I'm in the library at school working on a presentation about Robertsonian Translocations right now.
I was working along just fine, minding my own business, drawing nice pretty little diagrams of chromosomes and gametes. Then this lady sat down at a computer that is about ten feet away from me.
And she took off her shoes.
Now my eyes are watering, and I'm getting a headache, and I have to leave.
You'd think if your feet smelled that bad, you LEAVE YOUR SHOES ON!
Mar 30, 2006
Mar 29, 2006
Contest!
I would like to announce the First Ever Big Words Movie Quote Contest!!!
[bells and whistles go here]
The winner will receive (if they want it) a copy* of the movie in question.
Name the movie that goes with this quote:
Include with your answer at least ten words (in sentence format) of why this movie rocks. Submit all answers to my comments section. And... if I don't know you, I'll need some sort of contact info.
*In VHS format. I'm not DVD nice.
[bells and whistles go here]
The winner will receive (if they want it) a copy* of the movie in question.
Name the movie that goes with this quote:
"The only industry left was the manufacturing of space ships."
Include with your answer at least ten words (in sentence format) of why this movie rocks. Submit all answers to my comments section. And... if I don't know you, I'll need some sort of contact info.
*In VHS format. I'm not DVD nice.
Mar 27, 2006
Lull
I like the word 'lull.' It is such a pretty sound. And I love that it can be a verb - to lull - it sounds like what it means.
But today, I use it in the 'before-the-storm' sense. Or rather, between the storms. The storm of Match Day has passed. And now is the lull before GRADUATION happens.
Everything is nice and peaceful right now. I'm on my last - last - rotation as a medical student (genetics), and I'm so peaceful (in a state of lull), that I don't even care all that much about anything going on. I have not made one peep on this blog about the resident or other student that I'm working with. And believe me, had this been in a non-lull month - I'd have been more than peeping.
And the tragic story of the honor student who got pregnant, thus ruining her grandiose plans, only to find out that the fetus has a not-compatible-with-life genetic mutation, thus ensuring that she will actually be able to follow her plans? Or the parents of the eight-year-old child who were just told now that their child is retarded and won't 'get smarter'? These stories have fallen into my lulled little brain with a small little thud, instead of drumrolls and large cymbal crashes as they would have a few months ago...
My entire existence now, is focused on the arriving storm: Graduation. Finding a place to live. Doctor. Moving. Doctor. Residency. Doctor. California. Residency. DOCTOR.
Time to batten down the hatches!
But today, I use it in the 'before-the-storm' sense. Or rather, between the storms. The storm of Match Day has passed. And now is the lull before GRADUATION happens.
Everything is nice and peaceful right now. I'm on my last - last - rotation as a medical student (genetics), and I'm so peaceful (in a state of lull), that I don't even care all that much about anything going on. I have not made one peep on this blog about the resident or other student that I'm working with. And believe me, had this been in a non-lull month - I'd have been more than peeping.
And the tragic story of the honor student who got pregnant, thus ruining her grandiose plans, only to find out that the fetus has a not-compatible-with-life genetic mutation, thus ensuring that she will actually be able to follow her plans? Or the parents of the eight-year-old child who were just told now that their child is retarded and won't 'get smarter'? These stories have fallen into my lulled little brain with a small little thud, instead of drumrolls and large cymbal crashes as they would have a few months ago...
My entire existence now, is focused on the arriving storm: Graduation. Finding a place to live. Doctor. Moving. Doctor. Residency. Doctor. California. Residency. DOCTOR.
Time to batten down the hatches!
Mar 24, 2006
Excuse Me!
Just now, I had a girl literally run after me in the hallway yelling 'Excuse me! Excuse me!" I thought it was someone in a rush just trying to get past other people with a large bag or something. There are always people rushing around in a hospital with large bags. Or something.
But it turns out, she was actually trying to get my attention. She recognized me as her Kaplan teacher from a couple of years ago. She's starting school here in the fall, and wanted to thank me for helping her do well on the Verbal Section! ::warm fuzzies::
How awesome must it be to be an actual teacher (instead of a fumbling wannabe like me) and be able to shape the lives of so many people. Teachers deserve so much credit. I hope people give them ::warm fuzzies:: all the time. Though, unfortunately ::warm fuzzies:: can't be exchanged for dollars or gold.
Or burritos.
Excuse me, all teachers!: You rock!!
But it turns out, she was actually trying to get my attention. She recognized me as her Kaplan teacher from a couple of years ago. She's starting school here in the fall, and wanted to thank me for helping her do well on the Verbal Section! ::warm fuzzies::
How awesome must it be to be an actual teacher (instead of a fumbling wannabe like me) and be able to shape the lives of so many people. Teachers deserve so much credit. I hope people give them ::warm fuzzies:: all the time. Though, unfortunately ::warm fuzzies:: can't be exchanged for dollars or gold.
Or burritos.
Excuse me, all teachers!: You rock!!
Mar 23, 2006
Shake That Booty!
Yesterday, I knit a baby bootie.
Then I was like... "Brenna. You just knit a baby bootie."
And then I felt like my own great-grandmother. Not that she was known for knitting baby booties. (I don't know if any of my great-grandmothers were known for anything, actually.) But, seriously? Baby booties? Afghans and scarves are one thing - knitting those can be kinda-sorta cool. I don't know about baby booties, though.
But it is so cute!! And one baby bootie will do no one any good.
