Good morning folks! Thought I'd share a story with y'all while I wait for my bagel to toast.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/health/policy/27care.html?_r=1&hp
Not enough docs (old news), so lots of talk about bumping up enrollment in residency programs, increasing medicare payments to GPs, and expanding the National Health Service Corps. Good news for you and me Nick!
Ok, have a great day. Watch out for swine flu!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! Yes, it's a totally hippied-out, made-up holiday, but it's a good one! In honor of the day and our lovely planet, take a few minutes to cogitate on your favorite place on Earth. Anybody want to share? Here are a few of mine:
The pond back home in the summer--including dogs and friends.
Hot tub with a beautiful view of the canyon.
The log house up at the ranch. (photo credit to David!)
On the road going anywhere, especially with Laurel in the other seat.
Shelter Cove, and anywhere on the Pacific Coast really (up North, anyway). (photo credit to David)
In the air.
Eating breakfast with my family on the porch.
And last but not least, my new backyard. With Andrew sitting next to me, drinking drinks and smoking a cigar, in the evening with the fairy lights lit overhead (and plenty of bug spray).
Where's your favorite place to be?
The pond back home in the summer--including dogs and friends.
Hot tub with a beautiful view of the canyon.
The log house up at the ranch. (photo credit to David!)
On the road going anywhere, especially with Laurel in the other seat.
Shelter Cove, and anywhere on the Pacific Coast really (up North, anyway). (photo credit to David)
In the air.
Eating breakfast with my family on the porch.
And last but not least, my new backyard. With Andrew sitting next to me, drinking drinks and smoking a cigar, in the evening with the fairy lights lit overhead (and plenty of bug spray).Where's your favorite place to be?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Green Porno
Oh my goodness, hold on to your seats. Instead of studying neuro, I've been learning all about insect sex from Isabella Rossellini. Have you heard about her new project, Green Porno? Basically, she acts out the mating habits of various critters--earthworms, spiders, flies, whales, limpets--in one to two minute videos. You can read a bit about it in this New York Magazine article, and I have to tell you, it's the best thing I've seen in a while. For one thing, who hasn't been in love with Isabella Rossellini for years? She's gorgeous, talented, an amazing actress, raises seeing eye dogs and is an all around wonderful person. These movies raise her to a whole new level in my book. She somehow manages to make even earthworm sex sexy.
Make sure you check out the earthworm and snail videos, and the death scene at the end of the bee. And the whale. Oh jeez, just watch all of them! You'll learn so much. The first "season" is mostly insects (it's the best!), and the second delves into the wide world of sea creatures.
Watch them all here. See? My blog is so educational!
Make sure you check out the earthworm and snail videos, and the death scene at the end of the bee. And the whale. Oh jeez, just watch all of them! You'll learn so much. The first "season" is mostly insects (it's the best!), and the second delves into the wide world of sea creatures.
Watch them all here. See? My blog is so educational!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Slow Loris
I'm having another one of those days people. Lackluster, unmotivated, blargh. I made potatoes gratin and it failed in a very real way, so I decided to watch Dead Poets Society to cheer myself up. Big mistake. Have you guys SEEN that movie? It's so happy-go-lucky for an hour and a half, and then BLAM! What gives?
Luckily, none of that matters a teeny tiny bit. Because the wide reaches of the internet have provided once again. The heavens opened up and sent down this video to shoo all my cares away.
I know, I know, it's too good to be true. That, my friends, is a slow loris, the strangest, cutest little prosimian you'll ever see. And he likes to be tickled. My day is made.
(video found via petunia face--she always comes through)
Luckily, none of that matters a teeny tiny bit. Because the wide reaches of the internet have provided once again. The heavens opened up and sent down this video to shoo all my cares away.
I know, I know, it's too good to be true. That, my friends, is a slow loris, the strangest, cutest little prosimian you'll ever see. And he likes to be tickled. My day is made.
(video found via petunia face--she always comes through)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Borneo
Oooo....check out this beautiful slideshow about Borneo over at the nytimes.
I can't tell you how badly I wish I was tromping through the Borneo rainforest looking for monkeys right now, instead of trying to settle down and study. Stupid med school.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Oysters
I had a really vivid dream the other night about eating tons and tons of oysters, and now I can't stop craving them! Does anybody know the best place to get oysters in New Orleans?
(fresh steamed oysters, via flickr)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Cats and brains
My goodness. Want to hear about my day? Yes, I'm sure you would be THRILLED to hear me complain for a while, and being the lovely obliging girl that I am, I'll indulge you!
I spent four hours studying today after class. Four hours! What a good student, right? I was feeling very proud of myself as I drove home, thinking about how nice it was that I would just get to relax all night since I'd gotten my studying out of the way early. So I pull up, and there's Conrad (scroll down for a picture) waiting on the sidewalk. Nothing new there. But when I got out of the car and leaned down to pet him, I realized that he had a HUGE GAPING HOLE on the very TOP OF HIS HEAD!! Blarg!! The fur was all matted down with gooey pink cloudy stuff around the cavernous wound, and I immediately thought of brain juice. Brain juice. Even though I've been poking at brains for two weeks and learning all of their ins and outs and know perfectly well that there is not, actually, any such thing as brain juice.
