Cheesy, but not too cheesy

 
Oy.  I'm sitting here working on my personal statement...and by "working on" I mean struggling with the ambiguity of the unhelpful guidelines given to me.  I have the entire statement written and am now I'm just trying to polish my language a little, but this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.  Every personal statement tutorial instructs you to be anecdotal, but not cheesy; fun, but not flippant; serious, but to avoid telling the committee how to do their job; interesting, but not scattered.  Aargh.  I'm arguably more confused now having read this "advice".  

Also, my personal voice is very strong in my writing and I just don't know how much is too much.  Am I allowed to be humorous?  Of course I won't be writing that two guys walk into a bar and the third one ducks, but is it okay to elicit a chuckle or at least try to?

Ouch.  I'm getting a headache. 

xoxox   

Every other day of the week is fine, yeah.

Two posts in less than 12 hours.  You lucky dogs, you.

Today has been a weird day so far.  Perhaps because it's my first post-DAT weekday.  Or it could just be El Nino. 

I attended a Lab Safety Orientation this morning for work...3 months after I started working in the labs.  Hmmm.   The bottom line is that I am now both terrified of bloodborne pathogens and convinced that I will somehow acquire one on the job.  Also, it can't just be a coincidence that the day Josh has a thermometer accidentally break on his gloveless hand at work is the same day in which I learn about fatal mercury poisoning.  To make matters worse, the woman whose story I heard was even wearing gloves when 2 drops of mercury landed on her and seeped into her skin through the gloves, ultimately leaving her in a coma.  I called poison control.  Everything's okay. 

xoxox
 

Freedom

I'm back from my mini vacation and I apologize for keeping you on edge with regards to how my test went. I ended up doing very well and am pleased with my results. I really think I'm a competitive applicant and am feeling much more confident now about my application than I was before. I can't even explain how good it feels to be done - even though it hasn't completely set in yet and I still have the entire application process to go through, I feel so relieved and relaxed! :D

After my test yesterday, I headed to GR to be with my family. I used the two hour drive to rock out to ABBA, unwind a little, and catch up on phone calls to some of my friends. Unsurprisingly, I couldn't get around to calling everyone, so I'll be working on that in the weeks to come. I was only home for one night, but it was a nice opportunity to relax. First and foremost, my parents bombarded me with questions about my test and my forthcoming application process - it was nice that they were so inquisitive and involved. We headed out for a hibachi dinner Saturday night and I basically chit-chatted, sunbathed, and ate away the rest of the weekend. I'll be back in GR on Wednesday night for the rest of the week for a memorial service for my grandmother on Thursday and my friend Sara's wedding on Saturday. It's so nice to be able to have a little fun :)

Finally, though I'm forcing myself to relax a little, the big task for this week is to help Josh move out of his apartment and find some place to live until September 1. In Ann Arbor, off-campus housing has about a 2 week overlap every August when you have to be out of your apartment but can't quite move into your new one, which naturally presents a HUGE problem if you work in Ann Arbor. Unfortunately, Josh's landlady decided that she wanted the entire month of August to clean the apartment, so he's sans casa this Friday...hopefully we can figure something out. I'm really going to miss that place; he's been living there for 2 years now and it's so cozy. Also, I have to start making plans for my own move out on August 20th since I can't move in to my new place until September 1, either. *sigh* One worry at a time. In the words of my Dad: we'll cross that bridge when we're standing on it.

Have a great week.

xoxox

Yikes!

Holy crap.  My test is tomorrow. 

That one came out of nowhere, let me tell you.  Actually, not really...it seems like I've been waiting for this day for months.  Even though I'm seriously shaking in my boots right now, I'm really looking forward to it being over.  I took it pretty easy this week so that I'd feel more or less refreshed tomorrow morning.  Here's hoping that strategy doesn't backfire.   

Well, wish me luck.  Thank you to all of you who have already called/emailed and left me messages of encouragement.  Hopefully I'll come back tomorrow with one of these ---> :D 

xoxox

It's only a paper moon...

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the first landing on the moon back in 1969.  Geeky as it may be, I am utterly fascinated by space and have always wanted to be an astronaut.  Too bad I get motion sickness and don't have 20/20 vision.  *sigh*  One can always dream.
 
Check out the story here. 

On the homestretch

First, thank you everyone for your thoughtful condolences for my family and myself - they are much appreciated and I feel so lucky to have such kind and supportive friends.
 
