NOV.4 is Tomorrow!!

Disclaimer: I'm on my political soapbox... so if you choose not to read, I understand:)

I've never really been into the whole political thing, but this year I really am. Last time I voted in 2004, I didn't really feel like it mattered that much, nor did I care. But, now that I'm in the "real world", so many things are important to me. Not only the economy, public education or moral issues, but as a wife of a future doctor, the medical agenda as well.
From the healthcare concious, Cawyer household, if Obama's healthcare plan passes, we're all in for a rough time because the QUALITY of healthcare will dramatically go down. Some doctor's won't want to practice if they are making the same amount of money the accountant next door after being in med school for the last 10 years. Plus, the doctors that practice for the love of the field are going to be booked for months and months because everyone can now receive healthcare. Just not a good plan.

So, with all that being said, I am so Pro-McCain. I mean I know the guy is old, but so are our grandparents and I'm pretty sure they are the wisest people I know. With age comes wisdom and experience.
Experience means more to me than anything else Obama has to say. For example, I am a first year teacher and if my students had the choice, I would tell them to go across the hall to the teacher that has been teaching for 30 years because they will for sure receive a better education than I could ever give them because she has EXPERIENCE!!! It doesn't matter that we were educated the same, what matters is how long you've been on the job and dealt with the everyday challenges that come with the job.
I guess I'm a little heated about this because this is what what said in one of my classes today between two students:
Student 1: "I'm going for McCain because he's knows what he's doing."
Student 2: "He's to old to know what he's doing"

I mean really, what ignorance. I know they are only 13 years old, but whatever the child says, the parent has said at one point. It's not like the man is on his death bed, he's just got a little more life under his belt.

Oh and one more thing, does serving for America not mean anything in this election? On one hand, you have Obama that comes across to me as just a charismatic man that wants to have a powerful role in America. On the other hand, you have a less charismatic man that almost died serving our country and is more of a patriot than many of us ever will be.

Whether Obama or McCain wins, I think I will always have more respect for the patriot that served our country than the man that claims to be a patriot.


Whew... that is all.

Long time coming...

It really has been quite a while since I've tackled the blog. Everytime I sit down to write it, I realize I have papers to grade or lessons to perfect... the wonderful job of teaching.

It has been crazy these last few weeks in the Cawyer household. October is one of my favorite months. I mean football, leaves changing, cooler weather, pumpkins, ACU Homecoming and of course its a month closer to Christmas!!!

Well, let me give you a re-cap of this month:

Shelbi, Preston, Chase and I traveled outside Lubbock and went to the pumpkin festival at the apple orchard one Sunday afternoon. It was such a cute little place, full of warm character and charm. The weather was a little misty, but still fun. We walked around the orchard and Chase and Preston decided to pick a few apples and have a juggling contest- it was quite the entertainment. They mastered 3 apples and tried to go for 4, not as successful:) Before we left, we were sure to get the famous apple cake... and it was delish!

Lets see.... what else

This year my dear dad turned the big 55. I mean thats really not that old, but really it kinda is. I guess because when I really think about my dad being 55, I think, wow I'm getting old too- weird.
I went home to surprise my dad at his surprise party. Ruthie told Dad they were just meeting friends for dinner at a mexican restaurant, but when they showed up, there was about 30 people waiting for him- he was shocked!! The best part was he thought I was back here Lubbock, so when we finaly got to see each other, it was such a nice moment.
I miss him.
So this is for dad- Happy 55th!!

Chase didn't get to come- dang med school gave him a final on a Monday, so he had to stay and study the weekend away:(
But he was missed- I guess we'll have to photoshop him in for family pic we took at the party. I think there was mention that it was going to be our Christmas card photo...

The next weekend we both skipped school on Friday and trekked down to Abilene for homecoming!! WOOOHOO! We met our families there since it is halfway for each of us. It was really good to catch up with the fam. Homecoming is always hard because we want to see our families, but we also want to see our friends that we rarely get to see. Since we live all over the place now, its hard to see everyone at the same time. Thats why I love homecoming!!!! It was a fun-filled, exhausting weekend. Chase and I took a walk around campus to see all the changes that are happening- that about wore me out. Chase, along with Jeffrey and Ryan, had to speak to prospective students to ACU about the pre-med program... which was pure entertainment:) The rest of the weekend as spent at the musical (so fun!), catching up with friends, enjoying the parade, game and dinner with the fam. Oh by the way, right when we were about to leave after dinner at Perini Ranch on Saturday, the Hardin-Simmons band came running through the restaurant- it was awesome!! It was so loud and so much fun to be a part of!!! Love the band!
So, all in all, Go Wildcats!!

As far as this weekend goes, its been so nice. We had a halloween party earlier this week and we went as a Tech sorority girl and an STD. The STD rate is out of control here- one in four people have an STD, so we thought we'd make fun of that. I'd like to credit Jenny Eyer for the idea- thanks Jenny!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST- the Tech vs. Texas game!!! We didn't get to go, but you better believed we watched every minute of it. Being an OU fan, I obviously always root AGAINST Texas. I mean I like Tech and all, but I really just didn't want Texas to win. So, Go TECH!!!!!!

