Se7en Years!

I just noticed I've been writing here since May 2004. wow... seven years... I've never committed to anything this long... ^_^

Happy Anniversary Blog. Happy Anniversary Reader (which just might be me ha!)!

Dedication

For weeks now, while I've been fixing paperwork to work on my cruise ship, I'm being taken care of my manning agency, Dolphin Shipmanagement Inc. I just have to say, the people working for this (well, those who I interact with anyway) gotta be either very well compensated or just plain dedicated. More than once did they have to stay (with us) until late into the night to finish paperwork. Just last night we went home at 11 pm and we still left a lot of them pushing paperwork at that time. Considering they are working on another time zone to meet demands from the foreign principals, I still see them 8-9 AM in the morning! Ha! And they have to deal with Seafarers who feel they really are "heroes" and feel all self-important and demanding. Talk about dedication...

So I thank you Ma'am Riza and Ma'am Jane :-) especially for putting up with the nosiest group of doctors you've ever helped out. LOL...

CHRISTHOPER

Let me prove how disgustingly incompetent or stupid our government is. My POEA overseas employment certificate was filed around a week and a half ago and my name was mispelled as "christhoper" instead of christopher.

Isn't my name common enough? Does it have any weird spelling contrived by my parents?

Here's the clincher, my manning agency refiled it to correct my name.... when my OEC was returned my name was... STILL CHRISTHOPER... oh c'mmon!!!!! how stupid can they get?! Are they all jejemons working there?!

Mexican Riviera - Here I Come!

I confirmed news of my ship assignment a few minutes ago. I will be sailing with RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) Mariner of the Seas. ( Wikipedia Link ) Currently and during my entire 6 months onboard, it will sail from Los Angeles, CA - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Mazatlan, Mexico - Porto Vallarta, Mexico then back to LA. This cruise is more often referred to as the "Mexican Riviera Cruise." I'm already excited!

Cabo San Lucas

Mazatlan
-a small tourist town

Puerto Vallarta
- a big luxurious resort town

Photo Credits :
From Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bethanyholmes/3129635165/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadagood/4197105248/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quiltsalad/4363924146/

Fitting One's Life in a Suitcase

When I saw 'Up in the Air' I wondered how George Clooney's character fit his life in a suitcase. A small one at that. Little did I know I'd have to solve that problem myself.

I haven't talked about it yet before I didn't want to "count the chicks before they hatched" y'know. But well, it's been hatched and now they're chickens I guess. I applied for a job I saw an Ad in Facebook. Ok. I officially love Facebook now. The Ad said: "Work as a Cruise Ship MD." I told myself: "What could I lose?" I was a new doctor, they'd never accept me. It turned out they were looking for people to work in a new program. A big spa company currently with branches in 16 cruise lines will be starting to offer medispa services onboard. Botox and dermal fillers. I submitted my resume and in a total surprise that had me running our upstairs hall waving up my arms, they accepted me. God loves me.

I was asked to undergo an interview with their manager and the medical director. It seems they liked me. They accepted me right? I got to prove they were totally right accepting me. This is a super opportunity for me. The thing I love about this job the most is that I will get to travel and see countries! How is that not divine intervention?! God really knows how to surprise me and tell me (with a personal touch) that He loves me.

The Amazing Race Chris Alipio Edition then began. Lucky me I had just renewed my passport. Passport renewal by then was a burden with a scheduling waiting time of one month. One more evidence of divine intervention. Lucky me again UST is efficient in paperwork. I got my CAV (a document authenticating my diploma and transcript) in the exact 7 days they said it would get done. Feedback from other universities was 1 month processing time! I breezed through the NBI. The big trouble for me... I had no previous employment. And I needed that for the POEA and the US Embassy. And then yet again by divine intervention, I had just worked with Makati Red Cross by then so that clinched it! The only requirement that took a lot of time was undergoing the Basic Safety Training required for all seafarers regardless of their job onboard.

I enrolled and attended the BST (I've posted photos from it from a previous entry) meeting two more of the doctors that will be leaving with me. It was mostly boring. The teachers were incompetent. They wasted hours and hours teaching nothing but bullshit really. The only fun part was the practical exam where we had to jump from a 15 feet height into a 14 feet deep pool (with a lifejacket), swim to a liferaft, climb without assistance, then fallback from the liferaft into the water. We then had to swim one lap of the pool without a lifejacket. I almost drowned when I bumped into one of my classmates and both of us were disoriented. Hahaha. I think I'll just voluntarily drown myself at sea if that happens. Why waste effort fighting. Hahaha.

