SB2K08: COSTA RICA

This will be my last update for the next 2+ weeks as I'll be leaving on Thursday morning at 5:00 AM for the airport for Costa Rica. Until then my life is crazy... here's a brief run down of the next few days.

Today (all day)
Study phys like my life depends on it

Wednesday
AM: Run to bank to cash checks, withdraw money for trip/ continue to study like my life depends on it until...
1-4 PM: Physiology Exam (last one, wahoo!)
4-5 PM: Costa Rica Final Pre-trip Meeting
5-6:30: Emergency trip to Meijer to get everything I don't have and need for international travel
7-8:30: Floor hockey game (although my team is good...I suck, but its fun)
9-11: Laundry and Packing
11:30-2 AM: Physiology Post-exam Party

Thursday:
2-4 AM: Finish packing/ Drink lots of coffee to stay awake (write an essay or two)
4-5: Get ready for flying/ long day of traveling
5-7:30: Airport = sleeping
7:30-12: Flying = sleeping
12: Land in COSTA RICA

For those of you curious about what's happening in Costa Rica (for whatever reason, be it as a friend, as some one who prays, etc), here's a vague schedule:

Friday through Tuesday we will be running free clinics in the greater San Jose region.
Wednesday and Thursday we will be traveling to an indigenous reserve to do some more clinics.
Friday through Sunday we will be at the beach for a little spring break relaxation (we're med students, we love clinics, but everyone needs a break... desperately).
Monday we will be flying back to the States (missing the first day of classes... oops).

After that I will do my best to get a thorough update posted with pictures, stories, etc.... but I'll probably be tired and already playing catch up/ staying up with neuroanatomy and genetics... so it might not be until the weekend that I get a full update up... But I promise there will be one.

I hope you all have a wonderful few weeks.
God Bless!

Protestants losing to nondenoms?!

"While much of the study confirms earlier findings -- mainline Protestant churches are in decline, non-denominational churches are gaining and the ranks of the unaffiliated are growing -- it also provides a deeper look behind those trends, and of smaller religious groups."

They do know that "non-denominational" is pretty much baptist, right? That, umm, makes them protestant... whether the congregation knows it or not....

Hmm, CNN, I think you should check some more facts/ take "Contemporary Christian Belief" (which, ps, was an amazing class).

Blah....

I think I broke my brain.... it doesn't seem to be working anymore.

Does anyone know how to fix broken brains?!

Trigon Commercials are Amazing!

OMG... how did I not see this one yet!?



This never gets old....

100th Post!!!

a.k.a. Ghetto Fabulous!


What's with the secondary title?? Yesterday I mentioned the "potholes vs. potheads" quote (see the very bottom of the last post) and said that it needed further explanation.. Here is that explanation:

I think I mentioned the crazy construction before (the crazy guys working at 7 am next to my building, the city of Detroit being stupid and closing off all possible routes to anywhere one weekend, etc)... but it has officially gotten out of hand.

Meet what used to be the entrance to my parking garage:
Hmmm, the amazing, expanding large hole and Tonka trunks. Awesome. This pit is right in front of the exit to the parking garage, literally making it impossible to get get near it... However, someone was smart enough to leave the entrance untouched... this means that you get to play chicken everytime you try and leave.... honk and pray no one else is coming. Also, when it's really bad you have to go the wrong way down the one way to even get to the entrance.

Apparently they are trying to get rid of "polluted dirt", but I really don't understand what that means... and if a little bit is nasty, doesn't that mean that all the dirt (including that under the buildings) is nasty? When does the amazing expanding hole stop?

Next up on the craziness is the construction that nearly left me stranded a few weekends ago... Here's a few shots on my trip to school:

Did I mention that I LOVE construction.... just kidding. But it sure does make the day more interesting.... never knowing if you'll actually be able to get through...Watching all the idiots who don't understand the construction try and make sense of it....

Anyways, it's time for me to start to try and study (procrastination is getting the best of me).

Oh Wellington Bear....

I am very much ready for spring to be here... Bring on the April showers and May flowers! (I think I'm weather ADD... I'm always so ready for the next season... that or it's just crazy from being locked up inside all day). I'm ready to run outside and play lacrosse! I 'm ready for the rain (which I love!!!). I'm ready to hear it falling while I fall asleep and I'm hoping that I can find a good spot to watch a thunderstorm (although I can see them really well from my apartment.... I want to find a deck somewhere where I can sit outside and watch). Basically, I need more environment in my life.... med school has taken away my playing outside time. Anyone want to go camping with me when it's not like -15 outside?!

