shoot: the curtains lowered for the last time

annual occupational therapy student conference
24 mar 2007

with the closure of the annual occupational therapy student conference, it (almost) signified the end of the occupational therapy education for the thirteenth cohort of students. three years of intense education, endless projects and assignments, many stayovers and sleepless nights, tons of caffiene in their systems, and finally, they presented their final year projects.

the mad rush of meetings after exams. the punishing hours they kept awake in front of their laptops. the arguments they got into. the late nights they spent in school. rehearsing their lines again and again. sitting through three rehearsals only to find themselves exceeding the time limit over and over again. the rush to buy long sleeved tops.

all for this one very important day to this batch of students. the annual occupational therapy student conference. the day where they would proudly exhibit their research for everyone to see. the day where they would see their hard work and efforts put into good use.

the shuttler is glad to have her group of project mates whom they trudged through the final journey together. she also wishes to express her gratitude for putting up with her erractic tempers and perfectionistic streak. you guys have been a wonderful team that the shuttler has enjoyed working with.

and of course, how can the shuttler forget to congratulate the team who won the best paper prize?! major congratulations to the team, and the shuttler is sure that you have deserved it all.

and to pamcake and ah lian, continue to do the department proud by winning the top prize three weeks later!

shoot: an occupational therapist to-be

01 feb 2007

"occupational therapists should constantly reflect on themselves, what they do and the people they meet through their professional role. in order to earn one's "privilege to treat", one must be able to know oneself as much as possible - know where you stand. this process enables prospective practitioners to discover their "personal filters". this process also diminishes one's egocentricity and opens up one's mind to the multitude of personality that one may meet through one's career dealing with people at a genuine and "deep" level.

only through this process, then can one truly attempt to be open with one's prospective patients or clients."

--- course manager, 2007

shoot: to illuminate

for those interested.

snap: the festive season

chinatown
14 feb 07

snap: happy ot day.

second singapore occupational therapy day
11 jan 07

the occupational therapy profession in singapore celebrated the second occupational therapy day with various events occurring around the various centers. the student population back in school also had their version of celebration, by donning the newly designed shirt for the event.

the shuttler wishes all occupational therapists and therapy students in singapore a happy ot day!

snap: an amazing mass of people

open air food market

Marrakech, Morroco

3 Jan 2007

snap: rays across seemingly barren land

Ait Ishaq, Morroco

31 Dec 2006

snap: night city skyline

Lisbon, Portugal

21 Dec 2006

Travel across foreign nations,

Leave your homeland behind.

In the effort and exhaustion of travel,

You will find the savour of life.

--- Al-Imam Al-Shafi'

shoot: five more months

pasir ris beach
29 dec 06

the shuttler had been rather slow in updating shuttersnap despite her month long holidays which ended recently. she wondered where had all her time gone to, other than rushing for her project, lounging around the entire day and sleeping her time away. basically, taking a well-deserved break after a long period of work and internship.

the previous long internship ended with the shuttler extremely pleased with the comments and grades given by her clinical educator. she had a fantastic time with the department and for the first proper time in her years of training, she was truly enjoying herself during the internship, looking forward to work every day of the week. afterall, what else could the shuttler ask for, other than a wonderful and experienced clinical educator and a working environment that she loved?

with the beginning of the last semester of her training years, the shuttler is a little skeptical of the road ahead. this semester would definitely be the most challenging one, complete with difficult assignments, loads of readings, pressing deadlines and the final block of internship. and how can anyone forget the final year projects looming over their heads constantly till the day the cohort present their findings proudly at the conference? five more months of whirlwind action and internship would then round up the shuttler's journey as an occupational therapy student.

the shuttler would eagerly await the next leg of the journey: being an occupational therapist.till then, she hopes that she would be able to brave through the next five months or so.

meanwhile, the shuttler wishes all readers of shuttersnap a happy 2007!

snap: tis' the season to be jolly

parkway parade
20 dec 06

snap: connecting with nature ii

guizhou, china
18-26 nov 06

shoot: connecting with nature i

guizhou, china
18 -26 nov 06

the connecting with nature series has been photographed by the shuttler's brother, who recently went on a tour in guizhou, china. an avid nature admirer and a keen photographer, he has kindly provided the following pictures in the series for all to enjoy.

