Who has two thumbs, a mustache last quarter, and is skipping physiology lecture?

Ok, so the thumbs are missing from the picture, but you can guess I still have them. Otherwiseallmywordswouldruntogether.

So I'm using the time I saved by skipping physiology lecture and studying on my own (approximately 45 minutes) to update my blog with some random bits from the last little while.

Medical school

It is still good. Difficult. Exciting. Cadavers smell bad. I drink too much coffee. Stay up too late. blab lba blab bla bla.

Skydiving:

There has been very little of it going on recently. Last quarter I went once at the beginning, waited two months, then went again during the quarter break. Waiting two months between jumps on an A-license is no bueno. I showed up at Skydive AZ only to discover that I had to do a recurrency jump with an instructor before they would rent gear to me. After several hours of waiting for a free instructor and $200, I finally jumped once and then had to head home. It was fun, but way too costly in time and money - kind of frustrating. I honestly don't know when I'm going to be able to do more skydiving (aside from Christmas break), so I may end up doing more recurrency jumps....

Ultimate Frisbee Tournament

I went to Tucson for Hoasis last weekend! I've never had so much fun playing ultimate frisbee. We played 7 games and only won once. Doesn't sound good, but considering this was the first time many of us had competed, and the first time we had played together as a team, I thought we did pretty well.

Now that I try writing it out, my life sounds pretty boring. I'm really enjoying things, strangely enough. I'll be heading back to Utah for Christmas and a few days, then it's back to AZ for the remainder of this crazy quarter.

A long overdue video.

Pat wanted to know why I haven't posted any videos lately. Well, the answer is simple. I haven't done anything off of campus in ages. So here's a video I took back in June. 'Twas a simpler time. A time when I had time to spend time doing the things that took a lot of time that weren't related to study or work-time. Oh those bygone days of last June.

first pack

Ethical dilemma of the century!

Pat alerted me to the presence of a Regina Spektor cover of Radiohead's No Surprises this morning, which quickly lead me, giddy with excitement, to search for the album online.

It turns out, to my horror, that this track is only available on iTunes. Oh the humanity!

It also turns out that all of the proceeds from purchasing said track will go to Doctors Without Borders. *gasp!*

Ethical dilemma!!!!!

(also thanks to Pat for providing above link)

Do I:

1. Support Doctors Without Borders and download this cool track whilst simultaneously providing some credit (not monetary, but surely they're tracking downloads) to the whore of all the media world, iTunes?

2. Let my distaste for iTunes avert me from supporting Doctors Without Borders and enjoying this fine track?

Answer:

Neither!

I stole the track on the interwebs, then donated $5 directly to Doctors Without Borders.

Doctors Without Borders..... +$5 = win!

Regina Spektor track.... I have it now = win!

giving the proverbial finger to iTunes... = megawin!

Writing this blog instead of studying biochem.... uh... = lose.

Here is what I have been studying today:

DNA replication, transcription, repair, RNA translation, modification. Protein folding, transport.

Here is how it makes me feel.

Thank you BoingBoing.

Medical School: Month 1

I should be studying right now. At any given time during the day, that's probably a true statement.

I've been in Arizona at Midwestern University for about a month so far and I haven't written about the experience at all yet. So here goes. My first month:

It's been good. It's been really good. In fact, I didn't think I would enjoy school as much as I do. I don't think I've ever enjoyed school this much. Elementary school is a close second.

Elementary school positives:

1. Frequent exercise - recess

2. Fun hands-on activities - arts and crafts

3. Everything is new - you learn it for the first time

Unfortunately, elementary school also involves some really awkward social moments; you have scary teachers, scary sixth graders, and scary bus drivers.

Medical school wins because it has all the positives of elementary school:

1. Gym on campus

2. Fun hands on activities - anatomy dissections and OMM

3. everything is new. (ok maybe not everything - i've taken some of these classes before, but at least it's more in-depth)

But medical school doesn't have any of the awkward social weirdness of elementary school. Everyone here - Midwestern University - are really nice. I've been very impressed with the attitudes of the faculty, staff and students. Faculty are always willing to talk to you outside class, they coordinate their lectures well, and write very straightforward tests.

