July 17, 2008 11:18am

This one is for you, Peg......

Why Italian Restaurants Failed in Dubai

July 14, 2008 7:35pm

Yup, it's a 2 post kind of day.

I wanted to write a little about the wedding planning. All of this studying stuff, plus some other problems I'm having with rotation scheduling and my most unhelpful school is getting me all wrapped around the axle and unable to enjoy the wedding stuff.

So here's what I've got so far.

I think I already mentioned that the reception will be at the Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant. They're handling all the food, drinks, linens, etc.

Roger and I completed our pre-canna (had potential to be good, but was rather useless) and have had a few meetings with our priest. I know we're scheduled for at least one more before the wedding.

The dress is ordered, but not in yet. I know I included a link in an earlier post for those interested. The girls have their dresses. I told them to find a black cocktail length dress of their choosing. My shoes are in and I have something for my hair (which I have been working on growing out a bit).

I have the DJ and photographer booked, and the florist is scheduled also.

I decided I wanted to do centerpieces in conch shells, but I have to order the shells myself. Mom is faxing the order down to the shell place for me tomorrow, but this is the general idea of what I'm going for (different flowers, of course)....

I can't really put up a picture of the bouquets, because I sort of made them up with the florist as I sat there. "Sure, that looks nice. Add that too."

The flower girl basket (to be filled with an arrangement, not petals since we're not allowed to throw petals) and the ring bearer pillow came from ebay.








Roger is going to buy himself a tux, but he hasn't gotten to that yet. We decided that since he's 30 and we're not going to a high school prom, he's going to go with a cumberbun rather than a vest. Have you ever seen James Bond or Cary Grant in a vest tuxedo? No. I didn't think so.

We picked out the invitations. We're going with pocketfold style invites. It appeals to my compulsive sense of organization. I know we should have them ordered by now, but I can't do that with the board exam so I am going to do it directly after the exam is over. We just need to provide all the address of our guests and the store takes care of the envelope addressing for us.

Somewhere in this process I moved from being uber frugal to being willing to pay extra for convenience.

Mostly, this has been enjoyable. There are a few things that worry me, though.

First, my mother. She has been wonderful during all of this. However, I had a vision (always where I get into trouble) of her being here with me during the getting ready process. Hanging out with "the girls". Having pictures done with the photographer. Then we all go to the ceremony. Not quite. Mom has to pick up the old people in our family who can't drive themselves. God forbid someone else in the family (like aunts and uncles) be the designated taxi cab for the day to free her up. No, she has to do it. I guess this isn't so much of a problem. I mean, she can stay here for a while and then go on her route.

Next, my vision included my mom coming with us for pictures after the ceremony. Now this is where it gets tricky because the old people she has in her car aren't going to be in the formal pictures. So what does she do? Come to where we're doing pictures and leave the old people in the car? I haven't discussed this with her yet, but I know she has absolutely no idea that she should be coming with us for pictures. I know she plans to go directly from the church to the reception place and get the old people inside. Again, why the fuck can't someone else do this?

I also have a vision that my mom gets to sit with her friends at the wedding instead of the rest of my family. This is because I know very well that if she sits with the family she will not move her ass all night and instead sit there and help them decide between beef or chicken. She will sit with people who she sees at least twice a week anyway, and her friends who she sees twice a year will get a "Hi! How are ya? Thanks for comin!" And she will scurry back to the old people.

This last part I have some control over. I told her last night that she will be sitting with her friends. She protested and said she *needs* to sit with the old people (but she used their names), and I told her that was absurd because the old people can talk to the rest of our family. She finally gave in and said, "Okay, it's your wedding. I'll sit wherever you want me to sit."

Sheesh!

My other worries?

Well, Roger and I went to his cousin's wedding a few weeks ago and I saw some things that probably won't go over well if they're done at our wedding.

There was an incredible amount of intrusive picture taking...intrusive meaning on the altar during the ceremony and right in the way of the view of the guests. Since our church only allows the photographer to be moving around taking pictures, I don't know how to nicely get the word out that this is not appropriate. Perhaps I should put a note in the program "Stay in your seat or you will be shot immediately." No, that might be too harsh. What if someone has to pee? Those old people have tiny bladders!

