Rescue Me

3x3

2009-04-15T19:26:00.003-05:00

upon Christine's request...

Rules:
a) Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search (http://www.flickr.com/).
b) Using ONLY the first page, pick an image.
c) Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Mosaic Maker. Change rows to 3 and columns to 3 (http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php)

Legend:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your favorite color?
4. Favorite band?
5. Dream vacation?
6. Favorite hobby?
7. What you want to be when you grow up?
8. What do you love?
9. One word to describe you?

which one is the lesser of two evils?

2009-02-06T22:10:00.003-06:00

marc jacobs, you are unique.

The start of a great year.

2009-01-05T20:40:00.000-06:00

On Jan 4, 2009, at 3:20 PM, Amy Y wrote:

Prepare for bad news ...
I just got home and discovered that the power to the fridge had gone
out at some point or something because the freezer is rancid (like how
I imagine regurg vom would smell like). :(
I'll try to salvage what I can but prognosis is not good.

--
Sent from my mobile device

story of my life.

2008-12-27T12:54:00.002-06:00

thanks tina!

quote of the week.

2008-10-30T20:59:00.001-05:00

"sir, you have a life-threatening penis."

in other news, did you know that the pleural of scrotum is scrota?

it's almost the end of 2008

2008-10-19T19:37:00.004-05:00

the year is coming to a close, so let's see what are my top played songs of 2008 so far.

1- Girls Aloud: Can't Speak French
2- Leona Lewis: Bleeding Love
3- Kylie Minogue: All I See
4- Duffy: Mercy
5- Leona Lewis: Better In Time
6- Coldplay: Viva La Vida
7- Madonna: 4 Minutes
8- Delta Goodrem: In This Life
9- Kylie Minogue: Wow
10- Natasha Bedingfield: Pocketful of Sunshine
11- Utada Hikaru: Heart Station
12- Katy Perry: I Kissed A Girl
13- Mariah Carey: Touch My Body
14: Utada Hikaru: Prisoner of Love
15: Girls Aloud: Close to Love

not many new artists on here. shocked that i kissed a girl isn't even in the top 10. not surprised it's just lots of POP POP POP POP MUSIC.

hmm....

2008-10-19T18:44:00.005-05:00

last month, i got an awesome postcard from jess that was sent all the way from alaska, aka palin country. i certainly appreciated how jess circled the lavish home of ms. you-betcha. looking at the postcard a little closer, i couldn't help but notice the little eskimo named "alaska joe" on the back...how appropriate.

Well, I've done my part...

2008-10-15T15:39:00.001-05:00

Just hoping for good things. And hoping people will do the right thing.

Diphtheria

2008-10-09T20:58:00.003-05:00

Goya.

I love this image of the doctor pulling out the pseudomembrane shit out of the child's throat so he doesn't choke to death. I want this on my bathroom wall.

divas!

2008-09-06T13:44:00.003-05:00

as eric eloquently puts it, this is every famous bitch on stage. ugh, miley, you ruined this. poor mariah, you are the old auntie in the back you feel bad for. you realize how great leona is in this. imagine what the backstage banter would have been...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr5mvNPyV1I
thanks amir for this!!

the anime version of myself

2008-08-25T23:38:00.003-05:00

thanks christine for making it! i like it!! make one here.

i love the new will young song.

2008-08-20T19:59:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khm33YD4u9g
Hope my life changes
Gets alright somehow
Oh I’m waiting for tomorrow
I hope it changes
Can't you stay the same
Been out of luck for so long
And I don’t get much
So there's nothing much to lose

i <3 triple block.

2008-07-29T18:06:00.002-05:00

woohoo! i got assigned to the VA for my psych rotation. plus, i get to work with susie and jrho! you can't get any better than that.

primary care ends this friday and i will miss it so. more to come...

homecoming.

2008-06-11T20:59:00.007-05:00

going home for brother's graduation. step 1 in 6 days. after that, FREEDOM. these past 28 15-hour days of studying better be worth it. let's put an end to this awful year.

the new katy perry cd is AMAZING. album of the year?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfo70yUaEUg
other ones to listen:
sigur rós - með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
ting tings - we started nothing
coldplay - viva la vida

another good delta song

2008-06-04T19:45:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20nwZamxfPk

the new coldplay album is AWESOME.

facts like this make studying worthwhile.

2008-06-01T23:42:00.003-05:00

Life is so fun right now!

2008-05-25T23:00:00.004-05:00

NOT. 1 week of studying done. 3 more to go. Using Dr. Sooky Koh's words, trying to learn ALL of medicine for a single test is "HARASSMENT". Just the sheer amount of knowledge we need to cram into our heads. It really does feel like punishment. But whatever, I signed up for it. We can do it.

Questions like this piss me off:

A friend asks only for your time not your money.

2008-05-18T23:55:00.006-05:00

IN BED.

for some reason, i have kept that above fortune in my wallet for the past 6 years. i'm puzzled why i have no desire to throw it out.

anyways, this comic made me think of it:http://xkcd.com/425/

so tomorrow is the last test of sbm, second year. noon, monday may 19th will be SO GLORIOUS. 2nd year has been THE BIGGEST BITCH ever and it's finally come to an end. huzzah!

now on to being locked up for another month to study for boards when chicago is finally getting nice outside (ie. above 40 degrees). POOP.

my next year planned out.

2008-05-13T15:34:00.003-05:00

I'm 70% satisfied with my schedule. If you wanna switch, email me.

listen to: delta goodrem

2008-05-12T23:59:00.005-05:00

she's australian. pretty like carrie underwood. won her battle with hodgkin's lymphoma. sits on a mies van der rohe barcelona chair. check. check. check. check. all of this yields to playing her song non-stop on my ipod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzUNOvj8EVE

new [danish] music!

2008-04-27T22:35:00.004-05:00

2 reasons why the danish are superior.

1: the fashion. their new album has been on repeat this last weekend.

THE FASHION "Solo Impala"

THE FASHION "Like Knives"

2: alphabeat! very hipster band with DUETS!! plus the band gets extra cool points cuz the lead singer looks like michael cera..
ALPHABEAT "Fascination"
ALPHABEAT "10,000 Nights"

i'm not one to keep a countdown.

2008-04-15T16:59:00.003-05:00

but, 2 months + 2 days.miss deleon. i miss having you be my study buddy.

Listen to: I Stay In Love

2008-04-06T23:39:00.002-05:00

sounds like MC has another hit album on her hands. this is my fave:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81BzmtXyUIY The lyrics are def a We Belong Together Pt.2.

she better be big here.

2008-03-18T17:44:00.002-05:00

i can't believe she had tonsilitis during this performance.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUW43sbLw_4 simon LOVES her.

i'm begging you for mercy.

2008-03-10T14:21:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: how appropriate. it's itune's FREE single of the week. make sure you get it before next week... http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=275822728&s=143441

why does british music sound more fresh than american music? more progressive? takes more risks? ability to accept new styles? I dunno, but this new song is just been on loop for the past 2 hours while i'm studying. very "stand by me" + "chain of fools" + austin power according to judy. i couldn't have said it better.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE2orthS3TQ

don't waste your time....

2008-03-08T12:56:00.002-06:00

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=156643

HE NEVER FAILS!!

2008-03-05T23:22:00.001-06:00

you can call me the biggest archie fan.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcUF4d6qGFI

TIM YOU'RE NOT WALKING FIERCE!

2008-03-04T17:53:00.001-06:00

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/03/project-runway.html

random song i love #709: i love it when we do

2008-02-25T23:45:00.004-06:00

"I dig it when we kiss and we hug and you’re cuter than a bug in a rug my love"
the most absurd lyrics ever. BUT i don't know any song that is SUNNIER than this. this song totally turns my frown upside-down :D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8JppA8MWyg
man. check out his pants when he's with woman #2. kinda crass, no?

celine dion is better than YOU.

