If you had asked me whether, as a child, I would be disappointed to find a library closed on New Years Eve, my answer would have been a yes.
As an adult, that answer is still a yes. I am still disappointed to find the library closed.
The only difference is how much more disappointed I am today.
And that's the story of how I used the word 'disappointed' four times in as many lines.
Hope 2012 was kind to you, and that 2013 holds rewards for your hard work.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Yes another post
Perhaps you've guessed by now that I can be introspective at times. Its only taken 73 blog posts for me to get to that point, in case you haven't figured it out. Occasionally, though, its nice to hear outside criticism of my study efforts.
One such weakness, which was noted by a study partner, is that I often get obsessive with trying to figure out a specific mechanism or pathway. For many of these searches, online encyclopedias have been a wonderful resource. However, at other times the search can become too in-depth. Simply trying to find the opening and closing of ion channels in cardiac myocytes...that one took over 3 hours. One professor I highly respect explained the cycle using 4 channels. A review textbook provided by the school had no less than 9 channels. After the first hour, I was reading into published research articles instead of bothering with review textbooks. It was only when my study partner pulled me aside and taught me what I wanted to know, that I could breath a sigh of relief.
Well, going over an older lecture that was an adjunct to the obsession-inducing lecture, I found the answer that I was looking for. My study partner was wrong. But it doesn't matter anymore. The chances of that specific question popping up are minimal. However, simply KNOWING feels good. That turmoil inside my mind that searches to find truth using science and reason has subsided (for now). But for every battle that is won, hundreds of others are lost. Some to chance, some to errors in texts or in my understanding. The majority are simply under the heading of "this is the way it is, but we don't know yet why" or "we THINK it might be this, but the research is still ongoing." Sometimes, there are multiple truths, such as drugs that work by multiple mechanisms.
Part of the reason I chose medicine is because I knew there is too much for me to learn in a lifetime. More research will probably be published this month than I could read in a lifetime. I'll never be full or bored. But once in a while, its nice to stop feeling hungry.
Then again, I know something that my study partner doesn't :P
One such weakness, which was noted by a study partner, is that I often get obsessive with trying to figure out a specific mechanism or pathway. For many of these searches, online encyclopedias have been a wonderful resource. However, at other times the search can become too in-depth. Simply trying to find the opening and closing of ion channels in cardiac myocytes...that one took over 3 hours. One professor I highly respect explained the cycle using 4 channels. A review textbook provided by the school had no less than 9 channels. After the first hour, I was reading into published research articles instead of bothering with review textbooks. It was only when my study partner pulled me aside and taught me what I wanted to know, that I could breath a sigh of relief.
Well, going over an older lecture that was an adjunct to the obsession-inducing lecture, I found the answer that I was looking for. My study partner was wrong. But it doesn't matter anymore. The chances of that specific question popping up are minimal. However, simply KNOWING feels good. That turmoil inside my mind that searches to find truth using science and reason has subsided (for now). But for every battle that is won, hundreds of others are lost. Some to chance, some to errors in texts or in my understanding. The majority are simply under the heading of "this is the way it is, but we don't know yet why" or "we THINK it might be this, but the research is still ongoing." Sometimes, there are multiple truths, such as drugs that work by multiple mechanisms.
Part of the reason I chose medicine is because I knew there is too much for me to learn in a lifetime. More research will probably be published this month than I could read in a lifetime. I'll never be full or bored. But once in a while, its nice to stop feeling hungry.
Then again, I know something that my study partner doesn't :P
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Adventures in Dog-sitting
This has been a tough week.
How tough can it be? Walk a dog. Pick up poop. Repeat. Doesn't really take a rocket scientist.
Well...I found out that my patience is somewhat lacking. It can get frustrating when a 15 minute dog walk has reached over an hour. It can get frustrating trying to control a dog when your neighbours apparently had some kind of raw-hamburger fight in your parking lot. And when your dog apparently has a taste for cat poop.
But it's getting better. I'm getting more used to dealing with frustration.
The cat is much sweeter. Only has a tendency to drool, which is a little disconcerting while he sits on my study notes.
How tough can it be? Walk a dog. Pick up poop. Repeat. Doesn't really take a rocket scientist.
