Welcome abroad!

"Welcome abroad sabrina!" he said.
"Thank you!Thank you!" i replied joyously..

I've converted into a full-time keeper in Night Safari.
I know i will able to cope with studies and work =)
I'm nervously excited to do night shifts.haha..
I'm here to learn more things and i'll work even harder now!
I know that things will be slightly more different and harder but i know that i can pull through this.I have to keep myself strong and keep learning!

Tomorrow's a new day,welcome abroad sabrina!haha..

Two paths diverged and i took the less taken...

seeing things in a different light =)

Was browsing through my picture folders when i decided to post this picture up.
I started reminiscing about the times when i was at singapore zoo.
During that period,i was crazily in love with all the animals..i mean now i'm crazily obssesed with my job at night safari!muahahaha!
But i recalled that everything was so simple last time.learning and enjoying every step that i take.i guess things changes now..greater responsibilities and theres high expectations.
I see each challenge in a different light now.I'm much more calmer now and i take each challenge in much more different way.i guess thats how people change to become better.

I know i still have a long way to go.haha..but i'm prepared to learn.
I think my biggest mistake now is that i'm so caught up in doing my job with perfection that it edges me.Its kind of funny cause thats not who i am.i'm not the kind who strives for perfection.i'd rather do things to the best that i can.i do push myself but i do know when to stop.I've decided to dedicate that energy and time into simply enjoying my job just like last time.And also,making more observations on my animals!

So,yup!!i'm enjoying this learning journey though i do have times when i prefer to be quiet and times when i'm super sugar-high.wahahaha..i cant give the perfect definition of life but i do know that its like a roller-coaster ride,sometimes you're up sometimes you're down =)

Anyways,i still have yet to see the baby capybaras.think i'm gonna drop by west loop tmr during lunch break!

simple day out!

Met up with sofia to visit our dearest melay teacher,cikgu hairiani who's been admitted to NUH.
She was taking her nap so we left her a card and a bear as we didnt want to disturb her.
haha..but the funny thing was,a few hours later..i received a message from her..
"why didnt you wake me up?i miss u lah"
hahahaha..its been really long since we met!Get well soon cikgu!!!

Then we met up with Jaya to catch a movie..The House!
haha..jaya didnt know that it was a horror movie (plus i keep telling her that its a family movie!ya ryte!)..and she was so freaking out throughout the movie!sorry we didnt let you know ;)
And sofia was screaming..i was basically sitting in between them.so you can imagine the pain i had to go through..haha..kidding!
I enjoyed their company alot! =)

The House was very freaky manz!*twothumbsup*i felt like jumping out of my seat the whole time!wahahaha..and so they say about the effects of horror movies...

Simple day out.I enjoyed myself.Its interesting to see how we've changed no matter how big or small the growth is each time we meet.Take care gals!!until we meet again..=)

CooLnesS

The thing about working with animals is that its so colourful .
You're greeted with new experiences and new challenges.
Captured some interesting observations at work!

I was tying the meat for the vultures.To my surprise,when i turned around,one of the vultures had both its wings opened wide!I didnt feel scared or nervous or what but i simply go WOW!hahaha..i'm still not very certain why it did that but i reckon that it was cooling itself because it rained awhile ago.haha..i will find out from my headkeeper.

Meet my choir mouflon squad!Lalalalala..haha.this is truly a rare picture!its a family portrait!

Thomas!he never never comes this close to me but today he did!he sniffed and looked at me!

Our pangolin,Hook doesnt get nervous when i carry him now.Super happy manz!i can tickle his tummy without getting scratched!wahahaha..

This is very very rare!our barking deers are pretty shy animals.rare chance for me to spot the baby suckling from its mummy.

Haha..all i can say now is,thank god for the invention of camera phone!capturing precious moments anywhere,anytime!(okays,tat sounds like an advertisement)..ta!

Sleeping!

I crave sleeping!!wahahaha..
I've been feeling very lethargic and tired.By the end of the day,as soon as my head touched the pillow,i'm off to my la-la land!haha..
Even a 1hr nap is so so precious!

