i'm dumb

The Scene:
Last week while studying at Starbucks, there was a guy wearing a Princeton hoodie sitting at the next table. While this may be a common occurrence in NY, I rarely-to-almost-never meet a fellow Princeton alum here in Texas. Except for that one time last month when a Princeton '04 guy came to one of my shows. Moving on. I glance over, and he's reading a radiology textbook. I don't normally talk to strangers, but this seems too coincidental even for me.

Jo
Hey, sorry to interrupt, but... did you go to Princeton?

Princeton hoodie
Yeah (looks at me in bewilderment).

Jo
Haha sorry to confuse you, I did too, and it's pretty rare to see a fellow alum down here. '05.

Princeton hoodie
Oh um wow. Um, '94.

Jo
(momentarily stunned to discover that this man is 11 years older despite looking not a day over 25). Oh uh cool.

Princeton hoodie
(glancing at measly 2nd year EKG interpretation textbook). So, you're a medical student?

Jo
Yeah... I take it you're in the medical field.

Princeton hoodie
Yeah, I'm a radiologist. (read: I make tons of money).

This conversation continues along the lines of old Princeton stories, medical school horror stories, our brief life histories, and my current (lack of) involvement in the Dallas Princeton Alumni Association. He randomly offers to forward me information about the PAA and I unwittingly give him my email address.

Only now, an email later, do I realize: this is how people "meet" in the real world with the intention of dating. So far I am 0 for 2 in realizing when random men are trying to ask me out.

mom

Within 2 minutes of walking in my front door:

Mom
What happened to you? Why are you so fat? *pinches my love handles*

Within the next 5 minutes:

Mom
Go down to the car and unload the icechest full of food I brought you.

crazy hair

You know it's bad when your real hair resembles a Halloween wig.

random thoughts

It's official. I am a 70-year-old man.

Evidence:
-I wear argyle sweater vests
-I take mid-afternoon naps whenever possible
-I love oatmeal for breakfast
-I will almost always order a dirty martini
-or a Bloody Mary
-or a vodka/gin and tonic
-I eat dinner at 5pm b/c I get too hungry to wait any longer
-don't worry, I eat dinner #2 at 11pm or whenever the library/Starbucks kicks me out
-I have neck and lower back pain, which is directly proportional to the proximity of the next exam
-I am set in my ways. Change in routine does not come easily to me. Same brands of highlighters/pens, toothpaste, gas; same favorite foods; same study places; same styles of clothing, shoes, hair (although hair modeling threw me for a loop); same taste in music/books. Basically when I find something I love, I stick with it forever. I am envisioning a 70-year-old me, still wearing Polos and pearls, still eating Cheez-its, and still buying Chevron Supreme with Techron gas.

And last but certainly not least:
-the schedule/regularity of my bowel movements is of great interest to me

* * * * *

On a completely unrelated note...
In neurology clinic today, our attending performed a complete neurological exam using me as an example. In a group of 5 people, the other 4 of whom were guys, I was the one whose tongue/throat was examined, who had to lay down on an exam table, who got poked and prodded with pins and reflex hammers, and who was asked to roll up her slacks such that the attending could run his hands up and down her legs.* Thaaaat's right. I got felt up in neurology clinic by the attending. While 4 guys watched. And you thought med school was boring.

*Okay to be fair, he was "checking for sensation" along the entire leg. But let me just say, if "checking for sensation" had happened with any of my other classmates, rumors would be flying by this time tomorrow.

weekend of food!

I LOVE post-test weekends! Too bad cardio block begins tomorrow...

Friday was happy hour at McCormick and Schmidt's, where we ordered 3 plates of food each. Steamed mussels in lemon white wine broth, fish tacos, chicken quesadillas, and a glass of Chardonnay later, my stomach was rebelling from a week of too much coffee + a brief bout of food poisoning + only eating junk food + exam stress. I decided to go out and feed it some vodka tonics anyway and woke up Saturday just fine. Moral of story: if stomach doesn't feel well, push on and keep eating/drinking.

