Dissecting Jane

What's in my purse?

2012-02-10T07:38:00.000-06:00

For some reason, knowing what is going on behind closed doors, purse zippers, and kitchen cabinets fascinates me. I figure with as much as I like it, someone else will like it as well! Today, we're going to look inside my purse!

I love this purse. I use it all of the time ... occasionally I switch to another, but its such a nice size and its so easy to toss in school stuff or whatever I might need for the day. And, its light. I also keep this brown sac inside it at all times. This sucker opens up and makes a fabulous shopping bag that can carry pounds and pounds of anything. Its amazing.

Here is all of the crap that is inside my purse ... except the diet coke from McDonald's. I keep that outside my purse.

So, let's start off with the easy stuff. Obviously, there's a wallet. Then, I have a spiral that I keep my study notes in. I almost always have one of those fabulous mini-legal pads with me to keep a to do list on. Paper is the tried and true method for me. Next, a study book and pager. Finally, I have my iPad, camera, phone, car keys, and keys to my parents/grandparents/and a few friends houses. I keep them separate from the keys I use daily.

Someday, maybe ... but probably not, I won't have a pencil bag with me. They are just so great. I mean, mine is full of stickies, sticky notes, pens, pencils, highlighters, earphones, and all kinds of stuff! It just helps to keep the purse from being too jumbled. Then, I have a bag with lipstick, lotion, gum, kleenex, and antibacterial stuff. Normally, I keep some powder and blush in there but I had just dropped it and it exploded everywhere so it didn't make it in the pic. :)

Finally, what bag is complete without a large can of almonds and super sized bag of M&Ms? Normally, I don't keep stuff that big in there ... but it was a long weekend and I wasn't sure when I was going to get to eat. :) That big stack of papers ... that's my ridiculously large grouping of groupons and living social deals that I buy with great intentions and then absolutely never use. I'm never buying another one. Ever.

What's in your purse? Am I missing something hugely important???

Thursday Thursday!

2012-02-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

Its that time again ... time to share with you the articles I've found interesting over the last week (or weeks as it may have been this time). I really like doing this!

Kalydeco ... like insulin for CFers (CFF) NYTimes Article
This is a pretty amazing announcement ... while it is not a "cure," it is the best new advance that has come out in my lifetime. Basically, insulin controls diabetes ... and kalydeco will control CF ... for the 4% of people who have this specific mutation. They are working on combining it with another drug to treat deltaF508 which is the most common mutation. This is exciting stuff friends! CF is considered an orphan disease and the majority of funding for research comes from folks like you and me ... and not from huge grants from the NIH. Its really awesome, humbling, cool, insert the name of any emotion you can imagine to get to have been part of this.

Who Are the 1%? (NYTimes)
Maybe they aren't who you think ... it might be the super hard working guy next door. Before you crucify the 1% ... lets look at who they are and how they got there. Maybe its the 1% of the 1% that we should dislike.

How To Make Your Dr Love You (Huffington Post)
This is super interesting ... and totally true! If you want the best medical care from your doctor, read this. It will help you help her. :)

Rural Healthcare in BFF (NPR)
I actually heard this initially on the radio and was intrigued enough to come home and look it up. Its a pretty cool story ... and honestly, a lot of rural health care is akin to working in a 3rd world country ... minus the pizzaz (how do you spell that?) and general kudos you get for working in a 3WC.

Komen/Planned Parenthood (Washington Post)
Interesting article highlighting all the hubbub of the past week ... Planned Parenthood does a whole lot more than abortions ... in fact, many locations don't perform abortions at all. They are a vital part of women's health in many underserved locations ... in fact, they are sometimes the only part of women's health. Did you know at some locations they also offer pediatric care? Before you completely condemn PP because some sites perform abortions, make sure you're okay with condemning all the good things they do as well. Sometimes, you have to take a little bad to get a lot of good (sort of like exercise).

Obama on healthcare

Apparently, it doesn't matter anymore. This is a quick graphic that is pretty telling.

The State of the Union 2011: An Accounting

Pretty cool to look back and see what was promised in last year's SOTU address versus what actually happened. BO didn't have such a good year in 2011 ... in case anyone was wondering.

NOLA Police (Huffington Post)
Really ... do we need to know that a good samaritan had a criminal past? If someone is a victim ... they do not need to be victimized again by the police telling everyone that while they were a victim ... they weren't really because they're also a drug dealing meth addict. I mean ... really. Let's keep victims mistakes private.

Massage better than medicine??? (Time Health)
This is AWESOME! Seriously ... it really is pretty cool.

Thank You, Bill Gates! (Huffington Post)
Rich people work really hard ... but they have a lot of money. Even a flat tax would be more equitable than the way it works right now. Trust me, I don't like to pay taxes anymore than the next guy ... but I like my streets to be pothole free and I like my soldiers to have what they need to stay safe. Also, I like knowing my government isn't a complete disaster.

Wordy Wednesday

2012-02-08T05:30:00.000-06:00

The long-awaited catchup post!

2012-02-07T19:24:00.000-06:00

So, the last time I did a good post chronicling what was going on, it was January 20. Ugh, that's been awhile! I planned on doing it last Friday, but then I decided to join in with Show Us Your Life: Singles. 1000+ views of that lovely little blog post yielded exactly ... 3 comments from my friends. Thank you, friends, for making me feel okay about putting myself out there. :) And, now I've basically wrapped up 2.5 weeks of my life in about 1 paragraph ... this is why its important that I blog regularly!

So ... I finished up my January with

A baby shower for a dear, dear friend. Kristy's mom and my mom went to school together forever and our dads went to law school together and started their own firm a few years after they graduated. So, we're pretty much like family ... and it was in fact her family baby shower. I'm so excited for baby Roman to get here so I can give him a big ole hug! :)

Two fun nights out with one of my BFFs from undergrad. She was in town to interview for a residency program here in town and we were able to chat, laugh, and enjoy some wine. We had a great time ... and I hope that maybe someday we'll be practicing in the same town because we just have a lot of fun together!

Dinner from Aurelio's in Chicago. Gah ... this is seriously some of the best pizza ever!

