Full circle

I've often told the story of how I first knew I wanted to become a doctor. It started with a book, really. I was six years old then, and my mom was pregnant with Monchie. Mom had all these pregnancy books lying around, and being the biblophile that I am (I've loved reading ever since I could read, at the tender age of four), it was almost instinct to pick one up and start browsing through it. And I was fascinated by what I found. It was a different kind of adventure from those in my story books and fairy tales--it was a tour of the human body, specifically that of a pregnant mother's, and it was also a story of the creation of a life, from conception to birth. I was so hooked that even the very graphic pictures of vaginal delivery couldn't keep me from turning page after page. I don't remember what book that was or how many others I read, but Mom told me I read more about pregnancy than she ever did. I was six years old then.

Reading Williams Obstetrics 23rd ed now, at 22 and in medical school, I feel like I've come full circle. I actually resisted buying the book for the first two OB exams because of its price, but I gave in in the end. I've only read a few chapters but I can already say that I don't regret my decision. Not one centavo's worth. Williams is a joy to read, not at all a chore. And not only because of its glossy pages and colored photos that are new to the 23rd edition. For me, it is because it brings back the same feelings I felt at six years old--wonder at the architecture of the human body, specifically the female reproductive tract, and awe at the beauty that is human life. And not to mention, it has also expanded my medical vocabulary quite vastly, with new words like ballotement and puerperium, and of course our class's favorite, violaceous.

I've said before that I would never consider OB-GYN as a specialty, but I'm actually rethinking that now. Because really, OB was my first love, the reason for my desire to go into medicine in the first place. Of course, this is all before I've experienced any duty or rotation in OB, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at PGH is legendary for its toxicity. But who knows? For now, I'll just keep reading.

Nice surprise. :)

Only someone who truly knows me and loves me would get me a book that says KILL YOU on the cover as a gift, knowing I would absolutely love it. We had to go all the way from Serendra to Greenhills to get it, too, because the last remaining copy was there. I'm so happy! This pretty much takes care of my reading time this week. :)

Thank you, my love. It's perfect. Happy un-anniversary. :) :)

Summer--extended!

I was all set to write my end-of-summer/first-day-jitters entry. I was half done packing, right down to my new pencil case filled with shiny new school supplies with price tags still on them. I had paced my reading so that I would finish The Almost Moon tomorrow night. I was already making the most of my last few nights here at home, before I move into the internet-less, water heater-less, TV-less Adriatico condo.

But nooo. Pres. Roman announced at 7:10 PM that the opening of classes in UP Manila is to be moved from June 8 to June 15. So I'm left with one more week to look forward to/dread the official start of med. And with the weather the way it is (and the H1N1 virus already having penetrated Manila) it's unlikely that I'll be able to go out of town, or do any summery things. My first reaction to the text was one of annoyance, not relief or excitement. Pardon the geekiness/overeagerness.

UPSIDE:

There's more time for reading! I have time to pick up another Jodi Picoult (or two) with my one remaining Powerbooks gift card. Or, since I'm kind of in the mood for something heavier, Atonement. There are also the various TV series I've yet to finish, namely Chuck, Pushing Daisies, House, and The Big Bang Theory. But TV has not really been my thing lately.

There's also time to visit Ruari! Since according to him, adik sila sa St. Luke's, it's unlikely that they'll be suspending their start of classes as well. So I can visit him this time. :) Bea also expressed a desire to meet up before classes start. And I don't need to mention more time to spend with the family, at home, not studying.

On another geeky/overeager note, there's more time to wrap my new school books, and label them too. Haha. :p

And, much as I hate to admit it, Facebook is consuming more and more of my internet time. I only just realized how dead Multiply is already. I guess it's time to get with the times. I will still upload my pictures to Multiply though. The photo upload feature of Facebook isn't as user-friendly.

Bikram yoga, American Idol results, among others

Despite the early mornings, the body aches, the daily drives, the endless errands, and the heat, this week has been one of my favorites of the summer. It's definitely been the most productive. I'm no longer spending practically every waking moment wishing I were in med already. And it's just two weeks away. Wah.

Bikram yoga takes most of the credit for this week. Melch asked me to enroll with her at Bikram Yoga Eastwood, where they offer a one-week unlimited trial for just P700. I immediately said I was game, since I really wanted to do something physical this summer. (Read: Get fit for Bora!!) And for P700, even attending just five days in the week would already be worth it.

I will never forget my first class, just last Monday. The heated room, the intensity of the postures, and the lack of food (I just had a banana for breakfast; you're actually not supposed to eat anything two or three hours before class) was just too much for my system. I had to sit out quite a few of the poses, fearing I would faint. As Melch put it, it was like doing yoga in a sauna. But the subsequent classes became much easier as my body grew accustomed to the practice. The poses were definitely challenging; it made the yoga class I took as a PE in second year seem like yoga for babies. :P And OMG, it was the most I had ever sweat in my life. I would already start dripping during the first breathing exercise, which is like the first two minutes of the 90-minute workout.

My last class was today (Friday), and I'm already starting to miss it. Just one week of Bikram made me feel thinner, fitter, and more energized. I wish I could have that all year-round. If only I had the disposable income and the flexible schedule to attend regularly (A one-month unlimited subscription costs P4000+). Maybe I'll save up for sembreak. Haha.

This week was also the first time I had the chance to drive myself every single day. Marlon's mom passed away, so he had to go on leave for the whole week. Thank goodness Eastwood is just fifteen minutes away from the house. Mom kept sending me on errands though, which I didn't really mind, except that I would be both tired and hungry, after coming from yoga. At least I was able to practice my parallel parking skills, as well as my directional skills. Haha. Driving can be enjoyable, when you're not trying to beat rush hour traffic, or puyat from studying all night.

