Happy Halloween!
I don't have a costume, and you can just shut up about that. I am wearing bat earrings, though. And if you're not careful, they might fly off my ears and into your face. Ha!
Tomorrow, besides being the day after Halloweed, is also November 1. Two very big and important things are happening (and I am all atwitter):
1. Dean's Letters go out to residency programs. Actually, they are no longer known as 'dean's letters,' but rather "Medical Student Performance Evaluation." Whatever. It is a letter. The dean wrote it. 'Nuf said. ANYway, many residency programs (claim to) wait until the MSPE goes out to offer interviews. Most programs claim to wait, while actually giving interviews to the more 'desirable' candidates, but whatever. TOMORROW IS THE DAY. I expect an e-mail box FULL of interviews tomorrow by 7am. Never mind that it is only west coast schools that I have to hear from and my seven is their four. I don't care. I WANT A BOX FULL.
2. National Novel Writing Month begins!!! I have two plot ideas floating around in my head. Tomorrow I'll have to pin one down and wrestle 50,000+ words out of it. One plot would involve a 16-ish year old girl in high school, the other a 12-ish year old boy on an adventure. Any suggestions?
Wish me (and my compatriates) luck!
Oct 31, 2005
Oct 28, 2005
Wikipedia Friday
Last Friday, I decided to institute "Wikipedia Friday"* on my blog. Here is installment numero two.
*"Wikipedia Friday": where I go on to Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia!) click the "Random Article" link, and then comment on the resulting topic here on my blog.
Today's topic: "Dorotea Municipality."
What I learned: Well, I can honestly say that my knowledge of Dorotea Municipality was pretty much non-existent before this afternoon. Turns out that it is a municipality in Sweden. And one of the least populated municipalities in Sweden to boot! About half the population of Dorotea Municipality live in the town of... you guessed it... Dorotea. It was named after Queen Frederica Dorotea Wilhelmina of Sweden. (inspiring me to question why Dorotea and not Frederica?)
Personal anecdote involving "Dorotea Municipality": This one time, I don't remember when, I went to the official website of the Dorotea Municipality, but I couldn't understand anything that was written there. Because it was all in Swedish. Actually, you know what? That was today.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Dorotea Municipality" article: While it is nice to see one of the least populated municipalities of Sweden represented in Wikipedia, I am a little distraught at the lack of depth of information. Most of the article is devoted to talking about a church that was built, burned down, and then built again. I feel the people of Dorotea deserve a more fleshed out description of their home.
*"Wikipedia Friday": where I go on to Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia!) click the "Random Article" link, and then comment on the resulting topic here on my blog.
Today's topic: "Dorotea Municipality."
What I learned: Well, I can honestly say that my knowledge of Dorotea Municipality was pretty much non-existent before this afternoon. Turns out that it is a municipality in Sweden. And one of the least populated municipalities in Sweden to boot! About half the population of Dorotea Municipality live in the town of... you guessed it... Dorotea. It was named after Queen Frederica Dorotea Wilhelmina of Sweden. (inspiring me to question why Dorotea and not Frederica?)
Personal anecdote involving "Dorotea Municipality": This one time, I don't remember when, I went to the official website of the Dorotea Municipality, but I couldn't understand anything that was written there. Because it was all in Swedish. Actually, you know what? That was today.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Dorotea Municipality" article: While it is nice to see one of the least populated municipalities of Sweden represented in Wikipedia, I am a little distraught at the lack of depth of information. Most of the article is devoted to talking about a church that was built, burned down, and then built again. I feel the people of Dorotea deserve a more fleshed out description of their home.
Oct 27, 2005
Notes From Peds ID
I don't think I ever posted anything about the new rotation I'm on. See how low key fourth year is? I cannot believe how the stress level relating to school plummeted! I think I don't notice it so much, because the stress level for residency applications is all-consuming. Sigh.
Anyway. It crossed my mind this morning, as we rounded on our one patient, that perhaps the cruelest thing you can to do an 11 year old boy is to wake him up at 9:30, rip his sheets off and do a physical exam. The adolescent male inside me (who knew I had an adolescent male in there, too???) dies a thousand deaths for him. The adolescent girl in me (aka the source of most of my actions) kind of does an evil little laugh.
I decided to do the Peds ID rotation not as a way to torture young boys, but rather to painfully expose and hopefully treat my serious lack of infectious disease knowledge. And it is working! I love this rotation. The attendings are so fantastic, especially the one we've had on service this month. I have not only learned a lot, I have also learned that I knew more than I thought I did! Fantastic.
Actually, a secondary reason for me doing this rotation was that one of the Peds ID faculty people was one of my interviewers back in ought-two when I was applying here. I thought it would be cool to actually work with him. He comes on to service next Tuesday. AND, next Friday, incidentally, is my Residency interview here. There is some sort of synchronisity going on there with this attending and interviews. I like it.
