2-28. Never Forget.


Taiwanese aboriginal chant
featured in Enigma's Return to Innocence.

Dinner with special guests is postponed to tomorrow. I hope. In the meantime:

HoChie71: went to make food
YellowMnM81: what food??
HoChie71: guess
YellowMnM81: lol
YellowMnM81: kimchi? :P
YellowMnM81: ramen
YellowMnM81: cup noodle?
YellowMnM81: iono
HoChie71: yes
HoChie71: both
YellowMnM81: hahah
HoChie71: kimchi in ramen
YellowMnM81: OOHHH!!
YellowMnM81: nice!

So with the change in plans, I decided to go to a viewing of a 2-28 documentary at Berkeley entitled "Voices." It was actually quite moving with all the sad Taiwanese songs in the background. I can't get the tunes out of my head. Oh, and in the credits, I caught Tim's and Welly's names too... I guess I really shouldn't be surprised.

Special visitors in town right now! Hopefully dinner plans for tomorrow will come together... It's all still hush-hush, because it appears that my world is much too small... Stay tuned.

Cherie and me, by the Metreon waterfalls.

I've come to the conclusion that my senior on the wards has a "black cloud." Whenever he's on call, all the stars align and we get crushed like bugs. Too much work, too many issues, and so little of me to be at 5 places at once. Why does he have the black cloud and not me? Because I have never had a month with calls so rough and with so little sleep. He, on the other hand, has barely slept on call nights in the past year. This deserves a big old "Ai-Yo!" All together now... "Ai-Yo!"

Time for a nap. I would like to wake up in a few hours and go to a members reception at the SF Museum of Modern Art. Just to do something different.

I am on call again tonight. I hope it's a relatively quieter night, so that maybe I can sleep at least one hour tonight. Please please please...

I confess. I have two blogger lists. Two. One list is composed of all my friends who have blogs. I love them dearly, and I read them religiously. But the other list is of bloggers who I don't know at all. And I'm addicted. Sometimes, I find that reading the thoughts of a complete stranger is so refreshing. It's a little bit voyeuristic, but I've gotten over that. People post knowing that strangers will stumble upon them. That's my excuse for having this addiction. With that said, I quite often come across bloggers that simply impress me. There are some witty and wise folk out there - some have intelligence and wisdom beyond their years, some have lives that transcend the boundaries of their computer, and some are not afraid to speak their mind or share with the world. I am envious. I wish I could meet them in person. But then, I wouldn't have two lists anymore. And where's the fun in that?

Hello stranger. Welcome to my blog.

Happy belated birthday to my little bud Annie and my cousin Cammy! Happy birthday to not-so-little-anymore Sherry!

I feel like I'm just counting days and months now. Towards what? I don't really know. It's been a long month on the wards - lots of sick kids as expected this winter season. On the one hand, it's becoming fairly routine stuff to manage, on the other, it just wears us down having to run from patient to patient tweaking their treatments. I have 7 more days before I switch to the newborn nursery, 2 more overnight calls this month with probably no sleep, 17 more days before I have a full weekend off, 4 more months of intern year left, 4 more months before my schedule eases up some... just counting and counting...

Can you tell I'm tired?

I love working with these kids though. I wish I had some magical touch to make all their lives healthy and fulfilled.

Listening to Moulin Rouge's Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman sing We Could Be Lovers. I love how they use all these one liners from other songs to compose this one.

I'm super tired. But during moments like this, when my brain isn't working, is when I completely appreciate the little things around me - like the new spring blossoms appearing outside my window and the little orange tree that someone is growing on the deck. I'm tempted to take one... good thing I have my honeydew bubble tea to keep me occupied.

I would like to go home now. Really. But freedom doesn't come until 8 am. Work on...

I've been eating a little too much ramen lately. Much thought has gone into how I can make each bowl a little more unique than the last. More wontons? Extra egg? No egg? Add green onions? Kimchee flavored? Less packaged powder? Add a gummy bear?

