Gross!!!

Have you seen the new Randall's Kleenex commercial? A blue couch and adult strangers blowing each other's noses.

Maybe it's just the germ-a-phobe in me...but...eww...gross

So I'm studying...

I'm studying endocrine right now...specifically the thyroid...even more specifically cretinism. Did you know that cretin comes from the French word Chretien, which means Christlike? People affected by cretinism were considered incapable of sinning.

My Life -- The Musical

Most days I have continuous background music going through my head. I picture myself gliding...dancing through life. Ah...I love to dance. Here's what I've been singing/dancing to today:

Raindrops are falling on my head
and just like the guy who's feet are too big for his bed,
nothing seems to fit
those,
raindrops are falling on my head,they keep falling

so I just did me some talking to the sun,
and I said I didn't like the way he got things done,
sleeping on the job
those,
raindrops are falling on my head they keep falling

But there's one thing, I know
the blues they sent to greet me won't defeat me.
It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red.
Crying's not for me, cause
I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining
because I'm free
nothing's worrying me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red
crying 's not for me
Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining
because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me
--B.J. Thomas

National Kazoo Day

Well, I missed it. Yesterday was National Kazoo Day. Fortunately, you can still celebrate today.

Fun fact: The kazoo and the sousaphone are the only two ALL AMERICAN musical instruments!

My cereal made me blush!

Usually I'm pretty adamant about sticking to the brand names of cereal, but when I went to the grocery store earlier this week...well, let's just say that my bank account has taken a hit lately with having to pay for boards and board preparation courses, so I thought I would be thrifty and buy one of the less expensive brands of cereal. Everything was fine at the store. I made it home with all of my groceries. Actually, it wasn't until a couple of days later that I noticed it. I had opened the cereal and was eating a handful (I eat cereal more as a snack than a breakfast food). I normally buy mini frosted shredded wheat, but this week I bought..."Little Spooners!" It just seems like a wrong name for a cereal.

Pet Peeve

Automatically flushing toilets!

The North Wind and the Sun

The North Wind and the Sun had an argument on day. They disputed which of them was stronger. A traveler came along the road at that time, and the Sun suggested a way to resolve the argument. Whoever was able to cause the traveler to remove his coat would be stronger. The Wind accepted the challenge and the Sun hid himself behind a cloud. The Wind began to blow. Yet the harder he blew, the more the traveler clutched his coat about himself. The Wind sent rain, even hail. The traveler clung even more desperately to his coat. Finally, in despair, the Wind gave up. The Sun came out and began to shine in all his glory upon the traveler. Quite soon the man had removed his coat. "How did you do that" asked the Wind. "It was easy," said the Sun, "I lit the day. Through gentleness I got my way." -- Aesop

Texas A&M University

Established - 1871
President - Dr. Robert M. Gates
Provost - Dr. David B. Prior
Faculty - approx. 3700
Students - approx. 45,500
Location - College Station, Texas
Phone - 979-845-3211
Campus - 5200 acres
Colors - Maroon and White
Nickname - Aggies
Mascot - Reveille VII
Affiliation - Big 12
Website - www.tamu.edu

My brother first introduced me to A&M. When he was little, all he talked about was going to A&M and playing football. His room was even decorated in maroon and white. Then when I was in high school, a friend of mine's older brother worked for the A&M baseball team. He scored us tickets to a couple of baseball games, and I remember them being so fun.

Also, during high school, my parents took me to an A&M football game. A&M played K-State, so of course my parents and I wore purple. My brother wore maroon, and the Aggies truly impressed me. Our tickets were in the A&M alumni section, so we were three purple people in a sea of maroon, but my brother fit in perfectly. The fans embraced him. He talked with the Old Ag sitting beside him about the game (and previous games). When the War Hymn played, they put their arms around him and taught him as much as they could about what it means to be an Aggie in three minutes.





Aggies are hard-core. They wear their rings. They wear maroon. They sing songs about sawing off 'varsity's horns. They yell...loudly. They talk about A&M all the time. They buy season tickets. They go to bowl games. They stand up during entire football games. They say, "Howdy!" They tail-gate. They are the Aggie Network.





And now...may I introduce you to Holly...Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2028.

Note: I didn't go to A&M. I went to Baylor, and I wouldn't change that for anything, but I appreciate and respect my A&M friends...and I'm attempting to complete a challenge.

What am I talking about?

A friend recently showed me this picture she just happened to shoot. Ovbiously, I'm talking on the phone, but I look deep in conversation. So much so that I truthfully don't even remember the picture being taken, but then I don't remember the phone conversation either. Any thoughts? Who am I talking to? What are we discussing?

Also, in case you haven't noticed, I'm in search of a new title for my blog. Any suggestions?

I have a confession.

Today is my 28th birthday. I don't feel 28. I'm not exactly sure how old I feel. I know I feel different than I did last year at this time. I'm not so scared. I think a lot of that has to do with spiritual growth and unpacking a lot of junk...some of which I've been carrying around for decades.

I spent the morning in the newborn nursery feeding babies. Usually, when I go, there is only 1 or maybe 2 babies to feed. Today there were 4. Happy Birthday to me! In a little while, I'm going to go give blood. It only seems right to give the gift of life on the day that I was brought into this world (please go donate if you can...blood bank stores are at critically low levels).