Here's a few pics of our life lately.

The most disturbing lab ever

OK quick disclaimer: If you are sensitive to the subject of the reproductive system in a completely scientific way, I recommend you stop reading, check out the you tube video of a hermaphrodite singing A Whole New World and drink a nice cold glass of Milk. For those of who don't care I hope you don't hurt after you read this.

So Anatomy lab is divided up into 3 blocks and at the end of each block we switch the body we are dissecting. This block I happen to have a male which is cool because they are usually larger and it is easier to see things. In addition this block is over the areas of the abdomen, pelvis area, and the lower limb. Now the reason you have cadavers is to learn about what the anatomy is supposed to look like, therefore you have to dissect them. Not as weird as you might think...until you get to the pelvis area. 

So yesterday in lab was the day were we learn about this region. Cool I thought, I haven't been disturbed or grossed out in any lab and its something you never really will get to (or will ever really want to) see close up again. Well we walk into lab and read our instructions and I start to freak out. As I said earlier, I have a male and with this lab they want to make sure you cut right down the middle of the pelvic area to get see everything you need to see on the inside. So how do they make sure you cut right down the middle? They make you stick a probe (an 8 inch long metal pen type object) down the urethra to make sure you cut through the middle. Now I know what your thinking, the guys dead, he can't feel anything, and you know what God rest his soul he didn't, but you know who did feel it? Every other guy that had to witness this travesty. Guy's actually imagine seeing what I saw, a girl, with no inhibition, shoving a metal pin into that orifice. If you actually imagined it I guarantee you your guys just shivered a bit. 

Listen I'm all for science and learning about the human body, heck I'm in Medical School, I kind of have to like learning about it all, but to see the amount of force and aggression she used in putting that probe in, it was like she had no idea how squeamish guys get about that stuff. So I write this entry for one reason and one reason and one reason only, guys take care of your kidneys and girls don't go sticking metal probes into dead guys urethra's while other men are watching.  

Where has the time gone?

So it has been over a month since I last have entered my thoughts into this thing we call a blog. Speaking of blog where did that name come from? I'm sure Jesse or Mason knows the answer so if you want to know hit them up. Anyway so I enjoy reading the Edwards blog whenever they write in it. Considering both could have been English majors, the style and enjoyability are great so that's just a plug for their blog. I bring them up because I am taking a page off of one of Lauren's earliest blogs about type A personalities in Dental School/Medical School. Here's a few facts you need to know about my class

1) We have meetings that could take 5 minutes and ends up taking 1 hour
2) We ask questions about the human body that are reserved for God and God alone, they go something like this, "Why does the illioinguinal nerve pass through the superficial inguinal ring and not the deep inguinal ring, while the genital branch of the genitiofemoral ring pass through both the deep inguinal ring and the superficial one?"
a) why we need to ask questions about a fact befuddles me and b) we don't have to know everything about everything, that's not to say Dr's don't need to know important things I just think the answer to that question could go into the 1% of things that we don't need to know
3) We go identify arteries and nerves in lab 6 times to make sure we know them, I think you learned them the first 3 times we went over it.
4) Whenever we vote on which Charity to give to people complain because they don't have enough information to know which charity would be the best. I might be wrong, but wouldn't they all be for good causes?
5) We had our class elections and have 7 positions, I think like 15 people ran and 9 of those ran for President
6) Fun fact but out of the 10 people in my small group 7 are the oldest child.
7) People attend meetings based on the topic of discussion as opposed to the food selection.
8) Those that are there for the food selection get there 30 minutes before it starts to make sure they get food (and the people that are putting on the talk plan for about 3 times as many people actually show up).
And finally I feel like I'm one of the passive personalities in my class.

Flood Season.... What?

Now the average person wouldn't think that Lubbock would get a lot of rain, but if you were here right now you would think you are almost in Galveston battling Ike!!

Let me explain: it usually takes me about 8 minutes to get to work on an average day. However, last night on the way home from work, it took me almost 35 minutes!!! I felt like I was back home in Ft. Worth. The reason it took so long was because it was raining like crazy and Lubbck has no drainage system- NONE!! I didn't see one gutter the entire way home and I was looking hard.
I was over by Texas Tech and I kept driving down different streets trying to get home, but I would go about 50ft and then kick it into reverse because there was too much water to safely drive through. I just couldn't find a way out- it was actually a little embarassing:) I'm what you call a NON risk-taker, so you couldn't get me to drive down a street if I wasn't sure if I would float away. I finally got to the point that I started following this one car around to see where they drove and if they survived- then I would follow!

Anyway, I finally made it home, exhausted from the traffic and dodging all the mini-lakes on the road.

Chase said it best last night: "Thank goodness we live on the second floor, because I'd be a little nervous tonight." It really is crazy here!

To really paint an accurate picture of how much it has flooded here..... I am off work today because it rained so much. Thats right, they canceled school today because Lubbock has been declared a state of emergency... from rain!!!

