first day reflections

I LOVE Dr. Newman. He teaches Optical Theory and Methods... basically, how to be an optometrist. He gives us a bit of Southern Dialect 101. "Tarred: (spells it) the state of bein' rull TY-erd." "Jeet?" "Yajew?" = "Didja eat? Yah, did you?" Josh/Doc Engel, the OD I worked with at Shopko told me he'd be my favorite, and so far, he is.

The first day was basically intro stuff-
Anatomy: review of directional, anatomical terms: anterior/posterior, rostral/caudal, ventral/dorsal, inferior/superior, etc.
Opt. Theory and Methods: structures of the eye, OD / OS, myopia/hyperopia
Optics: blah- light travels at 3.0 x 10^8 m/s/s through a vacuum ... index of refraction. blah.
Physiology: a joke. seriously. he didn't have enough course packets and then only lectured for 30 minutes on nothing, really.
Anatomy Lab: The skull. UGH. But, instead of learning the structures (meatuses, foramina, protuberances, etc- we talked about the sinuses, BUT it used all of the terms without going over it first... then we did lab 2 because we won't have lab next week, which had all of the structures... ah! it just was backwards and frustrating.

BUT 1st day is over!

Tonight we laid low and brought cookies to the guys who saved us in Cordova/Bartlett/Germantown, whatever suburb we were in when my car wouldn't start. They were practicing retinoscopy so we learned it for lab tomorrow. They, the guys, remind me of my buddies Wade and Josh from high school, even though the technically just met. It's awesome.

Well, hopefully I can get to sleep tonight. Last night I went to bed at 10:30 and couldn't fall asleep until after 11:30. Frustrating.

classes start tomorrow...

the weekend was good. omega delta, the social fraternity hosted a bbq along the mississippi for our class yesterday for lunch. then kristin and i ran some errands. i got some pepper spray to put on my key chain, as a precaution- not that i feel unsafe, but just to have in case i need it. then we went to a beauty supply store so kristin could pick up her shampoo and conditioner. it was fun because a lady named Godella was helping us find the right color of Bare Minerals foundation. she was a really sweet southern redhead. then we got groceries and grilled burgers with a few other girls in our class and hung out and watched tv.

this morning i went to St. Peter's church for Mass. it is a GORGEOUS church. the organist was awesome. Father's homily was really invigorating as well. I think I might start going there instead of to St. Mary's. they have a choir that i might join as well. they are meeting in a couple weeks, and i'll just have to see how my school schedule is before knowing for sure. then this afternoon i got things put away and organized again in my room, since getting all of my equipment. i made a cake for kristin's birthday this afternoon and some chicken, broccoli, and wild rice for supper. now, i'm just relaxing a little, watching my show before getting ready for things in the morning: packing lunch, prepping coffee, getting my pack-pack together and getting a good night's rest.

oriented.

well, orientation is over. praise. but, the real stuff begins monday. we got all of our equipment today as well as books. luckily they gave them to us in rolling suitcase bags so it was a little easier to move around.

we were reminded that 1/2 of us will be in the bottom half of the class. it's not undergrad. we have to relearn how to study. we can't forget ANYTHING. we won't get A's. we must keep everything in perspective. keeping the patient in mind when we study. they are the reason we are here, if not, we shouldn't be here. they then told us that we have what it takes. they didn't let the dummies in. only 1% of the US population has doctorates- if it were easy, everyone would have one.

i'm a little tired tonight, not really feeling the greatest so i decided not to meet up with classmates. we have class at 7:45 until 12 and then labs in the afternoon. starting monday. we'll see how it goes!

My equipment: textbooks, blood pressure cuff, stethascope, retinascope, ophthalmascope, various lights, lenses, occluders, charts, trial lens frame, stereovision glasses and many many other things.

All of my lenses to do many, many refractions. It sits in the bottom of the brief/suitcase and the rest of the equipment folds up to expose them. The lenses sit in this frame. And this is mee, exhausted.

missing my Husker loves...

I'm a little jealous that all my friends are moving in and getting ready to start school in Lincoln tomorrow. Calleen, Tia, Amanda, Lauren, Emily are finishing up undergrad. Mary, Jillian, Audrey, Molly, Sarah, and Rachel are starting grad school. They are in a familiar place (mostly, except for Rach & Sarah) in familiar-ish programs surrounded by their support systems, although slightly altered. I miss you all, Huskers!