Incidentally, let's start a rumor that my great-grandmother was known for caber tossing.
Then I was like... "Brenna. You just knit a baby bootie."
And then I felt like my own great-grandmother. Not that she was known for knitting baby booties. (I don't know if any of my great-grandmothers were known for anything, actually.) But, seriously? Baby booties? Afghans and scarves are one thing - knitting those can be kinda-sorta cool. I don't know about baby booties, though.
But it is so cute!! And one baby bootie will do no one any good.
Incidentally, let's start a rumor that my great-grandmother was known for caber tossing.
Mar 21, 2006
Brenna's Bar Brawl
A popular question these past few days, from non-people-who-just-matched people has been "Did you go out and celebrate?" My answer: a guarded yes. I couldn't give details, because I had to do some fact-gathering.
Well, okay, I didn't really have to 'gather facts' - I was there, after all. But I just confirmed yesterday that I did, in fact, start a bar brawl.
Only... it wasn't so much a bar as a Pizza place.
And... it wasn't so much a brawl as people yelling at each other across the street in Spanish, while twelve girls chanted 'get out!' and the cops looked on.
Hee-hee-hee!
What happened was this (This is totally like a flashback story, no? I describe the climax, and then go back to why it happened! Totally like Alias. I am Sidney Bristow. Minus the secret-spy skillz. And maybe I should say I am J.J. Abrams. Minus the actually good-story-telling-ability skillz.):
There was a school sponsored Match Day party at a very nice club in down town Winston. I went, I ate, I danced, I had fun, and I had some wine. Not too much. Just enough.
Then I was all set to go home.
Except that someone said, "We're going to Local Bar!" and I said "Awesome!" I don't think I actually said 'awesome' (though I often do), I more likely said "Okay!" with the awesome-ness implied. Practicing my subtlety skillz.
At Local Bar, I had just one beer. Responsible Brenna. And then, at last call, Ihadatequilashotbecausesomeoneboughtaroundforthewholetable.
Then, I was all set to go home.
Except that someone said, "Let's go get pizza at Local Late Night Pizza Place!" and I said "Awesome!" No more subtlety skillz by then. I totally said 'awesome.' And I might have bounced. Just a little. Because, MMMMmmmm Pizza.
So, we trudged up to LLNPP, and lo and behold! ran into some other just-Matched classmates. There was the Spanish-Speaking Classmate, the Inebriated Classmate, and the Looking On Bemusedly Classmate.
IC had apparently insulted two tables full of young drunk girls. I don't know what he did, but it involved the word 'fat.' So, there were already twelve or so girls yelling at IC. SSC and LOBC were just... looking on bemusedly.
We got our pizza, and joined our friends, at a booth across the aisle from them. Then... I threw a napkin at someone in the other booth. Because, you know, there are times that napkins should just be thrown. Except that my throwing-at-a-target skillz are... not great. And I missed. And I hit someone in a booth on the other side of the wall.
I hit him with a napkin.
A clean napkin, I might add.
Then, I went back to eating my pizza. Because, Mmmm, Pizza.
Next thing I knew, SSC was yelling at the people in the other booth. And LLNPP employee was asking that entire booth to leave - our friends, not the yellers.
And then the girls started chanting, "Get out! Get out!" (because, let's face it, no matter what IC did, if it involved the word 'fat,' girls are not going to get over it)
So, IC, SSC and LOBC left. And guys from the other booth (three big Hispanic guys) followed them out.
And the Hispanic guys girlfriends followed them out, saying something like "Don't do this!"
And... I followed them all out because... well, Bar Brawl!!!
When I got out, IC had fallen on the ground, SSC was across the street yelling back to the Hispanic guys in Spanish (my Spanish Skillz are not great, so I don't know what they were saying) and LOBC was hailing a cab. All under the watchful eyes of several policemen.
That's when I left (with my non-brawling friends), so I didn't know what had happened afterward - thus the fact-finding I had to do. (I also confirmed that Hispanic guys were mad because someone had thrown a napkin at them)
But, nothing terrible or exciting happened. IC, SSC and LOBC all left in the cab, and no one was arrested or anything. Which is good. Which is why I can tell the story without feeling guilty. For starting a Bar Brawl. With a napkin.
And now I can resoundingly say, "Yes, I did celebrate Match Day!"
Well, okay, I didn't really have to 'gather facts' - I was there, after all. But I just confirmed yesterday that I did, in fact, start a bar brawl.
Only... it wasn't so much a bar as a Pizza place.
And... it wasn't so much a brawl as people yelling at each other across the street in Spanish, while twelve girls chanted 'get out!' and the cops looked on.
Hee-hee-hee!
What happened was this (This is totally like a flashback story, no? I describe the climax, and then go back to why it happened! Totally like Alias. I am Sidney Bristow. Minus the secret-spy skillz. And maybe I should say I am J.J. Abrams. Minus the actually good-story-telling-ability skillz.):
There was a school sponsored Match Day party at a very nice club in down town Winston. I went, I ate, I danced, I had fun, and I had some wine. Not too much. Just enough.
Then I was all set to go home.
Except that someone said, "We're going to Local Bar!" and I said "Awesome!" I don't think I actually said 'awesome' (though I often do), I more likely said "Okay!" with the awesome-ness implied. Practicing my subtlety skillz.
