Hi Ho... Hi Ho...

When life gives you lemons, what should you do?

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The optimist will:

a) Have tequila and salt ready to party.

b) Make lemonade.

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The pessimist will:

a) Whine that the lemon is bitter.

b) Look glum and think that it will only be lemons and more lemons forever.

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The one with anger management issues will:

a) Assume the lemons were some kind of conspiracy against him and claim that the whole world is against him and it is everyone else's fault and never his.

b) Complain very loudly to the manager and demand a refund, compensation and sue life for the lemons.

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The alcoholic will:

a) Make lemon vodka.

b) Drink it with more alcohol.

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The cake-holic will:

a) Make lemon cheesecake.

b) Make lemon meringue/tart/lemon curd/cake.

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The Hong Kee will:

a) Drink it with coke.

b) Drink it with tea.

c) Drink it with coffee.

d) Drink it with anything.

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The Malaysian will:

a) Make lemon chicken.

b) Make Ais Lemon Tea.

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The French will:

a) Make crepes with lemon and icing sugar.

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The absolutely jobless people with too many lemons will:

a) Throw them at empty beer cans lined outside the window to see how many they can knock down.

Wined and Dined

The weekend couldn't have come at a better time. Work has been hectic and full-on lately, so this weekend felt like it was a long time coming. Wednesday saw the ophthalmologist coming home to a changed room and football/beer convention. Thursday saw the peps going for the new Indiana Jones movie. Now, I have never watched any of the older movies so I did not know what to expect. I had it in my little head that it was kinda like Steve Irwin: crocodile hunter. I didn't see any crocodiles. It was pretty funny but totally absurd at some parts. I won't spoil the movie for you but go watch it yourself so that you can go 'WTF' yourself! :)

Friday saw us going out for Simply Thai since we had promised ourselves we will Simply-Thai ourselves till we burst and we had saved our stomachs for one whole week to deserve dinner there. I love Simply Thai! It is the best Thai restaurant here and it was great to have everyone back again. The gang went on to party at Lan Kwai Fong since the Oxford kids we forgot to bring them hadn't been. I think there must be some kind of sedative in Thai green curry because I felt so sleepy after food and only managed to stay out till 3am. The ophthalmologist almost got beaten up by this other American dude who was picking on him. The girls were all dying to tear the poor American guy to pieces but the witless guy had a friend who managed to pull him to safety. We still felt we should have bashed him up. I think we have anger management issues.

Saturday saw us being woken up bright and early because the ophthalmologist and the doctor wanted to hunt some monkeys in Fanling *rolls eyes*. We visited this amazing Taoist temple and had some brilliant vego food. After feeding the mosquitoes and suffering in the heat, humidity and grassy graveyard, I gave up and went shopping while they continued on their monkey hunt. They didn't sight any monkeys though. We went to Tai Po Market after since it was featured in Lonely Planet as an attraction. It was just a wet market. I can't believe we went all the way there to look at your local Pasar Besar. -_- We got pizza for dinner and watched movies on the projector attended a Public Health meeting in A & E to make up for the dissappointment.

The Godbrother arrived on Sunday! =D It was great to see him again after so many years. Needless to say I was wined and dined and present-ed well. I love visitors! We went to the most famous Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong called Yung Kee. Apparently some triad dude got shot point blank while having roast goose there! Cool huh? We did the foodie quick tour in less than 24 hours. I hope he comes back to explore more restaurants because it would be swell to have more eating buddies! One day I will grow fat but not yet. I did an Ankle Brachial Index test on Tuesday and found my arteries are not clogged by donuts yet.

This week is going to be a busy week too. On rainy days like this, you just want to sit on the bed with a green curry and coconut rice watching cooking shows. Or secretly join Facebook to check out the profile that everyone seems intent on making for me. I can't help but be suspicious when dim sum table conversations go like this:

The Medic: "Stella, you need a boyfriend."

The Ophthalmologist: "Yea, one that is an investment banker."

The Doctor: "And has a the power to grant you a China Visa."

The Student: "And has lots of money."

Me: "What? What is this sudden interest in my life?"

The Medic: We need to match you up. We have loaded your page with photos.

The Godbrother: Yea, http://www.match.com/ is good.

I missed my deadline and am now paying for my sins. At least they are more subtle than my mother.

