Dear Jing Guo,

That is great that you have your visa. I wish all students were as conscientious as you have been! I am currently at KLIA, enroute to Beijing to give a talk to PhD students. I will be back this Monday, November 9th and will be examining at IMU until Thursday 19 November. If you happen to be around IMU (probably not), look me up. Otherwise we will look forward to seeing you in Auckland in January.

All the best,

Cynthia

Cynthia Jensen, PhD

Director, Malaysian Students

Department of Anatomy with Radiology

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences

University of Auckland

Private Bag 92019

Auckland, New Zealand

^^

After 4 freaking long years of wait, my visa is now approved and UoA, here I come!!

Updates on my laptop

I know I have not blogged about my new laptop.. He's mackie by the way.. MACkie.. geddit geddit??

Maybe a visual aid shall get things goin...

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I think I saw jaw drops, myosis, thyroid stare, increase salivation, drooling, protrusion of the tongue..

I think that sums up my comment on my laptop.

Stop staring at the picture. Move on.

and to cheeleong and korwoi, keep them down!!!

For more pics, visit my FB album...

And not to forget,

it's someone's birthday today,

my non biological jie jie to be in fact..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIA!!!!

faster get me a brother in law la.... been waiting for years d mannnnnnn........ fasterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Life right now has come to a stand still.

Nothing moved.

Static.

Bored.

Sien.

I am fine.

Dear all,

Thank you very much for your concern. I am very very fine actually. Though with those uncannily-me so-called emo status updates and absence in the University, I am in no depression, nor having any alteration in my mood. I am feeling good and bored to a certain extent.

Maybe I have reached another point in life to stop at my tracks and look back in life, to learn from my past mistakes and to plan for tomorrow.

So bear with my incessant random updates while I seek the past at this moment..

Life in Admissions... ..a part of it..

its already been already 5 months have passed since i have finished my exams.. finals to be exact.. and during this period i have been working, stopped for sometime now and now partially helping out with the juniors in their preparation for their yearly finals..

It would not stand justice if I were to tell people that life was great during this whole period and yet at the same time I have been lamenting how much life sucks at the same time. Especially pressure from work. Truth to be told, life is great and sucks at the same time. Ironic isn't it? Though feeling good most times, there are times when life really really takes its turn to hit me hard but yet, I just can't publicly announce my pain and sorrow. Privacy and confidentiality of such situations prevails and hence, I've got only to turn to my secret keeper for all these emo things to let out. To maintain such secrecy would be the best for all.

Hence, to give a postitive light to my life so far, working life has indeed been life lessons day and day.. If time allows, I should be able to finish up all my half baked posts and share with all.

To begin with:

Months working here in SSD has been nothing but great (negating the fact that stress and all). To work in a department which is so unique, where by I actually dealt with people from all walks of life. As mentioned before, though in Admissions Department, I am very well in fact working for two other major arm of the administration of IMU: the marketing department and the student services department.

To be in Admissions was really a steep learning curve everyday. To suddenly take up a full timer's job within a day's time or so was not easy job. But rewarding. Having to be someone at the frontline dealing with lecturers, parents and prospective students, I just can't help but to be myself: the hypocritic me. Tho I maybe nice on the phone and all, but on the other side, the devil in me could never stop showing itself. At those moments, it felt so like me and yet so not the me that I want to be. Poetic, but the engagements and conditions that I have been nurtured in since young, I have always been able to separate myself in two. The outer nice me, and my deeper darker inner side of my collective anger, hatred and my true emotions. Of course which the latter, only few have ever seen and have I opened myself to them. Parents these days are just too loving too kind overzealously protective of their children. The kids these days on the other hand fit perfectly into what their parents would want them to be: naive, young, resenters, chickens, witless, and idiots. Yes I mean it. Idiots.

