American Music Awards 2007

I can't comment on the WHOLE thing because I played Guitar Hero in the middle of it, but I wanted to comment on Alicia Keys' performance. It was her song, "No One" intermingled with a medley of Dancehall/Reggae. Every performance I've seen her do, she has given it her all and it definitely shows. So, once her tour comes around I'll definitely get some tickets!(It really takes a lot for me to go to a concert these days)

The Fergie/Will.I.Am/Nicole Scherzinger opening was pretty good. I wish Fergie would utilize the stage more. At first I attributed it to her skimpy outfit, but then Nicole came out and rocked it with her skimpy dress.

Because of the writers strike, the presenters did just what they were supposed to do and PRESENT! It was refreshing to not hear all the stupid forced jokes and awkward silences. It also made the show go faster. And BECAUSE of the writers strike in leiu of a monologue, Jimmy Kimmel proceeded to do the Souljah Boy dance which was pretty hilarious. I'm still kind of upset that they showcased the dance, but the fact it was Jimmy and that it was so funny made up for it.

ASSHOLE DJ

there are a variety of dj's out there in the clubs, weddings and events. you've got the dj who plays from his computer player and plays the whole song then fades the next song in. he's pretty benign and only mildly annoying if the song he's playing sucks.

then you have the wedding dj/mc who doesn't really have the latest songs and plays the typical songs like 'we are family', 'ymca' and 'the chicken dance.' even this guy you can forgive since he is paid to entertain everyone at the wedding and not just the young folks. he only gets annoying if he talks too much on the mic.

next there is the inexperienced dj who plays all the songs right but horribly mixes the last song into the next song. at times he will play the same song twice.

finally, you have the perfect dj who plays the good songs for a decent amount of time and successfully mixes 4 eight counts of the last and 4 of the next song into the set. if he happens to play a song that clears the dance floor he immediately changes it to a good one.

last night I went to club vive in pasadena and I encountered a new species of dj: the asshole dj. this dj plays good songs. he even is able to mix songs together,sometimes 3. but he is evil because he lures you onto the dancefloor with a cool intro like maybe 'sweet child of mine' but then only plays it for 30 seconds and mixes in an obscure new wave trance song. wtf mate? in addition to that when he does play a craptastic song which clears half the dancefloor he plays the whole freakin song! why are you torturing us?! he played good songs but I was too scared to go on the dancefloor because I didn't want to dance to some random 80's song for the next FIVE minutes! other than that I had a good time. I suppose I'm a little too critical when it comes to dj's but dancing is one of the few things I love and you know I take those things seriously. don't get me started on food!

Blackle

www.blackle.com

Anyone heard of this? It's Google but all in black. The theory is that the dark screen takes less energy than a white screen. My friend told me about this and I thought it was pretty cool. Also glad to know that my blog page "saves energy." I wonder if this is true or not.

random thoughts. my computer is messed up. i beat guitar hero 3 on medium level yesterday. i'm on call tomorrow. i can't wait for the weekend. i need to get my hair dyed. i hope my computer is ok. i don't want to have to reinstall stuff. that kills like 3 or more hours of my day. i'm really annoyed and don't feel like blogging. BLAH!

MY SMARTPHONE: htc mogul

That's what I'm using to blog right now! It's my first mobil blog ever. I got the phone about a month ago because I was getting tired of carrying around a phone, a pager and a pocket pc at work. So far it's working out great! Only con I hsve which might help me in the long run is that now I can't text while driving. Inconvenience for me, safer for everyone on the road!

Pros include internet anytime I want and reference material for work with me all the time. I remember wanting to look up something medical at my cousin's house but not having my pocket pc with me. Now I have everyone at my fingertips. Go technology!

Interviewing Season/Change

The season has started for applicants to come interview at our program. Today I started my Sports Medicine rotation so I had free time to volunteer. I gave them a tour of our hospital, which sounds simple enough, but you have to keep talking and sometimes I just like to walk. Afterwards, I took them to lunch with 3 other residents; one 3rd year, one 2nd year and two of us interns. I was really trying to think of what I thought was important at the time when I interviewed. I hope I wasn't rambling. I was trying to give them as much information about the program as I could. I guess I could have given them more advice about interviewing in general and how to make the decision of what program to rank.

