Another turning point a fork stuck in the road Time grabs you by the wrist directs you where to go So make the best of this test and don't ask why It's not a question but a lesson learned in time It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right I hope you had the time of your life
As 2010 draws to a close, everyone in the world takes a moment to think back on the last 365 days: what was great, what went wrong, and what we'd rather forget. Based on conversations I've had with dear friends, and the status of literally everyone I know on Facebook, it seems as though everyone had the kind of 2010 that I did... that is to say, we are all ready to say "good riddance" to 2010 and ring in the new year for a fresh start.
2010 got off to a rough start. New responsibilities in Theta. Juggling VP-ship with friendship. Killer hard classes. Family health problems. Girls deliberately making my life hell. Major Taylor Swift moments (not the adorable kind). Thanks, 2010. Most appreciated.
That's not to say that there weren't wonderful things that have happened to me this year. I got a new internship. I was selected to be in Phi Beta Kappa. I was awarded a generous and prestigious scholarship. I aced the MCAT. I got another internship (three total -- yes, I'm nuts). I turned 21. I am writing a senior thesis. I found out I will be presenting this research at a national conference to very important people. I have people offering to write letters of recommendation for my medical school applications. A job opportunity just fell into my lap. And I have done it all with friends and family by my side. Laughing together. Crying together. But always always together.
As you can see, the "my 2010 sucked" paragraph is significantly shorter than the "my 2010 rocked" paragraph. Any logical person would then assume that I came out on top.
And I did.
Everyone has to deal with their own crappy days, crappy weeks, crappy months. We all get dealt a worthless hand every now and then (seriously, what am I going to do with a pair of two's?). For awhile, the sucky stuff took over. You know, when it rains, it pours? That kind of situation. But I found that when I adjusted my attitude and stopped caring about things I couldn't change, everything started going right. Really really right. I can't make people like me, I won't let a bad grade get me down, and I refuse to let an emotional and complicated situation get the best of me.
So to the people who helped me get through some rough times: thanks for being the same people that made the great times truly grand :)
Cheesy shout-out time (in alphabetical order):
Annalyse: Thank you for sending me a simple facebook message that sparked a friendship. And for being a constant support and source of inspiration in the form of short and sweet text messages. And a source of laughter (remember that email? I do ;) And thank you for introducing me to Jack's Mannequin!
Emily: Thank you for not allowing me to feel bad for venting... frequently. And thank you for buying me coffee when I desperately needed it. Anyone who has the patience to interact with a caffeinated panicked person is a saint in my eyes. And thank you for listening, always listening, and saying "that was music to my ears!" because we both know it was :) And for introducing me to Afroman :) HB2K10 will always be a beautiful, ridiculous and fond memory! Can't wait for 2K11!
Jessica: Thank you for keeping me sane through the MCAT, for always making Tacos and Beer the only lunch option worth considering, for listening to my random bouts of hysterical venting, for sharing with me your random bouts of hysterical venting, for convincing the world that I'm in love with Justin Bieber, for being my beloved next-door neighbor and most of all for being weird... with me :)
Katrina: Thank you for offering to do hilariously terrible things to the people that wronged me. It is nice to have a friend so fiercely loyal... and shameless :) Thank you for comforting me until 4am, and for picking up the phone when I needed a friend. And for giving everyone beads on Houseboats and being the best damn El Capitan. And for making "Kelly is done with the MCAT" jello shots. And for telling that creepy guy at Froggy's that it was time for us to go. That was a clutch move.
Lindsey: Thank you for coffee dates and jokes about Snuggies. I treasure our dates so so much and I can't wait to hear more of your stories. We live such sexy lives, don't we :)
Mia: Thanks for being you :) "Shut the f*** up, girlfriend!" Need I say more?
Michele: Thank you for being the sarcastic beez that I love and adore. Thank you for Giants games and wine coolers in the summer, for Gilmore marathons and presenting me with a plate of cookies when I didn't even realize you were baking them while I was having a terrible day. And thank you for the New Years Eve that is about to occur that we will never forget :)
Mom and Dad: You already know.
And to everyone who made my 2010 a little bit less than perfect: You should've known better ;)
So Cheers! Out with the old, in with the new! Happy 2011 everyone :)
Here's hoping you don't have a "brain hemorrhage" in 2011!
Don't say yes Run away now I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door Don't wait or say a single vow You need to hear me out And they said "speak now"
After a two month hiatus, I'm back... at least for awhile. I can fill you in on the last two months, but nothing super exciting happened. Fall Quarter, studying, midterms, papers, internships, turning 21 (oh, that one was kind of cool :), finding out I will be presenting our Cardiology study at a national conference (oh yeah, that's pretty cool too)... So hopefully you can forgive me, dear reader, for my absence; I've been a little busy.
Once again, Ode to Joy claims to be a music-inspired-ish blog. So I'll give the dirty deets on my life another time. But first I should do myself justice by talking tunes.
Every once in awhile, I get into music "moods" I guess you could call them. Moods where I only listen to about 10 or 15 songs on repeat until they make me want to vomit (or was that from one too many rum and cokes? After all, I am 21 now... just kidding, mom). Recently I've been in a Taylor Swift mood. Call me tween. Call me girly. Call me whatever you want, but homegirl knows what's up. (I've also been in a bit of a Darius Rucker mood, which led me to discover Hootie and the Blowfish... developing obsession, will discuss in future blog). Miss Swift is a 21 year old Pennsylvania sweetheart who has had her fair share of love troubles; pick up any issue of Entertainment Weekly from the past 3 years if you don't believe me. She proves that the pen is mightier than the sword through her songs - whether she is getting back at a girl for stealing her man or saying sorry to a boy for breaking his heart, she proves that there really is a song for every love story, happy ending or not.