Anyway. It crossed my mind this morning, as we rounded on our one patient, that perhaps the cruelest thing you can to do an 11 year old boy is to wake him up at 9:30, rip his sheets off and do a physical exam. The adolescent male inside me (who knew I had an adolescent male in there, too???) dies a thousand deaths for him. The adolescent girl in me (aka the source of most of my actions) kind of does an evil little laugh.
I decided to do the Peds ID rotation not as a way to torture young boys, but rather to painfully expose and hopefully treat my serious lack of infectious disease knowledge. And it is working! I love this rotation. The attendings are so fantastic, especially the one we've had on service this month. I have not only learned a lot, I have also learned that I knew more than I thought I did! Fantastic.
Actually, a secondary reason for me doing this rotation was that one of the Peds ID faculty people was one of my interviewers back in ought-two when I was applying here. I thought it would be cool to actually work with him. He comes on to service next Tuesday. AND, next Friday, incidentally, is my Residency interview here. There is some sort of synchronisity going on there with this attending and interviews. I like it.
Oct 24, 2005
I AM the Coolest Person You Know
Remember how I took a spinning class a while back? Ooh - in fact, here is a picture so you can remember:
Well. I did really enjoy the spinning and even toyed around with the idea of purchasing a wheel on eBay. The cost is a tad bit out of my price range for now, but it is on the list of "Things Brenna Wants to Buy Someday." It fits somewhere after 'digital piano' and somewhere before 'the collective works of Dostoevsky.'
My friend who took the class with me, however, has been swept away in a spinning fury! She has joined a spinning circle and is borrowing a wheel from a fellow teacher to keep practicing. She is actively searching for a good deal on a wheel - and she convinced me to go to the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair yesterday.
That's right: Animal Fiber Fair.
And you know what? It was the most fun I've had since... the Dixie County Classic Fair! I think the Farm-Girl blood in me is making more of an appearance in me lately - there was a reason all my ancestors settled in the Midwest.
Heather and I drove two-plus hours to Asheville, NC to attend this animal fiber fair. I didn't really know what to expect... Here are some pictures so you know what to expect in the event you find yourself at a similar event some day:
Obviously, the first thing you need are tickets to the Agricultural Center. Obviously.
Here is Heather at the entrance to the Fair. It was in a stadium-type thing. There were two tiers of vendors selling things from roving (what you use to spin yarn from) to spinning wheels to spun yarn to yarn dye. There were even angora rabbits for sale inside, and sheep, goats and alpaca in the outside buildings.
One thing I certainly did not expect to see was all the men at the spinning wheels. There were probably about 20 people there just sittin' and spinnin'. Plus countless others at their booths working on a knit or crochet project. There were also felters and weavers and hookers and dyers. Everything that you could do with animal fiber was being done.
Since I'm not currently in the market for a wheel, I focused mainly on the yarn. The pretty, pretty, pretty yarn. So much yarn. So pretty. I did really well, though - I only bought enough yarn for two projects. I wanted so much more.
My favorite yarn was at this lady's booth - Brooks Farm. I wanted to buy absolutely everything she had. But I didn't - I only bought one, though I thought my head would explode from trying to choose just one color of the wool/silk blend. Ahhh.... so pretty. The lady who sells the yarn is married to the great-nephew of the man who designed the Buffalo-head nickel. No, they don't use that as a selling point.
After glutting ourselves with yarn, Heather and I made it out to the barns to visit some animals. We were admiring these alpaca when their owner came up and brought one out for us to feel the wool. Nifty! Alpaca wool yarn is SO cool and soft.
So, that was our day at the Animal Fiber Fair. Heather and I looked and looked, but saw few (if any) other people in our age range. We're the new trendsetters, though - I'm telling you. All the stars are knitting now, right? I bet you that it is just a matter of time before you see Julia Roberts manning a spinning wheel or Madonna dragging little Lourdes around an Animal Fiber Fair.
You heard it here first!
Well. I did really enjoy the spinning and even toyed around with the idea of purchasing a wheel on eBay. The cost is a tad bit out of my price range for now, but it is on the list of "Things Brenna Wants to Buy Someday." It fits somewhere after 'digital piano' and somewhere before 'the collective works of Dostoevsky.'
My friend who took the class with me, however, has been swept away in a spinning fury! She has joined a spinning circle and is borrowing a wheel from a fellow teacher to keep practicing. She is actively searching for a good deal on a wheel - and she convinced me to go to the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair yesterday.
That's right: Animal Fiber Fair.
And you know what? It was the most fun I've had since... the Dixie County Classic Fair! I think the Farm-Girl blood in me is making more of an appearance in me lately - there was a reason all my ancestors settled in the Midwest.
