Welcome to my life, Yoast.

Heads up: Two posts in a day!

So, most test weekends--or should I say, every weekend--Michael is studying. I mean, really studying. For example, this Saturday, here was Michael's life (approximately--I wasn't there the whole time).

8:00 a.m. Wake up, get out laptop


8:01 a.m. Start reviewing notes and/or lecture, mostly with headphones in (the sign that this is a no conversation, or almost no conversation--he is very forgiving when I forget to zip it--time)


9:00 a.m. Continue reviewing notes and/or lecture with headphones; simultaneously eat breakfast


10:00 a.m. Pack laptop and cord; Take a shower (for the first time in 2 days--no Febreeze needed today! Just kidding--about the using Febreeze to smell good on any day. He uses cologne.)

10:30 a.m. Drive to Pomona; listen to two songs on Anita's Country Music Training CD and then listen to Goljan lectures the rest of the way (to prepare for boards)


11:00 a.m. Arrive at Western; set up laptop in study room while talking about NBA playoffs/NFL draft with Andrew--"to keep us sane."


11:05 a.m. Begin the studying marathon with Andrew


Sometime between then and probably 3:00 p.m. Get a piece of pizza; Continue studying; perhaps check ESPN for latest sports updates


4:00 p.m. (and probably another time earlier) Use the bathroom and feel guilty for not studying while there


4:__ p.m. (you don't need to know how long he was in the bathroom) Continue studying


5:00 p.m. Continue studying


6:00 p.m. Continue studying


7:00 p.m. Continue studying

8:00 p.m. Continue studying


9:00 p.m. Continue studying


10:00 p.m. Pack up laptop, cord, pop cans and water bottles (we get cash for those in Cali! Woot woot!), etc.

10:05 p.m. Begin drive home; listen to more Goljan lectures, maybe a couple songs of choice

10:40ish p.m. Arrive home, shout exuberantly, "I'm HOME!", talk to Anita and watch a movie with her, who is kind of lame and falls asleep in the first 30 minutes or less (sorry). "Every time," Michael says.

12:00 a.m. Stop watching movie because (a) it is getting late and (b) the website he was watching it on cut it off because I guess you have to pay for a membership after so many minutes and he didn't know; turn off lights in the house, check the door and make sure it's locked (3 times), brush teeth, wake up Anita to get off the couch and go to bed (3 times)


12:05 a.m. Go to bed.


12:30ish a.m. Fall asleep--"If I'm lucky. (Test anxiety.)"


So that is Michael's typical Saturday, especially this month. "This time wasn't so bad," Michael said. He's right. Usually he's pulling a 8-11 at the school. (That's 8 AM to 11 PM.) I guess it's probably not necessarily "typical," but it is noraml for about half of the Saturdays during school. Weekdays aren't much less strenuous, but that's for another post. :)


With Michael's schedule like this, usually my Saturdays involve the following: waking up; "making" breakfast (often cold cereal--it's kind of a treat because we never have time for this during the week--we eat breakfast, just other stuff); thinking about cleaning up our apartment; scrapbooking, reading, or watching a movie instead; thinking about going grocery shopping; cleaning up a part of the apartment instead; thinking about _______ (fill in the blank: looking for jobs, new apartments, moving expenses, etc.); going grocery shopping instead; thinking about working out; watching a movie instead.


It's an exciting life, I tell ya. :) Last month we finished watching the first season of 24. For those of you who've seen it, these marathon study days make us say, "I'm _____ Dre [instead of Jack Bauer], and this is the longest day of my life." (Did anyone else think he said that weird?)

Anyway, this weekend was different and refreshing, thanks to Sally. (Thanks, Sally!) She invited me to go to Huntington Gardens with her and her two adorable kids while her husband, who is also in med. school and has a similar schedule as Michael, studied. It was a blast!

The Desert Garden (I think that's what it was called--these cacti reminded me of Teletubbies.)

I've never seen a real cactus shaped like this!

A Polka-dot tree! We need one of these, Michael! :)

The Lily Pond

Huntington Library (not in Huntington, but in San Marino/Pasadena)

It was great to get out and hang out with Sally and her kiddos!

And as far as these studying Saturdays go, it's fine. Sometimes it bites, but mostly, I think we have just known it would probably be like this and have mentally prepared for it. Michael has it rough; in many ways, my life is a breeze in comparison, but somehow he still manages to make time for me every day. He's really great about that and it makes it easier for me to deal with the lonely, boring, thinking I-really-should-be-doing-something-but-I-don't-know-what times. So really, these super Saturdays, though busy, are not too huge of a deal to us. Someday when it's not med school, it will probably be kids' soccer games, piano recitals, Primary day activities, mowing the lawn, etc. and maybe we'll think how good life was during med school.



Maybe. :)


Until then, we'll just enjoy the moments, because even with these marathon days, the moments--going for a walk around the parking lot, watching an episode of The Office together, making "snofledorfums," pillow talking to sleep--do happen. We just have to take them.





P.S. Michael says, "I'm afraid for everyone knowing my life so close. They'll think I'm a dork."

P.P.S. Oh, honey. You're too late for that. :)