bird babies

A few months ago at Walmart:

Studoc: "Let's get a hummingbird feeder."

Me:  "Why?"

Studoc:  "It would be fun to watch the hummingbirds eat and fly around out on our balcony."

Me:  "Yeah, but then I'll get stuck having to refill their sugar water all the time.  I've got enough to do taking care of our son."

Studoc:  "I'll refill it.  Plus, (pointing to son) he'd like watching them fly around out there, too."

Me:  (now feeling like if I say no I'd be denying my child a simple pleasure) "Well, okay.  As long as you promise you will be in charge of refilling the sugar water.  They are YOUR bird babies."

Studoc:  "Okay!  You'll see, you'll like watching them, too."

Enter the bird babies

A few weeks later at Walmart:

Studoc:  "Let's get another hummingbird feeder."

Me:  "What?  Why?  We already have one!"

Studoc:  "I have to refill the feeder like every other day.  If we get another one, a bigger one, I won't have to refill as often."

Me:  "I don't want another one.  Especially not a bigger one.  Then we're gonna be those weird people with tons of bird feeders on their apartment balcony."

Studoc:  "It won't be that bad.  Haven't you enjoyed watching the birds?"

Me:  (sigh) "Yes."

Studoc:  "Then let's get another one and we'll have even more birds.  It'll be fun!"

Me:  "Okay, but I seriously draw the line at 2 feeders.  Seriously.  Any more feeders and you'll become the crazy cat lady's male equivalent, only with birds."
Studoc:  (laughs and fully appreciates the Simpsons reference)

Enter the super-sized feeder IN ADDITION to the smaller one

We get so many hummingbirds

For reals

Apparently hummingbirds are quite territorial.  They constantly fight to be king (or queen) of the feeder.

It's normal for us to watch 8-12 birds twittering about out there.
Studoc had fun numbering them in this picture.

View from my "spot" on our couch.  I have to admit, they are fun to watch so closely!

Here is a video of the balcony bird babies and their daily antics.  If you listen closely, you can hear them tweeting.  If you watch closely, you can see flashes of a smaller black dot dash around.  That's the bee that tries to scare the birds away from the feeder.  If you wonder who wins out in a bee/hummingbird showdown, the bee usually does!

Truth be told, I enjoy watching the birds.  And Studoc has stayed true to his word about being in charge of the refills.  I think he likes having other things to do and set his mind to other than med school stuff all the time.  It's good for him.

A few days ago at home:

Studoc:  "Even with the 2 feeders, I have to refill them every 3 days.  We're going out of town for a week soon, and if they run out of food I've read they may not come back."

Me:  "Honey, I really don't think we should buy more feeders.  We've gone out of town before and they came back."

Studoc:  (thinks for a minute) "Then I'll try to fashion another feeder out of Rubbermaid tupperware we're not using."

Me:   "Oh, dear...."

Love Story

Studoc and I met at a church activity at a roller skating rink surrounded by our friends.  While skating in the middle of the rink, a guy friend of mine bet me 3 dollars to ask "that guy sitting down over there" (pointing at Studoc) to skate with me.  I didn't know him, but being the starving college student I was, 3 dollars may as well have been the lottery.  Plus, "that guy over there" was really good-looking .  (Win-win!)  So against all my rules of never "making the first move," I went up to Studoc and asked him to skate with me.  We skated and talked nonstop for the rest of the night about anything and everything.  We just clicked.

The end of the night came, and everyone loitered around outside the rink.  I chatted with my girlfriends to stall and give Studoc time to come up and ask for my number.  What was taking him so long?  We talked all night and he still hasn't asked for my number!  Finally, when girl conversation died out and I felt I did my job to make myself available, I walked across the parking lot towards my car and thought "Well, if he really wants my number, he'll get it somehow."