2008-02-19T13:21:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3U35Z72Fj8

Happy Birthday Kevin!

2008-02-16T15:37:00.004-06:00

miss you and sorry i'm not there to celebrate. happy 18th!

j'aime sa voix.

2008-02-14T22:39:00.000-06:00

c'est si bon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc7AYJZP6UE

i'll let the funky music do the talking

2008-02-13T18:25:00.004-06:00

this is their best video YET.http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZIMzh7y_Gbc
this song has been playing nonstop for the past several months. best song off of "tangled up". spice girls, who?

and that triple latte meant he loved me too

2008-02-11T17:54:00.000-06:00

thanks liz for sending me this. i've been watching this non-stop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXS0nEOx_20
i have a taylor in my life. and he works at argo. he is very inspirational. very inspirational.

if you ain't got no evidence, take your judgmental ass home

2008-02-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

this is just too f-u-n-n-i-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6651cdfaaf

awesome song that came up on shuffle #583

2008-02-09T23:09:00.000-06:00

never (past tense) by roc project/tina arena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jno6va4hq8

I can't be with you again
Don't remind me of the good times that we had
I learned a lot from us since then
And I never want these feelings to ever come again

You'll never hear me crying
You'll never see me trying
To love you once again
Your love is so past tense

this man is too great.

2008-02-08T17:56:00.000-06:00

he had me at his "egh egh egh" laugh. <3 him.

I LOVE THIS.

2008-02-07T21:13:00.001-06:00

3.1 Phillip Lim
fashion week is almost to a close.

persepolis.

2008-02-03T09:38:00.000-06:00

go see it! throughout the movie i laughed and cried. unbelievable story of an Iranian telling her story through animation about the sad and troubling history of Iran. i haven't seen a movie this amazing in awhile.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl6kH3xPwDU

omg i <3 the kidney

2008-02-01T20:42:00.000-06:00

made by ucsf's zolo. this is GENIUS.http://youtube.com/watch?v=FYekviedhAM

Remember them? BBMak

2008-01-25T21:58:00.001-06:00

Remember them? Wow, music from the TRL era, and definitely brought quality to the list. I have to say that BBMak is my favorite boy band. EVER. Not Backstreet Boys. Not *NSYNC. Nah. Neither of those two fulfills the qualities that I admire about BBMak.
[1] They play their own instruments.
[2] All of the members have amazing vocals.
[3] They write their own material.
[4] None of their albums have filler.
[5] They're from England!
[6] All of the members are H-O-T.swoon.

I <3 Bagels!

2008-01-24T19:29:00.000-06:00

Last Friday afternoon after massive overhaul at Banana Republic, which I might add had the best deals I have ever seen (I saved 80%), Mari, Christine, Amy and I had a discussion about our PBL groups over a mid-afternoon meal. Mari noted that when she had PBL, her preceptor forced everyone to introduce themselves along with their respective passion. PASSION. That's such a difficult situation where you are put on the spot to name your, all caps, PASSION. Thinking long and hard... I was sad that nothing really came to mind, except for FOOD. I know I love food. So I guess that has to be it.

So this explains the highlight of my day today which was when Matt tells me that a new Einstein Bros. bagels is arriving at 300 E. Ohio. aka the old Holiday Inn location to replace that Corner-copia Cafe. This is great! GREAT!! Another lunch option besides Panera, Chipotle, Potbelly's, etc. Here is a press release estimating a February 2008 opening.

Aside:
This reminds me that I should go visit Pompeii "bakery" that I raved about opening over the summer, but have yet to still gone to eat there... AND only a block away from me. (Friends take note! Let's also go to Zest and Eno the wine and chocolate bar, both at the Intercontinental Hotel next door to me...)

Not that I go buy lunch often... (if you ever eat lunch with me, you know everyday I always bring my turkey or ham sandwich on either a French baguette or 7 grain bread, Yoplait guava yogurt, an apple or a pear, and a diet Coke for kicks. Dennis = anal-retentive, utterly boring and predictable.) But BAGELS! During undergrad, I would eat bagels like no other. Bagels were to my diet like how tea gschwendner is now part of my morning ritual.

Coming to med school, where are the bagels in my life? I guess it was integrated intermittently into my lunch last year, but it was so easy to return to my apartment at noon and eat something more substantial. So, slowly the bagels have phased out... But now, I feel like this is the time for a bagel comeback.

Who could resist a freshly crisp on the outside yet moist on the inside bagel? And then slathered with an inch high of cream cheese. But don't stop there. The toppings add onto the greatness. My favorite? Poppy seed. Something about those nutty little black specks that make the gaps between your teeth look unfortunate but enhance those circular mounds of carb.

So I can't wait until a month from now to repeat what has happened with my relationship with the other newly opened restaurants in my neighborhood. Eagerly waiting for their arrival, visit and consume the foods occasionally for the first couple weeks, then fondly walk pass by them, thinking about purchasing some baked goods, but by the time I make the decision, I'm block away from the entrance running home to escape the blistery Chicago winds.

Sad. But bagels WILL make a comeback.

from m. cipherbook.

2008-01-22T22:27:00.000-06:00

but i heart rabbits

me: Ooh that's a nice cardigan, can I touch?
Dennis: Of course -- it's rabbit hair.
Christine: You know, Martin's favorite animals are rabbits and bunnies...
[silence]
Dennis: [touches Martin's arm with the sleeve] It's like the rabbits are petting you.
me: Dead rabbits!

27 Dresses

2008-01-21T20:52:00.000-06:00

27 dresses WAS SO AMAZING. that is all.

Undecided No More...

2008-01-10T16:20:00.001-06:00

Wow. The Electoral Compass was the best way to see which candidate agreed most with your beliefs and values among the various issues shown on the above right. What was even more excellent is that they have direct quotes from debates and interviews to see exactly where they stand. Also, they have the option of saving your results and allow you to change your opinion as the election goes on until November... Apparently, my values are aligned with Obama. Surprise surprise. (I was/am/am not(??) leaning towards Hillary for now...)

My Most Played Songs of 2007

2008-01-03T15:59:00.000-06:00

Looking at Judy's Xanga, I really wanted to do this again. This was last year's list. Here is my list for 2007:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEskpfHOTAk

10. Elliott Yamin - Wait For You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_vCOOW_BsE

9. Roísíin Murphy - Let Me Know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzA0nG_PurQ

8. Mika - Grace Kelly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wioa74MsBYA

7. Björk - Earth Intruders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be6jlCuMvVQ

6. Mika - Relax (Take it Easy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlZUOOnJ5hU

5. The Pipettes - Pull Shapes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfzEbmBEh_Q

4. Katharine McPhee - Over It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPPgHlh1PVI

3. Sugababes - About You Now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4X7eFbP3u4

2. Rihanna - Umbrella

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwXxUTGNe2U

1. Hilary Duff - With Love

Kinda shocked that this is my #1 single of 2007. oh wells. NO SHAME.

Almost made the cut:

Sugababes - Never Gonna Dance Again

Jordin Sparks - Tattoo

Groove Armada/Mutya Buena - Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)

Feist - One Evening

Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder

Girls Aloud - Call the Shots

Lemme know yours. Make a "smart playlist" in iTunes, and limit your playlist to 10 most played songs that you added after 01/01/2007.

YUMM.

2007-11-20T14:18:00.000-06:00

test is tomorrow, but i am procrastinating.

too bad when christine and i went to the oprah show, it wasn't the favorite things... apparently oprah and i have the same favorite thing: SORBETTO.

CIAO BELLA BLOOD ORANGE SORBETTO

Ciao Bella's Blood Orange Sorbetto is made from all natural ingredients including blood orange juice shipped straight from Sicily. "I love it because the flavor is just so refreshing," Oprah says.