I know this all must make me sound like I hate old people and don't want anyone to distract from the glory of me by flashing a picture during our ceremony. Really, I'm not that horrible. The first part is really more my frustration with my mother's need to take care of everyone and my family's total lack of ability to take over some responsibility. The latter is really more the church's rules and I don't want anyone to do something that is inappropriate during a religious ceremony.

I learned several years ago that my super planning and very detailed images of what will/should happen only set me up for disappointment. Therefore, my expectations for exactly how things will happen are very minimal. This way, I won't be so flustered by the little things that will certainly go wrong. As of right now, my framework is that on the morning of October 17th I'll wake up, have a bagel, hang out with my girls and then by that night I'll be married.

And damnit that bagel better be there or MY DAY will be RUINED!

July 14, 2008 7:27pm

....and I'm back.

Yes, I've been busy. I have Step 2 of my board exams on July 24th so I took some time off for studying. Unfortunately, I have so much ADD that I think I sweat it out through my pores and I have a hard time getting meaningful work done on any one day. Overall, though, I manage to get quite a bit accomplished.

Anyway, for the pictures I promised:

My purrrty flowers!





Socrates The Wonder Dog!


Mom wanted to make me look sweet and innocent, so she threw a pebble at my feet so I would look down in this very "natural" way.



It's all about the KONG!

July 6, 2008 10:13pm

I hate cramming a month's worth of thoughts into one posting.

In summary.....

Been studying for my board exam, which is on July 24th.
My best friend is up to something because she asked for the registry cards that Bed Bath and Beyond gave me and she swears she's using them to wallpaper her house. Hmmm.

Socrates is wonderful. I'll take some pictures soon.

My new garden is growing beautifully. I have Delphinium and Hollyhocks that are all blooming now.

I'm cooking, cooking, cooking up a storm.

Back to studying!

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.

June 5, 2008 10:51pm

Yeah, I know. It's been a while.

Okay, it's been way too friggin long to give detailed descriptions of everything I've been doing.

Therefore, you get the Readers Digest version of everything in Elizabeth's life since April 10th.

Moved back to Jersey.
Started a new rotation.
Got a dog.
Went to DC for a medical conference (doesn't that just sound sooooo grown up?).
Dog went to doggie boot camp.
Finished a rotation and began another one.
Roger has been doing mega traveling for work.

The only really exciting bit of information there is the dog.

His name is Socrates. He was about 6 months when we got him. He's about 7-8 months now. The exact date of his birth is unknown. We got him from a local foster/rescue called K9's In Need. I saw his picture on PetFinder and contacted the rescue for an application. Being the nervous person that I am, I worried and worried that the rescue wouldn't accept us because we're not married, or if the house is dirty when they come for the home visit, or they think that a doctor won't have enough time for a pet.

I was wrong. We got the dog about 2 weeks after I submitted the application, and it only took that long because I was waiting for Roger to get back from a trip before we brought the dog home. We renamed him and he seemed to settle in quite well.

We think he was born in October based on the info that the rescue has. He was found with his mom and litter in Leesburg, VA. They ended up in a kill shelter there and were rescued by K9's In Need just as they all developed Parvovirus. Now, I know that in humans Parvovirus is like a nasty cold but I'm told that in dogs it's a nasty, nasty thing. Three of the litter and mom survived.

And now here he is:































We know that he is mostly black lab, but the rest of his genetics is unknown. His tail curls over (very un-lab like), and he has a few features that resemble other breeds.







We think he's perfect.

April 10, 2008 7:10pm

My week in Lewisburg is nearly over.

I didn't even realize I could leave a day early until N- informed me that he was leaving tonight to go visit his girlfriend. Well sheesh! If I knew we could that, I would have made arrangements to leave! However, I know that if I skipped tomorrow's session and didn't get to see the feedback from my OSCE test, I would spend the next month in mental agony wondering if I passed.

Instead, I'm sitting in my hotel room in GI agony.

I think I am going to finally have to admit that I have an acid problem.

In fact, I have an acid problem so bad that I seem to spend most of the day feeling either nauseated or like there is a fire in my belly that is trying to escape through my mouth.

I'm also getting very tired of waking up in the morning with partially digested food in my mouth that I must have coughed up.

Gross. Super gross.

I ate one meal today and have been regretting it since noon. Two Zantac and four Tums aren't even beginning to take the edge off. Don't even think about asking me to lay down because that becomes another gastric nightmare.

I wish I was hungry. I really do. It's nearly 7:30pm and dinner would be the traditional activity, but even thinking about food makes me churn even more.

