tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56261840587927382012024-03-12T19:10:24.317-04:00IdiopathiesSammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.comBlogger1148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-72682526145979730862012-05-22T11:19:00.000-04:002012-05-22T11:46:01.413-04:00This Is the EndMedical school has ended, and sadly, it's time for my blog dedicated to documenting my medical school experience to end as well. It's so hard to say goodbye to all of my friends, and it's almost as hard for me to bid farewell to Idiopathies. This blog has been so many things for me: a place to share my triumphs, a place to vent my frustrations, and perhaps most frequently, a place for me to procrastinate doing the work I was supposed to do.<br />
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Thank you, reader, for following me through this adventure. And what an adventure it has been! The memories created along the way will stick with me forever, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/09/general-zhaos-chicken-vs-chow-mein.html" target="_blank">riskiest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/12/stay-safe.html" target="_blank">safest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/09/shower-me-with-praise-contd.html" target="_blank">rightest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-did-it-for-lulz.html" target="_blank">wrongest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2009/05/lostafarianism.html" target="_blank">most obsessive</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2009/03/ugh.html" target="_blank">most disinterested</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/06/best-elective-ever.html" target="_blank">easiest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/04/freedom-is-mine.html" target="_blank">hardest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2012/03/im-going-to-columbia.html" target="_blank">happiest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-beginning.html" target="_blank">saddest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/07/first-ever-all-nighter.html" target="_blank">most hardworking</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-cant-do-work.html" target="_blank">laziest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/07/feed-me.html" target="_blank">cheapest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2009/01/gold-digger.html" target="_blank">most expensive</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/07/cleaning-catharsis.html" target="_blank">cleanest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/03/does-not-compute.html" target="_blank">dirtiest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/10/great-expectations.html" target="_blank">most worried</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2012/02/san-marcos.html" target="_blank">most relaxed</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2012/03/la-muerte.html" target="_blank">sickest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2011/08/p90x-tasy.html" target="_blank">healthiest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2008/12/no-backspacke.html" target="_blank">drunkest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2012/05/final-destination.html" target="_blank">most sobering</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/11/soft-very-soft.html" target="_blank">wittiest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/10/let-us-pray-as-he-taught-us-to-pray.html" target="_blank">cheesiest</a>, from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-am-smartest-man-alive.html" target="_blank">most scientific</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-youve-all-been-waiting-for.html" target="_blank">most musical</a>, and from my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2012/05/call-me-doctor.html" target="_blank">proudest</a> to my <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2009/09/sunday-funday.html" target="_blank">most embarrassing</a>.<br />
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Many of my memories are your memories too, and I hope you will cherish the time we've spent together. Call me when you can, text me when you can't, and be in touch always.</div>
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God bless.</div>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-69799150785428266122012-05-20T19:08:00.000-04:002012-05-20T19:50:15.518-04:00Did Someone Call For a Doctor?Today, I graduated from 20th grade and earned my Doctor of Medicine degree. Can you believe it?? Because I certainly can't. It only feels like yesterday when I walked into <a href="http://idiopathies.blogspot.com/2008/08/orientation.html" target="_blank">Orientation</a> for the UVA School of Medicine. But almost four years have passed since that day, and the journey to obtain an undergraduate medical education has come to an end.<br />
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My actual graduation day seemed to fly by as quickly as the rest of my medical school experience. Lee and I started the day off right with breakfast from Bodo's before we had to meet for our class picture.<br />
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Then we led the procession down the Lawn, where we sat for another hour while waiting for the rest of the graduating class to file in.<br />
