The Calm Before the Storm

In less than 3 days orientation starts. Funny thing is we only just got an email today about when to arrive... nothing else, just orientation is 8-4:30 Monday thru Thursday and 8-5 on Friday. Earlier we got a package of papers/ forms that needed to be filled out for Records and Registration. It mentioned that we were rounding at some point during orientation, therefore, we needed to come dressed professionally on Monday (just in case). And then, again on the day we do round.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm about to embark on a huge phase of my life and I'm not the type of person who likes going into the dark unknown without a flashlight, let alone a little candle (which is what I equate the current situation to).

But, I am really excited for it all to happen. Just counting down the time.

So, what has happened in the last few days? Mom came down on Wednesday and we went to see Chuck and Larry. Funny, but no redeeming value. Then on Thursday I woke up at 4:30 am to go pick up my roommate and her mom from the airport.

We came back to the apartment, recouped from the early morning travels and then headed out to pick up Eileen's car and go to IKEA. We got to IKEA around 10:30 and mom and I left at 2:30 (Eileen and her mom still had to finish up) because I needed to get the physical I've been putting off since I got accepted. Oops.

Everything went well, in fact, the doctor I saw was a WSU alumnus. So we talked about her experiences at my new school. It was good. But, then just to have fun she asked if I had any blood work done lately. Nope. So, there goes three vials of my precious blood, leaving me slightly lightheaded (I don't think that I'd ever be able to donate because I'd probably faint while the needle was still in me.... I blame this on the fact that my iron is low due to being a vegetarian... time for more vitamins).

Anyways, when we got back mom and I unloaded all the stuff from our car as Eileen and her mom showed up with all their small stuff on a cart. We brought it up and now our apartment is a happy place. (Next Saturday, after all the stuff is hung on the walls I take some more pictures of the apartment... it's really exciting and I LOVE our living room!)

This morning was SUPER relaxing. I woke up early thinking I'd go to the clinic to get my TB test done (they didn't have the stuff yesterday). But I just ended up relaxing in the apartment while my mom, Eileen, and her mom slept. SO nice. Then, I finally made my self go around 1 (after having fun putting all the IKEA stuff together).

Right now, I'm back to relaxing. Thinking about picking up the book How Doctors Think. And enjoying the view from my window. It really makes me happy and I think it will help my sanity once things get really crazy. (It's going to be so beautiful when all the trees change colors).

I'm Here!

I have finally officially moved into my new apartment. My dad, brother and I moved most of my stuff last Monday, but then Mom and I left on Tuesday for New York. But, I'm now officially living here!

I am TOTALLY excited to be here (even if everything downtown does close down at 6 pm and it's 8 and your starving because you haven't eaten all day). I've finished unpacking and now am just waiting for things to happen. Mom is coming down tomorrow and the roommate is coming in SUPER early on Thursday. Saturday it looks like the M1s (aka 1st year med students) in my apartment complex are getting together. Sunday is an ice cream social at the school and Monday is the start of orientation! AHH, crazy that it's so soon... 5 more days until my life is no longer laid back (like it has been for the last year).

So, that's about it. Just chillin', gettin' the lay of the land, and hittin' up IKEA with the roommate (to help out the fact that she has no funiture--flying in from across country, we have no couches or chairs--only tables, and I have no desk--just a bed and bookcases).

As promised, I have taken some photos: The first one (up top) is Schroon Lake at dusk, the first three below are views from my sweet apartment, the last two pictures are from Ticonderoga, NY.

Fat Tax, a potentially brilliant idea?

Fat tax?
So, I think this is a good concept. When looking through the stores the most afforable foods for low socio-economic families are the food that are high in fat and sugar. Thus increasing the obesity rates in the States, and now more prominently in children. Now, this does make it a little harder to buy food, but it might in turn make healthier foods (that people should be eating) a more affordable, or more likely option.

And more for me for future reference.... health policy comparisons of the presidential candidates.