Heather and I drove two-plus hours to Asheville, NC to attend this animal fiber fair. I didn't really know what to expect... Here are some pictures so you know what to expect in the event you find yourself at a similar event some day:
Obviously, the first thing you need are tickets to the Agricultural Center. Obviously.
Here is Heather at the entrance to the Fair. It was in a stadium-type thing. There were two tiers of vendors selling things from roving (what you use to spin yarn from) to spinning wheels to spun yarn to yarn dye. There were even angora rabbits for sale inside, and sheep, goats and alpaca in the outside buildings.
One thing I certainly did not expect to see was all the men at the spinning wheels. There were probably about 20 people there just sittin' and spinnin'. Plus countless others at their booths working on a knit or crochet project. There were also felters and weavers and hookers and dyers. Everything that you could do with animal fiber was being done.
Since I'm not currently in the market for a wheel, I focused mainly on the yarn. The pretty, pretty, pretty yarn. So much yarn. So pretty. I did really well, though - I only bought enough yarn for two projects. I wanted so much more.
My favorite yarn was at this lady's booth - Brooks Farm. I wanted to buy absolutely everything she had. But I didn't - I only bought one, though I thought my head would explode from trying to choose just one color of the wool/silk blend. Ahhh.... so pretty. The lady who sells the yarn is married to the great-nephew of the man who designed the Buffalo-head nickel. No, they don't use that as a selling point.
After glutting ourselves with yarn, Heather and I made it out to the barns to visit some animals. We were admiring these alpaca when their owner came up and brought one out for us to feel the wool. Nifty! Alpaca wool yarn is SO cool and soft.
So, that was our day at the Animal Fiber Fair. Heather and I looked and looked, but saw few (if any) other people in our age range. We're the new trendsetters, though - I'm telling you. All the stars are knitting now, right? I bet you that it is just a matter of time before you see Julia Roberts manning a spinning wheel or Madonna dragging little Lourdes around an Animal Fiber Fair.
You heard it here first!
Oct 21, 2005
Wikipedia Friday
I'm bored.
So! I've decided to institute "Wikipedia Friday" where I go on to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia click the "Random Article" link, and then comment on the resulting topic here on my blog. I plan to make this a weekly installment for at least one week.
Can you taste the excitement??? Please, feel free to join in the fun by finding your own random article.
Today's topic: "Crocodile clip." aka "alligator clip" or "roach clip"
What I learned: the plastic part used to cover the metal part of the clip when it is being used for electricity-type stuff is called a 'boot.' Also, there is something called a 'beige box' that involves crocodile clips. A 'beige box' is involved in something called 'phone phreaking.' I don't know what that is.
Personal anecdote involving "crocodile clip": Well. The other day, I went to the dentist to get some fillings and they clipped that blue paper towel thing around my neck, and the hygienist clipped a little bit of my hair in the crocodile clip so my hair was being tugged on the whole time I was getting my fillings. That was kind of annoying.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Crocodile clip" article: It left me wanting more. Though the 'beige box-phone phreaking tangent' was intriguing.
So! I've decided to institute "Wikipedia Friday" where I go on to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia click the "Random Article" link, and then comment on the resulting topic here on my blog. I plan to make this a weekly installment for at least one week.
Can you taste the excitement??? Please, feel free to join in the fun by finding your own random article.
Today's topic: "Crocodile clip." aka "alligator clip" or "roach clip"
What I learned: the plastic part used to cover the metal part of the clip when it is being used for electricity-type stuff is called a 'boot.' Also, there is something called a 'beige box' that involves crocodile clips. A 'beige box' is involved in something called 'phone phreaking.' I don't know what that is.
Personal anecdote involving "crocodile clip": Well. The other day, I went to the dentist to get some fillings and they clipped that blue paper towel thing around my neck, and the hygienist clipped a little bit of my hair in the crocodile clip so my hair was being tugged on the whole time I was getting my fillings. That was kind of annoying.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Crocodile clip" article: It left me wanting more. Though the 'beige box-phone phreaking tangent' was intriguing.
Don't Forget to Remember
I'm fairly certain that most students at small liberal arts colleges (like my own alma mater) have (or will( at some point, referred to their campus as a 'bubble.' As in "College" is such a bubble. Good explanation, no? Actually, what people seem to generally be referring to is the complete and total lack of awareness of what is going on in the outside world. It was true at St. Olaf, as I'm sure it is true at other colleges and universities.
As it is true in medical school as well.
Which makes me think - do I carry my bubble around with me? Perhaps I am living in my own little Brenna-bubble that only lets in certain information, while being completely and totally oblivious to other things.
For instance - things the bubble lets in: 1. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn making out. 2. Hurricanes 3. Residency applications - specifically who in my class is applying to what field/programs. 4. Chocolate and coffee.
