Onus

Onus - (L.) accountability/responsibility;
1. A duty or responsibility that is a source of anxiety, worry, or hardship
2. A mark of discredit or disgrace
3. Responsibility for an error or crime

I know I'm not supposed to blog as much as before, with the little time we have before that fateful day we call our Final Professional Examinations, scheduled to be on May 23, 2011.

But it's hard to deny what is essential our identity. To change what one is already too accustomed to, to change one's own rhythm. Such is the power of habits; so difficult to break.

So taxing is the change on my psyche that I succumbed to an illness - a minor one, but an illness all the same - within the span of 24 hours. Perhaps, God Willing, I'll still be able to attend class tomorrow, as long as this malaise resolves and my energy returns to my veins.

Sometimes it's just much easier when you have no other choice. It's "You have to do this!" all the way, without any room for a "Maybe".

It's the same with Medicine. Quoting Dr. S one week ago, since we are presently fifth years, we are "no longer juvenile". In other words, there is no excuse to screw up.

Compare that to Dr. A's "Now's the time to make mistakes. The only time you're not given such liberty is during the exams".

I personally am more inclined to the second school of thought. But the first is correct too - as long as one's basics are sound, then one should be all right.

...Honestly, God deserves more Faith to be put in Him. More than we could ever possibly give.


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Now playing: ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D - Complication
via FoxyTunes

Out for Blood

My choice in literature is simple: Give me a good mystery, preferably murder, and tell it in a good way. Bonus points if there are puzzles that have double meanings and have some reference rooted in history. (And I was not impressed by The Woman in White, although I lost sleep over the book because I couldn't put the book down owing to the sentiment running along the lines of "Good God, will you just end and release me from this torture?!")

But the current fad is - wait for it - vampires. Those blood-sucking undead with (close to) human faces and fangs that elongate when necessary.

And yes, while I do not see vampires as my cup of tea, allow me to say this: I want my vampire stories to have essence, at least one credible plotline, and characters that are fleshed out well and don't make me feel like I'm reading some self-fulfillment fantasies of an abysmal kind of writer who don't deserve to get her/his book published in the first place.

Do I need to mention the title, the so-called saga? I think not. Some people will be out for my blood...and as if I don't have enough social life at stake here...

Another confession: I have never read Bram Stoker's Dracula before. I do know a bit on the person he was based on - Vlad Tepes a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler, a sadistic prince from Romania who took pleasure in dining in his garden among his victims impaled on sticks, like a forest of bodies. The closest(?) vampire book that I read was Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. I read that thick book in the dead of the night while my roommates were asleep, and I got goosebumps. But I did finish it after several months, and while the plot was relatively unremarkable and the writing occasionally deteriorated to mundane description of landscapes, at least the vampires there had no qualms about attacking people to achieve their ends. Did it feel like some sort of a history lesson? Yes, but at least it wasn't as bad as our secondary school syllabus.

And Vampire Knight just didn't strike a chord even after I gave it the three-episodes-trial. The humour fell flat, and some things were just too unbelievable to take seriously.

Despite my lack of affinity with the supernatural beings (be it fiction or in real life, let's pray it'll stay that way!), already I have two vampire-related stories to check out:

(1) Shiki
It's the most anticipated series for the summer season, and will be a long series at over 20 episodes. Hope it's not anything like Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, because that one I couldn't tolerate although it was deemed as one of the best horror series. Others deem it a must watch for those who liked Ghost Hound, a title which I've been wanting to see as well. Still, this will be only kept in view while I embark on an adventure that is the fifth year (gasp!) because I discovered with Durarara!! that it is more fun marathon-ing the episodes rather than wait weekly.

To be honest, the character design irks me somewhat. Does the pointy chin serve any purpose beyond aesthetics?

(2) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
A new novel. Yes, Lincoln as in one of the past presidents of the US. Yes, he hunted vampires. Yes, it's a work of fiction.
...I'll just wait for a paperback version.

Yes, I am aware that I have better things to read. Thank God Durarara!! and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood are over.

...Until some other anime comes along. And one is already upon me. Begone, temptation!


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Now playing: OneRepublic - Secrets
via FoxyTunes

Intermission #9

Less than half a week more until I step into campus as a fifth year student. And, as my instinct has correctly hinted for the past 2, 3 weeks...Obstetrics & Gynaecology would be one of the earlier postings I've to conquer. Turned out that O&G is the first one that comes my way. Of course, it appears that my attempt at optimism does nothing to quell this state of unrest.

Oh dear.

*Cringe*

Massive writer's block. It's killing the words in my brain and muting my tongue. Maybe it's because of some bad writing that masquerades as literature when it's actually nothing more than a pile of endless drivel that deserves the paper-shredding machine treatment, then thrown into some toxic cesspool far away from human civilisation.

This issue of postings and fifth year stuff needs to be carefully digested before I can get myself back together.

Note to roommate: If you ever, in this academic year, catch me banging my head against a wall or engaging in other acts that endangers my well-being and makes you question the state of my sanity, feel free to intervene for the greater good. Thank you.


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Now playing: Oasis - Falling Down
via FoxyTunes

P/s: I need to find another spot in the Net to hang out in. Lately the issues are about races and stuff, and that doesn't make yours truly one happy camper. Thank God there's still some voice of reason in this world.