lud4ch12issy's Xanga

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 16:23:28 GMT

Barcelona was.......

MARVELOUS.

the trip started off with us making it to bush intercontinental just in the nick of time due to houston traffic. this turned out to be a blessing bc as it turns out, british airways overbooked out flight so they upgraded us to first class!!! i know!!! the parents and i came aboard and were immediately greeted with hot towels, champagne and oj. the seats were awesome seeing as how they could be converted into a 6 foot bed!!! and there was a personal flip away tv, foot stool, toiletry pack, pillows, blankets, and headphones all waiting on the seat. they actually handed out menus and we were served a 3-course meal with steak and potatoes as the main course. but anyway to make a long story short.... first class is fantastic! then had to stop at London Gatwick airport where our flight was delayed so ended up in the vip lounge where i was able to shower and everything. did i mention how great first class is?? haha

arrived in barcelona at around midnight. brother came to pick us up and busted out in catalan (the real spanish). it's so much nicer and more pleasant than the spanish we hear over here. so loud and harsh you know what i mean.... but anyway, the night we arrived was also the same night the majority of chris's fellow architecture friends had to catch a flight back to the US.

it's hard to describe all the adventures in the past week. highlights included hiking up to the famous park guell, visiting casa batilla and casa mila - all of which were designed by antoni gaudi, the most famous architect of barcelona. also visited the famous sagrada familia, also designed by gaudi - quite possibly the most beautiful church i've ever seen... and the largest too. the finished form will actually be only 1/16 th size gaudi originally wanted it to be and yet, it already towers over the city. you can pretty much see it anywhere you go as long as you're moderately high up. christmas eve... went shopping and sightseeing all day and on christmas day, went to another famous park, the arc of triumph, and had dinner at a nice restaurant looking out into a fountain. the nightlife....partying til 6 in the morning!! black sheep tavern. pitchers of sangria (very popular everywhere in the city). estrella damm beer. and of course, vodka with kas lemon soda... i know!! totally trashed by the time we got to the club at 3 in the morning can you believe it?!??! spaniards are hardcore. everyone drinks and smokes heavily. it's the city that never sleeps. authentic paella. tapas galore! always liked the clothes and shoes at zara and guess where it originated??? in barcelona!!! so there were zaras left and right... huge 3 story ones with zara women, men, kids, and even zara home!! omg i was in candyland. and it's not like the one store in the galleria where there's only some of their collections and all the small sizes are always gone.... all of their fall collections were in store and there were actually smalls left!! i was one happy bitch. there's 13 all together in barcelona and we managed to hit up half i think. haha... but anyway, speaking of fashion.... people were dressed very cute yet suitable for the weather. it seems like everyone in spain in pretty. the guys and gals are all tall, slender, and beautiful. no wonder since everyone walks and takes public transportation and the standard of living is higher and the spices and flavor is not nearly as fat-packed and calorie-loaded as here in the good ol' lazy USA. brother suggested we tell everyone who asked we were from singapore rather than the US since that's clearly better off. i bet they think we're all fat and lazy... and they're right to some extent. people over there live such a modest lifestyle and aren't nearly as wasteful as we are over here. and everyone recycles. and even the pickpockets aren't dangerous. if you catch them, they will nonviolently give you back you wallet or whatver they took from you. happened to my brother and alot of his friends.

i don't even know what else to say because there are way too many stories and i'm too much of a lazy american to type it all. posted an album on facebook. we must've taken well over 1000 pics from the trip and those selected 60 are only from my brother's camera. there's so much more from my dad's fancy digital camera i have yet to upload.

and now here i am. back to reality with my vacation winding down. sigh........... i have a quiz and two tests waiting for me when i get back. second semester starts on the 2nd!! can you believe it.... 8 am is the intro to cardiopulmonary whoop ti do. i have to fly out on new year's day.... wahhhhh however, that means i will have to party it up even more on new year's eve. hehe

new year's resolutions???

................................................

Monday, December 25, 2006

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 17:53:21 GMT

FELIZ NAVIDAD..... or as they also say here in Barcelona, BON NADAL my friends!!!

It's 11:46 pm on Christmas day here in Barcelona and in about 4 hours, the Doan Family will be leaving this beautiful city to head back to the states. I think it's only about 5:45ish in houston right now and families are just starting to get together for Christmas dinner. Wanted to type an entry exactly on the 25th to wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! It's surreal being in a whole other country and celebrating Christmas away from the states for the first time ever.

Not gonna write about my trip until i have pictures posted. But what an experience!!! now i see why my brother said studying abroad this past semester was truly the time of his life. looking at pics from all the countries he's visited and meeting some of his friends over here..... im so jealous!!!

