Tag:

psychiatry residency

A Life of Distractions

{sunny skies in Los Angeles}

Life gets hectic. Projects fall to the wayside, self-care less prioritized, hobbies take a backseat, laundry piles up, house chaotically clutters — a reflection of our minds overly-stressed from numerous tasks and obligations. Neglecting my blog for the last 2.5 months was an unfortunate bi-product of accomodating my piling “to-do” list these past few months (in addition to less workouts and a messy apartment).

Awareness is key, followed by figuring out how to shift/balance your priorities (a tough task, though it’s possible). Hence, my waking up a half an hour earlier today to write a blogpost in order to reclaim my passion towards writing.

Which important activities (or people) do you pay less attention to during your most stressful, overwhelming moments?

{one of my fave places to think – the fountain at Beverly Canon Gardens}

November 8, 2011 1 comment

Psychiatry therapy

Laziness

written by freudandfashion

{Smathers Beach at Key West}

Staring at my “to-do” list makes me angry. Only two out of twelve items have been checked off over the course of two weeks. Even as I sit at my usual coffee shop, I’d rather listen to music and daydream of being a karaoke superstar (oddly, I had similar daydreams as a child) or taking a tropical beach vacation instead of doing work. Perhaps I’m tired…or miss my friends and family…or am so overwhelmed by work that I’m procrastinating until the very last minute before I get in trouble (something I used to do in grade school)…or a combination of everything plus life, in general.

Yesterday morning, I released some aggression at kickboxing class, and on my way out, I couldn’t help but smile. At the nearby park, a group of adorable kids were seated around a campfire, laughing and telling jokes. And at that moment, I realized — Sometimes life gets so stressful that we can’t help but revert to our childhood ways of coping, that is, until reality sets in. I’m a physician (not a karaoke dynamo) and I can no longer rely on teachers punishing me for late work submissions.

If only life could be as simple as a campfire during summer break.

August 21, 2011 2 comments

Food Psychiatry

Birthday Wish

written by freudandfashion

I’m feeling overwhelmed after a nonstop day at work. To brighten my mood, I looked at photos of my recent birthday celebration and read my blogpost from last year (here). In contrast to last year, I feel more comfortable being myself (well, I’m still in the process of discovery, which is life-long, but at least I’m less embarrassed to admit my weaknesses, demonstrate pride in my strengths, and bring out my valley-girl twang at work). In addition, I wasn’t carded…not even once, even though I still look like the same, questionably-legal-to-drink young girl. Perhaps I exude more confidence? Well, I know for sure that I’ve matured, for when my patients call me “sweetie,” “young lady,” and “hun,” I no longer take offense nor do I view myself as inexperienced and incompetent as I felt last year. Now that I’m no longering pondering ways to look older, I plan to focus more on improving my stress management skills (to reduce development of wrinkles).

{Birthday at Nobu West Hollywood}

I know my last post was awhile ago, but I’m back from travels and life-changing experiences, which I plan to share in future posts!

June 10, 2011 2 comments

Travel

Spring Break Away

written by freudandfashion

{Sausalito, CA. The day was initially stormy, but the sun appeared just moments after}

I promised not to complain about weather, but it’s currently dark, cold, and intermittently rainy here. A tiny bit of sunshine could easily brighten my mood and day. In the meantime, I’ll takes a few moments to reminisce about recent trips to escape the dreariness until my next tropical vacation.

{South Beach ~ Miami Beach, FL}

{Oahu, HI}

{Home. Northern CA}

April 17, 2011 1 comment

Uncategorized

Winter Treat

written by freudandfashion

I’m ecstatic that it’s Spring, though the stormy weather in Oregon makes me feel like I’m still stuck in Winter. I was proud of myself for getting through my second Winter in Oregon with minimal complaints (for those who know me, that’s major improvement), though my survival required several trips back home to California. A few highlights from my travels this past holiday season include discovering on Christmas day that I had won the Alexander Wang Anita handbag from Beso’s “The Hold Everything Sweepstakes” (see my winning entry here) . I recently went to San Francisco to help my sister pick out the perfect wedding dress and felt the bag was perfect for carrying my necessities while strolling through the gorgeous city.

