So Long To Pinky, Here Comes The Thumb.

...and it's nearly December.  Seriously, I cannot cannot cannot believe how quickly the time has flown since the semester started.  We've completed Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Renal, Hematology/Oncology, and looking to wrap up GI in the next few weeks. Here's a very, very brief recap of some of the goings-on since my crazy-assed neighbor decided to rappel from her balcony on Christmas lights...

I'm a Professional Twice Over

For Halloween, several of us decided to dress as the cast of Arrested Development.  The "costume contest" took place during a pot-luck luncheon at school prior to an interactive session.  I went as Tobias Funke.  Initially, I dressed in cords, a funky shirt, and Birkenstocks but quickly stripped down to "never nude" attire.

David Cross as Tobias Funke

from "Arrested Development"

After winning the costume contest, I attended class in costume.  I must say that being mostly naked in class (and being called on to stand and answer a question) was as near as I'll get to realizing the recurring nightmare of being in class naked.  My wife was so proud, she cried tears of "joy" as she tried to remove her wedding ring.

The Best Week of Medical School I've Experienced

As part of our clinical skills training, we worked an emergency case on a simulated patient or Sim Man.  The whole thing was pretty intense as, despite our efforts, it desaturated and was transported to the ICU after we intubated it.  Still, I walked away from it thrilled to be a medical student and anticipating the applied practice of medicine instead of the didactics.  Later that week, I passed my tests with flying colors.  Generally, I felt pretty good about myself and my performance as a student which, based on how the semester has gone thus far, has been a pretty fleeting feeling for most of my classmates.

Snow-Drive

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Seattle to visit Winning Run and accompany her to a dinner party hosted by a coworker friend.  I applaud wonderful food and great conversation but, shit, dinner parties should be fun and not so damned serious or pretentious.  At first, I thought we wandered into some sort of liberalism pissing contest that delved in and out of "foodie-ism" which, by all accounts, can be equally pretentious.  Luckily, libations seemed to loosen everyone up, make the gang more approachable, and the conversation a little more organic and natural.

The next day, at Dick's Drive-In, Bill Gates pulled into the parking lot and stood in line behind us.  This is the absolute, honest truth.  We noticed him, confirmed that it was him, and decided to just let him have a little peace.  Plus, I was convinced that had I attempted to speak to him and shake his hand, a sniper would've taken me out on the spot.

Once again, I was reminded that I'm no longer in the southeast with my drive back from Seattle.  I had to go by chains for my car to get over the pass and had an amazingly terrifying drive (for me).  After getting over Snoqualmie Pass, the rest of my drive was spent in blinding snowfall with accumulation on the road.  In the silence of my car, I kept repeating part of a Samuel Jackson monologue from "Pulp Fiction," telling myself aloud that I was like a little Fonzie:  "And what's Fonzie like?" "He's cool?" "That's right, he's cool."
On successfully making it back, I noticed that my ass had been clinched so tight that I'd drawn up my seat into a permanent cone, an inverse vortex, a physical sign of my stress.

Thanksgiving

Winning Run made it in on Thanksgiving morning.  That afternoon, we had dinner with several classmates and their families.  In all, it was pretty fun and nice to be away from the books for a little bit.  Now, it's just a downhill slide to holiday break before the uphill climb to the work of next semester, boards, and rotations. Yippee.

2010? Really?

Seems like just yesterday that the eccentric, fanny-pack-wearing IT security guy at my old software job was withdrawing the money from his bank accounts, stockpiling goods, and preparing for the looming Y2K technology meltdown. 

Winning Run and I had a great lunch at Muss and Turner's with Tainted Hummus' own "Keytar Rob."  Later, we made a stop-in at a small get-together with some friends.  Finally, in bed by about 11:30pm because my flight left ATL this morning at 6:30am.  First to Cincinatti, then on to Seattle.  Most of my New Year's Day was spent cramped into seat with a wailing toddler directly behind me kicking my seat for most of the flight.  Hooray me!  Really, I'm not a parent but I'm pretty sure that quietly pleading with a toddler to stop crying is an ineffective strategy.  I'm pretty sure that a bouncing stroll up and down the aisle might've been a better option.  Needless to say, it's only the first of the year and I've already exceeded last year's crying-child-on-a-flight stats by about 1000%.  What can I say, I piss excellence.

Also, I had my first experience with snow chains on the drive over a mountain pass with a classmate.  Best part of it was when some guy in the car behind ours at the chain-up area, came up to me with questions on how to put them on his tires.  "Man, I'd love to help you but I'm from Georgia and this is the first time I've ever touched a snow chain.  I'm afraid I can't help you," I told him laughing.  He shrugged his shoulders and went back to his car to figure it out himself.

Near the top of the pass.

So, now I'm back at my crappy apartment.  Alone.  No television.  No wife.  No dog.  No old-friends to meet for a drink and a visit.  No black-eyed peas.  Or collard greens.  Or ham.  Just me and the thoughts that all this hardship is worth it:  that 2010 will be better than 2009.  That it will be the foundation for better years to come.

Happy New Year.