Changes!

For two years or so, I have not bothered to change my blog template -but, because exams are approaching, it is only appropriate that I procrastinate by updating the template to a 3-column style, with the left-most column reserved for relevant links and right-most column for blog navigation and chat.

I'm sure you would have noticed a big colour change, from the gloomy "Dots - Black" template, I am now using 565 template (who knows what 565 means really?!)

I have added my favourite medical and non-medical books list - hopefully, the booklist will be helpful :)

The state of broadband in Bendigo

It has been years since I last had to wait more than 10mins for a 1.3MB download. Yes, even dialup could be faster...though not always.

The most frustrating part of it was having conversations on MSN truncated - making me look like I'm ignoring people and making me feel like the whole world was ignoring me :(

Well that's that when you have to share a 512/128Kbit line with everyone in the hostel (and yes, there's 3 floors of 16 rooms each floor...do the maths).

Bendigo: A showcase

Yes it's my fourth week in Bendigo now - and look at the pictures I've got myself. No, Bendigo's not rural, it's called regional. Basically it means a city in the bush. Kinda like Shah Alam or Seremban back in Malaysia :)The hospital itself ain't too bad - people there are mostly quite friendly, and are usually quite happy to help. There's always the odd ones out and the special situations, like when the whole group was told we weren't wanted for the morning wardround - and all of us were dripping wet from walking in the rain to make it for the round. Myers came from here - before they were swallowed up by the Sydney-side Grace Bros. and started to lose money. Still I haven't had time to actually explore the town too much yet, and may just do that tomorrow - if it doesn't rain.

For a place that's complaining of drought, it's raining awfully a lot here recently. When we first came four weeks ago, Bendigo's in Stage 5 water restriction and was expected to run out of clean water in NOV 2007 (I've never expected to be in a place that can run out of water in my lifetime) - but I reckon it should be all right till next year now :p

Funny how I spent my Friday night - not in a pub, not in a club, not in a cinema, nor in a party - I was in the emergency department till around 11.30pm. It's actually so much more fun being there as a clinical student rather than a research student. Still, with exams looming, everyone's a little stressed out about it. Short case, long case, MCQs - there's so much to learn and so little time. But it's okay, because we're medical students - impossible is what we do everyday (whoa!).

Easter holidays

It's that time of the year again - everyone's feeling a little tired; the stress of coming exams sky-rocketing; and we have a one-week break - and we ARE medical students. So what else do we do other than...studying?


Already a few people have organised 'revision' groups for the week-long holidays.

Me? I want to just have break, play some badminton - and join those people for revision :(