So...
I saw The Police at HSBC last night. (as my dad said, better than seeing them at the station. ha-ha-ha). They were awesome.
It was a great birthday present in and of itself- but then on top of it, we were in a suite, and even a GIANT limo. And started with dinner at Papaya.
Unfortunately I was on call and had to work in the AM, so that put a damper on the drinking, but still.

The Police were my first "favorite band". I think I was in 4th grade when I heard Message In a Bottle, and I went out and bought Synchronicity (on tape). The went back and got a couple of their earlier albums. So I got in on it at the tail end (they disbanded in 84), but you can't really blame me, since I was 8.

So this tour is a pretty big deal. They went on tour in '07, as a 30th anniversary reunion thing. They hadn't played together in 24 years. They said last night the last time they played Buffalo was 1978. (though someone said that's wrong, they were here in 84. I dunno.)

But in any case, I think it's fair to say they're a pretty influential band in music history. I think I would equate seeing this concert with seeing maybe the Stones (except it's actually easier to see the Stones since they still play sometimes).

So I was just surprised when I mentioned at work, and no one seemed even vaguely interested. Who knows... maybe they're too old? But really... who doesn't still start singing "Roxanne" every time it comes on at a bar?!

But, who cares what they think. It was a great show. They only played a couple songs I didn't know. Sting still has a great voice, and Stewart Copeland, the drummer, is amazing.

So... happy birthday to me. It was great. :)

• just to clarify- the limo was not on my behalf. The guy whose suite it is apparently gets limos often- whenever there's a big group and drinking is involved. I (and about 15 other people) just happened to luck out.

Unfortunately it was tough to get decent pix on my phone, but...


Our ridiculous limo


Elvis Costello


The Police

So... I'm at work. There hasn't been all that much for me to do today- but there's a case that's supposed to go at 5pm. Which has already been delayed til 6. I won't be surprised if it doesn't go til 9. But in any case, I've been sitting around all day killing time.
Went to a retirement lunch for one of my fave docs... had to fight back tears b/c I'm a huge sap... (but he's so great. I'll miss him).
[I do love all the people that come out of the woodwork for free food. All the housekeeping etc staff, that you can't find when you need them, is suddenly there for lunch today.... The food was almost gone before Dr. B even got there. ugh.]

Other than that, I've been killing time, doing a few little things, touching base with the interns, etc.

Really what I want to do is take a freaking nap for an hour before this case, but sadly there's no place to do that, and I don't really want to be zonked out in the middle of the lobby or something.

So I came to "my" office (an abandoned desk in the back of the secretaries' office) and have just been dicking around on the computer. Waiting for everyone to leave, and then maybe I can turn the lights off and put my head on the desk for a little snoozle.

But I got a page... ugh... annoying... so I answered it. I didn't think I was particularly nice, but I answered her questions etc. But, I didn't really know as much as I could about the patient, so I didn't know everything she wanted to know. So I was not especially impressed with my performance. Also, I hate talking on the phone back here, b/c I feel like it disturbs the other people working.

But after I hung up, this voice piped up "alex?" "yeah?" "have you picked your specialty?" and I said "yes, hand" and she said "oh, that's too bad."

And then went on to say "b/c I hear you talk to people, and I always think that YOU are exactly who I would like to take care of me."

Then she went on to try to convince herself that she has a trigger finger and needs a hand surgeon. ;)

But anyway... I know I'm obnoxiously bragging here, but that kind of stuff makes me feel good. A lot of docs are assholes... And I try not to be... Being the smartest or the fastest or whatever is impressive and nice and all that- but I think even better than that is to be the kind of doctor that people WANT to see.

So, yay.

Oh- and to totally pull a 180 and be a major bitch for a minute-
Who plans their wedding for 12/26?! One of the other residents has, and it's pissing me off. B/c now she conveniently "has" to be the only one to get the holidays off. Usually we fight it out, and end up flipping a coin or something. but this year she's like "nope, I get it. b/c of my wedding." [she misses NO opportunity to tell you: that she's engaged, about her wedding, about her fiance, about her [freaking hideous] ring.]

So aside from the fact that she's pretty much screwing everyone she works with by making us all have to work thanksgiving/christmas/new year's to accommodate her- it seems like she's also screwing her guests. I mean what are they supposed to do- cut christmas with their families short so that they can get on a plane and travel on christmas day to go to her wedding? (and yes, she does celebrate xmas so that's not it.)

