Yesterday, a man, seemingly of Eastern European descent was lost on 37th street. He had a presciption in hand as he asked me where the address on his hot pink post-it was located. I was walking that direction so I walked side-by-side with him. I didn't know what to say except a comment about the rain. We arrived on the street, but the number was nowhere to be found. We turned left and kept walking past an overshadowing residential building until what should appear: a little store front with the number on his post-it on its awning. He thanked me graciously. It was totally worth the discomfort of being in the wet, cold rain a bit longer than if I had gone straight to my building.
In the spirit of kindness to strangers, Cary and I had to use the autoclave machine to test out whether some surgical tools would rust. We went down to flights of stairs to ask for permission to use the lab's personal autoclave machine. The man in the lab made no fuss, and walked us to the room and showed us how to use it without even asking who we were. Now that is what I call scientific love.
Flashback:
April 2007. I remember our first day in Rome when Savita, Meera, Hana and I were unsure where we were. We couldn't find our hostel (it was off our map, go figure), and we had asked people but no one knew. Then we came up on this big, jovial looking middle-aged man. With our broken Spanish and his Italian, we managed to exchanged some words... maybe almost even communicated. He called his friends and asked on his mobile and then figured out where we were supposed to go. Then, hailing a cab, he threw 20 euro to the driver and directed him where to go. We arrived safe and sound, as the meter ended at 4.90 euro. Maybe that was why Italy was the best spring break ever. We started it off with a man willing to help four strangers, lost in what he knew as home, but what we saw as long foreign words and spaghetti.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Here's to the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Wait. Just listen. Open your mind to the possibility of it.
Sunday, the health care reform bill was passed. Not one republican representative voted for it, but I feel as though they were so adamant about not changing anything that they were missing out on being part of something incredibly monumental. There must be some political agenda at hand. There is no way the current system can stay in place, and the republicans must know that. According to data presented at a recent seminar at NYU Medical Center, given by Dr. Fisher from Dartmouth Medical School, health care costs will double by 2017. At it's current rate of increase, it can only go up.
What was that?
Insurance policies do not transfer over state lines? If your job provides health care or a subsidy, then you won't have much to worry about regardless of where you are. Insurance companies don't profit much? This past year, the top five insurance companies earned 56% MORE profit while insuring 2.7 million LESS people (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/11/business/la-fi-health-profits12-2010feb12). It just does not seem right. Costs will explode? We'll see. Obama's projected projected budget is $940 billion over ten years compared to the $2,300 billion US health expenditure in 2008 (A. Jack in London in today's edition of the Financial Times, page 3).
Keep yourself educated. You will be less gullible to scare tactics from anyone, like republicans, democrats, or even your own mother.
Despite it all, I don't know how I feel about it because it will affect my generation of medical school graduates. Who knows what the future will bring. I may experience a pay cut, despite the overwhelming medical school debt I will accumulate. I may see more patients than my wary body, mind, and soul can handle... but at least they will have access. Knowing that American citizens are covered will be better for us as a nation, both economically and physically. Emergency rooms are legally mandated to treat all patients, even if they do not have the means to pay. Who foots the bill? The American tax payers. Why don't we give them a chance to pay for their own care? Also - if we can start preventative care early, like exercise and eat healthily, maybe Americans won't be seen as overweight and obsessed with McDonald's in the international community. Maybe diabetes and heart disease won't be so prevalent. I don't mind defending my country (lord knows I defend New Jersey enough...), but the truth should speak for itself. Males in the United States should not be 69% overweight. Women in the United States should not be 52% overweight (http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=1&cat=2&ind=90). We should enjoy the convenience of modern living without suffering from the bad side effects of overindulgence and inactivity.
I got this from Meera's twitter, it shared a really great sentiment. http://i.imgur.com/590Ev.png
Sunday, the health care reform bill was passed. Not one republican representative voted for it, but I feel as though they were so adamant about not changing anything that they were missing out on being part of something incredibly monumental. There must be some political agenda at hand. There is no way the current system can stay in place, and the republicans must know that. According to data presented at a recent seminar at NYU Medical Center, given by Dr. Fisher from Dartmouth Medical School, health care costs will double by 2017. At it's current rate of increase, it can only go up.
What was that?
Insurance policies do not transfer over state lines? If your job provides health care or a subsidy, then you won't have much to worry about regardless of where you are. Insurance companies don't profit much? This past year, the top five insurance companies earned 56% MORE profit while insuring 2.7 million LESS people (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/11/business/la-fi-health-profits12-2010feb12). It just does not seem right. Costs will explode? We'll see. Obama's projected projected budget is $940 billion over ten years compared to the $2,300 billion US health expenditure in 2008 (A. Jack in London in today's edition of the Financial Times, page 3).
Keep yourself educated. You will be less gullible to scare tactics from anyone, like republicans, democrats, or even your own mother.