The only downside is the cost. I'm paying about 50k per year to go to school here. I have no idea how those loans are going to be repaid. The positive of this is that I now have an extremely strong incentive to become a success.

Arizona is nice, I guess. I really haven't had much of a chance to explore. I spend most of my time on campus. I have made a few trips out to Skydive Arizona, and that has been verrry nice. I also went camping with Sarah S. and some new friends. We went hiking in a slot canyon near Page and swam at Lake Powell. Good times.

This is club week on campus. So far I've joined these clubs/organizations:

American Medical Association (turns out the AMA welcomes DOs as well as MDs)

American Osteopathic Association

Emergency Medicine Club

Wilderness Medicine Club

Cycling Club

Triathlon Club

Pediatrics Club

Well that's about it so far. I think I'm doing well. We've only had 3 tests so far and I haven't failed any yet, so I'm on track.

A few random photos from a cycling trip

Hiking at Glacier NP

A View from Going-To-The-Sun Road

Lake Yellowstone

River Rafting on the Snake

Leaving Grant Teton

Riding Through Grand Teton

Riding Along the Snake

Palisades Reservoir

GOPR1790Highway 2, descending into Butte.

Recently, in the life of Scott

Aside from posting videos of me doing really weird things, I haven't written much on the blog about life, and the things going on inside the strange mind of Scott.

Superfun Adventure Cyclorama

I can't do this trip justice in a few paragraphs, but I'll try to summarize as best I can. Van, Valerie and I rode our bicycles from Bear Lake, UT to Glacier National Park over the course of two weeks. We averaged 50 miles per day and slept at various campgrounds along the way. We passed through Grant Teton, Yellowstone, and many national forests on our journey.

A few random observations:

• If you're going to experience a place, get out of your car. Hike, ride a bicycle, or ride a motorcycle. Get off of the freeway. You will notice and appreciate so much more - even in strange, out of the way places you never thought would have anything worth experiencing.
• Montana does not cover its shoulders. I'm speaking of the men, who seldom wear sleeves with their shirts, as well as the highways, which never seem to have paved shoulders.
• I like riding my bicycle.
• Mosquitoes are evil and serve no discernible purpose.

Special thanks to:

• Van, for coming up with this crazy idea.
• Katie and Amanda, for driving all the way up to Glacier and taking care of us.
• Pat and Anna, for the awesome meals and ride home.
• Jim, for driving my car home on such short notice.
• Valerie, for reminding Van and I to eat healthily.

Sister's Wedding

My sister, Christie, just got married to Charles!

I love them both. I loved the simplicity of their wedding and I think it represents how uncomplicated and low-maintenance they both are. I wish I could spend more time with them, but they'll be in southern Utah, and I'll be in Arizona.

Also, wedding pictures are not my thing, but you need to see the bridal photos that her friend Val took. They have amazing style to them. If you're friends with Christie, you should be able to find some on Facebook.

Back to School

As I'm writing this, I have just under 24 hours before my first class in medical school starts. I'm excited and nervous. A typical week of school is about 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. That doesn't include study time. So I'll be busier than I've been in a long time.

On the plus side, I really like the school, my student apartment, and everyone I've met so far. Arizona's current political climate may not sit well with me, but I think it's going to be a good place to live. I enjoy the desert, the opportunities for recreation (when I'm not busy studying), and I may even hop over to Skydive Arizona now and again... he he.

Entering Jackson, WY

Entering JacksonPhotos taken using my Hero HD camera attached to my helmet. Riding with me are Van and Valerie. We're a few miles outside Jackson, WY, on our way to Glacier National Park.

Wreckin' it.

wreckin it
This is me, wreckin' it on the bobsled trail. I'm on a video-posting rampage!

My first skydiving video

1stvideoHere's my first skydiving video with the GoPro HD

Manly Bike

Johnny sent me this copy of an ad that was posted on KSL for a Manly Bike. I hope you can read it. It's hilarious.