Economic Crisis

Some people are going to kill me for saying this but that “massive hole” was originally started 10 years ago when Clinton was still president. The whole idea that Wall Street can handle itself was his idea, not Bush’s. Bush was just the sad idiot that got stuck with the problem and made even stupider mistakes. Not to mention the tragedy of 9/11 that happened immediately after he came into office. That and its repercussions added to economic crisis.
What I’m trying to say is the mistakes and successes of all politicians takes time for it to be seen or felt. Whatever change is implemented today won’t be seen or felt immediately. Change takes time, sometimes longer than people think. I firmly believe that the successes and failures of a President’s first 2-3 years (catastrophic tragedies aside) are not due to the fact that there was a change in who is in office but to whatever the past president did at the end of his term.

Rambling

Hello to...guess just me, haha. I don't think I have any fans so I'm just writing to myself. Nothing new has been happening except that I'm done with that exam which I will not speak its name. Happily afterwards I walked though the mall and came across the Nintendo DS game I've been looking for and promptly bought it. Now I'm learning to speak Japanese. And to also read and write too. My handwriting is still horrible, haha.

USMLE STEP1

OMG!!! Tomorrow is the big day. The biggest day so far. I'm taking my first board exam. It's going to be long, hard but I'm ready to get it over with. I'm going to stand up to this big scary test and knock it back!!!
I'm actually pretty nervous about it. I have been studying, but I'm still not sure if I studied enough or if I took too long to take it, or ...I don't know. I felt this way about the COMP way back in May and I did alright. I past it. I guess that's a good sign. I never feel ready for tests. Even when I study as much as I did for this one and all the others I have taken in the past two years, I still never feel ready. I'm just going to do the best I can, take my time and pray.
I took the day off today to relax. It feels weird. I wonder how its going to feel after the test is done. I've been studying non stop since January 2007 and when I'm not studying, I don't know what to do with myself. I can read, play video games, go shopping...but I think I'm going to go visit people. Definately visit my friend Jess in NJ. Sadly we missed the Halloween festivities but we will find something else fun and exciting to do. I might actually brave the roads of MASS and go visit my brother. Maybe I can spend the weekend up there and we can go to Boston for the day or something. I just need to check his schedule. Of course I will be wearing my full Red Sox gear when I go up there, hahaha.
I was a bit upset that they didn't make it to the World Series this year. But I think that it might have been a good thing since I did kind of bad with my school work because I was more focused on the game than on my studies. This year so far my biggest obsession has been Heroes. I can't get enough of the show!!! I need to get a hold of John. He works on the set and maybe he could get me a tour or something. Hahaha. Yeah, right. That's not gonna happen for a couple of reasons. Number one, I don't know what his job is so I'm not sure what connections he has and I might just go all "fangirl" on everyone if I did make it to the set. Also, I'm broke. No money and no loan check in sight. Still waiting for a call from CVS to see if I can get my job back as a pharmacy tech. That will be fun. I don't mind working. Being paid is good, hahahaha.

Right now I'm sitting at Barnes and Nobles typing this and waiting for my podcasts to finish downloading. The stupid router at my house has decided to quit on me and I have no wireless access. Really sucks and the internet here is slower than it is at home. I'm forced to use the house computer or find places where I have to pay to get on free internet. Hahahahahaha. Free internet...I should just have my computer sign up for that optimum hot spot thingy that I saw. We use optimum at home. Problem is...don't know any optimum hot spots in Westchester. Yay, sweet!!! Podcasts are finished. I'll wait until I get home to upload them to my ipod. I think I'll get a coffee before I leave the cafe. After all, I sat here for over an hour and did nothing but play on my computer, I should do something to show my appriciation for the store. I'm just glad no one has kicked me out. Hahaha, I know they probably would have by now if I was in the Miami store. But then, I did pay $4 to use the internet.
There is apparently some kind of children's thing going on in the back of the store. I can hear singing. Old McDonald and before that rain drop song: if all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops, oh what a rain that would be! hahahaha. I haven't heard that song in years. Where did I...omg!!! Barney. That's where I heard it. ::shivers:: I'm so thankful that my cousins are not into that show. Is it even on anymore??? I bet no, because all of those kids have got to be in or finishing high school by now. I think my last viewing of Barney had to be...a few years ago while babysitting. OMG!!! I just remembered that I have to start appartment hunting and I have no idea where to look. I checked briefly on Craig's list a while ago but the rental prices I saw were all scary. I need to ask a few people. Maybe I'll post something on facebook, like Andy did.
I should go before my battery goes out. I need a new battery but that will have to wait until I a) get some money from work or b) get my next loan check. Sorry for not writing more often. Just been busy and I'm not even sure if anyone actually reads this. I really don't care if they do. I had big hopes of people from school reading it and me writing about what was going on at "the house of hell" (hahaha) aka Miami home but I was too busy then too. Now that I have about 6 weeks of nothing to do, you will get the pleasure to read how boring my life has become. Or maybe I will just write my theories for Heroes.
OK, gotta go now. I wrote extra long this time to make up for the months I haven't said anything. Should I get a latte or a frappacino????

Distracted

I can't focus on anything today. I've spent much of my day running around to get my car all tuned up for the trip back home which is friday. Good thing though is that the mechanic is coming to my house tonight to work on it so I don't have to drop it off and find a ride. Hopefully it won't take long. I need to make some lemonade or some ice tea for him when he comes over. I should be studying for the STEP but I haven't gotten much done today in that area. I looked over some questions I did yesterday but with all of the stuff I have to do to get ready for leaving it's not leaving me much time to study. I'm sure once I'm home and I don't have to go anywhere I'll beable to get more done than I am now. I'm too distractable with cleaning up, going out to make sure I've done the things I wanted to do before I leave Miami.
It's been a fun 4 months but I'm sooooooo ready to get back to NY. Back to the land where everything makes sense, people know how to drive, where there are changes in the seasons, and I can live at home without having to pay rent and don't have to worry about food shopping. Back to the land where pizza was invented!!! And good italian food!!! And family!!!! I miss my family. Maybe even having a job!!! I'll so babysit for my aunt if she needs me too.

I've recently rediscovered my love for starwars and have been obsessed with playing KOTOR2 on my computer and I bought the new book "The Force Unleashed" which is based on the video game of the same name. I know, I'm reading a book based on a video game. You can't get much nerdier than that!!! LOL!! The game itself comes out in September and I'm planning on getting it!!! I just hope they keep their promise to release it for PS2 because I'm not about to buy a Xbox360 or a PS3 just to get that game (even though eventually I might get one...we'll just have to wait and see). Also Heroes Season 2 comes out on DVD this Tuesday!!! I amd sooooooo tempted to buy it the second it comes out, even wait outside Best Buy tomorrow morning for it but...I'm not sure if I'm going to get it as a belated birthday present or not yet so...I'm just going to wait until I go home. Even though I want it NOW and the spoilers are going to come out by 11am tomorrow which I will have to stay away from but I can't resist sometimes...ugh!!! Season 3 starts in only 28 days!!! I've been counting down since like day 200!!! It's finally almost here after all this time!!!! All the waiting and wondering and trying to find spoilers and staying away from some, is coming to a close.

Ok, I'm starting to get restless and anxious about not studying so I should do something. Even if it is just reading something or doing 25 questions (which takes me like only 15 mins to do) but I need to do some sort of studying today otherwise I'm going to really kick myself tomorrow. It's just hard when there are other things going on like packing and tuning up cars, and washing cars and going to the gym and trying to have fun...all that stuff. Like I said before, home should be better. I can't wait to get out of here!!! It's not so bad, and no where near the level of horridness as the rock but, its not NY. I like being able to walk down the street to get something instead of having to drive everywhere. Plus its cooler there around this time of the year anyway. YAY!!! No more summer weather after this summer is over, until next year!!! Wow, I'm actually going to enjoy the fall and winter like I use to!!! Mayb go apple picking or something...probably not but having fresh warmed apple cider is going to be nice.

Ok, should lock my door and get to it before Monica tries to talk to me for another hour. I'll write again when I'm home probably.

Peace Out!!

The end is near

OMG! This is the last week of "classes"!!! I'm so happy but I got to write a SOAP Note and do a Power Point Presentation on Cystic Kidney Diseases and go to my 10 hour ER rotation. Well, the ER rotation is not bad but the rest of that stuff is. I have been on a good role in working on my power point in the last couple of hours. But now I'm hungry and need a break. Dinner time then I'll be back to write more.