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The commencement address was given by a surprisingly witty and engaging Katie Couric. Afterwards, President Sullivan conferred our degrees, making us real doctors!<br />
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The real highlight of the day, though, was our medical ceremony at the Paramount. I even got to stand onstage with Tina as we gave out the class teaching awards, which inspired me to take a picture of the audience, just so I can forever remember what it felt like to see the world briefly as Dean Pearson does.<br />
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Finally our names were called out and we walked across the stage to be hooded and to receive our diplomas. I can now proudly say that I have two degrees from the University of Virginia, and it is the best feeling in the world.<br />
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So that's it. I have come to the end of one of the greatest adventures of my life, and honestly, I would do it all over again without changing a single thing. Thanks to all who have supported me along the way. I'll never forget you guys, and you can trust what I say, because <i>I'm a doctor.</i>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-60851906118947739242012-05-19T22:40:00.000-04:002012-05-19T22:40:00.626-04:00SamfestIn honor of my upcoming graduation, my parents decided to hold a party for me today. In reality, my mom used it as an excuse to host a shindig for her friends. But I can't complain, because I benefited from it as well: they let me invite a bunch of my med school friends and their families to come celebrate with me. There was, as can be expected from any event hosted by my mom, way too much food. The size of the sheet cake that my mom's friend brought for me is a good representation of the party's theme: excess.<br />
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You probably can't read the writing on the cake, but it says "Congratulations Dr. Zhao." ZOMG, is that really my name? Ready or not, it will be as of tomorrow at noon. <i>Scary...</i>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-60580494340714855592012-05-17T21:17:00.003-04:002012-05-17T22:56:48.634-04:00Impromptu Road TripI sort of decided at the last minute to move all of my stuff up to my new apartment this week. Don't worry, "all of my stuff" was only a few boxes of clothes, books, and electronics. I've already sold all of my furniture and I'm planning on buying new furniture when I get up to NYC, which I think will just make my life a lot easier.<br />
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Greg and Josh accompanied me on the ride, which was nice because that made moving in a lot easier and a lot more fun. It was actually Josh's first time in NYC, so we spent the entirety of yesterday exploring as many of the must-see attractions as we could. We started at the the Museum of Natural History and then weaved our way through the city, hitting up Central Park, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Grand Central, Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, the World Trade Center, and Battery Park.<br />
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What's crazy is the fact that we did all of this <i>on foot.</i> I am still exhausted from it.<br />
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My new roommate, Michael, was insistent that I bring Titan with me so that he could meet him. They seemed to get along really well, and Michael has already taken Titan for two walks, so I think it's safe to say that it's all going to work out.<br />
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Bonus: I already have material to start my next blog, <a href="http://tbtba.tumblr.com" target="_blank">Titan Bites the Big Apple</a>. Oh yes, this is happening.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-61224537680941483282012-05-14T20:29:00.001-04:002012-05-14T20:29:42.996-04:00Save the Drama for Your Mama('s Day)I made it back to Charlottesville last night... and thanks to the fact that my keys are still somewhere in South Carolina, I had to live as a nomad. I hung out at <a href="http://alineofblue.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Paul</a>'s house for a while until one of my roommates could come home and let me in, but while I was there, I noticed that my cell phone was no longer on me.<div>
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At first I thought that maybe I had left it in the car... but it wasn't there.</div>
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Then I remembered that I could use the Find My iPhone app to locate it by GPS. I checked on it... and it was moving. That's when I realized that someone had stolen my iPhone and was walking around with it! I'm pretty bad (aka scared) of confrontations, but Paul told me he would come with me and that we were getting my phone back. Luckily Greg was over at Paul's house, too, so while he monitored the thief's movements online, we drove around to hunt him down.</div>
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Eventually the dot stopped over a house on Shamrock Road, so we drove there and knocked on every door in the vicinity of the GPS dot. Unfortunately, no luck... and suddenly the dot was on the move again.</div>