Well...I found out that my patience is somewhat lacking. It can get frustrating when a 15 minute dog walk has reached over an hour. It can get frustrating trying to control a dog when your neighbours apparently had some kind of raw-hamburger fight in your parking lot. And when your dog apparently has a taste for cat poop.
But it's getting better. I'm getting more used to dealing with frustration.
The cat is much sweeter. Only has a tendency to drool, which is a little disconcerting while he sits on my study notes.
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Run normal BMI boy, run!
So over my time in Dominica, I gained a bit of med school weight. Probably around 15 pounds or so over 1.5 years of stress, stress-eating, and sedentary studying. Since my return, I got a gym membership and did some exercise off and on, but I wanted to set up a routine that didn't involve having to wait 20 minutes for some guy to finish huffing and puffing on a 15 pound bench press. The treadmills are typically free, so that's what I'm hoping to use.
I wanted to try and move myself from the 'Overweight' category on the BMI scale into the normal range. And yes, I know that BMI isn't that useful, but it gives me something to aim for. Calculated that to burn off one kg of body fat (~7700 calories), I'd need to run about 500 calories per day for about half a month. From past experience, I know that 500 cals per day is doable, and doesn't take up much time and isn't too tough on my knee. Then I came across a study suggesting that most treadmills actually overestimate the calories burned by ~20%. So, what displays at 500 on a treadmill will be closer to 420-ish. 7700/400=19.2 days. That pushes my goal to about 20 days unbroken, or more realistically, 1 month overall.
Except that after I weighed myself today, I found that my weight has dropped nearly 4 pounds since school ended. What gives?
The only thing I can think of is that I've stopped eating out with friends for lunch, and have mostly been sticking to veggies with occasional salmon. I've also been trying to further reduce my living expenses since moving to the new apartment (side note: Publix is overpriced) so I have been trying to eat less food.
If all goes well...I'll still technically be overweight, but hopefully my pants won't feel as tight :P
Also, I can't remember why I thought this was important and needed to be typed up. If you made it this far, congratulations, you have nothing better to do than read me rambling.
I wanted to try and move myself from the 'Overweight' category on the BMI scale into the normal range. And yes, I know that BMI isn't that useful, but it gives me something to aim for. Calculated that to burn off one kg of body fat (~7700 calories), I'd need to run about 500 calories per day for about half a month. From past experience, I know that 500 cals per day is doable, and doesn't take up much time and isn't too tough on my knee. Then I came across a study suggesting that most treadmills actually overestimate the calories burned by ~20%. So, what displays at 500 on a treadmill will be closer to 420-ish. 7700/400=19.2 days. That pushes my goal to about 20 days unbroken, or more realistically, 1 month overall.
Except that after I weighed myself today, I found that my weight has dropped nearly 4 pounds since school ended. What gives?
The only thing I can think of is that I've stopped eating out with friends for lunch, and have mostly been sticking to veggies with occasional salmon. I've also been trying to further reduce my living expenses since moving to the new apartment (side note: Publix is overpriced) so I have been trying to eat less food.
If all goes well...I'll still technically be overweight, but hopefully my pants won't feel as tight :P
Also, I can't remember why I thought this was important and needed to be typed up. If you made it this far, congratulations, you have nothing better to do than read me rambling.
Monday, 17 December 2012
The 100% pet for me
One of the things I learned from taking care of a dog and cat for a few days is how simple and easy it can be to provide happiness to animals. Feed them, pet them, play with them. It is so shockingly easy that it makes me feel guilty for not doing it all the time.
Is it this easy to make people happy? Why don't I do it more? Do I have to spend more effort? More time? More money? Is more expected of me? Do people even want to be happy?
This train of thought is brought to you by A1 Steak Sauce: Go Steak or Go Home.
Is it this easy to make people happy? Why don't I do it more? Do I have to spend more effort? More time? More money? Is more expected of me? Do people even want to be happy?
This train of thought is brought to you by A1 Steak Sauce: Go Steak or Go Home.
PS
PS: the steak turned out great. A tiny bit on the well-done side. I'll try again today, but using the oven only, and see how it compares.
First impressions
So I tear-gassed my new roommates within 20 minutes of meeting them.
