100. End of an Era (28 Nov 2000 - 27 Feb 2006)

Dear Diary,

This morning, I had just completed the last “obstacle” in obtaining my pharmacy practice licence. In that 1-hour viva, I thought that I might have done just enough to scrape through… hopefully. After all, I spent no more than 2 days studying for this viva. =P If there is any blog entry considered difficult to write, it must be this one. After all, ending a chapter in one’s life is never easy. It is all about been resolute and yet adaptive. My blogging experience online which started way back on 3 November 2000, will end at long last today 27 February 2006… more than 5 years later. This 100th entry on “The Official Andrew’s Blog” will formally mark the end of my diary-journal-blog trilogy

On 21-2-2006 Tuesday, I have accepted the improved offer from Watsons Pharmacy and formally signed the letter-of-offer on 24-2-2006 Friday. I have also chosen to head their most challenging pharmacy from the 4 available pharmacies that I could choose from. One week after my pre-registration training, I will embark on an exciting career journey. God has been good to me and really… it was with much prayer and thought that I decided to join the retail sector. If I had chosen to teach in the polytechnic, I would have joined another classmate in teaching in Woodlands. Frankly, when she told me on Saturday 25-2-2006 that she would be teaching in the polytechnic, I was very happy for her! We really need good Christian lecturers like her, to help guide these students in their formative years. =) Sometimes, it is just so amazing how time flew. Just seems like yesterday when I was still communicating with her over emails as a University year 2 student. Soon, I will be heading a store and she will teach future pharmacy technicians.

On 22-2-2006 Wednesday, I arranged to meet one of my two university juniors at the corridor just outside the pharmacy administrative office. There, I encouraged her strongly as she mentally prepared herself for the pre-registration training interview. I was really glad to learn that she got accepted into my hospital’s training program. My other junior, though did not get this hospital, was accepted by another reputable hospital. =) In a way, that marked the end of my senior-junior relationship with them. I sincerely wish them both all the best. It has been a blessing to help and guide them.

If one were to ask me which pharmacist I love to follow during my satellite pharmacy training, I will definitely say “Yu Ning” (An exemption from the Law of Anonymity in view of meaningful appreciative acknowledgement). I thought she really treated and guided me well! She was also very patient towards me and always made me feel that I could contribute something to what she was doing! Seriously, we really need more pharmacists like her around to guide the less experienced ones. It made me more resolved to be patient towards others when I become a full-fledged pharmacist.

A quick glance through my 5-years of online blog, did I ever have any regrets? Did I regret studying pharmacy? Did I regret training in this hospital? Did I regret my handling of friendships and relationships? I did “regret” at certain instances but as I stepped back to see the whole picture over time… maybe it was all meant to be. Although many outcomes were not as expected, I would say that I have not regretted in carrying out any of those decisions I made. The eventual outcomes were all better than I expected. Thank God!

There was this 31-year-old lady who asked me if I could introduce some eligible men to her as she was looking for a life partner. I was shocked because I do not know her except that she dropped me an email via the Social Development Unit (SDU) website. What is love? Will we put it off till we are desperate and risk the prospect of choosing the wrong spouse in the haste of it? While many will describe romantic love as having palpitations when a special person is in the vicinity of us, I would like to speculate on another instance. If the palpitations no longer exist after a long time, but whenever that special person is in a room or a lecture theatre with you… you can’t help noticing him or her. It almost seems like you are always constantly aware of his or her presence from amongst the crowd in the venue. When he or she smiles at you, it just makes your day. Is it love?

Right after my pre-registration training, I will be going for a 2-day tour with some colleagues to Kukup resort in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. =) Anyway, it always interest me who have been visiting my blog consistently all these while…. Hee… =) If you have visited this blog more than once, may I request that you kindly acknowledge by adding a comment on this blog and identifying yourself? Please do let me know… even if you think I probably knew you visit this site of mine consistently. Let this be my last request from you all. It is time I know, haha… if you are genuinely averse to put anything online in full view of everyone, drop me an email at andrewlee1980@gmail.com. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks everyone for the support over the years!

Keep me in prayer and if you need me to pray for you, drop me an email in the above email address. Keep one of my colleagues in prayer too. I have spent years trying to evangelise to her but the time is ticking down for us to go on our separate ways, separate employers. May God be real to her in the near future. Thank you once again.

To all you readers… May you find true meaning, purpose and joy in your lives.

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God Bless,

Andrew

Author of The Official Andrew’s Diary-Journal-Blog Trilogy
(28 Nov 2000 – 27 Feb 2006)