Green Acres

The land surrounding my house has been up for sale for several years now. Slowly, it's been bought and developed into 5 acre properties. For some reason, the farmer this year decided to go ahead and plant corn on the remaining unsold property, which I absolutely love, since it's so pretty. My yard is the yellow dead looking grass (we had to spray the entire lawn for weeds and it killed everything), but you can see how my property touches the farmer's property.

Home!

I've enjoyed being home these last 2 days, even though I've been totally distracted from studying (no surprise there). Everything is green and peaceful (yea, country MD!). I wake up to hear the katy-dids (means that an early fall is coming) and birds chirping. i.e. no construction noises, no banging, none of the usual SXM shouting.

The weather here has been fluctuating. Getting up to the low and mid-90's, then drops down to the low 70's at night. I'm like a vampire, staying inside to keep cool during the day, and will come out to enjoy the breezes at night. Some storms are heading my way, so it should cool things off a bit.

I'm still unpacking all of my bags. What a mess. It's going to take forever. I had 4 checked bags, all weighing between 60 and 83 lbs. Plus 2 large carry-ons, and oh yeah, I carried my Robbins book by hand. I got a lot of strange looks for that one. Several people commented how large a book it was, and I gave an automated response of "it's for light reading. " Hardy-har-har.

So, in all this unpacking, the irony struck me that I will just be packing up again in one week to head to P.A.S.S. This time, I'm restricting myself to the amount of luggage that I bring. No need to go overboard when I'm gone for just a month.

I tickled the ivories this afternoon for the first time since Christmas break. I'm rusty and a bit slower than usual, but hopefully, will be up to speed in a few days. I've been playing since I was 8 years old, and my fingers actually start to hurt if I don't play for a while. I miss competing and the recitals :(

Since I'm getting so sick of this slow internet, I'm going to end this post, but not before trying to upload some pics from home:

I leave home and boom! the trees grow several feet. I can't believe how big they've gotten!

Storm clouds moving in. A quick summer thunderstorm comes by every afternoon to cool us off for about an hour before the sun comes out , scorching hot again.

Peace Out.

This is my last post from SXM. Just in time too, considering I had 3 power outages today.

In retrospect, the island wasn't all that bad that everyone complains about...it's just not home. Considering I'm about the least patient person you'll ever meet, I learned how to suck it up and vent at home when dealing with the locals and idiocrinacies of the island.

I'm ready to go home, for sure. I've been away too long and have missed seeing my little cousins grow up, missed important recitals, graduations. So many sacrifices so that I can pursue a higher education. In the end, I'm hoping that it was all worth it.

Good luck to all that are still here at basic sciences, and hello to all in clinicals!! =)

p.s. i'll be waving to all on the island from my first class seat on tomorrow's US Air to CLT. Ta-ta!

p.p.s check for my posts as I update my progress for Step and P.A.S.S. program.

A Year Older, But Not Much Wiser

So, I turned a quarter of a century yesterday. Depressing.

I'm looking forward to leaving. Sometimes I think I'll miss the island, but that thought quickly leaves, especially when i realize that I'm moving forward to bigger and better things. I see the 1st semesters. Every semester they look younger and younger to me (as I start to feel older and older). I'm ready to put all of this behind me and get set for step and clinicals.

I'm all set for P.A.S.S. and will be staying in a nice condo complex just a few miles away with fellow AUC P.A.S.S. students. This is the last bit of "umph" that I'll need before I sit for the exam. Scary.

I still have a lot of packing to do. Unfortunately, my bags are getting filled up, but the pile of stuff that needs to go home with me isn't shrinking. I'm also trying to finish reading my Goljan path book before my flight takes off, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. Once home, i'll have about 10 days before I fly out to Chicago, and I'm hoping to have reviewed Pharm in that span of time, considering it is poorly taught here at school.

Time to get back to studying so that I can hit up the beach later today for the last time.

The Countdown Begins...

...until I'm outta here. Trying to leave the island, though, is becoming a bigger hassle than I had expected. I have to figure out what items stay, go, or get tossed to the curb. 5 days left. Or maybe it's 6. I have to go figure out what today is :)

Tres Jolie

Instead of going to the gym today, I went for a walk down to, and along, mullet bay beach. Even at 10am, it was super hot, and this pale chica managed to get a sunburn. It was breezy, at least, which you can tell from my free floating flower that I let go into the waves :)

Phillipsburg

I'm digging up some old photos (from April of this year) of Phillipsburg. I'm trying to categorize all my photos, so I decided to share some.




