Motivational speaker...not quite

So we had our standardized patient lab for the first time today. What it entails is we get to play doctor with patient actors in a staged doctor's office. Normally we get videotaped so that we can assess our performance, but since we're newbies, they let us off the hook this time. Needless to say, it was still a little nerve-racking once you get into the thick of things...it's not so much as approaching the patient, it's the "knowing your lines" part that got to me. I studied, I read the articles, I memorized the steps...to no avail. Under the militant resolve of a 17-year-old girl, my approach to getting a person to quit smoking folded like a cheap suit. I mean, this girl just won't budge! I don't know if she knew I was nervous or if she was just playing hardball, or maybe both, but I was at a loss for words when she told me that she enjoyed smoking...I had no comeback for it. I told her all the good things that come with quitting and all the bad things that can happen with continued smoking...with no effect. I tried to justify it to myself, "she's an adult, almost...she has a mind of her own...," but somehow it's not good enough. I didn't convince her. And it's pissing me off that I couldn't even do that...

Down to business

OK, Anatomy Memorial and Cultural fair are done. I did the choir thing and the Filipino dance thing as well and now it's down to business...dirty, dirty business. God help me if I should survive this week of Micro, Neuro, and Anatomy...oh don't forget Prevention for 3 more weeks...1st year is almost over, and yet it's not. So close...

Requiem Aeternam

So this semester has been one big blur and a ginormous pain in the tuchus. As if I don't have enough to do, I decided to add one more dish on my plate. There is going to be an anatomy memorial for our cadavers sometime either @ the end of April or beginning of May and I thought it would be nice to do something special. In light of many special people that I've known who had gone before me, I felt compelled to perform such a task to honor their memory alongside our gracious cadavers. And so, I picked a doozey. For the next month or so, I will attempt to get a bunch of first year med school students to sing a requiem song called "Lux Aeterna" by John Rutter. "How" you say? Good question...I've been asking myself that for a while now. I hope I'm not in over my head. Questions, comments, snide remarks...prayers...send them my way.

Here's what I'm up against...

Ab workout

It seems that I am slated to participate in the cultural festivities at our school sometime this upcoming spring. And part of the celebration is to perform a traditional Filipino dance involving coconut shells and banging on them as "warriors did hundreds of years ago..." like warriors actually fought with coconut bras and such.

Needless to say, I will be doing this without a shirt and that means exposing my not so flattering midsection.

Enter the Ab workout. I started today. Ran 2 miles and then did my routine on the exercise ball (20 reps, 3 sets regular crunches, 20 reps 3 sets oblique crunches on each oblique). If I want to be cut by spring, I think I ought to be doing more.

Why couldn't I do the tinikling instead...

2008

New Year. Let's make it better than the last one.
"Surprise yourself..."

Vacay

5 in the morning and I just woke up. Now that I'm vacationing, I can't even sleep in...stupid internal clock.

Now I'm hungry. I think I'll get me some pecan pie for breakfast.

Today will be a movie day. I get to use my movie gift card and hopefully spend most of the day in the theater...I'm thinking American Treasure: BOS and Sweeney Todd...just haven't been in the mood to see indie flicks lately...either that or I haven't seen any that has grabbed my attention. Damn you, American commercialism. Damn you, TV. J/K.

Now the rents are scurrying upstairs. Getting ready for work. Hmmm. I did that 2 years ago. Now I'm going to school so I can do that some more in the future. Now I'm depressed and hungry.

My Anatomy dissector is lying on the floor, waiting for me to notice it. I must really get some work done before I spend more money on gifts today and be a complete bum. Sad, really...

I changed my mind and picked oatmeal for breakfast instead.

Time off for good behavior

OK! 1st semester is OVER! I am officially 1/8th of a doctor. I'm so happy that I don't have to remediate any of my classes. Did well in some, did adequately on the others, but overall, I made it through and now it's on to the next hoop. That being said, the professors for next semester are clogging my school inbox with suggested reading material. The biggest worry so far is anatomy. We start on the dorsal section and already, the dissection is scheduled the first day we get to class. Nothing like starting the new year with cutting into an ex-person's back. Yum.

For now, I have the apartment to myself. Claudio's back @ Weehawken and I'm still dawdling around here in South Jersey. The solitude is kinda nice, especially if you don't have to study. I've been an absolute slug as of last Friday, after all the exams were taken. Sleep has never been more glorious, after I fixed the heating grate in my room. Now everything is toasty comfy! I have been catching up on a ton of non-medical reading like the last HP book. I bought a couple of DVD's on sale at Amazon and I got a free ticket for "The Golden Compass" which was very cool. Saw it tonight and I was impressed. Now I want to get the books as well. I brought my guitar from home so I've also been rocking out (badly) but that's ok. The neighbors don't mind. The chore of having to clean the apartment has fallen unto me since I was the last person out. And I intend to put it off some more...procrastination is a drug really...

And Christmas approaches. Things are looking light for this season. My work study program that I'm working for (Julia, you'll be happy to know that I am a librarian's assistant) has not paid me yet. BOOO! BOO-ERNS! Needless to say, I have put my shopping list aside. I'm praying my loan check comes soon...Presents will be forthcoming, just a tad late... =)

OK, off to make some food. Ciao.