So, Huskers, as you start your years, I pray that you enjoy them, live it up, and take full advantage of all Lincoln has to offer, study hard and COME VISIT!!!

total God thing

While I know God is responsible for all things, there are some things that are completely "God things." I find it semi- annoying when people overuse it, but tonight cannot be described any other way.

Some 30ish classmates met up at TGI Friday's in Germantown- a suburb of Memphis, about 30 minutes via interstate for dinner/drinks. Germantown is classic suburbia- complete with a sweet mall, Walmart, Lowes, Costco and all things suburban. I thought that I'd drive so that I could get gas, because, let's face it, it's a little sketch getting gas when the station attendant is behind bullet-proof glass. which is the case in some parts between my apt. and school. As we were eating, my meal get left on the window and so after about 10 minutes I asked the waiter where my food was... 10 minutes after, I got a "new" plate. I'm not really sure if it was new or not, but beside the point of the story... I ended up eating for free, because, let's face it watching people, strangers really, eat and then having them watch you eat is quite uncomfortable.

Anyway, after supper we were standing/sitting talking about hanging out and one of the guys was going to have "Pre-game" at his place before going to Beale. I'm over Beale, but thought it would be fun to hang out with class mates.. They left, but 2 other guys from the same complex offered to let us follow them into the complex. I told them that I wanted to get gas before heading back to Mud Island. So I filled up- leaving the radio on for the girls as I filled up... I get back in, and the car will not start. I have lights. I have windows. I have radio. Will. Not. Start. Dang. So the guys are getting ready to get back on the highway and notice that we aren't following. We told them what's up and they determine it's likely the battery. Great. But, they jumped me and we made it home just fine. They could have left with the rest of the group. They could have said, "Oh, you're stopping? We'll meet you there!" But they didn't. Praise God. Blessings to Cal and Tyler.

pictures

"Book" shelf-- more like a display shelf. This sits on the right hand side of my room as you walk in the door. The following pictures essentially work their way counter-clockwise around the room. The room is likely to change configurations at some point, so you'll have to come visit if you want to see how it changed. Seriously.

My bed.

HUGE window... the camera apparently didn't like the light coming in.

Desk. Where all the work happens.

Closet. Door Closed. Fantasy... Reality below. I really wish it had sliding doors.

Closet. Door. Open. It goes approx. a foot or two on either side of the door and no space between the stuff on the racks and either wall (shoulder to shoulder on the hangers). I don't think another thing will fit in this itty bitty little space.

Dresser (repainted and hardwared)

The dining room table/chairs as well as a look into the kitchen... The huge box is now at the dumpster... Quite the load for a small one, like me. : P Also, you may/may not be able to tell that we have a nifty ceiling... recessed isn't the right word, but the right word isn't coming. Raspberry jellied toast and french roast/pressed coffee with a splash of hazelnut creamer for breakfest. yumm-o.

One side of the living room...

Our Patio, where our friends, the wasps, live.

Picture of the fireplace on the other side of the living room.

The kitchen is in need of organizing, but it is a standard kitchen. Since it was messy, I didn't take any pictures of it. Sometime soon, I hope to take pictures of the island itself, some of the houses are exquisite....

Finally feeling settled in

Today I made myself put things away in my room. It actually looks like someone can function in here now. Tomorrow we'll have to tackle the kitchen, getting it stocked and organized as well. Then, we'll be ready to rock and roll.

We went out Saturday night for more BBQ at Rendevous. I had the beef brisket because I had had ribs two nights before. Apparently Memphis style BBQ is dry BBQ, meaning, they don't cook it in the sauce, but just rub on all the seasonings and let it cook. The meat doesn't fall off the bone like it does with other types, but it soooo flavorful and yummy. Then, later that night we went to the apartment of two of our classmates and hung out there for a while before heading out to Beale street to the bars. It wasn't as outrageous as I thought it would be. It was pretty much like O street, except the street itself is closed and the racial composition is flipped, but hey- it's the south. I wasn't going to go to for BBQ or to the Sara/h's or to Beale, because I was so overwhelmed but I forced myself to. and am glad I did.

Sunday I went to Mass with a girl I know who went to UNL with me. She introduced me to a third year from O'Neill who was also at Mass. Huskers represent down here, I tell ya. I also met a second year from Norfolk Saturday night. It's starting to feel a little smaller, like it did when I moved to Lincoln 4 years ago.

We also go our internet and cable figured out. They are supposed to come on Thursday to get everything hooked up. It's been pretty quiet around here without tv noise. But good- a welcome change.

I've been telling myself that I need to go to bed earlier so that I can get rest and ready to get up for school in the morning once it starts, so that's all for now.