Are the Spirits Messing With Me?

Well it's safe to say that I am on the overnight schedule, even on my days off...I tried to get up at 9AM this morning to make the most of my last day off, but I woke up at 2PM. The weather is pretty crappy outside...but I had to go to a store to pick up gifts for my godchildren. The past week I have been tormented at the grave possibility that a shirt that I love had gone missing. I searched my closet, the laundry basket, and even went to the laundry room in search of it. No luck. Then I proceeded to go to the acceptance stage of my grief. So I tried searching the ends of the Internet to find a replacement. No luck. Then I even went back to the store where I bought it in hopes of buying another one...again, no luck. Then as a last ditch effort I asked Marcus if he had seen it and he simply opened our closet and grabbed it out of a pile of my shirts...then I grabbed him and kissed him passionately! You know how they say that when you misplace something, the spirits are messing with you? Well, then the spirits must love hanging out with me, because as anal retentive as I am, I feel like I misplace my clothes on some level of frequency! Oh, I just saw a review for a new wave Mexican restaurant in midtown---called Toloache. I want to try it---it sounds yummy. On another random note, I bought some V8 vegetable juice. Since I have no time to work out or eat very well or on an regularity, I'm going to try to drink a glass of V8 daily...hopefully it will help me get my daily dose of veggies...

Zombification

I finally ended my first week on overnights. I was supposed to go to Terry-a's and hang out, but her and baby Seren recently got sick...so I figured I shouldn't risk myself getting sick when I have to burn the midnight oil playing overnight emergency doctor. That sucks because I haven't seen them in SO LONG. So I slept a few hours today, woke up to Gustaf, our wonderful feline son, sleeping right next to me. So what has been happening on my overnight shifts so far? Well the usual suspects: strange people coming out of the woodwork at 3AM, some critical in patients going downhill and treating them, and some down time. The other night I watched "Coming To America" on DVD, and at about 3AM this morning I was watching an old "X-Files" (ahem, the namesake to this sweet blog) episode. I've also been doing some origami. In fact, I've even taught a few of my intern-mates some origami. It's a great way to de-stress yourself. Our office looks so cute! I hope my previous blogs about the Showtime series "Californication" intrigued some people to actually watch it. The season finale happened last week. I can't wait until the new season starts! Remember the Scratch Lounge we bought for Gustaf? Well he likes it---he hangs out in it, but he's not scratching the crap out of it like the cats online. Too bad, but at least he likes sleeping in it. Zombification, you ask? Well, working 6PM-8AM with bare bones staffing in a hospital definitely makes me feel like a zombie at times...ha ha...

Addendum to Saturday Blues...

Well, I finally found something on TV to watch: "The Bridges of Madison County". A great film; I've seen it before. But this was NOT the movie to watch with me in such a down, depressed mood. It's a story about lost love, bad timing, lost dreams, and what "could have been". Augh. I love that stuff! But like I said in my previous blog, today has been one big bummer for me. I hope there's something to cheer me up before I go to bed...

Saturday Blues

Today's been a bummer...I'm tired, Gustaf isn't feeling 100%, and I have to work tomorrow. Plus there's nothing on TV to take my mind off things. Marcus has gone to the city to hang out with fellow Swedish people to celebrate upcoming Christmas. I really dread tomorrow---I hate working at that place during the weekends more than anything. Anyway, I just purchased a gift for Gustaf that we hope he's going to love: the Scratch Lounge. It's a souped up cat scratching pad that has great reviews. I hope he loves it as much as the cats I've seen on the web.

Monday

It's Monday and I just finished a week of avian and exotic medicine at a local vet clinic...it was great! Now I'm back to my place of business...augh. This past weekend Jennifer came over and we pre-celebrated Marcus' birthday: his choice, we went to IKEA and ate Swedish meatballs. Jennifer brought a cake, so we ate that, too. We also watched "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" which was actually pretty funny. This week I finally plan to meet up with either one or two of my vet school friends who have been also working here on Long Island, but due to our schedules, we never got to meet up...What's this video clip below (click on the play button)? It's an awkward video of our lovely Christmas tree...ha ha!

December...Holiday Time

Woah cannot believe it's already December. Well, maybe you have started to (or will shortly have to) think about what to get your loved ones for the holidays. Well look no further! Remember that a great gift is a donation to a worthwhile organization. For those of you who are faithful readers of my blog, I will gently remind you of a previous blog of mine where I talk about a bunch of GREAT organizations I donate to and why. Remember---donations make great gifts! Speaking of worthy organizations, Jennifer got me hooked on a great website that sells crafts from around the world and supports fair trade and small businesses in developing countries. I really love their holiday section. Our little Christmas tree is 90% decorated in ornaments from that website...talk about a seriously international, multi-cultural tree---ours rocks! What is this photo above about? Well it's one of the many items I bought from the website! It's a garland for the tree that's made of little people in traditional Indian garb...

3 Days! YA---THREE DAYS

Yes, THREE whole days off, I can't believe it. My schedule seemed to work out that way. Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow. Well on Thanksgiving, I went to my parents' house, did the whole tons of food and family thing. Then yesterday I went to the East Village with Stephen. We ate Japanese food, then watched "Rachel Getting Married", by the same director who did "The Silence of the Lambs". Good stuff, very intense at times. Then we had coffee at a place on University Place. I met with Marcus at Penn Station and we took the train home together. Stephen and I had a great time, I hadn't seen him for a while. He's off to L.A. soon to do a shoot. Then this morning I gave in and watched "Casino Royale"...I'm not a Bond fan at all (Marcus and his father are), but I admit this was quite entertaining. Marcus prefers old school James Bond, though, but I love how he can explain away all the quirks and reasoning behind all things James Bond, as he seems to understand and accept the ways of 007 in all his glory.

