Riddikulus! *swish and flick*

Riddikulus, because that's what school is. I had a wonderful summer, but it was too wonderful to let go. And they are shipping me off to Waterloo. C'mon. Tell me to stop hating and I might just slap you.

Riddikulus, because today was the season premiere of Glee and I found myself feeling "meeeeh". And of course the show itself is quite riddikulus, but in a gimmick-y predictable way.

Riddikulus, because I really need to get over myself and perk up. And we all need to be able to make fun of ourselves once in a while. After all, if you "me, me, me" too much, that's all you are going to get.

Riddikulus! Riddikulus! Riddikulus! I think from now on (until November at least), all my posts will contain a Harry Potter reference. I insist.

Barcelona and Madrid

Hola!

Spain is hot, hot, hot and even though I'm positively melting in the heat, I am loving the country.

Barcelona was my first stop and I recommend it highly to anyone who visits Spain. It is very touristic because it is just absolutely stunning. I love the fact that the city has so much character... it has many famous architectural gems (the most famous ones designed by Gaudi) and so much activity. There is also a lot of nationalism in the city - the locals consider themselves Catalan (Catalunya) and not Spanish. Thus a lot of the buildings have the Catalan flag or the cross of Sant Jordi (Saint George), the patron saint of Catalunya. The history is absolutely fascinating. I also learned it has the most Gothic style buildings per square mile. Many architects chose this style because the Medieval times represented the Golden ages for Catalonia so they wanted the buildings to reflect those good times. I love walking tours!

Madrid is, of course, the capital of Spain, though it is less distinguished than Barcelona, it is an equally wonderful city. My visit in Madrid is less touristic, and more about staying with my friend who is doing an internship in the city. It's been awesome hanging out with her and I've been eating all the best foods because she is such a foodie. I have been absolutely lazy because I haven't had to do any research - the wonders of staying with a "local". I love her.

We did a day trip today to Toledo, the former capital of Spain. Totally worth it to see at least once.


My girl and I in Toledo, Spain!

Last night, in Riga

My last night in Riga didn't feel like a last night. I guess it was because I was headed for Barcelona, not home. We didn't really have the sad good-byes... I was glad to leave to be honest, and I'm glad to have made some good friends that I hope to see again one day. The night before I went out and got back at the hostel at 5:45am, which was a first, drank 2.5 beers (0.5L each), also a first, and did not do anything stupid (which is not a first, thankfully). In typical Asian fashion I was beet red down to my neck and no one believed I was sober. But of course I was. I remembered everything I did. :D


Believe it or not, this was before the bar. SEP LATVIA 2010 :D

Rainy Riga

Ahoy mateys! The rain has not stopped since last night and it is still going strong. Might as well I guess as today is really cooking day. Our international dinner is tonight and as Canada is quite multicultural (i.e. lacking a sense of food identity aside from maple syrup), I am making fried rice. That's the great thing about being Canadian - you usually have some other cultural identity to fall back to (unless it's about hockey, then I'm 100% team Canada).

So far, I am making rice out of a plastic bag and boiling water. It's amazing how people cope without rice cookers.

Anyhoo, wish me luck. Among my *long* list of accomplishments, cooking has never really made it on the list.

Solo-ing It

So I have been in Latvia for a week and a half now, and I think I am getting used to the city. I only take 3 buses: 3, 7, 15. And similar to the Quebec experience, on some days, the highlight is going to Rimi, the hypermarket (because its more than a supermarket). I hang out with Portuguese people (the 2 girls are my travel buddies and 2 boys that just arrived last week). Very cool people of course and lots of fun. There are now about 16 students who are on the Student Exchange Program and there are at least 2 people who get drunk everyday. Students on vacation.

Work has been very easy. Not much to see, not much to do. The system here is very basic. Of course there are similarities but things are only entered into the computer for billing purposes. No labels or counting. And the doctors only prescribe brands because reps give them lots of incentives (paid vacation, gift cards, free stationary etc). I think this practice is quite universal.