At Local Bar, I had just one beer. Responsible Brenna. And then, at last call, Ihadatequilashotbecausesomeoneboughtaroundforthewholetable.
Then, I was all set to go home.
Except that someone said, "Let's go get pizza at Local Late Night Pizza Place!" and I said "Awesome!" No more subtlety skillz by then. I totally said 'awesome.' And I might have bounced. Just a little. Because, MMMMmmmm Pizza.
So, we trudged up to LLNPP, and lo and behold! ran into some other just-Matched classmates. There was the Spanish-Speaking Classmate, the Inebriated Classmate, and the Looking On Bemusedly Classmate.
IC had apparently insulted two tables full of young drunk girls. I don't know what he did, but it involved the word 'fat.' So, there were already twelve or so girls yelling at IC. SSC and LOBC were just... looking on bemusedly.
We got our pizza, and joined our friends, at a booth across the aisle from them. Then... I threw a napkin at someone in the other booth. Because, you know, there are times that napkins should just be thrown. Except that my throwing-at-a-target skillz are... not great. And I missed. And I hit someone in a booth on the other side of the wall.
I hit him with a napkin.
A clean napkin, I might add.
Then, I went back to eating my pizza. Because, Mmmm, Pizza.
Next thing I knew, SSC was yelling at the people in the other booth. And LLNPP employee was asking that entire booth to leave - our friends, not the yellers.
And then the girls started chanting, "Get out! Get out!" (because, let's face it, no matter what IC did, if it involved the word 'fat,' girls are not going to get over it)
So, IC, SSC and LOBC left. And guys from the other booth (three big Hispanic guys) followed them out.
And the Hispanic guys girlfriends followed them out, saying something like "Don't do this!"
And... I followed them all out because... well, Bar Brawl!!!
When I got out, IC had fallen on the ground, SSC was across the street yelling back to the Hispanic guys in Spanish (my Spanish Skillz are not great, so I don't know what they were saying) and LOBC was hailing a cab. All under the watchful eyes of several policemen.
That's when I left (with my non-brawling friends), so I didn't know what had happened afterward - thus the fact-finding I had to do. (I also confirmed that Hispanic guys were mad because someone had thrown a napkin at them)
But, nothing terrible or exciting happened. IC, SSC and LOBC all left in the cab, and no one was arrested or anything. Which is good. Which is why I can tell the story without feeling guilty. For starting a Bar Brawl. With a napkin.
And now I can resoundingly say, "Yes, I did celebrate Match Day!"
Mar 17, 2006
Happy St. Patricks Day!
When did this holiday become a valid excuse to get really drunk? It isn't quite as big here in this town, but I've seen timers in other bars that are counting down to St. Patty's Day all year long! I dont' get it...
What I really want to talk about is Match Day, though! Yesterday, I was too pumped up to do more than a quick note. But the whole day was somewhat surreal, and I'm sure everyone in the world is dying to know about it!
Match Day is a day that I personally have been anticipating and dreading for about as long as I knew it existed. That anxiety level kept going up and up and up - especially these past few days. I was very happy to learn on Monday that I had matched. Since I was happy with my rank list, I was able to just be excited about the actual Match. Still terrified, but more excited-terrified than please-just-kill-me-now terrified.
Thankfully, we celebrated Ari's birthday on Wednesday night with much laughter and Chinese food (and sushi), which effectively distracted me from pacing around my living room. And yesterday morning, we met for a late breakfast, also to distract us. And to make us feel like we were characters from Sex and the City. Minus the sex part. And the city part. But totally the 'and the' part.
We assembled in the building by our mailboxes starting around 11:30. Almost the whole class was there - something that hasn't happened for many moons. There were also spouses and parents and millions and millions of babies. Our class started spawning sometime in the last two years - it is absolutely amazing!
There was a lot of nervous laughter and hugs and picture taking as we stood around waiting... Then, at 12:00, we all filed in to where our mailboxes are to get the Envelope (like the Oscars!).
Now, our mailboxes are all in one little area, back in this little 15' by 15' area that has a giant table in the middle of it. It was kind of a single-file shuffle to get to the boxes. This process was not helped by the one person who brought their spouse and daughter back to the area, then opened their letter while standing in front of half the boxes! And then the daughter reached into someone else's box - they weren't latched - and pulled out someone else's letter!! It wasn't mine, so I thought it was funny.
Susan and I got our letters, and then walked out to a more open area. So we could be photographed, of course. :) They sealed those letters SO tight. It was really hard to open - not helped by the fact that I started to cry. Haha! Nervous/excited/terrified tears which turned into tears of frustration as I tried to get my finger under the envelope flap.
Finally (it really only took two seconds, but felt like forever) I got the envelope open - and started cheering. I think I was actually cheering/jumping/flailing before I completely processed what the letter said. You know how when you touch something hot, and your hand automatically pulls back before you actually feel your hand burning? Yeah, I think it was like that.
Susan was cheering/jumping/flailing/tearing up right next to me, so I took that to be a good sign, too, which it was. She'll be going to Birmingham, Alabama for pediatrics.
We spent the next half hour frantically trying to find out where everyone else was going. Most of our class seems to be happy - with a few exceptions, of course. But, at least everyone was pretending to be satisfied.
I finally remembered that I should call my mother (sorry, Mom!) to tell her the news. She was, as expected, very happy for me. The funniest part about calling people was that EVERYone was calling people. There were thirty people pacing around outside the hospital with their cell phones to their ears. Very interesting sight!
The rest of the day was spent partying and just celebrating our general awesome-ness. We did have a lunch thing-y where we got up as our names were randomly called, put a dollar in a bucket, and announced to the class where we matched. The last person called got the bucket. Needless to say, I was one of the first thirty called. This tradition is how many schools actually get their match envelope! How nerve-inducting would that be! Getting the letter in front of everyone...
So! That was Match Day. And now, I have just three weeks of clinical work left, and four or so weeks back in the classroom, and then.... holy cow... I'll be a doctor. [Cue the please-kill-me-now terrified laughter.]
What I really want to talk about is Match Day, though! Yesterday, I was too pumped up to do more than a quick note. But the whole day was somewhat surreal, and I'm sure everyone in the world is dying to know about it!
Match Day is a day that I personally have been anticipating and dreading for about as long as I knew it existed. That anxiety level kept going up and up and up - especially these past few days. I was very happy to learn on Monday that I had matched. Since I was happy with my rank list, I was able to just be excited about the actual Match. Still terrified, but more excited-terrified than please-just-kill-me-now terrified.
Thankfully, we celebrated Ari's birthday on Wednesday night with much laughter and Chinese food (and sushi), which effectively distracted me from pacing around my living room. And yesterday morning, we met for a late breakfast, also to distract us. And to make us feel like we were characters from Sex and the City. Minus the sex part. And the city part. But totally the 'and the' part.
We assembled in the building by our mailboxes starting around 11:30. Almost the whole class was there - something that hasn't happened for many moons. There were also spouses and parents and millions and millions of babies. Our class started spawning sometime in the last two years - it is absolutely amazing!
There was a lot of nervous laughter and hugs and picture taking as we stood around waiting... Then, at 12:00, we all filed in to where our mailboxes are to get the Envelope (like the Oscars!).
Now, our mailboxes are all in one little area, back in this little 15' by 15' area that has a giant table in the middle of it. It was kind of a single-file shuffle to get to the boxes. This process was not helped by the one person who brought their spouse and daughter back to the area, then opened their letter while standing in front of half the boxes! And then the daughter reached into someone else's box - they weren't latched - and pulled out someone else's letter!! It wasn't mine, so I thought it was funny.
Susan and I got our letters, and then walked out to a more open area. So we could be photographed, of course. :) They sealed those letters SO tight. It was really hard to open - not helped by the fact that I started to cry. Haha! Nervous/excited/terrified tears which turned into tears of frustration as I tried to get my finger under the envelope flap.
Finally (it really only took two seconds, but felt like forever) I got the envelope open - and started cheering. I think I was actually cheering/jumping/flailing before I completely processed what the letter said. You know how when you touch something hot, and your hand automatically pulls back before you actually feel your hand burning? Yeah, I think it was like that.
Susan was cheering/jumping/flailing/tearing up right next to me, so I took that to be a good sign, too, which it was. She'll be going to Birmingham, Alabama for pediatrics.
We spent the next half hour frantically trying to find out where everyone else was going. Most of our class seems to be happy - with a few exceptions, of course. But, at least everyone was pretending to be satisfied.
I finally remembered that I should call my mother (sorry, Mom!) to tell her the news. She was, as expected, very happy for me. The funniest part about calling people was that EVERYone was calling people. There were thirty people pacing around outside the hospital with their cell phones to their ears. Very interesting sight!
The rest of the day was spent partying and just celebrating our general awesome-ness. We did have a lunch thing-y where we got up as our names were randomly called, put a dollar in a bucket, and announced to the class where we matched. The last person called got the bucket. Needless to say, I was one of the first thirty called. This tradition is how many schools actually get their match envelope! How nerve-inducting would that be! Getting the letter in front of everyone...
So! That was Match Day. And now, I have just three weeks of clinical work left, and four or so weeks back in the classroom, and then.... holy cow... I'll be a doctor. [Cue the please-kill-me-now terrified laughter.]
Mar 16, 2006
...drumroll...
UC Davis!!
(for those of you keeping track, that was numero uno)
And now I can breathe again...
(for those of you keeping track, that was numero uno)
And now I can breathe again...
Mar 13, 2006
Match Update
Congratulations, you have matched!
(I still haven't gotten the e-mail, but I went and checked on the official page, because I was hyperventilating...!)
The rumor mill is listing number of scramblers in our class at 1 right now. There is sure to be more gossip. I am, of course, dying to know.
Medical students are just bad people.
I have to relay one story: This time, three years ago, when I was but a wee little first year, I remember seeing the fourth year students (aka intimidating, OLD people) all being panicky about the Scramble and Match. I started freaking out about this day all the way back then. But I survived! And I matched! Hooray!
Now I just want to know where!!!!
(I still haven't gotten the e-mail, but I went and checked on the official page, because I was hyperventilating...!)
The rumor mill is listing number of scramblers in our class at 1 right now. There is sure to be more gossip. I am, of course, dying to know.
Medical students are just bad people.
I have to relay one story: This time, three years ago, when I was but a wee little first year, I remember seeing the fourth year students (aka intimidating, OLD people) all being panicky about the Scramble and Match. I started freaking out about this day all the way back then. But I survived! And I matched! Hooray!
Now I just want to know where!!!!
Mar 10, 2006
I Love Toys!
