Noughties via the 90's

I recently discovered Robin Thicke supported John Legend on the U.K leg of his tour. Gutted is my reaction after checking press details for the gig and deciding against purchasing tickets. I could have seen what Thicke is like live. After being encouraged by the incredibly catchy first single release Little Too Late which topped the AOL music charts (the embodiment of cutting edge music amongst young America) I gave Jojo's The High Road a listen. There is some good production and she has a good voice but most of the songs are samey. I decided to journey into the early 90's :

• Mary J. Blige- Real Love and Reminisce.


• Brandy- I wanna Be Down


• Dru Hill -In my Bed Remix featuring Jermaine Dupri and Da BRat is sick.


• Horace Brown- Things We Do For Love, One for the Money


• Mase feat. Total- Tell Me What You Want


• Boyz II Men


• Jade- Don't Walk Away


• Soul For Real- Candy Rain


• All -4-One- I Swear

I got goosebumps because the beautiful thing about music is it can define periods in our lives. For me it was getting into r'n'b and hip hop music. I remember my rap phase where I could recite the lyrics to the DMX albums and got the LOX album just to hear Jada Kiss rhyme. My taste has matured and expanded with age but I look back with amusement and embarrassment in some cases (3T?). A lot of modern r'n'b and hip hop is driven by sex, bling and empty arrogance. Neo-soul was supposed to be the saviour with Jaguar Wright, Jill Scott, Bilal et al doing much to write some wrongs. It seems the mainstream buying public like the superficial. I am visually blunted by most r'n'b videos- the club, the girls in the club, in the car, in the strip club, the pool etc.

After fighting my way through the hoards of shoppers I finished my Christmas shopping. Attention turns to new year's eve because last minute plans tend to be rubbish. Unless one of the boys (Hugh, Clive or any other hotties) invite me to be their plus one at some uber cool party I am fearful of the possibilities. Overpriced nights with drunk semi -comatose revellers bonded by the need to not spend new year alone.

I found myself reading my dad's December issue of Time magazine. The cover has a mirror reflecting the fact that the individual is the person of the year because we are responsible for the explosion in web 2.0-based web sites. The sites allow users to upload items on websites, a right previously exclusive to the web master. The growth of my space, youtube, friendster, hi5 and facebook are examples of the popularity of such sites. In the search for entertainment have we become consumers with nano attention spans, going to increasing lengths to amuse ourselves? Where will it stop? My Bum -hot or not? (R) trademark of jadefox05.blogspot.com and subsidiary companies.

A friend's dilemma reminded me that as women we want a guy in the middle who is not adverse to the possibility of meeting the parents at some point down the line (preferably before you elope) but not too eager. First date and there is talk of meeting the family=running as fast as your heels will take you. A sensible period of time is needed to establish you are a couple and get to know each other. Is this too much to ask?

I attended a friend's boyfriend's friend's girlfriend's house party. Past experience of people being incredibly nice to you despite your obvious gate crashing gave me confidence to do this. The desserts were amazing and the only thing that stopped my greed was the thought of being physically sick. A good time was had. Relatively early to bed and definitely not early to rise.

Photos: Robin Thicke , Jojo

Lifehouse

A friend put me onto this. Check this out

The Halls Are Decked With Holly. Whatever.

The course was very useful in improving my practical techniques (catheterisation, central/peripheral line insertion, airway management etc). It was intensive with many lectures and few breaks. A&E was really busy this week and I can honestly say I have gained more from this attachment than some of the previous placements put together. The only downside is that sometimes we don't get to witness the outcome for many patients. I tend to ask the doctors a couple of days later.

As I walked home in the gale force winds that punctuated the weather this week, I was transported to Malaysia's hot beaches in the East for a brief second. The pangs in my heart... Another course at the end of this week which was extremely well organised and invaluable for finals and postgraduate medical training. I legged it at the end to attend Christmas dinner. The music was jazzy, food delicious and company delightful but I was so tired from the past couple of weeks, I didn't stay too late. The next morning I attempted to cobble together the numerous piles of items I had set aside during the week and packed to go home.

My friend and I were discussing the Christmas holidays. Yes it is nice to have a break but families start to grate on you after a prolonged period of contact with no public transport or escape plan. I actually am not bothered about presents, wish I could remove the stresses of Christmas shopping and sleep for a considerable period. It was my friend's birthday night. We had a themed party with gifts, games and forfeits. The lateral thinkers out there may understand but I don't want to give too much away. We went clubbing afterwards and had one of the best nights ever. What is it about arrogant guys? We hate to love them. I know women have a reputation for being catty but really if you are going to wear dental floss out in public expect a few stares from either sex. I am all for people dressing how they like but I'd rather be relatively clothed. Have I missed the uprise in the trend to go out in winter without jackets?

When no one in the crowd is dancing it is possible they don't like the music. In contrast to most venues, where you want to actually get on the decks because the DJ is bordering incompetent. The DJing and music selection was faultless and the crowd were up for it.

The best line this week at 04:30 a.m. Are you cold? I can help you keep warm.

I got home at 5 a.m and woke up feeling great. Do I have to go in? Hell No! Roll on the holidays. I am contemplating a last minute trip to Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

Polka Dots

Fireworks out of my window on saturday night (see photos).

For the hundredth time in my training, we attended a meeting which was of zero relevance to us. Cue attempts to stay awake and act interested.

Blondie, the sister boutique of Absolute Vintage in Shoreditch opened recently. Some of the items are garish and the most sought after pieces were sold out. Suprise Surprise. Live Search from Microsoft has arrived- whopee doo. Do they really believe they can compete with google?

This friday was fun. Polka bar in soho made a nice change from the usual west end bars. Dinner then on to a club where I realised in the words of my friend I'm too old for this. Charty r n b, posey people, thank goodness for my friends. It's interesting how clubbing attire has evolved. In the 90's it was all dresses and no jeans. The millenium brought denim chic and now we are onto 80's- leggings and bold prints. I got home at 3 a.m and woke up feeling o.k.

I considered seeing Nelly Furtado when she plays the Apollo next February then I thought of the crowd- teenie boppers galore. Em maybe not.Will I fiish watching the Matrix on DVD? Others have ridiculed Keanu's acting skills and I can see their point. Reaves spends most of the film staring intently at his co-stars in a confused manner. I'm going on a course tomorrow which I am looking forward to.

Moody

Can someone prescribe a mood stabiliser for my blog?

The budget for December is spiralling out of control mainly thanks to transport costs. Train journeys to and from GP placement, surprise day trips to random hospitals and general tube fares. You get the picture. I will be spending most of my time with my doctor colleagues in the future. As I sat amidst the F2 doctors, some who thought they were so 'hot', I actually got incredibly irritated. What is the big deal? You were a final year or F1 two years ago so get over it. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as the final years spent considerable conversation time listing their entire foundation school rankings. Rumours of hospital closures don't help.

A chance meeting with an A-level student on some sixth form access to medicine course thingy brought a cynical smile to my lips. ''I'm definitely going to put this university down as first choice''. Naive, young lady. I would advise going somewhere else, preferably with more of a social life than the I'm a Celebrity Z-listers put together. I suppose it doesn't matter because after 3rd year theoretically your holidays and social life disappear.

