SEPTA

So I missed my train yesterday, meaning I had to wait an hour for the next one. While at the station, I heard a mariachi band, decked out in charro outfits, and saw a man will actual 24 carat grill on his front teeth. So I guess ever cloud does have a silver lining, or should I say blingin' gold.

Trick or Treat

So I haven't been able to find my ipod for a couple of weeks; it isn't stuck between the car seats, tucked away in a corner of my bag, or hidden in the back of my desk drawer. Some people might say it's the "L" word, but I'd just like to call it misplaced. I used it as my travel companion on my round trips from my anomalous buchak circle to the deciduous streets of walnut, chestnut, and spruce, and in a way, even when I wasn't on the SEPTA, I was still running on a track of my own. After a few weeks of exploring routes to campus, I found a hypotenuse of paths--a diagonal, linear cut through Drexel's campus that circumvents the sharp, perpendicular corner of market and 34th. From that point on, I've been traveling on an imaginary rail to and from the nut-bearing streets of Penn. With my ipod in hand, I sped along with non-stop service all the way back home. Now that my ipod is floating in transient limbo, I've been able to meet people from all walks of life. Maybe my ipod was like a silent fence for people, because since it's been turned off, I've been approached by other commuters who have been a mix of the good, the bad, and the just plain weird.

Never-See Tanushri is the first person I met outside of class. She noticed that we take the same train back to Princeton Junction and approached me on a whim. She was premed at Cornell who did the Peace Corps for two years in Nicaragua and got married to her husband this summer. After doing the Peace Corps, she decided that she wants to go into international relations, and now she's taking classes at penn in economics and IR. Even though I've only seen her a couple of times, I feel like I know her. Usually I only see her on the 10 minute ride from Trenton to Princeton Junction, but our conversations have been really smooth and unforced. In our limited conversations, we've been able to bond over our fear of heights and shared travel experiences to Teotihuacan, where we both sited women in their stiletto heels climbing up the pyramid walls. Somehow, we never manage to see each other on the longer trip from Philly to Trenton, but we're getting closer! While I was gathering my stuff to leave the SEPTA train, I glanced up and saw that she was two seats ahead of me. So close, but yet so far.

Soccer Steve is a guy who I met on the subway, when I was still experimenting with routes to the train station. Coincidentally, he's in my genetics class, so we commiserated about the unfairness of the first exam. He went to something-ville college in Pennsylvania where he was on the soccer team, and he's also commuting from home. Over the summer, he worked at a clinic serving the Amish community and did research on their family pedigrees.

Then there's Yogi the Bear. I just met him this past week on my way back to the station. At first, I must have looked like I was creepily stalking him because I was always one step behind him on the walk to the station. After he glanced back a couple of times, giving me that "WTF? Stop following me" look, we got to talking, and I found out that he's an undergrad at penn. He was a yoga instructor for 10 years, and he wants an MD in internal medicine following his name. Ultimately, he wants to be a public speaker for health care issues and is planning on getting an MD just for the fun of it. Right now, he's living in an 18th century house in Chestnut Hill, the site of the first paper mill in America. He and his roommates share a communal car run on biodeisel fuel, and get this, they make the biodeisel in their basement. He also has a scruffy semi-beard (probably because he doesn't own a mirror). He's moving out of his house and offered his room for a tempting $350 a month, but I think that I'll pass on this one...

Crazy Girl: She's in my molecular bio class and commutes from Philly to NYC. That's all I know about her, and that's all I need to know to make the claim that she's indeed crazy.

When I first met Tanushri, I was so excited about the prospect of a new friend. After the second year of college, I felt like people were out-of-stock at Tufts, and I had also become so wrapped up with my existing friendships that I no longer looked for new ones. I was so happy to meet someone new that I over exaggerated our similarities, telling Lauren that Tanushri was like me, but married. Now I'm not so sure I could say the same about my other acquaintances. "He's like me, but a yogi living in Amish town, PA," doesn't quite have the same ring to it, so I think the novelty has worn off. Even though my ipod is gone, I think it's helped me regain an appreciation for the kindness of a friendly face. Usually, I've been the one approached by people, but I think that I might take a shot at it. In a sense, meeting people is like going out on Halloween. There's a 50/50 chance that it's a trick or a treat, but it's worth it when the treats are that sweet. Man, I should work for Hallmark.

Also, this commercial is adorable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A2Ap3DyvLg

Happy Halloween!

You never give me your money.

