Suddenly, Last Summer

Suddenly after last summer I've become and intern and had a great yet difficult and challenging time, contrary to the apprehension and anxiety I've had before it started. It was hard but in the end I do feel a sense of fulfillment and occasionally I find myself to be privileged to be part of a group that's constantly under the influence of torture.

Here are some things to remember that short summer by. Shortest summer in medical school. Roughly three weeks or more or less 24 days if you count it accurately.

Best Place Visited: Riverstone Castle in Argao. A castle replica of a 14th century medieval dwelling right in the heart of Cebu south. This summer though I didn't get to go outside of Cebu

Highlight of the Summer: Tie between ultimate road trip in the south of Cebu and getting to see Secondhand Serenade live.

Best Movie Watched: "Watchmen" superb adaptation of a classic graphic novel with a killer soundtrack.

Best Book Read: "Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Poignant and haunting

Best New Discovery: Skins. A British teen dramedy that's funny and heartbreaking at the same time.

Best Hang Out Place: KopiRoti. Where else can you get delicious brews, yummy pastries, free WiFi and amazing baristas.

Trend of the Summer: Colored wayfarers and denim cut off shorts to be known six months later as werewolf shorts

Most Memorable: Being reunited with my elementary classmates after thirteen years!

Guilty pleasure: FaceBooking

Summer Song: "Insomnia" by Craig David and "Black or White" by Adam Lambert

Best Pal of the Summer: Mikah Whore and the Whore car for taking me to places that alone I'd never get there.

Feeling of the Summer: Dread and excitement but more on the former.

Movie Review: Up In The Air

Up in the Air was basically movie of metaphors. That's what I perceived it after watching the movie which was surprisingly fast paced and witty. Airports as every man's job, connecting flights and passengers as relationships in life and hiring and firing as life's beginnings and ends.

The plot involves a man named Ryan Bingham (George Clooney)who works in a company who's hired by other companies to fire their employees personally on behalf. Hence he is then constantly flying 3/4 of his year, living in hotel rooms and suites and hanging out in airport lounges. The movie follows how he lives a life he has chosen, his passion for his profession and his relationships with Alex a sexy seductress who also has a similar lifestyle with his and Natalie, an ambitious fresh graduate who has proposed to revolutionize and threatened his so-called vocation that he upholds.

I've always reiterated this fact that a brilliant script plus great acting from the three leads - each actor managed to portray the characters distinctly and leaving each one with something to draw you was no easy feat that seemed effortless into the film, lifted the movie "up in the air". George Clooney is still George Clooney, and lo and behold buddy you have once again proved that TV stars can make a smooth transition into film. Vera Farmiga was sympathetic and sexy and Anna Kendrick was both uptight and cute.

Congratulations to the screen writers who adapted this book which was quite a chore to read into something enjoyable, subtle and funny. With full of philosophy and profound moments.

This is one of those rare instances that the movie is better than the book. The adaptation also managed to squeeze out poignant scenes and updated the book. For the book was published way back 2001.

What I learned after watching this movie, our relationships in life - family, friends, lovers and significant others are indeed the biggest weight that make up the bulk of our existence.

Watch this movie: if you don't want to read the book this movie was based from because it was a great adaptation.
Eight out of ten stars.

P.S. This is my first movie review after trying to make one for two years since this blog was started.

This is it!

I just had to get this on paper - er... on cyber space before the creative juices stop flowing. I have basically neglected this blog since July. One, I really wanted to write but time has been really really short so instead of typing and clickety-clacking I sleep or catch up on paperwork, second, when I do find time there are no nice things to write about. And lastly I forgot the password and I was to much of a lazy bum to recover it. But now I did and I just had to write something in honor of this day.

Well this is officially the end of medical school for me and hopefully not my medical career well it hasn't even started yet. Internship doesn't count it's part of medical school. I am now not a student anymore. I still don't have my license but I already have two initials after my name. Since compared to my classmates I have been treating this day as nonchalant as I had, I realize that I need something to honor this day aside from pictures. So I am doing this blog post to capture it. At least a month or a year from now I'll read this blog again and I will remember the feelings I had felt when I woke up this morning.

Though I'm not that excited I think I should at least be a little more excited of the thought that I am finally over med school and I survived it with sanity intact and made a good name of myself among my mentors. To prove how I wasn't that into it I am dressed up going to graduation like an emo rock star - dark red checkered/plaid shirt, blood red slim tie, dark slim pants (not as skinny as I would have liked), curly hair and Doc Martens. Well the last one is negotiable. And I'm still working on it. I even wanted to push the envelope further with eyeliner.

Right now uploading pictures from med school past and the recent graduation party pumped me up for the ceremonies. And after graduation comes three weeks of uninterrupted vacations, beaches, fiction books and binge eating.

Congratulations to everyone in CIM Batch 2010 Elixir. You guys taught me a lot of things about the world both good and bad and with that I am thankful for making me tough. See ya in 12 months then after that see ya in a decade.

Welcome to wherever you are, this is your life, you've made it this far!

Oh yeah, this blog is officially back! Vrroomm vrroommm.