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Zomney for President if you don't like your brains!

I could go into a prolonged diatribe or express my disbelief that the race is even this close or I could just say watch this video and laugh.

Vet School One Month In: Finding Your Groove

Well it's been over a month now since vet school started. "So what's it been like?" you ask. So far it's been really really good. It hasn't been easy nor has it been too difficult. So far it has been less stressful than undergrad in many ways, yet it would be untruthful to say it's been stress free. It's a different kind of stress. Many of my friends and family have noted my sudden disappearance from planet earth and I can fully attribute that to the kind of experience vet school has been so far. That is it's totally consuming. Where life was put on hold for school before now it seems life revolves around school. I now shower and eat more often at school than at home. I am seriously considering installing a towel rack with some nice decorative towels to "class up" the bathroom at school since I use it more than my own at home. My routine is just now beginning to take shape as the second exam approaches. I passed my first exam but by too narrow of a margin to feel comfortable. I have worked into a solid workout routine but haven't lost any weight as of yet. I have made friends and have been (for me) very social. Yet I am still working on being comfortable with my new peers and myself in this new world. I have moments of confidence in animal handling labs equal in magnitude to those of insecurity in study groups. I absolutely feel good about coming to Davis and love my environment.
The new curriculum that we are learning is still a work in progress. We are constantly confused and chronically uninformed on where to be and when. The night before a lab I realize that I have several instructional videos to watch. I have shown up to class in scrubs with no lab or last minute borrowed rubber muck boots to work in the livestock wing. No one was sure what would be on the exam until roughly 48 hours before it happened. It's not that the program is disorganized, rather, it just works on a need to know basis. You don't need to know until you really need to know. And if you don't know you'd better ask somebody. Me, personally, I think this is all by design. I think they purposefully and skillfully withhold information from us. They know us vet students are planners. We need to know all the info and scheme to be our best selves for a given activity. Here we are forced to be slightly unprepared, slightly uncomfortable, vulnerable, and flexible. We simply must ask our peers questions and consult facebook for consensus on burning questions. We must learn to function in the face of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Speaking of fear and anxiety...we had a full hour lecture on the alarming prevalence of depression in vet students. Ironically this lecture preceded the hour long discussion that focused on the obscene debt we were taking on and the modest salaries we could expect. What's that? you're not depressed? Well have you calculated how much you'll be paying in interest on your loans? No wonder an easy 60% of us report being depressed or suicidal. Bummed as we all were following those lectures, there was no time to dwell. There's a vet student basketball game at 4, a bbq on campus at 5, a house party at 7. Besides we're here now, no point in dwelling on the imperfections of the profession. I guess if I had to explain what this first few weeks as been like I would use an analogy. Picture yourself working tirelessly in your bathroom mirror to perfectly primp your hair for the biggest dance of your middle school career. You are only so-so on your outfit, you're nervous your going to sweat through your shirt, and you sprayed too much perfume. You get to the dance and you don't see you friends. People are there its just people you only sort of know. Maybe you make awkward small talk with the girl who sits in front of you in English, maybe you fidget in the corner silently. Your crew eventually gets there and the lights go out and the music begins to play. Much to your horror the DJ has dealt a fatal blow to your night. It's a medium paced song. I can slow dance to a slow jam and rock in a somewhat rhythmic motion to a fast song. But what the hell do I do to this song? Panicked you look around and see that others are trying desperately to find the groove. Some are doing well, others look like babies taking their first step. Options include quickly walking out of the dance or risk looking like your inventing a dance that looks like speed tai chi. You've already sweat through your shirt so screw it. You bounce around like an idiot and surprisingly your awkward dance circle digs it. For 3 minutes and 43 seconds you forget how the song began and you forget to worry about if your shirt is cool. Ah, yes this is being in the moment.This is the secret and the key to this dance living up to your wildest day dreams. You are at the dance you might as well try to enjoy yourself. Just when you start to iron out the dance move the song changes. "Pour some sugar on me", Def Leppard. F-it just start running in quasi-slow motion while pumping your fist and hope that they play your song later.