Correct me if I am wrong. But my experiences proved me right all along. Who called the office to check their status of application? Who took the initiative to come into the office or even to drop by to hand in their application/registration form? Whenever there are minor issues, who would call? To check if IMU has received their package, who called? Ask yourself that. And one friend said something does not mean its true.

IMU kicks students out because they are taking extra students so they can earn the money for the first year from them. I'd use to buy that too. But who are we comparing with? Correct me if I am wrong: As compared to other universities, if their medical students do fail their first year or so, aren't they given the option to choose other programmes to continue on? IMU has no such policy as each different programmes are non credit - transferrable. Hence IMU has to kick students out. Right?

And look again: those who actually failed and got kicked out of IMU are students who are not as bright or as hardworking as the other while some would have language barrier. But the question now is: Why did IMU take them in when they would be kicked out sooner or later? Begging to differ I rather choose to think this way: IMU took them in because they are qualified (tho barely) to meet the standards of IMU at the point of entry. IMU is not God nor would they forsee how these students would fare in the future. Hence there would be this gray area in which these students are given an offer in view of the discrepancy that they would actually do well. I have spoken to parents, a number of them actually, each begging and pleading (Yes, I am not exaggerating, but its the truth to be told) to be given a chance to be let into IMU because their child barely met the requirement to be considered an intake. There were so many heart wrenching situations where these parents actually take it up to themselves to asking of favour, bargaining for leverage, and to extremes fighting to the end demanding to see the dean or even getting Datuks and some big ass to back them up with support letters. With this delicate issue in place, there has always been this gray area in which no one is ever right and thence IMU would use its optimistic discrepancy to consider these students a place. Not because IMU is giving in favour of those Datuks, but at times, some of these letters barely lifted an eyebrow of the people of our department, they are merely papers to be kept in file. IF YOU ARE GOOD, YOU ARE GOOD. But unfortunately, as time after time, situations proves everything. These particular students do not actually meet the standards, they fail, they resit, they fail again. SO? They have to be asked to withdraw. And whose fault is it to be blamed? Hint: Answer begins with "I", ends with a "U". Reason being: the I_U wanted to earn the RM60k from these students first before kicking them away. IMU's the great cheater, the greatest con jobs ever done. Did they forget what just happened before they were even given a chance to come into IMU? Just awesome isn't it? How things and words gets twisted whenever and however people wants it to be. If IMU were to kick people out, ask yourself this: why just you and not others?

By no means do I undermine those who actually failed or did not get to enter IMU or involved in any of such situations. It is just that I am affected that some people actually blamed IMU for setting the questions too hard, failing them or kicking them out because they THOUGHT they are actually that good. For such I have only respect and admiration for those who actually take themselves up for what happened and makes things better from worse. With anytime and chance, I'd be there to support what you do. Sometimes things just do not go according to your plans or your way. That's not for you to decide but God. Accept it and move on.

Shall continue on tomorrow..

life has been busy these days and in view of the happenings and the problems going around this days, i have finally made up my decision.. it is not a rash thought.. but i have really thought it over tonight.. been walking along the waterfront for the past hour or so and i finally made my decision.. i shall not be helping out in osce for everyone.. but only people who are really really in need of my help.. i already have had my good share of time around and its time to move on..

now, its time for me to do something for myself as well as for those who i care.. often i have said but seldom had them done... the debt is what i have to pay, to fulfil what i have sworn..

cheers..

Where the hell is Matt??

Though nothing much to comment. But this week has definitely been a roller coaster week for me. With workload and some shocking truth to be told, I am just left stunned beyond words, with barely anymore energy left to ponder what's next...

For those who share the same feelings with me, just a suggestion, watch the video from this link. Its one hell of video, its just so relaxing and soul uplifting. Enjoy!

Interesting updates now and then..

I am currently in plans of spearheading a project in which I would deem most significant yet so far... If it works, its one hell of a project.

And am anticipating a friend to join us in the department as staff.. very very interesting friend.