I jumped up and down last night when I got the call school was cancelled- I really needed a day off!

So here I sit, watching Regis and blogging. Life is great.
Poor Chase is at school though- I think he is the only school that is actually in session today. Since his school is pretty much like a job, they really can't cancel today. Too bad, I wish he was here:(

So life in Lubbock is weird right now, but still loving it!

Skype

So this coming up Sunday I have my annual fantasy football draft. Now in the past couple of years I've gotten together on a glorious Sunday August afternoon at the Reservation and picked the players we think would have the best season for over 3 hours. Now some of y'all would think this is crazy and stupid, but that day had to be one of my favorite days of the year. It's like you're the GM of your own football team drafting rookie prospects, picking up the right veteran to help your squad its just awesome. Much more on fantasy football to come, but I just had to say that to set up what I wanted to type about.
So anyway all of the guys in my league now live in different states and the logistics of getting together to draft just ain't happening, so we decided that we are going to do an online draft. Now it is not the ideal situation in the fact that half the fun of the draft is yelling at people for taking the guy you wanted or making fun of someone for making what seems like the stupidest pick ever (this is especially fun to do at Hutton, even though for every 2 crappy picks he has the steal of the draft, Randy Moss last year). We'll anyway since we aren't around each other Jesse brought up the idea to do some video chat. He wanted to do iChat because he has a mac, but I had to get a Dell for school so I can't use iChat. But what I can use is Skype.
I love Skype. Taryn and I talked to Jesse and Jenny for a good hour and half to two hours about life and even got a tour of their apartment. Now I know some of you haters will say why don't you just talk on the phone. And all I have to say is that it is not even close to the same thing. So much is lost over the phone and when you can see them so much is added to the conversation. So I urge everyone and anyone who has bought a laptop in the past year or two or if you just happen to half a webcam get skype and add me as your friend. It is so fun to talk to people and I would love to talk to anyone. So go get Skype.
O and yes I'm ecstatic about our draft on Sunday being able to talk and see people, I just hope Hutton has a cam so we can make fun of him again (O and if you know how to conference chat on skype and maintain video let me now because I need to know.

Medical School + Olympics = Conflict of Interest

Why did the Olympics have to be on during my first few weeks of Medical School? I mean really the timing could not be more horrible. I literally go to school from 8 to 12, study 1 to 6 and watch the Olympics from 7 to 11. Normal I would think this was a great schedule, because of the balance between school and fun and the fact Taryn and I watch the Olympics together to make sure we don't skimp out on our time, but during these first couple of weeks of class I feel so overwhelmed and that I just am not studying enough. Of course I think most people feel the same because before you have ever seen a test you automatically assume the hardest concepts and questions will be on the test (and it Med School this seems highly likely). Anyway it is just freaking me out because the Olympics end like two days before my first test and you know I'm going to watch the Closing Ceremonies and so I'm just scared that I'm not studying enough. Anyway for Casey Cope's benefit I'm going to step off my diva soap box and talk about interesting things.

So Taryn's brother Christopher and my cousins Jeff and Madison moved into good ole Mabee Dorm yesterday afternoon. Wow how crazy it was that 4 years ago today I was moving into Mabee 1st North room 102. O great times with Thursday Night Parties, Survivor watching (go Ian), workout time, Christmas tree showers and Stevie. Speaking of Stevie has anyone seen Steven the Korean lately? Just wondering.

Speaking of Korea I noticed that there were none of them in the Men's 100m race yesterday. All there was were Caribbean runners. All eight were from either a Caribbean island or south Florida and boy could they fly. It's no wonder Florida Univ. spreads the field like crazy. Anyway I want to talk about the man they call Lighting. Usain Bolt is the fastest individual to ever live and call me crazy, but I don't know if anyone will ever be as fast as he is right now. He ran the race in 9.69 seconds. He beat the world record by .03 that is like breaking the marathon record by a minute and half I heard one analyst say. But here is the craziest part. He STOPPED sprinting at about 75m and coasted into the finish line. If he wanted to he could have ran it in 9.5 there is no doubt. So I got to thinking why doesn't Jerry Jone gives this guy a nice little contract to come play football for the Cowboys. Just put him on the opposite side of T.O. and tell him to go deep ever play. If nothing else he could make some room for Witten and T.O. over the middle, any takers on this idea?

On a completely random note a United commercial just came on and it sucked. No wonder they are about to go down the tube. You know who doesn't have crappy commercials? Budweiser. Now it is not secret Beer company's spend a bazillion dollars on advertisement, but that one where they sing, "This is Budweiser, this is beer." and all the Americana scenes flash across the scene o its just awesome especially during the Olympics. The only thing that bothers me is that they just got sold to InBev which is not American so I kind of feel like the Patriotism is forced, but hey I love it and Taryn cries every time so they must be doing something right.

Anyway Michael Phelps is awesome and I'm seriously considering ordering Olympic Legend: Michael Phelps. Maybe you should to.