Approximate value: $4.99/pint at select grocery stores
800-3-GELATO (800-343-5286); www.ciaobellagelato.com

this unhealthy obsession began with dinner at mari's when martin and neil brought dessert from fox and obel. and what a delicious dessert it was. the mango flavor is absolutely roll your eyes to the back of your head/i really can't think of anything better in my mouth feeling. seriously. i raved it so much to judy, and she said, "it's like biting into a mango without all the stringy-ness". yes. the mango of my life.

i think fox and obel is becoming the new trader joe's for me. no, that's too strong of a statement. tj's has great frozen foods and snacks that you can't get anywhere else for the price. but fox and obel has awesome produce at a reasonable price and items you can't find anywhere else. plus i'm too lazy to go to treasure island, which i think has the best bang for your buck... anyways, i decided to be more adventurous and go beyond my orange/apple purchases and go with the exotic pear. the concorde pear to be exact. and wow. best pear ever. crisp and juicy. a sweet that is subtle and has hints of other flavors like vanilla. YUM.

i can't wait for thanksgiving. the turkey is brining and read to be roasted.

stupid test.

Listen to: Wow

2007-11-16T18:04:00.000-06:00

my favorite song off the new kylie:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-f2zYR-VkI

test on wednesday. hematology + oncology + endocrinology = DEATHHHHHHH!
I can't wait for Thanksgiving.
Yesterday, I bought at 13 lb turkey. Can't wait to brine it. YUM-O.

Have you been high today?

2007-11-04T21:06:00.000-06:00

I love you inside me...



	BEST VIDEO EVER.I have to thank Wael for this wonderful video that made me laugh for 5 minutes STRAIGHT. I haven't laughed this much in SO LONG. Judy's coming to visit on Wednesday!!! :D.

omg. judy found it!!!

2007-10-09T21:19:00.000-05:00

ahhhhhhh! remember when I wrote about Klymaxx and how Judy and I loved loved LOVED this SNL skit we saw during sophomore year?? well, Judy found it~!!!! omg. this is the best skit ever (kinda makes sense only if you have seen the klymaxx videos before...)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKFcLzBalGU

for a more current skit...watch another classic andy samberg moment here. "oh sorry. i was just putting one stray braid in my hair using native american beads that i got in hot topic in the bob marley section."

sadness.

2007-10-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

I'm glad Mari and I got to see it before THIS happened... another thing to be sad about. M2 year SUCKS ASS.

is he trying to tell me something?...

2007-10-05T11:35:00.001-05:00

So Christine and i were watching the new Britney Spears' video, "Gimme More". We were both analyzing how great she looks and the storyline between the good v. evil Britney... All of a sudden, my computer CRASHED. Bradley?!? (aka my Macbook). He probably couldn't handle it... sigh. I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNn2BTwykVQ

Iran So Far

2007-09-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

BEST CLIP EVER.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhBQxbxAcLg

You can deny the holocaust all you want
But you can’t deny there’s something between us.

They call you "Weasel"
They say your methods are medieval
You can play the Jews
I can play your Jim Caviezel...

are you excited as much as i am about this?

2007-09-21T23:52:00.001-05:00

Listen to: Let Me Know

2007-09-09T09:52:00.000-05:00

Whoa. I didn't expect Roísín Murphy to take it to this direction. In the direction that I LOVE.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGV0Ey6R138

I love the whole concept of ridiculous fashion in the most mundane places... Get the song here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlFjf1pWk2c

This makes me so happy.

2007-09-08T16:33:00.000-05:00

Argo Tea - Streeterville OPENING SOON!
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
(new Prentice Women's Hospital)
333 E Superior St, Chicago IL 60611
corner of Superior and Fairbanks, located in the hospital lobby
Ph: n/a

Sad that I'm drooling over a new building. Hope we get a decent sized classroom for the M2s...

Listen to: About You Now

2007-09-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

Sugababes - About you now (EXCLUSIVE MUSIC VIDEO)
Uploaded by french20

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2x8fp_sugababes-about-you-now-exclusive-m_music

Have been listening to this song NON STOP... Combining Dr. Luke ("Since U Been Gone" guy) and Cathy Dennis ("Can't Get You Out Of My Head" lady) is a mix destined for me to enjoy. Good job Sugababes... I'm impressed with the new comer Amelle... But I still Mutya.... This video makes me miss London.

Listen to: Tattoo

2007-08-30T20:20:00.000-05:00

wow. go jordin sparks for getting stargate to produce her debut single...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6vmYr00LyE

school = TOO BUSY. m2 year = m1 * 9098. need to find time to just rewind.

Listen to: Runaway

2007-08-21T23:39:00.000-05:00

It's scary how brilliant Avril's music is.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Uk1PrGflk

I just wanna scream and lose control
Throw my hands up and let it go
Forget about everything and runaway yeah
I just want to fall and lose myself
Laughing so hard it hurts like hell
Forget about everything and runaway yeah

don't hate.

Day 1: Westminster Abbey, Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square

2007-08-09T22:12:00.000-05:00

These past two weeks, I've been everywhere but Chicago. Before my trip to Europe, I had the chance to visit Baltimore again for Andrea and Rich's wedding. It was a completely beautiful affair and you can see pictures here. Special thanks to Olivia, Stacy, Anna and Sudip for hanging out this weekend. You guys are the best.

If you didn't know before, Mari and I have been planning to go to Europe for the past month. This summer is supposedly my LAST SUMMER EVER, so I had to make good use of it and go to the continent I most longed to visit. The summer flew by quickly and the day finally came. We took the el to O'Hare and flew all the way to Heathrow.
Let me say that the London Underground is THE BEST hand down subway system I have ever been on. Although the trains don't go everywhere, the entire system runs so smoothly. All the stations and trains were clean. But one trip on the underground is 4 pounds. In dollars, that's more than $8. Can you imagine paying for one trip for $8?? Oh well... the dollar STINKS. I loved the voices on the intercom telling you where to go. Best line ever? "This is a Picadilly line service to Cockfosters". *snort* We were the only ones giggling whenever we heard that. I am so mature.
Our hostel was located in West Kensington, 15 minutes west of London proper. The neighborhood was quiet and nice. Ace hostel is the first and probably the best hostel I will stay at. It was really clean (you can tell what makes me approve of things), high tech (keys were security card keys, internet available for use), friendly staff, a jacuzzi in the back! and breakfast in the morning. Contrary to the picture, I took the bottom bunk. The first night was great because we had the room to ourselves. Later, four other Americans (2 from Minnesota and 2 from the south) took the rest of the beds.
Dropping off our stuff, we headed over to Westminster Abbey.
It was great having Mari on the trip because she was so knowledgeable about British and French history.
Inside the Abbey (boo for prohibiting pictures...), there is so much history involved with the building. So many tombs with royalty and other tributes to important Britains.

Since the London Eye was so close, we decided to purchase tickets in advance. 15 pounds... SO EXPENSIVE. The dollar is SO WEAK.
Waterloo station to take us to Picadilly Circus aka the Time Square of London.
English term of the day: Hole in the wall = ATM/cash machine. This hole in the wall was most likely a bar...

Lights were awesome but I like Time Square better...
The one thing I noticed while walking around Europe is that the buildings are so much more beautiful than those here in America. Just by looking at it, you can see that there is so much history in all the buildings. Every street was just a sight to see.

Wonder if Lis knows Henry...
Got some great pub food at the Porcupine.
Had to try the fish and chips...
One of our professors told us that he goes to England and stocks up on ketchup because his daughter is allergic to fructose. Every American product is full of that stuff. But in England, they use sugar instead... And it's true! Not as tangy as the Heinz here but smoother and sweeter...
The National Gallery at Trafalgar Square.
Sadly no pigeons.

I'm too old. I couldn't climb up the lion... Mari took a great shot of me of my attempt.
Walking around, we found this palace like building. Apparently, it's a huge stable called Horses Guard. I wanna be a British horse.

