April 13, 2012
Officially forever (I hope) finished with class!! Got to top it off with male/female pelvic/prostate exams, yipeee 
. Now onward to the bijillion tests I have left…
March 29, 2012
new obsession
Ok, so I’ve finally gotten on the Hunger Games bandwagon. SO GOOD. Like, instead-of-studying-for-class/boards-I’m-reading-it-instead GOOD. Going to see the movie tomorrow and I’m so freaking excited. (Can you tell my life needs some excitement? Although I’ve had a health dose in the last few weeks so yay.)
February 4, 2012
Went to Indy with a friend tonight to check out the SuperBowl goings-on and almost got trampled by an extremely rowdy crowd. Seriously…what is it about beer and football that make people crazy? Pics on fb if interested (not of the crowd, unfortunately). This is probably the one and only time Indiana is going to get this much attention. Whee Hoosiers!
January 2, 2012
semester recap
Happy New Year!
I realize it’s been a while since I’ve had anything to say about my life. It’s not that it’s boring, per se, but the monotony does overwhelm me sometimes. At any rate, I thought I’d look back on this semester and attempt to draw out any conclusions/reflections that might be found before I forget it all. And truly, my brain is so stuffed I feel like things might be pouring out of my ears by now.
This semester kicked off with our annual boat trip on Lake Monroe, which is less than a 30 minute drive from Bloomington. It’s actually quite beautiful out there, an adjective I never would have thought to associate with Indiana 4 years ago, but age and maybe a teensy amount of experience has helped me appreciate things I didn’t in high school. The boat trip is our last hurrah before classes consume us with a vengeance, a time for the 1st years to bond by getting disgustingly drunk together and for the 2nd years to reconnect after a summer apart. It happened to be a beautiful sunny day and a good time was had by all, both drunk and sober. One hiccup involved a pair of impertinent 1st years who, probably after one beer too many, asked me if my boobs were real. I wasn’t sure if I should have been flattered or outraged. But as they probably didn’t even remember the exchange the next morning, I let it pass.
A pic of my friends and I prior to leaving for the boat trip. Notice how we’re not all Asian!
Now that we’re on block schedule this year (4 weeks of classes + 1 week of tests), my life is divided into 5 week chunks. The first two weeks of each block involve various levels of slacking off, and the last two involve various levels of scrambling to catch up. Although as the semester progressed, more slacking off occurred with less effort to catch up. By finals, I was completely apathetic towards exams and spent probably a good amount of time lounging around in bed and watching TV. Thankfully, and perhaps semi-miraculously, I still did quite well on exams, so that is a blessing I won’t take for granted. And while I do know I possess the sin of laziness in abundance, the end of this semester was more than about merely not wanting to do the work. 2nd year has been hard, but not in the “omg I’m so stressed” kind of way. It’s more like after running 25 miles in a marathon (not that I ever have), you know you only have a little bit more to go, and usually the finish line inspires a burst of adrenaline and you can sprint the rest of the way. But then someone jumps out and says “just kidding!”, you have to run another 26 miles after that! And that knowledge of a much longer road ahead, even though you’ve covered so much distance already, just psychologically and physically drains you until all you want to do is walk the rest of the way. And unfortunately for me, a huge hill still looms ahead as well (ie. the boards), so I pray I will have the energy to sustain that journey. I guess this is why they say 2nd year is the hardest.
A few bright spots this semester have been my trips to Boston to see Derrick. It cuts into the monotony of school and I know I can look forward to a visit at the end of every 5 weeks. It’s been an adjustment for him to be back in school again, although a welcome change for me as he has more time and I have someone to commiserate about studying with. I think our time together is better told through pictures so:
This is Halloween. I was a butterfly and he was a butterfly catcher, hence the net. If I recall the net was the life of the party. I giggle every time I look at this set of pics.
HBS has a winter formal called Hollidazzle, so I jetted over to accompany Derrick. If we were sending out couple Christmas cards, this would’ve been the picture in it.
After both our respective finals were over, we flew out to Las Vegas with a bunch of his HBS friends for a mini-vacation. They’re all cool people and hanging out with them feels just a tiny bit like college again. This is our “mafia family” picture.
Plus, we had an AMAZING view from our hotel balcony. We all stayed at the Cosmopolitan, which is a high rise built next to the Bellagio, and we had a magnificent view of the fountains. Absolutely unbeatable.