I've decided to go home to be with my family this weekend in lieu of celebrating my post-DAT freedom in Ann Arbor.  It will be nice to be home since I haven't been in almost 3 months (the longest I've ever been away from home!) and I think my presence will be emotionally supportive.  However, I do declare an open invitation for you to come to Ann Arbor anytime to celebrate with me.  I can't remember the last time I saw any of my friends :( 

Speaking of friends, mine are the best.  I came home to my apartment Saturday after a long day at Kaplan and found not one, but two packages addressed to me sitting on my doorstep.  One was from Emily and the other was from my sister.  Emily's package contained a 10-pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (my favorite!) and an adorable card of encouragement.  My sister's package contained a fun magnet and a handmade garland of interconnected molars spelling out GOOD LUCK.  Hooray for a well-timed pick-me-up!  It was so sweet and encouraging to receive those packages and I truly couldn't ask for more supportive people in my life.  Thanks Tanya & Emily...you made my day! :D
 
I guess that's about it.  This week and this summer are flying by - I can't believe it will be August in less than 2 weeks.  *sigh*  I guess time really does move faster as you get older...and I'm only pushing 22!  I'll leave you with a quote from my quirky coworker Tim who always makes me laugh:
 
Tim:  So I see you still haven't signed up for the Tissue Core Fantasy Football league. 
Me:  I know.  I told you, I don't follow pro football.
Tim:  C'mon.  At the very least, it will help improve your trash-talking skills.
Me:  Oh, okay.
Tim:  Well?  How are you going to be a dentist without trash-talking skills? 
 
Have a good night. 
 
xoxox 
 

This was written by my sister - I couldn't have said it better myself:
 
A LEGACY OF LOVE
 
Sadly, I learned late last night that my paternal grandmother had passed away in India. She was 87 years old.All of we grandchildren call her "Ogo," a pet name that our Dadu (grandfather) gave her. A "domestic engineer" all her life, Ogo bore and raised five children and stood proudly by my grandfather's side as he traveled the world lecturing and researching at universities world-wide, from Stanford to the University of Ghana in West Africa. She was a strong woman who ran an efficient household, even until the last years of her life. Our family legend even involves Ogo's run-in with a cobra that had somehow gotten inside our house in Calcutta. That cobra is now sitting on a window sill coiled in a glass jar, preserved in a chemical cocktail that my Dadu  dreamed up. I've seen it, and photographed it.
 
Ogo was strong, but gentle. She sacrificed, yet she had conviction. She was kind to everyone she met, and she seemed to love people of all cultures. Many a "bideshi" (foreigner) has been a guest in her home. When she reached her later years, Ogo began to develop a pigment disorder, and large portions of her body lost their color and became white. It gave her a somewhat "spotted" appearance, which I always found benign and endearing. Now that I think about it, I've never known a non-spotted Ogo...I guess it would seem strange to me to have a uni-color grandmother!
 
I was fortunate enough to have seen my grandmother last year. I visited Calcutta several times between January and April of 2003. I was next door in Dhaka, Bangladesh doing an internship and crashed at Ogo's flat.  I would tell her of my Bangladesh adventures, recount stories, sing songs, and do impersonations. She said I was "exactly like her Bobby" (my Dad). Below is a picture with Ogo, my two paternal aunts (her daughters), and myself. We were sitting in Ogo's bedroom in Calcutta. I feel incredibly blessed to have had the fortune to be there. Before last year, I hadn't visited my family in India for TEN years...
 
Both now passed on, My Ogo and Dadu leave behind a strong legacy--a legacy of selflessness, charity, and love. I hope that we as the new generation can carry on their legacy in our relationships with each other, in our professions, and in our lives. 
 
 

Exchange of the evening

Me: Mom, today's Raja's 11th birthday.
Mom: I know. I gave him a burrito.
Me: Oh. I didn't think you guys knew what day it was.
Mom: Of course we do. Bastille Day. Raja's birthday.

3 is the Magic Number

Three quick thoughts:

1.) I think I lost my Sandwich Saver (read: sandwich-shaped tupperware container). This loss could not have come at a worse time - I pack and bring 2 meals with me every day since I'm away from home about 18 hours at a time. I've had to eat a flat and mushy PB&J every day this week. *tear :(

2.) I want to apologize to all of my pals whom I have been neglecting as of late. I haven't exactly been doing a great job of keeping in touch and I hope you all understand my situation right now. I know it doesn't seem like a simple phone call would take too much time, but I need to make about 10 of them and am genuinely interested in chatting with all of you for a lengthy amount of time. I'm really looking forward to hearing all about your adventures in NYC, South Africa, Grand Rapids, etc. and can't wait to have some free time to spend with you all. Naturally, this apology is under the assumption that someone (besides my parents, sister, and Josh) reads my weblog. Well, I can't call everyone and apologize because then I wouldn't have a case for not calling before, right?

3.) I plan on partying like a rock star the evening of my DAT, next Saturday the 24th, and of course you're invited. Get in touch with me and let me know your plans to be in Ann Arbor on the 24th - hey, you can even stroll the Art Fair while I'm taking my test!

Even though I'll get my results immediately after the test, I have decided to toast myself (and Josh) no matter what the outcome. What's that saying?...hope for the best...

xoxox

Study rhymes with cruddy

I feel as though a quick update is in order even though there shouldn't really be a lot of guesswork as to what I've been up to lately.

