I am trying out the new version of blogger. Hopefully I can adapt. Christmas was very fun and I had a good time seeing all the relatives I could. I just wish I had more time to see everyone. I made it back to Minneapolis with Karen on Tuesday night. She spent the night at the condo, then took off for her last two weeks in Lawrence. Matt came home early because of the unpredicatable weather. We don't really have plans for New Year's, but we did want to spend it together. I am working in the lab here. I am attempting to get my preliminary proposal together sometime during the next few weeks, as my courses look to be VERY time consuming starting right away on Jan. 16th.
Well, I better get back to work here.
Happy New Year

Sorry I haven't written for a while. Between my birthday (25!), my take-home final exam, and Christmas parties I have barely had time to sleep!. Today the Home Depot guys are coming to install our new shower. It really suchs that we discovered a crack in the base of our shower a mere four months after moving in. That taught us to make sure the home inspector can actually get into the shower to look in it!
Christmas is going to be hectic. We are driving up the Jamestown on Saturday and spending Saturday and Sunday in Jamestown with my family. On Christmas Day, we will drive to Fargo, pick up Joan Sr., and head to Pelican Rapids to celebrate with the extended Zach family. I haven't really spent a terrible amount of time with Matt's family, so it will be interesting. We will then head back to Fargo to spend the next day or so with Matt's mom. Hopefully Matt will get to see DeLaSalle play at the Shanely tournament before we head back to Minneaplis on Dec. 27th. Matt has school off until Jan. 8th, so I am sure he will log in tons of time on the Wii. I just hope he will get a few of the items on his "to do" list done as well. Mr. O'Mally will like having him home! I have to hit the lab hard, as one classes start I will be short on time. It will be tough, as everyone else is coming and going until the 15th of January. Well, I better get reading. that is how I managed to get a day at home.

I got the grant off on Friday afternoon after the help and assitance of numerous people at the University. I am going to bake some cookies to repay them for their support and kindness.
Last night I went to Jenny's for a birthday celebration. She baked me an awesome cake. It was literally a Martha Stewart Magazine worthy creation, and it was tasty to boot! I was a lot of fun spending time with Jenny and Nancy. I really needed a break from the cities. It is so nice to be around people who have known you as long as they have. They accept you for what you are, which is hard to find in friendships. I can't wait until Karen can come with me.
Matt's trip to "Canada" turned out to Bemidji. It is a tad frightening to think that he was in charge of students and didn't even know where he was going. I earned extra wife points for packing not only his paperwork but snacks in his duffle when he wasn't looking. He earned some coal in his stocking for marking up are car by hitting the side of the garage. I managed to get it off, but was high from all the fumes!
Thomas didn't like his Christmas outfit. I put it on him and he fell of the sink. I think he forgave me, as he took a nap with me later today.
Well, I better get to work if I am going to bake those cookies.

Procrastination is not my favorite thing to do, but Thanksgiving +family reunion+ crazy cat = paper due in less than 24 hours with no end in site + really crappy grant writing.
Thanksgiving was fun. I missed having Karen around. My mother-in-law now has lots of embarrassing stories about my family. Why is it that my family can be totally normal every other holiday but really weird when one of the most critical and big-mouthed people on earth is present? Well, I better get back to writing my paper.

If it wasn't for the football on TV I would not know what day it is today. Matt woke me up at 4AM when he left to get in line for the Wii system (he got it). Thomas O'Mally then proceeded to make sure I didn't get back to sleep. I went into work at 8:30 and didn't stop working for a single minute until 2:30. I then left in a dazed state to the gym. I apoligize if anyone saw me there, I was without my contacts and VERY tired, so I wasn't ignoring you, I just didn't see you:)
I tried out the new Wii, and I don't totally suck at it. I don't see me signing my life over to playing it, but it isn't totally evil either. Plus, anything that gets Matt moving it a positive thing!
We are heading to North Dakota on Wednesday. We are going to stay with Joan Larson on Wednesday night and then head to Jamestown on Thursday. I have a term paper to write during the break, so I will most likely be doing that on Sunday. Hopefully Dr. Rice's grading will get a little nicer, as he is the second toughest grader I have ever encountered. I am not a virologist, nor to I aspire to become one. He knows this, and yet he is the most nit picky person out there. He should be happy that I know the different between positive and negative stranded viruses and care about if they are double stranded or single standed RNA or DNA bugs! Ok, enough ranting. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

I managed to survive my Bacterial Genetics take home exam last weekend. We don't have our grades back, but I don't think I totally bombed it. That is a welcome change from how I normally feel about my performance in that class.
Things in the lab are coming along slowly. I hate waiting for someone else to do stuff that I could be doing faster. I know that I don't have lots of practice doing cloning, but I know that I am able to work WAY more hours than the people currently doing it. I just wish I could step over people's feelings and GET WORKING! Right now I am doing a western blot from an experiment I thought up. I just love how we move into a new cell line without doing essential tests, such as dose responses, and just assume everything will work out!
My dad survived another round of checkups. I am always relieved when things go well. It is hard to believe it has been over ten years since he had all those problems. I am grateful every day that he is still alive and grumpy.
Well, I better pay attention to what I am doing here. I am working alone, which isn't the best idea, but the only way anything will get done. I forsee LOTS of working alone in the future, as the rest of my "group" doesn't want to come in on weekends.

The conclusion of the Candy Bracket!
Page 2 just posted the conclusion of the candy bracket. Here are the links

Sweeter Sixteen

Final Four


See if you agree with the winner. I partially agree, because for some reason my favorite non-chocolate candy was not in the sixteen

I hope everyone has a great Halloweeen!

ESPN.com: Page 2 : Page 2's candy bracket

I almost peed in my pants reading this! Karen's ex-bf did something similar to this, but instead he ate all the candy bars are then ranked them. I can't remeber which bar one his bracket.....
Happy Halloween everyone!

The Vercellotti transfection wars are on and I am losing to Julia. Granted, she has lived up in PWB for five years and I have been there for three months, but I would really like to win this one! The good news is that I got my new western antibody to work, which is pacify Dr. Vercellotti and buy me more time to write my grant.
Why does it seem like people don't come to visit until you have 1000+ things to do? Next weekend we have three sets of people coming to visit, and I have a MAJOR take home test!
I just got the funniest email from Jenny. She really needs to write a book. Maybe she should write one like David Sedaris and try to get a movie made like Augstin Burroughs. I would love to see some try to portray Peter on the big screen. He is just too much of a lovable, frustrating, goofball.
Matt and I cooked tapas last night. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach, so I made enough food for six. By 9PM I was stuffed beyond measure and still cooking one last dish! Good thing Matt likes to reheat the leftovers.

The Bison Were So Close....

This weekend was so busy! Saturday was full of a Health Science Orchestra performance and the awesome Bison/Gopher football game. The Bison played so well and deserved to win that game. The Gopher team should be ashamed of how poorly they played. I was happy I went to the game. After the game we went out with Matt's mom and her buddies to the Loring Pasta Bar. Apparently seasonal menus are not popular with his mom, as she didn't like the menu for fall. I had the special of the night (chicken saffron) and it was very tasty!

Last night we had the Health Science Orchestra potluck. My other bass player, Bob Nelson, is retiring from the group due to health problems. When I started the group three years ago there were three of us, Margaret, Bob, and me. Now I am the lone cheese. I am so fortunate to have been able to play with Bob and Marge, and I am really going to miss them. I hope that Bob can recover from his myelodysplasia and return to us. He is such a good player! If anyone reading this is a bass player within the Twins Cities (or know one), please join us, I need help!