While I moved all my belongings into my new apartment a few days ago, I've been dog/cat/car/house-sitting 2 lovely pets. Thus, last night was the first time I spent any appreciable time at my new place. After talking to my roommates for the first time, I decided to make some dinner and try my hand at a thin slice new york steak cut. I added a lot of chili pepper.I planned to fry it on the grill to crisp the surface, and then toss it in the oven at 400F for a few minutes where I was conveniently also baking potatoes. I also had the brilliant idea of adding chili peppers. Forgot to turn on the fan. Smoke escalated quickly. Chili tear gas resulted.
So, hurray for first impressions.
While I moved all my belongings into my new apartment a few days ago, I've been dog/cat/car/house-sitting 2 lovely pets. Thus, last night was the first time I spent any appreciable time at my new place. After talking to my roommates for the first time, I decided to make some dinner and try my hand at a thin slice new york steak cut. I added a lot of chili pepper.I planned to fry it on the grill to crisp the surface, and then toss it in the oven at 400F for a few minutes where I was conveniently also baking potatoes. I also had the brilliant idea of adding chili peppers. Forgot to turn on the fan. Smoke escalated quickly. Chili tear gas resulted.
So, hurray for first impressions.
Friday, 14 December 2012
3 to 2
I have 5 pairs of keys jingling in my pocket.
One for my old apartment, from which I have emptied the last of my belongings.
One for my new apartment, in which I have yet to unpack.
One for my friend's apartment, which i am currently house-dog-cat-sitting.
One for that same friend's car, which I am car-sitting.
One for my bike lock, which is...currently locked.
And yet the only home I want to be in is the one I don't have keys to. Because my brother lost them. And scratched my bike. And missed my traffic ticket appointment.
On the plus side, every step I take sounds like a Christmas carol.
I'll be down to 4 keys by the end of the day, and down to 2 keys within a week.
This post is entirely meaningless. I just thought I had a lot of keys.
One for my old apartment, from which I have emptied the last of my belongings.
One for my new apartment, in which I have yet to unpack.
One for my friend's apartment, which i am currently house-dog-cat-sitting.
One for that same friend's car, which I am car-sitting.
One for my bike lock, which is...currently locked.
And yet the only home I want to be in is the one I don't have keys to. Because my brother lost them. And scratched my bike. And missed my traffic ticket appointment.
On the plus side, every step I take sounds like a Christmas carol.
I'll be down to 4 keys by the end of the day, and down to 2 keys within a week.
This post is entirely meaningless. I just thought I had a lot of keys.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Put down your pencils
So. I'm done with school.
Breath it in deep. That's the smell of freedom.
Well...I am no more free than I was on Thursday night, on the eve of my final exam. I still have my Comprehensive exam, my USMLE Step 1, the Canadian version of the USMLE that I need to take for visa purposes, my Board exams after each rotation, USMLE Step 2 and 3....maybe a few years of mandatory residency in underserved communities.
But I am no more constricted than I have been for the last few years of my life. I can still quit and decide to become a...'job-person'? 'Not-student'? 'Tax-payer'? Is that what they call people with jobs?
My formal education is over. It's been about 20 years of sitting in classrooms and taking tests. Much of it has left me unfulfilled. A fictional study I imagined for the sake of this paragraph suggests that X% of people wish to excel at a task and build up an identity for themselves, and I am part of that X%. However, excelling as a student of the medical sciences meant that I had to try and remain competitive in terms of applications. That meant trying to take courses in which I had no interest that were deemed mandatory by some committee for most of my adult life. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that almost the entirety of it has been redundant.
Its a bit of a punch in the gut [note: I decided to retract balls, as Y% of my readers may not have testes] to realize that many years of my life has been meaningless in the pursuit of meaning. My own father felt that the compulsory military service in his youth has been a similar waste of the best years of his life, and chose to immigrate rather than have his children go through his own experiences. Strange, that these compulsory prisons follow us so diligently.
