Lavazza

The day has begun on a refreshingly caffeinated note. I broke into my splurge of ground Lavazza espresso. The java didn't fail me. It was delicious and gave me the appropriate kick in the pants to start to study the male reproductive tract haha. The taste and smell of the coffee whisked me back to the secluded squares and quaint museum cafes of Europe. I think of them fondly and power on through my day of studying.

Looking for Beauty

Currently my days are full of facts, figures and memorization. Like most other medical students I assume, I find it hard to remain positive and realize there is more than the book or page of notes in front of me. I just reread the commencement address from my brother's high school graduation this June given by a wise and thoughtful teacher at our alma mater. In his speech he urges the graduates to be ready for beauty which may confront them suddenly and in the most quotidian manner. These days I often become frustrated if I am struggling to understand a concept or spending an evening not studying.
I think it is vitally important for my psychological well-being and my success as a medical student and as a doctor to keep my perspective. I must remember what I am working towards and the profound impact my knowledge will have on other lives. Sure studying and cramming facts into my head efficiently and effectively is my main goal even though it may seem sacrificial. And being on an island thousands of miles from my friends and family may seem isolationist. Yet, I must realize that there are other important elements in my life and that they will be preserved when I resurface during breaks and when I get back to the States after sixth term. On the other hand, it is crucial that I don't think too far ahead or spend too much time lamenting the good old days. Staying focused on the here and now is imperative for my studies. I must take each day as it comes and be ready for whatever beauty comes my way. Beauty comes in many forms and I must appreciate all of them and relish the diverse beauty each day. Reaching out to a friend, the ebb and flow of the tides, the sound of pouring rain and the intricacies of the human body. These things which I might ignore as commonplace are anything but inane. There are the elements of my life and they beg admiration. Taking time each day to reflect on what is uniquely beautiful will surely make each day worth experiencing in this otherwise rote existence.

Tour of the Capital- Saint George's

Productive Day

I feel like today was my first real day on the island. I woke up ready for a full day after a few beers at Bananas last night. Housekeeping woke us up knocking on the door at 8:30 am; nevertheless, it was fortuitous as the nice lady cleaned our place up and helped us get rid of some of the bug carcasses from last night. I made a quick breakfast and headed to pick up my orientation packet. Got that and headed to the masses lined up for registration. By the time I had waited 30-45 mins in a helter-skelter line and got to the front they didn't have my photo-ID card printed and ready for me. I was not too irked as there had been some confusion with the picture I had sent ahead of time by email, so I was half expecting a hiccup. I went down one floor and stood in the line at IT, only to realize (with the help of some sweaty guy from FL) that we really had to be in the next office over, where there was no line- yay for wasting another half hour. Anyway, I got a new ID, unfortunately they had to take a picture on the spot, and I look like a real goober with my island short hair. oh well. Went back upstairs, bypassed all the poor schmoes waiting in line and got my ID validated, got my mailbox combo/instructions and with that I was officially registered as a medical student. I then went out and stood in the hot sun waiting for a SIM card for my old cell phone. That was successful too, but as I was schvitzing waiting in the next line to "purchase double minutes" from Digicel, it was announced that they had "run out of minutes" for the day and that we should come back tomorrow....WOW didn't know you could run out of something like minutes, but I guess that's par for the island.
Anyway, I went back to my room to escape the heat and make some lunch. I headed back out to and got my traveler's checks validated from the Chancellery, got my first (of three) Hep B vaccines, tried my mailbox, and inquired about book distribution which I found wouldn't occur for First Termers until tomorrow. I really felt I was knocking things off, I love to feel on top of things.
I decided to hop the bus to Spiceland mall near Grand Anse to get some supplies to hang my pictures. I also ran into IGA and got some eggs and butter for breakfast tomorrow, as I plan on going on a tour of Saint George's (the capital city) that leaves from campus at 9am!
On my way out of IGA I ran into some dude who looked like he was struggling with all his bags and we both missed the bus. I offered to help him with his purchases and we began to talk. He was starting Term 2 and was really friendly and nice (not to mention he was from Boston and a Sox fan). I helped him back to his dorm (in the luxurious SD6, the newest building on campus). The dorm was so nice and I hope to meet him and his roommates again, they were cool dudes.
Hung my pictures and the room looks much nicer. Tried a burger from Sugar Shack, it was ok, nothing special.
Drinking a caribe with lime now, and just met some cool dude from England who randomly came
It's all good for now.

MY NEW HOME

Email me if you want all ten pics. This is where I will be eating, sleeping, studying and becoming a doctor. Pics of campus to follow after the rain abates.

