City of Sails

Just got back from my trip to Auckland this morning and what an absolutely fantastic time it was! Turned out to be a much different kind of trip than I had originally anticipated. Mainly due to the fact I was crashing at a friend's place so ended up hanging out with them quite a lot, which was so much fun cos they're a hilarious lot! But I still met up with everyone I had planned on AND got a substantial amount of shopping done -- it got to the point where on Saturday afternoon I just stopped going into shops cos it was going too too well, having already spent waaaaaaay more money than I should have. But I got some great stuff on sale, mainly from Max, and the most perfect pair of heels (at half price!) for a dress I got a few weeks back for my trip to Seattle in April.

The weather was great so I got to do a fair bit of exploring the area I was staying at too. The location of my friend's place was pretty amazing because it was literally right next to Auckland med school/hospital and Newmarket was five minutes walk in one direction and Queen Street about fifteen minutes walk in the other direction.

I often forget just how beautiful Auckland is too, in its own way. That rich, lush, dark green which engulfs the city in all directions; the sun which feels a bit brighter and thicker; and the sky which may be a bit more bluer; not to mention, that gorgeous harbour and Rangitoto Island in the background.

Auckland will always be tantamount to my early childhood -- some of the very first memories I have of running around barefoot in the fields of Mt Roskill... fun times! Driving through the city, the names of places all sound vaguely familiar, but not familiar enough. I kind of like it that way.

But, once again, I'm glad to be home. I know it was only for a few nights but it was pretty tiring, especially since the friends I was staying with have very different sleeping and eating patterns than I do. We joked how we function on two different time zones -- I'm pretty sure I'm five hours ahead of them! LoL. And I missed my bed so much -- I always do!

I've come back with plenty of free "souvenirs," including eight mosquito bites and three blisters! Urgh.

I can't believe it's already the end of January! It's my last week of break, and unfortunately I have to spend it worrying about learning to drive. I have a lesson planned everyday for the next four days, and I'll prob give the test a go on Friday, the last day of my summer vacation. How sad. I have said this before and I will say it again: I hate having to learn to drive. It has been this huge, heavy black cloud over my life for the past four years and it just follows me around relentlessly. WHY???

iron curtain eyes

It's 3.15am. Yup -- A.M. It's a horrible feeling, knowing you're gonna be yawning all day before said day has even begun.

Why have I been having so much trouble sleeping lately? Why, oh, why, oh, WHY???

I may know why, to be perfectly honest. But ask me again in two years and I might tell ya. Maybe.

On top of working on my research project all day, I have to go into the lab tonight... like I did last night... and like I have to do Saturday morning...

Doesn't look like I'll be getting any real rest til... Sunday? But then I guess technically that's how it should be, right?

granny-naps and pineapple juice

It's WARM today. I'm even tempted to say 'hot' but I know what's hot to me is probably nothing to most people around the world who actually experience four seasons every year unlike us. So I'll stick to warm.

Even though I had originally intended on working in my little matchbox-office in the anatomy department today, by 11am I had to get out of there. Not only is my "office" actually nothing more than two closets stuck together, but there is no window (hence no natural light) and is located on the second floor. And it gets STUFFY.

Normally I can take it. The windowless matchbox that is my office usually helps me concentrate, repressing the sudden urge to start cavorting in those very distracting summertime daydreams. But today was impossible.

I went in quite early in the morning as I have been all week because of the trouble I've been having sleeping. Worked on my project, ran some errands (as well a quick impromptu shop I'm ashamed to admit), followed by a meeting with my supervisor, but when I got back to my room afterwards I just couldn't take it anymore. I HAD TO GET OUT OF THERE.

Thus I've been enjoying working from home for the afternoon, sitting in the sun with Norah Jones playing in the background.


Bring on the daydreams!

synergy

We had a national video-conference this morning for the New Zealand Medical Student Journal, which went fantastic. It was beyond great seeing everyone all around the country. I was amazed how professional it turned out, how professional it feels, being on the Exec. The meeting was like as if we were in a fancy-schmancy international board meeting for a multi-million dollar company... or something. LoL. It was such a productive hour too -- synergy, I tell you! A synergy rooted in shared passion and enthusiasm. Yay!

What a great experience it has been being part of the Exec, what a great experience indeed.

how utterly and perfectly awesome...

You know what? God is AWESOME.

That's it. It's as simple as that.

It seems I always have periods of my life where I push Him away, for whatever reason, and turn to the world and to myself. And I know the person I become when this happens: this selfish, negative, and angry person, even, I have a hard time admitting, hateful at times. Maybe not out rightly, just with this black and hardened heart.

