Incubus- Morning View
Warning

Bat your eyes girl
Be otherworldly
Count your blessings
Seduce a stranger
What's so wrong with being happy?
Kudos to those who see through sickness

When she woke in the morning
She knew that her life had passed her by
And she called out a warning
Don't ever let life pass you by

I suggest we learn to love ourselves
Before it's made illegal
When will we learn?
When will we change?
Just in time to see it all fall down
Those left standing will make millions
Writing books on the way it should have been

When she woke in the morning
She knew that her life had passed her by
And she called out a warning
Don't ever let life pass you by

Floating in this cosmic jacuzzi
We are like frogs oblivious
To the water starting to boil
No one flinches
We all float face down

When she woke in the morning
She knew that her life had passed her by
And she called out a warning
Don't ever let life pass you by

Amazing song! I took a study break (naughty, naughty!)

This song came on as part of my "Study Mix 3" playlist, and I just *had* to look up the lyrics.

Then, as though the impending doom that is Physiology Exam 2 were nonexistent, I went on to read people's interpretations. Besides the obvious "live in the moment" message in the song, people had some interesting ideas...

-She = mother earth; the song's about global warming.

-The song's about the gradual decay of society as a whole and the fact that most people deny/ignore it (or something like that). The boiling frog metaphor is probably what inspired this interpretation.

and, finally, if Sigmund Freud were alive and 15 years old again, he'd say:

-The song is about having sex...

This guy clearly heard/read the first five lines and saw "seduce a stranger" and "what's so wrong with being happy?"

I thought it was kinda funny... While the whole song clearly can't be about getting a girl in bed, it's a semi-valid interpretation that kind of ties back to the "seize the moment" stuff. But I'd like to see Sigmund explain the boiling frog analogy having to do with knocking boots.

I'm not going to say anyone's right or wrong, or slack off more by talking about my interpretation. All I'll say is that this song is amazing.

...and...

Incubus is possibly one of the best bands of all time!

Good night, and good luck not letting your life pass you by.

Mr. Garcia

Back in highschool we had an AMAZING calculus teacher named Mr. Garcia. He had a thick Cuban accent, and all he cared about was Calculus, the AP Calculus exam, and Calculus. He called everyone "Mr./Miss So and So" and he was goofy and funny but at the same time one of the most frightening people I have ever encountered. When his former students would come back to visit him, he rarely remembered their names but always remembered what they got on the AP exam...

Since I'd had Mr. Garcia for summer school pre-calculus, not only was I extra prepared for his Calculus class, but I was also not afraid of him... or at least I didn't act it. I aced everything, so he loved me, but I talked way too much and acted like a clown a lot, so he hated me. Most of my highschool teachers thought I was a pain in the ass. I really was. Most of them liked me regardless.

My fondest memory of Mr. Garcia: one day we were given time to work on a problem and I was done with it quickly. He had probably told us to stay quiet or something (can't remember) but I turned around to talk to my friend behind me and, while involved in conversation, I suddenly felt myself moving. The teacher was so annoyed at me that he dragged my desk/chair, with me in it, to the corner of the classroom. The uproar of laughter from my peers was huge. I was shocked! He made me sit there the whole class period. "Meeeees Khawand, you will sit here and face the wall. This way you have no one to talk to."

I've never been so embarassed and amused at the same time.

He was one of the greatest teachers I've ever had.

I don't want a pity party....

Sigh. Ok. I know I talk about these med school rejections like they're the end of the world: (two blog posts ago I wrote but each rejection chips away at your heart and soul until there's nothing left but empty space and the seething pain of rejection and failure.)

I just write about these things and that's pretty much where it ends. I don't dwell. Mainly because I have other things to worry about (ie eating).

In reality, I'm super mega lucky that I've gotten three interviews so far, at three kickass schools. In reality, if I don't get in next year, there is plenty of great stuff for me to do. In reality, I would not fall into a spiral of self-loathing and depression. In reality, I might actually want another year off. You think that's crazy? I'll tell you what's crazy: Once I start med school, it's nothing but work from there. HARD work. Sooooo, a little break wouldn't kill me, dontcha think?

The truth of the matter is that a multitude qualified students do not get in each year.

Furthermore, there is a great deal of politics/networking, and so if Daddy donated lots of cash to a school, little Johnny/Jane is in. Such is life, my dear.

"It's a crapshoot," they say. Who are "they"? People who just want to make you feel better even though you're a huge waste of life that will never ever amount to anything EVER.

Juuuust kidding.

Really, I'm kidding.

It really is a crapshoot. Google "medical school" and "crapshoot" and I'll bet you'll find tons of stuff. I'd do it, but I want to walk to school (the weather is nice, all the snow is GONE).