And, I started February with

Starting my peds rotation. In the first 3 days, I managed to be in the completely wrong location for 3 of the 6 clinic sessions. Fabulous. Whoops. One of those was my one afternoon off to do CLIPP cases ... which are basically just online case studies. I'm sad I forgot to go home for that one! I also got to watch the residents play jeopardy for their didactics. Oh. My. Gosh. Some of them were a little bit competitive to say the least. We used these bells to buzz in ... it was fun, and I learned a few things, and I also learned who to be a bit terrified of. :)

My birthday! I celebrated one night with my family and one night with friends. I also had quite a few lunches and dinners with friends to celebrate which was fabulous. I got quite a few fabulous presents ... but these cupcakes from Megan and the platter from Lindsey are among my favorites.

These pics are from my family birthday night ... it was totally low key and just what I wanted!

From my birthday party ... unfortunately I don't have too many pictures. We had a fabulous time and I had all kinds of friends there and it was perfect! These two showed up ... which I was totally shocked by because they have 3 little kiddos and it totally made my night! Brian is one of my best friends from school and this is his lovely wife, Amanda. Unfortunately, Micah and Becky couldn't come because Micah is doing a medical mission right now. Brian, Micah, and I have a blast in school ... if you see the three of us together ... watch out. :)

And, for Super Bowl Sunday, which was my actual birthday, I just totally vegged out. It was fabulous and it was exactly what I wanted. Only thing is, I had a baby shower for one of my dear friends ... and I literally completely and totally forgot. I am so embarrassed ... and I wish I had an excuse ... but I was just braindead! I'm so sorry, Jessica! :) Here's me on my birthday ... pretty darn comfy. Just perfect.

Well, its been a great few weeks. Here's to blogging a little more regularly from here on out! :)

Happy Birthday!!!!!

2012-02-05T06:53:00.000-06:00

here

Jane

2012-02-03T16:39:00.001-06:00

I'm joining up with Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life Singles ... I mean, my birthday is this weekend so maybe something special will happen. ;)

Hi! I'm Jane ... what does being Jane mean?

It means I was born in the early 80s. I still have blue eyes and blonde hair (but not that blonde). And, now I have a full set of teeth. ;)

It means I grew up and graduated from college, worked for a couple years, and then decided to follow my dream and head to medical school. Now, I'm nearing the finish line and I'm going to be an OBGYN.

It means I love my friends and family.

It means I love to cook. And eat. And drink. And travel. And get pedicures. Not necessarily in that order or all at the same time ... but all at the same time is more than fine as well.

It means I have a dog named Ollie Golly who is incredibly laid back and always happy. And sometimes I have a dog named Mabel. She is the opposite of Ollie but they love each other and are good friends. :) They make me (and everyone) laugh.

It means I love sunrises and sunsets, Christmas and the beach.

It means I like to make funny faces and send them to my friends to make them laugh when they are having bad days. Or, sometimes it means I wear yellow socks when everything else is black to remind myself to smile. At least, when I realize I've worn yellow socks that's what I tell myself. :) It means I like to give and receive gifts and I especially like to wrap them!

It means I love to read. It means I'm a Christian. It means I'm a friend, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, and an all around funny person.

It means I'm looking for someone to be my friend, to cook dinner with me, and to let me be me.

Are you that person?

Do you know someone who might be?

whoops!

2012-02-02T07:33:00.004-06:00

Its been a long time since I've blogged ... I had a few posts scheduled ... but darn, its been about 2 weeks!

Excuse #1: We had a power surge last week that killed the interwebs around these parts but we've been back online since Saturday.

Excuse #2: I'm overwhelmed with ironing.

Excuse #3: I don't really have anymore legitimate excuses. :)

I feel like I've missed so much that it has been overwhelming to start again ... hence this semi-stupid and pointless post. I think if I just say something, I'll be able to say a lot. I love being able to look back and see what I did each week. So, expect a long post with lots of pictures today or tomorrow wrapping up the past couple weeks. :)

Wordy Wednesday

2012-02-01T09:35:00.000-06:00

Stole this from Facebook. This cracks me up! I have been friends with these guys pretty much since day one. This is after a cotillion dance ... I remember it being a really fun night. The night that OJ was getting chased by the LA police ... These boys and I listened to the whole thing on the radio as we drove to a pool party in BFE. That was also a very fun night. Ah memories. :)

Growing in Faith

2012-01-27T08:18:00.000-06:00

Religion and spirituality are an incredibly important component of any individual's life (in my humble opinion). I mean this regardless of whether you are a fundamentalist, a staunch agnostic, or a Christmas and Easter Catholic. I don't care if you only believe in karma and coincidence or if you believe in nothing at all except random chance. Those beliefs define who you are.

This year, I want to dig deeper into my faith. I've always been fairly lackadaisical about truly exploring why I believe what I do. I was raised (and I continue to believe) that the Bible is the word of God ... but not necessarily the exact words of God. I believe that Jesus told parables when he was on Earth, and so I don't believe that the Bible needs to be interpreted exactly word for word. I believe the story of the Bible in and of itself is a parable. On that note, I'm actually working on reading the entire Bible, cover to cover. I'm taking notes and looking things up so that I can be better equipped to explain my points of view and describe my faith to anyone, regardless of what they believe.

Recently, I was reading an article on Huffington Post about renewing your religious life. In the article, 8 religious readers were interviewed and their ideas were shared. I found it very interesting because many of the ideas weren't conventional ways of thinking about renewing your faith and your humanity in general.

I'll be sharing the thoughts of the 8 leaders over the course of the next 8 months followed by my thoughts about how I'll try to enact some of the recommendations and maybe even a little bit about how I've grown in my faith over the months.

Shane Claiborne

Do something really nice -- that no one knows about.
Spend more money on other people than I spend on myself. Love my neighbor as I love myself. And love myself as I love my neighbor.
Laugh often ... especially at advertisements that try to convince me that I must buy more stuff in order to be happy.
Learn a new life skill - like carpentry, pottery, or canning vegetables. Teach someone else a life skill I know how to do.
Love a few people well, remembering that what is important is not how much we do but how much love we put into doing it.
Write a letter to someone I need to say thank you to. Write another letter to someone I need to ask to forgive me.
Track down a critic or someone I disagree with and take them to lunch. Listen to them.
Compliment someone I have a hard time complimenting ... and mean it.
Choose life. Do something regularly to interrupt the patterns of injustice - do something to end violence, bullying, war, capital punishment and mean and ugly things.
Pause before every crisis and ask "will this matter in 5 years?"
Get outside often and marvel at things like fireflies and shooting stars. And regularly get my hands in the garden ... so when I type on the computer I can see dirt under my fingernails.
Believe in miracles. And live in a way that might necessitate one.

