Joel Khoo

Colorado, Rocky Mountains

2008-12-22T21:25:00.001-08:00

Iowa winter 2

2008-12-14T22:34:00.001-08:00

Iowa winter :)

2008-12-14T22:21:00.000-08:00

Learning to be content

2008-11-23T14:20:00.001-08:00

"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."

We learn to be content whatever the circumstances only as we are put through different situations,

in want,
in plenty,
hungry,
well-fed,

I think God is teaching us to focus on the essential and not expend our energy worrying about the things that are non-essential.

"Do not worry about your life... but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness..."
"So we fix our eyes not what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Striving to attain a comfortable life was not one of Paul's goals in life. The materials things and circumstances in this life did not affect his motivation in life. His joy and contentment was not attached to the pursuit of worldly gain. His eyes was firmly fixed on Christ.

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him..."

Where does our motivation and drive for life come from? Is it from the love of oneself or from the love of God?

That you may open our eyes of our heart, that the things of this world may fade in the light of the glory of Your Son.

God is love

2008-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

God is love. It doesnt seem to be grammatically correct. Shouldnt it be.... God is lovely, or God is loving...

If you see God, you see what love is.

Love manifest in the fellowship of the Trinity : Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God is love.

Homesick

2008-11-10T07:34:00.001-08:00

The feeling of missing home seems most acute when I am tired and drained, physical and emotionally and spiritually. When I wake up in the morning, i dont look forward to the day, to seeing patients, to doing work... And if I dont do anything about it, it will just get worse.

It was time to dig my root deep in the word and find the hope that is an anchor for my soul, firm and secure. I read Romans 8:28-39.

In moments when things are removed from your life,
It is the blessing of God
To look with the eyes of my heart the unseen,
To lay hold with the hands of faith the intangible,
To stand with feet of assurance the unchangeable,

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I am learning to be content whatever the circumstances.
To know what it is to be in need,
and know what it is to have plenty,
To learn the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether living in plenty or in need.
I can do everything through him who gives my strength.

learning about colour

2008-10-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

I have been playing around with characterisation for dentures... I think its really interesting.... to add colours like purple, red and white.... giving depth of colour.... texture like stippling for the attached gingiva.... carving the free gingiva and root eminences... creating embrasure forms... balance and harmony in tooth positions...

I like this photo too because of the lighting that I created to bring out the full effect of the anatomy. I used an external slave flash to give additional diffused light from an opposing angle.

Tennessee

2008-10-25T10:20:00.001-07:00

I'm going to Nashville, Tennessee for a conference next week. Going to be a good break from school and will have a great time there. Just means that I have to work a little harder now to finish as much lab work as I can before i leave.

Friends from every continent

2008-09-26T20:09:00.001-07:00

Chicagooooo...

2008-09-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

Chicago +++

2008-09-14T15:30:00.001-07:00

More pics of chicago

2008-09-14T15:26:00.001-07:00

Malaysia National Day

2008-09-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

This entry is kind of back dated to August 31st, Sunday evening.

Came back from Chicago at 5pm with yetunde. She was like driving at 95 mph.

Anyway, the malaysian gathering was smaller than the thai... about 10-12 people. There was nasi lemak... curry fish... ikan bilis... and of course the malaysia style english and chinese. We played bridge, sat around, told ghost stories in the cool evening of fall. It was really nice.

Apparently, there are only about 3-4 singaporeans in Iowa. Must make a point to meet up.

Thai get together

2008-09-06T20:33:00.001-07:00

Just came back from a Thai gathering... My friend Ron invited me. There were like 30 Thai people at the gathering and everyone was speaking thai... but the atmosphere was really warm and close to home feeling. Something like church. Half of them looked chinese, a third looked malay and the rest looked thai... Sitting with them made me miss home.

Made in Iowa Dentures

2008-09-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

We make custom trays for complete dentures without a handle here. I was wondering how they can get the trays in and out without handles... but they do... its amazing... but it works.

And no blue tray acrylic resin for custom trays. Its light cured acrylic resin! Presto, control of setting time and even thickness.

Final impressions... this one is Kerr Extrude, Light Body (Its a polyvinylsiloxane) The impression material was cut through after pouring out the cast to see if there was even thickness of the final wash.

Rugae for patients - Preformed rugae.

Crown preps galore

2008-09-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Fixed Prosthodontics Technique - Crown preparations on dentoform teeth.

These teeth are HUGE! And there is like gingival recession so that you can prepare really ideal preparations with generous reductions.