I had a craving for Haribo gummy bears yesterday. Good solid chewy gummy bears. None of this cheapo soft funky imitation stuff. So I bought 3 bags.

Today I have a craving for dark chocolate. Lucky for me, I rediscovered the bag of dark mint chocolates that I put in the freezer a few weeks ago.

I think tomorrow I might have a craving for marshmallow Peeps. I still have some from last Easter. They travelled with me from Chicago to California. Man, those things last forever. Kinda like Twinkies.

Hmm. I think I have a cavity.

I need a snow day.

I did it again. I watched Panic Room by myself last night, and then after I fell asleep, I had a nightmare. I thought I felt someone tugging at the sheets when I was sleeping. I jumped up, ready to kick butt. No one was there, but it was darn scary. I should've just watched Blue Crush again...

Addendum: Even creepier... As I was on my way out the door this morning, I realized it was a little bit easier opening the door than usual. Did I turn the doorknob before I opened it? Or was it not completely closed? Hmmm...

It's been a movie rental weekend for me. I've watched The Bourne Identity, Signs (which I shouldn't have watched alone yesterday night- scary!), and now Blue Crush. OK, I think I've got a crush on free-spirited surfer girls now. Especially that girl on the right, Sanoe Lake.

I made a strawberry-orange-mango smoothie earlier today. I drank half, then put the rest in the freezer. Now I have a strawberry-orange-mango sorbet to enjoy... How special.

Off to dinner at Myra's. Hawaiian cuisine, I think?

*HUGS*

and *KISSES* !!!

I'll need a Valentine's Day hug tomorrow.

Dinner Special: Crispy potstickers, sauteed pea sprouts with dash of ginger and pepper, and kimchee omelette - prepared by Chef Ho Chie.

There are good days at work, and there are bad ones. This was a good one. I totally needed it. Then after admitting my last patient, Betsy and I went to try this Indian place for dinner. Pretty good food. Now I'm off to hang with Kari for awhile at Denny's. If only all my days could be this well balanced...

Kari's lovely smile. Must be the food. Do red glasses work on me?

I am so exhausted! I got home at 3:30 this afternoon and went to bed. I woke up at 7:00 pm, and it was dark outside. So, I thought it was the next morning and time to go to work again. How silly am I? This cumulative fatigue is making me mindless and moody. So not me.

I just watched A Walk To Remember again. What a tear-jerker. (sniffle) Darn good movie.

A few more hours until freedom. I can smell the bubble tea now... I can feel that pillow underneath my head...

Back to work this morning...

My cute Berkeley girls. Too bad they're not single... boo hoo.

These guys ARE single... boo hoo. Exploring the Berkeley Pier.

The archer statue near the Pier.

Sailing at sunset.

Waiting for sunset. Yes that's me totally posing.

This past week, people have guessed my age to be between 21 and 25. I must have a young soul. Or maybe I'm just short.

Anyways, off to a lunch meeting... then potsticker party at Joan and Russell's tonight. I suck at making potstickers. No fancy wrapper folding for me; Just stuff the meat in, close it up, cook it, and eat it. It all tastes the same.

A long frustrating day ended much better than it started out. I wanted to attend this TACL mixer event in the city right after work since it sounded like a great way to end a busy week. So I was working at a nice steady pace all day thinking to myself "darn, I'm efficient" when suddenly I was assigned a new patient late in the afternoon. Not a straight-forward patient mind you, but a complex one... So I ended up staying an extra 3 hours to take care of this patient, when I really should have signed out of the hospital long before. I usually don't complain, but it was a Friday, I have only one day off this weekend, and I just wanted get out at a reasonable hour to hang with my Taiwanese American peeps. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit bummed, but when duty calls, I must sacrifice. I left the hospital very late in the evening, but I decided to go to the event anyways hoping to catch up with some of my buddies afterwards. Sure enough, I caught the end of it - and saw Cec, Sophia, John, Cinyee, Dennis, Alice... and Anny had saved me some food "to go." (Thanks Anny!) Plus, I got to chat with some new people. I also made a new Berkeleyite friend, Daphne, who says she'll treat to me to bubble tea next week. Yay! I feel like I have somewhat of a real life now. Well, at least for today and tomorrow.