Things the bubble deflects: (beyond the general category of 'everything else'): Earthquakes. Did you KNOW that there was a gigantic earthquake in Pakistan? I kind of sort of did. I remember hearing about it at some point. But did you know that over 51,000 people are dead? That's a lot of people. A big ol' "disturbance in the force."
But... somehow that did not penetrate my little bubble until this very moment. I feel kind of ashamed. At the same time, though... I need to focus on school and applications, etc. so that I can hopefully someday provide some actual, tangible help instead of a piddly donation. So maybe the bubble is a good thing? Probably not, but I guess that's just the way it is going to be for the time being. I'll just try to turn down the deflection shield a little bit at a time.
As it is true in medical school as well.
Which makes me think - do I carry my bubble around with me? Perhaps I am living in my own little Brenna-bubble that only lets in certain information, while being completely and totally oblivious to other things.
For instance - things the bubble lets in: 1. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn making out. 2. Hurricanes 3. Residency applications - specifically who in my class is applying to what field/programs. 4. Chocolate and coffee.
Things the bubble deflects: (beyond the general category of 'everything else'): Earthquakes. Did you KNOW that there was a gigantic earthquake in Pakistan? I kind of sort of did. I remember hearing about it at some point. But did you know that over 51,000 people are dead? That's a lot of people. A big ol' "disturbance in the force."
But... somehow that did not penetrate my little bubble until this very moment. I feel kind of ashamed. At the same time, though... I need to focus on school and applications, etc. so that I can hopefully someday provide some actual, tangible help instead of a piddly donation. So maybe the bubble is a good thing? Probably not, but I guess that's just the way it is going to be for the time being. I'll just try to turn down the deflection shield a little bit at a time.
Oct 17, 2005
Interview Frenzy...!
...okay. So, not an interview frenzy, per se. Not even really an interview hubbub, actually. Maybe a tad bit of interview commotion, though.
For those of you new to... me and my ramblings: I am going into pediatrics. And for those of you not familiar with the direct realtionship between monetary remuneration and the popularity of medical specialties (and/or the inverse relationship to level of difficulty): peds is not hard to get into. (presuming, of course, that you are sensible enough to apply to a school or two outside of the top ten - or smart enough to get away with it)
Originally, I wanted to apply to 10 schools. Ten is a nice, round number. Plus it is how many we get 'free' with the first lump payment of the application. Every school above ten costs an additional amount. Ten made a lot of sense.
I tried moderately hard, but couldn't narrow it down to ten. So... 15. Fifteen is also a good number. A strong number. Fifteen. Very nice.
In the end, I applied to 16 schools. Maybe not as sexy a number as 15, but still very elegant in its own square-of-four fashion. I like square numbers.
After submitting my application, I got three interviews relatively quickly. One of those three was quite persistent, too (making me believe it is a 'lesser' school - I'm that desirable??) My own school rounded my interviews out to four.
Then the silence.
No interviews. Which was all good and fine until someone introduced me to the forums at studentdoctor.net. Every time I open that freaking site, my whole body goes into panic mode. Panicpanicpanic. It was from those forums that I discovered that two of my top four choices were already offering interviews - and I hadn't gotten one! Horrors! Panicky-panicky horrors!
So... Nineteen. Nineteen schools is a great number of schools to apply to, don't you think? I mean, nineteen may not be as elegant as 16, but 19 is a prime number. That means it is special, and therefore luckier, right? Of course, right.
It especially helps when the three schools you add are ones that you know are offering interviews. I'm up to six interview offers now. I'm not a fan of the number six, though... too smug.
Talking to the peds residents who have been through all of this before - they say that 5-8 interviews was about all they could take. One I talked to this morning had done 11 interviews and said it was way too many. I need to start making decisions, I guess. But at the moment - it is SO addictive getting the interview offers. It helps ease the panicky panic. I just want more! More more more!!!
23 is a prime number, too, right...?
And 25 is a square....
For those of you new to... me and my ramblings: I am going into pediatrics. And for those of you not familiar with the direct realtionship between monetary remuneration and the popularity of medical specialties (and/or the inverse relationship to level of difficulty): peds is not hard to get into. (presuming, of course, that you are sensible enough to apply to a school or two outside of the top ten - or smart enough to get away with it)
Originally, I wanted to apply to 10 schools. Ten is a nice, round number. Plus it is how many we get 'free' with the first lump payment of the application. Every school above ten costs an additional amount. Ten made a lot of sense.
I tried moderately hard, but couldn't narrow it down to ten. So... 15. Fifteen is also a good number. A strong number. Fifteen. Very nice.
In the end, I applied to 16 schools. Maybe not as sexy a number as 15, but still very elegant in its own square-of-four fashion. I like square numbers.
After submitting my application, I got three interviews relatively quickly. One of those three was quite persistent, too (making me believe it is a 'lesser' school - I'm that desirable??) My own school rounded my interviews out to four.
Then the silence.
