So...apparently Susha [soo-sha] and Shuey [shoe-wee] sound the same...How? I don't know. BUT, apparently I also look Indian or Pakistani....hehehe *shrug* let us just ignore the part about me being melanin-challenged :p

Man of constant sorrow

no...not me. It's a good song (referring to post title)

ANYhoo, here's a fun story from clinic today, or two stories actually.

Fun with Dr. X - So I was being tested for some fun condition I have in my ear. One of my profs wa really interested in seeing how my responses would be on some test. I'm not going to get into technical stuff, but basically it was quality time talking about - The South.

Let me disclaimer this post, and this entire blog, with a fact: I kinda like the South. Everyone here is super nice (for the most part), really, incredible polite, and just friendly. Every time I leave the South, I realize how nice and quaint it is, to just have strangers say hi to each other, by default that we're all humans, and well, it's nice to greet someone that you have eye contact with. As opposed to ignoring their presence and just walking by.

Back to the story~

Apparently, Dr. X's neighbor still attends meetings for the "Sons of Confederates" or something like that. He told me that he was really shocked such a group still existed. I quote "I mean, it's over. The war was about slavery...I mean, WHAT are you trying to say?" (referring to the fact that some Southerners are still bitter about losing to the Union). Which brings us to an interesting question - What does it mean when people still hang the Confederate flag? Is it different from any other country that have a minority party that still doesn't support the majority? And why do they still carry on the Confederate pride? I'm not quite sure it's about racism. So what is it about the Confederacy? I'd love to understand it. No judgments here - I'm just curious

Part 2:

So we were testing another patient (after my testing), and he was one of those talkers that just goes on and on and on (and, well, who am I to stop rambling?). So we get to the end of testing and it's about 11:40am. But he KEPT talking for another 30 minutes -_- (I was sooo hungry). What was interesting though, was that the entire time, our patient was rambling about his medical conditions - all of them, which wasn't relevant to what we needed to know, but here's what it led him to at the end of our session - politics.

This guy said that he doesn't call Obama his president, because "I don't consider him president - he's not my president" (is more or less a direct quote). Really? I mean...he won dude. But he said that people were digging up issues of Obama's birth and the legitimacy of Obama's citizenship. He said that Obama is not even American and that he's stealing all of the rights listed in the constitution. He went on to say that Obama was killing freedom of speech, etc. That the gag orders placed on Obama's background was horrible etc etc. And I mean...really? What percent of Americans were actually born here. Besides...aren't all non-Native Americans, essentially descendants of immigrants, or immigrants themselves? So isn't it fitting to have an immigrant president? Not that Obama is an immigrant...right? *shrug*

Which brings me to another interesting observation - America is one of the only countries I've been to where people can openly, and I'd even venture to say disrespectfully, criticize their government with no repercussions. (By disrespectfully, I mean..Bush impressions on SNL, etc...not that I'm against it...I think it's awesome :p). But I think people really take that for granted. As a non-American, I think the way people express themselves here, it really speaks for the freedom, and security of their freedom. (Bad sentence...sorry).

Mobio

Dear Dr. ___,

I am not from China.  My family, contrary to what you might assume, is not in the production business.  No one in my family smokes.  Why do you look at me and point whenever you say something about China?  Yes, Gail and I are both Asian, however, we are not twins.  For your information, Amy is also Asian.  Perhaps you should have included her, making us triplets.  

*sigh* 

8th floor Bistro

For those of you not acquainted with the wonderful Bill Will, there is a somewhat new bistro on the 8th floor. First off, why would you build a cafe next to the diabetes clinic? It's just mean. Don't try to justify it by making everything sugar-free and still 800 calories for a "guilt-free" brownie. Let's talk portion control...and how you only offer drinks in large.

Anyhoo, the real issue here, is the cafe dude. How slow can a barista be? Isn't it part of the job qualification to be speedy, especially when there is a crowd? But more importantly, our Wario looking friend is just creepy. Here are a few suggestions I have for him:

1) Please stop asking Hannah why there are so many students from the "Far East". Hannah is from Maryland - suck it.

2) I don't want to hear about your stories about how you do business in China and how your ... business contact is from China, but when you do business, both of you speak English to each other. I need to know that, why?

3) At this point, I would like my coffee already please.

4) WHY are you talking to me about China?

5) I do not know how long it takes to learn Chinese. Nor do I know where you can learn it. Google it.

6) Please do not read my credit card

7) Please do not try to pronounce my name from my credit card

8) I do not want to tell you the meaning of my name

9) If you ask me whether I want the receipt, and I say no, why do you lecture me about why I need my receipt?

Let's hear your gripes.