snap: care for a dip?

vivocity rooftop
04 dec 06

shoot: birthday celebrations

22 sept 06

the shuttler apologizes for her belated birthday greetings as she had been rather swamped with life recently. but nevertheless, she hopes that the following people had a wonderful birthday and there would be many more to come in their lives!

a fantastic friend who is currently roaming about in nottingham on an exchange program. happy 21st.
an ex-classmate who is busy reading psychology in notthingham and whom the shuttler hope had a wonderful 21st.
a man who has always been so supportive of the shuttler in her life decisions. happy birthday daddy.
an ex-collegemate whose party the shuttler had attended and enjoyed herself. happy 21st korean babe.

snap: view from the Eiffel Tower

the sun shining on River Seine

6 Nov '06

Paris, France

snap: Paris' most famous monument

the Eiffel Tower

6 Nov '06

Paris, France

shoot: colourful munchies

05 oct 2006

in a short period of two weeks, the shuttler has bounced back from the term exams and right into the clinical world, where she strives to survive yet another internship in a local hospital.

the shuttler has always marvelled at what the profession has in store for her. the clinical experiences. the many different types of people that she came across. the many unique life stories that the shuttler attempts to unravel and whatever people has to tell of their life. the interpersonal relationships that intertwine amongst everything else. the ability of an occupational therapist in enabling the person to help himself on the road to recovery. and yet again, she has the opportunity to go through all these processes once again, immersing herself in the clinical world. just like those sweets, which were a gift from pamcake (many thanks!), each has a unique shade of colour to their own life. their own story.

the shuttler is still in the midst of adjusting back to life in the clinics. the immense knowledge required of the speciality, the therapeutic relationship with the patients, and learning more practical techniques right on the job. all those theories and techniques that had seem so distant and airy fairy came to good use once in the clinical setting. the integration of theories and practical work remains the most integral part of the shuttler's internship experience and she hopes to achieve that integration at the end of the internship.

the shuttler is thanking her lucky stars for yet another wonderful clinical educator who is a gem to have. nothing beats having an educator who patiently educates, provides opportunities for the student to learn and explore and having a similar mindset when it comes to clinical work. working with the same mentality reduces time taken for the student to adapt to a differing working style, and things run more smoothly that way. the shuttler hopes to maximise her learning experience under this educator and she is sure, she will be more confident of her skills in the sub-speciality.

"splinting is not the art of creating a sculpture"
--- clinical educator

shoot: zooming off

23 sept 2006
changi airport departure hall 2

it was a relatively nice mini gathering the shuttler had at the airport, while sending the prodi off to a faraway land for the next year or so. over shrunken chicken strips and nice biscuits, the group had various discussions ranging from photography to anime and aye chain collisions. it was a good way for the shuttler to unwind from the endless studying she had to do.

it's gonna be another year again till both the shuttler and the prodi meet. hopefully they would be meeting at the london airport and would be travelling around for a while (while their finances can sustain them!) before returning to the realities of working life.

and while the shuttler continues to survive on a tight budget in an attempt to accumulate sufficient finances for the trip, she shall take a short hiatus from shuttersnap and concentrate on the upcoming term exams. she needs all the effort she has to do well in order to make it to the trip on time.

to all fellow occupational therapy students who are preparing for exams/ internships, all the best!

till the next entry!

shoot: hi and bye

16 sept 2006
the esplanade

as the nation was busy keeping itself in an absolutely presentable to the delegates from all over the world as they converged in this tiny little island for ten days, the man up there contributed by cleaning those "durian spikes".

and while the nation was in the welcoming mood, the shuttler would like to wish a particular close friend who would be flying off to uk on a semestral exchange later in the day. she hopes that this friend of hers would have a wonderful time over the next six months or so, touring the extensive lands and taking in all the wonderful sceneries the country has to offer.

and to the prodi who is also flying off in a couple more days, all the shuttler can say is: take care, survive the internships, stay connected and the whole gang shall meet for yet another chilli crabs session when everyone returns!

bon voyage to all who are going abroad. =)

snap: the ultimate indulgence

panasonic lumix dmc-fz20k
image courtesy of panasonic

the ultimate indulgence that the shuttler has allowed herself in all these twenty one years of her life, allowing her to meddle further into photography.