It is very true that medical professionals make the worst patients. This is because we try to manage a problem ourselves, but since nobody is an expert in everything we just get sicker and sicker until we get to a crisis point...and then seek the help of a colleague.

Help!

April 7, 2008 12:27am

Back in Lewisburg for a week of assorted nonsense required by school.

I'm happy to be back here because I really missed this town....I think. Maybe I just missed the routine of school. I know for sure that I missed the burgers at Jim's Drive-In, the organic steaks at Stardust and the vegan wraps at The Wild Bean.

Clearly, I am very food oriented.

I packed up everything from the house in Buckhannon and drove back down to where my life in WV began.

At the moment, I am in bed at the Hampton Inn. I love Hampton Inn hotels. Maybe it's all Hilton hotels, but I especially love Hampton Inns. I love it because there is a great big bed with fluffy blankets and a lap desk. I can get a hot breakfast in the morning and coffee all day.

Unfortunately, most of my class is also staying at this hotel. It is more like the WVSOM dorm than my beloved Hampton Inn hotel. People I know are everywhere, and I feel like a hermit in my room. I ran into a classmate at the elevator. He said something like, "This week won't be so bad. School all day and then we get to party all night."

Obviously, he doesn't know me very well. I didn't "party" at all my first two years of school here. I'm not about to start now.

I have an absurd amount of luggage in the room with me. I didn't plan for packing well, and I just threw everything into bags. I didn't bother to separate out what I would need for my week here versus what I need for the rest of my life in NJ. Basically, I have every toiletry item, every piece of underwear, and every sock I own in this room, along with various other unmatched clothing items.

But I am in a Hampton Inn, so life is good. I told Roger we should consider moving into one.

What I am most looking forward to for this week is knowing that I don't have to make breakfast. someone else is making it for me. someone else is putting out the yogurt and fruit and bagel or whatever else might be on the menu.

Yes, the Hampton Inn is just about the closest thing there is to heaven right here on earth.

Clearly, my standards for heaven are not set very high.

March 13, 2008 6:43pm

I hate when I don't write for a while and then I have to update everything quickly.

In short, finished off my ER rotation, went home for a long weekend, found "The Dress" and am now on my Surgery rotation.

Since Roger reads this blog but he doesn't want to see the dress, I will just provide a link to it. This picture isn't quite so accurate, though, because mine will be in light gold (shows up darker than in the picture), with spaghetti straps, and a sweetheart neckline. None of those words mean anything to Roger so we're safe.

Surgery has been....tiring. I don't know if I mentioned that during my OBGyn rotation, I went horizontal my first day 20 minutes into a hysterectomy. I was banished from the OR for cases longer than 10 minutes after that, so this was going to be my first venture back there (but at a different hospital).

The grossness of bowel resections cannot even be put into words. Today, I referred to it as "Medical School Fear Factor". Luckily, everyone laughed (including the surgeon).

A HUGE pet peeve of mine is when doctors sell shit out of their office. Now don't start on the pharm reps and their pens and note pads and lunch lectures because I will swear up and down (despite what Ted Kennedy says) that a good physician makes clinical judgments based on what is best for his or her patients and not what Pfizer Matt brought for lunch that day. And you can't tell me that just because a Dr gets a free clicky pen that they are going to unnecessarily write for that drug. My mom does peds and I've seen her with a Viagra pen. I'm pretty sure she's not putting the kiddos on Viagra....

...but I digress....

What bothers me is when doctors set up a display in their waiting room of some kind of happy horseshit that they are selling. If it's girl scout cookies, I don't care, but more often it is some kind of vitamin, dietary supplement, or weight loss drug.

And this Dr does just that. She sells vitamins. She takes about 40 of them a day herself. Her husband left his job to become a full time distributor for this company. She gets her patients to start these vitamins (basic package is $65 per month) because she believes it will make them healthier.

Now, after spending a few days with her I can honestly say that she does truly believe it will make them healthier. Personally, I love alternative treatments and therapies. Hell, I'm in osteopathic school where we spend a ton of time learning the very "alternative" treatment of manipulative medicine. However, performing a manipulation treatment on someone is very different from handing them a bottle of pills and asking for money for it. In one, they (or their insurance company) is paying for a service I can provide based on my schooling and training. In the other, a patient is handing over money for a bottle of vitamins that I am getting a % of for a mark-up...and they could buy the same thing at Wal-Mart for a whole lot less!!!!

