Today, I got to be a normal person and have some fun. I met Daniel and DeAnne in Oxford (plus Leah and Brian) and went to the Ole Miss vs Auburn game. I've never been to the University of Mississippi before - a really beautiful, old campus. The Grove is quite an experience - for most of my friends, imagine if Auburn on game day was covered (completely, no extra space at all) with tents and tailgaters - no RV's, no cars, just tents and tailgating with chafing dishes, tablecloths, floral centerpieces and occasionally candle chandeliers. Seems Ole Miss also has a thing about port-a-pottys and Hotty Tottys. They also have a long cheer which I couldn't make out the words to. Daniel told me to stop trying because I didn't want to know - apparently it's NOT family friendly. Overall though, the NICEST away game atmosphere. Everyone was super nice after the game. In the past, I've been to Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Legion Field. I would only consider returing to Georgia or Ole Miss.
Of course, I'd have enjoyed it more if my team had won - but we're struggling mightily this year. C'est la vie.
After the game, Daniel, DeAnne and I drove through the "Square" in Oxford - looks like a really fun place to spend a Saturday window shopping - and then we went out to Rowan Oaks - where William Faulkner lived for a while. Lastly, we ate supper at the original Newk's. Might've been my favorite part because I got to have a wonderful conversation with Daniel and DeAnne - usually there are two adorable little girls clamoring for attention who interfere with good conversation :).
I'm about to go to bed and get my extra hour of sleep!
"If I were reincarnated, I'd want to come back a buzzard. Nothing hates him or envies him or wants him or needs him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat anything."~William Faulkner
Glad you had fun!! Sorry we didn't get to spend more time. Also glad you found your way to Rowen Oak too. You need to come down and "tour" the campus/town when there is not as many people in the way.
Technically he's not president yet. So he can't take credit for anything. But he will. Maybe the world will end before he's inaugurated and our troubles will be over.
It occurred to me after my last post that many folks are actually searching for jobs without so many options. In fact, my boss at my last engineering job was fired just yesterday. So I'm also going to thank God for choices - I don't actually have to worry right now about finding a job just about finding the job I would really like in the place that I most want to live. That's a pretty awesome problem to have.
I'm going to stop now - I also have bronchitis and an ear infection and am a little high on good cough syrup and a steroid pill - gotta LOVE those drugs!
I wish you the best in your decisions. Sarah Chandler once said a wise thing to me. She said that if you don't make the best choice in your life, God won't abandon you and you'll get through it.
You know, if you take a job and don't like it much you can always change after a while. Scott did that for about 10 years until he got it right.
Dave and Jude were big helps with the stew, we made 30 gallons and sold out by 1 o'clock. I am sitting here eating a Homewrecker from Moes! I don't want to see stew for a month. :)
You know that title might tease you to think I'm going to talk about the current economic situation or life/death - both of which are to most people a greater issue than what I am thinking. But being somewhat self-centered....uncertain futures refers to what am I going to do when this residency is over????
I feel like I was just in this situation (and I was exactly 12 months ago). I spent much of the last two weeks networking at residency conferences at Auburn and Samford and then at a national pharmacy meeting in Louisville (BTW to AUTIGER -Melissa is SO cute pregnant and Erin is really sick) I'll just list some of what I learned about possible future paths...
1. Samford University is looking for a clinical facutly member to work at an ambulatory care clinic at the Kirklin Clinic. I talked to them and they sounded interested (only 1 year of residency was okay).
2. Mercer University is only interested in candidates with 2 years of residency.
3. Auburn has a few internal medicine positions coming available but they would require 2 years of residency.
4. Dr. Bob Smith (whom I admire greatly) says go be the clinical pharmacist you want to be (which would be oncology) and go where the job is...but you have to decide what your goals in life are.
5. UAB has a PGY-2 oncology position - ONE position only.
6. St. Vincent's hospital in Birmingham is starting clinical services - first on the list is critical care specialist then emergency room.
