Back To Where I Once Was With Something New

  Two years now, a whole two years it has been since I've started off on this blog: Life, as we know it. And here I am again, sipping freshly brewed cappuccino, just the way it was two years ago. Who knew time would've passed by that fast, and oh, before I forget, Happy New Year 2014 to all my readers!


  Well, it just comes down to ironicy that I've started out my 1st blog post here in Starbucks. Much has happen in between now and then, at least to mii that is. The ever-changing tick of the clock has brought to where I am today. Being a medical student in my 4th year, time really is money to mii now. It never seems to stop, seemingly a glitch in man-kind. Preposterous some would call, as it shifts things back into the past with every second, creating 'memories' as what we humans called it.


  Instead of 'stalking' people from the seat of where I was this time (I wasn't stalking anyway in my last post, I was just, erm, observant), I decided to let peace descend upon my mind. It isn't everyday that I get to do this though. And soon enough, I'll be on my way home back to my hometown, a humble city of Alor Star in Kedah. When tranquility seeps in, thoughts flooded in unwillingly. All that I've gone through has made mii what I am today. Ups and downs there were, but who doesn't have them, right? Simply being fair enough to say so.


  Instead of dwelling on the past, I've moved on from where I was, I've changed (at least that I thought I changed). But sometimes however hard you try, there seems to be an obstacle, a hurdle too hard to handle, to get through. Some prefer on perseverance, while others give up trying. For mii, sometimes it just doesn't give having to try over and over again only to accomplish nothing. It deludes mii really. 'You fall down, you pick yourself up', but sometimes you tend to fall too hard to even believe the reason of yourself trying to stand up again. I mean, what's the use of even trying?! (OK, I'm getting into my personnel thoughts now).


  Anyway that aside, I've set some goals for myself in 2014 (this is the real purpose of mii hammering away on my keyboard in the wee hours anyway!)


1. Lose weight? Gain weight? (Well I would target a 10kg reduction, but at the rate I'm gobbling foods and stuff, I think it would be rather the opposite though)

2. Finish 4th year in style and start 5th year in confidence. (I'm enjoying my life as a medical student, day by day. Can't wait to relish on the opportunity of a perfect graduation from CUCMS now)

3. Bonding. (This is a time I think I really should spend more on my family and friends. My working days are soon-to-be around the corner, and I don't wanna miss out on the lovely bits and parcels of life)

4. Living with utmost content. (This has always been a problem for mii. I never felt content in whatever I do. It could prove a positive point in trying to improve myself from time to time, but also it might rear it's dark ugly negative side onto myself)



  You win some, you lose some. Here are some losses I intend to get rid of in myself:


1. Laziness. (Who doesn't have them, right?)

2. Binge eating. (I wouldn't call it binge though, but I did to scare the shit outta myself so I stop sometimes)

3. Lack of consistency. (Starting off well but leaving things dangling at the end is also a problem I'm facing, need to get rid of this a.s.a.p)

4. The trust in a relationship (It comes, it goes. It looks great, then it proves otherwise. It's always the same script, and I intend to get my head right this time, for this year at least. Sometimes, you get cut too deep that you heart just dies off. Having it die off is better, things end abruptly. Mine would be described as sclerosed, get it? I feel nothing, I can't react and it just lingers on there ~~ numbness. Can't eat, can't sleep, just like a walking zombie.)




  Anyhow, Happy New Year once again to all my readers. I hope you've got your resolutions ready and kick start this year with a bang! With warm regards, I wish all of you the best in life!! :)

**Thx Starbucks LCCT for the wonderful hospitality and coffee once again! How could I do without you?!




You can read the very FIRST blog-post of mine on Life, as we know it:

http://nickel-low.blogspot.com/2012/01/night-at-airport.html






Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ

10 Seconds

At those last moments,
You feel nothing but emptiness,
Your mind filled with thoughts,
That sorrow;
That sadness;
That imperfection.


You feel your insignificance,
That you did not belong,
Wandering upon strands of loneliness,
You came to succumb.

Off you go to seek,
Your so called freedom.
Struggled hard though within alas,
You took that final decision.