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but it just strikes me as very selfish and attention-seeking.

Ok, here (maybe?) is the caterpillar song.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

Wow.... I have not updated my user song in a long time. It was on Sufjan Stevens xmas music.

But now I have! Listen to this song while you read. I lurve it.
Caterpillar Caterpillar, by Kira Wiley. The only decent song on some free sampler I got.

• can anyone here the new song? I keep getting sufjan. Paul- are user songs broken?****

So....

What's new around here.

Well... I just got back from Charlottesville, VA. My last interview! I'm done! Woohoo!!

UVA is a really really gorgeous campus. Thomas Jefferson designed the whole thing. They have Edgar Allen Poe's room preserved and on display.

Charlottesville is pretty, too. Nice weather, lots of flowers out...
And more good looking preppy white kids than I have EVER seen in one place. (and no one else). Not sure if that's a good thing.

And I saw my preggo sister. Who has red hair, which was a bit of a shock. But I guess that's what happens when I don't see her for >6mo.

So, now just to decide where I want to go.

I think UVA and Portland are my top 2. But I change my mind every 5 minutes, so I don't know. I have a feeling I'm going to end up flipping coins. It would be nice to be near my sister, and stay on the east coast. And I like the program there. And it's warm. But... portland was really cool. But it's far away. I loved the program in Hartford... but don't really want to live in Hartford.
And then there's the option of staying here... And I'm torn... part of me is ready for a change... but I also hate moving and saying goodbye- it would sure be EASY to just stay. By the time I finish my residency, I will have lived here longer than I've lived anywhere besides RI. Crazy!! And Yale is in the mix too... Oy.

But at least I *have* choices, so I really shouldn't complain.

My rank list is due 5/7, and I then it's up to the computer... I find out on 5/21.

Oh, and everyone keeps asking me where I'm from, and telling me I have some crazy midwestern accent. Someone guess I was from North Dakota. WTF?! I don't like that at all.

Ok, I finally found the original email I got, which is the source of all my knowledge of scientology. It's a craigslist post, in which some guy says he bought a box of books at a garage sale that included lots of scientology stuff, and this is what he makes of it.
and here is a list of some of the abbreviations- long, but some real gems in here:


This is my favorite part:
"But there is also one of these types of aliens that I kind of like. They are mentioned in one of the courses along with some other aliens. There is also a whole bulletin about them and from the wording you get the idea that this is current stuff. They are called Blinkers. It says that they are like little cats and you can only really see them if you have eliminated your reactive mind. Once again, that is something I do not completely understand about Scientology. What they do is hop on your head and hurt you. It says that they never like to go on the floor which is kind of like a real cat. They jump on you and then they jump on someone else. Sometimes it seems like they jump and in one lecture it says that they can teleport or something around. Maybe the last part is why they call them Blinkers? They have an incident where some of these Blinkers show up attack a whole room full of people and never once does even one of them touch the floor."

Since I can't put pix in a comment....

Don't worry, I'm not knocking the glasses.
This is [a shitty pic-of-a-pic of] my family, circa 1989.

Apparently my bro was still too young for Ray-Bans.

woohoooooooo!!!!!!

It's so beautiful out I don't even know where to start.
Maybe I will wash my car.

When I got home last night, I went around and opened all the storm windows and all the windows, and they have been open since. yay!!!!

I had a fantastic idea... I was going to make margaritas in my new super-blender (http://www.willitblend.com/ awwww yeah!) [my dad gave it to my mom for christmas- well it backfired- she was PISSED- so he snuck it into my car while I was home and I didn't know it]-
Anyway I was all excited to drink margaritas on the back porch... but I have no tequila. dammit.

So today I went out and bought tequila, rum, and pina colada mix- for a cool $70. Why is hooch so damn expensive?!

BUT, I'm on call today which means no drinking, so it's sitting there teasing me.

ok, time to get off the computer. Feel better paul!!

Wow, I am tired and sick of travelling. My friend that I was staying with had a flight to denver at 6:30 this AM. My flight isn't til 9, but I had to take the free ride while it was available, so I got up at 430 and now am in the airport, super-tired. But the airport has free wi-fi and a thousand coffee shops, so I'll be ok for a while. My flight is delayed already, of course, but supposedly I'll make my connection.

