Thursday, April 29, 2004

Today was a good day. I accepted my job offer from The Lewin Group, finished a bunch of tasks I'd been trying to get done for at least a week, and did a lot of planning to get ready for the crazy next few months.

Today was a good day.

Mood: Relieved
Song: Enya, "China Roses" and Evanescence, "Eternal"

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

I hate turning down job offers, even if I think they're not the best option for me right now. Moments ago, I called the Urban Institute and left a message for the senior researcher with whom I spoke last week regarding a position they had available. He seemed like a nice guy, but the job details seemed only so-so to me and I heard through the grapevine that it probably wasn't a good match to me. However, despite all that, I sort of feel guilty about turning them down; one of my TAs (who works there) had put in a good word for me, so I was one of the first people they called. I'm sure she'll understand my decision, but I just don't like thinking of what could have been.

What do I mean by that? Well, for just a moment, it's fun to sit back and think of all the cool job opportunities right now, and all of the really nice people I've met who could be my future coworkers. To see the range of jobs I could have, the types of places I could work, the skills I could learn, the impact I could have. For just a moment, I can see them all in my mind's eye.....

All the possible futures from this decision.

And as I become more selective, finding the job that's right for me, they blink out of existence, one by one. I know it's necessary, but I hate seeing those opportunities disappear.

The decision is down to 2 organizations, and I'm leaning very heavily towards one. One more day ought to do it.
My list of possible items to prepare for our end-of-the-academic-year party on May 15th:

    Main course, all entirely home-made:

  • Rosemary or basil gnocchi with roasted corn-tomato puree
  • Caribbean jerk chicken burritos with lemon-onion-cilantro salsa
  • Salmon with dill and caper sauce (or the corn-tomato puree from above...)
  • Red snapper (or salmon) with vegetables en papillote (in parchment)
  • Stir-fried orange beef and peppers
  • Flank steak with Madiera sauce
  • Broiled leaks with oregano and black pepper (and Madiera?)
  • Sun-dried tomato risotto with basil
  • Tabouleh salad

    Dessert:

  • Crepes with chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis
  • Chocolate souffle with Devonshire cream and Grand Marnier
  • And others, as I think of them...

Monday, April 26, 2004

The week of April 26th. Here is it. This week I make my decision about my job for next year, complete nearly all of my remaining academic work, and take the first step toward the next stage of my life.

Mood: Reflective anticipation.
Song: Dire Straits, "Brothers in Arms"

Saturday, April 24, 2004

What a beautiful day. 70 degrees, sunny, a slight breeze, and the annual Hopkins "Spring Fair." I walked around the Fair with some friends, saw the various vendors, bought some yummy food, and relaxed in the shade while listening to a student jazz band. Incredible. And the best part? I have almost no academic work to do.
I think I've committed a mistake that I thought I'd long since leaned to avoid - getting too emotionally attached to a girl who is one of my close friends. (sigh) Certainly not a good idea.

As far as I remember, I learned to stop doing this sometime near the end of high school. Date them or be their friend, but not both. Or, perhaps, become a friend as you date them, but that's pretty tough. So here I am, spending a lot of time woth one of my friends yet feeling completely unable to admit how I feel. Not an ideal situation.

In retrospect, it's not too surprising. My dating history really suggests that I date my friends, not the people I meet at parties or at bars. But, for some reason, it hadn't been a problem in the last few years, perhaps because I had a solid realtionship for a while, or otherwise because I wasn't making too many new friends at the time.

So, for now, I sit here and think.

Current mood: Reflective sadness.
Current songs: Michael Kamen, "Band of Brothers - Main Theme" and Toad the Wet Sprocket, "All Right"

Friday, April 23, 2004

Okay, I lied. This week has been busy with job applications/interviews/offers so I didn't write as promised after my last post.

Roger Ebert wrote a worthwhile column today about the recent FCC regulations and the possible demise of Howard Stern. Nothing revolutionary, but it's interesting. Check it out.

Happy Friday!

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

The last episode of Band of Brothers was tonight. It's really hard to write anything after watching it...everything else is trivial in comparison.

I'll have a real post tomorrow.

Monday, April 19, 2004

Two unrelated goals that I've set for myself in the last few days:

1. Go out on more dates and, if I'm lucky, try to get a relationship started. Being single is getting a little boring, so let's see what I can do in the next few months.

2. Train for and run the California International Marathon. December 5, 2004. I've been thinking about this marathon for a couple years, and I think now is the time to do it. I won't have as much time once I'm in med school, so this year seems like a good time to train.

Saturday, April 17, 2004

The MCAT is tomorrow. And, wow, my heart goes out to those people. After surviving that life-altering exam twice, I can certainly empathize with the people who are laying in bed right now, trying desperately to sleep despite their anxiety about the exam, which is set to begin in about 5 hours.

Yay for the weekend, but this is going to be a busy one. One month left of school and lots to complete before then.

