Wisdom. When proxy teaches about self.

I had a friend today that told me that she only reads non-fiction and a few of the classics (insert: War and Peace), and other self-help books etc...because she feels like she wants to learn something from the time spent reading.

But I say, if you want to remember about how it truly feels to have teenage love and angst: read Twilight.
If you want to see growing up from three unique perspectives and live the internal struggle of good versus evil in a gray world: read Harry Potter
If you need to feel the loss and anguish and insecurity of not quite knowing who you truly are: read The Hunger Games
If you want to read about the human condition in a mysterious, altruistic way: read I Am the Messenger
If you want to feel the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with true love: read The Time Traveler's Wife
If you want to realize the power of one: read The Giver

Just to name a few. They may not be classics, or factual in anyway. But in some ways, a recent novel that truly sucks you in will help you feel all the things that can't be taught any other way except by personal experience itself.

Sometimes I'll have a day where I just want to re-experience some emotion from my past. Like my complete and indescribable grief when John died. Or the rush of nervous energy when Boyd tried to kiss me for the very first time and I shied away. Or the pain that I felt after running to the point of vomiting in track practice. Or the wonder I had when I stepped off the plane in Thailand. And though life can puddle into the mundane day-by-day, I find it fascinating that those emotions are still there to be experienced whenever I want. To teach me things and to help me relate. Sometimes a track on my ipod will bring it back. Sometimes a good, hard workout outside with nothing but my thoughts. Sometimes a book; even the scriptures. I realize that when I'm good and old and all I have left are my memories, I can find in them a colorful life worth reliving. What I love even more about all of it is that it doesn't seem to matter how much education I stuff in my head or daily checklists of errands I have to run; somethings always catches me by surprise and helps me feel life.

And I think maybe that is the beginning of wisdom.

Blond joke

We do a weekly spotlight in our primary where all of the kids stand up and then they sit down if what is read doesn't describe them so that the last one standing is the hero for the day. Here's how it went today:

Shannon (counselor): Okay, everyone, keep standing if you have blue eyes

Kids: (do as told)

Shannon: Keep standing if you're favorite color is blue

Kids: (do as told)

Shannon: Keep standing if you have dirty blond hair

Kids: "My hair isn't dirty!" and "What's dirty blond? Gross" (kids confused. Most sit after this one. One poor 3-year old is still standing, none the wiser)

Sigh. The sad future reality of all towheads. Also, who invented "dirty" blond. Or "dishwater" blond. Rude. Anyways I recently decided to go on strike against the unfair treatment of blonds and I went brunette. I love it.

Paying for pain

So I just paid $505 dollars to sign up to take Step 1 of the medical liscensing board exam. Talk about adding insult to injury. So I am just curious what is the most you have paid for something you really didn't want to do/wish you didn't have to buy etc...I mean, of course I want to be liscensed and all of that jazz, but I don't understand why it can't be free. There is really no love in this world for starving students. I mean, come on, $1 off at the movie theater? Maybe that meant something back when movies were $2. Anyways, I just needed to rant about that.

Ha ha ha...Merry Christmas!

So last night Boyd and I were watching 30 Rock. I've only seen a few episodes and snippets here and there because it is one of the things Boyd watches while I'm studying, so I don't know much about it, and I made the serious mistake of drinking a glass of water while watching. All the sudden Tina Fey is saying something that is so funny that I start snorting the water into my nose. And then since I couldn't hear the rest of the scene because of my snorting we rewound it. Big mistake. The scene restarted and then I was laughing so hard I actually began choking on my water. Really choking. To the point where I not only spit it out, but threw the rest of it up. I am awesome. That show needs a warning label. Or something.

So school is out for the next three weeks! I really can't believe that I am almost done learning all of the basic science of medical school. We just finished our block on infectious diseases and I'm beginning to feel like I know things now. Before this block, I wasn't even clear on the basics of the flu, which is pretty pathetic for someone who had already finished a year of medical school. I mean, that sounds so easy, but since we didn't learn about it until now I felt pretty useless. Now people ask me questions about things and I always surprise myself by the information that comes out of my mouth. So I gues they're doing something right at school.

So with my three weeks of freedom I'm taking suggestions as to what I should do. Books to read, movies to watch, and things to do here in Tucson, AZ. So if anybody needs any help with their busy Christmas schedules/baking/wrapping/decorating/babysitting...let me know!

Bullseye!

(By the way, this is Boyd--I know I never contribute.) Although I've often felt that my job is a lot like living an episode of "The Office", this past Friday was an all-time high for awkward ridiculousness. First, my boss: "Stew" Stewart, the CEO of our little company (about 100 people) occasionally comes to company meetings in costume, such as hippie or crocodile hunter, and proceeds to host company-trivia quiz games while fading in and out of a bad accent (to go with the costume). This past Friday we had our annual United Way balloon toss, where, if we've met our donation goals for United Way, we get to throw water balloons at the members of the Board of Directors--including Stew. It's kind of like a dunking tank with no tank, and multiple targets. The number of balloons you get depends on your donation size, and they read out your name when it's your turn to pelt the bosses. Doesn't this already sound like a day at Dunder Mifflin?

I got two balloons, and I wasn't too sure how I wanted to use them, but I knew I wanted to get Stew with at least one. So I aimed carefully--water balloons don't roll like a ball when you release, and with only two, it's tough to get the feel in time to do any damage. Anyway I let the first one fly, and bullseye! It was a direct hit--right to Stew--right in the crotch. He winced, I flinched, and the crowd cheered. My coworker said it almost looked like Stew might start crying. I can't remember the last time I've gotten that many high fives and congratulations. So I'd like to thank my parents for giving me a nice long throwing arm and enough sense to aim elsewhere with my next balloon, which hit my fairly tall manager in the shoulder.

The Victim

A howling good time had by all

Here is what it is like to live at the intersection of River and Campbell right now in lovely Tucson, AZ, in case you were wondering:

1. An ambulance, a police car, and a firetruck are all barreling down the road
2. A pack of coyotes has clearly found dinner
3. All of the neighborhood dogs have decided to tell us about it

Special Delivery!

I delivered my very first baby tonight! And even though I don't get to take it home, like most people who post about delivering a baby, I got to be right there in the trenches. I got to check the cervix, monitor the labor progress, don the sterile gloves and gown, and have my hands right there when the baby was crowning. It is more elegant than I ever thought possible. Then I got to suction the baby and hear him cry for the first time, clamp the cord, deliver the placenta, and draw the cord blood. The mom was such a trooper, she didn't have an epidural, and this was her very first pregnancy. She was such a pro!

These are the days when I am reminded why I am in school. The miracle of it all. A little perspective can make it all worthwhile. So tomorrow when I am in the nursery helping with his newborn exam, studying pathology won't seem like such a burden after all.

I can't wait for that moment when I am the mom and that is our baby. I won't even mind if a medical student needs to learn on me, because the first time is a once in a lifetime experience.