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Monday, November 16th, 2009
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5:31 pm
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5:31 pm
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| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
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1:46 pm - Testing
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| Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
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10:43 am - Testing
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9:24 am - Back in Toronto for good!!
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ahh, it's nice to be back in toronto. Closer to family, closer to friends, closer to bubble tea, closer to sashimi :)
I am glad I made the move back to toronto, I don't think i belong anywhere else. Since moving back, life hasn't been bad. 2 trips in 3 months. it's so nice to travel hehe.
SanDeigo was nice and warm. the ICO girls are well. Extraordinary desserts were extraordinary hehe. The beach turned out pretty fun. The airport is located right in the middle of the city, you see planes in the sky all the time haha. Going across the Coronado bay beach was awsome, especially with the "top of the world" song that the trolly conductor was playing. haha. Sitting by the water, enjoying the view of downtown SD was peaceful, and I could really sit there all day long, enjoying a drink and forget about all the problems in life for awhile :)
Calgary/Banff was a completely different trip than SanDiego. Full of nature and away from the big city. yes, alberta steak is good :). Banff is soooo pretty, and the drive into banff even prettier. I guess I never knew how much I miss seeing mountains- the grand-ness and majestic-ness of it all. The only thing I have to complain is the cold. brrrrrrr. if it's just 10 degress warmer, it would have been perfect!! Could have gone hiking and actually sit in front of Lake Louise and enjoy the view a little. Lunch in the Chateau Lake louise was nice, except we didn't get a window table!!! booo. ohhh, I got a white cowboy hat! :) and we spent an hour with the penny machine perfecting our pennies haha. Eug is so funny haha. good times!
current mood:  awake
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| Thursday, April 16th, 2009
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5:43 am - 2008-09
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I guess I would like to write down my resolutions for 2009. But first I should do a recap of 2008. 2008 has been somewhat a roller coaster year.
Accomplishments without a doubt was graduating optometry school. I am very proud of myself for that, and relating to that, another accomplishment would be making a difference in people’s lives- removing a foreign body and detecting a retinal detachment etc.
Fun stuff I had tons in 2008. lots of little trips here and there. St Louis with the ICO gang was fun. Seeing ohio during my time in WV was also pretty fun (although those trips only happened out of boredom, ohio isn’t exactly a fantasy trip). Speaking of WV, for some reason, I have been thinking a lot about my times there recently. Hanging out with Sophia and Candace..going to the bookstore, watching dears in the backyard. Life was boring in WV, but we made the best of it, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. Looking back, I didn’t know how I survived there, but I guess I can a pretty adaptable person. I take whatever life throws at me.
More fun stuff has to be San Fran trip. I do have a fond place in my heart for the ICO gang. They are pretty fun people, and I hope I do stay in touch with them. Friends are hard to come by these days and I think what I have with them is special.
2008 also mark the year I got my first car. Yay to paprika!!! I love him so much. Hehe. He is a great car and gets me to places without a doubt, but he is also symbol of freedom and independence.
Of course with freedom and independence come responsibilities. My first real job in the real world happened in august. I was nervous but I was surprised as to how quickly I adapted to the real world. For the first time in my life, I am making money, an income!! But I have also never watched my spending as much as I do now. Working life isn’t all that fun. I just work work work so I can pay of stuff stuff and more stuff. I think I worked hard for my career and I always thought optometrists have a pretty good life, but I am finding out now that the working hours kinda suck. But I have to say that on good days, I still enjoy what I do. I received 2 thank you/ compliment letter from 2 patients and I was ecstatic. It’s nice to know someone appreciates you and acknowledge what you do. I hope I never loose the passion for this profession. And if I do, I should dig up these letters and read them over to myself.
I feel like for the past few years I have put my life on halt. In undergrad it was about getting good grades to get into optometry school. In optometry school it was about finishing optometry school. and for the longest time I thought life would be so good after optometry school, I will drive a nice car, I will make a good income, I will not have to worry about anything. After all, that’s why I chose optometry, that’s why I worked so hard. But reality is a little different.
I do drive a nice car, and I do like my job, and I do make a decent income. It was really fun for awhile to go on shopping spree or not worry about getting the most expensive thing on the menu. But the happiness that these material goods bring plateau after awhile. None of these things have added anything to my life.
