Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Finals week is here!
Where'd my motivation go. . .?
Well, I've only got three final this week and I think the worst one is over. The Bacteriology exam yesterday threw me for a loop--I sure hope I got the grade I needed! I sacrificed some study time to go to my nephew's birthday party up in the 'burbs, but there was still a lot of material on the exam I wouldn't have thought to study, even if I had another week. We'll see what happens.
Tomorrow is Pathology, and since I didn't get an A on the last exam it's mathematically impossible for me to get an A in that class. It would have been nice, since I think it's worth about 5 credit hours. My condolence lies in the rumor I heard that our prof for that class generally doesn't hire residents who get A's in his class--something to do with "B" students having a better undertanding, as opposed to rote memorization skills. But what does that say about his whole examination/assessment process?
Ugh, and Thursday is Epidemiology, which I really should be studying for right now.
My problem is, once I've really gotten into a subject and my motivation starts peaking, it's too late to do as well in the class as I could have had my motivation been present from the start.
My lame excuse for this semester is that I started the year worn out and exhausted from the long summer and a nasty respiratory infection.
I don't have too much planned for this winter break except the usual personal holiday stuff, some career planning, and some quiet office work. So I'll have no excuse for next semester. I'll be ready and rearing to start my 25 credit-hour semester, full steam, from Day One!
(Yeah, right.)
Don't Let Them Get You
The worst bit of advice I've ever gotten:
"If you're too smart, too talented, too pretty, or too nice, nobody will like you."
WRONG. Only the
funsuckers won't like you.
My friend Elisa (whose birthday I DID NOT forget--I'll come visit!) once ended an e-mail with:
"Don't let the funsuckers get you!"
Which got me to thinking--I know I've come across "funsuckers" in my life, but what
are they?
They are the people I was warned about--the ones who do not like people who are smart, talented, pretty, or nice.
fun-sucker \fun-suker\ n : negative person who sucks fun from life--through regular contact, can transform a normal but weak person into a fun-sucker: as a: one who regularly expresses shitty attitudes, esp. regarding positive things, usu. through nasty comments b: complainer, esp. one who does not attempt to solve problems and/or seeks more things to complain about c: one who makes excuses and/or blames others for her/his shortcomings or misfortunes, one who does not take accountability for own choices
syn see EMOTIONAL VAMPIRE --- fun-sucking \fun-suk-ing\ adj --- fun-suckingly \fun-suk-ing-le\ adv
The most amazing thing about funsuckers is that they have an uncanny talent for finding the most rotten thing to say about the nicest people.
Classic example: "Christina," a woman I used to work with at a vet clinic.
Sandra, a competent, smart, sweet girl, who also happened to be a talented artist and beauty-queen attractive, handed out home-made presents for all 30 of her co-workers the day she left to go back to vet school, each with a personalized note. When she left the room, everyone felt good and was smiling, except Christina. All she could say was, "This is kind of creepy--is she some kind of 'Stepford Wife' or something?"
Thank God no one in the room acknowledged the comment. One person finally said, "How can you
not like her? She's had nothing but nice things to say about you."
Good question.
Why do these people say such horrible things? I hypothesize that it has something to do with their own sense of self-worth. Maybe they're so self-centered and so out of sync with reality, they presume that someone else's good qualities somehow reflects poorly upon them.
I wonder what it's like to look at people who are admirable and happy, always having to compare yourself, always resenting that person if
you don't measure up? I don't see how life can be worth living if you can't enjoy the beauty of others--their talents, their gifts, their lust for life, or whatever great qualities they may have--without always having to think about yourself.
It must really suck having to go through life that way.
Blue says it's just easier for most people to look at exceptional people and resent, rather than enjoy, their qualities and accomplishments.
I disagree. I believe the funsuckers are in the minority, not the majority. I truly believe it's human nature to want to celebrate others' successes, and to admire admirable qualities.
The funsuckers are just more noticeable because they always have something nasty to say, and their negative nature is nurtured by a whole community of funsuckers.
The emotionally generous people who are happy with themselves and their lives are all around us--saying nice, kind things about others--yet no one seems to notice them.
What a shame.
My advice? A combination of the bad advice and Elisa's great advice:
"Beware the funsuckers, who won't like you if you're smart, talented, pretty, or nice. Don't let them infect you and turn you into one of them. Instead, surround yourself with people who appreciate the inner and outer beauty in everyone."
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Geek Crush
I think I'm strangely attracted to
Dr. Kuhlenschmidt. He's what Diggerblue would deem an "intellectual babe" (--although Digger tends to prefer the literary types, e.g.
Susan Deskis).
Dr. K is a bacteriologist with a strong interest in biodefense, and has made bacteriology, a potentially dull subject, absolutely fascinating. He's not an in-your-face typical favorite-teacher type, but he's clear, his lectures interesting and relevant--he makes sure he gives us the latest research references and reports, he makes us think about the big picture even as he teaches molecular concepts, and he
listens to his students and never makes us feel stupid. He's extremely friendly. He's one of those people who's overwhelmingly smart, but you'd never overwhelmed or intimidated by him because he's such a nice guy.
He's the wise "Papa Smurf" of the second year!
"This way, my little Smurfs!"
"Speaking of "stress"--this is just my opinion, but I think feedlot conditions, from what I've seen, border on cruel. Think of an animal lying on a concrete slab with no protection from the environment all its life. That's gotta be somewhat stressful."
--Dr. K, explaining why feedlot cattle and pigs are prone to opportunitic infections