We got a glimpse of Buckingham Palace at night.
By this time, I had been on about 2 hours of sleep and had been awake for at least 18 hours. I was a zombie walking to the nearest tube stop. SO TIRED.

Day 2: British Museum, Jason, Tate Modern, Mary Poppins

2007-08-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

Before we went on our trip, Mari and I made a detailed itinerary of what we set out to do each day. For the most part, we did all of the places and things we set out to do. This picture is for you Martin.
The British Museum.
This newly added atrium in the center of the museum is fantastic. I love the ceiling.

The Rosetta stone! It was MASSIVE.
Getting close to the Pantheon. WOOP-AH. That was for you Biswas.
Looking at all the friezes.
Lots of metopes and pediments to see.

Gotta love the Buddha.
Cool mummies.
Jason was working at Cambridge at the time helping out a summer school program for high schoolers. It was great that he could take time off from work to meet up with us. King's Cross is awesome.
Had to visit Platform 9 and 3/4 obviously.
Italian food at Lecester Square.
Walking over to the Tate Modern.
Cool factory building converted into museum space.

Had a few amazing pieces of modern art (especially the Rothko room), but overall I was underwhelmed with the collection. I didn't like how they were arranged by subjective interpretations rather than chronologically. It didn't make sense.

Millennium bridge.

So we bought theater tickets to see Mary Poppins at 7pm. Unfortunately, we were at the Tate Modern until 5:30pm. The smart thing to do was to go straight to the show and eat around there. But I was adament on going to Brick Lane to get some good Indian food. Oh man, the people on the streets were to pushy and getting you into their restaurant. We got in one that promised quick food and 25% off. They didn't keep their promise and the food came at 6:30pm, leaving us a half hour to get to the theater on the opposite side of London.
Our hurried taxi ride there. I was so nervous to miss our show...
But we made it!
It was such a fun show and I like how they went beyond the movie to distinguish itself. I really liked how the entire audience got into the show and had so much energy. But it was definitely less formal affair than watching a show here. People left all their trash everywhere, and people were taking pictures throughout the show...
My favorite was the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious dance. While singing, they spelled out each letter with their hands. It was AWESOME. Watch:After the show, we scarfed down the Indian food we bought earlier and said goodbye to Jason. Walking back we found this pub...
Another view of Picadilly...

Day 3: Buckingham Palace, Knightsbridge, London Eye

2007-08-09T21:42:00.000-05:00

London was full of diversity that is very unlike the US. Here, diversity means a different physical feature. So in London, I was kinda surprised that a lot of people that I expected to didn't speak English. In London, there were so many languages speaking at once that I couldn't keep track. The front of Buckingham Palace.

This was my favorite part of London. Seeing the palace, the whole place was so opulent and magnificent. There is so much living history in one building and I liked how everything is still in use. Too bad I couldn't take pictures. Don't want to mess with the Queen.
The backyard of the palace.

Near the palace was Hyde Park.
Loved the parks in London.

The serpentine near the lake overlooked some nasty smelling water. This was the dirtiest lake I've ever seen...
We headed south to Knightsbridge to do some exploring.
Found this awesome and hip Japanese joint called Wagamama. Had great chicken katsu curry there.

The Victoria and Albert museum is such a cool museum devoted to decorative arts.

Missed the Kylie exhibit by a month! Damn.
Loved the Chihuly sculpture in the center of the desk.
I love how all British museums are FREE.
We mostly checked out the fashion exhibit. There was a special one devoted to New York.
Grabbed some afternoon tea near Harrod's.
So much food for an afternoon snack...
COOLEST STORE EVER. Had everything that you ever want in one building.
Wish I could afford it tho...

900 pounds worth of dog.... that's a freakin $2,000 dog.
I thought America was bad with Christmas starting before Halloween. England is worse. Christmas has already begun there.
By nightfall, we wanted to see the city when it was dark on the London Eye.
Coolest ferris wheel ever.

It was funny to hear the group of American guys with us hoping that Big Ben would light up...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. fructose-free ketchup....

Day 4: Au Revoir Londres, Hello Paris

2007-08-09T21:36:00.001-05:00

We had around 6 hours before our Eurostar train ride to Paris, so we decided to check out a few spots we missed along the way.St. Paul's cathedral.

The one shot I could get inside. It was really cool that you can climb up to the top of the dome.
After 400 steps...
and out of breath.
My favorite building in London, the egg one.

While we were going up, the fire alarm rang. It was a false alarm, but we went down nonetheless, causing us to climb the thing TWICE.
The view to the bottom of the cathedral from the top of the dome.
Mari never thought she would see her name graffitied before she got there.

Double decker bus!!
Back to Trafalgar for a quick snack.
Yummy Marks & Spencers sea salt and vinegar crisps and pink lady apple juice.
We dropped by the National Gallery after eating and wishe we stayed longer. So much to see, and the impressionists gallery was amazing. Cool to see Van Gogh's sunflowers. But it was time to say goodbye to London...
And enter the zone of speaking French. Our "hotel" was located in the Marais neighborhood, which was a quiet and thankfully safe part of Paris. Before going back to the hotel, we explored and had dinner at a cafe near République. The blurry figures in the picture is this hot couple making out. It really is the city of romance. Every corner, people sucking face. It was quite alarming.
My croque monsieur was GUUUDE.

Day 5: Louvre et les Champs-Elysées

2007-08-09T21:24:00.001-05:00

By now, I was getting TIRED. But more than half the trip was left so I had to suck it up and go on! The Louvre:These I.M. Pei pyramids are GENIUS. I fell in love with them.
I never been in a museum where I was more fascinated and interested in the building rather than the relics they had to show. The Louvre focuses on items before 1900 and mostly historical artifacts. Not of much interest to me.

I wanna read the Da Vinci code again.

The Mona Lisa was bigger than I expected it to be.
But it was ridiculous seeing this many people go crazy over on painting. It goes against the point of viewing and appreciating art. Getting close and inspecting the piece was impossible unless you were under 10 years old. Apparently children have first class access. Damn those toddlers.
Loved this painting the best in the Louvre.
The palace was so beautiful.

Napoleon III's bed.
Amazing sculpture gardens.

Code of Hammurabi!
Venus de Milo!

Oh man, we spent like 5 hours in there, and we only saw like 1/3 of the entire museum. And we were speed walking throughout the entire time. The museum is MASSIVE.
The Champs-Elysées!
Le Grand Palais!
Louis Vuitton!

Arc de Triomphe!

La Grande Arche at La Defense!

It's cool how the two arches align perfectly.

Grabbed some great pizza at this German place called Falstaff. While looking around for a restaurant, Parisians LOVE Tex-Mex food. I was so surprised. They love tacos and burritos, etc.... The most popular was one called "Indiana" and the beer of choice was Desperados. Too bad we didn't try it.

Bastille.
Walking down la Seine at night is amazing. The entire river was lined with people, picnic-ing out until midnight. Rows of petanque/bocce ball courts line the river too for people to play. Wish I could've played! Just needed the balls :(.
Notre Dame!

Day 6: Opéra et Montmartre

2007-08-09T21:08:00.001-05:00

République in the morning. Every morning, we started out going to a patisserie or a boulangerie to grab a quick bite before our day out. Ever single patisserie had the best croissants and pains au chocolat ever. I say it's in the butter...Omg. Finding this American Express office was my saviour. I had these traveler's checks but I would get charged 15% of the value of the check which was ridiculous. Only American Express could do it without the charge because I bought my checks from them. Never was I so happy to see the words American...
Inside Les Galaries Lafayettes, a huge department store.

The old Opera house.
The grand marble staircase.
Loved the Chagall ceiling.

The ballroom.
The day room.
The night room.
Sacre-coeur!

This woman was so entertaining while we were resting in front of the Sacre Coeur. She sang songs and was getting the crowd involved.

View from the top.

Inside taking a secret shot.
Moulin de la galette. One of only two remaining real windmills used back in the day.