Falling falling,
That final 10 seconds,
Each a story to tell,
And thus it unfolds each of own reasons...

One,
You see those neatly arranged flowers by your bed. How bright they were, you've never noticed. And those loving pictures by its side, those laughter of family and friends. How could you have forgotten?


Two,
You see your family and friends grieving over your passing. Might give you some thought that people actually do care, but what's the use now? You're falling...

Three,
You see a homeless little boy down the corner of a street striving hard to survive. He eats, drinks, wears and uses whatever he could find just to keep himself alive for another day. Who are you to end such a blessed life? Shame descends upon yourself...


Four,
You see a poor old lady, selling matches on a cold winter's day. Neither does she complain, nor does she blames anyone for her stricken life. She lives in shackles day by day since she was born. Who are you to end such a blessed life? Shame once again, descends upon yourself...

Five,
Those grieving family and friends have gotten lesser over time. Each a life of their own, each a story to write on. Your story ended, and it ended in a tragic manner. You've thought people might miss you forever when you're gone. Think again, they have had lives to live on.


Six,
Shed a tear you may. The only persons still grieving over you day and night are your parents. How selfish and insensitive were you to make such a decision. Their own flesh and blood, now gone in just a blink, gone just because you couldn't think, gone just in that final 10 seconds of life...

Seven,
You see your little brothers and sisters getting married. Their happiness written all over their faces. Your heart smiles but you weren't able to share the blessings. What gives?


Eight,
You see in a more distant future, on the passing of your loving parents. Family members gather once again to grieve. But not you, no. Everyone was there to give their blessings, but where were you? And with your parents gone, will their be anyone else to grieve for you?

Nine,
The rain drizzles hard that night. You see a person, who looks just like you standing over the balcony. His eyes, a gleam in which you'll notice immediately. His proceeding actions in which you'll identify distinctively. What would you do now? Would you stop him?


Ten,
You've reached the end of your final 10 seconds. Your world its coming to an end. You've regret it but it would seem all but too late. A miracle would be needed, that aside you've just only come to realize ~~ Life is all too precious...

This is written in conjunction that suicidal cases have been vastly increasing in recent times all over the world. Be it due to academics, relationships or other matters, life is just too precious to be taken lightly. Hence, it is hope that through this, it helps give readers a proper insight of how improper taking your life would be. Enjoy life to the fullest. If you meet an obstacle, stand up to it and face it head on. In every cloud, there has to be a silver lining, Believe on that!

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ

A Great Big World ~ Say Something

  Well, I just had to write something about this song! It's simply beautiful and soothing, meaningful as it is. Nothing much to say, just listen with your heart... :)

LYRICS:


Say something I'm giving up on you
I'll be the one if you want me to
Anywhere I would have followed you
Say something I'm giving up on you

And I am feeling so small
It was over my head
I know nothing at all

And I will stumble and fall
I'm still learning love
Just starting to crawl

Say something I'm giving up on you
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere I would have followed you
Say something I'm giving up on you

And I will swallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm saying goodbye

Say something I'm giving up on you
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere I would have followed you

Say something I'm giving up on you
Say something I'm giving up on you
Say something

  For those who would love this song on guitar, here's the chords! 

Bm                G                D        A

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Bm              G                  D        A

  I'll be the one, if you want me to.

Bm          G                    D         A

  Anywhere, I would've followed you.

Bm               G                D        A

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

    D                A           

And I am feeling so small.

        G

It was over my head

                  D     A

I know nothing at all.

    D                   A 

And I will stumble and fall.

            G

I'm still learning to love

                 D     A

Just starting to crawl.

Bm                G                D       A

   Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Bm                G                  D     A

   I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you.

Bm           G              D      A

   Anywhere, I will follow you.

Bm                G                D        A

   Say something, I'm giving up on you.

    D                  A 

And I will swallow my pride.

            G

You're the one that I love

                   D        A

And I'm saying goodbye.

Bm               G                D        A

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Bm             G                  D        A

  I'll be the one, if you want me to.

Bm           G                    D         A

  Anywhere, I would've followed you.

Bm                G                D        A

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Say something

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ

Some Random Thoughts #6 (To Coke or Not To Coke?)

