Archive for the 'General' Category
I’m Famous!
June 20th, 2007AOL came across my online photo album and must have liked what they saw. So much so, apparently, that they selected one of my photos — one from my Thailand album — to feature on their AOL Pictures homepage. Here is a screenshot I grabbed:
Jeep Wrangler, RIP
September 7th, 2007My poor Jeep Wrangler was stolen. Stolen again, actually, as this is the second time it has been stolen. Unfortunately this time, however, it hasn’t been found yet and it probably won’t be. Pretty shitty circumstances, too…I walked out of the hospital post-call (i.e. after working a 30+ hour shift) and noticed my car wasn’t there. What kind of loser steals cars from a hospital parking lot?
It’s a tough loss since I really loved this car. I drove this car everywhere — across the country and back again, as well as up and down the East Coast. It will be missed. Click here to see the page I created when I first bought the car on April 29, 2001.
My New VW Rabbit
September 29th, 2007Thanks to a generous check from my car insurance company, I was able to buy a new 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit. It has a pretty strong engine for such a small car, and like all VWs it has nice interior design, especially the blue dashboard lights (it makes you wonder if American car companies pay any attention when designing their cars). The stereo is also extremely intuitive, more than any car stereo I’ve ever seen.
Some details (not bad for what is probably an entry-level car):
- 2.5L 150hp 5-cylinder engine
- 10-speaker stereo with 6-disc changer
- Seat warmers!
Anyway, I just hope it doesn’t get stolen for at least a few months so I can enjoy it for awhile. For more photos, see my photo album
Geek Humor
November 18th, 2008But I still think it’s funny!
An infinite number of mathematicians walk into a bar. The first one orders a beer. The second orders half a beer. The third, a quarter of a beer. The bartender says “You’re all idiots”, and pours two beers.
Shrimp Boil Video, Finally
January 22nd, 2009Here it is, the edited video from our authentic Southern (aka “low country”) shrimp boil, which we held for Ricky’s birthday. This event actually took place in July…but six months late ain’t bad!
Gotta love low country food.
Return of the Derby Dolls
May 16th, 2010It’s not that they returned, rather I did. For the first time in seven months I wasn’t on call during a Derby Dolls game, so you know I could be found in LA. Roller coaster of a night, however. On the one hand, the San Diego Swarm won in an anticlimactic fashion by squeezing out three points in the final jam to break the tie. On the better hand, I was still able to get this photo taken with the Fight Crew’s Judy Gloom!
Skydiving
June 30th, 2010Several residents and I took the plunge and went skydiving today. Aboard a tiny Cessna airplane that only fit four, it took us about ten minutes to climb to 10000 feet. Not too strange except that one side of the plane was completely open to the outside. Just as I was getting used to that, it was time to strap in to my guide/instructor. I dutifully followed his instructions (”sit in my lap”) and was strapped very securely to my new butt-buddy’s front side.
Ida was up first. She and her tandem partner sat on the edge for a few seconds as I stared at them wondering what would happen next. Then they fell out, and I panicked (see video for confirmation). It was a very unsettling feeling seeing a friend fall out of the side of a plane. I tried to rush to the ledge in a strange effort to save her, but I was too paralyzed by terror. Immediately I was pushed us to the same spot, and all of a sudden I had my own set of problems to deal with … namely sitting on the edge of an airplane two miles high in the air. Actually, he was sitting on the plane; I was simply hanging off the edge, connected to him only by a few cloth straps.
And then we rolled out. Free fall was unlike any feeling I’ve ever experienced, and it was exhilarating. The video conveys it all, so enough talking and more watching:
Motherfucker, I’m awesome!
Cantina Amir y Amir
June 19th, 2011The other Amir and I decided to throw a party to celebrate the graduating interventional fellows as well as showcase our combined cooked powers.
After spending many hours preparing 20 limes, 7 chickens, 5 pounds of carne asada, 4 pounds of braised pork, 3 gallons of sangria, and 2 sombreros, this officially became an eat-fest.
Amir y Amir, in uniform.
People crowding around to get the good food.
Some people:
Some more people:
Overall, a huge success. Crushed it!
Tahoe Reunion
November 12th, 2011After nearly ten years, our crew (which now includes a few wives) met up in its entirety for an awesome reunion in Lake Tahoe. The weekend was filled with eating and drinking, as well as hiking, gambling, sleeping, and playing.
