Life is hard isn't it?

DSC_7085z2, originally uploaded by youheng1.

Photo: Monk (no more that 12?) at a temple in Myanmar, Yangon city.

Someone commented today that this photo made the boy look far older than his age. I responded by saying that perhaps life was hard and harsh in Myanmar and hence the haunted look.

Subsequently i realised in a mental epiphany: dude, im swimming in a sea of neurotic faces in medicine - life is no less stressful in singapore when you think about it... true, we might have gotten the promised land of JOB SECURITY having been bonded and bloody well surgically welded to the government but id say thats a high price to pay!

Its no big secret that Singapore spends rather little in public health care. Its even less so of a secret (if it can even be counted a secret) that public MO's are underpaid and overworked. Follow this up by increasing regulation, standards, declining privileges, the ridiculous drive for ever more certification (i swear we'll have wallpaper diplomas for decor next!) and the depressing prospect of having to do it ANYWAY cuz you owe a third of a million dollars to the government...tell you what: "Sounds like happy stew to me."

I wonder if you've seen the look on an MO's face recently.