Happy New Year!

This post title pretty much says it all, folks! I hope each one of you are enjoying this holiday with the ones you love. This year is almost over and a new, blank year is about to begin. Last year was full of ups and downs, and next year is full of uncertainties. Things are, I think, looking up and it's both exciting and scary to see what lies ahead. May your next year be full of blessings and joy.

Until next year, ciao.

The 100th Post

It is with great joy that I publish the 100th post to this blog. It's hard to believe that I've been able to keep it up this long. Less hard to believe when you consider the sizable lack of images I've included in my posts. :) At any rate, I thought I would just give a recap of where things stand right now.

I am finishing up my Master's degree next week. I'm still in the process of typing up my final paper, filling out forms, and jumping through other hoops, but come next Tuesday that will all be done. I can't decide if I'm relieved that I made it or sad that it's over. I'm definitely happy that I was able to get it done. So much of my life has revolved around school that sometimes it's hard to exist without it. However, this summer was blissfully free in the evenings so I had a lot more time to pursue hobbies, watch TV, exercise, and get together with friends. I'm looking forward to knitting more, going to the gym more regularly, not stressing about school deadlines, and having more time to focus on taking care of my house. I think Spencer's excited because it might mean that I will start cooking more. Please note the "might." It's still hard to work until 5 and then come home and make dinner. It really just sucks up all your time and energy.

Spencer is finishing up his last month of vacation. He's got a few interviews scheduled down the road and his rotations will start up again next month. From what he tells me though, they will be relatively easy. It's crazy to think that he only has 5 more moths of medical school. It seems like we were just starting not too long ago.

Perhaps the most exciting event in our future though is The Match on March 17th. 3 months exactly from today. I. can't. wait! I've got a lot of mixed feelings about what could happen. We might stay here another 4 years, or we might be moving. We might even be moving to a place I don't want to live in so much. Or we could be moving somewhere that I think I'll like, then hate. It's really up in the air. We have about 0% control over it (besides how we rank things) so it's incredibly frustrating. But I'm still excited to find out.

**Update: the inventory reduction sale is now posted on the page labeled "BeautiControl." Check it out for some great end-of-year discounts!

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 19, 20 & 21

When I started this challenge, my goal was to blog every day about the things I was grateful for. For the most part, I've stuck to that goal, but somewhere along the way I decided it was getting a little bit boring for the readers and wanted to spice it up. So for the last few days of the challenge I decided to do it gradually and post when I felt I had enough reading materials to keep everyone entertained. After all, how interesting can it be to read about the laundry list of things I have to be grateful for. I also wanted to save my 100th post on this blog for something a little more interesting which also necessitated less posts or double posts in one day (not likely to happen). So without further adieu, I give you the last of the gratefulness posts (for now) before returning you to your regularly scheduled programing tomorrow.

I'm grateful for BeautiControl. Selling is not exactly my strong point. I have a hard time asking for a price and not feeling guilty about selling something for that price. However, being a BeautiControl consultant and going out and doing the parties has allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and develop some new skills. I wouldn't say that I'm anywhere near a great salesperson at this point, but I have gained a lot from the experience. I'm also grateful that Spencer has been supportive of the endeavor even though I haven't always been very good at doing the business, working full time, and going to school. I bring this up today (Saturday) because I was at an open house this morning. Business wasn't great, but I did enjoy the company of the girl in the room with me and was able to make a little money. I'm grateful that I was able to do this.

I'm grateful today (Sunday) to finally have been released from my calling as ward organist. I was promised release last year this time and it has taken nearly a year to happen. I'm grateful that it finally did and that I was able to sit with my husband in church for once without having to worry about the next song or how I was going to play it. I'm grateful that I have a new calling now in the relief society activities committee to start working one.

I'm grateful today (Monday) that I will only have to be at work 8 more times this year (counting today). It's so exciting to be headed home and I'm grateful that we had the vacation time and the funds to do so this year. I'm grateful that I will get to spend Christmas with my sisters and parents and Spencer. I'm grateful that we will get to enjoy each other's company for the first time in over a year. I'm also grateful that when I come back to work, I won't have school to deal with anymore and I will be able to just sit back and go to work and come home for a while.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 17 & 18

This is somewhat of a catch up post as I spent my evening lounging, then shoveling snow like mad until almost 10. After that, I think I pretty much fell asleep sitting up talking so I'm not really sure if I had remember to post it would have even been coherent. Long weekend, anyone? Unfortunately for me, no. I will be at Osborne Family Chiropractic tomorrow morning doing another open house. Wish me luck!

Side note: if you are still looking for holiday gift (for yourself and others) I am marking my BeautiControl inventory waaay down. I'm cleaning house for the new year and trying to downsize in case we have to move. I'll post more details in a separate post...and who knows, maybe even in a separate page if I get creative enough!

On to the gratefulness. I'm grateful that Milwaukee always has a "White Christmas". It's my favorite Christmas flick of all time and nothing says Christmas more than a fresh blanket of newly fallen snow. I'm grateful that all that snow is reflective and white. At night it seems to catch the street lamps, the moon, and the Christmas lights and turn the darkness we usually get into a warm, but still night-like, glow. It's a great thing to see in a place where dark comes at 4:15--almost an hour before I get off work.

I'm also grateful today because my final paper/project/whatever was approved and successfully submitted which means I get to graduate! No, I'm not completely done, but I only have one paper to write now! I'm grateful that while the process was long, it wasn't really all that hard. I'm also grateful that I was gifted with the ability to write with ease and a faculty advisor that always got back to me right away so I could get done quickly. It's great to be done (excluding that last little push) and I'm grateful I don't have to worry about it or obsess about it any more.

21 Days of Gratitude: Day 16

I am grateful today that I got my paper defended successfully. It means that I am officially done with my Master's program (with the exception of the final for my class). It was a lot of work. I have been working on it off and on since August and for a while I was concerned if I would ever get it done. I'm grateful that my adviser was so helpful and quick to give me feedback so I could get it done on time.  It's been a long road, and I still have one more paper to go, but it's been worth it. I'm grateful it's almost over and I'm grateful that I got to do it. I'm also grateful that I got to meet so many great people by taking those classes. I've made some great friends through it.

On a related note, I will be walking next May with Spencer for graduation. We got to walk together when we graduated from college. Our families are coming out and it should be a great. It will be great to show off Milwaukee to everyone. If anyone else is interested in checking it out, we'd be happy to show of the area. One warning: it was 10 degrees today. You might want to wait until summer. 

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 15

I'm grateful for spending time with Spencer tonight just laughing out loud as he read all the funny autocorrects people get when using the iPhone. It's great to just sit together and laugh at the end of the day. If you haven't read them, you should check it out: www.damnyouautocorrect.com. 

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 14

I am grateful to be able to live so close to where I work. In grateful that I get to walk each day instead of having to find parking. I'm grateful for the amount of money we save on gas each week by having this luxury. I'm grateful that I was able to find a place so close to where we both spend a lot of our time. I'm also grateful that we have had steady employment for the past few years and that Spencer will finally start making money next July. 

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 13

I am grateful for candles. They bring such a warmth and pleasant aroma for things. I wasn't always that into them, but it's really nice to light them on a cold Milwaukee evening when the temperature dips below 20 degrees. I am also grateful for lazy Sunday afternoons. My weeks are so busy that sometimes it's hard to stop and enjoy things for a bit. I'm grateful we got to just laze around today and enjoy the day. I'm grateful for my husband and his support of me as I complete my degree. I'm grateful that he makes me dinner and offers to do the dishes. I'm grateful that while our house is messy, it's not really dirty. I'm grateful that in another couple of weeks I will be done with my degree and ready to take a more equal part in the household duties.I'm also grateful that I was able to get that degree. It's been both a lot of hard work and a blessing.

21 Days of Gratitude: Day 12

Today I'm grateful for Milwaukee winters. It snowed last night, leaving the landscape blanketed in a beautiful white covering. I'm grateful that our neighbor that moved in last year brought a snow blower with him. I'm grateful that we got to sleep in this morning, make breakfast together, and clean up a little. I'm also grateful that Spencer offered to do the dishes since he knows that I'm busy. I'm grateful that he also shoveled the driveway without any prodding from me. I'm also grateful that I've been getting things done around the house today, and that I have time to work on my school work. I'm grateful that we have so much and have been able to get so much out of our time in Wisconsin. I'm also grateful that my cold is finally going away and that I no longer feel sick.