So yeah, hope everyone has an incredible Christmas as we begin to say goodbye to 2006 and helllllllllllo to 2007!! Haven't gotten the chance to spend time with anyone yet so cannot wait to see friendly faces before school starts again. but yeah.... see you guys when i get back home tomorrow!!

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 14:43:39 GMT

what a great thanksgiving break. albeit wayyyy too short for yours truly. my flight was on sunday night and it was right back to the grind that is medical school. on a brighter note, this is the LAST week of neuro!!! whoo hoo yippee hooray! by this time next week, we will be in the third day of endocrine... which is supposedly cake compared to neuro.

but anyhoo, had a great time in houston this past weekend and was able to see many familiar faces, especially my parents, relatives, close friends, and sisters. also got to share something cool with jade, who was also in town from san diego. we were supposed to do this 2 years ago on our birthdays and since we were both in town this time around, decided to go get another tattoo together like we planned. although the odds were against us, it was still made possible will never forget it. (jade being totally freaked out about the possible pain while i was trying to reassure her since i went first and being a tad nervous myself) but in the end, we both kinda liked the pain hahaha i know! its true what they say... it really does become a sort of fetish.

not enough time was spent with my parents, although i will be able to spend quality family time with mom, dad, and chris in barcelona this christmas!! whoo hoo i am soooo excited, especially since my brother tells me about all the fun he's having in europe, how he visits a different country every weekend, how he saw leonardo dicaprio walk the red carpet in rome, and saw jake gyllenhal in a thai restaurant in berlin. soooo jealous! he's having the time of his life while im stuck in a cubicle most of the time and vicariously living a social life through the world wide web.

andrew spent thanksgiving with us which was great. it's nice that we still keep in touch. after all, he IS my backup in case we both dont get married within the next 10 years. haha jk.... ??

and lastly, i was wearing a tank top yesterday and some pple were wearing flip flops and yet today like RIGHT NOW... IT'S FRICKIN SNOWING OUTSIDE!!!! UNBELIEVABLE.... AND LEAVE IT TO TCOM TO STILL CONDUCT CLASSES AND MAKE US COME UP TO SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH THERE'S CRAZY SLEET AND SNOW OUTSIDE.

OKAY EVERYONE. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, I WILL BE DONE WITH MY FIRST SEMESTER OF MED SCHOOL!!! WHOO HOO!!! SEE YOU ALL AFTER CHRISTMAS!! TAKE CARE.

-c h to the rizzle

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:03:33 GMT

ever feel like the wind was knocked out of you.... quick, painful, like ripping off a bandaid, except this one's over your heart. and damn, it hurts. never thought it would happen to me. and it sucks to be on the receiving end. it was so blatantly obvious from the look on my face. you'd be an idiot not to see it.

i never thought i could be made to feel like this. this one has got to be the worse. i dare to even say it..... EVER.

and frankly, this is something i never ever want to feel ever again.

no one knows.

i'm just gonna forget.

...............................and never want to talk about ever again.

so much i want to say. pain. HURT. tears. anger. acceptance.

moving on. and not thinking about it anymore.

regrets? HELL YEAH.

i've always been a believer in karma. and now, karma has slapped me in the face. i did it to him, and now another is doing the same to me. he's hurting because of me, and i'm hurting because of another. i'm turning 23 in two weeks. and yet, i feel like an absolute idiot. i think i was smarted in high school. smarter about the choices i made and the consequences i'd have to deal with. i haven't learned from my mistakes. cause hell, i keep on making them over and over again. and in the end, people get hurt.

and what a horrible way to be distracted right now. when i have killer exams coming up and all i can think about it all the drama i've caused. i feel so alone. i can't seem to talk to anyone. i don't want to talk to anyone. i need to be by myself. and yet, i so desperately want to be comforted. to be embraced so i can just cry my eyes out and wish i could take all these things back. regrets. regrets. regrets. i used to talk about having no regrets in my life.

up until now.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:10:06 GMT

tried to type a new entry twice and both times got lost bc the wireless connection failed.

so third time's a charm i guess.

NERVOUS SYSTEM has started. two days = 350+ slides = one stressed out chrissy. how the hell am i gonna survive 6 weeks' worth of material?!??!!

had a great weekend: keg and trash can punch (made by urs truly) at brad's, 8.0, dim sum with the family, scary movie night, and b's birthday at mainevent (on a sunday too how rebellious...) made for a fantastic weekend! i almost forgot i was a first year until i was rudely slapped back in to reality yesterday with 5 hrs worth of lectures and 2 hrs of gross anatomy lab. that and 3 hrs today make for one very unhappy class of 2010.

wish me luck guys! you wont be hearing from me until thanksgiving when you can actually see me in person!!! whoo hoo so make haste and make plans cause my ass will be there. i'm aiming to see everyone in the 3.5 days i have in houston. will be home on thanksgiving morning (fitting isn't it....) and will be there until sunday. yay!!! cannot wait for family, friends, and bellaire!!!

ok toodles. back to the books.

until thanksgiving my darlings!