These shots are taken with Canon 400D, 100mm Macro Lens, MT-24EX twin macro flash with photomed macro flash brackets and NUS custom made pistol grip and homemade remote-control (resoldered the wiring of a nokia 6510 hands-free set). With one hand I positioned one of the flashes behind and on top of the object. The other flash is positioned on the right but close to the camera lens. Flash set to ETTL. This positioning gives me even lighting and good contrasts and shadows at the right places, bringing out the contours of the preparation.

Ok, for those who are not into this kind of thing... just skip it. :P

Work is piling up

2008-09-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Work is piling up. Lit reviews and treatment planning seminars will be on in the coming weeks. My classmate has decided that he will not continue in the prostho program... so that leaves just Maysaa and me... its going to be sad and we are going to miss him. He said that the program is not what he expected it to be and it wasnt worth it for him. Well, at 60 years old, its not the best age to start prostho.

Great company in Chicago

2008-09-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

On the 96th Floor of John Hancock Tower, kissing Sears Tower. Muah!

Ron, Kosta, Aristotelis, Todd, Bow

We stayed at the Hilton Chicago, 4 guys to a room ($90 per night!!)... the room had 2 bathrooms, so the 2 asians shared one bathroom, and the 2 greeks shared the other...

Chicago!

2008-09-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

The famous Michigan Ave of Chicago.

Famous Skyline of Chicago from the lake side

View from John Hancock Observatory Center on the 96 floor.

Evening sunset along the river on Michigan Ave

View of the skyline from Grant Park... they were having a Jazz Festival

Chicken rice

2008-08-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

We made chicken rice at Ron's place on Saturday. It was really simple cause we had all the pre-mix ingredients. So just boiled the chicken, cooked the rice, cut the chicken, and wala... we had chicken rice. It wasnt smashing but it was comforting to have something like that. Of course, Aristotelis, George and Maysaa didnt really appreciate the chicken rice or the special chicken rice chilli... so it was all to myself and Ron.

The next food item on the menu will be... Bak kut teh... i bought the pork bones already... just waiting for the right time to do it.

Chicago!

2008-08-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Oh oh oh... I'm going chicago this weekend. Its a labour day long weekend here in the US. Going for 3 days! My classmates say its a really beautiful city with lots of interesting sights and sounds... So far its 6 people going in a mini-van... there may be one more... so that makes 7 people! We agreed that we are going to dress up really professional to go out, especially in the evenings.... hahahah.

Chicken rice

2008-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I will cook chicken rice for my classmates.

I have got a whole chicken in the fridge. Got my rice and cucumber and instructions. And most importantly, I got the secret ingredients/mixture and chilli sauce from Prima deli, Singapore! hahaha.... I brought it over and going to use it for the first time!

Ron offered his kitchen to cook. I have only a medium size pot in my kitchen (not enough to even squeeze the chicken in). Ron's kitchen has almost everything. And more importantly, all the cleaning up with be in his house! hahahah.... but I think Ron is really looking forward to the chicken rice. He's come to singapore before and keeps telling me how nice the chicken rice in singapore is.

And I manage to get a rack of pork ribs from walmart! Can make Bak kut teh too! For next week! Akan Datang. And of course, I have the secret pre-mix ingredients, from prima deli! hahaha

The corn season is still on... iowa sweet corn... great stuff. Just microwave it for about 8 minutes and you can start chomping away at it. (that is after you put the iowa sweet butter!)

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength

2008-08-22T21:32:00.001-07:00

Today we had a church outreach to welcome the new chinese students who have come from China and Taiwan... I was part of the choir and we sang a very touching song. (even now the words and tune ring in my ears). And we did the skit called "hands" and I played the role of God who created man, but man turn against God and they crucified Jesus, God's son. It was a very simple skit but I felt very privilege to be able to convey the gospel to so many non-believers.

I remember as we were singing the first song "i will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart" (in chinese and super fast... tongue twister) this new undergrad girl from Shanghai ask me if the songs are only for christians to sing. i told her she can sing it too. Then we sang "ye di de chao" and "you yi wei shen". It bring back memories of my mission trips.

The testimony by zhu ming jie jie about how she came to know the Lord was very touching too. She just said it as it is... no hype or "powerful" experience. The wonderful thing about her testimony was that you sensed that she really encountered God personally in a most simple way. (bypassing logic and intellect, she is a post-doc student) it made my heart warm because I could identify with her experience with God. How do you know God? You just know.

