Countrified - The Sequel

Above: March 2007 in St. Louis, running one of my highlights as a RA... The St. Louis Trip.

"TED, WHAT IS THE FIRST SYLLABLE IN

RUT-TINE?"

So here we go again... the question of whether or not the country life is right for me. This time, a debate on living life is something that has been on my mind. Where did I leave off with the last entry?

OH YEAH... being adventurous.

Those desires to do things new... do things differently... explore things all I possibly can... for me, seem to be most associated with urban life. And not to mention, going out and finding adventurous people to do things usually comes associated with city life. Everything from clubbing, to sightseeing, to seeing shows, watching sports (some of these things I've never done if not only once or twice in my life)... things associated with genuine American life.

YOU'RE RIGHT... I can travel. However, there's something about living in the daily aura of active lifestyle that keeps me going. The thrill of not knowing what's behind the corner when driving into the city or even throwing darts at a dartboard to choose a new restaurant to eat at every night. I really appreciate having the desire and the ability to try something new, something different. This is a reason I love the suburbs of my hometown, Chicago (there's always something new, I haven't done yet).

Examining one of the thoughts in my previous entry: It's really not Dominica that's really having me get this urge. And also, don't get me wrong: Dominica has things to do. Okay, you lack a lot of options because yes, it is a third world country, but I've done a lot of firsts down here (everything from jumping off a rock cliff graced with a waterfall right next to it, to yes... eating conch). Sometimes I think its just everyone's dedication into studying that "ruts" my plans to do more adventurous things away while in med school. Sometimes it makes things seem like med school is more like a routine than anything... or like Barney said on How I Met Your Mother, a "rut-tine."

It seems that the country, at least initially, seems However, like I said, everything does come with a price, and I do value very highly the community lifestyle of the country. It also powers me to keep moving and do what I'm doing. However, I want to find a way where I can combine both the aura of excitement with the community of appreciation.

... and the debate continues.

Reality TV

Above: Marshall, Lily, Robyn, Barney & Ted at MacLaren's hanging out on How I Met Your Mother on CBS.

SMART GUYS ALWAYS INVOLVE

THE LIBERTY BELL.

Here's a good question for you... Have you ever just started watching at TV show and found that one of the characters who is on that show is just exactly - with a rare exception - like you? And what drives you along the show isn't just the character (that's a pretty good selling point, I'd say), is that the other characters seem like people you've actually see on an everyday basis in real life?

I think I found that show. (I'm living it right now).

No, it's pretty bad. Not my life... I'm referring to how badly addicting this show truly is. The show is the hit comedy sitcom on CBS called How I Met Your Mother. The Premise: In 2030, a 52 year old man, Ted Mosby, is telling his son and his daughter on how he met their mother back in 2005. You watch Ted's story unfold with every incident with his friends, his family, and his ways of following (assuming that you're starting from Season One, watching episodes).

However, the moment I saw Ted on the silver screen, along with his buddies who traverse with him along this trip: Barney, the womanizer, Marshall & Lily, the domesticated engaged couple, and Robyn, a girl that can easily fly along with the guys. It was literally watching some of the people I run into or I end up closely interact with as friends come into play. All surrounding a guy who is working toward something successful (at least hopes so), who likes to do crazy things, spend time with friends, and yes... do weird things with the liberty bells.

Perhaps one thing that I love about Barney & Ted is that they do crazy things. Barney one time led Ted to go to Philly two, of who they think, are silly girls down... Turns out that they were taken, but the two ended up doing something even better... Licking the Liberty Bell. Sounds crazy, but there's only so much time in life, and nothing better than doing something that is just completely out of the ordinary.

Sometimes I feel that a lot of people in medical school, with the stresses, with the logicality, with the professionalism that comes with it, lose that vibrance and that love for doing the extraordinary. I'll admit that some the things that Ted ends up doing aren't exactly up my alley, but the adventurous things that he does with his friends in the midst of New York City are things I truly admire. That's one of the parts I miss about undergrad and something I'm looking forward to in rotations and the real world, a little more adventure... and little less reliance on safety by not being adventurous.

Perhaps its just a weird way of putting my desire towards being home and having freedom? Perhaps its truly my aggravation of being in a purely academic environment, where the focus of just about everyone is to study. Who knows... but that shouldn't matter. It shouldn't affect my game plan to go adventurous.

Did I ever tell you that I rang the Liberty Bell replica at Disneyworld last year... it might not have been the same thing, but that same adventurous attitude made me reach for the ringer and whip the bell to a loud ring... in a large crowd :P. It's a start. It's time to keep moving toward newer and better things, but it starts with breaking out of the shell.

I'm going to go do some crazy things. Alright, within the limits of life, but gotta remember... form tests, like boards come first... for now.