Life is good, babycakes. Life is gooooooooooood.

**SIGH**

Got another rejection today. Emory.

It would've been nice to be in Hot-lanta. My cousin lives there, it's nice and warm, and Emory is a great school. Way outta my league, so I wasn't banking on it.

Oh well. It will all work out somehow in the end. I've already accecpted the possibility of not getting in this year. It would be nice, I'd travel and work. The one turn off is moving back to my house. Love the fam but love my independence too...

Another turn off is the thought of going through the application process all over again. It's expensive and time consuming. Not to mention nerve-wracking.

Speaking of wracked nerves, I have an exam in a week. Can't wait till that puppy is over.

Then I can start a new and exciting fund-raising project, which I will blog about later. For now it's study time : (

It's SNOWING! A lot.

It is beautiful when it's coming down and when it is freshly fallen. But walking through it, slipping on it, and falling in it... not so beautiful. Black and grey splotchy snow... yuck.

And to think, all of that snow we got last week had finally melted. Sheesh.

Watching the snow fall is kind of relaxing, though. Seeing my world covered in white fluff is also kinda nice.

And don't even get me started on snowball fights! So much funnnnnn!!!!

Basically, I can't decide on how I feel about the fact that it's snowing. Just like I can't decide how I feel about ANYTHING, except for the very basic, easy stuff, like "this steak is great."

It's both a blessing and a curse to not be a one sided absolutist, but it becomes quite exhausting to always see the value of both sides. Making decisions is not my thing.

It's expected from an individual whose rising sign is Libra...

I guess I will say that I am happy that it is snowing, because it has given me something nice to watch while I eat breakfast (television blows).

Tomorrow I will marvel at the beauty and perhaps engage someone in a snowball fight.

The day after tomorrow I will complain that I can't F%@#ing walk anywhere without nearly killing myself.

After that I will count the days until weather.com promises a nice, warm day. And by warm I mean somewhere above 32 degrees.

And so...

While I did absolutely no studying today, the day did improve significantly once I walked out of the apartment. The weather was gorgeous, and my walk did not feel long at all. I kept my mind busy, so busy that I did not feel the burden of a one hour walk (I usually get a little annoyed/tired at the 20 and 40 min marks).

During my walk I got some not so spectacular news from my dad: a letter came in the mail. REJECTION. Bam. From Albert Einstein Medical College in New York. No, I wasn't DYING to go there, but each rejection chips away at your heart and soul until there's nothing left but empty space and the seething pain of rejection and failure.

It's really that dramatic.

It bugged me because time's-a-tickin. Interview season is almost over. Soon, I will have enough rejection letters to make a daily "You're a f**k up" calendar. Instead of word of the day, it can be "School that doesn't want you" of the day.

Ok, enough of that. I shouldn't even complain. I do this crap to myself.

For example, today....

I went to school and did some stuff that needed to be done. I won in scrabble three times, but my opponents came close... too close for comfort. Studying was attempted twice. Failure followed shortly thereafter.

If only we got a grade for playing scrabble.

This slacking has to stop. It's like I have senioritis (you know, in highschool, your last semester of senior year, you just stop caring)... Except, I can't just stop caring. I need to do well if I want to get into medical school this year. But I've been slack-a-lackin' like crazy.

Enough complaining, I'm gonna read a little then hit the hay.

You know how there are days when you wake up and you feel great, ready to take on whatever life throws at you? Full of energy, your spirits high, a smile on your face...

Yeah.

Today is NOT one of those days for me.

I'll just try to stay positive until one of those days graces me once again.

Tutor/Tutee Appreciation Night

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I'll repeat it anyway (I've been known to repeat stories over and over and over again): I tutor a 9 year old boy named Howard every week as part of a Georgetown outreach program for kids from the not-so-great parts of town. I really enjoy tutoring (I've been doing it for about 5 years now) but this is my first time dealing with someone so young. The kid is smart but, just like any normal 9 year old, he wants to play all of the time, and the thought of practicing his cursive makes him hysterical.

He spends most of the one-hour session running from me, hiding, doing cartwheels, and complaining about the exercises I give him. Since I am just a kid in disguise, I play along and find ways to incorporate multiplication table drilling exercises into Foosball games (ie, I will not put the ball back out until he gets three questions correct in a row).

One week he really irked me to the point of bitchiness, and I was stern with him. Ever since then he's been behaving better. I didn't necessarily handle the situation with all the grace in the world, but it was one of THOSE days... "Everything is F**CKED, Everybody SUCKS, You don't really know why, but you wanna justify RIPPING SOMEONE'S HEAD OFF."

Yes, I just quoted Limp Bizkit. That is a good "bad day" song, though... at least the intro.

I digress (surprise, surprise)...

