The End of An Era
well, the La Cima Crew; me, david, jas, (with steph in new zealand), have finally cut our ties with our former apartment... it took us the whole weekend to move out of our apartment... we're all tired, dirty, and sore from it.. definitely made a good time of it and got to do a bunch of roomie bonding this weekend... our new place is much bigger than the last place and we've added a new roomie, jeff, who will be joining us at the end of the week... feels very strange to be sleeping in my same bed, but in a different room... still hasn't hit me that this will be our home for the next year... sounds just like me a year ago when i was writing about moving out of my home... we had great memories in that apartment and some not so great ones, but in all it was quite an adventure...
kudos to:
*roomies*extended roomies*the family*triple K thursdays*roomie bonding day*painting night*family game night*spoiled bread*illegally parked cars*stupid switches*loud upstairs kids*getting towed*oddly shaped rooms*thanksgiving dinner*birthdays*iron chef*bobo*jazzmatazz*friends night*the broken everything*MCATs*Sim City*
Thursday, May 23, 2002
midterms
well, my second wave of midterms has finally subsided... the last one i just took i think was more stressful than taking the real mcat... feeling that tightness in my chest when i feel things are quite settled... argh... anywho, quarter is fast approaching it's climax... now i actually have some time to play... wonder what phil and mayrin are doing?
well, my second wave of midterms has finally subsided... the last one i just took i think was more stressful than taking the real mcat... feeling that tightness in my chest when i feel things are quite settled... argh... anywho, quarter is fast approaching it's climax... now i actually have some time to play... wonder what phil and mayrin are doing?
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
car problems
last night some butthead thought i wasn't going to come home and so he decided to park in my space... it wouldn't have minded so much considering the parking space right next to me is always free, but he didn't even leave me space there either... he just decided it would be fine to take up both parking spaces... anywho, to teach that guy a lesson i called the leasing office to get him towed... apparently the leasing office didn't think this was an emergency at 1am in the morning... feeling a bit frustrated because parking is a bitch already i decided to take matters into my own hands... i called up a towing company to have the bastard towed myself... while i was down in the garage letting the tow truck in i met my neighbors (the ones with the little pug) it seems that another inconsiderate bastard had also taken their space... well, pretty soon it was a towing party up in there...hahaha... i was considering whether or not i should call the leasing office and tell them which towing company i had used so the guy could get his car... in the end the good me won out over the vengeful redge... seriously though, felt so nice to see that car getting towed out of my space and in fact towed out of la jolla... but if i was really mean i would've called a towing company from national city or something or at least keyed it before the towing guy came... muahahahahaha...
in other car related news my poor mommy totalled her car... i didn't get the full details but my mom drove into a gigantic pothole and ended up destroying her engine... ended up bending her axle and breaking a piston in the engine... not a good thing... i could tell my mom was pretty upset just because when my dad was telling me she was just quiet... poor mom... =/ good news, my parents will get to buy a new car... bad news, with what money? hmmm... now here's the major problem... should i act like the accident didn't exist and keep on with the med school applications which will be quite expensive... or do i bring the burden onto myself and postpone applying to med school for the sake of family money? i've already put quite a strain on the family resources by living away from home and with med school applications plus new car payments it doesn't look good for my family... in fact, i feel as if i'm making my parents sick with money woes... aiya... maybe it was a bad idea to go home today...
last night some butthead thought i wasn't going to come home and so he decided to park in my space... it wouldn't have minded so much considering the parking space right next to me is always free, but he didn't even leave me space there either... he just decided it would be fine to take up both parking spaces... anywho, to teach that guy a lesson i called the leasing office to get him towed... apparently the leasing office didn't think this was an emergency at 1am in the morning... feeling a bit frustrated because parking is a bitch already i decided to take matters into my own hands... i called up a towing company to have the bastard towed myself... while i was down in the garage letting the tow truck in i met my neighbors (the ones with the little pug) it seems that another inconsiderate bastard had also taken their space... well, pretty soon it was a towing party up in there...hahaha... i was considering whether or not i should call the leasing office and tell them which towing company i had used so the guy could get his car... in the end the good me won out over the vengeful redge... seriously though, felt so nice to see that car getting towed out of my space and in fact towed out of la jolla... but if i was really mean i would've called a towing company from national city or something or at least keyed it before the towing guy came... muahahahahaha...
