Karen says...

it's a late b-day update today cuz i spent 5 hours in the vancouver passport office this morning. seriously, if it's not urgent, it's just not worth it. i was there waiting in line @ 7 am and got out @ 12 pm. but yeah, happy b-day guys =P =P. and apparently, this year, we don't want to mention the ages we're turning *lol*. so yep, it's just a plain ol' birthday wish, no age assigned =). have a good one.

re: ben's questions -- i was reading that, and nopes, i know i couldn't do either action to save anybody. i would probably just stand/sit there horrified beyond belief and panick and try and come up with something but draw a blank. it's just too hard. i can't justify myself actively killing anybody, (let alone someone completely innocent!), even if it is to save many others. on the other hand, if i do nothing, i'm passively letting the others die. either way, i'd be overwhelmed with guilt and thus, i would probably just stand there panicked and the larger group would die and i would need counselling for life. eek!!

re: joyce's story -- lack of social inhibition or not, i can't believe someone would put something on the internet like that!! it's one thing to be obnoxious but it's completely another to be obnoxious AND that ignorant AND be able to flaunt it. i'm not surprised that she thinks that (there are many such people out there) but the nerve to put it up on the internet... yikes!

Unknown says...

LOL to Joyce's post. It always cracks me up to read stuff like this. For one thing, social inhibition usually comes off since people feel that internet is not policed and they can usually say what they want without much backlash. But need I remind you the a local BC (or was it federal) politician got into trouble over a simple email and a slip of "proper political wording"? And I agree with Joyce. I mean a lot of us are immigrant kids whose parents have been able to provide at great length economically: immigration, for starters, not to mention paying for post-secondary education for a lot of us. Which also means a lot of us end up with a clean slate when we gradded from UBC (usually no or little debt). So yeah, we're f*king lucky and we better know it. But I for one like to think the P&C group is level headed. I don't feel any particular P&C go around flaunting their status and I quite admire some who are taking steps to provide for themselves already. We often make fun of Gary. But truth be told, I really admire his guts in his ability to seek out what he enjoys and wants, and even more important, to seek out ways he can get there with his own power. The Eurotrip is a great example. Buddy loves soccer. Buddy loves europe. Buddy finds a job in Goettingen and pays for himself - has tons of fun and broadens his world view as well as spurring personal growth and responsibility. And yeah you can call me a hypocrite cuz I burrowed money from my parents for the Eurotrip, but I'm paying them back bit by bit with my meager grad salaries, which also pays my rent (*laughs... will need to find a cheaper rental place soon - especially if UBC cancels phd tuition waiver).

In response to the girl... So... achievement can only be measured by economic status and social status? Ummm so I guess Ghandi never achieved anything, neither did the doctors in Medicine sans frontier (docs without borders), nor Mother Theresa, hey why not throw in Terry Fox, or if you wanna get to low profile peeps, what about the cops that patrol the Granville district to prevent blood baths and fights in front of clubs, or high school teachers who inspires you to where you are today (I can honestly say a Chem 11 teacher showed me the excitement in the pursuit of science)...??? Yeah I guess we'll just say we can do without these people cuz they don't measure up to your so called "social status". WTF are you on?

And the doctors that Canadian med schools pump out will help people. If not why don't you f*cking go to a chinese doc (the unlicensed ones) when you break an ankle or recieve a head laceration? I should know cuz canadian doctors have treated me on both (uhhh.... the head laceration was done by christine if you want to know) and can you call these not serious ailments?

Now I will admit two things. 1) Granted, there will always be obnoxious people in every profession. And hey, I have met a few cocky med students. But I've also met cocky ___insert non-doctor profession here__, oh I have also read this rant on Facebook , where some spoiled girl rants about how doctors are cocky and don't do anything and won't make a lot of money. Yeah she definately fits the profile. And heck, the lot of doctors are really nice people who have colorful personalities and are well read and well rounded.
2) The Canadian medical system is not perfect and the Canadian med education doesn't help. No medical system in the world is. It IS a shame that sometimes people fly back to Asia to get procedures done quickly that would have taken months in Canada. Do you only blame the doctors for this? Is it always the doctor's fault when the country doesn't have enough doctors or doesnt train enough, the doctors drain to the south, there isn't enough capital to keep all the hospitals and beds open, or the government bans private practice and fast-tracks to procedures? The values of Canadian culture lies in social equality and personal care. So you get put in line even if you can pay a large sum. It also means you get treated like a human being instead of a chart number (as is often the case in Asian medical systems).

It almost seems like the girl is ranting cuz she didn't get into med or something. Brewing a little hostility perhaps? Anyways. If she want's to know the logic. And oh... explain to herself... no wait... seriously get filled in... Here's an idea:
Why don't you try living on your own expenses? Try finishing grad school without taking money from your parents. Pay your own rent and groceries. Oh don't forget to find your own job afterwards. Instead of sitting on the money your parents made for you, why not achieve something for yourself for a change?

