Well, it has been a while, hasn't it?  I'm tired tonight, but I don't feel like sleeping... if that makes any sense.  Perhaps it's just my mind needing to decompress after months of school and studies kept it from doing so.  A lot of time really has passed since the my last post.  Haha, I don't believe I wrote about urinals... well... yeah I do...

Lately I've found my heart forcing me to take time to sit and contemplate things that I have so neglected since school began.  It really is telling of how much you can push aside until that little internal bottle uncorks itself.  I can easily say that PA school has been the most difficult thing I have ever done.  Ever.  I was ready for something hard, but not this.  I've never seen such competent people crack under pressure as often as I have these past six months.  I never thought I would crack, but I did too.  Yet, underneath all this, God has been graciously walking me through, even though I have often denied Him of my time and company.  It's times like this that the only thing I fully understand about God's grace is that I understand nothing about His grace.  Why the bother with me?  On most days, I have a school book and His book, and I reach for the school book without hesitance.  I am lucky... lucky that He doesn't treat me the way I treat Him.

Patty noticed that since school started, I don't smile like I used to, nor do I randomly sing like I did before.  She was right.  There are a lot of things that are different about me since this time last year.  I don't really like it, but it forces me to consider why.

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.  The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.  The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~John 10:1-10

This passage is the first that comes to mind.  Now I don't know exactly who the thief is; the only thing Christ alludes to in these verses are "all who ever came before me".  Regardless, the point is that the thief is someone/something that draws us away from Christ.  It's the first part of the last sentence that strikes me most...

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...

It saddens me how I take this verse so flippantly.  Read it again.  And then again.  Steal.  Kill.  Destroy.  The words that were chosen aren't to be taken lightly.  I find that it is important to bear in mind that my hardships and struggles are not the issue here.  It is my response that is in question.  My hardships are permitted by the hand of God.  It is my response either to my shepherd's voice or that of the "thief" that must be under scrutiny.  This thief isn't here to give me a bad day.  This thief isn't concerned with making me grumpy when I roll out of bed tomorrow morning.  His objective is to STEAL, to KILL, and to DESTROY.

Now an interesting thing about the word "steal"... some Greek lexicons describe it as "theft by stealth".  Our common understanding of stealth is "to be unseen".  What does that mean to me?  Only that the thief's plans are meant to be carried out against me without my knowledge.  Things I do so innocently, when done out of deafness to my shepherd's voice, can carry grim consequence.

"You really should study hard because God put you here, and being a good student brings Him glory."

Subtle, isn't it?  The statement isn't untrue, at least not entirely.  Though, I doubt God is really enjoying His pile of "glory" when I decide to study without regard to my personal time with Him.  Theft by stealth.  The scripture states the sheep will never follow the stranger's voice because they don't recognize it (in fact, they run).  They have learned to differentiate between the voice of the shepherd and that of any others.  Sometimes we just act on impulse; never stopping to check who's voice it is.  For me, it's often my school work.  For you, it may be that annoyance sitting in the cubicle next door, or that job you just don't want to return to.  Again, it's not the school work, the annoyance, or the job, but rather the voice we choose to follow as a result.

Hmm... I need to go to bed.  Have a good night everyone.

Okay, so it's just after midnight and I'm still studying.  I just finished a round of midterms/finals last week, but I still have more.  My brain is poop, and I've still got a night ahead of me.  I need a break so I figure a brief Xanga update is in order.  I wanted to share about an experience that I'm not exactly happy to report about, but I feel it's important nonetheless, and if I don't talk about it, probably no one will.  Before I begin, what I am about to share is somewhat gross, and most likely only understood by men...

