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High Sierra Trail: Day 4
I’m the first one up on this short rest day. The sky is clear, and I emerge from my tent in time to catch the first light on the distant mountains, painting the tops a fiery orange. Moraine Lake is a perfect mirror. I step onto the lakeshore to take pictures, tiptoeing between bear tracks…
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High Sierra Trail: Day 3
It’s a lazy morning. We’ve had a tough second day, and to reward ourselves, we decide to not rush it. Mickey had slept under the stars, and that must have been beautiful. Wayne, seated on a smooth boulder, reads his devotional. I take pictures of the stark above-treeline views. Mark pulls out his fishing rod,…
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High Sierra Trail: Day 2
This would be our hardest day, stumbling into camp around sunset, completely exhausted. But, the start of the day is great. We set off early, climbing through thick forest along the gentle trail covered with soft forest litter. Soon, we arrive at Bearpaw Meadow. The luxury of staying there for $350 per night doesn’t seem…
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High Sierra Trail: Day 1
We’re off! Setting out from Crescent Meadow, the trail climbs a gentle knoll through carpets of fern fronds shaded under giant sequoia stands. After about a mile, we emerge from the forest and hike along the open slopes, passing Eagle View Overlook. Across the valley, Cathedral Rocks provide a steady landmark throughout most of the…
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High Sierra Trail
It’s all about the luxury items. The scale is actually quite ruthless, and ever since Brad convinced me to try using it before our trip to Rainier, I’ve been letting the scale make most decisions. The pack weighs 1191 g, the sleeping bag 1038 g; and the second shirt 156 g. In total, my pack’s…
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The Boatmen’s Song
The term “Ao Ai” 《欸乃》 originally appeared during the Tang Dynasty, in a poem by Yuan Jie 元結. As a guqin melody, however, this piece traces to 1549. Also known as the “Northern Fishermen’s Song” 《北漁歌》, the more well-known title “Ao Ai” is an onomatopoeia—it’s melody was written to conjure up sounds of oars and…
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Excursions on the Big Island
Before this trip, I was made fun of. It’s because I tightly budgeted the times for exploring the island while not in the meetings of the Western Orthopaedic Association, and my time plan was more like a work schedule. The good thing is, the meeting is set up so that most all of the afternoons…
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Mauna Kea
We could have just driven up there, against the car rental policy. I didn’t actually read the verbiage, but according to a lot of websites, most rental car companies prohibit driving up the road from the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station to the top. So, we decided to hike it. Joining me are my senior…
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Western Orthopaedic Association 2014
The Western Orthopaedic Association meeting took place on the Kona Coast, at the Fairmont Orchid. The Loma Linda University group had several papers that were presented over the days of the meeting. Thursday Robert Quigley: Comparison of bupivacaine and liposomal bupivacaine toxicity in articular chondrocytes Friday Krysten Bell: Comparison of skin surface pressure beneath bias-cut…
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Mt. San Jacinto Peak
This trip was to realize what was left unaccomplished last time with the Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group (OSIG). The goal, for those of us who are struck with summit fever at times, was to stand on Mt. San Jacinto’s peak. Andrew, Co-President of OSIG, had sent out the notices weeks before, and the original student…
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Dinner for SBCMS Staff
It’s a sultry day—perfect for sitting by the pond, sipping iced tea from mason jars. Because of the enormous amount of work that went in to the Installation of Officers’ dinner, I’m having the San Bernardino County Medical Society staff members over for dinner as a thank you. On the menu: Caprese on sticks, stuffed mushrooms,…
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Cabinet Construction
Of the three springtime building projects, this cabinet was the first to get done. The stairs down into the pond pump and filter vault needed to be concealed, and I thought a cabinet would both be functional and aesthetic. Starting in May, I bought some redwood lumber to supplement the scrap pieces that I already…
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SBCMS Installation of Officers 2014
It was great to catch up with Dr. Ken Lane, who, along with Dr. Bangasser, introduced me to San Bernardino County Medical Society when I was a student. Tonight, I felt honored to be joined by my family, colleagues from Loma Linda University Health, and representatives from the medical community. Tonight’s award recipients went to:…
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Montreal AOA/COA Meeting