We were just wondering around Montmartre, and we found the fruit and vegetable stand used in the movie Amélie. I was ecstatic.
I should have dipped my fingers in the sac of nuts like the movie.
Art nouveau style metro entrance.
Pigalle was the street full of prostitutes and items like this!
SEXODROME.
Found the Moulin Rouge!
Went back for some bar food at Montmartre. This gelato was SO GOOD.
Went back early for the long day ahead the next day. Paris doesn't get dark until 10pm....

Day 7: FREE Museum Day

2007-08-09T20:52:00.001-05:00

While going from the Louvre to Champs-Elysées the previous day, we missed the Jardins Tuileries and Place de la Concorde because we were searching for food. We got off the proper Louvre stop that took you directly to the center of the museum where we found this, the pyramid under le carrousel du Louvre, the circular road entrance of the Louvre. Where the chalice meets the blade! I shoulda done the Da Vinci Code tour...Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel.
Les jardins Tuileries.

La place de la Concorde.
Mari and I came to Paris on a great weekend. On the first Sunday of each month, all the museums in Paris are free. We saved three museums for this day: Musée d'Orsay, L'Orangerie, Centre Pompidou. It was jam packed with people. We waited more than an hour to get into the d'Orsay, but it was definitely worth it. It is my favorite museum of all time.
The museum focuses on art produced 1850s to 1950s, highlighting the impressionists... my FAVORITE.
Manet's Déjeuner sur l'herbe.
Whistler's mother.
Le Sacre-Coeur in the background. The building used to be an old train station, and was converted into a museum. I loved all the random clocks reminding you of its previous use.
Renoir is my favorite artist, and seeing all these famous works gave me chills. La Balançoire.
Bal au moulin de la galette (we were just there the previous day!)
Dance in the country. Dance in the city.
Girls at the piano. My favorite.

Outside on the roof.
Goodbye d'Orsay.
Bonjour l'Orangerie. This is another impressionists gallery. It's famous for the Monet's 8 giant panels Nymphéas, pond scenes displayed with his exact specifications in an oval room.
More Renoir.

These things were MASSIVE.
It felt like you were transported in the middle of the lake.

Two down, one more to go. The last was the Musée de l'art moderne au Centre Pompidou. The building is so cool; I liked the description where it feels like it was turned inside out. White beams mean structural. Green means water pipes. Blue means air pipes. The top two floors were devoted to the museum. But the lower ones is a huge library for people to study. Loved their free internet. Hate French keyboards. The M key is located where the :; key is. And the QWAZ all swapped places.
Stepped more into the future of modern/contemporary art.

Tons of Kandinskys...

George Braque.
Rene Magritte.

Dinner in front of the Centre Pompidou.
The view from dinner.

We decided to check out the Eiffel tower at night since it was still early.

Day 8: Strolling through Rive Gauche

2007-08-09T20:38:00.001-05:00

After a heavy day of planned activities, this day was great because nothing was really planned. Previously, we mainly focused on Paris to the right of the river (Rive Droite). Now it was time to check out Rive Gauche, and this was definitely the cooler side of Paris.PAUL was the best patisserie of them all. Oh man. To bring this place to US.... I WOULD GO EVERYDAY. I requested a coffee, but got an espresso intead. My first and it was tasty with my pain au chocolat aux amandes.....
Too bad it was pouring that morning. Also, too bad it was like Paris was on summer vacation. Half of the stores were on their month long closures.
On the way the Latin Quarter, we checked out the inside of Notre Dame.

Free admission! Woot!

Nicest confessional booth EVER. Glass walls?!? Not very private but oh so cool. I saw several of them filled, but felt wrong taking pictures of those...
Remember Before Sunset, where in the first scene Ethan Hawke is promoting his novel? We visited Shakespeare and Co and it was the coolest bookstore I've ever been inside. It was a store devoted solely for English language books (darn!)
You can totally just plop down on a couch and just read in there forever. Apparently they have rooms reserved for writers to give them space to write. Such a different world!
Every corner in Paris, we could find a newstand. And this was my favorite. BRITNEY SPEARS: TOUJOURS PLUS TRASH. PUHAHA.
In our guidebook, Musée de Cluny was a site to check out in the St. Germain des Près section of Paris. I never really could read Mari is she was joking or not that we should go to a museum devoted to medieval Paris... I obviously didn't want to go.
We walked on over to la jardin du Luxembourg instead, close to the Panthéon.
This high school orchestra with a choir played music. We listened for 30 minutes because they played Disney classics like Beauty and the Beast, A Whole New World, Circle of Life, Pirates of the Carribean and Sound of Music (Do-Re-Mi and Edelweiss).
Paris is so cool that everywhere you go, you'll find a palace with a huge garden.

I love my topiary.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! In front of l'église Saint-Germaine-des-Près, the oldest church in Paris.
So this intersection with the church has three of the most famous cafés in Paris. We chose to go to Les Deux Magots, because it was more posh. Apparently writers like Sartre, Hemingway and Simone de Beauvoir and Picasso went their for inspiration. It was a great way to relax in the middle of the day. The Parisians really know how to enjoy life and take time throughout the day to relax.
Un citron pressé avec un café. The couple in front of us were hot.
Walking through St-Germaine-des-Près. Tons of art galleries. Less touristy and much more quiet thankfully.
Look what we stumbled upon... a med school of course. LAME!
Dome church at les Invalides.
I got another croque-madame. SO GOOD. Best french fries EVER.
We wanted to go to the top of the Eiffel tower that night, but they closed it at 10:30pm. But it was cool to see it again. Every hour, the tower would twinkle and sparkle with these bright lights. So pretty.

Day 9: Versailles and TO THE TOP!

2007-08-09T20:20:00.000-05:00

Last day in Paris! So sad. We took the RER and went to Versailles to check out the palace.I thought it would be a restful day to escape from the city. I was TOTALLY wrong. Throngs of tourists visited and we waited in line for 2.5 hours just to get our ticket. CRAZY.
Then we waited in another line for an hour to go through security. The French really know how to make things inefficient. Mari: "This is why France doesn't rule the world." Hear hear.
Inside the chapel.
One of many rooms for the King.
The throne.
Hall of mirrors.

Getting through the rooms inside the palace was insane. People were taking pictures everywhere, and each room was packed with people. You really couldn't walk around and get a feel for the place. But the garden outside was so much better.
l'Orangerie.
More topiary. This place was HUGE. I basically takes an hour to walk from one end to another.
The flowers were so pretty.

The clouds were ominous. I loved how the garden was free to the public. I would like to picnic there again. It was just endless amounts of greenery and fountains.
The marble courtyard.
Back around les Invalides where we had our last dinner in Europe. sadness.
Back to go to the top!
It was temporarily closed because it was raining...
But they opened it up! Yay for the French!

Really windy and cold up there.
We mainly stayed in the observation room the whole time.

Goodbye Paris. :(.

Day 10: Goodbye Europe

2007-08-09T20:17:00.000-05:00

The last day was just a travel. Couldn't really much check out Europe that day. Packed up and left our hotel to go to Gare du Nord for our Eurostar.Paris métro --> Gare du Nord --> Eurostar --> London Waterloo --> Underground tube --> Heathrow --> O'Hare --> el (freakin took like 2 hours on the train due to so many delays. I hate CTA) --> home.
Judy: this last picture is for you. None of the stations in London had the clickity-clackity walls... They were all electronic. Grrr for modernity.

Europe I will miss you and until we meet again. Au revoir.

Listen to: Sexy! NO NO NO

2007-07-22T19:23:00.000-05:00

After reading my blog and if you haven't noticed by now, you should definitely know that I LOVE GIRLS ALOUD. Only the Brits can make legit girl groups like them. And the fact that they basically release new (better and more mature) material every year makes them just so much more AWESOME.