As at least Melissa knows, VH1 has been running an "I Love Toys" series (like the I Love the 80's, but for... toys) - the top 100 toys. I felt this called for a Special Edition Blog, because just watching the top 20 toys brings back floods of memories! I'll just include the ones that I had/played with as I grew up (or even yesterday). In bold are the things we had in our home...
100. Magic 8 Ball - Melissa had this. It was great until it got all bubbly. I like to live my life according to the 8 Ball's advice. Reply Hazy.
99. Thumbelina - ?
98. BB Guns - I would have shot my eye out...
97. Spirograph - I loved this thing, but it was so frustrating! I'd do several rounds perfectly, then totally mess up on the last one. Grr.
96. Pong
95. Chutes & Ladders - Melissa's game, I think. I liked it. Except when I lost...
94. Laser Tag
93. Sea Monkeys - Creepy little things. Yuck.
92. Dominos
91. Uno - Still one of ym favorite games!
90. Models - I built a Statue of Liberty model with my dad. Poor guy wanted sons... :)
89. Dungeons & Dragons
88. Care Bears - Melissa had a Grumpy Bear, which was so fitting. Ahh, the memories...
87. Radio Control Cars - I don't think I had any, but Dad sure did. Again, no sons.
86. Ouija Board - My mom is not crazy-conservative by any means, but there was no way she was letting one of these in our house. I do remember playing it one time at a slumber party - I was 8 or 9. It told me I was going to marry the guy in our class that was known for picking his nose. The thing is? One of the girls playing was my arch-rival. I suspected trickery.
85. My Little Pony - I feel like Melissa had more of these than I did, but I do remember one with shiny wings that moved when you pused a lever on its back. Then one wing fell off.
84. Gumby
83. Memory - I loved playing this game with Melissa or Lindsay because I always won. Somehow, back then, it didn't matter that I was two or even three times their age.
82. Little Golden Books - The Poky Little Puppy!!! I loved those books. Still do.
81. Wooly Willy - One of my sisters got one of these when I was in junior high or something... I hadn't seen one until then. He lived by our phone for a while, which was fun.
80. Baby Alive
79. Trivial Pursuit - I like this game a lot, still, at times. I remember reading the questions as a kid and feeling really... young.
78. Green Army Men - Didn't play with them as a kid, but did decorate a friend's house with them a few years back...
77. Stickers - Oh, yeah I had a sticker collection, complete with sticker book. I L-O-V-E-D getting the fancy 2-quarter stickers at restuarants. Sparkly!
76. Balsa Wood Airplanes
75. Weebles - They don't fall down! I used to have a house and a car and a girl and boy Weeble. I know where the girl is, but the other stuff is long gone. I don't really remember playing with them, but I remember having them...
74. Erector Set
73. Rainbow Brite - Her shiny skirt hurt my eyes. But I liked her yarn hair.
72. Colorforms
71. Walkie Talkies - I was so excited to get walkie talkies! They had morse code printed on them. I remember playing with the morse code more than actually using the talkie part.
70. Candyland - I hate this game.
69. Slip'N Slide
68. Smurfs - I know I had a little smurf, but I don't remember which one...
67. Tinker Toys
66. Risk - We had this game (may still have), but I dont' think anyone has ever played it. We were more into Pretty, Pretty Princess and Dream Phone and Mall Madness.
65. Jigsaw Puzzles
64. Roller Skates - Got my first, and only, pair in fifth or sixth grade. Right when everyone else was getting roller blades. How dorky are roller blades?!
63. Rubik's Cube
62. Life
61. Operation - I would just wedge the tweezers into the crack in
the heart to get it out. It was so easy that way. Probably a good thing I'm not going into cardiothoracic surgery! Man, does my bread basket hurt.
60. Tickle Me Elmo
59. Simon - My cousin, Ian, had this. I remember playing it with him at my grandparent's house... It was fun. I got a travel-size Simon a while ago. Man, it is really annoying. I can't believe our parents and grandparents didn't send us packing!
58. Mad Libs
57. Stretch Armstrong - I think it was Melissa that had this. I brought it to school in HS for some sort of presentation (who knows...), and left it in the trunk afterwards. It stayed there for a good long time and got pretty cooked. No more stretchy. Or maybe it was Melissa that did that... I get our lives confused.
56. Barrel O'Monkeys - My cousin, Heather, had this. Again, I remember playing with it at her house, and it was fun. In college, I got my own monkeys, but they mostly just sat there. There are many things more fun than Barrel O'Monkeys.
55. Mousetrap - Melissa's game. It always took so long to play, that I think we just set it up and set off the trap for fun half of the time.
54. Viewmaster - I still love these things!
53. He-Man - My mom didn't want me to watch He-Man for some reason...
52. Speak N'Spell - Possibly my All Time Favorite Toy. I still have it somewhere. I love the little electronic voice. Q is my favorite letter to hear him say.
51. Lincoln Logs
50. Game Boy - Again, this game was Melissa's. I'd play it occasionally, but... I'm more Speak N' Spell than Donkey Kong.
49. Clue - My board game. I was always drawn to the shortcuts for some reason. Kitchen to Study! Awesome.
48. Little People
47. Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
46. Hungry Hungry Hippos - Melissa's. What a violent little game that always seems to turn out to be. Violently Hungry Hippos.
