9.13.2009

This post is boring

Saturday doesn't count. It can't. I went to the lake - one cannot be held accountable for things that happen (or do not happen, for that matter) at the lake. Somewhere — in that vast pool of water that spans as far as the eye can see — there is a whirlpool that sucks all the knowledge and desire for knowledge into a deep, very intelligent, aquatic chasm. A lengthy way of saying it is nearly impossible to get anything done while sitting at the lake.

Today, however, I studied. I went to the library and made a legitimate attempt at learning. I put amino acids down on cards, pretended to do some problems (but really just let the back of the book guide me through the answers — which inevitably screws me on a test) and talked to Hamilton about the electrician's report on his new house. Trust me, that last part is very necessary in biochemistry.

Do you think people who haven't gone to, or registered for college get the "101" reference? I've seen it a lot today "church growth 101," "downtown artists 101," and I am afraid there is a large portion of the population who have know idea what 101 means. Just another case for making education more accessible.

#1 distraction today: sleep. It's so great. As a person who is deftly skilled in the art of sleep, I hone my skills whenever possible. I took an impressive nap. Some people consider napping and sleeping in to be a waste of time, but really, if I could do one thing for the rest of my life it would be sleep. So really I am just doing something I love.

To end this disjointed post: a recipe (dinner tonight).

Cream sauce
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup grated parm
stick of butter
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dry basil (probably about 1/2 tsp)
nutmeg

Mix it in a saucepan, don't let it boil. Use your favorite pasta (bowtie, in my case).

Notes: use less cream cheese, fresh parm and just add nutmeg to individual bowls - but it really kicks off the flavor.

9.12.2009

What I should be doing

I'm in school and it's hard. I am frequently told for every 1 hour of time in class I should spend a minimum of 3 hours outside of classes in preparation.

This is simply not possible.

People might disagree, but they shouldn't. Anyone who says they actually study that much is either dreadfully boring or a much better person than I. So, obviously the former. I am much more of the mind that studying for a solid 20 or 30 hours leading right up to test time is more effective (this theory is still being tested with varying results).

So I am going to take advantage of my lack of focus. I will not feel guilt, or wallow in self-pity while my classmates (a.k.a. the people getting into medical school instead of me) bury their brown-noses in a book and try to stay afloat in the cesspool of biochemistry.

I am going to blog about it.

I am going to contribute a few weeks to noticing what it is that I am doing instead of what I should be doing. This is an exercise akin to writing down all one's purchases and identifying the trivialities of spending (yet another goal that is completely unachievable by people of reason).

I should be making out the rest of my amino acid flash cards...instead I am writing this. Day 1.