So naturally, being a girl and therefore susceptible to troubles of the heart set to snappy pop-country beats, I've become obsessed with her latest album Speak Now. And I plan to review it for you :)
Track 1: Mine Do you remember we were sittin' there by the water You put your arm around me for the first time You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Okay, so besides the fact that this is the most adorable music video I have ever seen, the song has a good message. Love always starts off wonderfully and full of butterflies and puppies and rainbows, but the honeymoon phase is not supposed to last forever. Bills pile up, fights happen, and sometimes things feel like they are falling apart. Love is not easy. And anyone who tells you otherwise is a fool. But Taylor reminds us that if you can remember how you felt about that person the first time they put an arm around you, if you can remember why you love them in the first place, that you can make it last. Love is never easy, but if you are with someone who can also remember how they felt about you that very first time, then you can work through it and be happy together. Now isn't that sweet?
Track 2: Sparks Fly Drop everything now Meet me in the pouring rain Kiss me on the sidewalk Take away the pain 'Cause I see sparks fly Whenever you smile
This is far and away my favorite song from this album, and fortunately it is not a hit yet because I know exactly what will happen if it becomes one: every radio station will play it incessantly to the point that I want to rip my stereo out of my car and throw it out the window on I-80. And I don't want that to happen to my favorite song. Anyway, this one is about meeting someone that absolutely captivates you... even though he may not be the best idea. It's about not listening to what your mind is telling you. At it's core, it's about attraction. None of us are immune to it. Sometimes your mind knows best, but what fun is that? It's cute, it's upbeat, it's relatable. And frankly, the idea of being so attracted to someone that sparks fly whenever they smile at you sounds pretty hot.
Track 3: Back to December So this is me swallowing my pride Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night And I go back to December all the time It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine I go back to December, turn around and make it alright I go back to December all the time
Cue depressing breakup song. We all knew it was coming. Okay, I knock it because it's pretty standard Taylor, but I truly enjoy this song. It hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I heard it because it sounded very familiar; I was not in her position, but I've actually been the subject of a storyline much like this one. Rumor has it this song is about Mr. Taylor Lautner (aw, Taylor and Taylor). Apparently, she broke his heart last December and she regrets it. It might be a little too late now, Miss Swift, but it's nice to hear her sincerity. Not everyone gets an apology when a relationship ends terribly, so I hope Taylor Lautner considers himself lucky. And how can any normal person's apology remotely match up to a Taylor Swift apology? She has a freaking orchestra and a recording contract to back her up. No fair.
Track 4: Speak Now I hear the preacher say "speak now or forever hold your peace" There's the silence, there's my last chance I stand up with shaky hands All eyes on me I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl...
For the most part, this song is really stupid. I won't hide my feelings about it. It says things like "wearing a gown shaped like a pastry" and "the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march". Well, her lyrics can't all be winners; clunkers happen even to the best of songwriters. That being said, this song is on my Top 25 playlist on iTunes. Why, you ask? If you think the lyrics are dumb, why do you listen to it so much? you ask. All valid questions. I answer you with this: do you have the pelotas to stand up at a wedding, or at any time really, and say what you really feel? I don't either, which is why I admire this song. It encourages you to not let a word go unsaid, because you never know when, or even if, you will get the opportunity ever again. So Taylor, I applaud you. Arguably one of your dumbest songs is inspiring. You have a gift.
Track 5: Dear John Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone Don't you think I was too young to be messed with The girl in the dress cried the whole way home I should've known
Skip it. Skip this song. It is annoying. I adore Taylor Swift, and I love John Mayer's music. But every woman on earth knows what a womanizer he is, so I have a hard time feeling sorry for Tay. Yes, you should have known. So please skip this song if you don't want to be frustrated. And using his name in the title? A cry for attention much?
Track 6: Mean Someday I'll be living in a big old city And all you're ever gonna be is mean Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me And all you're ever gonna be is mean Why you gotta be so mean?
Apparently some music critic said some pretty mean things about Taylor, so on the surface that is what "Mean" is about. This is also not one of my favorite tracks, but I will choose not to berate it in favor of the stronger message it sends. Many gay teens have committed suicide recently due to bullying and these stories have taken over the headlines, inspiring the "It Gets Better" project. This project is a pledge to end hateful and intolerant speech. Though Taylor was inspired by a mean ol' guy who criticized her music, this song can be an "It Gets Better" message to people that are bullied, letting them know that someday they will be successful and all a bully will ever be is mean.
Track 7: The Story of Us Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room And we're not speaking And I'm dying to know is it killing you Like it's killing me I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
If I have ever heard a song that almost every girl can relate to, this is the one. I don't even know what to say about this song because it speaks for itself. The awkward run-in with the ex, the not wanting to admit that you were wrong (because of course you weren't), the dying to know how he feels... we've all been there and we all know how much it sucks. It's like you're standing alone in a crowded room. She really hits the nail on the head with this one, so I don't want to say anything more to screw it up because I can't really do this song any more justice than has already been done by its simply existing.
Track 8: Never Grow Up Oh darling don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up Just stay this little Oh darling don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up It could stay this simple
I am way to close to graduating from college to listen to this song. It hits way too close to home, because come June 10th, 2011, I have to grow up :( It's bittersweet because I have an amazing life plan and I can't wait to get started, but change is hard. So, I recommend skipping this song until further notice.
Track 9: Enchanted This night is sparkling, don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you Please don't be in love with someone else Please don't have somebody waiting on you
I love this song. I absolutely love this song. It is so full of raw emotion and longing and I can't help but blast it in the car and sing at the top of my lungs. I can't quite relate to this song, because clearly Miss Swift lives an enchanted life wherein she meets beautiful boys that captivate her and aren't super sleazy. Well, I live in a college town. The closest I get to such an encounter is meeting a boy out on the town and chatting for a bit before figuring out that he's a sleaze looking for a hookup which he will not be getting. Much less romantic. Regardless, listening to this song I can almost picture Taylor (or myself for that matter) meeting an enchanting boy and walking home in New York City dancing and blushing and full of butterflies. It is a powerful image that I think every girl would love to experience.
Track 10: Better Than Revenge She's not a saint and she's not what you think She's an actress She's better known for the things that she does On the mattress Soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys on the playground Won't make you many friends She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind There is nothing I do better than revenge
Is her bark worse than her bite? A multi-million dollar recording contract does make that bite a lot juicier, that's for sure. Taylor barks pretty loud in this song about Miss Camilla Belle, a young actress who began dating Joe Jonas shortly after Swift and Jonas split. I would not want to be on this girl's bad side, that's for sure. "Better Than Revenge" is catchy and ballsy and I love Taylor Swift all the more for it.