Wow. These are remarkably simple. I just mailed my thank you and apology letters. They were both a long-time coming. I'm not sure I feel remarkably better about them ... but I know I no longer ever have to worry about the feelings I've carried around for so long. I've let go of some hate through those letters ... and that is a powerful thing.

In terms of complimenting someone ... I offered a favor instead. This was very difficult and humbling because said person literally drives me up the wall. However, knowing that I shared something with him that will save him hours upon hours of research makes me feel a little bit better about myself. It also helps me to remember that if the tables were turned, I'd really appreciate the same favor, even though I know he hates me more than I dislike him.

I continue to believe in miracles. I'm not sure how you could have lived my life and not believe in miracles. Miracles inspire me every day. Every breath I take is a miracle. All you have to do is look around and believe. :)

Wordy Wednesday

2012-01-25T09:19:00.000-06:00

Even if it's not exactly right, the basic premise is. As a country we are in a crapload of debt and Washington is proud of eliminating one fancy pants dinner over an entire year. Not so good job.

Gyro Meat

2012-01-24T01:14:00.000-06:00

Gyros. Hands down one of my favorite foods ... yet one of the foods I'm afraid to order because I always panic about how to say it. Weird, I know. After making this recipe, I discovered that my favorite part of a gyro sandwich is the pita bread. Yummo! I miss it. I'm not sure I've seen any GF pita bread around lately.

I used a recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking with only minimal modifications. For the gyro meat I used .5lb ground lamb and .5lb ground turkey. I seasoned it with 2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp paprika. The base included 1/3 of a chopped white onion, a bunch of freeze-dried garlic, and quite a bit of lemon juice. For the tzatziki sauce, I used a cucumber dill dip I already had in the fridge. It was yummy!

First, I chopped up the onion and put it with the garlic and lemon juice into the crock pot.

Then, I mixed up the meat and spices with my hands. It was absolutely disgusting and freezing. My mom uses disposable gloves for things like this and I always make fun of her. I think she's on to something. Never touching raw meat with my bare hands sounds like a fabulous idea.

Next, after about 3 minutes of total work, I plopped the log of meat in the crock pot and turned it on low for about 4 hours. Seriously, it was incredibly easy.

It turned out pretty well. I think I might have overcooked it a bit. It would have been way better on a hunk of pita bread ... but in salad form it wasn't all bad. I had leftovers the next day for lunch without warming them up and it was equally as good. I think I'll probably try and make this again ... but I want to change it up just a bit. I'm not entirely sure how though. Anyone have any ideas?

Friday Friday!

2012-01-20T14:07:00.000-06:00

Yay! There's something about a Friday ... even if you have a busy weekend that involves working ... its still Friday. Its all in the mind.

I'm super excited its Friday for no particular reason. It was supposed to be 65-70 degrees today, tomorrow, and Sunday ... but its currently 35 and looks like its going to snow. A few snowflakes never hurt anyone ... but I really have a lot to do tomorrow and I can't really deal with a lot of snowflakes. It can start snowing on Monday ... and then we can have snow days all week and I'm okay with that! :)

Tomorrow, I work in the morning. I'm the only student or resident so I have to see all the patients before we round. I don't mind ... hopefully it means I'll get to learn a little more. Then, I have a family baby shower for one of my favorite people. I can't wait to see everyone ... and I can't wait for Baby Roman to hurry up and get here! Maybe he'll show up on my birthday! :) After the shower, I have to go to a reception with my mentor ... and then we are going out Saturday night! It is going to be quite a full day. See what I mean about snow?

Earlier this week we had an absolutely beautiful sunset ... I mean, we get a lot of pretty sunsets around here, but this one was different. I was too cold to go outside and take pictures so I took some through the window. :) Isn't it pretty?

That pretty much wraps up this week ... minus a little wild animal under the house attempting to escape via the inside of the house bit ... but that deserves its own post sometime soon. I'm 99% sure it will illicit a laugh ... and if it doesn't then you're a pretty boring person. Happy weekend!

Interesting Articles

2012-01-19T05:59:00.000-06:00

Doing this every Thursday really makes me realize how quickly the week flies by! I'm on a consultative service this month that is known for a remarkably light hospital schedule (which I'm on this week) ... and I'm not going to lie, I was really looking forward to a bunch of extra free time. Wouldn't you know ... I am the only student (normally there are 2-3) and there is only 1 resident (normally there are 2-3). And, we have 3x the normal number of patients! I'm learning a lot ... but I have had less than a lot of time to read. And its been a pretty crazy week anyway ... so this is a light week. Pretty much this is all I've got for ya! :)

Soda tax saves lives (LA Times)
Wow. This is a pretty awesome proposal ... there are some pretty significant assumptions made in this article, but overall, I think its a pretty ingenious way to change the way we approach health. Chances are we won't ever see a tax put on Coke but I think its really interesting to at least look at possible out-of-the-box ways to create change.

Obama and Betty (Huffington Post)
This is just absolutely hilarious. Please got watch this 57 second video!

No Wikipedia (Huffington Post)
Absolutely, completely, 100% truly terrifying. I'm really glad I'm finishing my presentation tonight ... because I couldn't do it without wiki! (PS ... I'm writing this a bit early).

Wordy Wednesday

2012-01-18T09:17:00.000-06:00

Stole this from Facebook, sorry for the bad quality. Seriously, I hope none of you are confused about when to call 911. :)

Mini Omelettes

2012-01-17T04:32:00.000-06:00

Its Tuesday at the Table time again! This is one of my favorite simple, easy, mildly nutritious breakfast foods. Obviously, I never have a ton of time in the morning. Who does? I'd much rather take that extra 10 minutes to sleep as opposed to cook a hot breakfast. I can make a batch of these on a Sunday and then freeze them and have a hot breakfast quite a few days in a row! :)

Here's what you need ... the great thing is you can mix and match and adjust to fit what is left over in your fridge!

