June 8, 2008 7:51pm

I start my Pathology rotation tomorrow. Not having to see patients will be a nice break for 4 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy taking care of my patients but I feel like I've been so swamped with annoying shit for the last 4 weeks that I just need to be somewhere that I don't have to deal with it for a while.

Gas prices are making me nauseous. My truck runs on diesel which, when I first got my truck, was cheaper than regular gas. Now it is about 30 cents higher than premium. I miss being able to just get in my truck and drive around. It relaxed me. I energized me when I was stressed and just wanting to sleep.

I can't do that anymore because I just can't afford it. It costs $100 to fill my tank and depending on how far I go I need to fill it about every 1 1/2- 2 weeks.

Luckily, Roger's car is far more economical when it comes to gas, so we use his on weekends when we're together.

Between the gas prices and just general cost of life, I seriously worry about how I'm going to be able to afford anything in a few years. I know that seems silly because in a year I will be a Resident and I'll have a job for the first time in 4 years. I'll actually be making a little bit of money.

Maybe I worry too much, but I'm seriously concerned about my ability to afford anything after the next election.

Giving away free money for programs sounds lovely, but since I know that money will be coming out of mine and my husband's pocket....I'm not real thrilled about that prospect.

I also worry when phrases like " universal healthcare" and "redistribution of wealth" begin to be thrown around. I think when people clap and cheer for these things, they don't realize that they have dire consequences that have been disasterous when tried in other countries.

Maybe we all learned about the New Deal in 8th grade and were told how great it was, so we think that the New New Deal will be even better. Unfortunately, we were misinformed so we actually believe that government programs help bring a country out of a recession/depression rather than seeing that it kept us in one for 10 years more than we had to be in it.

Sigh.

I just worry.