Hell Is Over For Now

I am DONE with day emergency (for now at least). I am SO thrilled. I woke up late this morning and did some cleaning. Then I watched "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2"...yes, I know. And yes I did watch the first one. Then I needed some food, so I ordered take out from this great Asian restaurant around here called Toku...and eating their mango pudding brought me back to my wonderful days of mango pudding engorgement in Hong Kong. If you've never been there, you need to make a trip---talk about incredible food. And mango pudding? Orgasmic I tell you! Speaking of sensational foods, I must tell you the place to find THE BEST mangoes ever is of course the Philippines...the place where mangoes have the consistency of custard and are free of those horrible fibers that get stuck in your teeth from the mangoes you can encounter from your local grocery store. I really need to get my hands on a mango pudding recipe. I've been trying for years. And when in the Philippines, you must also try the green mango drink. A little tart and very refreshing. AAHHH. As a side note, it's absolutely freezing right now. Considering I never see the light of day because I work 24-7 I didn't realize how wintry it really is...yikes.

Another Weekend Almost Over

I'm trying to be positive about this upcoming week: it's my last week as the day emergency doctor...so that's the bright side...I'm trying so, so hard NOT to dread it. This weekend my cousin Norrel was in town from California, so I got to spend a little bit of time with her. Then I went to a party an ex worker was throwing. Today I watched a bunch of movies: "The Visitor"---great movie! Highly recommended. Then "Mighty Aphrodite"---I'm not a Woody Allen fan, but it was on TV and it was enjoyable. Then "The Break Up" which I've seen already, but it was something to watch. I also caught the last 20 minutes of a serious guilty pleasure of mine, "Save the Last Dance". Marcus is watching a Knicks game tonight. Next weekend we're going to a convention about adoption so hopefully that'll give us some helpful information. On an another exciting front, my sister Caroline and her fiance Rob are moving into their newly purchased home next week, too.

Purgatory...Or Hell...

I really, really HATE being the day emergency doctor. It's truly horrible; I can't even explain. I truly detest it. I'm finally home, though so I am happy. This weekend we watched a couple of not so great movies. First: The Al Pacino flick "88 Minutes". Did not like it. Then we attempted to watch "Big Night", a project Stanley Tucci part directed, starred in, and wrote...we didn't finish that one. Anyway, tonight I want to relax. And try not to dread work tomorrow. God---when is this internship going to be over...On a brighter note, remember that show "Spin City" with Michael J. Fox? In our household we LOVE that show! That was really a great series. It's on FX on Sunday mornings.

I Don't Think I'm a Vegetarian Anymore

In summary: this week sucked. Stress, stress, and more stress. Well, as I alluded to in an earlier blog, I have fallen off the vegetarian wagon, but I thought I may have gotten back on. But then in the midst of my horrific week, the kind oncologist at work decided to order me the infamous bacon cheeseburger that had made me slip in the first place. Then I had to go to a work related event and I admit---I ordered a strip steak. As a side note, the steak reminded me how picky I am about steak. I really only eat filet Mignon...the strip steak cut---don't like it so much. Obama won! Phew. Since anything was possible, I was seriously scared that Palin would end up in the White House...scary.

Halloween and Beyond

This week was somewhat stressful. I brought Gustaf into work to get biopsies of some suspect masses I saw in his mouth. He also got a dental cleaning done. He was a very brave boy, but it was stressful for him, and for me, too. The sad part? It was on his holiday...Halloween! I felt so bad. He's doing well so far now. One of his eyes is a little squinty...unfortunately many cats have Herpes virus (mainly an eye and respiratory issue in cats) and something stressful like having general anesthesia can make it pop up. So I'm really hoping it clears up with some medications and antiviral stuff. I'm also waiting on the results of the biopsies, hoping it's nothing to worry about. I'm such a worried mom it's not even funny. Today Marcus and I FINALLY bought a full length mirror. It really sucks not having one at home, I never know how I really look walking out the door. On a bad note, I had planned all week to watch my next netflix movie: "The Devil Wears Prada". I know, it was going to be a guilty pleasure flick. Then I pop it into the DVD player and it skips! Terry-a and Marcus can confirm that I was in the crappiest mood after that happened. Major downer. So then I proceeded to order a replacement guilty pleasure movie from "IO On Demand": "Made of Honor". It hit the spot.

Once, Maybe a Slip, Twice...Hmm, Not An Accident?

Well, yesterday the oncologist suggested we order hamburgers and asked me if I'd be a non vegetarian for the day (probably because she knows that I can be a lil' flakey when it comes to vegetarianism). Well, I gave in and went for the gold: a bacon cheeseburger deluxe. And I never do bacon...well I shouldn't, I'm a vegetarian...oops. Well it was damn good! So good we had the same burgers today for lunch...but today I did it right and got it done medium rare! What's happening to me??? Have I really crossed to the dark side??? AAAHHH. But it was so good! Anyway, during some down time in the intern office, my intern mates and I were talking men's fragrances...and someone said that Burberry Touch for Men was irresistible. I was intrigued...so I investigated the notes of this fragrance, and I may have to get a sample for Marcus. We traditionally went for Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte for him, but maybe it's time for something new...

The Skinny

The latest issue with me: trying to maximize my 4 pairs of knee high boots...I've been trying to just wear them with dresses or skirts, but it's not always practical. So I figured I had to go out to try to find skinny jeans that would somehow allow me to still zip up my boots! I think I found them, and I think I can comfortably zip up my boots over my enormous calves, so let's see! This opens up a world of opportunity for me...speaking of "skinny"...we went to brunch at Le Pain Quotidien, and we ordered cafe au lait...and the waiter asked us if we wanted them "skinny" or "full"...and we were like "what does that mean"? Translation: skim milk or regular...so why can't we just say that??? Where are we, in California???