Watch their performance of their new single called "Sexy! No No No!"
http://www.youtube.com/v/g9uV8ZXrebM
HOTT.

Why I Love My School, Reason #54

2007-07-11T10:59:00.000-05:00

The XXX-rated med school teacher

By Jane Elliott
BBC News, health reporter

Sex shops can provide useful teaching tools....

Dr Carla Pugh makes an unusual shopping trip at the start of every academic year as she prepares teaching materials for her medical students - to porn emporia and toy shops.

Worried by the quality and anatomical accuracy of mannequins available for her students to practise on, Dr Pugh decided to take matters into her own hands and provide her own.

"One model that was available for teaching the students had the rectum in the wrong place, in another the prostate was in the wrong position.

"The penises that were available were made of styrofoam and they were all the same.

Secret motive

"So I decided to get my own," said the assistant professor of surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.

"I had to go into porn shops and ask for lots of penises, all sizes, erect and not erect, circumcised and non-circumcised. I was met with gales of laughter in the shops."

They would be really freaked if they knew I wanted the dolls to cut up

Carla Pugh

She also frequents toy shops for materials, but admits she does not tell the shop assistants what she wants her weird collection of objects for.

"They would be really freaked if they knew I wanted the dolls to cut up," she laughed.

She also buys baby dolls for delivery models, squishy balls are used to represent ovarian masses and harder wooden balls for ovarian cancers.

Models are combined with computer technology

"I think my students are clueless about what I have gone through to get the materials to teach them - but what students do know the work their teacher has done to prepare?"

Dr Pugh has also patented technology to combine portions of fully formed anatomical mannequins with computers to teach medical students to do exams on the body's most private and sensitive areas - genitalia, breasts and rectums.

At the prostate station students can examine several models of the male posterior.

Sensors

In each they have a fully formed anus and rectum. There are paper-thin sensors inside to measure a student's touch and send individual readings to an attached computer monitor.

These are the sort of exams, she said, that students are often most worried about performing and which medical school instructors can also find embarrassing.

Dr Pugh practised on her own dolls as a child

"We've got big issues in the US with sexuality," said Dr Pugh.

"These guys have to be able to do it and act professional, so that adds a lot of pressure."

Cadavers are still used for anatomy, but Dr Pugh said that, as in the UK, there has been a shortage of bodies being offered for donation.

But she added that even when these bodies were available, often they were not suitable for students to practice on.

"Many of the women who donate their bodies have had hysterectomies, so the students do not have a uterus to practise on," she said.

Natural sensation

She also added that practising on a rigid rigor mortis body was very different from the softer form of the live body that her students would encounter.

Aids are devised to give a naturalistic feel

Dr Pugh said her simulators were not perfect, but that they were close enough to the reality for the students to know whether their touch is too rough, too soft - or if they have missed a key spot entirely.

They provided a much needed bridge, she said, between traditional medical training where students often go straight from textbook to exam room with live patients, where they observe skilled doctors in action.

"Guess what? They are sweating bullets because they haven't had a scenario where they can talk about it comfortably, safely and with someone who is more knowledgeable."

Dr Pugh began performing "surgery" on her dolls as a child, transplanting eyes and limbs with a sewing kit borrowed from her mother.

She said she had always maintained a hands-on approach to medicine.

But she felt very disappointed by how little 'real-life' practice she was able to do as a student herself.

"It frustrated me because I was unsure. I didn't have the level of access to the human body that I wanted."

Doctorate

Dr Pugh's prostate simulator

She came up with the idea for her technology while working on a doctorate in education at Stanford University and obtained a patent for the sensors and data accumulation technology in 2001.

Pugh formed a licensing agreement with Medical Education Technologies Inc, a company specialising in medical training products, in early 2003.

Her pelvic exam simulators are already on the market at prices ranging from $16,000 (£8,200) to $20,000 (£10,300) each, and are used by more than 60 medical and nursing schools around the US.

The prostate exam simulators used in the class, as well as those for breast exams, are still in prototype form.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6503187.stm

I knew those dildos didn't come from a medical device catalog! MYSTERY SOLVED.

Listen to: On the Verge of Something Beautiful

2007-07-05T09:09:00.000-05:00

Married life looks good on him:Youtube

happy 4th of july!

2007-07-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

here’s a little something to help celebrate your freedom from British culture: I love Amy Winehouse, but that was a shitshow.

Chicago has its "world-class" fireworks a day ahead of schedule. I don't know why, but that's how they do it here. Several of us disappointed by the pricey pricey food at Taste of Chicago, we decided to have it a picnic at Grant Park.Clockwise from upper left: apple pie, chocolate covered frozen bananas and strawberries with slivered almonds and toffee pieces, tempting (?) trail mix, cucumber and tomato salad with basil (both produced by my wonderful roommate), yummy chicken wings, baguettes with brie and nutella, cinnamon encrusted pita chips, Christine's wonderful turkey sandwiches with pepperjack cheese, apple pie.The most awesomely patriotic dog.
I don't know why the Vagina building says "Go Rush" on its ceiling...The fireworks were definitely worth seeing. They were shown across the lake, but you can see it anywhere from the park (but stupid trees blocked some of the view.) I've never seen fireworks at such a grand scale. Definitely high tech, and ooooooh-ahhhhhh-worthy.Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Excited for August

2007-07-01T23:31:00.000-05:00

It made me really sad that I would be stuck in Chicago all summer. Stuck is a bad term. I love Chicago and there is so much to do here. I stumble out randomly and it seems to have a festival on every corner... practically everyday.

But I'm so antsy to leave. It's been awhile since I've been anywhere. New York was awesome as a spring break, but I want to go some place different. I'll probably be in Chicago for a long time later in the year. M3 and M4s all say: ENJOY THIS LAST SUMMER. IT IS YOUR LAST SUMMER. LAST

Well for a week in August, this is going to happen:

From: O'Hare (Chicago)
To: Heathrow (London)
Depart: 29 Jul 2007
Class: World Traveller
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed

From: Heathrow (London)
To: O'Hare (Chicago)
Depart: 8 Aug 2007
Class: World Traveller
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed

I am ECSTATIC.

Please watch Sicko.

2007-07-01T23:01:00.001-05:00

You can say that I am a fan of Michael Moore. I haven't seen his other movies, but Fahrenheit 9/11 was such a breath of fresh air at a time when it was unsafe to speak out. I remember watching that film three years ago at the Charles Theatre in Baltimore (man, I wish I had one of those in Chicago...) It was great to see someone with the guts to speak out against the Bush administration and pinpoint all the fallacies people failed to notice or denied ever having seen.

When I heard Moore was planning his next documentary to be about the healthcare system, I was more than intrigued by what he would produce. As a medical student, (or even when I was a college student) I am truly displeased with the healthcare system. Simply, the basis of health care should be helping people, and the American system is an utter failure.

While watching the movie, I couldn't help but go back to senior year when I took that health care and management course. It was interesting to hear all these Johns Hopkins public health officials, people who are at the top of their fields in the health care management speak of the system today. Every lecture, the professors kindly noted the areas that American health care needs to resolve, or it will be a slippery slope to disaster. Americans spend about 16% of the GDP on health care. That's certainly a considerable amount of money and definitely more than what other Westernized countries are paying. The reason why people are spending so much money is that people who are insured are paying for the number of people who are uninsured. This system causes people who can afford to pay for their medical care are paying for people who can't. This brings all the prices up and causes people to go bankrupt.

The number of elderly people are growing exponentially and there is a definite a lack of resources. I kept hearing again and again, you should go into internal medicine. Too many doctors are going into specialized practices where earning greater than six figure salaries. Well hello. My name is Dennis. I have around $40,000 in debt for college. And will now amass another $250,000 grand for medical school. $300,000 is going to be gone. Would it be LOGICAL for me to go into specialty where I won't be able to pay back these loans. It is why so many people aren't going into internal medicine. CAN YOU SEE THIS CYCLE OF DESTRUCTION?

