Friday, December 30, 2005

This shall be the last post before i leave for the airport 3 hours later...sigh...my holidays have finally come to an end. Exams drawing nearer, interview coming...all in the year ahead. I'm just simply amazed at how fast time passes. Steph, still remember one year ago on the 1st of Jan 2005 you and I went to KL together? I remember the time the aeroplane landed in KLIA...my heart was saying, 'hello KL, here I come!' Excited was I that time. Glad and enthuasiastic to embrace the whole new world and new life out there. Exactly one year later, now, i dread the time of going back to KL. Completely opposite of what i feel last time. Sigh..why do time have to cross so fast? I wish time can just rewind back to the time I've just finished my SPM and getting ready to go to KL. Another 7 months later, i will be back. That time, I will be getting ready for a whole new life at another place - UK ...if i get a place in a uni

This shall be the last post before i leave for the airport 3 hours later...sigh...my holidays have finally come to an end. Exams drawing nearer, interview coming...all in the year ahead. I'm just simply amazed at how fast time passes. Steph, still remember one year ago on the 1st of Jan 2005 you and I went to KL together? I remember the time the aeroplane landed in KLIA...my heart was saying, 'hello KL, here I come!' Excited was I that time. Glad and enthuasiastic to embrace the whole new world and new life out there. Exactly one year later, now, i dread the time of going back to KL. Completely opposite of what i feel last time. Sigh..why do time have to cross so fast? I wish time can just rewind back to the time I've just finished my SPM and getting ready to go to KL. Another 7 months later, i will be back. That time, I will be getting ready for a whole new life at another place - UK ...if i get a place in a uni

Monday, December 26, 2005

4 more days left

sigh...4 more days left to go back to KL.

Happy and sad.

Happy that I can finally kick off my addiction to the TV and computer. Sad that I have to start studying hard from that day onwards to prepare myself for the exam. Sheffield interview is also coming by...*scared*..soon, more interviews will be coming along too...Abderdeen and Nottingham if they call me...might suffer a nervous breakdown then.

Lord, give me some strength to endure these days...

Family outing turns tragedy

yea...family outing turns tragedy..that's what happened to my ex-classmate in Chung Hua. She and her family went to Australia for holiday and the car her father was driving was involved in an accident. Her sister died on the way to hospital. My friend and her sis were thrown out from the car. Heard that they are in critical condition. Her father, mother and brother escaped unhurt..thank God for that. The last thing i heard from them was that my friend underwent operation and until now, there's still no news from here. Hope all is well. May God bless her family...

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Chronic Urticaria

man...just read this article about hives ( also known as nettlerash or hives):

People often say that someone with urticaria has 'an allergy'. This may well be true if the urticaria comes on just for a matter of days after a food or medicine which often causes allergic reactions, but is rarely if ever true of urticaria which lasts for months.

Chronic Urticaria
If urticaria lasts six weeks or more, it is called 'chronic urticaria'. The word 'chronic' simply means that it lasts a long time.

But how long is long? In a survey, it lasted a year or more in more than 50% of sufferers and 20 years or more in 20% of them. Of course this does mean that in almost half the people it clears up within a year and in 80% it clears up within 20 years or less (Champion and others, British Journal of Dermatology 1969). So don't count on it clearing up next week (though it may), and get it treated properly.

Chronic urticaria is hardly ever caused by true allergy. In fact we usually can't find the cause, and this regrettable fact causes patients and doctors a vast deal of frustration. In recent years, top researchers have found that quite a lot of people with chronic urticaria have antibodies in their blood which seem to explain the urticaria. But the test for this is too complicated to be used except for research, and the results do not seem to make any difference to the outlook or the choice of treatment. Neither do we know why some people with urticaria make these antibodies.

Chronic 'idiopathic' urticaria: by far the commonest type.
(Long-lasting urticaria with no known cause)

The word 'idiopathic' is a ridiculous word used by doctors to mean that they don't know the cause of something. It means 'self-causing', which is obvious nonsense. But we're stuck with the word because all doctors use it. There is a better word, even if you prefer Latin or Greek words to English ones; it is 'cryptogenic', which means 'hidden cause'. Nobody uses this more sensible word for urticaria with no currently discoverable cause.

Of course there has to be a cause. Every sensible doctor will agree that removing the cause would be the best treatment if only we knew what the cause was, and if only we could remove it without doing you more harm than the urticaria causes. Every patient would rather remove the cause than take treatment all the time.