But my suspicions seemed confirmed when I (irrationally) thought that he was acting funny, and started trying to figure out exactly which of his gyri were leaking out of the top of his head to make him so loopy. Panic time!
Clearly I had to rush him to the hospital, which I did. I was hoping that my favorite vet would be there to give me a price break, but you can't worry about these things when you have a cat leaking brain juice all over your car seat! So off we went (I figured I could get there faster than an ambulance), trying to keep myself from bursting into tears. I know he's technically just a stray, but he's fabulous! He's always around to get some lovin', even when food isn't involved. He needs me.
I managed to keep the waterworks back long enough to talk coherently to the ladies at the front desk, who seemed, if I may say so, a little too calm for the gravity of the situation. But they were very quick, and soon we were in an exam room being fussed over. Whew. Turns out it wasn't brain juice (the doc was kind enough not to tell me I'm an idiot), but it was definitely a bummer of an injury. Once he got it all shaved and cleared out, it looked like a gigantic...well, hole in his scalp. The lady at the front desk said she thought a mocking bird must've swooped down and pecked him (?), to which the vet said "Yeah, or maybe it was Somali pirates" (insert "you're looney toons" look here).
But the best part is that the wound needs to be flushed twice a day. I figured, no big deal! Just squirt a little sterile shit on it and you're good. But when I asked him to show me, he stuck the syringe INTO THE HOLE and wiggled it around. We're talking between scalp and skull. Should be a fun morning.
Anyway, home I came ($60 lighter) to put the invalid to bed in the laundry room (his customary home). I filled up his food and water bowl, but when I went to turn off the hose, it would not. turn. off. At all. I know I'm not the butchest little blonde around, but I know how to turn off a damn hose, and this spigot was having none of it. I twisted, I pried, I pliered, all to no avail. And then my pliers broke. This was clearly not my afternoon. Luckily my landlady came to the rescue (she was there in ten minutes--how awesome is that?) and saved the backyard from being completely flooded by working magic with tools that I've never even heard of.
I decided to end the night by eating as much of a large peperoni pizza as I could and guzzling beer, which has worked wonders for my psyche. What is it about highly processed pork products that always puts a smile on my face?
Thanks for listening. You were a very satisfying audience. Here's a picture that a) always cheers me up and b) reminds me why I never mind spending lots of money on vet bills to keep my kittens kickin'.
I spent four hours studying today after class. Four hours! What a good student, right? I was feeling very proud of myself as I drove home, thinking about how nice it was that I would just get to relax all night since I'd gotten my studying out of the way early. So I pull up, and there's Conrad (scroll down for a picture) waiting on the sidewalk. Nothing new there. But when I got out of the car and leaned down to pet him, I realized that he had a HUGE GAPING HOLE on the very TOP OF HIS HEAD!! Blarg!! The fur was all matted down with gooey pink cloudy stuff around the cavernous wound, and I immediately thought of brain juice. Brain juice. Even though I've been poking at brains for two weeks and learning all of their ins and outs and know perfectly well that there is not, actually, any such thing as brain juice.
But my suspicions seemed confirmed when I (irrationally) thought that he was acting funny, and started trying to figure out exactly which of his gyri were leaking out of the top of his head to make him so loopy. Panic time!
Clearly I had to rush him to the hospital, which I did. I was hoping that my favorite vet would be there to give me a price break, but you can't worry about these things when you have a cat leaking brain juice all over your car seat! So off we went (I figured I could get there faster than an ambulance), trying to keep myself from bursting into tears. I know he's technically just a stray, but he's fabulous! He's always around to get some lovin', even when food isn't involved. He needs me.
I managed to keep the waterworks back long enough to talk coherently to the ladies at the front desk, who seemed, if I may say so, a little too calm for the gravity of the situation. But they were very quick, and soon we were in an exam room being fussed over. Whew. Turns out it wasn't brain juice (the doc was kind enough not to tell me I'm an idiot), but it was definitely a bummer of an injury. Once he got it all shaved and cleared out, it looked like a gigantic...well, hole in his scalp. The lady at the front desk said she thought a mocking bird must've swooped down and pecked him (?), to which the vet said "Yeah, or maybe it was Somali pirates" (insert "you're looney toons" look here).
But the best part is that the wound needs to be flushed twice a day. I figured, no big deal! Just squirt a little sterile shit on it and you're good. But when I asked him to show me, he stuck the syringe INTO THE HOLE and wiggled it around. We're talking between scalp and skull. Should be a fun morning.
Anyway, home I came ($60 lighter) to put the invalid to bed in the laundry room (his customary home). I filled up his food and water bowl, but when I went to turn off the hose, it would not. turn. off. At all. I know I'm not the butchest little blonde around, but I know how to turn off a damn hose, and this spigot was having none of it. I twisted, I pried, I pliered, all to no avail. And then my pliers broke. This was clearly not my afternoon. Luckily my landlady came to the rescue (she was there in ten minutes--how awesome is that?) and saved the backyard from being completely flooded by working magic with tools that I've never even heard of.