The moment I reached my car and opened the door, I saw Studoc SPRINTING across the parking lot towards me.  That image is forever burned into my memory.  It was like the end of a cheesy chick flick where the guy has to chase after and catch the girl thereby solidifying the relationship.  I loved it!  He hardcore ran full speed allllll the way to where I was, in front of his teasing guy friends, because he had to get my number and see me again.  (He was too nervous earlier.)  So now our joke is that even though I technically made the first move and asked him to skate, he still had to literally RUN after me.

A year later we got married in the San Diego LDS Temple.  Five years of marriage and one baby later, we still can't get enough of each other...all because of a bet for 3 dollars.  Which I still have yet to receive! :)

~*~*~*~

One important lesson I took home from the story of how we met is that amazing things can happen when and how you least expect it.  I went into that skating rink feeling seriously confused about my dating life, and finding my future husband that night was the absolute last thing I expected.  But everything happens for a reason.  I was where I was supposed to be.

I also relate it to medical school.  If you had told me a few years ago that we'd move to this city in California and be attending medical school, I'd have said you're on crazy pills.  Not that this city isn't beautifully lovely--just completely unexpected.  But everything happens for a reason.  And I take comfort in knowing that right now I am where I am supposed to be.

And that maybe someday I'll collect those well-deserved 3 dollars.

how to date your med student

One of my dear friends Bri recently did a sweet newlywed post about things she and her husband do to continue to date each other.  I've decided to do my own personal version of dating tips amidst med school life.  I'm not pretending to be good at these things all the time, but they are things I make an effort to do because they work for us.

1.  GET YOUR CALENDAR ON:

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I put it on my calendar: DATE NIGHT.  And if I already have an idea of what I'd like to do, I write that down as well.  For some, planning date nights on the calendar may seem mundane and/or unromantic.  But let me tell you....it reminds you both that you need to spend time together and break away from your normal busy living routine.  It also prevents you both from getting separately sucked into the TV, internet, etc, and then at 9:45pm suddenly thinking, "Shoot!  Tonight was supposed to be date night!" <----this has happened to us too many times!  And so I've learned to plan.

2.  DEFINE QUALITY TIME:

We like going to the local library as a family.  My boy just loves books.
And Studoc and I have sparkling conversations about different books and authors as we browse.

What does "quality time" mean to you?  What does it mean to your husband?  With limited time between daily life and studying, it's important to define what quality time means to you as a couple, as it means something different for everybody.  EXAMPLE:  Studoc will watch TV with me sometimes on a study break.  Later, I may complain, "I feel like I haven't gotten to spend time with you today."  He may respond, "But I watched TV with you for a while on my study break...did that not count?"  Well, yes and no.  These days time "together" means anytime Studoc's at home, even if he's locked away studying.  But quality time?  That means something a little more to me.  Don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly appreciate any and every minute he spends with me with his busy schedule.  I just feel it important to make time for activities where you both feel like you've really reconnected.


3.  CALL ERRANDS DATES:

Don't judge moms for letting their kids do this in the toy aisle until you have a kid.
I promise you'll understand! :)

Our situation equation right now is: POOR + NO BABYSITTERS + LIMITED TIME = DATE ERRANDS.  For example, we have Target Date Nights.  We always seem to need something from Target, so we pick up what we need and have a grand old time perusing the aisles together.  We hug each other as we watch our 2 year old have a blast in the toy aisle playing with toys we can't afford.  My point is, it doesn't matter what you do, it just matters who you're with.  And if you label certain errands as "dates" then you both act differently--there is more sweetness in your voices.  More hand-holding.  More stolen kisses.  Even if you're at Target.


4.  GET EXCITED:

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Part of the fun is simply having something to look forward to and getting excited about it.  It also makes me less grumpy about not being able to spend a lot of time with Studoc during the week.  You'll be in your office studying tonight again?  Okay, at least I have date night to look forward to at the end of the week.  And when Friday comes, I'll tell Studoc how excited I am for date time and we talk it up.  I'll text him extra sweet texts during the day, and he'll send some back if he can.  It's great to have something to look forward to.  Even if we end up laying in bed together watching episodes of Chuck on the laptop while eating ice cream. <--- actually one of our favorite things!!