Anyway...
I have to say- Portland is pretty cool. Very green and liberal, which isn't really me, but I can handle it. ;)

And the hospital is freaking amazing. Which doesn't necessarily mean it's a good place to work blah blah blah- maybe it's all just eye candy- but still.... Here's the view from the hospital.

The mountain you can see towards the right is Mt. Hood. You can also see Mt. St. Helens, but I didn't get it in this pic. They also have this really cool aerial tram that leaves from right where I was standing, and connects to the outpatient hospital building at the bottom on the hill.

More pix when I get home.

Hope everyone's doing well. I am so ready for a good night's sleep!

But first, I totally forgot the OTHER best part of yesterday.
(Felly, don't read this)-

On the way from Buffalo to Chicago we were

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING!!!!!!!!!

I was just starting to doze off and all of the sudden there was this huge crash and what must have been a blinding flash of light, b/c I could see it through my closed eyelids. But noone screamed or anything so I figured it must not have been TOO bad. But it was a tiny little plane, and I could see the stewardess in her little backwards seat up front, wide-eyed, pick up the little phone to the cockpit and, while trying to look calm, ask "WTF WAS THAT?"
A few minutes later the pilot came on and said he thought we had been struck by lightning.

Holy shite!!

Guess it's good to know that planes can be struck by lightning without any major consequences.

But so the clusterfuck continues today.
I decided there wasn't much point in taking a $30 cab downtown just to walk around a shop for an hour, so instead I slept super late, took a bath, listened to music, and ate lunch in the hotel. Had to check out at 2, and flight was scheduled for 7, figured I might as well get to the airport early. While waiting for the airport shuttle in the hotel lobby, I saw on TV that American had cancelled 500 flights yesterday- and 1000 today. I guess they've grounded all their MD-80 planes, which I guess is like half their fleet. (and according to some disgruntled flight attendants I met later, they said it's b/c the CEO won't pay for maintenance. But that he will be taking a multi-million dollar bonus on April 15th.)

Aww fuck.

so I got there, and it was, as anticipated, a zoo. I guess they've run out of hotel rooms (so I guess I was a little bit lucky) and people were camping out in the airport. There were a few news crews interviewing pissed off people. I tried to check in online but it didn't work, so I got in line. Someone checked a list for me and said my flight was still good to go. But while in line I looked it up on my phone, which said it was cancelled. So, while still in line I looked up flights on southwest, so I would be armed when I got to the front.

Indeed, this flight was cancelled. The best they could do was to put me on a flight to San Francisco, then on standby to Portland, with a 20 minute connection. Arriving at 2am. I told them that was not acceptable, and that I want them to put me on this southwest flight. They refused. I finally decided my best bet was to just buy the southwest ticket and take it up with american later. It was "only" $350- not the $1000 I thought it would be. So I bought it on my phone while I made the guy wait. Yay for iphone. So then I told him I want to pay for my transfer from O'Hare to midway. Again, he refused. Just gave me the address to file my complaints. Said the most they would do is refund the portion of my ticket that went unused.

So I went to wait for the shuttle to midway, where I met all sorts of other pissed off people, including two women that said they had gotten seven vouchers (for what, I'm not sure) out of the deal so far. I asked how they had done that, b/c I had gotten nothing, and they said 'you have to cry and pitch a fit'. i said I did.

Oh well. I am keeping my receipts and will be sending them a nice juicy letter.

But so now I'm sitting in midway waiting for my flight. At least it's direct. Hopefully things will go smoothly on saturday. I never thought I'd look forward to flying USAir, but at this point I am just ready to wash my hands of american.

Silver lining- I have all day tomorrow to explore Portland.

(man, i hope it's worth it!)

;)

Omg.
Someone seriously needs to get on the ball and hurry up and invent a teleporter or something, because air travel is really getting to the point that it is simply not a viable option.

