The Joys of Flying!

Summer is finally here! I thought it was worth a long overdue cartoon strip :)
Hope you all enjoy the great weather and safe travels my friends!

Exams

It's been four months since my last update. For that I apologize.
I thought I would be done cramming after dental school, then after residency, then after fellowship... Turns out I'm still cramming to prepare lectures, grants and manuscripts...
To all my North American friends preparing their exams, best of luck everyone!!!
It does get better afterward... at least for a short while ;)

Tribute to Ong Noi

My dear Ong Noi, my dear grandpa.

You were so smart, you were so strong.

You had big dreams for me, all along.

You wanted me to become a doctor,

And then continue to be a professor,

And you had that unwavering faith in me

As your granddaughter, no wrong you could see.

I had it all planned months and months early,

As soon as I would graduate, in LA I would be.

I wanted to make you a new set of teeth

So that you could smile and happily eat.

Two years ago, the American board I had to do.

It was in San Diego, three hours away from you.

When I said in LA I wanted to go

Everyone started shrieking and said no.

The Canadian board was but 10 days away,

I had to study hard and without delay.

Christmas and graduation were just around the corner,

Surely I would see you sooner rather than later.

So I left San Diego pushing away this creeping feeling,

That it was an incredible mistake, a bad omen, so unappealing.

As soon as I landed back in Texas, I was told

"Grandpa fell ill and was hospitalized on your way home".

I called everyone and immediately wanted to fly back,

Auntie told me "Don't worry silly child, and give yourself some slack.

He's already better now and sleeping. Go, focus, study and pass."

A white lie it was, and somehow I think I knew,

That it was already too late, and started feeling blue.

A day later, the phone rang loud and clear, that dreaded call...

For two days straight, I cried and bang my head against the wall,

Sacrifices are needed, but I was drowned in sorrow, guilt and distress

For dreams should not make you miss your grandpa's last breath.

When I got numb from crying, I finally fell asleep.

That is when you visited and said in your voice so deep:

"Viet-Tram, dear child, don't you see?

There's nothing you could do to come to me.

So here I am instead, by your side in the clouds

Now stand back up and make me proud..."

So I got out of bed and in a daze went back to my books.

Five days later I passed my board despite all hooks.

And another four months later I received an offer,

To go back to Canada and become a professor.

Six months after your visit, I finally graduated...

Grandpa how I wished you had been there to celebrate.

You left us just short of me achieving your dream,

The irony of this really makes me want to scream.

I swallow it all up though, because I really know

That ever since that day, you're by my side watching me grow.

For there's no way I would have achieved all this,

Without you watching over me, making my life a bliss.

I miss you Ong Noi...

Souvenirs of Scottsdale

Unbelievable... I think everyone around me shopped more than I did in Scottsdale. That is just wrong. Next year in Baltimore better be gewd to make up for it!!!
Regardless, I have to say it felt good to see everyone again after so long. See you around the next meeting :)

Blast from the past 2

I can't believe I haven't drawn anything decent in more than a month, and I'm starting to feel bad about it... Good news is that in my last bout of insomnia, I started visiting my old blog pages (remember MySpace? Xanga? Friendster? Msn Spaces?) and found some of the lost Asiates and DMD Chronicles. Hope it brings you back good memories until I find the energy to draw new stories!

back to school

Alright, I know this is not time relevant anymore... but I drew this all the way back in Hawaii before I realized there was no wireless to post it. And when I got back, it was so busy I just forgot about it...

Anyways, I figured it would be a shame not to post it since it was ready to go :p More to come soon.

Bad Hair Day

Haven't drawn anything over the last few weeks... I can finally confirm that, contrary to popular belief, summer IS the most busy time of the year for faculty :s
Anyways, before we get into the crazy rush of back to school: yes, I did cut my hair short again. Oh, and colored too... ;) Ta ta!