google got it all!

last friday, i was busy (as in hyper mode) cramming for an assignment that was given to us about diuretics (drugs that make you pee) and different info about them.  as usual, i counted on my cramming powers to complete the assignment along with our pharmacology text.  however, when i wanted information as fast as the eye could blink, i resorted to google.  and thanks to this magic page, i finished the homework in the nick of time.  the time was so "nicked", in fact, that i was able to pass the homework at 1153 pm (or so my colleagues said) when the deadline was at 1155 pm.  hahahaha.  thanks to the support of certain people, (you know who you are!) for cheering me on.

i digress, though, from the main topic of this blog.  SAFM and i were discussing how i could have gotten through the entire exercise of completing the assignment if internet were not yet available.  i nonchalantly answer "card catalog!" but thank goodness, we don't have to resort to archaic (and asthma inducing) tiny drawers of the card catalog or migraine-inducing numbers of the dewey decimal system, thanks to google. 

i mean, facebook is really a great invention, but i think google outdoes facebook by a mile!  to illustrate, here are the various uses of google that were really life changing for me.

1.  as mentioned, my pharma assignment.

2.
back in senior year, people were so into calorie counting for an impending fashion show we were to have at the time.  (advertising, please watch the doctor is in the runway, sunday december 28!)  here is an exchange a batchmate and i had.

enj: (while eating a banana coming from a piling in the callroom.  pf banana.)  ilan kaya ang calories ng saging.
SIU: we can always google it!  (googles away, types while saying out loud...) how many calories are there in a banana?

and this link from google comes up!  http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-banana.htm   AMAZING!

3. 
endless mp3 searching and downloading for ipod music appreciation and sentihan purposes.

4.
of course, there are endless EBM things we have to do wherein we start from a clinical scenario and then proceed to search for an article to answer the clinical question that we have.  however, many of my friends would know that i would EBM the SIU way with the following steps:

a.  google for an article.  for example, if i want to write on comparison between naproxen and mefenamic acid, i could probably use the search term through google:  naproxen mefenamic acid full text free article.
b.  click and download article
c.  THEN create a clinical question
d.  and EBM backwards
e.  THEN go to pubmed and use the search terms so that the article i initially googled would come up in the search page! 

smart eh?

5. 
real life needs:
this conversation ensues between TOE (term of endearment) and me.
TOE: (sun cellular call)  TOE, i have a favor to ask, pero it's quite nakakahiya.  (sosyal!)
SIU: ano yun?  game na.
TOE:  i need to make a phone call, but i ran out of load.  okay lang papasa load sa sun?
SIU: huh? ok sure.  pano gawin yun?
TOE: oh no, di ko alam.
SIU: ok, will call sun customer service and find out.  (Calls customer service, puuuuuuuuuuure tagal.  light bulb idea: we can use google!  types in while saying out load)  pasa load through sun cellular. 

and this site comes up: http://www.rechargemobilephones.com/ph/sun-cellular/sun-give-a-load/.

so my websites of choice, in order of priority, are as follows:
1.  google.
2.  facebook:  for stalking and updating oneself.  as a wise friend said, why read the newspaper, when you can read THE WALL?
3.  yout tube for entertainment.
4.  wikipedia. if i want to sound smart.


thank god we don't have to resort to the flinstonian card catalog anymore.