a series of rogaine and tinting have established a brow that needs only to be filled in. Honey on the other hand has extremely blond brows that need to be pumped up. We started off with our friends at Clinique to create a flawless complexion. Next we headed over to see our “Mac” daddy for the color details. As Nordy’s does not carry Urban Decay, Mac is next in line. His attention to detail and blunt honesty is refreshing. He is not a shark in the commision waters, yet an artist with his clients best aesthetic in mind. I have been straightened out by him in thoughts of what works. I had been primarily been using a powder to define my brows. He let me no powder is great for creating, but pencil is for filling in and defining. He also mentioned something I have always been a believer in: heavy eye+ light lip or light eye + vibrant lip. With the porcelain comlexion I opt for, the look I fave been favoring is more of the forties glam. I can also disguise my transitioning mullet with curls and bobby pins. I mixed it up today with a tiny flat iron and straightened out my stray curls for a change up with a lil bit of a rocker/scene do. Their is nothing like an artist who is truly talented. I could spend many a weekend changing up my look. Honey looked uber glam with a flawless, sun kissed face and a rich plum glossed lip. Joni rolled back that years with a warm mauve lip and jazzy eye.

Lots of big things occurred this last winter. To summarize; job application, house hunting, Bangkok conference presentation, wedding preparation and not to mention the tough O&G exam. I really have to juggle my times between these matters, and to avoid over-stressing myself, I usually head out of Melbourne to get some fresh air. I’ve to admit that I got to the point where I lost my head a few times, sometimes I felt completely head over heels, but hubby reminded me that we should put our heads together in these (Well, that’s a lots of heads..lol..Just for the fun of of it.. Don’t even know if I’m using these idioms correctly). Here’s my story:

My Application for Internship

My resume isn’t that great, plus my very average mark for my below average effort are not getting me anywhere. So I thought; I better work on it and so I did!  i.e. the Bangkok presentation which consumed some of my times. When I was doing my paediatric rotation that I realised the clinical school isn’t going to inform on the opening dates for the application so I better check it out and register my name on PMCV (Post-graduate Medical council of Victoria).  The registration was just the beginning of all the hassle.

Sometimes I thought; why do we have to apply for jobs when we’re greatly in demand? Why couldn’t the hospitals just offer us jobs and save us from all this hassle (like in Malaysia)?

For the locals, yes they’re guaranteed a place but for not us. Well, this is a separate issue and I won’t babble about it here. But there is an interesting article for you to read regarding inadequate intern position in Australia “Medical students in no-pay offer as intern crisis bites”.

My preferences were metropolitan hospitals (Austin, RMH, Western, Box Hill, Alfred), Frankston, Southern Health and Geelong, excluding St V hehe. My reason for choosing these hospitals is very clear: I want to live in Melbourne. So interstate was out of the question. Alhamdulillah all works out well, I got an offer from Western. New hospital, new ambience, new experience= I’m definitely up for it.

My offer letter. Details have been scribed for confidentiality

There’s a funny story behind my interview with Western Hospital. 2 hours prior to the interview, I went to the Northern Hospital to collect the signatures for my obstetric logbook. To my frustration, the doctors were not there on that day. Then I drove straight to the interview which was scheduled at 3.30 pm. I overlooked the map (silly mistake); there is no exit from the main road to the highway that gets to the hospital. I was late, and very anxious. I figured perhaps I shouldn’t come at all; but I made a wise decision: called them and told them I’d be 15 minutes late because of the traffic. Deep within my heart, I knew that my chance to get employed has banished, thanks to my very good first impression. Surprisingly, I managed to impress the interviewer when I told him about my possible field of interest; and he applauded me for being ‘non-judgemental’. Plus; when I told him I’d like more exposure to Infectious disease (ID), and so he offered the single intern position in ID. I guess that was how I got the job. I found out that I was matched early Monday morning on PMCV website. I was hysterical to find out that I was matched to the very hospital that I thought I had no chance! And whilst I was still hysterical, I received a call from Western Hospital’s staff congratulating me on my employment offer, I said “it’s great isn’t it??!!” I clearly failed to mask my extreme feeling of contentment.I’m so glad most of colleagues managed to get an intern spot despite the high competition amongst the international students. Congratulation to Aliya and Muth (Frankston), Faiz and Mar (Frankston), Azni (Austin), Wahyuna, Rei and Syafirul (Adelaide).