Sausage

Eggs

Cheese

Veggies

Lawry's seasoning salt

pepper

Simple Steps

1. Brown the sausage and drain the extra fat.

2. Grease a cupcake pan.

3. Distribute sausage evenly into cupcake slots (what are those things called?).

4. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the sausage.

5. Add veggies to fill the cups to the top. I've used onions, peppers, mushrooms, pretty much anything I have.

6. Beat eggs and add some Lawry's and pepper.

7. Pour eggs into cups until they are about 3/4 full. I normally use about a dozen eggs but this time I used a couple extra and filled the cups too full. Whoops!

7. Cook at 350 until done. It takes about 30-45 minutes. They are SO yummy!

Who do you want to be?

2012-01-16T10:05:00.000-06:00

Martin Luther King, Jr embodied the idea of becoming who you are meant to be. He led our country in a new direction ... towards unification and equality. I often wonder about what he might think of where we are today.

Thinking about MLK also makes me think about my own life. Am I doing anything to make a lasting difference? Am I becoming the person I'm meant to be? Am I willing to stand up for what I believe in?

The answer to these questions is yes. I am becoming a person who will be able to make a lasting difference. I'm more than willing to stand up for what I believe and do it on a regular basis. I'm working hard to better understand how and why I believe what I do so that I'm in a better position to stand up.

All in all, I think MLK would be proud of the person I'm becoming. I think he would like to meet me and have dinner with me. How about you?

Source: d-aring.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Week in Review

2012-01-15T10:10:00.000-06:00

1/2 way through the first month of the year already? How does this happen ... how does time fly by so quickly? Sheesh! How are your resolutions going so far? I'm hanging in there and getting done what I want to more or less ... which makes me happy. Currently, I'm sitting at my desk with the windows open on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in January. This time the last two years its been absolutely freezing with snow on the ground. I'll take days like these whenever I can get them!

There's nothing like studying when you know you're learning stuff that actually is important to know. It makes it so much easier to pay attention. And yes, I am watching Friday Night Lights as I type this. I'm on season 4 now.

Yummy homemade cherry limeades make everything better also! I might not be able to be outside enjoying the afternoon ... but I'm going to make it the best I can inside.

Okay, so earlier this week I was back on campus working with standardized patients. Tomorrow I have to watch 4 videos of myself and see just how awkward I am. Tuesday, I have to review them with physician observers who will tell me what I did right and what I did wrong. It was incredibly difficult ... I'll tell you more about it after I get my reviews. I'm sure it is going to be incredibly helpful ... but before I say that I want to make it through. :)

All of the 3rd and 4th years were sent a quick survey about school. It was incredibly depressing to admit that I would probably fail most of the first year classes. There is just so much information that I honestly haven't used or thought about since I took the class. I've learned 10x more this year than I learned the last two years combined ... which is awesome, but it sure seems like there should be some way to better integrate the first two years so that we didn't all feel like we'd fail everything.

Wednesday night I had dinner with a great family friend, Trish. She's basically more like a cousin. It had been a long time since we got to hang out and it was so much fun to catch up and eat queso and drink a margarita. I also had a fabulous talk with my momma about life in general. It was so great to be having a conversation where I'm happy about things instead of a complete and total mess!

When I woke up Thursday morning, there was snow on the ground. The weather here has been crazy lately ... doesn't this picture look freezing cold? And now its almost 70.

Thursday night, I had dinner with a bunch of girls from my class. We try and get together once a month just to catch up. We talked about what fields of medicine we are going to pursue and what rotations have been our favorite. I didn't say much (for once) because the wheels in my brain were turning. OBGYN was my favorite rotation. I was the happiest. It was awesome. I got to deliver babies and do surgeries and help solve problems. I didn't like my medicine rotations ... which is why I haven't written about them yet. I wasn't sure how to write about them when I didn't like it and then justify to myself picking that as my career field. Sure, there were parts I loved ... but I wasn't happy.

I had a late-night conversation with one of my good friends who also happens to be an OBGYN resident about the pluses and minuses and this and that and rather than talking myself out of OB and into medicine ... I'm just going to go with OB. And I'm really excited about it!

Thursday I got to have lunch with my dad which is always special. We had a great chat! Its rare I get to spend a lot of time with my dad ... especially where I get his undivided attention which is great. :) Friday I had lunch with my mom ... and we just laughed and laughed. And I got to have a mambo taxi which was wonderful. And then my parents left and sent me this picture of a sunset last night. So jealous!

That's pretty much the last week. Hopefully this week will include a little bit more exercise than last week. That'd be perfect! I have quite a bit going on this week ... a fundraiser, work on the weekend, a baby shower, a work reception, and a night out with friends. Its gonna be a busy week! What's on tap for you this coming week?

Christmas Gifts

2012-01-13T04:41:00.000-06:00

Ah ... the post where I make all of you insanely jealous with my Christmas gifts! :) It was a pretty great Christmas ... obviously I had a great time with my family and friends ... and the gifts were just the icing on the cake!

I'm not going to list them all on here ... because really, who wants to hear about my car detailing gift certificate or AAA renewal? :) Here's a picture of all the loot I came home with though! The big box holds a beautiful serving bowl that matches my dishes. I am so excited about it!

I have asked for new moccasins for the past three years! My old ones were really worn out ... as evidenced by these side by side pictures. I'm so excited to have something to keep my feet nice and toasty warm again. And if you want a pair of your own ... here is the website. They are AMAZING!

Oh my gosh, I absolutely love love love these earrings! I can't believe I got them for Christmas. They are just the perfect size and they look amazing with dressy clothes ... and scrubs. I know they aren't the typical earring choice to wear with scrubs ... but there really aren't scrub appropriate earrings and sometimes I like to mess things up. Pardon the disgusting fingernails here.

Next up is a new wallet. I know that its a little bit big for a typical wallet ... but I like it because I can use it as a purse also. It makes it much easier for times when I can't have a purse. I'm so excited about it! It is absolutely perfect!