What is it with grave yards being used as parks? Don't let your children and pets play on any bit of grass, there are dead people under there. I wandered Oxford Street and the Christmas feeling isn't quite there yet maybe it's better at night.

I had a play with my friend's HP photo smart printer (Photo) and it's official I want one. The ink cartridges can be pricey in store but it's all about online shopping. A couple of years back people didn't even know about kelkoo or play.It has taken so long for the entire population to jump on the bandwagon. Also if anyone has a Chanel quilted lambskin bag lying around, feel free to post it to me. A girl can dream..... I had the i-pod conversation with someone this week. Why do you have to justify having any other mp3 player? I'm sorry, superior features versus an mp3 player that looks girly with minuscule storage capacity? Tough one and don't even mention i-tunes.

Check out this song by NDubz. It is sick.

Asian Beer

Drinks with friends in the evening mid-week. I've never had honey dew cider and it was an experience but I'll stick to Asahi next time.

My time on ITU was o.k with the potential for learning procedures virtually non existent. They were reluctant to let the SHOs do anything invasive let alone myself. The wealth of managers on every ward never ceases to amaze. Medicine continues to evolve and this along with the lack of substantial anatomy teaching on the course leaves me looking to the past. Going out tonight because the MTAS ball and chain has disappeared. I pity the poor person who has to read hundreds of applicants waffle their way to a job. I apologie for the pessimistic slant but may I refer one to the article on SHOs who had to move back home to their parents and claim benefits.
Grey's Anatomy season 3 looks as exciting as ever and I can't wait for the release of Yimou Zhang's Curse of the Golden Flower.

More new music:

• Brian McKnight 10
• Bianca Ryan Bianca Ryan. The pundits describe her as Christina Aguilera meets Celine Dion. The 12-year-old winner of Simon Cowell's talent search in the States has a great voice.
• Omarion 21. Although Omarion hasn't offered any thing new in the male pop r'n'b market Icebox produced by Timbo is sick.
• Nuttin But Stringz Struggle from the Subway to the Charts. These Juliard trained New York natives fuse classical, hop hop and jazz.
• Brazilian Girls Talk to La Bomb. Eclectic quartet release their second album.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

Today was one of those days where you hate studying medicine in London because of the cost and unpredictable transport services. Train delays meant I was late for a day placement. In terms of learning, the day was useful but there was some confusion as to the whereabouts of my coat at home time. Security obliged in opening the area but it wasn't there. Eventually I bumped into someone who was supposed to give it to me but hadn't a chance. After missing the bus to the town centre, I waited in the dark and cold for another bus. Luckily the bus driver was related to Schumacher and I ran like a crazy lady so I made it to the train station in good time. Or so I thought. The timetable was wrong and the train left 10 minutes ago. I wanted to scream but waited 30 minutes for another train. Finally it arrived, we went three stops and stopped. 'Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a signal failure because of the damp weather '. I gritted my teeth, cursed under my breath and resisted the temptation to go into meltdown. What followed was a nightmare journey where the Chiltern railways (yes you) train went at snail's pace or stopped completely before reaching London. Three hours later I walked into the flat, tired and hungry. I will never use that rail company again and will claim for compensation.

My day on the cardiac ward was incredibly good. Friendly staff and patients were the order of the day. I respect the patients so much as they must be tired of everyone listening to their heart and they agreed to let me listen anyway. Bureacracy is endemic in the NHS with clinical staff entangled in it's web. The SHO shook his head in disbelief when I mentioned the lack of training posts. I can't wait till the MTAS form is sent off so I can forget about it for 3 months.

Damien Rice's new LP 9. The difference between this record and the last is what exactly?

Buffet Bond

Zoolander is hilarious. Expect nothing less with Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughan and Stiller in a movie. I saw Casino Royale on Friday and without a doubt Daniel Craig has silenced his critics. The Eva Green character's accent was at times English and in other parts Polish. But this is such a minor point and doesn't detract from the pure blockbuster action. Bond is back and manlier than ever (Pierce Brosnan was too slick for my liking).

It was a friend's fancy dress party on Saturday. There was alcohol and pulling galore but not on my part as that would actually mean having 'fun'. The general practice placement finished without incident and I have a more positive view of the specialty. After sitting through communication skills goodness, we were allowed our weekend. Many colleagues are jetting off on elective and I must resist the temptation to climb into their luggage. Here's one for the medic manual, never pick an intense special study module in the run-up to Christmas.

Large buffet meal at Spanish Tapas place. When you eat that much there is nothing left but to nap. A chance meeting with an FY1 friend did nothing to boost the mood. It seems problems with seniors and inflated egos are the order of things. Any way, newish music this week:

Gwen Stefani- The Sweet Escape - Will it be eclectic or Madonna homage?
Lucy Silvas- The Same Side

The Game- Doctor's Advocate. I need to have a listen but I am still getting through the mix tape which has like a billion tracks.

Snow Patrol- Eyes On Me. I won't even pretend to be some indie expert but I love this album.
Amy Winehouse- Back to Black. Jazzy-soul from North London's finest. I like Rehab but nothing matches her debut record.
The Killers- Sam's Town. Less mainstream than Hot Fuss but o.k.

Robin Thicke supports Pharrell Williams at Brixton next month. Fingers crossed he does a small solo set in London.

Bottle Neck

This week has been rewarding. I made some good pick ups diagnosis-wise and I feel more Dr-like doing supervised consultations. It is a nice feeling despite a rumour that the specialist training (ST) application system is more of a shamble than foundation years (FY)1/2. In essence there is a bottle neck post FY1/2. It is touching that the many years of training are worth it.

I'm in London this weekend seeing some old friends.....

In the country

Last weekend saw a few drinks in central London with friends and fireworks in west London on Guy Fawkes night. I went on a spin ball ride where like a mouse in a wheel you plastered to the side of a metal contraption rotating at high speed. I was very very scared but it was fun. It got a bit rowdy later on. Beer, balconies and plants is all I will say. You can fill in the rest.

Our GP introduction day saw a GP facilitator with more scathing wit than myself and Jimmy Carr put together. He made the painfully drawn out session somewhat bearable.

I've become a country bumpkin courtesy of my general practice placement. The staff and patients are all very sweet but we have lots of touchy feely assessments to do in between beloved medical training applications service (MTAS). If one more person asks me why I'm not in London at the weekend.....

The Robin Thicke album is on heavy rotation. I cannot recommend it enough. Note to a certain 'hip hop mogul' producer who insists on releasing solo albums. The public are not stupid. Will Smith can rhyme better and if you want to be a credible solo artist it helps not to collaborate with female singers who will upstage you in your own video.


Look out for :
Amy Winehouse Back to Black
Boyz II Men The Remedy
Ciara The Evolution
Damien Rice 9
Mary J Blige Reflections- The Journey
The Game Dr's Advocate
The Killers Sam's Town

The old Marketing Ploy

I was unable to finish my huge vanilla milkshake after consuming the Jamaican burger at Gourmet burger. Every time! The Last Kiss was o.k. Zach Braff, Jacinta Barrett and Rachel Bilson were watchable and I loved the soundtrack but perhaps I have seen to many romantic comedies recently leaving me cynical. The last one being Trust The Man starring David Duchovny' and Julian Moore. The old marketing ploy: use well known screenplay writer in movie trailer advert works wonders.