Money, status, prestige…all these things that people think so highly of really sum up to not much in my books. I definitely used to think much more about these attributes than I do now. I am trying to think back to a time in my life when I was truly happy, and I would trade all the money, status and prestige I have to have that kind of true happiness.
How can I be more happy??
Every year, my resolution is to be more happy, yet I haven't found a good way to be.
this year, I hope to be more happy, I hope to get more out of life. I will try something new, re-connect with old friends- make an effort. get into shape.
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| Monday, November 3rd, 2008
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9:28 pm - the real world
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gosh I haven't written in LJ for sooo long. what has this real world done to me??
working life kinda sucks. I do enjoy what I do sometimes, but I just feel like I have no time to do anything else. And life in Buffalo is boring and lonely. I am beginning to think if I have made the wrong decision in coming here to work.
2 months into work, and I got a compliment letter from a patient whom I fitted RGP with. It has to be one of the highlight of my career thus far haha. And the very first week of work, I have to remove a foreign body!! looking back, both those seemed so challenging, but now if I have to do it again, I know I won't sweat about it. hehe
I feel anti-social with the people at work. I just feel like I have nothing to say to them. Everyday at work is so boring, and lonely sometimes. I don't hate my job, but I don't think I love it either. Right now, it's paying the bills. I do love my car and love my apartment thou hehe.
I've only been here for 2 months, and I am already thinking if I should go back to Toronto area to practise next year. I mean, do I really want to stay in Buffalo to work, here where I have no friends, and far away from everyone and everything??
god I am so close to being clinically depressed. and I am not even making that much money here haha. I didn't think money would be this tight!! geesh!!! I hate that I have to put up a happy face sometimes when I feel like crap inside. I don't think I am happy here, but can I be happy elsewhere? at home?? May be home in toronto isn't really the answer either. gosh, why am I so unhappy sometimes. life isn't that bad, is it?
current mood:  depressed
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| Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
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3:27 pm - san francisco
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It's been a month since I got back from SF, and haven't had time to really reflect upon it until now.
well...michelle has officially name the roadtrip gang to be MCAT (michelle, charlene, albert, trisha) haha. we've been roadtrip buddies for the past several trips starting with minnesota, then st louis, and now SF.
DAY 1
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Our SF trip started off with lunch in chinatown. then we head to a boat cruise of the Bay area where we got up close and personal with the Golden Gate Bridge. We also got a quick history of SF and Alcatraz. Most memorable of this cruise was how WINDY it was. and it didn't help i was wearing a skirt!!!
We then went to sample some chocolates at Gheradeli, and satisfy our sweet tooth with 2 big sundaes that the 4 of us shared. yumo!
Dinner was at North Beach- SF's little Italy. After dinner, we drove up to Coit tower on Telegraph Hill where we got a great view of the Bay Bridge. It was stunning!
DAY 2
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hot hot HOT day!!! i got a sunbrun thru my white top!!!!
we started bright and early at 9am and drove/walk down lombard street. we then drove back to the hotel and parked car there because this day was clean air day!!! we get to ride the cable cars and buses for free all day long!!! we rode to fishermans wharf where we met up with lee and lina and the sealions. we had clam chowder from Boudin and crab cakes for lunch. we then went on the Alcatraz tour. chinatown for dinner, and we met up with michelle's friend.
DAY 3
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hot day again!! today is bike day!! had some breakfast at starbucks to give us some energy for the bike :). met up with emily, rented our bikes, and way we go. hot hot hot.
biking across the bridge was cool!! being on such a magnificent piece of architecture looking down on little things on the water and land was quite an experience.
exhausted after our 2 plus hours bike, we had lunch in Sausaulito. we shared pizza and fish and chips. we then waited for the ferry to get back to Fishermans wharf. emily went home. we took showers, and head out again to Golden Gate Park- the japanese tea garden was closed (boo!), so we walked around a little in the rose garden. then we head to Alamo square/postcard row. lots of dogs here hehe. a very very nice park!!! now it's about sunset time, so we head all the way west to the beach where we witnessed a beautiful sunset!!
we had a small dinner at Yushi's jap restaurant in japan town. it's an upscale trendy restaurant.