Rainy Days

It is the typhoon season in Hong Kong. And the weather is so horrible it looks exactly like the UK in the middle of winter; only warmer and more humid. =( I hate rain. The watery stuff, not the cute Korean actor. The humidity of this place is particularly undesirable when all your Mesalt dressings start absorbing environmental moisture. Heck, even tampons have to be kept in air-tight containers or else they too will turn soggy due to the high atmospheric water content.

Work has been hectic as usual. We are still working beyond full capacity. Hopefully we will learn to sit back and relax a little more and actually work at more human capacity. I attended a traditional Chinese banquet today and I have to say, it was an eye-opening experience. For one thing, I had no clue how everyone managed to arrive within 30 minutes of clocking off work while we were stuck in traffic for one hour and forty minutes. The food was served extremely fast and before I had set down my chopsticks, my plate will be whisked away from me in anticipation of the next course. Everyone left at 10 o'clock sharp, which was considered late by HK standards as people normally upped and left by 9pm. No lingering and chatting with other people, oh no! You come, you gobble, you go home.

Anyways, the ophthalmologist is coming back tomorrow! I have his room key! :) We are going to move all my dresses and shoes into his closet, and put up naked photos of David the Hasselholf in his closet! It will a sweet homecoming...

Arrghhh! My eyes!!

United China

Anyone who pays attention to the media would have heard about the earthquake that hit China last Monday at 2.28pm with more than 30,000 people perishing in the calamity. Since then, we have been inundated with news on the tragedy. It seems that the highest concentration of deaths and damage was centred at schools and hospitals. This brought up the question on the structural stability of those public buildings as the surrounding buildings had suffered less damage. Most of those who were in the schools were obviously children, who were the only offspring of their parents in this country of the one-child policy. One can only imagine the anguish of the survivors. The countless cases of young bodies being pulled out of the rubble; the battered bodies of the teachers who sacrificed themselves to protect their young charges from certain death; school populations left to mere 10% of survivors... The miracles that exist in this tragedy give you just that little bit of strength to keep believing.

Chinese people around the world are rallying around to provide support for their motherland. Everyone has some form of connection to the people there as the Chinese believe that they are all one huge family. The hospital has sent medical teams to the disaster site to provide medical help. The people have donated vast amounts of money to the relief effort. The Region has observed a 3 minute silence one week after the disaster along with Macau and Mainland China. This will start the official three day mourning period with no commercials to be aired on television as well. Not that I mind the lack of commercials.

While the current concern for the welfare of the less fortunate is all well and good. We must not forget the other countries who are also suffering from various calamities and whose people are unable to receive the aid they should. We must also remember those in perpetual hardship and seek to help them in more sustainable manner. I will continue to pray for the safety of all people especially the most vulnerable members of our society. And pray in earnest to keep my family and friends safe always.

On a lighter note, I realise I can't work 7 day weeks. I would rather get married and grow abdominal fat.

Purple Power

The girls have just told me that they are coming to Hong Kong in August. This has just absolutely made my year. Two of my favourite people in the world of purple are coming all the way to this little island to visit me. They are not coming for the great food, fabulous shopping or the cute boys. They are coming purely to see me. It makes you feel so loved you know? =)

I am in a planning frenzy and will have to map up the perfect itinerary and take them to all my favourite places and show them the local crowd. I want very much for them to be party to my life here. As much as I whine about this country, it is a very challenging and exciting experience and I love being here doing what I do. What I miss is the company I have left behind. So to have said company here is just amazing.

I am off to plan my summer! :) It is a Jawahirian thing to plan a lot. I thought I was OCD-ing but apparently it's normal. So far, there are plans in place till mid June ahaha. I am so sad, I actually organise and make reservations weeks in advance just so that my schedule does no clash and Boyfriend A does not meet Boyfriend B and Boyfriend C will not catch me flirting with Potential Boyfriend D nor will Boyfriend E misunderstand the relationship with Boyfriend F ahahahaha *yea right*.

The Plan:
17th May: Work all day with the Wound Healing Symposium. Dinner with Glaswegian-HongKee's parents.
18th May: Sai Kung seafooding and island hopping with the bankers.
20th May: Dinner with delegates from the symposium.
24th May: Macau trip. Jump off the tallest bungee jump in the world, eat pork chop buns and Portuguese egg tarts.
25-26th May: The Godbrother is here to wine and dine me.
1st June: Sunday Champagne Brunch at Intercontinental Hotel with free-flowing champagne yo.
7th - 8th June: Dragon Boat Festival weekend. Dumpling party, dragon boat race watching, dim sum and the Medic's farewell party.
9th June: Power Puff loses a friend. =(
19th July - 3rd Aug: Home sweet home!
4th Aug - 13th Aug: Ra my love is here! =D
9th Aug - 13th Aug: Nithia my better half is here! =D
14th Aug: Official onset of Depression.