Med School Day 1

As we touched down through the hot, sticky air piercing the sun rise and I glimpsed the placid sea and swaying palms I knew I had migrated to a new home to begin a new journey. The trip to GND was fairly uneventful. My bags both arrived in one piece even though my second bag was marked "standby" and even though they threatened to make me check my second piece of carry-on luggage. I managed a few hours of neck-wrenching-head-bobbing sleep and before I knew it I was waiting in the customs line to declare my laptop. Lucky for me I was near the head of the line; a girl I met later on campus, who ironically was from Breckenridge, CO, said she waited two hours. Anyway, I paid my 68 US dollars and proceeded to hop in a taxi for SGU. Little did I know I was supposed to make it clear I was a new student and I would of gotten my housing assignment from someone and been put in a free cab, but instead I paid the cheap fair and asked the security guy at the gate which dorm was mine.
It all worked out. I got to my building and sure enough my room is on the ground floor so I didn't have to schlep my bags up the steps. Unfortunately we don't have an ocean view, but maybe that is for the best once classes begin...
I did a bit of unpacking and proceeded to PTFO on the bare mattress for 2 hours, Tommy did the same. We then went to find something to eat for breakfast in the student center and wandered around until we got down to the little beach where we stuck our feet into the Atlantic Ocean! There we met a girl who had also been on our flight and was from CO, wow what a coincidence!
I came back and unpacked completely and showered. I felt a bit better. Got some lunch, a wrap, it was ehh (I really hope there are more food options/I need to take a trip to the grocery store tomorrow). I am back on my bed resting, traveling/no sleep=tired Blaine. I am sure there will be more excitement later today/tonight.
It is safe to say that despite appearances I am not in fact on a beach vacation, but rather, along with around 3,000 other students on camps, striving to move ahead in my journey to become a physician. I can't wait. I have a burning feeling in my stomach that is a mix of excitement and a bit of nerves (might also be the lettuce from the wrap). After years of hoping, wishing, waiting, I have finely begun on the road to M.D.

Berlin then Prague

Spent the last 2+ days in Berlin. It was very interesting. I can't say that the city has the asthetic charm as other European cities, due mostly to the destruction of allied bombing in WWII and the beautiful socialist architecture of the DDR behind the iron curtain. Nevertheless, behind the smothering of graffetti and the weirdos that we've seen on the streets and in the train (they do love their raggedy dogs, piercings, funny hair and tattered clothing), Berlin has been a full dose of European history. From the Prussian kings to the re-establishment of the Reichstag the modern architecture blended with the traces of Baroque buildings and centuries old food and culture has been fascinating. From the weinerschnitzel and pilsner to the tree lined KuDam boulevard Berlin has been very unique. I am not sure where you could have sausage and sourkraut for lunch and Vietnamese noodles for dinner and ride to the top of a communist-era tv tower in East Germany and walk through a private collection museum of Picasso and Matisse paintings all in one day. Berlin is truly an amalgamation of cultures and an East meets West. It is a great jumping of point for our segway into Eastern Europe. We take the train tomorrow to Prague and end our travels in Budapest. Look forward to keeping you up-to-date from there. I am looking out my hotel window before bed and eyeing the illuminated ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm chuch bombed and left in ruins after WWII to show the destruction of war. Very haunting.

Hope everyone is well,
Love,
Blaine

I Do It For Fun Not For Sadness

Well, so said the proprietor of the lovely whole in the wall Indonesian restaurant in Amsterdam. And I agree, I travel for fun, not sadness. Food was great, guy was hilarious, but I am pooped and we've got a full day of I am-sterdaming ahead of us including a canal cruise and a trip to the Anne Frankhuis so I have got to hit the sack. More tomorrow thanks to the free internet (finally).
Buenas noches (oh wait, that's the language of the Dutch rulers of years gone by).

In Bruges

In Bruges. It's beautiful. I can see the spires of the cathedral and the town hall lit up for night time from my window. Internet access hasn't been as easy/free as we thought so sorry for the lack of posts. Anyway, everything is going well, and we are off to Amsterdam tomorrow. Will probably compose an extended blog post when I have had a brownie or two hehhe, or I could wait til I'm crying from seeing Anne Frank's house, either or. OK not funny. But seeing John get in a fight with an old French lady on the train was hi-larious!!
More soon.

Blaine-o

Everyone Is So Well Dressed Here!