Our wonderful founder's home (my money went to pool #11). =)

To My Dad

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

I'm dumb

I literally said this, without thinking, while trying to explain how you make pickles from cucumbers:

"A pickle isn't a pickle until it's been pickled."

HUH?!?!

Sidenote

Oh, I forgot to mention that to tie up my Step I studying, I'm heading off to Pass Program in Chicago early next month (well, technically, Champaign, IL). So, I'll be updating about the program (they claim 93% success rate, with over 80% over 200). Keep checking back!

Yummy Dinner

With exactly 2 weeks left until my departure back to civilzation (YEA!!), i'm trying to cram in the last of the "island goodness." This includes making a stop for dinner at the French guy's Schwarma truck in Marigot. Have to get my fix now, as I come from an area where schwarmas are not known.

I also had to go to Phillipsburg today in order to buy a new suitcase, since one of the ones that I need to get all of my crap back home just broke yesterday. (It's probably my fault: i stuffed it full and then tried zipping it...oops). I got a HUGE bag for just 30 bucks. So, i'm leaving with 4 bags total (But then again, I came down with 7. Before you scoff, just realize that for weekend trips, I bring a full suitcase PLUS duffle bag: you need clothes in case it's too cold, clothes in case it gets warm, clothes for outdoor activities, clothes for a nice dinner out, etc. Oh, and shoes to match each outfit. When I went away to Orlando for a few days last semester, I packed a ridiculous amount of stuff...and used it all =)

So anyways, that's been my day. Back to the grind!

Oops

I just realized that I'm behind in my "current" events...Paris is back in jail, so yesterday's video is now null and void.

Oops. =P

PARIS HILTON OUT OF JAIL: Spotted at Beach! Exclusive Video

There's something wrong with our justice department when rich people just pay their way out of jail.

Storm Clouds Rolling In

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get a good storm tonight. I want one last good storm before I leave the island (less than 3 weeks from now).

I went to the gym a little later than ususal...I normally go first thing in the morning while everyone's in class, but today, I didn't make it over until a little after 11. Slowly, all these students started trickling in, so I had to cut my exercise routine short. I disgustingly noticed that some dodo decided to take a go at the punching bag without wearing gloves, and now there is blood splattered all over the entire punching bag. Way to go.

BTW: happy birthday,GG!

Boratitis

The newest medical breakthrough: boratitis. Let's fight for a cure!

MTV Movie Awards 2007 Best Kiss: Will Farrell + Sacha Cohen

Ricky Bobby #28 lives on!!!!

Leaving On a Jet Plane

The time has come for me to finally pack up and head home. I'll be leaving in 3 weeks to finish studying at home. Just in time, too, b/c the frequent water and power outages haven't stopped (and it's quite annoying).

The island really wasn't as bad as everyone always complains about, but it's the home sickness factor that kicks in: no one wants to be away from home too long. Though I have beaches back home, they aren't as beautiful (or as clean) as SXM beaches. And let's face it: I leave in a rural part of MD where 'cultural and ethnic diversity' hasn't quite hit (i.e. I'll be having cravings for Schwarmas, Indian food, etc when I go back home).

I'll continue blogging my last few weeks here, and of course will continue when I get home, but *gasp* I go back to dial-up internet. I made a resolve to fix that when I got home and started checking into different DSL services now, but, get this, no one seems to supply my area, except Direct TV. I really never considered myself living in the boonies, what with multiple Walmarts scattered just within a few miles from each other. But, considering we don't have street lamps and all, I guess 2007 technology is still out of reach for my house. Sigh.

With that note, my coffee has just finished brewing and immuno is calling out my name. I shall leave on a reflection of my memories from AUC:
Setting: last semester's ICM course. Histo lab. A friend is interviewing a "patient" (i.e. 2nd semester who volunteered)
Friend/Dr: "blah, blah, blah...we'll have to give you a blood transfusion"
Patient: "what's a blood tranfusion"
Dr: "It's where you tranfuse, uh, blood"

=p

Happy June!

Time is flying by so quickly. Another week is over.

The weather here has been fluctuating a lot. Sunny one minute, raining the next. That's fine, b/c even the palm trees were starting to look really brown.

The sunsets have also been absolutely amazing, so I'm posting some pics of the sunset from 2 days ago.