...But OMG I'm leaving for Montreal in a day!!!! I can't quite realize it still, but I can't wait!  I hope my French doesn't fail too much, and that I'm going to be able to switch back and forth both languages decently.  It just wouldn't do if I couldn't discuss my poster intelligibly. 

Anyway, I still don't know what I will do in the evenings, but I hope I get to see a bit of Montreal.  And maybe do some shopping? :3  I'm dying to have a ROOTs sweater.  And eat in Chinatown. And ride the metro!  And be surrounded by French speaking people. #^_^#

At the same time though, I have to work on my presentation for my Soc. & Beh. class. with no. internet. !!!! 
:sigh: It's going to be hard having to present a few hours after landing back in SA, but such is life...and a week later, school ends~ \^o^/  I can then focus 100% on getting ready for moving to the new house and later to Fort Worth.  I've been poking around some apartment websites to see what's out there, and it's really exciting.  But then I remember that I'll have to live alone. :( And drive!  I almost got into an accident today and scared my mother shitless. Oops.  I really need to start paying more attention to my surroundings and stop relying on my passenger to have an extra pair of eyes. -_-;

#^___^#

I got a virtual gift~!!! Thank you!!!  Though I have been on LJ for about...well, 8-9 years, this is the first time!   I wonder what I did to receive such a cute puppy!  Was it my crazy acceptance into medical school?  Or my nerdy posts about Women's Health?  Or am I just awesome?

But seriously, thank you!  It means a lot to me. ♥


Recently, thanks to the random but frequent re-surfacing they have done on my mp3 player, I have thought about a few songs that have encouraged me to go on and believe that I could get to where I wanted to be, eventually.   I would like to think that while I am an optimistic person, I am down to earth and try to be practical.  I had told myself that this cycle, I wouldn't get into medical school and got my plan B in motion.  But I always kept the dream of becoming a doctor close to my heart.  Sometimes it seemed impossible, and songs like these reminded me that no matter what, "one day, soon it will be my time to shine," like the song I'm currently listening to.  

If you need a few pick-me up songs, I also recommend:
ONE OK ROCK -  (You can do) everything  "I know I make mistake but instead of not doing anything, you can do everything even when you're lost just keep believing in yourself and continue on"

Epik High - Fly 
In’t it tough? (It’s tough) The cruel world
Will laugh at you behind your back
In front of the mirror ki gook ko
You’ll have to support yourself
Don’t know where to go
With one mistake, everything else will be lost
When your head is down, fold your hands
Spread your wings, you can fly
It’s morning when you open your eyes
The compass heads you toward the same direction
In this confident world around you
It’s not easy to kneel down and rest
Don’t forget what made you want this old dream
Elegant two arms, spread your wings, you can fly

Amuro Namie - Baby Don't Cry
Yeah, so baby, don’t be sad
Sometimes no matter how much we think about it, we won’t understand
It may be cruel, but the road that stretches ahead of us
Holds our wishes
Even on rainy mornings (Baby don't cry)
Even when love is about to fade (Baby don't cry)
I won’t leave you on your own (Baby don't cry)
Baby don't cry
Always stay by your side

Feeling strengthened yet? No? Well, I am, and I guess that's what matters?

It makes me want to watch lots of super awesome random scientific lectures and become smarter!  I should be doing work, but this is what I'm doing instead :dies: I am such a nerd!

If you have 45 minutes to "waste", I would recommend you to watch these two videos and let you brain munch on the thought-invoking information presented.  I really admire scientists that can present potentially difficult topics in such a clear and concise manner, so that everyone can understand and appreciate what they're proposing.  *.*


( I'll LJ cut because taking space on friends' lists is not nice? )

So some of you may know already, but OMG I GOT INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!

TCOM  is a osteopathic medical school, ranked 29th in the nation for primary care.  I am so happy and proud to call this school my future alma mater.  I will be able to get my master's degree in public health too!  Dual degree, here I come~  

But seriously, this is beyond my imagination.  In just about 3 months, I will be starting medical school, in a new city, all by my lonesome.  It's scary, but incredibly exhilarating!  Will I be able to live by myself?  I'm afraid of being by myself, but I guess I need to grow up some more.  I hope I can handle all the changes on top of trying to study!  I don't feel quite ready for all the responsibilities this step into the new world requires, but I will do my best.  FIGHTING~

