Focus for the Month: Small Celebrations.

So I got up late this morning and vacillated about going to the tire place because:

A. I was worried it would take FOREV (like every other freaking thing on this Blasted Rock) and I had physio at 11am. Dr. Reich would never forgive if I were late, even if it were for safety of new tires.

B. I technically had no idea where the place was located, only typical island directions: drive towards the port, on the left side (duh, ocean to the right) between the fork where Fisherman's Wharf is and the entrance into the port area. Course, every building along that stretch looks exactly the same.

C. I wanted to stay asleep. C'mon, it's a rare commodity around here.

As per my new chosen attitude of positivity and Can-Do-ness (ha!) I chose the mature, responsible path and drove into town. Trust me, it's not a path with a very clearly labeled street sign. The tire place is this literal hole in the wall; you have to drive very slowly past to be sure it's the right place. There is a narrow drive into a concrete walled-in space that barely fits my teeny jeep. I pull in, assuming that is how this works, and go inside to find the place actually appears similar to a local garage back home (complete with musty muscle-man smells). I tell the guy I need four new tires, and he comes out to inspect what I have currently. He tells me my two rear tires have really good tread and I should just replace the two front. Seriously? This place is soooo assbackward; the mechanics are the honest ones and everyone else is out to scam us!

After thirty minutes (NO JOKE - I can't even get a take out meal ordered ahead of time in thirty minutes!) and $520 EC ($193 USD) I had two new tires and my alignment was fixed.

I can totally feel a difference! She's more stable, no more random swerving due to hitting a bump in the road (of which there are plenty). Yay New Tires!

Well, back to Immuno. Two more midterm exams left (Immuno this Wed. and Parasit the following Wed.) and it's on to Final Exams! [insert foreboding music here]

The Moon was Huge Tonight.

I know, I know. That's what she said.

But really now.

It was absolutely gorgeous. So impressive that I was inspired to drive past my road, into town, and around the roundabout just so I could drive back with the moon filling the sky in front of me.
Trust me - those of you who are trying telepathically to yell at me about driving through town at 2 am alone because it is dangerous are so wrong - it was far more dangerous to drive forward while staring backwards. Yes, it was just that beautiful.

Be happy I didn't try to take a picture while driving.

Tonight was filled with philosophical conversations for me (with a little Immunology thrown in for shits & giggles). I'm not sure if I'm just too introspective right now, and am therefore expecting that of others. But it seems the people around me are seriously resistant to the idea of looking inside. How can we expect to build our lives, relationships, dreams if we have no idea who we are inside? If we're afraid to find out?

I've recently reconnected with a number of old friends from years past. The memories have made me quite nostalgic for the days when things were simple and happy and secure. A part of me would love to go back to sixteen years old: getting my license (ah, freedom), going to the prom (I had the best dress that year), looking forward to becoming a senior (and therefore invincible). But geez, I was so retarded in those days. I had absolutely no clue what possibilities were out there for me. If I had it to do again, the absolutely one thing I would change is to take more advantage of the opportunities that knocked. I missed out on a lot of possibilities due to fear and the fact that my priorities were so screwed up back then.

Perhaps one day soon I'll crawl out of my head and be content with the person I've become. Perhaps not. Stay tuned.

Sweet Sixteen.

Last night I hopped into a Delorean and went back to 1994. Or at least that's what the RossU vs. Windsor soccer game last night felt like. I stood on the sidelines amongst my classmates screaming my head off for our boys and feeling sixteen again. The only thing missing was face paint and cute little pleated skirts. There's always next time.

I was also impressed with the turnout of fans from RossU. Windsor, a local nursing school on The Rock, had about 1/2 of RossU's groupies....and none of the unadulterated pride.

The game ended with Windsor lucking out in overtime. Our boys put in a valient effort, and when they play again I am will be there front and center. With the pleated skirt. And maybe face paint.

Happy Endings.

Seems our little stowaway has been reunited with her owner. The pups name is Baby, and she is owned by a local woman who lives in our neighborhood. In the words of Kristin: "Dog about came unglued when she saw her".

Happy Endings All Around.

Our Little Stowaway.

The good little vet student sits down to prepare herself for the biggest exam of her life. She has her notes and review sheets strewn all over the table, her computer at the ready for researching questions, and her head in the game. Then her phone buzzes with a text message that reads: "Your shower is overflowing and the entire house is flooded".

What is this student to do? Does she just ignore a blatant call for help from her roommates and remain in study mode? Does she pack everything up and rush to the house?

She heads home in the pouring rain, through two major currents of run-off from the mountains to her left, biting her nails at the very image of the damage at home. She runs up the walk to find the front door wide open, an inch of water covering the floors, and four very tired people desperately trying to push the water out of open doors with small mops and brooms collected from neighbors. As an added bonus they are all working in completely darkness stabbed here and there by weak beams of light from various phones and book lights as the power went out shortly after the flood began. She grabs a mop and digs in, feeling the fruitlessness of the effort every other minute as she walks outside to squeeze the drenched mop.

This is how my shower floor looks after every significant rainfall.

Mostly dirt/silt, with some little pieces of food occasionally.

The floors are NEVER that shiny. Taking a break in the humid heat.

It took forever to get rid of all of that water.

Part of this is my clean laundry that hadn't been put away, the rest was stuff off the floor.

Just when the girl finds herself feeling the depths of despair (she desperately needs to pass this exam), she sees movement out of the corner of her eye in the living room. Upon closer inspection she finds a small dog staking claim to the only remaining dry place near the floor – the bottom shelf of the entertainment unit. Initial disbelief leads her to think surly this is a stuffed animal; however the pup turns her eyes towards the girl with a look of utter terror and confusion.

Cristin extending a hand of welcome to our new little friend.

She was seriously terrified. We left her while we finished the house. After all of the commotion ended she came out of her shell and ran around with glee only seen in an animal that has no worries.

The girl asks the landlady (who, along with her husband, are working diligently with us in bailing out the water) if she brought her dog along. When she replies that she had not, the girl and her roommates stare in disbelief at the little pup shivering in their living room and erupt in maniacal laughter at the very thought of this dog finding its way into their home while 5 people are present – and no one has any idea when or where she came from! The girl thinks to herself, perhaps in the midst of this low situation, when most people would quietly lose their minds, this little bundle of fur was sent to our home to remind us of why we are here. Why we put up with the crazy locals and the crappy roads/cars and the flooding showers. We are here to become veterinarians. The rest doesn’t matter. Better yet, the rest matters only in that it will make us better veterinarians for having had these experiences.

Performing a physical exam on our new friend. She's very needy (not Kristin, the dog) and submissive. Loves to sit as close as possible to you - or preferrably ON you.

After two hours of seemingly endless circles, the floors are finally…merely damp. What did the vet student and her fellow mates have to show for it? Wet, stinky clothes, aching backs, beds full of items that were once on the floor, unease about whether the flood water was clean or dirty, and an adorable little refugee to raise our spirits and give us perspective.

Investigagting the surroundings.

Getting some ear love.

Looks a little dark over there...not so sure...

How about I just stay here and let you love me?

I intend to pass this exam tomorrow with flying colors. And the one after that, and after that, and so on…because I intend to be a vet. And nothing can take that away from me.

We decided to toast the evening with a cold drink.

Yes, I realize how unattractive this picture is. No need to comment.

Kristin took this video of the shower beginning its flood. The video is long, but at least watch until the world goes black. That should give you a chuckle.