No interviews. Which was all good and fine until someone introduced me to the forums at studentdoctor.net. Every time I open that freaking site, my whole body goes into panic mode. Panicpanicpanic. It was from those forums that I discovered that two of my top four choices were already offering interviews - and I hadn't gotten one! Horrors! Panicky-panicky horrors!
So... Nineteen. Nineteen schools is a great number of schools to apply to, don't you think? I mean, nineteen may not be as elegant as 16, but 19 is a prime number. That means it is special, and therefore luckier, right? Of course, right.
It especially helps when the three schools you add are ones that you know are offering interviews. I'm up to six interview offers now. I'm not a fan of the number six, though... too smug.
Talking to the peds residents who have been through all of this before - they say that 5-8 interviews was about all they could take. One I talked to this morning had done 11 interviews and said it was way too many. I need to start making decisions, I guess. But at the moment - it is SO addictive getting the interview offers. It helps ease the panicky panic. I just want more! More more more!!!
23 is a prime number, too, right...?
And 25 is a square....
Oct 13, 2005
Premature Maturity
There are times in my life where I walk around the hospital all day composing my next blog entry in my head. Those are the days where I consider faking a bathroom break to skip out of rounds to go capture my witticisms before they escape my head. I actually do carry around a notecard where I jot down funny things to blog about. These are the times where I refer to blogging as being 'addictive.'
Lately... eh. I seem to have kicked the habit. It isn't that my life has suddenly grown so exciting that I have no time to blog, or that it has grown so boring that I don't have anything to blog about. Really, it seems to be that I've found the right amount of business/laziness to actually get me out of my own head for the time being.
Because really, honestly? What is blogging if not the ultimate expression of self-centeredness and self-obsession? Here I am, writing about my piddly little life, and expecting others to not only read, but to actually care about it. And I do! I expect people to care and to appreciate me and my life and what I have to say! I'm not too proud to admit how self-centered I am.
I've actually been thinking about this for a while - the selfishness of blogging. It is a craze that has seemed to have swept the younger generations more so than the older ones. This is partially due to the fact that most of the 'older' generation don't spend hours on end in front of the computer. And, I believe, it is partially due to less selfishness in general in the older generations.
Right now I am 27 years old, single, and childless. The most important thing in my life is me. I'm always there, I know my every thought and I always try to make myself happy. The perfect relationship! Why not be selfish and self-centered? I'm gosh-darn good at it - as are most other people in my situation. Why shouldn't we blog about our lives? Children and teenagers are by their very nature completely self-centered. It is only as we age that we begin to comprehend the world around us. Until then, the entire world is just "I." We live inside our heads and within our desires.
Though I am no longer a teenager, I do still live inside my head a lot. Not as much, but enough. I don't know for sure, but I feel pretty certain that I'll stay this way until I have children of my own. I don't think you can really move outside yourself completely until there is someone else completely dependent upon you.
That said, the fact that I haven't been blogging most definitely does not mean I'm pregnant. (Though this would be a really funny way to announce it... I'll have to remember that for the future...) I think I'm just suffering from a bout of maturity.
Don't worry. It won't last long!
Lately... eh. I seem to have kicked the habit. It isn't that my life has suddenly grown so exciting that I have no time to blog, or that it has grown so boring that I don't have anything to blog about. Really, it seems to be that I've found the right amount of business/laziness to actually get me out of my own head for the time being.
Because really, honestly? What is blogging if not the ultimate expression of self-centeredness and self-obsession? Here I am, writing about my piddly little life, and expecting others to not only read, but to actually care about it. And I do! I expect people to care and to appreciate me and my life and what I have to say! I'm not too proud to admit how self-centered I am.
I've actually been thinking about this for a while - the selfishness of blogging. It is a craze that has seemed to have swept the younger generations more so than the older ones. This is partially due to the fact that most of the 'older' generation don't spend hours on end in front of the computer. And, I believe, it is partially due to less selfishness in general in the older generations.
Right now I am 27 years old, single, and childless. The most important thing in my life is me. I'm always there, I know my every thought and I always try to make myself happy. The perfect relationship! Why not be selfish and self-centered? I'm gosh-darn good at it - as are most other people in my situation. Why shouldn't we blog about our lives? Children and teenagers are by their very nature completely self-centered. It is only as we age that we begin to comprehend the world around us. Until then, the entire world is just "I." We live inside our heads and within our desires.
Though I am no longer a teenager, I do still live inside my head a lot. Not as much, but enough. I don't know for sure, but I feel pretty certain that I'll stay this way until I have children of my own. I don't think you can really move outside yourself completely until there is someone else completely dependent upon you.
That said, the fact that I haven't been blogging most definitely does not mean I'm pregnant. (Though this would be a really funny way to announce it... I'll have to remember that for the future...) I think I'm just suffering from a bout of maturity.
Don't worry. It won't last long!
