Sunday, June 29, 2008
Trip to the bird park
Received a trio of complimentary tickets from a colleague! Really can't remember when was the last time I visited the bird park. A decade ago, maybe? To be honest, it's still intriguing, even though I bet some of the exhibits had already been there since when I last visited. There was a show of flightless birds this time, with the glaring absence of the kiwi. Shame.
Saw this REALLY ugly bird at the entrance - some African bird called a shoebill.
And now for the pretty ones - Queen Victoria's crowned pigeon. These were gorgeous!! I really didn't expect pigeons to get this large though. they were the size of chickens.
And this strange one really brings into perspective the meaning of "Adam's apple". It's some sort of hornbill I think.
And the ubiquitous flamingos.
Oooh I loved the sun conures!! I used to play with them while working with an avian vet, and they used to be awfully expensive back then. Cute, sunny little things.
Wenky
11:40 PM
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
Of Writing
Well I finally splurged on a decent pen today - it's a Lamy Vista fountain pen. Not exactly splurged, but $47 for a pen really is rather steep. It writes beautifully though, and the nice part is that I now am spared the pain of writing down hard. Not that I'm going to use it at work - no, it's a tad too frivolous for that.
Haven't been too prolific with blog-writing these days. Most of the stuff I just talk over in my own head. Yeah, not healthy.
Hmm. Been really dishing out the dough for nice things lately. Got a new pair of work shoes. I'd argue vehemently that this particular isn't a Want - it's a Need. Just look at my newly-cultivated corn and strained arch. Damn that piece of shit of a Bata. Just because I was feeling a little miserly that day.
Remember I made a second batch of mead some months back, using Leatherwood honey? Well, it's aged up a little and tasting all alcohol-y now. Just need to wait for a good day to go get some camden tablets. Planning to use this to halt the dormant yeasts, then back-sweeten the mead with more honey.
Anyway, some long-overdue pics of plants. First up, Tillandsia xerographica finally flowered! This was actually a rescue plant I bought for like $5 while it was shriveled and dying (xerographica sells for like $60 I think). I've taken to occasionally fertilising the tiny flowers as and when I do remember, but in any case the plant will be producing pups later on. More of a just-for-fun thing to see if I can get any Tillandsia seeds.
The Sarracenia haven't been really prolific with flowering this year - so far it's only been S. x popei "red", but I ain't complaining - it's got such lovely brick-red flowers!
Wenky
11:21 PM
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Thinking too much about whats going to happen will not help, I think. Midlife crisis rearing its ugly head again, more likely than not. Heck, maybe I'll just take things as they come - easier said than done, of course. Been 1.5 months. 1/3 into this. And later? Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
At some point in time, you come to realise (and get upset at the same time) that no one's there to guide you any more. Life's pretty scary. When trouble comes your way, you have to face up to it yourself. Sure, you'll be lucky if you have someone to bitch to, but who'll be bailing you out of it? Just you.
I keep telling myself, I'm like 2* years old - that's
supposed to be our prime in life. But what have I been doing/am I doing/will I be doing? Studying my ass off/working my ass off/spending 2 primetime years being totally unproductive/more of working my ass off. =) Feeling all grey today, eh?
I know, I just need a break. Which is coming in August, thank goodness. Shall schedule even more breaks for Sept, Oct and Nov.
The search of the elusive Happy Pill is now on.
Wenky
7:03 AM
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Saturday, June 07, 2008
Fishy
Is it just me, or does everyone else also not understand what the hell the CPF schemes are about? Yes, I said "schemeS", not "scheme". Correct me if I misunderstood, but wasn't it originally set up as a form of compulsory savings which you may retrieve
if when you reach 55 years old?
So, I visited the CPF site today. Yes, with all their popping, tumbling, flashing images reminiscent of those free Geocities websites. Assuming you are non-Singaporean, and have absolutely no idea what CPF means or what it's about. You go to the website with just the simplest questions in mind:
1. How much of my wages do I need to allocate to this thing?
2. When can I take it out?
And then you realise that all those popping, tumbling, flashing images give you absolutely no information at all.
After a tiresome hour of trawling through the website, I have gathered thus:
- ~35% of your income is placed into your CPF fund each month
- This amount of money is then split into 3 components - an ordinary account that can be used for housing and investments, a special account that you're not allowed to touch, and an account for your doctor to charge you from when you're ill.
- So assuming you reach 55 without using any of that money, you can withdraw your "compulsory savings", EXCEPT $120, 000 which will be withheld and trickled down to you every month as a steady income until it runs out (or until you die).
But, now there's this other compulsory scheme called CPF LIFE where you pay a premium (much like insurance, yes) to have that withheld money invested to guarantee you a monthly payment until you die, irregardless of how much you have left.
I just find it extremely odd that explanations are made in generalised statements, instead of showing real figures and examples. Surely, given the extreme complexity of the website which seem targeted at people with "5 or even 6 brains", they would think more highly of the mental capabilities of their audience? (I'm sorry - couldn't resist
quoting Carla Bruni!) Take this statement from their FAQ for example:
11. Why must CPF LIFE be compulsory? As LIFE will be part of the Minimum Sum Scheme, there is merit in including all those who benefit from it. For members with adequate balances, it is necessary for the national scheme to be mandatory to avoid deficiencies created through adverse selection and opt-outs. Erm. What exactly is meant by that, pray tell? As an analogy:
Patient's family: "Why must he be put on antibiotics?"
Me: "As antibiotics are part of our treatment, it is important for him to be on antibiotics so that it will be good for him. For patients like him, antibiotics are necessary to prevent complications because of lack of antibiotics."
Oh wow. Brilliant.
Wenky
7:40 AM
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Thursday, June 05, 2008
In a bad state now. Throat's burning, head's throbbing, brain's screaming to be shut down right now. Imagine an induced coma for like a couple of months - wow! Of course, in the meantime maybe they'll starve me and I'll actually shed some weight. It's probably the stress. You can laugh, but I wake up every morning thinking "fuck!! Another day, another round", and my blood pressure probably hovers at 180-200 mm Hg systolic from 8 to 11.30 am, back down to 120 mm Hg, and then 130-140 mm Hg in the evening when the new cases stream in. Going to chart a countdown when I'll be finally out of here. Yes, hovering on the edge of tipping over into a state of serious illness.
Looking forward to my period of leave. Really yearn to just get out of here, switch of my fucking handphone and just spend hours really LIVING. Like sitting at a beach and breathing, and feeling the wind in my face and with the golden sunset in my eyes.
Wenky
6:07 PM
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Just changed over yesterday, out of the frying pan into the fire. I really do start to miss my old boss. He was strict, yes, but not nasty.
Anyway, found yet another good resource for looking up funds -
sgfunds.comIt's a discussion forum, but it does have some insightful articles scattered here and there. Even more obsessed about retiring now, given the circumstances. Lol.
Wally's gotten mites I think. Shall have to start him on treatment tonight.
***
In clinic now, hah. So frickin' glad I have clinic today, cos I don't have to round. Yes, my boss is *that* evil. =(
Was just browsing through random blogs (found on this com's history). Non-medical blogs are so much more interesting.
Wenky
6:50 AM
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