Oh wait I forgot, achievement according to you is measured in money you HAVE not MADE and social status.

Unknown says...

Here's something I want to hear what people have to say... it appeared on nature.news

A study was done on morality/brain anatomy... Basically they asked a whole bunch of people who were normal or had undergo removal of a certain brain centre due to disease or whatnot... the questions are all moral dilemmas... including:
- If you saw a train coming and 5 people down the tracks who would get run over if you did nothing, and if you had beside you a really large man who you could push onto the tracks to stop the train... would you? Can't answer anything other than push or don't push. If you do nothing the 5 men dies.
- If you and others on a boat were forced onto a lifeboat because the boat is sinking, and the life boat cannot take everyone... and you know that there are those injured on board who will never make it until the rescue team comes (i.e. they will for sure die before the rescue arrives), would you throw them overboard and get the rest onto the lifeboat (if you throw the injured overboard you make enough room).

[continue reading if you want to know what most people say. If you want to read all the questions, goto nature news]
...
...
...
...
...
Most people can't do it even though they know they will save more by sacrificing less. But the brain lobomotomy patients could (I forgot which part ofthe brain).

Ben

Joyce says...

****NOTE: Same posts from Facebook for people who don't use it****

This is what a family friend of mine wrote just recently.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
honestly someone please explain to me why people would go to med school til they're almost in their 30s.

Not only is it not economical, nor is looking like it's going to help many people.

from an economical stand point, it's not really looking like a very profitable investment. say a doctor works til he's in his 70s, which, well, is twice the average age of retirement of my family, not only is it not looking like he will ever make half the amount of money my parents or most of the poeple i know have, i also don't see any of them hanging around my parents at any of the elite clubs in town, which i'm sorry to say, hosts perhaps only a handful of doctors and only very few that have made it to the top and in their late 60s. This is definitely not something that i would call a wise investment.

let's consider the number of people an average doctor helps in the course of his life time say one who works 12 hours a day til he's in his 70s, well, i'm sorry, but i counted for the life of me, and still can't figure it out how an average doctor manages to help half the people my parents managed to made a real life long impact on in their currently short 40 years of existence.

really! i can't figure it out! someone PLEASE explain it to me!

oh yeah, and i most DEFINITELY have been scratching my head really hard about this one. please someone explain to me why people are so cocky to have made it to med school.

to those in med, not one of you share any sort of reasonable economic status as anyone i am close to, nor have you managed to help many people or will do so in your life time, nor will you ever claim the kind of social status, international or local, as any one of us will. why exactly, are you so proud of yourself for?

not to mention the rediculousness of canadian education which boasts doctors who have not yet properly diagnosed anyone i know for any seriously ailment nor ever shown to be very ethical or very hard working once they have managed to finish med school. i am ashamed of your cockiness for you and am deeply sorry that you will be watching me retiring at 35 while currently taking my long vacations while you work your asses off.

someone explain to me the logics to all this madness perhaps i will have a bit more respect to the majority of doctors.

someone seriously fill me in.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You might have guessed, and, yes, her family is filthy rich and is not afraid to show it. She is our typical high school over-achiever, majored in something competitive in college, gunning for professional schools/phd people, and now currently doing grad school in UBC. However, with the few dinner conversation I had with her, I would never thought she can become one that judges people by their earning and so-called status.

Anyway, this note's just as unsettling as it is, and could apply to all of us who are going to work our @$$ off for the rest of our lives. If you really think about it, any salary job, which most/all of us will have, will not make you as rich as those people who are "my parents" or "us" alike according to her. (well, maybe peter will become one if he represent for some massive class action case) But that does not mean that us the hard-working people are any less worthy or cannot be proud of what we are doing.

I always feel very lucky, even guilty, to be blessed with financial security bestowed by my parents. It spoils me in a way that I can do/learn what I want (like going to a u.s. private university, learning instruments, not having to take out loans, etc) without worrying about financial barriers.
Unlike her, hearing about the stories of my parents friend about their wealth, status, rise to success, fall to the demise, the glorious and the sketchy parts of the world of businessmen, has only taught me that money cannot buy you everything, and status is only what other people see what they want to see in you.

I'm still trying to reflect on it because, let's face it, I know people who of elite clubs in town, and are, yes, filthy rich as well, and yet their success has never been as inspiring to me. And It bothers me the most when she only mentions the success of her parents and people who she knows and not her's. I guess you can never stop wondering how spoiled us west side kids can be eh.

Joyce says...

So it begins, another 5 months of hell. AHHH

Stephen says...

I just heard from a little bird that Vivienne is doing a masters in botany?

