>Wow! I am amazed at the number of people reading my entries and contacting me! Thanks everyone, I appreciate the sentiments. The e-mail form does not have the new writers listed so if you would like to reach me personally you can do so at mark@manninglee.com. I will try my best to reply quickly but it may be a few days before I get back to you.
Today was a great one. We had an optional review for the Biochem test on Monday. I have found that there is really not much to gain in these sessions so I skipped out to study in the library. We then had two hours worth of Histology lecture on ultra-structure of epithelium tissue and blood cells. I also punted on the regularly scheduled lab time. We have 24 hour a day access to the lab so it is really a situation where you can put in your time whenever you like .The professors are on hand during the regularly scheduled class times to answer any questions you have. Plus they set up some demonstration microscopes with good examples of whatever we are looking for that day. I figured I needed the time for Biochem more so I put in another few hours in the library. The last two days have yielded me some excellent study time and I am trying to figure out how come sometimes I feel like I am really making headway while other days I can just sit and look at the pages and not get anything done. If I could just capture the groove I get in on the quality study days, I feel like I would be much more productive. It kind of reminds me of an article I read years ago. When I was a kid, Hall-of-Fame baseball pitcher Tom Seaver was my hero. I read an interview with him once in a Boy’s Life magazine. In the story Tom Terrific told the writer that he only had his very best stuff 3 or 4 times a season out of 36-38 starts. He said on those days every pitch was working and he had great command. He felt totally in control. But for most of his starts there would be something not quite right. Perhaps his fastball was off a couple of MPH or was not moving. Maybe the slider wasn’t breaking or he was struggling with his control. I remember being taken aback by Tom’s comments. I thought my man was near perfect EVERY time! Well I’ve learned my studying is like that. I just cannot get into that super focused absorb everything mode every time. In fact I only get in “the zone” a few days a month probably. I just need to try to learn to approach that zone a little more often.
A good productive study time allows me to enjoy everything else a little bit more. The weather was awesome here today. Sunny skies with temps in the 70s. I wore shorts and a polo shirt and even when I left school after dark, it was warm enough to ride with the windows down. I love to unwind by driving fast with the windows open and jam to some tunes. I stopped by a Target to pick up a birthday gift for my middle daughter who turns nine tomorrow. She asked for a Gameboy, and even though they’re a little pricey, I got her one, plus a game cartridge of some of the classics of my youth – Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, and Pole Position. I can’t wait to see her face tomorrow. And then to top the day off, when I got home Angie had prepared an awesome dinner of porkchops with rice and gravy. Some people have asked about the difficulties of going to medical school with a family, but in some cases it makes things easier! It sure is nice to come home to a great meal and not have to heat up a chicken pot pie. And when Macey gets her Gameboy tomorrow, she won’t care what grade I make on Monday’s Biochem test … she’ll love me anyway!