To kill boredom..

if you were to see closely, there're actually four circles!!

December baby

Ever got those forwarded mail by friends who'd forward you things like which baby are you kinda things?

I got this mail and it was quite true!!

December baby:

This straight-up means ur the most good-looking person possible... better than all of these other months! Loyal and generous. Patriotic. Competitive in everything. Active in games and interactions.
Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Easy to talk to, though hard to understand. Thinks far with vision, yet complicated to know. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having lots of
ideas. Sen sitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best.
Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Has that someone always on his/her mind. Talkative. Daydreamer.
Friendly.. Knows how to make friends. Abiding.
Able to show character. one guy/girl kind of person. Loveable. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. loves music

Emaciated...

I have never realised how much have I changed since I started working.

Only today when I was trying on a new tee, I realised how much weight I have lost.

Coming back home, I stared at the reflection, only to see a stick covered in skin. Leaning closer to the mirror, I finally saw wat Jing Guo now looks like.

My hair is just too long, and the curls just make it look messy. (Note to self: get a haircut, but wait, convo's in three day's time, cutting it now makes me look like I just got out of jail, thinking back, better have it after convo then). Looking side to side, I look weathered, my face is tanned (good thing though, it means I've been for outings), but it was rough, zits were popping out, my pores are visible, black heads are everywhere and its oily. And I think I thought I've caught a few wrinkles around the corners of my eyes, my eyebags are prominent and dark rings start appearing. (Note to self again: I need to learn facial care fast!!) Girls, I need some help here.. XD

Peering close again, my cheekbones are more prominent, my jawline, well, is just getting sharper. Heck, even my boss thought there was a swelling at my jaw prominence, only to realise it was just bony prominence. I am getting thinner.

Taking a step back, flexing, protracting, pronating, I really saw the current me now. And it dont look good. I am slouching even more, my shoulder droops, my supraclavicular fossa just became deeper, my pectorals are losing its bulk, my deltoid is shrinking, my sternal angle and the intercostal spaces are more prominent, my ribs are showing (I can even freaking saw the bony prominence of one of my ribs!) my biceps are losing bulk, my pronators are more prominent, my tummy is still as flat =) , my thighs just the same, my calf shrunk. Still as fair. I am losing fat and weight fast!

Working life is sure draining. It just sucks the life out of you, ripping every bits and pieces of youth throwing what is called age away. Barely three months, I have changed a lot, inside out. Emotionally, well, that would be another post another day.

I need my break soon, and I want to eat!! Looking at Nick's Fb pictures reminds me of the food back home. To list them down is pure stupidity, because there's just too much to list down!! Ipoh, wait for me. For your son, shall be back for a food spree!! RAWR!!

Office Pranks

*telephone rings*

Sky: (picks up phone) hello this is IMU.

JG: eh, can come to the front?

XD

Three stogges standing right in front of small boss.

*whispers* onetwo three

*all three salutes* and leaves for lunch.

=)

Ahh.. I love my work!!

Another Call

JG: Dials number

XX: (Picks up) Harlow I not flee. Call later. *clicks*

JG: *just about to breathe out HHHHHHHhhhiiiiiii*

The end.

Staff Meeting

Rule no. 1 : technology is not always good.

For the first time in working life, I attended my very first Staff Meeting (in which all the time, part timers are just left out). Though it was never in my thought to attend such meeting but due to my Boss's reasoning, since I will be working for till the end of the year and my status is now equivalent as of a full timer negating the fact that the privileges of full timer are not awarded (power card, medical leaves, better pay, pay rise and so on), it would be best if I do attend such meeting!!

Minutes of the meeting we as follow:

1. Confidential has finally come out with the Confidential plan. It will be implemented Confidential as there is a Confidential located at Confidential.

2. As for Bpharm course, the Confidential from the Board of Confidential and Confidential are still pending.

3. The minimum Confidential for the students are Confidential and Confidential due to Confidential reasons. As said by Confiential, the Confidential of the Confidential should be reported to the Confidential for Confidential reasons.

etc etc etc...