Anyways,today i did animal restraint on my mouflons!
we had to catch one by one,13 of them while the vets injected deworming medication.
I was very very nervous when it was my turn to grab hold of them.
Haha..but it turned out to be rather easy.The challenge was after i grab hold of them,i had to cross over my leg..i mean like riding a horse.Oh my!they sure have the strength!I was practically thrown off!muahahaha!
It was very nice to be cheered upon by the vets and cynthia while i catch the mouflon.haha!
Doing animal restraint requires quick yet wise reaction.
Impt lesson learnt today =)

=Meet my gharials=

=Ultimate favourite,Fishing cat=

=Tailess is doing great!she's finally calmed down and doesnt get nervous when i feed her by hand=

Thoughts

I think my body is waving its white flag already.haha.
I have never felt that tired before!
Alot of things on my mind.Growth..rawrr!its mind-boggling!
Changes,Adaptations..these words are pretty much my companion these days.haha.

I guess there comes a point where we'll need to embrace change and not see it as a complete no-no.hmm..things hasnt been really going my way.i would be foolish to think that things will always go my way though!*winks*
I think i have grown alot calmer through all the kinds of winds that god has put me through.
I do know that there are higher mountains for me to climb.
I guess life can be like a domino..you arranged everything nicely but one slight mistake..woosh!
everything falls.But through all those mistake,you learn,pick urself up and come out with a better strategy.

Oh wells,how complicating can life get?haha..everyone gets a piece of it.

+++

Back at work,20 new flamingos just arrived at my section today!!

I was given a chance to learn to hold them and carry them to their new home.

It was also very nice to see marie and work together with her!its been so long!haha..

A funny incident happened when we were transfering the flamingos.

This particular flamingo was in between me and haidar when it suddenly flap its wings and gave us a really nice smack on our face!

I swear!i smelt like flamingo after that.wahahaha!

But its nice to welcome the new animals!

Xiuting and i went abit mad and really random.

I was washing down the mouflon's cliff and she was below me when we started talking about the korean drama series Coffee Prince.haha.we talked about songs and she kept saying that theres a HUGE generation gap between the both of us.

she pretended to be serious but we ended up laughing like mad!

Ouhkays..i need sleep!i feel like a dazed-zombie!wahahaha..

School's been crazy!tests!tests!tests!

i want to do my runs before starting work tmr...

yup!ta!=)

My name is Sabrina!*rawr*

And so,the people at work have been calling me Sabariah or Sabarina just because of some misunderstandings over the spelling of my name.
Wahahahaha!tats so unglam =p
Dino,called me over the walkie-talkie "Fishing cat trail keeper,Sabariah coming over" 3 times today!*rawr*
Revenge!Revenge!Revenge!
Hahaha..well at the end of the day,its all for the fun of it..

After morning tea-break today,we went to search for Razak.We actually intended to sabo him cause technically his birthday was 2days ago but just for the records,even if its 1 or 2 days later or before your birthday,you'll be sabo-ed for sure!
Bwahahaha..Razak completely freaked out!
Fortunately,its just his lucky day as we just came to give him a scare.False alarm!
But one's thing for sure,we can never forget the look on his face!wahahaha!

Haha..thats basically how our relationship is like.We are serious when dealing with our animals..
BUT!you never know who are the kings and queens of sabo,joke,pranks,laughter and oh so many to mention!

+++

Tailess,is back home!Her appetite is improving.Gave her 2 servings of food and she almost left the bowl clean!Great gal! =D
Lisa's tummy is getting bigger and bigger!waiting really patiently for her babies!cant describe how adorable she looks like when she sleeps!

Tiring yet fun day!But i'm still not sleepy.I'm gonna read up on my molecular bio notes.haha..
mum and dad's on their little vacation.Guess i'll have sunday to myself!need some sleep and good food and time with my cat!muahahahaha!

