The Pensieve

heh just for fun…

oooh mich did hers (hey i added to yrs liao!)

so now i also wanna do my own johari window! lolz…

ok friends: go here to contribute (just a few simple clicks): contribute

and click here to see the latest update: update

Genre: fiction, humour
Rating: gets you hooked to the book. (It was so enchanting I finished it in 2 seatings, about 4 hours…)

‘Life of Pi’ is a book that guarantees to make you believe in God. Complacent, you say, but it’s almost true. The novel brings us the magical, fantastical yet realistic story of Pi (3.14…), an Indian boy whose real name is Piscine Molitor Patel, after a swimming pool in France.

The first part of the novel details his childhood, living with all the animals in the zoo and learning about them. (His family owned the Pondicherry zoo). In his childhood, he was extremely religious, almost fanatic. Being a Hindu, a Muslim and a Christian all at one go! His arguments for why he should be allowed to practice all these religions are as entertaining as his parents who are unable to fathom his ideas.

The second part, which forms the bulk of the novel, tells us a Robinson Crusoe-like story, of his 227-day ordeal of drifting along the Pacific Equatorial counter current, following a shipwreck that killed all the others on board. In the huge lifeboat, there was also a hyena, an orangutan, an injured zebra as well as Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. (All these animals were to be shipped to Canada along with his family who was migrating there.) From then, it was a test of the survivor of the fittest, ending with Richard Parker and Pi, who formed a delicate relationship. The novel is light-hearted and adventurous, but also brings with it undertones of psychology. For example, how Pi maintains his position as the alpha-male in his relationship with the tiger, a position vital to his own survivor.

The final part of the story gives us a form of closure. Telling how Pi was eventually rescued and the interview with the owners of the ship who were trying to investigate the reason for the sinking. It is a light-hearted, extremely humorous yet very rvealing exchange.

It is a pity for any book-lover not to read this book. Even my mother’s hooked! hahaha…

Highlights in the novel:

On Christianity from the eyes of a boy who was brought up Hindu…
NB: I don’t mean to be irreverent to any religion here, but it’s just a refreshing way to show how some people might have their misgivings about Christianity when they don’t understand it well enough.

The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it’s God’s Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, “Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed two llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of them ate the camel. The week before it was painted storks and grey herons. And who’s the say for sure who snacked on our golden agouti? The situation has become intolerable. Something must be done. I have decided that the only way the lions can atone for their sins is if I feed you to them.”

“Yes, Father, that would be the right and logical thing to do. Give me a moment to wash up.”
“Hallelujah, my son.”
“Hallelujah, Father.”

Piscine (French for swimming pool), apparently sounds like ‘pissing’ if not pronounced properly. As a result, Pi had suffered greatly from teasing… At his new school, he ingenuously comes up with a way to introduce himself. Before each new teacher could attempt to pronounce his name, he would write on the board:

My name is Piscine Molitor Patel, known to all as Pi Patel where π = 3.14

And in this clever way, he had a new nickname!

On psychology of the circus trainer and his animals:

It is interesting to note that the lion that is the most amenable to the circus trainer’s tricks is the one with the lowest social standing in the pride, the omega animal. It has the most to gain from a close relationship with the super-alpha trainer. It is not only a matter of extra treats. A close relationship will also mean protection from the other members of the pride. It is this compliant animal, to the public no different from the others in size and apparent ferocity, that will be the star of the show, while the trainer leaves the beta and gamma lions, more cantankerous subordinates, sitting on their colorful barrels on the edge of the ring.

The same is true of other circus animals and is also seen in zoos. Socially inferior animals are the ones that make the most strenuous, resourceful efforts to get to know their keepers. They prove to be the ones most faithful to them, most in need of their company, least likely to challenge them or be difficult. The phenomenon has been observed with big cats, bison, deer, wild sheep, monkeys and many other animals.

NB: Readers, look out for Chpter 23, P65, when all three Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious leaders in Pi’s town meet him and his father at the beach by coincidence together…

NB: Also look out for the really cute exchange between Pi’s parents when Pi asks to buy both a prayer rug (for Muslim prayers) AND to be baptised. (Some of us might find the way his parents talk familiar… heh)

And that’s all now! Enjoy the book! It’s a GREAAAT read!!!

My first contact with written Catalán. Boy, it looks so cool!!!