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I was interviewing and applying. I remember that time to be very nerve wracking and draining. I was scared I wouldn't get into a program or have to move far away. I also remember crying for no apparent reason the next day as I drove to work. It's weird how life's transitions affect you so much and once it happens, your life just seems to adjust to the change and you get comfortable again.

I went to get my hair dyed the other day, and my hairdresser was like, "Let me guess, you don't do well with change." I guess I was freaking out about it. (Un)fortunately the dye didn't take very well, so I have to go back. I still want the change, but of course am scared. :)

This is sort of a short lame blog but the link is THE BEST! If you know the classic rap songs, this should be hilarious. If not, then it really isn't that great. :) Thanks Clarence!

RAP REPRESENTED MATHEMATICAL CHARTS AND GRAPHS

I knew most of them but some of them were a big question mark.

Pendulum Stuck

I'm hovering between wanting to be single and wanting to be in a relationship. It's been about 2 years since I've been in a serious relationship and I'm starting to miss it. However, I am enjoying being single and might be a little too selfish to be in a relationship. I guess this is when I should try to start dating people. I have no idea what to do lol. I'll start getting busy with work in 2 weeks. Maybe I'll have forgotten about all this by then. At any rate, I'm just going to wing it and see what happens. It's a really confusing state to be in. :(

(Whoops missed a blog!!! SORRY)

Asian Speed Dating

On Friday my friend invited me to go speed dating with her. Her friend could get us in for free so I agreed to go since I have been curious about speed dating. Now mind you, Asian males don't really like me so I stayed away from them. So really the only reason why I went was because it was free. I'm not sure how other speed dating experiences go, but this is my experience.

Hunting Season: It seems that not alot of girls showed up, so there were a number of guys waiting to see if they could get into the pool. It felt like hunting season while waiting for the thing to start. We were approached multiple times. This is where I also found out that I don't like hearing other people's bullshit trying to flaunt their money or whatever. This one guy was like: "There's a bottle of Cognac that's in a really pretty bottle. It's hand made and ornate. If you drink the last shot out of the bottle you get the whole thing. The shots are 200 bucks each, so I bought it for the bottle. I didn't take the shot.".....YOU'RE A TOOL! Don't get me started on the dude that claimed he was a doctor. LAME.

Timing: It started 45 minutes late. I don't think the coordinators were actually timing each date because my dates lasted anywhere from 4 minutes to 10. In addition to that they cut the dates short so we only saw 12 people instead of the full 14. It also did not help that I had to be somewhere at 9. I didn't get out until 930.

Really you want me to repeat my life history AGAIN?: I think this one speaks for itself. It's freaking exhausting telling your story and then hearing about someone else's and really trying to act interested. It was just too many people at once and there's no way you can figure out who you're interested in. You CAN find out who you do NOT want to see ever again. My strategy was to ask age and location right off the bat because it's important to me. Is it going to make me totally shut off if you say you're 38? No, I'm still going to listen to you. This one guy was totally upset that I asked age(obviously older). He said I'd judge him differently if I knew his age. WRONG. You know why I judged him differently? Because he was an ass when I asked him his age. Get over yourself!!!

Needless to say it wasn't exactly a positive experience for me. Honestly I would have rather gone to the Sushi Party my coworkers through and then go out dancing. At least I didn't have to pay. Would I ever do it again? Maybe if it were a smaller group like 7 people and if there were more of a mix of people.

(SPOILERS...sorry i'm venting) My new favorite character on Grey's Anatomy: Lexi Grey. I think she is the lone interesting character left on GA, and surprise she's new. All the old characters have gotten a bit one demensional as seasons have passed. The McDreamy/Meredith thing is getting OLD. George and Izzy, all that drama, angst and agony just to find out that you have no chemistry with each other? Please. The medicine isn't even that good, not that it was that great to begin with. Can ingested magnets really have enough force to perforate intestines let alone the diaphragm?!