All this is a very good pause and break from school work this week. I was super busy and i didnt have time even to take lunch this whole week. I had a stash of peanuts, cashew nuts, snickers and muesli bars in my cupboard in school, so I had to rely on that to get me through the day. I just felt so exhausted before the outreach as there was 101 things on my mind as to what I had to do... But the outreach was very meaningful and enjoyable... But not that I am not tired now... I am super tired now. but joyful.

I think what really encouraged me a lot was a prof hsu calling me after the outreach. We updated each other on what was happening in our lives and prayed. I feel challenged to meet for prayer at church on wednesday once again. I really felt discouraged cause the prayer meetings are in mandarin and I dont know how to pray in mandarin. Asking me to string a sentence in mandarin is difficult enough... praying... takes faith.

2008-08-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Stress!

2008-08-14T16:14:00.001-07:00

The Fall semester is coming... work is piling up... nerves are getting frayed...

My new neighbourhood

2008-08-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

The apartment block on the left is where I live.

Beyond the block of apartment and across the main street at the back of the photo is the dental school... Literally 3 stone's throw away from my place. :)

This is Ron, 3rd year prostho resident. He's from Thailand... and he's really a wonderful senior!

2008-08-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

I just moved into a new apartment! Finally! My very own place. Its a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, living room and kitchen... very very nice... so nice that I dont think I want to move out for the next 3 years if I had a choice. And I dont think I want any roommates either! :P

All the equipment you see in the kitchen was sold to me by one of the graduating students who has since gone back to Taiwan. He sold me everything for $100! kekeke... can't get a better deal!

My bedroom is really nice and spacious and serene. I hope to keep it that way cause school life is stressful enough. I got the queen size bed for $40!!! another great steal. I will have to get a nice duvet and another pillow.

This is my study room. Its the least done in the house. I hope to get another desk so that I can increase my desk space. Maybe add in another bookshelf... and lastly a futon/couch! And a good music system so that I can relax to some good music too. I'm looking for a nice guitar too...

Joining the Church Choir

2008-07-25T05:24:00.000-07:00

I just joined the choir "shi(1) ban(1)". Initialy I was really reluctant.... but then with a lot of encouragement and persuasion... (actually its not that difficult to persuade me.... hehehe) I went for the first choir practice after service. I was really uneasy initially, cause I dont know how to sing the notes on the score, so I just follow along what the others were singing. And the lyrics were in fan2 ti3 zi4, which made it more difficult.

But through participating, I felt I got to know the people in the church better, especially those in the choir... its like you are more accepted... and there is more interaction and see how people are when doing things together. There is a sense of love and warmth in the fellowship. Besides me, there were only 2 other guys in the choir, compared to 10 girls. I guess that why they were so persistent in persuading me to join... cause i have never sang in a choir before.

2008-07-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

This is the Iowa River down at City Park... its brown because the whole place was under flood waters.

Home grown veggie

2008-07-16T21:29:00.001-07:00

One china couple grew chai xin in his backyard and he gave me a whole plastic bag full of it. Organic :) but that meant that the leaves had some holes and really had to wash off all the soil from the veggies. But you don't get this kind of veggies here in Iowa, so it was a good change!

The chinese restaurants here in Iowa, or in America in general like to cook this dish (mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower) and then make the gravy thick with corn starch. So i attempted to do my own rendition of this dish... looks the same just that I did not put msg, so not so tasty. Haha.

I bought a variety of beans that the hispanics love to eat as their staple food. So I threw in a handful of black beans into my rice... and out came something that looked like pulut hitam... hahaha. cool! Of course, it didnt taste like pulut hitam, only looked like it.

Dental School

2008-07-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Dental School

Grad Pros Lab, my second home. :)

The endo pot hahaha

2008-07-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today is the first time I used the endo pot. My friend gave me the pot. :)

Food for thought

2008-07-13T05:44:00.001-07:00

I keep blogging about food... i guess that's what I miss here. hahaha

Fast meal

2008-07-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

I am like seriously running out of ideas of what to eat. Its like I dont want to keep on eating the same things over and over again... its not like I have been here for a few months already. But eating the same thing again makes me feel deprived and pathetic, like I have no choice.... maybe I dont have a choice... :P

I was thinking since I have no exciting meal to look forward to cook this sat afternoon... maybe I will just skip it, didnt feel that hungry anyway. But then... i think I should eat... after all I will get hungry later and still have to cook something, and I dont feel like going out to eat... It kind of funny how you just have to just get down to opening the cupboard and taking out something first and then the next thing and the next thing will just follow. So the first thing I took out was instant noodles! hahaha... then its like.... what will go nice with it... Had some dumplings in the freezer, had some thawed chicken in the fridge, and then just throw in like a bit of everything that I could find in the fridge... ahhaha...its really rojak instant noodles! Doesnt taste like anything familiar but still edible.