Catalán: sincerely thank my lucky stars that i took a bit of italian… it helps!
Aquest missatge pot contenir informació confidencial, en propietat o legalment protegida, y està dirigit únicament per a l’ús de la persona destinatària. Si vostè no és la persona destinatària d’aquest missatge, per la present se li comunica que no pot utilitzar, difondre, copiar de cap forma, ni emprendre cap acció en relació amb ella. Si vostè ha rebut aquest missatge per error, per favor li preguem que el borri, al igual que qualsevol copia del mateix i ho notifiqui immediatament al remitent.

Español (my rough translation… so rusty… )
Esto mensaje pueda contener información confidencial, en proprietario o legalmente privilegiado, y está intentado por la usa de la persona destinataria. Si Ud. no es la la persona destinataria de esto mensaje, por la presente, le comunica que no debe usar, difundir, copiar de cualquiera manera o tomar algún acción en relación con ello. Si haya recibida esto mensaje por error, por favor le pedimos que le borra, a la vez que envia una copia al remitente en seguida.

English
This message may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended only for the use of the addressee named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby informed that you must not use, disseminate, copy it in any form or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this message by mistake, please delete it, and send a copy to notify the mailer immediately.

Hmmm seems like Underworld: Evolution is coming out! yay! I should catch something vastly different from the ‘arty’ movies I’ve been watching recently. Something dark, violent and um… different.

hehe…

Check it out, anyone wants to go see?
Underworld - Evolution Official Movie Site

The trailer looks very um… underworld…

Sometimes, it’s interesting to see who gets directed to your site…

People who are looking for the following:

Medical
flumicil (4x)
Kua Ee Heok (4x)
post-op fever 5 w’s (4x)
ehlers danlos
MRSA (2x)
dermatosparaxis
bmj specialisation guide
itchy all over (thyroid maybe)
periodic asthenia (2x)
singaporean post-op girls
kiv for dvt
how to train to become a forensic scientist
blog + gynecology + comment
Footcare in Diabetes
hypothyroidism blog
“john yam”: OWN UP! who is googling him here???
sternum hurts
costochondritis (2x)
barty crouch jr tardive dyskinesia (so i see someone out there agrees with me!)

Kinky
sth about homosexualism
pictures of stockings
the 8th sin
in the shower with racheal : oh man lulu, u better watch out!!! someone’s harbouring such tots about u! (and i swear i did not blog about being in the shower with anyone hahaha…)

Just plain odd
bangla boys (2x)
florecitos (6x)
the pensieve x6
Chicken Little’s Paper Pants
rerun confused with linus
Ok to cut grass in January
冷笑话
heheheh
chao tah
Quien mato a trotsky (translated: who killed trotsky)

Sounds like a reporter digging up dirt
“NUS” + “medical students” + blog

one month - one foot (ht of books) - one cup (coffee) - one exam…

PATHOLOGY STRIKES!!!

and that’s not all of it!

Mrs Dalloway is a book where nothing much really happens, but where there is really phenomenal undercurrents of emotion and thoughts. Woolf is so adept at describing every frown, every pause and every seemingly trivial thought that strikes us every single moment that this is one of the most ‘detailed’ book I’ve ever read!

Synopsis
Mrs Dalloway is a fifty-ish high society woman organising a party. She begins her day by going out to get flowers for her dinner, all the while reminiscing about her childhood friend Sally Seton, her fiery suitor Peter Walsh and her eventual marriage to Richard Dalloway. Later on she is paid a sudden surprise visit from Walsh, which catapults both of them into the good old times, yet full of bitterness at how things have turned out now.

There is a subplot in Mrs Dalloway which is about Rezia and Septimus. Septimus returns from the war, and faces depression. It’s quite exciting, as a medical student, to see how people describe the symptoms of depression during Woolf’s times. Woolf herself, is very familiar with these symptoms since she herself suffers from that disorder. The pages detailing the events leading up to Septimus’ suicide and the fatal jump he took are one of the best pages in the book!

We also get a very detailed account of her intimate friendship with Sally Seton. Possibly bordering on being ‘lesbian’… Then I realised that when I was younger I’d read other accounts of such ‘friendship’ between women but I just dismissed it as a close friendship between friends… Now, I think I might have thought too little of it. Heh.