the shuttler is extremely grateful to the coffee addict for providing such a sweet deal. she also cant thank her dad enough for shelling out the money to pay for this new toy of the shuttler's.

thank you very much!

snap: may you rest in peace

in memory of the victims
11 sept 2001
image courtesy of richard drew

shoot: in celebration

23 aug 2006

in no accordance of birth order, the shuttler wishes the following a wonderful birthday in the month of september!!

a classmate whom i hope had a blast at her birthday party
a woman who has the number one place in the hearts of all at home
a simple boring student =)
an ex college mate whom should be celebrating her birthday with plenty of bliss
a particular cow who turned the big two-one, of which the shuttler only found out after reading some documentation =)

happy birthday!

shoot: enabling the disabled

a nation in concert
09 sept 2006
image courtesy of a nation in concert

the shuttler and the prodi had the opportunity to attend the concert at the esplanade. admist all the lights, music and dance that was being presented on stage, the shuttler couldn't help but marvel at the amount of work that went into the production of this concert.

a concert that showcased the abilities of the disabled, which was beautifully put together interlaced with plenty of humour and dance movements. a concert that brought across strongly a message to its audience. a message to enable the disabled.

a fantastic way to spend a saturday afternoon, away from the hectic life beyond the walls of the esplanade.

the shuttler apologizes for the long hiatus from updating this site. she had been extremely bogged down with school work, with it being her final year of studies. she struggles to manage her time, juggling between numerous presentations, readings as well as her final year project, while trying to get in sufficient rest.

sad to say, she has turned to the caffiene can to maintain her sanity during the day. the coffee addict would be pleased to see the shuttler stepping over to the dark side of caffiene. =) the shuttler is trying hard to keep the can count at one a day. one is one too many!

snap: one year anniversary

happy first anniversay, shuttersnap!
image courtesy of a simple boring student

shoot: at the airport

29 june 2006
east coast park

the shuttler watched as the couple in front of her embraced each other tightly, for it would be a good whole year before one of them returns. she watched as the group of grown up men gathered for a group hug as one of them would also return only in a year's time. she watched as the family stood by the gates, silently watching him say his goodbyes to his friends. cameras flashed and clicked as they tried to capture the last few minutes before he stepped beyond those glass doors. the shuttler watched as the couple, now separated by the glass door, exchange loving glances at each other, knowing fully well that each of them are now apart. she watched as he went around hugging his friends, thanking each and everyone of them sincerely for coming to send him off.

the shuttler watched as his eyes fell on a particular petite girl as she waved goodbye to a dear friend. she gave a half hearted wave as he walked through the aisle beyond the gates, and soon beyond her sight.

goodbye and take care, dear friend.

the shuttler and the prodi wishes you well. they would gather again in june 2007.

shoot: the beauty of occupational therapy

doing. being. becoming.
Image courtesy of W.H.O

the shuttler loves sitting through the lectures that her manager gives. the things that he talk about, discuss and share with the students simply gave them plenty of food for thought. the shuttler cannot speak for all, but personally, she's very much inspired and once again, he relights the flame of passion for the profession in the shuttler.

when the manager displayed the above photograph during his lecture, there was this moment of silence in the class. every student seemed to be lost in the photograph, the underlying message of the photograph that came out so strongly, in an extremely beautiful photograph. it depicted the very philosophy of the occupational therapy profession. the shuttler cannot describe the wave of emotions that she experienced as she admired the photograph.

the beauty of the occupational therapy profession.

snap: entering the adult world

31 july 2006
secret garden

the shuttler would like to wish the following people a wonderful birthday...

... the wonderful welfare rep who had been dilligently planning for the birthday surprises for the past year

... the prodi whom the shuttler shares this blog with, and hopefully she had a memorable birthday this year.

...the wonderful classmate whom the shuttler hopes would be happy always. time will heal all wounds. =)

... the nation for turning a grand old age of forty one this year.