Ricochet.
In the past two months I've been at Baylor, I've come to take notice of the urinals in the men's bathrooms at Baylor.  For you ladies, urinals are basically wall-mounted bowls for us to go in.  The idea is simple, yet complex.  Ideally, when a man uses a urinal, fluids hit the back wall of the bowl, it dribbles down, and we flush.  However, if the engineering is a little off, problems arise.  If the angle of the urinal wall is too gradual, stuff tends to... bounce back at you.  I've had this happen a couple times already, and I really don't like it.  The only solution I see is to either start using stalls or stand back a tad, but that would look really odd to a person walking in.  Plus, if you stand back and the force of the stream starts to drop, you end up going on the floor, so that's no good either.  Do any of the fellas reading this hear what I'm saying?  Don't lie; I know I'm not alone.

Okay, break time is over.  Good night friends.  I'll update for real soon.

Currently Reading Robbins Basic Pathology Updated Edition: With STUDENT CONSULT Access By Vinay Kumar, Ramzi S. Cotran, Stanley L. Robbins see related

Well, I just camped at Barnes & Noble for the past six hours studying for my clinical medicine final, so I've decided to use this time as my break/reflect time.  There is just so much material to learn, but strangely, I'm not really stressed about it.  I'm just moving along.  Some of the more memorable moments thus far...

BRAINS!
We had anatomy lab for the first time yesterday.  It was kinda funny... most people didn't want to touch the corpses.  Me?  I was like, "SWEET!  Right cerebral hemisphere please!"  It stinks to high heaven in there, but still...

Seriously, anatomy lab is so incredible.  To think about God's INCREDIBLE design when you hold a human brain... wow.  Think about it... the closest machine man has ever created to do the job of a single kidney is about half the size of a refrigerator.  The Lord packed it all together in something the size of your fist, and He gave you two of 'em. 

BUTTS.
So one of our classes is responsible for teaching us the proper methods in conducting a physical exam.  This thing is very thorough.  There's a portion of bone in your rear called the ischial tuberosity... and we all have to feel for it as part of our exams.  I always get shy having to look for it on a girl, and yet, I really hate looking for it on a guy.  Though, I guess I should be thankful I don't have to give rectal exams... yet.

Congrats to James and Arby!  Er, Karen!
Aside from school, James and Karen got married last Saturday!  I'm so happy for them, though I feel like a heel for having to show up, then leave right after.  I don't really know how James and I became such good friends.  We hang out in polar opposite crowds, but still, a brother till the end.  I'm happy for you, bro.  Patty was so nice to drive both ways so I could study on my way up and down from Dallas.  I think that Saturday was my worst dietary day I've had in a LONG time.  Here's what I ate:

• A giant omelette breakfast sandwich combo from Burger King.  This sandwich was pretty killer... a bun about the length of a hotdog bun with cheese, eggs, sausage, and bacon.  Patty wanted to split it, so I didn't think it would be so bad.  Then I found out that split meant: Patty=two bites, Martin=rest.  To make matters worse, the combo came with tater-tot-like hash browns, which I was chiefly responsible for eating.  ON TOP OF THAT, (because I wasn't aware I was going to be the chief consumer of the sandwich) I ordered some cheesy-tots for myself.  Yeah I know, but they looked so good.  The only healthy thing about that meal was the OJ, which Patty drank.
• The drive to Dallas is pretty long, so I started snacking to keep myself awake while I studied, so I had half a bag of spicy pork rinds and a BIG OLE can of Arizona brand fruit punch or something like that.  You may noticed I used all caps when I said "BIG OLE".  This can was stinking HUGE... like twice the height of a typical soda can and about 1.25 times the diameter.
• We finally make it to Dallas, I hop in my tux, and one of the other guys brings in KFC for those helping with the wedding.  Two pieces of dark, down the hatch.  With the skin?  Uh huh.
• The wedding goes all good and fine, and Patty and I get lunch.  We went to Panera Bread and had chicken sandwiches.  Probably the healthiest part of the day.  Though I did have a small bag of chips with it.
• Back in the car for the journey home to Houston.  Martin gets sleepy again.  Martin eats the remainder of the aforementioned pork rinds.  Martin decides to wash it down with a Blizzard from DQ.
• For those of you who don't know, I really like Arby's, and there aren't many locations left in Houston.  It turns out that there's only one person who likes Arby's more than me... and she was driving.  We saw the Arby's logo on the little rest stop sign and, almost instinctively, Patty exits.  I didn't even have to ask why we where exiting.  Though, even if I did, it's not like she was gonna answer me, she had a new man in her life, and his name was Arby.