DAY 4
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breakfast at IHOP (sooo good!! and big!!) drove to lake tahoe with emily and tony. lake tahoe is sooo pretty!! the water is soo clear!!! we had lunch at a local mexican restaurant. i kAYAKED!!!!!! michlle was my kayak buddy, we were good! haha. we then went into Reno, walked around a little. had BBQ buffet at Boomstown. then went to circus circus. the guys had to go do some gambling.
DAY 5
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surprised morning. we got a BIG scratch on our rental car. yikes. guess someone was a little drunk in the parking lot the previous night. so we had to make a few phone calls thru out the day. but we managed to have In and Out Burgers for lunch, Leatherby's ice cream and had chicago style pizza in Oakland at night where we met up with Mai and Kitty and trisha's highschool friend. we then went to bubble tea after dinner.
DAY 6
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the WINE day!! before driving to napa, we stopped by chinatown where albert got a haircut and where he scared michelle on the street haha.
Napa valley is gorgeous. the amount of vineyards and winery they have there is unreal!! i have never drank so much in my entire life!! the highlight of the wine tasting was Kuleto estates. this guy is mega rich, he has an awsome swimming pool in his yard. and the view is spectacular!!!
this is where albert forgot his camera. but luckily the guy at the estate said he will mail him the camera.
we then head to have kobe beef burgers with lee and lina before heading back to SF.
we stayed at the hilton this night, where michelle and I plotted an evil plan to get back at albert. haha. we scared him as he was coming out of the bathroom. oh boy was he shocked!! haha
This trip was soooo fun!! i love MCAT haha. something about them that makes roadtripping with them so easy and fun. i always do the itenerary (yay). albert always does the car and hotels. the girls do the gas and misc stuff. and i do stuff with them that i would never do with other ppl, like KAYAKING!!!! and biking across the bridge, hiking on trails... may be that's what good friends do. they bring out a part of you that you are afraid of letting out. they don't push you, they give you space and let you go at your own pace. they are there beside you to be just as big a fool as you are for trying something new. they make you comfortable in stepping out of your comfort zone. i think there's really something about that. it says a lot about these ppl. i should give them more credit than they deserve.
i kinda miss our school days together. but i do hope to be friends with these ppl for a very very long time!!
next on the agenda for MCAT is new years eve in NYC!! :)
current mood:  chipper
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| Friday, July 11th, 2008
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9:40 pm - finally an OD
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well...here it is..4 years of hard work comes to an end...it's sort of this bittersweet feeling. i am glad it's over but i will miss it here. to put on the hat and gown that day and to be hooded was truly emotional for me. it's something that i've worked hard for, and i felt i have sacrifice some things to earn it.
i will miss chicago, the friends i've made, i will miss ICO, and i will miss student life.
thinking back... i have came a long way since first year. i remember saying to myself in my first "optometry course" that i will never figure out this eso exo eyeturn stuff. i remember thinking i will never pass boards, i will never be able to do all these skills in front of a person grading me.
and then...i thought i will never pass BIO, i can never get a good view on gonio. i can never insert and remove a RGP lens.
all these years i thought about all the things that i didn't think i could accomplish. and yet here i am, not only able to do them, but actually feel pretty good about doing it well!
beside coming a long way in optometry, i feel i have also came a long way in terms of discovering who i am and becoming who i am. i dont know if i am truly happy with who i have become but at least it made me realize what i need to work on to become the kind of person that i want.
no doubt, being away from home, being on my own for so long has made me a stronger, more independent and a more "careful" person in viewing life. may be more so than i want myself to be. sometimes, i do want to be taken care of and don't have to be strong and make decisions on my own all the time. sometimes i want to know that i can afford to make a mistake, and don't have to plan out everything.
i would like to be a more carefree person, a funner person, a person who knows when to take appropriate risks, a grateful and happy person, a person with diversed interest in life (although i think i try to be that already). i want to be someone who continusouly strive to learn the most out of life. i want to travel the world, experience different cultures, immerse in a vareity of art, embrace the outdoor and nature.
this might marked the end of my formal education, but my life long learning has just begun.
current mood:  relaxed
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9:40 pm - finally an OD
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| Sunday, March 9th, 2008
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10:26 pm - charlene's future
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i NEED to think about where i want to be next year!!!!!
since i dunno if i can pass canadian boards, my safest bet is to stay here in the states for a year. now, the question is WHERE
I have narrowed it down to 2: Buffalo area or Chicago area
Buffalo PROs
-close to home. REALLY close
-probably cheaper to live than in chicago
Chicago PROs
-exciting city
-have decent friends here
-already knows the city
-so much more to do here!!!