Today, I can cover in 3 weeks what would have previously taken an entire semester of undergraduate education. I feel my wits are at their sharpest (or at least as sharp as a wooden knife can get) and my professionalism has never been...professionaler, and my wallet has never been emptier. For a self-proclaimed slightly-higher-than-average-intelligence person, it comes as a realization that I am actually-below-average-intelligence, as almost all of my current education could have been covered with the cost of a $10 library card and a suggested reading guide. For those that have difficulties picking up a book, there is no adequate substitute for a good lecturer, but videotaped lectures do a pretty decent job for a fraction of the price. We are born into social structures that have existed for hundreds of years, and continue to build onto a solid foundations, but at a heavy cost of time and debt. A young person may gladly trade his time for money, and an older person may gladly trade money for more time, and any professional needs to trade both.
I applaud the trend of universities and institutions offering their course lectures for low/no cost (well-known among them are TED, Khan Academy, MIT/Yale/Berkeley, but I have no doubt that hundreds of others exist), as well as the rarer institutions that teach and additionally certify these students. I also have a hope that one day we will see institutions that build from the ground up to utilize these low-cost alternatives, instead of sticking them on like a post-it note. Hopefully, I'll even play a role in them one day.
PS: I was originally going to write about how I haven't gotten off my couch since my exam on Friday (and yes, it is currently Sunday), how I finally got out of this couch-induced rut, my search for a new apartment, revelations in my last semester of lectures, and my study plan for the coming exam. Apparently, I also shouldn't keep my bananas and tomatoes in the refrigerator.
Breath it in deep. That's the smell of freedom.
Well...I am no more free than I was on Thursday night, on the eve of my final exam. I still have my Comprehensive exam, my USMLE Step 1, the Canadian version of the USMLE that I need to take for visa purposes, my Board exams after each rotation, USMLE Step 2 and 3....maybe a few years of mandatory residency in underserved communities.
But I am no more constricted than I have been for the last few years of my life. I can still quit and decide to become a...'job-person'? 'Not-student'? 'Tax-payer'? Is that what they call people with jobs?
My formal education is over. It's been about 20 years of sitting in classrooms and taking tests. Much of it has left me unfulfilled. A fictional study I imagined for the sake of this paragraph suggests that X% of people wish to excel at a task and build up an identity for themselves, and I am part of that X%. However, excelling as a student of the medical sciences meant that I had to try and remain competitive in terms of applications. That meant trying to take courses in which I had no interest that were deemed mandatory by some committee for most of my adult life. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that almost the entirety of it has been redundant.
Its a bit of a punch in the gut [note: I decided to retract balls, as Y% of my readers may not have testes] to realize that many years of my life has been meaningless in the pursuit of meaning. My own father felt that the compulsory military service in his youth has been a similar waste of the best years of his life, and chose to immigrate rather than have his children go through his own experiences. Strange, that these compulsory prisons follow us so diligently.
Today, I can cover in 3 weeks what would have previously taken an entire semester of undergraduate education. I feel my wits are at their sharpest (or at least as sharp as a wooden knife can get) and my professionalism has never been...professionaler, and my wallet has never been emptier. For a self-proclaimed slightly-higher-than-average-intelligence person, it comes as a realization that I am actually-below-average-intelligence, as almost all of my current education could have been covered with the cost of a $10 library card and a suggested reading guide. For those that have difficulties picking up a book, there is no adequate substitute for a good lecturer, but videotaped lectures do a pretty decent job for a fraction of the price. We are born into social structures that have existed for hundreds of years, and continue to build onto a solid foundations, but at a heavy cost of time and debt. A young person may gladly trade his time for money, and an older person may gladly trade money for more time, and any professional needs to trade both.
I applaud the trend of universities and institutions offering their course lectures for low/no cost (well-known among them are TED, Khan Academy, MIT/Yale/Berkeley, but I have no doubt that hundreds of others exist), as well as the rarer institutions that teach and additionally certify these students. I also have a hope that one day we will see institutions that build from the ground up to utilize these low-cost alternatives, instead of sticking them on like a post-it note. Hopefully, I'll even play a role in them one day.
PS: I was originally going to write about how I haven't gotten off my couch since my exam on Friday (and yes, it is currently Sunday), how I finally got out of this couch-induced rut, my search for a new apartment, revelations in my last semester of lectures, and my study plan for the coming exam. Apparently, I also shouldn't keep my bananas and tomatoes in the refrigerator.
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Learnings
I originally wrote this 6 months ago, but held off on posting because it was written in a fit of angst. Yes, that beautiful teenage angst. It has since been edited to include the present as well.