Track 11: Innocent It's alright, just wait and see Your string of lights are still bright to me Who you are is not where you've been You're still an innocent
Skip it. Spoiler alert: she forgives Kanye West for his horribly rude interruption at the 2009 VMAs.
Track 12: Haunted Come on come on don't leave me like this I thought I had you figured out Something's gone terribly wrong You're all I wanted Come on come one don't leave me like this I thought I had you figured out Can't breathe whenever you're gone Can't turn back now I'm haunted
Taylor proves that she is not all sugar and spice with this song. Like "Enchanted", this song is so powerfully full of emotion that you can't help but feel something huge when you hear it. I think every girl has a relationship that haunts her for awhile, and Taylor Swift manages to capture that feeling of loss, confusion, and desperation perfectly and, well, hauntingly. I won't try to explain further because everything this song means is already so perfectly encapsulated in the track itself.
Track 13: Last Kiss I never thought we'd have a last kiss Never imagined we'd end like this Your name forever the name on my lips
Cue super depressing breakup song, part two. As a song, it's fine. A little slow, but it's sentimental and sad and emotional and painful and relatable. So I guess it's a good song, all things considered. The line that gets me the most is "how you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something / There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions". (Side note, boys, that's ADORABLE. If you want to earn points with your girlfriend, start watching chick flicks. That shit is a goldmine of adorable gestures that are completely unrealistic. We ladies have lowered our standards significantly because we have experienced that most guys are jerks and we are impressed if he even holds open a door. So if you pull off some "27 Dresses" or "The Notebook"-type stunts, you're in. But don't follow my advice if you don't want to; just keep doing what you've been doing and let me know how that works out for you). Back to the song: going through a breakup is hard, and thinking of all the little things you'll miss makes it even harder. It's been my experience that the hardest part of a relationship ending is not the "big picture" -- the "why" of why things ended, because everyone involved usually can cope with the "why" -- but rather the "what" -- the "what" that is now absent. The little interruptions. The jokes. The nicknames. The random text messages about nothing more than letting each other know that you are thinking about them. What Taylor fails to mention is that it gets better, and that hole in your life becomes a distant memory when you move forward.
Track 14: Long Live Long live the walls we crashed through All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you I was screaming long live all the magic we made And bring on all the pretenders One day we will be remembered
Aw, this one is about her band. That's sweet. But apparently they are a band of time-traveling warriors or something because they fight dragons and tear down walls and stuff. Oh, that's all metaphorical? Ohhhhh, got it. I tease. This song is really cute and very powerful; I get the sense that she legitimately loves her band. Once again, I don't have a whole lot to say about this one because it pretty much speaks for itself, but I'm glad that a girl with so much to be grateful for gives credit where credit is due. She reminisces about their journey together from baseball cap and ripped-up jeans-wearing small town kids to stardom, and she revels in their journey together. Yeah, this one I can't relate to so much, as I am not an international pop superstar. But I like listening to it, so I guess she has got the appeal thing figured out.
Wow, this post is long. I did review an entire album that I listen to pretty much every day track by track, so I don't feel bad about it, although I can't help but feel like I didn't do it justice. After all, I'm just a college student with some free time that likes to write about my life and my favorite music. I'm really no one special, but I've been listening to this album so much lately that I thought there was no better way to jump back into my blog than to review it. It's nice to be back. Fall Quarter was incredibly hectic. I think my diet consisted of 90% coffee and 10% jelly beans because I was always on the go, so it is nice to sit down after finals and just throw some ideas down on... computer? (Writing cliches was a lot easier when pen-and-paper was still fashionable). And now my senior year is 1/3 over. Shit. (Pardon my language, mom). There is no other word to describe what I'm feeling right now. Excitement for the future, yet afraid of leaving the past behind me. Ready to be out on my own, but not ready to leave the comfort of the college bubble. I have resolved to make this year the best one yet, because I won't ever get this chance again. So not only should I Speak Now, but it is even more imperative that I do now, because who knows if I will ever have the chance to be this young, this free, ever again. Thanks for the lesson, Taylor ♥ I'm going to go do something now :)
In case you haven't heard the news, read my facebook, received an enthusiastic text message, or heard me screaming with delight, I am done with the MCAT forever :) I received my scores today at promptly 2:26pm after I got home from class and calmed my nervous tremors long enough to type in my AAMC login. Those numbers popped up on my screen and I started shaking with excitement. All that ran through my head as I looked at my scores and percentiles was "I did it!" I am a very happy girl right now!
As if satisfying scores weren't enough, I received a whole lotta lovin' today :) Phone calls, text messages, emails, facebook posts, high-fives and hugs started rolling in not long afterwards. One friend actually stepped out of class to call me because it was 2:30 and she had not heard from me or seen a facebook update yet (I was calling my parents at the time and I apologize most sincerely for not updating all of my social media outlets;) And another friend called me simply to tell me that I am a badass. So to each and every one of you, thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
The bottom of my heart.
But really, I can't possibly ever thank you enough. Thanks for keeping me motivated. Thanks for keeping me sane. And thanks for keeping me encouraged.
As if all that wasn't enough, I received a text message from my now-graduated-and-in-grad-school roommate from last year that I am in the latest issue of the Kappa Alpha Theta Magazine! Awesomeness :) I have yet to see it, but believe me I will be checking the mail hourly until it arrives! Once again, thank you Bettie Locke for everything you have done (oh not much, just founding the first greek letter organization for women) and all my sisters. Theta love :)
Best day ever? Quite possibly.
MCAT, if I never see your face again, I won't mind :) I put in my time, and it paid off immensely.
Now off to bed so I can face another beautiful, busy, exciting day in the life!
And 18 days, 23 hours, and 47 minutes until my birthday! October, I'm loving you so far!!!
