So far this break I've...

1.) ...checked my grades from last semester online upwards of 6 times. Somehow I might have pulled off my best semester of dental school yet. Then again, every semester of dental school completed is the best semester yet.

2.) ...insatiably consumed root beer floats (shortened to "RBF's" for convenience). I had my very first one about 2 months ago after much prodding from Josh and protest on my part. I still can't figure out how I've managed to live without RBF's in my life and to make up for lost time, I've had one 5 out of the past 6 nights. To my credit, I use diet root beer and soy vanilla ice as opposed to their more indulgent couterparts. But still, 5 out of 6?

3.) ...been at the mercy of a 2 year old Pomeranian mix and a 14 year old slightly spoiled daisy pup. Josh and I watched our family dogs, Rosco and Raja respectively, for 5 days as our families were about on business and pleasure trips. I've watched Raja plenty of times and he's usually an angel but having Rosco around brought out the puppy in him. Lets just say the boys barked in stereo at every neighbor or delivery truck that passed and I didn't sleep through the night all week. Overall, they were very well-behaved and it was fun having them around but I think I'm temporarily cured of my baby longing for a while...I need my beauty sleep!

4.) ...not studied for the Boards nearly enough. Having the dogs and just coming out of finals made it hard to jump right into the rigorous study schedule I'd planned. It's time to put the ol' nose to the grindstone now. 'Nough said.

6.) ...missed my family. As always, the four of us are pretty spread out right now and it's been a while since I've seen my Mom and sister. Here's hoping we can hang out a little bit later this summer...or else quality time will just have to be spent when I drag the three of them in for dental treatment come fall. Muhuwahahahaha!

5.) ...co-founded the Meadowbrook Village Amateur Audubon Society with Josh. We were witness to some crazy duck vs. goose mating season drama at the pond/dog run at our apartment complex this week while walking the dogs. It was practically like watching that Planet Earth mini series every afternoon and we started going back for more action. I think we're starting to get the back story now.

6.) ...won a mixed doubles table tennis tournament with my Daddy. Sure, there was only one other team and my Dad probably could have beaten them alone and blindfolded but it was still fun to play together. Really though, once I warm up a little I'm not half bad. At the very least I think my serve could sting pretty badly if I worked on it. Who knows, maybe I'm The Next Calcutta Kid?

Tomorrow I'm picking up tickets to U of M's commencement ceremony this weekend because Bill Clinton is the keynote. Awesome!

And I'm going to study. A lot.

xoxox

Love thy Mother...

...Earth, that is!



Today, April 22nd, was Earth Day, a day to spread eco-conscientiousness by living and encouraging an eco-friendly lifestyle, something we should all do every day. I know at times it seems like one person's actions can't possibly make a difference against the effects of pollution and global warming. I do believe, however, that our small, collective changes as a world community toward sustainable lifestyles can make a difference. I can't exactly buy the hybrid car or eco-friendly house that I want quite yet but I do try to be a little greener in my every day life. Here are some small, Earth-friendly changes that Josh and I have made in our lives so far. Try them if you need a good jumping-off point:

- think about whether you really need a bag at the store; if not, say "no thanks"

- carpool or use public transportation if possible; if you have to drive, don't leave your car idling

- think about going vegetarian!

- don't grab a coffee cup sleeve if you don't need it; I usually find it to be unnecessary once I think about it;

- use cold water to wash your clothes

- turn off your computer at nighttime

- pack your lunch snacks in tupperware instead of plastic baggies, all packed in a reusable lunch bag

- recycle!

Those are just some starter ideas but you can find more (and calculate your personal CO2 impact) here.

Politics aside, it is all of our duty to work to heal the damage we and generations before us have perpetrated on the Earth. We know now that our resources are not boundless and that our actions are not without consequence. However, we also know that a tiny bit of change goes a long way and that being green is now easier than ever, whether that means buying a hybrid or just carrying out your bananas and receipt in your hand.

What did you do to help the Earth today? What will you do tomorrow?

xoxox

No more pencils, no more books

Ugh. Only 2 more finals to go. All I have to do is stay focused for 26 more hours and I'm home free from winter semester. Unfortunately, that hasn't been as easy as it sounds. After taking one final this morning at 8, my "small break" before getting back to the books turned into a two hour adventure to Starbucks and Borders and ended with an impromptu nap on the couch. I did, however, have the energy to wake Josh up by blasting Alice Cooper's School's Out and work up a sweat by lip synching and playing some wicked air guitar for 2 minutes. I hope our twenty-something neighbor across the street didn't see me; our blinds were open and I've been trying to seem mature and friendly so she'll ask me to dogsit her chihuahua on Sundays like she does one of our other neighbors.

I really should go study. But first, 2 things:

1.) I liked this "The Way I See It" quote on the back of my Starbucks coffee cup this morning (I know). It's not a new idea or a particularly original way of putting it but rather a good reminder:

Growing up, my parents always said, 'You will leave this world the same way you came into it: with nothing.' It made me realize that the only things we do in this world that count are those things that make the world a better place for those who will come behind us.

-- Tyrone B. Hayes
Biologist, herpetologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer

2.) It's my good friend Stephanie's birthday today! I'm so glad I got to see her recently and that we made plans to see each other more this summer.

Happy Birthday, Steph!

I traditionally reserve the playing of School's Out for immediately following my last final each semester but needed a pick-me-up today. I'm so close!

