Summer = bummer

So I met with my mentor this morning to discuss the logistics of my research project for the summer. During our hour-long meeting she actually used the phrases "hit the ground running" and "work like a maniac" to describe her expectations of me during my 7-week stint in the lab, not exactly the golf-on-Friday-afternoons-and-don't-come-in-until-10 attitude I was hoping for. At the risk of looking a gift horse in the mouth, the last thing on earth I want to do this summer is "work like a maniac" at anything. That sounds lazy and selfish and maybe it's both, but after this D1 year I feel as though I've earned the right to a completely vegetative break. Don't get me wrong: I'm thrilled that I got funded for this very competitive grant and am genuinely interested in my research. It's just that I think I could easily and, more importantly, guiltlessly spend my 7 weeks off camping, reading, laying by a pool, canoeing, moving, and recuperating. That's not even mentioning the fact that my at-work-partner-in-crime Brad just defended his dissertation which means that he'll barely, if at all, be in the lab this summer. Now who am I going to sing Phantom of the Opera and take Junior Mint & coffee breaks with? *sigh* I'm really not looking forward to this summer :(

In more exciting news, my Mom, Josh and I are daring to venture out to the new IKEA in Canton tomorrow afternoon! Originally, I was only planning on this trip as a cursory look-around but since Josh and I found out that we officially got the apartment that we wanted for the fall (and hopefully for the next 3 years so that I don't have to move my queen-sized bed again), I might be making a few purchases tomorrow! My last trip to IKEA was May of 2005 outside of Chicago--click on the archive links to the left to see pics.

Finally, our D1 year is ending with a bang--or rather, a poke--as we start injection clinic this week. Because dentists give patients injections of local anesthesia prior to treatment and because D1's are akin to guinea pigs, we'll be injecting each other this week and next (I'm scheduled for next Friday!) with anesthesia in 6 different sites in the mouth. I'm pretty nervous despite having numerous classes, demos, DVD's, and instruction packets on how to do it. The instructors don't seem to understand our anxiety after they tell us every class that we could easily cause permanent facial paralysis in our patients if our needle is, oh, about 3 cm off. Yikes! Now's the time to put all of that head and neck anatomy knowledge into play. Wait...the buccal nerve runs where?! All I know is that I told my partner Katie to 1.) forgive me ahead of time, and 2.) take two aspirin before she comes in that day! Here's hoping it goes well! *fingers crossed*

I'm done with class for the day because of the injection schedule. I should go in to the lab and finish up some restorations I have to do or I could start studying for the 6 finals I'll have in the next 10 days. I think I'll have lunch and a catnap and see where things go from there :)

Ciao for now!

xoxox