But most people with chronic (lasting more than six weeks) urticaria have no cause found, no matter how hard everyone tries.

This frustrates everybody no end. Chronic urticaria is no joke, and the itching makes people thoroughly miserable (YES! IT'S SO TRUE!!) ,and for good reasons. But if you are the sort of person who won't accept that the doctor can't do anything else to find a cause, then you and the doctor are going to have a difficult time. More difficult than just having the illness alone.

It's not that your doctor does not care. It is that there are limits to medical science. Perhaps you could help by making your contribution to research, for example by volunteering to help with research tests, or by collecting or donating money for research on urticaria.

There is an idea about the way some chronic urticaria comes about. Research workers in London have found that a few patients have antibodies to their own 'allergy-producing antibodies', i.e. antibodies to their own antibodies. Others, far more numerous, have antibodies to molecules on the surface of the histamine-producing cells (mast cells). In either case the result is that these cells release histamine (and other chemicals) into the skin. Histamine in the skin produces urticaria, though evidently it is not the only substance which can do so. This discovery seems to apply to quite a lot of patients in a clinic so specialised that other experts send their especially puzzling urticaria patients there. Whether it applies just as often among all urticaria patients is something which remains to be found out, as far as I know.

Unfortunately this discovery makes no difference to treatment, even for those people who have these antibodies. There are treatments which can be used to remove the antibodies or to interfere with this mechanism, but at the moment these have too many disadvantages to be worth using except for research.

So mostly the treatment is just the same as for most kinds of urticaria, and relies mainly on antihistamine tablets.

You can also avoid aggravating factors. Almost certainly hot conditions will make you worse, and cool conditions will make you better. So, for example, using a minimum of bedclothes, so that you are no warmer than necessary, will help quite a lot of people.

The good news is that the treatment usually works, or can be made to work by skilled choice of medicines. But there are a very few sufferers for whom the usual specialist treatments do not work. They need to find a specialist, usually a dermatologist, who takes a special interest in urticaria.

The other good news is that sooner or later the urticaria nearly always clears up. But this may happen in weeks or after decades, and is totally unpredictable ( man...this is tough!


sigh...looks like that my 'allergy' will clear up in one year if i'm lucky...but if i'm unlucky...it will take decades!!! that's bad..can't imagine myself scratching my body for the next 20 years (?)

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

down with a flu

damn... *cough cough* i'm down with a flu...my nose is a little bit blocked now and my voice has become hoarse...haih...looks like i have to swallow some vitamin C

PS: oh yea...sheffield sent me some documents for my interview. Looks like that they already decided to invite me to attend interview one week ago...there's one interview pack and a some details about the life in Sheffield...looks like that I'm halfway into sheffield already, all i need is to perform well during the interview. Gambate Janice!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

YES! I got Sheffield interview!

yay...Sheffield interview on the 17th Jan!

They sent me an interview pack which contains some info on the location of sheffield, the student union there, accomodation, CRB and Hepatitis B Immunisation process.

Mum said Steph only received such things from Leeds after she accepted the offer. But I haven't got Sheffield offer, and I'm already been sent such things. 'The interview is a mere formality!'..mum said... Hmmm...looks like that I'm one foot into Sheffield already, the only foot depends on whether I perform well during the interview.

Hope I get an offer...

Saturday, December 17, 2005

man...i'm so pissed off

haih...die lo this time...you know what happened? My hp is permanently spoilt this time. I wanted to message Yen Bee to ask any suggestions for children games to be played for tomorrow's children party. But after i finished writing the message, the message 'insert SIM card' appeared...damn...so i had to write over again the second time, then the third time, then the fourth time...so sien...so i was so pissed off at that time, i opened the back case of the hp and i think i exerted too much power until one of the little golden hook which conducts electricity from the battery to the hp became loose. I tried to fix it but couldn't. then i put back the battery to see whether it could still work or not...no use...die lo...the hp is forever gone already...haih...die lo...haven't told mummy yet...