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I can't remember how old I am.
Kind of a scary thought. I have to do the math every time. 2005-1987 = 25 years old, +/- 1 year.
Its one of the more common problems of being lost in time.
I don't really know when I got unstuck in time. Between schooling and looking to the future, and looking to the past to understand myself, the present lost its significance. Who would want to remember it? The past has its fondness, its safety and recognition. It has meaning and understanding, even if its simply my brain restructuring memories in order to spin a narrative, answer a question, or simply create a timeline. The future has my hopes and dreams safely nestled away, like eggs waiting to hatch. But in the now, I only have work and unease. I can feel a pressure around me, and always have, thinking back. But now its becoming more constricting, and my thoughts more rigid. Like a bad case of...umm...hmm...fibrinous pericarditis?
I'm losing my means of communicating without resorting to medical analogies. Even now, I noticed my sputum has a slight rusty color to it, and I'm already wondering which infection I have. Probably bacterial, sub-acute, afebrile with slight malaise and inflamed tonsils. [Granted, I have years of practice to go before I can make those claims with any basis, but I've realized the increasing trend with which I've been intellectualizing my problems, rather than dealing with them.] Its been years since I studied semiotics, but I can understand why this language has to be so alien and so specific. And yes, I know the medical language sounds a lot more sexy than saying "sore throat with some bloody mucous" The community needs to define and grade and agree on each finding, or disease, or pathology, because ultimately it is a science. But I never imagined that a language, which usually binds communities, could also be so divisive.
I have many topics to write about. I also have newspaper articles and even research articles I want to write. But at this point they'll never see the light of day. They cannot exist in my future anymore; I need them to begin existing in the present. I need to ground myself again. It has become impossible to look at anything in life without reducing it to its lifespan. My water bottle will last 4 months longer at this rate, my laptop 2 years max. My relationships and ties to the island end in X months, my lease ends in 15 days, my ties to Florida may end in 3 months, and my own life in roughly 50 years at this rate. It's like I'm in a constant out-of-body experience. I can see myself below. Damn, I have terrible posture.
And while sitting with my shoulders huddled together, I can see myself getting angry over the last few weeks and months. Its practically a child tantrum. A reminder that I'm not as calm as I want to be, or as mature and understanding as I make myself out to be. Another hammer to my ego. Take that, you bastard. There are 8 billion of you out there, but I'll be damned if I contribute to your numbers. Of course I'm going to be an asshole when I'm sick, or feel like crap, or haven't had enough sleep, or under a deadline. I haven't had to deal with those simultaneously occuring, until now anyways. Its something I need to start dealing with now, not in the past.
Fuck. I'm late again.
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I can't remember how old I am.
Kind of a scary thought. I have to do the math every time. 2005-1987 = 25 years old, +/- 1 year.
Its one of the more common problems of being lost in time.
I don't really know when I got unstuck in time. Between schooling and looking to the future, and looking to the past to understand myself, the present lost its significance. Who would want to remember it? The past has its fondness, its safety and recognition. It has meaning and understanding, even if its simply my brain restructuring memories in order to spin a narrative, answer a question, or simply create a timeline. The future has my hopes and dreams safely nestled away, like eggs waiting to hatch. But in the now, I only have work and unease. I can feel a pressure around me, and always have, thinking back. But now its becoming more constricting, and my thoughts more rigid. Like a bad case of...umm...hmm...fibrinous pericarditis?
I'm losing my means of communicating without resorting to medical analogies. Even now, I noticed my sputum has a slight rusty color to it, and I'm already wondering which infection I have. Probably bacterial, sub-acute, afebrile with slight malaise and inflamed tonsils. [Granted, I have years of practice to go before I can make those claims with any basis, but I've realized the increasing trend with which I've been intellectualizing my problems, rather than dealing with them.] Its been years since I studied semiotics, but I can understand why this language has to be so alien and so specific. And yes, I know the medical language sounds a lot more sexy than saying "sore throat with some bloody mucous" The community needs to define and grade and agree on each finding, or disease, or pathology, because ultimately it is a science. But I never imagined that a language, which usually binds communities, could also be so divisive.