So this movie presented its case on how bad American health care really is. So many people are without insurance. People with insurance aren't getting quality health care and can't afford it. Hospitals are turning patients away. Dropping them literally on the streets. People are dying due to profits of all these private HMOs are making. It's just ridiculous. And oh, there's that controversial part of the 9/11 workers getting 320938 times better care in FREAKIN' Cuba than in the states.

This movie just made me angry. Angry that I'm going to be part of this system that is negatively affecting patients lives. Angry that I'm going to be tied to the system affecting the care I will give to my patients. Angry that I can't do anything about it. Angry that American probably won't change in my generation. Angry that people are so against the single payer system. Angry that Britain and France have FREE health care, and us Americans don't. ANGRY ANGRY ANGRY!!!

That's my two cents and tell everyone to watch this movie. It will make you just go in awe in how bad America is compared to the other nations in the world. The movie is not about Michael Moore and his political beliefs. It is about how opening your mind to other health care systems and wondering why ours isn't like theirs. That concludes my long rant I had to get out after watching.

This July 4th is gonna be AWESOME.

2007-06-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

Reason? TINA AND MIKE ARE COMING!!!!! AT THE SAME TIME!!!!

GONNA BE THE BEST REUNION EVER. We need more pictures together. ASAP.

Listen to: Destination Unknown

2007-06-23T13:43:00.000-05:00

Amir has just introduced me to this new HOTT song for the summer. It's called Destination Unknown by Alex Gaudino. I expect this song to be the Summer Dance Song by a DJ Accompanied by a SCANDALOUS Video 2007. Watch:

Previous Hall of Famers:
Benny Benassi - Satisfaction (2002)
Eric Prydz - Call on Me (2004)
Michael Gray - The Weekend (2005)

I must master it.

2007-06-21T01:29:00.000-05:00

So if you know me, I'm a gym person. Throughout the year, Holmes has been like a second home, trying to every free second I possibly had. After Amy and I moved into our new apartment (pictures that I must post up soon), I've been going to the gym upstairs pretty much everyday. It's so convenient when you want to run a couple of miles, just to go upstairs and get it done. Want to use the elliptical? Lift some weights? Easy. Done and done.Lately, I've given that all up for swimming. On the top floor, there is awesome pool that's the length of half of an official lap. After doing it consistently everyday for the past 10 days, I've concluded that it's such an awesome way to work out your body. Every single muscle in your body is in use all at the same time, and good cardio too! (Swimming = Cardio + Weights = TIME EFFICIENT) Plus so much more fun than just running idly on a treadmill. And, no more nasty sweat coming out of every single pore of your body. AND, none of the joint pains of running. (I should remember to register to run for the half marathon tho...) When I first tried it, I couldn't even reach the end of the lap. But after the advice of Miss Meghan O'Halloran, I can do swim at greater lengths each time I go. But now I must master the flip turn.I've been watching that video again and again, analyzing the best way to do it. Now I'm recommending that swimming is the best way workout ever.

BIG GIRL YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

2007-06-19T18:20:00.000-05:00

Last Monday, I went to the Metro and I got to see wonderful ray of technicolor light that is MIKA. If you've read before, I've seen Mika in NYC during spring break. And that was just amazing. Amy, Rachel and I have never experience a concert so fun like that. With balloons dotting the audience, he brought so much joy and happiness to his performance. Plus, we got to attend the after party where we got to meet/dance/adore him.

So, I looked at this next gig with a certain critical eye. How could he make this show any better than the one in New York? Oh yes he did. His gig was narrowed down to all the upbeat songs (sadly, no more "Over My Shoulder") and added more covers (an AMAZING "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and Jackson 5's "I Want You Back"). Girls in pigtails and cute Dutch dresses were handing out lollipops before the concert, which was amazing! At the end of the set, he set all these huge balloons off in the air, and set TONS of silver confetti in the air, showering us with JOY. PLUS HE TOOK HIS FREAKIN' SHIRT OFF. That single moment, made this set a SMIDGE better than the one in New York... Here are some pictures stolen from Matt:

Today, his new video was just released! Not my favorite song from the album, but my favorite video of his so far. Watchie:

My favorite song!I didn't know there was an official video!!!

Life Lessons from Gareth van Meer

2007-06-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

During one wonderful 80 degree weekend afternoon, which was an amazing respite from all the cold weather we were having, Shelley, Matt and I wanted to start a book club during the summer. Easily wanting to be distracted from our studies of neuroanatomy lab (ick), we furiously wrote down all the novels we wanted to read during our lazy days in the summer we were all looking forward to. Mysteries, road trip novellas, psychological thrillers. All we wanted to read. Anything but medicine please. Ahem, no.
When summer came around, I was excited that Book Club was coming into fruition thanks to Shelley. We read our first novel "Eleven Minutes" by Paul Coelho, a fascinating erotic novel of a blossoming young prostitute from Brazil working in Switzerland. Never have I read a novel that dealt so much of the clitoris. Anyways, book club session was amazing, just listening to people talk about the novel we have invested for the past two weeks. Knowing me, I've never was the best or enjoyed small group sessions, going on and on discussing about a particular subject. Just my minor case of ADD I guess. But I loved how every person had an opinion and brought it to the table. Ideas bounced back and forth, making us reconsider our thoughts about the novel. Definitely meetings I will be looking forward to for the rest of the summer.

After "Eleven Minutes", I've been meaning to read "Fieldwork" by Mischa Berlinski.Stephen King recommended it in on issue of Entertainment Weekly, which he described how certain publishing companies are letting amazing novels in the dark, preventing anyone from reading the novel. With his rave review, and me forking over money for a hardback (shock!) I had to read it. I found it a great story taking me into the deep depths of the jungles in Thailand, describing the mysterious death of a anthropologist who committed suicide in a prison after she was sentenced for killing a missionary. It really was a novel like one of those Russian dolls, where one story opened up to another which opened to another story. Just descriptions of all the food being eaten in Thailand made me wish I weren't sitting cooped up in my apartment, enjoying my relatively bland PB&J sandwich. This is a book I certainly would recommend, but wait for it to come on paperback.

I recommended the next novel for book club, "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" by Marisha Pessl. Tina had been talking about this novel for a long time and just reading the synopsis and the concept for the novel intrigued me. Having the book stem from a guide similar to a syllabus of a literature course. Every chapter of a novel has a basis that is one classic novel in literature. Plus there are pictures!I just love the narrative of Blue van Meer and the relationship she has of her father. It's an interesting combination of admiration of her father, but also a critical eye of him that I find hilarious.

But what Blue's father said to her after an unpleasant day in school where she was ridiculed by her peers, he gave the most sage advice to his daughter, that certainly affected me.

"'But most critically, sweet, never try to change the narrative structure of someone else's story, though you will certainly be tempted to, as you watch those poor souls in school, in life, heading unwittingly down dangerous tangents, fatal digressions from which they will unlikely be able to emerge. Resist the temptations. Spend your energies on your story. Reworking it. Making it better. Increasing the scale, the depth of content, the universal themes. And I don't care what those themes are--they're yours to uncover and stand behind--so long as, at the very least, there is courage. Guts. Mut, in German. Those around you can have their novellas, sweet, their short stories of cliché and coincidence, occasionally spiced up with tricks of the quirky, the achingly mundane, the grotesque. A few will even cook up Greek tragedy, those born into misery, destined to die in misery. But you, my bride of quietness, you will craft nothing less than epic with your life. Out of all of them, your story will be the one to last.'"

I can't wait to finish this book.

Knocked Up

2007-06-18T11:16:00.000-05:00

Man. I have been neglecting this site. So much has happened this summer, but I guess I'll take one thing at a time.

I saw Knocked Up last Saturday. Again, I went into it with high expectations. Huge box office reports can't lie. The American movie going public must have thought this movie is genius. Melissa and Jess both said this movie was hilarious. And you can't go wrong with Katherine Heigl right?