21 Days of Gratitude: Day 11

Today I'm grateful for my Wisconsin friends. We've been really busy for the past few months (or at least I have) with school and all of the other things going on so we haven't always had the time to get together with friends like we would like to. However, tonight we had a chance to get together and just hang out like we used to. I'm grateful that we had a relaxing night out with them. I'm also grateful that Christmas is just around the corner and that I will get to see my family again. I haven't been home in over a year and half so I'm grateful that I will get to be there this year. I'm also grateful that my formal schooling is coming to a close. I'm grateful that I only have to write two more papers before I graduate and that I've been on top of it enough to get the first one drafted. I'm grateful that we don't have any plans for tomorrow and that Spencer and I can just laze around the house and get things done.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 10

So I'm not sure if this is exactly kosher, but I fell asleep last night in an illness-induced coma before having a chance to publish this post. Thus, I am back dating this post to last night because blogger lets you do cool things like that.

I am grateful for sudafed. And ibuprofen. And tums. And all the other wonderful treatments that modern medicine has given us, even if they can't cure the common cold. I'm grateful for tissues, microwaves, and those bottles of lemon juice you can buy from the store. I'm grateful that my husband has made me dinner for the last couple of nights, gone grocery shopping, and generally let me veg in front of the TV after work because I feel so lousy. I'm grateful that I have about 8 pages of my final paper done, and that I only need about 2 more before I pretty it up and defend it. I'm grateful that I also only have to do one more paper by the 21st before I can officially be considered a "master" of bioethics, and I'm grateful that my employment at MCW means that with the exception of a few loans, my graduate education has almost totally been reimbursed by my employer. I'm also grateful that when my lender sent me a statement earlier this week, they told me that I won't have to start paying things back until March of next year. I'm also grateful for a job that lets me take sick time, though I am not taking advantage of it right now because I've taken so much vacation time recently that if I don't go to work, I won't get my projects done on time. And once again, I'm grateful for my comfortable bed.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

I'm grateful to be back in Wisconsin today even though it meant the inevitable return to work. I'm grateful that the weather wasn't too cold, but just on par with Utah. I'm grateful that I was able to get a number of things on my to-do list accomplished like filing for graduation (even though I didn't work on my paper like I was supposed to). I'm grateful for cold medicine, too, because I'm getting a rather large one right now. I'm grateful that tomorrow is Thursday which means there will only be 2 more work days this week. I'm grateful that Spencer made me dinner tonight and that he can even cook at all. I'm grateful that we have enough to eat, a roof over our head, and warm clothes to wear. My morning shower also reminded me how grateful I am for things like hot water as well because we forgot to turn up the water heater when we got home last night and boy was it frigid this morning. Burr! I'm also grateful that I have been able to stick to my goal of posting things I'm grateful for each day. There are only 12 more official days to go, but it's a habit that I will keep up well past this challenge. It's easier to see the good when you actively look for it and easy to get bogged down by the "bad" when you don't. We have so much to be thankful for compared to so much of the rest of the world. May we all be a little more mindful of that each day.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 8

gToday's post will be brief. We were delayed coming home by plane issues and I have work in the morning.

I am grateful to be back home safely and grateful to be here with Spencer. I'm grateful everything is as we left it and that we had a good trip despite the delays. I'm grateful for the people I've met out here and for the chance to live in the Midwest.

And most of all right now I'm thankful to be back in my comfy bed with my own pillow.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 7

Today was a great day because I got to spend time with my sisters, which I don't get to do very often. I'm grateful that we had a chance to all be in the same state for the first time in over a year. I'm also grateful that I got a chance to spend time with my brothers and sister in law this past few days. We don't get to do that too much anymore, but we were able to spend time together this trip playing games, eating, and just hanging out. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful to be married to Spencer and for all of his hard work throughout medical school. I'm also grateful we only have 6 months of medical cool left, with 4 months left before we find out where we will be for residency. I wish we could stay longer, but we are heading back to Milwaukee tomorrow. All in all, it's been a great trip and I am thankful to have been here this thanksgiving.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 6

We had a great time today with the Russell family. Scott gave his homecoming talk and we all got to visit after. I'm grateful for the chance we had to get to know one another better. It also snowed a whole lot today and Spencer and I ventured up to the airport to get my sisters. We saw 10 accidents on the way there and back, and I'm grateful that we had a safe car to drive in and encountered no problems. I'm also grateful to see my sisters for the first time in a long time. Tomorrow we will get to spend some time together as well and I'm grateful for that.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 5

I am grateful today for the chance to be in Utah and get to know my Russell family better. Today I was able to go shopping with my mother in law. I am grateful we had a chance to visit and talk. I am also grateful that Spencer and I had a chance to play games like we used to when we were dating. I am also grateful that I got to eat frozen yogurt twice today since for the most part Milwaukee is a frozen custard only zone. But most of all, I am grateful to be away from the stressors of everyday life, even if just for a few days.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 4

Today I am grateful to have time off. In a busy world of work, school, and housework it is often easy to forget to slow down and take time to reflect on what's important. Today we were blessed to spend the day with our Russell side of the family. We played games, saw a movie, ate together, and hung out around the house. I am grateful we had that time together today before life speeds back up again. I am also grateful to have in laws that love and accept me. They are always so welcoming to me and I feel truly grateful to have found such a great family to join. Though it can sometimes be a challenge because they do things so differently than my family, I am grateful they have been so willing to love and welcome me into their family.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 3

Today I am grateful to be enjoying a relaxing holiday with my in laws and their extended family. I'm grateful for all the good food, company, and games. I'm grateful that we had safe travel and clear roads and that my family all made it safely out to Portland. I am grateful that I have the next few days off to enjoy. :)

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and were able to be with the ones you love. May we all be a little more grateful each and every day.

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 2

I am thankful for the safe travels we had today. I am thankful that the airport screenings we endured were no more invasive than past flights. I am grateful that my brother in law was there to pick us up and that the rest of my inlaws are so glad to have us in Utah. I'm grateful that we have a king size bed to sleep in and that it is warm and comfortable (it was ours before we moved to Wisconsin). I am also grateful to have such a great traveling companion in Spencer and that he puts up with my complaining and last minute packing/travel panic. And most of all, I'm grateful today that the TSA didn't take my knitting and that I didn't lose my cool when I messed up the same row 5 times before I got it right.

Goodnight!

21 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 1

For a while I used to be an avid reader of this blog. I had heard him speak at a BeautiControl conference and it was extremely motivating, inspiring, and uplifting all at the same time. I've enjoyed his blog posts over the last little bit and tried to incorporate some of his suggestions into my own day to day living to increase productivity and reach my goals. After a while though, I just started skimming because there is simply too to read in this world to read absolutely everything. But then today's post stuck out to me, so I thought I'd share it.

In a nutshell, the challenge is relatively simple. You are supposed to take a situation that is hard and frustrates you, then take 3 minutes each day to write down what's good about it, why you appreciate it, and why you're grateful for it. The idea is that changing the way you think about a problem will help you change your perspective on that problem and that specifically employing gratitude as the filter will take it from a negative stumbling block to a positive stepping stone. And so, my goal for the next 21 days is to blog about the things in my life that are hard, yet make me grateful.

Like most people, there is a lot that is right in my life and lot that I wish I could change. Though I may not always admit it, it is hard to do what I do every day. It is hard to work full time, go to school part time, volunteer at the humane society, do BeautiControl on the side, take care of the home, exercise, eat right, and be a loving and supportive spouse to my husband while he goes through medical school. I don't always do everything on that list every day like I should, and when I do get around to doing them, I sometimes don't end up doing them very well. It is hard to be busy, harder still to be bored. It is lonely to be one of a few couples in a young ward full of couples with at least one kid (or one of the way). However, that being said, there is a lot I am grateful for.

I am grateful to live in Wisconsin. I am grateful that Spencer and I had the chance to move here, experience the weather of the Midwest, try out new foods and new customs, and travel the state. I am grateful that the Medical College of Wisconsin has been such a great place to work. It is within walking distance of our apartment, I can call or see Spencer frequently throughout the day because he is also here for school, and the people are generally nice. I am grateful that I have been able to get to know a variety of people here on a professional level, from the department of surgery to the bioethics center to the office of research. I'm grateful that I found a degree program that allowed me to work full time, but still get a master's degree. I'm grateful that the first two years I did the program, I was in a job that had more flexibility and more time to work during the day.

And...time's up. I encourage you all to give this a try, if not on your blogs, in your journal/notebooks/whatever. Happy Thanksgiving!

26 Things On My 26th

In honor of my 26th year on this planet (no comment on years spent on other planets), I thought I'd do another "things you may not know about me" post. And since there are 26 letters in the alphabet, what better way than to use it as my guide? My birthday gift to all of you. Enjoy!

A: Apples. I love apples in all their many glorious forms. Apple sauce, apple juice, apple pie, apple crisp, apples straight from the tree--I love apples!

B: Bangs. The things I hated having when I was a kid and the must-have for my hair cuts now. Go figure.

C: Cats. I am allergic, which is sad because I would probably love to have one based on my brief ownership of Crystal, the Siamese kitty for about a month.

D: Dogs. This is the reason I now volunteer at the humane society. I love dogs. I miss Bentley and Esther, and since I can't have a dog in my current apartment, I get my dog fix by helping people adopt them.

E: Eyeshadow. I have a ton of eyeshadow, in nearly every shade imaginable, though I typically stick to neutrals. I credit my mom for that collection.

F: Frogs. I will forever be known as the girl who conned her parents into letting her conduct a science project for school that involved hosting about 30 frogs all at once in the basement. My mom says people would come over and sit in the living room (right over the basement) and get concerned about all the croaking.

G: Graduate School. For a long time, I wanted to go to grad school in neuroscience and do something like give monkeys alcohol and see what happens (yes, there really are researchers that do this). But the whole publish-or-perish environment of academia turned me off from that path so now I find myself winding down a masters in Bioethics.

H: Hair. I am extremely particular about who puts scissors to my beautiful tresses. They are long, thick, and with the exception of a couple of pixie cuts here and there they always will be.

I: Ice Cream. My favorite flavor is cookies n' cream, though I don't think I've ever met an ice cream flavor I don't like. My dad's parents owned a few Baskin Robbins and it's become a tradition to go there for a scoop each year. Today I tried Reese's peanut butter cup.

J: Jokes. I love telling jokes, especially if I can make a play on words. For instance, what did the firefly say to Pharaoh? Let my people glow!

K: Kites. There was a period of time in my childhood that I was in love with kites. I made, flew, and thought about them often.

L: Lemons. I love to drink my water with lemon. In fact, I recently tried what I like to dub, "mormon tea" which is basically just hot water with a lemon wedge squeezed in.

M: Megan, of course. Who would I be without the letter m? Probably a Lauren. Or an Aubrey.

N: Noodles. Noodles are my go-to food when I don't want to cook anything. They're so easy and I really enjoy them. I'm definitely a carb-craving gal.

O: Older. What I am each November. Ok, ok, I couldn't think of anything really good that started with the letter "O."

P: Pets. I have had a pet (for the most part) ever since I dug up some worms, put them in a jar, and named them. That was a little too much for my mom, so after that we had a cat, a rabbit, several guinea pigs, a slew of gerbils, a couple dogs, and a bunch of hamsters. Today I just have one hamster, but really, really want a dog.

Q: Qi. This is the word I frequently use in scrabble when I can't come up with a "u" and get stuck with the "q." Bonus: it's super high scoring, especially on a triple letter or triple word tile. You can thank me for your winnings later. :P

R: Russell. I became a Russell in 2006 when I married Spencer. It's been 4.5 years today and we've gone through a ton of changes: moved to Utah full time (not just for school), graduated, moved to Wisconsin, Spencer started school, I started working, I started school, we moved apartments, Spencer started rotations, I changed jobs, and now Spencer is interview and we are both about to graduate. Yowzah.

S: Sterling. My hometown. You may be ghetto now, but back in the day you were a great place to grow up.

T: Todd. My formed self last name, which is now my middle name. I guess technically I have four first names: Megan, Elizabeth, Todd, and Russell. Half of them are boy names. Hmm.

U: Utah. This is where I went to college, met my love, and swore I'd never want to live. Now I miss it and all it's deliciousness.

V: Vampires. I don't quite get the craze. The books were a good distraction for a few hours, but the story is so stupid and not an accurate portrayal of what a good relationship should be. If I ever have daughters they won't be allowed to read it until they are older.

W: Wisconsin. Our current home. Before moving here, I couldn't spell Milwaukee and had no clue how to even pronounce Waukesha (I pronounced it Wa-kisha), Wauwatosa, Oconomowoc, or Menomonne. Now I'm a pro.

X: X-ray vision. This is something I hope I never obtain. I don't really want to see what people have going on under their clothes. (Yes, I know I was lame and picked the obvious choice here).

Y: You. I tag whoever reads this to try to come up with a better response for this letter. Cause I've got nothing...

Z: Zoos. I love going to the zoo, and we are fortunate that the Milwaukee zoo is only a few blocks away. Unfortunately, it's a bit pricey, but I have enjoyed walking around it a few times since moving here.

So there you go. 26 things you may or may not have known about me.

November

Well, it's officially November. November is my favorite month of the year for a few very good reasons: 1) My birthday: November 12th (don't forget!!) and 2) Thanksgiving: the day where calories magically do not count in my head. Scratch that. Calories never count on any holiday/birthday.Thanksgiving, however, is the one day that I really enjoy eating roast beef and shrimp cocktail. Odd combination, I know. In fact, you may be wondering why I would eat such things on a holiday typically dedicated to turkey and stuffing. For those of you that don't have this glorious tradition, let me explain.

I grew up in Northern Virginia about 45 minutes from my Grandma Todd's house. Situated just up the hill from the GW Parkway, she was a short drive from Mount Vernon, the Potomac River, and Washington D.C.. Grandpa had been a Colonel in the Air Force and after his passing and the exodus of the other cousins from the area the only ones left were my little family of 5, my Grandma, and my Aunt. With only 7 to cook for, it seemed silly for Grandma to go to all the fuss of cooking (though my mom always did every year so we could still have leftovers). Sure, she could do it but as my mom likes to say, women should enjoy holidays, too, and slaving all day over a hot stove is not enjoyable. And thus, the tradition of Thanksgiving dinner at the Officer's club at Bowling Air Force Base was born. We'd put on our Sunday best and head up to Grandmas, then caravan over to the base where Grandma's ID would let us all in.

The officer's club was beautiful. They had a real live piano player, piles of delicious rolls bakes into animal shapes, an assortment of pies, and of course, all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings. However, they also had a delicious accompaniment of other food like roast beef, shrimp cocktail, and delicious sides. Growing up in a home where the winter staple was some sort of poultry (cheap and easy)--often several turkeys per year!--I always opted to go with the non-poultry option whenever I got the chance. After feasting buffet style for what seemed like an endless amount of time, we'd retire to Grandmas, our bellies full, to laze away the afternoon before indulging in more pie before the trip home.

Since I grew up and went away to college, I haven't always made it home for Thanksgiving. Some years I spent the season in Provo with an assortment of friends, boyfriends, relatives, and in laws (not all in the same year). Other years I trekked up to Portland to see how the other half of my family celebrated Turkey Day. But a few times, I've made it back for Thanksgiving at the officer's club with Grandma, and I'm happy to say that Spencer was able to join me at least once before her passing last year.

This year, we will feast in Orem and Sandy with the Russell clan, which has it's own delicious set of traditions. Hopefully, Grandma Rosie will make orange rolls, and we will be able to see Scott for the first time in over 2 years as he will return from his mission in the Philippines just in time for the holiday. And hopefully, we will be able to add just one more tradition to the rest: shrimp cocktail.

New Addition

Spencer and I are expecting....new iPhones! I had you going there for a second, right? Well,  I guess we're not expecting any more since mine showed up Monday and his showed up today. We had been coveting them for some time, but didn't want to switch to AT&T from T-Mobile. Our deal there is just too good. Plus, who in the world wants to pay that much AND have limited data? It's crazy!

Things I like about it so far:
1. The data plan. I can get Internet anywhere which I originally resisted, but now love.
2. The camera. So, I've always had a camera on my phones, but never one that was that easy to use.
3. The apps. Angry Birds, anyone?
4. The speed. My iTouch was fast, but this is just so much faster.
5. The screen. It's so dang clear. I've never been hung up on the whole HD thing, but dang. This thing is nice.
6. The fact that I only have to carry one thing....which also means I only have to plug in one thing.
7. The ability to sync with outlook. Especially since I plan my life in outlook.
8. Uploading pics to facebook without having to find the connecty-thing.
9. The battery life is so much better than the stupid Droid phone I had for less that a day.
10. I already know how to use it since I've been using the iPod touch for about a year.

Things I don't like:
1. If I drop it, it will most likely break. This would be OK, except I have the tendency to drop my phone.
2. I have to charge it nightly. Sure, the battery life is great and this is not a significant change from the iPod, but I really hate having to remember to plug my phone in every night.
3. I'm really, really, really worried about losing it or hurting it somehow since it was so expensive.

Well, the pros are outweighing the cons so far. I don't really know if I will come across too many additional cons to add to the list, but I think I could turn the ones that are on it into pros if I tried hard enough. Now to go sell some more stuff to pay for them....

