Last week, we had a big physiology test on Friday. On Thursday morning, they told us that class was cancelled that afternoon, but that our class had to provide 3 volunteers to read books to children at a health fair. Since I thought we were going to have class, and had already studied a lot, I volunteered to go.
We showed up at the City Rescue Mission around 3pm. There were many unique characters loitering outside who all felt it was imperative to talk to us on the way in. I made a mental note to dress in a gigantic purple sweater with a cartoon charater on the front, cross my eyes, and look as crazy as a bat the next time I go there.
We walked inside and were escorted to our table. The PA charity coordinator for the 2nd year students had applied for, and received, a grant for 600 medical children's books. There were such classics as (Macs can't italize on blogger) Clifford Goes to the Hospital and The Magic Schoolbus. Our plan was to read the books to the children to encourage literacy and then let them take them home.
Unfortunately, there were not very many children at the Health Fair. We had around 10 come by to receive books. Only one, however, wanted to be read to. Her name was Zalia.
She picked out the Magic Schoolbus and we started to read. She was 6, and learning to read in school. I soon realized that The Magic Schoolbus was a bit over her level. Leukocytes, chyme, and villi were things I didn't learn about until college, so it didn't seem necessary to go into all the details or to read the book word for word to her. Let's just say we ended up skipping a lot and its surprising the book made sense in the end after all the alterations.
Well, one thing she did learn. At the end of the book, there's a diagram of the human body with most of the organs labeled. We didn't go into all of it, but I did end up explaining the lungs to her, and why we breathe in air. Although it was a fairly long explanation, she was very smart and really got it.
As we finished, she unexpectedly piped up, "You know my friend Charlise smokes cigarettes and she is only 4."
This was an unexpected statement, but oddly enough, we'd just gone through the mechanics of the respiratory system. So, regardless of whether she was telling the truth or not, it was the perfect opportunity to really explain to her what cigarettes do and why we don't smoke. How the nice pink lung tissue turns black and doesn't work anymore, and eventually can kill people. I think at the end, she really got it. "So that's why my dad is always coughing and going to the hospital, huh?" she ruminated.
I then couldn't resist. "So what do you NEVER do?"
"Smoke cigarettes!" she said enthusiastically and we high-fived. With the possibility that she had seen people doing drugs on my mind, I had just one more question for her.
"And what else do you never do, Zalia?"
"Say cuss words or give people the middle finger." I had to smile. Okay, that too.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
PTL Pulmonology is Over.
Approximately 10-14 days before, I can feel it. The pressure starts to build. Without beginning serious study on that day, all hope it lost. How do I know this? Here is a short two test history for you:
GI: Serious isolationism begun 2 weeks before the test. Total approximate hours outside of class studied: 60. Score: 88.
Pulm: Serious isolationism begun 1.5 weeks before the test. TAHOOCS: 45. Score: You don't even want to know. Hopefully she will give us at least two points back and I can get a low B.
And you should know that we don't get the information until a little over 2 weeks from the test. Sometimes less.
There is something about this that just drives anal people like me crazy. Something about giving up almost all social contact and not even making a B on the test!!! Something about... NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE AN A! aHHHH!! I can't really isolate myself any more. So it looks like I will be a B student and that is a hard pill to take.
Do you want to know what the saddest part of it all is. We have three more tests in the next ten days.
But the good part is that when those are over, it won't be as stressful for awhile. Hmm. I think I have been saying that to myself every time. Hmm.
So now you know why you don't hear from me ever. December! December, my friend, will be a great month. A fantastic month. A month full of wonder and happiness and beauty. Yes, it will be a month to outdo all other months. I will spend all of December in warm, sugary joy with all of you!
GI: Serious isolationism begun 2 weeks before the test. Total approximate hours outside of class studied: 60. Score: 88.
Pulm: Serious isolationism begun 1.5 weeks before the test. TAHOOCS: 45. Score: You don't even want to know. Hopefully she will give us at least two points back and I can get a low B.
And you should know that we don't get the information until a little over 2 weeks from the test. Sometimes less.
There is something about this that just drives anal people like me crazy. Something about giving up almost all social contact and not even making a B on the test!!! Something about... NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE AN A! aHHHH!! I can't really isolate myself any more. So it looks like I will be a B student and that is a hard pill to take.
Do you want to know what the saddest part of it all is. We have three more tests in the next ten days.
But the good part is that when those are over, it won't be as stressful for awhile. Hmm. I think I have been saying that to myself every time. Hmm.
So now you know why you don't hear from me ever. December! December, my friend, will be a great month. A fantastic month. A month full of wonder and happiness and beauty. Yes, it will be a month to outdo all other months. I will spend all of December in warm, sugary joy with all of you!
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
A Beautiful Thing
So last night I went to an orchestra concert for the first time in years. It was totally surreal. I am so thankful, looking back, for the opportunity my parents gave me way back when to learn an instrument and be involved in such an amazing thing. I also thought about a few other things...
My parents were amazing. They really dealt out a lot of cash for me to take private lessons, play in contests, quartets, three different orchestras at the same time, uniforms, music, strings, upkeep, etc. What I got in return is priceless and I am so thankful they realized the value of their investment back when I was just eleven years old.
My parents also almost never missed concerts. Considering we had them all the time for twelve or thirteen years that is pretty amazing. I remember them always sitting as close as possible and videotaping every single one I ever played in. They were amazingly supportive.
You can't go back. I realized last night, watching them play, that the orchestras I remember will never exist again. All my friends, old conductors, even my ability to play those things are all either gone or have diminished. Its a little sad because I love playing in a full orchestra almost more than doing anything else on earth. There's no way to describe the feeling of playing a symphony in perfect unison with sixty other people. One that I think of in particular is Jupiter from Holst's The Planets. Some rare, indescribably joyful and beautiful feeling rises up within you during the main theme that makes you want to cry and kiss and scream and never stop playing it all at the same time.
I am really looking forward to getting out of grad school because I am definitely going to try and find another orchestra to play in. You can't go back, but you can go ahead.
My parents were amazing. They really dealt out a lot of cash for me to take private lessons, play in contests, quartets, three different orchestras at the same time, uniforms, music, strings, upkeep, etc. What I got in return is priceless and I am so thankful they realized the value of their investment back when I was just eleven years old.
My parents also almost never missed concerts. Considering we had them all the time for twelve or thirteen years that is pretty amazing. I remember them always sitting as close as possible and videotaping every single one I ever played in. They were amazingly supportive.
You can't go back. I realized last night, watching them play, that the orchestras I remember will never exist again. All my friends, old conductors, even my ability to play those things are all either gone or have diminished. Its a little sad because I love playing in a full orchestra almost more than doing anything else on earth. There's no way to describe the feeling of playing a symphony in perfect unison with sixty other people. One that I think of in particular is Jupiter from Holst's The Planets. Some rare, indescribably joyful and beautiful feeling rises up within you during the main theme that makes you want to cry and kiss and scream and never stop playing it all at the same time.
I am really looking forward to getting out of grad school because I am definitely going to try and find another orchestra to play in. You can't go back, but you can go ahead.
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