I also am really into herbal remedies, natural remedies, and vitamin therapies. Really, I am. I swear. I love that stuff. I take a handfull of vitamins 3x each day. I can't wait until I'm a "real" Dr with a license and can actually give people advice legally. I can't wait to tell them about how great Omega-3's are and how important Vitamin D may be in preventing some cancers....but I'm not going to hand over a bottle and say "that will be $65 please."

They can follow my advice or not. They can go to the store and buy a bottle or not. They can price comparison shop at 3 different stores! They have some freedom in deciding if they want to try this. Personally, I think that freedom is gone when your doctor not only recommends a product, but sticks it on the table in front of you and wants you to decide if you will buy it from her right there.

So, one would wonder why a doctor would want to participate in this kind of business endeavor rather than just recommend specific treatments/regimens or even recommend a brand that they happen to think is really good.

I asked the question.

The answer? Money. Apparently, she doesn't think she's getting paid enough. She isn't being paid enough by the hospital to support her "entire" family, so she has to do this because "I don't want to be operating when I'm, like, 60."

What, pray tell, did you plan to do when you are 60? Are we still looking for what we want to be when we grow up? Vitamin sales is it!

Furthermore, don't tell me about how you don't make enough money to support your family so you have to sell vitamins out of your office, and then get into your BMW convertible to drive home.

Just....just don't. Please. Save yourself the embarrassment. Your BMW is gorgeous. Really, it is. It's white and has tan leather interior. Honestly, when you are the only surgeon at a hospital and are on call 24/7, do 10-15 cases per day scheduled plus add-ons and emergencies, you really do deserve every single penny you make. When I see patients and their families hugging you in the waiting room, I have no doubt you have earned your money....whatever it may be. But please, don't drive off in a fancy car, go on ski trips with your family, get a weekly massage and then complain you don't make "enough" so you have to sell vitamins. Take it up with the hospital. Ask for a raise. Threaten to leave if you have to, but don't stoop to the level of cashing in on a trend.

February 26, 2008 1:31pm

First, to update on my last post: I tried talking things out with some friends, but I'm not sure it got me anywhere. Honestly, I think I just need to accept people as they are and not expect them to act a certain way. I know that I have always had a problem with this. I don't mean that I expect *things* from people. I don't expect gifts or money or anything material like that. What I do expect (and want) is time. If you are my friend, I want your time.

I feel selfish even saying that, but isn't that what a friendship is? You give your time to someone you care about. I need to stop expecting anything, though. I have to accept that the way I treat people may not be the way others see fit to treat people.

Worked overnights this past weekend in the ER. My days and nights are all mixed up.

Trying to get some studying done, but I am low on motivation. I just want to go home!!!

February 20, 2007 9:15pm

Tonight is not a good night.

I'm heading down that slippery slope (no, not chopsticks) of feeling anxious, depressed, worthless, frustrated.....

further and further

The pissy part is that I don't actually have something I can pinpoint as what is causing it.

Other than f-d up brain chemistry and bad genes.

And why is it that when I reach out to friends and family for a little time and support, I get ignored? Ignored as in phone calls not returned or "gee, I'd love to talk but I'm really busy. We'll catch up in a few weeks."

Then when it spirals out of control and I'm in that really dark place again I have to crawl out myself.

When I finally do, all those people who I tried to reach out to eons before are saying, "Awww, why didn't you call me or talk to me about it?"

Fuck Em!

February 8, 2008 6:57pm

Beej did this so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon too.

1) Answer the questions below
2) Take each answer and type it into Photobucket (www.photobucket.com)
3) Take any picture from the first page of results and post.


1. The age you'll be on your next birthday:











2. A place you'd like to travel:






3. Your favorite place:













4. Your favorite object:



















5. Your favorite food:














6. Your favorite animal:



















7. Your favorite color:


8. The town in which you were born:


9. The town in which you live:



10. The name of your pet Don't have one unless you count...


11. Your name:




















12. Your middle name:



















13. Your last name:












14. A bad habit of yours:













15. Your first job:



















16. Your current car:



















17. Favorite sport:













18. Favorite kind of music no one favorite

19. Your crush:

February 6, 2008 6:53pm

I'm low on motivation these days.

