Weird Camera Tricks

Tonight was the 2nd year Medical School Class's "End of BS Party" (note - BS stands for basic science. . .or whatever else you want it to stand for). I took my camera to take pictures of people, but now that I'm here at home - I realized that some of the pictures turned out a little funky (look at mine & Kelly's head & then Rianne looks like she's a foot taller than everyone) - and everyone is fuzzy. Oh well. For those of you who don't know my friends - the lineup is like this: from left to right (Ellen, Lina, Me, Kelly, Rianne)

FYI

The Lubbock Airport is closed at 9:30pm - so don't try to go - you'll just waste your precious gas.

Minor complaint

I just got my credit card bill today and I owe them a whopping $0.95! I went online to pay my extravagant bill - and the dumb thing wouldn't let me pay - it said that the smallest amount that I could post is $1.00. . .so after a call to the friendly customer help service desk - they told me that I will have to mail a check in for the amount. . .

mail? you mean like I used to do back in 1999 with an envelope & stamp and stuff. . .check? you mean that funny little rectangle paper thing with the perforated edges thing - I don't think I've used a check since 2002 - I don't even know where my checkbook is. . .I guess I could simply pay a dollar & save myself some time. . .but then the credit card company is getting five cents more than they deserve - but does it really make sense for me to deny them five cents and send a check for 95 cents enclosed in an envelope that cost me 2 cents and a stamp that is 37 cents - whats that?. . .stamps have gone up?. . .to what?. . .oh dang it!

This unique situation has only one solution - I need to go out and buy that pair of shoes I wanted so that my balance will be over the stupid $1.00 limit so that I can use the online payment center.

Enjoy the Simple Things

Dear all who are taking a break from work or school or studying or doing nothing to read the latest eddition of my blog - thank you!

I am reminded that there is life outside of school - my life - and it is awesome. I would have to begin my great weekend by actually going back to Friday morning pre-Pharm exam at 6:10am when I meet with Ellen, Lina, and Rianne to cram right before the exam. . .even though we were exhausted & panicked, we were hilarious - I don't know why or what we said, but I know I spent more time laughing than panicing that morning. Thanks guys!

Lunch & Dinner on Friday were awesome too - lunch was with Kirtana, Lina, Rianne, Ada, Kelly, Cory, & I at Chillis - it is amazing how a normal thing like eating lunch with your friends is so much more after a hard & intense week of exams. I'm going to miss you all dearly - but I'll be up to Amarillo and over to El Paso to keep you all in line - and if you need to come to Lubbock for any reason, you have a bed at my house. (unlike Cory who offers everyone "a nice place on the floor") Dinner & a movie with a my good friend ChrisA was so much fun - and don't worry girl - even though you & I are the oldest two girls on leadership at church - we're still awesome!

I flew into Dallas & was picked up by my "quirky" brother & sister-in-law. . .even though they were in fine "quirky" form by bringing their portable GPS system and tablet PC to help direct us to wherever we needed to go - I had an awesome time with you both & I promise to come down to Houston before starting 3rd year so we can "hang in your town."

As for the few friends of mine I actually go to see in the Dallas area - I am so thankful for your friendship and how even though we are separated by time and distance, we are still the kind of friends who can pick up right where we left off & it seems as if no time has passed! Deb & Steph - thank you for letting us use your house; Rachel - thank you for being such a great friend & being such an encourager and not getting your feeling hurt when you realized that your cat terrified me; Kaci - thanks for letting me borrow clothes even though my suitcase is in the same room; Sarah - thanks for the title of "the best roommate in the world" - Travis, thanks for making me laugh & for being so good to one of my best friends.

Thank you to the cute, yet incredibly dorky, flight attendant who made my Tuesday a little brighter by saying dumb things over the intercom like "ladies & gentlemen, it is Southwest's policy to be environment friendly - so let me be the first to inform you that we take pride in recycling. . .ladies, please help us out by wiping off your lipstick on that glass so that it can be ready for our next flight." I know our flight was stuffed with "suits" and other business people who rolled their eyes or simply did not listen to your corny announcements - but I, the girl in seat 34A whom you told had a nice smile - I laughed & it helped my outlook, because next to me was a man, whom never once smiled and whom I overheard him leaving a "less than cheery" voicemail message to Sandra (his wife) saying "happy birthday dear, I'll be home by the end of next week - I love you." Then he turned around and placed a second call to "Anna"(what I assume is his secretary) and asked her to send something thoughful to his wife today because it is her birthday today. . .then he paused, grabbed what I suppose was his date planner & flipped it open to todays date & said, "yes, yes, I've just confirmed that today is indeed her birthday."

I pray that I will never get that busy.

Mission Accomplished?

Tests are finally over. . .I don't know why but this time around seemed harder than the ones before. . .it couldn't be that during the 5 weeks of our "block" I was out-of-town or indisposed for 4 of the weeks . . .or could it? I think that Med School is getting in the way of my social life. . .but to quote the words of my wise friend Lina LinA "I'm happy to be here (in med school that is)".

As I walked in my front door 30 minutes ago, I realized that my "weekend off" is going to be super busy - first of all I've completley let my house "go" and blammed it on test week, but enough is enough. (note to self: clean house). I haven't had a chance to catch up with all my non-med school peeps, and we're always saying how we should get together when I'm not busy. (note to self: hang out with peeps). Well, and I really haven't hung out with my med school peeps either - sure I see them in class (some of them) - but we haven't had a chance to do anything non-school realted. (note to self: hang out with med-school peeps). Then there is the little fact that I'm flying to Dallas tomorrow to see some awesome friends and my favorite older brother & favorite sister-in-law. (note to self: pack & check flight time).

I'm really tired too - I should take a nap (note to self: sleep. . .note from self back to self: there's no time for a nap! you've got to go meet with Kirtana - so quit this insane blog message and go!)

(Note to self & all those out in blog world, if I continue to note to self & note back from note to self. . .maybe I should prescribe myself some of those anti-psychotic drugs that we were tested over this morning.)

Today's Vow

I WILL get dressed. I WILL go up to school. I WILL find an isolation room and lock myself in it. I WILL disable my internet on my computer. I WILL turn my cellphone onto silent. I WILL stay up at school until I KNOW stuff.

I WILL STUDY PHARM!!!

Its Snowing!

March 22 - post spring break & its snowing. . .welcome to West Texas!

In everything give thanks

Greatful & sorrowful. . .that is how I feel. This afternoon around noon, I convinced my brother to take me to lunch, in our ever-long debate about where to go, I suggested "Little Panda" - but since Landon ate nachos at 1am last night, he wasn't feeling "up to it." Well - around 12:30pm, the roof collapsed at Little Panda - the one we would have been at. I feel greatful that we weren't there- and yet one woman wasn't so lucky, she was only 23 - she stepped out into eternity and I don't know if she was ready.

Link to story - http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/032006/upd_2965764.shtml

POSITIVE quote of the day

True prayer always receives what is asked . . .or something better.

Goodbye Dermatology - Hello Rural Family Practice!

So my Path test this morning was. . .was. . .horrible. I love it when they put slides up on the screen of random cells - and then ask you a question like "what is the diagnosis?" I want to choose answer E and write in - "those are blue and pink cells with some "smudgy" stuff over there in the corner" or say "this person had a biopsy" or where was the answer of "cyclops" on the picture of the baby with only one massive eye?

(Edit) - my day just got much better - the movie I ordered off of amazon that was supposed to come in on Friday as my "you survived" present - came in today. . .I'm not really sure why that makes my day better - cause I still can't watch it until Friday. . .oh well, lets not question the "good vibe" - cause I need it!

Perfect Timing!

So, tests start in exactly 23 hours from now, and I am in my 9th hour of a 24 hour stomach virus. . .I know, nice! I'm just wondering - why didn't this hit me yesterday, so that I could still salvage one day to study - or why not tomorrow at 1am, so I could have a legit excuse to postpone my exam. . .instead I'm feeling awful, lying on the couch with one eye open, reading over notes (and you know I saved the really nasty picutre diseases until last!), just knowing that by 1am tonight (or early tomorrow) this will all be over & the reality of "I know no Path" will begin.

My Study Buddy

Jez is here to give me moral support. . .but I think she taunting me. . .she shows me compassion, until she finds that stupid blue plastic bone thing, then it's "Larissa who?"

Spring Break & Subway

I went to Subway this past Wednesday to grab a sandwich as being as how it is Spring Break, none of the college kids were there. There were three customers: myself & two boys who were approximately 9 years old - I theorized that they live close to this particular Subway and since they don't have school, they probably walked there for lunch. One of the two boys was ahead of me in line, but when he got to the cash register, it turns out that he was 32 cents short. The lady behind the counter held his sandwich hostage while sternly asking him things like "why did you order something you couldn't pay for" and "does your friend have any money" and "where are your parents" . . .I walked up behind them & figured out that all that was standing between this boy & his sandwich was a measly 32 cents, so I kindly told the lady to add the extra amount onto my bill. The boy promptly turned to me & with a glow in his eye said. . ."can I have a cookie too?". . .The Subway lady almost lit into the boy until I quickly said, "no. . .but you may have two cookies, go ask your friend what kind he wants." After paying for my sandwich, two cookies & the extra 32 cents - I told the lady to have "a blessed day" - and she just snarled at me.

Why not?

I've never done a blog before - but I thought "why not?" I just have tests beginning on Monday. . .no big deal. . .its not like this information is going to be needed to save a life someday . . .oh wait, I'm in Med School - I'm supposed to be learning how to save lives. . .I guess I'll go and study.