I have many topics to write about. I also have newspaper articles and even research articles I want to write. But at this point they'll never see the light of day. They cannot exist in my future anymore; I need them to begin existing in the present. I need to ground myself again. It has become impossible to look at anything in life without reducing it to its lifespan. My water bottle will last 4 months longer at this rate, my laptop 2 years max. My relationships and ties to the island end in X months, my lease ends in 15 days, my ties to Florida may end in 3 months, and my own life in roughly 50 years at this rate. It's like I'm in a constant out-of-body experience. I can see myself below. Damn, I have terrible posture.
And while sitting with my shoulders huddled together, I can see myself getting angry over the last few weeks and months. Its practically a child tantrum. A reminder that I'm not as calm as I want to be, or as mature and understanding as I make myself out to be. Another hammer to my ego. Take that, you bastard. There are 8 billion of you out there, but I'll be damned if I contribute to your numbers. Of course I'm going to be an asshole when I'm sick, or feel like crap, or haven't had enough sleep, or under a deadline. I haven't had to deal with those simultaneously occuring, until now anyways. Its something I need to start dealing with now, not in the past.
Fuck. I'm late again.
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Minimalism vs Amazon
As stuff slowly begins to accumulate in my rented apartment, I have been thinking about my current strategy for buying items. Unless urgent or a food item, I usually put off purchasing something for months and in some cases, even years. They slowly sit in my 'wish list' to see whether I still desire them, and rarely ever splurge on a sale. I never add anything to a list that I can't afford outright. The benefits include having less junk lying around my house and a calmer cleaner environment.
Coming to the US, I find myself spending more time looking at deals and flexing my credit muscles. Yesterday, I splurged and bought 2 knives on sale on amazon, without doing my usual 2 hours of research. I was lucky to have bothered at all, and I found out after the fact that the specific purchase was not in my best interest. This was in addition to a replacement bicycle tire I had purchased a week earlier, which I had ordered after misreading one of the measurements. In the case of the former, Amazon cancelled my order in time, and in the latter, Amazon refunded me without even needing me to return the mistaken purchase. I was lucky and grateful for how things worked out, but perhaps I should stick to my older methods for the time being.
Coming to the US, I find myself spending more time looking at deals and flexing my credit muscles. Yesterday, I splurged and bought 2 knives on sale on amazon, without doing my usual 2 hours of research. I was lucky to have bothered at all, and I found out after the fact that the specific purchase was not in my best interest. This was in addition to a replacement bicycle tire I had purchased a week earlier, which I had ordered after misreading one of the measurements. In the case of the former, Amazon cancelled my order in time, and in the latter, Amazon refunded me without even needing me to return the mistaken purchase. I was lucky and grateful for how things worked out, but perhaps I should stick to my older methods for the time being.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
As greater time passes, there are more and more topics that I hope to write about. It gets to the point where I don't even want to continue writing, lest I open the floodgates to days and days of writing. Since that is not possible with my current schedule, I hope to jumble down my thoughts over the last few weeks. In fact, I still have a bunch of half-written blog posts and thoughts scribbled down that I haven't touched.
a) Dominica's hurricane season started in June, and Florida's hurricane season continues from August to October. I have dealt with rainy weather for the last 5 months. I really wish I had bought an umbrella.
b) The first week I moved here, I asked a local if there were any problems in the area. He told me "boa constrictors".
c) Overseas, I always found it fascinating to read about American politics. Once I arrived, my interest dried up with the tea party demonstration a block away from my house. This is bat country.
d) My favorite change moving here is simply routine. And food (by food, I mean all variants of pie). I can depend on stores to be open when they claim to be open. I can depend on the administration to at least respond, even if they don't have an answer. My school schedule is automatically uploaded to Google Calendar. Oddly, the island did succeed in having a decent gym and lockers.
e) Fifth semester seems to have an identity crisis. It was originally supposed to allow students to study for the USMLE step 1, which I would love to do, but then shoves a bunch of lectures and mandatory clinic visits into my schedule. If im lucky, I get one day a week off to actually hit the 7 textbooks I have sitting on my desk. And who wants to spend their one free day like that?
f) Whenever I do get a chance to read a book, its usually followed by headaches and neck tension the next day from bending over a desk. I am too big for this table and need to get a book stand. My laptop is currently sitting on two textbooks to help relieve this pain.
