Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Chilean Miners
The first Chilean miner was rescued tonight! Hopefully all 33 will be out soon.
Miracles happen -- they just take time.
I can't imagine what it would be like to be trapped underground for two months. I was talking to my mom about this situation last week. She figured that none of those miners will want to get back underground ever again. I'm not sure I can agree.
You know, some experiences simply change a person with no direction to the change. Sometimes a bad experience produces a negative response to similar situations. Sometimes a bad experience teaches a valuable lesson to be applied in similar situations. And sometimes a bad experience is more positive than negative. There's no way of knowing how this ordeal will change those miners. Or their loved ones. Or the world; who watched it all unfold.
Like all miracles, it takes time to see how everything connects for full appreciation.
Forks and Turning Points
This post brought to mind my own continuing experience. I figured I'd share it here.
For the last year and a half it feels as though I've been one long roller coaster with optional forks that must be decided at break-neck speeds.
Choose one option, lose the other forever. Say one thing, negate more options. Make a choice and stick with it for a while only to discover that there are actually more choices than imagined and each one comes with a custom set of unique pros and cons. Throw in family, religious, and social opinion and it turns into quite the muddy cocktail of indecision.
So, that's me. Unable to decide because there are simply too many variables.
However, time's a tickn' and I've got to make some more choices, fast.
So, what are my options?
First off, I'm going to negate marriage and the stay at home mom dream. Mainly because there aren't any guys in the wings and any who may (but probably will not) appear will have to blindside me because I'm so not going there right now. Not that I wouldn't be opposed; I'm just being as realistic as possible. Fairy tales don't happen. Not to real people. I'm about as real as they come.
So, my two main goals in life are as follows:
Earn an MD behind my name.
Provide meaningful service in a third world country for an extended period of time.
How do I accomplish these goals?
The first one is fairly obvious: apply, attend, pass, and graduate from a medical school. Although it would be most beneficial to accomplish this goal fairly early in my life, I feel that there is no definite time line.
The second one is a little more tricky. Not only can it really be accomplished at any time during my (hopefully) long life, but I know that it will chance how I perceive the world. If I do it before med school, the experience would help me to (hopefully) get into a good school and also color the way in which I approach my education. If I do it after med school there will be bills to pay, but I will have more training and therefore a better chance of providing truly meaningful service. If I do both, then I see that as a win-win situation but it does put off med school. If I get into a med school before finding an opportunity for meaningful service, then I would certainly go to school first. However, I don't really anticipate getting into a school after my first round of applications.
Then, of course, there's the matter of what kind of service, where, and with whom shall I serve? I've considered literally dozens of options but two really seem plausible: Join the Peace Corps for 27 months or pay an NGO to take me for a few weeks. I could try to get on a research team, but you generally need to be a student to do that.
The third, hidden, option is to get my Master's in Public Health, work in the public health vector in third world nations, and then go to med school after many years of service.
I don't really like the third option. It simply doesn't flow with my perception of what my life ought to be about, however it is a very good option and could end up being the best one for me.
So, there you have it. Two tines of my current life fork. So many things all verging on a few seemingly simple options.
What will it be?
Who knows.
What major life forks have you come across and how have you managed to make the choice? Do you love or regret those choices?
For the last year and a half it feels as though I've been one long roller coaster with optional forks that must be decided at break-neck speeds.
Choose one option, lose the other forever. Say one thing, negate more options. Make a choice and stick with it for a while only to discover that there are actually more choices than imagined and each one comes with a custom set of unique pros and cons. Throw in family, religious, and social opinion and it turns into quite the muddy cocktail of indecision.
So, that's me. Unable to decide because there are simply too many variables.
However, time's a tickn' and I've got to make some more choices, fast.
So, what are my options?
First off, I'm going to negate marriage and the stay at home mom dream. Mainly because there aren't any guys in the wings and any who may (but probably will not) appear will have to blindside me because I'm so not going there right now. Not that I wouldn't be opposed; I'm just being as realistic as possible. Fairy tales don't happen. Not to real people. I'm about as real as they come.
So, my two main goals in life are as follows:
Earn an MD behind my name.
Provide meaningful service in a third world country for an extended period of time.
How do I accomplish these goals?
The first one is fairly obvious: apply, attend, pass, and graduate from a medical school. Although it would be most beneficial to accomplish this goal fairly early in my life, I feel that there is no definite time line.