On the issue of relationships, medical school has not been kind to many people in our class. Most of my classmates who started 1st year with a significant other have all broken up by now, including a couple who had been engaged! I’m not sure if its the nature of med school itself, or other unrelated issues, that is the cause of all this. But med school for sure does not make being in a relationship easy, what with all the time we need to devote to our textbooks rather than people. The time required to invest in our studies (and future) unfortunately regulates social relationships to the back burner, and I imagine this can’t be healthy. This makes me ironically thankful (and I’ve thought many times how blessed I am and how God does provide in the strangest ways) for having a long distance relationship. We’re fortunate that we don’t have to deal with the huge issue that plagues couples who lead super-busy lives: “you’re not spending enough time with me!” So I’m thankful for this season apart (not that long-distance is easy…there are so many challenges that are simply different), but it’s also a season who’s end I look forward to.
I began typing this post in 2011, now finishing it in 2012. The arrival of a new year no longer seems as momentous as it used to be. But the celebratory marking of the passage of time reminds me to reflect, and look ahead. And every year, my heart is burdened and I am reminded of how I’ve stumbled in my spiritual life in the past year, but without fail, I feel God calling me back to him. It is strange how God’s voice speaks to me the loudest during this time, but perhaps it’s because my conscience is turned inward and the clamoring outside has quieted for a short time. Ecclesiastes always comes to mind too (a book I love for its depth and mystery): life, and the passing of time, is all meaningless if the heart is not seeking after God. How thankful I am that I can be reminded of this every year! There is so much to look forward to in 2012 (foremost in my mind is the end of 2nd year and beginning of clinicals). I know I say this all the time, but I do hope to blog more regularly. I realize as I get farther (in time) from college, the easiest way to maintain continuity with friends is through blogging. Thank you! to my friends who allow me to live life with you in this way.
March 30, 2011
it’s official
i’ll be in NYC this summer, studying cranio-facial abnormalities at Mt. Sinai. i was soooo excited when i got it cause this was my #1 choice for summer stuff, and i usually never get my #1 choice, more likely a #15 or bottom of the list choice… plus i’m super-excited because this is SO relevant to reconstructive surgery, which i eventually want to do. so i’m hoping that this program will be the start of the right path towards that goal.
so now: who needs a roommate in NYC?
March 24, 2011
spring break whirlwind
(I need to take a break from studying anatomy so i’m typing this up. Btw, the limbs are more freaking complicated than i thought…why do muscles have to have 4 part names (like flexor digiti minimi brevis)?)
Sooo, spring break was a blast!! Friday-Sunday was spent at Manna retreat, which was at a new location, Tuscurora retreat center in PA. It’s not as woodsy as Blairstown, but much much nicer in terms of accommodations and food. For all 3 meals, you go to a dining room where waiters serve you! No choice in food, obviously, but the feeling is akin to a country hotel. I got to lead a small group, which was great fun and a blessing. I realized its definitely different attending retreat as an alumn now. First, its weird cause on one hand i feel like an outsider because i don’t know a lot of people, but on the other, i feel as if i never left. Praise was so refreshing, as its something I feel like my life has lacked in the past months. But praying for people and listening to sharing has definitely taken on a new quality — like i’m more distant and not quite sure how to relate to these students anymore. Part of it is that, while in Manna, i don’t think i realized how much of a spiritually sheltered environment it was…that is, it was EASY to be a Christian because there were so many structured things to establish discipline: daily prayer meetings, small groups, discipleship, etc. Now that I’m completely bereft of those things, its been so much harder to progress spiritually. I love Manna, but it doesn’t prepare you well for the real world.
Monday: DKL and I flew out to Vegas in the early morning. We’d booked a hotel at the Signature at MGM Grand, which is basically a bunch of suites/timeshares. And it was NICE…we had a view overlooking the Strip and a balcony on the 28 floor. Also most comfortable bed I’ve slept on in a while. Did typical LV things…DKL shelled out some $$ for craps (which is the only casino game I would ever play, and its so much fun!), and actually won ~$400!! Since he had used the winnings from a previous Atlantic City trip to pay for our hotel, now basically the entire LV leg of the trip was paid for by gambling money, lol.
Highlight of Vegas: we had dinner one night at Prime Steak in the Bellagio. Here’s the setting for the most romantic, gorgeous, scrumptious dinner ever — a balmy summer-like night, a table for two on a vine-covered terrace (you actually feel like you’re in Italy), directly on the waters of the Bellagio fountains, front row seats to the fountain show that goes off every hour-ish, a bottle of wine, and two amazing melt-in-your-mouth steaks (best DKL’s ever had, and he’s had a lot of steaks). I’d say it was THE BEST part of our trip. (But it also happened to be the most expensive meal of the trip, heh.)