I have wanted a cast iron skillet for absolute ages. I had one way back in the day that had been my grandmother's but somewhere in all of the cross-country moves it disappeared. Luckily, I ended up with this great one that is just waiting to be used!

This beautiful platter came from a wonderful friend ... she has had it since last summer. She took a trip to the Caribbean to celebrate the end of her first year of med school and brought this home. I absolutely love it! Those of you who have been to my house recently know that I am lacking in a few things serving platter wise. :)

Finally, I got a slice-o-matic! I haven't gotten to use it yet but it looks like it will be a lot of fun and will most certainly help the prep time of meals like vegetarian chili.

Thursday News

2012-01-12T19:35:00.000-06:00

Source: google.com via Avery on Pinterest

Well, its that time again where I share with you my most favorite articles of the past few days. What have you read recently that's interesting?

So ... plus size is a size 6 ... (Fox News)
I'm normally not a fan of Fox News, but I saw someone tweet this article and lo and behold, I'm pretty sure they haven't put any spin on it at all! Seriously, this is absolutely appalling. Maybe if plus-sized models were actually plus-sized, plus-sized people would have a better idea about what they actually look like. Its like we all feed of impossibilities and pipe dreams. Let's try and just be a bit more realistic from now on, mmkay?

Do you really need those antibiotics? (Overflowing Brain)
This comes from a blog I recently started reading. Its written by a normal person with a normal point of view. The overuse of antibiotics is a huge problem. In countries like Norway where they don't just hand out Rx left and right, their rate of resistance is significantly lower than ours. If we all keep taking a z-pack when we get a virus, we're going to end up in a situation where we don't have any antibiotics to take care of bacterial infections, and that's a scary idea. Terrifying, actually.

What's grosser than a public toilet seat? (Mental Floss)
The bottom of your purse. Grossness. Keep it off your counter and off your bed! The ketchup bottle and the menu at your favorite restaurant. Gah! This list is eye-opening and a little shocking. Most of the stuff didn't surprise me ... but I'm going to be taking a clorox wipe to my steering wheel next time I decide to brave the elements and make it to my garage!

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ in BA (Tulsa World)
Unless you're local, this doesn't affect you. If you live around here ... run, don't walk to get some BBQ. I can't wait to make it out there early next week! I've eaten here in Kansas City and it is so incredibly yummy ... I'm salivating just thinking about it!

Sex is Bad (Salon.com)
Really, Santorum ... you've never ever a single time had sex without the intention of procreation? Are you saying you'll never ever ever have sex again once your wife goes through menopause? That is nuts. Sorry.

Lightening Strikes the Same Place Here (io9)
The old adage about lightening not striking the same place twice (Moore, Oklahoma notwithstanding) apparently is incredibly wrong. This is a cool article that will make you sound brilliant during the next thunderstorm!

Nobody Understands Debt (New York Times)
A simple explanation of the difference between a country's debt and an individual's debt and why its an important distinction.

Wordy Wednesday

2012-01-11T00:54:00.000-06:00

This picture would have come in handy a couple years ago big time ... I wish I had them absolutely committed to memory, but sometimes I still have to think about which cranial nerve went where. Now, if this picture just had all the divisions and how to test them ... it'd be perfect! :)

Black Eyed Peas

2012-01-10T06:23:00.000-06:00

It's been forever since I joined up with Tuesday's at the Table with Cole. I've gotten lots of good ideas so I figure it's time for me to share a couple back. :)

Black eyed peas are a New Years Day tradition. The story goes that you'll have a day of good luck for each pea you eat. Not gonna lie, I stuffed my face last week ... And had leftovers on the 2nd. And 3rd. And maybe a couple other times until they were gone. Last year, I burnt them beyond all recognition. I'm sure Jessica can vouch for me that they were vile. This year, I used the crock pot. Much, much better!

First, you have to soak the peas overnight. It's important to remember this before you go out because (experience speaking here) you won't otherwise.

Next, you need to gather your ingredients. I sort of combined a couple recipes this year because I didn't have all the ones for my family recipe (which I also didn't use last year).

1 lb black eyed peas
1/2 lb diced ham
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup purple onion, diced
1/2 cup green onions
Garlic powder

Then, dump them all in the crock pot for about 8 hours.

Finally, enjoy away! I used the leftovers to make Texas caviar and it was oh so yummy!

Thoughts on Psych

2012-01-09T14:07:00.000-06:00

My initial thoughts about psychiatry can pretty much be summed up by this ... well, not entirely, but a lot of me felt like this.

My feelings on psychiatry as of December 1, 2012 ...

Boring. All psychiatrists do is manage medicine.
I won't really enjoy it because I'll be bored. (do you sense a theme?)
There will be lots of interesting people who will talk to me about the voices they hear, the people they see, and their past experiences. (Please don't judge the fact that I had diametrically opposed views about what I was expecting ... its my world, you just live in it. :))
Psychiatrists must have more patience than anyone in the world.

My feelings on it today ...

This is the first rotation where I am 100% sure I do not see myself doing this for the rest of my life. However, it was interesting and I did learn a lot (psych drugs seem to always be heavily tested on boards). I definitely have a good handle on things like depression and suicidialty and psychosis and I feel I'll be adequately able to address them in a primary care setting ... simply meaning I can handle the easy stuff and I understand when to refer. I'm not scared to ask people about seeing and hearing things that others don't or if they are thinking about hurting themselves. In fact, I'm pretty comfortable with it. Hopefully some day, I'll be able to ask the right question at the right time to save a life.

I was frustrated for a significant portion of the rotation ... I can't really go into any depth but sometimes I just wanted to scream.

From what I saw, pretty much all psychiatrists do is manage medicine. Sure, there is a little bit of therapy thrown in, but for the most part ... its just med management.

I was really bored ... but fortunately I had my own office so I was able to spend the time reading and studying for my shelf. There was A LOT of down time.

People were interesting ... but it wasn't really my place to ask them to tell me about their psychosis. There wasn't time in the 15 minutes I had to speak with them. I think being a psychologist would be WAY more interesting.

