Sunday, December 31, 2006

Windy City Serendipity and more!

Happy New Year, weblog readers! It's good to be back in Ann Arbor this New Year's Eve and even though I start school the day after tomorrow, I'm sucking every last bit of relaxation and rest out of the remainder of my break. I spent the majority of my vacation in Grand Rapids with my family (after a few solid days spent on my couch in Ann Arbor watching movies and eating junk food). It was nice to hang out with my sister, Christmas shop with my family, and catch up with old friends.

Josh and I took our quasi-annual trip to Chicago early in the Christmas week and in retrospect, I totally should have bought a lottery ticket. For some reason, my intuition was spot on the entire trip and all of these crazy coincidences kept happening. First, I had this nagging feeling that I would see my good college friend Carrie amidst the throngs of thousands shopping on Michigan Ave one evening. For some reason I felt compelled to keep searching for her face in the enormous crowds. Finally, about 30 seconds after I was going to tell Josh "I keep thinking we're going to see Carrie," we almost physically ran over her entering H&M as we were leaving! Fortunately, this strange coincidence lead to a wonderful catch-up lunch with her the next day. Later that evening, I had a feeling that I'd be called onto the stage during the Blue Man Group performance that we saw and sure enough, I ended up doing an entire skit with the percussionists. The next day Christmas shopping, a book we were searching Borders for was the first one I looked at on the shelf and on the way home, I said that I wanted chocolate covered pretzels and of course there were free chocolate-covered pretzel samples at the next rest stop. All in all, we had a great time even though I was seriously weirded-out. At one point I tried to "get a feeling" that I'd find a bag of money on the side of the street but to no ado. *sigh

Christmas with my family was nice even though we're still trying to get used to celebrating with just the four of us. Growing up, we'd always have a houseful of 25 or so cousins, aunts, uncles, and family friends to share the holidays but now that everyone has babies and jobs, it's harder to get together. It's still a fun time and Josh's family came over for dinner and games on Christmas day which is quickly becoming an annual tradition. I did notice this year, however, that my wish-list is becoming undeniably nerdier as I get older. Lets just say that some of my favorite gifts this year were a wicked awesome emergency roadside kit for my car, a sound machine to help me sleep, the new Sonicare Elite toothbrush (may my original Sonicare, which showed me the exhilarating feeling of good oral hygiene, rest in peace), and the new Scrabble Onyx Edition. Yikes. My mom said she doesn't like how practical my wish list is becoming these days and I can see her point. I'll have to remember to ask for a pony next year.

At any rate, the plans for my last two days of freedom are unspectacular. Not too many people seem to be around Ann Arbor for a New Year's celebration tonight and I've got a lot of cleaning to do before heading back to school on Tuesday. I think Josh and I might just usher in 2007 with a nice dinner out and a low-key evening at home. Next year, I'll go to a fabulous party with my pony in a party hat in tow.

Enjoy the pictures below and best wishes for a wonderful 2007!

xoxox

p.s. ~ I forgot to mention perhaps the best gift I got this year. Bride-to-be Emily actually found, packaged, and mailed a box of Little Debbie gingerbread man cookies to me at my parent's house! How sweet (literally!) Thanks again, Em! :)


The outdoor auditorium in Millennium Park


Chicago at Christmastime always reminds me of us because it was during our 12th grade National Honors Society trip to the Windy City that the sparks really began to fly. Although it's inexcusably hokey and uncharacteristically mushy, we try to take a mini-trip together at Christmas if possible.


A reflection of Michigan Ave in the new jelly bean sculpture at Chicago's Millennium Park


I knew my sister would start to covet my mukluks by week's end so I gave her a pair to keep her warm through that harsh New England winter.


Josh's mom Lori and me on Christmas Day. She may look sweet but believe you me, she is one vicious lady when it comes to winning!


We're dogsitting Raja for a few days while my parents are in D.C. for the new year. Can you spot the pooch in this picture?

Friday, December 15, 2006

O Holy Night!

It's probably blasphemous to compare the end of my finals and the subsequent party to the Christmas miracle but hey, joy to the world either way! This past Wednesday marked a big academic milestone for my classmates and myself; not only are we done with another incredibly challenging semester but we're done - forever - with Integrated Medical Sciences, our gargantuan science course that's ranged from 8.5-12 credits per semester on its own since the start of dental school. Sure, I'll have to relearn the ventroposterior lateral nucleus neuronal pathway for part I of the boards this spring but right now, I feel pretty darn good. What many upperclassmen have referred to as a part of dental school they wouldn't wish upon their worst enemy is officially under my belt and I couldn't be happier :)

Needless to say, the Class of 2009 celebrated in a big, bad way on Wednesday with a few pre-party get-togethers and then the actual holiday party hosted by three of my classmates who share a house. Someone had even ordered a caked inscribed with "No more IMS - EVER!" for the celebration. Below are pictures from that raucuous party and the small get-together we had at our place before to celebrate with champagne cocktails (and Doritos -- obviously Josh's pick). Enjoy!

xoxox


Here's one for the parents


Very dentist-y smiles


Delt Sig hosted a "Century Club" to a homemade compilation of the top 100 80's music videos; let's just say a.) I stuck to my Pinot Grigio and b.) it was a pretty wild night from this point forward


Champagne cocktails at our place before heading out


Somehow we always end up at the Delt Sig house


Pat's holiday long johns, complete with an authentic "poop chute" at the rear, were only $2 from the Salvation Army


Josh, Rick, and the newly-engaged Matt toasting to the end of IMS!