Ok, back from dinner. Sarah made steak and rice, I made some peas and together we had a wonderful meal. I'm stuffed.

Next week is the last week of the semester. We have our Physical Exam Practical, a Statistics Test and our Final Exam next week. Then after that I won't have to dress up for class!!! Yay!!! I can wear my normal clothes for the last three weeks that I'm here in Miami. A lot of stuff happened here but sadly I did not have time to write about all of it. I've neglected finishing my trip down here too. I might update that later when the semester is over. School just seems to put life on hold. Everything gets pushed aside when there is a test, paper or such. Life will begin again after the semester is over...for the most part. I still have the review course to do but that doesn't really count since there are no assignments, just going to class. When its finally over I'll get to do the things I always wanted to do while I'm down here. For instance, I still have to get to Tampa to see family and West Palm Beach to see some family and I still really want to go to Disney. I mean I don't know who I will go with but I need to find people soon (preferably those who are not taking the COMP again because they are not going to be anal about studying for it after UMBR is over).

Ok time to wrap this up. I think I will just chill for a little while before returning to work. I seem to get a second wind for working around 10ish now for some reason but it only lasts an hour (more or less) because I'm ready to hit the sack around 11:30. I miss those days of undergrad where I would not go to sleep until 2 am. Saved me from having strange nightmares about school projects and tests and stuff. Time to relax while my stomach digests my food. No need to push myself working while I'm too stuffed to move, right?

Peace Out!

Late night procrastination

I just don't want to work on my paper right now. Long day of school + writing a paper that's taking forever + stress = incredible silliness!!!!
I found "Monday Disease" in my pharm book and just started cracking up!!! Actually everything is making me laugh right now because I'm so frelling tired!!!!! My stomach did not like the fact that I skipped my PPI (antacid med) yesterday and came back with a vengence that almost made me buy stock in PeptoBismol. Also I had few weird dreams most like brought on by the stress of this paper and me going on a Heroes fix lately. Yes Peter Petrelli finally appeared in my dreams!!!! But I was a med student trying to do a H&P (History and Physical Exam) on him after he had a....horrible incident. We shall not go into details, mostly because I don't remember but I hate school!!!!!! (ok grammar and sentence structure is not making sense but deal with it. No coffee because stomach hates me and lack of sleep = apathy about grammar)
Every time I have something school related that I'm trying to figure out how or what I'm doing, I dream about it. So guess what??? I was trying to write a paper!!!! IN MY DREAM!!!!! About a fictional character in a completely made up situation that has nothing to do with my real paper. I was even asking if I should put things in the HPI or the ROS. Ok, this is just a bunch of jibberish but I needed to let it out somehow.
Ok, I'm going to bed. Paper can complete itself during the night while I'm sleeping. It's not due until friday night at 7 so I still have time to correct any errors my dream me puts in.
Good Night and Good Luck!

School has started

Ok, so I haven't written in a while but, I've been extremely busy. I was also hoping that I could continue with my previous post about the trip down here but, haha, like the procrastinator that I am, I keep putting it off. Well, since that trip there has been a lot going on. I took the Comprehensive Self exam which I'm required by my school to take in order to take USMLE Step1 and I passed it!!! Yay!!!! Now I just have to decide what day to sit for the Step and study like hell until then.
I bought a GPS when I got down here to help me get around Miami. It's very confusing and scary to drive around here especially if you don't know where you are going. Now, I'm getting use to it and I know how to get to the places I need to go most often. Everything I need is close by, but not close enough to walk like Stop and Shop, CVS and City Line were back home but that's okay. The GPS lady has been a source of great amusement, especially with Monica driving!!!! Monica just hears the direction and thinks that she has to "turn left" right now when the lady actually said "in point 7 miles turn left". The first really funny incident was when we had to drive my mom to the airport. Apparently we got off at the wrong exit or something and the lady kept on saying every ten feet "bare right, then turn right" and "turn right, then turn right", and my mom was like "we are going around in circles" and I was like "yeah, but this is a different circle" and Sarah was laughing!!!! We had to yell at her (GPS lady) shutup!!! I already turned right.
The maps that are on the GPS are kind of old so, there are turns that don't exist. Like this one time i was told "turn right, then turn left". I looked and i was like, "turn left where into the abandoned gas station??? So I turned right and "missed" the turn left and kept going. Then she said "turn right" like three times and I ended up back at the corner where I started, turned right and kept on going straight until she told me to "turn left" instead of right. With that I ended up back on the same street I was originally on, only farther down.
Also, one of the exits to get to my house (yes I said exits...it depends on which highway you are on that determines what exit you get off of. confusing, i know.) she says to "turn right" and apparently thinks that there is a driving circle close by but the map doesn't match the road and when I did that...we ended up getting lost and i wanted to chuck the damned GPS out of the window. Now I just turn left and I end up home.
Miami has some crazy drivers. I'm going to be a pro at defensive driving by the time I leave this place. And they love U turns. I have never made a single U turn in my life before coming down here and sometimes you have to make a U turn to get into the shopping center or parking lot you need to get too because there are barriers that block the roads and stuff.
Ok, that's all for now. I'm going to have to keep a notebook with me to write down things as they happen so I can post them here because there are soooooo many funny moments (especially driving!!!) but I can't think of them all right now. I'll post them as they come to me.

