Unforgettable

People often comment that I have the coolest birthday day since I was born today, on Valentine's Day. True, while nobody forgets my birthday day, it is difficult to get them to come out and celebrate on the actual day. Many forget that getting into a restaurant on this day is near impossible (unless you tell the Hostess that you had, in fact, made reservations for a party of 8...not that I ever did, I mean would). It is also difficult to gather your many married/relationship-tied friends to come out because they want a special evening for themselves.

The difficulties aside, however, there are many wonderful things about having a birthday on Valentine's Day. For starters, I get to share my day of birth with a Saint who made it his life's mission to bring people together in love and celebration of each other's beauties. Some call this a "Hallmark Holiday" but nothing could be further from the truth - in the ancient custom, today was a day to actually write hand-written notes of passion and love to somebody you were smitten with or just somebody you thought needed a little encouraging. The only reason Hallmark makes a pretty penny off of this holiday now is because we have lost a bit of our passionate and personal side in today's society.

On a more personal note, my mom never forgets my birthday - since 2000, I have been somewhere else on my birthday every year. For four years at Whittier College, my mom sent a cake each year (which usually got shared with my swim team friends because my birthday fell about a week before our final meet; and at our final dinner, they would always get something for me, too!) Then, for two years in Baltimore, somehow my mom, who has trouble turning on a computer and still doesn't carry a cell phone regularly on her person, would find some company to send me a cake at work. In St. Maarten, she wasn't able to find a cake delivery, but I always got a card - and don't worry mom, NK, SA, MR, GC and others made sure we went to a delicious place for dinner.

And that brings us to today - year 28 of my life is kicking off. This is the year of my life when I will pass my board exams, when I will walk into a patient's room as "Doctor" and hopefully leave as trusted friend, when I will drink a little more lemonade and not stay up so late, cry a little less and laugh [a lot] more - why wait until 30! (For those of you who didn't get this allusion, please speak with anyone who knows country music). And again, somehow my mom worked her magic this year. And with the help of a truly awesome hotel because of an awesome STAFF - they put together what you see in the picture up top. The restaurant treated me to some delicious desserts, the front staff put together a yummy goodie bag with various and sundry edibles, and they somehow found balloons from somewhere I will never know because I haven't seen any balloon shops nearby! A shout out MUST go out to somebody named Barry - an amazing, kind, make-you-feel-at-home type of person who works the front desk; he got me the good deal to stay at this hotel for a month as well as putting me in a great room and always giving me great recommendations for places to visit; indeed, if ever in Grand Rapids, do not stay anywhere else; come to the Courtyard Marriott. The service here is truly 5-star and better than you will find at places way more expensive.

Today, I like to think people are celebrating my birthday (and Valentine's day, as an aside :) Therefore, while I see great things happening in my life this year, it is my birthday wish that awesome things happen in the lives of everyone else, also. As my friend CP shared on her blog, from author Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, let yourself be truly seen so you can be truly loved. I would add that I hope we all put out in the universe that which we hope to achieve, through hard work, faith in God, knowing that He wants great things for us, and a focus on improving ourselves in order to improve the world around us for everyone. I think that would make St. Valentine a very happy Saint, indeed.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

In the coming weeks, there are lots of decisions to be made about my future. Many of those decisions are tied intimately with me actually passing USMLE Step 2, which I took last Thursday (1/21/10). I spent nine hours at the testing center answering 352 multiple choice questions in about a minute and twelve seconds each; and the whole time, I kept hoping my mom was continuing to recover and hoping that I could pull this off - that I could pass and bring joy and RELIEF to her and to many family and friends who have been rooting for me through this whole struggle.

The last few months have been particularly challenging, even within the scope of the last almost four years of struggle through medical school. I wouldn't want to go through all this again, but now as the light at the end of the tunnel is growing stronger and I feel more like a "Doctor" each day, I feel a renewed sense of vigor and excitement that there are so many possibilities that await in the near future. I have been humbled and have experienced failure - and yet, here I am, still standing on the other side. And I freely admit that I stand because there have been many along the way who have helped pick me up when I have fallen and felt like giving up.

Granted, I am not out of the woods yet. But I take solace in two Bible passages that I feel are worth sharing today:

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." -Romans 12:12
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillippians 4:13

I am not always constant in prayer, but I continue to work on it. And I continue to hope that we will be victorious. It does take a village to raise a kid and to support him through life's trials. I truly believe we weren't meant to go through this life alone, trying to overcome challenges by ourselves. At the very least, the Lord will always be there to carry us and make us strong enough to handle the situation at hand. We should all be there for each other, also. Together, we can and will conquer all obstacles.

How's the Hotel: Comfort Suites Downtown - Buffalo, NY

I recently was in Buffalo on business and had the opportunity to stay at the Comfort Suites Downtown. To sum up the experience in one word: phenomenal.

Check-In: B-
Room Functionality: A+
Bed: A+
Bathroom: A
Fitness/Pool: A for Fitness; No pool.
Location: A+
Overall: A
Recommended: YES!!