Now that's a proposal!

It's kinda hard to do but this guy puts me to shame in the elaborate marriage proposal department.

I'M IN !

I have been accepted to the UC Davis school of veterinary medicine. The number two school in the nation has chosen me from 1142 people that applied this year (they totally bought the "Batman" thing). This summit, 12 years in the making, has not even begun to sink in. Part of me feels like it won't for a very long time. Nearly every decision made for the last decade centered on how best to inch myself closer toward reaching this point. The heart-ache of disappointing grades, rejection letters, and watching peers pass me by while I continued to slowly make my way, is now part of a whole set of emotions I can completely let go. I made it, and like everyone else always said it was worth it.

I still don't know how I got here other than to say I wouldn't have been possible without the love and support of all my family and friends. The journey towards one's goal is often most difficult at the point at which you are closest to achieving it. Without Carolyn as my constant cheer-leader providing me with an shakeable foundation of support and love I could not have gone this far. Without all the teachings and values instilled in me by my parents I may not have even had the courage to begin this journey much less make it this far. Dad, all of those cheesy kung-fu movies we watched, believe it or not, gave me the idea that no matter the size of the challenge; no retreat, no surrender. You didn't believe in letting me win in chess or basketball, teaching me to not fear challenge or failure in the face of my best effort. You wouldn't allow me to be satisfied with any form of half-assery,and an indefatigable work ethic followed.
Mom, you were always such a kind ear and someone whom I could always lean on. From you I have gathered the importance in fighting for what you want out of life even if the wind blows against you. Your emotional strength knows no bounds and it was this strength you gave to me that carried me through many difficult times. Somehow you are always able to strike the right tone of encouragement, empathy, and reality.
Without all of the fabulous individuals I have worked with over the years I may have lost my way perhaps forgot why it was I set out on this path. From each of the doctors I have worked with I have learned so much. Watching them work was constant motivation. Thank you for all your support Drs. Thank you all my tech homies that made the journey bearable. I have learned a lot from all of you as well and have been deeply heartened by comments like: "when you become a vet, I will be your tech". For those who still want to become vets, you now know it is possible for you to do it as well.
[I would like to thank the academy....the director,..] If this were an award show I would have played off stage by the orchestra ten minutes ago. The list could go on forever but the point is this: WE did it! Please share in this victory with me as part of your own success. Use this moment to reflect on your own goals and realize, as Paulo Coelho writes: "when someone wants something bad enough and follows their own true personal legend (purpose), the entire universe conspires to assist them".
For now I will enjoy the moment and weigh the decision between UC Davis and the Colorado State vet prep program carefully.I cant believe I have a choice to make. Crazy. (Lets see, agenda for this month: decide between top vet schools in nation, finalize wedding plans with girl of dreams, party butt off remaining days of Santa Barbara residency. Seems like becoming starting point guard for the Kings should be next on this list of incredulous to-do's). Colorado is much cheaper than Davis and offers a masters degree in addition to my DVM. However, I don't get to actually start vet school for another year making it a 5 year program in Colorado. Davis is close to almost all of our family and friends and would graduate me in 4 years. The schools swap spots between #2 and #3 in the nation so education quality and program prestige don't really provide a differentiating factor. As master Yoda would have undoubtedly said in this instance, "Have much to consider we do, hard decision it will be. Visit Colorado we must". And Visit Colorado we shall...

By the Numbers

In 4 days I turn 29.
In 2 months Carolyn and I get married.
In 10 days I'll find out whether I've been accepted to Davis, making me one of 138 members of the class of 2016 out of 1143 that applied
In 9 days I'll take my finals, worth 30% and 40% of my grades hoping to hold on just enough to pass my classes and move on.
Over those 9 days I must read roughly 263 pages of material covering 6 chapters and 500 lecture slides.
4 of the next 9 days will be 12 hour work days (i got Sunday off luckily)
.....and when I'm done next Thursday the 22ND I'll have at least 10 celebratory beers and use 1 out of 5 of my fingers to salute my biochemistry text book.
Wish Me Luck

In case you missed it!!