Peace Out!!!

Road Trip

Ok, this is a day late but better late than never, right? We started out Sunday morning, Mother's Day, leaving at 5:30 am!!! Had to wake up before the sun was up but that's ok. You don't want to get caught in rush hour traffic in New Jersery. We got onto I-95 via the Garden State because we wanted to avoid the GWB. Trip was pretty uneventful for a while, listening to some good tunes (love the ipod hook-up in my car!!) and stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrell somewhere in Maryland. After that we drove until we reached my cousin's house in Virginia and saw the new baby!!!! He's not that new, 6 months old, but this was the first time I was seeing him in person so he is new. He is soooooooooooooooooo cute!!!! Very friendly and always smiling and knows what a camera is for (he smiles at the right moment too!).
We got lunch at some Burger King in North Carolina and hit the road again. All this time we (me and my mom) were listening to some great music which pretty much runs the whole spectrum of musical tastes. Oh yeah, and mom was driving the whole time too. Driving MY car and talking on the phone a good deal of the time too. The woman is too busy and people rely on her too much at her job. But it was cool. We called dad after entering every state just to keep him up to date on how great the timing was. We also made a few other calls to various friends and family to let them know, "hey we are passing through your neck of the woods."
Ok, I got off track...kinda. Because up until this point nothing interesting happened. No side detours, no funny stories, but towards the end of the trip...some pretty funny things happen like during all car trips.

Getting Gas in SC:
We desperatedly needed to get gas. And some coffee but there was not a single DD or Starbucks in site so we pulled off the road to the nearest gas station. I filled up the tank and while I was doing that, some guy was washing my wind shield (he did not do a good job btw). He then asked me for a tip. WTF!!! If it's your job, you do not need me to tip you, especially if you ask for it, but I'm too nice so I gave him two bucks. Then as we were about to pull out, a car just came out of no where, stopped right in front of us and we couldn't move because someone else was PARKED in a really bad postion. Then there were people hanging out by the gas pumps...but they had no cars. Whole families were standing there but they apparently didn't drive there. My mom just started laughing and said "We are in the slums of Stupidville!" I was like "Welcome to the south." (No offense to anyone from the south. It really is a nice place to live and visit but we just ended up on the wrong part of town way out in the boonies which is more strange than the boonies of the north) (please see section on Savannah to see how much I love southern cities)

Spending the Night in Savannah GA:
14 hours later


(this post will be continued asap. relocating comp to more pleasant atmosphere)

Miami at last!!!

I'm finally in Miami but I'm tired at the moment. I'll update this in the morning when I'm more awake. Don't worry, the stories won't be lost. I made a list of what I should write about so I won't forget.

Peace out.