It's just so much more fun to let the hours slip by while I watch QVC.

Last few days of my ObGyn rotation. Not that there was any doubt in my mind before, but I am 110% sure I do not ever, ever, ever want to be an ObGyn. God bless those who do, though. And there's a midwife in this doc's office who I think has a special place set aside for her in Heaven because she will even go over to OB and just "hang out" to help if needed since they are sorely understaffed.

Next week I begin Emergency Medicine. Also not something I'm really keen on. I don't even like the tv show. Things move too fast. Doors swinging open and closed. I'm more of a House kind of girl. I like having a good 40 minutes to think through what I need to do.

I'm in the process of planning my 4th year rotations and thinking about residency after I graduate. We apply for that around September/October so it's coming up sooner than one might think. My biggest problem at the moment is getting all the paperwork to the correct people. It would be much easier if I just had to do it myself, but I am far from home (where I'm doing my 4th year) so I have to rely on email and phone. I get my part filled out and sent to the hospital in NJ, and then I have to rely on them to fax it to my school. This is where the system seems to break down and things get lost.

I'd be happier if the whole world worked with the same sense of urgency that I do. I'd also be happier if everyone checked their email at all hours of the day/night like I do....or that they at least responded to me within a week! Argh!

Onto the wedding front. I call it a "front" because I feel like it is a war. A war against all the people who feel the need to tell me what I just *have* to do. Other than show up, I haven't seen one thing that I absolutely *have* to do. I'm no less married if I don't have someone do my make-up, or if I don't do matchbooks, or if my cocktail napkins aren't monogrammed. I'm not giving anyone anything with my monogram on it. In fact, I'm actually considering getting my boobs imaged and then putting that on every available surface. When someone asks me about it I will say, "Oh, you said MONO-gram? I thought you were telling me to put my MAMMO-gram on everything. My bad!"

So the Save The Date magnets went out. I know a lot of people have gotten theirs because the number of people viewing our wedding web site went up dramatically. Roger also went and booked our mini honeymoon that we will be taking just after the wedding. We're going to Napa Valley to eat and drink our way through wine country! We'll be staying at a place called 1801 First and Roger arranged for us to have a private cottage. I am all about the evening couples massage with the bottle of champagne!

That will be the perfect way to start off our new life together after all the stress of taking 2 board exams this summer and then the wedding.

And speaking of board exams.... time to hit the books again.

February 1, 2008 12:41am

Anxiety is a bitch.

I realized that the less I blog, the more I feel ill with anxiety. I think writing gives me a chance to put my thoughts down and consider what I'm really upset about.

At the moment, I am most worried/frustrated about school. I'm almost done with my OB rotation and I will be moving on to Surgery and Emergency Medicine. Both give me nightmares.

Sid I mention that on my first day of surgery in OB I went horizontal 25 minutes into a hysterectomy?

Well, I did.

Clearly, the operating room is not the place for me.

I hate things moving fast. I hate making quick decisions. I'm more into the kind of medicine where you can evaluate and research a bit before deciding what to do (nobody is about to die immediately). I'm also clumsy and have a wicket tremor. If I hold a mug of coffee, my hand shakes so bad that I often spill it on myself. I am a glass is half empty kind of gal out of necessity. I can't exactly hit a vein with any sort of proficiency, but it's really embarrassing explaining to people (even doctors and nurses) that I'm not just nervous, I have a medical condition that normally really old people have.

I've also been really anxious about money lately. This is probably because I don't currently have a job so I'm not making any money. Mom helps me out tremendously so I can have a roof over my head and eat and have books and toilet paper, but I feel guilty every single time I spend money that isn't really *mine*.

Tonight, the power went out around dinnertime. I called the power company and the very pleasant recording told me that it will be restored by 4am. I assumed this meant it was a major catastrophe and I needed supplies. I drove to Wal-Mart (which still had power) and bought lots of batteries, a battery powered lantern, apples, bananas, 3 cans of soup, some non-refrigerated snacks, and a piece of chocolate cake. The plan was to stock up on things that didn't need to go in the fridge and enjoy the night with my lantern and read. I got to the checkout and the whole thing came to about $70 (mostly because of the batteries and the lantern). On the drive home, I realized that power had been restored and there would be no evening of roughing it.

Guilt over the purchases immediately began.

