October Rush

This is it. Fall is definitely here. You can feel it in the crisp air and see it in the warm maple colors. And all I do during this blissful time of year is continuously crave anything and everything that is pumpkin, particularly pie. I think I must have driven my boyfriend, Tyler, crazy this weekend in search for a warm, creamy, heavenly slice (Sorry, Ty!). And of course as fate would have it, I returned empty handed. Man, what I'd do for a slice. But that's beside the point.... Mmmm... pie.... What was I saying?

Oh yea. I always get excited by October because that's when I get that second burst... you know the one that started off real strong at New Years and then instead of losing 5 pounds you gained 8? Ugh. I guess it's the realization that we're in the home stretch of the year, the realization that all those goals you had so meticulously thought out never really manifested. Well now's the time. In less than three months we'll be drowning in champagne, singing 'Auld Lang Syne' and making loads of new promises we don't really intend to keep. So why not make things different? We've still got three months left to make up for the 9 sloth-y ones that ironically flew by.

It's post-season and the BoSox have their game face on and so do I. We can see the championship title well within our grasp. So here's my 7th inning stretch game plan: Rock it DP style. For those of you not familiar with my beloved Red Sox that would be Dustin "Pedroia-the-Destroya" style.

1) Maybe it is time to drop the 5 pounds. And although it gives Tyler a convenient place to rest his tired arm, no one thinks love handles are attractive. Saddle bags = grossness. I had been really good about running a month ago, clocking in 12-15 miles a week. But of course that was short-lived. Time to get back up on that horse. (Did I just make a horse reference twice? Yuck.)

2) Reconnect with old friends and family. Communication is so easy these days and it's not like I don't have the time. I hate that I'm so anti-social.

3) Spend my free time more productively. Now I know that sounds oxymoronic... it's free time right? I shouldn't have to dictate how I spend it. Eh... but to a certain degree I think I should. I shouldn't come home from work, turn on the TV or surf the internet and drown out the world... everyday. I definitely don't think that relaxing is bad or that watching TV is bad, but there are ways that I can relax and still be productive (like reading, working out, blogging =D). Zoning out repeatedly to the boob tube does nothing but make you a boob, unless it's something that provides a good laugh or solid entertainment. Then I'm down.

4) Get out more. I tend to stay couped up in the house for no reason other than I'm too lazy (or it's too cold). Uber-lame. Even if it's just walking downtown and reading at a coffee shop, I think it'd be a huge boost to my morale and productivity.

5) Cook more. And I'm not talking about nuking Easy-Mac and drowning it in loads of sniffle-causing sriracha. Yum. What?! Don't judge! It's muy delicioso. Whatever, I hate you anyway. But I'd really like to cook one nice/exotic/laborious meal a week. Wielding a large knife and frantically chopping vegetables (or anything) to death is oddly calming.

And there you have it folks! My goals for the remainder of the year.

Now where can I get some pumpkin pie?

The road to medical school... "Are we there yet?"

Rejection sucks and to be rejected by 30 medical schools really sucks, in fact it's demoralizing. As if it weren't enough the first time around I've come begging for an ample helping of seconds (although the rejections have yet to start flowing in). Sometimes I feel this whole process is just making me plain deranged. I’m a grown-up still forced to sit at the kiddy table. But guess what? It really doesn't matter because I have an interview to Creighton University School of Medicine Baby! It's my time to shine... to really show adcoms that I've got what it takes to be fantastic physician... 'cause damn Skippy I sure as hell do!

So here I am, twenty-six, idle (from here on out referred to as "reflective"), contemplating why I chose medicine above all the other more glamorous career choices out there. Uh…Why? Am I "reflecting" by choice? Partially. Mostly I'm being forced to reflect. Forced by an upcoming medical school interview (which by the way I HAVE to rock or stab myself to death with a dull spoon. Ouch.), forced by the silent treatment that I'm getting from every other medical school, and forced by my boyfriend who is barely two months into his M1 year at UVM and has to pencil in time to just breathe. Can you say respiratory acidosis? Anyone....? [crickets]

I'm twenty-six years old (can you tell I'm feeling old?) and I'm taking yet another year off. High school classmates are finding themselves in their fourth and final year of medical school, applying to residency programs while I struggle just to get someone to look at my application! Am I jealous? Sure... maybe a little. Do I regret choices I've made? Most certainly not. Could I have made better choices? Probably. But the decisions I've made over the years, either good or bad, have brought me to a place I'm happy with. I needed the time to mature, to grow into my skin, to find out what was important to me, to find out who I was and who I am. And I have to say, most days I like the person who stares back at me everyone morning as minty foam oozes out of my mouth and down my chin while I brush my pearly whites. Attractive.

The other days (which now come less often than most) fall prey to the evils of idleness (I mean reflection. Dammit!). If I've learned anything over the years it's to avoid being idle. It's like taking blinders off a race horse. You were on a mission, head buckled down with victory in clear sight when BAM! Suddenly you have no idea where you're going or how you got there. The world spins wildly out of control and you just get down right moody. Where's my gallon of jamocha ice cream?!? I need a moment. Let the chaos ensue.

So after finding time to “reflect”, receiving a cargo load of degrading rejection letters and eye witnessing the inhumane cruelties endowed upon medical students why don't I give up? Why not just throw in the towel? It's because I really want it. I want it more than I've ever wanted anything else. And I want it more now than I ever have. I'm excited! I want the long hours, the intensity. I’ve got something to prove and I'm ready to handle it now. And I'm ok with admitting that I wasn't before. I wasn't ready a year ago… Hmm… where did I leave those blinders..?

Now I could probably kick myself until the end of time for not having the motivation and drive earlier in my pre-medical career but I'm a changed chiquita and really... where's the pity party going to get me? It's a one-way ticket to Nowhereville. Been there, done that. I've done a lot since my failed application to really prove to adcoms I can do it. And for the most part I did it all on my own. Kudos to me. I'm proud of my accomplishments and I damn well should be. I slaughtered the MCAT beast, completed an Honors Thesis, have a publication under my belt, ranked in the top 10% of my graduate biology courses at Harvard and acquired some seriously strong letters of recommendation. Oh Snap!

Now you can think I'm being cocky and have a huge chip on my shoulders, but if you even remotely know me, you know that's not the case. I'm just finally ready to sit at the grown-ups' table. So pass the potatoes please. Mama's hungry.

!Bienvenidos!

Hola! Me llamo Shetal and I'm the lovely author of this blog. (Yes... lovely dammit!). Welcome to my new internet home! I'm an interesting character and thought it would be even more interesting if I shared my quirkiness and insight with the world or should I say blogosphere... which is sort of like the world... so yes world! HELLO WORLD!

From 8-4, Monday through Friday, I'm a real person with a real job helping real people. At least I hope I am. But after that... well it's all up in the air! I've been wanting to start my own blog for a while and hope to eventually make it to my own website even though I could be certified technologically retarded.

This really is the perfect time to start up my new venture. I just finished my Master's, moved up to Burlington, VT with my boyfriend and am in the midst of applying to medical school. Free time a plenty! But in all seriousness this is a great transition period in my life. I feel more comfortable in my skin than ever and am incredibly excited to embark on the road ahead. Life is good. Real good.

So pull up a chair and grab a latte as I contemplate the happenings of the world, discuss my likes and dislikes and share the nuances of my day... It's just the way I see it.