Despite it all, I don't know how I feel about it because it will affect my generation of medical school graduates. Who knows what the future will bring. I may experience a pay cut, despite the overwhelming medical school debt I will accumulate. I may see more patients than my wary body, mind, and soul can handle... but at least they will have access. Knowing that American citizens are covered will be better for us as a nation, both economically and physically. Emergency rooms are legally mandated to treat all patients, even if they do not have the means to pay. Who foots the bill? The American tax payers. Why don't we give them a chance to pay for their own care? Also - if we can start preventative care early, like exercise and eat healthily, maybe Americans won't be seen as overweight and obsessed with McDonald's in the international community. Maybe diabetes and heart disease won't be so prevalent. I don't mind defending my country (lord knows I defend New Jersey enough...), but the truth should speak for itself. Males in the United States should not be 69% overweight. Women in the United States should not be 52% overweight (http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=1&cat=2&ind=90). We should enjoy the convenience of modern living without suffering from the bad side effects of overindulgence and inactivity.
I got this from Meera's twitter, it shared a really great sentiment. http://i.imgur.com/590Ev.png
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Through the looking glass.
It's interesting to see how people see you.
What you think you portray to the world is not necessarily what is perceived. You can feel in your heart of hearts that you are right, but then you can find out you aren't. To our relief, sometimes people won't linger on what you may have done wrong. Sometimes though, they do. Whether you like it or not, they are factually correct. Yet, it requires tact to refrain from mentioning the obvious or your flaws because it is not always appropriate to state out blatantly these things.
I believe it's good to be told when you have made a mistake. I correct people, and I hope they correct me when I deserve it. It's kinder that way. However, once it has been said, everyone should just move on.
What you think you portray to the world is not necessarily what is perceived. You can feel in your heart of hearts that you are right, but then you can find out you aren't. To our relief, sometimes people won't linger on what you may have done wrong. Sometimes though, they do. Whether you like it or not, they are factually correct. Yet, it requires tact to refrain from mentioning the obvious or your flaws because it is not always appropriate to state out blatantly these things.
I believe it's good to be told when you have made a mistake. I correct people, and I hope they correct me when I deserve it. It's kinder that way. However, once it has been said, everyone should just move on.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Biking...
It has some good and bad. It connects you to fellow bikers and divides you from cars and pedestrians.
Biking provides me the exercise and fresh air I need to start my day. My 9-5 job. My daily routine. However, I will have to say head wind is a killa.
When I crossed roads the other day... one of the days I biked to work, a motorcyclist let me cross the street in front of him and then on 6th Avenue, a taxi motioned through his window for me to pass as he waited to make a left turn. It was so nice. But then later on, when I was biking home, a bald and lanky pedestrian with hipster glasses who walking with his Asian girlfriend across Houston (I should clarify: J-walking across Houston) called me a bitch. I was ok with that because I did nothing wrong. The New York City state of mind boggles me sometimes. So often we put our lives in the hands of others. When you cross the street, you look. You don't expect cars and bicyclists to completely come to a stop because you are not patient enough to wait those two seconds for vehicles to pass you. It takes so much less effort to stop the motion of your legs than it is to stop wheels in motion with its inertia of movement.
Flashback: Sometime during my senior year at NYU. I was crossing Washington Square South at the intersection of Washington Square East to get to Bobst. I looked over to my right where the flow of traffic was. Though it was not my right of way, I started to cross the street because there were no cars. However, there was a biker who was coming from my left side and hit me. I fell back and scraped my palms. Fellow pedestrians immediately yanked me back to my feet and asked if I were ok. I remember thinking, when you fall to the ground, you just need a moment to collect yourself. However, their kindness was appreciated regardless. What was not appreciated was the biker who looked me up and down, got back on his bike and peddled away.
Biking provides me the exercise and fresh air I need to start my day. My 9-5 job. My daily routine. However, I will have to say head wind is a killa.
When I crossed roads the other day... one of the days I biked to work, a motorcyclist let me cross the street in front of him and then on 6th Avenue, a taxi motioned through his window for me to pass as he waited to make a left turn. It was so nice. But then later on, when I was biking home, a bald and lanky pedestrian with hipster glasses who walking with his Asian girlfriend across Houston (I should clarify: J-walking across Houston) called me a bitch. I was ok with that because I did nothing wrong. The New York City state of mind boggles me sometimes. So often we put our lives in the hands of others. When you cross the street, you look. You don't expect cars and bicyclists to completely come to a stop because you are not patient enough to wait those two seconds for vehicles to pass you. It takes so much less effort to stop the motion of your legs than it is to stop wheels in motion with its inertia of movement.