We have a full day of sightseeing under our belts, and it feels great, except for my tired feet/legs. We started with a free breakfast in the hotel, do to our unmet expectations concern our room (we had a queen and cot instead of two twins). Following some nice eggs and toast we hit the Tube for Westminster Abbey. It was unbelievable. I felt like I was a monk or a character from Angles and Demons. It was so historical, beautiful, and monumental. There are countless kings and queens buried there not to mention the poets and literary figures. The architecture is very Gothic and it feels like you have stepped back in time to the days of Henry the whatever or William the Conqueror. We did the free audio tour which was narrated by Jeremy Irons, it was fantastic. Following our jaunt there we hopped over to Big Ben and the House of Parliament, and even passed through security to observe a debate in the House of Commons. Democracy for over 700 years, thats impressive!! We then walked up Whitehall passed the Horse Cavalry dudes and had some sandwiches (picnic-ed) in Trafalgar Square under the auspices of Lord Nelson. We then went into the National Gallery and eyed some famous canvasses painted by everyone from da Vinci to Cezanne, it was quite overwhelming but we zipped past some highlights before moving on. We took the tube up to Covent Gardens, because I thought that was near Saint Paul's Cathedral, but it was just Saint Paul's Chapel (a slight navigation error). So we enjoyed a cold Kronnenberg pint and a pistachio macaroon before getting back on the tube towards The Tower of London. Turns out we missed the last Beefeaters tour (fuck!) so we are headed back there on Sunday. We then ventured onto the Bus and went over to look at the Globe Theatre (missed the last tour there, fuck again!). So, for plan C we sat on the Thames and enjoyed an ice cream (popsicle for me) and then took a quick gander in the Tate Modern; now we can check that off the list. We plan to go back to the Globe for a tour on Sunday though. We then took the tube back, and are resting a bit now before dinner at an ethnic restaurant- I am kind of pubbed out, although, John is now addicted to Stronbow (thanks to me!). Well that's all for now, we are headed to Oxford and Blenheim Palace tomorrow by bus for the day!

Pubs and Funny Sounding English

Here in London with JJL. We are doing well, albeit a bit jet lagged. About to hit the hay for a fresh start tomorrow. Already ate a pubs for lunch and dinner, it seems that's all there is around our hotel, that and designer stores. We are definitely venturing farther out for ethnic cuisine tomorrow. My stomach is not built for this cuisine. Nevertheless, the sites are amazing. We took a double decker bus tour with a wonderfully witty guide who introduced us and all the other tourists on the English bus to the major locales of London Town. We plan to see Tower of London. Westminster Abbey and other nearby sites tomorrow, and contingent rain plans include British Museum/Vic and Albert Museum and Tate Modern. Hope everyone is doing well, will post a more detailed account tomorrow!

Off to Europe

Greetings faithful readers...not sure if there is anyone left...but for those of you who do care about WBL's whereabouts, I am composing this blog post to inform the audience that my brother and I are embarking on a european journey. In a few short hours we will be crossing the "pond" as they say and landing in London. We plan to spend four nights in London. After that we have no reservations, merely I suggested mental itinerary which we have composed. Our final stop, with reservations waiting for us is Budapest. Stops include but will not be limited to Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Prague. I hope to post a few snippets including words and maybe a few images from our route. Please check back periodically for updates. If you know anyone or have a recommendations of places we should check out in these areas, don't hesitate to write a comment.
Fondly,
Blaine

The Doctor-Patient Relationship

DOCTOR AND PATIENT
How Connected Are You to Your Doctor?
By PAULINE W. CHEN, M.D.
Published: March 26, 2009
Patients with the strongest relationships to specific primary care physicians are more likely to receive recommended tests and preventive care, a new study found.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/health/26chen.html

Electronic Medical Records

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/business/26health.html

Pardon Me

Lazy Sunday

After a day of gut-wrenching basketball, and a fruitless coffee pot carafe odyssey I have holed my self up in the cozy confines of 811 for a nice little Sunday. I woke up to find myself devoid of any coffee brewing mechanism, but as soon as the caffeine free sad haze cleared from my cortex, the wheels began to turn in old Duder's head.
I quickly mixed up some banana bread and set it in the oven to bake and brewed a pot of Mate. I nearly forgot about the delicious stimulant I had received upon my cousin's return from Argentina. It's strong odor and efficient stimulatory properties rapidly transported me back to walking through the colorful calles of BA and through the tombs of Recoleta, and the travel bug flared up in my system.
That brought me to take a gander at the various travel blogs linked to the NY Times website. Oh how I yearn for my next global journey, and luckily it's in the not too distant future....to Europe with John in late June. We are researching our Eurrail pass and plan to start in London before tackling a few of the cultural meccas of the mainland- Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Budapest. It should be great, we have no firm reservations save for our initial plans in London, and a return flight some three weeks later.
Well, then I think I am going to spend a few more minutes reading the blogs and looking at travel photo essays before I swoop over to take the banana bread out of the oven and pour myself another cup of mate. I think by that time my pulse should be sufficiently elevated to enjoy day 3 of march madness! Yeah, I am winning my bracket...it's great!