... the coffee addict who has been such a wonderful friend for the past two years. may you hit a higher personal score in the lanes.

happy birthday!

shoot: the next leg of the journey

28 may 2006

and so the shuttler had successfully completed six weeks of internship at the paediatric setting. so much for all that waiting for the end of the internship to come by. when it really ended, the shuttler found herself missing the place for everything ranging from weird working colleagues, the restless kids, the kids that left an impression, the foodcourt, and her clinical educators. even the long bus journey home.

the shuttler managed to get a decent, or would she even dare to say, a good grade for her internship. she's extremely glad that her efforts to keep an open mind, and to do what she needed to do despite her lack of interest and skills in the particular field, paid off nicely. it hadn't been the easiest task around, but the shuttler managed to pull it off, and in the process, pulling the wool over everyone's eyes making them think that she had enjoyed the setting very much. well, the shuttler had enjoyed the working relationships forged there with the other occupational therapists, but she remains defensive about working with paediatrics.

in the process of the internship, the shuttler may just have realized her area of interest to further develop her skills in. and no, sad to say, it's not in the field of paediatrics. she thinks that orthopaedics may just be her thing, and with much encouragement from her clinical educator, the shuttler may consider developing in the field of orthopaedics.

it's an exciting discovery as the shuttler officially embarks on her third year of studies tomorrow. and looking back at the past two years of professional education, the shuttler is glad to say that with each internship, she is even more certain that she has found her calling in the occupational therapy profession.

with absolutely no regrets.

shoot: uncertainty

14 apr 2006

it didn't seem that long ago that the shuttler had been lamenting about working in a paediatric setting, but before she knows it, she's all but four days away from completing the first internship as a third year occupational therapy student. the past five weeks had been an extremely hectic and draining period, but the shuttler is glad to say that she has learnt a fair lot from her clinical educator.

the shuttler sees each internship period as a self-discovery journey, besides the steep learning curve she encounters at each settting. thrown into an environment which is way beyond her usual comfort zones, the shuttler had a very challenging time trying to adapt and learn at the same time. kids, as she always say, are way beyond her.

but thankfully, the shuttler had a clinical educator who was willing to teach, explain and demostrate things to her, giving the shuttler some room for adaptation and learning. she was also tolerant of the mistakes the shuttler made in the course of therapy implementation, always urging the shuttler to learn from mistakes. an encouraging clinical educator does make a world of a difference, and the shuttler is extremely thankful that she has met yet another inspiring therapist in the course of her internships.

the shuttler doesn't really know if she's suitable for the field of paediatrics yet. deep down in her heart, she does not think so. she simply hopes that her clinical performance this time round is decent and presentable.

she shall know by the end of this week.

and to all the other occupational therapy students on their last week of internship, do hang in there!

snap: a very odd name

Man O'War Cove, Dorset

20 June 2006

snap: calm and tranquility

Lulworth Cove, Dorset

20 June 2006

a shell-shaped cove cut into the rocks of chalk that is a testament to the effects of erosion

snap: and there was light

30 may 06
starbucks, suntec city

shoot: the tagged entry

29 may 06
east coast park

the shuttler has survived a week in an environment of everything kid-sized, plenty of screaming and crying kids, as well as kids who seem to have endless amounts of energy. pleasantly surprised to know that there is a "familiar" person amongst the staff, as the shuttler continues to trudge through the next five weeks to come.

and while the shuttler recuperates and spends two days in a kid-free environment, she shall complete the meme that she had been tagged. those who wish to do the meme, pls go ahead. the shuttler is not going to tag anyone.

the who's who meme

Instructions: Name 20 people you can think of at the top of your head. Don't read the questions before you write, and tag 5 people to do the survey.

1. thoxification
2. bk
3. one man
4. the prodi
5. hipporu
6. coffee addict
7. pamcake
8. the chiobu
9. mrs turtle
10. niz
11. the clinical supervisor
12. the brother
13. queen sherz
14. the pinkie princess
15. the korean alcoholic
16. life documentation
17. mr fork in eye
18. kandemage
19. the botak supervisor
20. dr house

questions:

1. how did you meet no. 14?
   no 14 - the pinkie princess. during those fun loving college days.
   
2. what would you do if you had never met Number 1?
   no 1 - thoxification. secondary school days would probably had been less exciting.
   
3. what would you do if 20 and 9 dated?
   no. 20 - dr house. no. 9 - mrs turtle. mrs turtle is already mrs turtle. the shuttler does not encourage family wreckers.
   