After a long absence from the bloggernet, here I am again. About one month later. One month older, one month wiser. So much has happened! My goodness, I should never neglect my blog for this long ever again! Also, I don't know why, but the font looks different than usual. I don't like it :( This is why I should not be away for so long; I forget how to do things!
First: Recruitment. That two-week period every September where Theta takes over my life and I forget that I know other people. But I love it :) Two very long weeks culminated in an AMAZING new pledge class and our house has never been closer :) Recap of Recruitment: "look, there's a dude!", "my favorite thing about prison...", "I'm a part of a LobbyCorps which is a group on campus...", "L-Dog and K-Girl!", "YOU HAVE CHARACTER FLAWS!"... and so many more wonderful memories :)
Next: School... is hard. I am taking three classes this fall, but don’t be fooled; they will not be a walk in the park. Let’s start with PE. Andrea Khoo will try her best to kill me this year in Aerobic Toning Interval. Imagine the hardest workout you’ve ever done, except now you’re being trained by a body-building, kickboxing female who has abs firmer than you can EVER hope for, who does not let you use weights less than 10 pounds. The bright side: she makes awesome playlists. Of course, when she’s kicking your ass with 500 squats and lunges, it is hard to pay attention to her awesome remix of “Pokerface”. I am also taking a Volleyball PE class which should be great fun! There are 3 other Thetas in that class, and we are gearing up for our IM Volleyball team... Go Thetarade! :) I’ve enjoyed getting back into the game recently! Now the actual classroom stuff. COM 2: Great Books of the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment. Read: Sucks. I like reading books in very straightforward language; I'm a "To Kill A Mockingbird" kind of girl. So that should be fun... not. GEL 107: Earth History and Paleobiology. So far, boring. We talk about fossils and other old things. I'm waiting for it to get good (DINOSAURS), but so far, no dice. NPB 111L: Advanced Systemic Physiology Lab, more fondly known as "The Chicken Lab". Yes, you read correctly. Chicken.
Chicken.
Yep, I'm going to hell.
In the chicken lab, we learn about the scientific process... and we get to slice open a chicken and do stuff to it. I feel really bad about it, really I do, but it's a pretty unique opportunity (and a class for my major). In just over a week, I will be donning surgical gloves to conduct a variety of trials on the chicken's cardiovascular system. Eep. Not sure what to expect, but I'm actually pretty excited about it. Although, I may never be able to eat a piece of chicken ever again...
Lastly and most recently: MLB POSTSEASON!!! In the most important afternoon of my baseball fandom and in the single best game of baseball I have ever watched, the Giants shutout the Padres 3-0 to clinch the NL West Championship and rightfully earn a spot in the playoffs. The last time my beloved Giants were in the playoffs was in 2002, where they were nearly eliminated in each series (typical) and dropped the World Series to the Los Angeles Angels and their stupid Rally Monkey in 7 games.
Stupid rally monkey.
Yes, in 2002 Game 6 of the World Series, we blew it. We were leading 3 games to 2. And then we weren't.
I have waited patiently for 8 years to see my boys make it to the postseason again. And for 7 of those years, I have been disappointed. They string me along and then break my heart just when I get invested. But not this time :) Because today, with the postseason on the line in the very last game of the regular season, my boys showed me that my faith was not misplaced. Today, the San Francisco Giants, became champions! Can't wait for postseason play! As I've said before, I'm a very superstitious baseball person, so I won't say what I'm thinking, but: the World Series starts 2 days after my 21st birthday, and I'm hoping to see some familiar jersey numbers on the field :)
I knew it all along. Even when they were 9 games out of first, I kept the faith. Don't stop believin' :)
Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true.
I'M DONE!
I'M F***ING DONE!!!
I am over the moon, over the rainbow, over whatever other sort of heavenly body you can think of. After the longest, most stressful, most disciplined summer of my life, I can finally... relax.
After my MCAT was through, I was barraged with phone calls, text messages, and Facebook posts, all to the effect of "Congrats!" or "You're done!" or "Time to celebrate" or "I love you!" or, my favorite "Kelly is getting drunk tonight!!!" Not really, but I appreciate the sentiment! All of this left me with one feeling: overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed by the amazing people in my life (in a very very good way). I am overwhelmed by the fact that I am one step closer to realizing my dreams. I am overwhelmed that my brain is actually entirely non-functional and I suspect a little jello-y. I am overwhelmed that taking my MCAT felt pretty much just like taking every practice test, except I got fingerprinted today. I am overwhelmed that I spent about six hours on the couch today, just relishing in my ability to relax without feeling guilty. It is as if a thousand pound weight was lifted off my shoulders.
And it feels. so. good. :)
Mom and Dad and I toasted with some champagne and went out for lunch, where I was hoping the cute bartender would say, "Oh you just took your MCAT? Congratulations! Order anything you want, on the house!" On second thought, I'm glad he didn't. My brain was so mushy I probably wouldn't even know what to order... a Cosmo? A margarita? A mojito? A drink sampler? Give me one of everything please! (Famous last words). Not that I'm 21 or anything, but if he had made the mistake, I might not have corrected him... just saying. After lunch, mommy and I did a little bonding at the local Target. Translation: ohmigod shoes. And then we returned home, I resumed my bump-on-a-log position on the couch and took a nap (heavenly). Later, Dad and I agonized that there was nothing on TV on a Friday night.
Me: "Dad, do you realize that we're watching public television on a Friday night?" Dad: *laughs, recognizing the pathetic-ness of the entire situation*
We couldn't even find the SF v. LA game :( No matter: my Giants lost anyway (ducking Fodgers). We finally settled on "The 40-Year Old Virgin". I have watched some uncomfortable films with my parents before (Borat... yeah, I'm brave), so this wasn't too awkward. But it was funny as hell and just the way I wanted to spend my first night of freedom. We also had some Yo-Diggity Yogurt (for dinner, of course :) My mom was encouraging me to go out this evening, "call up your friends and go do something fun!". Mmmm, considering that I've been up since 5:45 this morning, took a 5 hour test, and am only a few hours removed from the whole overwhelming process, I'll pass. Besides, the last time I was able to just veg was... I'm not really sure. So I took advantage of what looked like a prime opportunity.