In a way, I am ready for this, too.  Though it's only been a few months, my public health classes made me realize that there's a lot I can do as a physician.  I've been researching the topic more, and all that new information about what physicians do has really upped my enthusiasm for the profession.  I've been wondering if I would have to wait another year or more to start medical school.  What if I wouldn't have gotten accepted the second time around?  My thoughts have sometimes skimmed the subject, but you know me, I try to focus on the present and the near future.   But now, I don't have to do any of that stuff.  I don't have to take the MCAT again (thank goodness!) and I don't have to re-apply.  I don't have to write personal statements that makes me think about myself and my meager accomplishments more than I ever wanted to.  No, I'm the luckiest girl in the world and I get to activate what I labelled my "Plan A+": go to a DO school with a MPH dual degree option in Texas in the year 2010.  "Plan A" would have been going to a medical school, and "Plan B" is...well, not Emergency Contraception (:gets egged:), but going to graduate school to get my MPH.

And of course, getting at a point where a chapter in my life is closing and a new exciting one is opening is making me look back in the past, to see how in the world I got to where I am now.  I see all the family, friends, and teachers that supported and encouraged me, and gosh, I know I really am a lucky person to have known and been touched by all of these people.   And I am so grateful.  

..and this is totally where I stop being emotional and gushy and ugh.  I have some crochet to do.  

Did I say that my presentation wasn't actually until April 20th? I realized that a few minutes before class, after having worked desperately on my presentation.  I'm kind of glad I didn't have to give such a crappily made powerpoint, but damn it, I could have been working on my paper instead!  So I ended up staying up til 5 am again. :sigh: I did get an A on it though! ^_^v  Unfortunately, my presentation is on April 20th, the day that I come back from Montreal...I'm leaving on April 15th to present a poster on my study at a conference.  But anyway, an assignment will also be due on April 20th, so I have to get started on it now.

School does kill. But I guess I'll be just as busy if not more once I go to med school?  And the worst part is that there won't be anyone to make me food or clean the house if I'm dying....I can't wait :3

OMG, I'm going to be a medical school student!  I'm so lucky!!!

So believe it or not, I had no idea that the health reform bill had passed this past...er..March 21st, until I went to school this Tuesday.  Since my assignment (and presentation!!! DX) for next week is on policy and environmental changes, and I am a procrastinating spineless worm, I spent all of tonight reading about it....in the women's health POV. Of course. :D  And I emailed my House Representative, Ciro Rodriguez, twice (once through the planned parenthood website, and the other through his actual website), to thank him for voting YES on it....even though I can't vote. -_-;   Well, I think that I do like politics.  :D?  Anyway, I can't believe the stupak amendment passed, but I'm still not to sure as to what will happen next.  Is it really there to stay?  Is it possible that it will be defeated in the near future?  Politics are complicated.  I need CNN on TV damn it! The website is not navigation-friendly and it doesn't have Anderson Cooper nor Sanjay Gupta being handsome in action. :(

ANYWAY, as per usual, during my foray into the world of women's sexual health, I came across a few interesting things. And since I like to get side tracked, I'm totally sharing them with you....I don't have that many, I promise! :D

( And a LJ cut because there are videos! )

So here I am reporting my failure on LJ instead of on that google buzz thing because Amber is right, as usual: LJ Rocks~♥

Since I had my 3rd assignment for my Social and Behavioral Aspects of Community Health class due this past Tuesday, it goes without saying that I stayed up until 7 Wednesday morning finishing it.  I swear, if anything, this class is teaching me to crank out 12 page papers in 10 hours (research no included).  I have to turn an assignment in every 2 weeks, and you'd think that after the first time, I would be able to manage my time a bit better and actually turn my paper on time!   But, of course, I have yet to do that.  However, this March 30th, I have to give a presentation, so both it and my paper have to be completed by Tuesday.  Will I make it?! ..that means I have to start working on it now.. -_-;  Oh Grad School...