"Inaction is a weapon of mass destruction." -Faithless

Documenting Reality

I recently watched two amazing documentaries. First was Man on Wire which recounts the life and events surrounding Philppe Petit's daring walk across a wire strung from the top of one of the World Trade Center towers to the other in 1974. My parents had recommended the movie and I heard about it again as it won Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards. At that point, I knew viewing it was a priority and I quickly nabbed it into my Netflix queue. When I realized I could play it instantly on my computer, I was set.
The documentary recaps the inspiration for Petit's stunning feat, the planning that went into the actual act and the repercussions following his illegal jaunt. What struck me most about the movie was not his seemingly fearless acts, he previously wire-walked across the towers of Notre Dame in Paris and a suspension bridge in Sydney, Australia; but for me it was the man himself, Philippe Petit that really captivated me. He seems to be unique, no, not crazy for doing it. He was inspired from a young age, having seen an ad in a magazine for the construction of the WTC. Having always been into magic and such acts, he knew at that moment that he saw the picture in print that he would make it his life goal to walk across thin air from one tower to the next. His sure perseverance, in the face of the legality of the act, training, finding dependable and competent friends and accomplices to aid his feat, and even carrying out the plan when both he and his helpers in the other tower were nearly discovered by guards on patrol as they set up, showed Petit's drive, even when it looked like the hinderances would foil his plot. When asked why he walked on the wire, Petit replied that he had no answer, just because. At first I thought this was somewhat of a cop-out; no, it is not. He did it because he could. Although yes, technically it was a trangression, as one of his accomplices mused, his act hurt no one in the process, and any failure would only end badly for Petit. He walked across the wire because he could, for the simple joy it brought him for accomplishing that feat and for the spectators that viewed this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. For me, Phelippe Petit is a man who embodies fortitude, conviction, and perseverance. Although his wire walking occurred more than 30 years ago, in a time when so many people that receive the public eye do so for their lack or character, Petit assures me that there are truly unique, and special people, and that although they may appear very different from the cookie cutter model, he too is someone that should be revered.

The second documentary that was recently played in #811 was A Walk to Beautiful, also a documentary. This film focuses on the plight of Ethiopian women who have lost their child during birth and are left with a stigmatizing physical disability and are subsequently ostracized from their villages. These country women are forced to begin work at a very young age, 4 or 5 years, and therefore are not able to undergo a normal physical development and their growth is stunted. The women are married off at a disgustingly young age as early as 9 or 10 and when they have a child they often undergo a very traumatic and long period of labor during childbirth. Often the baby does not survive, and in the process do to the stress the baby has caused during labor, a fistula develops between the women's vagina and one of the excretory tracts. This leaves the woman incontinent. These fistulas can be easily cured with easy access to a hospital. Yet in rural Ethopia, hospital are can be a 24 walk/bus ride away. Many women are left to suffer their plight while simultaneously being shunned by their husbands and everyone else in their village. This situation is horrendous and tragic. However, there is a hospital in Addis Ababa The Fistula hospital that admits and cares for only women with this problem, who are usually denied care at regular institutions if they make it to the city at all. So the movie follows a few of the young patients on their journey from the village, to the capital, during their stay at the hospital and their reintegration following surgery.
Needless to say, the movie was super sad, but at the same time, it was a beacon of hope. It was uplifting to know that medical personnel and humanitarians are passionate enough about humanity and completely non-discriminatory in their quest to provide services to these women. Although I am not sure I want to move to Ethiopia and start performing gynecological surgery, it certainly conceptualized my desire to become a doctor. As one of the physicians that was interviewed stated, "My prize is curing this women, I don't think there is a better job or a bigger satisfaction." He is right, helping people to improve their lives and teaching them successful health practices is paramount.

Well, the queue doesn't get any brighter, my next two movies that are being shipped are Memoirs of a Geisha and Schindler's List.
Look out for more reviews soon!

Hello Again!

So I have been AWOL the last week or two. Sorry to all you loyal readers (that's a joke!). Well, here I am eating my red snapper and waiting for the incorrigible Dr. House and I got to thinking. I really don't have anything inspiring to say at the moment, save for the fact that I really enjoy Mon./Wed./Fri's at work since I am able to interview patients/families at Burn Clinic. It gives me the opportunity to leave my desk, and see the real faces of CNMC, and pediatric care. Gotta love those cute kiddies, soo sad they have had hot liquids spilled on them by the time I get to see their cute/crying faces. Anywwwho!
I have watched a few movies lately, and thanks to a brilliant idea from my wonderful girlfriend, I am going to start reviewing the movies I watch on my blog. Yesterday I watched Man On Wire, a wonderful documentary about Philippe Petit, who walked on a wire across the World Trade Center towers. The film won Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards. So look out for my first movie review coming soon!!

I hope everyone is happy, healthy, and having at least a little fun!!

The Real-Life Equivalent of Dr. House

Fascinating stuff. Tragic stories but at the same time it gives me hope that medical progress is being made one SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) at a time.