And now I leave you with this, dear reader (inspirational moment time): You have the willpower and strength to do something as ridiculous as study for three months straight. You can do even greater things than that. It takes dedication to have goals and strive to achieve them. My dad compared me to a glacier (not sure if this is flattering at all) -- it keeps on moving and doesn't let anything stop it... and then it melts. Soooo, thanks Dad? But in a weird way, it works. Be like the glacier: don't let anyone or anything stop your from doing what you want. And then when you've accomplished your goal, you can relax (melt, if you will), even if just for a moment.
And if you are spoiled like me, "I took the MCAT today" is the perfect excuse to act like a princess all day :) May lead to: getting to order dessert with celebratory lunch because... "I took the MCAT today", getting both pairs of adorable shoes and that really cute dress... and that really cute top because... I took the MCAT today", getting frozen yogurt as dinner because... I took the MCAT today" :)
Unfortunately, this song does not have many words, just a super badass riff. So you can watch and listen for yourself:
As goofy as my reasons may be, this song has a lot of meaning for me. In high school, I was on the Academic Decathlon team (nerd). And if you've ever met smart boys, you know that they are weird, but not always in nerdy ways... they're just weird. For whatever reason, 70s and 80s hair bands were the thing with our boys. It was all about being "metal" and "slaying" (keep in mind, these are upper-middle class white boys in polo shirts and Abercrombie jeans). So, "The Final Countdown" by Europe was naturally our theme song before any competition. It was queued up on someone's iPod to play immediately before a competition, driving to a competition, or anything that had to do with competition, AcaDec related or not (for instance, the not-infrequent steak-eating competitions between the boys). To this day, the song reminds me of Academic Decathlon and the happiest times of my high school years. The Lair, cups and pitchers, what the goodyear, competitive Scrabble, and countless other moments of laughter, joy, and intellect are all invoked when I hit "play" when this song pops up on my iPod. Being around people like myself, who appreciate intelligent humor, literature, subtlety, and a good steak, makes me smile, laugh, and prepares me for battle (intellectually speaking).
It is, truly, the final countdown. As it stands, my MCAT is in 8 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes, and 2 seconds. We are under the double-digit mark. For most people, this would indicate panic time. However, I have taken a more relaxed, zen approach to it. And for those of you wondering who I am and what I've done with Kelly Joy, you're looking at her. I realize that there is absolutely nothing to gain from panicking, depriving myself of sleep, drinking 10 cups of coffee a day, and worry about memorizing every little detail...
A recipe for MCAT disaster.
I have spent this entire damn summer working my ass off to ace this test.
And I'm ready.
Let the countdown continue...
:)
Does this have any relevance to the MCAT? Not really.
Is it the most precious thing I've ever seen? Absolutely.
And on an unrelated but incredibly important note, precisely 2 months until my birthday :)
Take me out to the ballgame Take me out to the crowd Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack I don't care if I ever get back for it's Root root root for the GIANTS! If they don't win it's a shame For it's ONE TWO THREE strikes you're out at the Old ballgame!
I. Love. Baseball.
Nothing says "summer" more than the crack of a bat, a giant hot dog with lots of onions and ketchup (mmmm :), an ice-cold beer (or so I've heard... I'll tell you in a couple months), and cheering for the boys in black and orange.
I love all my Giants, but here are a few of my absolute favorite boys:
Barry Zito
If you read about him on Wikipedia,
you'd think he was one of the worst pitchers in baseball...
Just keep reading... you'll learn the truth :)
Tim Lincecum
2-time Cy Young Award winner
THE best pitcher in baseball. Period.
Colorado Rockies prospect, 2007: "Guys on our club who have been in the big leagues said he's the toughest guy they ever faced too... I'm not really sure why he's down here [in the Minor Leagues], but for a guy who was drafted last year... that guy is filthy."
Damn straight.
Buster Posey
One of the best catchers in baseball currently.
And until recently was on a 21-game hitting streak,
just one hit short of Willie McCovey's rookie record.
And he's a BABE.
Marry me, please.
I love a man in uniform ;)
So imagine my excitement when, while watching a game on TV with my dear friend Michele, an advertisement for the upcoming home-stand against the "hated Dodgers"...
Me: What are you doing next weekend?
Michele: I don't have plans. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Me: I really want to go!
Michele: I'll grab my laptop.
Ten minutes later, tickets bought and printed. Center field bleachers, Friday July 30th, the San Francisco Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. I could already hear the roar of the crowd (Beat LA! Beat LA!) and could barely contain myself for an entire week. Studying? Fail. Working? Fail. Doing anything other than thinking about how stoked I was for this game? Fail.
Friday finally arrives and Michele and I take off for the city. We were a little worried about time because we hit nasty Bay Area traffic, but as I told Michele, we would get there right on time because it is actually impossible for me to be late. Ever. I frequently leave the house running late (or so I think) and arrive at my destination twenty minutes early. Anyway, we got off the Bay Bridge around 6:55pm, and were parked and in the stadium by first pitch at 7:15. Skills.
First task: OBTAIN FOOD. Giants dogs, souvenir Beat LA cups, and sunflower seeds -- a recipe for success. Second task: Find our seats. Not too hard, considering there are only about 30 jillion people at AT&T Park and they are ALL walking too slow. But we successfully found our seats, enjoyed our overpriced-but-so-worth-it ballpark fare, and began cheering like crazy. At this moment...
One of the wonderful few ladies I know who is equally obsessed with our Giants :)
... little did we know what shenanigans would unfold before our eyes.
Apparently, section B141 was the place to be. We lucked out and had aisle seats, which made getting up to go to the bathroom or get food about a million times easier. BUT, when a very drunk Giants fan started waving his "Beat LA" shirt in the face of a (probably also drunk) Dodgers fan in the aisle RIGHT next to us, suddenly the aisle seat was less appealing. A fight nearly broke out between pissed and drunk (piss-drunk? yes) rival fans, and that's when I got cozy with the SFPD. I feel like they should have introduced themselves before essentially crawling on top of me -- Michele had to pull me in closer to her to prevent me from being trampled by seven tough-looking SF cops. They don't mess around. ESPECIALLY not at Dodgers-Giants games. The instigator was ejected from the game, and I went back to enjoying my hot dog and a damn good game.