Is this true? Do I finally have a coconspirator? Will someone grow weed with me on top of Biosci?

Unknown says...

What's happening tomorrow or this weekend anyway? Is something happening with Joyce being here?

Stephen says...

Wow. Was that really done on a PS3? If so, how's the multiplayer?

Did you know that eating liquorice habitually can cause pseudohypertension? That's pretty messed up. Can you imagine asking that on a physical exam:
"Your blood pressure's a little high, how often do you eat liquorice?"

Joyce says...

An Excellent Excuse for Purchasing a PS3

Stephen says...

Peter - just tell her you're not into her and cut your losses. Don't be an asshole and stop calling her, everyone deserves an explanation. Otherwise if you run into her later, it'll be really awkward.

Cindy - congrats on finding a new place! That's really exciting. We'd better get some photos soon.

I have next week off if anyone wants to come out to the 'Peg. Huh? Huh? Any takers? It's warming up significantly, you can go out without a jacket if you wear a sweater. Also, it's really sunny.

Karen says...

vancouverites: i've sent an email regarding some sorta dinner thing for this coming saturday night. honorary guests: mr. chris ng and ms. joyce kao =).

Peter says...

right around the corner?!?! can't get any more convenient than that!

Joanne says...

Heck, even with 650 + utilities/month in Toronto, it only would get you a 400 sq. ft bachelor's right around the corner from the drug drop off.

Joanne says...

Heck, even with 650 + utilities/month in Toronto, it only would get you a 400 sq. ft bachelor's right around the corner from the drug drop off.

Joyce says...

Cin: what? that's your rent? I think that can rent a ... deluxe storage space in manhattan for a month. Aren't you guys going to put up a temporary wall for the person living in the livingroom like how we did for our apart? One thing I learned from friends, you guys can measure up the closet and room space, and if it turn out that a common area is possible with the equal amount of space, then it should be reasonable to request for some common area.

peter: my second fav procrastination activity is NYT's real estate part. I think upper west side looks better than upper east side. ;)

NeverGonnaGrowUp says...

found: new home for next year!!! signing lease next monday :):):) and hopefully this will be the last time i will be moving in albany

it's a 3 br apartment and we have 4 ppl...so we're converting the living room space into a 4th bedroom, which unfortunately means no common area except for the kitchen. but the bedrooms are large and spacious...and may be able to accomodate my L shaped table and my bed (which I don't have right now - borrowing landlord's - which also means i can buy bed - even bunk beds! - to fit whatever space is left over if i so decide to cram everything i have into the room)

pros: good neighborhood, good neighbors (the 3br apt downstairs are taken by 3 boys in my class, one of whom is the son of my dad's med school classmate in tw - how cool is that?), new building with central heating (low utility bills), good friends as my 3 housemates, laundry hookup (we are buying laundry machines, which will end up being cheaper even over the span of one year) and a parking space (i am buying a car next year i think)

cons: slightly further away from school than my current location (by like, i dunno, 3 min? and yes, albany can get from really ghetto - my neighborhood - to posh, lush and gorgeous in a span of 3 blocks), most likely have no room for my couch and my tv and my beautiful lamps :( on the plus side, getting rid of stuff should be easy w/ craigslist...but i have attachment issues to my couch, as in i loooooooove my couch, hahaha...another plus, rent reductions :) from 650 + utilities (except gas) to 350 + shared utilities!!!

still secretly hoping that my housemate living in the living room could spare us some space for the couch and tv (the living room is huge! but she will have very little privacy so she will pay less rent)...but it is really difficult to fence off the living space as it is,...:(:(:(...if worse comes to worst, there is always the living room downstairs i can invade!!!

Karen says...

peter: yeah, i agree w/ joanne. go with the gentle ignoring... no need for confrontation...that's too harsh.

w00t a surprise day of no precipitation in vancouver!!! hallelujah!!!

Joyce says...

.... I could totally see my date, if any, in peter's hypothetical situation.

Joanne says...

Hmm, good question. I don't think I ever thought about it because
1) I've never attracted a cool person enough for him to ask me out on a date and
2) I don't think anybody could be too big of a geek for me.

BUT, if the situation ever arose and being the non-confrontational type that I am, I would just stop calling them altogether. I mean, how can anyone not get that hint, right?

Peter says...

ok, so what if you thot this person was cool, but then she turns out to be too geeky after only the first date, do you tell her straight up that she's not your type? do you just stop calling her? or somewhere inbetween?

Joanne says...

It's March and it's -35 degrees with the wind chill. I'll bet that even the Edmontonians will agree that it's not right. Ice is flying off the CN tower and attacking innocent bike couriers. They've shut down three highways in the GTA in the past 24 hours. Hell, I don't blame Karen for not wanting to venture outside during the winter.