We put out a big indoor fire and learned how to use fire extinguishers to put out smaller fires. I learned a big lesson. When you see a fire... don't just grab ANY fire extinguisher to put it out. You MUST know how to use one and WHAT KIND to use in each kind of fire. Each class of fire has a specific fire extinguisher that will work for it. You could end up making the fire bigger if you mistakenly used the wrong one. That was a big bummer. Highschools should require firefighting lessons for all its students.

This exercise of processing all my paperwork to work overseas educated me in one important lesson. Adult life isn't for the fainthearted. It certainly ain't for ignorant people. You'll get eaten alive by sharks out there. You have to fight for your rights at every line, every government agency, every office you go. If you are not assertive or if you are too soft, you'll get stepped on, cut through, or ignored. One more important lesson: most of the people left in this country especially those working in the government are either super-inefficient or incompetent. Couldn't we give our heart to our work no matter how small it is? This is exactly why I think Gordon will do good for our country. We could use a little push on our work ethic. And he is a very good example of good work ethic which most people mistake for abrasiveness.

And so now I leave after I vote (I had to vote. It is my responsibility.) and I still can't figure out how to pack my whole life in 1 suitcase, 1 gym bag, and 1 backpack...

Movies Movies

I love movies. I often forget to write something about movies I see here but you should know I download movies nonstop and often watch alone in the cinema too. I follow up on movies I have missed and especially make it a point to watch all the nominees for the academy award best picture and those that generate buzz in film festivals. I saw three movies in quick succession in the past days.

Iron Man 2 - Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ron Cheadle, Mickey Rourke - The entertainment value of this movie is stratospheric. There was only one moment in the movie that my attention was lost. Mickey Rourke is crazy - a compliment - he's so believable as the villain. The action was great and the comedic timing of Downey as always hits the homerun. I'm just disappointed Terrence Howard decided to leave the franchise. It would have been better if there was a continuity in the actors. Even Oscar winner Gwyneth decided in the end to stay, why not him? The snippet after the credits hint at the new 'thor' movie... the one with Chris Hemsworth (brother of Miley's boytoy Liam Hemsworth) starring due 2011. The story also prepares the movie for the upcoming Captain America (Chris Evans) and the Avengers movie.

Young Victoria - Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and Paul Bettany - I love this movie. Even if it's not very historically correct. I love the treatment and both Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend showed fantastic acting.

Three Kingdoms - Andy Lau and Sammo Hung - I'm a sucker for Kung Fu movies. I'll watch any kung fu movies with good fight scenes. This movie I thought had potential but it was dragging and there was a scarcity of good fight scenes. In the end, it was a mess. No wonder it didn't succeed in the west like most Jet Li movies which often had good story lines.

Anyway

I can't believe it. I always thought that when Hollywood stars say "Oh.. It's such an honor to be nominated" ... yeah right... bullshit. But I think I just felt exactly that way LOL. I got an email from COSMO Magazine Philippines asking permission to use some photos I took in the Church of the Holy Sacrifice (UP Chapel) for their June issue. Actually I wasn't going to talk about it until it pushed through but then again I think it didn't just happen on the other end. They didn't contact me again after a few correspondence. Maybe they decided to can the article that my photos would appear in. ANYWAY... It's a great feeling... this... to be just asked. wHOOoooAAhhh LOL They didn't even have to pay me hahaha

I looked back on my posts during Ondoy time. I think I didn't mention, A Canadian News Agency asked permission to use my photos on their site for their Ondoy news and (whoa) Kristina Ponce-Enrile's office asked permission to use some of my Ondoy photos for a video for a US based Ondoy Benefit Concert. Life is suuuweeeet! ^_^ It's so heartwarming when people recognize the work you actually love doing.

How Cool Is This!?

I got to try Kuya Anthony's new ipad ^_^

It's so freakin' awesome
Soon... LOL

Cafe Romulo

It was nice to get together with former Batch '08 subsection-mates and friends.