I'm A Handful

I had big plans for today, since I have a more sane schedule right now...I was supposed to watch "The Secret Lives of Bees" today, but I ditched that plan on my way home...I picked up some Parisienne Bakery bread from the local Japanese store...it's a thick, slightly dense white bread and it's great! There are free standing Parisienne Bakery stores, but you can get the products at a bunch of places, including Cafe Zaiya, near Grand Central. I swear I was a Tokyo girl in a previous life, specifically from Harajuku, of course...I tried to think who I was before that life, but I really don't know at this time. I was online today and I found an article discussing how some women may carry a gene that is linked to reducing breast size when drinking coffee...i.e. if you have this gene and drink a lot of coffee your breasts could shrink in size! I'm happy with my modest chest...I'm a "handful" girl, if you know what I mean...but seriously, if I were to shrink from here, that wouldn't be right. I say this as I drink a cup of freshly brewed coffee...ha ha. More on science: the coelacanth. I've been secretly obsessed with this beast since I studied natural history (when I was taking science classes to get into vet school). Who is the coelacanth? It's a fish that was supposed to be extinct, but isn't! Why is this so fascinating? Because the coelacanth is the last of the Sarcopterygians, or fleshy fish. The coelacanth was around earlier than the dinosaurs, and has been thought to be a close evolutionary relative to the fish that led to the first tetrapods ever on land. But this is controversial. So this is pretty cool, right? What else is cool? Going to the Museum of Natural History and following the evolution of dinosaurs...by the way, what's the photo about? Well I figured since I was talkin' bra sizes, I'd include a similarly themed photo. Apparently there's a Hong Kong flick named "La Brassiere".

My Human Medical Counterpart

I just got an email from Jennifer, my wonderful friend who's in the midst of medical school down on Grand Cayman. She recently had her white coat ceremony, which marks when your clinical training with patients start. She's the girl on the left in the photo. I'm so proud of her! It's a rough road...and I guess at this point in my internship, I'm probably not the beacon of positive thinking...so with her, I sometimes feel bad being honest about how I'm feeling these days...because the last thing you want to hear is that the hell truly does continue even after you graduate and become a doctor! We met at SUNY Purchase when I was taking my science classes to be able to apply for veterinary school, and she was doing the same for medical school. It makes me shudder to think about treating humans....eeeck! I don't think I could ever do that...it would be so strange...ha ha.

Realizations, Affirmations, and Gustaf!

Last night Jennifer came over. She updated us on her projects at her new job and it sounds like she's really enjoying her life as a city employee...Queens holla! Then it dawned on me: I had been working for seven days straight. That's just not right. YUCK. Anyway, this morning we ate brunch at a pretty good place...it's a French restaurant called Bistro Citron. First of all: these people know how to make to make a cafe au lait! The food was excellent. I LOVE brunch---it's my favorite meal! It's the perfect meal: breakfast food, lunch food, coffee, alcohol if you want...and you can eat brunch from morning to afternoon...heavenly. You know, I had always wanted to open a restaurant that ONLY served brunch all day and night. Marcus recently informed me that someone beat me to it; apparently there's a brunch only restaurant open somewhere in the village. Speaking of food, my most recent obsession is having plain Greek yogurt with honey for breakfast. I love honey...especially in warm milk! There's a fragrance by Fresh called Mukki...it smells just like warm milk and honey. Although I love that scent, I wouldn't want to wear a perfume with that scent! But I guess it doesn't matter anyway, because the scent is discontinued! Back to my original story: Jennifer stayed for a little longer, and then she headed back home. Then Marcus and I were trying to find something to watch on TV this afternoon. All we could find was Dirty Dancing. SO cheesy, I know. I tried to find something else, but there was nothing on. So we, or I basically resorted to Dirty Dancing. And although it's completely cheesy, I must admit, I like the movie in all its glory...you know, Daddy's little girl, the sensitive "bad boy", Daddy's little girl ain't so innocent anymore, and of course, all that raunchy dancin'! On a different note, our Gustaf made it on the SPCA's website...we're so excited. I submitted his post adoption update to the shelter up in Ithaca where we met him. Check it out and look for the handsome one!

Addendum! Important Update: Mi Amor...

I was searching the "ends of the Internet" as Marcus likes to say I do...and I stumbled upon a great little find: Lovegrove and Repucci's newest dinnerware! Maybe you can recall way back when I blogged about how much I LOVED their NYC inspired porcelain...which by the way, I am still longing for!

Life is Pain, So They Say

Life is pain, according to Buddha...I try to embrace that when things get a little rough. But pain is good---like when you're exercising...of course I don't mean "my knee hurts" pain. Because that's when I have to stop. But you know that achy-ness and good exhaustion you feel after you've done cardio and then some? My legs and abs ached after I worked out today, and it feels great. Since I'm on a less demanding service right now I'm trying to take advantage and work out when I can. Granted this will only last for three weeks, I guess it's better than nothing. Well, this Friday Marcus will be watching another game, so I'll be left to my own devices...so I think I'll indulge in a personal favorite, the show "The Starter Wife" starring Debra Messing. I highly recommend it!

Wednesday

Today was a fairly good day. I got home early. I was in a good mood. Tonight we're going to eat at Matteo's, a very highly regarding Italian restaurant just around the corner. So that'll be good. I hope to catch up on some good TV tonight, too. Tomorrow I'm going to be doing a bunch of spay and neuter surgeries at a shelter. Hopefully that'll go well. I can't wait until my day off...I just filled out my absentee ballot application. I really hope it gets approved in time! Yikes. Well, I heard about this tattoo removal-fading creme called Wrecking Bomb. That so would be a great thing if it worked, but I highly doubt it. I have three tats as it is. There's just one that I don't like and have never liked. That one I need to get lasered off. But I still plan to get another one. In fact that was supposed to happen before I started this job, but I had no time. Hmm...on my list of things to do...