ANYWAY, the point is I was a zombie when I woke up, so I skipped work on Wednesday.  But that was totally okay because I don't really have anything to do since the girl I was helping was gone this entire week. I just have to battle with Illustrator to make head plots. It's been kind of fun, actually....but before I go astray again, I was planning on working like crazy today (Friday).  Of course, I left home way later than I had planned, so I had my tail between my legs when I opened the door to the lab...only to find it empty.  Apparently today is a paid holiday. HA! Well, I don't think it applies to me since I'm part time. So here I am in the lab, alone, with music blasting from the speakers. ♥

On a side note, Sarah is here in town, but I've only seen her once and she'll leave this Monday!  I think I'll call RIGHT NOW and ask her if we can meet soon. ♥  We went with Porclette and nee-san (and Matt) to the botanical gardens and it was fun~! I swear, I've been going out more often lately, and it feels nice.  I feel social.....kind of. :D

Epik High's [e] should be coming in the mail soon~ I wanted to order the 2010 Shinee calendar with that darling picture of Jonghyun in July, but they apparently were out of stock after I ordered.  Damned bitches.  Well, I meant to buy that album anyway, but then the next day, Epik High's new album came out.  :sigh: I will get it eventually too!  All my money's been going toward paying for school, master's degree applications, and the occasional outing. :sigh:  Money flies away so fast when you work.  Why?!

So yes, I am totally going to work now.

OH AND I just finished my very first crochet piece!  It's a pencil case for Sarah. I started it last week but I wanted it to be done before she left...My star blanket was put aside in the mean time.

And I just finished reading the first 2 books of the Chrestomanci Series by Diana Wynne Jones (The lives of Christopher Chant and Charmed Life)! I finished them in a week or so, and they are wonderful awesome great.  I really love the main characters of the two books, with their cluelessness. They are both so powerful, yet it's almost like they don't even notice it.  It's not that they're humble, but, at least for Christopher, it's just so natural.  Cat just doesn't know anything, period.  And it's awesome. .....

Anyway, I am really going to work now.   I think I just spent 30 minutes writing this post. O_o

...until a few minutes ago, when my father asked me to follow him to see something really interesting in the computer room.  As I approached the said room, vietnamese music was blaring from the speakers.  I was wondering what it could possibly be for him to think that I would be remotely interested in Vietnamese music.  I thought for sure it'd be a video of someone we knew or something.  Well, it was of people I knew, and that you may know too:  I thought I was going to die when I saw JJ's and Yunho's face inches from each other!  My father had found a Jaeho viet fandvideo!! XD XD XD XD  The second I said "OMG that's JAEHO!" he bounced in his chair, saying "yes, yes, it's Jaeho~! They're korean right? 8D" and my mom asked, "what is Jaeho?" So I had to explain about jaeho and fanservice, and how most of us fans have a burning desire to see those little touches mean something. ♥ That was fun.♥

But now I'm going back to work.  I'm still trying to read a million and one articles and resist the temptations of fandom.  Hi Baby with Shinee has been especially hard to resist.  It is full of Minho being a pathetically great papa, Key being a pathetically awesome mama, Taemin attempting to tempt the baby with his own maknae ways, Jonghyun denying any interest in babies and then becoming a baby kissing fiend, and Onew trying to resist the cute and failing slowly (though I do believe that's scripted; as if Onew would really be that terrified of babies, pssh).  I have never seen Minho talk so much, and Oh, the Minkey and Jongyu are delicious~! I love love love that show!  I have something to look forward to every Thurs-Friday~! It's the first time since "Wild Bunny," which ended quite terrifyingly (Damn you cursed anti-fans! Ousting Jay out of Korea before the show ended!!! But seriously, finding out that Jay left when I was trying to find out why Wild bunny got stopped was traumatizing!)  BUT anyways, Hi Baby and Strong Heart are super awesome.♥  I do wish that BEAST came out on more variety shows though...is it too much to ask for a bit more exposure to the goodness?

...I've really fallen into fandom lately, at the expense of my schoolwork. :sigh: I really need to break out of the winter holidays routine.  It comes to the point that going to bed at 5.30am is not that big of a deal. D8

ARGH!  I pressed a button and my entry got lost in internet space... T_T

Anyway, I was doing research on sex education for my semester-long writing assignments for Social and Behavioral Aspects of Community Health, and I learned. :D I never actually did any "academic" research on the subject, so it's been pretty informative so far.  I'm writing this because there are a few things I wanted to share.

First, though it really shouldn't have surprised me this much, Texas is the "poster child" for abstinence only education, as in no or minimal or incorrect information about contraception.  Additionally, we have the highest teenage birth rate.  Talk about effective education.  I think that the worst part is that no changes have been made to the curriculum at all!  I grabbed this page from a abstinence-only website, but the information is the same on the legislation's website.  Basically: abstinence is the only 100% safe sex, which is a lie because what's masturbation? And anyway, if you believe in immaculate conception, that's only 99.999% safe (and I totally copied that from an awesome sex-ed website: scarleteen).  Additionally, schools cannot distribute condoms in conjunction with sex education. (wtf? what's the point then?) Worst, these abstinence-only programs are funded by the state legislation!  In their defense though, they also fund other programs.