Just to share some few tips regarding the interviews:

1. Austin: Book your interview time online early, the longer you delay, the more difficult for you to organise the interview time to suit your study schedule. They’ll segregate you into a group of 8 and ask you; to describe yourself in 2 minutes and then 2 group tasks to be completed. Finally they’ll test your vocabulary by asking you to describe in one word on; internship experience etc. Very hard to stand out.
2. RMH: Book your interview time online. Again this is a group interview. They’ll segregate you into 8 and you only have one chance to speak up. Each candidate has a 5 minute chance to talk about themselves, their achievements + hobbies, why they wanted to work at RMH, how they could contribute and what they wish to gain. These informations aren’t told in any guidelines, but generally these are the things that you should inform them. What you have to do is to write a page long summary on the above matters and memorise it. Keep on practising your script until you memorize it. Do it in front of your friends (who aren’t applying for the same place haha). Because in the actual interview, you’ll have 10 audiences listening to every word that you say; and there is no chance to screw it up.
3. Western: The only way to book for your appointment is during the Medical Career Expo (find out about the date on PMCV). Be there early, and scribble your interview time on the available time slots (refer to you class schedule first). Western Hospital has a one on one interview session; you’ll be interviewed by one interviewer for 20-30 minutes. Questions; tell me about yourself, your future field of interest and some clinical situations e.g. what makes up a good intern, what do you do if your friend intern is not coping. Impress them or go for a field that has the least competition e.g. psych.
4. Box Hill: I don’t remember how I booked the interview but I think you have to call them up. Anyway, it was a ‘2 interviewers for each candidate’ session. Questions they asked were: Tell us about yourself + why Eastern Health + what do you wish to gain from Eastern Health, 2 clinical situations i.e. if a patient insist on giving you an expensive gift, how to handle disagreement with a nurse.
5. Geelong: They’ll call you to set an interview time. Interview was very short ~ 10 minutes (and I drove all the way to Geelong for 45 minutes!). Funny thing was; they asked you questions as if they’ve employed you i.e. what rotation do you want to do, any annual leave that you can’t miss. And of course the golden question on; why Geelong Hospital.
6. Southern Health: They said that due to the enormous amounts of applications, they’ll shortlist the candidates. The truth is Monash graduates will get more priority. But I’m thankful that I didn’t get Southern because they could place you for rural placement 2 or 3 times a year, so 10 weeks x 2/3 times in rural= not for me!. They asked for ridiculous information in your cover letter i.e. your inspiration and 2 clinical experiences that changed the way you practise medicine. Sounds so SPM-like question.Plus, it’s compulsory for you to attend the information night (they tick your name off omg!). Good luck though!
7. Alfred: They only took 1 international student the year before, and there was almost no chance they’ll hire more. Why did I even bother trying?
8. There is no interview for Frankston Hospital. So impress them with your resume!

The battle for me wasn’t over after the interviews. I had exams and also had to hunt for a new place to stay. We’ve applied to more than 10 houses before we managed to get a house. And the day I finished exam was the day we moved out, basically very minimal rest. I had to unpack and get the house ready for my big day in 3 weeks. That’s why I took a self-proclaimed holiday during the start of the semester. I have to say I’m surprised at how I could handle all of these at the same time and keep up with my study. Thanks to the help I received especially to hubby who was being very supportive. Bigger and newer challenges are yet to come once I step into the “Work” world. I have no idea what challenges are awaiting me; but I’m definitely up for it. Gambate ne!!!!