-chinese food!!
i don't know if i really want to be in buffalo for a year, be all by myself, living on lean cuisines and internet all week long. i am sick of that lifestyle. i want to have a place of my own, decorate it and call it mine!!! i am sick of paying rent, sick of living out of suitcases!!! this past year moving all around and not having a permanent home stinks!! i just don't wnat to do that anymore!!
ahhhhh!!!!
current mood:  tired
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| Monday, January 21st, 2008
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12:01 pm - 26 new vocabs
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instead of working on my presentation for next week, i browsed thru this book in the bookstore: 1000 most important words. thought i would learn a few vocabs haha. i randomly picked one word from each of the alphabet
Abate: to lessen of diminish
eg: enthusiasm abates, ideals abate, abated the tax
Bemused: puzzuled, muddled, preoccupied
eg: bemused by beer, bemused expression
Cogent: (I learned this word before form my Word of the Day email!!!!!)it means convincing
eg: cogent argument, cogent analysis, cogent reasons
Delectation: delight and enjoyment
eg: delectable dinner, entertainment for your delectation
Expatiate (ik spay' shee ate): dwell upon at a great length, going into great details
eg: expatiate one's accomplishments, explatiate other's shortcomings
Ferret: rummage around and finally find something (usually followed by "out")
eg: ferret out the real facts, ferreting to find bargains
Googol: technically, it is the digit one followed by 100 zeros. (ie: 10 to the 100th power)
eg: i've told you googol times
Halcyon (hal' see en): carefree and happy
eg: halcyon weather, halcyon days of youth
Incipient: beginning, initial stage of development
eg: incipient stomr, incipient romance, incipient stage of fever
Jejune: insipid, childish
eg: jejune plan of action, jejune ideas
kitsch (kitch):trashy art without taste and value
eg: kitsch writing, kitsch painting
Lacuna: gap, missing part
eg: lacuna in their reasoning
Modicum (n): a small quantity
eg: a modicum of truth, a modicum of common sense
Nugatory: worthless, ineffective
eg: nugatory medicine, nugatory steps
Obtrude: force something on oneself or on others
eg: obtrusive ppl, obtruding your ideas
Prate: to babble, to talk too much
Quell: to suppress, to quite
eg: police quell the riot, doctors quell the pt's anxiety
Renegade: one who desserts his own party to join another (ie: a traitor)
Spate: sudden outpouring, of overwhelming proportion
eg: a spate of orders, a spate of abuse and violence
Trepidation: anxious uncertainty and fear
eg: investors look at the market report with some degree of trepidation
Untenable: impossible to defend and maintain
eg: untenable evidence, untenable position, untenable theory
Voracious: (usually to food and eating) craving to comsume large amounts of food.
eg: voracious appetite, voracious collection of arts
Waft: travel or carry lightly through the air
eg: the aroma of freshly cut grass wafted through the field, smell of coffee wafted through the house, music wafted by gentle breeze
xenophobia: morbid fear and distrust of strangers and foreigners
yen: powerful desire or craving, longing or yearning
eg: a yen for fattening foods
zealot(n): a fanatical follower of a radical cause
current mood:  blah
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| Saturday, January 19th, 2008
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11:54 am - my so-called friends
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What has happened to my friends?? Do I need new ones or do I just need to work on the old ones I have??
I feel disconnected to everyone. Have they changed that much over the past 4 years or have I done most of the changing? Should I call these people my friends when I don’t quite enjoy their company, when I don’t even care to see them or to do things with them?? Have I relegated some of them to acquaintances?
Truthfully speaking, everyone needs may be 1-3 really good friends in life that they can fall back on no matter what. And honestly, I think I have 1-3 somewhat close friends that would listen to me and truly care.