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At this point the dot was just jumping around the map every few seconds, which made us doubt its accuracy. I asked Paul to drive back to his house, where we would regroup and figure out what to do next. When we got there, I did one last sweep of my car to make sure I hadn't just overlooked it... and found it sitting in the trunk.</div>
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So, apparently my trunk gives off a bizarre frequency that scrambles my iPhone's GPS system. Also, I AM AN IDIOT.</div>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-2540422106241256342012-05-12T18:00:00.000-04:002012-05-12T18:00:14.281-04:00TrappedI knew it. This week was just going <i>too</i> perfectly, and something had to give. It's too bad that the thing that gave were my keys, which decided to hop a ride back to Virginia yesterday in <a href="http://alineofblue.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Paul</a>'s shorts. I didn't realize that they were missing until he had made it all the way to Florence, SC, which is two and a half hours from where we've been staying.<br />
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Instead of asking Paul to drive all the way back, which would have forced him to miss Evan's wedding rehearsal, <a href="http://umamibomb.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sunny</a> came up with the brilliant idea for him to overnight it to me. Everything was set up to go perfectly, and the USPS guaranteed that the keys would arrive before 3pm today.<br />
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At 3pm today, the keys still weren't here. After some thorough digging by Paul, we found out that someone from the USPS had tried to deliver it this morning but didn't leave it at the door even though he had requested that the package be left without a signature. Out of the goodness of his heart, Paul offered to drive a pair of spare keys down from my house after Evan's wedding, but I couldn't ask him to do that. Luckily, Josh told me that I could just call a locksmith to come and make me a new set of keys. I didn't even know that was possible, but it works (albeit at a pretty high cost), and now I have a way home!<br />
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Sigh. I suppose we did it for the lulz... <i>and sometimes lylz?</i>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-6363976441899243762012-05-10T18:10:00.002-04:002012-05-10T18:10:40.416-04:00Exporting Our TalentsJust because we're on vacation from school doesn't mean we're on vacation from trivia. Last night, a group of us headed to The Drop In Gourmet Deli & Bar in Folly Beach, about two miles down the road from where we're staying. Their trivia was Mellow Mushroom-style, although it went much faster than its Charlottesvillian counterpart. Also, there was significantly less cheating coming from the other teams. Also, we won... something that, after eight years, I still have yet to do at Mellow Mushroom Trivia Night.<br />
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Here's to the out-of-town Team Dangle Balls, appropriately named after our favorite beach game. We are so smaaart!!Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-74558813249769350682012-05-09T18:16:00.000-04:002012-05-09T18:16:26.418-04:00I'm Still HereWell, some form of me is, anyway. We arrived at Beach Week in Charleston on Sunday night, and my life has been a hilarious blur since then. I've also been way too lazy to write on this thing, but here are some highlights in pictures to hold you over until I feel like blogging again. They may seem bizarre out of context, but don't worry, they were just as bizarre as I experienced them in real time. You can make up your own captions.<br />
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Sunday:</div>
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Monday:</div>
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Tuesday:</div>
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Wednesday:</div>
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Lalz, lelz, lilz, lolz, lulz!Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-5317067956246250412012-05-05T22:00:00.000-04:002012-05-06T10:02:38.284-04:00Closing TimeAnd it happens once again. As always, a show that opens must close. This one, though, I will particularly miss.<br />
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I don't know exactly what it is about the Orange County High School drama department. I really can't pinpoint it, but I'm really going to miss working with these kids. This young talent, much of which is still yet unrealized. Their dedication, their naivete, their love for what they do: it really makes my job fun. And what is my job, anyway, other than to make them shine as brightly as they can?<br />
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It's the innocence of high school drama that really gets me. Do you know how they toasted their director tonight? By lauding him for turning them into the "actors [they] are today." Don't they realize that this is just the beginning of their journey into theater? They have so much left to learn; they have so much more yet to experience. It's cute that they think they've grown so much already... just wait until you audition for college (and then professional) acting gigs. It's a whole new world out there that you're yet to experience, and I can't wait for you to get there.<br />