Doctors on Duty

With Ailen and Seatmate Miko

Outside Cafe Romulo
Food wasn't exceptional but the conversation/chismax was great ^_^

Basic Safety Training

05-14 April 2010 - Bacoor, Cavite. This training really has ups and the downs for all it's worth. It was really nice to meet new people and learn a lot of new things. Pity, there was so much potential to learn only the teachers were sort of... incompetent... really. A lot of times you think you're wasting your life sitting listening to well worn jabs repeated every few minutes. Sigh... The things you endure for money hahaha ^_^

Firefighting Practical Exam

I handled a firehose and a fire extinguisher, I didn't know there were so many kinds! You can't just grab one and put out a fire. You have to know what kind to use for what kind of fire or you can end up making it bigger... They didn't teach that in medschool ^_^ tee hee

With Co-Trainees

Jesus is a Seed

"as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him"
-- 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2:9

Easter Sunday in Santo Domingo. The father friar spoke of Jesus resurrection comparing it with two other terms commonly mistaken or associated with it - reanimation and reincarnation.

He explained reanimation by giving examples. Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead he says was NOT resurrection. Lazarus rose to the same life, being the same person as he was before he died. Also he raised two more people, the only son of a widow from Nain (Luke 7:11-14) and the daughter of the religious leader Jairus (Mark 5:22-43. Both in the same light as Lazarus. Same Person. Same Life.

Reincarnation is the belief of Hindi that you are reborn back on the earth based on the deeds and how you lived your life. You can be reborn in a better state or caste or be born something repulsive like a cockroach.

When Jesus was resurrected, His disciples and even Mary Magadelene at first did not recognize Him. He resurrected. He WAS Jesus yet He was also something more. He ate. He mingled. He was still himself yet He was something more. Something that is not subjected to the limitations of human life. And this is the life he promises us in His second coming. Father Friar said St. Paul explained this better in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 by giving an example. We are like seeds. When we die, we go into the ground only to rise up into something great. A corn plant is the same as from where it came from, a corn seed. Yet still something better. St. Paul continues that through one man, Adam, we all died, and it is only right that through one very special man again we should gain life.

My Future Saint

One thing that excites me the most is to call the now Venerable Pope John Paul 'the great' Saint. I have a special devotion to him and pray that he becomes a saint in my lifetime. I have made an online tribute to him at http://giovannipaolomagno.blogspot.com and I hope you visit it and read the interesting things I am also finding out about him.

Ton's Birthday Bash

27 March 2010 - We celebrated Ton's birthday and his board success. It may also be the last time we see each other for a long time. Most of us are leaving the country for residency. We may be gray when we see each other again. Let's conquer the world guys!

Ton and Beautiful and Sexy GF Chiara

Gleek Wannabees

2007 Section A'ers

San Pablo

We visited my relatives farm in San Pablo for a supposed Pabasa ng Pasyon. But they finished early and all we did was eat eat eat and tour the surroundings.

Sun Kissed Mahogany

Quickie Moonlight

I helped out Makati Red Cross for their Mass Blood Donation twice and it was playing 'real doctor.' My first MBD was in Asian Life headquarters an HMO and the next one was at Hewlett-Packard headquarters in McKinley Hills. I must say that working in Makati would be really fun. The interiors of the offices are really really really nice. You'd think you're not in the Philippines! Thick carpeting, the smell of new furniture everywhere, and so so much space. No cramped desks or bathrooms. Everything is just nice.

Just as I thought...
Hewlett and Packard are real people ^_^

With Makati Red Cross Volunteers

With Beautiful HP Girls

With Makati Red Cross Volunteers

Semana Santa 2010

I went to see the annual Hermandad dela Sagrada Passion de Jesus' Lenten exhibit in Intramuros and took photos of the exquisite Santos. Truly treasures of the Philippine Culture.

Sorrowful Mother

Mother of Sorrow

Jesus is Betrayed by Judas Iscariot

Jesus Christ Crucified

more photos in my flickr set >>

To Give No Deadly Drink

14 March 2010 - I took my oath as a doctor at the Philippine International Convention Center. The oath took mere seconds compared to the lengthy speeches of everybody who wanted to speak. I think the oath is more for that than for us, let alone our parents. Nevertheless, it made a good opportunity to wear a barong, which for me has been so long since the last. ^_^

Doctors trying to be funny

Inductee!

With UST-FMS Dean Dr. Graciela Gonzaga

Whoa! Girls!