7. Princeton in Birmingham will have 2 clinical specialist positions open next year and they seem very excited that I want to return to B'ham.
What to do what to do what to do....
I remembered today that I recently heard someone say that she chose based on regret - will she regret not doing something or actually doing it. Not a bad way. So, I would regret most not returning to Birmingham. I would also regret not trying for the PGY-2 in oncology at UAB. Now it's time to pray, put all of this mess in God's hands (where it has belonged since the beginning) and just get on with living today.
So, oncology has become your passion? Wow. Well, I would love to have #1...but that's just me. 4 is true..but I understand how you are torn between staying in Bham and going where the job is. I'd probably do like you say, try for the oncology position and then see where that takes you.
Okay. I admit it. I struggle with pride. Today, my pride was a little wounded and I stewed about it some tonight.
This month my rotation is with the residency director. We are all required to take it. It's called drug use policy. Basically, we do whatever little tasks the director needs done - its a bit secretarial and a bit drug information and a lot of going to boring meetings.
Anyway, I met with my director today and he was giving me lists of things to do. He realized that he wants each resident to send me a brief summary of their year-long project so that he can include it in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee packet (this committee is physicians and pharmacists who decide what drugs are used in the hospital plus other stuff). I have to collect the summaries by next week. Here's where my pride comes in....Bob is telling me to get the summaries and he says I can email the residents and have them due on Monday then remind (nag) on Monday and Tuesday then start copying him on the nag emails on Tuesday-Wednesday. Then he says, "It will be a learning experience for you." Seriously. A learning experience. Like I haven't run projects before with union employees and engineers twice my age. Yeah, I have NO experience in leading my peers. I know, he isn't thinking that I'm as old as he is and have more life experiences than my fellow residents. See...I'm proud.
So, I stewed on this again tonight at home and realized it was my pride talking. But I had trouble letting it go.
Then I wondered, how did the Creator of the Universe feel when he was walking on earth as a man and some other man told him what to do. Or maybe even suggested it could be a learning experience - as if we could teach the Creator anything. I'm pretty sure that Jesus didn't sull up and become full of himself. I'm sure he showed compassion and patience and then died on a cross for the other man's sins. I sure am thankful that I can be saved from my pride.
Sorry that I had to have Daniel call and ask you my question for me last night, but I don't think you would have understood me! :) I hope you have a better day today!
No I didn't end up going this time...I had uncertain plans that I was trying to nail down...ended up not doing much that day so I should have gone. I'm looking forward to the next one though!
Hey Rebecca, this is Lari, Deanne's friend. Your thoughts are so true, and you know that you are not alone! If I had a nickel for everytime I have felt the way you did, I would be a millionaire! :) So glad that I found your name here in pleo world! Take care!
When I was first an Auburn student, I had to take classes one summer ('cause I played too much in the fall and winter quarters). To get full time student hours, I took tennis. It was great fun even though the class was from 12:00 to 1:45 two days a week (HOT!!!!). The best thing about learning to play was playing every night that summer with a new friend (you know who you are).
Years pass...jobs come and go...I move from house to house to house....I never make time to play tennis.....I return to school....I move to Memphis....
I find a new tennis buddy (still wish I could play with my original tennis friend). We've played twice. It's still lots of fun and good exercise.
What's different about tennis in 1990 and in 2008?
PAIN. I can hardly hold a pencil today b/c my right hand is so sore. My back hurts. My shoulder hurts. My knees ache. I've been pleasantly surprised that I could get to the ball EVER and occasionally hit it well. I;ve been shocked at how much my right hand, wrist and arm hurt. I'm using the same racket - how is it that it feel 10 pounds heavier????
Any ideas on how to strengthen this hand so that I can keep playing? Any tennis arm/hand exercises out there?
It has been 20-25 years since I played tennis. When we moved to Hartselle some friends and I used to play quite often. I would hate to think of how much pain I would be in if I played today. Growing old is painful!!
