My Rambles
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
FINITO.
So we're finished the second part of PBD, an amazing course (or rather, the ONLY course) we're taking at school. The exam wasn't the greatest, but I'm proud that I managed and got through it. In the middle of writing it, I literally fell asleep. It must have been no more than 5 secs, but I felt my eyes drifting and mind going blank. Uhhh... not a good thing. The weird thing though, is that I slept over 8 hours the night before, starting at 9:30pm (that isn't my usual sleeping time btw). This time change thing is really screwing up my internal clock...
I love the feeling I get after finishing an exam. I literally feel like someone who has recently been freed from jail (not that I would know how it would feel to be an inmate). After studying so many days in a row, I can have a break.
I'm planning on hitting the gym some more... Ivan showed me the free weight room at the AC today. I had no idea that it existed. Let's just see how long I last. I'm usually too lazy to go through with these initiatives.
So we're finished the second part of PBD, an amazing course (or rather, the ONLY course) we're taking at school. The exam wasn't the greatest, but I'm proud that I managed and got through it. In the middle of writing it, I literally fell asleep. It must have been no more than 5 secs, but I felt my eyes drifting and mind going blank. Uhhh... not a good thing. The weird thing though, is that I slept over 8 hours the night before, starting at 9:30pm (that isn't my usual sleeping time btw). This time change thing is really screwing up my internal clock...
I love the feeling I get after finishing an exam. I literally feel like someone who has recently been freed from jail (not that I would know how it would feel to be an inmate). After studying so many days in a row, I can have a break.
I'm planning on hitting the gym some more... Ivan showed me the free weight room at the AC today. I had no idea that it existed. Let's just see how long I last. I'm usually too lazy to go through with these initiatives.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
PERFECT TIMING...
I head home before carrying out my week-long studying crusade. It's almost like a ritual, coming home to stock up on food and getting the words of encouragement from my parents before heading back downtown. I go to church with my family, and we decide to drive my cousin this time.
Great. Turns out my little cousin is coughing and hacking out his lungs in the car. Having attended so many hours of lectures on infections and disease, I sat there imagining the little spores and cough droplets circulating through the air and landing almost perfectly in my airways. I cross my fingers, hoping that I don't contract that nasty little disease.
One day passes, nothing...
Then the second day, Lo and behold! One full day later (perfect incubation period for my cold), I start feeling flushed, tired and achy. I flip through my notes that I'm studying for this upcoming exam and check to see whether it was possible. Rubbing my eyes and closing them several times didn't help change the figures that I saw in my notes. Yup, cold virus -- incubation period's about a day.
GREAT. I'm sick with a cold... and I'm now coughing out guck. Yum...
Now that I know I'm sick with a cold, there's nothing I can do. I'm a sitting duck. Even with the most modern types of western medicine, there's no other treatment for colds besides bedrest and fluids. Antivirals would be useless, and even harmful. Thanks Mitch, you're the best at making me SICK.
UGHHHHHHHHH
I head home before carrying out my week-long studying crusade. It's almost like a ritual, coming home to stock up on food and getting the words of encouragement from my parents before heading back downtown. I go to church with my family, and we decide to drive my cousin this time.
Great. Turns out my little cousin is coughing and hacking out his lungs in the car. Having attended so many hours of lectures on infections and disease, I sat there imagining the little spores and cough droplets circulating through the air and landing almost perfectly in my airways. I cross my fingers, hoping that I don't contract that nasty little disease.
One day passes, nothing...
Then the second day, Lo and behold! One full day later (perfect incubation period for my cold), I start feeling flushed, tired and achy. I flip through my notes that I'm studying for this upcoming exam and check to see whether it was possible. Rubbing my eyes and closing them several times didn't help change the figures that I saw in my notes. Yup, cold virus -- incubation period's about a day.
GREAT. I'm sick with a cold... and I'm now coughing out guck. Yum...
Now that I know I'm sick with a cold, there's nothing I can do. I'm a sitting duck. Even with the most modern types of western medicine, there's no other treatment for colds besides bedrest and fluids. Antivirals would be useless, and even harmful. Thanks Mitch, you're the best at making me SICK.
UGHHHHHHHHH
Sunday, October 22, 2006
so I've taken four classes of Tai chi so far. My instructor is the stereotypical Chinese fellow - short, stumpy, with graying hair matted on top of a potato shaped head, taking on the form of an upside-down mop. He speaks with an incredibly thick Hong kong accent, and even I, the "Master of Fobbiness" strain to understand the words coming out of his swollen, protruding lips.
During this weekend, after practicing some of the movements I've learnt over the past month, I've come to one conclusion: I've learnt nothing. Yup, you heard me, nothing. So far, I've practiced how to breath in the taichi way (which is basically standing on one spot and waiting to fall asleep), I've learnt to rotate my knees and shoulders, and I've learnt exactly 3 movements which can be done in a total of 5 seconds. This month of class must have been the slowest paced martial class that i've ever taken part of.
And to realize that I only have 6 more classes left, makes me wonder how much more I'll learn. In 4 hours (it was $5 dollars a pop/lesson), I've only learnt those four things... which makes each movements cost nearly $6 bucks each. If I knew raising one knee could have costed so much money, I would be making fortunes by making up my own Taichi moves.
Sensing the irritable fumes steaming out from my nose and ears, my teacher gave us a little lecture during one class.
(in the Dez-style of narrating stories, I'll recount what he said)
Teacher: Do yoo un-dah-stand? (Do you understand?) I ong-lee teach yoo foh yoh owng goot. I want yoh boh-dee tu feew goot. (I only teach you for your own good, I want your body to feel good) Yoo un-dah-stand? (You understand?)
Me (thinking): Dude, I don't understand you as you are speaking. Let alone, the white guys in this class... They must not understand a single word...
Teacher: Yoo miy fing I teach slow-lee, but I do deese foh yoh ohng goot. I teach what I fing yoo ah rehdy (You might thing i teach slowly, but i do this for your own good. I teach what I think you are ready)
Me (thinking): How many times have you already said you "do this for my own good"?
We practice the same three moves for the next 30 minutes or so, until the class the finally over. And the real ticker on this one, is that the instructor is such a nice guy. You just simply can't get upset by looking at this man. he's looks so friendly and unharmful.
I really hope the next few classes of taichi are gonna speed up in pace. it better, or else I'll pull out my hair like a madman during class next time.
During this weekend, after practicing some of the movements I've learnt over the past month, I've come to one conclusion: I've learnt nothing. Yup, you heard me, nothing. So far, I've practiced how to breath in the taichi way (which is basically standing on one spot and waiting to fall asleep), I've learnt to rotate my knees and shoulders, and I've learnt exactly 3 movements which can be done in a total of 5 seconds. This month of class must have been the slowest paced martial class that i've ever taken part of.
And to realize that I only have 6 more classes left, makes me wonder how much more I'll learn. In 4 hours (it was $5 dollars a pop/lesson), I've only learnt those four things... which makes each movements cost nearly $6 bucks each. If I knew raising one knee could have costed so much money, I would be making fortunes by making up my own Taichi moves.
Sensing the irritable fumes steaming out from my nose and ears, my teacher gave us a little lecture during one class.
(in the Dez-style of narrating stories, I'll recount what he said)
Teacher: Do yoo un-dah-stand? (Do you understand?) I ong-lee teach yoo foh yoh owng goot. I want yoh boh-dee tu feew goot. (I only teach you for your own good, I want your body to feel good) Yoo un-dah-stand? (You understand?)
Me (thinking): Dude, I don't understand you as you are speaking. Let alone, the white guys in this class... They must not understand a single word...
Teacher: Yoo miy fing I teach slow-lee, but I do deese foh yoh ohng goot. I teach what I fing yoo ah rehdy (You might thing i teach slowly, but i do this for your own good. I teach what I think you are ready)
Me (thinking): How many times have you already said you "do this for my own good"?
We practice the same three moves for the next 30 minutes or so, until the class the finally over. And the real ticker on this one, is that the instructor is such a nice guy. You just simply can't get upset by looking at this man. he's looks so friendly and unharmful.
I really hope the next few classes of taichi are gonna speed up in pace. it better, or else I'll pull out my hair like a madman during class next time.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Brainfart...
So, I'm finally in the best year of medical school -- second year at UofT. Everything has been fine and dandy so far, with no major flunking problems or major friendship issues. We even have more time on our hands, getting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon off to do whatever we leisure. I've started taking Tai Chi, something that I've dreamt about taking ever since I was in high school, and overcoming my fears of dancing (or rather, wiggling) on the dance floor of a club with every passing medical school conference or post-exam party.
I can actually say that I'm learning a lot this year. Last year, it was hard because it was difficult to grasp concepts without seeing the bigger picture. But having gone through that tough year, I'm amazed how much i'm finding the new material relevant to my future practice. Every week has a theme, be it either learning about cellular disorder, to autoimmune diseases like SLE and RA. We're learning the cool stuff now.
Family stuff has been ok. I'm glad that things have settled; sis is back from the boonies, dad and mom are happy, brother is still working his butt off at the hospital as a senior resident.
So, I'm finally in the best year of medical school -- second year at UofT. Everything has been fine and dandy so far, with no major flunking problems or major friendship issues. We even have more time on our hands, getting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon off to do whatever we leisure. I've started taking Tai Chi, something that I've dreamt about taking ever since I was in high school, and overcoming my fears of dancing (or rather, wiggling) on the dance floor of a club with every passing medical school conference or post-exam party.
I can actually say that I'm learning a lot this year. Last year, it was hard because it was difficult to grasp concepts without seeing the bigger picture. But having gone through that tough year, I'm amazed how much i'm finding the new material relevant to my future practice. Every week has a theme, be it either learning about cellular disorder, to autoimmune diseases like SLE and RA. We're learning the cool stuff now.
Family stuff has been ok. I'm glad that things have settled; sis is back from the boonies, dad and mom are happy, brother is still working his butt off at the hospital as a senior resident.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
My day at the Dentist
I don't fully understand why I get so nervous each time I go to see the dentist. They're usually harmless creatures who clean your teeth. But this visit was different -- it has changed my perspective on them. They're all evil! I'm so glad that I chose medicine over dentistry back in university, when I was trying to decide my career path.
I don't fully understand why I get so nervous each time I go to see the dentist. They're usually harmless creatures who clean your teeth. But this visit was different -- it has changed my perspective on them. They're all evil! I'm so glad that I chose medicine over dentistry back in university, when I was trying to decide my career path.
Monday, June 05, 2006
So I'm finally done my first year of school at UofT and trying to think up of something interesting to say about it, but struggling real hard find anything substantial. Nope, got nothing. I feel ecstatic.
Monday, May 22, 2006
