Scene
All this studying has really gotten me out of shape. I feel like as if I have respiratory distress walking up to the 2nd floor mods...which are one floor down from 1st year.
Question
How do you exercise? Do you find it difficult to find the time to exercise?
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
#16: MS2
I got upgraded to a 2nd Year med student this week! Yay! 65K in debt and counting. Yay! But now I can diagnose amyloidosis. Great success.
I haven't realized how far I've gone in just one year of medical education until I saw the wide-eyed MS1s...and smelled their trail of formaldehyde. As an MS2, I'm not envious and I sure as hell don't want to look back at being an MS1.
Question
Where are you now compared to a year ago?
I haven't realized how far I've gone in just one year of medical education until I saw the wide-eyed MS1s...and smelled their trail of formaldehyde. As an MS2, I'm not envious and I sure as hell don't want to look back at being an MS1.
Question
Where are you now compared to a year ago?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
#15: Rest of Europe and Rest of Summer
Scene
Well, hello, my friends. You may have wondered if I have been kidnapped abroad or simply neglected you. Neither, actually. Rather, I made a conscious decision to spend essentially my last summer as best as I could. And, that I did. That I did. Here are some highlights.
After Amsterdam, I traveled to Berlin to meet up with Nancy (not her real name, of course), a friend since high school and we met once before in Milan when we both studied abroad. It was comforting to meet up with someone I knew and to slow down to shoot the breeze about the different paths we've taken in our lives. I didn't pay much attention to sightseeing Berlin, but was absolutely immersed in listening to how Nancy basically just left the States and moved to Berlin on a whim. I was immensely happy to hear that she was happier living in Berlin than miring in the totalitarian control of her parents. As this trip was the first time I've ever really been alone on my own in the world, her story gave me assurance that I would be alright.
In Frankfurt and Munich, I got drunk for the time few times ever. A liter of beer did me in. So did 750mL of beer, a ridiculously strong mojito, and apfelwein (apple wine). What can I say, I'm a lightweight. I hung out with more Asians than I ever have before. I told the waitress at the beer hall that I thought she was cute. Must have been buzzed off of my rocker. I definitely had a hangover and it was like having Snookie and Lady Gaga on PMS in my head. Painful. I'm not even a fun drunk. Just a sleepy one. No fun.
Switzerland, oh how beautiful you were with rivers running through your cities and mountains towering in the background. Gorgeous and serene. Basel, Zurich, Luzern, and Lenzburg. What I would do to live in any of those cities. I stayed with an absolutely wonderful Swiss family. And, Swiss girls did not disappoint (sorry, I'm a guy). Schon indeed. I climbed up to Burgenstock even though I have an incurable fear of heights. I swam in a lake even though I have an terrifying fear of depths. The adrenaline rush got me through those moments for sure.
After I got back from Europe, I visited my grandaunt in Pittsburgh. I hadn't seen her in years...so long ago I don't even when was the last time. I spent an afternoon with her chatting about what was going with our lives. How she misses her husband who passed away 7 years ago. How I gallivanted about through Europe. I didn't get to know much about her until this time. What a strong, sturdy woman she is. I can't believe it took this long for me to get to know her.
One of the most exciting moments was when I went sailing. It was my first time sailing on a boat larger than a 420. I learned a bit about navigation and got a taste of steering and skippering. Like sailing 420s and FJs, controlling the jib line and being crew were my comfort areas. It was the first time I spent a night on the water feeling the gentle rocking on the waves. I spent time on the boat staring out into the horizon and water yonder with my legs stretched out and feeling the puffs of breeze passing by.
To cap off the end of summer, I spent time with Meredith (not her real name, of course), who has been a friend since high school. The same gal to whom I clumsily confessed my affections over the interwebs via instant messenger. Don't ever do this, kids. This summer was the first time we've ever really gotten to know one another. It was a bit surreal because all this time, I've felt and still feel that I was just a dork who helped out a cute girl in Chemistry. And, that was extent of the friendship. We had hung out one night before I left for Europe and I totally enjoyed wandering around the city at night and talking aimlessly for hours with her. Since she made me owe her dinner after the first time, which I definitely did not mind, we arranged to meet up when I got back. So, we did. Twice. Both times I really really enjoyed the conversations and banter. Having meaningful conversations was something that was lacking for me and to sit back and simply talk for hours was calming, peaceful, and fun. It was such a stark contrast to the hustle and stress of med school that at times I felt I was doing something new, foreign. Living in this cave in med school has apparently made me socially detached. Look at what med school has made me become. The horrors.
Oh, and I built a bookshelf for me mum! Happy face indeed.