Well, this week is extremely busy here in the lab and in class. I am lucky that I have this next weekend to catch up. It will be nice to have nothing planned for a change.

As I type this Thomas O'Malley is attempting to eat me alive. Good bye cruel world, I am to meet my fate to a small orange cat....
just kidding! He is biting me...but not breaking the flesh!
Right now there is a lot of stuff going on here. My aunt Lucille is pretty sick. I keep getting calls from back home asking me about what could be wrong with her. My other aunt Donna says she looks just like Lavrile did before she died...not good. I am temped to try and get home soon, even though I know I can't help her out. It sounds like she has seen over 4 doctors in two states and no one has a handle on what is going on with her. I am praying she gets better.
Matt's mom is coming this weekend. I have to clean what left from when my family was here last weekend! I swear I am running a cheap hostle sometimes.

Wow! This weekend was very long. My entire family was here looking for apartments. We looked at six total. Karen found some good choices. She is going to be about half a mile from my apartment. This will be nice, as Matt and I can help her adjust to the Cities. She is back in KS right now studying. Matt is on his way home from ND, and my parents are heading back home to ND. This leaves me alone with my cat, who is sleeping. Boy am I a party animal!

This week is free of papers and presentations, so I can focus on lab work! This is very exciting for me!

Monday.....definately not Matt's favorite day. He always stays up too late on Sunday night and then drags his butt in the morning. I don't think he will make the bus on a Monday this year....!
I have a big presentation this week for my course. It is on a subject I know practically nothing about, so I am really nervous. Hopefully after this week I can chill for a week and start getting back to work on my grant. I have so much reading to do, and it is not of the "fun" variety.
Karen is coming this week. I am very excited. We are going to look for apartments for her. I also get a night to just hang out with her alone....no parents (and Matt doesn't count). This hasn't happened in a long time. She just broke up with Brian, so she is sort of bummed. I hope I can cheer her up!
Well, I need to get back to work with my cells. I am finally getting to do some transfections, which rocks!

I am back in the lab again on a Sunday. It is sort of peaceful here, which is nice. I just split my cells in prepareation for tomorrow's experiment. Let us now hope that they grow (unlike last week when they didn't).
Matt and I completed the "Arrested Development" DVDs last night. I wish there were more episodes. Why is it that a stupid show like "The War at Home" gets Fox's support, but an Emmy winning gem doesn't? I am sure I am not alone when I foster a hope that "Arrested Development" with become like "The Family Guy" and "7th Heaven" and be rescued from cancellation.
I have a busy week ahead of me. I have a term paper, plus I have to get ready for my presentation in Dr. Dunny's class. We missed out on a pop quiz on Thursday, so there is a good bet we will have one sometime next week. I just don't have enought time to study. During medicial school studying was all I have time to do. Now that I am in the lab, I have my course work, my lab work, and all the stuff surrounding my lab work. I literally read at least 7 hours a day! I like reading, but it is really had to absorb information by doing just that!
Well, I am going to study and head to the gym. I am skipping church today in favor of getting some coursework done. In return, I will get to go to a potluck held by my old medical school buddies. It will be great seeing how all of them are liking the wards. As much as I complain about the PhD part thus far, I don't have any wishes to be in the wards right now.

Matt and I had a busy weekend. On Saturday we went out to a movie (Pedro Almovadar's All About My Mother with Kirk and Laura. I had not seen the movie. I was surprised at how good it was. I think with Almovadar films you either love them or hate them. He just evokes that kind of emotion from the viewer.
Last night Matt and I went to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre production of Singing in the Rain. We got free tickets from Cheryl and Russ. Since we were so late to call and get a table, we ended up in the Director's Box, which was our own private room! The show was good. Considering the last show we saw was Jersey Boys, that is a big complement. The Tony award winning cast and show is hard to beat.
This week is full of new experiments for me at the lab. I just hope one works, as it is getting pretty old having nothing but disappointment.
Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, perhaps my two favorite TV shows besides Scrubs, premire this week. I am taking a cardio boxing class that overlaps with GG, so I will be taping both shows and watching them a hour or two later. Hopefully my VCR will not break!
Things are coming along in my course. I have a term paper due next week and a presentation the following one. The good news is that I will have all that out of the way before Karen comes to look for apartments or before the big NDSU v. Gopher weekend.
Well, I better get back to work here. Have a great Monday everyone!

Just killing some time at the lab on a Sunday night. I wanted to go to the gym, but the cells demand to be changed. I can't blame them, they are crowded.
Matt and I had a great time eating at El Meson last night. They had a waitress-in-training serving us, so the order was messed up. We ended up finishing a bottle of wine, getting free coffee and dessert, and enjoying the atmosphere. You know the quality of a place when they admit to their mistakes and compensate you for them. We will definately end up going back there in the future.
Once again none of my illustrious medical school friends could make it. In fact, only one responded to my email. Matt got to enjoy his aged scotch at the Local which I chatted with Matt S. Luckily we missed out of the terrible storms that hit the north part of the town.
This week I will actually have stuff to do in the lab! This is a big change for me, as the last three have just been killing time.
Well, I have to get back to the cells

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Cat:
> Thomas O'Malley thought this email was funny!
>
> 1. He lives here. You don't.
> 2. If you don't want his hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
> (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
> 3. I like my cat a lot better than I like most people.
> 4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he is an adopted son who is
> short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
>
> Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
>
> 1. Eat less
> 2. Don't ask for money all the time
> 3 Are easier to train
> 4. Normally come when called
> 5. Never ask to drive the car
> 6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
> 7. Don't smoke or drink
> 8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
> 9. Don't want to wear your clothes
> 10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and...
> 11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

I had a walk down memory lane this weekend. I went home to Jamestown for the first time since February. My parents are in the middle of a huge home improvement project. One of the parts of the project is refinishing the hardwood floor that was buried beneath carpet in my bedroom. Because of this, I had to clean out my closet. I have been avoiding this task for the better part of ten years. It was a lot of work, but fun as well. I found things that I had totally forgotten about. I also found stuff that I would have like to forget about! My weekend was not all work. Mom, Dad, and I also included a little breaking and entering into our weekend. We travelled out to Jamestown Reservior to see my cousins Doug and Gary. They just bought a new cabin out there, and my parents wanted to see it. When we got out there, we found out from their neighbors that we had just missed them. The neighbors then proceeded to allow us to go into the empty cabin AND the empty (but really cool) cabin next door. Apparently they don't lock their doors out there in case the neighbors need to get in (wouldn't giving hte neighbors spare keys be safer? Only in ND would this happen!)
Today I discovered that I am currently uninsured. Some bureucrat at the U didn't fill out a job description form, so my health insurance was not renewed. Susan, the MD/PhD goddess is taking care of the problem for me. Boy am I happy I her to help me cut through some of the administrative crap at this school. Hopefully Karen's program assistant will be a quick study.
Well, I have to get to reading. I am studying all day today so I don't feel overwhelmed in lab meeting and class today. I can't start any experiments until Wednesday because John (who know where everything is at) is out of town until tomorrow.
Oh, Matt turns 25 this week. We aren't doing anything too special.