After a beautiful Saturday afternoon run at White Rock Lake, we went to the Texas State Fair, where any pretenses of being healthy were promptly wiped out by the following:
-jalapeno-and-cheese corn dog
-buttered corn-on-the-cob
-sausage-on-a-stick (what's with the hyphenated foods?)
-smoked turkey leg
-nachos
-fried ice cream
-fried Snickers
-fried Oreos
-funnel cake
-cotton candy
-a ride on MAGNUM (nobody threw up!) - really, the Burt Reynolds endorsement was the key deciding factor in getting on this ride
-seeing an albino two-headed snake



Sadly we missed out on seeing "Tiny Tim, the world's smallest horse (alive!)" but there's always next year. Today was dim sum (yum!), almond milk bubble tea (so Asian! M brings out the Asian in us), and now Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk as I begin revising the patient writeup that my resident emailed me a week ago but I conveniently ignored until after the test...

My arteries must hate me after this weekend. Healthiness begins tomorrow. As does a 3 wk period of hiding in the library/carrels until cardio block is over.

post-exam spree!

Today I purchased:
-espresso-colored ruched tube top (Express)
-black silk strapless dress with satin accents/trim (Express)
-navy blue white-polka-dotted satin spaghetti-strap dress with fitted bodice (XXI)
-black jersey cap-sleeved dress with deep front V-neck and back scoop (gojane.com)
-Welch Allyn medical diagnostic kit with opthalmoscope, otoscope, lithium battery, and soft case. (I finally caved and decided I couldn't "skim over" the neurological portion of my physical exams anymore. Apparently it is very important to examine your patients' heads.)

Guess which was both by far the most expensive and least exciting purchase.

euro, metro, or homo?

I used to have a mini-crush on Cristiano Ronaldo...



...until I saw these pictures.

No comment. B wins this discussion, for rightly making fun of me when I was crushing on Ronaldo in the first place.

yum

Shake Shack is NY's In-N-Out. Only better.

pathology

Given my recent pattern of lifestyle choices, I'm fairly certain I am well on my way to fatty liver and fibrotic cirrhosis. Unfortunately for me, I can visualize this in great graphic detail.

eastcoastsick

Missing the east coast and you guys already.

Best quotes of the wkd:

E: Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this guy? (clear full face picture)
B: (diplomatically) Ummmm... can I see another picture?

A: (on dating within the workplace, med school, etc.) It's perfect. You're both super busy, stressed out, and understand what the other person is going through. You're on the exact same schedule; you're studying at the same times, you're free at the same times. You have no time to meet anyone else and it's so convenient. It makes so much sense and seems like such a great idea... UNTIL YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

A: (making obscene thrusting motions) So... what'd you get for number 5?

E: What the hell Jo? Since leaving us, you've become a model, play in a band that performs regularly, speed-dated, hosted an underwear party, and still somehow go to med school. It's like you opened the fucking jar.

Jo: (at M's parents' house in Westchester, decorated like something straight out of "Country Living" magazine or something equally apple-cinnamon-scented and gingham-checked) Aww, M's parents' house is so homey.
J: Well, it is their HOME.

and my favorite...
G: Will you be my maid of honor?

I'd love to. Awwww I know. Saved the sweetest one for last. =)

perspective

Without fail, every year of my life has gotten "more difficult." This is not necessarily a bad thing, unless it continues indefinitely, in which case old age is not looking so good. I thought I worked hard enough in college, until thesis came along and showed me a new level entirely. Then MS1, which I'm sure I bitched about appropriately. Oh how naive I was. MS2 has raised my tolerance exponentially for continuous studying and thinking it is normal to spend literally every waking moment (except showering and sometimes eating) at a desk with my syllabus and a stack of books. I think my greatest wish right now is to have the ability to not have to stop to eat or sleep.

Currently subsisting on coffee, tea, more coffee, Cheez-its, Chunky Chips Ahoy, and the 24-hr Jack-in-the-Box near campus.

The scary thing is, I'm sure next year I'll look back at MS2 and STILL say "Oh how naive I was."

ugh

Second year is slowly but surely draining the life out of me. Also, my entire right second toe is swollen, deep purple, and splotchy. If it didn't hurt so much, I'd even venture to say it's a pretty color. Hooray for inflammatory mediators.