Just when I thought I've had enough of the upheaval that is my life, I decided I wanted to throw more chaos into the mix.

Who cares that the summer mid-terms are coming, right? And who cares that I am sleeping less this summer (when I thought things would be more relaxed, when I would be "chill" since I passed my boards, when I thought the hardest part is over) than I used to sleep last semester (which was the most harrowing semester of my life, to date).

Just when I started counting down the days to my 2009 graduation, our program director decides throw me a curve ball.

Program Director: (Intercepts me in the clinics) Do you have a minute?

Me: Oh, for you, Dr. ______, I have TWO minutes (which was all I could spare, really, since clinics were so busy that day).

Program Director: How do you feel about a Ph. D.?

Me: (My mouth drops open) No, thank you, Dr. _______.

Program Director: I had a meeting with Dr. ________ (the DIRECTOR-DIRECTOR), and he might be able to get a grant for you to get a Ph. D...

Me: (Still sputtering) No, Dr. ________... I really can't... I... thank you for even considering me... I'm not getting any younger... I am 28 years old... thank you (I think I just proved my point that I am not a good Ph. D. candidate. I couldn't even manage a firm but polite refusal. Now, imagine me defending my disseration -- amazing, I'm sure).

The end result: Program Director managed to get me to agree (no, promise) to set up a meeting with THE DIRECTOR-DIRECTOR himself, just to find out "what I'm turning down."

Gahd. When did I turn into such a wuss?

I am flattered -- make that honored -- that they would think I'm Ph. D. material. Out of the 80 residents in the building, they offered me a chance for a Ph. D.

It is a really good opportunity. But didn't I just start counting down to my graduation, and to "No more classes, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks?"

To be considering a Ph. D. at this time is insane.

Nice curveball, Dr. _________.

---

Twenty-four hours later, my roommate was telling me she is going to cut the cable TV and phone service we have, because "we're trying to cut costs...M (our other roommate) is moving...and we're trying to survive until December..."

At least, that was what I understood. In my head, all I was hearing was, "No cable? How will I study? No phone? How will I call Canada and not be charged exorbitant fees?"

"...And if you wanted to keep those services, you will just have to pay for them yourself."

"...Oh, and we have to give back the cable box on Monday. Since I am leaving on Wednesday, or else the new billing cycle will start..."

Did I mention that this happened on a Friday, at 5:00pm? I had less than 72 hours to decide if I could live without my cable (goodbye, "Next Food Network Star"), and less than 24 hours to see if I can get a cable guy to install the cable and phone service to my room to avoid service interruption.

I am flabbergasted, because a few weeks ago, she talked to me about increasing the rent by around 12%.

It's time to make my move...and my move is to blog about it, instead of frantically trying to wheedle the cable company to make their home visit to our house to install cable in my room on Monday.

Go figure.

While cleaning up this blog, I realized that:

• I don't get to blog as much as I would like -- which is pretty much a given, considering the 20,000 things that I have to do in 24 hours each day.

This thought brings me to my second point,

• Most of my blog posts (the very few that I've managed to write) are mostly about stress. Gasp! H-h-how could this be??? (The preceding sentence was infused with sarcasm).

Which brings me to my next point -- that this is starting to sound like the beginning of another stress-laden post. So, let me start over.

I read Pollyanna in my freshman year in high school (it was in our required reading list), and in case you don't remember, it's a book about a young orphan who was sent to live with her stern aunt somewhere in Vermont (I can't believe I actually remembered that), and who is very optimistic despite everything, that she plays what she calls "The Glad Game."

The object of the game is to find something to be happy about in any situation. Simply put, the crappier the situation, the more difficult it is to find something to be happy about...and if you still find something to be happy about despite the awful circumstances, then you're an awesome player (and a VERY OPTIMISTIC PERSON).

To put a positive spin on things, I've decided to play "The Glad Game" but modify it a little bit...and instead list down five things I've been happy about lately:

1. Passing my clinical boards -- this is a definite happy thought.
2. Hershey (Lea's dog) - she's always happy to see me when I get home (no matter how late it is), and she would run to me and get her pats and hugs
3. E-mails from my family, whom I miss very much, and conversations with my sister Chaui
   
4. Cheesecake recipe from Dorie, one of our assistants, which I will try to make this weekend :)
5. Having installed the A/C unit in my room all by myself! Granted, the unit weighed as much as I do, and I had to carry the darn thing from our basement all the way to my room's window, and I was sweating like a pig after all that effort, but all of that went away as soon as the first blast of cold air escaped from the vents and cooled down the summer heat.

Okay, that wasn't so bad. I guess I could write about hapy thoughts as well. :p

My (former) roommate picked up Trent the other day. I KNEW she wouldn't (couldn't) leave him behind (insert huge sigh of relief right here).

That was a close call.

Speaking of close calls, there was an electrical fire at our workplace two nights ago. The fire was contained to the basement of the building, where it apparrently started, but there was enough water and smoke damage to the area that we were told not to go to clinics on Friday and Saturday. The other areas and floors were not damaged, thank God. It was really scary, even if I wasn't there when it happened.

I had been thinking of going back into the building after clinic hours that night, to continue working on data analysis for a project, but my procrastinating self won out over the pressing deadline...and my laziness probably saved my b*tt.

Thank God for procrastination.

One of my roommates moved out recently, and was not able to take all of her cats with her. Trenton, our house's resident neighborhood cat (he roams the neighborhood during the day, and sometimes at night, and brings the lovely spoils of his hunt to our doorstep for us to step on the next morning) was left behind because he was doing that very same thing when my roommate moved out.

Because everything cat-related was moved out, our house had no cat food or litter box for Trenton, and suddenly, he is not allowed inside the house anymore.

I am not a cat-person, and I don't know a thing about taking care of cats, but I felt really sorry for Trent, because he was kicked out of his house and home. I wasn't sure when my roommate will be picking him up, but I knew I couldn't let him stay another night outside (without food or water).

On the one hand, I can't handle a cat. I'm not ready for a cat. I don't want a cat.

On the other hand, it's a temporary arrangement (I hope) -- count it as my good deed/volunteer work (because my roommate doesn't even know I'm considering playing foster mom to her cat).

On the other, other hand, I really don't want a cat.

But I can't let him stay another night outside, even if it won't kill him. And it's only temporary.

I DON'T WANT A CAT!!! I don't even know how to work a litter box. Do I scoop the p**p up? Or let it sit there?

What will happen when Animal Control picks him up? Will someone else will adopt him and take care of him?

Sigh. It was really a losing battle. I looked up "taking care of cats" on the Internet, and decided to buy a litter box, cat litter, and cat food the next day.

I really should have been a vet. :(

Or a chef.

Throughout all this, I had the TV on even if I wasn't really watching anything. The TV helps me think, except when CSI is showing, in which case I end up watching the show (even if it was a rerun).

And while I was debating with myself about what to do for Trent, "Iron Chef America" was over, Mario Battali won over the challenger, and "The Next Food Network Star" came on.





I'm not a fan of reality TV, and I didn't even know there was such a reality show on Food Network. In any case, because it was the first episode of the season, and watching the contestants compete for a TV show on Food Network, I was hooked (even if I can't remember all of their names). I was sorry to see Corey (the comedian) go, and I was very happy that Kelsey and the cafeteria chef wasn't out of the running. I felt a little sorry Lisa and her "deconstructed designer dining," and I am rooting for Kelsey to win, even if she IS over-exuberant.

The video clip of the episode is here. The finalist profiles are here.

It airs every Sunday (and I will most likely have to stay up late and watch the rerun). Only five more days until the next episode. :)