in other car related news my poor mommy totalled her car... i didn't get the full details but my mom drove into a gigantic pothole and ended up destroying her engine... ended up bending her axle and breaking a piston in the engine... not a good thing... i could tell my mom was pretty upset just because when my dad was telling me she was just quiet... poor mom... =/ good news, my parents will get to buy a new car... bad news, with what money? hmmm... now here's the major problem... should i act like the accident didn't exist and keep on with the med school applications which will be quite expensive... or do i bring the burden onto myself and postpone applying to med school for the sake of family money? i've already put quite a strain on the family resources by living away from home and with med school applications plus new car payments it doesn't look good for my family... in fact, i feel as if i'm making my parents sick with money woes... aiya... maybe it was a bad idea to go home today...
Monday, May 20, 2002
Sunday, May 19, 2002
BEING TWENTY SOMETHING......
here's something my good friend tina has sent me... it really does express what a lot of my friends are going through right now...
They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis."
It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like.
You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job...and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused.
Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person. One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap.
Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You do it though,and the next day regret it, stating over and over..."this is my last time."You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.
You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself...and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender! What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it.
We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out. Send this to your twenty-something friends...maybe it will help someone feel like they aren't alone in their state of confusion.........
here's something my good friend tina has sent me... it really does express what a lot of my friends are going through right now...
They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis."
It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like.
You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job...and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused.
Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person. One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap.
Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You do it though,and the next day regret it, stating over and over..."this is my last time."You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.
You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself...and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender! What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it.
We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out. Send this to your twenty-something friends...maybe it will help someone feel like they aren't alone in their state of confusion.........
The Joy Luck Club
me and my cousins (for the most part), we're all 1st generation asian-americans... all of our parents grew up in the philippines and came to the united states with the dream of wonderful futures for their children... my cousins all range from new borns to college grads (which i will soon be a part of). in san diego, i'm the oldest cousin which means i don't really have to deal with the typical parental comparisons of one cousin versus another. in fact, being the oldest and a pre-med student i have it good.
anywho, my family however, does go beyond san diego and i do have a couple of cousins; one namely in new york, and two back in the phillipines who are just about the same age as i am. today my mom insisted i take the time out to visit with my grandparents who are visiting the united states from the philippines. they have a pretty busy itinerary, they just came from new york to visit their son (my uncle), stopping here in san diego to visit with their daughter (my auntie), and then off to san francisco i believe to see her sister. so here's the conversation between me and my granparents
lola: ay, randy! anak! soon to be doctor!
me: reggie
lolo: that's right, reggie!... so, have you decided what speciality you'll be practicing
me: not yet. i need to gain more experience before i make a decision.
lola: yes of course. maybe you can go into research? make more money there!
me: well, still applying to schools
lolo: so when are you graduating?
me: in december
lolo: you know, your cousin miko (michael) is graduating this year with a degree in electrical engineering!
me: that's nice.
lolo: when will you be done with medical school
me: it'll take about 5 years
lolo: so long! won't be too bad, you're still young
the conversation continues with what i'm studying, how my other cousins are graduating with their degrees and how my little cousins are all at the top of their class... this is all new territory for me people... seriously, i've never experienced this whole realm of cousin comparing before, only have heard about it from friends and seen it in the Joy Luck Club. it was weird and strange... of course the question of how my girlfriend was doing came up. and all i could manage was a sheepish smile pretending i didn't hear them. at one point of the conversation my lolo managed to point out that i was getting so skinny and not growing at all. at which point, lolo #2 (my mom's dad) chimed in that i have been growing and that i work out at my apt's gym. kinda felt weird having my grandpa defend me like that, but he's always been overprotective of me. (sidenote: once as a baby i was placed together with my cousin who was about the same age. i had a toy in my hand and my cousin took it from me. later, my lolo snatched the toy out of my cousin's hand to give back to me...hehehe) anywho, after sitting with them i felt almost like Waverly Wong, being compared and still not feeling adequate enough. if there wasn't enough pressure from myself to become a doctor now i have extended family all over the world waiting for Dr. Saldivar. the silver lining? i have an even greater appreciation for family, cuz it's only out of love they do this.
