Shaken Not Stirred

Friday, January 28, 2005

The Holocaust:Silent Anniversary

Yesterday was the 60th Anniversary, marking the liberation of the Auschwitz Camp. For the most part, people celebrated in silence, mourning for those lost and for those who endured the unspeakable pain of being tortured.

When I was still a pre-med student at WVU, one activity that was done to commemorate this awful time in history was to read aloud the names/victims of those who died in concentration camps. The ledger of names was placed in a tent in the middle of campus. Volunteers were gathered for 24 hours, each volunteer reading three names from the ledger. The response was overwhelming and there were students lined up for blocks. I volunteered for this, but did not realize the emotional impact it would have on me.

I stepped up to the podium to read the names into a microphone so that the everyone within earshot distance could hear my voice. Two of the names I read shocked me--because not only were we to read the names, but their place of death and also their ages. Two of the names I read were twin children, 9 months old. A nausea came over me as I struggled to read out the ages of these poor souls. A lump in my throat which blocked my voice so that "9 months old" was barely audible. I couldn't believe the inhumanity, the insane drive to do harm to anyone, much less infants.

I have recently read the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. And in my junior high literature class read "The Diary of Anne Frank". The descriptions given by Wiesel were heartbreaking enough. I recommend everyone read it.

The world may have commemorated in silence. But I don't think that this portion of history should be without voice.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Some Accident

It was discussed on the news today that the trainwreck in Glendale, California was caused by a man who had parked on the rails in an attempt to commit suicide. They talked about the messages written in blood in the vehicle--messages which stated "I love my kids...I love (indecipherable woman's name)". One firefighter said he was quite emotionally touched my the messages left by the driver of the car. The driver of the car, at the last minute jumped out of his car to safety. Two trains collided because of the vehicle left on the rails. Many people injured and several died.

I don't know what to make of such a case. On one hand I'm disturbed that a person would so selfishly involve other people in their attempt at their own lives. So if he had succeeded, his life would have ended but also with it, the other lives of innocent people. On the other hand, I feel sorry for this person, who so desperately wanted to end his own life. What has life shown him that he would think of no other way out, but to end it all.

I remember a time in my life when someone I knew took their life. One of my cousins had said to me, "Don't ever let your life get to the point where you can't talk to one of us about it. There isn't anything you could say that would ever make me turn my back to you...". It was comforting to know that I would always have a shoulder to lean on, someone to go to if I ever felt so dragged down and burdened. I'm hoping that everyone out there has a person to go to, an understanding family that will share the pains and sorrows that everyone will somehow go through.

My wish for today is that everyone thank their friends and family for the support they've recieve throughtout the years.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

The Sun Has Come Out

Yehey! The sun is out today. Nice sight since I haven't seen it for a little bit. Hopefully the weather will stay this way so that my cousin Irene Matigga and her children can come in for the weekend. Irene has to come, we already bought her a ticket for the showing of Miss Saigon at the Clay Center. If she doesn't come, we've gotta find someone to watch it with us. We have our second runner-up choices, but Irene is our first. Besides you can't find a better dessert partner than Irene.

I'm not sure if I talked about the movie "White Noise" yet. My brain is complete scramble cause of all the studying I'm doing. This movie isn't jump out of your seat scary. But for the second time, I slept with the lights on, all cause of the idea behind this movie. You know being able to speak to the dead thru electric static. My overactive imagination once again! Why do I do this to myself. And why do things like this scare me like that? None of my other friends were that frightened by it. They were more intrigued by the concept. I however am completely freaked out by the idea that dead people's voices can be hear in the static of television and radio. So I'm sure the next time I'm driving in the car and I start to lose radio signal--off it goes. Or at least I'll pop in a CD.

Let's say a prayer for the marines that died in that helicopter crash, for the people injured in the Glendale, California train derailment and also for the Tsunami victims.

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Snow Mush

I know, I know, I haven't written for a very long time. No excuses, I've just had nothing to write about. When your life is blah, you don't want to blah blah blah everyone else's life. I've even tried watching the news so that I would have something to comment about, but alas I don't even have comments on the nasty wardrobe some of those anchor people are trying to pull off.

I was going to write something about Prince Harry wearing that Nazi thing on his shirt, but then I thought, why add to his publicity. Don't most teenagers do things to get noticed or for some sort of shock value. After all he was going to a costume party. His costume was not appropriate by any means by the way, but it probably had nothing to do with his political convictions. I've dressed up as demon before--horns, cape, and red pitch fork--but I'm still a law abiding anal retentive Roman Catholic.

