Wednesday, August 27, 2003

 

Random thing I learned at school today


You gain more weight sitting down watching TV than you do just sitting doing nothing. It's mostly due to the munchies, though.

And on another note, 1 out of 3 of today's youth will have Type 2 diabetes as adults (or younger). Developing type 2 diabetes involves a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in fats and sugars. Get those kids off their butts and make them DO something! (that doesn't require a joystick or remote control)


Grrr...


I love how medical students get such crappy health insurance (I know, at least I HAVE insurance) for such an expensive price (it's about 10% of my tuition) and STILL get charged an arm and a leg for prescriptions. They raised my copay and didn't even tell me that before I signed up for the damn thing!!! Grrr.... How are we supposed to take care of our own health so we can take care of others??!!! Yes, I know, I know, at least I HAVE insurance... Maybe I should marry Dan so I can sponge off his insurance. =P Just kidding, dear... kinda... =)

Claud 7:07 PM 

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

 

Congratulations, Dr. and Mrs. Estacio!


On Saturday, the sisterfriends gained a brotherfriend. Christine and Dave's wedding was a wonderful time. It was kinda surreal finally seeing them get married, even after helping with the wedding details while I was home. But it was beautiful. Being as cheesy as I am, I still get farklempt thinking about it. I still can't put it into words.

And yesterday Christine and Daddy packed up her stuff and began the drive to move her to Long Beach. Even though I'm in Des Moines 11 months out of the year and don't see her much anyway, knowing that when I do go home, she won't be there - it makes me sad. I know she and Dave are moving home in June, but she still won't be at home. I'll miss her. But I know she'll be happy with Dave, and he'll take good care of her, and they'll take good care of each other. If either of them ever learns how to cook... =)

So congratulations Dave and Christine, I love you two knuckleheads. Good luck in Cali!


Random thing I learned at school today


Methylcellulose, the ingredient used to thicken shakes at McDonalds, is a laxative. Hell, it beats taking Metamucil.


Where'd it go?


Sheesh, I don't know why I'm having issues getting my blogger site to appear on my computer these last few days. The only thing that shows up is the blue background and the ad on top. Grr. Fatima's site is showing up. I'm so confused.

Claud 7:30 PM 

Monday, August 18, 2003

 

The Iowa State Fair...

Ok, so yesterday me and Liz headed out to the State Fairgrounds to check out the IA State Fair. Everybody else bailed on us (despite the fact that we'd been planning it all week, but whatever), so me and Liz headed out there determined to have a good time nonetheless. And indeed we did. We stuffed ourselves silly with corndogs (how can you not have a corndog at the State Fair?), teriyaki chicken on a stick, monkey tails on a stick (apparently that's what they call frozen bananas covered in chocolate out here), cheesecake covered in chocolate on a stick, food samples galore, etc. My tummy was singing.

So somewhere in the middle of all the food, we went to check out the butter cow with Jimmy and Drew. Seems for the last couple of years (maybe even decades), this artist has been carving a life-sized cow out of butter. Yes, butter. It's displayed in a refrigerated case, naturally. And this year, she also created an almost-life-sized Harley Davidson out of butter. I must admit, they looked pretty cool. Though I'd rather use the butter to bake than carve it, but hey, whatever.

After the butter cow, me and Liz went to go see livestock. I don't recall if I've ever been close enough to touch a cow, so I kinda wanted to do that. Last year, we didn't get to see any animals, so me and Liz made it a priority this year - after the food, of course. First, we checked out the horses. It was late in the evening on the last day of the fair, so not all of the horses were there anymore. But there were some very pretty ones hanging around. I felt kinda bad, because it was pretty hot and humid in the stables, so the poor horsies must have been really uncomfortable. Speaking of uncomfortable, there was the young man who attempted to hit on me and Liz. We noticed he was sauntering quite close to us, then he finally spoke. Just small talk, really. Then he asked how old we were. Then he gave up, because apparently we were a lot older than he thought we were. It was somewhat sweet, really.

Then there was the cowboy hat booth. Liz and I wanted to try some on, thinking they'd be fun to wear (but buying a cowboy hat for 40 bucks, no thanks, wouldn't wear it enough). As we're looking, we hear a voice behind us say, "Y'all lookin' for a hat?" - and then came the quote of the evening - "You'd look hot in a cowboy hat!". Niiiice. I must admit, we did look quite snazzy in our hats. He then tried to invite us to come out to a rodeo - two hours away, on a Thursday night. Thanks, but no thanks... not with our schedules. That was a fun little booth.