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Does this make any sense? I don't know. It's just another one of those times when I want the actors I've worked with to make it out there in the wild and wonderful world of theater and make a name for themselves. I want them to find that big break and shock everyone around them. I want them to become famous, but never forget where they've come from. I want them to be the stars they're destined to be, but stay footed in the ground... and remember that their roots are in OCHS, where they were once accompanied by a medical student who played piano for local high schools on the side.<br />
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When you boil it all down, I guess I just don't want them to forget me, because I know I'll never forget them.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-32628212386859368082012-05-04T23:36:00.000-04:002012-05-05T01:05:04.930-04:00Blown AwayI have been waiting for this day for over four years. Ever since I saw <i>Iron Man</i> on its opening night of May 2, 2008, I have been waiting for the end game: a promised ensemble movie featuring some of Marvels' greatest superheroes. Today, I finally got to experience what it was like to see Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and The Hulk onscreen at the same time. No offense to Black Widow and Hawkeye, but you guys are kind of... boring.<br />
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Marvel Studios really put their best foot forward on this one, combining the story-telling of <i>Thor,</i> the romanticism of <i>Captain America,</i> the wit of <i>Iron Man,</i> and the action of <i>The Hulk</i> into over two hours of pure entertainment. I really have nothing to complain about: the movie was just cheesy enough for the audience to remember that it's based on comics and never took itself too seriously. When I wasn't holding my breath with suspense, I was LOL-ing my face off.<br />
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So... who's got two thumbs and is counting down the days until <i>Iron Man 3</i> comes out on May 3, 2013? <i>This guy.</i>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-64025418515449328242012-05-03T23:40:00.000-04:002012-05-03T23:41:46.645-04:00On With the ShowAnd, for the second time in less than six weeks, it's opening night. This time I was playing piano for the Orange County High School's production of <i>Nunsense,</i> and while the performance wasn't perfect, it was a heck of a great time. I really think (hope?) that the audience enjoyed it.<br />
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Speaking of the audience, three of my friends came out to support me tonight: Lee, <a href="http://alineofblue.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Paul</a>, and <a href="http://umamibomb.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sunny</a>. Thanks for being there, guys! As always, it meant a lot to have some familiar faces out in the audience. If by "out in the audience" I mean "two seats behind where I happen to be sitting in the pit." Too close for comfort!!<br />
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After the show, we decided to grab some food at this Italian buffet joint next to the school called Mario's. Despite the fact that I had already had a large dinner before the show, I was coerced into having a second meal. And what a rich meal it was! Pasta, fritters, potato wedges, popcorn shrimp, egg salad, artichoke hearts, and ice cream galore. Now I feel uncomfortably full and look like I'm six months pregnant. Ah yes, just the look I was going for three days before I leave for Beach Week.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-60427874936057532662012-05-02T23:27:00.001-04:002012-05-02T23:31:36.362-04:00Straight to VideoWe spent all day working on the class video, and I have to say, it's really coming along. I don't want to give any of it away because I think it's actually gonna be pretty good, but here's a sneak preview of what you can expect:<br />
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But, if you're like me, there's probably another upcoming movie that you're much more excited about: <i>The Avengers.</i> In case you're not, here's the perfect mash-up to pump you up for it.<br />
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<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J27JZrsiZJY" width="400"></iframe></center><br />
Superheroes + Weezer = Sensory Overload (in the best way possible)Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-84980351335580020132012-05-01T23:46:00.001-04:002012-05-01T23:56:55.743-04:00Final DestinationI don't like driving. In fact, I avoid it whenever I can, and to say that I'm excited to get rid of my car when I move to New York City would be an understatement.<br />
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Even so, I really enjoy the drive I take to work at Orange County High School. I usually take Route 20, which is a nice, winding country road that you can go pretty fast on (the speed limit is 55mph for most of the way).<br />
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I was over halfway there today, just past Barboursville, when the unexpected happened. I was driving right behind a tow truck, enjoying the picturesque Virginia foothills around me. All of a sudden, wooden planks started flying off of the roof of the tow truck. A few thoughts crossed my mind:<br />
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1. Why the heck are there wooden planks sitting on the top of a tow truck?<br />