P/S: Victoria is the lowest paying state compare to the other states. Although the idea of moving out of Melbourne sounds like an enormous decision, you’ll get better pay. Perth is definitely the place to go (4 hours from Malaysia=balik kampong once fortnightly?). However, bad news is more graduates will flood the market and the competition WILL get tougher. I know my Med colleagues in the pre-clinical years are doing very well, so keep up the good work    In the end, it doesn’t matter where you’ll end up for your internship because if you’re good, you’ll find your way back to the major hospital. To maximise your chance of employment, apply interstate. Plus, it’s good to work in different places because you’ll gain more experience.

]]> http://marifette.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/radiotherapie/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:45:56 +0000 marifette http://marifette.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/radiotherapie/

Radiothérapie.

Clinique Pasteur. Atrium. Clinac 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Un transistor suspendu au plafond coloré des espaces d’attente émet en continue des musiques débilitantes. Ça soûle les esprits, ça éloigne les génies et ça évite de trop penser. Sauf que…

On ne peut parler de salle d’attente en bonne et due forme car ici l’inconfort règne avec en plus une froideur prégnante et une atmosphère plus qu’impersonnelle.

A peine accueilli par des secrétaires distantes, le malade est happé par ces longs couloirs dotés de sièges d’attente en plastique dur ou se pose son corps qui semble ramolli, devenu comme amorphe sans doute par l’excès de traitement.

N’est-ce pas aussi  un défaut d’information sur les traitements qui occasionne ces regards parfois inquiets, trop souvent angoissés ?

On entre dans une cabine pour enlever les vêtements du morceau de corps qui sera dans quelques instants irradiée. On entre ensuite dans un sas, une boîte étanche pour bénéficier du traitement miraculeux.

Le sas est rempli de machines qui se déplacent lentement au dessus de votre corps allongé pour l’occasion. Les machines sont actionnées par des techniciens en radiothérapie qui appuient sur des boutons sans trop se poser de question sur les pourquoi et le comment des doses préconisées par le roi oncologue-radiothérapeute qui siège au premier étage de l’atrium.

-« On ne peut pas se tromper, c’est l’ordinateur qui fait ses calculs…Pas d’inquiétude Madame, vous pouvez être rassuré… »

Le fameux roi est devenu invisible ou presque. Le roi fait ses calculs dans son coin et suit les protocoles en action à cette période de l’année, dans ce lieu précis. En Italie ou en Allemagne, le traitement serait différent…

Le médecin-roi sait, il connaît et les consultations post-traitements restent basiques et peu intéressantes. Les radiothérapeutes faisaient l’école buissonnière pendant les rares cours de psychologie de la fac de médecine. Surtout éviter de flirter avec la complexité de la maladie et des états émotionnels occasionnés par celle-ci sur les malades.

I’ve done my first exam..so I deserve to write 1 entry. Btw, I seriously think I fail the investigation station, because I just realised I read the questions wrongly. So, see anyone in the sup exam okay?

What’s so special about my trip to Bangkok? Nothing much, this trip wasn’t a holiday trip, but more of a semi-holiday plus work trip.

It all started last year when Prof texted me to send an abstract to the Harm Reduction committee, for the April conference in Bangkok. Previous year it was held at Barcelona. I went along with the idea, hoping that I could a poster up at the conference. But I got more than what I bargained for;

Dear respective speaker,

Invitation to Speak in a Major Session at ‘Harm Reduction 2009′ – Bangkok, Thailand, 20th to 23rd April 2009

I was perplexed; excited, terrified, confused and stunned. I’m not a good public speaker; I wasn’t gifted with the gift of  the gab. I remember how terrified I was when I had to speak at Monash global health seminar regarding my research as part of the HIV/AIDs awareness talks. Prof had to call me up personally and begged me to represent him. I thought he was the one who wanted to talk, that’s why I consented to participate in the whole idea. Who knew, he meant him=me. Speaking in an audience of 50 was nerve-wrecking enough, but this was out of the question. No way was I going to get on the stage with international audiences/conference to speak about my tiny irrelevant insignificant research! But then again; I would be so foolish to let go of this opportunity. So I closed my eyes and clicked the “I accept” button.

