Hello, 2010

Really, 2009 is over? I know it's cliche to say "where did it go?" but really...where did it go?! The past few months in particular have felt like no time at all, and if things keep going this way...well...bring on 2010!

So far, as a year, it looks promising. I get to intern at the animal hospital that I've been daydreaming about and drooling over since before I even moved to Portland (in fact, it was one of the reasons I chose Portland in the first place!). I get to graduate and take my boards, and then (hopefully) start working at some awesome and wonderful new job (see previous comment re: amazing internship opportunity). I get to move back to NE Portland, leaving behind the hick-filled, middle-of-nowhere Aloha neigbourhood I've been calling home. Not having to travel 90 minutes to see friends, being walking distance from actual restaurants, and not putting up with my Mexican karaoke loving neighbours anymore will be a thrill, let me tell you.

I get to spend more time with the lovely group of people down here that have become both friends and a surrogate family to me. I'm looking forward to curry buffets, gaming, movie nights, mushroom hunting, coast trips, gaming, pho dinners, gaming, tea drinking, and even more gaming. I'll get to see my actual family when they come down in June for my grad, and I'll get to see Bunny when she comes to visit in March.

Overall, if 2010 can be as good as the second half of 2009 has been for me, I'll count myself very lucky. To have such fantastic people in my life, amazing opportunities, and to be doing something I love? Yeah, I can't complain.

Good Stuff

Alright.
It has come to my attention that Kim will be visiting me in only a few days, and if I haven't updated my blog before then, I'm not sure what she'll do to me. So here we go. When did I last update? Oh my...that long ago, huh? I'm really awesome at this blogging thing. Lets see....

I did end up getting H1N1 this fall, just in time for my second set of midterms. I had to take two of them late, and the 3rd is such a blur I'm amazed I passed it (90% in fact! wow). I can confidently say that having that flu was one of the worst experiences of my life. After 3 days of fever, muscle aches, sore throat and coughing I finally worked up the energy to have a shower, and after 15 minutes had to get out and lie on the bathroom floor because I was too exhausted to stand anymore. Charming, huh? Anyway, I lived, passed my midterms, and managed to be nice and healthy for American thanksgiving. Which was good, because Mom was visiting me!

We had a great time while she was here, eating out at yummy restaurants with my friends, shopping, walking school dogs, playing with the KittyBunny (who is growing up so fast!), and having long chats. It was great to have her all to myself for a week, and I loved being able to introduce her to my friends and show her what my life here in Portland looks like. I've been so happy here, and I love being able to share that with her.

Final exams were this past week, and while I have one mark back (92.3% in pharmacology), I'm still waiting for the others. I'm not sure how I did, since those finals were probably two of the hardest tests I've ever taken in my life. Most of the class seemed to feel the same as I did about them, so we'll see how they get graded.

So, that brings me up to this weekend! I gamed Friday night (KT managed to not kill us all. Thanks KT!), and spent Saturday making tourtiere and lemon bars. Shad came over last night and we ate said tourtiere and lemon bars, watched White Christmas, decorated my Christmas tree (with help from the cats), and drank hot buttered rum. I'd say it was one of the better weekends I've had in a very long time, and as a bonus - I'm still on vacation tomorrow!


Kim arrives Wednesday, and I can't wait!

Wow

Mom sent me this photo from her trip to Pune. It was taken in St. Crispin's orphanage, and the dolls and puppets the little girls are holding were made by me.

Does that ever make me feel good, or what?

Way to go, Mom

I couldn't help posting this photo because it just makes me smile to see it. My Mom is in Pune, India right now, on a charity distribution for Sleeping Children Around the World. This is the second distribution she's been on, and she came home from the last one full of stories and ideas and just glowing from the experience. It's so great to see that she's obviously getting just as much out of this one!

This trip is extra special because the team has 12 members of the combined Dryden/Burton family on it, in celebration of the one millionth bedkit being distributed. I sometimes have trouble with the conceptualization of one million - it's just too big of a number to wrap my head around properly. The fact that this mind-boggling number applies to actual tangible items given to children, items that have made a real difference in their quality of life, just blows me away. The idea that Mom has had a part in that process just makes me so very proud of her.

So, way to go Mom!