Undiagnosed Diseases Program

Oscar! The gold statue one, not the green furry one. [Spoiler Alert]

Well, it's about time for the Academy Awards again and in the rush to see some of the nominated movies, I just got back from The Reader. I have seen 3/5 films nominated for best picture, and in my biased opinion the best three. I saw Slumdog Millionaire when I was home for Thanksgiving break with my family, and Milk and The Reader here in DC. I really enjoyed all three, each for a different reason. Slumdog was, as it is billed, very unique. Apart from the sappy story where the protagonist wins in the end it exposed me to a corner of the world that I have seen very little of, and a life of poverty that most of us can hardly fathom. Although it was only a movie, it made feel as if I was transported to India, and it made me want to be a pediatrician all the more, if only to be able to help children in need, whether it be those in India, or right here in our own cities, who are not receiving adequate care....Milk was fascinating and quite poignant as well. Harvey Milk was a courageous individual who not only fought for what he believed in as a politician but also the rights and equalities he believed all Americans deserve regardless. I have always found Sean Penn to be an amazing actor, capable of transforming himself into the character he is playing. His role as Harvey Milk was nothing short of his best work rivaling Dead Man Walking, Mystic River, and 21 Grams (other movies of his I've seen). Also, I think all of the supporting actors really brought the film together and although it was certainly about Milk's life, the ensemble helped to paint a picture of the times, and the struggle that was going on in SF and throughout the country....Having just seen The Reader, I have not fully collected my thoughts. And I know some may say that the Holocaust subject matter has become somewhat trite in Hollywood, and others may argue that we must never forget the mistakes we have made in history nevertheless, this movie is hardly about that. To me it was a study of characters, of human emotions. For me it was about love, betrayal, longing, pain, forgiveness and retribution among other feelings. The complex characters in the film were deftly captured by Winslet who's performance was definitely Oscar worthy, and the young Michael Berg played by David Kross was magnificent as well. I think that there were many layers to this movie, and I am currently still unwrapping them in my head, so I am sorry for the abrupt ending to my monologue (some of you might be happy however).
Well, I hope I haven't ruined the movies for those who have yet to make it to the theater. I know most people are busy with higher education, strenuous jobs or other time commitments. I guess I am just trying to make the most of my free time before the proverbial feces hits the fan starting in Aug.
In other news, I am very pleased with the purchases I made from the warehouse sale at Barney's and unlike my usual post-shopping blues, I am feeling no buyer's remorse despite my frugality. Also, hooray for finally getting my Canali shirt back from the damn store that promised to help me replace the buttons from the dry cleaning fiasco, even if they did have to fly new ones in from Italy- I don't care, they did it for free haha. (that reminds me of that old mastercard commercial "a leather bustier that lifts and separates...I don't care) HAHAHA. oh man, i am really blabbing now, hope you are enjoying ;-)
Ok, it is definitely time for some warm weather. If I can't go on spring break to some warm weather paradise, I damn well better be able to wear my flip flops around here and sunbathe at the monuments. (that's a hoot...like I'd ever sit out half naked in front of Japanese tourists and there cameras... "Well here we have the famous Washington monument, and at the front, oh boy, there is the famed skinny white boy in his bermudas getting a tan!") So yeah, basically I would settle for not having to wear a scarf and gloves to work in the morning.
Anyone got any ideas for a new recipe? I think I reached an all time low tonight- I know I have boasted about my culinary skills, and maybe I can attribute the mess to my laziness and inability to drag my ass to Trader Joes, but tonight I made pasta with ground beef, black olives and green beans...well, it was better than it sounds, but not by much.
Looking forward to the Sunday NYTimes tomorrow and by the time I make a dent it will be time for the Oscars...no, not the grouch.

Off to New York

I am headed to the Big Apple tomorrow. Off to visit Dr. Dani for the long weekend. I shall be sure to describe my adventures upon my return to the district. I hope everyone has a great President's Day and Valentine's Day if you celebrate. Hasta luego.

A New Take on The Eagles

The original is a masterpiece, the Gipsy Kings version is amazing. The the words of The Dude proved otherwise: "Come on, man. I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man!" But...

This is a new level! Judge for yourself:

Who Is Your Hero?