5 More Months

I meant to have this post up yesterday since March 17th is match day, but I guess the day after is just as good. In just 5 short months, the match will finally be here and we will finally know where we are going to live for the next four years. With interview season fast approaching, the options are already narrowing down, but some sort of confirmation that Spencer is actually going to study anesthesiology and be licensed to practice it and actually get to go out and do so in the very distant future is a nice thought. So far the choices are as follows:

Loma Linda, CA
Milwaukee, WI
Rochester, NY

With three interviews scheduled and one plane ticket purchased (one way to CA) we are both crossing our fingers for more. Because more is better, or something like that. Among my top choices for additional interviews would have to be the University of Virgina, the University of Utah, Oregon Health Sciences University, or perhaps UC San Diego (but only because it's getting cold and I'm craving sunshine and beaches).

In other news, I'm currently in the throws of my midterm paper for researcher ethics and increasingly feeling the pressure to at least get something drafted for my final project since it's due in 10 weeks.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big....

STICK!

I found our pictures from our camping trip last May to Rock Island, WI. It's on Lake Michigan up near Green Bay, and you have to take 2 different ferries to get there. You drive your car across to Washington Island, then take a passenger only ferry to Rock Island. They don't even let bicycles across.

The lake was really cold. This was as deep as I could go in without freezing to death even though it looks like a beautiful, warm beach.

Our camp site was just down the way from the beach. Doesn't it look nice?

Spencer, however, got all the way in. Boy does he love water.

Look how far out he got! Crazy! That water was only about 50 degree (or less).

So Rock Island was owned by a guy that decided to build a Scandinavian-style hotel/recreation resort on the island for all of his friends. He never, finished it, but you can see the boathouse in the back. There was also a lighthouse on the island that is one of the oldest in Wisconsin, but we didn't take any pictures for some reason.

This is the interior of the boathouse. There was incredible detail in all the furniture and construction.

Here is a close up of the mantel with the Norse saying cared over it. No clue what it says. 

We sure have enjoyed camping all over Wisconsin. They have some pretty cool places. I will say, though, I can't fathom why people wanted to live on that island. It was so excluded and out of the way, not to mention chilly!

Exciting!

Interview #2 request is in!! So far we're interviewing here (Medical College of Wisconsin) and Loma Linda, CA. So, now we could be either living in Wisconsin or in California next year. I gotta say, I'm pretty torn between the two options. On the one hand, Wisconsin is cold and snowy and I am feeling ready for a change. On the other hand, California is hot and crowed, expensive and polluted. I already have a job in Wisconsin, a nice place to live (crazy landlord excluded), and we don't need to buy a second car because I can walk to work. Oh, and California has the beach!! Who has 2 thumbs and loves the beach? This gal.

Here's hoping for more interview requests soon!

The Window of Death

There is a window at work that often has several dead birds littering the ground under it. It's more of a whole wall of windows, really. I like to call it the Window of Death. I'm not sure what it is about that particular side of the building that makes it such a hazard for birds. I mean, it's not like the rest of the building has bird carcasses around it. The weirdest part, though, is that they just sit there for days. In fact, I've seen a few bird skeletons sitting around. I'm not sure who to tell, but it's getting to be a real problem. And I find it somewhat ironic that an institution that's supposed to preserve life is actually killing it.

October?!? When did THAT happen?

Well, it would seem we're squarely into October now. Conference has come and gone. The weather finally decided to turn colder. The trees are turning colors and I can no longer complain about it because now is the time of year that it looks and feels right. Apples were picked, pies baked and eaten, and kids have been back in school for over a month. Wow. And I am now 2.5 months from being officially done with formal schooling. At least for a little while. I'll never say I'm completely done because I've said that before and holy cow now I've almost mastered something.

Spencer has an easy month this time around. He is doing blood bank medicine because of his love of all things anesthesia. It's great because the hours are so short which means he can study for the boards (step 2), which he will take next Tuesday. This is his last rotation of 2010. His first day was technically last Friday, but they decided to be nice and give him the day off. Monday he didn't start until 10am and got done at 2pm, which is sooo much better than it was before (10+ hours a day). However, I am now jealous. I still have to work. Today he went in at 8:30 even though his adviser wouldn't be there until much, much later because his advisor said something along the lines of "medical students shouldn't get to come in so late." He was done by 11:30. Yay! and Boo! because again, great for him but I am still stuck at work. Not that I don't have massive amounts of work to do or anything, but more because I would so much rather be at home with him than here working. Double boo.

So there you go. October, you snuck up on me and for that I'm kinda irritated. You could have at least warned me September was coming to a close before just showing up like you did. But I will forgive you, because you are delightfully chilly with just enough sunshine at lunch to make the weather less unbearable.

Crock Pot

So a while back I heard about this blog called 365 Days of Crock Pot and thought I should check it out. The woman cooked crock pot recipes each day for a whole year and did a post on them each day. She did it for several reasons: 1. To make good, healthy food for her family to eat daily and 2. To make some moolah on the side. At any rate, since we are often lacking in the home-cooked meal department, I decided that I would start cooking more by utilizing my crock pot. And since I have a plethora of cook books, many of them crock pot-related in nature, I started out just using them to make tasty concoctions for hubby and me to enjoy. And then I thought, "heck why not!?" and decided to make one her recipes. I picked her chicken and dumpling soup recipe since it was on the first page that day and I am lazy. And boy was it good! You top it with biscuits (yum) instead of making dumplings and it just comes out nice and perfect and we each ate waaayy too much in one sitting. Since then, I haven't really cooked. Hehehe. Well, that's not true. I've cooked, just not with the slow cooker. But at any rate, today when I was checking out her blog for some more tasty ideas I came across a post of her saying that if you linked to her blog you'd win a chance to get a free copy of her cook book. And since that recipe was sooooo good, I just had to enter. Not that I need any more cook books, mind you. I think I have close to 40 at this point...but one can never have too many cook books (especially ones that are delicious and easy), right?

Here's hoping for a win. Check out the post here for your chance to win, too! :)

Didn't win? Pick up your own copy by heading here:














Edit: When I orginally wrote this post, I was talking about this blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ not the one I actually wrote about. At any rate, I've tried stuff off of the other blog and her book is the one I linked to on amazon, not the other. Oh well. You can find the other book here: 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Pumpkins Already?

I have to admit, even though fall is my favorite season, I am not emotionally ready for it to be fall yet. I blame it on the fact that this year we never really had a spring and our summer seems to have lasted for-ev-er. But, a few days ago I noticed the leaves were changing color already and that my toes we cold and that my usually joyous trip on the scooter to church had left me shivering and seriously wishing for warmer layers.

Side note: Is it just me, or has this year both seemed to last forever and taken no time at all? A few months ago we were 3rd years and it was a hot, sticky summer. And then the farmer showed up in August with a pumpkin and we have somehow finished all but our last 5 weeks of rotations for the year 2010. Seriously, where did the time go and why won't it go any faster when I want it to??

But I digress...again, as usual. Despite fall being my favorite season and totally not being ready for it, I am enjoying with greater anticipation than years past the Christmas holiday. Perhaps it's because we will be visiting my folks this year or perhaps it's just because for the first time in a long time I've been playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving (but only on Sundays when the congregation is exiting because I don't think they are really listening to me and I want to see if anyone says something). But some how, despite that anticipation, despite the fact that I've broken out the needles and re-declared my love of all things woolly, and despite the fact that my coworker has turned the office into a veritable fall festival, I am still not ready for pumpkins, falling leaves, cool nights, and jackets--my most favorite of clothing accessories. At any rate, I guess (along with everyone else), it's finally time to say "Welcome, fall!"

Sheep and Wool

This past weekend was the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival out near Madison. I had planned to go all day Saturday and even toyed with the idea of taking off work Friday and skipping church Sunday to be there, but settled on just one day to take in the wonders of wool, woolly critters, and wool-working workshops. Unfortunately, I caught the office cold that's going around and was only able to make it to the Saturday afternoon session. However, I had a good time attending my class on finishing knitted garments, petting the sheep, and shopping. In fact, it's official: I want my own sheep. The sheep I petted was especially affectionate and loved being scratched behind the ears. Sheep also are the creators of my second love: yarn. Ergo, I want a sheep. And the knowledge and skills on how to get from sheep to yarn. That way, the credit card bill won't look so fat after I visit a Wool Festival. Or yarn shop. Or the State Fair booth where they are selling yarn. Baaaaa.

PS: Meant to get a picture, but forgot to bring the camera. It was just that kind of day. Plus, I don't really take pictures.