Here we are the first night we arrived, going to town on all the food we bought — two shopping carts full.
Preparing the pepper-infused tequila.
Playing the greatest beach game ever devised, disks and sticks, but more affectionately known as dicks and sticks.
Hiking, getting lost, finding our way again, and then spotting wolves.
Halloween in Tahoe. From left to right: international soccer/football player, Richard Simmons (me), Indian Ninja, medieval knight, police officer.
Great times!
Birthday festivities
March 19th, 2012The old man got older this past weekend.
I was lucky enough to have multiple celebrations over the span of a few days. First up was an elegant birthday party with my fellow fellows, awesomely hosted by Anna McDivit:
She even wrote out my name in fancy handwriting:
The next night I flew back home to reunite with my old gang, where we met at Limon (Peruvian restaurant), exchanged gifts (you really don’t want to know what that red and black gift next to me is), and downed a few drinks:
On the day of my birthday, my family and I went to Dosa, one of San Francisco’s best-reviewed Indian restaurants for an amazing lunch:
Looking at these pictures, I’m realizing a few things: 1) I have a shiny head, and 2) I need new clothes!
However … the MOST exciting celebration was provided by Sandi (aka melena/Melena), an awesome New Zealander I met on my recent trip to the bottom of the world. The girl seems to have endless talent, and she sent me this very entertaining video she made. (Note: I only know Sandi; I’ve never met anyone else in the video.)
Till next year …
ACC Chicago 2012
March 24th, 2012Your boy is back in Chicago! Unlike the last time I was here, when my goal was to attend the AHA meeting and find the start of historic Route 66, the purpose of my trip this time is threefold, to: (1) attend the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), (2) formally accept my ACC/Merck award, and (3) be awesome. This is Chicago at night:
The moment I arrived I went to Topman, a cool British clothing store that only has stores in New York and Chicago. I have been waiting to buy myself a new suit, and I definitely did that. (Goal 3: check.)
Afterwards I went to a reception by the Merck Foundation that honored us four new awardees. It was a very enjoyable reception, and it was very flattering that they honored us with one. This board listed all current/previous awardees
And here I am:
There were lots of Merck and ACC bigwigs, and here we are with ACC president Jack Lewin.
Then we went to eat at the Publican. The array of lights on the ceiling looked really cool, even though this picture doesn’t do it justice.
Publican was a great gastropub that specializes in foods featuring pig or fish. We ate tasty cioppino, pork belly, and porchetta (not sure what that was, but it sure tasted good.)
The next morning, Sunday, I woke up early to attend the Late Breaking Clinical Trials session. I watched a stimulating talk on the use of rivaroxaban for treating PEs as well as the 2-year outcomes of the PARTNER trial. So stimulating I fell asleep a few times. (Goal 1: check.)
Poster time. The abstract I submitted for this conference is just a teaser of the big news that we’ll unleash in May at Heart Rhythm Society. But here I am with Dr. Narayan, trying to change the world … one rotor at a time.
I snuck away at lunch time to try the deep dish pizza that Chicago is so known for. We ended up at Gino’s East and shared this awesome (and huge) pizza.
And finally, on Monday night, came time for the Convocation Ceremony. This is where we would formally be acknowledged for our award. It was a very grand ceremony in the main tent, where all the current and former ACC leadership were present. Everyone, including us, were dressed up in graduation gowns, and we got to sit on the front stage looking out at the crowd. When the ceremony began, the lights dimmed, weird music played, and someone dressed in funny clothes presented the ACC president with a weird sceptor/rod. It was a little weird initially, but the rest was fine. (Goal 2: check.)
Overall, a great trip.
OC Half Marathon
May 6th, 2012I ran the OC Half Marathon today with Darius and Mayumi, two friends I met on my Antarctica trip. This was my first half marathon, and I didn’t have a lot of time to train as much as I had hoped, but I lived. A half marathon was a nice distance, and I’ll probably run more of these in the future … although I said that about marathons in 2002, and this run today is my first run since then. This was our group:
Darius and me, with my long sock arms.
Here I am, mid-run. I seem to have a knack at always spotting the camera.
Crossing the finish line!
Here we are with our medals. Our final time was 2:16.
A great run that was followed by an even greater lunch at In ‘n’ Out. See you next year.