3.....2......1....

(cue explosion)

.....And I have taken my first test in PA school.

To tell you how it was, I need to first describe how a normal test taking experience is for me. Usually, when I study, I blast through the material, organizing it in a storm and drilling it into my head. Then I poop out pretty fast, and by the time the test day or even the eve before a big test occurs I don't even want to see the material anymore. Usually the material is as afixed in my head as it will ever be by that time. When I take the test, I can navigate the questions effectively and often leave feeling confident I mastered the concepts covered on the test.

This test did not go that way. I mean the first part about the studying rampage and the pooping out did happen. The actual test was a little hairy. Ok not hairy, it was big foot.

There were more than a few questions I felt sure I had no ability to answer. No amount of hashing over material I had memorized (and folks, I had memorized it all) could clue me into the answer. I couldn't even tell with what specific information I could use to draw a conclusion to answer these questions. So I left a little down and worried. Remember, we really can't get "C"'s.

Then we all went to On the Border and after my mucho margherita I felt a little better.

A little perspective

I went to the cadaver lab for the first time today. I know I am all big talk about loving the anatomy, but I had a moment where I felt a little lightheaded. It was suprising to me. I think it was just hard to see this body on the table and realize that this was a person and now.....well it was just hard to adjust.

I don't think this summer is going to be too overwhelming. The lectures are right in line with the reading and it isn't like a dumping of information. My professor is quite endearing. He is older and has taught Anatomy for 15 years. He tells stories of his son (who is a Marine), grandson, wife, and daughter with pride and love.

So since the class hasn't been taking up much time yet, I have been watching tv. Like a bum I sat all day watching Deadliest Catch. I think I caught almost the entire second season. For those of you who haven't seen this great show, it is a reality show documenting 5 boats in their race to fish Alaskan King Crab in the Bering sea. These men work almost non-stop (20-40 hour stretches at times) in terrible weather doing extrememly physical work until they meet their quota. The "pots" as they call them are 1000 lbs cages controlled by hydraulics. They are loaded with chopped up herring as bait, and then lowered strategically into the ocean. They let them sit for 20-36 hours and then bring them back up. When the fishing is good, despite wind, storm, and lack of sleep, the captain pushes the men work until all the pots are placed or brought up. It is brutal. I am pretty sure I would cry a lot if I was on the boat. Even if all I had to do was sit in the cabin below.

PA school isn't so bad.

We are living in a digital world and I am a digital girl

Ok.....

Here is the evidence that I have joined the digital revolution. Yes ,I bought a digital camera, one of my many life changing events in Wichita, Ks. The lovely prop you see slung around my neck is a "caribbean blue" litman stethescope. We had to buy a bunch of medical equipment, and I still have the bulk of it to buy, but I got this and a pen light on Friday. Oh the excitement.

Actually Friday was a bit overwhelming. It was orientation, so basically for 8 hours we sat in a classroom (the only classroom I will see for a year) and listened to the next two years of our life fly by in a very loud "whoosh". My favorite part was when we all got up and introduced ourselves and included a fun little fact. Lots of people said they were cooks, or obsessive about picture frames, or just got back from their honeymoon (seriously that was a very common factoid). I closed with the fact I like to salsa dance, you know just in case there was a closet dancer in the bunch. Probably not. And most of my lovely classmates are married, even the younger ones. But I liked everyone, and we are all in this together so I am excited to get to know everyone.

My actual class (human anatomy) starts Monday. We go everyday from 8-12. And we have a test every Monday. So there go my weekends. That's ok though. I am going out tonight to experience Old Town. A girl who Linds (my roomate) knew from high school lives close by and I have gotten to spend some time with her. So we are going to "The Loft" where, I am told by my new hairstylist Lauren, there is a cover band and it has great dancing. So yay!

Linds has been studying like crazy, because she takes her boards in 3 days. So I have been trying to be quiet and scarce so she can concentrate. I have taken off by myself to explore Wichita a bit. However, I have this unfortunate inability to navigate. So even in this grid-like town, I end up going the wrong way and constantly making U-turns. It's a little embarrassing. It's opposite of Kansas City in the way numbered streets are arranged. The numbers go up when you are going North. You think I could just remember that fact and make my way, but there are named streets randomly between numbered streets and by the time I have reminded myself of the orientation of Wichita I am already a good mile the wrong way.

Oh I wanted to show you guys my house. So here are some photos of my kitchen, living room, linds studying, and finally the bookcase.:)