Lost

I start work at Toowoomba hospital tomorrow. My main job will basically be to admit and take consults. I don't have access to the ED yet. I don't have access to labs or radiology. I don't know how to reach a consultant in the event of an emergency. I don't know how orders are ordered. I don't even think there are admit order forms. Is this going to be a problem?

Australian Doctor

It's official! Now I have medical registration to practice medicine in Australia, a work visa to do such, and a job lined up at Toowoomba Hospital as part of Queensland Health. Now, all I need is my first day of work...

I am grateful to those and for all those who have given me this opportunity.

Sights in Brisbane

 Former Port Office, now Moo Moo: Fine Wine Bar and Grill.

 Yes... you, too, can be Jawesome...

What does this mean?!?

Bruises

This is why I never became a surgeon. No offence to my good friends who did choose to be one. :)

Ho'oponopono

I was reading a book about this and found many things here that were good to share.

Ho'oponopono more or less means "to make right" in Hawaiian (I am open to correction). It is an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. Applying it to oneself, there are some ideas to take away to help each of us. The first is to approach everyone and everything - most importantly ourselves - with:

"I love you."
"I'm sorry."
"Please forgive me."
"Thank you."

These are powerful words. If we said these words to ourselves, we would exert a lot of positive energy upon ourselves. If we said these words to others, we would exert a lot of positive energy upon others. Looking at it from another angle, why not have a positive view on life rather than a negative one?

Starry Night

I was just walking home and was looking up at the night sky. I can see so many stars. I don't remember being able to see so many at home in LA. I know this is because of the lack of ambient light here. It is just interesting to note and very pretty. Calm, quiet, peaceful.

I still can't find Polaris in the night sky, so never ask me for directions at night unless I have a compass.

Aldi

I got a haircut today. I was going to wait until Monday, but my mum wanted to do it, so okay.

I also bought a pack of fruit tarts... and ate two. I purchased them from Aldi, which I think is my new favorite initial go-to store.

That's it. No, really. Not everything in Australia is that exciting, you know. :P

Viva la Mexico!

This is one reason why I think folks in the United States should be grateful for Mexico (among other reasons). $13.98 per kg. That's $6.35 per pound. Before coming here, I had never seen bananas so expensive! This is the problem when you live on an island continent without a neighboring country to grow bananas in a climate that can support bananas year-round... Oh yeah, and it's winter right now, too.

 Durian... bless them Aussie souls. They remembered us Taiwanese people. I'm sure many of them walk by this wondering, "What the bloody hell is this? And what the bleeding hell is that smell?"

Tired of "Surf and Turf"? Try "Reef and Beef."

And our new bad boy... :P

Oz

Sometimes I reflect on how I ended up in Australia and then I really do feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, except without the whining... I even have a dog, but for all reference purposes my dog got blown off track to Sydney for the time being (quarantine... he doesn't have rabies, people!). I wonder if he feels the same way. I imagine he does. I've been told that he seems to be waiting for his owners to pick him up. :(

I write this blog so I can stay in touch with people even if the means of communication is one-sided (e.g. I write blog, they read blog) for the time-being. I know my folks hope to settle down with a house soon. A house of their own. Once they settle down, then I can feel that I can settle down. Until then, this is what I need to do. I believe this is the right thing to do.

We picked up the ute from the dealer a couple of days ago. I need to take it into the Toyota dealer for a routine full service check up. Maybe they can also find that squeak that I've noticed since taking delivery of the car. The car has full coverage under a statutory warranty, so now is the time to find out where it's coming from. As I was driving the ute back, I must say that I did reflect, "I'm driving a diesel pick-up worth $30,000 AUD (over $50,000 AUD brand new!) in Australia... how did I get to this point?" There was a surreal moment. The only person I know who drives a pick-up is Eri, whom I must say I still have a hard time seeing in a pick-up, although I have seen it for myself from the passenger's seat.

Anyways, I shall let wisdom be my guide in doing what is right. I try to look at life less seriously. Everything around us is temporary. So why take it so seriously and let it bother us? Everything from a car and a house to a cup. One day, these things will no longer exist in some form or fashion. The car can get stolen, the house sold, the cup broken. What is "yours" one day may not be another day. The less serious we see things and less hung up we are on these things, I think the happier we will be and the less suffering we will impose on ourselves. What has passed is the past. There is nothing that can be done about it anymore. What is the present is the task at hand. The future is not yet here, but we should be aware that it will become the present at some point. Just some thoughts...

Lotus flowers make me happy. They symbolize so much of the innate good in each and every one of us. :)

History of Toowoomba

It starts with this one English gent, Allan Cunningham (English botanist and explorer extraordinaire) who sought native Brazilian foliage to suit Australia's climate. In 1827, he discovered 4 million acres (of which we currently own zero) in what is now Darling Downs (named after then governor of New South Wales, Ralph Darling), which is the general region that includes Toowoomba.

A few years later, a George and Patrick Leslie establish Toolburra Station as part of the first settlers to the area, creating a township to be named Drayton. A few years after that, William Horton builds the Royal Bull's Head Inn (basically, ye ol' pub) and is regarded as the founder of Toowoomba.

No one knows where the name Toowoomba originates from, so I'm sure people have fun debates about that. Essentially though, over the next 160 years, more people settle, the town grows, it's declared a municipality in 1860, township in 1892, and goes from Australia Wild West (relative to Brisbane)...

to the second largest inland city (after Canberra) in Australia (n = 128,600), a.k.a. The Garden City.

The soil is really interesting. Red, extraordinarily fertile. I've been told it's traced back to ancient volcanic soil. It's really red. Almost like blood actually. Creepy. But just look at the size of that lettuce (or whatever vegetable I'm going to be eating tomorrow)!