You get the drift. Now I have confidential issues to keep and I hate them!! In fact these are the details that I hope students would know! Sometimes, people just felt cut short because the reason given was not good enough. But in reality, due to the confidentiality, the reason is just as sound as the facts are!!

It was a good exposure though. At least in this very first meeting, I manage to actually see the viscosity of the team I am working with. Most starking truth, its one heck of a female power team!! All of them are females except me!! WTF!!!! lol.. For the general information, my whole department was initially all females except the entry of Ian and me, followed later on by th3 more guys. But soon, it'll be back to two rambutans. Besides that, of course alliances are clear cut, the formality seen in office is definitely broken down, those formal fact to fact discussions are all not present, but instead a warm relationship was seen. Jokes, punchlines, anecdotes are all shared. Power of persuasion is definitely one powerful weapon to be used in any time, and I have seen it well, having to steer the whole team to directions which you want without giving anyone the inferiority is definitely a very very very good technique. And meetings are boringgggggg...

Anyways, I would be on duty this Saturday from 9am to 5pm in office. How cool would that be to spend my Saturday!!

As you see, my department is rather unique:

In this particular, "Student Services Department" office there are in fact three separate departmentals entities working. First the actual Student Services Department, which essentially provides help and assistance to current students of IMU. Secondly, would be the Marketing and Communications Department, which is the marketing branch of IMU. It deals with anything to do with selling IMU to the people, maintaining the image and prestige of IMU in anyway and flooding all the ads with IMU. =) The third would be my department, the Admissions Office. This of course is the department that deals with any prospective students planning to seek a place in IMU. Of course within this department, the staff are scattered into their own departments.

During Saturdays, Sundays or certain Open days, the staffs in IMU including other departments such as library, finance, academic affairs and laboatory staff, they would have to be on duty. And amongst all these staff, they are put into teams based on their seniority, authority and specialty when engaging with prospective students. Hence they are placed into 3 teams. And in each duty, the group would consist at least a member of each team.

1. The first team is basically the team that would head the other staff on those days. They would have extensive knowledge of the admissions criteria, details and the nitty gritty stuff. They would know these information with dead on accuracy and to certain extent depending on their postition, would be able to make certain decisions off hand. They would lead the working team, to handle tough queries and brief the other staff about the work of the day. And of course they are the ones holding the Golden Keys of the Office. Hence, normally staffs from the Student services Department (read: any of the three departments)

2. The second team would be the in between team. They would know information to a certain extent but not good enough. They think they would be able to make decisions but they can't. They think they know but they don't. They are second in command assuming the head of the team is away or busy attending parents/ students. Hence they are the in between.

3. the last team is the just in case everything fails team. The members are basically noobs. They would only rattle what ever information off the brochures and would refer all the other enquiries to the other members. And theoritically, they would be the one doing the house cleaning jobs (refiling water etc.)

And the interesting part is, these three teams are named as Duku team, Durian Team and Rambutan team. Guess which is which? Winner may get something, if I manage to nick something off from the office, 4GB pen drives maybe? Classified information?

And guess which team am I in?

Till then,

XOXO

Interesting Call

IMU: Hello, who are you?

XX : not audible

IMU: I want the XXX and the XX certs. Pass to me tomorrow. Thank you. *click*

I do not know how was XX would be left hanging there..

P.s. If a mentor is to a mentee, would a caller is to a callee??

D-day

Today was the day the release of A-levels results.

To some, it was sheer joy and happiness, as they celebrate their good results and to certain extent, their entry to their preferred university.

While to some, it was moments of pain and agony, when their world seemed spiralling onto them, darkness befalls upon them and the world just came crashing down.

To be the latter was never a choice one would ever wish for, because I have been through the very same dark path myself. It would just mean, I didn't make it to my university.