New Week, New Schedule

I'm on oncology now. It's been a great schedule so far, which I'm thankful for. I've been seeing a lot of different types of cancer, and I really need to read up on them! Mostly lymphoma, as this is one of the most common cancers seen in small animals. It's already mid October and I'm a little surprised that the weather is still so warm. I love hot weather, but if it's autumn and it's not supposed to be warm, then it just freaks me out. I just got off the phone with Stephen who has informed me that there's some sort of horror film festival going on in the East Village! It's October and it's Horror Time! And with Halloween coming up, we'll be celebrating Gustaf, our black cat...and as we all know, what's Halloween without pumpkins, ghosts, witches, warlocks, chocolate treats, and black cats???

The Finer Things in Life...

I just enjoyed one of the finer things in life...grilled cheese. But not just any grilled cheese---MY grilled cheese. You see I appreciate the components of an extraordinary grilled cheese. I've thought long and hard about this. Of course all you need is bread, butter, and cheese. But they need to be of exceptional quality. The bread: I prefer one with less moisture, so I usually go for something like ciabatta, fresh of course. The butter: preferably the real deal, but if necessary Olivio does pretty well. The cheese: again, high quality. I prefer a combination of extra sharp cheddar and Monterrey. There has to be a substantial amount of both cheeses, but not so much as to overwhelm. The method? I butter both bread slices and cook so I get a nice light toast to both sides, with the cheese just melted. Hubba hubba...So if you ever want to experience what real grilled cheese should be, mosey on over to the island and I'll cook you up some, you hear?

Saturday Afternoon

This afternoon I indulged in a couple of movies...a few blogs ago I mentioned this Aussie flick called "Flirting". Someone I met said it was their all time favorite movie. Well, I watched it. It was a "coming of age" story mixed in with a little forbidden interracial love. Just my type of story! Then I admit, I watched "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"...okay, I know---but it was on TV! Plus there was a blossoming young love affair going, and they were in Greece...it was great. Then it looks like the super cheesy movie "The Notebook" is going to be on TV tonight. So bad, so cheesy, but so appealing in spite of it all. I admit that it's pretty painful to watch most of the time, but some parts tap into that girly girl in me...What can I say? I'm a romantic when it boils down to it. Love and Chocolate: that's what it's all about, right? Tomorrow I'm back at work....augh. What a buzz kill.

I've Been a Very, Very Bad Girl...

I just did the whites and accidentally placed one of Marcus' favorite white button down shirts in the dryer when it clearly should not have been placed in the dryer...augh. I feel really bad. Then earlier I went to Anthropologie to return a leather bag...but then I ended up purchasing a few things. Woops...then earlier today I met up with Koh in midtown and we had lunch. We caught up and I heard more about his new wife. She's an artist, so I'm excited to meet her...she designs handbags and also paints. It's great when you see your really close friends because even if you haven't seen them in a long time, when you do meet up it's like it's always been. If you want to see a disturbing Koh-ism, check out Koh at an arm wrestling competition in Queens last year when his arm was snapped...literally...Then after lunch I went to Daffy's and bought a handbag...another faux pas...

The Sardonic Grin and Other Tales of Veterinary Terror...

Well today on neurology we had a very interesting case! A dog with tetanus...unfortunately the patient may not do well. As you may know from humans and tetanus, animals end up very stiff, have very painful muscle spasms, have a "locked jaw", and have the "Sardonic grin" which refers to the facial expression dogs can get with their facial muscles pulled and contorted. Unfortunately, they can die of respiratory paralysis...it can be very, very serious. The other day a friend of mine on ER took in a Dachshund that had back surgery, and then chewed its own back leg off---yes, in its entirety. As in when we saw it, it literally was missing its back leg and all you saw was bone, blood, and muscle. It was likely due to tingling sensations or lack of sensation to the leg that caused the dog to do so. The worst part was that the owner couldn't find the leg in question so we had to take an x-ray of the dog and we found that the dog had actually eaten its own leg...talk about the power of endorphin release...

A Wedding Day

Today Marcus and I attended the wedding of one of my closest friends, Anthony. It was at the New York Botanical Gardens and it was really a good time. Between the setting and the great food, I'd highly recommend having a wedding there. Other than Anthony, I did not know anyone at the wedding, and Marcus has only met Anthony a couple of times...and I'm not the most extroverted type in these situations...which is kinda interesting because I can be incredibly, if not inappropriately outgoing in other social situations. But I was so happy for Anthony, and I finally met his new wife today, but only briefly. The people sitting at our table were a fun crowd, so that was a bonus. I remember during the reception it hit me that I really value time spent with friends and family, and how important they are compared to a job...even if that job helps others, still having time to appreciate those closest to you is the most important thing. Which really makes me look forward to "getting on with my life" next year, AKA NOT pursuing residency so I can actually have some free time. Marcus and I just finished watching the film "The Savages", which was pretty good. It's about a brother and sister who end up taking care of their elderly father in spite of the fact that he was a pretty bad father when they were growing up. One of the people sitting at our table at the wedding mentioned their favorite film was the Aussie flick called "Flirting"... so maybe I'll try to Netflix that. I really hope that the bride and groom will make some wedding shots available, because we didn't take any photos in the hopes that we'd have access to good ones. But I am kind of bummed that Marcus and I didn't take a photo of us together, because we rarely get to go out together...

Free Time!