5.  FORGET HOW POOR YOU ARE (once in a while):

Studoc and I are very careful with our money, and we don't go out to eat or spend a lot (as evidenced by my cheap date confessions thus far).  But once in a while, you gotta forget how poor you are and treat yourselves!  Studoc and I recently celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary.  We went to a really nice Brazilian steakhouse while visiting my family in San Diego.  It costs a pretty penny.  But it was definitely worth it to celebrate with all you can eat mouthwatering meat brought to your table constantly on impressive swords.  We will typically go out to eat somewhere or spend money doing something fun after Studoc finishes a bunch of big tests...it's a much-needed, well-deserved reward for us both!

What are some tips or ideas on dating that you have in your relationship?

Study Buddy

When Studoc has tests, I fortunately and unfortunately get to be his personal study buddy.


Fortunately:  

• I spend more time with him!
• I am involved with what he's learning in school and that part of his life.
• I feel warm fuzzy satisfaction knowing I'm able to help him succeed on his tests.
• I create fun study methods for memorization (which I miss since I've been out of school!)

Unfortunately:

• I have precious little interest in the intricacies of science. (I got a BA and not a BS for a reason dude!)
• Never have I seen such a prolific amount of material to know for tests...seeing all that is stressful.
• It takes a ton of time and energy to help study this stuff...the exhaustion can be hard when you still have to take care of a 1 year old and keep your lives at home running during "Before-Test-Med-Student-Checkout."

(I gotta hand it to med students with the burden of studying and the stress they constantly carry!)

Of course, overall I'm so happy to help Studoc study.  My most recent creation to help him memorize a ton of drugs and their categories and subcategories involves the use of cups. (I tried to come up something visual and tactile because Studoc--along with most people--is a visual and kinesthetic learner.)

We had a bunch of leftover plastic cups I used and labelled for the main categories for this drug set.

Each Main Category Red Cup has several Sub-category Clear Cups inside them.

Each Sub-category Clear Cup has many Colored Drug Sticks with drug names on them (and details on the backs of some).  We got the sticks on Amazon for super cheap.

We started out with Studoc placing the Sub-category Clear Cups into their correct Main Category Red Cup to at least get those straight.  The bulk of our time was spent with Studoc placing each Colored Drug Stick in the correct Sub-category Clear Cup and then telling any specifics about the drug.  Not only was this study method more fun than looking at words on pages, but it keeps your attention and is quickly effective because you're doing something.

Unfortunately, you can't do creative study aides like this with all the material...because there's simply too much information and nobody has that kind of time.  I mean, this drug set was just one part of one test!

Thankfully, Studoc has an amazing study buddy who is happy to prepare these supplies once in a while for the stuff he thinks he'll have the most trouble with. :)

Does anyone else have any good study ideas that we can steal utilize for test success?

Doctor's Handwriting

Studoc told me the other day that his medical school professors encourage bad handwriting.

Surprised?  Confused?  Me too.

Apparently, one of Studoc's professors has repeatedly shared her story of when she was beginning her career as a doctor and she had pretty penmanship and a legible signature.  Then one day, a patient of hers forged her nice handwriting and signature to write himself a prescription for 2 pounds of cocaine.  He proceeded to the pharmacy with his prescription to obtain his 2 pounds of cocaine.  Obviously, this flagged suspicion at the pharmacy and he was caught.  (Shocker!)

First of all:  Cocaine???  Really???  Dude, at least write it out for Vicodin or something somewhat believable that they'd actually have at the pharmacy.  I guess I shouldn't expect much from someone wanting cocaine and willing to commit forgery.


Second of all:  2 pounds???  C'mon buddy.  I don't even know what to say.