My local supervisor was equally excited and prepared to pay for my Melb-MYS flight ticket, and my other expenses was sponsored by the Malaysian Aids Council. So who wouldn’t want to surpass this opportunity? There were some problems though.

1. It coincided with the first week of O & G term. The first week consists of 4 ½ days of lectures and an exam at the end of the week. The exam accounts for 4% of our final mark. After weighing the pros and cons, I thought; bugger it. I could afford to make up for the lost 4% in my final exam (so confident, masking my worry).
2. I had no contact with the team I was going with. It was only in the last week before departing then, I’ve got in touch with Dr N who was the manager of MAC. He was surprisingly a nice family man, a medical graduate from Adelaide (orthopaedic), the person whom I trusted most out of the team for reasons which I think are inappropriate to share. Luckily I wasn’t the only female in the group of 10. And there were some familiar faces too; the people whom I worked with during my research term.
3. The week before I departed was when the riot in BKK began. It was the headlines of the news, and my phone was full with texts from family and the team regarding the riot. My family was terribly scared and advised me not to go; but they know me better. I didn’t mind going as long as the airport wasn’t hijacked. My email was flooded with string emails from the members of the team, expressing their concerns and decisions. Some even decided not to go for fear of their safety. One by one pulled out, so I was worried I might ended up going alone. I almost called the airline to cancel my ticket; but then the news update informed that the situation was under controlled. Plus the reassuring email from the organizer;

“…. we’d like to let everyone know that the city is in full swing with New Year celebrations and it is business as usual. As you will all have seen on the news, the protests (which were taking place some 10 kms from the conference location) were peacefully dissolved on Tuesday and the local people are getting on with the celebrations in a big way (as in fact they were starting to do while the protests were on)…. We’d like to extend a very warm welcome to you all from a warm and peaceful Bangkok.”

And this email was followed by another email asking whether I’d still present at the conference. Which I thought was funny.

I departed from KL on Sunday morning, and to cut it short, we arrived at the hotel safe and sound. The situation in BKK was really overrated by the media. BKK was calm; everything was operating normally, as if nothing major had happened. In fact, the city was busy and lively as usual. The weather was very warm and humid. Forget make-up. It’ll melt the moment you step out of the hotel room, even at night. What I gained from the conference;

1. Met numerous people; whom I failed to recall their names (my diary is full with their business cards though). Many Malaysian figures especially doctors. Dato’ Robocop was even there, presented how the program changed his approach towards Intravenous Drug Users, repented his past doings and now seen as the merciful Robocop.
2. Malaysia has giant steps towards improving this program in Malaysia. A global view on the Harm Reduction program across all countries really made me realized that we have lots to do. The countries which have implemented these programs for years are providing help and services which are all-incorporating, which are proving to be fruitful.
3. IVDUs are truly being wrongly treated. There were active and peaceful demonstrations during the conference, demanding IVDUs to be treated as human (and I got a free T shirt hehe). It was very disturbing to see the videos that were displayed on how inhumane these unfortunate people are being treated. One video was showing the IVDU’s hand tied at his back and was left being bitten by dogs, and the other being bashed using the police batons.
4. Other new inputs which were very refreshing but I think I’ll be flooding the entry with just my opinions. Again; nobody ask for it so I’ll keep them to myself. Continue on; I do think that Harm Reduction program is being underutilised and heaps of improvements need to be done. Do I think that this program is the absolute answer to fighting drugs? Honestly, I don’t. Because the idea of supplying them with paraphernalia just doesn’t seem 100% right, but the question is; what is NECESSARY to curb the ever growing HIV epidemic. Maybe somewhere down the line, we’ll find better solutions and perhaps the cure. As the hadith says, “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.” I’ve received a lot of exposure towards and this field, and have established some networks but still uncertain whether this is the field that I’ll pursue.