There was little time to explore the city during this year’s combined American and Canadian Orthopaedic Associations’ meeting. From the reviews, the Emerging Leaders Program was another success. I also learned a lot from the Council of Orthopaedic Residency Directors (CORD), where there were many take-home messages on resident assessments, milestones, surgical skills training, and…
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Goodbye, ’Ma
My grandma comfortably passed away four days ago at the age of 90. The guqin piece, Evening Call of the Raven 烏夜啼, is dedicated in her memory. * * * * * ’Ma was born April 19, 1924, the sixteenth day of the third lunar month, year of the Rat 甲子年三月十六, to my great grandparents—Chua…
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Evening Call of the Raven
At night, the raven’s call, often thought to be a bad omen, was considered lucky in Chinese literature associated with this piece. The melody is attributed to a Liu Song Dynasty prince, Liu YiQing 劉義慶 (403-444). In the year 440, Liu YiKang 劉義康 (409-451), Regional Inspector of Jiangzhou, was banished by Emperor Wen 宋文帝 (407-453)…
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California Orthopaedic Association in Monterey
This year’s California Orthopaedic Association took place in beautiful Monterey. Hutch Huddleston and Leslie Kim put together a nice program, beginning with practice management topics. The Saturday night gala at the Poppy Hills Golf Course featured guitar and steel drum—Caribbean Extravaganza. On Sunday, we participated in the “What’s New in Hand Surgery” symposium that Neil…
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Zhao Xing Completes Special Fellowship
Having been here for just over a year, Dr. Jay Zhao completes fellowship training in orthopaedic surgery. In last twelve months, he gained a well-rounded experience in all the subspecialties with special emphasis on sports medicine. Also, he developed a deeper understanding of graduate medical education in the United States, particularly as it relates to…
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The 100th School of Medicine Commencement
Congratulations to the Class of 2014! This is the 100th School of Medicine graduation. Richard Hart, Roger Hadley, and Ron Carter presented the awards. Distinguished Service Award: John W. Mace, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics, LLUSM Class of 1978 Distinguished Service Award: Clifton Reeves, Professor of General and Trauma Surgery, CME/LLUSM Class of 1960 Lifetime Service…
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Baccalaureate Service
This church service featured the graduating school of medicine class. Pastor Charles White, great grandson of Ellen White, relayed personal stories of his family and of how Loma Linda University came to be.
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Through A Doctor’s Lens
The Redlands Art Association Gallery opened the “Through A Doctor’s Lens” exhibition with a reception this afternoon. Barbara Hernandez, Director of Physician Vitality, painstakingly put together this collection of photographs taken by doctors at Loma Linda University. “Both creative and altruistic endeavors have long been known to enhance physician resilience and diminish burnout,” Barbara says.…
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Flowing Waters
Launched into space in 1977, the Voyager Golden Record, with a rendition of Flowing Waters 流水 by Guan Pinghu 管平湖, flew past Pluto’s orbit, left the edge of our solar system, and entered interstellar space. My teacher, Lui PuiYuen 吕培源, reintroduced me to this piece. While dating to some time in remote antiquity, this rendition,…
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2014 Match Day
“Congratulations, you have matched!” That’s what every senior medical student wanted to see this week, and indeed, it has been a chaotic week filled with anticipation, hope, and dreams. This morning, starting with the ceremonial handing out of envelopes, a toast, and a countdown, the graduating class opened their envelopes at 9:00 in the Wong…
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Three Variations of the Plum Blossom Theme
The Chinese plum trees have burst into pink clouds over the past week, putting on a show of fully-double flowers. These blossoms make a perfect accompaniment for this wintry new year season. Over millennia, the plum blossom held captive the Asian imagination. Blooming in winter, it evokes the virtues of fearlessness of the bitter cold…
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Songs of the Fisherman
This is the longest piece I’ve learned. Consisting of eighteen sections, Songs of the Fisherman 漁歌, like many other guqin pieces, portray the retreat to an existence that is immersed in the natural rhythm of the universe. The earliest printed version dates to 1546, and the associated original preface depicts Mao Minzhong 毛敏仲 leaving his…
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Star Trails for Christmas Eve
For this Christmas Eve, I thought it would be interesting to post star trails taken from Loma Linda. Surprisingly, there were many more visible stars over lighted San Bernardino. Flight paths from air traffic in and out of nearby airports add some interest. This picture was captured last night from the south slopes, with settings…