I was also going to comment on this anchorman's poor interview with Tim McGraw. I think it was on MSNBC. Anyway, they were doing a piece on how "Friday Night Lights" was being released on DVD. His question was "Were you suprised that you were such a hit". Meaning, "No one thought you could act, but you could. How'd you do it?". Really sometimes some of those questions sound innocent enough, but are really insults.

I think this is why Saritha told me to stop watching the news. It isn't really informative after all. Maybe that's why I haven't had an opinion in a long time.

Okay, Happy Birthday to my medical school colleague Lowell. He's all the way in the Philippines. Happy Birthday though!
Everyone else on the east coast, enjoy all the cold fronts rushing through! Hopefully my friend Lilly will be able to take her flight to go back to school and straighten things out. She'll be flying out of New York! Have a safe trip!

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

No Worries

Recently, in the wake of the all the catastrophic disasters like the recently mudslides in California and the devastating death tolls of the Tsunami, I've come to realize that my everyday worries seem so miniscule compared to everything else that has been happening.

This first came into perspective about a month ago when my friend Pam Kunjara sent me a Christmas poem. Pam's fiance Paul is stationed in Iraq and she spent the holidays without him. The poem was about a lonely man, someone who was spending the holidays alone. This is what the poem initially seemed to be about. However, as you read the end of the poem, you came to realize that the poem was about a soldier, fighting in a war. This is why the man was alone, he was asleep in his barracks, resting, waiting for the next call. But the soldier emphasized that he had chosen this life of solitude, so that others would be safe. A beautiful piece of poetry. I'll try to get it and maybe post it here.

I realized that I could worry because our soldiers are fighting for my right to worry about the little things---what to wear, what to eat, which movie to watch. These soldiers were giving their lives so that I could live safely, continue to live in world of freedom.

And with all this going on in the world--the war, the disasters and storms, I should count myself lucky that my only worries are--what to wear, what to eat and what review book I'm going to tackle next.

Say a prayer for all those less unfortunate. Have a good day!

Saturday, January 08, 2005

Top Worst Songs Ever

Today on VH-1, they had the Top Worse 40 Songs. When I hopped on the treadmill and flipped to that channel, hoping for some music to walk along to, the show was already down to the last top five. The commentary was amazing. The songs were:
#5 Eye of The Tiger by Survivor---most of the commentary was about wanting to punch someting to the beat of the song.
#4 Physical by Oliva Newton-John
#3 That's What Friends Are For--by Dionne Warwick and Friends
#2 Ice, Ice, Baby by Vanilla Ice
#1 Macarena--one commentator said that Macarena is Spanish for "What me get a bunch of fat Americans to do this song". How rude! Even uncoordinated Filipinos did that dance!!!!

They also had a top 3 worse Phil Collins videos. The worse duet was "Separate Lives". Funny stuff and kept my mind off how fast or how long I was on that treadmill. You know it just doesn't compare to being outside and exercising. At least the wind in your hair, protective barking dogs as you pass by the neighbor's yard, and passing other fellow joggers. I think that's why I dread the treadmill, but looked forward to a daily sprint. It's too cold out today to be outside.

Anyway, I just thought I would write about these top five worse songs, as VH-1 sees it. I kinda agree. I mean after all if you really listen to the lyrics of the songs, some of them don't make sense. The commentators were right, the chick Macarena was a sleeze. They said that Vanilla Ice didn't rap like someone who came from the streets. The sentiments in "That's What Friends Are For" were more cheesy than U.S.A for Africa. But if you think about it, everyone knows half the lyrics to all those songs. Let's face it, maybe we are the cheese and the moon isn't the planet made of it.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Happy New Year

Hi, Happy New Year! I know a couple days late, but the sentiment is still the same.

I would first like to thank my niece Angelynne Walsh for giving me a much desired Livestrong bracelet. I know that they were the rage at one time and hard to find. She really didn't have much choice when I took it off her arm, placed it on my wrist and I asked, "Can I have this since you have two? I've been looking for one forever". It was literally taking candy from a baby. Thank you so much Angel, you are the sweetest ever!!!

I also want to say that I've started listening to a local radio station 100.9 again. I think I had written about my disatisfaction with them before. Anyway, on my way to Ripley, West Virginia (I was taking a ride with my father who serves as a physician a few times a week for the hospital there), I listened to a Bob and Sherrie show that they played. I'm not sure if the show is syndicated or not. It was the first time I really listened to them. Those two are hilarious. They talk about everything, but not much of anything. It's sort of like a Seinfeld for the radio. Really great!!! I think they have a website.

I've also been using a lot of lotion lately. My hands have become so dry. But this particular lotion is great....Crabtree and Evelyn's Gardners lotion. Great cause it doesn't have a scent. And it works.

Happy New Year everyone!