4. would 6 and 17 make a good couple?
   no 6 - coffee addict. no 17 - mr fork in eye. both have already been spoken for. the shuttler thinks that no 6 would probably think no 17 is a serious nutcase.
   
5. describe no. 3.
   no 3 - one man. someone who had been a special person in the shuttler's life. a good looking man with excellent fashion taste as well as a thing for photography. need the shuttler say anything more?
   
6. do you think No.8 is attractive?
   no 8 - the chiobu. well, the nickname does give her away doesn't it? the chiobu has her own attractive qualities that are impressive.
   
7. tell me something about no.7 .
   no 7 - pamcake. a fellow mapler and a wonderful friend of the shuttler's. happily attached to a guy who shares one third of the shuttler's name.
   
8. do you know anything about no.12's family?
   no 12 - the brother. of course the shuttler does. one elder sister and parents all under the same roof. some people say the brother looks like an exact replica of his sister. the shuttler leaves that for them to judge.
   
9. what is no. 18's favorite?
   no 18 - kandemage. maple definitely.
   
10. what would you do if 11 confesses that he/she likes you?
    no 11 - the clincal supervisor. the shuttler seriously doubts so, when the clinical supervisor is obviously basking in her own family bliss and her sons.
    
11. what language does 15 speak?
    no 15 - the korean alcoholic. english, mandarin, hokkien and perhaps a smattering amount of korean.
    
12. who is 9 going out with?
    no 9 - mrs turtle. obviously mr turtle.
    
13. how old is 16 now?
    no 16 - life documentation. the same age as the shuttler.
    
14. when was the last time u talked to 13?
    no 13 - queen sherz. at the last college class gathering. the shuttler had texted queen sherz earlier on in the day, if that counts.
    
15. who's 2's favorite singer?
    no 2 - bk. he seems to listen to a wide variety of music.
    
16. would you date number 4?
    no 4 - the prodi. for a chilli crab and gossiping session definitely. in a month's time too.
    
17. would you date 7?
    no 7 - pamcake. for all those dinners at a particular mall in the east region.
    
18. is 15 single?
    the last the shuttler heard, the korean alcoholic isn't single. =)
    
19. what's 10's last name?
    no 10 - niz. zainal, i think.
    
20. would you ever consider being in a relationship with 19?
    no 19 - the botak supervisor. we were in a student-educator relationship.
    
21. what school does 3 go to?
    no 3 - one man. one of the local varsities that specializes in enginnering.
    
22. where does 6 live?
    no 6 - coffee addict. a new town somewhere in the east, where the coffee addict is perfectly happy in.
    
23. what's your favorite thing about number 5?
    no 5 - the wonderful friend to have anytime, anyplace. to be herself all the time.

shoot: yet to be

" mada mada dane"
ryoma echizen
image from prince of tennis

the shuttler would be embarking on the first clinicals of her third year of occupational therapy studies in the week to come. she looks forward to the six week long internship where she would be working predominantly with young children. she hopes to learn much more from her clinical educator in this field.

emotions in motion would resume when the shuttler gets into the swing of things at work. stay tuned!

shoot: mid year wishes

29 may 06
east coast park

some birthday wishes from the shuttler yet again! this time, the shuttler wishes the following a blasting 21st and many more happy years ahead!

the big mouth frog. the turtle-soup friend. the self-professed beauty. the class treasurer. the ex classmate who would hopefully be pursuing his medical degree very soon. the lil' cockroach.

and to the three guys of the cohort whose 21st were long gone, but would be celebrating their birthdays in the month of june, you are not that old yet! =)

happy birthday.

snap: of breadsticks and butter

8 may 2006
batam
courtesy of pamcake

from the hongkong drama series healing hands 3:

"a lifetime is not a short period of time. we all have done something that we regret. but not everyone has the chance to amend what they regret they have done to make a change. we have to grow up, we have to learn."

snap: holiday in paradise

8 may 2006
harris resort, batam
courtesy of pamcake

the shuttler is currently on her semestral break now, yearning for a wonderful holiday getaway like the one pictured. but, she's stuck here at home, nursing a stiff neck for the third consecutive day. not to mention that she's as grouchy as she can be about it. it is afterall the much desired holidays!

and just three weeks of it, before she steps right back into the clinics again.

and by the way, the shuttler thanks the prodi for sending over a wonderful birthday gift! currently hooked on the house series, the shuttler loves her gift to bits! thanks prodi!! =)

eim ii: cadaver interaction

30 apr 2006
kuantan

"all of you chose to be in this profession, be it as occupational therapists(ots) or as physiotherapists(pts). my job is to make you learn your anatomy well. for the physios, it's going to be your bread and butter. for the ots, you will find it extremely useful in your professional development modules later on. so pay attention in class, and i'll teach well." the first official day in school. the first lecture of the day.