g) I still dont understand Ross Universities policy that optional video lecture can only be streamed from campus. At what point does "sorry, we don't want you studying unless you drive an unnecessary distance in the rain" become an acceptable argument? You use video recorder technology that has been around since the 80s to save money by simultaneously teaching two other campuses with the same prof, but won't dish out pennies in broadband to actually make that video accessible.
h) As more time passes, I come to terms with the fact that I'll be $200,000 in debt for knowledge that could have been attained with a library card and a few hundred dollars for outstanding textbooks.
i) I also come to terms with the fact that 'h)' would not have been possible while living at home. At the time it was a tough choice, but I've decided to spend January/February in Miami studying for the Step 1.
j) My exercise routine is still not what it used to be. The freeweights at 24hour are inadequate and my form is still terrible.
k) I need to invest in a new bike. The loaner that Natalie donated works fine, but as a mountainbike for a 5'8" rider does not make a great daily commuter.
l) i need more coffee. woke up at 6 to prep for what i thought was a 10am meeting. turns out its at noon. boourns.
m) i never appreciated how much the campus in dominica brought everyone i know together to one place. Its the closest I've had to the typical "college experience" that I've read about from non-commuters. I find myself spending a lot of time alone these days.
n) i also feel a lot of regret at the opportunities I've wasted thus far in life, but cannot seem to direct myself into a more proactive state with the few hours I have left each day.
g) I still dont understand Ross Universities policy that optional video lecture can only be streamed from campus. At what point does "sorry, we don't want you studying unless you drive an unnecessary distance in the rain" become an acceptable argument? You use video recorder technology that has been around since the 80s to save money by simultaneously teaching two other campuses with the same prof, but won't dish out pennies in broadband to actually make that video accessible.
h) As more time passes, I come to terms with the fact that I'll be $200,000 in debt for knowledge that could have been attained with a library card and a few hundred dollars for outstanding textbooks.
i) I also come to terms with the fact that 'h)' would not have been possible while living at home. At the time it was a tough choice, but I've decided to spend January/February in Miami studying for the Step 1.
j) My exercise routine is still not what it used to be. The freeweights at 24hour are inadequate and my form is still terrible.
k) I need to invest in a new bike. The loaner that Natalie donated works fine, but as a mountainbike for a 5'8" rider does not make a great daily commuter.
l) i need more coffee. woke up at 6 to prep for what i thought was a 10am meeting. turns out its at noon. boourns.
m) i never appreciated how much the campus in dominica brought everyone i know together to one place. Its the closest I've had to the typical "college experience" that I've read about from non-commuters. I find myself spending a lot of time alone these days.
n) i also feel a lot of regret at the opportunities I've wasted thus far in life, but cannot seem to direct myself into a more proactive state with the few hours I have left each day.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Halfway Through
Less than 50 days left until my triumphant return. In that time, I can safely say that I failed all 3 of my goals for the semester. I still exercise only once a week, and my midnight snacking has waxed and waned over the weeks. An unexpected result of my vegetable-heavy meals was constant fatigue, leaving me to choose between diabetes and academic failure. What can I say, I'd rather die with a degree on my wall.
While hiking 2 weeks ago, Anton tried to show the extent of his mastery of local Dominican vegetation by cracking open the shell of a fruit hanging off a tree. But instead of delicious fruit, we were rewarded with a delicious horde of ants that subsequently poured out. Thanks, Anton. Nothing much else to report to my faithful audience, which is currently hovering at 2. My stories don't tend to get more exciting than "I was so lost in thought that I walked into a goat" or "ants have laid siege on my Brita filter."
One delightful change that I've noticed this semester is a steep drop in my anxiety levels. The relatively consistent work/study products/memorization is resulting in easier time for all. I have all my notes neatly organized by binder, instead of random piles of paper or computer notes. Each lecture has a number of flash cards to study from, and unlike previous semesters, I believe that focusing on memorizing less is actually the key to doing better. I exorcised the demon from my A/C unit, and now sleep consistently each night. Even my hockey team is doing well (considering we have four players show up each week).
Went snorkeling 2 more times, and if the waves are calm, I plan to go through a submerged barge that I spotted by the coast.
