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December

A new year and a new start. If you haven’t already made some New Years Resolutions, it’s time to take ACTION and get some New Years Resolutions written down!

Take some time-out to look back on the past year
Write down and reflect on the achievements and fantastic memories you have made in 2008
Ask yourself: What will I do in 2009 to gain more out of life?
Write down S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-orientated) goals
Celebrate the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009!

Some examples of some New Years Resolutions might be:

I will brush my teeth every morning and every night for the rest of my life
I will floss every night for the rest of my life
I will tell myself everyday that, “rinsing my mouth does not physically remove plaque bacteria” for the next 12 months

See you all in the New Year! =)

Category: Events Tags: new year, new years resolutions, resolution 2 Comments

Medicare Dental Vouchers

December

Selina Lai

In the last few weeks at work, there was an influx of medicare dental vouchers in the clinic. The fact that the medicare vouchers are going to expire at the end of the year, and that school is out already, has increased the number of teen patients I’ve been seeing.

Of course I don’t mind seeing the teens because they generally have minimal build up and a lot of plaque. A lot of them also had orthodontics, so this means they generally have an idea of how bad their gums can get (that funky feel of their gums at debanding). The main thing that I enjoy about seeing this particular age group is that I can pump them full of dental knowledge and send them on their way.

The problem is that some of them just don’t listen!

I mean, considering how many of them actually spend hours working on their external appearance (styling hair, make up, clothes etc), I thought that it would be no problem? Gah… kids! I really don’t know what motivates them.

I’m thinking my approach is much too nice to be effective. Maybe I should just tell them to brush their teeth to save their girlfriend/boyfriend from the dreaded kiss?

haHa! I am SO going to do that!

Anyway, hope you all had a delicious Christmas … and remember to brush and floss for the New Years kiss

Category: Dental Blog Tags: dental voucher, medicare voucher, teen voucher Leave a Comment

Christmas 2008~!

December

Selina Lai

It’s this time of year again, Christmas Time! =)

I can’t help but think of this time last year. It will always be one of the Best Christmases I’ll ever have. Not only was it because I spent it with a fantastic bunch of friends, with an amazing Christmas Dinner, as well as having a heart warming Christmas Eve, it was also the first Christmas which I felt so mind-numbingly cold that it was so appropriate to stay indoors and chow down on masses of food =P

Christmas Tree in Beijing

The Christmases in the southern hemisphere just doesn’t fit with the snow covered Christmas Tree or jolly fat Santa covered in furs found on those Christmas Cards. Instead, my Christmases in Australia have always revolved around food (similar to Chinese New Year but with ‘western food’). One Christmas in HK was spent shopping at the markets. The Christmas in Yunnan, China was spent on the plane flying to somewhere I don’t quite remember.

So an actual cozy Christmas Dinner in Beijing was something that I really appreciated. But of course Christmas has it’s downsides in a foreign country, one being no family and the other being the crowd. Despite being used to the typical Beijing crowd, the Christmas rush was completely unexpected. The locals use Christmas as an excuse to go on romantic dates… which is fine by me, the problem comes when the whole Beijing population decides to move around on that day!

Christmas Eve in Beijing

So Christmas in 2008 is back in Australia, I’m thanking my lucky stars that it’s not the 40ºC+ weather they experienced last year! And I’m extremely glad it’s with my family, and the extended family =)

Christmas Feast

I ended up stuffing myself silly (again) but it’s alright because it can be worked off during the After Christmas Sales (Boxing Day Sales)!~ =)

Category: Events, Food, Observations, Travelling in China Tags: christmas, christmas in australia, christmas in beijing One Comment

Australian Public Toilet Map

December

Selina Lai

Australian Government
www.toiletmap.gov.au
Who would spend the time mapping all the public toilets within Australia?

Our Australian Government of course . . .

I found this lost gem as I was clearing out my old emails. Something which has been kept secret but was leaked out through someone I know from within the Australian Government System <insert mysterious music>

The National Public Toilet Map might actually come in handy for non-locals aka tourists. I have to admit that the public toilet signs around Perth City are a rare sight, but there are so many restaurants, shopping complexes, fast food stores around (and plenty of bush) that I’m sure no one had too much trouble getting to a toilet.