anywho, interesting workshops at APSA retreat. we discovered today that the roomies (me, david, jas, and jeff) all share something in common. so this goes out to the roomies I LOVE YOU! =)
me and my cousins (for the most part), we're all 1st generation asian-americans... all of our parents grew up in the philippines and came to the united states with the dream of wonderful futures for their children... my cousins all range from new borns to college grads (which i will soon be a part of). in san diego, i'm the oldest cousin which means i don't really have to deal with the typical parental comparisons of one cousin versus another. in fact, being the oldest and a pre-med student i have it good.
anywho, my family however, does go beyond san diego and i do have a couple of cousins; one namely in new york, and two back in the phillipines who are just about the same age as i am. today my mom insisted i take the time out to visit with my grandparents who are visiting the united states from the philippines. they have a pretty busy itinerary, they just came from new york to visit their son (my uncle), stopping here in san diego to visit with their daughter (my auntie), and then off to san francisco i believe to see her sister. so here's the conversation between me and my granparents
lola: ay, randy! anak! soon to be doctor!
me: reggie
lolo: that's right, reggie!... so, have you decided what speciality you'll be practicing
me: not yet. i need to gain more experience before i make a decision.
lola: yes of course. maybe you can go into research? make more money there!
me: well, still applying to schools
lolo: so when are you graduating?
me: in december
lolo: you know, your cousin miko (michael) is graduating this year with a degree in electrical engineering!
me: that's nice.
lolo: when will you be done with medical school
me: it'll take about 5 years
lolo: so long! won't be too bad, you're still young
the conversation continues with what i'm studying, how my other cousins are graduating with their degrees and how my little cousins are all at the top of their class... this is all new territory for me people... seriously, i've never experienced this whole realm of cousin comparing before, only have heard about it from friends and seen it in the Joy Luck Club. it was weird and strange... of course the question of how my girlfriend was doing came up. and all i could manage was a sheepish smile pretending i didn't hear them. at one point of the conversation my lolo managed to point out that i was getting so skinny and not growing at all. at which point, lolo #2 (my mom's dad) chimed in that i have been growing and that i work out at my apt's gym. kinda felt weird having my grandpa defend me like that, but he's always been overprotective of me. (sidenote: once as a baby i was placed together with my cousin who was about the same age. i had a toy in my hand and my cousin took it from me. later, my lolo snatched the toy out of my cousin's hand to give back to me...hehehe) anywho, after sitting with them i felt almost like Waverly Wong, being compared and still not feeling adequate enough. if there wasn't enough pressure from myself to become a doctor now i have extended family all over the world waiting for Dr. Saldivar. the silver lining? i have an even greater appreciation for family, cuz it's only out of love they do this.
anywho, interesting workshops at APSA retreat. we discovered today that the roomies (me, david, jas, and jeff) all share something in common. so this goes out to the roomies I LOVE YOU! =)
Friday, May 17, 2002
application time...
well, i finally sat myself down and started to work on my application for med school... apparently they don't trust students to fill in their GPAs and so you have to send them in to them... but then again med students are all cut throat... yup while everyone else at UCSD is partying it up at Sun God i'm in my apartment hammering this thing out... you want to know the funniest thing? i was talking to my mom today and she even knew about Sun God Festival...
mom : anak, i was talking to somebody and they told me you don't have school today.
me: huh? what are you talking about? (i thought my mom had found out i ditched my physiology class so i could study for my midterm.
mom: someone told me there's no class at UCSD and instead there's a big festival
me: oh you mean Sun God Festival
mom: *apparently laughing at the silly name* yeah.. that festival
me: it's just a concert
mom: are you going to go?
me: prolly not. probably going to stay in the apartment and study =) (i'm such the good son!!)
well, i finally sat myself down and started to work on my application for med school... apparently they don't trust students to fill in their GPAs and so you have to send them in to them... but then again med students are all cut throat... yup while everyone else at UCSD is partying it up at Sun God i'm in my apartment hammering this thing out... you want to know the funniest thing? i was talking to my mom today and she even knew about Sun God Festival...
mom : anak, i was talking to somebody and they told me you don't have school today.
me: huh? what are you talking about? (i thought my mom had found out i ditched my physiology class so i could study for my midterm.
mom: someone told me there's no class at UCSD and instead there's a big festival
me: oh you mean Sun God Festival
mom: *apparently laughing at the silly name* yeah.. that festival
me: it's just a concert
mom: are you going to go?
me: prolly not. probably going to stay in the apartment and study =) (i'm such the good son!!)