Why is it that I can appear so calm and together, yet have this internal war going on?

food and I aren't getting along very well right now. My stomach churns as soon as I swallow a bite, and last night I had reflux so bad that I had to go to sleep sitting up.

Tonight isn't looking very promising right now either.

January 22, 2008 6:58pm

So I've been thinking about how on top of this wedding planning stuff I seem to be.

I've got until October and I already have the church, reception, photographer, and DJ booked. I've also got a place for the rehersal dinner. Go me!

Right?

Apparently I'm wrong. I am terribly terribly wrong.

At least according to the entire wedding planning board and the obsessive wedding planning message boards I look at.

I don't have a dress. Not really thrilled about looking for one either, but that's just me. Well, these chicks have bought their dresses 12, 18, and sometimes 24 months in advance of the wedding. Oh but it doesn't stop there....they also obsess over their shoes. They buy sometimes 3 different pairs (12 months in advance) and obsess over which ones to wear. It goes beyond that to hair accessories, jewelry, make-up (multiple and i do mean MULTIPLE make-up "trials" a year or more before the wedding), hair styles, etc.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my sister taught me how to put on make-up. I think I'll do just fine on my own with that.

I also don't purchase little decorative accents 9 months ahead and arrange and rearrange "sample tables" so I know exactly what the gift table will look like at the wedding.

It will be in October so I was thinking something fall-ish. See, now I know what it will look like. A table with a white tablecloth, gifts on it, and a pumpkin.

The types of things I *would* be worried about are my guests getting enough to eat and drink, the bathrooms being clean and if the food stays warm by the time it gets to everyone.

But I don't *need* to worry about these things because I booked a very reputable reception location with a great staff and very good quality food (and clean bathrooms).

Yes, I want to enjoy my wedding but more importantly I want to enjoy my marriage. I want to have a beautiful wedding and get to visit with friends and family who I don't see very often.

The gift that I really, really, really want? More than anything in the world? Lots and lots of hugs. Hugs galore. And smiles. I want to see smiles everywhere.

So maybe there is something wrong with me for planning all of this in a shorter amount of time than the others. Maybe I am cutting it too close and will be stressed and unhappy the day before the wedding because I don't have a wand for the flower girl that exactly matches the clip in the bridesmaids' hair. Maybe I'll be frantically searching for a "something blue" (another one of those wedding things I have no interest in) and then asking the anonymous public on message boards for their opinion on if it's blue enough. Maybe I'll be out on a midnight run for a tussy mussy.

And this is where my rage peaks... What in the name of fucking Vera Wang is a fucking tussy mussy and why are you using one (much less searching for the perfect one) if you are over the age of 4?!! New from Playskool! Introducing the Vewy Vewy Special Tussy Mussy! Your child will have hours of fun! Play, laugh, grow!

To be honest, I don't especially mind the little details. It's just that when I come home from the hospital for the evening I just can't get myself all worked up about someone's "crisis" over which font to have their monogram in for the matchbooks.

January 15, 2008 5:45pm

Now that I'm back in WV and settled, I can fill you in on all the happenings!

First, I went home for 4 weeks. Christmas was wonderful. Roger and I decorated my house. It was lots of fun doing up a big Christmas celebration with him.

We left for Washington D.C. the day after Christmas. We went down just to do the touristy thing (as well as get our patriotic groove on and see all the monuments, memorials, documents, museums, and other buildings of note).

Oh yeah, and there was a surprise too...


Wowie zowie!

So the days after getting back home to NJ was a whirlwind of wedding planning to get as much done as we could before I went back down to WV.

And we even made a website.

Now I'm on my ObGyn rotation (Shoe covers. That's all I have to say about that.). I'll be home for good on May 10, 2008 and I am counting the days, minutes, seconds.

I hope all is well in your worlds. :-)

January 8, 2008 9:55pm

Okeeee....

Don't be mad.....

I haven't posted in a long time......

And a lot has happened......

I'll post some pictures when I get time......

But for now......

All I can say is......

Don't ya think October would be a lovely month for a wedding?

December 12, 2007 6:35pm

So Ryan went and made a liar out of me.

As of right now, he's still critical but hanging in. They're trying a few new things with him.

He isn't well. I'm not sure he ever will be, but he's better than he was.

I will see him when I go home.

On a lighter note, yes, I AM GOING HOME!!!!