shouldn't hv been so angry with the hp. These days i get angry easily...PMS gua...haih...the sight of seeing people at home watchin tv and not helping out infuriated me. Just ask that Timothy to turn the volumn lower of the tv lower, he didn't do it, instead he grumbled and complained, 'aiyo..why always me one'. grrr...lazy nya those boys at home. Ah john is so lazy to wash even his own plate....that Timothy is really one kind one...grrr...my blood boils talking to him...always rebuking me one...ask him to do this, he gives what sort of silly excuses...and that Joshua...so spoilt...always asking daddy to bring him here and there, buy him this and that...if not, he would sit in the car and sulk, throwing tantrums and grumbling...so sien la....i'm SO SIEN!!!! Joshua is so revengeful...very 'xiao qi' one...haih...ask him to share with me some of his food, he said, 'humph, don't want to share with you,' then he runs away. aiyo...seems like i'm seeing a younger version of me and Steph. In TT, he has that pride he can't swallow. In Joshua, he has those distinct selfishness and stubbornness....

sigh...why do brothers and sisters hv to hv the same characteristics??

today i spent almost the whole day watching the dramas i downloaded. I think i watched 9 episodes today...45 minutes long each. i managed to finish watching the Sekai chuunin drama which some people said was touching...hmmm..i think it's ok ler...not really that touching. but the boy very kelian...still unable to forget his girlfriend who passed away 17 years ago. the other drama i watched was Hana Yori dango...the last episode was aired last night in japan, i haven't watched the last episode though..need to wait for subbing. whoa...i feel that even watching tv is also very tired...don't know how can mummy stand with her eyes glued on tv the whole day...very tiring one...

Oh yea..i want to rebuke what steph said...she said it's not fair that daddy's friend is always bringing us out to eat. For ur infomation steph, this year, i only eat once eat planet hollywood and once in some restaurant in PJ. The other times, you and esther were with me eating...sigh....i always very soi one..cannot get to eat at some posh dim sum restaurants, no Little Ribs, no Little Paris. All the vendors now go to miri and visit daddy lo. So, me and esther in Kl cannot get to eat outside anymore. Ah john they all sooo lucky...the eat two times in the western restaurant in Grand Palace, and two times also in some Japanese restaurant. So shuang...everytime i no chance one...you ask me to eat more kangkung...i also want...but Miri is raining everyday...eat cabbage everyday...yuck...so sien

Just for the convenience for future reference, i'm putting the list of things steph asked me to bring to UK: (copied directly from Steph's blog)
1) ginseng - my mum said she bought ginseng which costed almost RM100! LOL...what for I need so much..lol...as if i am eating ginseng instead of rice...hahahha..my mum's explanation was in Miri, it cost RM45 per kilo. RM65 per kilo in Singapore and RM70 in KL(?)...Which means my mum bought almost 2kgs??? LOL

2) Milo

3) kikkoman teriyaki - i asked mummy to buy some for me but I also told janice to get some which cannot be get in Miri...hehe..remember to get them for in KL arrr...

4) popiah skins - I asked for wan tan skin but my mum said it is perishable...sigh

5) T-shirts?

Janice's list of things to bring(hehhehe):

1) remember the key chains...3 of them k...at pasar malam

2)a pencil box - no giraffe anymore please..other kind of animals which you think is cute and fluffy

3) the mp3s - the list I gave you and also burn one of the cd sung by someone whose name begin with S..I cannot remember the name. LOL...I think the cd is kept together with the Hillsong By Your Side cd gua...go and check..hehehe

4) the scarf u made for me..heheheh

5) I am thinking of learning to knit..is it possible to get the knitting needles and strings for me? heheheheh....

6) Can bring the purpose driven life book to uk or not...hehehehe..soli arrr...Has daddy got The Heavenly Man yet?

7)kikkoman sauce - roasted garlic one bottle, kikkoman teriyaki sticky one get 2 bottles..tq

8) Bring thermometer..haha..and also bring soap and shampoo..I told u liao right...

9) Bring my photo album. I think there is the OB nite photos which is in your album in KL...bring those also..haiya..just bring all my photos la...hahha

10)oh ya...get colour paper at Jusco...get 4 piece of paper of different kinds of colour each...but for black help me to get 8 pieces k? Half A4 size colour paper.


Sigh...my Tiara pens' ink almost finish liao...dun know whether I should tell u to go to Popular and get them or not...quite expensive. Should I get G-tech C4 ink or not ler...I think you get one C4 G-tech ink for me k...heheheh...



oh yea...steph...forgot to tell you something, i heard from Sin Yueh ( aka mary duck...dunno whether you still remember her or not) that Ms Chong, our Kimia tuition teacher is pregnant with her first baby. Don't know about the gender about the baby yet.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

today, we didn't eat at home for the whole day.

daddy's friends treated us out to eat.