Thursday, May 16, 2002
the inevitable...
the only certainty in life is uncertainty... the quarter is rushing toward it's end... ppl have already started looking forward to next fall quarter and yet others are getting ready to leave the life of college behind them... exciting and scary all at once... i, on the other hand, have decided to postpone the inevitable for another year... right now i'm just working on getting my med school stuff done... i'm looking to actually start asking professor's for letter's of rec this week... i'm so scared. never really asked a professor for a letter of rec... although i'm sure they get it all the time, i really want my letters of rec to mean something... not to be just full of fluff, but actually have some substance those addmission committee heads to sit back and say "hey, that reggie saldivar kid looks like he would make a great doctor..."
besides this constant struggle i have with med school my life in general has taken a stand still... my times with phil, mayrin, and steph have become sadly close to non-existent... and my poor roomie is beyond stressed which makes me stressed thinking and worrying about him. hang in there bobo... you'll be fine =) maybe it's because it's the end of the year and i know that we'll be heading our own separate ways, but i feel incredibly antisocial... graduation is less than a month away... the series finale of the "Fun Crew" is hitting the air waves this june... keep tuned for the tear jerking ending...
the only certainty in life is uncertainty... the quarter is rushing toward it's end... ppl have already started looking forward to next fall quarter and yet others are getting ready to leave the life of college behind them... exciting and scary all at once... i, on the other hand, have decided to postpone the inevitable for another year... right now i'm just working on getting my med school stuff done... i'm looking to actually start asking professor's for letter's of rec this week... i'm so scared. never really asked a professor for a letter of rec... although i'm sure they get it all the time, i really want my letters of rec to mean something... not to be just full of fluff, but actually have some substance those addmission committee heads to sit back and say "hey, that reggie saldivar kid looks like he would make a great doctor..."
besides this constant struggle i have with med school my life in general has taken a stand still... my times with phil, mayrin, and steph have become sadly close to non-existent... and my poor roomie is beyond stressed which makes me stressed thinking and worrying about him. hang in there bobo... you'll be fine =) maybe it's because it's the end of the year and i know that we'll be heading our own separate ways, but i feel incredibly antisocial... graduation is less than a month away... the series finale of the "Fun Crew" is hitting the air waves this june... keep tuned for the tear jerking ending...
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
after reading my friend's, sirinya, blog i'm reminding once again another fun filled CTY summer is on it's way. extremely excited and a bit sad that none of the old doheny crew will be there with me. this year though, i'll be taking some of my UCSD peeps to work with me so i won't be as lonely... anywho, reading sirinya's blog i was again reminded of the wonderful "A Factor" developed by myself, ted, and sam... here's a reblogging of the that old entry.
*while dining in LA me and a couple of friends came upon the secret factor in all asian restaraunts which determines the level of service you receive... we're still working on the full blown theory of the Asian Factor... it theory it works like this... the more asians you have in your group the better the service you'll receive in an asian restaraunt... you don't necessarialy need to be of that asian heritage to get good service... for all they know you could just be american born and never learned how to speak korean, japanese, chinese, tagalog, etc... the factor can also be affected positively if you can speak that particular language, conversely you can lower your A Factor by asking for a fork or doing other cultural no-no's... how to figure out your A Factor? just divide the total number in your dining party by the number of asians in your group... the closer your number is to 1 the better your chances are of getting great service... but there are always exceptions to the A Factor like if you go to a shitty place with shitty service your A Factor maybe unable to compensate for it although decreasing it may make your meal even worse.. (ie. Hodori in Koreatown...) like i said before this theory is still in the testing stages...