I could see the "please accept me as your sister" bit getting old, but for now, we know the least about her and her character development is at least worth watching. She's charming and sweet, yet not a complete pushover. She's strong in her own way and not as whiny as the rest of the cast.

(I could have sworn I blogged about HIMYM before, but I can't seem to find where....at any rate, here it is!)

How I Met Your Mother: the new "FRIENDS"...almost literally

This blog is basically a shout out to HIMYM. Rumor has it that it's in danger of being cancelled. First, I'd like to thank Brad and Christie for the intro to HIMYM. Secondly, I'd like to urge those of you who haven't seen this show to check it out.

I say "almost literally" because I have found certain subplots/storylines on HIMYM and FRIENDS. The only difference is that I can relate more to HIMYM than FRIENDS. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but the characters on HIMYM are more real to me. It may have something to do with the fact that I'm the same age now, but even when I watch reruns of FRIENDS it wasn't ever that realistic to me. An episode even gives a shout out to FRIENDS where they sit in a coffee house and try to see why it's so fun, only to conclude that sitting in a bar is so much cooler than a coffee house.

The writing on this show is great and all the actors have such great chemistry. The humor is very close to the humor I use in everyday life, which is sometimes dorky and most of the time immature hehe.

Thank you Target for helping me accomplish my mission of buying the Nintendo Wii. I went to Target to refill a prescription and I casually headed over to the electronics section just to see if they had any in stock. I see a box and it reads "Wii sports" and I almost ALMOST let myself think it was just the video game and not the console. Luckily I asked and woohoo it was the console! Next up is Guitar Hero and DDR purchase....maybe on Friday when I have the day off!!!

My New Obsessions
The elliptical is because I want to get some cardio in at home. I don't want to rejoin the gym because I never go and this way I can watch DVDs/TV while I work out. I hope to buy it around Thanksgiving time when Sears has a sale...unless any of YOU are selling one? Anyone? Anyone? This has sort of been an obsession for a while. Two main reasons for my obsession are because I want Guitar Hero III and DDR and I'd rather invest in this than a PS2 or an Xbox cuz I'll actually play the other games that come with this system. Unfortunately it's sold out everywhere or you have to pay an assload of money to get one(that's right, I'm talking to you Walmart!)

WISH ME LUCK!!

Brunch

Not sure how many of you know this but I'm a foodie. LOVE food. I was down in San Diego this weekend and was craving a Sunday brunch. My aunt suggested South Bay Fish and Grill which was priced at $22. I was looking for something under $20 but since it was so close and the menu looked pretty good, we decided to give it ago.

Pros: Although I discovered this at the end of the meal, the creme brulee is AMAZING. It's the best I've ever had, the second being from Yardhouse--yes, Yardhouse. mmm. The breakfast part of the menu was really good which included, lox and bagels, eggs benedict, and an omelette station. The clam chowder and dessert section were good as well.

Cons: Placement. They had a weird set up. The nacho chips were far away from the ceviche and the waffles were in the dessert section(which is why i didn't have any because I was too full!) . I did not enjoy the lunch part of the brunch. The prime rib was dry and tough, and the selection was not the greatest. The rice pilaf, veggie lasagna, and chicken picatta looked pretty ordinary. I also don't like it when buffet's don't have peeled shrimp. I would have also liked some mashed potatoes or some other kind of potato, but alas, there were just the breakfast potatoes. Finally, our waitress kinda sucked.

Conclusion: Thinking back on it, not sure if this buffet was worth the $22 dollars, but the creme brulee more than made up for all the cons listed. :)

November is National Blog everyday month. I can't remember the exact name. I totally missed the last two days. I'm not sure if I want to participate this year. It was fun last year trying to come up with things to blog about but, it was also kind of draining. My schedule this month is not too hectic but actually having to "think" is problematic. We shall see....

I was going to blog about something profound or reflective, but I got obsessed with this song. The lyrics speak for themselves. Plus I have a girl crush on Emmy Rossum of Phantom of the Opera fame. She's so pretty!




I've listened to a few of her other songs, and I'm disappointed to say that they all kind of sound the same. She has a really great voice and the weird digitalized style of her songs kind of mask it. She sounds like a cross between Enya and Sarah Maclachlan. Either way, I like this song. :)

Rushing and racing
and running in circles
Moving so fast, I'm forgetting my purpose
Blur of the traffic is sending me spinning
Getting nowhere

My head and my heart are colliding, chaotic
Pace of the world
I just wish I could stop it
Try to appear like I've got it together
I'm falling apart

Save me
Somebody take my hand, and lead me
Slow me down
Don't let love pass me by
Just show me how
'Cause I'm ready to fall
Slow me down
Don't let me live a lie
Before my life flys by
I need you to slow me down

Sometimes I fear that I might dissapear
In the blur of fast forward I faulter again
Forgetting to breathe, I need to sleep
I'm getting nowhere

All that I've missed I see in the reflection
Passed me while I wasn't paying attention
Tired of rushing, racing and running
I'm falling apart

Tell me
Oh won't you take my hand and lead me
Slow me down
Don't let love pass me by
Just show me how
'Cause I'm ready to fall
Slow me down
Don't let me live a lie
Before my life flys by
I need you to slow me down

Just show me
I need you to slow me down
The noise of the world is getting me caught up
Chasing the clock and I wish I could stop it
Just need to breathe, somebody please
Slow me down

phew, finally a chance to catch my breath. it's been a crazy month and a half. i don't have a blog for 3rd block: ER, so i'll sum it up here.

ER is fast paced, sometimes busy, sometimes slow. I learned alot. I learned how to be fast. It was tough catching up to each attending's nuances, but you learn to adapt. I got to repair a couple of lacerations, which is where I discovered my love for repairing lacerations. I was always nervous about those, but once you jump in there and get it done, it's not so bad at all. It's an art. Night shift SUCKED ASS. I don't know how people do night shift. I wanted to be up when I had to sleep and I wanted to sleep when I had to be up. So that's ER in a nutshell.

Onto residency in general. I have one word to describe it: ROLLERCOASTER. Each day is different. One day you'll feel like the dumbest person on EARTH and feel like you've failed your patients. The next day you adjust and get everything covered, get some good feedback from attendings or patients and you're on top of the world. A day later your patient deteriorates and it's back down again, only to find the next day that patient improves, is lucid and thanks you for all the work you've put in. I'm telling you, it's a rollercoaster; on the way down you feel like your stomach is in your throat and you can't breathe but when you're up there, the high lasts long enough to get you through the bad times. I'm loving it, but can't avoid the fact that it's kicking my ass!

Onto personal life. So, I've been single for a while now and I've honestly been fine with it. However(and this is no offense to ANY of my friends who have spouses/significant others), as I see my friends getting married/meeting people, it makes me a little sad. Obviously residency doesn't help. I'm too tired ot go anywhere, and even if I did meet someone, where the hell would I find the time to hang out with them? I know a handful of people who are in residency and single. I mean we all do fine, but I wonder how many of them are feeling the way I am. It's funny I always thought I'd be settled by now, but unfortunately life doesn't work out the way you planned. Who knows if what you planned would have made you happy. So, as lonely as I am, I'll leave it up to fate and God to figure out my personal life for me. Until then, I'm uber thankful for all my good friends and my family, who keep me sane(or foster my insanity) through these trying times. I love you all!

Block 2: Obstetrics

Have I told you I love my job? I was getting really depressed during my Radiology rotation. I think the reason was that I wasn't actively doing anything; there was no patient contact, my mind wasn't stimulated and I didn't feel any gratification for my efforts. This month, however, has been a breath of fresh air.

As my third week in OB winds down, I've started to reflect on how much I've learned. I was absolutely terrified my first week. I was a bit rusty on my OB and didn't really have any confidence. As the weeks passed, I started managing different cases, doing more deliveries and it all started to click. OB is definitely gratifying AND I love the patient care. It's all very exciting. Another added bonus is that USUALLY the moms are healthy and all you have to worry about is getting that baby out. Even when there are problems, there are only a finite number of things that could go wrong, so it's alot easier to manage theoretically.

