One Year Old Liz with an important birthday message...

Hello! Meet One-year-old Liz (OYOL)!

She is wondering why she's been put in these fancy clothes, but she knows that there's a strawberry shortcake waiting for her at home after church. Please also take note that OYOL is rocking the gross motor skills of standing and a broad based gait- no more crawling for this girl. 

So, OYOL has travelled to the future wants to know what you're getting her for The Birthday. I mean, 30 is so OLD. For the 1st, there was an E.T. doll from cousin Tony. That was awesome, and the strawberry shortcake was delicious. But she is thinking that what would be cool for her 30th would be if you would help support former sex slaves and trafficked women and children at The House of Hope. You can do this by buying some sweet earrings and spud bags that they've made here. And if you have loved ones who might like them, please buy one for them! Just leave us a message on the event wall, and I'll get it to you in person or by post! :)

I turn 30 on Sunday/Children's Day (Korea)/Cinco de Mayo! I'd invite you to my party, but I'm not having one because of impending clinical finals!* If we're good friends and you might have gotten me a present but maybe forgot because our lives are all terribly busy or maybe couldn't figure out what to get me because I have everything I need... Or if we're not really close, but you feel like doing some good...Please consider buying one of these things to support Nicaraguan women and children whose lives have been transformed by Jesus and the good work done by The House of Hope! 

Thank you!

Love,
OYOL & 29 years + 363 days Liz xxxxx

*If I were having a party, there would be piñatas (or pinata cookies!), guacamole, lots of snuggling, and the cake would still be strawberry shortcake! 

A box of books...

... is a thing of beauty!

I'm a Giver for World Book Night (23rd April)- and I'll give you a free copy of The Road Home (by Rosie Tremain) and a hug, so long as you promise to pass them on once read! I've not read this one before, so I'll be joining all those who receive!

I like to give the majority of books to strangers (some who give me strange looks, some who give me hugs), but if you want one of these babies, please let me know and I'll reserve/post a copy to you. And I also love trades with other Givers!

Now I'm eagerly waiting for the 23rd to come! Yay for World Book Night!

Source: tumblr.com via amanda on Pinterest

I've got a bit of a cold.

A patient was concerned that I was coughing so much and asked the GP if I needed antibiotics, to which we simultaneously replied, "It's a virus!" and then had a giggle. Nonetheless, I'm fully taking advantage of a surgery-free afternoon to get some reading done in bed.

In the meanwhile, some photos from BMA MSC Conference (I went a bit Twitpic happy, so I won't re-post the ones people have already seen). This year, it was at BMA House, London, and we had an interesting keynote speech about clinical leadership, MSC got to meet the new Chair of Council, and we had lots of lively debate! :)

Top Table keeps Conference running smoothly

We're excited that we've finally made it to the hotel to get ready for the Vintage American-themed social

I now wish I'd taken more photos, and really wish I'd taken photos of the food! (Chili dogs, fries, and onion rings.)

Our awesome Chair of Conference, Claire, thanking the brass band 

The Welshies! How sweet do those guys look? 

We heart swing dance lessons! 

Miss Melo won for best-dressed female for our Americana theme, and Laura T had a good feather/pearls situation thing going too. And deputy chair of conference, Mike, did a great job organising the social and looking dapper in his suit. 

HYMS MSC present & past

Sarah's first Med Students Conference- hopefully not her last! 

There were lots and lots of hats on the boys!

See? Looks like lots of fun, no? x

Bottom 5 photographs- courtesy of Carmen and her fancy camera. All others are from my HTC.

One of my patients asked me about whether I'm going to be a doctor in York next year or not, and I had to explain the exam marking error and the job offer problems that's got us all in a tizzy...

Patient: That's very bad!

Me: Yes, I know! We will hear back next Friday, so I'm hoping for a good result.

Patient: I think a good result would be if you stayed in Yorkshire. We need good people like you. You're a proper Yorkshire lady.

Me: I'm not even from here!

Patient: Once you're here for a little while, you become part of the land.

Me: I'm not even English!

Patient: You like Yorkshire puddings don't you?

Me: I mean, that's not even a question.

Patient: That's right, because you're one of us now.