*while dining in LA me and a couple of friends came upon the secret factor in all asian restaraunts which determines the level of service you receive... we're still working on the full blown theory of the Asian Factor... it theory it works like this... the more asians you have in your group the better the service you'll receive in an asian restaraunt... you don't necessarialy need to be of that asian heritage to get good service... for all they know you could just be american born and never learned how to speak korean, japanese, chinese, tagalog, etc... the factor can also be affected positively if you can speak that particular language, conversely you can lower your A Factor by asking for a fork or doing other cultural no-no's... how to figure out your A Factor? just divide the total number in your dining party by the number of asians in your group... the closer your number is to 1 the better your chances are of getting great service... but there are always exceptions to the A Factor like if you go to a shitty place with shitty service your A Factor maybe unable to compensate for it although decreasing it may make your meal even worse.. (ie. Hodori in Koreatown...) like i said before this theory is still in the testing stages...
keep thinking that i took the mcat yesterday... didn't realize that my scores will be coming in the mail in about a month... yikes! that means i should get started on all my application stuff now... ie. letter of intent, letters of rec, get my transcripts sent out, actually pick the 10 schools i'll be sending out my application to. so far i have earmarked 13 schools... this week i'll be doing my research and talking to my admissions advisor to see which schools would be best for me...
anywho, right now i'm really scared about this whole application process... what if i don't even get one single interview? scary to think about... worked so hard and poured so much of my parent's money into this endeavor... just thinking about it gives me high blood pressure... serious, as i type this i can feel the tightness in my chest... sucks... everything around me is just liable to piss the fuck out of me... anywho, the plan is to get to bed before 2 tonight and wake up early to get started...
anywho, right now i'm really scared about this whole application process... what if i don't even get one single interview? scary to think about... worked so hard and poured so much of my parent's money into this endeavor... just thinking about it gives me high blood pressure... serious, as i type this i can feel the tightness in my chest... sucks... everything around me is just liable to piss the fuck out of me... anywho, the plan is to get to bed before 2 tonight and wake up early to get started...
Monday, May 13, 2002
that ever present and inane question
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
such a simple qusetion with so many answers that can be counteracted with responses to reasons why i shouldn't be a doctor. ever since my sunday volunteering stint i've been agonizing over my answer to this question. why the hell do i want to be a doctor? i can go the very popular altruism route and say it's "because i like and want to help ppl..." but i can help people by becoming a policeman, a lawyer, a dentist, or even become a nurse. which in fact, bring me to my next response. "because i like working with ppl..." nurses in fact, run the hospital. they do the majority of the work that goes on in the hospital. it's nurses that helped my dad after his heartattack. i'm sure his cardiologist spent at most 3 hours with him during his one week stay in the hospital. while his nurses monitered him 24 hours a day... but does that mean i want to be a nurse. not really. =/... is it "because i want to be make tons of money..." honestly, to say i want to become a doctor out of the kindness of my heart would be a lie. let's be frank, the world revolves around money and although money can't buy happiness it sure can facilitate it... but, get this, if i was really all about making bank then it would probably be better if i just started working now as a plumber than as a doctor because in reality... it is going to be a while before i even start to make anything as a doctor... first, i have school for about 4-6 more years which means i'll be poor for 4-6 more years. also that doesn't include any debt i will undoubtedly aquire. besides, once i do start working who says i'll have any time to enjoy any material wealth? as a resident i'll probably be working in excess of 100 hours a week. i'll be too tired to even watch anything on my high definition big screen.
so many answers to this deceivingly simply question. like i said, ever since volunteering this weekend i've been just thinking about the reasons i want to become a doctor. not to say being a doctor isn't rewarding in itself. the graditude from one patient is enough to last for weeks, but yet there's that stark reality that saving lives is exception and not the rule. not saying that doctors kill ppl (which they do by accident), but life in the ER is extremely different from the world you see on NBC's ER. for the most part, it's stitches and stomach aches.
for now the only thing i can concretely come to a conclusion about why i want to become a doctor is that i can't... anywho, i have about a month to figure out the answer before it's committed to pen and ink.
