Saturday, November 29, 2008

Gotta Love the Gimme's

On the respiratory exam last Wednesday:

What cancer has the highest mortality rate in the United States?

A. Colon
B. Lung
C. Breast
D. Prostate
E. Bone

Ummm. Give me a break! Not only is this a common factoid but we are in the fricken' respiratory system exam! LUNG, LUNG, LUNG!
Give me that point.

Next!

...some b.s. question about what gene on what chromosome is the mutation that causes cystic fibrosis....


Nervous, Muscloskeletal, Psych, and now Respiratory exams down! We pack in Heme next and then I will be 1.5 yrs through medschool. What up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Why do I torture myself so?.....and a decision.

First the decision.

I have never done this before but its time.

I am declaring a favorite beer.

I have always doubted I could do this given my love for fine beers but hell, I am calling it.

It is hard to put aside brews such as New Belgian Fat Tire Ale, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Snake River Brewery's Discombobulator Mai-Bock, Delirium Tremens, etc. etc but I have determined the one.

DOGFISH HEAD 90 MINUTE IPA.

The best. Period.

And the torture?

Tonight I put on Long Way Around, Ewen McGregor and Charley Boorman's trip around the world on their enduro motobikes. With an enduro in the garage and a shit ton to learn, I just want to pick up and ride too. Crap.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Fly on....

Muscloskeletal exam down...did well....flying on...

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

R.I.P. Jeremy



One of our family's draft horses (the big guy behind and on the left) had to be put down today due to neurological issues. I think Sophie (the horse on the right) will miss him most. Jeremy was always madly in love with Sophie and when we would take her out to drive carts, he would always neigh and snort like crazy! He was a nice character.

R.I.P. Jeremy



Also, I have plenty to say about how great the election went yesterday but I am too tired right now. Recovering from the Muscloskeletal exam today and the days leading up to it...

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Monday, November 3, 2008

Well....



now you got to vote for Obama.

What kind of ass would not vote for a guy whose grandma just died?

Geesh.

Sad.

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VOTE.

Practicing Peace and Calming One's Self





"Also, he says, kids can become desensitized to violence. 'When you're exposed to violence day in and day out, it loses its emotional impact on you,' Huesmann said. 'Once you're emotionally numb to violence, it's much easier to engage in violence.'"

This quote from the linked article above (click on the quote) refers to yet another study that empirically links violent video games to aggressive behavior. I have indirectly commented on this before (click).

In my humble opinion, people need to start practicing how to be calm rather than continually conditioning themselves to destroy, torture, hate, and act impulsively. I am all for our bill of rights but when we start creating an alternative universe in the minds of our youth that encourages a "culture of disrespect" and of violence, I begin to think, why should we have to then deal with the consequences? Police, doctors, firefighters, politicians, lawyers, victims, soldiers....we are constantly dealing with the effects of this violent culture. At what point do we draw the line and say, these games, these activities, this way of life is making our society ill and we have got to stop it?

People may laugh at males that do yoga, but I will tell you one thing: ever since I started practicing and working on breath, relaxation, and meditation, I have been able to better cope with things that piss me off. It is essentially practicing a state of acceptance, peace, and tolerance (both of yourself and the smelly neighbor on the mat next to you). And the effects are long lasting. I cannot go to class for 2 weeks and I still feel the presence of calmness and respect what I have learned. I am not saying we all need to be yogis but I merely offer that we need to practice these states of tranquility somehow and that the overall sympathetic tone of our lives needs to be turned down a notch! By practicing one can prepare for the time that he/she wants to throw that chair, flip that driver off, or rant about waiting in line. People need to practice peace. Parents need to take the video games and TV away. We have got to spend less on war and military. We are sick.

So what's in it for you? How about a simpler, happier life? How about better health? (click)How about not becoming the next victim of violence?


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go ahead and call me a dirty hippy. I dare you. I still got the mohawk!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Can't be that unhealthy?!

Despite an all time low in outside activity, still rocking a pretty low heart rate...

48. mid-day, drinking a 3 shot latte at a coffee shop.

Kick ass.

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like you care ;)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

To Be a Dog....



the studying continues...

Deep Thoughts

Well....since I found (read: irresponsibly devoted)the time to close down the local brew pub tonight with over 100 medical students and other folks on Halloween night, I guess I can take the time to enlighten you all with some of my deep thoughts of the day.

1. I felt guilty tonight handing out little candy bars (did you know one tiny almond joy is equal to 20% of one's daily saturated fat)to poor little kids who are likely doomed to be obese Americans with type 2 diabetes.

2. Watching the show House is much more fun, as a medical student, with Wikipedia in front of you. You actually learn something. Tonight I learned about William's Syndrome because of the story line:
Williams syndrome (WS; also Williams-Beuren syndrome or WBS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a deletion of about 26 genes from the long arm of chromosome 7.[1] It is characterized by a distinctive, "elfin" facial appearance, along with a low nasal bridge; an unusually cheerful demeanor and ease with strangers, coupled with unpredictably occurring negative outbursts; etc.

3. This time of year really makes me produce a lot of large, dry boogers. I am going to miss picking my nose once I get into the MRSA filled hospitals next year. Despite my love of digging deep, I don't think injecting Staph or neisseria meningitis into my brain and airways is worth it in the long run. It is going to take some time to break this life long habit.

4. Today, I sculpted a sic mohawk. I will be sporting it for the next week or more. Sadly, the only reason I know I can pull this off is b/c I don't have any preceptorships in the near future. It sucks that I will have to be, act, and look professional for the rest of my life. I always enjoyed mixing it up.

5. I need to see and listen to more live shows. Tonight a local band rocked the house and it was great. I need to seek out shows and get back into the groove.

6. "Joe the plumber" needs to go back to snaking toilets and removing large chunks of feces from porcelain rather than spouting his pathetic theories on world politics.
Watch this:


7. Please to god, let those in the DRC survive this new wave of insane and useless violence. We need to prevent another genocide.

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