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2. Oh Lord, they're coming right at my windshield.<br />
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3. My entire life in one second.<br />
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4. I'm too young to die!<br />
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5. I need to swerve off the road to get out of the way of these flying planks.<br />
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Thanks to the grace of God, none of the planks hit my car. Indeed, at least as far as I could tell, none of the three cars following closely behind me were hit, either.<br />
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It was truly one of the most frightening moments of my life, and it came pretty darn close to being the last moment of my life as well. Well, anyway, I'm glad I survived, and I'm sure you are too.<br />
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...Right?Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-28840019993629470342012-04-29T23:30:00.000-04:002012-04-30T01:19:22.867-04:00Don't Rain On My ParadeThe best day of the year has come and gone once again. The Foxfield Races are a true UVA tradition, and my last one as a student was bittersweet. No worries, though, I've already requested my spring vacation time next year to be the two weeks around Foxfields weekend.<br />
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While most of the shenanigans were the same as you might expect at any Foxfields, a few things made these races stand out amongst all of the others.<br />
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First of all, the med school plot was parked next to an old-school trolley placed there to increase awareness for recycling. Obviously we had to pose for pictures on and near it. I am only sad to report that I wasn't there later in the afternoon when Neil actually successfully boarded the craft.<br />
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Also, they sold Foxfields merchandise for the first time that I know of. Jim, Nosheen, Richie, and I all decided that it was our civic responsibility to purchase their straw hats. As you can tell, we look pretty good in them.<br />
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Sadly, Nosheen and I are no longer considered "recent grads" for Trustees purposes, and for the first time since graduation, we weren't given chalet tickets with access to unlimited food, non-Aristocrat booze, and perhaps most importantly, short bathroom lines. Luckily they weren't guarding the area as closely as usual, though, so we were still able to sneak in and take a classic Samsheen photo.<br />
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Ah, yes, Foxfields. You might deter some people with your rainy weather forecasts, but nothing short of a hurricane could keep me away from you, and maybe not even that. What I really want is to bask in your glory for all the days of my life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa1FoTArWW5DI4Ox7y4pqMUbeRJo0yp2LoHGoxOqPI5yzSgJcO6OflPAh9gPa-uNvWHrrWobXOkuWPGYTHuYZCdu_ZSDbjdMbv6gp62PY6Cqx-hVyVDCtbK3uYJGLse1ZaDqRYs2-WI8/s1600/12-4-29d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa1FoTArWW5DI4Ox7y4pqMUbeRJo0yp2LoHGoxOqPI5yzSgJcO6OflPAh9gPa-uNvWHrrWobXOkuWPGYTHuYZCdu_ZSDbjdMbv6gp62PY6Cqx-hVyVDCtbK3uYJGLse1ZaDqRYs2-WI8/s400/12-4-29d.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, before I end this post, I have to clarify one thing. I've caught (and heard other people catch) flak for referring to this beloved event as "Foxfields." There are some people who insist that it's "Foxfield without an <i>s.</i>" Well, here is my argument.<br />
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Olympic Games : Olympics :: Foxfield Races : Foxfields</div>
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BOOM! You can't argue with word analogies. <i>Case closed.</i>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-80210910837585730062012-04-28T00:35:00.001-04:002012-04-30T01:20:27.435-04:00A Changed ManI left Charlottesville a Virginian.<br />
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I return to Charlottesville a New Yorker.<br />
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That's right, folks: I found an apartment. The singer/actor from <b>Apartment #6</b> called and asked me to room with him. I paid him the deposit and signed the sublet agreement, and I now officially have (half of) an apartment in New York City. How crazy is that!?<br />
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And, because I know you're just dying to know what the place looks like, here are the two pictures I have of the place. First, the living room (notice the piano!):<br />
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Next, my bedroom (I know, it's small, but honestly not that bad by NYC standards):<br />
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I actually have the room starting immediately, but I won't be living there until June 10. Come by anytime afterwards to visit me, please!<br />
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Also, special thanks to Christin for hosting me during my week-long apartment-hunting adventure. Here's to all the good times we'll soon be having together again!Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-74937036571750896612012-04-26T18:27:00.001-04:002012-04-26T18:27:16.652-04:00Apartment Hunting, Day ThreeToday was a dedicated broker day. After meeting the least professional broker in the world yesterday, I expected today to be better. And in some ways, it was.<br />