RuNs

In search for a new place to do my runs,i chose my workplace,Night Safari!
*weeuuweet!*
Came early to work this morning and started my runs.
I'm telling you the feeling is fantastic!Very very refreshing!
After work,in the late afternoon,i did one more round of runs.
This time!it was extremely nice cause i get to see all the animals from the rhinos to the lions!
Think its good for animal keepers to keep fit cause we're always on the move..haha.
Yeah!me happy =)
Roger and Out!

When my animals get CRANKY!

Wednesdays are always something to look forward to,theres feeding for my mugger crocodile and false gharial.Every week,you get to see different sorts of behaviour.Wahaha..i do admit that i get that nervous reaction when its feeding time!

Especially for my mugger crocodile,it requires really accurate aiming cause they're so pampered?hehehe..sometimes if we throw the meat at the wrong place,they simply refuse to eat.Thats why i'll always walkie for my partner whenever its the mugger feeding time..and the call is very standard-"Xiuting come in,i'm feeding the mugger now,could you come over?"..muahahahaha!

+Treatment time!+

So,there were a few treatments today.Shadnt narrate much on it but i learnt alot.Especially regarding animal restraint.I'm still learning but they said that soon i'll have to do the animal restraint too.O_O Good Luck!haha..

+Frodo,sitting pretty+

Mr Twisties had his hoove trimmed today and some x-ray taken.Well,Mr macho is getting older and he has to look after himself more now!hehe..Though Frodo can be extremely mean,i still find him 'irritatingly-cute'..wahahahaha!

+Creeping in+

+Makan time!+

My pelicans were very cunning today!Normally they would be waiting in the water during feeding time but today they slowly creep into the sandbank while i had my back turn.Plus!one of them gave me a harmless peck on my arm while i was feeding.Hmph!haha..still,they are my funny birds.

+++

I've decided to do my morning runs at work instead of my jogging track.In that way,i can straight away change and start work all freshen up!Ta =)

Its just 1 of those weeks..

Bobby is behaving just like a little baby,though he's not one.haha.

He has not fully recovered yet,still a little bit pampered and lazy.

So,we had to make him walk around to exercise his leg.

Haha!now that i've said it,seems like Bobby is my pet dog..

The last few weeks at work has been tiring.

There were alot of things to do.

But,its nice to see us working together..yeah Teamwork!

I'm a bit worried cause my back has been hurting..rawrrr

I was so tired during the afternoon break that i just laid down infront of my section's doorstep!

wakakaka!couldnt care much =p

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.

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Plus something freaky happened to me at work yesterday.

Haha!i shadnt narrate it here cause only me and the tiger keepers know.

But whatever it is,i have never rode on my bicycle that fast in my life before.hahahaha!

Its funny but it always happen around the same place.

But come to think about it now,i cant help it but to laugh at myself as my reaction was super funny!!Fortunately nobody saw my reaction or else i'll be super duper 'paiseh'!

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.

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Hmm..there comes a point in your life when you'll start pondering about alot of things.And sometimes you keep asking yourself "why me?"

Sometimes it seems like you're searching for the answers but yet when the answers are so near to revelations,you just feel like as if you dont want to hear them.

Its weird cause i'm not a person who will constantly ponder and ponder for qns and answer.

Haha..alot of things are on my mind now.Trying to take things one step at a time.

New experiences every single day.

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Perhaps 2008 is a year for me to embrace change and experience growth in a much more deeper sense.

I always tell god that you can throw me in whatever whirlpool that you want but let one thing remain-let me rise up strong again and be with my animals =)

Get well soon shout-out to my animals!=D

- Tailess..make sure you eat more!haha..i know you hate the hospital but u'll be home soon!

- Bobby..exercise more and i'll give you long beans!

- Fishing cat..eat your medication dear.Then u can meet ur frens again!haha..

- Otters..haha!u rascals!please get well soon!

My second animal enrichment!

Environmental enrichment is the process of providing stimulating environments for Zoo animals in order for them to demonstrate their species-typical behavior, to allow them exercise control or choice over their environment, and to enhance their well-being.

And so,this time round i created an enrichment for my Fishing Cats!

