UPDATED: Read below for the chilling conclusion to The Drunkard's Tale! *dum dum DUMMM*
"Come, my precioussses, come to me...but make sure you bloody well bring at least
3A's at A-Level, you pipsqueaks."
It has come to my attention that there are readers out there who have realised that I am prone to very...interesting travel experiences, and actually look forward to hearing my tales of terror (you sadistic sickos. --Editor). It has also come to my attention that there are readers out there who think I should stop whining about my travel mishaps and just take it up the tail pipe rather than posting off-topic travel rants to fill up space. So as a compromise, at the end of this post I've listed a few things I've learnt from my insanely long flight back to Britain.
Now, on with the medicine!
'Tis The Season To Self-Congratulate
It's time once again for the 2006 Medical Blog Awards! These awards are designed to honour the very best in the medical blogosphere, and to highlight the diverse world of medical blogs. Voting is now open, and I'm glad to see a few of my favourite medblogs are in the running. NHS
Blog Doctor seems to have done very well, with nominations in 3 categories, a very good turnout for little over a year in blogging, as pointed out by Shiny Happy Person. SHP herself joins the good doctor in the nominations for Best Medical Weblog, along with such notables as Dr Sid Schwab, Doctor Anonymous and Dr Charles. I'd like also to point out here with some measure of pride *chest swells* that a medical student blog has also made it to this category, namely From Medskool. You're a credit to the race, brother! *thumps chest*My only gripe with this year's Awards is that there's no Best Nursing Blog category. Some of the best medblogs out there are written by nurses, and they should be recognised in the same breath as doctors. The latest one to hit my (sadly lacking) sidebar is Travel Nurse, whose adventures in lands far, far away make trapped-in-ivory-tower me want to be a nurse. (*realises my lecturers read this blog* Sometimes! Only sometimes! --Ed)
Cambridge Admissions Results: 'Tis the Season for Heart Attacks
Cambridge admissions results are in the process of being sent out as I type this; in fact tomorrow, January 5th, is the two-year anniversary of the day I got my acceptance letter. I'd just like to take this opportunity to wish all of you who applied to Cambridge a hearty "good luck!" and if you get in, yay. If you don't, shout for joy! No, seriously. You don't know what you're getting into. It's for the best. Either way, if you feel like ranting and need someone to listen, you know where to drop me a line. (It's at angrymedic [at]gmail [dot]com, in case you don't. --Ed)
Bonus Travel Tale! Things You Learn On The Flight Into Britain
1. No matter how beautiful the bird's-eye view of nighttime London is, no matter how breathtaking the city's lights are, with the Thames snaking through the middle of it all and fireworks sprouting in the air below you, just because it all starts growing bigger, the runway appears beneath you and the plane extends its landing gear--
--doesn't mean it's not going to suddenly fire its jets and take back off into abovementioned nighttime sky, with the captain announcing that they had to abort landing to avoid crashing into the plane ahead of yours.
2. Just because you're safely out of the hellhole that is Heathrow Airport and sitting on a nice, warm coach with a group of nice old ladies all ready to get back home to Cambridge and a nice soft bed--
--doesn't mean that you're not going to be locked on abovementioned bus for half an hour because your driver has inexplicably run away and it takes that long for another National Express coach driver to discover you.
3. Just because you're home in abovementioned nice soft bed at 3am, the fireworks are dying down, and you're settling into bed after a long tiring journey--
--doesn't mean you're not going to be rudely awakened by a relentless drunkard banging on your front door trying to break in, on a night when the rest of the house isn't back in University yet and the police are busy chasing down bands of drunk students.
4. Just because you've hidden behind your door for 30 terrifying minutes whilst dialing the duty porter, and he finally comes to take care of the drunkard besieging your house--
--doesn't mean the porter isn't going to open the door, INVITE THE DRUNKARD IN, and give him a room for the night. NEXT TO YOURS.
UPDATE: Okay, I've kept you in suspense about the drunkard long enough. After about ten minutes of listening to him destroying furniture in the room next door, I called the porter to ask him what the heck he thought he was doing. He then nonchalantly told me the drunkard was actually a Jesus student who'd been temporarily given the room next to mine but was just too piss drunk to remember who he was. Or how to put keys into a keyhole.
Still want to come to Cambridge?
Happy New Year, folks. And don't forget to vote!
P.S. HospitalPhoenix Update: To all those who left comments about HospitalPhoenix, you will be relieved to know he is alive and well, as can be seen in the comments here. I for one am very relieved I can finally call off the police search.
21 comments:
"Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or any events past or present is purely coincidental."
Oh, really? *skeptical look*
Btw, did the plane really take off again to avoid a crash? WTF were the air traffic controllers doing?
Seriously, stay in Cambridge and don't ever travel again. You're a safety hazard to yourself.