I am not sure exactly what I am looking for in a friend. May be as we grow older, our criteria grows with us too. And so naturally, our friends just grow apart from us because we are looking for different things.
Should this even be something that bothers me??? Does it matter that much that people I used to have fun with are now downgraded to being acquaintances?? I suppose in the big scheme of things it doesn’t really matter. Part of me wants to be belonged to a group, and part of me don’t because I don’t even feel like I enjoy what they do most of the time.
So, this brings me back to my original question. Should I meet a new group of people that do what I like or try to convert the ones that I have (haha)? OR I could just do nothing since as I mentioned, we only really need a few good friends to really get by life. The others are icing on the cake- good with and good without, depending on how you slice it.
So after this whole chain of thoughts…I guess the conclusion is it doesn’t really matter. Bottom line is to treat them as icing on the cake. If they do things I like- great! If not, I know when to say no. Honestly, I have lost hope on some of them. It might be best if they just be my acquaintances that I see 3-4 times a year and have a drink with to catch up.
current mood: blah
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| Friday, January 4th, 2008
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6:30 pm - happy 2008!!!
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Happy 2008!!!!
I guess to start off the new year, I should do my usual resolution/goals….(sigh)
1.be happy (see below for list of potential how-to)
2.exercise at least 3 times a week each for at least 30 mins
3.re-connect with one friend each month (although I think this was my resolution for 2007 already and see how far that got me)
4.Try something new this year (eg: golf, a new language)
List: How to potentially be happier
1.Volunteer- those who can give should give. It sounds simple, but to know that I have done something good for someone makes me happy. I think sometimes it’s nice to just forget about everything in life for a while and devote myself to something. It sounds cliché, but it IS better to give than to receive.
2.Hobbies- I always think the reason to my less-than-ideal-happy life is the fact that I have no life. And I suppose re-introducing myself back to my hobbies is a beginning to re-gain my life back.
a.Architecture
b.Photography- want to buy a new camera, and take lessons
c.Pottery – needs to take lessons
d.Cooking – experiment. Host parties (hah)
3.Travel- I want to see the world, I want to explore different cultures, and I want to experience the world’s wonderful buildings and sceneries.
4.BE AN OPTIMIST!!!!! Life is full of shit sometimes, but it’s all in the way of how I look at it. Think the best of ppl and think the most of all bad situations.
5. Get life figured out: Job-fine one!! Place to live- find one!! Car- get one!!! Boyfriend-get one!! (Although humongously lacking in this department, I am not desperate yet and I highly doubt a boy will make me significantly happier)
current mood: relaxed
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| Saturday, December 15th, 2007
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1:13 am - done done done!!!!
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wooohooooo. finally done boards part 2. gosh, lets say i was so not prepared for it. i studied, but you can never studied enough for boards haha. but whatever, the first thing i did was dumped all the notes in my locker (have to save some for part 3 and canadian boards :() but i did feel slightly better than i did for part 1 thou so fingers crossed hehe
it was nice being back in chicago, seeing some friends again. it definitely made the stressful event less stressful. the first nite in chicago was the first nite i actually got some good sleep in over a week. it helps to know that i am surrounded by ppl going thru the same thing as i am.
boards part 2 was more like a chicago reunion than a test haha. i saw ppl that i haven't seen since last may. and as ppl walk by eachother in the gym, seeing friends for the first time in almost a year, they can't help but give each other a warm hug and a firendly hello despite of the pressure and stress upon them at the very moment. Sitting at my designated desk in the gym watching these little reunions brought a bit of comfort and it was just really nice to see.
while in chicago, i am getting my fill of civilization!!! full use of highspeed internet, chinese food and just good food in general, shopping, trains that take you everywhere you want, BUILDINGS instead of trees. after this visit, next time i will be back is feb, and that will be for a few days. 5 more months till graduation...i am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, i am tasting the sweetness of my hard work, i am almost there!!
current mood: tired
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| Saturday, November 24th, 2007
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2:06 pm - survived first week in huntington
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i think i will make it here in Huntington....it's still too early to say but things usually get better instead of getting worse...
the VA hospital is nice. very well equiped. i got this room where all my equipment is on this circular converyer belt thingy. i just press a button and chooses which toy i like to play with. things are a little bit different than the Detroit VA, but it doesn't take too long to pick up how they do things here.