Oct 9, 2005
Fair Time!
Susan and I actually went to the fair on Monday. I've been too lazy to actually post anything yet. Here are some pictures for your visual pleasure:
This is Susan feeding an alpaca. Doesn't it make you just want to shear it and wash and card the wool and then spin it into yarn and knit a fuzzy scarf so that you too can look like that?? The alpaca, not Susan.
Me and a yak. Don't talk back!
This is evidence of how Susan and I share one brain some times. Note the same brown Danskos, the same Gap Long and Lean jeans. We're also both wearing gray shirts. Not quite the same shirt, but I came this close to wearing the same one she did.
We went on some rides, but I actually have a lot more pictures of the animals at the petting zoo area than of any of the rides. I think I was too annoyed because someone spit on my head from the ferris wheel. Ick. Still, gotta love a fair!
This is Susan feeding an alpaca. Doesn't it make you just want to shear it and wash and card the wool and then spin it into yarn and knit a fuzzy scarf so that you too can look like that?? The alpaca, not Susan.
Me and a yak. Don't talk back!
This is evidence of how Susan and I share one brain some times. Note the same brown Danskos, the same Gap Long and Lean jeans. We're also both wearing gray shirts. Not quite the same shirt, but I came this close to wearing the same one she did.
We went on some rides, but I actually have a lot more pictures of the animals at the petting zoo area than of any of the rides. I think I was too annoyed because someone spit on my head from the ferris wheel. Ick. Still, gotta love a fair!
Marathon Wo-MAN
My dear sister is in a marathon today. Marathon. MAR-athon. That's 26.2 miles. Wowie-wow-wow. GO Melissa GO!!!!
How awesome is she? Totally.
This brings the marathon participation rate of our family up to 40%. (Melissa and Dad) That may be as high as it gets.
How awesome is she? Totally.
This brings the marathon participation rate of our family up to 40%. (Melissa and Dad) That may be as high as it gets.
Oct 7, 2005
Half-Way...
...done with my last year of medical school. ::nervous laughter::
In less than a year, people will be calling me 'Doctor.' ::uncontrollable, nervous laughter::
Of course, I have to stop all this nervous laughing, or people may start to think that I'm a "Doctor." You know... Like... I made it up... or something... like... I'm not really a doctor... but say I am... and laugh... you know... haha...
There are some inflections that are just hard to get across in type.
In less than a year, people will be calling me 'Doctor.' ::uncontrollable, nervous laughter::
Of course, I have to stop all this nervous laughing, or people may start to think that I'm a "Doctor." You know... Like... I made it up... or something... like... I'm not really a doctor... but say I am... and laugh... you know... haha...
There are some inflections that are just hard to get across in type.
Oct 3, 2005
Things That Make Life Worth Living
If you've noted the title of my blog, you might be aware of my appreciation for words - big or otherwise. (There is also the reference to medical school intended in the title, as well - the 'big words' of medical academia... like armamentarium, or gastroenterology or... polyhydramnios)
Well, we are at that special time of year again when Webster's dictionary announces the new words that they are going to add to the dictionary. I'm always fascinated to see what makes the cut. Apparently it takes about ten years for a word or phrase to actually make it in. I guess they need to make sure the word has staying power. Which explains why 'bikini wax' is just now making it in. And 'hospitalist' and (joy of joys) 'chick flick.'
It does not explain how I have made it through my life without ever hearing the phrase amuse-bouche (noun): a small complimentary appetizer offered at some restaurants. Or, my new favorite - retronym (noun): a term consisting of a noun and a modifier which specifies the original meaning of the noun. ("Film camera," for instance).
Mmmm. Isn't it great?
I will say that Webster's is way behind Wikipedia in sheer volume of new concepts and words and, well, just everything. But still, Webster's is an institution. And, I don't see Wikipedia putting anything out in print form! Egads!, that would be hu-normous!
Well, we are at that special time of year again when Webster's dictionary announces the new words that they are going to add to the dictionary. I'm always fascinated to see what makes the cut. Apparently it takes about ten years for a word or phrase to actually make it in. I guess they need to make sure the word has staying power. Which explains why 'bikini wax' is just now making it in. And 'hospitalist' and (joy of joys) 'chick flick.'
It does not explain how I have made it through my life without ever hearing the phrase amuse-bouche (noun): a small complimentary appetizer offered at some restaurants. Or, my new favorite - retronym (noun): a term consisting of a noun and a modifier which specifies the original meaning of the noun. ("Film camera," for instance).
Mmmm. Isn't it great?
I will say that Webster's is way behind Wikipedia in sheer volume of new concepts and words and, well, just everything. But still, Webster's is an institution. And, I don't see Wikipedia putting anything out in print form! Egads!, that would be hu-normous!