(thanks for Kevin M.D. for his continuously helpful, if not, interesting posts)

Bank robbing trees

Money may not grow on trees, but trees sure can steal it. Seriously, I want to know what this guy was thinking... I can just see him now, sitting in his family room saying, "Know what would be SA-WEET?! Dressing up like a tree... and then, I think that while I'm dressed up I should go rob a bank. Dude, I'm totally going to get my tree outfit tomorrow."

Hmm, there is some genius going round lately.

Standardize Patient's Thoughts

I think that someone in the blogosphere linked to this article yesterday, but I didn't actually read the article. Luckily, someone from school did and I found it a nice look into the life of a standarized patients. It makes me glad that I'm not one, but makes me worried about which of the students she described I'll be.... I'm hoping that I'm the petite, blonde one who confidently did everything and did it well.

One Question for ya...

Where the frick were the parents?!?! And what was her sister thinking?

"Police who chased a car for miles along a highway at speeds up to 100 mph said the driver was drunk, hardly a rarity in this resort town. But there was more: When they looked inside the flipped vehicle with guns drawn, they found an 11-year-old girl at the wheel...
The girl, who was slightly injured in the crash, is now charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. Duck said she sideswiped another vehicle during the roughly 8-mile chase."

Just a Rehash

If you've followed my old blog at all, you might remember a post about my new love for Google Reader... well, there were some funny things waiting for me today. Here are some of my favorites:

1. MonkeyGirl is forced into crying at work, instead of finding out how not to...

2. Taking things into their own hands, a group of people who did not make it onto The Biggest Loser start their own online version. This I think is SUPER cool and I have a to say that I'm really happy that they took the initiative. Especially since watching shows where people don't and end up at places like Brookhaven Obesity Clinic... so I have to say, "Way to go! Keep up the good work!" (via GruntDoc)

3. But I don't want to become a PCP, Mommy, please don't make me. Okay, I really am open to whatever... but I do have the intention of specializing... This takes blog post, by Kevin M.D. shows that men are more likely to specialize and women are more likely to become a primary care physicians. Hmm...

4. If you think you might have cancer... GO TO A DOCTOR about it, don't nonchalantly ask your chiropractor. That's just absurd...

Goopy Eyes

A poor little boy in Britain got his eye glued shut!! Oh my, poor little guy. Think how traumatic that could be... here you are a little boy playing and you get a cut. Your mom decides to take you to the ED to clean it up and close it up. You, being the young person, are apprehensive about the whole thing to begin with (and more so with the "potential" for stitches being thrown around. YIKES!) and then you get to the ED. You find out that you won't need stitches (*a sigh of release*)... and then a gloopy drip of glue ends up in your eye.

Goodness. His eye may be fine but he'll probably be scarred for life.... On the other hand, that nurse must feel AWEFUL!

(via Kevin M.D.)

Happy Independence Day!

It's been awhile since I've updated over here (there's still a little action at the old blog... this one will pick up once school starts in 27 days. AHHH).

On that note, I finally got info from school. Form after form after form. Forms overwhelm me... no matter how simple or complex they may be, I don't like forms and packets of information that I need to fill out. Now studying is different, but entrance forms that have things about money and other necessities. Not a big fan... it could be due to my intense dislike of money (that stems from the fact that I never seem to have any).

But at the same time, I'm getting super excited about moving into my AWESOME apartment with STELLAR view (picture of the view to come). And the nerd in me is also excited about starting school... although I'm more scared that I'll just fall flat on my face in that area. Hmm... feelings of inadequacy and wondering how I managed to convince people enough to grant me admissions (what were they thinking? were they smoking something that day??)

However, now they're trying to get people to defer... incentives included. Although tempting, there's no way that I'll be defering... my year in Thailand was time off enough. If I take another year off I'll forget how to speak, cause Lord knows all the other information I used to know has been lost through the sieve that I call my brain....

Anyways.... as my last month of independence (aka before school starts) commences, how appropriate to celebrate it. So, break out the sangria and yummy party foods. Party it up kids and be careful with those fireworks.

m1 first week