It's been a while. In fact, with the exception of the recent music collab article I worked on with San Cho, it has been two months to the day since my last post. Hmm. Even I am surprised it has been that long.
-I have had every intention of writing a number of blogs in that time. I have quite a few even started, festering in some state of composition. For some reason, they just never grew to fruition. I found myself bored with them, or bored with writing, or bored with JoeUser (which has been the case most times I have come to visit). Perhaps some day they will reach maturity.
-Speaking of writing blogs, I have decided that Google Documents is the blogger's friend. It works great as a place to compose, edit, and save my blogs. I have access to them on any computer that is connected to the internet, regardless of OS (as long as you have replaced that damnable excuse for a browser, Safari, with something decent like Firefox). I can edit at any time. And I can share with others. It made that collab article with San Cho much easier than in the past, where we email paragraphs back and forth. Being able to export to just about any format is great as well. I look forward to them adding presentation capabilities in addition to the docs and spreadsheets.
-Well, it is official. Actually, it has been official for a month now. I am no longer an Intern, I am now a Resident. It might no seem like that much of a difference, but just knowing that there are those who are "younger" than you is huge. After working with a Family Practice Intern, I am amazed at how much I learned last year. Things that just seem like second nature to me are new and overwhelming to here. Nice to know I made some progress.
-I am actually down in Concord now. I live across the street from the hospital in a Retirement Home. Yep, hanging with the seniors. I only get to see the family on weekends, but at least I still get to see them. The best part about it is I am operating a ton. The attendings here are great, and are letting me do pretty much the entire cases on some of the cases now. Though I have a long way to go, I am starting to feel like a surgeon. It rocks.
-Just got back from Utah. It was my first trip back since Thanksgiving of 2004. My wife and kids have been back since, but I was unable to make the trips. It was good to see family. Some things have changed, some have remained just the same. I forgot how majestic the mountains of the Wasatch Front are. But I also forgot just how brown, barren and wasted so much of Utah looks. I missed the abundance of trees I have grown used to after 5 years on the east coast.
-2007 has been a pretty amazing year for music thus far. Most interestingly, with the exception of Rush's album Snakes and Arrows, the albums that have really blown my mind have been surprises. Neurosis blindisded me with their monstrous masterpiece Given to the Rising, Nahemah have recently won me over with their album The Second Philosophy, and after being disappointed with Porcupine Tree's previous release Deadwing, I was have pleasantly fallen in love with Fear of a Blank Planet.
-Some big games on the XBox front are on their way. I am, of course, looking forward to Halo 3 like so many other gaming sheeple out there. But even more exciting, I think, is the impending release of Bioware's next offering, Mass Effect. I love Knights of the Old Republic, found Jade Empire to be quite enjoyable, and since finishing them as well as KotOR II and Fable: The Lost Chapters, have really been jonesing for a good RPG. Sadly, there is a dearth of RPGs for the 360. Hopefully Mass Effect won't be the last we see for a while.
-Well, it has been good to write. Perhaps this can convince me to finish those other articles off. Sorry I haven't been commenting much, but since I have no internet at home, I am doing this in spare time between cases (slow OR morning today). I have been reading my favorites here, though. I will do better at dropping at least a wave.