So if you’re planning a journey anywhere within Australia, be sure to check out our National Public Toilet Map site to ensure you avoid being bitten on the ass by some random insect or wild animal =)

Category: Observations Tags: australia 2 Comments

Consequence – Kristine Sa [full lyrics]

December

Selina Lai

A fairly old song which I stumbled across whilst blog surfing is Consequence by Kristine Sa.
The lyrics are easy to understand, and it follows the typical love story format (boy meets girl, fall in love, and then someone gets heart broken). The best part about the song though, is the singing! I have to admit that although I really enjoy this song, I don’t like any of the other songs by Kristine Sa… just not really my style I suppose?

Below is the video which you can download from her myspace page, and the full lyrics of Consequence. For some reason I couldn’t get the lyrics for the last section of Consequence so I had to type it out (might not be accurate)

You were all things amazing to me
Made my life, gave me air I could breathe
Everything you did seemed right
I felt so innocent

I went crazy, so crazy for you
I gave my heart, lost my mind, payed my dues
Then when you pushed me aside
You took my confidence

[Chorus]
And now I feel like I’m lost in this world
And I feel like I’m dying
And I feel for the life that we shared
But you made it all disappear
Love and it’s consequence

I walked back to this place I felt faith
In my mind I’m the girl of your dreams
I refuse to realize
That you were an accident (accident)

I can’t blame you for not wanting me (not wanting me)
I’d reclaim but, there’s no guaranty
That you would not leave me behind
I have my evidence

[Chorus]
And now I feel like I’m lost in this world
And I feel like I’m dying
And I feel for the life that we shared
But you made it all disappear
Love and it’s consequence (oohh)

[Bridge]
I’ll give up my hope,
Nothings left anyway
All these words that you spoke,
Did you mean to say?
My mind’s worn down,
My hurts on display
Please don’t take your time
When you walk away (when you walk away)
When you walk away
That is when I feel like I’m lost in this world (like I’m lost in this world)
And I feel like I’m dying (like I’m dying)
I feel for the life that we shared (for the life that we shared)
But you made it all disappear
Love and it’s consequence
And now I feel like I’m lost in this world (lost in this world)
And I feel like I’m dying (like I’m dying)
And I feel for the life that we shared (life that we shared)
You made it all disappear (you made it all disappear)

I can take what tomorrow will bring
And in some ways I can’t say anything
When will I forget, feel right?
Love has it’s consequence

Category: Music & Lyrics Tags: consequence, consequence lyrics, consequence video, kristine sa, kristine sa lyrics, lyrics, music video One Comment

Hey Small Fry~

December

Selina Lai

I know what you’re thinking, “Why is a convicted fish killer allowed to own a fighting fish?”

In my defense, my roommate in Beijing was supposed to help me take care of my two goldfish (Jin and Hei) when I went away for the weekend to Dalian (thankfully one of the two survived). My message was obviously lost in translation because I found one very dead fish being nipped by the other obviously hungry fish. Mind you, even before I left them for the weekend, I expected the little Hei to die soon because the much more dominant and bigger Jin kept head-butting Hei and chasing the poor thing around the bowl.

In the case of the dead fighting (aka betta) fish, I blame the crazy Beijing winter. I didn’t put it near the heater like my friends because, they might have possibly boiled their fishies to death… But I suspect the fighting fish I got might have actually enjoyed the sauna…

I must also blame the fact that the poor little fighting fish had to endure a 10-15min walk from the Lotus shopping complex back to my dorms in the freezing cold of Beijing winter, as well as being jostled around when I had to avoid bicycles, cars, people, potholes and uneven pavements.

Okay, so enough of the pointing fingers. At the end of the day, C let me have one of his babies! And after a week, Small Fry has his? beautiful blue/aqua/teal colouring! The actual colour depends heavily on the time of day, temperature, angle, and if I make Fry angry.