the one thing thats a set back is they don't have any techs, which means i have to do all the OCT, Visual Field, retinal camera. they are actually pretty fun to do hehe but of course thats not suppose to be my job and i don't learn too much from operating those machines :P
the ppl are generally nice. may be i am j sut anti-social but i just don't mingle well with some of the white girls from the other schools. we seem to be coming from different planet. i don't recall white ppl in ICO being this unfreindly. blah. and everyone in the hospital has an accent. i am going to come back with this southen accent, y'all know what i mean. haha
anyways, more funny stories from this town...the buses come once an hour. and apparently there is NO bus stop. i just tell the driver where i want off and to get on i just need to stand on any corner of the streets and wave. haha. and its only 75cents haha.
ventured into downtown huntington. one word: small. it's like 2 streets!!!! but i did find chinese food. buffeet for $6. haha. and they were playing some mandarin songs haha. and i found my wireless internet bookstore which i will coming to every saturday.
it's not idea, but essentially i have everything i need here- phone, internet, decent food, bookstore, grocery...
once again, i must say this is some pretty town. i suppose small town does have its advantages. ppl just smile at you all the time!!!! let me end with some pictures...
View from the plane
Ohio River, looking over to Ohio state
Old Main building at Marshall University
Memorial fountain as seen in the movie "We Are Marshalls"
the rest of the Huntington photos can be found at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16885395@N07/sets/72157603284570833/detail/
current mood: relaxed
current music: christmas music
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| Sunday, November 18th, 2007
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8:24 pm - 1st day in Huntington, WV
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ok I made it to WV. oh GOD this town is small!!!!!!!!!!!
i flew on this teeny weeny airplane that seats 40 ppl, and we had to walk up to the plane on these steps cuz the door is so small it doesnt fit into the real gate. the overhead compartment bin is a joke. i can't even put my laptop in there. but whatever...it's not like there are tons of ppl going to huntington, so i just put my bags on another seat. hah.
so, you would think there are cabs outside the airport, cuz obviously ppl need a ride to and from airport if they are going on trips..but NOOOOO CABS IN SIGHT!!!!! in fact, i called the yellow cab company and nobody picked up the damn phone. i was l ike wtf is this, do they not work on sunday. i called and called and called until someone picked up. then i had to wait for 40 mins for it to arrive. what the hell!??!
oh and that is not even the funny part. the cab driver that picked me up was the same driver that picked up sofia ( my classmates coming with me) earlier the day at the train station. can you IMAGINE HOW SMALL THIS FREAKING TOWN IS???!
there is absolutely NOTHING in the vacinity of the VA hospital. NOTHING. ZIPPO. NULL. ZERO. the closest wireless internet is about 15 mins away by cab. the closest walmart is about 15 mins by cab. the closest restaurant is about 15 mins by cab. you get the drift...
anyway, first day in WV, and i have already ventured into OHIO. hahaha. huntington is at the border of 3 states- WV, OHIO, Kentucky- they called this area the tri-state area. so yeah..went to ohio cuz thats where the closest walmart is. got $150 worth of stuff, including a dinning table with 4 chairs, to be used as my study desk.
now, my room is sorta set up...the house is old and ugly but i made the best of it. its livable. try to post up pics later on. using aol dial up to get online now...
and to end this entry...i know i have been dissing the city this whole time but i do want to say that the city is EXTREMELY beautiful...you got colorful trees, you got mountains, you got water...the view from the plane is amazing!!! and the ppl here are EXTREMELY friendly. just today in walmart, there were 3 random strangers that walked by and said hi to me. i must be like a rare animal in the zoo or something. i bet you i am the first asian they see in the whole year!!! and sofia who is muslim, got asked how her son is doing. well, she doesnt have a son, but apparently there is only one other muslim that goes to that walmart and she has a son. hahahaa. oh dear..
this place is going to be boring as hell, but it does spring up some interesting stories for sure haha
time to study!
current mood:  nostalgic
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| Friday, November 16th, 2007
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4:26 pm - nyc, ico, WV, boards
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gosh, i haven't written here for so long...i've been preoccupied with so many things lately- nyc, getting ready to move to WV, boards...argh!!