Image from here- ethical tee shirts and you get to wear your heart on your chest! :P

Home for the Holidays!

2012 was rather tough in lots of places, but it was absolutely brilliant to be home for the Christmas holiday... and now I'm in Chicago at my brother's for New Year's/Eve! The parents and sister had to be abroad for a humanitarian trip to the Philippines, so it was just my little brother and the puppy!

Look at my two handsome boys on Christmas morning!

The best things about being back at home were going to see my old friend Justin get married, meet a very special new baby, catch up with cousins, all of the food, and Champ!

Old friends, new fiancees, and a chance to be very merry for the bride & groom!

Silly-ness in the photo booth with the groom

My "To Eat List" was a bit more ridiculous this time than usual--- mainly because both the brother and I LOVE to eat (and have probably both gained too much weight this last semester) and because, we were both pretty tired (because we both work a bit too hard over the semester too!). There are the usual suspects on my List--- ahem, Chipotle---- but this time, we got to do a lot of proper Cleveland and Chicago eating too!

Chicago: Korean soup for breakfast! Yes.

Chicago: the legend-wait for it-derrrrrry Jim's fries. The Polish hotdog was also delicious, but I was too busy to take a photo. But this one, the brother took to make our baby sister super jelly.

Cleveland: I don't know if my face does that every time I have a Mitchell's shake, but this one was pumpkin spice flavoured and freaking gorgeous. 

Cleveland: The brother's Melt option: The Dude Abides. I had the buffalo chicken soup, which was awesome!

Chicago: Koreanised Chinese food- all of it.

Chicago: Breakfast at Eggsperience

Hashbrowns are very important to me... as is corned beef.

Cleveland: Burgers & porky fries at B-spot--- not pictured, my favourite milkshake (the chocolate espresso!)

Chicago: Wingstop after a showing of Les Miz. We preferred the lemon pepper & Louisiana rub. 

And I love, love, love Champ the pup! He's grown loads since I last saw him over summer and he's got this hilarious personality... Is it freaky that I think he's just like his mommy (our sister?).

Our little polar bear

Champ in zeeba camo!

Exile from the kitchen so that I could maintain some sense of sanity whilst cooking Christmas dinner.

Because otherwise, this happens. He can stare at you with those adorable eyes all day if he has to.

I told you so.

I wash; Brudder dries.

Noble pup!

I wish I had some photos of Baby Grace to share because she's super cute, but I was so busy cooing and being fed that I didn't have a chance!

I hope everyone's had a brilliant holiday too! :)

The Housewarming Series- Part 1

It's been a long while since I last posted, because life has been HECTIC. Settling in to fifth year, my new roles with the BMA, and living in our new home!

Luckily, Carmen is an absolute star and scouted out a flat for us over summer and acquired lots of furniture via Freecycle and the second-hand community shop in York, and we feel super-blessed to have a home! It's rather small, so we had to have a house-warming in parts--- starting with a bunch of the CMFers in the clinical phase.

Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays ever, so we had an early one, mainly because I'm thankful for the home, the folk, and the food. It's been a rough year, but I tell you. There was an awful lot for which to be thankful. Especially these lovely people...

Melo = The Pig of Happiness :O)

I think Melanie is probably antagonising our Dami here. I surmise.

How many can fit on our couch? 

Pretty ladies!

The food didn't turn out as I'd hoped, but we have a tiny kitchen-cum-sitting room-cum-dining place. Here are some of the shots, but the menu included:

Turkey stew
Roast pork
Mash & gravy
Stuffing (American style)
Green bean casserole
Roasted sweet potatoes
Ice cream
Pumpkin pie (I couldn't bear to take a photo of this because it looked like I'd dropped it on it's face and then tried to light it on fire to make it better).

Israeli cous-cous with roasted veg

Pork & sweet potatoes

Green bean cass

Jazzy!

Another CMF related photo dump of the Jazz Night in Hull tonight! Good music, cheap drinks, and open mic! Sounds like a good night to me! ;)

This weekend, I'm excited to return to my Street Angeling duties, watch this film (and get involved in Penguin treasure hunting!) and do some baking---- fair trade style. And catch up with some good friends.



Happy nearly weekend everyone! x