Oh yes, we have finally confirmed our contractor, and hopefully renovations will start in 2 weeks time (some paperwork and approval process to sort out with the management first).

We went furniture scouting last Sunday. We are really keen on getting a round marble table for our dining room. Did you know that round tables foster togetherness and intimacy? And that everyone can see everyone on a round table, so it makes communication easier. Brings about a sense of closeness. I'm sold on the idea!

I also saw some curtains. I'm loving Laura Ashley-like curtains, they're so... English. Love! But most likely we'll go with those track type rails instead of the pole-type, although I do love oak coloured pole rails. Apparently the track type are more lasting can hold more weight.

Ah, I'm having so many ideas for the house!

Last but not least, my greatest blog discovery from last week is this: Maria Killam
She is an interior designer who specializes in colours and she is so insightful about colours!(Duh) Now I know why certain rooms may look like they have the right colour but the "feel" is not right. It's all about the undertones. Do you know Beige is categorized under pinky beige, green-beige and yellow-beige? I'm now obsessed about colour coordination for our house!

On the studying front, well, what can I say? I'm studying.

I can finally understand and relate to my senior's frustrations at failing her final FRCPath exams last year. The first time she failed, she said she was "gutted". The second time she failed, she said "I can't go on living like this. If I fail again I'm going to quit this and leave for good." At that time, we were naive, wide-eyed wonder new trainees with little responsibility. Our primary concern was that we grossed the appendixes and gallbladders well, and that nobody came back to us to ask "WTH is this??? with regards to some organ/tumour/whatever we chopped up. So of course we didn't have a clue as to what she meant when she said "I can't go on living like this" and why she wanted to leave if she failed again. I mean, after 5 years of training, you're just gonna give it up like that? This place is heaven on earth man! Thankfully, she passed on her 3rd try. She's our tai ka che in the department, someone we look to when we lose hope :)

Well, as I'm preparing for my FRCPath part I, I have gotten a glimpse into this "I can't go on living like this" thing. It's ok for now, bearable and masochistically enjoyable at times, since you know, it's just theory and does not yet involve actual slides, but I can see where it'll go from here.