Gardens and Galleries

During the final segment of my California adventure, Adam and I checked out the Huntington Library. We wandered through the library galleries to see a Gutenberg Bible, several impressive first editions, and science-related exhibits. I especially enjoyed walking through the Huntington's elegant residence with impeccable decor and British art installations.The diverse gardens were the other main draw of the destination. We ambled through themed gardens dotted with sculptures and fragrant blossoms. I loved the bamboo forest, bonsai trees, and the raked rock/sand of the Japanese garden. Naturally, we stopped and smelled the roses in the rose garden. We also took a detour to the conservatory, and I couldn't help but feel like were were in a game of Clue. Instead of Ms. Scarlet with the lead pipe, we saw an indoor rain forest with lots of exotic plants.

SEAL of approval

The main motive behind the timing of my California trip was to catch high school friend Stefan's graduation from the Navy SEAL program. He completed the grueling two years of training in Coronado and finished with the 277 class. It's pretty impressive to hear the statistics about how they attained mastery of Sea, Earth, and Land. Swimming enough miles to go from Cuba to Florida, running enough miles to go from Florida to NYC, spending over 60 hours underwater, and blowing up over 7 tons of explosives earned this class of 41 men (from 160+ originally) their tridents.The ceremony was pretty short and sweet. Part of me hoped for a bit more fanfare like I enjoyed at various Air Force Academy events. Alas, there were no fly-bys, parachute jumps, falcons, or addresses from the President. Still, it was a special ceremony and a very big deal for this group of elite men. Afterward I got a little tour of the training facilities including the Coronado shoreline.I had a chance to catch up with some of Stefan's family and to meet his girlfriend Kim. We ate lunch at McP's, a SEAL-only establishment, to mark the first day that Stefan could be served with his new naval status. It was great to see such a good friend for the first time in years! Hooyah Stefan!

On a Mission

25 years is a long time to live without ever having indulged in a fish taco. I knew the wrong had to be righted, so I made my personal mission to eat one on this most recent trip to southern California. Adam took me to one of his favorite post-surfing establishments: Taco Surf. I must admit, the meal was delicious, messy, and oh-so-satisfying.Speaking of missions, we paid a visit to Mission San Juan Capistrano. We walked through the old buildings, read about the history of the mission, listened to the audio tour, and even eavesdropped on some of the guided tours. I especially enjoyed the flowers and the Serra Chapel (California's oldest building that's still in use). By the time dinner rolled around, we were starving and ate to our stomach's content (in my case, a bit over capacity) at Mama D's for some delightful Italian.

Miles and Milestones

I feel like I can check a lot off my list since the last post. Despite a late start at the uncoordinated test center, I took my USMLE Step 1 exam on Tuesday, May 11. After the eight-hour exam, I was ready for some ice cream, a bubble bath, and a full night's sleep. I studied on Wednesday for two Baylor exams on Thursday (nutrition and evidence-based medicine). Finally on Friday morning I made a run for it and headed north to Idaho.Saturday morning I got to cheer on Sam as he walked across the stage in the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. It was pretty cool to watch him receive his hood and scoop up his diploma after three years of hard work in law school. Now he'll take the Washington bar and make a home for himself (and Arney dog) in Spokane. Congratulations, Big Brother!

I'm so grateful to be home in Idaho for a short stretch of time with family. It's been divine recharging my batteries and filling my belly with food other than nachos and bagels. It's going to be hard to go back to Houston on Tuesday, but at least I have a furry friend waiting for me to rub his belly feed him Friskies in bed.

3...2...1...

Just finished all the questions in the Kaplan QBank. Overall, I've done over 6,000 questions in the last couple months. This test better go well! I shall return to civilization after 8pm on Tuesday, May 11. In the meantime:

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Plugging Away

I'm in the home stretch of my studies for perhaps one of the toughest, most important exams I will take in my medical career. With the test rapidly approaching on May 11, my life has been relatively boring and monotonous. Recently, I have heard the song below in the car on my way home from studying. Perhaps my appreciation for this song is skewed by the mood I am in at 1am or maybe it's the relief that comes with completing another day of studying and having a bed/snuggly cat waiting at home. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the song: