On Dating a Med Student

Haha, this article about what it's like to date a med student is pretty funny, and true in many ways: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,452186,00.html.  Highlights would include: 3. Learn to hide your “ew, gross” reactions when they tell you all the stuff you never wanted to know about your bodily functions. 


5. Each week they will have a new illness. Some will be extremely rare, others will be more mundane. Doesn’t matter. They will be certain they have it (no second opinions necessary.) Med school can, and will, turn even the sanest into a hypochondriac. Date them for long enough, and you’ll become one too.  


11. They're expected to know everything. Everything! The name of the 8 billion-lettered, German sounding cell that lives in the depths of your inner ear, the technical term for the “no one's ever heard of this disease” disease that exists only on one foot of the Southern tip of the African continent. But ask them if your knee is swollen, or what you should do to tame your mucous-filled cough, or why the heck your head feels like someone's been drilling through it for oil for two weeks straight, and they won't have a clue. (MNZ)

China's Pride and My Doppelganger

I finally found my Doppelganger - Li Na, the top Chinese women's tennis player!  Although she didn't win the Australian Open, she fought off 4-5 match point against the number one ranked tennis player in the world to be the first Chinese player EVER to reach the finals of a Grand Slam.  She made history!  Ah...it's such a shame she didn't win.  So sad!  She even got a set off Clijsters - but Clijsters just played too well. I think what I like most about her is her spirit and attitude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPqZj1zz3as

Tachycardia Awaits

This pretty summarizes up my relationship with EtOH...not:

MNZ: Hahaha. This makes me think of some classic russian movie.  YW, the protagonist shoves on her fur cap and parka about to head out into the cold Siberian night.  Before exiting the bar, she takes one last shot of vodka, slams it down on the table and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, hoping the warmth of the liquor will sustain her on the trip home.

Little does she know, tachycardia awaits.

Free PC Kindle + Books

In light of the discovery of free Kindle PC download and free kindle books, I've gone download happy and decided to even download books like "how to survive highschool" for my brother who's not even in middle school yet.  Even worse, my happily engaged friend, said, "well, in light of that, I might as well download children's Bible stories for my future children."  My response, "Well, at least my brother is alive!"

Biking Across the US

I'm so proud of my friend E. Cohen for Biking Across the US to advocate affordable housing!  Wow, I wish I could do that some day!  Maybe I'll put that on my bucket list.  Her trip is from Providence, RI to Seattle, WA, and here's a little excerpt from her blog:


One of the things I’m most excited about is the chance to truly meet my home country, both the physical landscape and the people living in it...I’ll interact with locals in each stop along the way while simultaneously educating them about affordable housing issues. ...Of course, I am most nervous about the physical aspect of the trip. I mean really, bike across the ENTIRE country, that’s crazy.... I participate in several intramural sports and was on a sailing team as an undergrad, but I’m not one of those people that can run a mile without huffing and puffing. 

The other aspect of the trip that I’m very excited about is the community service.... My research for the past two years has been focused on building technologies, specifically trying to lower the amount of energy that buildings use...With this trip, specifically focused on affordable housing, I will have the chance to get my hands dirty, both literally while helping build houses and figuratively while raising money that will go directly to helping individuals. I will finally have the chance to make the world a better place now.

Ready. Set. Bike and Build here I come.


In order to go on this trip, she has to raise $4000.  If you are feeling generous, just click on the "Donate" button on her blog!

Bucket List

Inspired by my roommate:

• Skydive
• Learn to ride a motorcycle
• See a Grand Slam
• Play on grass court
• Skateboard
• Diving
• Surfing
• Waterjet ski
• Paragliding
• Ride a helicopter
• Climb a mountain (for reals)
• Milk a cow + drink fresh milk
• Go to a pro-football game, hockey game
• Bike camping trip in Finland (or elsewhere cool) http://www.starfruit-cafe.net/blog/amy/
• 
  
• ...
• Make ice cream...and many other foods...
• Go places, read books, and watch movies on my list
• Where I want to be in 10 years: practicing academical medicine, in an under-served area.  Practicing and teaching abroad either on short term missions or permanent residence.  While abroad...start a hospital/improve the healthcare system (not sure in what way). Be married, have kids (though doesn't fit with being abroad), and adopt a kid.

Done:

• Deliver a baby
• Snowboard
• Learn to drive a stick shift
• Go to Africa
• Ride hot air balloon
• Ride a motorcycle
• Go to a bar/club
• Blind date
• Be on national TV (in Sierra Leone)
• Play hockey
• Hold a live heart between my hands, make a hole in it, staple it, fibrillate it, then CPR it.
• See the aftermath of a tornado (Joplin)
• Do an LP
• Go to a pro basketball game, baseball game
• Climb a mountain (Mt. St. Helens - small one)

Happily Ever After Wedding

Friend just got married in France - well, the Epcot version.  My first time being a bridesmaid!  Man, I was a little sad I couldn't visit the theme parks (way too costly for the little time I had there), but the wedding itself was a lot to handle.  Didn't think it was going to be so tiring and packed since Disney was taking care of the whole thing, but I guess with the rehearsal, tea, wedding dress prepping, other prepping, ceremony, reception, dessert party - it got to be a lot.  Overall it the brides was lovely, everything went smoothly, and the ceremony was perfect - well, except for the weather.  It must have been 30 degrees down there, and I was in this tiny spaghetti strap dress.  Oh my gosh, the things people do to look nice.  Even though I think by the end I couldn't feel my toes ...or the rest of my body for that matter...my friend looked soooo happy, and that's all that mattered then.  :D

Funny things is, right when I got back, two of my friends told me they got engaged.  Dang, my theory is correct, everyone around me is getting married!

I < 3 MIT

The essence of MIT spirit: http://alum.mit.edu/holiday2010/

Peek Back at High School

NT and I went back to our high school with some trepidation.  I think it's been five years since I've seen my teachers.  I wasn't expecting any of them to recognize me, but I was pleasantly surprised when my physics teacher looked shocked, remembered my name, and gave me a big hug!  She was definitely one of my favorite teachers, too bad I couldn't say I became an astronaut and joined NASA.  Most of the other teachers all looked confused when they saw us and thought we were looking for someone else.  One asked if we were asking about an SAT prep class - oops!

I guess it was go-back-to-high-school-and-see-your-teacher-day because we kept on running into other students doing the same thing.  Although they were usually one year removed from high school and looked at us with some disbelief when we said we were 05's.  Haha - never felt so old.

We also managed to catch my 11th grade English teacher who was known as an eccentric and someone I found pretty intimidating back in the day.  Although he didn't recognize us - from the hundreds of faces he's seen in his 50+ years of teaching - he still talked to us with such warmth and happiness, and asked if I sat in "that chair" - which I couldn't remember at all.  In fact, we both got embraces from him as well (I feel so honored!).  He also recalled memories that I've completely forgotten, like how in the Glass Menagerie, Laura would sometimes run around in Forest Park, so he showed us pictures of St. Louis and the Arch.  Although I don't remember any of that, hopefully he will recall who we were as he sits eating his dinner and stares off into the distance - at least that's what he says usually happens.

But what amazed me the most was how timeless all the teachers seemed.  It's as if as soon as I stepped out of high school, they stopped changing.  Maybe they just looked young to begin with, and they were actually a lot older than they really looked when I was there.  For example, the eccentric English teacher said he might retire because he's been teaching at that school for 40 years and some of his students were approaching 50 - yet HE looked like he was 50.  And the physics teacher commented that her students looked 40 - but she definitely looked like she was 30.  Maybe being around young people really do keep you young.

We also ran into my 10th grade English teacher as he was walking to his car - which was kind of amazing.  It was not surprising he taught drama for a time.  He also told us some interesting trivia about St. Louis like how T.S. Elliot was born there, and his great-grandfather was one of the founders of WashU - or something like that.  It was also nice to see another physics teacher who both NT and I agreed was kind of pleasantly geeky.  We both told told him to send "hello's" to his wife who also taught us.  It was a pity I couldn't make it to my tennis coach, but hopefully she'll get my message via another prof.  When we were trying to search for her in the gym, there was a basketball game going on, and the ticket people told us we needed to pay if we wanted to stay for the game - we gently declined the offer.  We also heard the very-likely-hyperthyroid English teacher was running around as usual, but unfortunately, he didn't run into us.

Overall, it became a very amusing trip with many warm smiles and fond memories - I guess I'm good at forgetting the bad ones.  NT and I agreed that the teachers probably got a kick out of having some of their old students visit them - and I hope it really did make their holiday season just a little bit brighter.

Money Stats

Some interesting money stats that were quoted in my church's sermon this past week: (from the book, Passing the Plateby Christian Smith.)

• At least 1 out of 5 American Christians (20% of all U.S. Christians) give literally nothing to their church.
• The median American Christian gives only 0.62% of their income to charity.
• In 2005, Americans spent $27.9 billion on candy.
• In 2004, Americans spent $92.9 billion on soda & bottled water, & in 2005 spent $59.4 billion on jewelry & watches.
• Americans spend over $200 billion on entertainment products (TV’s, iPods, video games, etc.) each year.
• Americans spend over $300 billion on pets, toys, and playground equipment for their children each year.
• In 2004, Americans spent $30.5 billion on consumer (not business or government) domestic air travel & $48.3 billion on travel & tourism abroad.
• In 2005, American consumers spent $24.1 billion on DVD’s (not counting VHS rentals and purchases).
• In 2004, Americans spent $29.7 billion in sporting goods stores.
• In 2003, Americans spent $45 billion in state lotteries.
• Americans spend more than $100 billion per year on fast food.
• Between 1978 and 2005, the average square footage of new, single family houses in the United States rose from 1,750 to 2,414 square feet – a 40% increase.
• The average American spends $372 per year on alcohol.
• The average Christian gives $200 per year to charity.
• If committed Christians in the U.S. gave 10% of their after-tax income, an extra $46 billion per year of resources with which to fund needs and priorities would be available. 
• 97% of Christian respondents said they either never, or hardly ever discussed finances with members of their church.

Me Last Year (MNZ)

Haha, I got a good laugh out of this one.  So true! So true!: Me Last Year (MNZ)

Cafe Eau

Speaking of ridiculous society events, today we had brunch at Cafe Eau of the Chase.  The buffet menu will explain it's ridiculousness: egg benedict, omelette to order, cauliflower, potatos, smoked chicken pasta, carved beef, wallnut salade, apple/cranberry/fruit salade, pasta salad, fruit platter, lox/fish bagel, capers/toppings, cold cuts (4+ types), grilled veggies (zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus...), protebello mushroom, shrimp, oyster, crab, croissant, pastries, strawberry smoothie, cheeses + crackers, sweet potato cheesecake, desserts: bailly dome, peanutbutter/chocolate mousse, rice pudding, apple tart, lemon bar, lemon tart, pumpkin pie, caramel tart, pecan pie, gooey butter cake, fig chocolate mousse, cheesecake, red velvet cake, chocolate mouse cup, eclaire, fruit tart, drawer of cookies...and I'm sure I forgot more things.  So stuff...5 hrs later..

Through a Child's Eyes...

Children are so innocent!  Here are some letters they wrote to God... hehehe, so funny/cute! (KP):

Dear God,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church, is that okay?
Neil

Dear God,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones why don't you just keep the old ones?
Jane

Dear God,
I think the stapler is one of your best inventions.
Ruth M.

Dear God,
In bible times did they really talk that fancy?
Jennifer

Dear God,
I think about you sometimes even when I'm not praying.
Elliot

Dear God,
I am an American, what are you?
Robert

Dear God -if-we-come-back-as-something-please-don't-let-me-be-Jennifer-Horton - I-hate-her.
Denise

Dear God,
I bet it is very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world There are only 4 people in our family and I can't do it.
Nan

Dear God,
Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter.  There is nothing good there now.
Ginny

Dear God,
If you watch in church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes
Mickey D.

Dear God,
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each so much if they had their own rooms.  It works with my brother.
Larry

Dear God,
If you give me genie lamp like Alladin I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set.
Raphael

We read Thos. Eddison made light. But in Sun. School they said you did it. So I bet he Stole your Idea. Sincerely, Donna

Dear God,
If you let the dinasor not extinct, we would not have a country. You did the right thing.
Jonathan

Dear God,
Please send Dennis Clark to a different camp this year.
Peter

Dear God,
Thank you for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy
Joyce

:D

Saturday Neighborhood Health Clinic

How exciting! SNHC got featured: http://wumcrc.com/spotlight-on-saturday-neighborhood-health-clinic/.  It's a student run free health clinic for uninsured patients.

Scleroderma

Today, 12 patients with various skin problems came in for our dermatology class.  We listened to a short presentation by their physician, and then 10 of us got to touch, poke, and prod the patient.  Yes, I did feel kind of weird going up to the person and just touching their blister, nodule, scarring, or tumor, but it was definitely interesting and they said they were ok/used to it because they've done it before.  Anyhow, one of the most interesting cases as to be the patient with scleroderma.  It's a condition where your skin tightens up.  It may sound pretty good because it makes you look young since you don't get wrinkles (kind of like Botox!), but it's actually really life-changing because people lose their range of motion (can't bend joints), and because of loss of pigment, it can be pretty disfiguring.  What surprised me the most was the feeling of the patient's skin.  It was literally like touching marble.  It was that smooth and that hard.  The touch of the patient's hands was like touching a statue.  The scarring gets so bad that she can't move her fingers beyond a few centimeters.