The Giants were hitting home runs like there was no tomorrow, and though Timmy struggled a bit (see 2 paragraphs down), he still recorded strike after strike, most of them looking. If my high school coach taught me anything, it was to always go down swinging. I don't mind if the Dodgers get caught looking at perfect pitches though :)
While we watched our boys pulverize the Dodgers (at least for the first 8 innings), we also had the pleasure of sitting behind the most vulgar fan I have ever encountered at a sporting event. I mean vul-GAR. No, sir, I don't want to hear about how the other team should suck your _____. Neither did the little elderly couple near us. Nor the really pissed off Dodger fan with the blue face sitting right next to us. He very loudly shared many worse vulgarities, but common decency prevents me from telling them here. Just know that they were bad, and Michele and I got to witness it all. Lucky us. And he wasn't even drunk... So imagine how excited we were when he got up to go get a beer!
In the meantime, we sighed sighs of love and admiration anytime Buster Posey came up to bat, and we got a little frustrated with our boy Timmy -- he was not pitching his best game. But he got them out of some sticky wickets, so we forgave him. Now if he would just get a haircut, we'd be in business.
We met up with Jake and Kyle during the 7th inning stretch!
And lucky for us, upon our return to B141, we found the greatest of all gifts: a drunk girl sitting in the seat of the vulgar guy in front of us. Apparently, she was drunk, lost all her friends, and got arrested. She cried a lot and got un-arrested (I didn't think it worked like that) and wandered into our section. Vulgar guy said she could sit with him and his buddy as long as she was willing to squish. She obliged. And then, in true vulgar-guy fashion, he offered to have her sit on his hard... lap. And the worst part? SHE OBLIGED.
Certified HOT MESS.
And the single best facial expression my camera has ever captured.
Me: How many more beers until she goes home with him?
Michele: None. She's already there.
Sure enough, she whips out the phone and gets his number. But after awhile, drunk girl gets bored with vulgar guy's shenanigans and moves on... to the TWEENS in front of vulgar guy.
NO JOKE. These three boys were probably between 16 and 18 years old. And there was definitely one out of the three who was lightyears more attractive than his peers. But, in true drunk/skanky girl fashion, she doesn't go for the hottest one; she goes for the most desperate (read: tweenest) one. And he is all about it. He's holding her hand, putting his arm around her. She whispers drunken nothings into his ear, biting his earlobe (ew. Please get a room. Actually don't -- that's not legal). Michele and I are cracking up, wondering if this kid even has his learner's permit yet. He managed to seal the deal eventually and we had the displeasure of seeing the tween make out with the drunken hot mess. Better than cable...
But NOT better than the game! All this nonsense is happening right in front of us, making it very hard to focus on the fact that, in the top of the 9th inning, the Giants are blowing it big-time, allowing their 6-2 lead to shrink to 6-5 with bases loaded. FOR GOD'S SAKE, JUST GET YOUR SH*% TOGETHER!!! After 2 unsuccessful pitching changes, a brand new (like, "as of 6/30/2010" brand new) bullpen pitcher with a record of ZERO saves (not comforting) by the name of Chris Ray steps in with 2 outs, bases loaded. The go-ahead run is at second base. F*%@. NOT the best time to be testing out the newbies, Bochy. In the nail-bitingest out of my life, by some miracle of God and baseball Ray pulls it off. 6-5 victory. Ray gets the save. The Giants get the win, inching ever closer to the coveted 1st place spot. San Diego, enjoy the top while you can... it won't last long.
Michele and I made the drive back to Davis in style, belting show tunes the whole way home. You know you want to be our best friend.
Me: We can even sing all the harmony parts!
Michele: Well... we're trying.
We're really cool :)
To make Friday's victory even sweeter, the Giants went on to sweep the Dodgers in front of sold out crowds at each game. Keep it up boys! Like I've said before, I'm incredibly superstitious when it comes to baseball, so I won't say what I'm thinking right now... Sorry. But I will say this: I can't wait for October!
And now, dear reader, I leave you with this, a quote from an advertisement on the Giant's website for this past weekend's series against the Dodgers: "I would root for the Red Russians over the Brooklyn Dodgers." Damn. The longest-standing rivalry in the history of baseball... gotta love it :)
Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky Are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now...
After a long absence from the Ode to Joy (my sincerest apologies, reader), I am back. I will give my own personal life updates later; for now, as I claim to blog about music (and only occasionally do), I wish to discuss the one song that you cannot escape from, no matter how hard you try....
Yes, I am talking about Airplanes. This song is everywhere. AND there are two versions of it. As if one was not enough. You can't drive for more than about five minutes without this song coming on, usually on multiple stations at once, so unless you like country music (thank the Lord I do!), you really have no other options. Don't get me wrong: it's catchy, Hayley Williams has a pleasant voice, and the thought of rappers not loving the glamorous life is cute. But we all know better. Whether Lil Wayne is clappin' for his bank roll, 50 Cent is getting rich or dying trying, or Travie McCoy is hangin' out in a whole new tax bracket, it is uncharacteristic to say the least of a rapper to renounce the lifestyle. So, B.o.B., what's the deal?
I will make no attempt to hide it: I am a superstitious person. I always knock on wood when I make a claim that could jinx myself. When the Giants are in a tight spot, I knock on wood continuously until they get out of it... and if you know anything about the San Francisco Giants (God love 'em), my knuckles often start to hurt. I fully buy into the idea of the placebo effect, which explains why decaf can jack me up effectively enough to conquer my to-do list. When an eyelash falls from my eye to my face, I put it on my finger, make a wish, and blow it away. Every time. And I have a tendency to repeat the same few wishes to improve their chances of coming true (after all, 100 eyelash-wishes should carry more weight than 1, right?). But my superstitions are not unbounded: I don't believe that shattering a mirror will bring you seven years bad luck, and I have no problem deleting chain letters from my inbox (I find it hard to believe that my crush will magically appear at my house at midnight to kiss me -- I don't think Luke Bryan knows where I live).