so much to reflect on for the past 2 months, and i should do it now before i am in Huntington (aka internetless land)
NEW YORK
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pictures can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16885395@N07/sets/72157602834096737/detail/
i miss imagestation. and shutterfly sucks. so i decided to go with flikr. nice site, i like it, i like how to display the pictures!!
i love new york!!!!!! it's such an exciting place. my favorite is Times Square and Central Park. yeah i know, it's total opposite of each other haha. but it's kinda cool how they have such a big park in the middle of such a busy city. next time i go, i want to spend more time in CP-it's such a lovely place to walk through. hehe.
I got to go to Times square a few times. one at night and a few times during the day. lets just say the night scene is totally different!!! the lights, the sounds, the busy streets even at midnite, yellow cabs everywhere. i wanted to stand in the middle of it all and soak in all the overwhelming atmosphere
The walk over Brooklyn bridge was cool!! the bridge is so grand. the skyline is awsome (especially at DUMBO. our pizza from Grimaldi's got blown away by the wind thou, but at least we all got a slice before the wind took it.
I finally got to see the Guggenheim!!!!!! the exterior was in construction. boo. but interior is as pretty as i imagine it to be. next time, i should actually go into the museum to look at the art haha.
unfortunately, i only took a quick picture of the flatiron. that will be a must go for next visit!!
the subway system is a bit confusing haha. so many lines!!!!! both numbers and letters!!!! but i THINK i sorta got it figure out by the end. and i guess what's so great about exploring a city is to get lost if i have to, to ask ppl if i need to, and at the end i will know my way around the city inside out!!! exploring nyc was fun, nothing like the chinese ducky tours where you basically sit ont he bus while they describe things to you. nyc is definitely a place you need to walk around and see for yourself!!!! oh man, i miss it so much!!!
Bye bye ICO
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my time in ICO has come to an end. sob sob. while i won't miss the clinic here, i will definitely miss the people! i had a great few months here with all my friends again. being in ico during fall quarter was my last choice, but now looking back, i am glad it happened the way it did. i got to spend bday here with my friends and many of my friends have fall bdays as well. so the whole quarter was this continuous bday celebration hehe.
i can't help to think that this is the last chance i will spend some time with these ppl. who knows what will happen after graduation, considering our homes are scattered across everywhere.
clinic wise, i think i learn a lot. i remember the first day i walked into CL clinic, i had not a clue what was going on. i didn't even know what company makes what CLs and which ones are dailies or monthlies. and now, i can say that i won't turn away from a kone fit, i won't turn away from a soft multifocal fit. i might still not be very good, but i think i know how to troubleshoot.
Dr. H was so nice. I gave her a present at the end of the quarter just to thank her for being so patient with me. and she wrote a thank you card for me, saying i will make a great doctor! that kinda means a lot. for her to think that despite my stupidness at times, and my oblivious to things that she still think i am a great doctor. may be (just may be) i AM sorta great hehe.
Huntington- home of the Marshalls Thundering Herds
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so in preparation of my externship in RURAL huntington WV, i watched "We Are Marshalls" haha. good movie. but i still think the town is boring! haha. argh...they have no internet in the house. in fact, the have no internet in the whole freaking town!!!!! verizon has nothing, comcast is zippo. aol offers only dial up. so i think i am getting dial up. sigh. in this technological world, how can i survive without internet???!!!
the housing i heard is ugly. ugh whatever, i guess i will survive. as long as there are no bugs, i am ok! oh god, help me help me!!
Boards
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umm yeah i think i am going to fail....i have like 20 days left to study and i haven't really started studying at all!!! it's freaking hard to concentrate with all this moving stuff going on!!
so to end my long reflection of the past 2 months of happenings, i am going to write down my studying schedule, which will be my next month of happening...and since i can't get online in WV much, this will be it for LJ until may be december when i go home or in Feb when i will get internet again.