Wednesday flew to San Francisco, drove to Napa. Stayed at a cute B&B. Visited two wineries, Domaine Carneros and Hendry Ranch. Not too much to say about the first, but Hendry’s is awesome. For a 2.5+ hour tour and wine tasting, its FREE and they’re totally not pretentious. They dumbed it down to the basics for wine-novices like me and actually explained how to taste wine. So I (sorta) know how to swirl and smell now. But gosh, Napa is so gorgeous. Even though its pre-planting season, the landscape and miles and miles of vineyards are so idyllic and picturesque. I can’t really describe it in words.
Thursday drove back to SF. It’s much colder there than I thought (mid-50′s), and for the rest of the weekend it rained and rained, so a lot of the stuff we had planned to do didn’t happen 
DKL also got food poisoning at the end which made for a sad end to the trip. I blame it on us over-indulging in too much food for the week. Seriously, this spring break all we did was eat. We had some amazing food, but probably more than was good for us. Here’s a rundown of the restaurants we went to (most come highly recommended on Zagat/Yelp, and I agree)
LV:
- Prime Steak
- Burger Bar
- L’ Atelier
Napa:
- Celadon
SF:
- Boulevard
- Bi-Rite Creamery (a Bent Spoon-like place, met up w/ katie hsih here)
- Ozumo (rando place we went to cause it was raining, and probably where DLK got his food poisoning)
- Baker and Banker
- Waterbar
- Ghiradelli’s
- Gary Danko (one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been too!)
I got on a plane Sunday night to fly back to Indianapolis, landed at the airport at 6am. Home by 8:20 am. Class at 10 am. End class at 5 pm. What a looong day.
March 10, 2011
spring breaaaaak…i am so ready for you
a little less than 15 hours between me and freedom. with a physio test in that period. my brain’s already checked out though, as was evident today in class when i simply had no inclination or ability to pay attention. i’m super-dee-duper excited for the upcoming action-packed week though! will be scurrying around the country w/ the bf and hopefully warmer weather than here! here’s the itinerary:
Fri-Sun: Manna retreat!!!!!!! i’m so glad i decided to go. i’m super excited to see old friends but also i feel like i just need some spiritual rejuvenation/contemplation right now.
Mon-Tues: Las Vegas
Wed-Thur: Napa valley
Fri-Sun: San Francisco. was going to meet up and see gs but he ditched to go visit nats. understandable, i guess 
Mon very very early morning: flight, get back to apartment at 8:30. class starts at 10. :-O it’ll be worth it though.
hopefully there’ll be some pics when i get back!!
July 27, 2010
almost a real person now…
i’m no longer homeless or carless!! praise God i have both now…i found a roommate through our med class’ facebook group, and the great thing is she happens to know/be friends with one of my friends from high school. plus, she’s asian which makes living habits a lot easier to figure out. we just signed a lease to an apartment last week. i’m totally excited to move in cause it looks awesome! we rented a furnished unit which means we don’t need to buy anything! and i get a big queen size bed . the last few weeks i’ve also been looking for a car. at first, my parents were just going to buy me a used one, early 2000′s for under 10K. but then my mom became hesitant about used cars for safety reasons so i’m getting the car they’re driving now (2007 toyota corolla, silver), and they’re buying a NEW one! possibly a prius which would be soooo cool. so yay, my two big things i had to take care of for med school are done! just need to finish polishing up my thesis to submit for publication (keeping my fingers crossed) and then i’m home free until school starts in 2 weeks. i’m actually heading out to NYC tomorrow til monday so if you’re in that area, i hope i’ll see you!!
October 12, 2009
the last three days
Monday’s almost over!! Yaaaaay. This point of the week is always my collapse-and-don’t-move/think-until-I’ve-gotten-20-hours-of-sleep routine. Which usually means, I don’t re-activate until Thursday, and then the cycle restarts all over again. Why must I perpetuate bad habits??
This past weekend was probably the most relaxing thus far. No Triple 8 drama (thank GOODNESS!), got my pset done before 4 am Monday morning (2:30 am, but still an improvement), and most of all, the alums came to visit!! Michelle, I still didn’t get to see enough of your lovely face!! But it was nice to catch up with D-rock (hahahahaahah ), the other DL, Joung, and RB. They make me feel young again Ha, jk jk. It’s just always a great reminder of the awesome Manna community we have even outside of the university…makes me excited to join the alums soon! On the other side of the spectrum, the freshmen are uber-cute. Even though we (the uppers) totally dominated them at the upper-under bball game, they’re so enthusiastic and just…cute! AND they go to 8 am prayer meetings…props to them.
My fave picture of the weekend:
Hahahaha…ooh, grand little sib, you are funny.