  Ever wondered why you feel lethargic and tired after a glass of Coke? Ever wondered why you had the urge to pee after well, a glass of Coke? I tried to avoid Coke (basically any soft-drinks in the market) since the past one year. Hard it may be, but you'll be surprised of the contents and facts about these drinks! 

WHAT COKE DOES TO YOUR BODY:-

1) In the first 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor, allowing you to keep it down.

2) 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (And there’s plenty of that at this particular moment.)

3) 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption from Coke (Yes, surprisingly Coke contains some amount of caffeine) is complete. Your pupils dilate; your blood pressure rises; as a response, your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked, preventing drowsiness.

4) 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production, stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.

5) > 60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium, and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

> 60 minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium, and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolytes, and water.

> 60 minutes: As the rave inside you dies down, you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You've also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like hydrating your system, or building strong bones and teeth.




This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. Want to know what happens after that? Check out what happens to your body after you drink a coke, every day for a long time.

Coke itself isn't the enemy here. It’s the dynamic combo of massive sugar doses combined with caffeine and phosphoric acid, which are found in almost all sodas. Moderation, people !




This post was originally written by Wade Meredith Daily health tips and adapted from Drug Information Centre: https://www.facebook.com/Druginformationcenter?hc_location=stream

To know about caffeine content on Coke, do look up here: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/health/caffeine-in-your-can.html

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ

A Very Happy Birthday!!!

You brought sunshine,

When there was only rain;

You brought sweetness,

When all I tasted was pain;

You brought laughter,

In the midst of sadness;

You brought hope, 

When there was nothing but darkness.

Happy birthday!

I bid to you,

A wonderful person,

Of that I've known.

Happy birthday!

I bid to you,

We've just met,

Time it seemed so long.

Happy birthday!

I bid to you,

A special day indeed,

For a very special person.

Happy birthday!

You're 20 now,

Looking forward in time,

To see what's bound....

Happy birthday little Grapefruit! 

All the best! Enjoy your day.... :)

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ 

Some Random Thoughts #5 (Grapefruit a Grape Fruit?)

  The Grapefruit ~~ Is it from the grape family, and does it look anything like grapes? Good question. Well, one of my friends she popped out of nowhere claiming that she had mistaken the Grapefruit for grapes, while to her amazement on discovery that it's actually shaped like an orange!

  I've called her 'Grapefruit' since then to her bewilderment (she threatened that I'll suffer the consequences though), but really if one has not laid eyes on one, you would've thought the same now wouldn't you?! Seeing is believing they say. Alright, so the Grapefruit grows on an evergreen tree, in which the plant is a subtropical citrus tree and botanically belongs to the large Rutaceaefamily of citrus fruits of the genus Citrus; Scientific name: Citrus paradisi. 

  The Grapefruit however, got it's name because it grows in clusters like grapes, and in fact, is a natural hybridization of a pomelo and an orange! Believed to have evolved and originated from Indonesia and Malaysia, fresh Grapefruit from California and Arizona are available all year and come in several colors including pink, red, white and golden! Who knew Grapefruits were this fascinating...

  However it is, some people called it 'The fruit of paradise', in which claimed to be one of the healthiest fruits in the world. Tart and tangy with an underlying sweetness, grapefruit has a juiciness that rivals that of the ever popular orange and sparkles with many of the same health promoting benefits. Here are some benefits of a Grapefruit I got from an interesting website:

Health benefits of Grapefruit


1. Delicious, grapefruit is very low in calories, consists of just 42 calories per 100 g. Nonetheless; it is rich in dietary insoluble fiber pectin, which by acting as a bulk laxative helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time to toxic substances in the colon as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.


2. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon.


3. The fruit contains very good levels of vitamin-A (provides about 1150 IU per 100g), and flavonoid antioxidants such as naringenin, and naringin. Besides, it is a moderate source of lycopene, beta-carotene, xanthin and lutein. Studies suggest that these compounds have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. The total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of grapefruit is 1548 µmol TE/100 g.


4. Further, vitamin A is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A, and flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.


5. It is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin-C; providing about 52% of DRI. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals. It, furthermore, is required for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue and aids in early wound healing. It also facilitates dietary iron absorption from the intestine.