The patience thing ... they've got to have a lot, but no more than any other doctor. Or parent. Or regular human being that involves a job where you have to listen a little bit.

Things I didn't even consider ...

Not a lot. It was more or less what I was expecting.

Things I didn't really like ...

See my feelings on it today section. :)

I most certainly learned a lot ... in fact, I think I learned more on this rotation than I have on about 50% of them. I learned all about disease process, management, outcomes. I had a great attending who spent about an hour a day simply teaching. It was awesome! I enjoyed it more than it might sound like from this post ... but I didn't enjoy it enough to want to do it.

End of the story: I admire people who want to do this because it is most definitely not for me.

Week in Review

2012-01-08T16:36:00.000-06:00

Ready for some randomness? I mean ... randomness and lack of adequate transitioning between thoughts are two things I excel at ... so lets go ahead and take advantage of them here. :)

Christmas is done and packed away. Except for the actual tree. I'm having a really hard time parting with it. One of my friends is coming over to take it down herself if I don't do it soon. haha!

Earlier this week, I got to have lunch with Lindsey. She just recently announced that she was pregnant and I got to give her her first baby gift! I'm sure this will come as a shock to all those who know me and have babies, but I gave her a wubbanub. :) I really liked the bow on this package!

When we were at lunch, we ran into one of the OB residents. Dr BW is one of my favorite people in the world. He is nice and kind and a good doctor. Someday whenever he's in private practice ... I'm gonna let him be my dr. But ... the reason I mention running into him is because he was kind enough to ask about my headaches. I had a HORRIBLE migraine one night that we worked together. I mentioned I hadn't had any in awhile ... and it totally through me off. It has been years since I haven't had migraines ... I can remember laying on the floor of my 5th grade classroom with a headache! Gluten did not like me!

Many times over the course of this week, I have had to stop and give a moment of thanks because I just can't seem to get over how lucky I am lately. I am happy. Things are going how I want them to. All in all, its just been a great year. I understand its only the very beginning ... but I just feel like I'm in a frame of mind where I can handle things ... even when they aren't exactly perfect. That's an awesome place to be!

Friday night, we celebrated the 600th birthday of Joan of Arc. The host (who is basically a historian in her spare time for fun) has traveled all over France researching the history of Joan of Arc. We had an authentic French celebratory meal and lots of wine and even more laughs!

This is the menu ... oh my gosh y'all, the food was FABULOUS! I wish I was eating it again right now.

Here's part of the table towards the end of the evening. This is the only picture I managed to take. Hopefully, Julie will post some photos on Facebook soon that I can snag and add to this post!

Saturday was a great day. Unfortunately, I didn't get everything done in time to go to a family potluck in the afternoon/evening. Fortunately, I did accomplish about 100 million other things. Just a quick smattering ... cleaned up the blog and scheduled a few upcoming posts, cleaned up my office and organized, made a list of things that need to be accomplished in terms of setting up sub-i rotations next fall, went to the bank, did some laundry, and did some studying. That's just a starting point too! I was SO busy! I sort of also watched a WHOLE bunch of Friday Night Lights while I was doing it all. I'm almost done with season 3. Are there 5 or 6 seasons? I'm not sure who I find more attractive. And Connie Britton's hair? Um jealous doesn't begin to describe it!

And finally, it has been sort of windy this week. Last week, all the leaves were taken away by the wonderful yardmen. The yardmen who won't be returning until early spring. I mean, there's no point in them coming when there is nothing for them to do. Unfortunately, a few days after they came we had some crazy winds and all the leaves from the whole neighborhood seemed to get sucked up and deposited on my back driveway. Now, I'm going to have to bag them up and dispose of them myself because I hate walking on leaves! I guess that might be project numero uno next week.

2012-01-07T14:51:00.001-06:00

You may have noticed ... but probably not ... that all posts prior to 2012 are currently MIA. I've taken them all to draft status so they can be edited to be slightly more anonymous ... they'll be reappearing slowly but surely. I hope they don't all show up again in your readers ... if they do ... I'm apologizing in advance. :)

Where Have I Been?

2012-01-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

Here and there and everywhere! Last night I attended an amazing dinner party ... I'm waiting for some pictures to show and tell. :)

Obviously I've been playing Temple Run. This game is ridiculously addictive. I got nothing else done ... So much that I have deleted it from all possible devices. It was a good run ... But it was time to move on. :)

Also, I've been studying. A lot. A whole lot. That's okay though ... I'm retaining a lot and doing some studying now will certainly make the real studying later this year loads and loads and loads easier. Sometimes Mabel wants to help me study ... Isn't she just too cute?

I've also been enjoying an occasional piece of chocolate. Aren't these the prettiest chocolates you've ever seen? Thanks to the physical therapy people who gave them to our attending who shared them with us.

Wordy Wednesday

2012-01-04T10:29:00.000-06:00

Today is Michael Jones birthday. No idea why I remember this random fact about a man I haven't seen since eighth grade, but whatever. Happy days to you!

In your honor, since I remember playing on an Apple IIe sitting next to you, I bring y'all the original iPhone. The picture comes from The Daily app newspaper.

I'm behind!

2012-01-02T23:10:00.001-06:00

I have a list of things from the past week or so that I keep forgetting to mention. So ... In no specific order ...

New Year's Eve

I knew my sister wasn't going to feel up to going out and NYE isn't my favorite night of the year, so I invited her to stay in and watch a movie with me. We had some wonderful food ... I had a filet, wedge salad, and a baked potato and she had a cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate chip cookies. In an effort to make it a bit more festive, I did a little bit of decorating in the den. I think this would be great for a birthday party or baby shower (different colors). What do you think?

Movie Night

Last Friday, I attended a family movie night with my extended family. I'm pretty sure they do it almost every week. We had wonderful chili and watched the first Mission Impossible. It was so fun to see all my little cousins and to catch up with the older ones. I'm hoping to make this a bit more frequently this year!

Ornament Exchange

In December, I participated in an exchange and got this beautiful ornament. It came wrapped so beautifully! It is pages of Jane Eyre. How cool is that? Thanks, Melissa for the ornament and Leigh Ann for hosting! Tomorrow when I have my computer out I'll link to their blogs. I'm on the iPad now and I don't have a clue how to do it from here.