Anyway, although life has been very chill, I am waiting to leave. But I haven't decided where to go. I'm thinking Amsterdam and Barcelona before I see my friend in Madrid but it's very expensive. And I am back to travelling myself.

Any suggestions?

Even ET wanted to phone home... let alone a single girl in a foreign country

Despite thinking I had everything I needed on my bed, I still managed to forget a few things. Nothing major of course, but I wish I bought more food. I live in a res that is very affordable - under 200 CAD for the 4 weeks I am staying at, but there is no cafeteria or places to by food. The nearest supermarket is about a 15 min walk. I don't think I am brave enough to go myself yet. Met a few of the other students who are all very nice and friendly - so is my liason person of course. But I shall back-track and talk about my situation.

So, back to the airport. I got London Gatwick and went into London town at about 11am local time. It was a bright and warm morning and after doubling checking my times back to the airport and asking vonafone how to call home (aka the calling code for Canada), I sent a few texts and was on my way out to the city. I knew Buckingham Palace was quite close so I tried walking. But having 2 hours of sleep on a 7 hour flight meant I was pretty exhausted. So I made the decision to pay 25 pounds and go on the double-decker sightseeing bus. I don't regret the decision per se, but it would have been more worth it if I actually used the buses for the 24 hours I was given, plus the cruise on the Thames river but I only had about 3 hours before I had to go back. So I did a quick loop to the places I wanted to see the most first. Then I got off at the London Eye, gave up on the line-up, took a few pictures at Buckingham and went back to the train station. Perhaps if I had someone else with me, but after a 7 hour flight and with some jetlag, London really wasn't that exciting. I would love to go back when I have more time and hopefully some company.

Back at the airport, I wandered in and out of the stores a lot, trying to decide if I want to spend the rest of my change (had 2,45 pounds) but couldn't find anything, let alone kept my eyes open. By sheer willpower I managed to buy a keychain for myself, but it was very very tough decision. Finally when I was on my way to Riga, I was in a coma for about 3.5 hours. Best sleep on a plane ever. Of course, at this time, it was about 24 hours since I left Toronto. And I couldn't call home.

I tried texting. Message failed. I tried calling with various numbers... 001, +1, +001... but my SIM was not permitted to call overseas. I cursed Rogers with every fibre of my being. Still no good. I tried using the internet... it was down. In Riga, everything closes at 10pm and at this time, it was already midnight. So I gave up.

Then of course, my phone rings. It was my baby. He had tried to text (which I got but not return), tried calling home (not sure if anyone answered), called my liason person (who did not pick me up from the airport, let alone knew what was going on at 4 in the morning) and had no word from me. Finally, when he did call, he wouldn't believe that I couldn't call. Of course I tried you goose. After a few minutes of "You should of called", I told him of my situation and we managed to convey to my parents that I couldn't call.

As of today, I have a new Latvian number and new european cell phone charger. If you have skype, make sure to give me a call. There isn't a whole lot to do around here.

Duck-footed vs. two left feet

Buying shoes is a pain-in-the-butt for me because I have wide, flat feet. Money aside, finding shoes that are flattering and supportive of my feet is next to impossible. Add that to my vanity and shoe shopping is just plain disappointing. Rather go home empty-handed than to have a pair of shoes that aren't perfect for me right? Well, today I settled. But in exchange, I bought home two pairs of shoes that are comfortable, wearable, on sale and not fug. Add that to the running shoes I purchased yesterday and I bought 3 pairs of shoes this weekend. I win!

Anyway, it got me thinking: would I rather have feet that look good in any style but have two left feet, or have the flat Viktor Krum-like feet as described by Ms JK Rowling in HP4? (BTW, I can throw in a Harry Potter reference in just about any conversation). Sure it takes more time to look for shoes when I have flat feet, and I may have to pay a bit more usually for the W sizes, but at least I am not tripping over myself right? And even though I can't dance, I'm not terrible per se. See, glass is half full today my friends.