Is it me or are there some strange people in this beautiful metropolis we call London? Exhibit 1. Men who solicit via text. I know the naughties brought technological revolutions but it's not sexy and definitely not clever. I am not Einstein but....Exhibit 2. What do you do? I am a medical student. So what are you going to work as? A landscaper for a NHS trust perhaps. OK maybe I am the weird person and everyone else is laughing at me because I know that most people studying nursing will become nurses etc.

My firm is very relaxed and by that I mean we have coffee together, braid each other's hair and eat lots of chocolate. In between saving lives of course. The key statements section of the MTAS form is a classic, so named to avoid confusion with the A levels personal statement. I could have come up with a more diverse range of questions such as how many people have you hugged this week and how does this illustrate your qualities as a Dr?

New albums:

John Legend-It's no secret that I am a fan of him but I have read mixed reviews for the new album. As a result I haven't bought a ticket for his London show in December. Is this going to be a 'Kanye' situation where the follow up trails in comparison to the debut?

The Game Doctor's Advocate. Again mixed reviews but if I had to choose between he and another rapper he used to hang out with, Game wins hands down. Actually a judy puppet probably has more skills than his former buddy.

Phlebotomist/Ward clerk Wanted

The atmosphere is depressing. Some of my colleagues are considering applying for jobs in the City post-registration. I thought about it for more than a few seconds. My first week shadowing a surgical house officer did nothing to dissuade this. Writing notes on ward rounds, filling in pathology/ scan requests, writing up drug charts, taking bloods/putting in cannulae and carrying round a bleep. The joys of clinical medicine. On a positive note every doctor had to go through the initiation and there are interesting theatre sessions and clinics interspersed with the daily activities. I am drifting away from my year due to the staggered elective system and dispersal of clinical attachment locations. Some would say this is a good thing. I also hardly get to see my friends from back home or out of London, which is not winning me any fans. I must make an effort.....

Music keeping me going:

The Evolution of Robin Thicke Robin Thicke
Ghetto Story Alicia Keys feat Akon
My friend gave me a masterclass on Paolo Nutini and I love the album These Streets.
The Last Kiss OST- Chocolate by Snow Patrol is on repeat.

Marie Antoinette is out. I am not a huge fan of Sofia Coopola. Lost in Translation had no plot (sitting in this category with Magnolia and 2046) despite the edgy Tokyo backdrop. .

In case you haven't seen this.

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Batting An Eyelid

I have been naughty in not writing for a while. The deadline for academic applications has passed without the blink of an eye lid. A&E has been interesting with a more intense work ethic than elective. I am getting back in the swing of things in terms of clinical skills. When not in the hospital, there was frolicking at clubs in the west end and Islington at the weekends. Music that keeps me going:

Justin's Future Sex Love Sounds- a sceptical woman is eating her words. Chop me up is crazy. Timbo kills it again!

LeToya- LeToya. Apparently she, Beyonce and Kelly have made up. I have only one image, the ending of magnolia when the heavems open and frogs descend from the sky. The album is not different from any of the rnb 'divas' but there is very little out at the moment and the production is o.k.

Fergie's Dutchess is alright despite her imitating Gwen Stefani, Salt and Pepa and Pink. I eagerly await John Legend's new album and am hopefully going to see him in December.

Is there any artist that Will I am isn't producing for? What was the point of Fergie going solo? He's also all over Sergio Mendes' Timeless. I foresee a solo Will I am project int he near future.

Movies seen- Devil Wears Prada. Anne Hathaway is stunning and I drooled over the clothes for 2 hours. The Children of Men was a pure Clive Owen fest and I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the rubbish ending. Moi? Biased? Never!

Looking forward to the weekend.

The Big Dip

Malaysia had lovely people, cheap food and great beaches/landscape. Now I am back in London, the realities of final year which were pushed aside during the elective are apparent. The academic job posts are out, three weeks before the deadline (how generous of them). I stared at the form in disbelief. In essence if you don't have a distinction, 1st in your Bsc (if you possess one), publication, and have ever retaken any exam during the MBBS don't apply. The powers that be must be trying to encourage more undergrads to pursue the academic route to replace the exodus to the States and retirees. They probably don't want to compromise the high standards. I am sure I speak for myself and other colleagues when I say we would be lucky to satisfy even some of the criteria for an academic post. There lies the dilemma, submit a rushed rubbish application just in case you can get your 150th choice or don't bother and apply for the non academic posts by December 2006. Answers on a postcard please....

Day 3

Another early start to explore Little India. First stop Sri Veeramakaliamman temple then the largest mosque in Sgp, Sultan Mosque. Pagoda street in Chinatown with it's colourful buildings, lively atmosphere and street stalls. I passed by the Chinatown heritage centre and the gopuram (tower) of Sri Mariamman temple with its decorated flowers and deities. I took the MRT up to Kranji war memorial. I was dying of thirst and after getting a drink from the vending machine, I realised I had to sit outside the station in order to consume it! The memorial houses the graves of allied troops who died during WWII and almost 25,000 men and women's' names are inscribed on the walls. Raffles Hotel and museum, synonymous with luxury, was the final stop.

Pros: so safe, cheap clothes and electronics. Cons: Possibly too much shopping, rules ( no eating or drinking on MRT, fines for not using pedestrian crossings, smoking, dropping litter, chewing gum...)

Day 2

My impromptu tour guide and I left early for the Botanical Gardens. It houses over 600,000 botanical specimens and the National Orchid Garden was beatiful. As it was saturday there were lots of tourists and locals jogging. We drove to Sentosa Island off the south coast, an artificial beach complete with ongoing construction work. I rode on the travellator at Underwater world, a moving walkway through the tanks and touched fish in the touch pool. I felt the urge to return to age 5 and unfortunately there was little time to see the Dolphin lagoon after having coffee overlooking the island. We took a sky ride to the resort and walked Palawan beach with both tourist and local families. Sgp is very family friendly, tourists less-child were few and far between. After a short ride back into town, I finally walked the famous Orchard road. It can only be described as shopping heaven. Women in Sgp are well dressed in individual sometimes quirky items. I stopped many times to stare at peoples' shoes or handbags, like a fashion vagabond. There is less trend following compared to the U.K. Designer brands line every shopping complex and believe me there are lots of them. Eating and shopping are big here. WARNING: If you like cheap clothes, bags, accesories or elecronics, do not visit Sgp. I missed the shuttle bus to the night safari in my hunt for bargains. After boarding a later bus to the zoo, I was taken on a 3.2 km tram ride from the Himalayan foothills to equitorial Africa (sales talk?). Hyenas, leopards, deer and liond wandered the night. The night safari has won so many tourism awards and it is very unique. The creatures of the nights show meant a 20 minute q and squashing 600 spectators into an open auditorium to watch a 30 minute show featuring owls and racoons. The announcer's persistent crowd-banter was pedantic and perhaps an condescending attempt to appeal to the children in the audience. In summary the tram ride was miles better than the night show where people were filing out before he show had ended. After boarding the last coach back to he city centre, I was exhausted.