Friday, to be exact. I'm mostly packed now except for actually zipping up the suitcases. And yes, I did say "suitcases" plural. How else could I pack for an entire month? My underwear alone takes up one whole weekend-size bag. The shoes alone require their own large duffel!

but I'm sad to be leaving this rotation that I have enjoyed so much. Psychiatry has been so fascinating to me, I am really torn on where I want to go with my life now.

But one thing I am not torn on.....that I want Roger to be a part of it for-ev-er.

giggle snort

December 3, 2007 7:46pm

I am love, love, loving my psychiatry rotation! There are two docs who are fighting over which one gets to have me for the next two weeks. Yay! I feel special!

I'm learning a lot. I'm fascinated by my patients.

And I even get to meet famous people from time to time. Well, at least people who believe they are famous people.

The only part I don't like is that I wish that truly crazy people (like those who think they are someone they are not, or those who like to walk around naked and urinate on the floor) were stupid. It seems that despite their very abnormal thought processes, they are of normal if not above average intelligence.

It would be less tragic if they had zero potential outside of the institution. College students, law students, nurses, teachers, and even doctors have made it into our hallowed halls. Some will recover and go back to their normal lives, but many won't. Many never had a *normal* life because they are so disabled by their problems.



On a happier note...

Roger and I decided to hold a New Year's Eve party. Just a gathering of friends at my place. Lots of good food, plenty of wine, good conversation. It will be fun! spend the night if you wish! The festivities begin at 8:00pm. Naked Twister should start around 8:15.

December 2, 2007 3:15pm

Christmas is quickly approaching. This is my absolute favorite time of year. I love shopping for gifts, planning menus, decorating, etc.

My mother, on the other hand, finds it all to be a chore. That is why she wrote her own Christmas carol, sun to the tune of O Tannenbaum:

O Christmas tree
O Christmas tree
Why do you always shit on me?
The balls all fall, the lights don't work
You make me feel
Just like a jerk
O Christmas tree
O Christmas tree
Why do you always shit on me?

Festive, ain't it?

I recently posted about my strange family and their reaction to my Christmas Eve celebration last year. Well, I'm a glutton for punishment so I'm doing it again this year. I have everyone's little gift prepared now. I have a menu prepared and ran it past mom (who always loves anything I make) and emailed it to my aunt, though she hasn't written me back yet with any comments/complaints. Not that I'd listen anyway.

Our Christmas Eve dinner is meatless. There are multiple courses and I am determined to slow it down this year so it isn't so rushed this year. Humans are not meant to eat that that speed. If we're going to do it quickly, might as well throw everything into one big dog bowl and even skip the utensils.

1st course: Picked herring and rye bread (an acquired taste, i know, but it's a tradition)
2nd: Saurkraut soup with mushrooms
3rd: Egg noodles with dried fruit compote
4th: ginger-poached salmon with endive and swordfish steaks with caper butter (mom already made the comment of "just two choices"- yes because I'm not a fucking short order cook!)
potato-cheese pierogis
peas with tomato sauce
green beans with parsley and pine nuts
5th: profiteroles with ice cream and choice of chocolate or raspberry sauce

Christmas Day will be a smaller crowd, but I'm making:
Prime rib with horseradish crust
Scalloped potatoes with Asiago cheese
Roasted Cauliflower with capers
Red lettuce salad with champagne vinegarette
coconut-sweet potato cheesecake for dessert (yes, just one choice...don't like it, don't eat it).

I'm excited about doing all of this, but am dreading the comments.

Last year I made a rack of lamb for Christmas. It looked absolutely perfect and tasted even better. Of course, I had to hear things like, "Oh, you like that kind of thing?" and "since when do we eat lamb in this family?" and my favorite, "I think I should've run to McDonalds before coming here."

Because I'm a masochist, I also decided to have everyone over for New Year's Day. for that gathering, I'm planning to make:
Roasted asparagus with parmesan, proscuitto and poached eggs
Orzo salad
Apple tart
and a gigantic thermos of hot buttered rum because I'm going to need something to keep from becoming homicidal after 3 days of various unnecessary comments.

I'm really liking the idea I had months ago to just crush xanax into everyone's food.

I hear that there's a hell of a snowstorm in NJ. We just have rain down here in WV, though. I wish it would snow. I love snow. I love sitting inside with hot chocolate and reading a good book. Or even better, sitting on the porch on my swing with a huge blanket, watching the snow.

Sigh.