Yesterday my roommate and I went to Old Navy after we finished biochem (oh, forgot to mention: DONE WITH BIOCHEM!!! HALLELUJAH!)... and we bought lots of cute springy clothes. It was stupendously fun, and probably one of my favorite post-exam activities (this was helped by MS1 fellowship with a great turnout and a very fun time at the Irish Bar in Greektown... yeah, figure that one out).

However, one thing that I've been dreaming of having for the last 3 years are a pair of cute Wellies... Yes, I'm weird. But I have this really weird desire of wearing this plastic boots and jumping in puddles. However, my dream doesn't stop there, I REALLY want a raincoat to wear with them (again the awesome plastic kind). I'm seriously like 5 years old sometimes.

I can't remember if it was me or Anne (my best friend from birth) who had the awesome raincoat growing up... but I distinctly remember a raincoat that was reversible... one side had amazingly cute little (green?) whales. I wish I owned that/ it fit me... Hmm... Why am I so strange.

(p.s. I found some cute Wellies)

P.P.S. After getting home tonight I was hungry (it was like 9pm and I hadn't eaten since noon) so I decided to watch some TV.. the only thing on was South Park, which I never watch... but I there was an AMAZING quote that I have to put somewhere:
"Its not the pot holes you have to worry about, its the potheads!" -Cartman
That made me laugh a few times tonight... I dedicate it to all the crappy roads (more to come on that later) and to two of my med school friends (who shall remain unnamed).

15 days till Spring Break...

.... and I feel like my mind is already on vacation. This is not good considering I have a test on Tuesday and another one a week from Thursday.


Although I'm close to being done with my checklist of things to do.... that means that I still have to learn it all . We're talking 23 lectures of material (most of which I had in undergrad... so thankful for my private college education at this point in time). But still, the motivation is so absent.


Mom came and spent the night last night (she's going to Theatre finals somewhere in the area)... but that meant that she brought me all types of Valentine's goodies... including 12 dozen made from scratch cupcakes (with real strawberries) and an awesome pair of Vera Wang shoes I've been eying... My mom is AMAZING! Let's just say that chocolate and new shoes can make any girls weekend.

The only thing putting a damper on my day right now is the fact that the laundry room is completely ridiculous (not helped by the fact that most of the machines are broken and the others are overrun by hoards of people from both towers.... meaning I'll be doing laundry at some ridiculous hour of night). Man... I wish I could just pay someone to do it for me...

Oh, that and the fact that I'm completely incapable of studying. Speaking of which, I should return to the little Romanian man who is telling me which 113 slides out of the 219 he gave us in the last week are important.

New "Study Techniques"

I've been having a really hard time focusing on my studies..... which is REALLY not good seeing as our last biochem test is on Tuesday. It isn't helped by the fact that watching biochem lectures (at 1.8x) has the same effect as a sedative. No joke, I've seriously taken naps after half of the lectures and had to finish the rest in the morning.

Yesterday was really bad, I could not sit at my desk and work... so I rearranged. It's amazing what a little change of scenery (i.e. window with blinds drawn rather than wall with shelves.... it was a 90 degree turn, thats it!) can do to the psyche.

Also, to help myself get motivated I've been watching Gray's Anatomy while outlining the lecture notes... I've also decided to read the slide before he talks about it... one at a time, in order to force myself to stay awake. It's been rough to say the least.

The matter isn't helped by the fact that I'm waking up dreaming biochem from streaming before going to bed. It makes for some very depressing (and confusing) dreams. Every morning I wake up and am all confused by my brains attempt at putting things together subconsciously. It really needs to stop it before I go insane.

In happier news... 2 weeks from this time tomorrow = SPRING BREAK!!! 2 weeks + 10 hours from now = boarding a plane for COSTA RICA for 12ish days!!!!

What the!?

Arnold Kling: "If practice regulations and licensing were not a factor, Wal-Mart could rely less on formal schooling and more on internal training for its medical workers. Then you would see real improvements in quality and reductions in cost." (via Kevin MD)

Yes, because even if "practice regulations and licensing were not a factor" I would feel completely safe handing over medical issues to a 15 yo with a 2+ week class (max.) on health to take care of them. This man should be institutionalized. This is obviously not the answer to the problem of the uninsured.

What a blessing...

Brookie and her family continue to amaze me. Click here to read Brookie's post about the event I'm going to talk about below.

Before Christmas this past year Brooke's mom had a post (actually written by Britt) about a charity drive Britt was putting together. He was inspired to sponsor the 123 orphans at the orphanage Brookie goes to each week. He was asking for $10 and prayer for each orphan. Well, they made it! Brooke went home and got all kinds of goodies over Christmas, and the past week they handed them all out to the orphans! The pictures are priceless, and I cannot even begin to describe what I'm feeling about the project... even without being there, the entire thing still seems so close to home. Please click on the first link to read more.