Bad Wife

Tonight my husband is on call. Ordinarily, this does not make me a bad wife. But tonight it does. You see, ordinarily, I am on top of things and actually know that he is on call and won't be sleeping here tonight. Ordinarily I don't forget simple things like that. Ordinarily I would try calling him sooner than 7pm to find out where he is (he is usually home this month by 5-ish). But I guess I'm just out of it today. Maybe it's this darn cold I have, but typically one should know where their husbands are sleeping. Haha. I guess I need more sleep. And to check the calendar more frequently. :)

Application

Spencer submitted his application to apply for residency last night. It's not quite done since he still needs to add his letters of recommendation (they are being written), transcript, and the next set of board scores. But, overall the beast is finally in and we should start getting calls about interviews soon! We picked about 20 schools spread across the country, but mostly focused out west. That means that next year we could be living anywhere from Virginia to California and it is now up to the gods of medical education and the infamous match system to decide our fate.

As far as where we want to end up, it's difficult to say. I feel like my answer changes depending on who I'm talking to and how the rest of my life is going. We really like it here and so it would be nice to stay. I have a good job, we like our place, and we can generally survive without a second car (with the addition of our awesome scooter, of course!). The prospect of instant doubling our income next July is especially tempting since if we stay here I keep working and Spencer starts getting paid. However, I am having an especially adverse reaction to the cooler weather right now since I know that it is the messenger of a potentially brutal and chilly winter. That makes me wish for the sunny coasts of California, or the warm clime of such places like Arizona or New Mexico. But then I think about knitting and how there would be very little use for my large collection of wool if we lived in those place and I begin to entreat thought of family in Utah or Virginia or even Oregon. Whatever the outcome though, I'm looking forward to just finding out. When I stop to just think about how far we've come and how little time it's really taken I'm amazed. But when you're living it day to day, it just seems to drag on forever. Here's hoping that we will get through this next stage of life quickly but also be able to take everything in and enjoy!!

10 Thing You May Not Know About Me

10. My fingernails turn blue when I got cold. So blue, in fact, that people think I'm sporting an awesome shade of nail polish. I'm not. I'm just cold. A lot.

9. I love all animals, but I hate snakes. I generally ascribe to the notion that I can't care for things without legs. My tomato plant will corroberate that for you if you'd like.

8. I'm an over-doer. I like lots and lots of different things. I love writing, reading, dancing, running, Pilate's, yoga, knitting, going to movies, baking, walking, mountain biking, camping, hiking, traveling, drawing, painting, organizing, making lists....should I go on? This may be why I sometime feel like I get nothing done.

7. I hate feet. I may sell some pretty awesome pedicure products, but don't expect me to put them on your feet because I refuse to touch them. It's even worse if you touch me with your feet anywhere above my ankels. I don't care that you just took a shower.

6. I probably should have been a teacher. I distincly remember teaching one of my sisters how to jump rope. Recently, I taught my friend's 4 year old the same skill. In college, I really enjoyed toutoring trig and calculous, and my favorite part of my new job so far was the day I got to give a presentation. Note I said got to. Not had to.

5. "Dangerous" things scare me, but I usually like to do them anyway. I'll admit it, I'm a little nervous every time I go mountain biking, rock climbing, scootering, or driving in rainy/snowy/icy weather. But I do it anyway. And I'm better for it.

4. I read nonfiction. For fun. In fact, I think I've read more nonfictional works than fictional works in the last year and not all of them were forced upon me by school. Don't get me wrong, I love a good story. But I absolutely adore all the knowledge I get out of my nonfictional exploits.

3. I love cake. The only two things I really cared about for my wedding (aside from Spencer) were that I have a rockin cake and an awesome dress. I ended up with a gorgeous handmade dress from my mom and 2 different wedding cakes. We ate the middle tier of the first one on our honeymoon. That may be why I gained weight when I got married. heh.

2. I didn't really get into music until after high school. Now, I'm a music junkie. I don't know tons about music, but I do generally know what's going on in the current music scene. I credit that trend with the aquisition of a car with a stereo.

1. I love cars. I don't know much about them from a technical standpoint, but I love driving them, shopping for them online, and checking them out when they drive by. My parents like to joke about the fact that when I about 2.5 I pointed out the Mercedes to them while at Baskin Robbins, much to the amazement of another patron.

Hello September

Well, it's the first of the month again which means it's time for my obligatory first-of-the-month post. This month Spencer starts his rotation on family medicine at St Joe's Hospital. After 4 months in scrubs, I think he's going to have a hard time wearing work clothes again. And I'm going to start having to do more laundry. Boo. Plus, he's "away" this month which also means I don't have free reign on the car anymore. Double boo.

On a more positive note, August ended with several positives. I started my last class for my master's program, which means come December 21st I will offically be done! Another plus, Spencer and I spent an entire Saturday cleaning and our house looks great! I also completed my second 5k this past month coming in around the 37 minute mark and then promptly took most of the rest of the month "off" from running, instead focusing on doing more classes at the Y and riding my exercise bike.

Well, that's all for now. Time to get back to work!

Time.

So you know that thing where time seems to stop and you really wish it would speed up? It's the feeling you got when you were supposed to be asleep the night before the first day of school when you were a little kid. You're a little bit nervous, but mostly excited about what the future is going to be like. You're also irritated that the darn numbers on the clock seem to be taking more than 60 seconds to change.

Yeah. It's been one of those weeks. One of those months, actually. I guess it's just going to be one of those school years....

Blueberries

What do you do when you've over-estimated the number of blueberries two people can eat? Make cobbler of course!



Hungry? Try making one for yourself. Check it out here.

Are we there yet?

Wishing it were November because Spencer has that month off...
Wishing it were December because then I would be done with my masters...
Wishing it were March because then it would be match day...
Wishing it were May because then we would be graduating...
Wishing it were June because then we would be heading to residency...

What are you wishing for?

The Post in Which I Make You Consider Your Mortality

I recently had the chance to read Atul Gawande’s most recent article “Letting Go” published in the July 26th edition of The New Yorker. In it he attempts to answer the question “what should medicine do when it can’t save your life?” The article chronicles the end of several terminally ill patient’s lives and the unwillingness for modern medicine to let people die at home surrounded by loved ones rather than chained to hospital beds by invasive tubes, ventilators, and health care professionals. He examines the true nature of hospice as a beacon of shinning hope that allows patients to be home to the end and extends the quality, not quantity of life.


As young American in my mid-twenties it is difficult to imagine dying. Sure, I’ve been sick and my mother might even relate to you the countless sleepless nights she spent worrying over my health when I had that season’s flu or the especially awful case of mono I endured during my senior year of high school. But I have never really, truly been close to dying. I don’t know what it feels like to be told you have cancer and that you only have months to live. I haven’t lived long enough to see my friends wither slowly in a nursing home and I’ve been fortunate that my grandparents have been able to avoid that fate thus far. My grandpa died quickly of a series of strokes and my grandmother passed later after a long battle with cancer that she lost in the home of her eldest son under the care of hospice. But even at my young and healthy age, the “medicalization” of death scares me.


Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for scientific advancements in the field of medicine. I have a love of research dating back to the “experiments” I conducted as a kindergarten on my pet worms. The love carried me through a slew of AP science classes in high school and through the successful completion of a Neurscience BS in college. After college, while my classmate chased the call of medicine, I chose research and became the clinical research coordinator. I even said in the interview for my first job that "I don't really care how I'm involved in research, just that I am involved in research that will help make a difference in people's lives." Shortly after that, I started my Bioethics program and my eyes were both metaphorically and literally opened.


I have stood by the bedside of the critically ill and listened as the hospital’s ethicist attempted to mediate between patients who are ready to go and doctors who aren't ready to let them. I have heard the reluctance of family members to let their loved ones “give up” and choose options that would shorten their life, but ease their suffering. I have read news articles about those who commit suicide rather than let their medical condition cause them to lose themselves or suffer immeasurable pain. I have studied the “right to die” movement. Throughout it all, I have sensed the desperation felt by parties on all sides of the equations. The doctors, unwilling to “fail” a patient by “letting them die,” continue to push treatments that often cause more harm than good. The patients, who don’t really know any better because they have never been told they have a choice, blindly following until they are but a shell of their former selves.

I spend each day working hard at an educational medical facility attempting to ensure that scientific research improves medicine so that it can not only extend our lives, but extend the quality of our lives as well. But, I hope when it's my turn to go I will do so with dignity. I don't want to spend my final days on this Earth stuck in some sterile ICU and I don't want to blindly try treatment after treatment just to buy a few extra days, weeks, months, whatever. When it's my time, I hope I go quickly with my mind intact. I hope to keep living life until there is no more life left to live.

And I hope that by posting this somewhat disturbing (and hopefully thought-provoking) post, you will also consider how you would like to leave this world and what role medicine will have in your final days. Please, I implore you, tell your loved ones what kind of medical interventions you want. Tell them how far you are willing to go to stave off death. Name your power of attorney and make your advance directive. Decide now while you are still in control. Update it often as you have time to think about the impacts of your decisions. Involve your family, close friends, and Heavenly Father. Talk about dying now before you are actively doing it. Though difficult, I truly believe that talking about these issue now will help save your loved ones grief in the future.