Today I was for the most part, free. I slept a little, went to Loehmann's, did some housework, and then worked a little bit. These days I'm really enjoying that new song by Lil' Wayne featuring Bobby Valentino called "Mrs. Officer". It's pretty hysterical if you listen to the lyrics. I tried to locate the official video on youtube.com, but I couldn't! Strange...but great song. I'm in search of a grey leather bag for the fall. I must say that my favorite color is probably grey...I love all shades of grey! Well I guess I should be heading to bed soon. TV isn't too exciting right now anyway!

Wednesday Almost

So in the past few days I've got to visit my family, celebrate my 33rd birthday, spay and neuter some kittens, and almost reach my most proximal goal: have a day off! So this past weekend I went to Westchester and my family went to a great tea house in Tarrytown. The following day I started on neurology...so far, so good. Then on my birthday I was unfortunately at work for an extended period of time, but then it gives me an excuse to try to celebrate it with Marcus at another time, right? I did have chocolate cake---of course! Marcus knows me well...and a birthday without chocolate cake, well then...why live?! I did a little surgery today; although Cornell is not great in giving its vet students much surgical hands-on experience, I was so excited to be doing surgery. Tomorrow I have to work my double shift on ER, but then at least the day after I'm off! I just want to chill, catch up on some housework, all that good stuff. The weather is so strange right now...it's a mix of very cool like you want to wear a jacket, but then it warms up and it's almost summer like...hmm...This weekend it may or may not rain. We are going to a wedding, so hopefully the weather will be good, but no matter what I'd like to think that rain or shine, a wedding's a beautiful thing. Speaking of beautiful things, I recently went to Sephora to purchase one of my favorite shampoos of all time: Terax Miele Moisturizing Shampoo. Their conditioner is a winner, too: Original Crema Ultra Moisturizing Daily Conditioner. But they didn't have it! What's up with that? I'll have to get them on drugstore.com...

Sleeping In

Last night I worked my double shift on ER, which means that I work my regular day (now I'm on ophthalmology) from 7:30AM until 6PM, then I work as an ER doctor from 6PM until midnight. Well, things were slow and I was allowed to leave early! So I actually got home at 11:30PM! Then I could actually sleep in today, since I start late today. I woke up next to my fellow sleeping master, Gustaf. I just found out my sister Jennifer got a job as associate director of interior design at a hospital in Queens! She's going to be implementing eco-friendly, yet functional design to the hospital. Very exciting. Today I'm going to enlighten the ophthalmology crew on the delectable ways of Nutella...I'm bringing in Nutella and some bread and spreading the joy in between appointments. Other good news: my father just had surgery to correct 2 hernias he had, and it went well...PHEW. He's resting comfortably at home.

A Blogging Mom Is Proud

Terry-a, Steve, and baby Seren are in Northern Italia. I decided to check on their blog to see if Terry-a had updated it, and what a nice surprise! She did! Young Grasshopper, blog on...blog on! Today I decided to capture Gustaf on film. He seems to like to jump on the bathroom counter, so I snapped a photo. Today I was very productive: I did laundry, hand washed some clothes, cleaned the bathroom, emptied the dishwasher, uploaded some photos, and watched some good ol' shameless TV. I can't say I'm happy about going back to work tomorrow. I'm not. But oh well, right? Today I discovered that Top Shop now has a US friendly website that you can shop on. What else...there's an Anthropologie bag I covet...Oh and my in-laws are moving to Trinidad and Tobago for the next few years, so when I'm done with this @#$@#$ing internship, guess where we're going for some serious detox!

At This Moment

At this very moment life is great: as I shove my face with rainbow cookies, I reflect on the great day I had today. Marcus and I went to visit my family. We had an early birthday celebration for me. We ate a wonderful meal: lobster, black beans and rice, poached eggs in a homemade tomato sauce, and a delicious mocha frosted birthday cake that Jennifer baked. I also got a facial by my favorite facialist, too. Then I came back home and actually exercised for the first time in over a month! Jennifer told me that she passed her LEED exam, which is great news. So now Jennifer is ready to conquer the eco-friendly world of interior design, while Caroline is holding down their interior design firm.

Yellow Cake, But Seriously: NO FROSTING???

Well, yesterday's brunching with Terry-a and Saifra was great fun. We then hit up Loehman's. Then I hung out at Terry-a's for a while. They're going to Italia in a few days and Terry has decided to chronicle their gallivants italiano style on her new blog, La Dolce Vita Fowler. I also got word from Saifra that a fellow Virgo, her sister Romaana, has a blog called Yellow Cake No Frosting. Great name, but seriously, no frosting??? Really, no FROSTING??? I respect that, but as a die hard chocolate lover (chocolate butter cream frosting---hubba hubba), it is mind boggling! No but I respect the personal preference. I also wanted to make a public apology to Romaana, who has been a dedicated reader of my blog, that I didn't post her comments. I need to be better about that! So today I'm going to try to catch up on some X-Files and maybe a Netflix movie. I may also go to Century 21. I have a wedding to go to soon, and I'd like a new clutch bag to match my dress. Marcus has joined a soccer league and had a good time. He plays on Sunday nights in the city. I must say I'm sorta diggin' that new Ne-yo song "Miss Independent"...but really bad video! Speaking of diggin' something, Marcus just got a buzzcut and I'm lovin' it! Love the short hair. But I must redirect your attention to a personal guilty pleasure, the "Outrageous" video by Britney Spears featuring and Snoop Dogg. The part I personally enjoy being of course the basketball court scene. C'mon, it's great, isn't it???

Thursday is Here, I Should Be Happy...

