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What can I say? We can't get enough of these beautiful colors. In the month of November (what the year is almost over already) and we are finally in the full height of autumn. It's crazy to think that this will be my last Connecticut fall. Drives to random hikes and walks never disappoint with all the colors that surround us. It is our mission to soak in that last bit of sun before it hides away for winter.
This semester I find myself in a specialty placement with Yale's Pediatric Gastroenterology. It has been a very fruitful experience with lots of learning and growth. One of the topics I chose to focus my presentation on was Inflammatory Bowel Disease in primary care. IBD is a chronic disease characterized an inflammation in one's gut. Currently, there is no cure for IBD but with proper lifestyle changes and medication management, there is a high likelihood of remission. While I also did a powerpoint presentation for the topic, I have attached my patient handout below.
There is honestly nothing quite like a New England fall. The temperatures are finally getting crispy and cold as the leaves begin to darken. The trees! AHHH! It is a photographer's dream. I also finally had a free weekend to do the things I wanted to do: take photos, watch a Lady Gaga movie, watch a korean drama, plenty of laundry and just drink and enjoy the company of friends.
I am happy to see the improvement in my style of photography. I had been chasing these tones for so long so when it finally came together I was honestly ready to show the world. The one above especially (of my own face lol) is a particular edit that I had been practicing for a while. Maine was the place where I found something in myself again. It was a place of healing and spontaneous adventures: from the well known spaces of Acadia National Park (again) to less known Tumbledown and Table Rock Hikes. It was where I made friends to last a lifetime. It was where I camped in a car to catch the first sunrise. It was a place where we discovered our love for soft-shelled lobster. It was where I finally practiced as nurse. It was a place where healed and became stronger.
Thank you. Tackling the most chronic skin condition of puberty. I did the thing (again). Inspired by the positive feedback I received from my previous work with birth control, I wanted to tackle another adolescent issue that was very personal.
For years I battled (still struggling sometimes) with my acne. For a while i thought that if I had washed my face more, my acne would miraculously get better. After sometime, it seemed like the only effective cure was hormonal contraceptives (which I never really responded well to). It was only later that I found out I had not been using the topical ointments properly. Acne is not "curable." it is something that you have to constantly work with for the rest of your life. It can better with the proper guidance and skin routine. I wanted shed some light on the situation for my middle and high schoolers. Tired of hiding from the winter weather. We decided to take advantage of a free (and sunny) Friday and sought to conquer another mountain. Needless to say, we were not disappointed. A two mile ascent did not seem so bad on paper, but we had forgotten that snow is still a possibility in April. It usually means something when they ask you, "Have you brought your microspikes?" when you first get to the park.
We're Californian. What weather conditions could possibly keep us from reaching to the top? Many kinds. (Oh the hype. Thanks to the quick hands of the sis, the three females of our family managed to procure tickets to the famous (and now sold out) Museum of Ice Cream. The consensus? For the price to pay, I'm not sure the museum lives up to the hype. But the samples were tasty and the photo opportunities were plentiful.
This post is a tribute to my younger sister, forever willing to be the model on camera so that I may practice my photography. Also, so she can get a new profile picture. What does one give for someone who already has everything?
Who hasn't asked that before? The simplest, most heartfelt solution was to make something. I always want gifts to be practical, and since both receivers had amassed a large collection of pens, I decided on a desk-top pen holder. Under the guidance of a few Youtube videos and the receiver himself (he didn't know of course), I utilized a series of green/blue acrylic paint to create a galaxy. It turned out beautifully if I do say so myself. At last, a semblance of a break.
Remember that I spent the entire summer break studying for the NCLEX exam. So this winter break was the first time I had off in what seems like a really long time. Thankfully we had enough money saved up to make a pit-stop in Vancouver on the way home to celebrate. Our private Airbnb bordered the famous Robson St and Stanley Park. With Christmas right around the corner, we were fortunate enough to witness spectacular light displays (our favorites being at the Capillano Suspension Bridge with lights running up towering Redwoods). The SJ Sharks-our favorite hockey team- were also playing against the local Canucks team so we got to experience a hockey game in Canada. One cannot forget Gastown, the Richmond Area and biking around Stanley Park. These local sights paired with delicious food (Japadog, Zabu Chicken, Dim Sum, etc.) made a wonderful end of the semester/quarter celebration for the both of us. |