Then I started to think, "Am I enjoying myself because it's OB or because it's Family Medicine?" Today I found my answer. I was on call last night, which involves admitting patients to the Medicine team from the Emergency Department. We had three admissions, and I only got 3 hours of sleep, but I was satisfied mentally, emotionally and psychologically. I enjoy talking to patients, thinking through and diagnosing their problems, and finally managing their medical issues. And aside from all of that I actually CARE about these patients. I care about what happens to them and their best interests. I tell you, it's an amazing feeling and I really couldn't imagine myself doing anything else.

Story of the Rotation:
My third day on my OB rotation, I was hanging out in L&D(Labor and Delivery) looking for patients who might potentially deliver soon. I notice one patient is 9 centimeters dilated. I call my OB senior to come down and help me. We find out that her membranes were not ruptured, so we called her primary OB to ask if he wanted us to rupture her. We did so and waited. Five minutes later, the nurse comes out of the room and says she's bleeding alot. We go in and assess her, page her doctor and wait for the call back. We inform him of her bleeding and he says he'll meet us soon. Right as we hang up the phone, the patient's sister comes running out of the room yelling, "The baby's head is coming out!!" We run into the room and indeed the baby's head had come out(HOLY CRAP!) My senior grabs some non-sterile gloves and supports the head. In OB "sterile" is a loosely used term; the priority is getting the baby delivered safe. So I unsterily open the delivery cart and pull out the bulb to suction the baby, in addition to whatever tools we needed to finish the delivery. Both mom and baby were ok, but that was a crazy situation!!

Lesson for the rotation: GOWN UP! Don't get showered with amniotic fluid gownless!!! It's not pretty.

Bathroom Makeover

The other weekend my cousin Novette came to visit me. For some reason she's a catalyst for me to do things I've wanted to do but have been too lazy. So, we made our way to Home Depot and Target to get things for my bathroom. I wanted a light colored motif since my bathroom is tiny. I decided on light green since it matches with the rest of my house.

I know, blogging about one's bathroom is kind of weird, but the reason I blog was because I was so happy with the outcome. I got everything for a good price and for the things I was lacking, I discovered a way to put my own little personal touch with things I had around the house.

The shower curtains, rugs, toothbrush holder, soap dish, cup and towels were all bought at Target. I replaced the toilet seat cover, which used to be the soft cover, with a hard cover from Home Depot

What I was missing was a picture to put above the towel rack, and something to accent my display towels. I searched my house for something green to tie around the towels. My mom has a drawerful of random strips of cloth from pants she's taken in or whatever. I found two green pieces of cloth that used to be the bottom of pants. I twisted them and fastened them with a safety pin on the towels. At this point I was already proud of myself. As I was cleaning out my bathroom, I found these wires with beads on them. I wrapped those around the green cloth and voila, cute towel holder thingies.

The next dilemma was what to put above the towel rack. I found an old painting that had the same color theme as my bathroom, but it looked a little antiquated. As I was cleaning out my sister's room, I came upon drawings that my mom, my sister and I had made at California Disney. I had framed them a while ago in a black frame, and hadn't found a place to put them yet. To my delight, it fit perfectly in my bathroom. I really like the personal touch it adds to the whole place. Plus everytime I look at Matess' drawing it makes me smile.(Far right)

First Paycheck

This happened about a week ago, but I only just uploaded pictures. So I got my first paycheck last Friday and it felt pretty freakin' good to know that I'm getting paid for my efforts. :)

I was on call for the third time this weekend(Saturday-Sunday.) I was definitely more relaxed and sort of knew what I was doing. Last night while we were seeing patients I realized how much I love my job. It's the adjusting to new environments I hate. Maybe it's not being able to control my surroundings, but I get all anxious and panicky.

Yesterday, though, I had fun. It's nice knowing your patients as well as knowing that you're somewhat helping them. I wish I could put it more eloquently, but that's all you're going to get out of me. My call was pretty slow with only two admissions and I actually got to sleep.