Entrez PubMed

Here is the abstract for my article! It finally made it to press. A three year ordeal is over. Now it is on to my next publication. Hopefully this will be soon.

Good Reads for Fall
I had the good fortune to read a few good books this summer while on my trip to NYC and during the past few weeks before grad school starts. I am going to do my best to rate them here. They are in the order that I can remember, so don't place any value in how they appear here.

Great Starvation Experiment
This book is a great story about what happened to the hundreds of men who didn't feel the need to fight during WWII. Ancel Keys, a nationally known scientist from the University of Minnesota, enlisted 36 of these men to study starvation in the effort to help those overseas suffering from war. This story goes into the minds of these men and the investigators who watched them literally starve for the good of mankind. A remarkable story.

Running With Scissors
This memoir by Augusten Burroughs is very interesting. It will soon be made into a movie, and I am anxious to compare the story on film to what I read.


Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story
This author hails from my home state and has a fresh voice into some of the everyday things people go through. I can't condone all the drug use in this book, but to story is still pretty great.

Devil in the White City
This is a non-fiction book that reads just like fiction. In fact, parts of it you wish were actually fiction. It is amazing the things that sprouted from the Chicago World's Fair.

MSN - News - 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin Dies at 44

Sometimes you hate to say "I told you so", but this is one case where you almost have to. No one can work as recklessly around dangerous animals and not get hurt. Why? Because its the one's that you don't think are "that dangerous" that will get you. I work everyday with stuff that can kill me, and I know how easily it can get to write up something that you have used innocently 363 days a year. My condolences go out to Mr. Irwin's family. I hope someone can fill his large shoes and take on his cause to preserve animal's natural habitats.

Only two day left until Jenny and I head for Kansas. It is going to be a real blast to see Karen and hit the road with my best bud! I will be worrying about my men at home. Thomas O'Mally is still recovering from his recent operation. We had to take him to the vet today and he got two pills (an antibiotic and and appetite pill) that Matt will have to attempt to give him. Oh, and Matt will have to soak the cat's paws in warm water for 5 minutes at least once a day. We did it once tonight and it took both of us to accomplish this feat. I am afraid I may get a call from the hospital saying my husband was admitted with severe blood loss!
The lab is starting to become routine. I am not thrilled about the chaos, but it that will become ironed out soon.
I need to get some sleep. Tommy will probably wake me up lots tonight.

I am in the lab today and extremely board. Why??? Because there is absolutely nothing productive to do except read articles. I don't need to physically be here, and yet I am?
Thomas came out of his declawing surgery ok. I guess his teeth were a mess as well, so the vet ended up taking on of them as well. We may get him back tomorrow or Friday. I am hoping for Thursday. He will get extra kitty treats for sure!
Tonight I am meeting Jenny for dinner. Matt can't come because he has a paper to do. Matt and I are total opposites when it comes to work. He procrastinates on everything having to do with the assignment until the last possible minute. I overplan and get all the work done, but still wait until the last possible minute to write. ok, maybe we aren't that different.
Well, I need to get going.

NEW YORK CITY TRAVEL DIARY
Trips dates: Wednesday August 9, 2006 until Sunday August 13, 2006

Day One, August 9th: aka Matt and Joan learn the ropes
We flew into JFK Airport and get into our first NYC taxi cab, which was actually a Pontaic Azetec van. Our cabbie drove us through heavy 5PM traffic to our hotel, The Milford Plaza Hotel . I checked into our room without any incident. Then, we went up to said room. OUR KEYS DIDN'T WORK! So, we went back down to the desk and got ANOTHER set, which also didn't work! Finally they moved us to another room and we got it (by using LOTS of hip on the door). Then, I discovered that my awesome Samsonite luggage lock is jammed, and will not open. SO, we called the front desk to have a maintenance guy come with a lock cutter to get it off. We ended up waiting 2+ hours, so essentially, our first night in NYC was spent dealing with hotel people.

Day Two, August 10: We actually do something...and walk...a lot


Due to my obsessive compulsive planning, we had to get up early and head down to the Lower East Side for our food tour. We did the Melting Pot tour featured by the Enthusiastic Gourmet This tour took 3 hours and walked us from Delancy Street to the heart of Little Italy. This tour featured this Pickle Stand, which made me think of Jenny D. The pickles were awesome (Matt didn't have any). After finishing the tour we ate at this delightful Italian restaurant in Little Italy called Pelligrinos.
We then took the NYC subway to Rockafellar Center. From there we went to the Museum of Modern Art



After the trip to the MoMA, we hit Macy's in Herald Square. Matt had forgotten his dress pants in Minneapolis, so he ended getting to buy new ones at the largest department store in the world. After that, we hit the Empire State Building. Unfortunately, we there was a storm rolling into NYC, so our view wasn't the best. Luckily, we managed to get to the top, take our shots, and get out before it hit. We did get caught in the rain, but that just gave us an excuse to eat a nice dinner, walk around Times Square, and get back to the hotel. We then spent the rest of the night at a piano bar in the Theatre district sipping cocktails (Jack and Coke for Matt, an Southern Comfort Manhattan for me). We capped off our fun filled night with giant slices of NYC pizza.

Day Three, August 11: A Long, Fun Day

After a late night, we started the day off early by meeting up with our Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour group. All I can say is this: go on the first available tour of the day to avoid very long lines! The Statue is very beautiful and moving. The tour given by the Park Service is really good. You can't get up to the top, but it is awesome to look at her skeleton. Ellis Island is a work in progress as far as a museum going, but it was still nice.





After the ferry trip, we took the subway up to the financial district and ate hotdogs in City Hall Park. We then walked to Ground Zero. It was very sad. Here is a picture of the damaged globe that was near the towers. It now rests in Battery Park a few blocks away.


Our next fun thing for the day was a trip to Yankee Stadium to watch the NY Yankees (Matt's favorite team) play the LA Angels (my favorite team).

The Angels beat the Yankees 7-4. It was a great game. I even predicted a ARod solo home run. Matt was amazed by this. During the game we saw a fight in the stands and lots of other cool stuff. Yankee Stadium has way more atmosphere than all the other ballparks I have been to. After the game was over we went back to the hotel and collapsed.

Day Three, August 12: Our last day
After hitting Yankee stadium, we only had three big items on our agenda for the day. The first was a New York Harbor cruise. This was a great way to start off the day, as we got to see the island where we had spent most of our trip (Manhattan), plus the other areas we didn't have time to get to (Queens, Statan Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx). I also got a better view of how the World Trade Center completed the NYC skyline.



After all this, we then hit our Broadway show: Jersey Boys. This play was so awesome. I could hardly believe it. Even Matt was impressed.
Even though we were blown away by the show, we were able to gather enough strength to hit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This was by far the best museum I have been to outside of Europe. Through the windows we were able to see Central Park, the only area we didn't get to hit. We then left the Met and went back to Rockafellar Center and Times Square one last time.




Day Four, August 13: Back to MN
We got home to a rainstorm in Minneapolis. Our venture to JFK started at 5:30am EST when we caught a cab. After standing in line for over and hour at the NWA luggage station, we preceeded to sail through the rest of security due to 1. luck and 2. being 5 hours early for our flight. Matt and I will miss NYC, but were very happy to be greeted at the door by our sweet kitty Thomas O'Mally.

I am finished with all my rotations. I enjoyed the Pediatric Orthopedics rotation, but they didn't convince my mind against a surgery career. Oh well.
Matt and I tried to have get together last night at our new place. No one could make it, so it ended up being sort of depressing. I did cook some awesome tapas dishes, which turned out great. Today is our 1st wedding anniversary. I am making Matt a nice steak dinner as a treat. We are saving our $$$ for our NYC trip starting on Wednesday. I got tickets to Jersey Boys, which is really exciting. Matt also got us Yankees v. Angels tickets, which he is REALLY pumped about. I just hope Thomas O'Mally behaves himself and stays away from the back of the dryer (he has fallen behind it three times now!)
I need to get working on some stuff before the trip. I start in the lab tomorrow, so that will eat away some of my trip preparation time.

I finished my last day of Neurology inpatient rounds today. Tomorrow I have the shelf exam. I really grew to enjoy neurology, which is really surprising for me. I do know that neurology isn't the specialty for me....the cases are either too dramatic (a total left MCA stroke sucks) or prolonged (Huntington's Disease) or confusing (seizures).
I have this weekend off before starting ortho on Monday. Matt is working for Marlene and Ken's catering company all day on Saturday (extra money is good!), so I will be home her with Mr. O'Malley doing chores. Mr. O'Malley really disliked the dishwasher, so it will be interesting to see what he thinks of the washer, dryer, and vacuum. I also need to hang some pictures up here, the bare walls are starting to get to me!

Good news! I got my boards score back. I did better than I thought I would, which is nice. It is a huge relief to know that they are over and I did well. Now I can focus on the next step.

My paper will be out soon according to Dr. Redmer. I hope so, because it has almost been four years since I wrote it! My frustration with the whole process could probably fill an entire room. Oh well, it is done and over and I will have a publication on my CV.....

Well, I need some sleep.

WE GOT A KITTY! His name is Thomas O'Malley. He is an orange tabby that is about a year old. He is very sweet, even if he does like to claw furniture sometimes. We are getting used to him, and vice versa.

I was on call Friday night and will be again tomorrow. I basically spent all day yesterday sleeping. I have one week left of this rotation. Time sure flies by. I have yet to get info on the next rotation, which is making me a bit nervous. After that I have a few days to get stuff cleaned up here before he head for NYC. Due to lack of time I am letting Matt plan out some stuff. Hopefully we won't end up spending all our time in our hotel watching Yankees games on tv.....
Karen is in Washington DC right now. I hope she is having a good time. I can't wait for my road trip down to Kansas to see her. I hope that we can do something fun that doesn't involve me getting the full hot in Kansas experience!
Matt is getting ready right now and we are meeting Dan, Catie, and Connor for a late lunch. They are on their way through town. Matt and I miss having them nearby, but I know that Dan will love his new job in Wisconsin.
I have to get going now. I hope everyone is staying cool. If not, give us a call and come check out our pool.

The new condo rocks. We have worked our asses off since Wednesday night to get it to where we like it. My parents and Matt's mom are so awesome, as they helped with everything. Karen is also a huge trooper, because she drove up from Kansas to help paint. Now Matt and I just have to find where they all put everything! Matt and I also have a lot of little chores to do. Home Depot is becoming a second home to Matt!

So far I like my neurology rotation. It is real interesting and the faculty are really nice. I need to get back into a studying routine. Hopefully I will get my desk in some kind of order this week so I can study there. We have tv in the office now, so I predict some kind of battle with Matt over that. In our old apartment we had separate offices, now we share. This could be a battle since we both like our space.

Well, I need to call my sister and see how Kansas is going.

One rotation finished, two left to go. I am enjoying my weekend off. The next three weekends will be a bit crazy for us. Right now we have to head out to a graduation party. After that we are going to attack some packing. I hope to cap off the night with some light neurology review for the start of the rotation tomorrow morning.
Wish me luck.

I finish my urology surgical subspecialty tomorrow. I liked it, especially after I got the walking boot off. No call, hands on experience (albeit limited), and interesting cases....I would recommend this one. I would have to say that the urology department should try to decide what side of the river they want to be on, because constantly riding the shuttle sort of sucks (and paying for parking on weekends does too).
Next up is Neurology. I am looking forward to it. We move next week, so don't look for too many updates for the next two weeks while we get stuff unpacked. Matt found two tutoring jobs, a class at Saint Thomas, and potential catering jobs. It will be a nice change to have him busy, as he is driving me a tad nuts right now. It is hard to believe someone can play video games for over 12 hours. I can't do anything for 12 hours straight (that includes sleeping!)
Wish us luck with the move!
Happy Summer everyone!

· The Jamestown Sun ·

I am so proud of my awesome cousin Blaine. Check out this article about his latest honor.
Way to go Blaine!

Advice to other med students: do not be in a walking cast during a surgery rotation

I am a total dork. I went for a short run on Friday (to chase down Matt's mom as she was getting lost in Prospect Park) and injured my foot. I went to the doctor today, and found out that I tore a tendon (peroneous brevis) and have to wear a walking cast for the next three weeks when I leave the house. Yup, I have to wear a walking cast during my entire Urology rotation. I think Matt summed it up the best when he said "there is just something I don't trust about a doctor wearing a cast..."

Despite my foot hurting, the weekend in Wisconsin was lots of fun. Matt's Larson relatives are really nice. It was strange hearing so many people say Earl and not seeing my dad (I am starting to get used to people saying my name....I just assume they are asking for Matt's mom). We tried to see if Derik Rieckens was home, but when I called his number his Mom answered and informed me that he is in Bolivia for the summer. Good luck Derik!

With my bum foot I am going to try and read as many journal articles as I can tomorrow while on campus waiting for my car to get fixed. We have bad brakes, so we have to get them replaces. June is going to be an expensive month! New condo, new brakes, moving fees, etc! Hopefully Matt will get a tutoring job that will actually work out sometime soon (the last two haven't).

Well, I better get Matt his computer back. It is nasty outside so I am avoiding using my laptop. we need the rain, I just don't want it to hail....
Have a good night!

Somewhere in Fargo a cousin of mine is having a birthday....I should really get her email.....

Yesterday was an awesome day! I had so much fun going to the zoo and the Science Museum with Jenny. She makes getting lost in the zoo parking lot fun....

Today is catch up on life day. Before 9:30am I had made appointments for the car and for my stupid campus health requirements, taken an online Animal Care and Use class, and scheduled two meetings. By noon I had worked out, had two meetings, purchased a textbook, and started laundry! It is sort of fun to get caught up!

I just read Chuch Klosterman's book Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story yesterday. I like most of it, but some parts were not to my taste. I have another book (Erick Larson's Devil in the White City) to start today. My goal is to catch up on reading as well as fun stuff like laundry and bills.
I booked out plane tickets to NYC today. I got a great deal, so that will make Matt happy. The money I saved will be put toward Broadway tickets. I just hope the two of us can agree to a show.
We are going to Wisconsin this weekend for Matt's cousin's graduation. It will be an interesting trip, as I will have to share a room with Matt's mom. Hopefully she won't snore as much as she did when we were in Spain, and I didn't get any sleep during that trip! It should be nice to meet most of Matt's Larson relatives, as the female Larsons have yet to be encountered. Well, I have orchestra tonight, so I better get the laundry done before that starts.

BOARDS ARE FINISHED! I survived seven plus hours of testing today. Now I have to wait 3-6 weeks before I find out how I did. I hope I passed!