I just watched 60 Minutes and the hour long telecast featured the gripping account from the miraculous landing of U.S. Airways flight 1549 which touched down in the Hudson River on January 15th. I am sure by now everyone knows the story of events, so I won't go over them. This was the first interview with captain Sullenberger and his crew. The captain's calm, stoic demeanor during the short flight, water landing, rescue and now during the interview were were truly inspiring to me. The closest I have felt to thinking I was going to die was facing a speeding car head on in the back of a tourist van on a narrow road in Turkey. But that adrenaline rush was only momentary. So having no true basis to really understand or empathize with the crew or passengers, I am only left to admire their heroism. Captain Sully is nothing short of a true hero. I know that term is thrown around lightly these days, from sports figures to political figures. I am not here to judge anyone's opinions or even to state my own really. I just feel that in today's turbulent times, Capt. Sully is certainly a hero though for saving 155 people when it seemed like a horrific disaster was inevitable; he remains humble and stoic as he is lauded for his acts. I have been thinking about heroism recently even before seeing the interview. I am reading Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder which recounts the life and career of Dr. Paul Farmer. (thanks for the libro primo) Dr. Farmer grew up in a small town in Florida, and spent parts of his childhood living both in a docked boat and a parked RV/Bus thanks to his poor, stubborn, eccentric father. Dr. Farmer was a prodigy from a young age and before he had graduated from Duke, he had already found his true passion beyond medicine: serving the impoverished people of Hait- the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Since I haven't yet finished reading, I am not going to recount the first hundred pages. Safe to say, Paul Farmer is another selfless human being. When he could be making millions as both a first-rate Infectious Disease physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Nevertheless, Farmer forfeited the fame and comforts of medicine in Boston and devoted his life to curing AIDS and TB in rural Haiti.
Stories like Paul Farmer's and Flight 1549 are provocative. They help put in perspective our own hardships and accolades. And not that everyone needs to sell their possessions, donate their life savings to charity or commit all the time to selfless acts and forget their personal gains, but it makes me wonder what my impact, my contribution to this world has been, is and will be. Sure, going into medicine may will say is an honorable choice for my career. Yet, when I think about people who have truly contributed something in their lives, whether they received an ounce of fame or recognition, I stop and think what will I be remembered for, if anything. I am not saying I hope to find the cure for cancer or end starvation in a remote village, but I would how to leave some legacy that shows my efforts to better people's lives.
Enough of my passive preaching, which I hope it is not.

I want to know what heroes you have come across in your life. They can be anyone, famous, or common. Who has influenced your life, and who do you believe has influenced our world?

Culinary pursuits

Just made clam spaghetti from scratch! It was one of my favorite dishes that my Mom made, and so I tried to duplicate it after getting the craving at work (no I'm not pregnant). It went pretty well. I found frozen steamer clams at trader joes.
Time for the Nuggies v. Wizards on EPSN... more from Chez Blaine to follow.
Have a good night!

Gonged

Well, today marks a new whoa in the medical school application process for me. I received two rejections in the same day. Most days I am frantically checking my gmail (yes this goes beyond just having the gmail window open at the bottom of my computer at work) and scrutinizing every new silent "ding" of my inbox. But today, I wasn't even thinking about med school news funny enough, and when I checked my email for the first time I received a rejection from Creighton. Not that I wanted to go to Nebraska and make friends with the corn fields or anything or get back to my Jesuit roots (haha) but it stings nevertheless. Not to mention the email assured me that I would also be receiving this notice in writing, in case anything about thanks but no thanks confused me.
The rest of my day went ok, except for the fact that starting at a glowing computer screen didn't exactly help the throb of my sinus pressure. Work was fine, I managed to stay almost 10 hours, in order to makeup some time I am planning on missing on Friday to leave early.
Then I arrived back home, only to open my mailbox and find one thin envelope. I knew it right then, this was gonna be a double dose. As I glanced at the sender's insignia, it burned even more. Albert Einstein...a private school in the Bronx...basically my top choice. A great school, and in New York. Not that I thought I had a good chance of getting an interview from them, but there is no way to feel good about a rejection, especially when it's from a geographic region of desirability :-(

Well, hopefully doing laundry tonight treats me ok, and at least I don't have to get up at 5:30 am like I did this morning...Oh yeah, and I am going to New York on Friday..wahoo!

P.S. Congrats to my cousin Kevin for getting into Nursing School at Columbia!

Welcome February

Rabbit! Rabbit!
Welcome to February everyone. And by starting off my first post of the month with "rabbit rabbit" I am sure to have good luck. According to my fourth grade teacher, you are supposed to say "rabbit rabbit" as the first thing you utter on the first day of every month and you will have good luck. I try to remember before I get out of bed most months. Nevertheless, some mornings I am unaware altogether that a new month has arrived, and other times, all I can think about is how its morning and I have to pee, or that I am freezing, or that its 6:30 am and that I would really rather not be going to work and instead of uttering "lapin lapin" (haha) I am substituting the childish ritual for cursing. Wow, how I've rambled, but that's what you readers signed up for...please reference the blog description.
Ok, so it is the second month of 2009! I have been living in 811 for over 7 months! Just like I am sure everyone else is saying, except maybe for those economic pundits who wish that time would pass sooner, and that we weren't in the endless toilet bowl spiral of the "recession," I like most rational or maybe irrational folks, am amazed how fast recent or maybe that is very relative, but some recent span of time has passed. In a few short months I will be moving out of my apartment and then starting medical school who knows where. But I really can't keep projecting my future and need to remain in the present! Carpe Diem you fool!

Well, it's Super Bowl Sunday, and like a good Ammmurican, I am going to be sitting in front of my tv watching the great american game. Although many of today's players will end up with some crappy pension, suffering from bad knees and too many concussions (athlete brains). There I go on another rant, thanks neuropsych, trauma department, mommy telling me to wear a helmet, etc., etc.