Ugh, Martin=fatso.

He has returned...
No, not Jesus... Superman.  I got to take a break and see Superman Returns.  Don't read the next paragraph if you don't want it spoiled, though, I'm not going to say much anyway.

I really liked the movie, but one thing really got to me.  Superman has a kid!?  Come on... that's totally not Superman.  Batman maybe, but not Supes.  Bruce Wayne is a playboy, Clark Kent is... well... not.  Stop reading all those X-Men comics and pick up an issue of Superman, Bryan Singer!

Microbes beware...
I had forgotten to mention last post that I had gone shopping for school supplies and saw one of the most interesting things ever.  Introducing, the new and improved... anti-microbial...

Yes, that's right... the new Bostich Full-Strip Antimicrobial Stapler can be yours for $12.99!  S. Aureus?  Nuh Uh!  E. Coli?  No way, Jose!  Your stapler can be 100% free of those pesky microbes.  Leave it to Bostich to safeguard us from stapler transmitted disease!  Thank you, Bostich! 

Oy, my break has gone long.  Cripes, I need to get back to clinical medicine!  Later!

Currently Reading Mosby's Guide to Physical Examination see related

Okay, so it's been a while and a lot has happened since my last update.  I've recently started PA school over at Baylor, and after the first week, it's time to unwind.  I figure this is a good a way as any...  I have a feeling this is gonna be a long one seeing as I haven't updated in quite some time.  Get comfy.

Search Project
I finished my obligation over at the shelter I was volunteering at the end of May.  It was a great time to get to serve a side of the community that I have a passion for.  For those that don't know, I was basically a mailman for the homeless.  There were quite a few memorable moments in my time there, some humorous, but others that tug at your heart.  A few of the more humorous quotes:

From a co-worker after meeting a woman with 10 kids: "Martin... I don't think that woman has any eggs left!  She done used 'em all."

A man (with a goofy grin at the time) walking up to the counter I was working: "Psst... Hey... Hey man... can you give me a couple of those baby wipes over there?  I spilled coffee on my crotch!"

My friend Bill answered a phone call.  It was for one of the homeless men staying at the shelter.  The man gets the call and says: "Hello?  What?  Who is this?  WHO!?  AW, HELL NO!!!"  He then runs out the door.  It turns out that it was the police on the line with an arrest warrant for the man, and poor Bill just blew his cover.

Putting these silly quotes aside, some of the more sobering things I've witnessed...

1.  A fake nurse attempting to sell fake drugs to the homeless.
2.  Three fights break out.
3.  Countless individuals with mental illnesses, disorders, and various infections.

I don't know whether it's a good thing or bad, but I also learned how to tell if a person is a crack addict.  Sad to say, we had many.  

Though, on a brighter note, we had a man that had been at the Search Project for a couple years.  He originally ran away from his home in Florida because he thought his family didn't love him anymore due to his mental illness.  That was 18 years ago.  A few months back, he had lost his wallet and the only identification in it was his driver's license from Florida, which had his family's address on it.  The person who found the wallet was kind enough to mail it back to the family.  Upon receiving the wallet, the family searched the wallet and found a business card with my supervisor's contact information.  They called, and found their runaway family member.  It had been so long that the family assumed him to be dead... they even bought a gravestone to honor him.  They were so happy to find him, they purchased a ticket for him to return home.   Sound like any stories you know?

Copa De Mundial!
Ah... the World Cup!  The one month out of every 48 that the Lord ordains to celebrate football!  If you don't know already, I'm a big Brasil nut!  I simply love the team... not because they are like the Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, but because this team has always carried talent through its history of soccer.  Every player is a gifted and talented player that you have to be wary of.  They never depend on one player to make their plays; they work as a unit and their teamwork really shines. 