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<b>Broker #2:</b> Showed me some AMAZING apartments in the 140s. I was really tempted to take some of them... including one two-bedroom that only cost $1400/month. How is this possible!? HOW?? The broker was interesting: he and everyone else in his company are actors who do realty on the side. His boss is the creator and producer of <i>The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.</i> The weird thing was that he rode his scooter everywhere, and at one point made me hold his coffee while he scooted over a particularly bumpy part of the sidewalk. Err... yeah.<br />
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<b>Broker #3:</b> Showed me some EXPENSIVE apartments in the 160s and 170s. They were nice, but they cost an arm and a leg. He would have been the most professional of all of the brokers I worked with, except that he didn't have any apartments ready for me to see. He had to keep making calls to landlords and superintendents to ask if they had anything available and if they would be willing to let us in. I'm pretty sure he was supposed to pick out apartments to show me based on the form I filled out <i>before</i> we met... but that clearly didn't happen.<br />
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<b>Moral of the story:</b> All brokers are weird. Really, really weird.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-88810091060000085232012-04-25T17:21:00.000-04:002012-04-30T00:02:12.052-04:00Apartment Hunting, Day TwoThis morning was dedicated to turning in paperwork and getting drug tested for work. Blah.<br />
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This afternoon was dedicated to more apartment hunting! It was an interesting experience.<br />
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<b>Broker #1:</b> I showed up at our designated meeting spot at 1:00. He wasn't there. I waited until 1:10. He still wasn't there. I called him, and he says that he thought we were meeting on Saturday. That's not possible, I tell him, because I'm leaving the city on Friday. Luckily he gets his act together and meets me to show me some apartments in the lower 200s. The whole time, he's cursing up a storm and making jokes about drugs and prostitutes. Then he tells me that I remind him of a classmate of his who was also Chinese. Super weird.<br />
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<b>Apartment #6:</b> Is this the jackpot? One bedroom in a two-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor with an elevator. Five blocks to work. Across the street from Fort Washington Park and a dog run. Roommate would be a 27-year-old guy who is a singer/actor and also works at the Trader Joe's Wine Shop. He loves dogs and even offered to take Titan on walks whenever he's home. He also owns a piano. Seriously? <i>Seriously??</i><br />
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Unfortunately, he also has several other people interested in the place and told me he would get me his decision by Friday at the latest. What is this, match all over again? Am I supposed to write him a thank you e-mail and tell him that he's my #1 choice? Ugh, worst.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-47068026139453178482012-04-24T23:36:00.001-04:002012-04-24T23:36:24.016-04:00Apartment Hunting, Day OneToday was my CraigsList day. No brokers, all Sammas. Here's how it went:<br />
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<b>Apartment #1:</b> Advertised by the landlord as a large one-bedroom. In reality, a tiny bedroom in a four-bedroom apartment. The landlord has already found the other three tenants: three Columbia students. Um, no thanks.<br />
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<b>Apartment #2:</b> A beautiful, spacious, and surprisingly reasonably priced first-floor studio across the street from Riverside Park. Easy access to everything either Titan or I could ever want. Basically my ideal apartment. But it doesn't allow dogs that weigh more than 30 pounds. Guess that won't work, then.<br />
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<b>Apartment #3:</b> Not much information provided in the ad. Or, at least, not the right kind of information. One-bedroom located on the fifth story of a walkup. It wouldn't be bad... except that the first three floors of the walkup reeked of urine. On top of that, it was locked and nobody was there for the "open house." I called it quits and left.<br />
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<b>Apartment #4:</b> Another large yet inexpensive apartment that I'm eager to see. I call the advertised number when I arrive at the door, but nobody answers. I call again. Still no response. This building actually looks presentable, and I'm interested enough to call the management company and find out what's going on. Nobody can get in touch with the assistant that's supposed to be showing the place. They're mad, I'm mad, and we'll try again tomorrow.<br />
