Random

Everyone has a bucket list somewhere in the back of their mind. You know, that list of things you absolutely must do before you kick the bucket. Well, mine came to the forefront today when we did our geriatric interviews. I felt honored to meet the wonderful woman (89!) that I met today. She still had every one of her faculties, and was quick-witted to boot. We practiced doing screens that we should do on our geriatric patients, including a depression screen. When my classmate sitting next to me asked this lovely lady if in the past month she's felt depressed or hopeless, her response was "I feel every morning that this is going to be the best day of my life!" And my classmates' response was "That is sooooo lucky." We all cracked up because I don't think she meant to say that last bit out loud, but it was hilarious. I think that attitude of seeing everyday as (at least potentially) being the best day so far is one that I want to adopt so badly. I think that with my eye problems, I've been trying to take on a new attitude. That the things that happen to us, are just that, things that happen. They aren't retribution for some sort of past life, they aren't perpetual bad luck. They are just things that happen. And I think that looking at them that way makes me realize that it's not about the things that happen, but how you deal with them that counts. And I know that I can deal.

So, that bucket list. I think I have less of a true "bucket list" and more of a "third year list." Gotta start somewhere. More than things I need to do, there are people I need to see before I get swept up into what will surely be just the beginning of a very fulfilling, but very busy clinical career. You know who you are. And if you don't, just call me! Chances are excellent you are one of them!

One thing that I never pass up the chance to do is visit Golden. My alma mater is here, but much more importantly, it is just a place I love to be. I'm sitting here, in Golden, writing this in a coffee shop just off campus, and it makes me so happy. Even better, it's 70 degrees outside and I took a nice leisurely (read: slow) run along Clear Creek this afternoon after meeting with our geriatric patient. Life is good. I actually did come to Golden for a reason, though. Tonight I'm giving advice (who me?!) to the newly formed Mines pre-med society. When I went there, there was no such thing, and I'm glad they have one now. I always get excited to see Mines students applying for med school, and even more excited when they get in. Afterwards, I am meeting with some friends from college and that just makes me all warm and fuzzy.

It's always a little bittersweet to go to Golden when so many of my friends are all over the country. Some of my best memories are of walking to the restaurant/bar at the end of the street with my friend D for happy hour. Toward the end of school we did that...a LOT! But it was always so much fun, and a great way to fill up a lazy afternoon. I thought about going there today to kill the time before the pre-med meeting, but it just wouldn't be the same on my own. Oh nostalgia.

Well, this is a pretty random post, but I wanted to wish everyone well, and here's to the hope that everyone can wake up in the morning and think "this is going to be the best day of my life!" It's at least worth shooting for.