The week is almost done; but I dread my last work day this week---Saturday. Because I'll be on ER...and I'm so over it right now. But Sunday I will be brunching in Tribeca with Terry-a at Estancia 460. And Tribeca is one of my favorite places in Manhattan. But my absolute favorite is the East Village. I mean after all, I did go to NYU and lived in the wonderful village for 4 rockin' years. I should be positive though...because I'll have two days off and I can chill out, watch a movie, buy a new alarm clock (my 20 year old one is makin' funny noises), and shop for a potential handbag. Be positive, Michelle, be positive...

Let The Good Times Roll

I finished my last ER overnight shift (for a while, at least)! YES! Even though I have to work Labor Day, have to work 6 days straight, and only have one day off this week, I am trying to be positive. Plus my man is back from Sweden. I was really starting to miss him, so I'm happy. Plus I watched more of my new favorite show---Californication! I highly recommend it. Rent it real quick before the new season starts later this month on Showtime. There's not much catching up to do, so it's an easy watch...again, it's highly recommended. Plus, later this month, my very close friend Anthony is getting married AND later this year another very close friend, Koh, is getting married! I have yet to meet their wives to be and I look forward to it. I was just thinking about how after this year I may have the chance to have a life again...and it's something to look forward to. I want to be back to my old self. I have so much to do: ideas I need to follow through on, "self improvement projects" as I call them, exercise, travel, films to watch, people and pets to spend time with, art projects, cleaning, tattoos to get (I'm considering getting a tat at this place), bad TV to watch....so much I want to do. It's these things that keep me going when times get rough at work. Another very close friend, Jennifer, is in town visiting. She's in medical school down in Grand Cayman. Sadly our schedules didn't vibe and we couldn't meet up and I really want to see her. Hopefully soon, though...in the meantime I keep telling myself to keep truckin' along to get to the end of this internship to become that supervet I really want to be...

When Bad Gets Worse...Then Better Again

I had a bad day...a 14 hour type day where I felt like no matter how I tried, I could not leave the damn hospital. I finally leave, and I'm tired, pissed that I didn't get home an hour earlier, and then I finally reach the parking lot of my building, only to find that someone decided to park their car in my parking spot (an assigned parking spot that we pay for). So I was LIVID to say the least. I go and tell the doorman and I am furious. I proceed to leave a nasty, but profanity-free note on the windshield of the offender's car and the doorman promised to ticket him/her. Because the super is the only one allowed to get cars towed, it wouldn't be towed until morning when he's in the office. So I go up to the apartment and see my little Gustaf, and I am reminded that all is well in the world. I shower, then go check on the car and find that whoever it was left. And hopefully they got the point. I started watching the first two episodes of the Showtime TV show "Californication". I like it so far: sex, drugs, self loathing in L.A., and sarcasm. I stumbled upon this show because it stars David Duchovny, star of the X Files!

Oversleeping and Indulging?

I took today off; for the first time I've had an "extended" weekend (3 days in a row). I really needed it. I ended up oversleeping, which I don't really like to do, but my sleeping buddy Gustaf was all for it. He's such a sweetie! I watched some X Files, too. I really want to catch that National Geographic show called "Locked Up Abroad", but I have yet to find it on. The new season starts Monday September 8th! A favorite of mine is "Kitchen Nightmares" on Fox. Maybe when Marcus and I move back into the boroughs I'll indulge in my ivy league snootiness by joining the Cornell Club. It's exclusive: just for Cornelians, as "we" are called (ha ha),l their family, and associated organizations. Pretty funny, but they do have a restaurant, fitness center, and hotel...ooh and all the Cornell related events! (Wouldn't go to those, though).

Themes on ER

So I've noticed a trend: every night on ER there's a theme! One night it was neurological issues, the other night it was ocular issues, and last night was foreign body ingestion with vomiting....oh ya. Well, last night was a long one, and I'm so happy it's over. Because today is the start of my "weekend". Today my family is coming over. So I have to come up with a quick meal...and I'm so tired, I can't cook, nor do I have any food here...so I'm going to order a basil, tomato sauce, and mozzarella pizza from Joanne's Gourmet Pizza, which is apparently a pretty good pizza shop. Then tonight I may get some grocery shopping done and watch a little X Files.

Le Cube and Upcoming Events

Well, back to overnights I go. Augh. So I tried to sleep in late today. Marcus is going to the motherland---Sweden---today. We're going to miss him. But the funny thing is that with this overnight schedule, we literally don't see each other for 3 days straight sometimes! So he's going to hang out with family and friends in Stockholm and his hometown, Sundsvall. Beautiful country, highly recommend visiting it (in the summer). Anyway, we recently said goodbye to our coffee machine, the Tassimo. We loved it, but it was time to move onto better things when it finally broke down. It was a pod system meaning it made a cup at a time, and it was super easy in terms of clean up. Well now we have the Nespresso Le Cube. Also a pod system, easy cleanup. It's a great machine. Would highly recommend it, but it only makes espresso (no americanos) so if that's an issue for you and you can't deal with straight espressos or cappuccinos, this is not the system for you. Anyway, I'm going to try to watch a little more of X Files Season 1. In a few days me and Stephen are heading back to the crazy Korean day spa, Spa Castle and I am so excited! My parents are also stopping by on Sunday, so that'll be fun. My mom still hasn't seen our new place.

Today's Addendum

Well, I just finished watching the first two episodes ever of the late, great show, the X Files. My goal is to re-watch the entire series over the next year or so. I love this show, the conspiracy, the sarcasm, the aliens, all of it. I named my blog in honor of it. If you've never seen this show, you should! If you need to catch up or need a summary, check this site out (also one of my preferred links on my blog). And the first movie was really good (although not necessary in my opinion). On the other hand, the last, most recent X Files movie, "X Files: I Want to Believe" was so bad that I wanted to walk out. What a mess. Today I also finished watching "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead". Very messed up, but good movie about a robbery gone very wrong. Oh, the photo? That's a photo of me and Seren from her visit yesterday.