Leaving tomorrow

Tomorrow I am finally heading down to Miami. Got my car all ready; oil change, timing belt replaced, fluids cleaned and refilled, new radio... Just need to load up my car and finish laundry and get a few more things done tonight and tomorrow morning at 5 am, my mom and I are heading south!!! I'm starting to get a bit nervous but I'm more excited than anything!!!
It's been a crazy week this week. I went up to Albany to visit my sister and we had sooooo much fun!!! We went shopping for a dress for her (she's got a wedding to go to) and I bought a few news shirts and a new skirt. We had a minor adventure trying to find "La Boutique Targét". My sister is notorious for giving bad directions because she doesn't drive and only knows all the bus or walking routes to places and doesn't pay attetion much when she acutally gets a ride from some one so we almost got lost. Here is the dialog from this trip.
Sis: We need to get on 90.
Me: Ok, east or west?
Sis: I don't know! I just know that there is a Wolf Rd somewhere.
Me: S**t, I have to decide now where we are...ooookaaayy we are going west because I can't change lanes.
Sis: We are heading to Buffalo?!
Me: I'll just get off on the next exit and we can get straightened out there and turn around if...did you say Wolf Rd?
Sis: Yes.
Me: Wolf Rd is the next exit.
Sis: Oh yeah, and there are the Commons!!!

And we laughed. I know this may not seem that funny now but it was frelling hilarious!!! You had to have been there I guess.
But yeah, the rest of the trip was unevenful roadwise because Albany is the easiest place to drive around. There are signs everywhere and for everything and "if you go straight you will eventually end up where you need to be."
I really enjoyed my stay at home this break and I'm sooooo glad not to be going back to the Rock!!! I mean, this time around I can actually bring more of my stuff and not just the essentials and I don't have to bring a ton of food because it's Miami and they have supermarkets!!!! I'm not even concerned with bringing a ton of clothes either because there are malls and stores and places where I can actually buy clothes and I am soooo glad that I can finally put those suitcases back up in the attic. Now I just have to stuff my car with boxes and duffel bags and shopping bags and such, yay!!! No more starving for three weeks because I hate the food and am forced to eat granola bars for breakfast and lunch. I can cook!!! Good pasta too!!! That just reminded me that I need to get a few jars of sauce from the basement.
I get to see my cousin and his wife and their baby tomorrow. We are stopping by their house on our way because they live right off of I-95. I can't wait to see them!!! Still don't know where we will end up tomorrow night.
Alright, enough procrastinating. I need to get some things done and finish packing and cleaning.

Peace out!!

Officially in 5th!!

Just got my grades in today and I made it!!! I'm officially a 5th semester student!!!! I made it off the dreaded Rock and can now go to Miami with no worries about anything (except for passing the COMP...)
In just a little over a week I will be heading down to Miami. It's going to take a few days since I'm driving down from New York, but I won't be alone in the car (mom is coming for the ride) and I love car trips!!! Overnighting in a hotel in the middle of Georgia is fine with me. Maybe we'll make it to Savannah. I hope we do. I love Savannah and if we get there early enough, maybe we can go to River Street and stop by that great candy shop!!! (yes I am a chocaholic...sp??)
At the moment nothing much is going on except getting ready to move some stuff down south and a hell of a lot of studying. I went to Barnes and Nobles today to get out of the house and study somewhere else to see if I can get more work done without the influence of internet or television. I wasn't the only one there. Someone was reading the Pharm BRS in B&N today.
That's all for today. Peace out!!

Home

I'm just writing to say that I am home at last!!!! Had two flights today, not enough sleep and not enough to eat. I'm so greatful that I'm home. When the plane wheels left the ground of the Rock, I felt this unbelievable surge of pure happiness come over me because I will not have to see that place ever again if I don't want to!!!! (most likely will not!) Coming into JFK was great too and I cried for joy when the plane landed. My parents are very happy so see me and so was the puppy.
Tomorrow is a busy day so I must get to sleep now. Shopping, visiting family, hanging out with friends and possibly a concert!! Good times.

And so we begin

It's late already but I just want to say hello to everyone and give you a brief summary.
I'm a second year medical student on my way home from 16 months of prison...I mean basic sciences on this little island in the middle of the Carribean Sea. It's so remote that even if I were to tell you the name of it, you would not even recognize it (unless you accidently or were forced to be there). Tonight I'm staying up late because its my last, frelling, night on this island and i'm going back home for a brief break, some studying then going to Miami to take the first of the 4 most important exams in my career.
There is already some interesting stories about Miami and I haven't been there yet and so a friend of mine suggest I start one of these blog things and write about it. I'll give more details later (names have been changed for privacy reasons...unless said person doesn't give a shit.) but for now, I bid you all good night.