Meh Stuff

Whelp. My entire family got together and we all updated our power of attorney, living will, etc etc etc. This is most definitely not the easiest or most fun thing to do but wow what a weight off my shoulders. Now, we all know exactly what we want and have it documented. Heaven forbid anything should happen ... But at least we have made it easy for others if it does.

I really need to put Christmas away. I've taken down the outside stuff ... And it shouldn't take that long to do inside, but I just love everything it brings to the house. When it's gone, it just seems empty. I'm going to take it down tomorrow and put it away the next. Seems doable.

Studying has started in full force again. I feel like I'm forgetting so much so I really want to do what I need to especially now that I've decided what kind of dr I want to be. It's easier to study when you see the purpose.

Things left to discuss include Christmas presents, cookbooks, and reviews of my medicine and psychiatry rotations. I'll save those for another day. :)

2012

2012-01-01T16:30:00.000-06:00

A new day. A new year. An improved me.

Source: Uploaded by user via Jane on Pinterest

Like I said yesterday, I'm incredibly happy with where I am right now. That being said, no one wants to become stagnant. I would like to continue walking the path I'm on because I know it is leading me to amazing places.

Source: hellogiggles.tumblr.com via Jane on Pinterest

This coming year is full of so many exciting, fun, unbelievable challenges and opportunities!

I'll be traveling for away rotations, traveling for residency interviews, traveling for fun (maybe). I'll be studying for boards in August. I'll be learning how to be a friend. I'll be learning how to make a home. I'll be learning, learning, learning. I just can't wait to continue to become the person I'm becoming!

Source: ffffound.com via Jane on Pinterest

I've made some resolutions. I've written them down. For most, they're probably humdrum boring, so I'll keep them mostly to myself for now. However, I will share with you some pictures that will probably give you a good idea about what I'm thinking I'll be doing in the new year! :)

Source: google.com via Iris on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Jane on Pinterest

Source: xomyconfessions.tumblr.com via Jane on Pinterest

Source: shutterpoint.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Source: flickriver.com via Becca on Pinterest

Source: album.sofeminine.co.uk via Kari on Pinterest

Source: quote-book.tumblr.com via Jane on Pinterest

2011

2011-12-31T19:52:00.002-06:00

Another 365 days has past. Since this time last year, I have come leaps and bounds as an individual. This is not the year I expected it to be and it has taken many, many detours. However, I think at the end of the day/night/year, I'm right where I need to be and right where I want to be.

I've figured out what kind of doctor I want to be.

I've figured out what kind of person I want to be.

I've figured out what kind of friend I like to be.

I've figured out how to spend time with those who mean the most to me.

I've figured out how to eliminate the things causing me the most pain and suffering.

I've figured out so much in the past 365 days it is unbelievable!

I could go on and list all the trips I've been on, all the people I've met, all the books I've read, but right now, none of that really matters. I'm so happy to be right where I am right now ... I don't want to think about anything else!

May 2012 bring me many days that find me as happy as I am now!

BOOMER!

2011-12-30T18:37:00.001-06:00

BOOMER!

Its Thursday again

2011-12-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

How does time fly by so incredibly quickly? It absolutely baffles me!

How Doctors Die (Zocalo)
The subtitle is: It's not like the rest of us, but it should be. I assumed when I saw this it was going to be a negative piece discussing how doctors always get the most cutting edge treatment and the best care yadda yadda yadda. Its not at all. In fact, its quite the opposite. We see what happens at the end of life. We see all the time how hard all of the tests and treatments are on people. That's not what I want ... I don't want to be one of those people who is 94 years old and getting a CT or MRI. Just let me be. I'm glad other people agree.

The Photos We'll Remember (Life)
This is a cool conglomeration of photos from 2000-2010. Its funny how you can read an 8,000 word article and not have the same feelings resurface as you do when you just see one picture.

An Interesting Take on Fundamentalists of All Types (Time)
This is a very interesting article. I like how it states that it doesn't matter if you're a Christian fundamentalist or an agnostic fundamentalist ... you're on the fringe. Most people are more middle of the road. Why must we all draw a line in the sand and force people to pick a side? We have a lot more commonalities than most fundamentalists care to admit. Its not our job to vilify anyone ... seek to understand others and you'll understand yourself better.

Life's Tough Experiences Do Make Us Stronger (Discovery)
Scientifically proven. I knew it all along.

The Pen Still Writes? (NPR)
I can't keep a pen writing for a month ... they always break on me. This pen lived in the GI system for 25 years and still works? That is just nuts.

Firetrucks Show Up (Firetruck Blog)
Maybe if we didn't spend so much time finding reasons to hate each other, we'd be more like this. Pretty cool story.

Chances of a White Christmas (Scientific American)
Obviously Oklahoma and Texas are not included in this story because ... really ... last year was crazy snow and the year before that we had a full fledged massive blizzard! I include Texas because I think 98% of December 25s, I'm in both states at some point during the day. :)

Ten Things You Might Not Have Known About Christmas! (Time)
Its always good to have a bit of random useless trivia to throw around and impress your family with during the holidays.

Why Running Makes Your Nose Run (Today)
This is the coolest article I've read in a long time. See above comment about trivia ... also it answered a question that long baffled me!

Why don't we have more autopsies? (Pro Publica)
Understanding how and why people die is important. The reasons we die today are different than they were years ago. If we don't do autopsies, we won't have a complete understanding of disease processes. We won't be able to know if death was preventable had certain things been changed. And you know what? We don't do autopsies anymore. Interesting story.

The American Dream is Changing (Moneyland)
Shocking. Like I mentioned earlier, the times they are a changing. I don't understand why its so shocking that dreams and desires and goals change.

No End of the World in 2012 (Huffington Post)
Well, thank goodness. I'd be really mad if the world ended 5 months before I graduate!

Whole Foods vs Cracker Barrel (Washington Post)
Where do you fall? This is a pretty interesting article ... except I feel like most towns that are large enough to have a Whole Foods probably also have a Cracker Barrel ... although the reverse most definitely isn't true!