Other than yoga and driving, I've also been preparing for an ukay-ukay our subdivision is holding along with the May festivities. I thought it would be a good idea to participate, not just to get rid of old clothes and other clutter that has accumulated in our household, but also to raise funds for condo furniture, med books, med equipment, etc. It's tomorrow already (Saturday), and I'm getting ready to relive my PMHS rummage sale days. Haha.

Not much TV this week, seeing as I've been out of the house almost all day, everyday. I did, however, consider attending a later yoga class in order to catch the American Idol finale. But I decided not to, and I had to shut out the world for a few hours, until the 6 PM replay on Star World. Honestly, I feel bad for Adam. I thought he deserved it more. I know he has a lot of haters out there, with his theatre background, his sexual orientation, his eccentric style (both in his appearance and his singing) and the fact that he was the clear favorite, but he was the better singer and performer, no doubt. And isn't that what Idol's really about? I loved that he seemed genuinely happy for Kris, though. And then again, maybe Kris needed the win more? Because Adam will definitely make it big, American Idol or not. As Paula said (and I rarely take the things she says seriously), he'll be iconic. :D

And while I did buy two new books with my Powerbooks gift cards, I've been busy rereading Harry Potter 6 and 7. I actually just wanted to read Book 6 again in anticipation of the movie (because I'll no longer have time for non-academic reading come June), but I had to continue on with Book 7. I realized I'd forgotten most of the details, so it's somewhat like reading them again for the first time. It's such a joy to be with Harry and the wizarding world again.

It turns out Ruari and I are both leaving this weekend--I for Boracay on Sunday morning and he for Guam tomorrow evening. We saw each other just one day this week. I'm glad, though, that we've both been enjoying summer. Here's to those last two weeks. :)

Futility.

I had the bright idea of waking up early this morning and going with Papa to work. I wanted to visit Powerbooks Megamall to make use of the gift cards that Ate Rina sent as my graduation gift. They have been burning a hole in my wallet since they arrived last week. I even killed time in San Miguel, researching titles on Amazon.com, before Megamall opened at 10. I always like being prepared when I go to the bookstore, so that I don't waste my money on books that turn out to be a disappointment.

I spent over an hour at Powerbooks. Normally I like spending any amount of time in a bookstore. But this visit just left me frustrated and hungry. Of the five or six books I'd found interesting on Amazon, I could find none of them in Powerbooks. They were either out of stock, or at another branch. What sucks is that I specifically went to the Megamall branch because it's one of the bigger ones, and, I assumed, one of the better-stocked ones. What sucks more is that I know the books I want are in Fully Booked. If only the gift cards were transferable. Sigh.

I'm consoling myself with the thought that I can check out Powerbooks in Robinson's Place tomorrow, when I go for my physical exam. I hope I have better luck there. Oh, I did end up buying a book pala. I got Mapping the Edge by Sarah Dunant. It wasn't on my list but I also came across it on Amazon. And I loved Dunant's Birth of Venus (I made the mistake of lending it to someone who never returned it), so I'm quite hopeful for this one.

The other thing I wanted to do this morning was to get myself registered for next year's elections. Marlon and I went to the Pasig City Hall to try our luck. I wasn't very hopeful though, as it was already nearing noon. But this was already our second try. The guard told us 'di na kayo aabot and to try another time, and to go at 5 AM, because the lines fill up fast and they only serve 120. Exaaaag okay. Ganyan pala ka-hassle mag-rehistro para bumoto. And I was trying to be a responsible citizen.

In other news:

I hate when people blow their own horn. Please stop advertising yourself. Nakukulitan na 'ko.

AND

It's always nice to be remembered. Never nice to be forgotten. No matter what. Nakakawalang-gana.

I forgot to mention

I know my last entry was less than two hours ago, but I just remembered that Ruari and I saw this at Fully Booked Greenhills today and had the best time leafing through it.

It's around P1000. I want!
(Haha, as if I won't be spending enough on med books as it is.)

I realized that I miss music. I haven't been listening to any. Except for Jai Ho, which seems to be on repeat on all the radio stations' players. Lord. I need to download new songs, and the drive to do the downloading. I hate opening Limewire; it slows down everything. Gee, that rhymes.

Time is nothing.

I finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger last night. It brought me to tears. I hate and love the way the end was so beautifully and heart-wrenchingly sad. Actually the entire book can be described that way. It's one of those novels that often read more like poetry than prose. It's also one of those that remind me why I love reading, one of those that make me wonder how I could have gone so long without reading anything this good.

I wanted to write about it as soon as I finished, but it was already late and I had to get to sleep. Then today (yesterday) was a busy day, so I didn't have time to sit down and blog either. It was only as I was fixing the fin stuff that for my turnover to Mich, when OneRepublic's Stop and Stare started playing on my iTunes that I felt the urge once more. It's not a song I'm particularly fond of or anything. But for some reason, it brought back that heavy, nostalgic feeling I get at the end of a good book, especially if it is a long one. It is a sadness that is not simply due to the nature of the ending, but also to the loss of the characters that have entered my life and have become a part of me. I remember feeling the same way for Aragorn and Frodo and Arwen after The Return of the King, for Harry and Ron and Hermione after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and even (I admit) for Bella and Edward at the end of Breaking Dawn.

I haven't been hit this hard by a novel in a while. Even Murakami's Norwegian Wood failed to touch me this much. I'd rather not read anything new for a while; I want to bask in the memory of Clare and Henry's story just a little while longer. Maybe I'll even read it all over again.

The movie's scheduled for release in August. I'm excited for it, and I know I'll enjoy it and probably cry some more. But of course, as these things usually go, the movie will be nowhere near as beautiful as the book.

Very good job on casting Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams as Henry and Clare, I think. Photo taken from IMDb.com.