Sucks balls. It makes me want to do something about it even more!  If the director of Sex Education at UTHSC-SA doesn't reply to my email by next Monday, I'll apply for shadowing experience through its outreach program!!! >D I really want to learn, more than ever!

On a side note, I discovered divacups and re-usable cotton pads~!  I totally want to make some of those cotton pads, but maybe I should try them out first... that cup sounds awesome though! I want one! *.*  Either way both are green and practical! ♥

Talking about making stuff, I started working on my star-shaped, crochet blanket again and it's addictive! It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment, and it really engages my attention (which knitting didn't really, but that's just because I was knitting scarfs, which are not exactly the most complicated thing.)  Though I can't watch my babies prancing on the computer screen, I can listen to audiobooks.  I'm listening to A short history of nearly everything and it's really interesting!  It mostly focuses on the scientists and the history of the general branches of science (who knew that Newton was an avid alchemist, above all else, and that the reason why he researched gravity was because Dr. Hailey asked him to help research it in order to win a bet? I didn't!)

So, I have more free time but not really.  That MPH application hasn't been submitted yet either...I did finish my personal statement though, and I actually feel good about it. :3  School is fun~!

Oh and a driving license may be on the way~  The driving instructor told me that I was ready to take the test on my second lesson with him, so I'm going to practice parallel parking and driving in reverse and 3 point turns and stuff.  (^-^)y?

Hm. It's cold and I'm in the computer room.  I think I'll finish going over some articles and then go in my room to crochet or something?

So I haven't updated in forever and a day, but what else is new?

I graduated this past December but this break has felt like anything but one.  I had to cook like crazy, study for the GRE, and figure out what to do for the near future.   This involved registering and paying for my classes in the certificate program at the UT School of Public Health, figuring out when to take the rest of my driving classes so I can finally get a license, apply for an internship at the Planned Parenthood clinic, and apply for the Master degree program in Public Health.

But I shouldn't whine too much.  I did get some boyband loving into the schedule, and I got to see some of my friends (for the last time in a while).  And I've been player Bubble Town at MSN games like no one's business.  That game is oddly addicting.

I made dessert today.  Not telling what though, since it's for Porclet and Nee-san, and they might read this entry before I see them tomorrow.  It does involve chocolate though. ♥  It smelled wonderful.  I do love cooking~!

Hm what to talk about? On the fandom side: I love Beast, and I wished I could read more GDxTOP fanfics.  I think it sucks a lot that Shihan might die soon and that MinhoxKey is not more popular.  I miss watching 2PM silliness on Variety shows, and I miss Jay, but I know he'll be back soon.  Not sure what Dong Bang are doing, but I sure hope that they'll come back in the Kpop circuit soon too.  The end of year shows (SBS, KBS, and MBC's) were pretty awesome, but the SBS daejun gayo was the best.  All the Micheal Jackson tribute performances were pretty awesome though (But KBS's were the most awesome since the artists actually sang the songs instead of just dancing to them). Oh, and as for Japan, the Radwimps rock.  And Crows Zero 2 wasn't as awesome as Crows Zero, but Tokyo Dogs rocked.  I still think Oguri Shun looks like a llama but his acting is awesome.

Tea is awesome.  I wished I drank more.  And I need a new motherboard.  Finally, Windows7 is kind of awesome.

The end.♥

Or at least it's happening a lot now. 

I took a break from studying...or more like I was taking a break before studying, went to omona, and wasted a lot of time. It had been a long long long time though..I missed it♥

I found this happy video too~! Oh Clazzi, you make me happy.  And you make me feel all kinds of good about my break.  I took it because I needed it!  I have to be true to myself and indulge once in a while when fandom calls!






Also, I don't think I posted this but it keeps making me all kinds of happy.  I need to keep it there so I can look at it easily when I am feeling like shit and I am away from home. (that is totally an excuse, but eh, a journal is there for me to post whatever I want, and I want SJM...and Clazziquai...and Epik High...and..../ends ramblings)


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I want a super man.  A smart rich Asian one with a compatible personality and good looks.  Please appear in my life sometimes.  Send me a sign~

I am getting ridiculous.  I am totally closing the Omona tab right now and start studying!!! XD