It should be amussing, although I am not sure who to root for. I think I might actually be pulling for the Cardinals. I'm sure they have about as much chance of winning as George W. Bush has of being elected a member of Mensa; but, I've liked Larry Fitzgerald since his days at Pitt, and I usually pull for the underdog...except for maybe Rogggger Federer (damn Aussie Open). So yeah, I will be watching along with the rest of the couch potato, chip dipping, beer drinking fat ass Americans. I am feeling lots better from my recent soiree with the flu, so I might even crack open a cold one (import, please) myself.

With the close of Sunday, comes another brutal work week. But I am headed up to New York on Friday to celebrate Danielle's Birthday, so that should be ample motivation to work some extra hours and hop on the Chinatown bus early Friday afternoon.

That's all for now kids! I am sure most people are still sleeping, but since I prescribed bed-rest for myself, I managed to sleep 10 hours and wake up at 8am! G is for Glorious I know (that fucking G commercial is in my head). So enjoy your Sunday everyone and remember....in the words of E. Hemingway... Hay que aprovechar el tiempo.

New Layout

Is it too blue? I may have gone to the extreme when I thought I wanted less colors.

Sick

Haven't really been inspired to post anything funny or witty due to my recent ailment. I will be back on my A game this weekend. Hope all 5 people who may read this are doing well.
P.S. I am looking forward to my delivery Chinese food...yay for soup!!

Snow?

Is this the best D.C. can do for snow? Well, I shouldn't complain, at least I got to see the white flakes...but Montgomery County calling school...that's just nuts!
In other news, I made Moroccan chicken for dinner...something new and different, it was really tasty. I halved the recipe, but still ended up with a large quantity of leftovers...if anyone is hungry, by all means come by.
I think I might be getting a cold, throat feels a bit like a mix between cement and sandpaper. So I think I will be pumpkinizing earlier than usual....that's par for Uncle Stale though. ;-)

Who's the bigger idiot?

Who does everyone hate more? Although Dildo...I mean Blago certainly has the dumb combover and creepy stare, Paterson is a close second and you've gotta love Fred Armisen's impersonation. So who takes the cake, the guy who compared his life to Pearl Harbor, or the crack addict who appointed the NRA's most prized upstate New York blonde hick?

I was inspired by Maureen Dowd:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25dowd.html?_r=1

Please leave your comments!!

Colonials Basketball

Well, I just returned from the Smith Center....two thoughts...I miss the 2005-2006 squad and Hobbs needs to be canned now.
We only got there about 30 mins early, and got seats first row behind the GW bench. What an interesting experience. Forget that we'd already lost 8 straight, and that we had the best seat in the house to cheer us away from number 9. It was a decent game by recent standards...we played Rhode Island to double OT and managed to hang tough despite some bogus refs. But I am not gonna blame the game on the refs even though Diggs, our best player, fouled out with about 8 minutes to go in regulation. I am going to blame this one on Hobbs and the verbal abuse he dished out faster than fast-break passes and more intense than slam dunks. Never have I heard one short man scream louder, or convulse more wickedly at each mistake. I frankly wondered if we even conducted practices anymore and if the the meaning of his four letter tirades had lost their effectiveness...
No I did not bow him as he entered, nor did I boo. Instead I just shook my head and reminisced about the glory days of Mike, Pops, JR and Carl. There were a few bright spots, Ware the freshman played well and Johnny Lee had two clutch 3s down the stretch. Even Diggs managed 18 points before taking a seat. Too bad players look as if they are going to cry when Hobbs screams at them. I mean come on...where is the love coach? It's time to give up the "fuck you Witherspoon's" and "you are going to shoot us to a loss" Damian's. I have had enough of our crap and miss the good ole' days. Well, at least those fuckers at Georgetown lost today as well.
I guess it's time to switch my laundry, and cool my jets with the Week in Review section of the NYTimes and beer!

Personal Genomics

I read an interesting article (thanks for the magazine Mom and Dad) from an early January issue of NYTimes magazine. It explores the phenomenon and growing field of personal genomics which has cropped up with the evolution (sorry for the pun) of the field of genomics thanks to growth of boutique genetics (rather people's desire to examine their own DNA for clues to their personality, intelligence, physical traits, chance of carrying/expressing/passing on of disease, etc.). The field is very exciting and intriguing, and as the cost lowers and the ability to understand more of the ramifications or grows I believe more and more people, the common man, not just the person who has an extra $500-100,000 dollars to see their personal list of nucleotides will be obtaining their own genetic code. Yet this power raises many interesting ethical questions and concerns such as genetic engineering, more selective mating or not mating whatever the case may be and the ability to see whether one will develop a life altering condition in the future. If your parent had Huntington's Disease, would you want to know your future, to live your life like a ticking clock, or just appreciate your health everyday and carpe diem?
While reading the article I was excited by the new technology and thought I would be interesting in knowing my genetics, from a curiosity, health, and science perspective. Nevertheless, I am not sure I would be prepared to deal with the answers?
What do you think? Would you want to know your A's, C's, T's and G's?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazine/11Genome-t.html?ref=magazine&pagewanted=all