Day 1 Singapore

My exodus from Colombo was a 45 minute ride in a dilapidated van known as the Airport express (yes you) whose suspension had gone to car heaven a while back. I complained and threatened to ring the boss of the company so they only charged me half the price. Check-in at the airport was so slow. I arrived at Changi airport at 4a.m local time (8pm GMT) after a short comfortable flight complete with on demand entertainment and in flight meal. A porter at the airport drew directions on my fold out tourist map. He also wrote his number down in case I needed 'any help'. 1.....2.....3.....Aaaawwwwwwwwww, sweet. I got the MRT (mass rail transit system) from the airport to Burgis, the stop near Little India. I figured I could get a cab to my hostel. The MRT's atmosphere in rush hour is akin to London, expressionless workers dreading the work day ahead. Some travelers have described Sgp as sterile and soulless. The MRT and the city is spotless. I can see my reflection in windows and pure marble platforms and I like the air conditioned, reliable trains.

On arrival at the accommodation I realise it is very close to Little India station. Duh! My room is 180 cm by 180cm and I am not exaggerating but at least I have a fan. What more can you ask for for 20 Singapore dollars (SD) a night? Well a lounge, internet area and free buffet breakfast. The initial shock drove a knee jerk run for the exit with my bags in tow. After some hyperventilating, I reasoned I could spend the money I save on enjoying the sites and attractions. The rooms are clean and the showers hot. One advantage of the box closet room is I spend my days out so I just come back to sleep.

I slept then ventured into a camera shop in Sim Lim Square, searching for an adapter. So I'm sitting in some camera shop, getting directions to the best sites drawn on my map and some old man says I should consider working as a Dr in Sgp. The kind owner offered to charge my run down canon battery for me after I bought a 2 SD adapter. It was supposed to be for half an hour but after chatting gadgets, top tourist sites and about the expense of London vs Sgp he offered me a soft drink. People are so nice. I pass St Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall, the old Art House and Sir Stamford Raffles' Landing Site. Next the Colonial district past Clarke Quay, Merlion, the Fullerton Hotel and the river. My mini museum tour starts 20 mins before 7pm so the curator lets me in free . My first stop, the Asian Civilisations Museum where 3 levels take you through South Asian inventions, religion, the colonial era and medieval India. Second stop Sgp Art Museum where most exhibits were closed for renovation. I take an evening boat tour of Singapore and stop at Merlion Park to take photos. Singapore is so safe but I get a cab back to my 'hotel' as it's at the end of a long road. It costs the equivalent of 2 GBP.

Maha Nuwara

I saw Superman Returns at Majestic city’s theatre in Colombo. It was mediocre bar the special effects. Kevin Spacey is usually a joy to watch but I could see him cringing as he delivered his dialogue. The curtains came down to signal the 15 minute interlude. I felt like I was at the theatre. The movie finished late and the shopping centre closed at 11pm.

Today I felt sad. A seriously ill child came in and there were no ITU beds. Paediatric intensive care facilities in the U.K are more robust compared to SL. I realise just how valuable the NHS is and the high standard of facilities compared to the ‘developing’ world.

We left at 5:30a.m for the capital of the hill country, Maha Nuwara (Kandy). There were 4 stops on the way, one for breakfast. Yummy fish buns, chicken in breadcrumbs and cheese toast washed down with orange juice. The last 3 stops were at the Gadaladeniya, Lankatilake and Embekka Devale Temples. We wandered the ancient temples with moonstone entrances, carved wooden pillars and rock face inscriptions. The workmanship and detail was astounding especially at Embekka Devale. The carvings are said to be one of the finest in the region. It is mandatory to remove your shoes before entering any temple and although Lankatilake forbids taking pictures, the other temples allow photos. Monks opened the shrines so we could view the Buddhas.

Lunch was a seafood affair at the Hilltop Hotel, known for its scenery. We drove north of Kandy Lake to Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth). The temple was created in 1807 and houses the most sacred Buddhist relic in SL, the tooth of the Buddha. On our way back, we browsed the museum showcasing gifts offered from various nations to honour the Temple and the tooth. Another museum pays homage to Maligawa Tusker, the elephant that carried the casket containing the tooth during the Parahera (parade or procession). Rain halted our visit to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens so we drove back to Colombo, stopping to admire the view over Kandy town.

I spent the weekend buying souvenirs, visiting the few sites I haven’t seen in Colombo and tonight we party! Surely it can only get better…..

The King’s Throne

My experience of paeds thus far has been good. There is teaching everyday in tutorials and ward rounds. I have seen a lot of interesting cases including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a bone marrow biopsy/aspirate, possible Guillain Barre syndrome, Diamond Blackman syndrome, osteogensis imperfecta and microcephaly.

On Friday night I went to a club called Tabou with a group of seven others. The music was a nice mix of r n b hip hop, 80’s and dance. Some for the group got very drunk and decided to show off their moves on the DJ’s stage- I was in stitches. Going out here is very cheap because ladies get in free everywhere.

We left for Sigiriya at 6 a.m, stopping at Pinnewala elephant orphanage on the way. At 9.15 they fed the elephants with milk and we saw a 7 day old baby elephant. Working elephants and those with 3 legs wandered the government run orphanage. The elephants showed off their balancing tricks for the eager audience of tourists. The sun was out and the park scenery was breathtaking.

Our next stop was Sigiriya, the rock fortress built in 477 when King Anuduradhapura was overthrown and walled alive by his son Kasyapa. The queen’s son swore revenge and built a fortress but unfortunately he was deserted by his troops and took his own life or so the story goes. The ancient fortress is 200m above sea level with hydrautic technology, gardening and art. We climbed the rock in the hot midday sun, passing the Royal Gardens, Cobra hood cave, Sigiriya Damsels, Mirror wall with graffiti and the half way point, Lion’s paws. An hour later we reached the 1.6 hectare summit with a view like nothing I have ever experienced. It was so relaxing looking over the town with clear skies and a cool breeze. I will never forget it.

After a nice buffet lunch at the Sigiriya Café, we drove to Dambulla, the home of the cave temples. This rock was a comparatively easier climb with monkeys on the way up. The reward at the top is the temple entrance where you enter barefoot. There are 5 caves with 150 Buddha images. Touts and food sellers line the path down from the temple offering their goods.

Our last stop on the whistle stop tour of the Ancient cities was Kandalama 5 star Hotel which is built on a rock overlooking beautiful landscape. It is 1 km wide with three pools and a spa. We made it back at 11pm after a 4 hour drive. I am proud to say I went in for 8:15 this morning.

Welcome to Surgery

Today we started surgery and jumped form the frying pan into the fire. We had heard rumours about the head of surgery rinsing medical students so when we met a calm man with glasses we thought it was all hype. He was the registrar. The Prof. welcomed us and said I would only get a sniff of medicine in a week. We are part of a group of about 20 final year students. He picked apart every statement emitted from our naive inexperienced mouths in an effort to make us learn. Then there were the surgical gems he insisted we write in our notebooks. I do not know my surgical signs. I had to stop myself from giggling because this is all I've ever known especially of surgical teaching and everyone was frightened of him. His bark is worse than his bite. Anaesthetic teaching on nutrition and feeding in surgical patients. We return after lunch for teaching on DVTs.

Renal? What's that?