So, for the event, the kids put on some performances. You know, your standard kids' show songs and dance. As a group they performed a song in sign language or maybe interpretive dance, I'm not sure. It was very pleasant. The best part for me was when my tutee, his brother, and two other boys recited "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. Here it is:

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It was very touching, and yes I got a little misty-eyed. I am a softy (despite my tough exterior), and I tend to get the whole goosebumps misty-eye reaction to most performances (especially when there's kids/music involved) but this was really really strong for me. I have met my child's mother and I have been told she has some sort of debilitating illness. I cannot say for certain, but I don't think she's got it easy. And so, hearing Howard recite that really got to me.

The rest of the ceremony was pretty long but there was an emphasis on how great this program is, how great the supporters of the program are, and how great God is, too. The kids are all members of the same church, so there were definitely a lot of religious undertones, overtones, and in between tones, too. Religion/religiousness is not my cup of tea but slowly a personal set of ideas is taking form in my mind. I even considered giving up something for Lent. Not for Jesus, per se, but for me. Self-improvement, if you will. Which is, indirectly, for "Jesus" or "God" because... well, because I said so. Because wanting to be good is wanting to be one with God. How's that sound? I'll think of a better explanation when I'm not exhausted.

Moving right along...

Topping off this hectic week is our class auction. It's tomorrow. I auctioned off the first item for bid! It's 6 bagged lunches consisting of PB&J sandwich on whole wheat, veggies or chips, and fruit or a granola bar, for 15 bucks. I am also auctioning off a nice bubble bath, body lotion, soap, and other girly stuff gift set for 7 bucks (I think it's worth like 30). So that means I'll be at school tomorrow from early in the AM till the evening. *Sigh* Story of my life.

If you're bored and have nothing better to do, check it out. There are some funny items up for bid: SMP 07 Auction Website.

The proceeds go to our class funds and our class project, which involves building wells in Kenya to provide suitable drinking water for the population there. I think it's an amazing project, but there are many naysayers who believe it is not feasible.

I have never been so involved in helping others and I have never felt so great in my life. I think my grades are suffering because I keep wanting to be involved in everything while also partying a lot. Whatver, Trevor, I'm still gonna reach my goal and at least I can say I did something besides study all day... PSHHHHHHH *snaps fingers*

And now, it's 11:20 pm. I'd like to wake up on time for once this semester. I'd also like to have an extra 2 weeks to study for this upcoming exam. I've just been so gosh darn busy lately!

I missed The Office and that makes me sad : (

Nighty night world...

Is it really always sunny in Phuladelphia? Great, cause I'm sure the place is a death trap when it turns dark!

Just got back from a med school interview there.

Ummm....yeahhhh

I guess it's nice and urban and I can see that people love it (still working on understanding why). I am on the fence on whether or not I could like it. Yes, that fence with all the graffiti on it. Yes, the one near the sidewalk with all the litter. Yes, the one near the subway station that reeks of urine and cigarette smoke, and that appears to be flourishing with all kinds of disease and yuck.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating. Or MAYBE I'm just spoiled, living in my apartment in Northwest DC. Ah, Washington, DC, with its sexy metro and its clean sidewalks. I think it has spoiled me. And to think, when I moved here, I was worried about being on a bus at 8 pm. Now that's no big deal. In Philly I would not be on the street past 5 pm unaccompanied by a linebacker-sized bodyguard. I'm slightly paranoid.

BUT, the school was really great. Great students, plus the opportunity to get more hands on experience than pretty much any other school in the country (public hospital!)

I'll keep the stubby fingers crossed.

This weekend...

Has been interesting. Interview at EVMS went very nicely, I loved the school. I'm keeping these stubby fingers crossed.

Saturday we had a triple Bday celebration for Adam (2/13), Arjun (2/16), and Jose (2/18). It was tons of fun. Last night was game night that quickly devolved into gossiping, discussing medical school woes, and an incredible unfair wrestling match. Unfair because it was me against a guy, and unfair because I drunkily threw punches (apparently there's no punching in wrestling... tee-hee).

My left wrist hurts like crazy today, and I'm not even left handed. I am so not smart.

Last night, I was also ridiculed for having a blog. Why? Because blogging usually implies you are highly opinionated and you think what you have to say is super important. Neither applies to me, so hush up Joe Gill, et al. : )

But, I had a lot of fun. I just hope the victim of my beating doesn't hate my guts now.

In other news, I am very behind in my studies, and that's happening hardcore, all day today. FOR REAL. I have another interview on Wednesday at Temple University. This was nice news, but the absolute lack of response from any Florida schools is irksome.