OK, time to go to sleep. I've had a cumulative 6 hours of sleep in the past 70 hours. Such is my life as a resident.

Tonight was beautiful! Jealous yet? Hotel HoCh, now open for business...

Ahh... I can be a real doctor now... Presenting Dr. Hocheeto Tsai!

lovethecurly3: guess what i thought of on the way to school today?
lovethecurly3: a new nickname for you
lovethecurly3: PRESENTING....
lovethecurly3: THE HOCHEETO!
lovethecurly3: like the chip
HoChie71: oh no!
lovethecurly3: but better!
HoChie71: i'd buy it.
lovethecurly3: haha
lovethecurly3: i'd buy billions of them!
HoChie71: cheesy!
HoChie71: in more ways than one.
lovethecurly3: haha

Tinya and Lillian. Ever so cute!

I'm freeeee! I refuse to sleep my day away. Must resist. Sun is shining. Must walk around like zombie. Drink my bubble tea in peace...

Another headache, and it's an even longer day (and night). Ugh.

Headache after a long day. Aiyo.

I'm a nerd. I studied this evening. Now my vacation is over. But at least I got to hang out with Kari and her friend Chieh-I, who is kinda from Chicago too. OK, back to work bright and early tomorrow morning. I am recharged, energized. Like a bunny.

A comet sunset and a crystal clear evening.

Hello Monday! What shall you and I do today, my last day of vacation?

Back in Cali. I have a new appreciation for the weather here. Thanks for the ride to the airport Ranee!

I went to the TAA Lunar New Year Celebration last night. I wanted to see Welly perform, since it had been years since I last saw him at TAF and on Broadway. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many familiar faces from the past... Dennis, Jim, Rosalyn, Yvonne, Wen to name a few... we're talking folks from beyond old school TAF days. I didn't know Mayline and Charlene would be there either. Or Judy. So it all turned out pretty cool. Also at my table were some new faces, Amy and Nicole. And apparently Amy's boyfriend is a resident at UIC who knows my buddies Phil and Kevin really well. Very cool.

Look who's growing up! And look who's grown up!

Sherry, Mayline, Charlene. Me and Judy.

Welly on stage. And with Harmony and Bryan.

With Yvonne, Wen, Rosalyn, and Welly.

Happy Lunar New Year. So they tell me. And once again, I am reminded that I have no idea how this magical date is determined. This year, the year of the Ram, it falls on February 1st. Next year, it will be January 22nd. A google search tells me this: The Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year because it is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. It usually occurs in January or February. Yes, I did my research.

But still, I am boggled.

So, I have devised a more practical and understandable theory; I have come to the conclusion that there must be 5 old Asian wise men from the kingdoms of China, Corea, Japan, Vietnam, and Tibet who trek far and wide to meet together on December 31st upon the bidding of Mama Ali San, a wise old Taiwanese woman. Each guards carefully a glimmering six-sided dice chained around their neck. They chant "My Precious! O my Precious!" as Mama A begins the process of determining the start date of the following new year.

Mama A: "Umm. OK guys. I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 2..."
5 wise guys: "Two!" [in unison]
Mama A: "Yes! A two it is! OK now... ready to roll? Set... Go!"
5 wise guys: "My precious!!" [as dice are rolled onto the spinning Lazy Susan table top]
Mama A: "Oh ohhhh.... OH! Will ya look at that? What are the chances... Dang! Four of five dice thrown off the table..."
1 wise guy: "Mine's a winner! Precious!"
Mama A: "Yes, and we've got a low number this year... a one! So it's gonna be a two and one this year boys. February 1st."
Mama A: "Hey, how about we all roll again til 2007 so we can take a break from this epic trekking business..."

With that, the fate of all Asian people is determined.

2005: February 9 - Rooster
2006: January 29 - Dog
2007: February 18 - Pig