During the summer, I created a jewelry shop on Etsy, a website where people can sell their handmade crafts online. I didn't know if I would have much luck, but I decided to give it a shot. At the time, I had nothing better to do anyway, and it became an addiction nearing the severity of facebook. So after a few weeks of updating and obsessively checking how many people added my shop to their favorites (sadly, only 6), I felt discouraged, but then the most amazing thing happened. Someone bought my necklace! I did my happy dance and told my mom who looked at me like one of those kids who just earned her first quarter at her lemonade stand.

Eager and naive, I packaged and shipped the vintage feather necklace to Illinois. I remembered to stamp, seal, and address the envelope, but I forgot one minor detail. The buyer hadn't paid me. Oops! I'm just hoping that integrity wins over greed, but I'm losing my faith since it's been 2 weeks since the transaction. So, if you want to check out my website, go to http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6135951 or click on my etsy shop on the left!

In other news, I've been studying in UPenn's prehealth program for about a month, and I'm taking three classes: Molecular Bio and Genetics, Clinical Psychopharmacology, and Cell Bio and Biochemistry. I really like Clinical Psychopharmacology; it's a seminar class where we discuss pharmacology and the roles of the FDA, pharmaceutical companies, academia, clinicians, and patients in the drug development process. It is the most stimulating course that I'm taking this semester, especially compared to the other almost intolerable, weekly lecture classes. I'm commuting from home, so I can save some money. At first, I thought that I was the only one making the treacherous, two-hour commute, but I'm not the only fool. I met another girl in the program who is making an even longer commute (Philly-->Trenton-->Princeton Jct-->Princeton) which, I admit, consoles me. I'm relieved to say that the commute has gotten better over time. My SEPTA train is like a surrogate to Tisch library, minus the librarian with the lazy eye.

I haven't been able to explore Philly as much as I had hoped since I only go into the city when I have class. Now that I'm settled with my courses (actually, I should be studying for my midterms right now...), I'm looking for a clinical research job at a local hospital in Philly--either the Hospital of the University of Philadelphia or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Hopefully, I'll get a job soon, and I'll let you know how it goes!

Renewal

It's been a month, 1 week, and 3 days since I've graduated from Tufts, and I'm still unemployed and living at home. In the beginning, I was a job seeking machine, but after weeks of waiting to hear back from employers, I'm becoming discouraged with the hiring process. I feel like I'm dating. They all promise to call back soon, but they never do. I'll call and e-mail, but no one ever responds. Then I start to think, am I not good enough? Have they found someone better? Essentially, I'm the equivalent of a Warcraft-playing, chicken-legged preteen trying to get his game on.

So, I've lost my momentum on the job hunt, and I've replaced job searches with post-bac applications. I've been looking at post-bac programs at Tufts and UPenn, which are catered to pre-med students who want to enhance their academic record by taking advanced science courses. The program at Tufts has many advantages--my close friends are in Boston, the classes mirror the med-school curriculum, and I could get a masters in a year. As great as it sounds, the UPenn program has a more flexible coursework that takes place in the evenings, so I would also have time to volunteer at a local hospital and/or get a part-time job. Even though I'm a little scared of living in an unfamiliar city, I think it'll give me the motivation I need to become more independent and I'm actually more excited about the program at UPenn than at Tufts.

In an effort to remain unfused from the couch in clothes littered with crumbs, I've been trying to keep myself busy by studying for the MCATs, reading, playing the piano, and running. Yes, running. Well, more like a combination of running and walking. At first, it was exhausting, but now that it's become part of my daily routine, it's become very liberating and energizing. Maybe that's just the endorphins talking. I probably look like a panting, asthmatic dog, but I enjoy running (Did i really just say that?).

I've also realized that I need focus back in my life. Whenever things get difficult, I end up throwing up my hands and giving up too quickly. I feel like that's the reason why I quit the clarinet, the piano, the violin, and the piano...again. Even though I haven't played the piano in years, there's still something that resonates with me whenever I hear Chopin's Ballad No. 1. Throughout the years, I've forgotten what it's like to have discipline and passion, and I miss the feeling of accomplishment and pride after mastering a piece. I've been going through my old piano books, clunking away at the keys and trying to regain something I've lost.

On a more positive note, I'm going to Mexico with Tracy and Lindsay to visit Pascale from July 25th to August 3rd. We'll be splitting our time between Mexico City and Oaxaca City, touring the markets, cathedrals, parks, and murals. We're planning on taking a day trip to the Teotichuacan archaeological site, the location of the world's third largest pyramid, and I'm sure we'll be taking other unforeseen adventures. After all, we'll be traveling with New Jersey Pascale, who we've deemed the female version of Indiana Jones. I'm really excited about this trip, and I'll post more when I can!