A month or so ago I had to go from buffalo to louisville. Via baltimore.
Well as we approached baltimore, they told us we couldn't land, so we had to go to that flight's final destination: nashville. Ok, fine. So we get to nashville, and ask to be rebooked to louisville. 'oh no, louisville is only a 2 hour drive. it's too close. We don't fly there. We'll route you through chicago though, getting you in at 10 pm." I was originally supposed to get in around 10 am, and had a 3pm meeting, so that was no good. We said "no thanks, just pay for our rental car and we'll be all set. Well of course they wouldn't. So we said fine, we'll pay for our rental car, just give us our bags. "oh no, your bags are already on the plane to chicago." "ok, well deliver them to our hotel" "no, we don't deliver if it's weather delays." So I had to drive to louisville, and had to go to my interview in jeans.

Then last week I had to go to hartford Ct, via Philly (worst airport EVER.) Flight was, of course, cancelled. So they put me on standby on the direct flight to buffalo. (turns out "direct" to buffalo actually means "stop in rochester but don't change planes"). They tell me no one has ever NOT made that flight on standby.
Well, I guess there's a first time for everything- I don't make the flight. So they reroute me through CHARLOTTE. Hartford CT to philly to CHARLOTTE to Buffalo. landed at midnight, worked at 6am. Awesome. The whole reason I flew is b/c it's a 7hr drive and I had to work in the AM. yeah, that worked out well.

And today takes the cake.
I have an interview in albuquerque at 6am tomorrow. And one in portland OR on friday. I had a 4pm flight from buffalo to chicago. Then to ABQ, was supposed to get in at 10 or so. then thurs from ABQ to portland (via phoenix), then sat back to buffalo. Well I land in chicago and find out american has grounded 500 planes or something ridiculous like that, so my flight to ABQ is cancelled. But they've rebooked me on United, but "you'd better run!" So I book it from terminal 4 to terminal 1 at Ohare, via subterranean tunnels blah blah blah. Make it to the gate right as they're almost done boarding... "oh, we didn't know you were coming, the plane is full." "um, ok, well then what is this ticket I'm holding? why didn't you know I was coming?" "yeah... this flight's full. Go BACK to american and see if they'll reroute you."

So I go back to american. Nope, there are no flights from chicago to albuquerque tonight. That one on united was the only one.

I said "listen. I paid $500 for this ticket. You have an obligation to get me there. I HAVE to get there tonight. I don't care how you do it. Put me on a train, drive me there, get me a fucking private jet, but get me there TONIGHT." No can do. I said " you are telling me there are NO FLIGHTS out of OHARE that can get to albuquerque before 7pm TOMORROW?" "well you could go standby to denver then denver to LA, LA to ABQ, but that one is cancelled and denver is oversold."

I said you don't understand. This could cost me my career. If you don't get me there tonight, there is no point in going. You HAVE to get me there. What if I go on orbitz right now and buy whatever ticket is available on any airline? You have to pay for it." No we don't, we will just put the value of your ticket towards it, and I'm not even sure they'll do that b/c united is the only airline we have an agreement with.

I fought with then for an hour. They won.

I called New Mexico and cancelled my interview and my hotel. Had them reroute me to portland TOMORROW, so they at least have two days to fuck around to get me there before the interview. Then found out there IS a flight... out of midway airport on southwest, that would get me in at 8am. Better than nothing. But it costs $500 and american won't pay, and I already cancelled the interview.

So I went to baggage claim. 'hi, give me my bag." the guy points at the sign that says "if your flight has been cancelled, your bag has automatically been re-routed and is not available in chicago." I said believe me, if my bag was on its way to ABQ, I would be too. So he says "you want me to pull your bag?" Pull it off what I'm not sure, since by this point my plane has been on the ground 3 hours. "yes". 'ok, that will be 2 hours." 'ok, deliver to my hotel then." "no, we don't do that."

OMFG my head is about to explode.

So, now I'm in the airport doubletree. Where internet access is $9.95+tax per day. And day does not mean 24h period, but calendar day. So I checked in at 10- I get 2hr for today, and if I want to use it tomorrow, that's another day. And the $10 dinner voucher doesn't go to far when cereal and coffee for breakfast is $9.99.

I love chicago, but it's too bad ohare is a $30 cab ride from everything I want to do, and all my friends are working so I can't even see them.

I cannot believe I had to cancel my interview!!

FUCKING AIRLINES.

If I don't end up getting a fellowship because I didn't go on enough interviews, I am suing american airlines for millions and millions of lost potential earnings. ;)