The second one is a little more tricky. Not only can it really be accomplished at any time during my (hopefully) long life, but I know that it will chance how I perceive the world. If I do it before med school, the experience would help me to (hopefully) get into a good school and also color the way in which I approach my education. If I do it after med school there will be bills to pay, but I will have more training and therefore a better chance of providing truly meaningful service. If I do both, then I see that as a win-win situation but it does put off med school. If I get into a med school before finding an opportunity for meaningful service, then I would certainly go to school first. However, I don't really anticipate getting into a school after my first round of applications.
Then, of course, there's the matter of what kind of service, where, and with whom shall I serve? I've considered literally dozens of options but two really seem plausible: Join the Peace Corps for 27 months or pay an NGO to take me for a few weeks. I could try to get on a research team, but you generally need to be a student to do that.
The third, hidden, option is to get my Master's in Public Health, work in the public health vector in third world nations, and then go to med school after many years of service.
I don't really like the third option. It simply doesn't flow with my perception of what my life ought to be about, however it is a very good option and could end up being the best one for me.
So, there you have it. Two tines of my current life fork. So many things all verging on a few seemingly simple options.
What will it be?
Who knows.
What major life forks have you come across and how have you managed to make the choice? Do you love or regret those choices?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sesame Street: Smell Like A Monster
Why is Seasame Street so darn awesome?
I can remember getting jazzed about Super Grover, singing eggs, and Cecille the ball of clay -- since when does Seasame Street have so many celebrity guests and pop culture references?
I love it!
Anyone have some Seasame Street favorites?
Moo.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Blegh -- but there might be sweets at the end...
You know how pain killers are supposed be all wonderful and hand a person into sweet oblivion free from not only pain but any sensation other than awesome?
Not always.
Not only do I hate the sensation of being anything but in complete control over my body, but my current drugs send me into an endless pit of pain. And barf. And vertigo. And then we cycle back to the pain.
Not good.
And so not worth it.
If I'm up and about tomorrow, I'm thinking of finishing up baking the rest of my homemade danishes. Anyone want some?
Not always.
Not only do I hate the sensation of being anything but in complete control over my body, but my current drugs send me into an endless pit of pain. And barf. And vertigo. And then we cycle back to the pain.
Not good.
And so not worth it.
If I'm up and about tomorrow, I'm thinking of finishing up baking the rest of my homemade danishes. Anyone want some?
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Uh oh, I feel the rumblies!
So, I'm a scream barfer.
Basically, it works like this: Things are not supposed to go out the in hole.
It just shouldn't happen.
My body understands this and puts up a valiant fight to keep such unnatural occurrences from tarnishing its luster. As this happens, every single muscle in my body -- including those keeping my eyeballs in my head -- revolt. It's like they feel a personal duty to keep the bile inside! So, all these muscles, my entire gastrointestinal system, lungs, heart, hair, skin, vocal chords -- everything -- gets up and takes a stand.
BLAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH! AAAAAARRRRRRRRGH! BLEGH!!
People can seriously hear me from anywhere in a one mile radius. Then they start to spontaneously sympathy barf, and it's just one big vomity mess!
Not really, but that would be terrible.
If it weren't so painful, I would be really touched to note how hard my body fights to protect itself. However, it hurts like the dickens to have everything up in arms at the same time. Particularly when I know it would just be easier to *ralph* and be done with it all!
Here's to scream barfers everywhere: Stay strong!
love,
zam
Basically, it works like this: Things are not supposed to go out the in hole.
It just shouldn't happen.
My body understands this and puts up a valiant fight to keep such unnatural occurrences from tarnishing its luster. As this happens, every single muscle in my body -- including those keeping my eyeballs in my head -- revolt. It's like they feel a personal duty to keep the bile inside! So, all these muscles, my entire gastrointestinal system, lungs, heart, hair, skin, vocal chords -- everything -- gets up and takes a stand.
BLAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH! AAAAAARRRRRRRRGH! BLEGH!!
People can seriously hear me from anywhere in a one mile radius. Then they start to spontaneously sympathy barf, and it's just one big vomity mess!
Not really, but that would be terrible.
If it weren't so painful, I would be really touched to note how hard my body fights to protect itself. However, it hurts like the dickens to have everything up in arms at the same time. Particularly when I know it would just be easier to *ralph* and be done with it all!
Here's to scream barfers everywhere: Stay strong!
love,
zam
Friday, October 8, 2010
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