Step 1: Get a toilet paper roll

Step 2: Stuff it with straws

Step 3: Then stuff it with small cut pieces of fish or other meat

Step 4: Smear the roll with fish to stimulate fish smell

Step 5: Ready for enrichment!

Well,think it was a good start.Initially the cats displayed some curious behaviour patterns.1 of them actually bite the whole roll!I expected them to rip the roll to get the fish but,haha..they got bored and went away.

Haha..i didnt tell the people in section about my enrichment yet.I want to further improve on it first.(abit paiseh..haha.whats a part-time keeper doing,experimenting on an enrichment?haha)I just feel like trying to do more than just my normal jobscope.Life's all about experimenting and embracing change!

Yusof thought me how to drive the buggy at work!Total chaos manz..haha.But i think i'm improving as compared to the last time that i tried.

Roger and Out!

Bobby is BACK!

+Those days at the hospital+

My dearest Himalayan Tahr,Bobby is back home after spending so many months at the hospital!He's abit sickly but i feel that he looks much better at home.He's still as nice as ever.He needs to exercise his right hindleg so we are basically here to exercise with him!I love Bobby alot!!!Get well soon buddy!

+Tailess with her signature pose+

Tailess is back at the lab again.She hasnt recovered from her previous surgery.That explains why she hasnt been eating much.But she gobbled down 2 whole hard-boiled eggs when i visited her at the lab.I hope theres no complications with her.All i want is for her to get better and come back!I love all my binturongs.haha..they have popcorn smell!It still feels weird without Kachang around though.But i do know that Kachang is safe and sound.Get well soon tailess!!i'll visit you often!

Growth

My first week of 2008 got me into a lot of thinking and realisations.
I see what the world is like now.
(I shadnt talk much about school cause it has been good)
I love my life just the way it is ,studying and working at the same time.
Well,everything seems to be very colourful,in short just like a fairy-tale for me.
Being able to work with animals is a blessing and i enjoy every step of it.
But i can see now that the 'steps are getting less visible'...i can sense that i'm put into a test,
not by my animals but the people.

Everywhere we go,we have to meet different people.
Sometimes being nice to others aint that good..as not everyone will actually remember what you did.I've realised and started to accept the reality that since young,i was often made use of and then 'discarded' or even stepped on.Even my horoscope states that!I guess i was very naive but now,its beginning to bite me back.Honestly,it does gave me a huge fright and also shock to realise that the word 'friendship' doesnt really fit in the working world puzzle.perhaps abit but not the whole of the jigsaw puzzle.

My vision is starting to widen.One by one,little by little,i'm getting bitten by many.
It does frustrates me a whole lot.I mean..really,a whole lot!
Dont call me friend if you dont mean it!*roar!haha*
I'm shocked myself too that such things actually affects me but hey!this is the reality of the workforce.Haha..its pretty disappointing too.
Half the time on my way home,i do feel irritated.
Haha..it hurts.it really does hurts to be stepped on,used or whatever..but what hurts the most is to slowly and painfully realise that by myself.

I've learnt from the hard way and i see what the world is now.
Humans will always be humans..
Haha..experiences like these brought back so much memories of my times in secondary school.
But i know that i cannot back-track.Life still goes on.

Survival tips!I cannot afford to be sensitive and soft-hearted.
If i want to survive,i've got to hold my grounds and be strong.
Time to learn to be professional.

Life is as such..complex.
I seldom blog this way but today i just feel like lashing eveyrthing out.
Its ok,tmr will be a better day!
And then i've come to realise that this is what i call-GROWTH.

You need to let the world see the real you today. In order to do so, step out and give everyone a good, long look. Show off both your hotness and your intellect. In situations where you might have usually played dumb in an effort not to look like a know-it-all, today you should not be afraid to own up to the fact that most of the time (if not all of the time), you are the smartest person in the room. There is no point in trying to avoid intimidating people who aren't as smart as you.

The pain to bid farewell

Its never easy to say goodbye to your loved animals,especially to those whom you held so close to your heart.My special one,kachang had to be euthanised today.She was down with high fever and i could sense that something bad is going to happen when her old illness came back a few weeks ago.

