Bike to Work Day

HAPPY BIKE TO WORK DAY!!

Where Has the Year Gone?

It is hard to believe that a year ago today, 27 strangers met in Jacksonville, FL and set out on an adventure of a life time.

Before we left Monterey, I left a message for next years riders (SUS 2013).  Sadly the van and trailer we used were sold so all we have left is this picture.

So here's to the newest members of SUS.  May you have enough:

• Tubes to get you across the country
• Headwinds and hills to make you cherish 7% downhill grades
• Laughter to get you through those flats and hills and headwinds and humidity
• Sunscreen to keep your skin from burning in the hot Southern heat
• Blue and cliff bars to get you to lunch, and second lunch and dinner
• Time to stop and smell the roses (seriously stop at all the random places along the way)

But above all, may you enjoy the company of your fellow riders and learn from those you meet along the way. 

  
In honor of tomorrow's Adult Health I final, which may or may not be worth 40% of our grade and cover more information than I would like to speak of ... 

I will see you all on the other side!

Monday Gosling Meme

Visit to Poe's House

Today I headed out to visit Edgar Allan Poe's house.  Sadly the museum inside the house has been closed to the public, so I really just did a drive by of the boarded up row house.  The home was set for demolition for a public housing project in the 1930s, but was saved because of historical purposes (it was officially listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1972).  It was while he was living in this house he wrote and published The Raven (yes this is where the football team's name comes from).

Four years later Poe died mysteriously at Washington College Hospital which is just down the road from Hopkins medical campus.  There is tons of possibilities some of the favorites include alcoholism, murder plot theory, suicide related to depression an overdose from a tranquilizer/pain killer.  Sadly the world will never know because his death certificate was lost.  You can visit his his grave at Westminster Hall (that is an adventure for another day). 

OR Day!

Every student during Adult Health 1 is given a day in the OR to see what the circulator nurse and scrub person do.  After getting all gowned up in fancy green scrubs, I set of for OR 12.  The first procedure was a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (i.e. gallbladder removal) so I got to see everything on one of the screens.  The second was an inguinal hernia.  Because the incision was so small and there was the surgeon, resident and med student I was given a stool and able to peak over the drape which was nice; if not I would have been staring at heads for quite some time. 

While I can say the day was interesting, I do not think I will end up working in an OR after graduation. 

"The well should take care of the sick."

So as you know the past few days have been a part of a mental health week for me.  The final "event" of the week was to drive in to DC to hear Paul Farmer speak.  Every time he has spoken at an event somewhat near where I am living, I  seem to be out of town or buried under a massive pile of school work.  When I first got the email about tonight's appearance I decided I would get there come hell or high water.

After my research presentation I hopped in the car to do battle with rush hour traffic and pouring rain to get myself to the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.  It was funny, when I mentioned where I was going people either were super excited/jealous or had never heard of him. 

One of the main reasons for the event was to discuss his new book, To Repair the World, which is a collection of his past speeches.  It is called a must read book for students and young professionals looking to make a lasting impact.  I have not picked up a copy of the book, but hope to be able to read it over the Memorial Day long weekend. 

There were two things that stuck out from the evening's conversation:

1)  Serendipity:  Much of life happens because of serendipitous moments.  New opportunities come up and you should take advantage of them because you may find your new passion and/or a way to get to your end goal. 

2)  If you are not challenged and do not have to struggle along the way, you will probably wake up and regret the direction your life took.  At the same time there are just some days where you need to take a time out and let yourself have some "me time" ... it will keep you sane.