February 10th, 2007
A long-overdue tribute to 2006
Ya, ya, I know it’s already February (and I could actually change the time stamp 
). I started answering this survey thing early December but was AM TOO BUSY, I never got around to posting it until now. And even as I am writing this post, I am actually ON DUTY. Thank God we’ve got Wifi in the callroom! (And no toxic referrals so far.) 
This is more than just being “Better late than never.” This is a tribute to one of the best years of my life...
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The 2006 Year-End Survey
What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? Scale a wall. Eat a whole stick of isaw. Circ....
Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year's resolutions and what have become of them.
1. Pass the boards!!!!! 
2. Get into a residency training program in Neurology or Internal Medicine.
3. Learn Korean. 
4. Lose weight.
5. Wake up early.
6. Stress less.
7. Be more cheerful.
For this year:
1. EXERCISE, eat right, lose weight!!!!
2. To still be more cheerful and patient.
3. Conviction and confidence in what I do. I'm such a dependent!
4. Finish, understand and remember Adams and Victor’s Principles of Neurology.
5. To make a really good research paper in Neuro and NOT CRAM IT!
6. Not ask parents for allowance anymore. <-- Eep! Might still be needing financial assistance from them. But will try not to ask too much and too frequently from them.
7. 100 K-movies and 20 K-dramas
8. Learn Korean
9. Keep sane.
Did anyone close to you...
Get married? Pauline Peronilla - Nov 4. Engaged - Dawn & Leo
Give birth? Sanae to a baby girl Maho!
Passed away? Tano. Adelyn M (a schoolmate I only vaguely know by name but who was my brother’s classmate in elem). Patients.
What places did you visit? Exploring Laguna and Batangas during Comm Med rotation... that's about as far as I went during the year.
What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? See resolutions above.What date(s) from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I doubt they'd forever be "etched upon my memory" as there are more to come in my life. But for the record, this year's significant dates are:
January 11 - Son Ye Jin's 24th birthday and the day I lost my cellphone.
January 14 - bought a new camera phone
April 21 - UP Manila University Graduation
May 21 - UP College of Medicine College Graduation
August 6,7,13&14 - The Medical Board Exams
August 18 - the day I received the good news of passing the board exams
August 31 - got my license number! 2-4-6-0-1. Hehe. Hi Lex!
September 17 - Physician's Oathtaking
October 11 - Poline's good news. --> October 12 - the official announcement from the Neuro Dept that I made it to their residency program
November 3 - First sweldo!
What was your biggest achievement of the year? Passing the boards to become a full-fledged Doctor. Getting into the Neurology residency training program in PGH.
What was your biggest failure? None. This has been a wonderful year!
Did you suffer illness or injury? The perennial allergic rhinitis. 
Stress gastritis 4 days before the board exams! Bacterial URTI and acute exacerbation of BA on the second week of the boards. And still another case of bacterial URTI on the day of my interview for Neuro residency. Recently self-diagnosed to have migraine headache, triggered by too much coffee and chocolate (catamenial too?).
What was the best thing you bought? A flippy cam phone. A digicam. Netter's Neurology and it's lovely drawings. The dresses I wore to the 2 graduation programs (college & univ) and to the oathtaking.
Whose behavior merited celebration? Therese. I believe that my friendship with her has been mapped out right from the start. It amazes (and amuses) me how our lives have been intertwined--her elem best friend, and the elem best friend of *her* closest friends from HS, are both *my* best-est friends from HS (confusing ba? hehe!)--that when we became classmates in med school, it was only a matter of (perfect) time that WE ouselves became friends. We were roommates during a tumultuous time, dubbed The Medical Boards, made memorable and special by heart-to-heart talks, stories of childhood & family & their dogs of distinct personas, visits from her parents, Arce Dairy ice cream, Bituing Walang Ningning, esCAFE-ades during brownouts, grocery shopping, jogging attempts, sleeping on the floor, and hugs from Caleb, the cutest, nonchalant, malleable stuffed tiger. Therese's encouragement, optimism and steadfast Faith in God helped me through and I couldn't imagine how it would have been, nor do I wish for it to be, otherwise. (Friendster testimonial)
Whose behavior appalled you? The same scums from last year. Dishonest and greedy people. Bobocop. 
Where did most of your money go? Cellphone load. Board reviewers. New clothes. Books and VCDs.
What did you get really, really, really excited about? (In chronological order) New phone! Comm med rotation, driving joyriding around Laguna. Graduation (Finally! After 20++ years of studying!). Passing the medical boards. A new digicam. Overhauling my wardrobe to make it more “doctor-ly”. Making it to Neuro residency. First sweldo!
What song(s) will always remind you of 2006? Ikaw Lang Ang Aking Mahal. Bituing Walang Ningning. And as much as I am weirded out by them, Kamikazee's "Narda", "First Day High" and “Doobidoo”.
Compared to this time last year, are you...
Happier or sadder? A whole lot happier!
Thinner or fatter? Fatter! Gained a lot during the board review which I still haven’t shed.
Richer or poorer? Richer. Started making my own money.
What do you wish you'd done more of? Study (when I was a student). Relax (*after* being a student).
What do you wish you'd done less of? Eating.How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve dinner with my brother. Christmas Day rounds on the patients.
Did you fall in love in 2006? Did I?
What was your favorite TV program? My Girl!!!! 
Captain Barbell. Bituing Walang Ningning (Oman-Dorina! Aieeee!). "A Rosy Life" and "Full House" marathons with my Omma!
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? None. But I still disliked a lot of people!
What was the best book you read? "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time" by Mark Haddon. Isabel Allende’s “House of the Spirits”. Anne of Green Gables. Netter's Neurology. First Aid to the USMLE Step 1. Physiology BRS (I wish I read it during med school). Microbiology MRS.
What were your greatest musical discoveries? Goong OST: “sarang in ga yo” and “goot ip ee nae rin da” and all the instrumental songs with the oriental feel. Also the oriental music of “The King and the Clown” OST. The songs of the APO Hiking Society.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? The White Coat. Slacks in black, greys, blues, greens and browns, and more formal blouses. Flats in metallic colors.
What did you want and get? A degree in medicine, a physician's license, a shot at being a neurologist (yah I know I'm sounding like a broken record), a flippy cam phone, a digicam, Alone in Love, April Snow
What did you want and not get? Holidays with my fam, Puerto Galera/Boracay, more frequent Hallyu marathons with my K-sisses, a trip to South Korea, a pair of zips, a Samsook doll, meeting Lee Dong Wook and Kwon Sang Woo in person!
What was your favorite film of this year? Welcome to Dongmakgol, When Romance Meets Destiny
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 26. Dinner at Chocolate Kiss with my best-est friends. The surprise that never was. 
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Meeting Lee Dong Wook in person would have just been a wonderful bonus, but this year has been a wonderful one and I am utterly grateful.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Lee Dong Wook. 
Lee Jun Ki.
What political issue stirred you the most? Dawn and Leo's engagement announcement, ah este!
Who was the best new person you met? Therese’s family especially her parents Tito Edwin and Tita Manay. And Caleb, the cutest most nonchalant stuffed tiger.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
"...If only to prove how loved and blessed one is, reviewing for the Boards is an absolute necessity." - Therese' Breather Blog
"Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24
And seeing "Perhaps Love" on top of the list makes me all giddy!