24 and 16

I just got up from sleeping 16 hours! That's way too long. I never like sleeping that much. But the reason is because before those 16 hours, I had been awake for 24 hours straight. I got home Sunday morning from overnight ER and then Terry-a, Steve, Seren (their 4 month old), Lauren, and Nick came over to the Island to hang out for a bit. It was great to see them! The food was great: Marcus made a risotto dish, Terry-a made a coffee cake, and Lauren made some yummy brownies. Terry-a told us that she got the recipe from the Barefoot Contessa cooking show, which reminded me of that great Valentine's Day chocolate ganache cake I made based on a recipe from the same cook (see my blog archives for Valentine's day for the recipe!). Terry-a, Steve, and Seren will be going to Northern Italia for a month so Steve can do some research there, Lauren is getting ready to start her new school year (she's an elementary school teacher), and Nick is hard at work rebuilding their house (he is a carpenter extraordinaire). Seren has gotten very big, and we made great progress---she's not crying when I hold her and she's away from her mom! So that was a big step...Steve was inquiring about our carved wooden ibex trophy and I located the website we got it from in case he wanted more information. I brought up the Manwich commercial that always gets stuck in my head, but no one knew what I was talking about. So I've attached the link here to prove this thing exists!

How I Survived My First Overnight on ER

I am so tired...all I have to say is what the @#$@**@#$. Last night was the night of all animals with neurological problems and those who wanted to die. And even a tortoise came in. So how did I do it? Thank the Lord that my friend Gina was there...well she was supposed to leave at midnight, but ended up being so busy she worked 24 hours straight and left after me in the morning...that was pretty horrific for her, but really, I was so happy to have a friendly face to bounce my ideas off of. Now I'm awake again and in a few hours here we go again...augh.

Tornadoes, Billy Joel, Fountains, and Detox

WOAH it's been a LONG time since I blogged. Things have been crazy. Well, I've been busy, busy with work...some days are good, lots of days suck, and yesterday on ER I was tempted to cry. I really hope this time next year I won't feel this way and that the learning curve is a steep one. Anyway, Long Island seems to have crazy weather. A few days ago there was a tornado spotted off the beach, and today there's a tornado warning. Another disturbing factoid/observation about the Island---people here love Billy Joel. YUCK...I guess because he's from the Island himself. I went out and got Gustaf the Petmate Fresh Flow Pet Fountain. I've noticed that he has interest in sinks, and I really want him to drink more water...you may or may not know that male cats are at risk for developing urinary obstructions (hello emergency situation!) so you really need to make sure they're drinking enough water. Anyway, I hope he goes for it. Some cats prefer moving water. But I am also concerned that the fountain itself is making too much noise. Last night, after my sixteen hour workday, I got home and just felt really gross: I hadn't eaten all day, I haven't worked out regularly in weeks...no months, and I've been eating not so well either. I asked Marcus if I've gained weight since entering vet school and he said that indeed I have gained some. (We have an honesty agreement regarding this topic). So even though I fit into all my clothes, I can agree that I feel like I've lost definition, and that I'm feeling a lil' thick all over. So today I decided I needed to really, really try to eat better since I don't have time (for the next year) to work out. I really hate that I can't workout regularly...but absolutely I refuse to become a disguisting sloth!!! That's NOT going to happen!

Happy Updates

Well first thing is that if I have a day off, that's ALWAYS a happy update. Yesterday Stephen came over and hung out. We watched Dr. Phil and it was very entertaining. It was about men who have ridiculous egos, and one guy was a self proclaimed Casanova. Then we tried to go to a local beach until we found out that it costs $15 to park your car there. We then hit up Hummus World, a local spot around here and the falafel was the best I've ever had. I had been a devout Mamoun's Falafel girl, but in terms of taste, damn, this was good. Plus I think my fascination with Mamoun's was that it was open till like 4 A.M., and the prices had never changed since I was in film school. Plus it's literally the size of a closet---literally. Anyway, I just got a call from my sister Caroline, who's in Paris right now. Her long time boyfriend Rob just proposed under the Eiffel Tower and she said yes! How exciting.

City Fun, Sample Sales, and More...

Well, I just had my two days off...two days ago I went to the gym for the first time in a long time, did housecleaning, and watched part of a movie that I'm still in the process of trying to finish. Then yesterday I went to a great sample sale in midtown, met up with Tinita for lunch at the Copper Chimney, then headed over to Terry-a's to hang with her and Serencita. Today was my first (augh) day back at work. But we got out relatively early, so I guess that should be a positive note. Other than that, I just got word that my friend Jennifer, who's currently a medical student, is coming home to the mainland! she's currently attending medical school on Grand Cayman. What else is new...hmm, well I can't wait until my next days off. That's all I have to say!

Day Off, But Not Fully Relaxin'

Well today I ended up having off...I was supposed to cover someone's emergency shift, but they were going to let me know by 2PM today, so I couldn't really do much or make plans since I wasn't sure about that. But I ended up not having to work after all, so I'm happy about that. I just watched Oprah and Jerry Seinfeld's wife was on promoting a cookbook she made for kids. Basically she purees veggies and puts them into all sorts of foods like chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, and even brownies, and they go undetected. Supposedly the food's really good! Last night I saw a strange infomercial like ad on TV, where you can take a pill to be like Kanye West. Very weird. Apparently it was a stunt by Absolut Vodka. Not sure what the deal with that is, but it feels like a little bit of overexposure for Kanye West and really is unwelcome in my opinion!

How Time Flies!