nov 17th
TMOD packet
NBEO quick facts/notes
nov 19th to 21st
General Health
Neurological System
Musculoskeletal System
Skin and Hair
Head and Neck
Hematopoietic System
Immunologic System
Cardiovascular System
Renal and Urogenital System
nov 22nd
Gastrointestinal System
Liver and Biliary Tract
Endocrine/Metabolic System
Reproductive System
Respiratory System
Nutrition
Mental Illness and Behavioral Disorders
Infectious Diseases
Congenital/Hereditary Conditions
nov 23rd
cornea, glaucoma, Orbit, Adnexa, Lacrimal System
nov 24th
Lens/Cataract
Uveitis, Sclera/Episclera
Retina/Vitreous
Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders
nov 25th
Anomalies of Refraction: Ametropia
Anomalies of Refraction: Presbyopia
Anomalies of Refraction: Aphakia, Pseudophakia, and Aniseikonia
Low Vision
Anomalies of Child Development
Anomalies of the Aging Adult
Anomalies Secondary to Acquired Neurological Impairment
Anomalies of Color Vision (Inherited, Acquired)
nov 26th to 30th
Anomalies of Eye Movement
Anomalies of Accommodation and Accommodative Vergence
Refractive Correction Applications
Public Health
legal and ethical issues
Dec 1st- 7th
questions
Dec 8th-11th
review, cram, pray
current mood:  stressed
current music: Josh Groban-The First Noel
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| Friday, September 14th, 2007
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10:03 pm - recent happenings
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Brookfield zoo
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went to the zoo on labor day weekend. the funnest part...hmmm i like the stingray (although i got this bad itch after touching them ) and i also like the dolphin show hehe. it was mega mega hot thou, otherwise it would have been even more enjoyable.
windy city wine fest
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volunteered for this last friday...helped out selling tickets and stuff...and in return i get a free ticket to try out wine ($25 value). none of the wine i tried really jumped out to be that good, but they were cheap to buy at teh festival..like $10 for a bottle!! from what i can recall, these are some of what i tasted:
Mad Dog shriaz
napa ridge coastal ridge riesling
St James Strawbery wine
Real Sangria from Shaw-Ross
Slavyantsi sophia muscat
luna pink merlot
and this merlot slushie hehe
i like the merlot slushie the most. and the pink merlot- kinda like a zinfindel but i little dryer.
more school stuff
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ahhhhhh. i hate being in school. i have no respect here from the attending!! what the hell!??? well..i am only talking about one doctor in particular but still...no need to put me down and embarassed me in front of other ppl. no need to make me look dumber than i already am. geesh. blah blah blah. i hate going to that one clinic slot every week because i hate how the doctor treats us there. UNBELIVABLE.
on a more positive note, i am having more success taking out RGP lens. yay! AND i had my first keratoconus fit!!!!! it's challenging but it feels good. i spent 3 hours with this patient trying on different lens, and i got her from 20/100 to 20/25. thats amazing!!! and that makes me feel good!!
anyways, fall is here. yay!! i love fall. i love the crisp wind blowing in my face and the leafs falling to the ground. plus my bday is in fall. hehe
current mood: tired
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| Saturday, August 25th, 2007
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6:35 pm - back in chitown
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so i am back in ico for the fall quarter for my contact lens, peds, and low vision rotation.
i am back to a familiar place, a city with actual things to do, a place with ppl that i know, my friends. but somehow i don't feel as happy as i should be. for one, i hate how the clinics are run in school. i hate the paperworks, i hate how i have no lunch, no breaks, i hate the non-real world approach to doing things here. i hate having to write out evaluations for every single pt i see. and i hate that i don't know anything!!! haha. but hopefully that will change with time.
i think i am just stressed about clinics. i wish i can just have a glucoma patient right now haha cuz at least with that i know exactly what to do. right now, i have not a clue what CL to give a pt, i can't even take out stupid rgp lens. argh.
but this is my last few months living in chicago, i would like to make the best of it despit of busy clinics and studying for boards. i must i must check out frank lloyd wrights houses, and i should go to st louis, and i should go to a cubs game. and i do want to spend some time with my friends here cuz this will probably be the last time i get to hang out with them before going our seperate ways after graduation.
anyways, living in the RC now, and it's great! i can wake up 30 m ins before clinic and still have time to spare. haha. and pl us clinics starts at 9 here instead of 8. so waking up at 8:30 is way better than waking up at 6:30 haha.
current mood: blah
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charlene_to's journal
