Entry Fourteen: Presidential Blag

Barack Obama was elected to be the fourty-fourth President of the United States of America. This event is one of the most historic occasions of my lifetime for many reasons. The election of a part African-American man to the highest office in the nation is the realization of the dreams of many Americans, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who hoped for social equality for all Americans regardless of their race, religion, or gender. This election pretty much proves that. Also, this is a tough time for America. The economy is crappy thanks to affirmative action loan policies, the Middle East is still messed up, and everyone is crazy about global warming. Hopefully, President Obama and his advisors will be able to work things out for the best and keep America strong and safe. I don't think I agree with some of his policies about the economy, share some of his beliefs about foreign policy, or approve of some of his more questionable associates, but I do support him and the USA in the fullest so that we can face the challenges of today as a united people. However, we as a people should always question the administration regardless of its political alignment in order to verify its effectiveness and ability to protect and govern its citizens. I leave you with this:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=donoy6QvRvk

patriotic.

Entry Thirteen: Dr. Elizabeth Ignacio, Certified Pinoy Surgeon Lady

Last Friday, we were fortunate enough to have Dr. Elizabeth Ignacio, a well-regarded orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine practitioner, visit us in Seto Hall and talk about her life and what it took for her to be a surgeon. It was very insightful, as she talked about her Iolani career (National Merit Scholar-chee), and her extra-curriculars like piano, cheerleeding, and winning Junior Miss Hawaii and earning Academic Recoginition at the Junior Miss USA competition. I could connect with her experience as a student at Iolani who is a musician, but is involved in sports and aspires to be a role model to young girls everywhere.

She also talked to us about her career as an orthopedic surgeon and her medical school experiences. I, along with my fellow classmates in attendence, was impressed to hear how high she climbed up on the med school ladder considering that she attended Georgetown Medical School and was chosen in "The Match" (like The Matrix) to become an orthopedic surgeon, one of the most competitive fields in medicine. She explained to us how many hours of work and years of education went into becoming a surgeon, but that it is all worth the effort because she can help people improve their quality of life.

She is also a sports fan, worked with many college and professional teams as team physician, and is a mother to two children. I was inspired by her life story, especially her reasons for choosing her career and her love for her family and faith. Most of all, she is a successful Filipino, so our people can claim her for our cause. She is a very cool lady.



She showed us a severed hand during the presentation. Yummy!