Again, I should have gone in with low expectations. Just like how I felt about Shrek 3 and Pirates 3, this movie was so-so at best. The movie definitely had its memorable hilarious moments, but there was never a really a laugh out loud, knee slappingly great moment in the movie. It was a very subtle and sweet movie. What made me look at it with a critical eye were that none of the characters were relatable. Maybe for some folks, but I had no sympathy for Seth Rogan's Ben character. I thought he was all wrong for Katherine Heigl and could not see the chemistry between them.

But there were two people that made me love this movie.
1) PAUL RUDD. How can you not like Paul Rudd???? Ever since he professed his love for Kenny G in Clueless, my love for him has never waned. The scenes of him at Las Vegas watching Cirque du Soleil on mushrooms... HIL-AR-IOUS. Watch him in action:
2) Kristen Wiig. You may know her on SNL. She was the biggest scene stealer in the movie. Her conniving double talk back stabbing comments made the funniest scenes in the movie. Wish she were in more than the 2 scenes. Here is an outtake:

Listen to: Soulmate

2007-06-12T23:43:00.000-05:00

Quite possibly the best song on the new Natasha Bedingfield album:
Quite possibly the only song that speaks how I feel right now:

Incompatible, it don't matter though
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry
Speak out if you do
You're not easy to find

Is it possible Mr. Loveable
Is already in my life?
Right in front of me
Or maybe you're in disguise

Here we are again, circles never end
How do I find the perfect fit
There's enough for everyone
But I'm still waiting in line

Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone

Summer

2007-06-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

haven't blogged in awhile.

so far: a new apartment + summer in chicago = fun.

what else is fun.... M.I.A.'s new video:

more updates to come!

one year ago...

2007-05-18T17:23:00.000-05:00

following suit with other posts I've seen, here are pictures from about a year ago... seems only like yesterday, eh?I miss senior week. SO FUN!

the one movie i want to see this summer.

2007-05-15T21:01:00.001-05:00

forget potter, spiderman, shrek, bourne, ocean, pirates. i wanna see this:

i unbutton for emphasis...

2007-05-15T20:33:00.001-05:00

too. HOTT.

elisabeth isn't as bad as i thought she was..

2007-05-15T20:14:00.001-05:00

my life is complete.

2007-05-13T00:09:00.000-05:00

Björk! Björk! Björk!!! Getting tickets for this was such a challenge. Presale began during spring break while I was in NYC so I couldn't get tickets then. But it was my #1 priority to go to her Chicago show. Calling ticketmaster incessantly, I finally got an amazing seat first row in first balcony. w00t!

It was so great to see so many Björk fans out there and these fans are CRAZY. Sitting next to me was a woman who flew in from Minneapolis to the show. The man next to her drove from Michigan, and told me he flew all the way to Iceland to see the Sugarcubes reunion couple months ago. And then the other guy next to him drove all the way from Virginia. I was like... hi, I walked here.

Oh man, her setlist for songs changes with every show, so it's always a surprise to hear what song she plays next. She played SOOO many Vespertine songs that totally blew me away. Aurora. Pagan Poetry. It's Not Up to You. UNISON! When she played Unison (my fave from Vespertine), I DIED.

Other favorites of mine were Bachelorette, Oceania, Earth Intruders and Pluto. But I have to say, Hyper-Ballad was like the best.Her dance moves are so cute. Seeing her live is a totally different experience. Just the acoustics of her voice live, it doesn't compare listening to her with your headphones or speakers. Plus she had the best outfit on stage. It was this gold aluminum foil deal with black polka dot tights. You can see it here without the black tights: BEST CONCERT EVER.

omg. this better not happen to me.

2007-05-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

MISERY

love her:i will die when i see her this saturday.

Listen to: Wait for You

2007-05-06T17:46:00.001-05:00

was not a fan of him on idol, but man, this song is SO GOOD. the budget of this video is like $2.

Elliott Yamin - Wait For You
Uploaded by yardie4life

Listen to: the One

2007-05-05T21:56:00.001-05:00

One of Mariah's lost gems:

Listen to: Never Again

2007-05-01T16:46:00.001-05:00

she's back! Angry and HOTT as ever! Her BEST VIDEO EVER.

Fashion saves more lives than doctors.

2007-04-29T14:01:00.000-05:00

Sacha Baron Cohen is HOTT.

Reality

2007-04-28T21:24:00.001-05:00

Man, I'm hungry for some Chipotle. Nothing sounds better than gorging a brick. Seems all healthy, but it isn't. Now I'm not surprised that McDonald's owns Chipotle...

My favorite: Barbacoa burrito with with rice, black beans, tomato, corn and red tomatillo salsas, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Let's assess the damage:

Chipotle Nutrition Facts
Serving Size:1 Burrito


Amount Per Serving

Calories 1543	Calories from Fat 619

% DV*

Total Fat 69g

Saturated Fat 22.5g

Cholesterol 144mg

Sodium 4641mg

Total Carbohydrate 160g

Dietary Fiber 18.5g

Sugars 10g

Protein 72g


Vitamin A 164%

Vitamin C 85%

Calcium 55%

Iron 36%

Chipotle Nutrition Results provided by: Chipotle Fan.comYay for high in Vit. A and C, protein. But, look at that sodium. Daily sodium intake should be like 2000 mg.... I don't care. I want one.

Listen to: Umbrella

2007-04-26T16:59:00.000-05:00

this song has been playing non-stop in my playist for the past copule weeks. and it is HOTT! I'm predicting this will be my summer song for 2007. Rihanna is just take over every summer... (last summer was S.O.S., and the year before was Pon de Replay...)Doesn't hurt the video is HOTT too.

Batman returns...

2007-04-24T09:23:00.000-05:00

Batman has started filming in the city... I should study at the Starbuck's where they're filming near the location. Maybe I'll run into Heath Ledger or Christian Bale, or more realistically, their assistants...

Good news! If you fit these criteria (sorry short ladies), you may be able to meet them in person!

Joan Philo Casting (Fred Claus, Stranger Than Fiction) is gearing up to cast a Summer feature film — to include a bit of filming at the end of April. We are searching for paid stand-ins for the following:

Caucasian male (20’s – 40’s) blonde hair, 5’10” to 6’3”

Caucasian male (20’s – 40’s) brown hair 5’10” – 6’2”

Caucasian male (20’s – 50’s) brown hair 5’8” – 5’10”

Caucasian male (50’s-70’s) grey hair 6’0 – 6’2”

Caucasian Female (20’s – 30’s) brown hair 5’8” – 5’10”

Asian Male (20’s – 60’s) dark hair and/or clean shaven 5’5” – 6’3”

We need to find people that can free up their lives for about three months and work as stand-ins (non-speaking) for the main characters of this film. If you are flexible enough to take time off from your life and work on a film set please call our hotline number and leave us your name and phone number.

*We also need some extras (non-speaking roles) to work with their cars — (there is a car bump for the use of your car). If you are a good driver and have a car without any dents that is in good condition, we might be able to have you in a driving scene. We’d like to find some really good drivers that might work a lot through the summer. We are not allowed to cast white or red cars.

Contact www.joanphilocasting.com or email joanphilo@comcast.net

hmmm... asian male... This could work out.

been listening to this song non-stop for the past hour.

2007-04-23T23:19:00.000-05:00

absolutely ridiculous.

2007-04-23T19:13:00.000-05:00

YUM!

2007-04-23T18:09:00.000-05:00

This drink is BRILLIANT. I'm truly weeping inside that they will discontinue this drink. I shall need to go to the nearest Dominick's and take all their cases.

GENIUS.

2007-04-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

only at stanford...tRNA... w00t!! HYDROGEN BOND!!! alas, the peptide bond is FORMED! w00t!! PEPTIDE BOND!