Of course I did some leisure especially after I’ve presented at the conference. Places that I’ve I went to were mostly night markets, since we went out as a group at night to do some massive shopping. I couldn’t recall the names of the markets but I remember going to the Patpong market which is very popular with tourists. The ambience and the price are very similar to Petaling Street although the alleys are much more spacious. Beware! If you don’t know how to bargain, you’ll get fool easily with the high price. They’ll mark up the price up to 300% and you’ll have to bargain like crazy and pretend that you’ll walk away. If all means fail, just walk away and if they’re desperate for customers, they’ll come chasing you. What I enjoyed the most was riding the Tut Tut taxi. And again they tried to charged us with an awful high fee. We finally managed to get to a group of tut tur drivers who were willing to cut some slack. The 3 of us rode in the fast speeding Tut Tut, zigzagging our way in the traffic. It was really fun, although the free air was so warm that we were sweating along the way whilst inhaling the generous carbon monoxide from the other vehicles. I really wanted to go to one of the floating markets but then again, I don’t think I’ll be buying anything there. I’ve lost count of how much I spent on souvenirs and calling card (Oh I should say that the pre-paid international calling card is the best! I called Australian line directly from my mobile at a rate of 10 baht per minute, which I think is a very good deal )

Although I did enjoy myself whilst working, I would’ve love it even more if my hubby and family was there. But then it wouldn’t be a work trip, would it? My point is; a fully sponsored work trip + entertainment are not the same as an earned out-of-pocket real holiday trip. Although the later tax your savings account, it’s definitely more memorable. Well, next year Insha’Allah we’ll have our holidays at the same time i.e. mid July. Very excited and looking forward to aim for one of our 8 world wonders!!!

I have to get out of the house and start shopping. I’m nearly ready for the holidays … I desperately need to do some retail therapy for myself. Did I mention Nordstrom’s is having their half-yearly clearance sale? Bonus – Clinique is having their gift with purchase sale! You know you love all those mini versions of Clinique products.

Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher

Brush-on Cream Liner

Eye Shadow Quad

I just saw one of the holiday sets called Black Tie Violets. The blush (in the middle in this photo) is shades of Tuxedo Plums that dust your face, neck and decolletage (love that word) with shades of pinks/plum.

And the four eye shadows are scrumptious in the quad limited edition. There is also a cream eye liner in Violet Luxe that glides along the lashline. And, no it does not make your eyelashes grow a la Brooke Shields.

Love love love these colors. They were made for me you know!

Shop on!

My nails are perpetually ignored. The last time I went in for a mani, the nail tech was completely confused by my instructions. Nails short, don’t cut cuticles, and NO POLISH. Poor woman couldn’t handle it. She was especially apoplectic about the lack of polish. (I can’t polish my nails because it traps bacteria, so it’s unsanitary. If you have an esthetician who has polish on the nails, run the other way.)

So, rather than a repeat of this scenario over and over again, I opt for DIY manis. But those who read me regularly know I have a real problem scheduling my own treatments. Manicures particularly annoy because they feel so time-consuming. It’s the soak part that gets me every time. I never soak long enough because I can’t stand to sit still.

This weekend, I had an epiphany. I got all my manicure implements out and then tackled the piled up dishes. By the time I was done, my nails were sufficiently soaked and softened. I used Clinique’s Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream on my cuticles and pushed them back, then trimmed and filed. I followed up with some Vitamin E rubbed into the cuticles and slathered of another layer of Deep Comfort all over my hands and nails.

Nails look great and dishes are done! Multitasking manis rock.

