My tree's finally up. Put up the Christmas lights outdoors too, and did most of my X'mas shopping. Can't believe how time flies; doesn't seem like that long ago when I last blogged about this time of year.

Though I bitch about the winter, I really DO like this time of year. The white snow coating the ground and trees, like icing on cake. People are friendlier, warmer, more patient. The radio stations have begun playing Christmas songs. Friends seem closer. And I get a lot more nostalgic.

Think about friends past, and friends now. Weird friends. Like one of my buddies here who for the longest time (until 2 years ago) thought that Santa Claus and mommy were having an affair in that song, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. He's a nephrology trainee now. But I hate to think what that did to his childhood. Shudder.

First loves. Failed loves.

Patients we healed, and perhaps even cured. And patients we lost.

Family. Those gone, and those new. For some reason, this year I've been thinking about my late Grandpa a lot. He passed away in his sleep, while I was away in Canada for undergraduate medschool. Though we never talked much due to the language difficulties, I think he was immensely proud of us. I wish I could have said a proper goodbye. Or to tell him the family's doing well. Though somehow, I have a feeling he knows.