Productive Uses of Time
When I was in AmeriCorps, I had a job that kept me busy for maybe 10-20 hours a week. But I was at work for about 40 hours a week. During that year, I got really good at wasting time. Mostly on the internet, and generally not in a productive helping-humanity-or-even-learning-anything-useful way. Basically, I had a list of websites that I'd visit every day, and a few online games (Scrabble, a crossword, etc.) that I'd play. After a few months of that, I felt like my brain was turning to mush. I was quite happy to leave that job to start medical school.
Well. I'm back to that brain-mushifying state of doing nothing. I'm on a surgical rotation right now, but my attending only does surgeries on Tuesday-Thursday - and even then, not always. I'm left with a lot of 'reading time.' If I was a better and wiser person, I'd use this time to, say... read. Alas, I am neither better nor wiser. So I end up watching television, playing computer games (Snood and Spider Solitaire mostly) and regularly checking my e-mail, people's blogs, and entertainment news sites. What an exciting life.
I've known for a long time that the busier I am, the more productive I am. Give my any free time, and I turn into a slug. I'm looking forward to residency because of that - I love feeling productive and busy, and this fourth year of med school thing really isn't doing it for me.
Words I will surely be eating a year from now.
In slightly more interesting news, I do have three interviews set up now. Three of the 16 programs to which I applied. A couple of the programs don't even start looking at applications until November 1. Slightly annoying. Only slightly, though.
I am so bored.
Well. I'm back to that brain-mushifying state of doing nothing. I'm on a surgical rotation right now, but my attending only does surgeries on Tuesday-Thursday - and even then, not always. I'm left with a lot of 'reading time.' If I was a better and wiser person, I'd use this time to, say... read. Alas, I am neither better nor wiser. So I end up watching television, playing computer games (Snood and Spider Solitaire mostly) and regularly checking my e-mail, people's blogs, and entertainment news sites. What an exciting life.
I've known for a long time that the busier I am, the more productive I am. Give my any free time, and I turn into a slug. I'm looking forward to residency because of that - I love feeling productive and busy, and this fourth year of med school thing really isn't doing it for me.
Words I will surely be eating a year from now.
In slightly more interesting news, I do have three interviews set up now. Three of the 16 programs to which I applied. A couple of the programs don't even start looking at applications until November 1. Slightly annoying. Only slightly, though.
I am so bored.
Oct 1, 2005
Theme Day
You know how some days there is some topic or person or word that just keeps popping up over and over seemingly randomly? Something like the word 'egregious' (which no one ever really uses) being used in a book, a newscast and by your sister-in-law all in the same day. I think of these as 'theme days.'
Today was a theme day.
And the theme was not egregious - neither the word or the meaning. Whatever could the theme be, you ask? Ex-boyfriends. Bizarre, no? No less bizarre from the fact that I was not the only person taken into this particular theme.
Susan and I (mostly Susan) had a Yard Sale today. In in, I sold the guitar given to me by an ex-boyfriend, and Susan sold a bracelet and Waterford crystal make-up brush (seriously) given to her by an ex. Then there was a new post made by an ex-boyfriend. And finally, to top it all off, I got a call from an old friend to tell me that she ran into one of my old boyfriends last night at a party and that he was asking about me.
Okay, so maybe that really doesn't count as a theme. But I'm taking it. AND, I'm taking the opportunity to discuss here, on my blog, my less-than-extensive dating history. To save for posterity as the 'before' as I await my exciting, date-filled 'after.'
My first boyfriend was named Joe. We started dating in Germany while on an exchange program. I was 16, he was 15. I think we started officially dating a few days before we left Germany - he asked me out as we were getting back on the bus after visiting a bunch of really beautiful churches and fountains. One might say that a beautiful German church or fountain would be a better setting for one's first 'wanna date' talk than the exhausty back of a bus. One would be right. Joe was a good first boyfriend, though. We dated through band camp (yes, I said band camp). He played the bass drum, and therefore had the coolness factor that made it okay for me to date a sophomore during my junior year. Eventually, Joe dumped me for a girl on the color guard named Jamie. My being a junior didn't make up for the distinctive un-coolness of being a clarinet player, I guess.
A few months later, I asked a guy named Aaron to the girl-ask-guy dance at our school (which, for some reason still unknown to me was called Bali Hai). I had had an on-again, off-again crush on him during our sophomore year. We ended up dating for about three weeks, I think. Not very long, but it was high school, so three weeks is a long time! Even if one of those weeks we missed several days due to snow. Aaron and I parted relatively amicably. I think there was just a little too much ego to split between two people there.... During our senior year, Aaron started dating a mystery girl from another high school. Apparently, they are married now! That makes me officially the Last Girl He Dated Before He Got Married. Weird.
After high school there was a looooong stretch of un-boyfriendedness marked by several close misses of disastrous relationships - notably during my junior year of college where I nipped a semi-budding flirtation in the bud. Mostly it was because he was two years my junior and I was on res life staff in the dorm he lived in. Also, it was partly due to the fact that his name was Bert.
