Regular Ol' Update

Should anyone besides my parents still read my blog, I thought it was probably about time I posted an update other than one of the medical school variety.

Over the last few months I've been asked a lot what I do now that I'm finished with my master's degree and don't need to attend evening classes. In June, right after I graduated, I was happy to tell everyone that I was taking a well deserved break to relax and read fiction. That excuse has kind of worn out, though I'm still kicking back reading my fiction. Now when people ask, they add in their minds the time I'm not in class as well as the time I'm not spending with my husband, since he is constantly away on medical school rotations (we are together 10 weeks total this academic year). Kickin' back in my quiet apartment, listening to the frogs outside, watching Downton, and reading Outlander somehow makes me sound less productive six months following graduation.

I should add that I am actively involved in the Young Women's program at my church, which keeps me busy on Tuesday nights. I'm also filling in a couple times a month as ward organist. I took a class at BYU-Idaho ten years ago (weird! 10?!) to learn to play the organ, but it is a skill that I have not fully developed. So I try to practice a couple hours a week at the church building, when I can.

You're adding it up in your head, aren't you... After working full time, making dinner for one, taking care of church responsibilities, cleaning a relatively empty apartment to the degree I'm satisfied living in it... that still gives me a good chunk of time to move mountains, so to speak.

I've toyed with several ideas on how I could be more productive with my free time. To be clear, these are ideas... like, wouldn't it be grand to learn how to alter clothing. Or, maybe taking a fitness class would be better than occasionally doing a workout video at home. I'll ponder on this some more while I read my fiction.

Scott was able to come home for Christmas break. Actually, it was kind of a forced vacation from the school, because there weren't any other rotations available for him during that time. Not that I'm complaining. Having him home, meant two more weeks this year that we'll be in the same city together. It meant watching Into the Woods (squeal!) together on Christmas Day. We also went on a super fancy date for the first time in forever. Merry Christmas from my colleague! Pretty sure the last time we went to a three-dollar-sign restaurant on a date was well before we were married.

We're so fancy... you already know.

In other news, I am in the exact same job as before. Another frequently asked question I receive, that goes something like this, "Didn't you get your MBA? Didn't you want to do something with that?" My degree focused in supply chain management and operations, which is something I thought would only be applied in my career theoretically, as in using principles of logistics to be more efficient. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter and would love to explore a career in humanitarian logistics. This would probably require overcoming a hurdle of an entrance into a field of experts, being located in a major metro, as well as being flexible to travel on a moment's notice. Not exactly the perfect fit for our current last-year-of-medical-school situation.

Not to mention that I have loved my current employer. Not only have I learned about foundation operations and fundraising from one of the best institutions, but the benefits and colleagues are incomparable. With our top three residency choices existing outside of Oregon, I have only a few remaining months with my current employer. Would I have liked to add a new job title and responsibilities to my resume following graduation? Absolutely! We'll just have to save that adventure for another city, another time.

As for this medical adventure: three more months until THE MATCH,  four more months on rotation, and five more months until graduation.

The countdown has begun.