There is news crew in front of my house right now. Apparently there was a rape 1 block from my house and a murder three blocks away. Boy am I glad we are moving at the end of the month..... (and that I carry pepper spray!)

Jenny is coming tomorrow for a fun day. I am looking forward to it.

Only three days left! I am getting a relaxing massage tomorrow and just reviewing my notes and First Aid stuff. I also have a farewell party for Hem, the post-doc in Dr. Vercellotti's lab who has been helping me learn stuff. Matt will finally get to meet Dr. V, which is good. We will also get out of the heat of Minneapolis to the relative peace of the country. Monday is "try not to panic" day. We might go to a movie, as I won't be able to study in the dark. Tuesday is go-to day. Wish me luck!

Oh, and Happy 35th Wedding Anniversary to my parents! I can hardly believe how long the two of you have been together!

Another lazy Sunday in the Beckman/Larson household. It is weird having Matt around in the afternoons for me. Good thing that he is still in school right now! Kirk's wedding was yesterday. It was very beautiful and a wonderful day for two people who deserve nothing but happiness. We came home early so I could study. I tried my best, but didn't quite get to all my goals for the day. I am hitting it pretty hard today though. My neck is finally starting to feel better after the massage, PT exercises, and LOTS of naproxen sodium pills. I scheduled another massage just before the boards exam, it is my motivation to keep going for another week and a half. Well, I better get back to studying. My parents are in Kansas with Karen, and they are supposed to call me sometime soon.

Not much going on here. I am continuing my boards studying odessey. Up this week: Renal, GI, and Endocrinology. It is hard to keep going, as I feel like my brain is full! This afternoon I am heading up the library in Roseville to study. I will get my favorite coffee drink and study someplace where I am less likely to take a nap or surf the net doing unproductive stuff. I have to pick Matt up after softball. This is his last week. He is very excited, because spending hours of quality time with 14-16 year old girls is not his favorite thing to do. Sometimes I really wonder how he can enjoy teaching as much as he does..... I am going to a game on Wednesday, which should be interesting. If anything, it will catch the attention of his girls and make them more annoying for him. hehe!
Kirk's wedding is coming up this weekend. I can hardly believe he is getting married, since when I lived with him he barely dated. The man moves fast. I wish him and Laura nothing but the best.
Well, my computer battery is about to die here, so that means it is time to get studying again. I can't wait for this test!

ESPN.com: Page 2 : A fantasy league for the females

I want to join a movie league, like described in this article, but I can't seem to find one on the internet.....or I am too lazy to look real hard because I have lots of studying to do.

I actually have a repetitive studying injury now! My sternocleidomastoid strain has flared up, so looking down to read is really really pain. Only the biggest dork in the world (me) could get an injury from studying too hard! I just hope I can survive the 19 days to go until boards! I have already started my PT exercises (heat, stretch, rest, prop up books, and take ibprofen). The last time this happened I ended up getting a tube stuck down my throat because I popped so much ibprofen for my neck pain that I ate away the lining of my stomach! Joyous I tell you!
Ok, enough ranting. It is cloudy outside today, so I will probably be fighting the nap bug around 2. For some reason from 2-3 is my bermuda triangle, I can't get anything done and time just flies. I have orchestra tonight, so I can't afford to lose an hour to the triangle. Extra Diet Coke at lunch, here I come!

My first post in May!


I have been studying for boards non-stop since 9AM this morning. I am starting to see spots, my back and neck are one huge knot, and I am exhausted. Who knew sitting at a desk can be so tiring? I am almost through with Biochemistry. Too bad our professors didn't teach it to us the first time. I actually have been reflecting back on my old undergraduate course for inspiration! Scary....

From what I can see, it is beautiful outside today. I hope everyone else got out to enjoy it.

It's almost over!
I did not believe the elder MD/PhD students when they indicated they did not enjoy the first two years of medical school. The last two months are why I now understand. Between courses and the ever impending boards, scheduling, and lab work I feel like I am being pulled a million directions at once. Tomorrow is our last final, a COMPREHESIVE pharmacology final. I have not had to take a comprehesive final (ie for a whole year) since HIGH SCHOOL! One could argue that since all my exams in college and medical school assumed you having taken previous courses, that they are comprehesive, but believe me, they are not like this one. How am I to remember 800+ drugs with multiple methods of actions, side effects, interactions, and names! ARRRRRR!
Needless to say, I am taking the rest of tomorrow off. What do I start on Saturday....more studying!

Good luck to my cousin Doug. He is having his second operation tomorrow. My study breaks will be seeing him in the hospital. Hopefully this one will as well as the last one and he will only be here until Sunday or Monday.

Well, I need to get back to pharmacology. Wish me luck!

It was a beautiful day here. I enjoyed it on the screened in porch studying pathology. We have finals on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week. I just got a phone call from my parent who informed me that my cousin Doug is having a surgery on Friday as well. This is going to be a full week! I made up my boards study schedule. Time is going to fly in May!
Karen spent the weeknd in Chicago. She isn't home yet, so I don't know how the trip went. I hope that Jenny, Karen, Nancy, and I can make a trip to Chicago sometime for a trip to Oparah's show (just to get free stuff or see someone jump on the sofa).
Well, I need to get back to work. I hope everyone had a good day today.

One of the most humbling things about medical school is the realization of how little you actually can do for some patients. You can learn everything about rare condition X, but when faced with a patient you can sometimes be left with option A, which will mostly likely not work, and option B, which is to enjoy the time you have left. Having a parent who faced these types of odds and survived I can often forget what this really means to a person.
Another humbling thing about medical school is how little you know. I have sat through almost every lecture, study for up to 14 hours a day, and I still do not have a fraction of the knowledge I need to be a competent doctor. This is a lifelong path of learning, for each encounter with every patient is a teaching experience. I am happy to be a part of people's lives, even if it is for just a fleeting moment.

Ok, enough deep thoughts. I am frantically trying to study here. I went to the Twins v. LA Angels last night. Darin did not have a stellar night, but he did get on base with a single and scored a run. I am hoping that tonight the Angels win and that I get to see one of these three things 1. Guerrero hit a homer 2. KRod pitch an inning and get the save or 3. Darin hit a homer or get a double RBI hit of some sort
I will admit that going to the Angels games with Matt is not half as fun as it was last year going with Jenny. I hope that next year the games fall at a better time for both of us so we can ditch Matt and have fun!

Boards are creeping up in the horizon. I am really starting to feel behind in my studying, which is exactly what I need to get going. This test really sucks, but it is just another right of passage on the way to my goal.....

Is it reasonable for me to rail at Matt for being a forgetful buffoon when that is one of his endearing qualities? Right now it is driving me nuts because I don't have the time to fix his messes (such as missing the bus when I have to be at the VA in the morning because he can't find his softball jersey). Sometimes I swear I am married to a ten year old instead of a twenty-four year old. Oh well, from talking to my other married friends in medical school this is not a uncommon feeling.

Good luck to Dan and Catie as they go to Beloit to look for a new house. Oh, and Happy 24th B-day to big Daddy Dan. I can hardly imagine having a kid right now, but you and Catie make it look easy... I hope you come up with an outstanding LarBeck Lager that we can all enjoy when we visit.

Ok, I MUST get back to studying leukemias......