45. Frisbee
44. Raggedy Ann & Andy
43. See N'Say - The cow says MOOOO. That was my favorite sound. This may have been Lindsay's. Poor thing ended up with a lot of hand-me-down toys, apparently... Either that, or she's too young for this list!
42. Jump Rope
41. Transformers
40. Big Wheel - Melissa had a pink one, I had a black and yellow one? Maybe? Or Melissa had a black and yellow one and the neighbor had a pink one. I remember trying to get a fast start on with it on our gravel driveway, though - the wheels would spin and spin before they'd finally grip.
39. Tea Set
38. Pogo Stick - Not a pogo stick (though I always wanted one!) - but a Pogo Ball!
37. Mattel Classic Football - We had this game in our junk drawer for years and years. I'd take it out and mess with it every once in a blue moon, but I could never figure it out.
36. Strawberry Shortcake
35. Tonka Trucks
34. Connect Four - I think this was Melissa's, too...
33. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
32. Shrinky Dinks - I remember doing these with Dad. So much fun!
31. Twister - Melissa's game...
30. Battleship - First game I remember being tempted to cheat at. And I did cheat, on occasion. Sorry, Melissa. I don't cheat any more!
29. Cabbage Patch Kids - Remember the craze? I got one of the coveted dolls for Christmas in kindergarten (I think). Then its head split open! I got a new one, though. Stacie Trixie.
28. Crayola Crayons - We kept ours in a blue bucket. It's what my dad used to teach me about centrifugal force - I remember standing in the basement flinging that bucket around.
27. Silly Putty
26. Lionel Trains
25. Lite Brite - I miss my Lite Brite...
24. Water Guns
23. Nerf
22. Teddy Bears
21. Nintendo - We even had the floor pad thing for the running games. Man, we made a lot of noise with that. And the duck hunt!
20. Atari
19. Easy Bake Oven - Melissa had this sitting in her closet, I think until my parents moved last summer...
18. Scrabble - I get kind of bored with this game, which is surprising given how much I love words.
17. Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
16. Etch-A-Sketch - I could draw a mean rectangle!
15. Matchbox & Hot Wheels Cars
14. Bicycles - Learned to ride my bike on a gravel driveway. I thought it was normal to spend the entire summer with both knees, and sometimes elbows, covered in scabs. Of course, it may have been my general klutziness more than the gravel driveway...
13. Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine - One of my good friends in jr. high had this, though I don't ever remember using it.
12. Radio Flyer
11. Play-Doh - Like Mom and the Ouija Board, Dad didn't ever want this evil stuff in the house. We'd get it from friends occasionally, though, then we'd have to put newspaper all over the table and the floor, and the walls, and each other.... No Play-Doh in our carpet!
10. Wiffle Ball and Bat
9. Slinky - The plastic ones are such junk. We had one or two of each kind - metal and junk.
8. Yo-Yo
7. Star Wars Action Figures - One weekend, which may or may not have been the Fourth of July, I found a Darth Vader action figure under a tree at Square Lake. I felt like I'd owon the lottery, and I kept that thing for years. It didn't do anything. But, man! It was Darth Vader!!
6. Monopoly - If I must play this game, I would like to be the iron. But I'd rather not play the game.
5. Mr. Potato Head - I think this was Melissa's too. Which is fine with me, because I think Mr. P-H is kinda boring.
4. GI Joe
3. Legos - I like to build houses. And cars.
2. Barbie Doll - I liked to take all the clothes, set up a little Barbie boutique and make my sister's dolls come shopping for clothes. Of course, me, as the boutique-owner, got first pick at the clothes. Then Barbie and Ken would get in their Corvette, and plunge down the stairs.
1. Hula Hoop - You know, for kids!
100. Magic 8 Ball - Melissa had this. It was great until it got all bubbly. I like to live my life according to the 8 Ball's advice. Reply Hazy.
99. Thumbelina - ?
98. BB Guns - I would have shot my eye out...
97. Spirograph - I loved this thing, but it was so frustrating! I'd do several rounds perfectly, then totally mess up on the last one. Grr.
96. Pong
95. Chutes & Ladders - Melissa's game, I think. I liked it. Except when I lost...
94. Laser Tag
93. Sea Monkeys - Creepy little things. Yuck.
92. Dominos
91. Uno - Still one of ym favorite games!
90. Models - I built a Statue of Liberty model with my dad. Poor guy wanted sons... :)
89. Dungeons & Dragons
88. Care Bears - Melissa had a Grumpy Bear, which was so fitting. Ahh, the memories...
87. Radio Control Cars - I don't think I had any, but Dad sure did. Again, no sons.
86. Ouija Board - My mom is not crazy-conservative by any means, but there was no way she was letting one of these in our house. I do remember playing it one time at a slumber party - I was 8 or 9. It told me I was going to marry the guy in our class that was known for picking his nose. The thing is? One of the girls playing was my arch-rival. I suspected trickery.
85. My Little Pony - I feel like Melissa had more of these than I did, but I do remember one with shiny wings that moved when you pused a lever on its back. Then one wing fell off.
84. Gumby
83. Memory - I loved playing this game with Melissa or Lindsay because I always won. Somehow, back then, it didn't matter that I was two or even three times their age.
82. Little Golden Books - The Poky Little Puppy!!! I loved those books. Still do.
81. Wooly Willy - One of my sisters got one of these when I was in junior high or something... I hadn't seen one until then. He lived by our phone for a while, which was fun.