In finally admitting to myself that I wouldn't be prepared enough if I took the DAT on the 17th, I have decided to postpone my test one week until the 24th. I'm completely confident in my decision and know I'll be more confident come test day. However, that still means I have less than 14 days to prepare...yikes! I've been getting up by 7:30 every day for the last week or so (most days I'm up by 6:15) and studying every chance I get before and after work. I'm starting to get these bags under my eyes now and I actually audibly gasped in fright at my reflection the other day at Starbucks.

My test on the 24th now means I'm going to have to miss Ann Arbor's Annual Art Fair, June 21-24. Even though most Ann Arborites either deadbolt their doors or flee the city in attempts to avoid the throngs of people and closed-off streets during this week every year, I *love* going and spending hours walking around in the sun looking at unique artwork and the fantastic deals the street vendors have. *sigh* Maybe I'll be able to spend the afternoon of the 24th after my test at the Art Fair because...I won't have anything to do! :D

Alrighty. Back to the books. And the notecards. And the practice tests. July 24th can't come soon enough.

xoxox

Independence Schmendependence

Well...it's officially crunch time. My test is less than 2 weeks away and every (and I mean every) spare second is now devoted to studying (which should be obvious by the fact that I'm posting in my weblog). Let's just say that my notecards even accompany me into the bathroom these days.

For this reason, my extended Fourth of July weekend was little more than 72 hours of study mania - not the greatest way to spend a beautiful summer holiday. In fact, Josh and I decided that this year was "The Worst Fourth of July Ever" because although we tried to take a mini-break from studying and see fireworks at Kensington Park, all we really saw was the sky changing colors from behind a ridiculously large group of trees. When we tried to bypass the obstruction, we just got lost in the pitch black woods and turned back around. We did catch the "grand finale", however, which was basically a whole lot more of nothing. I guess we've just been spoiled all these years by the downtown, over-the-river, car-alarm-activating, feel-it-in-your-chest fireworks show of Grand Rapids, which is apparently well-known on this side of the state. A lot of people from Ann Arbor drive to GR just to see our fireworks. Who knew? Anyways, the 4th kind of stunk for me this year. To put it in Josh's words: "we would have seen better fireworks if we had just put some tin foil in the microwave."

That's about it for now. I can't wait until my test is over and I can focus on getting back in shape and laying out on the beach....I mean, applying to dental schools :) You probably won't be hearing from me much over the next 2 weeks, so be sure to drop me a line to let me know what's going on in your life and to give me a little encouragement.

Have a fantastic (short!) week! :D

xoxox

Again with the list form:

1.) Over the past few weeks, I've developed a new appreciation for dry Oreos (read: without dunking in milk). I've been forced to deviate from the normal means of consumption with regards to everyone's favorite, over-priced sandwich cookie in order to have something sweet in my lunch. Since I am unable to find/bring a glass of milk to work every day, I have to eat the cookies plain. Not too bad.

2.) I like my new lab in the dental school. Not only have I learned ELISA's, Gel Electrophoresis, and Western Blotting, I'm also perfecting my latex glove-shooting skills. Let me tell you, they're all just a bunch of monkeys over there. When my supervisor is in her office or gone for the afternoon, all hell breaks loose. A 50 mL bucket stacked on top of the micropipet tip boxes becomes the target at which everyone aims their gloves. There is some serious technique involved and those gloves can hurt if you get hit with them. Sheesh. Naturally, I initially frowned upon this activity and was too scared of getting in trouble to try, but a little peer pressure can work miracles. I think next week someone is going to dip a tennis ball in liquid nitrogen and then drop it to watch it shatter. I guess all important scientific discoveries result from curiosity.

3.) Fourth of July weekend: a time for cook-outs, sun-bathing, swimming, and other summertime fun. Too bad I'll be studying the entire time :( However, I'm hoping to catch the Ann Arbor parade early Sunday morning and *maybe* some low-key fireworks later. We'll see.

4.) It has been brought to my attention that only registered Blogger users can comment on my weblog. I have now remedied that situation and expect many, many more comments from all of you.

5.) Carrie Calcutt "phoned" me yesterday from Traverse City. Hooray for Carrie being back in the States! Even though it was kind of noisy in the background, it was nice to hear her voice after 5 months. I hope we can get together soon! :)

6.) I went to bed with some serious heartburn last night but decided to ignore it because I was too tired and didn't have any medicine. No kidding, my "heartburn" turned into severe pain actually in my heart coupled with cramps in my left arm and leg. Now, heart burn has always felt like a general discomfort around the top of the sternum for me but last night felt like someone had punched me over my heart. Not to mention that for hypochondriacs like myself, chest pain + cramped limbs = heart attack. What?! I'm 21 and in good shape. I was in so much pain that I went to CVS at 3 am to buy Zantac. The contingency plan was to go to the ER in the event that the antacid made no difference. Luckily, the Zantac helped a *little* and I was able to get some sleep, even though my heart still hurts a tiny bit today. Scary. And weird.

That's it for now. Here's hoping for a productive and relaxing weekend. Happy Friday :)

xoxox