Recognize Im Baaaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkk!!!!

I know I know I know...WHERE HAVE I BEEN??? Well lemme start. First up, had a med school interview with a school here in Philadelphia. It went well and they seemed to like me. But, they needed me to retake the admissions test. So I took five weeks and put my everything into it. Still feel unsure about it but whatever! I did all I could do in the time I was given. Second, Thesis, Thesis, and more Thesis! I finally truly understand what all my friends at Hampton went through, stressed out about it, cried about it, drive them to drink over it, wanted to jump off the top of S&T. Yeah I get it now. Third, just trying to graduate! So on top of the testing and the thesis, I still managed to pull out 2As and 4Bs, and I'm not gonna lie, I probably could have pulled a couple more A's if I didn't have the other things to contest with but eh, I made it! So whats next? My Heavenly Father willing I will be in med school in fall 2010 and enter into a whole new type of mental abuse and punishment (which of course anyone who wants to be in med school is a glutton for punishment anyways).

But I digress...BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY HOME BY THE SEA! HAMPTON CLASS OF 2010! It was a good look having President Obama giving the commencement speech. And while we celebrate and enjoy having someone in the White House who looks like us, our jobs as graduates of HBCUs is far from done. Class of 2010 enjoy your moment and your summer. Because afterwards the real work begins. Whether its grad school, starting your career or own business, its a grind and the world is not going to give it to you. You have to take it. And you have to believe in your vision when no one else will and don't let anyone stop you. Remember you represent our Hampton and you represent us as a people. Yeah I know we are all individuals and it is unfortunate that we all get pinned together when one messes up. But as future leaders and people with degrees we have the responsibility to lead, set an example and to remain humble; so that we can be the shoulders that next generation stands upon. Yeah I know I sound all nice, warm and fuzzy but honestly, if we do not step up, if we do not help others, and ignore our own, then we better shut the hell up when shit goes awry! And not look to God and ask him 'why?' when we can make the difference here. Class of 2010 you have the tools and the knowledge, you may stumble and fall, but you have the strength to get up and keep going.

But I digress...I ask for your prayers. My mother is undergoing surgery on her foot to replace a torn tendon. I am going home for about six weeks or so to help out and do whatever I can around the house for the folks. So in July look for me in Duval! Aight I am outta here! But I leave you with this, enjoy your victories and prepare yourself for the storm that is heading your way.

On to the Next One~

Lesson of the Day

I know I have not blogged in awhile. Been really busy with school. But starting in May I should have more time to blog. Anyway I digress, today's lesson is the 8th Commandment...

Today I heard news that a husband caught the man his wife was having an affair with. The husband threw the man in front of a subway! The man did not die. However he did have both of his legs severed. So was it worth it? I don't think so. Lesson of the Day 8th Commandment... "Do not commit adultery"...or else you could get your legs cut off. I guess God had a point there.

Ok! Now back to the books!

Work like everything depends on you, Pray like it all depends on God. You will never fall short.

- Doc Q

Why "I like You" Wont work...

I was having a long online chat with a class mate of mine, (Shout to Ms. Padilla!) and we were discussing the ever complex and consistently analyzed subject of men approaching women, dating, etc...

So she asked me, why cant dudes be straight up and say "I like you"? Wouldn't everything just be easier? Yes I agree. But lets be honest, how many girls actually respond to the "I like you" line, my calculations lead me to say .01% would respond to that line.

So why guys cant just walk up and say i like you to a girl? That is a long and complicated answer, but luckily I had an annotated version... Way back in the day when Jimmy tried to tell Susie I like you and/or gave her a note with the boxes check one for yes, one for no and one for maybe. Susie did what girls often do, they tell their girlfriends. They all laughed and talked about it maybe even called him lame. Susie stomped on lil Jimmy's heart. Jimmy was hurt like anyone would be and he vowed he would not make the same mistake again. Later in life Jimmy became James. James has swagger, he has game, and no he won't come out and directly say "I like you" up front because he knows it won't work. So what does James do? Runs game. Why? Women respond to game instead of the simple "I like you" up front. Trust me...guys will not work that hard if they did not have too. If a simple "I like you" up front would work and get a woman's attention more guys would try it.

Keeping the Faith

Today, I was walking with one of my good friends and he and I were discussing our current situation. We are both ending our time at Drexel University and earning our Master's Degrees in May. While we are equally excited, we are both met with the fear of not having a next step. He and I are currently waiting to hear back from our respective schools of choice but have not received anything other than rejection notices from various schools. While rejection does hurt it will not derail our dream.