And now, it's time to ice my wrist and eat breakfast. Then I'll get on blogger and read other people's blogs. Then I'll get on facebook. Then I'll check out my Relay For Life status. Then I'll make some phone calls. Then I'll look at the physiology book for 4 minutes. Then I'll get on blogger again. Then facebook.....

NO! Not today. Although that's how my study sessions have been going recently, today shall be different. I will study all day.

I am so behind, it's scary. It's horriffic. Awful. Disgusting. It's totally NOT rad.

Two "shout outs":

1) Thanks to all who donated to sponsor me for Relay for Life!
2) Somebody: count how many names are in this post. And stop making fun of me for having a blog! My blog is epic.

RELAY FOR LIFE!

Time for some good old helping out. On April 20-21, My school is participating in Relay For Life, an event held by the American Cancer Society to raise money for Cancer. If you want to learn more about it, click on the link below:

Relay for Life- Georgetown

When the guy in my class who was promoting this talked to us, he handed out candles and matches to everyone. He turned off the lights, and said "How many of you here have suffered from cancer, light your candle" then "Who has lost a parent or sibling to cancer, light your candle" .... "lost a loved one to cancer".... (at this point, nearly half of the 150 or so candles were lit)... "had a loved one suffer from cancer"..."known someone who has lost a loved one to cancer" and I'd say all but a few candles were lit. I didn't exactly repeat it the right way, but you get the point. It was a very moving presentation.

And so, I signed up today (I should've done it sooner!) I am excited to participate in this event, because it is fun and it really does go to a good cause.

I have a personal webpage where you can help out too! You can donate money to sponsor me. I have a goal of $200 and I hope that I can exceed it. Every buck counts. You can click on the above website, scroll down, then click on "Donate to a Participant" on the left-hand side. Enter my name and I should come up, for the team "The Shermanators."

or go directly to My Personal Website

If every person who reads my blog (all 3 of you... just kidding) donates one dollar, then posts links to this post on their own blog, and each person who reads that donates one dollar, I'll bet I can raise a crapload of money! But, no pressure.

I don't like pushing people to buy stuff, but in this case I don't feel bad urging you all to donate. Chances are you know someone who has suffered from cancer, or will in the future.

And think about the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you do something good for society. Do you get that warm fuzzy feeling when you're dishing out 200 bucks for designer sunglasses that you'll probably break/lose or when you're buying a cell phone/PDA/mp3 player that you don't really need?

So, fellow bloggers and bored readers, I implore: Donate some money to me! Help my class kick some ass!

If you were wondering about the team name, "The Shermanators," Dr. Sherman is one of our professors. He taught biochemistry last semester and nutrition this semester, and he is absolutely hilarious! He's a hippie, too!

One More Valentine's Post (before Valentine's Day ends!!!)

It's 11:51 and I finally got in touch with my long-distance Valentine. I did not buy anything for him, but I did take the time to write one of my world famous, not so well written poems for him. I decided to post it, just for kicks. I am not claiming that I am a great poet, or even a good one. Not even decent. But every line rhymes! And none of that crap where "again" rhymes with "rain." That always bugged me in highschool English class.

ODE TO YOU ON VALENTINE’S DAY

Dearest friend, so far from me

I wish a Happy Valentine’s to thee

I want you to know you’re in my heart

And I truly love you, even when you fart

I still love you when you harass

And yell in public that I get gas

When I buy chocolate or cheese or cream

“That stuff makes you fart!” you scream

Or how ‘bout when you tickle me against my will

I know making me suffer gives you a thrill

Or how bout all those times you make fun of my fat

Or when you should be petting me instead of the cat

It may sound like I’m moaning and complaining

But to ignore your annoyingness would be feigning

But what I want to let you know

Is that despite it all, I love you so

And now, on to the things you do

That make it impossible not to love you

You are sensitive and kind

With a very active mind

So sweet, yet manly and tough

Of you, I just can’t get enough!

The French toast you make is so damn good

And in the morning, you have impressive wood

Your massages are something like heaven

And you know you keep me open like 7-11

But what is most important of all

Is that you’re always there to catch me when I fall

That you taught me to be happy

When I was feeling crappy

You taught me to be strong

And it may have taken long,

But you gave me the self esteem

I needed to follow my dream

So even if I whine that you bug me too much

This is the truth, the truth is such:

I love you with all my heart

And I know it’s tough that we’re apart

But one day it will all work out

And until then, let’s not pout

You’re the greatest friend I could ask for

And I think you’re cute, even when you snore

Thanks for all you’ve done for me

And a Happy Valentine’s Day to thee!

And, there you have it, folks. With utter disregard for iambic pentameter, rhythm, and proper English, I wrote this. It's all true, too.

Now, if you're wondering about the whole "gas" thing (lines 5-7) I am blessed with lactose intolerance, which means if I have too much dairy I feel "uncomfortable." I keep this under control with some nifty pills (hooray for Lactaid).
So, once upon a drunken night, we were at the supermarket and I grabbed a dark chocolate Toblerone (HEAVEN!!!) and Mister Wonderful decided to say loudly, "MARIANA! DON'T BUY THAT! IT MAKES YOU FART!!!" It was funny, embarassing, and frustrating. He kept doing it whenever there were people around. Grr.

Anyway, it's time to go to bed and stuff.

"My name is Cupid Valentino, and I just wanted to say one thing ya'll: Happy Valentine's Day!"
-Andre 3000, The Love Below (amazing album!!!)

Intelligence

Alas! There is no impending doom (exam) yet I am posting for the second time today! You know why? Because I SHOULD use this free day to catch up on all the physiology material. Instead, I clicked on that little Stumble! icon on my browser.

I found the link below:

http://www.haverford.edu/writingprogram/Asimov.html

Muy interesante!

Ok, I will write no more. I should be preparing for my interview and/or studying.

HAPPY SINGLES AWARENESS DAY!!!!

It would be hard to not point out that today is Valentine's Day.

So, Happy Valentine's Day. Love is beautiful.

I received the best possible Valentine's day visit from the bestest Valentine in the world.

But, that was this past weekend, and this is now. I'm all alone. Boo-freaking-hoo. Ok, I'm over it.

ANYWAY.... GOOD NEWS!!! Classes were cancelled because of the snow. That's a first for me!!!

I still may head over to school to participate in an event where we go to the children's ward and decorate Valentine's day stuff with the kiddies. We did it for Halloween and it was great!

Besides that, I have a crazy couple of weeks coming up. I have one interview this Friday and another next Wednesday. I'm not nearly as nervous as I was for the UF one. Maybe that's not a good thing?

Tonight my father is flying in. He will drive me to Norfolk on Thursday and then the interview is Friday (ok, I'm feeling some nervousness now that I'm talking about it!). Someone said that it's weird that he came just to take me there. I think it's great. I may not be spoiled with money but I'm definitely spoiled by parents who look out for me. Don't hate!

Anyway, I had a lot more stuff to talk about, but I forgot almost all of it already. Sigh. Time to clean the apartment so dad doesn't flip!

The Universe isn't plotting against me, after all.

Soooo.... yesterday at 9 am, jacked up on caffeine and having done the unthinkable- the all nighter- I sat at a desk in an auditorium, pencil in hand, ready to answer 135 questions about Neuroanatomy. The all nighter is unthinkable because your brain SUCKS after about the 5th hour in a row of nonstop frantic cramming. I really slacked for this exam, leaving all the learning to the last minute. So, I took the exam. EXHAUSTING. After the exam I was pretty convinced that I did terribly.

Then I lost my cell phone. Couldn't find it anywhere.

Went to a bar with a bunch of people at noon. Yes, I should've gone home and taken a nap, but I felt the need for a drink, to erase the nagging thought that I failed.

So everyone ate. I wasn't hungry (strange).

I looked for my phone a little more. I thought I had left it in my friend's car, so I called her, and nothing.

It sucked.

And then, almost as if the Universe was watching me for its own entertainment (giggling like Ashton Kutcher) it was all over. A friend IMed me to tell me that the exam key was up. I graded my exam, only to find that I scored 80%, which I knew, without a doubt, was a passing grade. Shortly thereafter, I received an email saying "I spoke with a woman who found your phone. Call her at...." DOUBLE YAY!

And then, today, another quasi miracle happened. As part of a Georgetown outreach program for a church, I tutor a 9 year old boy once a week. Today, by some miracle, he actually didn't behave completely terribly. He's a good kid, but he really likes to mess around with me (and I let him). He always runs away and hides, and as all the tutors escort the kids to the bus, he makes it a point to run ahead and roll down the hill and jump off the ledge and do pretty much anything cirque-de-soleil worthy. I don't mind but I know if the chaperones or director of this tutoring program sees it, I'm in for it. It makes for great entertainment, though : )

For the most part, though, I really like tutoring him. I love being around children, even when they get all "spawn of Satan" on me.

Maybe I was also more tolerant of him today because he said I look like Rachel Ray (I don't see it, but I like her!!!)

*yawn*

goodnight, not-so-cruel world

Ok, I should NOT be blogging. I woke up at 1 pm! Terrible! The exam is at 9 am tomorrow, and I'm so behind!

I just wanted to say one thing:

~PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST IS AMAZING~

Although I could easily eat a whole pizza in two days, whenever I order pizza I freeze a few slices for those days that I'm feeling lazy or like being a fatass. Today was one of those days.