You may say that the things I did could have been minor or insignificant or even normal. But, in med school and the undergrad premed years, I didn't get to enjoy these things. I was either too shy or too busy to take care of myself and my happiness. From this summer, I started to grasp the idea that this life was mine. What am I waiting for? I should take risks, be a fool, feel a lot, fall down, get back up, do it again. At least I wouldn't be wasting a minute stagnant when I could be taking a step toward possible happiness...or a hilarious misunderstanding. I know better of what makes me happy or happier. Good conversations and good company. You know, live and love and share. A minute I wasted being unhappy was a minute I could have been happy.
Question
Tell me a story about your summer. You'll get a cookie if you sneak in a Flight of the Conchords reference.
Well, hello, my friends. You may have wondered if I have been kidnapped abroad or simply neglected you. Neither, actually. Rather, I made a conscious decision to spend essentially my last summer as best as I could. And, that I did. That I did. Here are some highlights.
After Amsterdam, I traveled to Berlin to meet up with Nancy (not her real name, of course), a friend since high school and we met once before in Milan when we both studied abroad. It was comforting to meet up with someone I knew and to slow down to shoot the breeze about the different paths we've taken in our lives. I didn't pay much attention to sightseeing Berlin, but was absolutely immersed in listening to how Nancy basically just left the States and moved to Berlin on a whim. I was immensely happy to hear that she was happier living in Berlin than miring in the totalitarian control of her parents. As this trip was the first time I've ever really been alone on my own in the world, her story gave me assurance that I would be alright.
In Frankfurt and Munich, I got drunk for the time few times ever. A liter of beer did me in. So did 750mL of beer, a ridiculously strong mojito, and apfelwein (apple wine). What can I say, I'm a lightweight. I hung out with more Asians than I ever have before. I told the waitress at the beer hall that I thought she was cute. Must have been buzzed off of my rocker. I definitely had a hangover and it was like having Snookie and Lady Gaga on PMS in my head. Painful. I'm not even a fun drunk. Just a sleepy one. No fun.
Switzerland, oh how beautiful you were with rivers running through your cities and mountains towering in the background. Gorgeous and serene. Basel, Zurich, Luzern, and Lenzburg. What I would do to live in any of those cities. I stayed with an absolutely wonderful Swiss family. And, Swiss girls did not disappoint (sorry, I'm a guy). Schon indeed. I climbed up to Burgenstock even though I have an incurable fear of heights. I swam in a lake even though I have an terrifying fear of depths. The adrenaline rush got me through those moments for sure.
After I got back from Europe, I visited my grandaunt in Pittsburgh. I hadn't seen her in years...so long ago I don't even when was the last time. I spent an afternoon with her chatting about what was going with our lives. How she misses her husband who passed away 7 years ago. How I gallivanted about through Europe. I didn't get to know much about her until this time. What a strong, sturdy woman she is. I can't believe it took this long for me to get to know her.
One of the most exciting moments was when I went sailing. It was my first time sailing on a boat larger than a 420. I learned a bit about navigation and got a taste of steering and skippering. Like sailing 420s and FJs, controlling the jib line and being crew were my comfort areas. It was the first time I spent a night on the water feeling the gentle rocking on the waves. I spent time on the boat staring out into the horizon and water yonder with my legs stretched out and feeling the puffs of breeze passing by.
To cap off the end of summer, I spent time with Meredith (not her real name, of course), who has been a friend since high school. The same gal to whom I clumsily confessed my affections over the interwebs via instant messenger. Don't ever do this, kids. This summer was the first time we've ever really gotten to know one another. It was a bit surreal because all this time, I've felt and still feel that I was just a dork who helped out a cute girl in Chemistry. And, that was extent of the friendship. We had hung out one night before I left for Europe and I totally enjoyed wandering around the city at night and talking aimlessly for hours with her. Since she made me owe her dinner after the first time, which I definitely did not mind, we arranged to meet up when I got back. So, we did. Twice. Both times I really really enjoyed the conversations and banter. Having meaningful conversations was something that was lacking for me and to sit back and simply talk for hours was calming, peaceful, and fun. It was such a stark contrast to the hustle and stress of med school that at times I felt I was doing something new, foreign. Living in this cave in med school has apparently made me socially detached. Look at what med school has made me become. The horrors.
Oh, and I built a bookshelf for me mum! Happy face indeed.
You may say that the things I did could have been minor or insignificant or even normal. But, in med school and the undergrad premed years, I didn't get to enjoy these things. I was either too shy or too busy to take care of myself and my happiness. From this summer, I started to grasp the idea that this life was mine. What am I waiting for? I should take risks, be a fool, feel a lot, fall down, get back up, do it again. At least I wouldn't be wasting a minute stagnant when I could be taking a step toward possible happiness...or a hilarious misunderstanding. I know better of what makes me happy or happier. Good conversations and good company. You know, live and love and share. A minute I wasted being unhappy was a minute I could have been happy.
Question
Tell me a story about your summer. You'll get a cookie if you sneak in a Flight of the Conchords reference.
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