"god. anatomy is so overwhelming. what on earth did i get myself into?"

armed with a highlighter and a pen, she wrote as quickly as she could, jotting down points which would hopefully make anatomy a little more digestable. and as the lecturer droned on about the orgins, insertions, blood and nerve supplies of pectoralis major, teres minor, lattisimus dorsi, she found herself lost in the world of muscles and bones.

"cadavers? we have to see cadavers? eh wait, what are cadavers? huh?!! dead bodies!!!! oh gross!!!!"

and that began their days in the freezing cold, doused with formulin fumes room, examining cadavers.

eim i: at the beginning

11 apr 2006
life connections: our treasured bonds

being shepharded into a classroom that was gradually filling up with people, she quickly grabbed a seat at the back and sat down. as she waited for the others to settle down, she began observing the people around her. there's an ex-college mate, someone who looked distantly familiar, that gal with spiky hair and a graph-paper like shirt, and many other equally blur faces. and oh, there's the man she was speaking to at the previous open house she had attended. "so he is the manager...wow!" and the female lecturer who spoke in a very nice singsong manner, the angmoh lecturer with the sia lookalike top, and the one who appeared to be addressing the freshmen.

"hah. wonder how school life would be with these people..."

"welcome to the course of occupational therapy! as you can see, you guys are a huge cohort. the biggest we have had so far in fact! before we get start on anything else, i'll like to introduce you guys to a few of your seniors who will be showing a slideshow of what an occupational therapy student's life is like..."

the lights went off, and the room fell into dimness. picture after picture flashed on the screen, showing people in the library, class pictures, candid shots of their classmates etc.

"hmmm. this is actually beginning to look fun afterall..."

and so began her life in the next three years as an occupational therapy student. filled with fun, excitement, joy, stress and wonderful memories to come. her emotions captured in motion.

snap: off the tangent

30 apr 2006
kuantan

the shuttler would be starting a series of recollections of life as an occupational therapy student over the next few months. a series yet to be named, it would give readers a tiny peek into the bustling, stressful yet tremendously fulfilling life of an occupational therapy student.

stay tuned!

[edit] the series would be named emotions in motion (eim). many thanks to the shuttler's classmate J and her boyfriend, J for coming up with the cool name! [/edit]

snap: and there she goes...

14 apr 2006
frog island, singapore

to the shuttler's coursemates:
hang in there with all the exam preparations. the end is near! =)

snap: the sinful indulgence

21 apr 2006
gluttons bay @ the esplanade

shoot: happy birthday shuttler!

image from http://crumplersg.com/

the shuttler would like to take the chance to thank the following people who had made her special day truly memorable:

the old gang of friends who had sent birthday wishes through sms even when we had a mini celebration over the weekend

friends who sent their wishes from all over (sec school, college, current classmates, juniors and all)

my wonderful classmates who surprised me with a delicious cake, a warm jacket and the crumpler bag that is just so ohthankyousoverymuch!!

my family who went beyond the usual traditions in celebrating my birthday in style, over a super expensive meal, a much-awaited for laptop, a new school bag and of course, the birthday cake all the way from across the causeway

the shuttler appreciates all your well-wishes and gifts. thank you so very much! =)

snap: the magical number

14 apr 2006
tomy romas, suntec city

in tradition with shuttersnap's practice, the shuttler would like to wish the following a wonderful twenty-first birthday in the month of april:

the class joker back in college days, an interesting guy back in secondary school days, an architect-to-be who is my longest friend ever, my ex classmate from college, two of my current coursemates, my senior who is currently in sydney on clinicals, a recently heartbroken guy, who is such a wonderful friend, a guy who will always have a special place in my heart, an ex college mate who loves to crack dumb jokes as well as a current classmate who is blissfully happy in a new relationship.

the shuttler turns twenty one in april as well. it's yet another chapter in life.

snap: aye aye sir!