I felt that the scene where Richard Dalloway buys some roses and tried to tell his wife that he loved her was worth mentioning. Ultimately, he did not manage to get the words out of his mouth, Clarissa simply forestalled him. ARGH. stupid guys! Doesn’t mean that if you haven’t said ‘I love you’ for 30+ years in your marriage, then it’s not significant anymore! *buggers*
Review
It’s difficult to use words to describe the varied tones of emotions in the novel. There’s no happy, sad, lost or bitterness… Virginia Woolf is especially talented in the art of describing people. I would attribute it to an exceptionally keen ability to observe. For example, she is able to write such pages and pages about a scene where a car (with darkened windows, and thus possibly carrying some royalty) goes through the city centre, and the subtle reactions and thoughts in all those present. HAHAHA okay, I think it sounds quite boring…

Her book can be quite boring, because there really isn’t much happening! LOLZ… But it’s good for temper control, if you read the book out aloud, there’s a rhythmicity and beauty in the words. Really comforting… Try it!

A paragraph in the book supposedly represents Woolf’s tribute to her parents:

For she was a child, throwing bread to the ducks, between her parents, and at the same time a grown woman coming to her parents who stood by the lake, holding her life in her arms which, as she neared them, grew larger and larger in her arms, untilit became a whole life, a complete life, which she put down by them and said, ‘This is what I have made of it! This!’

Actually I find it very hard to understand and review the book. The explanatory notes helped a bit, but it’s not enough. Actually I think to understand Woolf’s writing, one will have to read many more of her books, and preferably, her biography. It’s really exciting knowing how an author’s life affects her work.

In order to prevent further episodes of atopy leading to secondary viral infection which seems to exacerbate my airway hyperresponsiveness, thus necessitating a short course of oral corticosteroids to stop the vomit-inducing cough that plagues me… I’ve totally cleared out my room today!

Armed with a mask I nicked from the OT, the goggles (from our PPE) and slippers, I packed up the doghouse (my room), wiped all the books in my shelf, all the CDs, the printer, phone, files, TV and cupboard!!! And also use alcohol swabs on my notebook - a suggestion from a kind soul out there… But um… I think the alcohol erased the N from my keyboard!!!

Also had to pack up all my paeds stuff into this dusty-no-more black folder, chucked it into the paper carton under the window sill and sealed the stuff up! haha… shall reopen in yr 5! lolz…

Decided to pack my cupboards as well and unearthed… 5 tins and a folder of letters and knick-knacks given by all my friends from sec sch till now… 6 tins! Can you believe it?

Lina tops the list, by sending me 68 letters over a space of 10 years, while Sanz finishes a close second by sending me 45 over a period of 9 years!

This is my all-time favourite card, brought tears to my eyes when I remember how kind everyone was to me following a bout of severe illness when I was 16… See, so crowded! heheh

Do you see the beautiful designs on the right side of the card? Those were done by my lab partner, fellow accomplice in crime (haha, I still remember the mini explosion of chlorine plus dunno what, and a projectile of black foul smelling gooey stuff that almost hit Mrs Leong)

Haiz, so touching…

I also unearthed letters from friends… such as Melissa, Puay, Stef, Lizhen, Sab, Joce… All of whom I’ve lost contact with. *SOB* I shouldn’t have let that happen right???

Then I found a bundle of letters, and it’s really quite a significant lot of long rambly kind of notes from a ‘Raphael’, it’s either my angel/mortal in JC… Hmmm, I also feel very guilty for not keeping in contact with him. Sometimes it’s really hard to find someone who seems to understand what you say so well, it’s a real waste not to treasure such friendships.

Haiz, am I a lousy friend? Am I? Am I? Am I???

After all the grumbling, swearing that’s been coming from me, I felt that a review of the paeds posting was justified.

I still don’t particularly like paeds, but for a reason that I don’t even know. It’s not that I don’t like kids, or they’re irritating or hard to cope, or whether the over-anxious parents are difficult to manage… It’s not even the syndromes and genetics involved.

I just don’t really enjoy paeds.

But I might do a HO/MO posting in it. After all, it’s so important.

It’s scary, merely a year away from being let lose in the wards, and really holding the reins of your patients’ lives in my inexperienced hands. The sheer weight of that responsibility is enough to crumple any thoughts of shopping, dating or sleeping. -_-

*brrrr*

A sudden realisation hit me today, and it hit me pretty hard… There’s NO MORE CG6 already! No more prof yeo, rames, wenky and errol and his chicken! AHHHH!!!

Haiz, all these funny guys, sob, gonna miss them…

I suddenly feel that I should have treasured the time I had with them more… One year sure swings past faster than you can say ’salsa’!