Last night Jeremy Lin brought the Knicks back from way down in the fourth.In an awesome display of what I can only describe as "fearlessness" he hit the game winner to make it 6-straight wins. Rumble young man rumble.

LET'S GO!!!

Ive got an hour before biochem starts and I feel compelled to bring to your attention a man by the name of Jeremy Lin. If your like me; busy and only casually following basket ball this season you may have missed the best thing to happen in sports in a long time. Meet Jeremy Lin, #17, starting point guard for the New York Knicks. He wasn't always the starter, in fact before last Saturday he was fourth string and calculating his next move when he would most likely be cut from the roster. Due to injuries Lin got the chance he needed last Saturday and what has transpired over the last week can be described as LINSANITY! Ok so a back-up having a couple of good games may not be all that exciting, that is until you find out this guy's story.
To start Jeremy Lin is one of only a handful of Asian-Americans to ever suit up for an NBA team. Lin was born and raised in Palo Alto to Taiwanese parents and was a basketball standout early on. His dad discovered basketball as a adult for the very first time and instantly fell in love with the game. He taught Jeremy by recording the greats on tv and teaching him fundamentals. In high school Lin started for the varsity team as a freshman and put up impressive numbers. He lead the team in several categories, received several awards, and local recognition for his superior play. However, Lin was completely passed over by college scouts and was never offered any scholarship opportunities despite being one of the best point guards in the state. Despite his success he faced an unfair stigma of Asian-Americans and was often treated to racial taunting at games. Unfazed by the lack of respect for his game Jeremy decided to go to college at Harvard. The first in his family to go to college Jeremy decided to make it count by going to Harvard and playing for their historically lackluster team. Though they are a division I school, Harvard traditionally has not garnered much attention with their basketball program only turning out one (ONE!) NBA player in the 1950's.
As you might have guessed Jeremy continued to play at a high level all the while earning a degree in economics. Though basketball was forever his dream the question remained: would he ever get his chance? Again the talent scouts inexplicably passed over Jeremy Lin with no one drafting him. Lin would, however, not be denied his chance earning a fourth string spot on the Warriors last year as a undrafted Harvard grad.He was cut before his true talent could see the light of day.
This year Lin worked his way on to the Knicks roster has the 15th guy on the team. On Saturday several injuries had cleared the way for Lin to make his first start in the NBA for one of the biggest, most storied, franchises in all of professional sports. A week later ESPN is the Lin network. In 5 straight games the Knicks have not lost. In 5 straight games Lin has scored over 20 pts and dished 8 assists. In fact no other player except LeBron James has even come close to his numbers for his first 5 games. Reports are that Jeremy lives on his brothers couch in NY with no money and no contract to secure his own place. He was prepared to be cut in the next three weeks and now he is leading the Knicks! On Friday he out-dueled Kobe Bryant to score a team high (for the year) 38 pts! From zero to hero in one week. The injured all-stars (86 million in contracts) are on the bench watching this guy lead the team to 5 straight victories. Read more of his story here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=4730385

I think we can all learn a little something from number 17. This last week I had a similar though less publicized breakthrough. After 12 years of hard work and patience I took a big step by getting an interview at UC Davis. I am so grateful to have made it to this point. My grades and test scores don't compare well to many of the candidate in the applicant pool and I may not eventually make it into Davis. No matter, because at least this interview gives me an opportunity to show those admissions folks that I deserve a spot on their roster. All of my cousins, siblings, family, friends: It doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter what you look like, it doesn't matter what other people think of you. Jeremy Lin believed in himself as a basketball player, he laced up his sneakers and went to work. What matters is belief in yourself and dedication to the work that will get you to where you want to be. Jeremy may not end up the MVP of the league but he has already accomplished way more by inspiring millions. I may not make it in this year but as Lin has showed me, IT DON'T MATTER. Gimme my chance to shine! I believe! LET'S GO!!!!

watch him fearlessly attack the champion lakers

Humble hero from Harvard

Lets GO!!