Best quote of the day, overheard at the airport in Chicago: "I've got to get away from this football on TV. I can't stand this crap anymore. It reminds me of my ex-husband."

Just finished watching one of my favorite episodes of Scrubs, called My Philosophy, from Season 2. The episode's finale features a Broadway-like rendition of Colin Hay's Waiting for My Real Life to Begin, performed in perfect harmony by the cast and guest star Jill Tracy. Her character is in need of a replacement heart valve, and earlier in the episode, when J.D. asks her what she thinks death is like, she replies that she hopes it's like a big Broadway play, where "you go out with a real flourish." The finale takes place in one of J.D.'s imagination sequences, where Tracy's dying character gets her wish and assumes the lead in her own musical. But what makes it so impressive is how well it also ties up the rest of the episode. Some of Hay's lyrics fit pretty well with what happened in the episode, and when they do, the appropriate character has his or her chance in the spotlight to sing the part.


I love smart TV.

Day One

My first post. This blog will describe what happens to me as I pursue my dream job. It will be a record of my experiences, my people, and my ups and downs. You will see a lot of this last one. My dream is to become a physician.

I will be writing a lot about the two main facets of my life right now: the application process to medical school, and my new job. When I write about the former, feel free to skim. Look for big news, but don't expect anything thrilling. I'm not. But I should have a lot of interesting things to say about my new job, as I've just been hired as a medical assistant for the best ER around.

In a nod to the ways of modern medicine, identifying information will be limited. My hospital is not really called The House, but that's we'll call it for now. You don't need to know what it's called to read about what goes on there. You don't need to know the names of my coworkers or my bosses, and you really don't need to know the names of my patients.

My patients. Wow. Not mine in the sense that I make big decisions about their healthcare, but mine in the sense that I'm working around them, with them, and on them. This new responsibility is both exciting and scary at the same time. Today, we learned how to restrain patients, run lab tests, and draw blood, among other things. Not a big deal to some of you I'm sure, but I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Unreal.

Next week I fly to Rochester, NY to interview at the U. of Rochester. My first and only interview so far. Also exciting and scary.

This week at The House has been all orientation, and I've got two more days to go. After that, I have about ten one-on-one shifts with my preceptor until I'm ready to be let loose on my own. All these 0700 mornings are wearing me out.

I know this blog will be primarily friends and family, but I hope you enjoy it. I hope you look forward to new posts, and I hope I can keep them coming. Lord knows there will be enough to talk about!