I'm so psyched to start studying!!!!!!!!

not really : (

My Mundane Existence, In Pictures. And Food!

So, since food is oh so important to me, I've decided to start taking pictures of my culinary masterpieces and blogging them. Yes, I'm that much of a loser. I have some other random pictures in here. I actually started taking pictures of food because one of my friends always asks me to send him pics whenever I brag to him about the amazing dinner I'm having. So, this is partly for you, buddy.

<---Ah yes, the sexiest laptop in town. I got it in August because my brother Christina took mine and never gave it back. The CD/DVD drive on this puppy is already messed up.

On screen, two of my five computer addictions are seen: AIM and iTUNES. The other three? Facebook, YouTube, and Blogger, of course.

Next to the computer, you will notice my favorite drink ever, after water, coffee, and alcohol. Yay for Vitamin water!



Now for some food. This picture does not reveal the true deliciousness and quality of the meal you are looking at, mainly because I suck at taking pictures. Also because I was hungry. On the left is a plate with olive oil, garlic, thyme, and black pepper... maybe some oregano, too (not sure). On the right is a tomato, mozarella, basil salad and a nice big piece of Ciabatta bread (for to dip in the olive oil, of course!) This was my post-physiology exam dinner. Simple, but delicious.
The red wine is my favorite cheap red wine, called "Frontera" by a Chilean company, Concha y Torro. It's a part Merlot, part Cabernet Sauvignon. A really big bottle goes for no more than ten smackaroos. It's really not bad : ) Then again, I'm not one to whine.... (hahaha, pun!)

Dinner in the making: Last night, I decided to make some fajitas (first time ever). I always make sure I eat at least one good serving of veggies each day, so I also boiled some broccoli (although it's much healthier raw or steamed). The fajitas were really excellent, if I must say so myself. Steak, onions, garlic, and mushrooms.

I also made some whole wheat linguini just to have it ready to eat for the rest of the week. Also, I think I just cook to avoid studying. Same goes for blogging.





OHHHH YEAH. Best Breakfast EVER. This was today in the morning. Fried eggs, sunny-side up, the yolks running for their lives, with allspice and salt sprinkled all over them. That's 4 strips of turkey bacon next to the eggs. It was a pretty big breakfast, even for me. Sidenote: Turkey Bacon is totally okay for the South Beach diet phases 1, 2, and 3! (Not that I'm on that diet anymore) This meal kept me going for a good 4.5 hours before I even thought about food again.
And of course, the large cup of steaming hot coffee on the side.

For lunch I enjoyed some celery and peanut butter and for dinner, I experimented with asparagus for the first time; I used butter and, of course, garlic. It came out great! I forgot to take a picture. I also had some steak fajita leftovers : )

I really like cooking, but I absolutely love eating. Since this is my first time living on my own, I'm enjoying the freedom of having my own kitchen and experimenting with food. I keep it simple, and mostly put garlic on everything, but so far it's working nicely. Maybe one day I can live up to my mother's reputation as the best cook in town. She really really is. Awww, I miss her!

And now, back to Neuroanatomy...

But first, a picture of my handy-dandy anatomy coloring book which is making this whole studying process slightly less painful:
Notice the ridiculous obsession with arranging the color pencils in rainbow color order, from dark shades to lighter ones within a color group, kind of. I never know if I should put brown near red or near the other non-rainbow colors at the end..... What a predicament.

Look at that sexy brain on the bottom. Colored it myself. I even managed to stay inside the lines. Ohhhh Yeah!

Anyway, whenever there's an upcoming exam my life is bland; it's basically all about three things: studying, blogging, food.
And, after exams: partying like a rockstar!!!

Insomnia? A Quick, Easy Cure in 3 Easy Steps!

As I sit here, sipping on my Sleepy Time Tea (after trying to fall asleep for about 10 minutes), I click on random msn.com and yahoo headlines. These articles lure you in, with the "I'm a short article, easy solutions to all your problems!"

"8 Easy ways to Save Money"

"Trendy Outfits at Half the Price!"

"Hairstyle for your lifestyle"

Stuff like that.

I click on these articles, with their catchy headlines, only to find that these people aren't telling me anything I didn't know already. I wonder how much these writers make!

Which brings me to another point: How do magazines maintain business? How many times can Shape magazine tell you how to blast ab fat in 8 simple moves? How many "Spice up your Sex Life" articles can Cosmo come up with? With the popularity of the internet- where information is just a couple of keystrokes away- this question befuddles me even more.

So, if the whole med-school thing doesn't work out, I may write a column for a website or something. I mean, there's a bunch of crap I've come up with that I've never read in any of these "how-to" articles. For example:

For hair:

Hair tip #1: Don't wash your hair every day.
Actually, try to go as long as humanly possible without washing your hair. The natural oils are good for you, and excessive washing causes dryness, dullness, and it's costing you tons in shampoo, conditioner, and time spent on styling.

