Had a rather disturbing conversation with a friend on e way back this week; feeling a distinct bout of medical student-itis (we're well known to imagine conditions just learned about, where there's none). This person was reporting feelings of hopelessness and the futility of life. He does not know what lies after this life, and this thought is so distressing that he feels unable to function at all. Such thoughts are not uncommon, but for it to be so central in someone's life, that is not normal. And upon being told that he should see a psychiatrist, the same reply that nobody can help with this problem. And it hit me there; that in troubles of the mind, it really does take a lot for someone to see a psych (same trouble the last time i recommended that to someone). Sigh...

Party for Nat and Pearlly on friday was a success (hope u 2 had fun! haha). There were rather more people than expected, and we had to browbeat the staff into providing more chairs than we reserved. To their credit, they were extremely nice about it, and a potential problem was solved. It was great to see everyone together once more, just talking cock and having fun. HAppy birthday (somehwat belated :P) to the 2 ladies, 2 of the best friends I could ask for.

Rather more surprisingly fun was aishu's bday party the subsequent day. This featured a rather different cast from e previous one, but it was no less boisterous. It was a tremendous blast laughing and cracking jokes with the dudes, managing to get "drunk" on buttermilk (which is physically impossible, btw). It was a chance to let our inner children break out from the fastidious image we have to maintain, and i think we succeeded spectacularly. Those around may not agree :P but it was nearly as good as RI days once again.

This entire posting is starting to piss me off more and more; particularly when i consider how rushed our clinical postings were. It's not that what we're presently doing is irrelevant (even I can't claim that) but rather the fact that we seem to spend so much time nitpicking. The most grating thing is that the tutors in charge of the project seem to have no clear direction, and they insist on imposing their whims and fancies on us. We might be only students, but please do not waste our time simply because we have time to waste;it's incredibly annoying, and destroys what little faith I have in your dept.

"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson