Wednesday, April 17, 2013

"Are You Ready, Are You Excited?"

These are the two questions I've heard repeatedly for the last 2 weeks and up until now they have just made me want to scream, "NO, I have a list of about 1400 things that still need to be done and right now I'm just exhausted and daunted."   Somehow in the last 36 hours I've actually started to realax.  I know part of it is because I've had awesome help from friends.  I can't tell if we are through the storm or if we are just in the eye.  My loving husband to be has become a full fledged and embraced the fact that he is a groomzilla.
 So in between creating detailed notes for our posse so they know what they are doing I have to keep reminding him that he won't be there to make sure it is done correctly.  We'll be taking pictures :-).   Meanwhile my wedding has become a full fledged family event.  So I knew they were going to have a celebration for my Aunt's 80th birthday the afternoon of the day after the wedding.  But what I was not expecting that my informal Sunday brunch to become the formal celebration for her birth.  I also get company when getting my nails done, but not for the bride to be, to celebrate my cousin's birthday.  So now members of my family are now talking about how great it is to be there to celebrate everyone else and I'm thinking. . . Is it wrong to think my wedding weekend should be about my future husband and me?   Alright back to washing dishes and getting ready for the weekend.  So am I ready and I excited. . . I'm starting to be.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Unforeseen Wedding Crazies and Match Day Results

So,  I see myself as a pretty low key non-stressy bride.   I intend not to be a Bridezilla and have made it so those participating in my wedding have max flexibility.  For example,  I'm not choosing dresses for my party but allowing them to chose their own within a certain color spectrum.  So far my fiance has been way more of a Groomzilla with demands that no sneakers be worn and that certain members of the party should wear hats, and freaking out when little things don't come together.

However, there is something about weddings that make people lose their sense of agency and need to ask the bride about every little thing.  I've been asked everything from what shoes (which I think is reasonable) to how to wrap our wedding present (which is not).   It's like we are Ta'veren and everyone is just waiting for our approval.  More frustrating is the lack (possibly American lack as I've talked to others before) of ability to look things up.  Though the website is chock full of info and we've sent out numerous emails & google docs with information people still ask me.  Even though I've clearly said in other emails that I don't have this information, people still ask me.
 Apparently I was looking so defeated today that everyone seemed to feel the need to console me and tell me not to worry.  All of our service people have been super excited and we're crossing fingers for no rain next Saturday.

Of Match Day I will be heading down to wonderful Asheville, NC to join the Mountain Area Health Education Center MAHEC.  That's right I get to be warm have a beautiful view, southern hospitality, in a hippie liberal refuge. That's right it's NC version of Austin or Yellow Springs on steroids.  :-)  Here's a shot before we found out where were going.
Now we're heading to Shadowbox for a combined Bachelor Bachelorette-esque party.  Can't wait to chill out and have some fun. On other news I gave a successful talk on White Privilege to FreeThought thanks to TWIB NET. Shout out to the chatroom and all my wonderful friends who are helping me remain sane by tying ribbons and gluing corks.  ONE WEEK LEFT.

Thursday, February 07, 2013

3, 2, 1 AHHHHHhhhhhhh

So I'm at O'Hare airport on my way to Kansas City for AAFP's cluster, and I stil can't get myself to focus enough to completely read through last year's report.  So apparently I'm blogging

For the last couple weeks I've been having fun saying , "In 4 months I'm graduating, 3 months getting married, 2 months Matching, and going to  Swaziland in 1 month.  Then it all crashed down.  Wait no, not 4 months, 3.  I'm going to Swaziland next month (which is a whole other discussion) . . Ahhh wait no I did again.  I'm going to Swaziland next week.  Actually this time next week I'll be landing in Johannesburg.  So with the realization I'll be basically out of touch with everyone for a month I've been trying to get things squared away.  Like emailing the entire family to RSVP for the wedding since for some reason most of my family didn't.  This is especially important since we have an A, B and C list and people keep wanting to bring guests.  120 people can come to the wedding.  That is it we are against fire codes here people. 

To add to the craziness I have to make sure my schedule is finalized. Work on my talent show entry (since I am the reining champion for the last 3 years).  Make sure my research FINALLY gets through IRB so I can graduate. And oh yeah at some point I should pack for leaving the country.  But wait there are some wedding things that I need to tend to before I go.  And I have to turn in my badge for my Women's Health elective and, and and . . . . 

At least my Rank list is done.

I'm pretty sure I don't look as crazed as I feel since Airport Security haven't dragged me away yet.  Okay.  I'm going to get back to actually preparing for the thing happening later today.  Fingers crossed there are no more delays. 

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Wedding in less than 3 months!!


 So my wonderfully DIY wedding seems to becoming less and less so by the week.  So first we were going to do a DIY photobooth.  Then my great friend Jared found me an amazing photographer for a very reasonable price so we had it in the budget to just rent a booth.   Now the dessert buffet that we were going to have Stephan's Dad make for us.  But he said he's not going to be able to take the time off and is willing to just pay for us to have a local Baker make the desserts using our recipes.  On the up side we are still mostly local, and of course there is the center pieces etc that are all DIY as well.   Finalized my wedding hair style today :-) Which will be a slightly messier version of this.  Now I just have to figure out my make-up and underwear and I will be all ready for the wedding . . . well ready look wise.  I still have to do favors and a bunch of other stuff as well.

Meanwhile on the Residency front Stephan and I are going to sit down and figure out what we are putting first 2nd and third tomorrow.  And enter the RANK LIST.  I have my fabulous Excel spreadsheet and residency rater app to help.  Which has me down to a top 3, but figuring out after that may be harder.  Hopefully I'll get it done.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Why I'm Pro Choice


I was raised to be pro choice, literally.  My father is a medical doctor who was trained during the pre- roe v. wade era.  He saw first hand the effect that lack of legal and safe abortion had.  I remember him coming home from work one day and stating how important it is that it is legal and safe because otherwise women die.   Remember the scene from Dirty Dancing when Penny is crying on the bed and Baby runs to get the doctor?  My Dad was that doctor in a rural part of Kentucky for many years.  I heard stories about the bleeding, the hangers, and the self sterilization that occurs when abortion is not safe and legal or even when women are just too afraid to seek it due to the stigma. My family is Christian and I was raised that sex before marriage was a bad choice.  In my family you lived with your poor choices, because choices had consequences.  Because of this much of my youth I was personally pro-life.  But because of the teachings of my father I was always politically pro-choice.  Who was I to tell someone else what to do.

As I grew older I learned how many children were stuck in the foster system, how many American children go unadopted every year.  I started to understand that there are good and bad times in life to have children, and talked to friends who had abortions.  Through my young adulthood I became personally and politically pro-choice.  These convictions were solidified as I worked in Reproductive Health throughout my time in Peace Corps Namibia, America Service Corps in India, and my Masters in Public Health in the US.  All over the world and here girls and boys, women and men are given incorrect and half information about their sexual health.  Reproductive health in all it's aspects became one of my passions.

Now as a future (in 4 months) physician being trained in Family Medicine I am seeking training to become an abortion/termination provider.   I love to have prenatal visits and deliver babies.  I also love to educate about contraception.  As a family physician I look forward to being able to take care of women and families throughout the different stages.  To me providing comprehensive care means being able to provide most all of the clinic services my patients need.  As a family practice doctor providing safe legal abortions I know I will be living up to the lessons my father taught me as a child and saving women's lives and futures.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Finished Interviewing and Small Wedding Rant

So I finished interviewing. . . HOORAY.   I had Wright State today and Lancaster on Monday.  My Rank list is going to be difficult.  What's more. . . taxing is all of the kiss up letters - AKA - stay in contact letters I'm going to have to write.  I know my number one (wouldn't you like to know :-p)  but the rest of my list is totally up for grabs.

As for wedding stuff.  There are some details that still left to be in done: Hair, Mehndi, Chuppah, Make-Up still all need to be decided and defined.  Oh How I wish People would RSVP !!!  More than 1/2 the list hasn't yet, and the ones who have want to bring other people.  It's like. . . uhmmmm where are they going to sit?  We are literally against fire codes here.  120  that is all.  But here's the real rant.  When looking up garters for larger thighs why do they always show skinny little thighs in the picture?  I asked for plus size.  Seeing this woman whose thigh is as large as my calf doesn't help me determine if this will fit on my large thighs.  A very poor selling point and just darn annoying.  Yes I know my thighs are large, don't keep rubbing it in!!!

Alright.  Back to writing thank you emails.  They say 4th year is fun. . . I'll let you know when it starts.