I can't believe how long ago my last blog was, leaving you waiting for more like that! I'm so sorry. Well, life as an intern goes on. I had a seriously crappy night on ER yesterday. But I thought about what I could have done better and looked up some doses for some things and hopefully I've learned from that stressful event. Today I had off, so I checked out Filene's Basement to ease my mind. I did some house cleaning and I need to finish watching this German film called "Nowhere in Africa". It's pretty good. It's an account of a German Jewish family who flee Germany and move to Africa to escape the Nazis. I also got an email from my friend Francis, a Korean veterinarian who I met when he was visiting for a few weeks at Cornell. He emailed me a link of the vet clinic he works at and it's gorgeous! (Click on the little photo thumbnails). I want to work there! Dang, the Koreans have it going on. He also informed me that the spas there are crazy and I need to check it out. Another reason why maybe I need to just go into private practice after this year...I'll have a life and time to vacation! I got my diploma from Cornell in the mail today...I better not misplace it.

More from the New Intern...

Thank God today's over. There's excitement in finally being a veterinarian, but stress because I'm still so new at it. Today I was on day ER and although it was slow, what I did have to do was sad. I euthanized an older dog who likely had cancer. The owner was so nice, and I gladly spent a long time talking to him about his dog, his decision, and the process of euthanasia. I've done two of these, and even though I'm glad I can end pain and suffering, it's really hard for me. I was tearing when I spoke with the man, and when I was actually injecting the euthanasia solution I was crying. I apologized, but he said he was glad that it was me who did it, and I could show emotion. So even in such a sad state of affairs, I'm glad I was able to do something to make this man and his dog's day a little easier. Augh. Luckily, the ER was slow today so I had the time to tend to this client. Other than that, it was the usual stress of not knowing the hospital's protocols on who to talk to, what to bill, and all that great stuff that makes a seriously stressed intern even MORE stressed.

New Intern? No Mercy!

So I just finished my first couple of days on the ER floor technically "shadowing" the more seasoned interns...although that really depends on who you're with, because last night I got thrown into to it pretty good. Although I felt like a deer in headlights trying to make decisions on my own, in the end it was a good thing. Because in less than 2 weeks, there will be no more seasoned interns to follow! So far I've placed a drain in the skin to treat a bite wound and I, along with another intern, sutured the eyelid of a dog shut because his eyeball partially popped out after a dog fight. New experiences! I also saw a guinea pig for a digestive issue and saw a little dog with a draining tract from his rectum to his thigh! So feces was coming out of his thigh! That was horrific. Anyway...I'm tired. Today I'm off, so I'll try to savor it as much as possible...I hope I can hang on for a year of this because honestly I'm already exhausted! Apparently the picture above is from a real life medical intern's blog turned TV show from Japan...maybe that person made so much money from that show she doesn't have to be an intern anymore! Hmm...

Countdown to Reality...

Well, I'm back on the blog today. I just finished three days of "orientation" at my new job, as a veterinary intern at a very high volume referral hospital on "The Island". Needless to say, my emotions are a mixed bag of "what did I get myself into" to "I'm gonna be great!" to "wait I think I can do this" to "hmm...maybe I can still get out of this". Tomorrow is my first day on emergency....augh. I am pretty nervous, but at this point, I must accept my fate, since I can't stop time, right? The good news: my fellow interns seem pretty cool and one of them is a friend from Cornell---Gina. So thank GOD she's there, because it always help to have a friendly face there from the beginning...I don't have to try, I can just "be", you know? Well, I'm savoring my Friday evening here and we've settled into our apartment well. So has Gustaf. So I guess I should quickly review my emergency drug dosages in the event anyone decides to go into cardiac arrest on me tomorrow!

Saturday Afternoon

I'm getting ready to meet Marcus in the village to eat dinner at Otto. I'm very excited. He's been in midtown taking an exam all day to pass the last level of his CFA exams. He's been studying very hard, so it would be great if this is the last of them he ever has to take again! I've started watching Atonement...at first I REALLY was not in the mood, but it's gotten a little interesting, so I'll wait it out. Other than that, I think our vacuum cleaner is on its way out. On Thursday I went with a few of my vet school friends---Diana, Kim, and Mindy--- to a GREAT place in Flushing for yum cha! (Dim Sum). It was absolutely excellent and the mango pudding rivaled the kind I ate when I was in Hong Kong. It was really good to see my friends before we start our new jobs, although by that day, some of them had already started working. Diana informed me that her brother had that Playstation game "Rock Band" and I'm so excited for us to all play it one day!!! I asked if I could be lead singer and everyone was like "ya, go for it, no one else wants to"...AND Diana also informed me of a local karaoke joint...this is gonna be fun...

The Jury Is In

Today I went to Spa Castle in Queens with Stephen and it was great! We were there for about 5 hours...I highly recommend it. First you go to the locker rooms (men and women separate), take a shower, then hang out in the multiple "tubs" with different temperatures...my personal favorite was the hottest one, like 117 degrees or something. What can I say---I like it painfully hot. At that point, I went upstairs and met up with Stephen. We then went to the multiple saunas. My favorite was again, the hottest one, that had some clay or mud going on. There was also the salt one that was sweet. We then went to the massage chairs which were no joke, and finally made our way up to the rooftop for the pools with the massage jets and all. My favorite up there was the disturbingly forceful "waterfall" that drops on you to massage your neck. I had no idea what was coming and Stephen watched me as I got the mother of all splashdowns on my head. I was laughing so hard. Then we went back downstairs, ate some food, chilled out on some chairs and talked, then we left. A great day! I LOVE IT THERE! But I must say you better be comfortable being naked around people---the tubs in the lockeroom areas are a no clothes situation. But we're all adults, so no problem, right? Right.