Flashback: Sometime during my senior year at NYU. I was crossing Washington Square South at the intersection of Washington Square East to get to Bobst. I looked over to my right where the flow of traffic was. Though it was not my right of way, I started to cross the street because there were no cars. However, there was a biker who was coming from my left side and hit me. I fell back and scraped my palms. Fellow pedestrians immediately yanked me back to my feet and asked if I were ok. I remember thinking, when you fall to the ground, you just need a moment to collect yourself. However, their kindness was appreciated regardless. What was not appreciated was the biker who looked me up and down, got back on his bike and peddled away.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Blood Ties
Last night was really great. I reunited with relatives that I barely knew. We all exchanged numbers and hopefully will get better acquainted. Winston and Hedy were super sweet in trying to get me involved with karaoke, which was only feasible when BSB or NSYNC was on.
This morning I woke up at 6 am to take the R to the L to my sublet. I had left my bike out there overnight but couldn't get to it by 4 today since working 9-5 prohibits doing things like that. I was toppling over because there were four doors between the front entrance to the street. This man who was in a red van looked at me... and then helped me up. I'm going to miss Brooklyn and all the people in it. Biking across the Williamsburg bridge was beautiful; the clouds were still a bit pink.
Flashback:
Summer 1998. I had met my cousins Cindy, Judy, and Wendy for the first time since we were toddlers. I had just finished my school year with Miss Lewis, and was excited to go to Aunt Jenny's wedding. I was a few months too late for that, but I had such a great summer going to Disneyland in Anaheim, renting scary movies like Leprechaun in Garden Grove, and swimming in Costa Mesa. Wendy is one of my best friends now, and it started out as a simple blood relationship.
This morning I woke up at 6 am to take the R to the L to my sublet. I had left my bike out there overnight but couldn't get to it by 4 today since working 9-5 prohibits doing things like that. I was toppling over because there were four doors between the front entrance to the street. This man who was in a red van looked at me... and then helped me up. I'm going to miss Brooklyn and all the people in it. Biking across the Williamsburg bridge was beautiful; the clouds were still a bit pink.
Flashback:
Summer 1998. I had met my cousins Cindy, Judy, and Wendy for the first time since we were toddlers. I had just finished my school year with Miss Lewis, and was excited to go to Aunt Jenny's wedding. I was a few months too late for that, but I had such a great summer going to Disneyland in Anaheim, renting scary movies like Leprechaun in Garden Grove, and swimming in Costa Mesa. Wendy is one of my best friends now, and it started out as a simple blood relationship.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
maktub.
This weekend had been crazy.
I was rushing to Meera's apt with my luggage and slipped and fell on my butt! I had to transfer from the L to the ACE but as I emerged from Penn Station, this kind man helped me carry my oversized suitcase up the stairs for me.
My birthday party was good... people bought me drinks for my gaining wisdom and another year.
I couldn't fall asleep last night and my mom woke me up so early to drive me to NYC. I told her it was unnecessary and got 40 more minutes of sleep. Amazingly, she defines unconditional love. My mom always is willing to do anything for me, at the expense of her time and energy. I don't think I tell her I love her enough. As I rushed to the bus terminal, I caught the bus as it was pulling out! When I got to Port Authority, I hopped into a cab and was able to move in some stuff at the new apartment.
Flashback:
March 2007. Savita and I were in the Guinness Storehouse and our bartender, Connor, took FOREVER to serve us. As a result, he smiled his adorable smile and spoke in his charming Irish accent, "Sorry about that." He handed us our glasses with a treat: a blackcurrant four-leaf clover in the foam as an apology. As I was about to hand him our exchange rings for the beers that he never asked for, Savita pulled me back. By the end of the day, we somehow got five pints instead of the two that came with the admission fee.
Flashback:
March 2007. Savita and I were in the Guinness Storehouse and our bartender, Connor, took FOREVER to serve us. As a result, he smiled his adorable smile and spoke in his charming Irish accent, "Sorry about that." He handed us our glasses with a treat: a blackcurrant four-leaf clover in the foam as an apology. As I was about to hand him our exchange rings for the beers that he never asked for, Savita pulled me back. By the end of the day, we somehow got five pints instead of the two that came with the admission fee.
Friday, August 28, 2009
A good day.
Today,
...it's raining, but tropical storm danny is turning its trajectory away from us.
...the L trained stopped in the middle of the tunnel due to an emergency brake on the train before us, but someone got off at Lorimer so that I could sit down.
...the lady behind me was too close for comfort as we got on the M15 bus, which I had just caught as I emerged from the subway on 1st Ave, but her oversized umbrella shielded me from the rain.
...it's raining, but tropical storm danny is turning its trajectory away from us.
...the L trained stopped in the middle of the tunnel due to an emergency brake on the train before us, but someone got off at Lorimer so that I could sit down.
...the lady behind me was too close for comfort as we got on the M15 bus, which I had just caught as I emerged from the subway on 1st Ave, but her oversized umbrella shielded me from the rain.
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