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
such a simple qusetion with so many answers that can be counteracted with responses to reasons why i shouldn't be a doctor. ever since my sunday volunteering stint i've been agonizing over my answer to this question. why the hell do i want to be a doctor? i can go the very popular altruism route and say it's "because i like and want to help ppl..." but i can help people by becoming a policeman, a lawyer, a dentist, or even become a nurse. which in fact, bring me to my next response. "because i like working with ppl..." nurses in fact, run the hospital. they do the majority of the work that goes on in the hospital. it's nurses that helped my dad after his heartattack. i'm sure his cardiologist spent at most 3 hours with him during his one week stay in the hospital. while his nurses monitered him 24 hours a day... but does that mean i want to be a nurse. not really. =/... is it "because i want to be make tons of money..." honestly, to say i want to become a doctor out of the kindness of my heart would be a lie. let's be frank, the world revolves around money and although money can't buy happiness it sure can facilitate it... but, get this, if i was really all about making bank then it would probably be better if i just started working now as a plumber than as a doctor because in reality... it is going to be a while before i even start to make anything as a doctor... first, i have school for about 4-6 more years which means i'll be poor for 4-6 more years. also that doesn't include any debt i will undoubtedly aquire. besides, once i do start working who says i'll have any time to enjoy any material wealth? as a resident i'll probably be working in excess of 100 hours a week. i'll be too tired to even watch anything on my high definition big screen.
so many answers to this deceivingly simply question. like i said, ever since volunteering this weekend i've been just thinking about the reasons i want to become a doctor. not to say being a doctor isn't rewarding in itself. the graditude from one patient is enough to last for weeks, but yet there's that stark reality that saving lives is exception and not the rule. not saying that doctors kill ppl (which they do by accident), but life in the ER is extremely different from the world you see on NBC's ER. for the most part, it's stitches and stomach aches.
for now the only thing i can concretely come to a conclusion about why i want to become a doctor is that i can't... anywho, i have about a month to figure out the answer before it's committed to pen and ink.
Thursday, May 09, 2002
not quite a dog
say hello to Puppy.. me and david have adopted yet another pet to our apartment.... hopefully we don't accidently crush him during our move to the new apartment.
say hello to Puppy.. me and david have adopted yet another pet to our apartment.... hopefully we don't accidently crush him during our move to the new apartment.
Tuesday, May 07, 2002
You're smart, shy, and often nonsensical. You have dreams of being famous, and you're quirky enough that you just might pull them off. Some would call you a genius, others would call you insane, but in reality you're pretty well-adjusted. Take a vacation once in a while- it'll help take your mind off of your troubles. |
quite believably... for those who know me this description fits me quite well...
gained a better appreciation for my friends and family after tonight... i love you all and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it!
Monday, May 06, 2002
Sunday, May 05, 2002
this is why i go through it...
as much as i bitch and moan about how hard it is to study and prepare for med school i always tell myself that in the end it'll all be worth it... today i got a glimpse of what it is i'm working toward... it's hard to define the i feeling i got today while volunteering in the ER... at this point volunteering has become less of a duty and more of something i look forward to... i really think it's because i'm working so late and not many volunteers have ventured beyond what i've done so i get a lot of attention... the staff i work with is awesome... esp. the ER doctor on call... Dr. Morikado is the exactly the type of doctor i like'd to become... caring, compassionate, smart, sense of humor, and is always supportive of her staff and volunteers...
the moment i walked into the ER it was literally just buzzing with activity... haven't seen that much activity in a while... 3 trauma cases... it was awesome... just like ER on tv... =) but the best part of the night was when it started to slow down... this is when i'm given a chance to just walk around the ER and observe and learn... tonight i learned how to do a 12 lead EKG and Dr. Morikado taught me how to do stitches... she even let me practice! no, not on a patient... but on a folded piece of gauze... nevertheless it was enough to whet my appetite for the field of medicine... it was really cool learning how to do the stitches... in a sense it was like kindergarten and learning how to color... when i was done i told the doctor i was going to put my very first stitches on the fridge for my roomies to see and admire... =) or maybe i'll save it and give it to my parents... hahaha... either way I'm extremely proud of the fact that my pressence in the ER is taking shape... anywho, here's what my very first stitches look it...
as much as i bitch and moan about how hard it is to study and prepare for med school i always tell myself that in the end it'll all be worth it... today i got a glimpse of what it is i'm working toward... it's hard to define the i feeling i got today while volunteering in the ER... at this point volunteering has become less of a duty and more of something i look forward to... i really think it's because i'm working so late and not many volunteers have ventured beyond what i've done so i get a lot of attention... the staff i work with is awesome... esp. the ER doctor on call... Dr. Morikado is the exactly the type of doctor i like'd to become... caring, compassionate, smart, sense of humor, and is always supportive of her staff and volunteers...
