The next mountain is always higher than the one I’m climbing

I always thought that my pharmacy in Mukah is a very nice place. Relaxing but challenging enough to keep me on my toes and my brains working. Not too modern but young enough to be comfortable. A pharmacy that have the potential to be first-class with a little bit of hard work.

Then I visited Hospital Sarikei.

It is also a district hospital, but at first sight, it was already Hosp Sarikei 1; Hosp Mukah 0.

Then as I went into the outpatient’s pharmacy waiting area. immediately, the score became 2:0.

Dispensing counter, 3:0

Arrangement of medications, orderliness, neatness, completeness, 4:0

Beauti-ness of the notice board and displays, 5:0

Well, I think I should stop here before it became a thrashing. In shortness, Hosp Sarikei is a dream hospital. It is big, new, have a relaxing feel, new computers and furniture. Pharmacy wise, it is well-run, systematic and beautiful.

At least after the trip, I had now a benchmark – a clear vision of what I want the pharmacy to be. And hence I should work harder =)

Lest I fail, there’s also the step as per saying “if you can’t beat them, join them”. I am now keeping Hosp Sarikei firmly in my sight as my next working destination if I got tired of Mukah one day.

But now, its to improve my pharmacy with renewed vigor!

Happy Mother’s Day

Mum, this is for you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kaul in pictures (2)

 

Welcome to Pesta Kaul!

One of the elaborate booths on display. Each kampong around Mukah build their own booth, where they had cooking demonstrations, exhibitions and sell their unique food and wares.

I had actually been to the site four times. This is a pretty pic taken at night.

Stalls selling things from perfume to clothes to handicrafts.

Food stalls with lots and lots of unhealthy glorious food.

Fishes swimming in the sky.

Kite aero-show. Those six people at the bottom left of the picture skilfully made their kites fly in beautiful synchronised formation.

The parade of the ‘Serahang’. It had some cultural significant to please certain gods. But whatever it is, it was intricately handcrafted.

Close-up pic of the serahang.

The beach during sunset still looks very nice…

But Malaysians do need to learn one day not to litter.

Hmm….that’s all for this post. Its getting too long…^^

Watching paint dry

Gone as a footnote in history:

For the past couple of years, this was the facade that greeted every patient who required some meds from the Mukah Pharmacy.

Towards the left hand side of the first photo was the door into the pharmacy, and next to it, the notice board which I was helping the hospital admin to decorate. Actually I hijacked it without permission for pharmacy’s gain =).

This was the interior of the pharmacy dispensing counter. Normal.

I had nothing against light colours, besides the fact that it is so without character. It just blended into the background as part of the ‘hospital furniture’. Lifeless. Mundane. Lack of vibrancy. So not cheerful. Not distinct. No way to go for a ‘top class’ pharmacy. No standard.

That’s why it had to be transformed. After waiting for a whole month, at last I had the novelty to watch paint dry for the whole day and continue to gaze and wonder at the brand new pharmacy for another. Tadaa! Presenting the final result:

 

The new look of the pharmacy counter. Bright youthful orange encrusted by a outer wall of contrasting dark brick-red.

 

The door into the pharmacy beckoned, surrounded by a welcoming brick-red warmth.

 

The cheerful interior of the new-look dispensing counter.

The view from afar which I took just before we close for the day. Now we look different and will be different.  Hope the positive ‘qi’ can increase staff morale and work rate. I am already happier. ^^

Kaul Festival in pictures (1)

Kaul Festival is the most happening thing in Mukah. It is sort of a Melanau new year which was celebrated annually around April.

The festival was held at the Kala Dana beach, which was the halfway point of my 6km jogging route. It was fascinating watching day-by-day as they slowly transform what was a barren field into a festive ground:

From this (above) to that (below) and that (below the below :)

They had also constructed a huge stage,

which was filled to the brim with local dignitaries and normal people at the day of the festival.

And who else to officiate and grace the opening ceremony if not the current most famous Melanau son. The one with white hair and beautiful wife.

I was there early and the usually serene and quiet roads of Mukah was already starting to choke with the unusual barrage of vehicles. And fellow human beings.

And since this is the most happening thing in Mukah, I guess I had to write about it in a few posts to do justice to it. And to finish this post, my take on youths playing the tibau – the famous Melanau flying swing that I think most Chinese parents will scream when their kids wander near it. Another version of this picture by an official photographer made it to the front page of the Borneo Post.

Watch out for the next photo-laden post! =)