Thursday 10 August
Today we saw classic infective endocarditis with mitral valve prolapse on examination, stroke, IgA nephropathy/ AV fistula bruit, cellulitis, and I heard my second pericardial rub ever. We attended some lectures for the medical students on metabolic bone disease. To be frank, it was all repetition so we buggered off. The interesting long case this Friday centred on a possible pulmonary renal syndrome (Wagener’s or polyarteritis nodosa). We have had 4 sessions of renal teaching with an awesome consultant bringing my renal knowledge from non-existent to vague recollection.

This weekend’s trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla has been postponed to next week. Today one of the neurologists sidelined us on her ward round after we waited 45 minutes for it to commence. We went back to our old stomping ground, the general medical ward where we saw a linguinal lobe pneumonia and Haemophilia A. I am feeling a bit weird today. I miss home cooked food and I just want to get on to the rest of Asia. Another confirmed bomb explosion in front of a shopping centre close to us this afternoon.

Explosion

Tuesday 8 August
Today we saw mitral valve prolapse, suspected TB, pneumonia following a stroke, weight loss/ dysphagia 2º to oesophageal stricture, alcoholic liver disease, exophthalmos/goitre, suspected Ehlers Danlos and hepatosplenomeagly. I also saw P pulmonale on ECG for the first time.

In the afternoon we saw thick black smoke rising from buildings in the next postcode. Someone in the flat suggested it was an explosion and this was later confirmed by the news reports. The Sri Lankans we were with seemed undisturbed by this and life carried on as normal.

Wednesday 9 August

Poya is a public holiday which celebrates the day of the full moon so we had today off. Wetraveled on the most crowded bus ever to get to Fort station in Colombo at 6 am and caught the 6.45 am train to Galle in the south. The ticket cost 58 rupees one way and the three hour journey was eventful. There were many traders offering everything from food and drink to colouring books, interspersed with the songs of beggars asking for donations. It was an experience I will never forget.

The port of Galle (gawl) is the setting for the 36 hectare fort built by the Dutch in 1663. Our travel guide warned us about the con artists. Low and behold after we left the train station we were harassed by at least 3 different male touts offering maps or being a nuisance. We made a hasty exit towards the fort. On our tour of the fort, we passed the old gate with the letters VOC ( Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie), Flag Rock and many buildings with Dutch architecture e.g. the museum, library and Dutch Reformed Church. The light house is beautifully set on top of a hill overlooking the sea. We waded on the beach in clear blue green waters and visited my host's grand uncle who was very sweet. Our air conditioned bus ride Hikkaduwa on the west coast, cost us 40 rupees (vs 20 rupees for no air con). The driver made pedantic requests for us to move to the front of the bus or he would throw us off. We obliged scowling and muttering under our breaths. Lunch was a more pleasant affair at the Coral Gardens Hotel, overlooking the beach and where the reef runs from the shore. Afterwards we went on a glass bottom boat ride where we saw coral, fish and turtles. We discovered that the boats and bleaching in 1998 have ruined the coral and I felt awful for going on the boat ride.

The train journey from Hikkaduwa was picturesque. I kept snapping away with my camera. We were in second class which made for a more peaceful and cooler journey despite the repeated stares from some tourists.

Hill Billy

Friday 4 August 2006

This week we have seen:
Lots of fevers
Miliary TB
Suspected typhoid
Dengue fever
Malaria
Possible non Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Beta Thalassaemia/ 2º Fe overload
Sudden onset cough and dyspnoea in a 15 year old
Chronic cough/clubbing
Pleural effusion/suspected lung ca
Pleural effusion/encysted lesion
Printzmetal’s angina
Post MI angina
Hepatomegaly/epigastric mass
Obstructive jaundice
Chronic diarrhoea
Idiopathic chronic renal failure
Glomerulonephritis
Chronic headache
Wrist drop
Paracetamol overdose
The grand round centered on an interesting case with a large list of differentials to exclude. Tonight was our elective night out. A group of 10 of us met at the 5 star Taj Samudra Hotel near Galle Face and had drinks in the hotel bar. I had a Lion beer which came in huge bottle equivalent to two pints and a local drink suggested by a Sri Lankan, which tasted like cough mixture. The guests were all middle aged tourists or locals with cash to burn. ABBA resurfaced again and the house band played Elvis and 80’s classics. We moved on to the basement club called Onyx which is equivalent to a trendy London club playing r’n’b and hip hop. I was actually convinced I was in London and it took a while to adjust. It was a blast and I left at 2:30a.m because we planned to set off for Nuwara Eliya (Hill Country) at 5:30 a.m.

Although I slept through my 5a.m alarm our ride did not show up till 6:45 a.m so I wasn’t pleased. It was a 5 hour journey from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya on steep winding roads. We had several near accidents and one collision with a black Toyota which thankfully left no obvious damage to our vehicle. We stopped at scenic spots on the way to take pictures. The scenery is full of luscious greenery, tea plantations and waterfalls steeped into the hills. We stopped for breakfast at Kitugala Rest House with views over the river, Kelaniya Ganga where Bridge on the river Kwai was filmed in 1957. We also stopped at the entrance to a Buddhist temple where I obliged in removing my shoes to take photos. Nuwara Eliya (City of Light) with its colder climate has many British country houses with large gardens befitting its nick name ‘Little England’. We passed the golf club with its luscious greens, the 5 star Grand Hotel and the race course where wealthy locals take their children for pony rides. Our hotel, the Windsor in the centre of the town overlooked the luscious hills. After a wander round the town we had dinner at the Grand Hotel. The meal can only be described as the best in SL so far. Starter: Melon and bacon (I was skeptical but it works), salmon, feta cheese and squid salad. Main: Spicy fish and Cajun prawns in white butter sauce with mashed potatoes. I had no space for dessert despite drooling over the dessert cart. It got very cold at night and I was shivering in the car despite wearing a summer jacket.


Our day began with pastries at the Milano Restaurant in the centre of town after which we visited Victoria Park Botanical Gardens. I was disappointed because my hosts were more into dining and wandering the town than visiting the tea plantations and Horton Plains as discussed. The 5 hour journey back could account for the bias or the complacency of having visited these sites on childhood holidays. Lunch at the Hatton Rest House left a lot to be desired. I have to return to Nuwara Eliya to visit these famous sites. As we drove back to Colombo, I felt I hadn’t seen as much as I wanted- lovely scenery and food but not enough site seeing. This has been a learning experience thankfully early on in my stay in SL. I will sight see in Kandy, Galle and the rest of the south before I leave.

No More Kandy

On the ward round we saw a patient with classic cor pulmonale and the most prominent ronchi in all the lung zones. A consultant in renal medicine met us on the ward round and offered to teach us. We saw interstitial nephritis and idiopathic chronic renal failure. The one thing I love about this elective is the spontaneity of the teaching. The consultants come and find us but not a small proportion of consultants are not as open. There was an interesting lecture on metabolic syndrome by a Prof.from New Jersey as part of the National Endocrine Society of SL meeting. The air conditioning did not prevent me from feeling sleepy so I doodled. I couldn't remember the last teletubby Dipsy but my friend helped. There is talk of an elective night out. Due to the threat from the Tamil Tigers, many locals have advised against going to the parahera in Kandy. So we are going to region with picturesque tea plantations and scenery instead.