Running is right up there with homework under "cruel and unusual punishment" but possibly worse since it truly is your own doing!

CBC in Hong Kong

I was born in Hong Kong but raised in Toronto so I consider myself Canadian and my family considers me CBC, Canadian Born Chinese. However, despite my last visit to Hong Kong being 11 years ago, coming back, I don't really consider myself a tourist. Mandy, whose family is here and truly is from Hong Kong thinks I am, but I don't come here as a tourist. I have family here, I went to (pre)-school here, I know the language and can read decently except for some words which I can usually figure out from the context. Nonetheless, there are often moments I feel like a fish out of water.

For one thing, I find the people in HK love brand names. It's not so much for the quality but as a symbol of their status. Of course I'm stereotyping, and to be frank, we all participate in such consumerism but to see every brand having their own store at the mall was a bit shocking to me at first. Apparently, it is partly due to the fact that rent is REALLY REALLY high in Hong Kong, which makes sense as the city is so densely populated, so only the expensive brands can afford to rent a space in the malls. If you want the cheap stuff, you go to the markets. But being the sheltered brat I am, I usually stick to the indoor air-conditioned places.

Another thing that isn't exactly unique to Hong Kong but seem to dominate are the "see lai". You know, the ladies who are past their prime but don't think so, whose husbands probably work late hours to avoid hearing them bark at them in their shrilly, annoying voices... my worst nightmare that I one day may become one. They are a different species (or should I say, beast) than their cousins, the cougars. Though similar in age, cougars are more refined, and would not be caught dead wearing lace-trimmed leggings with plastic flip flops that belong in the living room and the living room alone. Stacy and Clinton would have a ball trying to tell the ladies to start wearing things that may be more age-appropriate. For some reason, leggings and tights are really popular and there are some people whom this look is no longer appropriate (a.k.a. anyone over 40. And I feel I am being generous with this figure). It's not like I am against the "see lai" - they are family-orientated and good people, but they just love to compete and dominant, even for the most menial things. They have to have THAT booth at a crowded restaurant. They have to be the FIRST to get in the subway. They push and shove and upon reflection, I guess I can't really blame them if the only joy in their lives comes from the exhilaration of getting that bushel of bok choi from that other "see lai" who was also eyeing it.

So even though there are some things that I find strange or odd (like the insistence of liking celebrities who have 0 talent but I guess that's any culture), Hong Kong is my birthplace, thus part of me. And I'm very happy to report that people here seem to think I belong here as well.

The Value of Free?

By Jen Baker

In today’s challenging economy, we are constantly seeking “value” in our purchases. That is to say, we hope to make the purchase that will deliver the most service, quality and quantity for the money we spend. This has been something I have pondered, researched and tried to embody to my customers and clients throughout the years as I worked in customer service. The patron of the restaurant at the private golf club where I was a waitress wanted his order quickly and with a smile. The lady at the designer cosmetics counter wanted the moisturizer with the most benefits AND an SPF. As a travel agent, the honeymoon couple wanted the nicest resort without having to break the bank. While cost can ultimately the bottom line in some situations, as a society we constantly strive to receive value in our purchases, especially when we are digging into pocketbooks that are stretched uncomfortably thin.

This concept of value, or obtaining the most benefit for the least amount of money, is something that seems to be missing from the government’s plan to cut one billion dollars from Ontario’s community pharmacies. As front-line health care practitioners that provide many of our services for free (without even requiring that someone have purchased a prescription from us in the past), the government’s attempt to slash their bottom line, regardless of the cost to our patients or our livelihoods, is rankling because we feel like our value is being challenged. Comments from members of the public that further denigrate our value, such as we are merely “pill-counters,” do not help in this matter.