After my test on Friday, I hope to further explore a nearby trail which, 2 weeks earlier, featuring a 4 foot snake and a wild dog subsequently named Winston that followed us on our journey into a banana plantation.
Anyways, everyone in Canada is suffering from ice and snow while I can go tanning at a moments notice, so all is good.
While hiking 2 weeks ago, Anton tried to show the extent of his mastery of local Dominican vegetation by cracking open the shell of a fruit hanging off a tree. But instead of delicious fruit, we were rewarded with a delicious horde of ants that subsequently poured out. Thanks, Anton. Nothing much else to report to my faithful audience, which is currently hovering at 2. My stories don't tend to get more exciting than "I was so lost in thought that I walked into a goat" or "ants have laid siege on my Brita filter."
One delightful change that I've noticed this semester is a steep drop in my anxiety levels. The relatively consistent work/study products/memorization is resulting in easier time for all. I have all my notes neatly organized by binder, instead of random piles of paper or computer notes. Each lecture has a number of flash cards to study from, and unlike previous semesters, I believe that focusing on memorizing less is actually the key to doing better. I exorcised the demon from my A/C unit, and now sleep consistently each night. Even my hockey team is doing well (considering we have four players show up each week).
 |
| Maybe I should rethink snorkeling... |
 |
| Poisonous little bastards |
Went snorkeling 2 more times, and if the waves are calm, I plan to go through a submerged barge that I spotted by the coast.
After my test on Friday, I hope to further explore a nearby trail which, 2 weeks earlier, featuring a 4 foot snake and a wild dog subsequently named Winston that followed us on our journey into a banana plantation.
Anyways, everyone in Canada is suffering from ice and snow while I can go tanning at a moments notice, so all is good.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Snorkeling!
Went snorkeling for the first time this morning, off the pier by La Flambeau.
Amazing experience. Think I'll try and get my diving certificate in the future.
Visual sightings today:
Amazing experience. Think I'll try and get my diving certificate in the future.
Visual sightings today:
- seacow
- trumpet fish
- 2 starfish
- sea snake
- eel
- brain coral
- sea urchins
- numerous unidentified fish
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Back in the spirit
Well, 3rd semester started off like a rocket. Definitely a lot of material (but no anatomy!) and as I filled out my schedule book, I was somewhat startled by the number of mandatory meetings and labs we have.
As far as weight restriction goes, I've been counting the calories as best I can, though sometimes I'm stuck with Shack food that doesn't come with any information. I've started avoiding the calorie-heavier foods, and have stopped gorging myself at night, right before bed. In fact, one of the best improvements I've made so far is having a meal of frozen vegetables before differ (30 calories from 1 cup of veggies + 60 calories from cooking oil). I just need to get my butt over to the gym a few times a week and I'll be golden.
Speaking of the gym, I found last semester that as the day went on, I'd have to drink increasingly higher amounts of caffeine, which resulted in more jitters and less energy as time went on. This semester, instead of buying food between breaks, I jog up and down the stairs in our 10-minute breaks between class to get the blood pumping. I no longer need a large coffee in the morning, and get by with a small. There is a definite boost in attentiveness and energy, which is why I try to run everywhere (when I remember).
The other big change this semester is going laptop-minimal. While I'm not blogging via morse code anytime soon, I've begun printing out most of my notes and taking them with me to class. I've also started making flash cards, which is a horrendously slow but more beneficial. There's less distraction during class, less light shining into my eyes (and thus, less headaches), and an easier time going to sleep at night.
Finally, I changed up my window/door configuration when sleeping, so that my A/C is a lot more constant, instead of going from sauna to freezing and back. Sleep isn't perfect yet, but its a start.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Well readers, today is the start of 3rd Semester. You know what that means?
Photos for everybody!
View more Here.
In other news, my goal for this semester is to include
Photos for everybody!
View more Here.
In other news, my goal for this semester is to include
- an hour of exercise daily
- try and maintain an all-vegetable dinner at night
- more time spent reviewing old material that I have already memorized
Pharm and microbiology require constantly revisiting material. This means more mnemonics, stories, study groups, and flash cards. Its like throwing words at a wall and seeing what sticks; those that don't stick are dipped in another kind of glue and thrown again until they stick.
Until next time!
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