But it is frustrating to wait and hear nothing while the days pass and you hear about others getting their acceptances. My friend began to feel as though it was 'game over' if he did not get in. I understand his frustration but I refused to share his doubt. I encouraged him that we can and will be able to make it into school. And that while we are unsure of what the next step is, we will become two of the greatest doctors the world has ever known! So while I wait I will not be idle. However, I am thinking about what else can I learn, how I can grow and perhaps it is God telling me that I need more time to grow or there are somethings I should do first. I know that I will keep my faith, and while there will be hard times to face (which is hard to imagine facing anything harder than thesis, med school and boards) I have peace in knowing that God is on my side. My pastor once quoted the Bible and said, "A weapon formed shall not be able to prosper..." But he also declared that the weapon will get formed but it will not destroy us (Shout out to Bishop McKissick Jr and the Bethel family!). So with that in mind I will keep my faith and keep moving forward. Working like everything depends on me, Praying like everything depends on God.

Ill end on this...

"Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything....Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
James 1:2-4,12

Doc Q

The Root of all Evil

Today I read two intriguing and thought provoking articles. The first was about a former classmate of mine from my undergraduate university. He had a an opportunity to make money with his small one man travel business. He was set to make a nice commission on a trip he planned for a group of students. However, he wanted more. He decided to take the money and invest it. His investment didn't pay off and he panicked. Which is understandable but he allowed his one bad decision to fuel more bad decisions leading to wire and credit fraud. That lead to him ending up on a federal indictment and being sentenced to 33 months in a Federal Penitentiary. It is sad to see a young man go through this and end up with a record. I do hope he is able to turn his life around and make something better of himself. But what caused him to do this? The love of money. The hunger for more and more money. Greed, the love of money is the root of all evil. While I am sure this young man did not intend to do wrong, he allowed the love of money to blind him and make poor choices.

The other story I read was about a man who was a multi-millionaire who started out with very poor beginnings. He spent a good portion of his life in pursuit of material things. He realized that his possessions and money did not make him happy. He realized what many of us fail to realize, is that money does not buy happiness. So he is giving away every last cent and going to live out a simple life at a bed and breakfast. He is in pursuit of something that money can't buy, which is peace of mind and true inner happiness. I believe his philosophy is something we all can learn from.

Black Films

So why do most of the black films, with the exception of a few, contain drug and gangsta themes? Do we not have more to offer the cinema industry? Or is that all that will be associated with black films? Again, I know this is not ALL black films, i.e. Tyler Perry's productions, Spike Lee Joint. However, is this how we truly envision ourselves? A society of hoodlums? Or is that all that Hollywood wants to show? I believe the latter personally. I am pleased that black actors and actresses are getting better roles and better films. But it still bothers me that out of all the films Denzel Washington has done(42 films to be exact). He had only received an Oscar for Training Day, which in my opinion was not his best work. But I am glad he won (he also won best supporting actor for Glory).

I want to see black films grow and put up over a hundred million box office figures. I just do not want it to be for portraying negative actions. If we want negative stereotypes of blacks we can watch Fox News. I believe that black films will continue to grow and we will have more quality films. But only time will tell.

Ethics?

I am feeling a bit philosophical today. It is in part due to the new ethics courses I am taking this semester. It is interesting or better yet intriguing to hear various people from various backgrounds debate and discuss ethical issues concerning the world of science/medicine. What I have learned on the whole, we all are somewhat agreeable to broad ideals of "Do the Right Thing" (shout out to Mr. Lee). However, there are issues or circumstances in which people have firm unwavering stances. For example someone may feel that stray animals should be euthanized because their existence is too miserable? But then again are we to judge? Or is it a cruel life for them? I believe the life of stray cat or dog is indeed hard and they need to be cared for. But who are we to judge that they are unfit to live? What if we were to do the same with homeless people? I think there would be outrage. I certainly would be. But I digress…ethics…what is it? And how come it is not until AFTER we hear about a tragedy or some wrong doing that we bring up the "ethics of the matter"? I just find it disturbingly amusing that nobody raises any ethical concerns before the shit hits the fan? (i.e. Wall Street's corrupt business practices that landed us in a wonderful recession). Perhaps that would require doing the "uncool" and "unpopular" thing of going against the popular trend. But when the world is heading towards a cliff, someone should shout watch out or something.

Another point I am beginning to learn, is that the details within these broad "good" ideals are indeed the stumbling blocks; such as logistics, financial, practicality, etc. And that is where the debate begins. And these stumbling blocks can grow into road blocks, which then nothing we be accomplished. Whether it be someone who is unwilling to listen, or compromise; or someone who will take an opposing stance just out of spite or hatred (i.e. Rush Limbaugh hates everything Obama ever does). The essentials of ethics seem to stand on the overall basic ideal that doing the right thing, is indeed the right thing. Then we must ask what is the right thing? And are we doing it? If not, why?

Work Like Everything Depends on You. Pray Like Everything Depends on God.

- Doc Q