Friday, October 13, 2006

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 00:32:13 GMT

hello all.

first things first. props to JT for seriously bringin sexyback... and then some. the song really grew on me and now "MY LOVE" IS MY FAV from the album. what a fantastic collabo....and the video.... oh mylanta!! the boy can DANCE....so damn sexy....ooo hurt me. i absolutely love it!!! and it fits him so well too.

but anyway, aside from how much i was distracted tonight (watching videos on launch, almost buying the complete second seasons of LOST and Grey's Anatomy, and online shopping....), it dawned on me that i'm finished with over 1/2 of my first semester of medical school. OMG. whoo hoo to that!!

we're almost done with musculoskeletal skin and will be starting neuro in less than 2 weeks. OMG. i'm scurred...... cause the nervous system ain't no joke. please let me be okay and make it to thanksgiving so i can finally go home!!!

i'm soooooooo confused. i don't know what to do. times like this i really need advice. i'm so frickin fickle....indecisive....irrational....and above all else, IMPATIENT. it's like when i want something.... i have to have it right then and there and when i don't want it anymore..... it seems i can disgard it in an instant. definitely my weakness. should i do it??? or not??? help.

wish i could see familiar faces at times like these.

and wow, i just noticed it's friday the 13th.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:13:54 GMT

white coat ceremony was AWESOME. i felt such a thrill as i was being "coated" onstage. i will never ever forget that feeling. and seeing everyone in white coats and knowing that we're now "student doctors" and will be doctors in 2010..... let's just say it was surreal. my parents came up, brought a cooler full of asian food WHOO HOO!!, and afterwards we went to the asian area here (quite laughable compared to our bellaire in houston) and toured downtown.... which took only 5 minutes. hehe then they had to leave. my mom started tearing which of course got me all sad and so of course we both started crying. and my dad told me how much they're rooting for me and to call whenever i feel too stressed out. my parents are so damn great and so damn supportive. i wouldn't be able to do this without them. i love them so much.

whew! so i survived my very first course in medical school. yesterday morning was the 2nd and last cellular science exam. IT WAS HARD!!! grades aren't out yet, which is making me more and more nervous.

and with the end of cell science marks the beginning of musculoskeletal system (MSS I) and also human anatomy lab!!!!!! which means wearing scrubs, long hours in lab, and of course the ever prevalent odor that will linger on our clothes, socks, shoes way after getting out of the lab. but anyway, our respect ceremony was also today. i feel so priviledged to be able to take gross lab because someone donated his/her body to medicine and is allowing us to learn from. i have such profound respect for this contribution they are making to our medical education. a little apprehensive about the actual dissection part. the smell, sight, and everything else i can deal with since i've already seen it many times. but actually making the cuts myself..... i'm a bit nervous about that. LAB STARTS TOMORROW!!

went out last night for a friend's birthday. we got him so thrashed. it's what happens when you pound 15 shots (including 2 chilled patrons and 4 fourhorsemens) within less than an hr!!! happy birthday chad!!! hehe

he makes my smile. and i'm lovin' the newness of it all. and i wear the pants. hehe awww shucks. i feel like i'm 18 all over again.

that's all for now. i have another test next tuesday and it will be like that all throughout october. off to study i go! although this is definitely one of the biggest challenges of my life thus far, i couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:34:34 GMT

and

because of

i can't stop smiling!

ps. happy labor day weekend folks!! had a fantastic weekend full of alcohol, food, swimming, silly string, birthday cake, south park, and it was all with "the family" u guys are awesome!!

pps. NUnatics are having a reunion minus ME! jade's coming this coming weekend and i cant be there bc of a test next monday booooooo. i miss my pledge sisters. DO YALL HEAR THAT?!?!! I MISS U GUYS SO MUCH!!!

ok back to the tablet pc. ugh. i hate this. wish i could just marry one instead. maybe i should forget about this whole med school thing and just start looking for a fresh-faced McDreamy of my very own. now is that too much to ask?!?!!

i leave u with this - never thought about it before, until jer brought it up the other day. would i change my last name if i got married?? HELL NO. am not bustin my ass just to be called "Dr. my husband's last name" PUH-LEASE!! that's DR. DOAN for the rest of my life bitches!! just thought i'd get that out there.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:36:12 GMT

wow. it's already september.