80. Baby Alive
79. Trivial Pursuit - I like this game a lot, still, at times. I remember reading the questions as a kid and feeling really... young.
78. Green Army Men - Didn't play with them as a kid, but did decorate a friend's house with them a few years back...
77. Stickers - Oh, yeah I had a sticker collection, complete with sticker book. I L-O-V-E-D getting the fancy 2-quarter stickers at restuarants. Sparkly!
76. Balsa Wood Airplanes
75. Weebles - They don't fall down! I used to have a house and a car and a girl and boy Weeble. I know where the girl is, but the other stuff is long gone. I don't really remember playing with them, but I remember having them...
74. Erector Set
73. Rainbow Brite - Her shiny skirt hurt my eyes. But I liked her yarn hair.
72. Colorforms
71. Walkie Talkies - I was so excited to get walkie talkies! They had morse code printed on them. I remember playing with the morse code more than actually using the talkie part.
70. Candyland - I hate this game.
69. Slip'N Slide
68. Smurfs - I know I had a little smurf, but I don't remember which one...
67. Tinker Toys
66. Risk - We had this game (may still have), but I dont' think anyone has ever played it. We were more into Pretty, Pretty Princess and Dream Phone and Mall Madness.
65. Jigsaw Puzzles
64. Roller Skates - Got my first, and only, pair in fifth or sixth grade. Right when everyone else was getting roller blades. How dorky are roller blades?!
63. Rubik's Cube
62. Life
61. Operation - I would just wedge the tweezers into the crack in
the heart to get it out. It was so easy that way. Probably a good thing I'm not going into cardiothoracic surgery! Man, does my bread basket hurt.
60. Tickle Me Elmo
59. Simon - My cousin, Ian, had this. I remember playing it with him at my grandparent's house... It was fun. I got a travel-size Simon a while ago. Man, it is really annoying. I can't believe our parents and grandparents didn't send us packing!
58. Mad Libs
57. Stretch Armstrong - I think it was Melissa that had this. I brought it to school in HS for some sort of presentation (who knows...), and left it in the trunk afterwards. It stayed there for a good long time and got pretty cooked. No more stretchy. Or maybe it was Melissa that did that... I get our lives confused.
56. Barrel O'Monkeys - My cousin, Heather, had this. Again, I remember playing with it at her house, and it was fun. In college, I got my own monkeys, but they mostly just sat there. There are many things more fun than Barrel O'Monkeys.
55. Mousetrap - Melissa's game. It always took so long to play, that I think we just set it up and set off the trap for fun half of the time.
54. Viewmaster - I still love these things!
53. He-Man - My mom didn't want me to watch He-Man for some reason...
52. Speak N'Spell - Possibly my All Time Favorite Toy. I still have it somewhere. I love the little electronic voice. Q is my favorite letter to hear him say.
51. Lincoln Logs
50. Game Boy - Again, this game was Melissa's. I'd play it occasionally, but... I'm more Speak N' Spell than Donkey Kong.
49. Clue - My board game. I was always drawn to the shortcuts for some reason. Kitchen to Study! Awesome.
48. Little People
47. Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
46. Hungry Hungry Hippos - Melissa's. What a violent little game that always seems to turn out to be. Violently Hungry Hippos.
45. Frisbee
44. Raggedy Ann & Andy
43. See N'Say - The cow says MOOOO. That was my favorite sound. This may have been Lindsay's. Poor thing ended up with a lot of hand-me-down toys, apparently... Either that, or she's too young for this list!
42. Jump Rope
41. Transformers
40. Big Wheel - Melissa had a pink one, I had a black and yellow one? Maybe? Or Melissa had a black and yellow one and the neighbor had a pink one. I remember trying to get a fast start on with it on our gravel driveway, though - the wheels would spin and spin before they'd finally grip.
39. Tea Set
38. Pogo Stick - Not a pogo stick (though I always wanted one!) - but a Pogo Ball!
37. Mattel Classic Football - We had this game in our junk drawer for years and years. I'd take it out and mess with it every once in a blue moon, but I could never figure it out.
36. Strawberry Shortcake
35. Tonka Trucks
34. Connect Four - I think this was Melissa's, too...
33. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
32. Shrinky Dinks - I remember doing these with Dad. So much fun!
31. Twister - Melissa's game...
30. Battleship - First game I remember being tempted to cheat at. And I did cheat, on occasion. Sorry, Melissa. I don't cheat any more!
29. Cabbage Patch Kids - Remember the craze? I got one of the coveted dolls for Christmas in kindergarten (I think). Then its head split open! I got a new one, though. Stacie Trixie.
28. Crayola Crayons - We kept ours in a blue bucket. It's what my dad used to teach me about centrifugal force - I remember standing in the basement flinging that bucket around.
27. Silly Putty
26. Lionel Trains
25. Lite Brite - I miss my Lite Brite...
24. Water Guns
23. Nerf
22. Teddy Bears
21. Nintendo - We even had the floor pad thing for the running games. Man, we made a lot of noise with that. And the duck hunt!
20. Atari
19. Easy Bake Oven - Melissa had this sitting in her closet, I think until my parents moved last summer...
18. Scrabble - I get kind of bored with this game, which is surprising given how much I love words.
17. Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
16. Etch-A-Sketch - I could draw a mean rectangle!
15. Matchbox & Hot Wheels Cars
14. Bicycles - Learned to ride my bike on a gravel driveway. I thought it was normal to spend the entire summer with both knees, and sometimes elbows, covered in scabs. Of course, it may have been my general klutziness more than the gravel driveway...
13. Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine - One of my good friends in jr. high had this, though I don't ever remember using it.
12. Radio Flyer
11. Play-Doh - Like Mom and the Ouija Board, Dad didn't ever want this evil stuff in the house. We'd get it from friends occasionally, though, then we'd have to put newspaper all over the table and the floor, and the walls, and each other.... No Play-Doh in our carpet!
10. Wiffle Ball and Bat
9. Slinky - The plastic ones are such junk. We had one or two of each kind - metal and junk.
8. Yo-Yo
7. Star Wars Action Figures - One weekend, which may or may not have been the Fourth of July, I found a Darth Vader action figure under a tree at Square Lake. I felt like I'd owon the lottery, and I kept that thing for years. It didn't do anything. But, man! It was Darth Vader!!
6. Monopoly - If I must play this game, I would like to be the iron. But I'd rather not play the game.
5. Mr. Potato Head - I think this was Melissa's too. Which is fine with me, because I think Mr. P-H is kinda boring.
4. GI Joe
3. Legos - I like to build houses. And cars.
2. Barbie Doll - I liked to take all the clothes, set up a little Barbie boutique and make my sister's dolls come shopping for clothes. Of course, me, as the boutique-owner, got first pick at the clothes. Then Barbie and Ken would get in their Corvette, and plunge down the stairs.
1. Hula Hoop - You know, for kids!
Mar 7, 2006
But What Time do We Panic?
An excerpt from an e-mail I just received:
"This email provides important information about the schedule for releasing NRMP Match information during Match Week, March 13-17, 2006. All times are eastern standard time.
"All applicants will receive their Did I Match? information on the web and by email at noon on Monday, March 13th, letting them know whether, but not where, they matched. Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Match Day, Thursday, March 16th, matched applicants will be able to access their Where Did I Match? information on the web, letting them know to which program(s) they matched. Applicants will be able to access their certified rank order lists throughout Match Week.
"The List of Unfilled Programs will be available to all unmatched applicants by email and on the web beginning at noon on Tuesday, March 14th."
Breathe, Brenna. Just breathe...
"This email provides important information about the schedule for releasing NRMP Match information during Match Week, March 13-17, 2006. All times are eastern standard time.
"All applicants will receive their Did I Match? information on the web and by email at noon on Monday, March 13th, letting them know whether, but not where, they matched. Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Match Day, Thursday, March 16th, matched applicants will be able to access their Where Did I Match? information on the web, letting them know to which program(s) they matched. Applicants will be able to access their certified rank order lists throughout Match Week.
"The List of Unfilled Programs will be available to all unmatched applicants by email and on the web beginning at noon on Tuesday, March 14th."
Breathe, Brenna. Just breathe...
Mar 3, 2006
Wikipedia Friday
Before I begin this week's installment of W.F., I'd like to share with you what one of my attendings said to a patient this past week. We were talking about why the patient shouldn't take a certain medicine on an empty stomach. Attending said: It is like you write a letter to the Stomach Ache Doctor: 'Please give me a stomach ache.' And he will." I almost burst out laughing right there. Then I did a little dance in my head, because pediatrics really is so much more fun than anything else. Stomach Ache Doctor. Ha!
Now, on to the main event:
Today's topic: Hideo Itokawa
What I learned about "Hideo Itokawa": I learned that Hideo Itokawa was a genius, who skipped many grades, and then became a pioneer of Japanese rocketry. In fact, they called him Dr. Rocket (not quite as cool as Stomach Ache Doctor, I fear). He had many hobbies outside of rocketry, including baton twirling and English plays. He published 49 books before his death in 1999, at the age of 87. There is an asteroid named after him.
Personal anecdote involving "Hideo Itokawa": Well, I never met the man. I did have a friend from Japan in elementary school. She never mentioned him, either. Nor did our Japanese foreign exchange student we had that one time. Geez. You'd think Dr. Rocket would have gotten more respect. He sounded like a very interesting and intimidating man.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Hideo Itokawa" article: I was pleased with the brevity, and also the depth that Wikipedia included in this article. There was also a sense of light-heartedness surrounding Hideo Itokawa's many extracurricular hobbies. Well done, Wikipedia.
Now, on to the main event:
Today's topic: Hideo Itokawa
What I learned about "Hideo Itokawa": I learned that Hideo Itokawa was a genius, who skipped many grades, and then became a pioneer of Japanese rocketry. In fact, they called him Dr. Rocket (not quite as cool as Stomach Ache Doctor, I fear). He had many hobbies outside of rocketry, including baton twirling and English plays. He published 49 books before his death in 1999, at the age of 87. There is an asteroid named after him.
Personal anecdote involving "Hideo Itokawa": Well, I never met the man. I did have a friend from Japan in elementary school. She never mentioned him, either. Nor did our Japanese foreign exchange student we had that one time. Geez. You'd think Dr. Rocket would have gotten more respect. He sounded like a very interesting and intimidating man.
Thoughts on Wikipedia's "Hideo Itokawa" article: I was pleased with the brevity, and also the depth that Wikipedia included in this article. There was also a sense of light-heartedness surrounding Hideo Itokawa's many extracurricular hobbies. Well done, Wikipedia.
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