I was in class for the Brasil/Ghana game, but Patty was kind enough to leave me a voice message mid-day with the outcome of the game.   I was watching the Germany/Argentina game today between classes.  There were about five Argentineans watching with me and my classmates.  The game was amazing; it came down to a shoot-out, but Argentina lost in the end.  The Argentineans said a lot of Spanish stuff.  Something about people's moms... heh.

There are five matches remaining, me thinks...

England v. Portugal... England 2-1
Brasil v. France... Brasil 3-1
Germany v. Italy... Germany 1-0
Brasil v. England... Brasil 2-0
Brasil v. Germany... Brasil 1-1, with Brasil winning in OT.

Baylor
Cripes.  Having three friends graduate from this program, and two currently ahead of me, I figured I had a good idea of how difficult this program is.  I didn't.  School started this week, with orientation on the first two days.  After three days of class, I feel like a walking corpse.  I know I mentioned to a number of you that my mind had a hard time grasping how anything can be that hard.  My mind doesn't have that problem any more.  This is that hard.

Have my feelings toward this pursuit changed?  Not a bit.  My body is drained, but my heart and spirit still loves the things I'm learning.  In three days, I've been challenged to do things I didn't think possible, but with practice, I can see myself improving a little at a time, and that keeps me going.  On top of it all, I've gotten to make a ton of new friends, some are siblings in Christ, and others, potential.

To give you a taste of the intensity of this place, I just had a lecturer condense EVERYTHING I learned in organic chemistry into ONE 1.5-hour lecture.  Though, regardless of the pace, the things I'm getting to learn is simply incredible.  For a person to look at the human body's design and efficiency and praise evolution/science for it baffles me.  The wonder and the majesty of God's power to create beings of such complexity, yet to also desire simple things such as love, joy, and happiness is undeniable.

On a funnier note, I've noticed that some individuals can get a tad too wrapped up in their new surroundings.  I was talking to a classmate yesterday and the following exchange takes place:

Me:  Good morning, how are ya today?
Classmate:  I'm okay, but I think I'm immuno-compromised...
Me:  Uh... so you're sick?
Classmate:  Yeah, I think so...

Immuno-compromised... psh!  You're sick dude! SICK!  If I ever start speaking Medish in a social setting, please ridicule me publicly.

A funny quirk...
So recently, Patty's family has been in the process of looking for a home to purchase.  I've recently come to discover that I have a strange quirk when it comes to living spaces.  A while back, I saw a book called "Small Living Spaces" or something like that.  It was basically a book of interior design of how people creatively made use of small living quarters.  So nowadays, when I go to places that are particularly small, I find myself asking the question, "If I had to live here for the rest of my life, how would I design this place?"  Okay, so when I say small, I mean like a walk-in closet small or maybe a bathroom small.  I begin to mentally strip the room bare and imagine how I would renovate it to fit things like a computer, shower, toilet, and whatnot.  Bizarre.

He's back...
Is anyone excited to see Superman Returns!?  I wanna go see it, but I don't have the time right now.  Kevin Spacey looks like he would make the perfect Lex Luthor. 

Oh man, it's past my bedtime... yeah, my bedtime is super-early once school started.  Maybe I'll put up some more tomorrow.  Maybe.  Okay, in honor of Supe's return... Kudos to whoever can answer the following Superman trivia!  I'll start you off easy...

What substance is Superman's weakness?
What substance is impervious to Superman's x-ray vision?
What is the source of Superman's powers?
Superman is currently a member of what superhero team?
At one time, Superman was thought dead at the hands what creature?
What is the name of Superman's home in the Arctic?
Clark works at The Daily Planet, who is his boss?
What is Superman's cousin's name?
What are the names of Clark's real parents?

Good night all!

Ahhh... I'm slacking on my updating!  Jeez, I hardly remember what's taken place in the last several weeks.  Various things have kept me busy.  I'll give a recap...

Congratulations to...
Phil and Jen on getting engaged!
Doug and Jenny on baby Kyle!
Gary and Antonette on little Malia!
Gordon and Amy who were married last Saturday!
Andy and Julie who are getting married tomorrow!