Goodbye Monsieur le Soleil.

When we moved to Milwaukee, it was August. I remember it especially well because it was unusually hot and sticky for Milwaukee, rained all the time, and made moving a real chore--especially since we were moving into an un-air conditioned apartment. I was also struck by the by the number of people that seemed to revel in the great outdoors--even in all that heat. I wondered how they could stand it and retreated to the quite cool of my bedroom (complete with window-box air conditioner). However, after living here for a few weeks I no longer marveled at the blistering heat, but at the dramatic decrease in sunlight we experienced.

At the peak of summer, Milwaukee gets about 15.5 hours of sunlight. By the end of July, we're down to just 14.5 hours. By September--a mere 13 hours which really starts to be noticeably. By the dead of winter, we get just under 9 hours of sunlight. That is extremely noticeable. Especially when you consider that Utah and Virginia get about 9.5 at their low. However, Milwaukee also seems to get more cloudy days per year since it is always snowing so that loss of 1/2 hour really starts to take a toll. In fact, I distinctly remember last year when the weather reporters kept a running total of "days without sun." I think we were up around 50 days in a row or so when the clouds finally parted and let a little light through.

And so, with those facts on my mind (and the fact that every morning for the past week has seemed oddly sunless), I began to bid farewell to the delightful embrace of sunlight. I will enjoy it as much as is humanly possible until it fades, but for now: Goodbye monsieur le soleil. You've been a swell pal this summer. See you next year.

Welcome, August!

Yesterday we welcomed August with gusto because doing so meant the end of Spencer's involvement with surgery in any capacity other than anesthesia. Today Spencer headed off at a much more reasonable time (6:30AM) to start his month in anesthesiology. He'll be working at Froedtert this month which means less commute time and the potential to work with my old boss. That'll be fun! :s

This month is also the start of his last 3 rotations this calendar year (he has November/December off to interview), and it's the start of his last 8 rotations as a medical student!. Just think, in about 9 and 1/2 months we'll both be graduating and preparing for the next journey--residency. Crazy! Where did the time go?

Happy Birthday Spencer!

Today my love turns 27. This will be his last birthday as a medical student, and hopefully the last birthday he will have that involves waking up before dawn to drive in for surgery.

The good news is that he didn't have to stay long because the OR flooded due to all the rain last night. It was crazy! He got home around noon, but I was stuck at work till 5. For dinner we dined with friends and feasted on Baskin Robbins ice cream cake.

Spencer was also smiled upon by the gift fairies. He got a Dutch oven, iPad case, some kitchen gadgets, and the latest version of Starcraft. I also agreed to let him get a new iPhone 4. What a spoiled boy!

All in all, I think he had a pretty awesome day.

A new way to post

I downloaded an app this morning that allows me to type my blog posts on my iPod. So far, it seems to work pretty well. You can't publish pictures with it, but I never publish pictures anyway. I like the fact that I can do it on my iPod without having to log on to a computer. I spend so much time on my computer at work that I very rarely take the time to log on at home. I guess the only other problem with it is that I stink at typing on the iPod screen. Hopefully though it will help me find more time to post more often.

Scooter

Best. Purchase. Ever.

'Nuff said.

Stormin' the Bastille

Last Thursday I ran in my first 5k and the race went something like this:

I got home from work around 5:30 and contemplated just staying home. I was tired and wasn't feeling too hot because my yoga class the day before kicked my buns will all it's strength poses and extreme hip work. Instead, I changed, ate a granola bar, then headed up to my friend's house so we could carpool down together. Along the way we picked up a 3rd gal to round out our running duo. We parked a few blocks away from the festivities and walked down to register. We spent a few hours wandering the festival, contemplating the food and the potential it had to either help or hurt our case. We opted for the second even though my stomach was hungry and protested this choice loudly. We looked in vain for the 4th member of our running crew. We braved the port-o-potties. We headed over to the start around 8pm and began a series of hop-in-place-and stretch to warm up. It got hotter as it got darker and more humid. Then it was 9pm and time to go. They were late. Grr....About 5,000 people showed up to run. We were pushed together like sardines. I got claustrophobic, but didn't want to say anything because there was nothing anyone could do. Some fanfare sounded, which I assume meant the race started, but we didn't actually get to move for another few minutes because there were so many people. We finally started moving and I got a cramp in my calf because I'd been balancing on tip toe to see over everyone's head so I could figure out what was going on. Then the cramp moved to my side as we headed up hill. A few blocks later, someone cut me off and at the last minute moved so all I saw was a giant cone--the big round kind--seconds before I almost ran into. Thankfully, I missed it, but I'm slightly embarrassed (and a little impressed) that I screamed like a little girl when I saw it. I kept running for a while longer, then my foot cramped up and my back began to ache. At that point I was limping, so I opted to finish the race on the walking route (2 miles) instead of facing another 1.5 miles uphill. I'm a wimp, I know. I made it to the end of the race with all the fast runners, so people probably thought I rocked it. I got some water, but then there were too many people running in to get any more. Did I mention it was still 80 degrees with 90% humidity?? Met up with the other gals. They had actually finished the race. They have been running longer than 2 months though. We got lemonade and frozen strawberry slush for a whopping $7.00. We sat on the grass and ate it. We smelled wonderful, by the way--a pungent combo of bug spray, sun screen, and sweat. We headed back to the car, dropped off the 3rd team member at her posh downtown place, then weaved our way back through the city to my friend's house. I got in my car and drove home. It was midnight. I showered, then felt the urge to clean. I finally made it to bed around 1am. While drifting to sleep I thought about the race. "How could I have stopped running?" I wondered. By then I felt fine. By then my muscles had forgotten how they cramped and started overheating. By then my body had forgotten that if you haven't run in 10 years and decide to run a 5k in 2 months outside without running outside as part of the training it's probably not going to feel all the great. By Friday morning I had already picked out my next 5k. It's August 7th. More heat. More humidity. At least it's on Saturday in the morning for a good cause (spina bifida) and will probably not be full of drunken, reveling idiots who decide to run next to you and cut you off. At least I hope it won't be, because after all this IS Milwaukee. And if there's anything that Milwaukeeans like it's their drunken reveling.

So what will I do now? Continue training of course. Running 3x a week OUTSIDE on the course if possible, along with a combo of pilates/yoga/body pump and an occasional Zumba class for good measure. Wish me luck!

I'm A Fruit.

First off, let me just say, Happy 4th of July!

Now that that's out of the way....I'm a fruit. No, not literally, but if we are what we eat than I would be a weird mixture of pasta and fruits. I'm not so good at eating my veggies, but I'm excellent at eating my fruits. Today alone I've had 3 plums, 1/4 of a cantaloupe, one bottle of naked juice (which contains several servings of fruit), a handful of chocolate covered raisins, and an Edy's fruit bar. Yummy. But have I had any veg? Unless you count the green stuff that comes in the pre-made potstickers, I've had zip. So I guess that means I'm a fruit. :)

End of Another Semester/Year

The semster has been over for me for about 6 weeks now, but Spencer's school year just ended last week! Do you know what that means? Spencer is now a 4th Year!!! His first day on the job was yesterday. I can't tell you how exciting it is to know that there are only 11.5 months left until he graduates and 12 until he finally gets paid for all his docotoring. It's almost even more exciting to think that we will know where we will be headed for residency in just 9.5 months! People have babies in that amount of time (no I'm not hinting).

Holy cow. These last 3 years have really flown by. It's crazy (and a little bit of a relief) to know that there are only 5 more years of training (4 of which include payment) before this whole medical education journey ends! All I can say it, I'M EXCITED! :)

The Car Contemplation

This July marks the 2 year anniversary of our last move. We had rented our first Milwaukee apartment site-unseen off craigslist and were looking for an upgrade. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with our first place out here, but I felt that there had to be something better since we had neglected even to look at other options before picking it (we were too poor to head out here and look).

This July also marks the 2 year anniversary of being a one-car family. When we moved, we picked an apartment that was within walking distance of the Medical College of Wisconsin where Spencer goes to school and I go to work. We had 2 cars at the time, but quickly sold our second car, a silver Chevy Lumina, because it was getting old and starting to fall apart. Up till now, only having one car has worked out great. I don't need the car to get to my job and for the most part, Spencer is always just over at the hospital or back before I get off work. That leaves that car free for me on nights/weekends to run my errands, go shopping, hit the gym, or meet up with friends. On days Spencer is on call and at another hospital, I'll wake up extra early to drive him and then pick him up when he's finished. However, this system is slowly becoming less and less practical as he gets more and more involved in his medical traing. So, we began to contemplate the purchase of a second car.