Mount Lavinia

Sunday 30 July

We drove up to Mount Lavinia in a van. The resort is about a 30 minute drive from Colombo. The marbled waterfront Mount Lavinia Hotel is the former residence of the British Governor. The views are spectacular (see photos). A mixture of tourists and natives wandered the beach or browsed the boutiques and souvenir shops. We watched the sunset on the beach, wandered the hotel terrace with its pool and had dinner at a place called Seafood Cove on the beach. We could pick our own ingredients and style of cooking. It was so beautiful eating in the moonlight with the stars above us. I had crab chilli and the portions were large so dessert wasn’t even an option. For a party of 10, the bill was under 30 GBP. You cannot get any cheaper than that for the quality of food.

Mount Lavinia is my favourite place of the trip so far. The views are breathtaking and I would recommend it to anyone visiting South East Asia or SL. My sleep cycle has been varied this trip. Last night and during the weekend I got very little sleep compared to the weekdays where the 11 year old nick named me sleeping beauty because of my hypersomnia. She asked if I needed permission from my ‘mommy’ to go out. I sneakily replied yes. The naivety of youth…..

Wax

Friday 29 July 06

The morning humidity is intense especially on the bus journeys to the hospital. We had a grand round with refreshments (baked snacks) afterwards similar to the U.K tradition. We saw massive splenomegaly which I will never forget, liver disease in pregnancy, hepatitis C, Norwegian scabies and Corrigan’s sign (aortic regurgitation). I got to take a history in
English for the first time today and this made a change from my staccato Singhalese phrases. Many patients in the hospital have murmurs, even the relatively uncommon (vs. U.K) ones-diastolic murmurs such as aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis. We got tips form the other students on sites to visit in Colombo and where to purchase cheaper souvenirs.

After dinner the door bell rang. A beautician was here to wax and thread every strand of unwanted body hair into non existence. I am a wax and thread virgin so I took the plunge with my eyebrows. For those who don’t know, you can hardly even see them and as the lady told me, I don’t have bushy brows. The result was neater sculpted brows at the cost of my pain fibres. Unlike my predecessors, I resisted the urge to scream and clenched my fist instead.

In the evening, I went to a house party in Colombo. Sri Lankans can drink and party. The surrounding gardens were beautiful at night and the patio area was a make shift dance floor with DJ. ABBA and pussy cat dolls were a recurring theme as well as old school classics. If you are spotted with an empty glass people insist on refilling it or offer you tequila. I had to hold my resolve. Afterwards we went to a club called ‘R&B’, ironic because the live band had left and dance music was the only genre on offer. The crowd were older and the men persistent- I ended up sharing a pepsi with someone just to get away. I rolled into bed in the early hours.

Saturday 30 July 06
Today was spent recovering from last night’s festivities and eating a lot.

Galle

Thursday 27 July
I have yet to upload the many pics I have taken and I apologise but most of the computers we have access to do not have drivers for my digi cam and we don't have administrator privileges to install the software.

Today consisted of the usual tuk tuk ride to the hospital, ward round and endocrine clinic. Cases today were aortic pulmonary window, tonic clonic seizures, hiccups, diabetic gastroparesis, dysphagia, shingles, bronchiectasis and polycythaemia with splenomegaly. During the lunch break, we went on an expedition to Borella, determined to find a guest house which could be closer to the hospital. In summary, it was a long hot journey with the usual fanfare of shouts and stares and the place was not as close to the hospital. On the way back, we met a nice SL lady who gave us a lift back to the hospital in her air conditioned vehicle. Thank you lady!In endo clinic we saw frilarial infection, short stature, Grave's disease, thyrotoxicosis, polycystic ovaries, microadenoma and metabolic syndrome. I saw acanthosis nigricans for the first time which was interesting. The consultant was friendly and keen to teach. We braved the bus home. It's far from a London bus. I can only describe it as an american school bus in white, with very few seats and two doors at the front and rear of the bus. You pay the conductor when you get on and we refused to be ripped off. It was jerky and quick ride home.

In the evening we wandered Galle Road, a busy road with shops and restaurants. The prices are so cheap. A cheeseburger is 60 rupees, roughly 30p and a mcdonalds meal is 260 rupees which is just over 1GBP.I got a chocolate sundae from McD's on the way home and I won't even describe the Pizza hut's prices! I have been looking for a gold or silver ring so we were wined and dined in an upmarket jewellery shop by suave sales people. I decided to sleep on it and come back if necessary and we left by the security exit at the back of the store. I felt like a movie star for about 10 seconds. The walk back jolted me back to reality.

Tuesday 25 July

Our first day at the hospital and we arrived by tuk tuk (3 wheeler vehicle) in an experience I can only describe as being on a bumper car, in traffic with no traffic rules. The first time was scary but it was fun on the journey back.

We met the registrar and the head of clinical medicine at the medical faculty. The final year students are on holiday, so the teaching is very informal and will be based on our requests. We visited the male ward and met the registrar. The staff are so friendly and the patients compliant. Some of the elective students speak Singhalese so they ask for consent. We are learning a few basic medical requests in Singhalese. The working hours are very relaxed and there are a multitude of clinical signs. In the two days on the ward, I have heard mitral and aortic regurgitation murmurs, seen atrial septal defect in an adult, pulmonary hypertension, angina, atrial fibrillation, dilated cardiomyopathy and polycythaemia. Patients with snake bites, bronchiectasis, hepatitis A, alcoholic cirrhosis, renal calculi, diarrhoea, cellulitis, hepatic encephalopathy, hypokalaemia and pelvic mass have presented.

There are many elective students from the U.K and North America. Our rotations differ but we generally stick together. The latter part of the day is spent exploring Colombo, eating, sleeping or relaxing with friends. We went to Borella, probably one of the busiest sections of Colombo. We are semi-celebrities in Colombo. People wave, stare or smile at us as we go past and ask where we are from.

Our accommodation is comfortable and I cannot get used to being waited on by a maid. No cooking or making the bed. I insist on washing my own dishes, it is crazy otherwise.

This weekend we plan to go to clubbing in Colombo and then to Mount Lavinia near the seaside.

Elective

Thursday 20/Friday 21 July 06

I left my family at Heathrow Airport and after a flight of 10 hrs and 45 minutes, I arrived in Colombo. The stewards on Sri Lankan airways are hardly leaders in customer services. I had to repeat my request for water to about 5 different stewards and another noisy passenger was put in a seat next to us with no warning. Sri Lankans are so friendly; the lady next to me on the plane promptly introduced herself. The food was nice (oriental lamb curry, prawn noodle salad and strawberry cheesecake for dinner). Breakfast was bacon and eggs. I got hardly any sleep because the seats were so uncomfortable. We landed at 13.33 (08:33 GMT) and I breezed through customs and baggage control. Luckily for me my contact in Colombo had a driver pick me up fromt eh airport. I was ready for any touts who tried to rip me off. I ain’t Sri Lankan but I ain’t no damn tourist either! There is a heavy military presence at the airport due to the ethnic conflicts. The humidity is the first thing to hit you as soon as you step outside. There is no breeze. Thank goodness for the air conditioning in the mini van. My SL initiation was to drink thambili (an orange coconut drink) at one of the stalls on the way to central Colombo. The giant billboards at the roadside, advertise everything form mobile phone companies to cosmetics. Palm trees line the streets, interspersed with metal shacks selling tourist goods and food. The tuk tuk 3 wheelers weave through the bustling traffic. The main aim on the road is to protect yourself and two near misses confirmed this. The infrastructure becomes more modern as we approach Colombo. We drive past Colombo’s medical school, steeped in over 100 years of history, the National Hospital, Carey College and the Eye Hospital with its red and yellow brick Islamic architecture. As we waited in traffic, I watched the medical students leaving the medical school, smartly dressed all in single sex groups. I felt the urge to jump out and introduce myself but I knew there is plenty of time. My accommodation is in Colombo 03. The flat has breathtaking views over the city. My room is clean and most importantly has a fan. The centerpiece of the flat is a balcony overlooking the city. My host is a local family who speak perfect English (like a fair proportion of Colombans). After sleeping off my jetlag, I was treated to chicken curry for dinner. We watched dvds after dinner and as I retire to bed I have one last look over the balcony and I know I am going to like this place.