I got a job offer from the Lewin Group! Now I just need to finish my interviews with CMS and Urban, decide if I'm applying to med school this year or next, figure out what city I want to live in, and then actually accept a job and apply for med school. Ugh. I have an overwhelming feeling that the next four months are going to be pretty brutal.

So...if I take the job at Lewin, do I stay for one year or two? The Plan didn't call for me to take off another year before med school, but part of me thinks it would be a really good idea to apply now but take two more years off. However, at the same time, I have many friends who decided to pursue medicine just a few years ago yet are already almost physicians, while I've been pretty set on that path for....6 years? 8 years? and yet I'm still not in med school. This sounds petty, but it's the number one thing that is currently driving me crazy. Will I burn bridges by leaving after a year? Maybe. But will I be applying for jobs anytime soon after that? No. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Do I pick a place to work based on where it would be easiest to leave after a year? (CMS) The thing about Lewin is that I get such a positive vibe from the people there that I really don't want to limit myself to just a year there...but at the same time, I know that this consulting experience won't necessarily contribute at all to my future career in medicine. (sigh) Around and around and around I go. I'm slowly going crazy.

Time for rest.

Current mood: Anxious.
Current song: Enya, "Boadicea"

Thursday, April 15, 2004

Hmmmm. Somebody from the California Dept. of Social Services checked my blog this morning. And they searched for me by name. (pause) Who could that be? Now that I'm busy applying for jobs, I've become quite paranoid about who is checking this site. There's not anything on here that would really impact my employability, but it's still a little weird.
I've been digging through financial statements for a couple hours now for my Case Studies in Healtcare Management course. And so far I actually enjoy it. I certainly am not an expert in financial management, but I really enjoy understanding the basic analytical tools of finance. And although I don't plan on going into business per se, I enjoy the fact that I can dig into a balance sheet and actually understand what it's telling me.

Only one month of class left. Wow.

I emailed Prof. Sapolsky and actually got a response from him! That wouldn't have been too surprising while I was still at Stanford, but I didn't expect him to write back and actually engage me in a discussion. Very exciting.

C'mon weekend! I need a few days to catch up on chores.

Sleep time. I'm taking a friend to CMS tomorrow morning for an interview, so I can't sleep in. Oh well.

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Band of Brothers, episode #2. Incredible.

I recently finished ""A Primate's Memoir," written by my favorite Stanford professor, Robert Sapolsky. Surprisingly, I found a NY Times article about his research (same topic as the book) on the web this morning. Weird. What a cool guy.

Ironically, I'm stressed. (Sapolsky's research and courses are all about the physiology of stress.) Mostly about jobs...I have another interview at CMS later this week, and I should be getting a yes/no response from Lewin any day now. (sigh) And then I have to figure out my future plans for school vs. work and how long I'll be doing the latter before returning to the former. (If you followed that, I'm impressed.) So I'm jittery right now, and that makes my assignment for financial management especially difficult. I can work on certain subjects while I'm really amped; finance is not one of them.

And the weather is not helpful. The forecast for the next 5 days is something like: "Rain - Showers - Thunderstorms - Rain - Showers."

Time for some audio catharsis.

Current mood: Unsure. Nevous/tired/lazy/blah.
Current song: Toad the Wet Sprocket, "Listen"
I went to a bar in Baltimore last weekend and had a "Maximator." All I knew was that it was a German beer. I get the bottle, pour it into a glass, and check out the label. "Munchner Bier - Since 1328 AD."

Thirteen twenty eight?

Goodness. Let's see some other things that happened in 1328 besides the establishment of this brewery/recipe:

  • Invention of the sawmill spurs shipbuilding. Yay. Ships and lumber both proved to useful for the next, say, 650 years.

  • The last heir of the Capetian dynasty dies and is replaced by the first ruler of the Valois dynasty. "Because the English kings are also descended from the Capetian line, England attempts to claim the French crown. The Capetian dynasty began in 987 AD when "Hugues Capet ascends to the Frankish throne...replacing the Carolingians. Initially the Capetians wield little authority beyond their capital at Paris, but in time their power grows and with it the importance of Paris as an administrative, ecclesiastical, and artistic center." No more Capetians. Thank goodness. Is this when the British decided they wanted France?

  • The famed John Wycliffe was born at Wycliffe-on-Tees. "He was a professor in the University of Oxford and in 1381-1383 he worked intensely with aides to translate the English Bible. He preached against the countless atrocities of the Vatican and he stated that the Bible alone, without tradition, was the sole rule of faith. In AD 1415, the Council of Constance condemned Wycliffe and in 1428 Wycliffe's bones were burned by papal command." Goodness. I'm not particularly religious, but the current pope seems a little more amiable. Personally, I was a big fan of Wycliffe's earlier works.

  • Ivan Danilovich Kalita (aka Ivan I) becomes Grand Prince of Moscow. No comment.

  • In the "last days" of the fourth Roman Empire (?) or perhaps the late Roman/Byzantium empire, Andronicus Paleologos (aka Andronicus III) gains power in the state/region of Romania, including areas of modern-day Turkey and Greece. As far as I can tell, he didn't do an especially good job...it looks like he lost two major cities. Oops.

