Monday, November 27, 2006

TV, the disease of this era

I tried not watching tv for a week, and you know what it was prbably the happiest time of my life. It just wastes way too much time of your life. it eats away precious moments during and after watching. at that time, I studied, I called friends and family , I actually had deep thoughts too! I knew what I was doing and why I was doing it , what my aim in life was. I had an excellent sense of right and wrong, I felt I could think freely. I felt I had a long day to do loads of useful stuff, I could just go on about this. But trust me, you have to do this, for the sake of your life.

NB. Brain waves were measured during sleep and during watching tv, guess what........ brain waves during sleep show a higher activity than when watching tv !! I quote:

"Flicking on the TV, Krugman began monitoring the brain-waves of the subject What he found through repeated trials was that within about thirty seconds, the brain-waves switched from predominantly beta waves, indicating alert and conscious attention, to predominantly alpha waves, indicating an unfocused, receptive lack of attention: the state of aimless fantasy and daydreaming below the threshold of consciousness. When Krugman's subject turned to reading through a magazine, beta waves reappeared, indicating that conscious and alert attentiveness had replaced the daydreaming state."

The original article:

http://dieoff.org/page24.htm


So why is it only a week , why didn't I go on with my tv-less life of happiness ..... ? ! ..sigh ....
I think its because I've been studying for the last 2 years continuously ! I study for about an hour and then I use TV as a switch-off, mentally and emotionally ! Being semi depressed most of the time trying to push away thoughts of inadequacy and uselessness, I just turn on the TV to take a break. Its a vicious cycle.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

To leave or not to leave!

I just had an argument with my mother, about 2 seconds ago. Not exactly an argument. My younger brother in Canada is depressed because he is living alone and the studies are really hard. I was trying to console her but without much success. A real dilemma it turns out to be , to leave or not to leave!! He left and he's having a hard time, I'm here and I've had a hard time for the last 8 years!

I can't stand it in this country because after 8 years of serious hard dedicated work studying medicine I don't find a satisfactory return. For a starter I have a basic salary about 180 LE/30$ per month!! Thats the salary provided by the government when you enroll on the official pay-roll. Of course most doctors work in the private sector at the same time so they can start becoming at least independent.


I'l explain later why I was traumatized by the health care system in Egypt.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Going to the new world

In less than a week I will be going to the USA for the second time in my life. The last time was about 25 years and 7 months 28 days ago when I was born! Just born , perhaps for the sole purpose of getting the US citizenship to go back there some day. Who new that Hosni Mubarak would remain in power for the next 25 years( he went into power 8 months after I was born.... man this guy is ancient!), and that he would probably keep the country just the same..... a repellant to all the educated minds of its own. I don't have a single friend who can leave and doesn't want to leave...actually there is one , but he's depressed now :P .... no really he is, he recently thought of changing his career, which is probably what I would would do if I stayed here....