On a side note, it's kind of funny that people always get married in groups.  It's rare that I ever go to one isolated wedding; they always come one after another in rapid succession... kinda like how girls never go to the bathroom alone, but more expensive.

The Search Project
I recently started my time volunteering at a homeless shelter in downtown Houston.  I'm there every Monday and Wednesday.  Basically, I'm kind of a mailman.  The shelter allows for those in need to use their address as a mailing address so that people that don't have a home can receive mail.  It really amazes me how many homeless come through that building in a day.  I keep telling people that for every one homeless person you see begging on the roadside, there has got to be another 30 (at least) that you don't see who are trying to make a life for themself.

One of the most sobering things is seeing how almost 80-90% of the mail that comes through there is composed of medical organizations addressing health issues, lawfirms and lawyers trying to claim their money, or warnings of warrants for someone's arrest.  I come to realize that I will never fully understand the depth of the need that some people have.  I see people who come to see if their medication has come in yet, or if their latest social security check has arrived.  This place even has a division set up for homeless children.  On one occassion, security had to track down and kick out a person who came to the shelter trying to sell fake medication under the guise of trying to help them out.  For those out there that believe that the homeless are nothing but panhandlers or people too lazy to find jobs, let me be the first to give it to you straight... ditch that notion and help.

On a small, yet brighter, note... all of you who have had to endure my horrendous handwriting can rejoice as vengeance is finally yours.  As a mailman of sorts, I come to understand why people are said to "go postal" when they flip out.  Some people's handwriting is simply incredible.  I mean, seriously.  You know how sometimes people can mistake a "C" for a "G" or an "O" for a "Q"?  I've gotten mail where I've mistaken a "B" for an "L"... NO, I'M NOT KIDDING.

Lady Friend
Ok, in an effort to squash the rumor mills... I've recently started dating.  It's great.  I like her.  I think that states my peace.

English Retreat
Retreat this year was great.  I didn't have to do a lick of work for it, which is why it actually felt like a retreat for once.  The main topic of the retreat centered upon being an incarnational Christian.  The speaker was great.  If I had to pick one lesson to remember it's that if intimacy with Christ is ever to be established, I have to learn to love sinners.  That's what His ministry here involved, and if I, as a Christian, am to ever understand and be intimate with my Lord, then I must take part in the life He lived.  It resonates with me simply because loving particular people in my life has always been difficult.  There are always those who know how to push your buttons, but life isn't about just loving and serving those who love you back, is it?  It just follows a theme of lessons I've had to learn and re-learn many times in recent months.

The downside is that I got a speeding ticket just as I pulled into the retreat site.  I spoke to one of the site workers and he told me how the cops in the area are kinda ruthless.  There's evidently a stretch on the main road into town where the speed limit drops from 70mph to 35mph within about a mile.  Strangely, I went to the bank to get a cashier's check to pay the court cost, and the teller saw that I was having it made out to the City of Palacios Municipal Court.  She commented:

"OMG, did you get a ticket on the main road?  I just got a ticket there last week by some cop vulturing back and forth.  I hate that place... my family lives there."

Clearly I should exercise more caution the next time I drive through Palacios.  Oh well, time for defensive driving...

Movies
Ok, I might as well mention this due to the run of bad movies I've seen lately.  Go see Inside Man.  I love heist movies, and it's super clever.  It's the first movie that receives a rating of "not suck" in a long time.   For those of you who didn't listen to my advice and watched Ultra Violet anyway, this movie will probably stop all the convulsions you've been having since watching UV.

Ok, the recap is done and I think that's the majority of what has taken place.  But wait!  There's more.  I haven't updated in so long that I've still got plenty for ya!  Get comfy!  It's like those special editions of Time that have extended editorial!  Lucky you!

