What the future holds

Okay, well, the future that I am talking about is next semester. I found out my clinical placement for my senior clinical practicum in New York City: Emergency Department at New York Presbyterian!

Let the fun, stressful, busy, first aid times roll!(Hopefully no patients will die in the waiting room under my watch.)

The Days Go By

The other day in class I peered over to see my friend crossing off days in her planner. A smile crept over my face, finding joy in watching the days disappear. Closer to being done.

Then a thought occurred to me. How sick is that we are wishing our days to fly by, to be done with? What are we closer to being done with? Sure, school. But grass is always greener on the other side. Shouldn't we be enjoying each day to the best of our ability?

Media's Mixed Messages

John Stewart humorously shows how the Media dictates the course of the election.

Megabus

I'm now a big fan of Megabus over the Chinatown buses.

I paid $9.50 for a one-way ticket from NYC to Philly. If you book further in advance, the fares are even cheaper (They claim as low as $1). However, the fares don't ever get up much past $10.
Comparison: Megabus is just as cheap, if not cheaper than Chinatown buses

I picked the Megabus up outside of Penn Station in NYC, and was dropped off at 30th St. Station in Philly. They also had another stop option at 6th and Walnut in Philly.

Comparison: Megabus is much more convenient location-wise on both ends, and saves bus/trolley fares to and from Chinatown.

Megabuses were painted bold blue with the Megabus logo huge across the sides. There were official signs where Megabuses were allowed to park and load. The drivers were in uniform. The driver made an announcement at the beginning and end of the trip (where the bus was going, how long it would take, thanks for riding Megabus, etc). An employee helped load baggage underneath. We drove straight to Philly without any random stops.

Comparison: Megabus is a lot less sketchy than Chinatown buses

Birthday Bashing

I had a fabulous birthday this week.

I spent the morning by myself, slept well, ate ice cream for breakfast, watched movies, and took a bath instead of a shower. Relaxing and enjoyable.

I met up with my wonderful boyfriend after he got off work, and we went to a Ellen's Stardust Diner, where the wait staff take turns performing songs. It was fun, and this is where I got my birthday candle. Stuck in a plate a whipped cream with an Oreo and Sprinkles, I got to make my birthday wish (which, of course, is a secret)!

After dinner we ventured to a very nice bar on Rivington and Essex Street, with mood-lighting and comfy seating. I ordered some kind of coconut rum-mango concoction. Yummy. First legal drink in the US. Didn't even get carded.

Drinks were followed by the Laugh Lounge Monday madness. It was a small crowd, being a Monday and all. They had a fun variety of stand-up comics. We were laughing hysterically by the end...although that may have something to do with splitting a bottle of Zinfandel wine...

It was a really enjoyable evening of festivities. Good company, good drinks, and good laughs.

HAIR!

Finally got tickets to the free Public Theater performance of Hair in Central Park! Instead of waking up at 6am to wait in the line for free tickets that they give out at 1pm, I joined the "virtual line." After a week of trying, I finally got a pair of tickets!

I admit this Hippie love-rock-musical was way too long, and there wasn't much of a plot-line, but I had a good time. The actors maintained a high level of energy throughout, and the singing was great! Plus the rad costumes really set the scene. To finish it off - the curtain call turned into a giant dance party with the audience!

Let the sunshine in...

Mixing it up

Tired of the same old vegetable stir fry with a meat and either pasta or rice for dinner we decided to experiment a little. An internet recipe idea search and a trip to Fairway Market later, we had a weekend full of delicious, relatively healthy meals.

Friday night: Meatloaf. Used ground turkey with the beef for a lighter dish. Mixed in sauteed onions, green bell pepper, spinach, and carrots to load up on vegetables. A honey-ketchup glaze. So flavorful I didn't even add extra ketchup!

Saturday night: Eggplant Parmesan. My all-time favorite. Dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and then baked instead of fried lightened this dish right up...minus all the Parmesan cheese...yum.
Sunday night: Teriyaki Burgers and Fries. Used the remainder ground turkey/beef mixture to make patties, and rubbed them in teriyaki sauce before cooking. Topped the burgers off with a sauteed mixture of mushrooms, onions, and spinach. A side of potatoes sliced and baked in the oven made for delicious homemade diner fare.