Donnie

Full and leafy green
Looks for light every day
Wilts without water

Lincoln Memorial Concert for Barack Obama

Stick to acting Joaquin

Joaquin Phoenix should stick to acting:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LieYeCudbQ8&feature=related

The Influence of Barack

Here is the link to the full article:

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090121/how-to-slow-google-get-barack-obama-to-speak/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

Inaugural Post

Hello and welcome to my blog.
With the Presidential Inauguration festivities behind us, and the embarkation of what I hope will be a reincarnation and revitalization of American political, economic, and socio-political ideals and a renaissance of our global leadership (adios W; hola Barack); I have decided that in the spirit of the change I am going to begin to document my reflections as I continue on my path from college student, to "working adult" to aspiring and now official future medical student.
I seesawed with the idea of creating a blog; unsure as to what I would write, whether or not anyone would read my posts, or what exactly the purpose of me creating a blog would be in the first place. Yet a few things drew me this neo-journal. I have always loved to write, and as you probably have already gathered, tend to be quiet verbose when ascribing my thoughts to paper, or in this case hastily punching keys; also, as trite as it may sound, I want to record my own personal and professional developments for my friends and family to read; finally, I hope that my posts will serve as a means for my own self-reflection of my daily routine as well as big picture plans/goals, etc.

Ok, enough of the philosophical crap....

Inauguration weekend was amazing, and it reminded me of why I stayed in D.C. after graduation, and why I picked GW/DC in the first place. Having the opportunity to be in the same city, and even on the same mall (albeit 2 miles west) during the Inauguration of our treasured 44th Commander and Chief and witness the outpouring of positive emotion from people during the obvious time of economic and political instability in at home and abroad made me like so many others feel proud for being an American optimism for the direction our nation is hopefully heading. Starting with the concert at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, the Inauguration Ceremony itself on Tuesday and the GW Ball that night, I can easily say it was the most memorable experiences I have been apart of in D.C. To be able to spend the time with and share the excitement with Danielle was truly special.

Now it's back to my vida diaria. Work is going well- I had a evaluation with my manager on Friday. She commended my work on the IRB proposals I drafted for the Chief of the Trauma and Burn Service and my work on the Pancreatic Injury study. In addition to entering patients into the Trauma Registry I have been assisting the head of our department on some of his research projects which include traumatic pancreatic injuries and the comparison between surgical and non-surgical outcomes and the development of a new pediatric pre-hospital triage system. I told my manager about my acceptance to St. George's and although I've been nervous about divulging my future medical school plans with her, she was nothing less than excited about my acceptance and even offered to put me in touch with the son of one of her colleagues that recently graduated from SGU.

So by now, if you haven't realized from the above references or heard from me or my family (I am not sure who will be reading this), I was accepted into medical school. It is my first acceptance, and although it is not my first choice of schools, I am elated to know that in four plus years I will be a doctor!!

The initial stress of not knowing and not hearing from schools is over, and I have been able to calm down a bit following the receipt of my SGU package, but as is my nature I remain more than a little anxious regarding the schools I have yet to hear from, but as interview season winds down, I hope to at least hear from the schools period even if it is a "no thanks."

Working a 8-5, I relish some aspects of post-college life, even though I seriously miss studying and learning. I know I am an extreme nerd, and that I won't be humming the same tune in September when I am memorizing the anatomy of the head and neck (I hear it's the worst). Nevertheless, my schedule has allowed me time to explore new and rekindle old means of recreation. I have had time to foster my creative side cooking most of my meals and exploring DC with my camera in hand taking photos. Also, I have taken up Yoga...Yolanda's strange, soothing twang and the mat in my apartment definitely is nothing close to Bikram in a hot studio, but it has served as good introduction, and I can tell that the stretching is good for me. I've had time to satisfy my sports fan addiction/compulsion with fantasy basketball and catch up on a few of the movies I have missed in the past few years with netflix. The lack of homework has alloted me time to read some of my favorite authors- most recently I finished a book of Hemingway short stories.

Well, I feel that now that everyone knows the jist of the last sixish months of my life I can start my blog of random outpourings. I am not sure what possessed me to recount my activities and such (maybe it was the title of my blog) but somehow now I feel ready initiate random posts, and maybe they will make more sense or have some semblance of meaning based on my status quo.

I hope this message finds it's readers enthralled in a prosperous beginning to 2009, and I look forward in keeping in touch and hearing from you all!

Blaine