But every time I come back to Him. Not because I'm good, or strong, or wise enough to do so, but because God draws me back to Him. By the indescribable and absolute perfect Grace freely given us through his son Jesus Christ, He brings me back to Him. So often using the words and actions of my brothers and sisters in Christ -- He nudges me back to Him. Every. Single. Time.

"Anna, that's enough. Come back now. That's enough."

WoW. It's happened so many times I've lost count, but it never ceases to amaze me. And every time I say, okay, I'll try harder next time... but then I fail. Again.

How great it is to be humbled once again and reminded that we live each day by His Grace and His Grace alone.

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." Revelations 2: 4,5


I remember. I remember... I remember that evening on the Boston harbour at the concert, standing next to the guy who was perfect on paper; the guy of my dreams. I remember, Lord, looking amazedly at the setting sun, the perfect blue sky and thinking, Lord, You've romanced me. There is none like You. All I am is Yours forever... I remember.

How awesome is our God. How awesome is our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ. How utterly and perfectly awesome.

my "people"

What an eventful week it's been. Busy with my research project, sitting in front of the computer for eight hours a day is tougher than I thought it'd be. And two-hour meetings with my supervisor almost everyday! Full-on, I tell you, full-on!

I went to donate blood again on Monday morning, which was... difficult, as always. My brachial veins are too deep, I think, and they always have to use these tiny ones at the side. I like donating blood because I think it's really important, and in theory I'm fine doing it... until the GINORMOUS needle goes in and you have to SIT THERE for however many minutes. The other two times I've done it haven't been that bad, but this time the lady managed to put the needle into my left arm but it wasn't stable and blood was coming out, etc., so decided to take it out. It was okay on my right arm her second go, but now I have a huge bruise on the left, making me look not unlike a suspicious IV drug user. Hmmm... Mum and Kirsty even came with me this time and gave it a go, however reluctantly at first. But Mum was so proud of herself in the end, and a little proud of the fact that she's got "man veins." LoL.

Like I said, it's been a busy week, working on my research project, working a the lab Friday night, getting my hair done (yay!), doing more journal stuff, meeting up with people, etc. I even had time to bake some Caramello brownies for my summer research roommate who is flying home tomorrow. He's just finished second year and I kind of knew him from the Queenstown Medical Christian Conference at the beginning of last year, but not really well. It was so cool because on Friday (his last day) I got to have such an awesome conversation with him about God and Christianity, ended up sharing my testimony, I guess, and just hearing about how he found being a Christian in med school. Our conversation got cut short though unfortunately because of a meeting I had with my supervisor, but it's all as per God's will in the end.

Today my dad got back from his two-week trip to Korea -- he looked and sounded so incredibly tired. He's a bit sick too, which makes him appear even more... fragile, LoL. We looked through photos of his childhood neighbourhoods and all these strange people who, theoretically, share my bloodline. Kirsty remembers some of them more than I do because she was there till she was eight. But it was kind of nice being reminded of the fact that we do have family, however far away they are physically. Looking through his photos actually made me want to go back and visit... for a second. A twang of not nostalgia because that implies I remember things, but more like, hey, that's my heritage, that's my bloodline, that's my... people...??

But the true highlight of his going to Korea has to be the fact that he came back with, literally, about thirty pairs of earrings, maybe more! No other presents, just earrings, which is exactly what Kirsty and I wanted. He chose some himself, but most from aunties and cousins, and on one occasion, a semi-drunken uncle who, when he found out we liked earrings, ran out to the nearest store and bought a box full. Suffice it to say that box is the "let's-give-away" set. LoL. Nonetheless, some great selections overall!

the upside of commuting?

A cousin of mine who lives in New York City spends four hours a day commuting to and from work: a drive to catch the ferry followed by the subway. Four hours a day is a lot of time -- four hours spent going to and fro on top of an eight to ten hour workday. That's twelve to fourteen hours a day dedicated solely to WORK. I don't envy him at all, not one bit... except... maybe... the one good thing that would come from commuting would be the plethora of quality reading and/or music listening time. You are forced to sit there for however many hours a day where the only practical thing you could possibly do is either read or listen to music and/or (if one could afford an iPod unlike myself) PODCASTS. The latter is another cool discovery I stumbled upon while perusing anatomy websites for my research project. More specifically, medicine-related podcasts! It's amazing what's out there. Imagine all the passive learning you could do that way.

Or I could just spend that time actively studying... but that would require, you know, action.