it's 1:12 am, september 1, 2006 and here i am..... restless and listening to old school love songs along the tunes of voices of theory, babyface, mariah carey, and many more. it's always nice to listen to these oldies but goodies. they really don't make em like they used to. geez. you'd think i'd do something more productive like sleep, for example. curse the 1.5 hr nap i had earlier this afternoon after clin med. but i was so incredibly exhausted that the thought of studying in the library afterwards made me even more tired.

but anyway, first test came and went - yay i guess. i did well, but wish i could've done better seeing as how the first test is supposedly the easiest one we'll ever take. and now the second one is looming around the corner.

white coat ceremony is next friday! whoo-hoo! not to sound overly excited and what-not, but i'm totally looking forward to it since it'll be official.... a rite of passage, if you will. YAY!! i even have a cute white coat ceremony-appropriate dress ready for the occasion. and YAY for mommy and daddy coming up to visit. boy do i miss them terribly. oh yeah, and that little brother of mine too. who's about to hop on a plane for barcelona for the entire semester for his architecture program. but anyway, boo for our second test the following monday.... sigh. information overload again. i hate the fact that there's so much info. and yet the breakdown is only 2 questions per lecture hour. so even if a certain professor has a 100+ slides powerpoint and presents it at lightning speed in an hr, we are still responsible for all the material even though there's only gonna be two frickin questions on the exam!!! my goodness. i'm tired just explaining the fact.

but anyway, looking forward to labor day weekend. was so tempted to hitch a ride back to htown to visit everyone, but realized i may be screwed for the test if i don't catch up this weekend. and naturally, if my happy ass came back to houston, there would be absolutely NO STUDYING whatsoever. thus, to prevent any temptation, i decided to stay put here in this drab city and play around town and dallas instead.

if only the world gave us what we wanted. but then again, where would all the excitement be? everything would be such a bore. drama makes the world go round.

i do believe i survived meeting one of the most arrogant guys i've ever met. THANK GOD I DODGED THAT BULLET. omg. what was i thinking?!?! and to top it off, he's becoming a lot less attractive and a lot more repulsive. just had to get that out there.

speaking of guys, i'm still a sucker for the undercover cuties. don't really know how to explain it, but it basically comes down to being such a great guy without being so blatant about it. oh yeah a nice smile and ass doesn't hurt either. buns of steel baby, buns of steel. speaking of which, urs truly has been hittin the gym since school started. my muskles are getting prominent again. whoo hoo! and i can run 2 miles again like i used to be able to do before last year when all i did was party like a rockstar and put my poor liver through hell.

ok so yeah. i need sleep now. that was so random. i guess thats what updates are all about. i have a feeling im gonna regret staying up this late since i have to be up at 7. blahhhhhhhh. i'm such a granny now. i get tired at midnight and wake up at 7 - 7:30 everyday..... what the hell... i really miss the nightlife in houston. clubbin with everyone and sobering up (sometimes picking fights hehe jk) at tan-tan afterwards. gosh i miss the food too. the asian food. i jokingly told some of the guys that i'd drop my pants if someone could make me muc rang muoi. the clubs and bars. everyone!!! EVERYONE!!! i miss all u guys!!! omg i dont know if i can last until thanksgiving....

ok goodnight all.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 00:27:51 GMT

for all those who took the MCAT yesterday... YAY!!! it's over whoo hoo!! now you can party and just forget about it for the next two months....

the eve before MY VERY FIRST TEST IN MEDICAL SCHOOL. holy crap! how the hell did it spring up on me so damn fast???

im not sure what to feel. how im feeling at the moment. i've studied to exhaustion. last night i went to sleep at midnight. and today i was up by 7:30! haven't done that since forever and a day. this weekend passed by so quickly because all i did was study. i'm serious. i haven't studied for this long and covered so much material.... EVER. if i did this in undergrad, i would've graduated with a 4.0...

but anyway, i still feel like i'm not prepared. what a horrible feeling. but i'm trying to take my mind off things and not freak myself out. and im now at the point were i just wanna get the whole thing over with. then i can go shopping and get a hair cut! whoo hoo! thinking about chopping off quite a few inches. hair is getting wayy too long and scraggly.

but anyway, we will see how things go. test results come out only a couple hrs later..... dont know if thats a good or bad thing.

i miss everyone so much. pictures make it worse. but then again, i love seeing them bc then i can look forward to being in them when i come back for thanksgiving!!! YAY!

goodnight and wish me luck!