Monday, November 26, 2007

A trip well worth it

Well, my trip to NC ended up being quite fun. Everyone got along really well, at least on the way there. Coming back was a little more of a struggle but it was worth it. We hung out with Abe's family, played family kick ball, saw the movie Enchanted, and ate lots of pie. We even played with his aunt's goats and went on a forest hike on Thanksgiving day.


But, the best part was that I finally got a roadbike! I am so excited. We found this great bike shop in Chapel Hill that had the bike perfect for me. It was like it was built for me and on sale for about 1/3 the price! I was surprised at how excited I was and I wanted to buy everything to go with it. We got a good start with a helmet, gloves, a carbon water bottle holder, water bottle, lock, etc. The bike is amazing that even Abe's avid biker dad is jealous (I feel a bit bad about that). It seemed to survive the snow and the long ride home. We thought the car seemed a little bit faster with it riding on top.
So...I feel like a biker. I hope I can cut it! I can't wait to put on some spandex and hit the hills with my husband.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving?

I am having a really hard time believing that Thanksgiving is just days away! I swear I just started school again weeks ago, not months. Funny, too, I'm really not looking forward to it. It more just means that I have 2 tests to take within the next 3 hour period and that SuperBlock (the 20 week rotation every junior student at Iowa dreads) is getting closer and closer upon me.

I'm not sure why I am not excited for the holiday. Probably mostly because I haven't had time to even think about it except for what needs to be done beforehand. Or, maybe I am dreading the 32 hours of driving ahead of me to go to NC with my husband's family. Or maybe I just miss my own family.

So, I am hoping once I walk out of my test I'll jump into the car to quiet kids, good movies (thank goodness for built-in DVD players now!), and a break. And sunny southern skies definately wouldn't hurt!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Grading woes (yet again!)

It happened again! I shouldn't be surprised, really, it happens all of the time. Yet, every time it does, I feel like I've been wacked with a huge fist of injustice. It isn't really anyone's fault (if any one's, it is mine) but I still feel picked on when it happens.

So, now you are wondering what I am talking about. It's silly really...I missed another "A" by mere points. Practically every "B" (except in Prosthodontics!) I have received in dental school has been an 88.5% or a 99% "B". This isn't a rare event, either, it happens multiple times a semester. It is so frustrating to think that despite all of the hardwork you put in over the period, a few points on a test categorized you with the 80.4% "B" or even sometimes the 75% "B." I don't need to be put on a pedestal with the "A" crowd, but whatever happened to the "B+"!? I'm not even asking for the 4.0, I probably don't deserve a 4.0, but a 3.5 would sure be nice!

Now, no one will ever know I missed only one or two more questions on our one test than anyone else. In the past I have missed the last key points because I forgot to bubble in the last circle on the test, or because I misread a question. I always think, "If I would have known that I would have gotten a B anyway, I would have had a lot more fun instead of worrying so much!" I could have had more time socializing or cleaning or running or buying groceries or anything else I run out of time for and still yield the same results. And maybe I would have clean clothes or food to eat, too. Yeah, yeah, there is always learning...


And now you are just thinking I am a gunner. To my defense, I am fine with a "B" if I feel it represents what I learned. But when you just had a hard time meshing with a new professors testing style or misread a question or misunderstood one concept, it feels so wrong. Even the medical school gets "near honors" marks... Then again, I've always thought that was somewhat degrading. "Sorry, buddy, you were almost smart!" And, at least I don't have to redo my whole second year because I missed one point on one question in my only class for the year like Abe's friend.

I guess it boils down to one thing: I just hope I don't hear anyone say to me, "Sorry, Erin, you were almost an oral surgeon!"