the moment i walked into the ER it was literally just buzzing with activity... haven't seen that much activity in a while... 3 trauma cases... it was awesome... just like ER on tv... =) but the best part of the night was when it started to slow down... this is when i'm given a chance to just walk around the ER and observe and learn... tonight i learned how to do a 12 lead EKG and Dr. Morikado taught me how to do stitches... she even let me practice! no, not on a patient... but on a folded piece of gauze... nevertheless it was enough to whet my appetite for the field of medicine... it was really cool learning how to do the stitches... in a sense it was like kindergarten and learning how to color... when i was done i told the doctor i was going to put my very first stitches on the fridge for my roomies to see and admire... =) or maybe i'll save it and give it to my parents... hahaha... either way I'm extremely proud of the fact that my pressence in the ER is taking shape... anywho, here's what my very first stitches look it...
Saturday, May 04, 2002
Here's my top 5 choices for med school...
1) University of Southern California
1.5) University of California San Francisco... (drool... not even going to apply to this one... too competetive...)
2) University of Washington
3) New York University
4) Columbia University
5) University of California San Diego
As you can see I'm leaning toward the west coast if possible... but if i do have to leave i'd rather be in new york where at least ppl seem to be a bit cultured and worldly... don't know how i'd survive living in the urban jungle though... so much of my life is in southern california... well, a bit premature to even make plans yet... still need to send out my applications... ahh yes, my med school stress level is on the rise again... =)
1) University of Southern California
1.5) University of California San Francisco... (drool... not even going to apply to this one... too competetive...)
2) University of Washington
3) New York University
4) Columbia University
5) University of California San Diego
As you can see I'm leaning toward the west coast if possible... but if i do have to leave i'd rather be in new york where at least ppl seem to be a bit cultured and worldly... don't know how i'd survive living in the urban jungle though... so much of my life is in southern california... well, a bit premature to even make plans yet... still need to send out my applications... ahh yes, my med school stress level is on the rise again... =)
Thursday, May 02, 2002
big comfy couch + asian snacks + tv = total contentment...
do you remember when you were a little kid and would tag along with your parents when they went grocery shopping? and you'd ask if you could get a little something... like candy, chips, or any other asian snack? i wonder at what point we grow out of wanting to buy all that junk food... today i went grocery shopping and although i'm pretty good at getting what i need i still find myself spending 10 mins in the snack aisle deciding what i want... then when i go to check out i always have to buy a box of rice candy... does anyone remember when botan rice candy used to come with a toy and not a lame sticker? after i worked out i just plopped on the couch turned on the tv, opened with the box of candy and bag of shrimp chips and found myself quite content with life... someone should capture that moment and sell it in a bottle...
do you remember when you were a little kid and would tag along with your parents when they went grocery shopping? and you'd ask if you could get a little something... like candy, chips, or any other asian snack? i wonder at what point we grow out of wanting to buy all that junk food... today i went grocery shopping and although i'm pretty good at getting what i need i still find myself spending 10 mins in the snack aisle deciding what i want... then when i go to check out i always have to buy a box of rice candy... does anyone remember when botan rice candy used to come with a toy and not a lame sticker? after i worked out i just plopped on the couch turned on the tv, opened with the box of candy and bag of shrimp chips and found myself quite content with life... someone should capture that moment and sell it in a bottle...
HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY MAYRIN!!!!
my kids are growing up so fast... in less than 5 weeks they'll have graduated... someone please press the pause button so i can spend more time with my family...
almost forgot... HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY RANDY!!!... so strange my little bro is now 17... thought he'd be 10 years old forever... now he's all semi-grown with friends of his own and a more exciting social life than mine =P... hahahaha...
my kids are growing up so fast... in less than 5 weeks they'll have graduated... someone please press the pause button so i can spend more time with my family...
almost forgot... HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY RANDY!!!... so strange my little bro is now 17... thought he'd be 10 years old forever... now he's all semi-grown with friends of his own and a more exciting social life than mine =P... hahahaha...
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