Saturday 22 July 06
We went on a drive around Colombo. The British Colonial architecture is amazing exemplified by the National Museum and old parliament building with their imposing pillars. The seafront with the high waves and hordes of people kite flying and playing in the sand. There is talk of visiting Kandy for the Perahera celebrations running from August 1-8 in the month of Esala and ending on the full moon.

I visited a shop selling SL- made souvenirs, furniture and art. On the streets, taxi and tuk tuk drivers try to get my attention. As an obvious tourist I signal business and cash.

Tonight we had a traditional SL dinner at a place called the green cabin. Hoppers (like pancakes), rotti, cattle fish and chicken were some of the delicacies.

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Interesting Site

Check this out.

In the Frame

On heavy rotation at the moment:

Joe feat. Papoose Where You At?

Cheri Dennis I Love You

Jeannie Ortega Crowded and So Done

Megan Rochell Betcha & The One You Need

Nelly Furtado feat Lil Wayne Maneater Remix

Method Man feat Lauryn Hill Things They Say

Lupe Fiasco Kick Push & Daydream feat. Jill Scott

Sergio Mendes Timeless - esp. Samba Da Bencoa & Loose ends feat Pharaohe Monch and JTimberlake

Speaking of JT, you can listen to his new track and other hot pre releases at http://mixmatters.com/hot/2006/Justin_Timberlake_Sexyback.html

Zidane's sending off spoilt the world cup final. I can only describe it as a moment of temporary insanity. Federer steam rolled Nadal (bar the 3rd set), much to my delight. Serves him right after he threw Agassi aside like a piece of trash.

I passed my exams and got my act sorted so my Canon ixus 750 arrived today. I love it and I've only had it a few hours. I went to dinner with a school friend and ordered yummy Carribean snapper with savoury rice. Afterwards I met some friends at Plastic People. It's the hottest venue I have ever been to with no functioning ventilation and a dark dancefloor (you could hardly see anything). The music can only be described as eclectic but it got better 5 minutes before the night ended. Shoreditch crowd of men with ironed on skinny jeans, women wearing vintage boiler suits (why?), lots of converse, polka dot and vintage shoes.

I've been watching Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 2 and it is hilarious possibly better than Season 1. The show is in its 5th season on HBO in the USA.

Sweet Scent Of Summer

Hello world, jadefox is back! I approach the end of an arduous academic year riddled with many exams with relief. The last few exams did not go as well as I had hoped (messy' is the street term) but at least it is over. The end of exams saw my entire year completely lashed. I watched from the sidelines in amusement. My friend took me to friendly gathering which was fun but the past 3 weeks caught up with me. I need to sleep for a month. This weekend I moved out of the flat leaving behind months of untidiness and some fond friendships. These next few months herald the start of a life changing experiences and I cannot wait.

It took me over a year to purchase my mp3 player. All the major brand had some akiles heel and I was not prepared to compromise. Another gadget assignment beckons: find a digital camera for the fussiest person in the world.

England v Portugal was watched in a quiet pub with friends. They did well to hang on despite being a man down thanks to Rooney. The tension was unbearable during extra time and penalties. France played out of their skin against Brazil and the magician (Zidane) taught us a trick or two. What was the Brazilian coach thinking? Ronaldinho worked so well on the left wing feeding balls to the other Brazilian strikers against Ghana and the decision was made to move to right wing position. He couldn't make the passes the whole match. The loss was not solely because of this but it did not help. I missed Andrew Murray's annihilation of Roddick (evil laugh) but I did watch Federer's warm up matches/masterclass sessions against his poor opponents.

So much time and so much fun to be had (wink)....

Check out the new 3LW video. These girls are all grown up and with JD's production things should get better.

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Midst Of Nothing

The Nelly Furtado album Loose is very good. I've got it on replay. I am just counting the days till the torture ends. Many of my friends in the year above passed finals and I was ecstatic for them and extremely jealous. They deserve it and I will be there next year. I am also looking forward to my elective, paying for the flights killed me. If anyone has any cans of food lying round the house or clean clothes send them in. Along with any good music. I apologise for the lack of gossip or general interest in this entry and I promise to do better when I get my life back.

Why do We Do it?

This is a question I get asked quite often. Sitting in the library revising for my 5th year final exams with the sun blazing outside. I am asking myself the same question. Why do we spend years taking endless exams and learning the skills? What is it all for? The old cliche of healing people and making them better is wearing a bit thin.

I am in the process of organising the return leg of my elective with a mini tour of Asia. Exams finish soon and I'm moving ouf of the flat. The academic year draws to a close and I am moving on to the final phase of my training. I look back to the earlier years and can comfort myself in the fact that I did have fun at medical school. Enough sad talk.

I want to see United 93 not least because Andrew Marr recommended it (political pundit for BBC). New music- Ne-Yo In My Own Words, Christina Milian So Amazin', Rihanna A Girl Like Me. Rihanna has matured on her latest effort and shows more musical diversity. Christian Milian seems to thinks good album involves recruiting Cool and Dre and making no effort lyrically. The new signing to Bad Boy Records, Nelson has a good voice. The hype is all about Nelly Furtado. There's a story that the tracks were so hot, the studio speakers caught on fire with Timbo. promiscuous girl will grow on me.

Broken Glass

In case you are wondering, the title refers to a Talib Kweli track from the album The Beautiful Struggle. I managed to miss the gig because I discovered there was no northern line at leicester square station. Monday saw my friend's birthday dinner in North London. It was fun but I was tired from a long day so I did not stay too long.

Da Vinci Code was exactly as the times review described it. You knew the story which removed any element of surprise. Audrey Tatou gave a solid performance and Tom Hanks improved as the film went on. I love Sir Ian McKellen but I think they should have cast someone else. He is very good at playing good or evil not both in the same character. The film makers also changed a few details from the book and I was not impressed. They did not develop the romance between Neveu and Langdon and suddenly Sophie Neveu has random 'chosen' people looking after her because she is supposedly a descendant of Mary Magdalene. What about the part of the book where Sophie's grandmother gives Prof. Langdon a clue as to the whereabouts of the holy grail? Hollywood what did you do?!