I decided to end the night by eating as much of a large peperoni pizza as I could and guzzling beer, which has worked wonders for my psyche. What is it about highly processed pork products that always puts a smile on my face?
Thanks for listening. You were a very satisfying audience. Here's a picture that a) always cheers me up and b) reminds me why I never mind spending lots of money on vet bills to keep my kittens kickin'.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
ee cummings
I woke up this morning to an poem in my inbox from Laurel. One of my very favorite ee cummings poems! How did she know? Must be a sister thing. I thought I would share it with you.
e. e. cummings
since feeling is first
since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;
wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world
my blood approves,
and kisses are a better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry
- the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids' flutter which says
we are for each other; then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life's not a paragraph
And death i think is no parenthesis
Monday, April 13, 2009
Egg Roll
Just wanted to share a little more Obama love with y'all! Have you checked out this picture from the White House Easter Egg Roll?
By far my favorite picture of the day--the rest is just a lot of bad news. Apparently all of the microphones cut out on the Pres, so that's him trying to speak into the Easter Bunny's ear. Isn't he cute? The transcript of the first couple's remarks is pretty great too. Yoga? Dancing? Healthy food? The White House is suddenly yuppie central. Isn't it super?
Friday, April 10, 2009
'Sup
I know this was SO last week, but did y'all see the picture of the Obamas with Queen Elizabeth?
The mighty Obamas TOWER over the itsy bitsy Queen of England...wahaha!!! Not only does this picture make them look like giants, but don't they look uncomfortable? You get the feeling that the Obamas are very chilled out and groovy, and they're chaffing a little at the stuffy Queen and her prim manners. Also, the Queen is a hands-off kinda gal, it turns out. No hugs for her.
What's everyone up to this weekend? I spent the day scrubbing the shit out of my house so that I can finally relax in it. I was putting it off until after my exam (which went pretty well, by the way), so I went crazy today. Why is house cleaning so calming?
The mighty Obamas TOWER over the itsy bitsy Queen of England...wahaha!!! Not only does this picture make them look like giants, but don't they look uncomfortable? You get the feeling that the Obamas are very chilled out and groovy, and they're chaffing a little at the stuffy Queen and her prim manners. Also, the Queen is a hands-off kinda gal, it turns out. No hugs for her.
What's everyone up to this weekend? I spent the day scrubbing the shit out of my house so that I can finally relax in it. I was putting it off until after my exam (which went pretty well, by the way), so I went crazy today. Why is house cleaning so calming?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The high seas
Just stopping in to say hello--big neuroanatomy test tomorrow morning, and then free at last, free at last. Should be a doozy, but I'm almost studied out so there's a bed in my near future.
How riveting has this story been? It reminds me of that scene in The Life Aquatic, when the pirates take over the Belafonte and kidnap the bond stooge (although I imagine things unfolded a little differently in this real-life adventure). Check it out if you haven't already!
How riveting has this story been? It reminds me of that scene in The Life Aquatic, when the pirates take over the Belafonte and kidnap the bond stooge (although I imagine things unfolded a little differently in this real-life adventure). Check it out if you haven't already!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Back in black
Whew, I'm back! Sorry about the hiatus folks. Last week my computer died. DIED. Wouldn't even start. It knew I was unhappy with it, and it just flipped me off and shut down. So it took a much needed vacation to the Toshiba factory in Kentucky, where they whipped it back into shape and sent it home. All in less than a week! Amazing. I would've been completely lost without a computer all that time, but my dear friend Matthew came to my rescue and lent me his. What a guy!
Anyway, back to the ol' routine, thank goodness. Brand new classes though! Yesterday we started our six week neuroanatomy course, and my oh my. I'm glad for the change of pace, but wow-ee do we have a lot to learn! Did you know that each one of those little brain squigglies has a name? Yes it does. And a number. Good times.
So blogging my be spotty for a while (not that that's anything new). Also, Andrew's visiting this weekend! I'm dragging him to a huge garage sale Saturday morning and to Med Prom Saturday night--never thought I would have to relive prom, but at least there's an open bar at this one. Should be a kick. And Sunday is the strawberry festival, for strawberry shortcake and fun in the sun. Anybody else have fun plans for the weekend?
Here are some great pictures of David Bowie way back in the day to put smiles on your lovely faces.
Wasn't he pretty?
Anyway, back to the ol' routine, thank goodness. Brand new classes though! Yesterday we started our six week neuroanatomy course, and my oh my. I'm glad for the change of pace, but wow-ee do we have a lot to learn! Did you know that each one of those little brain squigglies has a name? Yes it does. And a number. Good times.
So blogging my be spotty for a while (not that that's anything new). Also, Andrew's visiting this weekend! I'm dragging him to a huge garage sale Saturday morning and to Med Prom Saturday night--never thought I would have to relive prom, but at least there's an open bar at this one. Should be a kick. And Sunday is the strawberry festival, for strawberry shortcake and fun in the sun. Anybody else have fun plans for the weekend?
Here are some great pictures of David Bowie way back in the day to put smiles on your lovely faces.
Wasn't he pretty?
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