  • Let's see if I can figure this one out. The Tughluq dynasty begins in ancient India when Muhammad-bin-Tughluq takes power. He attemps to "consolidate his empire by curbing the rebellions of 1327 AD by his cousin Baha-ud-din Garsharp in the Deccan and the other of Kishulu Khan, the governor of Multan and Sind in 1328AD." Unfortunately, "Muhammad bin Tughluq's engagements with his domestic affairs made him turn a blind eye to the Mongols who made use of his opportunity and invaded India in 1328 AD." Letting the mongols invade? Whoops. History has to be laughing a little bit there.

Monday, April 12, 2004

Please, if you haven't seen the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, please take the time to watch it during the next few months while it's showing on the History Channel. The ads aren't kidding when they say you will never be the same again. This miniseries easily competes with the greatest films I've ever seen.

Take the time to watch it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Thursday, April 08, 2004

Today was a good day.

I feel like I caught up on so many things today.

Cleaned my room.
Paid bills.
Finished TA tasks for the week.
Started two projects for classes next week.
Inquired about a position a consulting firm; learned I'm still under consideration.
Applied to another 6 jobs.
Received interviews from 2 potential employers, and will hopefully receive another one tomorrow.
Worked out for 3 hrs, finally started serious cardio/running again.
Talked with my parents about my job situation.
Took a nap.
And I'll sleep in tomrrow morning!

The interviews were probably the high point...at least I have a reasonably good chance at getting a job now...

Current song: Gypsy Kings, "Galaxia" and Sarah McLachlin, "Stupid"
Current mood: Relief.

Wednesday, April 07, 2004

2 things about today:

1. I got two interviews this morning within 15 minutes. Incredible. Both are at CMS.

2. I've accomplished more in the last six hours than I had in the previous week. Applied to jobs, cleaned my room, paid bills, did research, completed TA tasks, and more. Yay for productivity.

Current song: Matchbox Twenty, "Downfall"
Current mood: Pleasantly surprised.

Monday, April 05, 2004

My schedule this morning, actual vs. expected.

Expected: Wake up at 8:00.
Actual: Sleep through alarm, wake up at 8:30.

Expected: Catch the 8:40 bus for a 9:00 class.
Actual: Catch the next bus, set to arrive at 9:05, which should get me to class by 9:20.

Expected: The 9:05 bus will actually show up.
Actual: It does not.

Expected: The next bus, at 9:10, will leave quickly since the 9:05 didn't show up.
Actual: It does not.

Expected: The 9:10 bus will get me to the downtown campus by 9:25.
Actual: You guessed it. Nope. I actually get to campus by 9:45. Class ends at 10:10.

Expected: Now that I'm actually on campus, I'll go to class.
Actual: Nope. Guest lecturer, and I would have only been in class for 20-30 minutes. C'mon, I have more important things to do than waste half an hour.

Expected: Go back home, waste time until my afternoon class.
Actual: Go home, eat breakfast, apply to 8 jobs, finish a presentation, and pay my bills. Talk about unexpected!
We walk up to a bar in NYC where we're set to meet some friends. We were instructed to tell the bouncer that we were "with the Scott party in the back room."


Bouncer: "IDs?"

Us: "Here you go. We're with the party in the back room."

Bouncer: "Which party?"

Us: (with uncertainty in our voices) "Scott...?"

Bouncer: "Saht?"

Us: "Yeah, Scott."

Bouncer: "Okay, lemme check with this guy." (He walks over to the other guy monitoring the door.) "They're here for the Saht party."

Other guy: "Saht? Or Scott?"

Bouncer: "Yeah, that one."

Other guy: "Is it the one in the back room?"

Bouncer: (looks at us)

Us: "Yeah."

Bouncer: "Yeah."

Other guy: "Okay, c'mon over." He gives us wristbands. "The Saht party is all in the back room. These wristbands are good until midnight." (We enter the bar.)

Turns out that we were with the Saht party, but they weren't in the back room, and that those wristbands gave us an open bar, and that they were supposed to cost $35. Otherwise, there was a $10 cover chage. Yet, somehow, even withough really knowing what we were doing at all, we managed to get into a bar for free, then drink for free for the rest of the night. Yay for working the system, even without trying.

Saturday, April 03, 2004

A few items of note.

-- I went to a bagel place last week that was advertising a few low-carb bagels. What's wrong with this picture?

-- Subway is currently advertising items that are either low-fat or lot-carb. What are we going to do when scientists discover that high-protein diets contribute to some horrific disease? There won't be any food left to eat. Just wait until they try to sell you you their new line of low-far, low-fat, low-protein, low-sodium, trans-fat-free, Atkins-friendly wraps.

-- Earlier this week, in an ill-conceived idea for my birthday party decorations, I found myself at Home Depot, pushing a cart with about $200 of lumber, wooden fence lattice, and steel garden lattice up to the checkout line. Suddenly, logic struck, and I promptly returned all of those materials. Total amount spent at Home Depot that day? $16. Total amount spent on other decorations? No comment.