*note: I'm pretty sure these hair guru diva writers KNOW this, but won't write it because our society is obsessed with bathing all the time. Scrub scrub scrub.*

Hair tip #2: STOP DYING YOUR HAIR.
If you're not blonde, get over it. Brunettes have more fun anyway! Dying your hair is so bad for it. But, if you insist, at least use lots of conditioner, and invest in some good haircare products.

Hair tip #3: Don't brush your hair, unless absolutely necessary.
And it's rarely "absolutely necessary." I never, ever, EVER brush my hair. Never. Brushing causes breakage, shedding, and it's just annoying.

Hair tip #4: Change it up.
Always have in stock 2 different shampoo/conditioner sets. Your hair gets bored, and your results will diminish with repeated use. The same goes for hair products (straightening balm, mousse, silk drops, etc)

Hair tip #5: Olive Oil.
Warning: not for individuals with oily hair! For those of you with thick, not very oily hair, this is a GREAT way to get shiny hair for cheap. Once every 3 or 4 washes, before washing your locks, grab a bottle of olive oil, lean your head over the sink, and pour that stuff on the BOTTOM PART of your hair. Not the roots (unless your hair is really really dry). Otherwise, yuck. Too much oil. Rub it in and leave it on for a while. I don't know how long you're supposed to do it for, but I can't really handle it for more than 10 minutes. Wash thoroughly. Results: shinier, healthier hair!
Other weird cheap household items you can put in your hair for shine include vaseline and mayonnaise. I've tried both and do NOT recommend either of them. I smelled like mayo for a week. Bleh.

Ok, see? Minus my personal commentaries and anecdotes, I think I do a great job. I've got the "Helpful hint" format down.

Some more:

Money saving tip #1: Do it yourself.
Don't pay 7.99 for that roast beef on rye and bag of chips at the school's overpriced cafeteria; instead, stop being a lazy ass and buy the stuff and make it yourself. If you're always on-the-go, dedicate time one or two times a week to preparation of little meals that are ready to grab in the morning. If this is too much for you, for the love of God, at least brew your own coffee. The cost of 3 cups of Joe at Starbucks could buy you 24 cups worth of Folgers.

*note: numbers are approximations and could very well be completely off, but there is no denying that coffee shops make a killing off their coffee. Out of sheer curiosity, I will do the math soon.*

Money saving tip #2: Generic? Not always!
We are programmed to think that buying generic is better, but sometimes the name brands are on special, and are cheaper than the supermarket brand. Look out for this.

Money saving tip #3: Rewards!
Get all the rewards cards you can (my CVS card is my hero). Check receipts for coupons.

Money saving tip #4: Say no to showing off.
Don't buy designer handbags. IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY. As a matter of fact, if you find yourself strapped for cash, yet your clothing/accessories are not from Target, Marshalls, or Ross, you're doing something wrong. The clothes do not make the man/woman. As my good friend Tyler Durden put it: YOU ARE NOT YOUR FUCKING KAKHIS. Point: stop being a materialistic retard and then maybe you won't have to read articles like this.

And, finally, the grand finale:

Spice up your sex life tip #1: Stop being so fucking uptight.
That's most people's problem. Especially women.

Spice up your sex life tip #2: "Be creative"/Porn, porn, porn
They say "be creative" but you don't know where to start. This is where pornography can give you some fun ideas. For the squeamish, there is stuff like Skinemax, I mean, Cinemax. If you can't handle that either, read some nice love story/romance novels that are "sensual" or whatever cliche term you want to use for pornographic. The vast majority of pornography is done tastelessly, and the fact that every woman looks like "Do me now Barbie" can be discouraging . Also, without a story line it may feel way too raunchy.

Spice up your sex life tip #3: Honesty and openess
Honesty with your partner is by far the most important thing. Not just for sex, but for everything. Most guys don't enjoy sex with their partners because they are afraid to express what they really like, for fear of being "disrespectful." I blame this, in part, on girls who are ashamed of sexuality. This is a really big issue among couples. It's sad that the average age of lost virginity is declining, people are having sex with more people, but many couples are not enjoying sex as much as they could be.
OPENESS PEOPLE! Sexuality is a beautiful thing, it should be embraced. Unfortunately our society likes to shove it in our faces but create a huge taboo for it at the same time. There's nothing to be ashamed of, except carelessness. Carelessness with your own emotions, carelessness with someone else's emotions, carelessness with protection.

Sigh, I could go all night with this, but I have to get to bed.

Haha, I said "I could go all night." That's what he said. (Office reference, Office reference!!!)

Good night.