The long awaited X3- The Last Stand opened on Thursday. The SFX were amazing and I loved the hidden extra scene after the credits (you dumbasses who left early missed out) . However I found the direction limp and it was too short! I remember looking at my watch 90 minutes in thinking there was more to come but it ended soon after. I expected more battle scenes and character development. They made a mistake losing the previous director in my opinion.

I helped with the medical exams. My bum was sore from lying down for so long and by the 5th candidate you can recite your lines in your sleep. I kept shouting the answers/instructions in my head, willing them to say/do it. I felt sorry for some of them because of the nerves. Other candidates blew us away with their performance. I thought I want to be you (when you qualify).

I wandered a food market on Saturday with some friends. It was fun and I managed to stop myself eating all the tasty samples. From previous experience it makes you feel greedy and like a pig. I had yummy chocolate brownies, a semi-organic lamb burger with black pepper, mustard and a veggie chutney filling, hot apple and cinamon, cider (a sip) and organic ice cream (mint choc chip & almond/hazelnut).

Finalement

I got confirmation for my elective! Now I just have to make travel plans and pay for insurance. If anyone has £1000 lying around feel free to transfer it to my account. This week has been o.k. Mainly Dermatology and rheumatology clinics and finals teaching (a year is never too early). I saw a hemi-arthroplasty which was interesting. I can see why orthopaedics is known as the boys' specialty, all that drilling and hammering through bone. It is not all elective and exam preparation. It is my flatmate's birthday dinner on Friday evening and another friend's onMonday. This appears to be birthday month.

Photo from http://artoftravelworldwide.com/picture_gallery/Phulay%20Beach%20Krabi_Aprime%20Resort/Beach%2002.JPG

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Jeannie Ortega - Crowded. 18 year old from N.Y produced by Stargate.

Nelly Furtado- No Hay Igual

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Madness

I am still trying to obtain written confirmation for my elective. In between path revision I must make efforts to advertise my room for rent over the summer period. There is quite a bit to do in the next couple with weeks in relation to the elective.

I am addicted to Grey's Anatomy. Drama, romance and comedy. What more could you ask for? I watched the first season and I cannot wait for the second. Went to a bar near Piccadilly. The decor was very modern and it had a nice atmosphere. Saturday saw a friend's birthday. I didn't stay very long as I am trying to tighten the purse strings. Saw MI-3 on Sunday. Lots of blockbuster action with Tom Cruise running in slow motion for over half the movie. The story line was non existent and the ending, unrealistic and saccharine ridden. Apparently if Tom is playing the main character in a film, there is no need to develop the other characters. They should they be grateful they got the part. Maggie Q probably uttered 10 lines in the entire movie and the rest of the supporting cast was similar. However, it was nice to use virtually zero brain power for 2 hours. Go see it!

Image from http://www.filmedge.net/mi3/images/MI3_TeaserPoster.jpg

Summer Movies

Da Vinci Code

X-3

MI 3

Other releases

Horizontal

I am trying to get confirmation for my elective. My hosts are so relaxed they're horizontal and I have the medical school on my back. Fingers crossed. Bank holiday weekend saw a tapas lunch/dinner, Captain Correlli's Mandolin, 2046 (more quirky than Magnolia and Lost in Translation combined) and The Hours (fell asleep within first 10 minutes-Nicole kidman had just uttered her first piece of dialogue). I have become a big fan of Christian Bale ( American Psycho, Batman Begins & The Machinist). Let's not forget Swordfish which completed the DVD marathon. Hugh Jackman. Fit. Travolta is a genius. Halle Berry had a penchant for skin revealing scenes in most of her early roles e.g Monster- was it really necessary?. No especially in Swordfish.

Dermatology clinics Tuesday. The bulk of dermatology? Mology?

The Slog

I have turned down invites to go out and stayed in tucked up in bed on several occasions. What is happening? Could this be medic-burn out- syndrome. A disorder chracterised in both sexes with a peak incidence in the 3rd to final years of medical education. The symptoms include :

• Physical fatigue from long ward rounds, theatre and clinics
• Lack of motivation
• Not giving a toss about the present or the future
• Fear of the foundation programme and ending up jobless
• Mental fatigue from overcompetitive colleagues and keenos
• Obsessing over money and debt

If any of you have experienced these or similar symptoms, please leave a post sharing your experiences.

Management involves winning the lottery and lying on a hot beach for several months. Second line treatment is increasing extra curricular activities and exercise. Counselling or individual psychotherapy is indicated in severe or refractory cases.

The honey moon is over. 10 weeks till exams. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I love orthopaedics and rheumatology. It is such an interesting specialty which is comparable to drilling into my teeth for fun on a daily basis. Closed and open fractures.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Dermatology is interesting because it encompasses traditional clinical medicine and can enable diagnosis of systemic disorders. Also there is no dermatology on-call which is a bonus for future employees. I can imagine it getting a bit repetitive seeing some conditions a million times but that is true of most specialties.

Most wanted (1st two in my dreams):

• Miu Miu sunglasses
• Chanel Sunglasses
• Nelly Furtado album when it is released (June 26 in USA). It sounds hot especially No Hay Igual not promiscuous which is typical Timbaland- talk over every track I produce.
• Rihanna - A Girl like me. I love the S.O.S video- she looks great.
• Pink- I'm not Dead
• Grey's Anatomy DVD series 1

The state of music at the moment is shocking. Corinne Bailey Rae is about the only decent thing out at the moment. Yet I haven't bought the album. I will I just want the hype to die down a bit.

For spring trends check out the Telegraph's fashion website.

Easter

Exam went o.k. Went window browsing. I love it when the new spring trends enter the shops. Everything seems so fresh, fashion-wise. Home for the Easter Weekend. There was lots of sleeping, watching abysmal television and eating my body weight in food. I have to start doing some work and stop faffing around.

Memories & Dread

This week has been long and tiring, despite mainly wasting time I should have spent revising. It is the final practical clinical exam and the events of the year are taking it's toll. Or I am just lazy. My flatmates are not helping. Above is pictorial evidence of this. Their friends call the flat in the small hours of the morning and apparently using a hoover when normal people are asleep or not tidying up after yourself is normal behaviour.

Last Weekend I saw Inside Man in the cinema. I can't imagine why. Maybe it provided an incentive in the form of Clive. We are good friends you know, in my dreams. It was similar to Derailed with a twisting plot. Denzel was good and I finally figured out Chiwetel Ejiofor was the other cop after reading his interview in Marie Claire.

I braved the library during Easter. What was I thinking? My university doesn't do Easter. You've got more of a chance finding a seat at a Backstreetboy's concert during school holidays than you do finding a seat during Easter revision period. It brought back memories of revision for exams before all my friends graduated. Sniff sniff.. It's weird seeing a set of different people going through the same process my friends did. I realise after another year I am still in this institution doing pretty much the same thing. But the end is near, 16 months is not that long especially with a 3 month elective period.

I have just seen the group list for next year's rotations. It is full of hard core freaks who work 24-7 and don't sleep. A mix of the militant keenos and dossers. I am so lucky.

2006 ' Spring's trends look remarkable similar to last year's. Thank goodness boho is gone but oh no what will Sienna wear now? Lot's of white influenced by Chloe and Stella McCartney's collections. Polka dots, yellow, prints, high collars and stacked heels. Spring is here.