The single minded man!!

Last night a late night caller arrived at my parents house after midnight. They asked if I was in, left a card and a present, paid complements to my parents about me and vanished into the night.

Today when I arrived at home for the banquet and present opening I discovered the gift that had been left in the night. The card  inside was addressed to, “The single minded man”.

It was probably the highlight of my Christmas and I hope that I end up being half as good at being a doctor as he is at his job.

It started and finished at the Doorstep!

Last monday I received a text from a friend who kindly informed me that we only had four and a half years to go. I initially looked at the text, reread it, sat back and realised that the journey was going at a canter. The phrase, “time waits for no man”, had just rang home.

Looking back over the last term has been a blessing. It has taught me much about myself. It has made me think, it has been one hell of a rollercoster. Being a fresher at 27 initially had its apprehensions. I was 9 years older than the A-level entrant. I was entering a new generations turf and I was the alien in a new land. This worried me initially, I remember on the first day not seeing anyone to at least 4pm who could consume alcohol in the US. Some of them probably couldn’t see the resemblance  between the John Major,  “Spiiting Image”, puppett and one of our statistics lectures. (He doesn’t half go on about p’s).

So twelve weeks later looking back to day one do I still have these fears? I can safely say they have been vanquished by a motley crew of fellow students who are some of the best to walk this land.

Tonight as I sat at tea with one of the legends I realised that on this journey some true legends were on board. As we sat in Doorsteps this evening and also at lunch it dawned on me what a journey this had been so far. I was informed how last year I phoned him asking about the interview questions for Glasgow and forgot to tell him I had applied. He also told me how on the first day both of us had ended up in the aforementioned shop and ordered and eaten the same meal. Infact we both had ordered the same drinks if I remember right. This made me smile and think that both of us had started day one and finished the first semester on the same note.

Looking back over the twelve weeks, there have been some extraordinary highs and lows. The first week as I have talked on before was a real voyage of being emotionally lost. I think over the next few weeks it took me a while longer than I had anticipated to get used to all the changes. I remember waking up the morning before I started and not realising for an instant that I wasn’t at home. I remember visiting the bakery,  “The Oven Door”, on the Springfield Road for the first time. Here is a memorial to how customer service should be. It is the complete opposite to that robotic repetoire Tescos staff are scripted by the till to tell us. This is a good old fashioned, “love” fest. (I have stolen this phrase from Sparks. A “love” fest uses basically  the use of, “love” in every sentence). I love this place for a cup of tea (you want sugar, milk or black black “love”), a scone (“you want that buttered love”) and a bun you get chance from £1.30 . (“sure that ill do “love”). It really make Monday and Friday classes so much easier. The staff all have a great sense of humour.

Another highlight this term is the chance to get to do rowing. Since my initial enthusiasm the training has gone through the roof. A dose of tonsillitis killed that idea in the head.

Sport at Queens always has been a passion of mine and the chance now to get the Medics back playing rugby makes me realise that even though I am back five years on I may actually get a chance to get a new project up and running.  The thought of taking these boys on tour!! Willie John McBride would be needed to keep these gents in order.

During the term I have been travelling up from near home and the traveling is the only downside. It takes its toll on you. I feel that traveling takes away from having a chance to fit into and give back to the local community, it is in someways quite selfish. You only take from the experience and don’t give much back. When I get back to  the city I will have to take up the opportunity of giving back to Belfast. Otherwise I will turn into more of a selfish prick.

So if the last twelve weeks have been a rollercoster, its time to get off, re-adjust the balance and sit down and work out what I have learnt over the last three months. About me I suppose that I need to be more disciplined. It is better to do a few things well. To take time and put others first, this was highlighted by a classmate telling me about his term yesterday. Here is a true gentleman miles away from home who is too polite to put anyone out of their way heading home and not having really experienced much of Ireland. Next term it is my plan to get him to see and experience some of the local hidden gems.

So as I drift off to sleep on the last day of term. looking back over the last twenty four hours and the craic in one of the halls, the night out and the fry to finish before we all parted this afternoon.  I can safely say that I will miss the motly crew over the holidays and it has been a  blessing  in having met some absolutely fantastic individuals over the last twelve weeks.

Now to work off or add to that “your look like a boy with a bit of padding”, over the festive season. (We couldn’t have that lecturer short for things to talk about on the first day back could we!!).

On the Road!

So what has the last three months on the road taught me?

Well last Saturday I set off for Dublin at 06.45. I was hoping the fact that I was up so early that I would be rewarded with a spectacular view of the toll bridge. (See below for a view i got elsewhere at this time). As I drove to Newry my chances were getting slimmer and the fog lights were on. The fog lifted for a while and then near the bridge it struck again, my chances of a view were dashed.

It was that cold on Saturday that as I got out of the car in Dublin I noticed beads of ice had formed on my wing mirrors. I suppose the main thing this all means is, the next morning I have to drive to Dublin at this time I will be nearly guaranteed a better view. (During the last three months I have been sitting diligently through statistics lectures. Now it has only just reaffirmed my theory on certainty and two other things).

So why the preamble about last Saturday and fog. Well I think it helps me nicely picture my situation before three months ago, “in the rut”. You can’t see where you are going so you just drive on and hope you will get there. In really bad fog you slow down and take it even easier just to avoid any danger. You get annoyed when you don’t get the view you expected. You become comfortable driving in it as long as you have heat and music.

Once you get out of bad fog, you certainly don’t want to go back as you now can see where you are “mean’t to be going”. It is only when you get out of the fog and re-orientate yourself, that you realise you were lost and that you need to get back on track. By getting out of fog/ a rut doesn’t mean that I won’t enter another fog. I now just won’t choose to go back into it or I will now hopefully avoid it.

All of you nice and filled with metaphoric cliches. Being back on the road does have one disadvantage. I can’t go “home” for five years. Of course I can go to my parents house, but that is not the place where I could at anytime crash on the sofa, put the vibes up full, look at the ceiling and put the world in my head to rights.

Being anyone’s lodger is not “home” either. The bath is not metal, the toilet doesn’t have a bookshelf (Radiator), and there isn’t a pile of bricks arranged out the back. Its weird to say but I miss my pile of bricks. Yes the concept of this is weird but being able to go out set up a BBQ at whatever time you choose and have a beer and look at the stars. (I don’t even have a picture of the fine construction).

So where is my new home? Well I suppose its the road with all its twists and turns. Secretly I have enjoyed all of the good, bad and ugly bits. None of the journey I would change so far. Some of it I have to work on quite hard.

Would I go back to where I was at tomorrow just to have my pile of bricks etc? Not one bit of me would want to be back in that rut. Parts of it I miss of course but being on the road is a minuscule sacrifice to pay and every piece of it is worth it.