Value is also something the people do not generally see in something that they have been given for free. When there is no cost associated with a product or service, the benefit is often not appreciated to its fullest value. If you misplace or break the item, you are not as concerned, as you are not actually out any money. This is something that pharmacists have seen with patients on drug plans, especially government ones, for years. If a prescription is free, or has a very small copay such as $2.00, many people do not appreciate the value of the prescription. It’s actually astounding the number of people who have no concept at all what their prescription would cost without coverage. While many insurance beneficiaries have an appreciation for their drug coverage and treat the system with respect, there are many out there that will abuse the system to the fullest of their abilities. In my somewhat limited experience, I have found patients on ODB to be particularly bad for this, as their insurance isn’t something they see themselves paying for (and hence has no value) as opposed to private plans that are paid for either out of pocket or out of an employee’s wages. I say this, knowing it is a generalization and that this is not true of all ODB recipients, especially seniors who value drug coverage in their retirement.

In addition to drugs themselves being perceived as “free” by many patients, pharmacist help, advice and service is also free to anyone who needs or wants it. This is something that we now see has done a huge disservice to the entire profession, as many of the services provided in community pharmacies are taken for granted. While many patients are deeply appreciative when a pharmacist faxes out a refill request for them, there are many who don’t understand or appreciate the many services that pharmacists provide. If there were a charge for refill requests, delivery, counseling, clinics, OTC recommendation, calls to insurance companies, requests for LU codes, prescription transfers and many of the other benefits pharmacists provide, perhaps people would see more value in them. I am not suggesting there should be a charge for these services, I am merely illustrating the point that as soon as someone needs to pay out for a service, they become more appreciative of what is actually being done for them. Something to think about – the majority of people will tip their waitress more than what the Ontario government pays pharmacists to dispense a medication. To me, having been both a waitress and a pharmacy student, this does not seem right.

One common drug therapy problem (or DTP as pharmacy students in Professional Practice labs no-so-lovingly call them) is that a patient is on too many medications and should be taken off some of them. Many patients worry that they may be taking too many prescriptions and ask their pharmacist to ensure that none of their medications interact or that none of their prescriptions is redundant. However, we also must consider that we live in an age where drugs are often seen as the easiest answers to difficult problems. It is much easier to take a pill or tablet than to make lifestyle changes that take weeks, months or even years to adopt. As a result, prescription medications are over-prescribed, overused and often abused, especially when a patient does not have to pay for these medications. Patients who pay out of pocket are more likely to be cautious in what they take, as many of the “trendy” medications are extremely expensive. This problem of over-prescribing is another huge factor in why the government’s drug bill is ballooning out of control, and could but has not of yet been addressed in attempt to curb drug spending. Pharmacists would be more than happy to help the government audit the drug profiles of ODB patients, as this would help reduce patient side effects, improve health outcomes and reduce government spending. We are not naïve enough to believe this would be the only measure necessary to reduce government drug spending, but it would be a start.

To the pharmacy students, interns, technicians and pharmacists, please know that you are valuable. Through the coming weeks we will surely hear and read many more attacks on our professionalism, integrity and value to society. Through all of this, keep in mind the services you provide, and take comfort in the support of the patients who do value you. Attempt to educate those who don’t understand pharmacy and what pharmacists and technicians do for their patients.

To the general public who stand to lose out from this legislation, please show support for your community pharmacies. Know that your pharmacy staff cares and wants you to have the best possibly health outcomes. If you have questions or don’t understand the issues at hand, please ask us to tell our side of the story. So many media outlets have political agendas and portray only one side or view – please ask us to explain what will happen to pharmacies if these cuts go through as they are proposed now. Visit www.stopcuts.ca, and write or phone you local MPP express your displeasure with the proposed legislation.