Now, those who know me also know that I love cars. I don't know much about them mechanically, but I rather enjoy browsing the various new car (and even some classic/vintage old cars like the mini cooper) available on today's market. I know what I want for the most part, but it seems like there isn't really a car out there that fits exactly what I'm looking for. Plus, we only have one year of medical school left and in many ways it makes sense to hold off until we know where we'll be living and if we'll be moving (can't wait till March 17th!!). That in combination with the fact that I didn't really want to plunk down a huge down payment on a car meant that we began to look at alternative forms of transportation.

After a brief search this past weekend, I'm pleased to report that we are the proud new owners of a brand new scooter! You can see a general picture of what our awesome new mode of transportation looks like here. The only difference between the two is that ours is red. So far, I've driven it around the block and Spencer's driven it back from the dealer where we bought it. I'm still getting the hang of things, but Spencer's already a pro since he rode them all over Thailand. My mom's a little freaked out by the whole thing, but I'm enjoying the potential of freedom! No longer will I be stuck at the house while Spencer is off learning to be a doctor! No longer will I be limited by the distance I can pedal my bike! Instead I will hop on my scooter and scoot my way across town! Here's to a delightful new form of transportation.

The 5k Challenge

About a month ago a good friend of mine told me that she wanted to run a 5k and was planning on running the upcoming "Storm the Bastille" as part of Milwaukee's Bastille Days festivities in early July. This occurred around the same time I started my new job which was motivating me to get in better shape because of the MCW sponsored wellness challenge (my department is very competitive with those challenges). For this particular challenge, we earn a point for every 10 minutes of physical activity and bonus points for doing things like taking the stairs or eating 5 servings of fruits/veggies a day. At any rate, since they were all so competitive and had immediately signed me up once I joined the department, I was looking for something to beef out my workouts a bit. So when she approached me with the idea, I didn't hesitate to say yes even though I haven't done any significant running since I was in high school (yikes). All of these things, in conjunction with the fact that if I utilize my YMCA membership 60 times in 6 months I would get $60 (20+ of those times I put off until June, the 6th month) means I've been logging a lot of miles at the gym on the indoor track or on the treadmill. Thus far it's been a challenging, yet rewarding experience.

Because it's been so long since I've chosen running (or jogging) as a form of exercise, I knew I would have to start out slow. It seems like most people (myself included) don't care much for running because they try to do too much too fast. They develop some sort of injury (in my case shin splints) or have such an awful experience on their first run that they abandon the idea and return to their easy chairs and tubs of ice cream (guilty). With these facts in mind and only 8 weeks to get my buns in shape, I chose to follow the "Couch to 5k" program, starting on week 2 since I was already doing a lot of Zumba. I can't say how grateful I am for this program. Without it I'm sure I would have crippled or given up long ago. Though the workouts are a challenge, I always make it through. Though parts of me ache that I didn't realize I never use (like my ankles and inner thighs), I've yet to get injured or develop shin splints. Plus, with all the varying between walking and running I feel like I'm not getting bored, which is my usual problem with running AND the workouts are only 30 minutes long, so I never have a good excuse for not doing them.

As for the Y, I have to go ~13 more times this month to qualify for the 60 times in 6 months deal. Thus, I go there to run 3x/week and do some sort of easier class like pilates or yoga, and alternate my non-running days with things like Zumba, racquetball, or a leisurely spin on the exercise bike with a good book. Though I'm not sure I can keep up with my go-to-the-Y-every-day-except-Sunday routine, I do think I will keep up with getting 30-60 minutes of exercise each day. Besides, that's now the recommended amount of physical activity we're supposed to get, and if you think about how many hours you spend just sitting around at work, driving, and home (11+ for me), it's hard to justify not getting a good workout each day. Plus, working out more frequently makes you feel good, helps you sleep, and improves your health. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that what started as a 5k challenge from a friend and a desperate attempt to get $60 from the Y has turned into a healthier, perhaps better, outlook on life.

How are you improving your health? Do you have any easy tips for eating healthy or getting more exercise in? Leave a comment.

Dear Reader,

Some of you may have noticed a decisive lack of blog-posting since I started my new position at MCW. For those of you with awesome powers of deductive reasoning, you may have guessed that there is a correlation between the two events. Indeed, dear reader, there is a link. My new jobs is keeping me super busy with longer hours, a different kind of work load, and a generally larger amount of responsibility. The great news, though, is that I'm still loving it perhaps because it's so new but more likely because it is a better fit with my skills, passion, and educational background. Oh, and I don't work with doctors any more--at least not directly :). So all in all, life is good, busy, and at times a little crazy.

So, while I know I haven't done the best job of keeping up with this blog and with the rest of my life, I do have high hopes for keeping up with it in the future. Some of the highlights from the last few weeks that I will be blogging about soon are: camping at Rock Island, WI, planting my version of a "garden," the car contemplation, reflections at the end of the semester, and the couch to 5k experiment.

Stay tuned and keep checking back regularly!

PS: If there is a particular topic that piqued anyone's interest, leave a comment and I will be sure to get working on that post ASAP. Until then, enjoy reading the archives as I'm sure you all do regularly ;p.

Busy Week

This week has been incredibly busy. I had high hopes for what I'd be able to get done and am pleased to say that I probably actually got about half of it accomplished. Is it just me, or do the rest of you women out there sometimes feel like no matter how much you accomplish, there is always more you should be doing? Oh, well. I am pleased with what I did get done this week so that will just have to do for now. So here's a brief run down of the highlights of the week:

Monday: Making dinner after working from 8-5 non stop trying to finish up my duties at work.
Tuesday: Frantically trying to finish up and turn in a paper for my mental health (and ethics) final.
Wednesday: Our 4th wedding anniversary. Spencer was on call and I started my new job. I saw him once that day around 5 AM as he was heading into work. I spent my evening trying to find my gift while figuring out the clues he emailed me. Eventually, I found the beautiful fresh water pearl necklace with matching bracelet and drop earrings. I also made it to Zumba at the YMCA and managed to make a pretty tasty Mexican casserole.
Thursday: Costco run! Plus, the food storage and basement are now a little more organized. :)
Friday: An almost-camping trip (long story) and a trip to Chili's instead (yuck).

So there you go. A busy week. I had hoped to exercise more, but oh well. I guess I will just have to try harder next week.

The Reason I Don't Care Much for Spring...

This is the cold that never ends!
Yes it goes on and on my friends!
Somehow I just contracted it
Not knowing what it was,
And I will cough my lungs
For forever just because
This is the cold that never ends!
(Repeat a bazillion times until cold gets better).

Disney Disillusionment

I can't remember if I've blogged about this before, but it was on my mind this morning and I felt the need to share. I know I've mentioned it in passing to some of my friends out here in Wisconsin, so if you've heard this before--I'm sorry.

A few weeks (perhaps months) ago I was watching Monsters, Inc with my best friend's 4 year old. She was completely enthralled in the movie with that glazed-eyed stare people get when they've been staring at the TV for way to long. The other adults present were no doubt engaged in something much more sophisticated and adult that the kids movie, but I, too, was engrossed in the movie.

And then a funny thing happened. Instead of enjoying the happy ending like I should have, I started to analysis it. Sully and Mike discover that laughter is more productive than scream. That means that Mike meets his quota after 1 door. That means there's no more energy crisis. That means that the price of energy goes down. That means that they make less profit. That means that there will be cutbacks. That means that some of the monsters will lose their jobs. That means that the happy ending wasn't so happy after all, from an economic standpoint that is.

It was at that moment I felt really, really old.

PS: Belle has Stockholm syndrome and Ariel can't be happy without totally changing her body. Oh, and Snow White shouldn't just be waiting around for her prince to show up. She should be out there living her life instead of putting it on hold until some man comes along. And Cinderella needs therapy for all the abuse her dad put her through by marring her step-mom. Seriously though! Is this what we want ingrained in our daughter's minds?

The 4th Year Plan

Spencer has his schedule for 4th year pretty much figured out now so I thought I'd share the plan"

July: Surgery at Columbia St. Mary's
August: Anesthesia at Froedtert
September: Radiology at St. Luke's or St. Joe's (I can't remember)
October: Blood Bank (appropriate for Halloween).
November: Off right now, but we have to go to LA so he can take a portion of the boards.
December: Off for interviews
January: Internal Medicine, but he'd like to have it in November instead so he can interview.
February: I don't remember. Transfusions maybe?
March: I don't remember, but it's match day!!!! Cardiac consults perhaps?
April: Hmm...I don't remember again. Must not be important
May: Transition to clerkship and GRADUATE!!
June: Move (if needed, though we want to stay)/party/vacation
July: Start life as a resident. And start getting paid. Boo-yah.