Friday evening

2008-07-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

I went to church today after school. They had dinner(home cooked food!!) and then bible study classes in the evening. Bible study was split into the older generation, the chinese speaking younger generation and the english speaking younger generation. I went to the english one today just to see what its like since I tried the chinese speaking one last week. We studied 1 Peter with Larry (who is an American but worked in China for a number of years) and i guess the question that I took away was, "Do I see myself as a alien and stranger in this world... or am I too much a part of this world?" I guess the answer is obvious. :P

Anyway, after classes, Eddie (a 20 year old student from HK) asked me if I wanted to go out after church. I was thinking, "yeah, why not... get to know him better..." We ended up going to a pub/disco with another HK guy, Ben and a Korean friend of his, Chi... not my kind of place. Too loud and people are just dancing, gyrating and drinking... which i like just stare and stare at... hahaha Ben and Eddie went down to the dancing floor while me and Chi got acquainted. Thankfully, Chi (Korean) and I decided to leave Eddie and Ben at the dancing floor while we went out in search for a quieter place to chat and drink some wine instead of beer. hahaha... Chi said it must a generation gap thing, cause he not into disco, he's 25 years old... sigh.. that makes me the oldest amongst the 4 of them. But it was a good decision to leaving the disco and move to somewhere my quiet for the evening. :)

First porridge meal!

2008-07-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

My first porridge meal!!! Again by coincidence... hahaha... I didnt know what to cook today... so i started with cooking rice.... then I added too much water... so it became porridge!

My friend told me that for fried rice, I have to use cold rice (like overnight one) so that it will not be sticky... i was thinking whether it has got something to do with the kind of rice I bought...

Today's dinner - fried rice

2008-07-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

I really didnt have fried rice in mind when I first started out cooking this evening... I definitely wanted to try cooking something new... and as I took out things from the fridge and started chopping some vege and thawing the chicken... I decided on fried rice.
Well taste wise wasn't too bad... the chicken was a bit overcooked and my rice too soggy... will fine tune that next time. But overall, it was a positive experience. :)

I miss my niece

2008-07-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

I miss Mikayla... I have her picture as my desktop picture. She'll be 5 years old when I come back from my program. :(

Pictures of my flatmate's home in Iowa that I'm staying in for now

2008-07-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

My apartment is on the second storey. And that is my flatmate's mercedes car.

That the living room, and everything you see there is all my flatmate's

And this my room.

Kitchen

First 2 weeks in Iowa

2008-07-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

The first 2 weeks in iowa has just gone by. If I look at it the other way... its 154 of 156 weeks left to go. I came here on 24th June 2008.

I feeling quite sick now. Been having this flu and hacking cough (with lots of yucky stuff) for the past 2 weeks. People have told me that I should make sure that I get well before the winter comes in December, if not the cold dry air will just freeze my poor lung. I have been having head and neck anatomy and dissection classes for the past one week and I don't the formaldehyde fumes from the cadevas are helping either. I guess I have to stay off jogging, swimming, cycling and any other physically strenous activity until I fully recover.

This weekend, I got myself a bottle of multi-vitamins and "immune boosting" supplement from the local supermarket here, hopefully downing these pills will help me recover faster. But its really annoying that these chunky big pills always seem to get stuck half way down my throat, despite gulping down lots of water.

Food:
I must say I am quite proud of myself to be alive still after 2 weeks. I really didnt know what to do and what I was going to eat. The first morning after I arrived to Iowa, I had no breakfast and my flatmate had to offer me his milk and cereal. The second morning I still had nothing, but I think it wasnt nice to keep eating his breakfast... so I just skipped breakfast... hey... its not like I have not skipped breakfast before. In the end, I managed to get to Wal-mart and bought like a lot of food. Well, its lasted me for a week till now... and I still have a bit more to go. I've started to cook. Struggling with getting the estimate of how much to cook for one person. The first time I cooked, I cooked too much and invited a class mate to come over to eat. Thankfully, he said the food wasnt too bad. But after this week, I have decided not to cook using sesame seed oil or garlic cause the smell is very strong and it just permeates the whole house. I dont mind it, but I dont think my flatmate would like it... especially he's ang moh... so I will have to wait till 1st August when I move into my own apartment.