One of them is Eric, who treated us with a rather scrumptious meal at Pujut 7. got fish, chicken, bitter gourd fried with egg, egg tofu...i'm quite lazy to describe the way the food was cooked.

After that, we followed daddy to pay his bills. daddy said that he wanted to meet some vendors from KL at Park-Everly Hotel. So we went with him and we were again treated an early dinner there. we had our 'dinner' at 4pm. i ate a single scoop ice cream which costs RM3.50 ( don't think it's haagen Daaz ice cream) and one plate of chicken chop with fries. Not that nice though. cost Rm 18.90 and it's not as good as daddy's cooking. the chicken and fries are too salty. and there's too much rosemary.

we then went to the water park on our way to uncle su's house. whoa...the park has changed so much. there is a water playground for kids to play..so shuang...pity i'm not a kid anymore...looks so fun man...

at Uncle su's house, we just helped him with the modem and ah john taught Uncle su to use the computer. we wanted to just sit down but uncle and aunty su kinda persuaded us to hv dinner with them...so well...we had to eat another dinner though our stomachs were full.

so, i guess, the whole day, my dad was really lucky that he didn't hv to cook at all. oh yea...for esther and stephanie, daddy is on leave from 14th Dec to 3rd Jan next year...

i think i've found out the cause of my allergy

Rosemary leaves

yes...i think it's...but still hv to do some 'experiment' to check out

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

hehe...Esther, you gonna feel jealous this time...

TADA!


a potato pie!
made by me!

How's my baking? Nice or not? Not even 10 minutes the potato pie was out from the oven, only a small portion was left ( reserved for my dad)...i didn't manage to eat much because my little brothers were asking for more. i had to 'bribe' Jonathan ( one of my brothers) one slice of the pie in order for him to wash the plates...

Monday, December 12, 2005

Finished knitting scarf!

yay...

I finally finished knitting my scarf!

A little short though...

But, it's my first try afterall



Friday, December 09, 2005

work,work,work...

The second day after i returned from Miri had been a busy day for me. After a few months staying in KL, I've got used to the clean house which i've been staying. When i got back, my goodness, just couldn't believe my eyes...the house was so dirty...so, me, Janice Ting, have to bear the responsibility to clean the house...sigh...and I'm proud to say that I *drum rolls* , Janice Ting, no one else but I SINGLE-HANDEDLY clean the house and toilet for the whole day... I even baked a cheese cake to reward myself...*grinning*

Here are some pics which my bro took while i was cleaning:

cleaning the sitting room:


now, the sitting room looks cleaner...


cleaning the toilet in my room:


my baked cheese cake and my little brothers!


my cheese cake...though it's not as good as Secret Recipe's cheese cake...

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Esther, I broke your record!

hehe...Esther, i finally broke your record in typing!haha...so you can't brag about your fast typing speed anymore... pity i didn't sign in so i didn't get myself listed in the recom highscore list..too bad...

Your score: 389 keys per minute ~ 77 words per minute
Language/mode: en
Ranking: That was fast - you can still improve, though.
Comparison: 16% of registered TyperA users using this language have typed a better result; 84% have a lower or equal result.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

laptop -24/7

switching on my laptop 24/7 from now on...hehe...i'm downloading a Japanese drama called Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu [世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ]. don't know when it will finish downloading the drama. So far, i've only downloaded 22.8% of 7.51GB... Heard that it's very touching. I wonder how true it is...can't wait to watch though..*rubbing hands eagerly*

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

visit to the doc

went to see doctor today. got medicine for my allergy. instead of the Claudine which i got last time during my visit, i got Aerius instead. It's a blue colour small pill...doesn't cause drowsiness. Don't know whether it's good or not. HOpe it works...

Thursday, December 01, 2005

back at last, but...

At last, after being away from home for 3 months, i'm finally back! But..sigh...the house is so dirty. My brother didn't bother to clean the house in spite of how messy it is. my other little two brothers had been anticipating my homecoming and they were a lil' bit enthusiastic about it. they told me a lot of things happening at home during the months of my absence. I guess they just miss their sister. when i showed them the cream cheese that i bought in Kl to make cheese cake, my brothers were even more excited than me. immediately they began flipping through pages of recipe books and showed me many pictures of the cheese cakes which they asked whether i will making one of them or not. hmmm...i guess i'd better make one so that i won't disappoint them. hope it taste delicious...Esther will be jealous like mad in KL...haha...(to esther) you can't taste my cheese cake esther!