If I tried to book a room in New York City like the one at Comfort Suites in Buffalo, it would have cost me hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. This was a top-notch suite! The hotel apparently just finished renovations and they did a smashing job - I was beyond impressed. The suite was a true one-bedroom suite with a living room/work area and separate bedroom. The living room/work space was large and also included a nook with fridge, microwave, and coffee/tea maker. All the counters were marble and the room had nice earthy tones that made it feel very relaxing. There was tons of functional work space as well as relaxation space on comfortable chairs/sofas.

The bedroom was superb. It was connected to the living room via small french doors. The bed was very comfortable with a nice comforter. There was also a little sitting area that connected you to the bathroom. You could also access the bathroom from the living room via separate door.

Both rooms had TVs, which I was pretty surprised were OLD SCHOOL when I walked in. They worked, but they didn't fit with the rest of the ultra modern and chic decor. I asked about this and it turns out US Customs has held up the shipment of flat screens. Some rooms have flat screens, but the remainder were held up for lack of paperwork. That stinks because those TVs are the final link to a complete and very VERY well-done renovation that had me wishing I could stay at a Comfort Suites like the one in Buffalo everywhere I travel!

And the BEST part was that this hotel was inexpensive. It was the cheapest I found in downtown that still offered free airport shuttle and even breakfast (a delicious buffet with eggs, ham, cereal, waffles, juice).

My only recommendation for improvement is the airport shuttle. It was OK, but my main gripe is that they were not on time. They picked me up almost 20 minutes late and on the day I returned to the airport, left almost 15 minutes after the stated departure time. This is not OK; it is way too cold to be waiting outside for a shuttle at the airport for that long. And on the way back to the airport, I had left plenty of time, but if I was cutting it close, those 15 minutes make a big difference. I would recommend the hotel work on this - the shuttle should really run like clockwork.

Would I stay here again - most definitely yes!

What I Talk About

A good friend from college, AS, used some fancy schmancy computer program to make a collage of terms that I often used in my recent blog postings. I say recent because the words seem to be from the main screen and not from earlier posts that talked more about education, etc. It is no surprise to me (or to anyone who knows me), that all things having to do with flight and flying feature prominently in the collage.

How's the Hotel - Four Points Sheraton Bakersfield

I love to travel. In fact, I love the journey as much as the destination, so I'm always talking about flying and hotels and various details that most normal people find almost no interest in. And since, in the coming months, I'll be doing lots of traveling for school and staying in quite a few hotels, I figured I would add a feature to my blog called "How's the Hotel" since my friends always ask me that (since they know one way or the other, I'll probably work it into a conversation anyway!)

My first hotel review will be on the Four Points Sheraton, Bakersfield. It was easy to write because I already wrote a commendation and sent it to the folks at "Corporate" because I feel like hard work should be recognized. As you read it, let me know in the comments if there are other things you want to know so when you are planning your travel, you can check if I've already stayed at the place!! That's right, I'm going to turn my blog into a one-stop shop for all pieces of information that most people don't need! :)

FOUR POINTS SHERATON - BAKERSFIELD, CA
Check-In: A
Room Functionality: A
Bed: A
Bathroom: A-
Grounds/Pool: A
Overall: A
Recommended: ABSOLUTELY!!

I am a SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) Member for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the fact that great hotels like the Four Points in Bakersfield are usually offered for around 4,000 points. I have stayed at this location 3 times now when I have business in Bakersfield - twice with points and once through Priceline for $37 (plus tax, of course). I usually like to write reviews after I have stayed at a place a few times to make sure great service is consistent - at this hotel, it truly is their modus operandi. In a word, I find this hotel STELLAR. While I can't compare it to other hotels in the region, I can compare it to other hotels worldwide and I would recommend it highly and without reservation or condition.

PROS:
1. Front desk: always efficient, courteous, and receptive to needs or wishes. Per my request, I have stayed in the main building every time, in a King room on the 2nd floor somewhere near the main entrance - every time.
2. Room: I have always had a room that smells good, looks fresh, is clean, functional, and pretty large. Nice bedding, good bath products, all the necessities for a business trip (including fridge, microwave and free internet that works well). And even a bottle of water is included.
3. Grounds/Pool: The grounds of the hotel truly are beautiful. They have a creek and waterfalls that, after a hard day, are nice to meander through and let your mind relax. The pool, although too cold to use on my January visit, is awesome in the summer. Large size and well kept, with towels readily available and plenty of places to sit/lay out.

CONS (only one minor!):
1. Desk: The desk in the room is a bit awkward to use because the chair doesn't quite fit due to the armrests and there is a bar near your feet that you will likely bang your leg on a couple times. It definitely looks like a remnant from the 80s. However, it is clean, smooth surfaced and usable.

OVERALL:
If you need a place to stay in Bakersfield, do yourself a favor and choose the Sheraton. And to top it all off, there is an In 'n Out and Starbucks (thank God!) nearby along with a variety of other shopping options.

Mid Week Laughter

During my first semester studying on "The Rock" (St. Martin), NK and I used to take study breaks every so often by watching The Office. Well, I've been studying hard the last several weeks, so as a study break, I watched some clips online. I found one in particular that compiled some of my most favorite Office moments and thought I would share it so we can all have some mid-week laughter! Enjoy it! I will be in my car this evening driving to Bakersfield for my final exams in OB/GYN and Psych. I'll be back Friday.

PS: If you go to minute 7:29, you will see one of my all time favorite moments on the show!