When I was 24, I started dating a great guy in Alaska named T. I never knew how to spell T's name for sure. T? Tee? He didn't seem to care. I generally just avoided writing it, so that worked fine. T was a wonderful boyfriend. For my birthday, he threw me a party, gave me a guitar, painted me a picture, AND had two Dairy Queen ice cream cakes packed in frozen ice and flown up from Seattle. (seeing as there was no DQ in Sitka, and that is 'my' traditional birthday cake) I was not a very good girlfriend to T. I knew when I started dating him that I'd dump him when I left for med school. Yeah. I felt too guilty to do it at first, so I waited about a month before I crushed him. He is married now too, marking the second time I'm the Last Girl He Dated Before He Got Married. I heard he proposed on top of a mountain (literally) - I did do better at finding boys who have a better sense of setting by that time, I guess.
After T was.... well... No one really. I've had a couple of disastrous and/or spark-less dates during med school, but no official 'boyfriend.' Which REALLY makes it weird that I could have an ex-boyfriend themed day, don't you think? Hmm.
Oh, well. I made some money at the yard sale AND I got a suit yesterday. FANtastic.
Today was a theme day.
And the theme was not egregious - neither the word or the meaning. Whatever could the theme be, you ask? Ex-boyfriends. Bizarre, no? No less bizarre from the fact that I was not the only person taken into this particular theme.
Susan and I (mostly Susan) had a Yard Sale today. In in, I sold the guitar given to me by an ex-boyfriend, and Susan sold a bracelet and Waterford crystal make-up brush (seriously) given to her by an ex. Then there was a new post made by an ex-boyfriend. And finally, to top it all off, I got a call from an old friend to tell me that she ran into one of my old boyfriends last night at a party and that he was asking about me.
Okay, so maybe that really doesn't count as a theme. But I'm taking it. AND, I'm taking the opportunity to discuss here, on my blog, my less-than-extensive dating history. To save for posterity as the 'before' as I await my exciting, date-filled 'after.'
My first boyfriend was named Joe. We started dating in Germany while on an exchange program. I was 16, he was 15. I think we started officially dating a few days before we left Germany - he asked me out as we were getting back on the bus after visiting a bunch of really beautiful churches and fountains. One might say that a beautiful German church or fountain would be a better setting for one's first 'wanna date' talk than the exhausty back of a bus. One would be right. Joe was a good first boyfriend, though. We dated through band camp (yes, I said band camp). He played the bass drum, and therefore had the coolness factor that made it okay for me to date a sophomore during my junior year. Eventually, Joe dumped me for a girl on the color guard named Jamie. My being a junior didn't make up for the distinctive un-coolness of being a clarinet player, I guess.
A few months later, I asked a guy named Aaron to the girl-ask-guy dance at our school (which, for some reason still unknown to me was called Bali Hai). I had had an on-again, off-again crush on him during our sophomore year. We ended up dating for about three weeks, I think. Not very long, but it was high school, so three weeks is a long time! Even if one of those weeks we missed several days due to snow. Aaron and I parted relatively amicably. I think there was just a little too much ego to split between two people there.... During our senior year, Aaron started dating a mystery girl from another high school. Apparently, they are married now! That makes me officially the Last Girl He Dated Before He Got Married. Weird.
After high school there was a looooong stretch of un-boyfriendedness marked by several close misses of disastrous relationships - notably during my junior year of college where I nipped a semi-budding flirtation in the bud. Mostly it was because he was two years my junior and I was on res life staff in the dorm he lived in. Also, it was partly due to the fact that his name was Bert.
When I was 24, I started dating a great guy in Alaska named T. I never knew how to spell T's name for sure. T? Tee? He didn't seem to care. I generally just avoided writing it, so that worked fine. T was a wonderful boyfriend. For my birthday, he threw me a party, gave me a guitar, painted me a picture, AND had two Dairy Queen ice cream cakes packed in frozen ice and flown up from Seattle. (seeing as there was no DQ in Sitka, and that is 'my' traditional birthday cake) I was not a very good girlfriend to T. I knew when I started dating him that I'd dump him when I left for med school. Yeah. I felt too guilty to do it at first, so I waited about a month before I crushed him. He is married now too, marking the second time I'm the Last Girl He Dated Before He Got Married. I heard he proposed on top of a mountain (literally) - I did do better at finding boys who have a better sense of setting by that time, I guess.
After T was.... well... No one really. I've had a couple of disastrous and/or spark-less dates during med school, but no official 'boyfriend.' Which REALLY makes it weird that I could have an ex-boyfriend themed day, don't you think? Hmm.
Oh, well. I made some money at the yard sale AND I got a suit yesterday. FANtastic.
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