14 apr 2006
the four friends at frog island

the shuttler was offered an irresistible offer on board a boat over the public holiday, which she gladly accepted. the day trip was almost wonderful, if not for the looming dark clouds and wet weather half the time. losing herself in the beautiful nature surrounding her, the shuttler was able to forget everything for a day, and allowed herself to submerge in the beautiful world, away from the bustling city.

the shuttler's maiden sailing trip as she turns twenty one. a wonderful way to remember this milestone in her life.

snap: the shuttler in action

30 mar 2006
along orchard road

snap: new kid on the block

23 mar 2006

let's all welcome the latest "kid" on the block - a compaq presario laptop.

the shuttler cant thank her parents enough for giving such a wonderful 21st birthday gift. =)

shoot: the shuttler's thoughts

the shuttler has been on clinicals for almost a month now, in a local acute hospital. she feels that she has been through a lot, both good and bad experiences, in the mere (almost) four weeks there. the good, the bad, the sad, the joy and almost everything else.

she thinks that there is still so much more to learn during clinicals, and they really shouldn't cram the course in such a short period of time. besides pushing the students to their limits, the shuttler thinks that it is also compromising the quality of the potential learning that could have been maximized further. afterall, the students are expected to adapt, take over cases and implement treatment strategies in the short period of time, which, frankly is rather a short period of time to juggle everything. not to mention the nagging deadlines of reports and assignments that would soon follow after.

the shuttler have had a reasonably enjoyable time with her clinical supervisor, who is a rather understanding and educating man who also happen to allow the shuttler plenty of opportunities to explore her sessions. although the shuttler had problems adapting to the system of things initially, she appreciates her supervisor's trust and respect for her as a colleague.

being in clinicals is a tough transition to a certain extent. suddenly the shuttler found herself thrown out in the real world, trying real hard to assimilate everything she had learnt in the past two years, into actual practice. being placed totally in charge of a patient was also something that the shuttler found hard to accept initially, as it meant that there was great responsibilties in her hands. whatever the outcome of the patient was, it laid within the shuttler's hands.

of course, there are patients that the shuttler look forward to seeing, and wish that she could spend more time with them to maximise their rehabilitation potential; those who required plenty of coaxing (till the shuttler's mouth runs dry at times even!) just to sit out of the bed; those who have family members who are ever so supportive of therapy sessions and are so grateful to even the student therapist who made a difference to the patient's life. clinical life is just so exciting at times. you never know what kind of person the patient is while reading through their case notes. each and everyone of them have such an unique life story waiting to unravel, and to be explored.

but there is always the sad and gloomy side of clinicals. the shuttler feels so sorry for those patients who had no visitors since the day of admission, while the neighbouring bed gets swarms of visitors each day; for those domestic maids who stay attentively by the patient's bed, taking care of their every single need; those patients who lie in bed, staring at the ceiling and being totally unresponsive to external stimuli.

thankfully, the shuttler has yet to encounter deaths of her patients. but it would be good to feel affected. afterall, that would only indicate that the shuttler had emphatized with the patient, and truly cared for the patient as a student therapist. it would be disasterous if one day, the shuttler would simply brush off death as if nothing had happened.

what would happen to man, when he has lost one of his own, and yet feel no grief?

last four days to go before the end of this clinicals. the shuttler is filled with mixed emotions. what a roller-coaster of all sorts it has been. mentally, physically and emotionally.

you name it, we have it.

shoot: time, time, where art thou?

14 feb 06

an innovative design of clock craft, done by the shuttler's classmates, which was demostrated at a recent presentation in school. the shuttler was very impressed and thus decided to take this photograph of it.

clinicals has begin once again, and will last an entire month. the shuttler is currently posted in a local acute hospital, with a caseload of mainly neurology cases. overwhelmed with all sorts of things to observe, learn and adapt to, the shuttler finds herself left with no time for other leisure pursuits. thus, the short hiatus in shuttersnap.

the shuttler hopes the prodi is managing well over on the other side of the globe, seeing crushed injuries and fabricating presentable looking splints for her patients!