Photos by Marlon Santos

March 17, 2011 3 comments

Travel

Oregon Winter

written by freudandfashion

{View from my window}

I just returned from a weekend in Sacramento and San Francisco where the weather was perfectly chilly, sunny, and breezy. Yet, prior to my flight to nor-cal, I experienced two snowy days in Oregon where I’m sure that I’m the only one who initially stared out the window in fear about having to commute in the snow. I’ve grown accustomed to texting fellow residents for driving tips and religiously checking weather.com to ensure I can tackle the snowy roads without problem, but have decided that instead of being constantly worried, I’m going to savor and enjoy the rest of my second Winter in Oregon no matter how snowy, icy, or rainy the weather may be.

{Is it nerdy that this pic reminds me of bronchioles?}

February 28, 2011 3 comments

Food Psychiatry Travel

Organizing Thoughts

written by freudandfashion

After returning from a child psychiatry conference in LA, I had a busy week adjusting to a new work schedule and became overwhelmingly anxious trying to multitask solving patients’ problems and my growing list of “things to do.” Last night I realized that if I had a patient with a similar situation, I’d tell them to write an actual list of “things to do” (I tend to to be lazy to write lists and instead take “mental notes” which clearly didn’t work for me last week) and rank them in terms of priority. I wrote a list this morning and already checked off two items (change my tires, drop off dry cleaning) and up next includes laundry and cleaning my messy apartment. Lists should also include relaxing, rewarding activities as well (balance is key!), so after cleaning I’m off to a pedicure party and dinner with girlfriends. I’m looking forward to tackling the upcoming work week already.

Here are some pics from my most recent trip to LA:

{Liquid Nitrogen Caipirinha at The Bazaar}

{liquid olives–I”ll never think of an olive the same way again}

{an amazing $8 cup of tea}

{dessert display at the SLS Beverly Hills}

{Rodeo Drive at night}

February 6, 2011 0 comment

Psychiatry

1.5 Years

written by freudandfashion

2010 proved to be a remarkable year for me. I’ve transformed from a former struggling medical student (constantly questioning my career choice with each brutal beating from complicated exams, all-nighters, and Attendings pimping me to the point of ridicule) into a now PGY-3 (Postgraduate year) making medical decisions on my own and witnessing the positive impact I can have on patients’ lives. And, after 1.5 years of living here, I can admit that Oregon is truly growing on me (which I never thought I’d say, but who wouldn’t appreciate smog-free skies, environmental-friendliness, genuinely friendly people, traffic-free roads, abundant green landscapes, etc). I’m thankful for the lessons learned in 2010 and can’t wait for the experiences to come in 2011. One and a half years of residency left to go!

December 30, 2010 4 comments

Travel

Meaning of a Pomegranate

written by freudandfashion

{Pomegranates growing in my parents’ backyard}

This year marked the first Thanksgiving spent in my family’s new house, which I feared might be a sad experience since I knew how much my family loved our previous home. As soon as I walked through the door, I immediately felt a sense of comfort walking into a wide, gorgeous space that had astonishing similarities to our last home. Even more comforting was seeing my entire family together smiling and laughing with no visible signs of the overwhelming stress that took place just weeks before the holiday. Yet, what struck me the most about this house was discovering a pomegranate tree in the backyard. At that moment, I immediately recalled fond childhood memories of picking and eating pomegranates from the tree my grandfather planted in my parents’ first home. It’s one of the fruit trees my grandfather meticulously cared for, and to me, represents regeneration, strength, and growth. Not only did I feel thankful for spending a momentous weekend with family, but also for being reminded of my grandfather watching over us.

December 4, 2010 2 comments

Psychiatry Travel

Vacation Time

written by freudandfashion

One thing I’ve mastered during residency is the timing of vacation and making the most of those few days of freedom. Four months without vacation is far too long, one month intervals is too soon, but a vacation every 2.5 months comes out to be just right. I’m at the point of yearning for some much-deserved time off, which I plan to spend soaking up sun to boost my Vitamin D and eating/shopping/partying in one of my favorite cities. My key to surviving residency incorporates a balance of combining work, relaxation, and fun, because the former can easily dominate over time, resulting in high anxiety, struggles to get up in the morning, a shorter temper, less sleep, and less people wanting to be around me.

November 1, 2010 0 comment

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