May your wallet be fat, your hair be fabulous, and your sex life, fantastic.

Game Night Part Trois

So... last night I had the intention of staying in and studying for neuroanatomy. Instead, I had people over for game night. At the end of the night there were ten of us, yelling and competing.

Maybe it was only me yelling...

These "game nights" bring out my game face, game attitude. I don't take losing well. I'm even worse when I win.

I believe this comes from growing up with my brother, Christopher (who I lovingly nicknamed Christina). I don't know if I ever had that typical jealouy thing happen when he was born. I do know that I was always determined to beat him at everything. Video games, card games, scrabble, monopoly, and backgammon. And beat him I did. This inflated my head dramatically. We did not have cable, so we played a lot more games than the average kid. We also didn't always have the latest game console. Classic Nintendo, we did have. It was yet another thing I beat him at.

Note: After highschool my brother started playing online scrabble obsessively. Since then, I haven't been able to beat him. Sigh. Before that, the only person who ever beat me was my dad.

In highschool, I found myself in a situation where all of my friends were pretty smart guys. Nerds, if you will. My attitude, aggressiveness, competetiveness helped me win a lot of games. It also really really really pissed my good friend Kennett off, to the point where he didn't want to speak to me for a while. To this day, he refuses to play Risk or pretty much any game with me. I'm like a big football player who scores a touchdown and dances in the sidelines. Minus the billions of dollars and the big muscles.

So I realize that being this way annoys people. I tried really hard to stop. Then something called "Halo" came into my life. Wow. I have never met another girl who was as good at this game as I am or was, except maybe Monica at times. When Aldo would obliterate me at this game, it made me want to punch him in the face sometimes. I wish I could say this wasn't true. But, alas, I could not handle being beaten so much, so badly. To this day I can't play Halo one-on-one with him, because I know how it will end (bloody).

Nowadays, I don't get upset, but I still get loud and excited. Especially for Catch Phrase, which is like Taboo but you pass the list of words back and forth and when the timer buzzes, the team with it in their hands loses. It's really fun, but high stress. Women are significantly better at this game, since we've got better communication skills, ESP, and boobies. It's killer when you have a guy on your team who sucks at the game. It makes your head almost explode.

We played a lot of Catch Phrase last night. I'm surprised I stil have my voice today.

We also played Apples to Apples. This game is made for like, 12 year olds but it's a lot of fun.

The last game we played is the bane of my existence: Trivial Pursuit. I really don't like this game. Luckily for me, I was on a team with two people who know their stuff. Yay for them. The rest of us just rode their coat tails, pretty much. I did contribute a couple of answers, so I wasn't completely worthless. Anyway, the stupid game wouldn't end and the opposite team pretty much gave us our winning point. Not an honorable win. These wins completely supress my desire to celebrate. Maybe that's a good thing. I wouldn't have been sore if we lost Trivial Pursuit, though, cause it's a dumb game.

Everyone left at 2 am, which is a lot later than usual for Game Night. I couldn't sleep so I watched The 40 Year Old Virgin. Funny stuff! I think I finally fell asleep at around 5:00 AM. I woke up at 1:00 PM. Devastating. I hope my anatomy coloring book will help me learn this crap. If not, at least I'll get some practice staying inside the lines.

In the end, I really enjoy having people over. These are the times I wish I was rich, because then I could make elaborate parties with great Mariana snacks and cocktails. Too bad I'm a poor student. I still make an incredible cheese dip (recipe courtesy of AJB).

Anyway, it's Superbowl Sunday, and the Superbowl is in Miami (home, warm home)! Wow, the traffic must be completely unbearable. I am forbidding myself from going to any Superbowl parties, no matter how tempting. I'll just watch it here, all alone and lonely :(

I hope the commercials are good this year!!!

I miss my friends!

Sooo... I was accused by Raw Thoughts of posting pictures of myself, and I denied the allegations, then realized that YES in previous blogs I did post pictures of myself...

Then I started looking for a pic to put as my profile default and I came across this one. This is a picture from my last visit to sunny, wonderful Miami. I posted it a couple of weeks back in my Blue and Orange tribute to my interview at UF. Those two people on my periphery are two of the most important, wonderful people in my life. Monica & Aldo.

I could sit here and brag about how great they are, but I should be sleeping, because I have to be in class at 9 am (oh, the agony). All I shall say is that I love and miss them. And they are tons of fun.

I also miss my family and other friends...

And the warm weather. I miss that a lot too.

I will post more pictures soon, because a picture is worth a thousand words, and my posts are usually longer than that, which is a true testament to real life, where I never shut up. Maybe posting pics will make me write less.

Probably not.

And now, it's time to dream about something pleasant... hopefully no more plastic surgery nightmares...