Theory of Feminine Denim Obfuscation (FDO)
I've very recently stumbled upon a theory I like to call Feminine Demin Obfuscation.  It works like this:  Women like dark jeans on their men.  If their man doesn't have dark jeans, he either soon will or he will be advised to get some.  If said man does not do so within reasonable time, the woman will do so for him.  Here is the evidence I've gathered so far:

1.  When I was dating last year, my girlfriend gently suggested that I purchase some blue jeans, to which I replied that I still had two perfectly good pair.  She commented how light they were.  Later on, we were at the mall and she bought me a pair at the Gap anyway... they were dark blue.

2.  I went to small group one day and a good friend showed up.  He was wearing a pair of jeans I never saw him in.  They were of a darker tone than normal.  I asked about the jeans and he said they were new.  To this, I asked if his girlfriend had purchased them for him.  He said yes.

3.  I've recently started dating again (), and in one of our conversations, my girlfriend commented on the light tone of my jeans followed by a suggestion that I purchase darker ones.

4.  I was waiting for fellowship to start when another friend of mine shows up.  I asked him what color jeans he usually purchases.  He pointed at mine and said they were light, similar to the color I was wearing.  I then asked if he had a pair of dark blue jeans.  To this, he said he did.  I asked where they came from.  "Girlfriend."

5.  I was sitting at Tapioca Express this afternoon catching up with a friend.  I asked him the same set of questions.

"What color jeans do you normally wear?" 
"Blue."
"Well, like... light or dark?"
"Light."
"Do you have any dark ones?"
"No."
"Hmm strange, I expected you to have a pair."
"Well, my wife has suggested that I get a pair of darker ones, but I just haven't given in yet..."

Now the only real helpful thing about this theory for us guys is, if you've been wanting to get a darker pair of jeans anyway, hook up and wait... You'll get some in time.   Any other fellas want to speak up to lend credibility on my theory?  I personally don't like the dark blue ones... they look dirty to me.  Whatever.

Ok to close, I got tagged for one of these list things by meifung12.  Here goes...

Four jobs I've had...
1.  Bussboy at one of my dad's restaurants
2.  Astroworld... I worked the Texas Cyclone
3.  Summer intern at Campus Crusade for Christ
4.  Assistant media planner at various ad agencies

Four Chinatown drinks I order...
1.  Almond milk tea
2.  Grapefruit green tea
3.  Green apple green tea
4.  Water, no lemon (I don't believe in Chinese lemonade.)

Four interesting scars I have...
1.  A scar from ACL surgery on my left knee
2.  Stitches on my chin and above my left eyebrow from falling down an escalator when I was a wee lad
3.  A scar on my left shin from learning how to use brakes on a bike the hard way
4.  Oh wow, I was gonna say a scar from a chicken pox I scratched when I was young, but I just checked and it's gone!  Hooray!

Four websites I visit regularly...
1.  homestarrunner.com
2.  howstuffworks.com
3.  ebay.com
4.  xanga.com

Well, I don't really keep up with Hollywood or TV, so I don't know how to answer the rest.  So... I'll make up some topics for fun!

Four of my favorite heroes (no particular order, Christian influences aside)...
1.  Gambit (X-Men)
2.  The Green Lantern (DC Comics)
3.  Yoda (Star Wars)
4.  Bebeto Campos (retired striker for the Brazilian national soccer team)

Four of my favorite villans (again, no particular order)...
1.  Keyser Soze (The Usual Suspects)
2.  Magneto (X-Men, though he's much cooler in the comics)
3.  Agent Smith (The Matrix)
4.  Sauron (Lord of the Rings)

Four things I need to improve on...
1.  Understanding/patience
2.  Discipline/procrastination
3.  Giving with a glad heart
4.  Physical exercise

I think I've said enough...  I tag drewshar since there are two of them and they still never update!  Oh before I log, thanks to those who gave their thoughts on my previous post regarding punctuality, but what I was hoping for were thoughts on the passive/aggressive trap I was talking about.  It wasn't meant as simply a gripe, but for thoughts on a healthy way for Christians to respond in such situations...

Ok ok, I'll shut up now.  Later!