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<b>Apartment #5:</b> One bedroom available in a beautifully furnished three-bedroom apartment. On the fourth floor, but with elevator access. Again, across the street from Riverside Park, and this one even comes with another big dog that would love to have Titan as a live-in buddy. Inexpensive and in a quiet neighborhood, to boot. Plus, the guy whose room I would be taking over might sell me his furniture. I'm almost sold on this one... except for the fact that one of the roommates has a seven-year-old son. Hm, it would be awkward having friends come visit me and crash on the couch with a kid in the apartment. Still... the best one I've seen today.<br />
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Tomorrow I tour some more apartments on my own and I'm also meeting with a broker to look at studios and one-bedrooms. Wish me luck!<br />
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<b>Bonus: </b>Someone stopped me on the street and asked me for directions today. <i>And I knew how to get there.</i> This. Is. Awesome.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-86383397822205184272012-04-23T21:31:00.000-04:002012-05-01T12:52:30.496-04:00Found ItMost strangely specific yet non-specific apartment listing I've come across yet (click to enlarge):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBCn-ViABPKsVfVyGEhwxvE__2ByOXI162hyphenhyphenTAfZfoyb4SMCn0pBMBEeI3k6C13UfYSMrKjzzbTCPbf899ysV1bZ_Xbtm1PFFrQ9ptJPmSrSENTvMqO-yCm9FkRizw3pnMyshlgLcvV0/s1600/12-4-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBCn-ViABPKsVfVyGEhwxvE__2ByOXI162hyphenhyphenTAfZfoyb4SMCn0pBMBEeI3k6C13UfYSMrKjzzbTCPbf899ysV1bZ_Xbtm1PFFrQ9ptJPmSrSENTvMqO-yCm9FkRizw3pnMyshlgLcvV0/s400/12-4-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/roo/2975509443.html" target="_blank">http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/roo/2975509443.html</a>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-18671300037224380962012-04-23T18:56:00.000-04:002012-04-23T18:56:02.801-04:00Here Comes the Bride<div>
Yesterday, we celebrated the marriage of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/thethreecharites.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Grace</a> and Robert at the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Fairfax. I was fortunate enough to be invited and went with Gauri as my guest. We enjoyed a lovely and worshipful ceremony filled with many chanted prayers and readings in Coptic that I couldn't understand. Luckily, the program was very detailed and explained exactly what was going on at all times. Smart move, Grace.</div>
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Also, in the middle of all the solemn rituals, the priest gave a brief and very candid sermon in the middle of it about the importance of God in a marriage. Then he poked a lot of fun at Grace. Totally unexpected and hilarious.</div>
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The ceremony was at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, which were beautiful even in the rainy weather. This is where I had the biggest shock of my life. Grace, whom I've never seen so much as tap her toes in my entire life, totally broke it down on the dance floor. Who knew she could move her hips like that?? Oh man, I wish we had known about this earlier in med school. It was quite the sight to behold.</div>
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If only I had my camera cord with me so that I could share Grace's secret moves with the world. Alas, everyone will have to wait until after I return from New York City to be uploaded.</div>
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Oh yeah, by the way, I'm in New York City.</div>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-18601872986240563082012-04-22T23:40:00.000-04:002012-04-23T00:18:18.137-04:00La PromenadeLast night was my very last VMed Prom. What a shame! I don't know how something lifted from our high school days continues to be so much fun year after year until we're well into our twenties, but I'm glad for it.<br />
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My date this year was <a href="http://www.blogger.com/umamibomb.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Sunny</a>. We had dinner at my house: leftover catering from Take-It-Away that I had stolen from a meeting earlier in the afternoon. I know, some people tell me I'm <i>too</i> classy.<br />
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The party was at Balkan Bistro this year, a venue that was just sketchy enough to keep us entertained for hours. Seriously, lulz were to be found everywhere, even in the hallways in front of the bathrooms. See here while Ed demonstrates his Heelys by gliding down the hallway past the line of people waiting to empty their bladders.<br />
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About halfway through the night, I switched from my black tie to a light-up bow tie that I had borrowed from Richie. It just screams, "I'm a stylish gentleman who's here to party," don't you think?<br />
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If there exists a fun police, then I really need to start watching my back, because I have definitely exceeded my quota for this week.</div>Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-46319260189166709592012-04-20T21:59:00.000-04:002012-04-20T21:59:06.770-04:00We Are YoungNo, actually, we are forgetful. At tonight's concert, I sang a graduating duet with <a href="http://umamibomb.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sunny</a> of Fun.'s <i>We Are Young.</i> It was so exciting! I've been in the Arrhythmics for four years and I'd never sung a solo before.<br />