The end is in sight!

Trauma

No, we're not hurt (though I do have a cold). Spencer started his final rotation of third year on Monday. For the next two months, he will be doing surgery. Trauma at Froedtert this month, then general surgery at a Waukesha Hospital next. Actually, if you consider that 4th year will also see him doing surgery in his first month (July), we're looking at 3 long months of Spencer living the life of a surgeon. Follow that up with anesthesia in August (his passion) and we're looking at 4 long months of early mornings followed by long days and evening doing not much more than falling asleep on the couch while watching TV. Oh yeah! Our life rocks! Fortunately, I make my (hopefully) permanent exit from surgery next week so only one of us will have to suffer through the irritation of actually dealing with surgeons. (Think giant walking egos.)

So what, pray tell, does the life of a surgeon entail? Well for some ungodly reason, surgeons enjoy getting to work at the crazy hour of 5 AM (egad man!) to round on patients and prep for surgeries that typically start around 7 AM. This means that Spencer gets up around 4:30 AM so he can shower, eat, and walk his cute little tushy over to the hospital. He then spends the day doing something surgical related and makes it home by 5 PM-ish. Sometimes he's later than that. He also has call nights every few days where he goes in at 5 AM and stays a full 24 hours or more, then comes home and crashes the next day. At least he gets the day off, though. Monday was his first day, but it was also supposed to be his first call day. However, because they had some class on Tuesday that would have potentially put him over the number of hours he is allowed to work in one period he didn't stay the night. Instead he worked until 10 PM (mind you, he went in at 5 AM), then came home and slept a little before heading back in at 5 AM the next morning. He worked until 6 PM that day. Grrr... Not only does that make him extremely tired, it means that i hardly get to see him anymore (and I'm very partial to seeing him). The good news is that he get Friday off. The bad news is that he has to work on Saturday (on call, overnight). The other good news is that he will get another weekday off this month. The bad news is I will be working. The even worse news is that he's on call on our anniversary, which is the same day that I start my new job, which means I will most likely not get to see him that day at all plus I'll have just started the job and will most likely need to talk to him about it. Let me repeat my previous sentiment....GRRRR!

Utah/4 weeks

Last week I had the pleasure of traveling to Utah for a little R&R while Spencer stayed behind in Wisconsin and did all his school-like stuff. What started out as a graduation trip gradually shifted to a visit-the-sister-and-in-laws trip since the sister decided (wisely) to delay her graduation and I decided not to pay the $150+ fee for changing my flight. Highlights from the trip included: a day trip to Park City, "How to Train Your Dragon," the Women's Expo at UVU, trips to get ice cream, and seeing some old friends/family. Oh yeah, and the awesome minivan I ended up driving since the rental place didn't haven any other cars. Go stow-and-go seating. Great concept. If I didn't see you while I was there, I apologize, but one can only do so much in 4 days without feeling totally insane and driving the length of the state several times (which I did not feel like doing in my minivan). Also, I did not bring my camera on the trip (stupid) and my sister failed to bring hers along when we did fun stuff (I'd say stupider, but she'd probably virtually hit me or something :P). So...no pictures. I know, you're all sad now.

One other brief comment: Whose idea was it to make me give 4 weeks notice instead of the regular 2? I could be done with my old job by now and on to the new. This waiting period seems to be dragging out forever and seems only to serve to highlight how boring my current job really is. I feel like I have adult onset ADD or something. I know I've been working every day, but seriously I feel like I've accomplished zilch since giving my notice. Here's to a time warp for the next couple of weeks!

Shopping: A Love/Hate Relationship

In the last few days I discovered the joy that is shopping. I think desire to shop first crept into my brain when I started watching "What Not to Wear" right after I got home from work (This is why our husbands don't like it when we watch this show, by the way). The contestants get a whole $5000 to spend on an entirely new wardrobe, plus they get a complete hair/makeup styling session with some of the industry's greatest talents. Soon I was staring at my own wardrobe and wondering if perhaps I shouldn't weed out some of the overly-worn out and ill-fitting items that gummed up my closet and were so much easier to throw on than the nicer pieces I owned. Unfortunately, it also made me want to shop to fill out the newly made gaps with some pieces that would have the potential to take my wardrobe from drab to fab.

It started out innocently enough. A new shirt for my job interview from Banana Republic. Then a great deal on sweaters at the Gap. Then a sweet coupon for 40% off online at Banana. And then some great shoe finds at Macy's, pants for Spencer, and an Amazon order filled with pair after pair of deliciously low-priced sandals. With each click of the mouse or swipe of the card I triumphantly purchased my exciting new article of clothing/pair of shoes.

At first, I was in blissful state of pure and utter joy--but today, I rediscovered why I hate shopping. No, it wasn't the amount of money I'd spent. No, it wasn't even that I had buyer's remorse over getting things I didn't need. It had more to do with one teeny simple problem: sexy shoes hurt my feet and ordering clothes online lends to them not fitting, thus requiring you to return them. Yup, that's right. I now have a pile of shoes and clothes that need to be returned to their respective stores. Are the sandals I got the most flashy cute shoes imaginable? Yes. But they also cut into my feet and hurt like h-e-double-hockey-sticks. Do the Banana Republic tops live up to their exceptionally high price tag and make me look ever so chic? No. No, they do not. They look good, but no where near as good as they need to look for me to justify keeping them. And so, though it may return my credit card to a (slightly) less egregious balance, I'm stuck with the chore of lugging all this stuff back only so I can head out and try to find things that will work yet again. I worked so hard to get it right the first time that it's really irritating me that I have to try again. Ah well, such is life.

If at first you don't succeed, buy buy again!

New Job/Hamsters

I haven't wanted to say anything because I didn't want to jinx it, but I got a new job. I'm still with the Medical College, but next month I will begin my life as a Quality Improvement Specialist in the the Office of Human research doing more database stuff and for-cause audits of research studies. I'm super excited to start, but it's going to be a bumpy month here getting everything ready to go so that I don't leave my current position totally in shambles. It's a move I've been hoping to make for at least 2 years, and now that it's happening I'm a little nervous. I am looking forward to being more on the rules side of research and to be in a place where research is the focus instead of patient care. It will be a chance to flex my bioethical brain muscles as well. I might even get the chance to teach! To sum it up in a word: yipee!!

PS: Quick hamster update. I took my babies (I mean the hamster's babies) to the pet store where I got mom a couple nights ago. I gave them 5 beautiful little guys and then kept 1 for myself. I also got him one super cool, fun, tube-filled cage for him to live in. I think mom's jealous. I was going to leave them together for a little longer, but it looked like they were *ahem* enjoying each other's company just a little too much (please! no more babies!!). I'm still deciding on a name, so I will post his picture when I do. He's a beautiful blackish grey with white spots around his eyes.

Explination

Some of you may be wondering about my last post, "iPad." Truly, if I had come upon it, I would also scratch my head and wonder why someone would bother to post the title without the text to go with it. Allow me to illuminate you.

Like so many other technophiles, this past Saturday Spencer became the proud new owner of his very own iPad. The computer count has now risen to 8 (10 if you include the Tivos). Let me break it down for you: 3 desktops, 2 laptops, 1 iPhone, 1 iPod touch, and now 1 iPad. Again, if technology is ever going to overtake us and enslave the human race, it's starting at our house. Or maybe my inlaws...

The newest addition to our ever-expanding home is pretty nifty. Though it is nothing more than a gigantic web-browser, it does have a lot of cool apps. Take, for instance, the app that lets me look at real estate in the area as displayed on google maps. It has prices, pictures, and even estimates a monthly payment. I probably spent a good hour or two browsing the various listings in the greater Milwaukee area, ogling million dollar homes and imagining how much fun it would be to actually be going through them. With each passing flick of the wrist, I flipped through picture after picture, only taking breaks when Spencer threatened to buy me my own iPad because I was using his too much or to show it delightedly to any other women in the near vicinity. (They all loved it, by the way). The ABC app was also a hit as it allowed up to delight in the silliness that is "Modern Family" while curled up in our comfy king-sized bed. (Let's note, there's now a 32" flat screen tele also in our boudoir.)

But other than that, I can't say that I see the hype. It's not a word processor, which means it's not super useful, and you can't even do certain things like type a post from it's touch screen (hence the post with title only). The website touts it as "a magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price." Magical? maybe. Revolutionary? not so much. Unbelievable price? yes, but not in the way they were thinking. It's more of a 'I-can't-believe-this-stupid-thing-cost-$500' than a 'wow! it's only $500' unbelievable. Still, I'm glad we got it. Spencer really wanted it and I'm apparently a sucker when it come to giving into his wants. I just have a hard time saying no to such a cute face. :)

Heaven help me when we have kids.