Professor's moral of the story:  Bad handwriting is harder to forge.  And all this time I just figured doctors were in too much of a hurry to write neatly, or that they probably write so many prescriptions each day that the penmanship simply becomes sloppy.  I'm sure there's some of that in there, too.

This professor actually chastised a student in class for having too neat a signature and told him to change it, and he's not too happy about it.

We typically think of things like signatures as our own very personal marks.  But I guess when it's something critically important to your job and reputation it becomes more business than personal.   I was a bank teller for many years, and we all had to come up with very unique signatures and initials for the hundreds of money matters we approved and signed off on each day.  Having a unique signature and initials meant my job.

Thankfully, Studoc (love you honey!) already has very doctorish handwriting, and a signature that...well, let's just say.....it would be incredibly difficult to forge. :)

Specialty Aptitude Test

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I saw this medical school aptitude test on a couple of other med wife blogs, and thought I'd have my husband take the test.  Copying the blogs I read, I'm bolding the specialties Studoc finds interesting.  Once 3rd and 4th year rotations (test-driving many specialties for several weeks) come around, I'm sure he'll have a clearer picture of what he'd like to go into.

So just for fun, here are his result rankings (and sorry about it being super spaced out...it looked fine when I copied and pasted the scores from the website but it reformatted when I published this post and I'm too lazy to try to fix it...let's just say it's reeeeeeally easy to read now! :)

Rank	Specialty	Score
1	pediatrics	42
2	gastroenterology	42
3	dermatology	42
4	radiation oncology	42
5	anesthesiology	41
6	hematology	41
7	nephrology	41
8	radiology	41
9	thoracic surgery	40
10	aerospace med	40
11	nuclear med	40
12	med oncology	40
13	rheumatology	40
14	emergency med	40
15	ophthalmology	39
16	obstetrics/gynecology	39
17	urology	39
18	plastic surgery	38
19	occupational med	38
20	general internal med	38
21	pulmonology	38
22	infectious disease	37
23	neurosurgery	37
24	colon & rectal surgery	37
25	preventive med	37
26	general surgery	37
27	psychiatry	36
28	physical med & rehabilitation	36
29	orthopaedic surgery	36
30	endocrinology	35
31	cardiology	35
32	allergy & immunology	34
33	pathology	34
34	otolaryngology	34
35	neurology	34
36	family practice	33

I had to Google the specialties I was curious about, because I honestly don't know what half of these are!

And for even MORE fun, I took the test for him and answered the questions according to how I view his personality and where his talents lean.  Here are my/his results (again, with bolding what he's kind of interested in):

Rank	Specialty	Score
1	occupational med	45
2	ophthalmology	45
3	anesthesiology	45
4	dermatology	44
5	rheumatology	44
6	pediatrics	44
7	physical med & rehabilitation	43
8	nephrology	42
9	hematology	42
10	radiation oncology	42
11	colon & rectal surgery	41
12	thoracic surgery	41
13	radiology	41
14	general surgery	40
15	plastic surgery	40
16	otolaryngology	40
17	infectious disease	40
18	gastroenterology	40
19	emergency med	40
20	pathology	39
21	nuclear med	39
22	urology	39
23	obstetrics/gynecology	38
24	endocrinology	38
25	med oncology	38
26	pulmonology	38
27	general internal med	38
28	allergy & immunology	37
29	neurology	37
30	neurosurgery	37
31	aerospace med	37
32	psychiatry	36
33	preventive med	36
34	orthopaedic surgery	36
35	cardiology	34
36	family practice	30

Interesting, huh?  Like I said, we'll have a clearer picture once we're farther into this game, but it's pretty interesting to see how our test results vary.  Apparently, I view him differently than he views himself.  Or we are very different test-takers.  Or both.

Here's the link to the free test in case you want your med student to take it, or if you want to take it for someone for fun, or if you have nothing to do with the medicine world but would like to know what specialty you'd be best at in an alternate universe!

*Does anyone know anything good or bad about any of these specialties and want to share so I can be educated by more than Wikipedia? :)