And Brooke (and Staci and everyone else out at GIS)... I miss you all so much, and continue to be inspired and blessed by the ministry you have not only in the lives around you, but that you continue to have in mine. I love you all and you are in my prayers. Pop gan mai kha!!

A Much Needed Update

Wow, it's been awhile since I've given a real update... thinking I should probably do that right about now. Let's see, so much has happened... you know there was studying and some more studying, and then a little more studying. That is pretty much my life.

Well, some other things have happened. My mom came and stayed over last weekend because she was judging a theatre competition in the area. She came down on Friday night and we went to see 27 Dresses. It was a fun night.... and we were sent laughing when the PA system at the mall we were at came on and said that in 5 minutes no minors could be unaccompanied. CRAZY! We had never heard of such a thing, but apparently (after talking to some friends from the area) it's not too uncommon.

Saturday was spent cramming for my tests on Monday and Tuesday while my mom judged the competition. I also spent a few hours at Children's volunteering in the playrooms and making crafts. It's always so good to get to play with kids again.

That night I introduced mom to one of the amazing divey restaurants in the area, and she loved it. I was happy.... but then had to get back to studying.... which my life consisted of until Tuesday at 1 pm (when the last test started).

Post-exam was on Tuesday night. And although the bar was kinda of shady (beds for seating and a big projection of porn-ish Fashion TV left me feeling dirty and I didn't even drink... I was DD) but it was so much fun. Best post-exam since the beginning of the year. Everyone seemed to be there, and I (at least) had a lot of fun dancing with my friends.

Grades came back yesterday and today.... and somehow my grades for unit 2 are the exact opposite on unit 1... The average for biochem was down near the pass rate (leaving about 100 people failing the exam) and the average for phys was up near the 90s (and I still did well comparatively... so I'm super syked). However, our class brought our their fangs and claws again and went for blood on the evaluations.... Yesterday one of the profs finally spoke some much needed sense to our class (sadly, the people who probably need to hear it will only skip it or complain about him addressing us as he did).

Interestingly, though, someone from administration (testing services?!) was sitting in biochem today and even asked him to clarify what material we were responsible for needing to know. Sadly, this would have been more effective last unit, as the current lecturer seems pretty straight forward.

In other news, I've started playing my violin again. My friend told me about a volunteer orchestra in one of the suburbs... I contacted them, and I'm now a 1st violinist (hmm, I hope they know what they're doing with that move.... I'll be able to do it, but I'm worried that everyone is going to be amazing compared to me and I'll be completely out of place in the section).

Rehearsals start during the time I'm in Costa Rica, so I have a little ground to make up when I get back... Happily, there are playing the Enigma Variations by Eward Elgar, part of which I played on every Spring concert in High School (it was the last piece played each year... which means I of course cried while playing it my senior year thinking that it was the last time I would play my violin.... only to realize that I couldn't not play, and thus joined the university chamber orchestra my sophomore year at university).

Along the same lines, my orchestra conductor from high school is retiring this year!!! I cannot believe this, I mean, I understand why, she's been conducting for what seems like forever... but I cannot imagine the strings program without her direction. It will be a huge loss and the next conductor has huge shoes to fill. Although she doesn't know it, she has had a profound influence on my life.... I have such a deep love for classical music, and, as is apparent, I cannot stop playing for more than a year without feeling like there's a huge void in my life.

Well, I should probably go study the information from this past week and/or practice my violin (which, btw, is such a great stress reliever).

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

So Starvation is a Good Option...

Interesting article from CNN today... Although obesity is a huge issue that needs to be addressed and taken care of, some how I feel like this is a) wrong, b) discrimination, c) against the constitution (?!). Hmm.... read for yourself and let me know what you think.

Bill would make it illegal to feed the obese

Three legislators want to make it illegal for restaurants to serve obese customers in Mississippi.

House Bill No. 282, which was introduced this month, says: Any food establishment to which this section applies shall not be allowed to serve food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health after consultation with the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management established under Section 41-101-1 or its successor. The State Department of Health shall prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese, and shall provide those materials to all food establishments to which this section applies. A food establishment shall be entitled to rely on the criteria for obesity in those written materials when determining whether or not it is allowed to serve food to any person.

The proposal would allow health inspectors to yank the permit from any restaurant that "repeatedly" feeds extremely overweight customers.

The bill, written by GOP Rep. W. T. Mayhall Jr., was referred to the Judiciary and Public Health committees, but The Jackson Free Press doesn't expect it to garner much support in the statehouse.

About two-third of Mississippians are considered overweight or obese, according to a recent analysis of federal health data.