Joyce: Maybe you'll have time for first dates if you stopped bugging your friends for 24 and reading Nature news, haha.

Anyhow, for [hopefully near] future reference, here's my theory on a first date: Since most of you will be dating geeks in science-related professions, or geeks in/studying for a high-stress profession, chances are they already have some psychological pathology. Therefore, it is NOT in your best interest to appear normal. Therefore, break out ALL your quirks on the first date. And if it just so happens they're not down with it, they're gonna find out about your strange..er...tendencies later on in the relationship anyhow...so why not weed them out now?

On the other hand, if you were set up on a blind date and the dude makes you want to gag, by all means, act normal. Notice how I say "act," because not one of you can be deemed "normal."

NeverGonnaGrowUp says...

update:

sore all over, even at muscles that i didn't know existed on me.

stretching hurts. laughing hurts. putting on jacket hurts. lol. it was fun tho...gonna do it again in march!!!

boarding was probably not conducive to me recovering from a cold, but meh. that's what the snot-wiping portion of my ski gloves are for...ok ok before u gross out, I'M JUST KIDDING!!

vivienne says...

Karen: Actually......I think you drank about 3 sips of it. :p the cup was mostly full when I took over.

And yes, I am back...had some problem with the Google switch-over for a while...

Karen says...

peter: yeah, i was there @ the end of january. now if you had checked the blog, you would've seen it on the sidebar!! hehe, yeah, my bad my bad. the freezing cold makes me antisocial (well even more than usual). i don't know how you guys do it, i just wanted to stay inside the whole weekend. we'll meet up next time i'm up there for sure for sure. and no i wasn't there for interview, just for fun =). and please, i don't order water at bars now. last time, i ordered a sangria and even finished a quarter of it before passing it off to vivienne! =)

cindy: hope you get well soon. and yeah, we're keeping the title for now =P. i love it too =).

Joyce says...

Joyce was crying wolves.
no dates, and no life!
I just wanted some blog activities. :p

NeverGonnaGrowUp says...

8:16pm - going to bed

majorly sick...was asymptomatic yesterday but then i did go to the gym and then wore a short sleeved shirt to dinner in -3 degree celcius weather (which is really mild actually)

and also going snowboarding for the first time tomorrow. bought ski pants and jacket for 100USD combined, after tax! yup yup now is the best time to get gear, hahaha cuz they are all on sale! gotta get going by 630am and i have to have my breakfast and coffee before i go so...guess im getting up at 530am. argh. crazy.

did no studying today and skipped out 2 hrs worth of histo. lol. oh well. it's only histo, hahaha...

karen: glad to see blog activity resume to normal. i like the blog title now tho - can we keep it anyways??? please???

Peter says...

KAREN!!! YOU TOTALLY SHOULD HAVE CALLED!!! ARG... i'm actually disappointed... i mean i know i'm supposed to not care and stuff but... we shoulda met up! my friend in law had a friend come in from van for the same interviews... they went to chill at hudson's after but i didn't feel like going... don't tell me you were there!?!?! she said they were pretty lame tho, the med students... most of em just got water... wtf? water? at a campus pub? that sounds like karen! :p

JOYCE: facebook me!

Karen says...

YAY!!! blog activity!!! =P =P =P p&c was the original guys. don't ditch the original =( =( ...hehehe. okay, that's the last plea that my pride will allow me to offer. but to cindy (and joyce), my true non-fairweathered friend, you rock! =) =) =) hahaha.

joyce: what?!?!? i was just talking to you late last night!!! first date first date?? i would say, (pfft, like i'm one in any position to give advice) hehe, give enough to keep them interested but you must keep at least a little bit of nonchalance... ie, you can totally be perfectly fabulous sans him =P

peterli: hmmmm, you saw gordon with an asian female friend that i don't know about?? *suspicious look* do let me know if you see "me" again! hehehe. =P =P no, i was there for a bit at the end of january...not since. sowwie, we should've met up or something!

but yeah...i think... that when people miss the presence, or say... witty comments of certain people on certain blogs, they start to see them randomly on streets... BUT, that's just me. *shrug* =) =)

joyce: coming back to that, we need an update, PRONTO! =) =) =)

NeverGonnaGrowUp says...

FIRST DATE ADVICE????

JOYCE~~~ is there something I should know?

Peter says...

aight i'm back... hey karen, were you in edmonton by any chance?

Joyce says...

I need 1st date advices, STAT!

Karen says...

awww thanks cindy, for keeping me company here... =) =)... my interview was good i think =P, i'll msg you on msn =P

NeverGonnaGrowUp says...

karen dear...
my apologies for not having visited in a while :)
been busy...and havent been online much cuz im trying to be a good kid and study and go to the gym...hahaha
how have things been? hope ur interviews went well :)