The Cold

Sometimes you end up conquering things you didn't even realize you were conquering. The last few weeks have been a joyride. Adventuring all over Argentina, being amazed by Patagonia, its wildlife, its belligerent yet beautiful mountains, the gigantism of Glacier Perito Moreno. Never before on a trip have I been left speechless so many times. Patagonia is absolutely positively one of the coolest places I've ever visited. I'm in awe. Magellan Penguins, Southern Right Whales, Guanacos, Darwin's Rheas, mountains, glaciers, vast nothingness-it has it all. It's the world's real life Disneyland. It was warm, mostly windy, and sometimes terrifyingly cold. I felt on top of the world, like I was about to die, and as warn out and energized as I've felt in my life. It took a week of enjoying Buenos Aires to recover. Poor me. Ha!

This weekend I had another adventure: Yosemite. Curry Village has a deal: if it's below 32 degress, your tent cabin is free. Lucky us, it was definitely below freezing last night. I learned to cross-country ski on Saturday-Abbey is a great teacher. Today we went snowshoeing for the first time, on a ranger-led snowshoe hike, we hiked up to a vista where we could see the entire Yosemite backcountry.  Wilderness always surprises and never disappoints....

I used to be terrified of the cold, heck I still am. But Boston taught me that I could survive the cold, Fitz Roy taught me to respect the cold, Perito Moreno showed me the brilliance and beauty of the cold, and now Yosemite is teaching me how to enjoy the cold. Without realizing it, I'm conquering the cold. Or you could say that  the cold is overcoming my former intense dislike, and winning me over with its beauty, ferocity, and playfulness.

Studying and the Dish

We learned a lot this quarter, renal physiology, the gastrointestinal system, a ton of microbes and parasites, skin diseases, endocrine disorders, reproductive health. Too much for me to cram in a week. I've been doing my part all quarter, consistently absorbing and learning the material. We have an "integrated" final exam this Friday. Most of you probably picture me sitting in a small room with glaring lights all day with a pile of books by my side. Sure I could sit in the library all day, plowing through all my books, losing my concentration left and right, spending more money on snacks and beverages than I should, falling asleep at the desk. I could study that way. With our cumulative exams, I take a different approach, and listen to review lectures that are interesting, make me think and cover all the essential material. If I just listened to the lectures while comfortably sitting down, I would be asleep in 5 minutes, so instead I listen while walking. Usually while walking the Dish! So instead, picture me with a smile on my face, listening to lecture reviews, while spotting a stellar jay along the trail, catching up on loop diuretics while taking in a view of the entire peninsula. A perfect blend of studying, exercising, and enjoying a beautiful day. A win-win-win. I'm actually enjoying this! Nailing the practice exams feels good too.

Seasons

Living in Northern California the last 3 and half years, I've finally come to appreciate seasons. SoCal really never felt like 4 different seasons, Boston's winter was so scarring that I declared winter my arch nemesis. But here, in Menlo Park, I actually look forward to the rain, the change of leaves, the expected rainbow in the afternoon after a rainy day. I like that I hold my tea close and snuggle up under my blanket. I look forward to the verdent spring, green Stanford hills, and bright orange poppies filling the fields. Different seasons bring about different daily habits, different emotions, different wardrobes, and different meals. The selections at the Farmers Market has changed from summer squash to winter squash, from strawberries and peaches to sweet potatoes and root vegetables. I not only enjoy the seasonal change, but in a way I even look forward to it. I wouldn't even mind a little snow now and again, though I could do withouth the great Northeastern Blizzards I endured. Seasons are fun, in their own, unique way. With that said, I'll be spending Christmas at the beach. :)

Holidays and the BCC

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are probably my favorite weeks of the year. I had the priveledge of attending my 4th UCSF Breast Care Center Holiday party tonight. As eventful, festive and fun as always. The Intern skit was once again phenomenal, poking fun at the idiosyncrasies and hysterics that make up the BCC. I absolutely love being able to see old friends and colleagues, hear they are well, and what they are up to now. The BCC really was a work-home, very different than anything I've experience in medical school, and an environment I will really strive to find in the future. I really miss being part of a team working towards a goal, in med school you're constantly floating through teams, never a full fledged member yourself.  It was my first full-time job, where I fell in love with medicine, and realized that work doesn't have to just be work, it can be a passion, a calling, and something you do with friends and colleagues, not just coworkers, something that is fun, creative, and worth your while, What a terrific reminder about what the holidays, and life in general, are all about. Also a good kick in the butt reminder of why I'm doing all this studying now, with finals 6 days from now, its the extra uumf I needed!