To the Ontario government, please consider that the changes you plan to implement take into consideration only cost, and not value. Your plan to reimburse pharmacists for cognitive services is a good one, but ultimately will not sustain the costs of staffing a pharmacy so that they will be able to provide these services. Pharmacists understand and appreciate that there needs to be reform to drug spending – this is why we went to the table to negotiate with you and were ultimately canceled on, ignored and betrayed. Know that we are knowledgeable, caring health care professionals, and we are fighting you because we need to be able to sustain our businesses to keep providing our patients with pharmaceutical care. Please do not attack our integrity by portraying us as criminals and thieves – you designed the professional allowance system and are splitting hairs when it comes to both documentation procedure and categorizing what “helps the patient.” With your recent health care tax and e-Health scandal, it is time you provided Ontario tax-payers value for their money. Arbitrarily cutting funding to community pharmacies, which will ultimately reduce the level of service we are able to provide to patients, will take away from the little value the public is actually receiving for the amount we pay out through taxes for health care. Please work with us to reform this legislation, rather than against us.

The end is near...

...YAY! The rise in temperature in the past week really made me feel like school is about to end soon! Not to mention all the festivities this past weekend: Iron Ring (though I am not apart of, I still feel involved with so many engineers in my life), my birthday party thang with Steph and Grad Ball, combined in one weekend makes for one nasty hangover. And I don't mean from alcohol necessarily - I'm not a drinker - but the fact is that it's Wednesday and I still feel like it's the weekend.

With my sublet taken care of, I just have to find a summer job. If not, I'm perfectly content with going back to Hong Kong or some other travel destination and have some time off for myself. The icing on the cake would be to see Mandy and Vicky in Hong Kong at the end of April and finally visiting my cousin's adorable babies. These two are the first of the newest generation in my family, so naturally they are already spoiled rotten. I plan to gain their respect and love by ignoring them and making them want me. Har har har! I love kids too much so I probably won't be able to resist spoiling them either. And considering all the times my cousins babysat me, I guess it would be time for me to return the favour and take care of their kids.

Summer, I love you. Please come around soon.

GO CANADA GO!

While I can't say these Olympics have been very exciting for me, considering they are in Canada and all, I'm very happy and proud to see the great results that Canadian athletes are achieving. Two gold medals already! It took me awhile to figure out the CTV website for Olympic broadcasts/replays but I finally found it and I've been watching Maelle Ricker's gold medal snowboard cross run at least 5 times in the past day. To hear her story about how she wiped out and got a concussion (doesn't remember a thing!)in the Turin 2006 Olympics, and to come back and win the gold medal 4 years later is amazing. Her sunny surfer-like attitude also makes her very like-able.

Here's to all the Canadian athletes and Vancouver's weather: stay sunny, stay cool and good luck! Bonne chance!

Dim-summing with "Jook-sings"

My housemates and I (asian) took a friend (non-asian) to dim sum today. I had no idea it was his first experience but apparently, we weren't enthusiastic enough. Sorry dude! That's what happens when you go dim-summing with a bunch of "jook-sings", a Cantonese term for CBCs (Chinese-born Canadians). Genetically, we're Chinese, but culturally, we're definitely more Canadian. Sure we know the names of some of the dishes, but we aren't experts in the art of Chinese delicacies. And we're dragged by our parents to go dim-sum enough times that we kind of lost some enthusiasm for it. Besides, I personally am not much of a dim-summer, especially not downtown. I find the food far superior uptown, and the hygiene is much better. I'm a bit of a snob, I know.

It was a pretty funny experience though, since a lot of the ladies that were pushing around the carts of dim-sum spoke very broken English (and they assumed we spoke English only since we had the non-asian with us). We heard things like "srump" (shrimp dishes) and "deep-fried jelly" (deep-fried taro). Ah, what a multicultural city we live in.

yoohoo!!

Hello blogosphere!

I have returned, but not as triumphantly as I would like it to be. Blogging is hard man. It's like, serious commitment. I totally ripped the name off Potter Puppet Pals (PPP) but I figured it's totally cools since I'm not making any moolah off this blog. Though I did notice the "monetize" feature and I wondered if I would make any money. Probably not.