City by the Bay

"Mr. Whirly had a catastrophic incident / He fell into the city by the bay / He liquidated his estate / Now he sleeps upon the Haight / Panhandling misery." (Green Day - Misery).

When I first heard this song, I had no idea what it was talking about. I encountered it in an undergrad class called "Social Dances of North America 2" where it was played as a schottische, a Bohemian folk dance. Amazing, huh?

San Francisco couldn't be further from misery. True, the fog and the traffic and the weather can get you down sometimes. But I really like the city. It has its own personality, its own attitude. There are so many things to try, so many things to do. It's a beautiful place, with hidden shops and fascinating panhandlers and cultural secrets. It's wonderful to have the time to try unique restaurants (Burmese food anyone?) and dessert places (there's a cool place called Creations on Geary). A few of my friends from undergrad live in the city and spending time with them is great; sometimes, I just need to get away from this medical world. I love hanging out with friends over at 145 Irving, watching a movie, eating ice cream, and not worrying at all about nutrition and metabolism. But, I suppose with the upcoming test, we may again find ourselves sequestered in libraries and tomes of knowledge.