Make no mistake, if passing on that chain letter would improve my chances with this country hunk, I would do it in a heartbeat...
Quick, check your emails! If you don't forward it to 30 people within 1 hour, you will have 10 years of no love!!!
But I digress. B.o.B., wish upon all the falling stars you want, but you can't just change superstitions. Airplanes are, in fact, not shooting stars; you may actually be wasting your time by wishing on things that hold no superstitious value! In addition, you are setting yourself up for disappointment when your wish fails to become reality. I can imagine B.o.B. now...
Dear airplane, I want to return to before I was famous because once the parties are over, I realize that this glamorous life is really empty and lonely... wait, why isn't my wish coming true? How am I still famous??? I wished on that airplane!
The pilot has NO idea why you are wishing on his plane, but he wishes you would stop; he just wants to get his passengers to LAX safely without your wishes clogging up the radar.
Not to mention, you're famous now... deal with it. Now, you must rap to stay relevant instead of for the hell of it. That's what happens when you have a JOB that requires you to be in the public eye -- you have to actually DO it for people to care about you. Granted, you could be Lindsay Lohan and just become a giant hot mess, but I think you want to go for famous rather than infamous. So for now, I would recommend avoiding the Lohan route. Maybe if she wished on an airplane, she could also go back to the days when she was America's Sweetheart... Read: NOT.
But, I will give B.o.B. this concession: when you are having a bad day, it is a great song to listen to and commiserate along with. Like, B.o.B. gets me. It can be a source of comfort, knowing that someone else could also use a wish right now. But sometimes listening to a song this whiny can make a bad day worse. Positive feedback loops and such. Consult your basic Biology textbook.
I also can't listen to this song without thinking of the trailer for Charlie St. Cloud, starring my love, Zac Efron. I don't care how tween it is or how bad the movie could possibly be: two hours of staring at Mr. Efron is worth the $10 ticket. And the song fits very nicely with the general theme of the movie (sorry, no spoilers here; you'll have to check out the TV spot yourself). Well done, B.o.B. Zac should thank you in his acceptance speech for the "Most Awkward Transition From Disney Channel to Serious Roles" award.
So for now, I may buy into your airplane-wishing theory, if only because I fall for that kind of stuff. But I may back those airplane-wishes up with a few eyelash-wishes. Just for good measure.
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A brief update on the last few weeks:
1. MCAT: We have reached the halfway point with classes, which means I have reached the panic point. Perhaps unnecessarily, but it happened, so that's that. The countdown is roughly 43 days, 18 hours, and 23 minutes. Roughly. Our O-Chem instructor gave us a little inspirational pep talk yesterday, which was much needed. Apparently, it is perfectly normal to feel like you are in a rut or not making significant progress. He compared it to climbing a mountain: it is a slow, laborious, and painful process (hence why I don't like climbing mountains -- I'm a results person), BUT you will reach the top and it will be a-okay. Apparently he was not doing so hot on his practice tests and ended up with a 37 on the real test (God, if you are reading this, please take note). So I'm doing my best to stay positive, stay focused, and stay calm, because negativity and panic won't get me too far. If I start freaking out, just give me a nice firm slap across the face and tell me to calm the hell down; I'll listen.
2. New phone: My enslavement to Apple is complete. First, they got me with the iPod in 2008. Then, my HP crashed and I thought "Macbook? Macbook :)" earlier this year. And now, enchanted by their blatant advertisements of smart-phones and heartwarming fatherhood/grandfatherhood (I am such a daddy's girl), I have succumbed to the iPhone 4. And I love it :) I would like to publicly say that the call quality and reception I have experienced with the iPhone 4 has far and away exceeded all my previous cellular devices. So Steve Jobs, as 50 Cent so eloquently stated, "if haters hate, then let 'em hate and watch the money pile up." You go, boy. With this phone, I have solved crises of word origins ("ombudsman" is of Nordic origin!), caught up on the latest in the field of medical discovery (only true nerds/pre-meds have the New England Journal of Medicine app...), and watched President Obama address the nation in absurdly high definition.
3. Friends: I MISS YOU ALL. COME BACK TO ME! Or I'll come to you. Regardless, stop being so far away from me. And to my friends who ARE in Davis, continue to help me maintain my sanity by pulling me away from the books every now and again. I am having a blast this summer in spite of studying for the MCAT :) That, my friends, is called "hella skill" <--- Please note how awesome I will do in verbal reasoning.
4. Coffee: Nothing really earth-shattering here. I just felt like offering a word of caution: DON'T ATTEMPT TO MAKE YOUR COFFEE STRONGER THAN USUAL. If you screw up (or even if you do it right), your body will feel like it is running a 100-meter race, when you are actually sitting still. It is incredibly uncomfortable and I don't recommend it. In fact, that is why I am writing right now as opposed to after doing my homework; if I tried to study right now, I would probably not be too successful. By writing my heart out here, I have accomplished two things: 1) I have finally gotten back to my blog after a couple weeks of insanity/writer's block, and 2) I have stalled, allowing my caffeine level to decrease enough to allow productivity. A thinker, I am. Doctor material.
5. I SAW MY FIRST STAB WOUND VICTIM SINCE WORKING IN THE ER. Not that stabbings are a good thing (they are actually bad for your health, oddly enough), but everyone else had seen at least one and I had not; I was feeling left out. And as a pre-med, I find myself loving the kind of stuff that you would never wish upon a patient because it is interesting. This same logic explains the complete not-weirdness of one of the doctors exclaiming "Oh, she has malaria? Awesome!" -- some things are super cool from the medical perspective. I would never wish stab wounds or malaria upon someone, but it's there and it has to be dealt with, so you might as well take some interest in it. The guy didn't seem like he was in too bad of shape. He was quite chatty and, upon being wheeled off to Radiology, exclaimed "There are hella people in here!" He, also, will perform quite well on the MCAT Verbal Reasoning, I would imagine. AND I saw someone get brought back from asystole (flatlining). Amazing!