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
Psalm 139:13-14

Have a terrific Thursday, everyone!

Gotta love the Baylor bling!

I know Christmas has passed, but Baylor rings are a welcome sight year round.

Thankful

My last post was a thank you, and right now, I'm very thankful.

I'm thankful that I don't have to be anywhere until 1 PM, so I can spend the morning studying things like nuclear hormone receptors and tyrosine kinase receptors and oocytes while drinking delicious coffee in the warmth of my apartment (and possibly wearing fleece).

I'm thankful for my POM (practice of medicine) small group. Yesterday I had to give a presentation. From time to time, I am required to perform a history/pt. interview on a standardized patient. These are video taped, so then I have to go back and present them to my group. The interviews always involve some sort of difficult situation that is kept top secret until I'm in the middle of it. Anyway, this last one was a doozy for me. I was nervous and anxious and really uncomfortable the whole time. But after the presentation, my group was so encouraging and said that they couldn't even tell that my feathers were ruffled.

Oh...and just in case you wanted to know...yesterday I learned that according to my endocrinology and reproduction CD "humans are not sheep." Yes, that's actually what it said.

Thank you

So I don't have a flair for communication. I don't even have the ability to write odes or poems. However, I have realized that I do need to take the time to thank the men in Paradigm.

I just want to let you all know that you are doing things right. You have helped create an environment where I feel very encouraged...a place where I am free to grow in my faith without fear.

Thank you for the little things: walking me to my car, following up on prayer requests, and speaking encouraging words.

Thank you for being godly men who don't focus on earthly things but focus on the things of the Father. You bless me, and you bless the rest of the class.

sometimes...

Sometimes I don't know what to pray.

me

Sometimes I'm loud. Sometimes I'm quiet. Sometimes I know just the right thing to say...often I don't. Sometimes I act goofy. Quite often I'm later embarrassed because I acted goofy. Sometimes I take myself too seriously. Sometimes I don't take myself serious enough. Sometimes I'm a morning person. Sometimes I'm a night owl.

I'm a dichotomy. So often we put each other in a single category, but I don't think I really fit into a specific category. Where does that leave me?

The things I hear in lecture...

"Women are not in-bred laboratory animals."

I'm still not sure how I feel about this comment.

26.2 miles and still smiling

Finishing a marathon is an amazing thing! Here we (Mike, me, Abby, and Tim) are before beginning the run. No we are not crazy, but we are dedicated. All four of us finished.

I could write pages on how excited I was to finish or about how I can't wait for my next one. However, instead I'm going to present you with 10 things I learned over the weekend.

1. You can get sunburned running in Orlando in January.
2. Biofreeze can actually make you cold even if it's 80 degrees outside.
3. Powerade does not agree with me during a really long run.
4. A Butterfinger never tasted as good as it did at mile 23.
5. Having people you've never met yelling your name is encouraging.
6. Mike and Tim are huge encouragers...I always want to be on their team.
7. Abby is absolutely delightful and so cheerful.
8. By day 2 post-marathon, I can walk down stairs semi-normally.
9. Tingling and numbness in your extremities is a bad sign.
10. Sometimes wearing bling actually does make me really proud.

The Magic Kingdom

Announcer: "Jeanine, you've just finished your first three days of Essentials of Endocrine and Reproduction. What are you going to do next?"

Me: "I'm going to Disney World!"

God meets me at the mountain every time.

Ross King's lyrics often speak directly to my heart.

I will run to the cleft of the mountain and wait for You.
Will You come and meet with me?
I will wait in the cleft of the mountain for You to pass by,
Will You come and meet with me?

Oh what a joy it would be,
Just for a moment to lay at the feet of the Lord,
Oh more than anything that's what I long for.
Oh what a change it would bring,
Just to look deep in the face of the King who gave all.
You gave everything so You could meet with me;
Will You meet with me?

Have you gone to the mountain to wait for God lately?

I'm big time now.

Today, I bought a coffee grinder. It's stainless steel and beautiful. I can't wait to grind beans.

I owe a post...

I owe a post to someone. You know who you are. I'm working on it.

A snoring cat

My cat is sitting beside me asleep...and she's snoring. I've never heard her snore before. I'm kind of amused.

Happy New Year!

As 2007 begins, I just want to take a moment a pray.

Father God, thank you for everything You have done in the past year. You have moved in ways I could never have imagined. Your plan is always perfect. You tell us in Jeremiah that when we search for You with our whole heart, we will find You. Thank you for making Yourself known. Thank you for the blessings of the past year, but also, thank you for the trials. Your Word is always true, and You never fail.

As the 2007 year of blogging begins, I pray that my blog would be pleasing to You. Father, I ask for wisdom. I realize my blog isn't anything special. It's not flashy or even one of the funnier blogs, but I pray that You would be in the midst of it. I pray that from time to time it will cause people to think and possibly see a different side of Your character.

Father, I lift up my readers. Honestly, I don't know how many I have, but I pray Colossians 1:9-10 over them. Fill them with spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they may walk worth of You. For those who may not know You, I pray that someone would shine a light into their life and that they would come to know You.

I pray all of this in Your holy name, amen.