6. 100 g of fresh fruit contains about 135 mg of potassium electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure through countering sodium effects.


7. Red varieties of grapefruits are especially rich in the most powerful flavonoid antioxidant, lycopene. Studies have shown that lycopene protects skin damage from UV rays, and offers protection against prostate cancer.


8. Additionally, it contains moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and thiamin in addition to some resourceful minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, and phosphorus.

  You can eat Grapefruit just like an orange by peeling it and dividing it into segments. Each medium Grapefruit has 10 to 12 sections. A Grapefruit is 75% juice. One medium Grapefruit will give you 2/3 of a cup of fresh-squeezed juice. Grapefruit juice freshly squeezed and stored covered in the refrigerator will retain 98% of its vitamin C for up to a week! 

Here's some cool websites on Grapefruits:

http://www.sunkist.com/kids/experiments/

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/grapefruit.html

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ

Special thx to 'Grapefruit Rin' for the article idea~~ :)

The Doctor's Chair

  Finally, I've got some time-off just for myself. With a cup of warm coffee and a peaceful atmosphere to add, I'm busy hammering away at my keyboard once again. Well, just so you all know my dear readers, at this point of time, I am in a General Practitioner Posting, and hence I chose my hometown as my elective venue. (To mii, it's a holiday though, shhhhhh~~~)

  Anyway, to the point now, I was attached to this clinic, one that is well-known throughout Alor Star for the past, like 30+ years or so? With no names mentioned, I then started my attachment in aim to bolster my knowledge, well, a least that's what I hoped for.

 The doctor, (now that he's my GP teacher) was a great one. He teaches with so much care and dedication, not to forget the injection of a few medical jokes during normal conversations. His skills were incomparable to any doctor I've met so far, and his experience in the medical world was invaluable. Imagine almost 50 years in medical practice, 50 years! He was fluent in English as well, hence language wasn't a barrier to mii, communication was easy, except a blip or two when he started to converse in mandarin ('My mandarin is terrible' he would tell mii. Shouldn't I be saying the same as well?). So, there we were attending patients to their needs, with myself mostly the observer by his side. And like any other normal businesses, the clinic was quite at times. And these were the times, where the doctor's chair made mii indulge into a sea of thoughts, a world of my own...

  Here's why~~ At the clinic, I was usually standing. From morning to noon; from evening to night, I stood rooted, listening to every patient's complaint, the doctor's guidance and advice as well. And when it comes the time where everything seems to have quieten down, the doctor would raise from his chair to take a walk around the lovely garden just outside his clinic. Right before that, he would turn to mii and say, 'The clinic's quiet  now, you should take a rest. Here's my chair, sit and take a rest'. And he said the same exact words everyday at that same exact time when patients find the clinic a bore.

  I stared at the chair. The same chair that doctor used to sit in 30 years ago up till now in this very clinic; the same chair I used to see it as a child whenever I visited his clinic for a certain sickness; the same chair that stood as time passed by, it's frames the proud conquerer of the unforgiving time. I rejected, politely. I would rather stand on, or have a sit on the patient's chair than to meddle with the history of that chair.

 To mii, this doctor was one of the most respectable ones I'll put my hat down and crawl on my knees for. His reputation remains a legacy, one that could give an injection in a just a few seconds without the patient feeling any pain whatsoever. His skill-work is admirable and he is so down to earth. He doesn't even charge consultation fees, and he goes easy on medication prices for his patients. His care and love for his patients is more any one could ever ask for, none of that you could find in the attitude of young doctors nowadays.

  Hence, for mii to sit in THAT chair, would require mii to at least work harder to earn my stripes, to deem myself useful to the medical world. I would have felt guilty if I were to sit on it, and with my current level, I am no where near him. Still, that chair has given mii inspiration, given mii hope that some day, I may return to him, and accept his offer of that chair. For now, that doctor's chair, in which I shall refer to, shall be a test of my competency, a test of my mentality to keep up on this route. For shall I be one day just like him, remains a grasp of faith in my very hands of today. Till then, the doctor's chair, a legacy to be continued....

Signing off:

Nickel Low CJ