With my parents who sacrificed so much
to make me who I am now

Buddy Earle from Group G

Mom and Dad

Brod Potsy

Prude and Uptight

I am continually castigating myself thinking I am too prude and uptight. Prude - a person who is or tries to be excessively proper, especially one who is easily offended by matters of a sexual nature; Uptight - Excessively concerned with rules and order. Hahaha... well I am not easily offended by matters of sexual nature thats for sure. But is something wrong with me if I get annoyed of people throwing their trash out of the jeep?! I cannot reconcile the fact that people do that or tolerate their companions or children doing it. You don't need a college education to know that throwing trash out of the PUV when the trashbin is right there in front of you is wrong right?

Just yesterday, filing my application for my physician license number I saw my undergraduate batchmate who shall remain unnamed blatantly cut the line feigning looking innocent when there we were more than 40 people who have waited for more than an hour were right there. I could have just sat in a cold office offered drinks by my mom's friend from PRC while I cut the red tape and used influence but I chose not to when thousands of people endure heat and the long queue to get something from the PRC.

It's a pity really... we all look for a change for the better when we ourselves cannot apply simple civility and culture to ourselves. I guess I won't be ashamed being prude and uptight as long as I know I harm no one and even contribute a little change for the better. God bless you batchmate.

Jesus is a Light Bulb

Earlier, I think Jesus was talking again. "You can be like this, maybe even better." I've been imagining being myself as someone who would do exactly such a thing - using props. Explaining today's gospel, the father friar explained Jesus' transfiguration simply yet rather magnificently... Jesus is a lightbulb. When someone who doesn't know what a lightbulb sees it, what will they see? Something round, rather elegant... fragile, but what did it do? Is it something special?

Plug it in and you see a miracle... there is something about it... there's something special about the round thing... only you don't see it all the time. Jesus said I am the light of the world and the darkness will not overcome me... but when His physical self went up to heaven did the light go out? No, said the good priest, no... we are the light of the world now (showing a row of christmas lights) we are the small lights that Jesus left to be the light of the world and for each other (then plugging the christmas light to the big light bulb)... but in order to be something special and glow we must be plugged into the big light... Jesus. SIMPLE. MAGNIFICIENT. AWESOME.

It is really different hearing mass from an O.P.

Thank You

I passed on my first try. I am deeply contented and thankful. It is only through God's hand that I made it. I know so. No question. Not even half of the people who took the Physician Licensure Exam passed. Why? There are serious issues to that exam, really...

1. Questions are sometimes vague, sometimes you seem to have a feeling that an "except" at the end of the sentence is missing.
2. Questions that cannot be understood at all. They should hire typists that have a health background. I think the board of medicine write down their questions on paper and typists encode them because I see all the mistakes non-medical will have when reading material by medical people. You will just shake your head when you see... SIMBASTATIN - I really doubt a doctor will mistype/misspell that LOL
3. The questions do not represent the intended objective of the exam - i.e. to test what a general practitioner should know. A micro exam which solely focuses on STD. A patho exam laser pointed to immunology and nephrology. It's biased.

As an individual acquainted partly to education (I'm almost certified to teach HSBiology in the U.S.) I can say that the greatest contribution/sacrifice the board of medicine can do for medicine is to learn/retrain on how to make correct, meaningful, objective-based, and that can be evaluated.

Sigh... Thank you Mama Mary. You are the greatest. Venerable PJPII, St. Rita, St. Jude, St. Thomas, Father Dominic thank you for your intercessions. Br. Jon, SJ thank you for your special prayers!

The morning of thursday (the PRC announcement came thursday evening), I was in Piat praying to Mama Mary to help me and my friends, the gospel was... "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened..." I immediately knew Mama Mary interceded for us. She was just talking to me as direct as She can. I'm just amazed at the unsubtle signs she has given me. My specific prayer prior to the exam for Jesus to please send His Holy Spirit - I was surprised when our testing site (College of the Holy Spirit) was announced, I didn't even knew our country had such a school LOL... a person's request on youtube for me to record a song I didn't even know but when I read the lyrics I knew it was Jesus talking to me... right after the test... Huwag Kang Mangamba... everything moved by His divine hand. Amazing. I am Yours my Mother and Brother Jesus. I am your soldier. And I will stand on the ramparts proclaiming your amazing blessings on your poor poor servant.

This is for my Mom and Dad who has sacrificed so much to bring me to where I am.