So then we went to check out cows, bulls, and pigs. But alas, they'd all gone home. =( And so me and Liz decided to do the same. And so ended my last Iowa State Fair (I leave Des Moines for rotations after this year). Good times, good times.

Claud 7:23 PM 

Sunday, August 17, 2003

 

Gotta love the Iowa State Fair...


FYI - Isaac Mizrahi was at the fair the other day. Don't know if that's good or bad...

More on the fair tomorrow, I'm going to study a bit and head to bed. But suffice it to say, the best line me and Liz heard all night was "You'd look hot in a cowboy hat!"

Claud 8:41 PM 

Monday, August 11, 2003

 

addendum to "The Friday Five... the Saturday edition..."

1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
As Redpac pointed out, yes, he did take me to Kansas City, MO just after we got to Des Moines. I apologize for the oversight. And yes, sweetie, I DO remember the places you bring me, I just happened to forget it while I was typing.

Claud 8:29 PM 

 

Freakin' flies...


Ok, so since Saturday night, there's been an ungodly number of flies (those big mofo's with the huge eyes) congregating near my windows. I can't think of any reason why they're there, or why they've only showed up now, or why there's so many. I must have killed at least 16 this weekend alone. My apartment is clean, the garbage isn't festering (and they're not hanging out by it anyway). It has let up tonight though, there were only 2 left up until 5 minutes ago. Which brings me to the point of my blog.

So I'm at my computer, checking my email and printing out notes, and I've got my halogen torchiere light turned on. And these last 2 bastards are hovering by the window once again, but becoming more fearless and flying around. So I notice one hovering on the wall near the lamp. I chuckle to myself as he flies above it. Heh, he's about to get his, I think. Then I hear the familiar zip! noise of a fly becoming halogen barbecue. And I laugh. Then I scowl, as I realize that along with fried fly comes the smell. AND THIS BASTARD STINKS! So I'm just trying to keep on going with the lamp on. Then the second bastard flies right in after his comrade. Zip! Sayonara, sucker. And then the stink. GRRREAT. I didn't think such small little suckers could smell so bad. So I finally turned off the light. But it still smells like toasted fly in here. Argh.


Oh, and by the way...


Dr. S can kiss my tired, frustrated ass! Ya know, I'm fine with doing division without a calculator. But not when a) I've been told not to worry about calculations, and b) I have to divide crap like 2,490,000/3826. At least give us freakin' round numbers, for crying out loud!!! I actually thought I might like epidemiology... until I met her.

How scary is it that I did much better on my Pharmacology exam than on this "Preventative Medicine" exam?

Claud 7:27 PM 

Saturday, August 09, 2003

 

The Friday Five... the Saturday edition...


1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
Country: Went to Vancouver, British Columbia in May 2002 for a family vacation (sans Fatima =( ). It was fun - saw some family that I hadn't seen in years/hadn't ever met, the people were friendly and fun, and it was all sooooo beautiful. A friend of mine just told me she's getting married at Stanley Park, one of the places we visited there, and I'm soooo excited for her; it's such a beautiful park, such a perfect place to get married.
State: Des Moines, IA, to go back to school. Sure, I live here for most of the year (my second year of med school lasts ELEVEN MONTHS. Yes, you read that right.), but Chicago will always be home.

2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?
I can't remember anything off hand. Little things here and there. One thing I remember is being called "sir" by the cashier at a gift shop at the Smithsonian (I think) when I was younger and had short hair. Don't know why that's the first thing that comes to mind.

3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?
Italy. And other places in Europe, but mostly Italy. I love the food, the architecture, the ambience. Oooh, and Egypt. I've always loved Egyptian archaeology (even took a class on it in college). I'd love to see the pyramids, the mummies, the art.

4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?
If I'm going for speed, plane. Although trips aren't as fun nowadays. Cars can be fun, too, so long as there's more than 1-2 people in the car and I have a load of Dramamine with me.

5. What's the next place on your list to visit?
I'm going home for my sister's wedding in 2 weeks. Yay!!! Oh wait, I'm going to Omaha, NE next Sunday for the afternoon.

Claud 7:32 PM