In order to achieve healthy, radiant skin, it is very important to keep your skin clean and moisturized . There are many skincare products that I swear by: some are inexpensive and can be found at any drugstore, but I often like to splurge on expensive products found at Sephora. I swear by these products, and I have noticed that my skin has improved dramatically since I started using this regimen.

Everyone has different skin. My skin tends to be on the dry side, and I have post-acne blemishes that are difficult to get rid of. The overall texture and tone of my skin has improved noticeably thanks to the following products.

In the Morning

First, I wash my face with Serious Skincare Glycolic Cleanser ($36.50 at HSN.com).

Serious Skin Care Glycolic Cleanser

I apply it to dry skin, wait five minutes, and then rinse with lukewarm water. The glycolic cleanser is a chemical exfoliant, which goes deep into the layers of your skin to remove the buildup of dead skin cells which can dull your complexion. The low pH balance and natural glycolic exfoliators make it perfect for deep pore cleansing, dissolving and dislodging the cellular glue that contributes to the abnormal build up of dead skin cells. I have only been using this product for a week, and I have already noticed an improvement in my complexion.

Biore Toner

Next, just to make sure my skin is clean, I swipe some toner on my face with cotton pads. I don’t really have a specific toner that I use. I’m currently using Biore’s Triple Action Toner, which is around $8 at Target or CVS. I tend to have dry skin, so I use one that isn’t too harsh on my skin.

After that, I liberally apply Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion ($24 at Sephora) all over my face, including in my eye area. I really like this product because it’s light, non-greasy, and doesn’t take forever to soak into my skin. I tend to have dry skin because I use prescription products n my skin to help treat and prevent acne. My skin also gets pretty dry in the Winter, and this moisturizer is perfect for my dry skin. I’ve been using this stuff since July, and I’m not even halfway done with my bottle! So it’s definitely worth the price.

Clinique Dramatically Different Face Moisturizing Lotion

Lastly, I apply Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector ($39.50 at Sephora). I had been searching high and low for a product to help treat my post-acne redness and blemishes, and I have finally found something that works! I have been using this product twice a day for a little over two months, and I have

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector

noticed a significant difference in my overall skin tone. I also have some post-acne blemishes, which are slowly beginning to fade. The product also makes my skin feel so smooth and moisturized. Though it’s a little pricey (39.50 for 1 ounce), it’s well worth it, in my opinion. However, if you don’t have the money or your skintone is pretty even, I would recommend skipping this product.  I follow this step with Philosophy’s On a Clear Day Acne Clarifying Foundation Primer ($30 at Sephora), and then Clinique’s Even Better Foundation ($24.50 at Sephora). The two aforementioned products will be reviewed in a future entry.

In the Evening

I think one of the biggest mistake most women make is going to bed without removing their makeup and washing their skin. I always notice a significant difference in the health of my skin if I do not wash my face before bed. Washing your face before bed allows your skin to breathe, washes away any dirt and makeup that clog your pores (and therefore trap bacteria under your skin–which leads to acne). I am most likely to break out if I don’t wash my skin before bed!

Olay Daily Facials Hydrating Cleansing Cloths

To remove makeup, I use Olay Daily Facials Hydrating Cleansing Cloths. I got a huge pack of these at BJ’s for around 10 dollars in August, and I’m not even halfway done with these! You’re supposed to use these in place of toner and a moisturizer, but I’m crazy about keeping my skin clean, so I take it a step further.

Next, I wash my face with Serious Skin Care Glycolic Cleanser, wait five minutes for the product to soak into my skin and do its thing, then I rinse with lukewarm water.

After that, I use Biore’s Triple Action Toner again to make sure my skin is clean.

Finally, I use Fresh Soy Face Cream ($38 at Sephora). I use this in place of Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion because the Soy Face Cream is more concentrated, and helps to restore skin’s moisture while I sleep.

Fresh Soy Face Cream

Lastly, I finish with Clinique Even Better Skintone Corrector.