Not surprisingly of course, the office was bombarded with calls from distress parents who are trying their very best to make sure their child gets into their university.

But they were so much so desperate to get their child in that they seemed oblivion to everything else!!

To quote a few:

To enter our medical batch, one would need to get ABB or BBB (on different considerations) in three sciences (Phy, Chem, Bio, Maths).

And this particular student only got ACC (A in chem, C in rest). Hence the mother came and requested for consideration giving these few points as justification:

1. She got A in both her PMR and SPM

2. She managed to meet IMU's requirement partially, that is, an A for Chem. (Oblivion to the fact that she did not freaking meet the requirements for the OTHER TWO subjects!!)

3. Her forecast was AAB and both her mom and herself is confident that she will obtain A in all subjects.

Another one:

His results were CCC. And he wanted to apply for medicine. Told him the requirement would be ABB. And his next question was, so can I still apply?

A few more who did not meet the requirement managed to call into our office and told every single staff in the office about their situation in hope we will be able to help him/her out. Is that even necessary?

To sum it all up, my day was literally filled up just by answering calls. Isnt that just awesome!

Life in Motion

"Eh, why still work la? U got 6 months holidays and yet you wanna work??"

"Alaa, you said working life so tough, just quit la.. you working part time anyways.."

Two captions that summarize most comments people had about my work.

To come to think of it, its very well two months since I've worked in IMU. Started way back in June, three days after my final results was out, my life took a whole new course. Seemingly over hardworking, I still remember when I had worked, 7 days a week during the first week and followed on by 6 days on the second week. That's right, 13 days back to back working non-stop for the first two week. And it felt good! (at that time of course). At that moment in time, life was just simple (though I may have repeated this a few times), all I needed to do was some filing, keying data into systems and answer calls then direct them to my bosses. From time to time, I would be out for roadshows giving counselling to parents/prospective students. Life then was just perfect.

But then as days went on, I started climbing up the power seat unwillingly. From a dispensible part timer, I had to fill the vacant role of a full timer. Now I had as much say in the office to tell students :No, you do not stand a chance to get a place in, as compared to previously: I have to refer to my senior colleagues and get back to you. Though I am not boasting how great I am, to a lesser extent, this current life isn't a bed of roses. Its not about the pay, but things get trickier and more difficult to handle by the day. Deadlines are set at 24 hours. Screw-ups are part of the job. Blunders are requirement for every task. And to rectify each and every of those, is just a pain in the ass.

Which brings us back to the first part. Why not quit and enjoy life?

Ironically I am not going to quit. Why not? you may ask.

Because of this: Life.

Work maybe tough, but I have learnt to appreciate life more now. There are so many times I have encountered people and dealt with cases that are just so much to learn from. Corny it may sound, working in this Admission has really changed my perspective in life and people. never have I seen parents who would try their best to give the best and nothing but the best for their children. Or some students who are so desperate for a share of proper education but yet were scorned due to reasons. There are just too many anecdotes of life that I have encountered for this past two months for me to pen down. With will, I really hope I can share these heart warming stories for everyone.

There were just times when I just can't sleep but to ponder in darkness how lucky my life was or even how much have I wasted my life for all those unnecessary things. I have dreams to go for, but I have never dared to chase them because I was afraid of falling down. What a waste!

Its already three and I should be signing off, there's work waiting tomorrow.

Adios!

The Meaning of Jihad..

The meaning of jihad, well embodied in these life anecdotes.

What is jihad? Jihad is a mother raising healthy and happy children. Jihad is a child completing a complex science project. Jihad is a man who works out in a gym daily to keep fit. Jihad is a manager who operates an impeccable office. Jihad is the bus driver who transports a bus load of children to school. Jihad the person who manages to maintain a clean environment. Jihad the smoker who quits smoking. What is jihad?

Quoted from a friend in FB: Lutfi Sheikh Ghazali

So what's your take in Jihad?