I imagine your eyes are getting tired now from all my writing. Sorry :( Go give your eyes a rest, maybe wish on a few airplanes. Time to hit the books for me :)
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis *Pumped a lot of pain down in New Orleans (see author's note) But I never saw the good side of a city 'Til I hitched a ride on the riverboat queen Big wheel keep on turnin' Proud Mary keep on burnin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river
Yesterday, I went floating down the American River with about fifteen girls from my sorority. Having grown up near very few bodies of water (read: one icky manmade lake), I had no idea what to expect. After trekking through the wilderness to find level ground by which to access the water (instead of jumping, you know, 30 feet into a shallow rocky river -- no thanks), sliding down a dusty slope in just a swimsuit (uncomfortable), and reluctantly lowering my body into the c-c-c-cooold river, we actually had an amazing time! Two hours of lounging and laughing was broken up by the occasional rapid, the occasional freezing cold splash, and someone falling off their tube. I had never been to the American River before; who knew that such beauty was hiding in the midst of the Sacramento area. All I see when I drive through Sac is dirt, smog, and city. But that all seems so far away when it's just you and nature and your dear friends.
The American River, Sacramento CA
As a result of our floating adventure yesterday, I have a newfound appreciation for the Sacramento area. As CCR pointed out, sometimes you need to hitch a ride on a riverboat to see the good in a city. Sacramento gets a bad rap sometimes. "It's boring", "it's hot", "it's ghetto", "it's not very fun". Fair enough. And even just a few days ago, I would have agreed with you. But as my mom and dad used to tell me when I claimed to be bored, "maybe that means you're boring." A true not-boring person can always find fun to be had, memories to be made, and adventures to embark upon.
So, if you think Sacramento is boring, take a ride down the river. Check out a Sacramento Kings game at ARCO arena (not right now, as they are not in season; but you can go see Ke$ha, Rihanna, and Travie McCoy next Friday, which is almost as good -- raw talent, obviously). Watch the River Cats hit some homers at Raley Field (but not against my Grizzlies!). Learn about the history of our fair state at any number of museums: the Governor's Mansion State Historic Park, the California Hall of Fame, or the California State Railroad Museum (a personal favorite of mine). Apparently a few hardcore metal acts have their origins in Sac (any Papa Roach or Cake fans in the house? Yeah, I didn't think so), and if you're into that sort of thing, it looks like you are in the right place. Head to town for Memorial Day Weekend to experience the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, as the city is known as a center for Dixieland Jazz (I had no idea! West Coast New Orleans? Maybe?) -- even though Memorial Day has already passed, maybe pencil it in for next year! Check out the Trash Film Orgy to get your fill of the "absurd, B-movies, horror, monster, and exploitation." Yum. For Billie Shakes buffs, meander over to the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival in William Land Park (this summer: Othello, and A Midsummer Night's Dream!).
Wow, Kelly! How do you know so much about Sacramento? Wikipedia. It is a treasure trove of information! I have yet to cross most of these items of my Sacramento Bucket List before I peace out in a year or so, and it seems like I could have a pretty awesome time in the process.
In our house this summer, we have a summer bucket list and we are chipping away at it quite rapidly. Picnic in the Arboretum? Check. Playing with the cows? Check. Floating down the river? Check. Next weekend, drive-in movie! Hopefully you can make the most of your summer, too, by taking advantage of all the secrets your metropolitan area has to offer. Even if you have important things to do (like studying for the MCAT, for instance? The LSAT? Working and making cash money?), you can always find some time for yourself. Because if you don't, I'm going to get mad at you. And you don't want a skinny, caffeinated, stressed-out pre-med white-girl up in your business... just trust me ;)
And lastly but not leastly, Happy Independence Day! Go do something American to celebrate our wonderful country: eat a hot dog, drink a Sam Adams, toss around a baseball. And please take some time to remember what a great country we have the pleasure of living in. Whatever side of the aisle you fall on doesn't much matter today; in spite of our differences, we are all Americans :)
*AUTHOR'S NOTE, 7/8/10: Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the second line of "Proud Mary" used in this post is about heroin... how awkward. I'm not down with drugs, CCR. I am a little disappointed in you. But to remove it would screw up the "flow". So the dilemma is: Do I take the lyric out? Or do I just acknowledge it and inform my readers (all, like, two of you ;) that I do not use heroin or know much about heroin (hence my naivete regarding CCR's meaning) and that the meaning of this post would actually be lost or altered if I succumbed to self-censorship? Jim Morrison (a beacon of morality, obviously) refused to change his lyrics when the Ed Sullivan Show asked him to; he played his song as it was written so as not to become a sell-out. Selling out: not very rock-and-roll. Needless to say, the network did not appreciate the sentiment of "girl, we couldn't get much higher" and he never played on Ed Sullivan again. In comparison, Mick Jagger was more than happy to change his lyrics (read: sell-out) and the Rolling Stones made many more appearances on the popular variety show. Great story, Kelly, but you are really no closer to a decision now than you were before the history lesson. Ahhh but you are wrong! I have made my decision! I will leave the lyric in because who am I to change what an artist has deemed to be their work of art? I am just some college kid with a blog. So, CCR, I will leave your lyric as is, but you will never play on this blog again!
I am a huge nerd. I am addicted to coffee. Gilmore Girls is my pick-me-up. There is no such thing as too much Chipotle. I read Cosmo and Us Weekly religiously. I am pre-med and therefore a little insane. I sing along with every song on the radio. I love Kappa Alpha Theta. I am a huge SF Giants fan and I take my baseball VERY seriously. I know the lyrics to 95% of all Beatles' songs. I have read To Kill a Mockingbird at least 5 times. I love being an Aggie. I involuntarily squeal when I see puppies. Picnic Day is my favorite holiday. I sometimes read books from my childhood for nostalgia... or important life lessons that are more useful now than when I was eight. I am low maintenance... unless I am stressed, in which case please bring me some ice cream thanks. I love bike rides. Pickles freak me out. I can only eat take-out with the plastic fork from the restaurant. I am sassy and sarcastic. I dream big, I love to laugh, and I love to love. If that works for you, let's chat :)