Sick

2009-03-26T11:02:00.003-05:00

I called in sick today! I had a horrible tummyache all night and woke up with a raging headache. Since I have to fly home tonight, I figured I'd take this day to rest up and enjoy a four day weekend. I got an amazing massage a little bit ago to help me relax.

And, to make my day even better ... I got a lunchtime phone call from RLA. He called just to say he missed me. :) It made my day! I can't wait to see him tomorrow night ...

Speaking of this weekend, we're planning on spending time with his parents tomorrow night and mine on Saturday. Hopefully, we'll get a little time to ourselves. One of these days, maybe we'll get smart and just invite all the parents to one dinner. It'd be smart and easy because they were friends before we ever started dating.

At some point soon, I'm going to have to get up out of bed and get motivated! I need to pack my bag, go to the post office, and get a birthday present for my dad. My dad is 58 and I want to get a great present for him!

Hope you all have a great day ...

Where to begin ...

2009-03-25T20:09:00.004-05:00

Well, its been a couple of days. I don't even know where to begin. I should be packing for my weekend trip home to see RLA and my family, but I'm so worried that none of my clothes are going to fit!

I went to the gym for the first time in a month last night to try and break the cycle. Its so depressing. I can't wait to be done with this job so that I can move on. I have such a hard time living this double life ... keeping my real plans secret from the people that I spend more time with than anyone else.

Isn't it funny how sometimes it takes something completely unexpected to make you realize how you feel about someone? A guy that I work with invited me to go to a concert last Friday night because I had mentioned once that I loved the band. Now, its no one huge or famous or anything, but locally, they're sort of a big deal. Last night, he called and asked if I wanted to meet his dog. Being the huge dog person that I am, I said sure without really thinking about it. Once he got over here, I realized that spending 2 evenings with a single guy were so far from where I wanted to be. He is super cute, but all I could think about was RLA. I had told him about the concert, and about meeting the dog, so I don't feel like I did anything wrong, but I won't put myself in that position again. All I can think is maybe it was God showing me how in love I am with RLA a different way. Since we live so far apart, and right before I move, he deploys, its good to know that every day I fall more in love with him and grow more with him. Its such an exciting thing.

I'm not sure that I've ever really been in love before because I've never ever felt or experienced anything like this. He completes me. He makes me so happy. We talk about getting married and having kids and growing old. He totally supports me with school and he understands how busy I will be. He is all in all the most amazing person. I am lucky and I realize that every day.

Today, I spent the whole day with the creepy old man in the car. It was horrible! RLA was in the vault at work all day, so he wasn't able to text or call me at all. :( He's the only one that knew I was worried ...

I actually almost passed out in the middle of one of my meetings ... and I'm not sure why. But the creepy old man was offering all kinds of things that were just strange. And he kept saying that if I was offended to tell him before I ruined his life by going to HR. I just didn't say anything because I was focused on not passing out or puking all over his car! On second thought, maybe that would have been a better idea! HA!

Well, this has gotten to be incredibly long. I could go on and on and on, but tomorrow I'll be stuck in an airport for hours, so I'll save it all for tomorrow. If anyone is reading this, thanks!

What a day ...

2009-03-23T17:07:00.006-05:00

What a day ... I listened to Microsoft training online ALL day. The stupid earphones that I was wearing made my ears hurt. Not like an ear ache, but like an actual sore ear, the outside of it. Really, its totally irrelevant as I will be moving on in a couple of months. However, I have to do it for now. They don't know about my plans! I can't wait to be done.

4 more wakeups until I get to see my boy! I am so excited ... I haven't seen him in almost a month. We're meeting up in our hometown this weekend. He's coming to visit in 2.5 weeks and then I'm going to visit a couple of weeks after that. Then, he deploys for 4-5 months. :( And about 2 weeks after he deploys, I'll be moving 90 minutes away from him. So ... when he gets home ... YEA! I am so lucky to have met someone as understanding, loving, and beautiful as he is.

He gets me like no one else ever has, or probably ever will.

So ... until then, I'll keep plowing through the boring job until the end of May.

Oh yeah, I have court tomorrow for my speeding ticket! I'm really hoping to get a reduction in my fine ... we'll see!

Sunday Afternoons

2009-03-22T15:00:00.005-05:00

I had a lovely post church lunch today at Chick's Oyster Bar with MJ and her boys. The weather was perfect ... the windows were all open and the patio was filled with sunshine and a nice breeze. It was great to get to spend some time with the boys. MJ's hubby is supposed to get home on Friday ... I sure hope he does because she needs some love!

We talked about everything under the sun ... its great to have a friend like MJ that feels the same way about some of our friends. While we love them to death, some of them drive us crazy from time to time. And not in a bad way, in a we're worried about you way. Its nice to listen to someone validate my feelings.

I was a little worried I might run into one of my frogs (I've kissed a lot of them and none of them changed into a prince!) while there, but fortunately, he wasn't there. Everything in my life is going so well, I don't want to risk running into the one person that could derail everything for me.

Oklahoma State is playing Pitt right now, and I really hope they can pull off a win! As soon as its over, I'm heading down to the beach with OG to enjoy the remainder of this BEAUTIFUL day!

A Day at the Beach

2009-03-21T20:59:00.000-05:00

OG and I went for a walk down at the beach earlier today. She so wanted to go swimming, but I just didn't have the energy to deal with a salt water and sand covered puppy dog! Maybe when it gets a little warmer and I can just hose her off I'll be a more fun momma!

In the Beginning ...

2009-03-21T19:36:00.006-05:00

Welcome! As I'm moving into a very new and exciting phase in my life, I decided I should start a new blog as well to chronicle my coming journeys.

In the next five months, my life is going to change so much I can't even begin to imagine. I'll be leaving the beach (which breaks my heart) to head back to Green Country to attend medical school. Living in GC will allow me to be near my family while following my dream of becoming a doctor! Plus, I'll get to be near my beautiful boyfriend. So while I'm sad that I won't be 6 blocks from the beach, I'm thrilled to be moving forward with my life.

My plan for Moonflowers, Mojitos, and Me is to track the everyday happenings of my always interesting and sometimes exciting life. Maybe I'll share a recipe or two, a funny joke now and then, but I promise I'll share the stories that make up my life!