5K

One of the clubs that I'm involved with held a fundraising event today -a 5k race. I volunteered to help with the race and was delighted to be given the task of photographing the race at a certain location. Many of my shots of the runners were pitted against this lovely rainbow. 

Where I Stand

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" -Dr. Seuss

Caring Hand

A random thought that I had during lecture today.

Doctors of old were part of the family -they came when called upon, often being able to do very little but offer sympathy, and wait while their patient died under their caring hand. The physician was valued. Today medicine is industrialized. By yesterday's standards doctors perform miraculous on a daily basis. Despite their greater ability in healing, physicians are valued less than they once were. Is it because the physicians of today no longer heal the soul in treating the aliments of the flesh? or is there something else at work?

Witty Remarks

I have a English literature friend who I have occasion to banter with (it is the same friend whom I took under my wing to teach her the finer aspects of "The Anti-Secret"). She recently posted this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson on her facebook page. "Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs." My witty remark to her was "And what of the tragedy of the commons?" It is, of course, the dichotomy of the human spirit -doing what is better for humanity versus doing what is best for me. Both exist to some degree in every person -the balance of which will determine the degree of success of that member within the whole. We are a social species. You cannot remove a man from society and expect him to be successful anymore than you can remove a bee from the hive and expect it to survive. Self reliance is a fanciful escape from being a member of the hive. Yet we are not bees. We are born within the society but we are beautiful individuals, with individual dreams and fears. We live our own lives. We give to society, we take from it as well, but in the end we determine our own fate. As such our society cannot survive under a purely communist creed. Self reliance, therefore, is not a taboo, but a virtue -when well balanced.

To my wit she replied, "I always think of self-reliance in terms of thought. Finding your own path in terms of thoughts and beliefs is essential to strengthening the commons. Everyone can't be a shepherd, but the world currently has far too many sheep." -Melanie Dawn Watson

Very well said.

Fitness for Life

How does one measure the slipping of one's quality of life from day to day? How does one discover the infinitesimal downward spiral of failing health? At what point does one realize that they no longer posses the vitality of their youth? Aging -it is inevitable. So quietly it sneaks upon us. Unbounding energy ebbs and flows in the days of our youth, but as youth's follies are replaced by the wisdom of years, vigor becomes illusive. I am no longer a youth, but nor am I old man. I am at an intersection of life that is considered the peak of a man's marketable value. The vigor of youth still resides in my bones, while the promise of a successful career is just beginning to come into fruition. Yet the means by which we earn our daily bread has tilted the balance. What was once earned by the sweat of our brow has been supplanted by the ease of a modern society. The struggle of living is no longer in obtaining food, but managing social and life stressors.

Maintaining a healthy balance thus is the challenge in the modern man's affairs. To be successful in one endeavor it seems he must neglected another. This has always been my challenge. My success in academics has always come at the costs of physical health -maintaining a regular exercise routine, sleep, and even healthy eating. Failure to achieve success in the facets of my life has always resulted in a social withdraw. Yet balance is so important. Without balance one can only expect to maintain success within any particular aspect of life for a limited thread of time.

At the onset of medical school I was determined to maintain balance -to eat healthy, to maintain a regular sleep schedule, to exercise daily, and to attend to my social and personal needs. Possibly the first week I maintained balance, thereafter, well.. its medical school. As I embark on a new semester I will attempt for balance once again. Come Christmas break we will see how much success I meet in my endeavor. It will be difficult to eat as I would like, due to the limited resources I am under in both time and availability to a proper grocery store. In regards to sleep, other than the normal nightly insomnia, I get enough sleep. Sleep is too important in my ability to function properly, so I don't often let that one slide as I did in my youth. In regards to exercise I feel I've developed a good routine. The challenge will be in sticking to it. Monday and Wednesdays are dedicated to strength training. Tuesdays I will have the pleasure of running along the beach. Thursday is pylometrics, which is an exercise born of the devil. It requires a lot of jumping around. It gets your heart rate up and your legs will feel like Jello for a good three to five days after, at least initially. I take Fridays to cool off by swimming in the ocean. Although I'm not very good at it, and I swallow a lot of salt-water. At present I am focusing on breathing technique so I don't drown myself. Then Saturday is yoga. Yoga -oh my! I sweat more with yoga than running. So many people look upon yoga with a queer eye, as well did I, until trying it. Yoga is more than a bunch of contorted body poses and oms. It enhances flexibility while also enhances strenghth. If you want to improve your game, what ever that may be, then you will do yoga. Finally, Sunday is a day of rest.

It's vital take care of the body, for in caring for the physical you allow the body to take care of the mind. And as a medical student I need a clear mind. If I can attend to the needs of my schooling and physical well being, then my social and personal needs should naturally fall into place, as they tend to be most vulnerable to unhealthy levels of stress, but innately in the absence of stress they abound.

Monday begins a new semester with new challenges. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm up to it.

Cabrits

Fort Shirley at the Cabrits 

The walls of these buildings are between two to four feet thick, made to withstand cannon shot.

Portsmouth was a key port in the defense of Dominica. 

The fort is currently being renovated. 

The road leading up to the fort. 

Northwest

The view from my meandering today. Looking to the Northwest. (I'm always looking that way with a long feeing.) The white building in the center are on campus. 

And this is the view looking in the easterly direction.