Happy Mother's Day

I Scream - Hello Kitty & Pokemon

Todays International Mother's Day. The one of the many days in the calendar to help forgetful sons remember to appreciate the woman who does their washing, cleaning and cooking all year round. This year Mummy Chai has Miss Lamby to accompany her as well as the fifth-sibling-who-lived-in-Scotland-yet-failed-English. Don't ask... I am astounded that the sister and her sidekick actually managed to fail that subject. Apparently they are giving her Form Five English. This means that:

a) Form Five English is really easy so much so a 10 year old can take it.

b) The 10 year old is too lazy and watches too much tv.
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My father has abstained from giving his views on the matter.

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Mummy Chai has been complaining that we are not around to celebrate with her. So I made it up by going to Harvey Nichols to get her a present not that she is going to get it today. So much for Malaysian Post delivering the card on time. I got pink carnations too and donuts! :) We can always celebrate in her absence!

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The past few weeks has seen me wanting to quit 3 days out of 5 from work. The workload is sometimes too much to bear for one 6 months qualified. The assistant issue looks like it will not be resolved in the immediate future thus increasing the pressure yet again. The referals keep pouring in and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Yet, I still love my job. Eventhough I get about four hours of sleep a night, pimple outbreak, permanent backpain and an ache around my shoulders; eventhough when I don't stop to sit for more than five minutes of the day, even when I have a complusion to clean everything and throw things out and can't sit still; I still wouldn't change my choices. Well, I may one day breakdown and malfunction but so far so good. These are the days when I constantly wish I am back in UK, in the lovely spring sunshine with my Pimms.

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The banker's friend was supposed to come visit Hong Kong last week so we booked a table for the most famous peking duck in the world. And she couldn't come. So between four of us, we managed to overdose on Peking Duck. I am off duck for the forseeable future. At least until the godbrother comes and we have to bring him there again. I think we shall skip duck and have goose. I should go a liquid vege diet and detox. Too many donuts are doing bad things to my system. The pork chop bun and egg tarts don't help either. I am growing fat *shriek*.
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The football is on tonight. As I live with Man U fans I have to go watch the game and hopefully play HSBC Pin generator games! :)

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Plan of Action:
Sunday: Ashford Terrace for dinner. Then to the pub for beer towers and football.
Monday: Cheung Chau Bun Festival! There is going to be a 9000 bun tower where people scramble up and grab as many buns as possible and kids are stuck on sticks like statues! It is only celebrated in Hong Kong and is one of the most sees! The finals are in the middle of the night. I wonder how they see in the dark?

Weekend cometh!

The weekend started early this week. You see, Hong Kong has decided we should have a three day working week and give the over-worked under-paid podiatrists a longer four day weekend. The run-up to the weekend has been pretty hectic to make this break all the more precious.

They are bringing the Olympic Torch to our neck of the woods on Friday. The Hospital has asked everyone to wear red in support of the Olympics and given us limited edition red ' Go China' t-shirts. My department was small enough to be given a 66% quota for the t-shirts. We were also given China and Hong Kong flags to wave. -_- They told us to take a day off work to go stand by the roadside to welcome the Torch. So being the patriotic person I am I did. They told us not to compromise our clinical sessions and rescheduled our lunch hour so that we can go wave Chinese flags in our own time. Oh, did I mention that the Hospital did not get a Public Order Ordinance (POO) so we could be rounded up and locked up. =)

The medic and I went out for after work drinks with the bankers and the lawyers tonight and had lovely Moroccan cuisine and more cocktails after with the banker and his friend. It is a very small world as I find that he is another guy who knows all the KTJ and Taylors peps. It was great food and brilliant company eventhough everyone was dead tired from work today. Tomorrow the pseudo-lawyer and I are heading for our pampering session and to have Mongolian(yet again) and trawl the streets of ShenZhen. I can't wait to have the best dumplings in the world! *love it* Saturday will see us having Dim Sum and roast Pigeon while trashing the opthamologist's room. I haven't planned my Sunday but will probably be some form of eating marathon as usual. =)

I can't decide to go to Macau on Friday of stay back and wave a flag for 2 hours. Hmm... Or maybe I can go to the bank?

*Dumplings *Yum*