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Well, turns out there's a reason for that.<br />
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The song was going so well... up until the last four measures. I thought we were going to repeat the chorus one more time, but we didn't. Of course we didn't, because we're not supposed to, and of all people, I should have known that, because I WROTE THE FREAKING ARRANGEMENT. So, at that very last moment, when the song is getting ready to end, I don't come in. I literally didn't sing. And then I realized my mistake, started singing, and threw the entire group off.<br />
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Ugh, and that is why I conduct and don't sing solos.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-12618984359211148872012-04-20T15:43:00.004-04:002012-04-20T15:43:56.221-04:00Port and CigarsMan, this week flew by fast. Last night was the annual Raven Banquet, and eleven of us from the medical school were in attendance. It was a beautiful evening, made even more beautiful by the fact that it's one of the few times a year when I get to pretend like I'm in the 1%.<br />
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As with any banquet, I went into full-on nom attack mode. Dr. Johns realized this and gave me the majority of her entrée, which she could not finish. Jen also gave me her leftovers. I dined a happy boy.<br />
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Of course, we cannot believe that any event has truly occurred unless there is a picture of Samsheen to prove it. After dinner (and the five hundred speeches) finally ended, we went outside to smoke some cigars. Nosheen and I hoarded all of them. Okay, just eight.<br />
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I actually only smoked half of a cigar last night, but apparently that was enough to make my throat sore and voice hoarse all day today. I'm treating it with a series of hot teas, pure honey, and salt water gargles. Let's hope the treatments kick in before the Arrhythmics concert tonight!Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-57742237855975823532012-04-16T20:05:00.004-04:002012-04-16T20:05:58.036-04:00Turkish CoffeeI met Anna, who moved back to Charlottesville while I was in Guatemala, for lunch today at Basil. I was pretty pooped from our sunrise hike, so I thought I'd order a cup of coffee. They don't have American coffee at Basil, so the waiter recommended that I try their Turkish coffee. He warned me of the silt but promised, "It won't hurt you."<br />
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Indeed, the silt didn't hurt me. However, he neglected to tell me that IT TASTES TERRIBLE. Seriously, Turkish coffee (or at least the kind they have at Basil) is disgusting. I think Anna put it best when she tried and and declared, "I feel like I'm drinking an ashtray."<br />
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Worst of all, when the waiter came back around, he asked me what I thought of the drink. I winced and said, "Um, it's very... distinct. I've never tasted anything like it before."<br />
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He should have picked up my drift and stopped there, but instead he pressured me even more: "And you like it, right?" I didn't have the guts to tell him no, so I lied and said that it tasted good. I'm ashamed of myself.<br />
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Well, needless to say, I will not be ordering Turkish coffee again anytime in the foreseeable future.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626184058792738201.post-40920826500316229332012-04-16T09:34:00.001-04:002012-04-16T09:35:06.501-04:00Breaking DawnOne of the items on Nosheen's bucket list was to watch the sunset from the top of Humpback Rocks. I say "was" because she can now cross that item off of her list. We left at 4:30 this morning to get to the top of the mountain in time to see the sun crest over the Appalachian Mountains.<br />
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Usually the hike takes 30-40 minutes, but I budgeted extra time because I thought the ascent would be much slower in the dark. I was wrong: our lack of vision for some reason forced us to go faster, and we made it to the top in 20 minutes flat. It was the quickest, darkest ascent of Humpback Rocks I've ever done.<br />
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We actually arrived at the top of the mountain a good hour before sunrise, but it was nice because we got to do some stargazing before the sky started changing colors. And when it did, oh what a sight!<br />
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Just as the sun was about to come up, another group of hikers joined us at the summit. In that group was a set of identical twins, the likes of which I'd never met before. I've never seen anyone so chipper and energetic, let alone at 6:30 in the morning. They didn't even stop chatting while taking group pictures for us. If I'm hypomanic, then these girls were experiencing full-blown mania.<br />
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On the way back from our Humpback Rocks hike, we stopped at Bodo's for breakfast, officially making this the most Charlottesvillian morning of all time.Sammashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00292136287882132444noreply@blogger.com1