Hope nothing indecent happened while you slept with the drunkard. ;D
Yes, Jason, unfortunately nothing in this blog post is embellished. The idiots in the control tower must have been having a little celebratory New Year wine. What's a plane crash or two, eh? Don't be such a party-pooper, old chap.
Found your blog, btw. Mind if I add you to my links, or do you want to keep it on the down-low?
interesting new year's eve there.. and your porter is such a sympathetic chap lah, next time i visit cambridge i'll try to pull that stunt.
Happy New Year. Glad to hear your survived the flight. Wouldn't life be boring if you didn't have atleast a few interesting tales to tell? Last year as I flew into Glasgow for holiday I was delayed in Manchester for 12 hours due to unforseen snow on Glasgow's runway that they didn't have enough snowplows to get rid of. Possibly a bad experience, but I did meet a few new people while I was there... Looking back on it, I'm almost not bitter anymore. Almost.
Wow, the drunkard got free accommodation for a night?! Awesome stunt!
It's good to see Hospital Phoenix back, I wonder if he's blogging though... will check his blog out to see if it's back up and running.
Oh, and Happy New Year.
:)
Nope, it's not back up. But at least he's around. :)
And many thanks for the blogrolling... May I please add you to mine?
Hey, good article . . . but what happened after the night porter let the drunkard into your room?
I'm going to link your blog to mine . . . unless you say no, of course!
Calavera: Nope, HospitalPhoenix's blog still leads to 'calculator golf handicap', whatever that means. But you're right, it's a relief that he's still around at all. And don't mention it, dear...'tis my duty to propagate the medical student blogosphere, in the tiny way that I can. I'd be honoured if you'd plop a link to me down somewhere.
Oh, and I'm told Phoenix has been in touch with other bloggers. I don't think we've seen the last of him yet :)
Hal: Who could ever say no to being blogrolled by the great Tunku Halim? :) Ah, but you of all people know the value of a suspenseful ending...there's another twist to the drunkard's tale. In due time, good sir, in due time... ;)
Dear Drunkophobe,
A cure for your phobia would be to escort the drunk in question to your downstairs toilet. Place a pillow on the toilet seat (if you are feeling kind) and proceed to lock the drunk inside, allowing him to settle in to the night.
Your drunken friend
Prof Scrub
http://www.scrubbingup.com/blogs/profscrub/blog.asp
Angry Medic: I decided not to keep my blog private anymore. I appreciate the offer to link my humble crap to your popular blog. Feel free to add me!
P.S: Dying to find out what is the twist with the drunkard. I hope it's something steamy between you both. *rubs hand in wicked anticipation*
On the other hand,Prof Scrub's suggestion seems to be a good alternative should this happen again. xD
Hahahaha, that 'calculator golf handicap' is the exact same pile of crap that I got when trying to get to his blog too - though I thought it was just me who was seeing that!
Damn and blast, some bugger has nicked my blog and redirected it to a golf handicap website. I guess when I hit delete it must have relinquished the whole site.
If I ever return it will have to be in (yet) another guise.
Prof Scrub: That IS a good idea. Now why didn't I think of that earlier? Serves me right for not consulting my elders before cowering behind my door.
Jason: The only thing about your blog that's humble, my friend, is its owner. You write well, man...I only wish it you wrote more OFTEN *glare hint hint*
Calavera: Nope, unfortunately we ALL get help with our golf handicap, whether we want it or not. Be thankful though, earlier reports say the link led to a porn site. It's always about clubs and balls I s'pose *bada-BING*
HospitalPhoenix: Stop teasing us with the clues, man. We KNOW you have a dark and twisted past, and very possibly a dark and twisted future. Even Jean Grey wasn't this mysterious ;)
OMG, you are SUCH a great writer. Had to close my office door as my laughing woke up the kids.
Aww, Dr Deb! That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.
It's just that my life happens to have an unusual amount of calamity in it...
"Still want to come to Cambridge?"
Yes, and I will be seeing you in October if all goes to plan. I'll be the first year medic asking for your autograph ;)
Whoa! Offer letters out already?
I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or to promise to put flowers on your grave every year...but I'll take the safe option.
Congrats! Do email me and tell me all about it.
I have to say, though, Angry Medic, despite one of your previous posts about Cambridge interviews, mine was utterly horrendous and disastrous! That's a story to be told on another day though... maybe that should be an entry for my blog some day...
And Phoenix, good to see some signs of life from you!
hey angry medic, I see you added me to your blogroll! Do you mind if I give you a shoutout on my blog?
Adam: Of course I don't mind. Thanks a lot. I was just trawling medblogs and suddenly discovered there'a w whole community of med students out there I never knew. Which prompted my spate of link additions yesterday. I hope they don't mind. We med students need to stick together you know.
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