Well we got no class
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes

See, even Alice Cooper likes puns! ;)

xoxox

A blog post oasis in the desert of finals

Hiya readers! Long time no see. I meant to post this weekend but my final exams snuck up on me in the worst of ways. Things are going pretty well -- I only have 4 more exams and one quiz before I'm done next Tuesday after which time I'm off for about 2 1/2 weeks. Sure, I'll be studying boards material at least 10 hours a day but it'll be a vacay nonetheless :)

I'm happy to report that our small tapas soiree was a success last Friday night! We had a great turnout and everyone was quite creative with their dishes. Josh even pushed the limits of his culinary comfort zone by making kalamata olive tapenade and grilled portabellas with hazelnut gremolata...yum! I got a little recipe-happy and made bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms (not even close to as good as yours, Mom!), baked tomatoes stuffed with pesto and goat cheese, and a white bean and gorgonzola spread. I was happy with the way everything turned out and Josh and I now have enough wine to regift for a year! I'm kidding -- but I'd consider it if I could remember who brought which wine. How embarassing to regift someone their own gift! I've actually only ever regifted once when I got two Hungry Hungry Hippos for my 8th birthday and the son of a family friend had his shortly after. I remember feeling guilty and kind of tacky at the time. Anyway, I digress. Here are some pics from Friday:


The table was starting to get crowded at this point but the amount of food almost doubled after I took this picture and more guests arrived. Roua here brought an awesome home-made spicy hummous. I've been eating the left overs for days now!


Hyden commadered my camera for most of the night


Josh spent a lot of time near the food table. I think he's unable to mingle on an empty stomach


I was thrilled that Stephanie made it from Lansing (here with boyfriend Scott) and that Christin was able to join us from E. Lansing (and bring some incredible personal cheesecakes!)

All in all, a great time :)

Also, yesterday marks a minor milestone in my dental school career: the end of my time in the simulation lab. Gone are the days of practicals and entire weekends spent drilling inside a mannequin head and trimming acrylic. Never more will I cause trouble with the Back Row Babes and watch a demo on my personal monitor. From this point on, everything I've learned to do on dummies will be on live patients...yikes! and *tear. Most days I gripe about the 12-20 hours a week we spend in there but now that I'm at the end, I'm pretty sad about leaving. I was fortunate enough to love my randomly-assigned row mates, forming the BRB's for moral support and getting to know them well. We even ordered our clinical instructors, Drs. Jaarda and Stoffers, their very own Back Row Babes t-shirts because of how much they loved that our little row didn't "take all of this stuff too seriously but had fun with it, too." I had a wonderful (and frustrating and exhausting and unforgettable) experience in the lab and am ready to apply what I've learned up in the clinics. Appropriately, our last day in lab was spent taking a 7 hour practical during which we had to prepare 3 teeth for crowns, make a temporary acrylic crown for a front tooth, and make a temporary acrylic 3-unit bridge. Up until now, all of our practicals have been 3 hours or shorter so this one was pretty draining. It was certainly a culmination of everything we've learned this year:


We come in around 7:30 on practical mornings to set-up our benches for the instructor's check at 8. I didn't have a chance to snag a picture later but by 11 am (only 2 hours into the practical), my bench area was an official disaster area.


It's tradition to wear our Back Row Babes t-shirts for practicals and Drs. Jaarda and Stoffers eagerly wore theirs, too! Besides, pink on men is so in this year!


This picture was taken my first week of dental school when holding a drill was still terrifying. Almost 2 years and a dozen restorative patients later, I don't think twice about it. My family was tickled by this picture though; Dad felt terribly sorry for "that poor guy who has to go to the dentist every day!"

Okay, enough piddling around. I have a final in my complete denture course tomorrow morning that is not going to be easy. Dentures are difficult to fabricate and require meticulous attention to detail. Even perfect dentures can never function like natural teeth for eating and speaking. Honestly, take care of your teeth to keep them as long as possible; ask me if you have questions how. Half Dr. Palit, over and out.

xoxox

Things I'm in to lately:

1.) the word badonkadonk and variations on snooze in reference to a boring class, movie, etc. (i.e. snoozefest, snooze-o-rama)

2.) my friend Julia's t-shirt that says:

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

3.) lunges. I'd forgotten how great of a tone-up they can be.

4.) Danse Bacchanale. The Michigan Pops Orchestra played it on Sunday night for their Pops in Paris! concert and it's been in my head since then. The overly-ambitious symphonic orchestra director of my high school had us play this piece for a music festival right here at U of M when I was just a wee 9th grader. I've loved it ever since. You can hear it here:

Danse Bacchanale from Act III of Samson et Dalila, Op. 47 by Eugene Ormandy; The Philadelphia Orchestra

5.) Carlos Delfino. This smokin' addition to the Pistons was on fire at the game Sunday afternoon...in more ways than one! ;)



6.) tapas. Josh and I are having a tiny tapas and wine get-together this Friday at our place. We're both looking forward to it and I've been searching for authentic but easy tapas recipes all day every day for a week now. I hope everything turns out! Unfortunately, my camera needs a repair so I might not be able to post pictures. I'll try, though!

xoxox

St. Patty's Day pics

Hmmm...all my pictures of late are from the crummy basement at the Delt Sig house. I gotta class it up a little bit.


Josh usually wears red on St. Patrick's Day like a good little Polish boy but he decided to make an exception this year


Green eggs. Don't they look delish?


GT and Josh


Katrina, Sara and I were exhausted after pretend-River Dancing all morning

xoxox