Happy Easter everyone (a little early)
Tomorrow I will finally be done with lab medicine. I officially finished PAS today and PAP will be decided next week. It is good to have those out of the way so I can focus on my finals and on the big one ahead.
Things are progressing nicely with our condo purchase. I can't believe how much paperwork is involved!

My parents and Joan L. are coming for Easter on Saturday. We are going to a Twins game on Saturday night and making a big dinner on Sunday. It will be an interesting weekend to see how the group dynamics work.....since I suspect we will have a repeat in June when it is moving time.

Matt has been offered a contract at De La Salle next year, which is a huge relief. I am so happy he is at that school... I think he is as well.

It's official, Karen is not moving until at least January. This is sort of disappointing, as I would like to have her here NOW. Also, I pray January is full of warm, not stormy weather as we move her form Kansas to Minnesota. On a sadder note, Brian is most likely NOT coming to Minnesota, choosing to become a Cornhusker instead. I forsee a road trip to Nebraska sometime in the future.

Dan and Catie are moving as well...to Wisconsin. Matt and I are very excited for them, but will miss being able to spoil their son rotten.

Tanya was in town on Monday. It was great getting to hang out with her and Aaron. It was also nice to see Chris Hanson, Frank Clemens, Erin Ott, and the rest of the jazz band crew. It is amazing how much Matt and I miss the band crowd sometimes (usually on Saturday nights when we end up staying home and studying or playing board games....)

Well, I have to get to orchestra rehearsal and then study for the lab medicine final. Wish me luck!

I love lazy Saturdays. I was supposed to go into the lab today, but someone was using our equipment, so I got the day off. I am currently trying to finish off all my pesky busywork so I can focus on my other task of studying for blood, id, lab med, pathology, pharmacology, and oh yeah, THE Boards! Matt and I toyed with the idea of going to a movie tonight, but neither of us it real motivated to leave the apartment tonight. I was at school from 7AM until 10PM yesterday, by far my longest day so far. I didn't have to go to the BBQ and Talent Show, but I felt like I needed to enjoy one of the last medical school traditions that will be relavent. In the future I will be an outsider to the humor that occurs......this is probably for the better as a lot of the humor at the Talent Show was childish and crude. Oh well, I wasn't expecting much more anyway.
Karen has a bad migrane right now. She woke me up on Thursday night complaining of seeing spots (classic for migranes). I got to give her the wonderful news that it would probably last a few days.....
Tanya is coming to town on Monday and Tuesday with the NDSU Jazz Band. I hope we can go see her. The concerts will probably be at bad times for both Matt and I since both of us are busy at night with softball and lab work respectively.

I finally finished seasons 4 and 5 of Gilmore Girls. Thank you Jenny for lending them to me! Now I will have to wait for season 6 so I can rewatch the beginning of the season with a better perspective of what went on previously....

Hematology calls....I better answer while I still have motivation.

Just a quick note. I am sooo busy this week. It is so unfair that I have four days of 7:30am or earlier days when Matt gets to sleep in. I was barely conscious for most of my classes today (I'm sorry Jimmy, but I don't know what polycythemia is because I feel asleep during that class.....) Why isn't there 28 hours in a day? Them I could possibly get the 4 hours of sleep a day I need to not commit homicide (or a long painful suicide).

My dad is healing well. I am glad. I hope to be half as hearty as he is.....

Need to sleep....not time.....need to sleep........arrrrrrrr, I WANT to be a doctor....right?

We bought a condo. Click here Pictures for shots of how it looks (this is the current owner's furniture in it). It is close to the Saint Paul campus, which works out nicely for both Matt and me. I will miss Prospect Park, but we just can't afford to stay here.
My dad survived yet another operation today. He is now over 13. He had a hernia repaired on his right side. He might have to have it done on the left side as well. My stomach thing is finally starting to get better. The expensive new drugs are working well.
This weekend is filled with studying. I have so much to do before the end of April, and May is just scary. I am grateful we found a nice place and are getting things done now. I will not have to think about moving until June, when I will also have time to pick paint colors and other stuff.
Well, I need to get some writing done for one of my classes. I will try to update later this weekend.

Oh, and congrats to DeLaSalle High School for winning the Minnesota State Class 3A Basketball tournament. It was a fun game to go to.

Home - Health Sciences Orchestra, the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota
Here is the website for the group I am playing with here in Minneapolis. If you go the site, I am the only bass player. Our big concert is in a week. It should be fun.

I'm alive. I postponed the endoscopy thingy until yesterday. That way I got to spend a very enjoyable Saint Patrick's Day with Jenny and Nancy. On Saturday Karen, mom, and Enamine came to town. We did lots of driving around to get Karen an idea of the area she is moving to. It was really fun having them here. Matt survived a weekend of all girls....he deserves a metal (or a steak dinnner....). Karen's cat continues to be a road warrior. She has now been to Minneapolis, Jamestown, Kansas City, and Fargo (to Jamestown and Fargo multiple times). Karen has it down to a routine. The cat just survives....
Today I am heading to the lab for the first time in a long time. It is sort of exciting, but at the same time I really want to study for boards. I have a practice test tomorrow mornign that I know I am going to bomb. Oh well, I scheduled it more for knowning the location and routine than for content.
Matt and I are also looking at houses today. It is sort of exciting. I hope we find one soon. That way we can plan the move and everything. The scary part is going to be finding a time when it is good for both of us!
Good luck to the DeLaSalle Boy's basketball team. They are playing Boeser's alma mater Totino-Grace today in the state basketball tournament. Poor Matt, he has now lost two consecutive weeks of teaching to these tournaments.
Well, I need to get going here. Wish me luck in the lab!

I'm getting 'scoped! Yup, on St. Patrick's Day I will get to experience the joy of having a tube stuck down my throat to see what is wrong with my stomach. I spent most of yesterday in the bathroom reliving my last few meals in reverse. That was fun enough to make me want to get to the bottom of this problem. One of my good med school buddies is picking me up, as they claim I can't drive the rest of the day. I am going to make it to DeLaSalle career day at noon, so hopefully I can talk. I am not supposed to drive, but I am also going to make it up to Jenny's, as I have been looking forward to it for over a month.
Karen survived the tornado in Lawrence and we survived a great March blizzard. What is with the weather? Mom and Karen are heading up here on Saturday, so I am getting everything clean here. Today I attacked the stove. It was a mess. Tomorrow I will attack the floors and the living room. I am saving the bathroom for Saturday.
Good luck to the DeLaSalle Girl's basketball team. They made it to their first state tournament this year. Matt has a day off of school tomorrow to go and watch the game. I hope they win.
Well, I need to get back to studying for my gastrointestinal exam on Thursday. Isn't it ironic that I am studying GI while I have a major GI problem?

Pediatrics was fun today. I am working on the dreaded PAS course right now. I HATE BUSIWORK!

RIP Kirby Puckett

This is a sad day for baseball fans in Minnesota and throughout the world.

Well, after our sucky water thingy Matt and I have decided to look closer into buying a condo. At least that way we will have a little more control over our situation. We spent some time this weekend driving to find some places that met our critea. Some were nice, but may be too far away, others were just scary. Minneapolis is so strange in that one block can be picture perfect, but the next can look like something out of a horror movie.
Matt has started to coach softball. He is starting to get into it, which is cool. He gets a day off this week due to the Girl's State Basketball tournament. I wish the U let us out for tournaments......
This week is the last week (or two) of GI stuff. I am up on note coop, so I have to pay extra attention to class tomorrow. This stuff is really interesting for me, so it is not too much of a stretch. We have exams next week, followed by a spring break. Hard to think that it will be my last official Spring Break. I get breaks during grad school, but that basically means that I don't have class. Working in the lab is still expected, especially if I want to spend time during the holidays with my family.
Still no word on when I will actually start getting back into the lab. I am just waiting for Dr. V to exclaim "What you aren't in the lab, I thought you started that two weeks ago!"
PET PEEVE: my former lab group at NDSU is driving me nuts right now. I had to spend an hour and half yesterday looking at old data CDs to find information for them. They claim I did not copy the information for them. MY CDS ARE COPIES OF THE COPIES I MADE FOR THEM! I even made triplicates of data from the last two years of my tenure there. It is really frustrating being 500 miles away and trying to get a paper published. I know they really need the citation. Right now, I just want respite from the constant whiny emails.

The Oscars are tonight. I am purposely avoiding the TV as I could easier get sucked into the self-congratulatory glamour that is Hollywood. I think my time tonight is better spent studying (with the occasional peek at the internet to see who has won what). I will splurge on the Oscar fashion issue of People when it comes out.

My landlords suck. We received exactly 2 hours notice that our water was being turned off for the night on Thursday! Ummm hello Matt S....can we use your toliet tonight? Luckily he was willing to let us. Our compensation (which was supposed to get us a hotel room) was only $31! GRRRRRR!!!!!

NOOOOO! I was just watching my taped episode of Gilmore Girls and the stupid VCR cut out the last four minutes! WHY!!!!!
Ok, sorry about the crazy rant. My life is not over, as I am sure they will kindly have a "last time on Gilmore Girls" refresher of sorts......I hope.
Today was a fun day. I didn't have class until 10, so I got to the gym early. I like it when that happens, as after a long day of lectures I just don't feel up for sweating in front of tons of people.
Well, I need to read up before my geriatrics rotation tomorrow. I hope old people are less scary than newborn babies....

I survived the pathology exam on Friday. I nailed the slide id part, which was a pleasant surprise. Matt and I made a quick trip to ND for the weekend. It was great seeing a whole bunch of people at the Turf. I know that both of us miss our friends in Fargo (and those who have left Fargo and are living far far away!) It was nice visiting my folks in Jamestown too, even if we didn't leave the house the entire time. My mom once again stuffed us until we couldn't move. Medicare Plan D really takes the energy out of my Dad, but he still stayed up late with us to chat, mostly about Karen's upcomig move (we are all praying for an August move.....moving in January is not fun!)
We started Gut stuff today. It is sort of interesting, but after three straight hours of liver enzyme test stuff I was starting to get comatose...... I am excited though because I get to start up learning animal surgeries and other cool stuff sometime in the next week with my "free" time (ie study time).
This weekend we don't have much on the agenda, which is a nice change. We might try to go bowling with one of Matt's coworkers. Once a year I get the urge to try out bowling. I go, realize why I dont' like it, and wait another 364 days to go again. It is once again that time of year...

Karen is moving to Minneapolis!
Yup, her PhD mentor decided to take the job at the University of Minnesota, so the fabulous Beckman sisters will be reunited once again. I signed on to work for Dr. Vercellotti, so Karen's new lab will be right across the street from my lab. Granted, Washington Ave. get a lot more traffic than old Albretch Dr. did at NDSU, but it will be nice having her so close. It has been weird with her so far away. I know that Matt is just happy she doesn't want to live with us. Our job now is to find an affordable, quite, nice apartment close to the U that allows cats.....NOT any easy task.
For all those people who read this from Fargo, Matt and I will be gracing the Turf at 9:30 or so on Friday. I need to head back home to Jamestown to get some stuff done, but we are spending the night in Fargo to see Joan senior (why on earth did a marry a man whose mother has the same name as me?)
I survived my exam this morning. It is sort of ironic that the subject that I studied the least for (and skipped the most classes of) was the one I did the best in. After the exam I got to have lunch with my cousin Doug and his wife. They are in town because Doug is having surgery tomorrow to remove a spinal tumor. There is just something about my family and strange neurotumors..... Doug is in good health, so his surgeon is not expecting any major complications. I plan on stopping by the OR waiting room to see how things are going tomorrow. They don't need me around and I need to study. I will try to bake Doug some cookies and stuff, as I know the Fairview food isn't always the most palatable.
Well, that's about it for a Monday!

Happy Valentine's Day!
Here is a picture of my new haircut. It is a lot shorter than before.
I signed onto a PhD lab. I have tons to do tonight, so I will post some detail sometime soon.

I am crazy....or just sleep deprived?
That is the question of the week here in our house. Today I forgot my exam bag, so I had to come home at lunch, which effectively wasted another 45 minutes of my life. I didn't get to the gym or do yoga today, both of which could have been done in that time I spent. I blame it on Boyton Health Service! or the fact that to powers that be had to schedule my two favorite TV shows back to back on Tuesdays (Gilmore Girls and Scrubs ruled tonight!) Oh well, the next few weeks I will have an Olympic reprive of the madness.
I passed my pathology exam. I got burned once again by my dependence on the online slides. I really need to dust off our $800 study slides and look at them under a good old fashioned microscope for the next one (yeah right, like that will happen!)
Tomorrow is week three of internal medicine. I am starting to get the hang of it (so that must mean it is time to change).
It is hard to believe that classes are going to be over soon for medical school and that I will be leaving my classmates. I am looking forward to the relatively more sedate pace of research though. Now I just wish I could find a mentor with some money!
Well, I need some sleep.

WHAT KIND OF DEMENTED PERSON SCHEDULES AN EXAM FOR NOON ON A SATURDAY? The correct answer would be our pathology course director. My whole Saturday is shot because of the timing of this exam. Had it been in the morning, I would have still had my afternoon for some fun. INSTEAD I have to spend my morning waiting for the exam, my afternoon taking it, and then find time to get my other stuff done (my online based PAS course, etc) Matt is going to a DeLaSalle Basketball game, so I won't even get to spend time with him after the exam. I swear we spend more time in our respective offices (me studying, him playing video games) than we do together! Oh well, good practice for next year when I will be at the lab all the time (if I find a lab that is).

Oh, I hope that President Bush's State of the Union vow to invest in science and technology kicks in SOON. I need money to do my graduate work ASAP!

Well, I am going to try and study for another hour and a half before I got to bed. I am going to wake up early to cram more before my noon exam.
I hope everyone who reads this has a MUCH better Saturday than me.
Oh well, at least I have the Super Bowl to look forward to (if I am not studying then!)

Today was insanely busy. I barely had time to think! My new haircut was a hit with the Med school crowd. People that normally don't even look at me were complementing me. Strange....
Tomorrow is clinic day. It is strange. I almost miss family medicine, as I was busy all day and felt like I was helping people. In internal med I just do a physical then get yelled at for reporting it wrong. NOT a lot of fun. Oh well, Nick and Brianne are in my group, so it is almost like the good old anatomy days (Bilal was moved to another group....)
I have become addicted to Chuck Klosterman's irreverant Super Bowl Blog on ESPN's Page 2. Here is the link: Klosterman Blog

The Oscar nominations were announced today. Some of them were hardly surprising. I have seen Brokeback Mountain, Walk the Line, Pride and Prejudice, Crash, and Cinderella Man. I can honestly say that some deserving roles were turned away this year. Terrance Howard could have easily been like Jaime Foxx was last year, with two nominations (a second for his role in Crash). I do not agree with Keira Knightly's nomination, as her role was not that orignal (the A&E film was far superior). Why did Naomi Watts get snubbed? Her acting in King Kong made the movie work! Oh well, I guess my feelings are not that relavent, since I am not a Hollywood maven but a poor medical student. I will be anxiously waiting for the Oscar results on March 5th. Maybe Jenny D. and I can arrange an Oscar party!

Happy Lunar New Year!
Matt and I enjoyed some yummy Chinese food at the Village Wok yesterday and were treated to a wonderful Chinese New Year celebration. It is weird to think that over a billion people worldwide were celebrating over the weekend.

I chopped off my hair tonight. I decided to finally bite the bullet and try a short hairdo. I don't know how I will feel about it in the morning, as Rosie straightened it tonight after she was done. Tomorrow, when I get around to "styling" it, it will probably be one curly mess! Oh well, my hair grows quickly, so if I really hate it I will just go a few months with trims only. I will try to get a picture posted sometime this week. Maybe we can have a poll or something about the new cut.

I have a pathology exam on Saturday, but I have survive that long. I have lots of other stuff going on right now that distracts me from studying the really really boring subject of polycystic kidney disease. Doug and Maragret are in town tomorrow for more MRIs, I have to lead small group on Friday, plus orchestra, internal medicine, and PAS group stuff (IHATE GROUP WORK!). It is amazing I am not in a ball crying on the floor (that I reserve for Sunday when I have to write four straight microbiology lecture summaries!) Wish me luck over the week, I need it!

I get a free day today! Yup, a whole day off! Why? Because my preceptor for Family Practice is on vacation in Las Vegas. I worked my butt off for the last two sessions, so he gave me this week off instead of pawning me off on someone else for one session. I hope to use the day productively. I am going to the Rec to work out, printing off the final version of the K-Coop I put together for the first year students, and studying my butt off for the mid-term next Tuesday. Tonight I have to meet up with Gretchen and Andrea to print off packets and stuff them. Hopefully with three of us it will not take too long.
Karen has an ear infection. It sounds like Enamine has a thing for the metholatum tha Karen is using to help ease her pain. The kitty bit her ear! And Karen claims she doesn't have a chewing problem......
This weekend Matt and I are volunteering at a homeless shelter. It should be good fun, as we are supervising a children's playroom for six hours on Saturday and three on Sunday. Matt is upset because he will miss some of the playoff games. I am sort of angry because I will have less studying time. Oh well, I guess I will just have to forgo sleeping in to make up for the time.
Well, I need to get moving here. Have a great Wednesday!

Matt and I had a good long weekend. We could get used to these! On Friday and Saturday night we had tickets to the Gopher/Sioux series. We enjoyed Friday night's game, as the Sioux were defeated 6-1. After that game we took our good spirits out to Sally's for some beer with Matt S. He was just back from London, so it was nice to see him and hear all about it. I also discovered how small our world is. We were sitting at a table in one of the "off" rooms of Sally's. Phil P. from my high school looked around the corner. I had seen him various times throughout the year, as he is a manager at the University Bookstore. Phil sees me, and waves, followed by HUGE EYES......"YOU know MATT?" he shouts. Assuming he was not talking about my husband, I knew he meant Matt S. It turns out they party together due to a mutal friend. It was a little weird. Here was someone I hadn't talked to for five years who is friends with one of my good buddies here in Minneapolis.....strange.
Saturday night the Gophers let us down in the last two minutes. It was sad, but they had lost their previous 3 games against the Gophers and are pretty much out of title contention, so I can be statisfied with that.....oh, and I got a Sioux fan kicked out of the arena for swearing in front of little kids....heheh
Today Matt and I went ice skating in downtown Saint Paul. I was a bit shaky at first, but then it came back to me. It was fun, plus we got free stuff!
Tomorrow the undergraduates start up again. Sometimes I like that I choose a campus with undergrads on it, but the first day of classes is NOT one of them. I have to go the Rec Center early because all the girls will be working out to lose weight in time for spring break. Lucily, after next week most never come back....
It sounds like Jenny and Karen had a fun weekend in Lawrence. I wish I could have joined them. I will just have to look forward to seeing Jenny in a few weekends (or sooner?) and Karen in March!

Tales from Medical School: Venipuncture day!
Well, today was our first lab medicine lab. It was the one where we learn how to draw blood and then do test on our blood. I partnered up with my buddy Ryan. Ryan got a crack at my arm first. Due to my pale, freckled skin Ryan has some solid landmarks to work with. He hit paydirt (aka the vein) on his first stick. His luck ended there though, as he proceeded to pull the needle out as he was switching tubes. I had to undergo another stick in my other arm, and we were done. Next up: ME. I had to do venipunction in Ryan! Yup, they gave me a needle. I have done venipuncture in sheep back at NDSU, but this is WAY different. Luckily, Ryan had awesome veins, so I also was successfull in my first stick. My luck unfortunately ran out in the same place as Ryan's, so I to stick his other arm as well. This is where the tricky part lies, Ryan's other arm had a beautiful, easy to see vein which was unfortunately right over a tendon. Being a wimp, I surrender my needle to allow the supervisor to demonstrate a "tricky" draw. I would rather have him cause pain in Ryan.....

Well, that is all the excitement from Minneapolis today. Matt and I have hockey tickets this weekend. We are going to cheer against the Susies (THE SUE AS A MASCOT NOT AS A PEOPLE SUCK!) GO GOPHERS!

The holidays have come and gone. Matt and I had a relaxing trip back to Fargo and Jamestown. Both of us got to see some friends that we have not seen since our wedding. It was especially a treat to get to see Mitch and Derrick, as both live so far away now!
Karen loved her present. I can't believe I kept meeting Martha Stewart a secret from her for over a month! I don't know how many times either Jenny or I spilled the beans.
We are back at school for the second day today. I was at clinic all day. It was much better this time, as most of our cases were colds. We wrote a lot of prescriptions for cough syrup with codeine. THE CRUD IS OUT THERE FOLKS! WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY!
I had the joy of getting an ultrasound on my gallbladder on Monday. My doctor thought my nausea may be due to gallstones (as opposed to my theory of GURD). I got the ultrasound report back, I DO NOT HAVE GALLSTONES. Yup, I am just going to take some OTC acid reflux reducers like Ashlee Simpson. Hey, I wonder if I can blame my lack of a PhD mentor on GURD........
Funny story. Matt swore he had school yesterday. After whining like a two year old about not wanting to go, he got out of bed, showered, and got ready. He drove me to school (or normal first day of the week back routine) and went to DeLaSalle. There he discovered HE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL! Wow, now I know why I am in charge of paying the bills and such.....I pay attention to dates and days. Oh well, he was not crushed by this discovery, when home and played video games all day....so this story has a happy ending.
Tomorrow night Matt and I will not have heat, as our apartment is getting a new boiler. The current 1910 versions are burning fuel at a less than 50% efficiency, costing us lots of money is heating bills. We have some tiny little space heaters from the gas company to keep us warm. I think we will also rely heavily on a trusty hot water bottle and lots of blankets. Pray for a warm night tomorrow.
Well, I already have over a hundred pages of reading to do, so I better go.