Last night when i received the message that kachang wasnt doing well,i felt that pinch in my heart.This morning i rushed to her den and found her not doing good at all.When the vets decided that euthanasia was the last resort,my heart really really sank.I tried my best to stay strong but i went to hide to let those heavy tears just flow.

Kachang was like our section's little baby.I love her alot.Anybody who sees her will love her.She might not be just like any other normal binturong but to me she is very special.I'll miss hand-feeding her.I'll miss stroking her.I'll miss carrying and hugging her.I'll miss those times when i'd come inside the binturong's den and see her as the first one 'greeting' me.I'll miss feeding her favourite fruit-durian.I'll miss her presence.Our friendship was very special as we had trust in each other.There was love and joy.

Her departure meant an end to her suffering but an incomplete journey of friendship with me.I cherish those times i had with her.She is one truly special animal.I have a lot to learn from this experience.May you rest well my dear friend.

Special thanks to those that cheered me up today!=)

My SaTuRdAy

I'm back after a long day!
Drop by the zoo to help out at my dearest Fragile Forest.
Its always nice to see the animals there!
Boey,the Black and White ruffed lemur is doing extremely well.
He's my all time favourite =)

Heres a glimpse at the Tamandua..he's pretty shy but moves extremely fast.Haha..you wouldnt want to interfere with him as he's got a pair of powerful claws!

As usual,we laughed alot and talk ALOT!

Rubiah sprained her back.Get well soon ya!!!

I'll be adopting 2more gerbils from there.

Mum will lose her head if she finds out about this though..haha

1cat,4gerbils(now 2more),1hamster,2terrapins..

Supposed to meet Jaya and Sofia after that for a get together but sofia's not free..

so its just me and jaya.

Yup,she's still growing taller and taller.

We had simple dinner but we talked alot.haha..

Her experience of her project at Ooty was awesome!

Jaya has grown alot and i'm so happy for her!

You take care and just be yourself cause that makes you so special!

+haha..both of us are actually tired but heys!still a great meet-up!+


I'm still doing my runs!

I feel better now cause i'm much more discipline to follow my schedule.

Sometimes after a bad day,i'll feel all tired and 'shitty'..but after forcing myself to run,

TaDah!i'll feel much more relaxed and composed.haha..the power of exercising =)

Did my runs this morning!The breeze was simply nice.Nice air!Nice music!Nice morning!

So,yesterday,the reporter for the youth section of the chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao took me for an interview.I was smiling all the way.wahahaha!but what i do know was that i answered everything genuinely.Took photos with Aman,the star Himalayan Tahr after the interview.I didnt want to look into the camera cause i wanted it to look natural..haha and partly because i was shy!wahahahaha..i guess,we'll just see whats the outcome will be like once the news is out!

My binturong,"Tailess" was warded in the vet hospital yesterday.She's fine after the surgery.She just needs alot of rest.It will feel different without her around with the rest back at my section.Normally when i do the cleaning,she'll be the one climbing up the fences like some spiderman.Nobody can have the sleeping style as her.When she sleeps,her legs and hands are completely open!haha..Get well soon dear!=)

I tried something!I have no idea if the bats in the aviary like longan so i just tied a few bundles to the branches.The next day,the bundles are still there but the fruits are gone.I'm so happy!!

Hmm..2days off.I'm dropping by zoo tmr!*SuperBigSmile*

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions.Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits.Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

2008,Here i COME!

(Overdue photos taken by Avalene)

Things have been great.My animals are good.

We have a new pangolin and i find him extremely cute and chubby!wakakaka!

hmm..i'm pretty worried for one of my fishing cat and
binturong.Get well soon darlings!
Bobby is still at the lab..he's grown fatter and my section blames me as i've been pampering him so much 'delicacy' everytime i visit him!sorry guys!haha..=p

Someone told me something yesterday.."a keeper must constantly strive to have a better knowledge of the animals and understand them.Then the bonds can be built"

I'm easily inspired and i thank you for telling me this.It sounded so straight-forward but yet holds a lot of meaning. =)

I will work hard!2008.here i come!