Katrina lovin' on our class Prez, Sean

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Q&A

Stolen from Emily; 50 hours ago, I would have done this survey to procrastinate. Now, I've got all the time in the world! :)

EIGHT lasts...
last cigarette: never
last beverage: Diet Coke
last phone call: Mom
last text message: a rushed Katrina trying to pack for a ski trip, get dolled up, AND make our champagne cocktail get-together in time
last cd played: Santa Baby, a Starbucks holiday compilation Josh bought me to cheer up my drive home from Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor after Thanksgiving
last bubble bath: years and years
last time you cried: too recently
last meal: Do two M&M cookies, Doritos, and a Diet Coke qualify as a meal?

SIX things you did in the past three days
1. made champagne cocktails with fresh raspberries
2. wrote out Christmas cards
3. took 3 final exams
4. treated myself to a chair massage
5. watched two God-awful movies (Little Black Book and A Walk in the Clouds) in the same day
6. wore mukluks

THREE favorite colors...
1. red
2. purple
3. pink
(oh, geez...I'm like a flippin' Valentine)

SO FAR IN 06'...
Been to school - Ay caramba, when will it end?
Made a new friend - I'd say so
Fallen out of love - Actually, fallen in further - *sigh
Laughed until you cried - Obviously!
Went behind your parents' backs - Nah; I tell them my bizz-nas
Met someone who changed your life - We'll see, I guess!
Found out who your true friends were – Not exactly -- just fell more in love with the friends I have :)

xoxox

Monday, December 11, 2006

Workin' hard or hardly workin'?

I'm 3 finals and 52 hours away from being done and I just can't seem to focus. I've had the entire unadulterated weekend and have all day today to study but I fear I've accidentally slipped into vacation mode a tad early. I must say that for all the griping I do, I like it a little better when I don't have enough time to study instead of having to discipline myself so much for three full days. Let's just say I've slept more in the past 3 three days than I think I did all of September.

*sigh

Alright, back to it. Must...stay...focused....

xoxox,
-s

p.s. ~ for Pete's sake, where are my Little Debbie gingerbread man cookies this year?! I've looked at all three major grocery stores and even checked the Little Debbie website online but to no avail! Waaaaaah!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Am I a bore-o?

Josh loves the "flavored" Oreos: cool mint creme, coffee, double chocolate, etc. I, on the other hand, am a staunch traditionalist when it comes to Oreos and can't even fathom why you would want an Oreo that doesn't take like an Oreo (or worse, one that tastes like another type of cookie, i.e. a Thin Mint). Am I being close-minded about my cookies? I can call it "traditionalism" all I'd like but in the end, am I just a bore-o? Send me your thoughts.



xoxox

Rainbow tofu and window to my soul for carry-out, please

Josh and I got a good laugh at how ridiculously appropriate our take-out fortune cookies were to our lives right now:

Josh's fortune: The expert at anything was once a beginner.

My fortune: Each day, compel yourself to do something you would rather not do.

I don't think that there's a point where, as a student, you feel really ready to do dentistry on patients and this semester has been all about being pushed out of the nest. Sometimes I've tried to cling rather obstinately to my comfort zone in the simulation lab with the luxuries of plastic teeth, no blood, and no injections. In the end, it's all about learning the hard way -- being scared to screw up, maybe screwing up, and then not doing it again. I just wish screwing up didn't entail drilling into a patient's pulp chamber!

Needless to say, they're now hanging on our fridge :)

xoxox

p.s. ~ one week from this very moment I'll be in a cute party dress shakin' my groove thang.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

A fast Friday Fiver

1. Are you complicated?
Yes. Wait, no. Well, I guess there are a lot of factors to consider. Okay, decidedly no. Then again...

2. Do you retaliate?
No.

3. Last person to hug you?



4. Your latest complaint:
That it's been pouring freezing rain the entire past week instead of pretty snow. And that our course directors decided to save the "dental therapeutics" module (think 21 lectures of ridiculously boring drug pharmacokinetics) for the jam-packed end of the semester.

5. Who was the bully on your playground?
Eric Crow. That kid's been a bad apple since the 1st grade.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Turkey Tom, a picture palooza, and 12 days to go



I'm back from Thanksgiving break and knee deep in finals hoopla. I had a nice vacation at home in Grand Rapids with the fam eating indiscriminately (think Starbucks, brownies, cheesy potatoes, and large tubs of popcorn followed by Krispy Kreme) and seeing movies. I even got to spend some quality time with a true jetsetter and Palit family celebrity - Turkey Tom (he's been around the world - don't ask). My sister and I spent at least a half hour making sure to capture each family member with Tom on the big day. We then ate and sang karaoke into the wee hours of the morn like every other American family giving thanks.

I came back to Ann Arbor early last Sunday to do some lab work and that puts me here, with one week left of classes, 7 finals, and one paper to go. I'm done with the hardest year and a half of my academic career on December 13th and I can't wait. Even though I'm not completely off the hook until April 2009, things will ease up a little bit from this point forward. It may not be the free pedicures and cupcakes in the Forum that I'm imagining but starting class at 9 am twice a week is good enough for me!

Wish me luck on my finals and enjoy the hodgepodge of pictures below. Expect a jubilant post after finals and maybe some pics from the D2 holiday party :)

xoxox


Flag football playoffs at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse, the U of M team's practice field


Way to intimidate the other team, Holly!


Josh and our hostess Sara


Our mini pre-Thanksgiving meal


Seeing double!


Katrina, Me, Shveta


Turkey Tom helped me celebrate my 5 year vegi-versary!


Mom and Josh with you-know-who


No, I wasn't kidding about my Dad dressing up like The King for the annual Palit family Thanksgiving karaoke session


Nothing says holiday cheer quite like assembling the Christmas tree!


O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum!