Les Aventures de Fille Chaude

Stranger in a Strange Apartment

Em — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:01:30 +0000

I’m sitting on an air mattress in my new apartment, “borrowing” someone’s unsecured WiFi (which is all I have until the post office stops holding my DSL modem hostage), surrounded by boxes and unfamiliar walls. I’ve been awake for a while now, but if I get out of “bed” that means I have to continue unpacking, and I’m so very tired. Even if everything goes pretty smoothly, moving is stressful as hell.

But it looks like my bladder and growling stomach are about to win out over my aching muscles.

I’ll take some pictures as soon as my place is all set up. Hopefully I’ll hit that mark by tonight.

Round Three: Results

Em — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:15:48 +0000

Well, round 3 was a draw. My professor couldn’t make it in today. So, the secretary gave me the written test, and I still have to take the practical another time. Neuroscience continues to draaaaaag onnnnnnn.

But as for the part that I did take… we will have to see. There were definitely some questions that made me think, “What the hell is he even talking about?” and some questions that I knew right away. Hopefully I passed.

Small victory: I was starving when I went to the grocery store after school, but managed to only spend $50 and stuck to my list. Go me!

Round Three: Fight!

Em — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:17:53 +0000

So. I’ve had an extra week and a half to study neuroscience. Do I feel like it has done any good? Ehhhh… minor, at best. But I’m feeling ready to take another shot at it tomorrow afternoon. At least I’m pretty confident that I won’t have another panic attack. Maybe I know more than I think I do. Pass or fail, I just want it over with, hopefully for good.

More news soon.

Fail

Em — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:05:30 +0000

So, remember that big huge final I was taking Thursday morning? Yeah… it did not go well. Actually, it didn’t even go.

I was hyperventilating in the hallway when my professor came to get me. I made it two feet inside the door and started bawling. He sent me home.

I feel bad for wasting the professor’s time, and embarrassed that I’m having so much difficulty with this. I’m so used to school coming easy for me - even the so-called “hard” classes. I have some kind of mental block about neuroscience, I guess.

So anyway. I get another shot at it next week. I feel like I should get my professor a present after this is all over, to say thanks for taking all this time to baby me along. What do you get a professor, though? All I know is he has horses and likes beer. Maybe I will bake him some cupcakes or something.

AFTER I spend the next four days studying, that is.

Transitions

Em — Thu, 20 May 2010 04:27:32 +0000

So, I just found out from my excellent friend Alex that it costs $150 a year to maintain this website. And I write, ohhh… four to six times a year? That is a terrible cost-benefit ratio. So, obviously I need to write more.

Things are changing drastically around here. A lot of it is sad and a lot of it will be good for me. I just hope that now I will be more able to focus on school. The last semester was hell. I’ve already started a new semester while simultaneously still trying to wrap up the old one. I got A’s and B’s in all of my classes so far; now I just have to finish up neuroscience (I arranged to take my final late) and pray to heaven and hell that I pass. I’m not too humble to say that I’m a very smart cookie, and yet neuroscience continues to sound like Japanese to me, even after days of studying. So if everyone could just cross their fingers from 9 to noon tomorrow, I’d really appreciate it.

I will write more about said changes sometime soon. Back to banging my head on my desk for now.

I am Caffeinated, Please Excuse the Verbal Diarrhea

Em — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:35:25 +0000

Spring break turned out to be a smashing success, both in the productivity and fun departments. You should see my apartment sparkle, and Sam and I had what was probably the best time we’ve had together in years. I don’t know how we did it, but we struck the perfect balance between chilling out and doing fun stuff. It was a thing of beauty. We got pedicures, got our eyebrows threaded, shopped, toured a meadery (you guys, did you know meade is tasty, like alcoholic candy?), and had a night out on the town. Man, I love that lady and miss being around her on a regular basis.

Now school is back in session, and it’s getting down to the nitty gritty. It’s going to be constant exams until early May. It is really extremely unfortunate that I’m having one of my episodes of not giving two shits about school right now. It will pass - these bouts always do. But could I have worse timing? Sigh.

I did get my first clinical rotation assignment, and I’ll be spending 6 weeks in southern Oregon living with Colin’s mom. Thank God we like each other, or it could be awkward. My parents are also trying really hard to move out there, and… oh my God I just realized this instant how lonely it would be if they moved away. I have not lived further than one hour from at least one of my parents, EVER. Oh God. I won’t even have Lisa around! Oh God. Anxiety attack. Excuse me for a moment…

Okay that sucked.

But as I was saying, if they manage to move to Oregon by September at least I’ll get to see them while I’m there. Goodness, I can’t believe the clinic I’m going to is going to let me treat patients. I don’t feel at all like I’m qualified to do that yet. But I suppose you can learn a lot in five months. Maybe I’d better study a little more for that skills check tomorrow. Hmmm yeah, I think I will go do that now.

/end completely unorganized and unedited entry - sorry

Glorious Time Off

Em — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:28:39 +0000

Spring break is officially here! I had grand aspirations of productivity for the first half of the week; so far, I haven’t accomplished much. But that’s alright, I just tell myself I’m stocking up on mental health to get me through the next two months of hell. I have a scheduled group project tomorrow, so at least I’m guaranteed to get one thing done. Sam is coming to visit tomorrow evening and will be staying through the weekend, so we’ll be filling our time with pedicures, shopping, theater, food, and possibly a museum or two. I haven’t seen her since August, so I’m really looking forward to some best-friend time.

Colin is off at his new job. It feels very strange to be alone in the apartment for the first time in months. Strange, but not in an un-enjoyable way. I’ve always enjoyed time by myself, so it’s nice to have a few hours of that and still get to spoon every night. Of course, at the moment I’m going to bed about five hours after he does, but we still get a few hours in.

Otherwise, not much news at Chez Hanson/Reynolds.

Nothing In Particular

Em — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:02:21 +0000

Why can’t I just choose to be a morning person? Life would be so much easier, considering that pretty much every single responsibility I have requires me to be awake and somewhere and functioning by 8 a.m. But no… no matter how sleepy I am after dinner, I’m WIDE AWAKE by bed time. Did I mention that when left to my own devices I actually become completely nocturnal? As in I go to bed at sunrise and awake at 5 p.m. That’s my natural tendency. So you can see how things like school, work, volunteering, doctor’s appointments, etc. really throw a wrench in things. PITY ME.

But anyway, I just got back from a super lovely visit to San Diego, where I half-shirked my scholarly and professional duties in exchange for video games on a 47″ TV and countless gourmet meals. I regret nothing! But seriously, could I even ask for a better friend than this guy? I think not. He always goes all-out to make his friends and loved ones happy, so… shout-out to you Alex, and thank you again for an awesome visit! Plus I got to see my sister, but she has a real job now so she was busy a lot. I’m so proud!

Speaking of jobs… Colin got a great one! Finally, after months and months of searching and applying and emailing and calling, *this* company actually initiated contact with *him* seeking an interview! The irony is not lost on either of us. He’s really looking forward to having a reason to leave the house on a daily basis. Having nothing to do really is only fun for a couple of weeks. Or five, if it was a particularly grueling semester.

I can’t believe I’m in week 6 of the spring semester already. It’s just flying by. Only two weeks until spring break, then all hell breaks loose and I pretty much have an assignment, exam, quiz or skills check every single day until finals. So if I call any of you crying incoherently sometime in April, you know why.

Well if you’ll excuse me, I have to get down to the lab to handle some brains.

There’s a First Time for Everything

Em — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:46:54 +0000

I have never known T-Rex to bring up a valid and insightful point before!

Meh.

Em — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:36:29 +0000

I feel like part of the minority here, but I’m just not that excited about the iPad. My apathy is twofold. One, Apple’s justification for the iPad’s existence is to fill in the gap between the iPhone and the MacBook. I really don’t see a gap there that needs filling. In any instance where my phone isn’t powerful or large enough to do what I need, I have my laptop with me. In any case where I need something more portable than my laptop, my phone does the job. An intermediate device is just not necessary.

Second, it’s lacking in several departments. No camera? No Flash? No multitasking? No USB port? And any iBooks I buy via Apple’s store can’t be viewed on any other eBook reader I may have? Are you serious, Apple? I definitely have some hardcore fangirl feelings for the brand, but wow did they miss the mark on this one.