Sooner or later every story ends

Unplugging oneself from the modern civilisation is surprisingly liberating. For 3 days, I deliberately stayed away from the internet, turned my phone off, used my laptop only to watch movies; and instead of being constantly buzzed by Facebook updates or Gchat, I filled it with helping out with random odd jobs around the farm, watching stars, and made exciting excursions around the place with a little black dog trotting along. Most of all, I freed my mind, let go of the reign and it took a nice long nap.

Life is full of contrasts. As I sealed myself off from the city, and connections to the world; I spent half a night looking at the stars and wonder what is out there.

A pile of dry wood of 5 meters in diameter fed a scorching flame that stood 3 meters high. We lit one end of the pile with the help of some gas, and the fire soon grew to consume the rest of it. The most beautiful and most savage of the primal elements; It was red with anger, orange with warmth, blue with calm, and yellow with passion. Its tongue snakes, its claw swings and sways, and it danced. it danced on the dead branches that was once brimming with life, and it celebrated the transfer of one energy to another. The bonfire filled my limbs with warmth, my body with adrenaline, and my mind with primal impulses. I wanted to dance, with the dancing flame, spin in circles and around the fire, but as I got close the heat slapped me on my face. I wanted to fly, spread my wings and let the hot current take me up to twirl and whirl and glide gracefully back to the ground. I wished, that I had my violin in my hands, that I could play like a gypsy around the campfire, without method, without rules, carelessly luring the curious in the nearby woods.

The Red violin is a movie I've wanted to watch for a long time. Problem with anticipation is that it elevates the expectation, leaving you disappointed regardless of how good the experience is. Don't anticipate anything in life, that way, everything is a nice surprise. It also doesn't help that someone tells you the twist just before you watch the movie. Nevertheless, it did remind me of my love for violins, and now I miss mine.

The legend of 1900 is another movie that I have wanted to watch for years. It turned out better than I thought. It tells the story of a man who was born on a cruise ship, who spent his life performing on the ship as it sails across the Atlantic. He never sat foot on dry land, and when the opportunity came, couldn't.

"Land? Land is a ship too big for me; it's a woman too beautiful, it's a voyage too long, a perfume too strong...It's music I don't know how to make..."

It also gave me the title for this post.

It's scary how limiting our world can become when we stay in the comfort zone. If we don't expand the horizon, push the boundary, scare ourselves; we then become settled, and even fearful of the outside world. At the same time, knowing your limits can be an asset as well as an excuse not to explore beyond the eyes can see.

The highlight of the weekend, is of course, an introduction to leatherworking. I am now a proud owner of a leather belt and a keyring that I made myself, tooled, and stitched by hand. It's immensely satisfying to make use of tools and your hands, and walk away with a product of your labour.

Introduction

First impression lasts. The initial interaction is so hugely influential that it inevitably install some sort of expectation for either party and sets the tone of the rest of the encounter. As one progress through med school, you evolve from the timid first year asking a nurse whether it's ok to talk to a patient on the ward, to being mistaken as a Registrar answering their call of distress. More importantly, while observing in a clinical situation, the introduced is often made by the consultants to the patients.

Classically, you are introduced as the medical student, and the patient is given the option whether to let you sit in the quiet corner or to kick you out of the room. But sometimes, your introduction gives you more weight and thus appears crucial for you to be there. As one progress through the years, seniority and title changes.

"Hi Mr. Blah, This is our senior medical studnet, would you mind if he sits in with us for today?"

"Hi, this is our final year medical student, would it be ok for him to observe the consultation?"

"...This is our final year med student who is working as part of the team..."

"...this is one of our doctors in training..."

and my favorite so far,

"...This is a final year trainee doctor working with the team. he will be let loose to the public as a doctor in a couple of months time, and frankly, it's scary for us all..."