Roommate

I met my new roommate today. It's kind of funny (well, not ha ha funny) how I came to be roommates with him. He happens to be my co-worker's finance's sister's boyfriend. This pairing didn't happen by coincidence. Co-worker told me about her "brother-in-law" being in the same class as me and didn't really say anything negative about him. And by, "didn't really say anything negative," I mean wouldn't lead me one way or the other. By the transitive property I figured he must be okay because I like Co-worker, therefore I must like her finance and his family and anyone his family decides to date. That logic works 100% of the time. Math says so. Plus, he's a fellow PA student, so how bad could he be.

Tonight I got together with Co-worker and all other members connecting me with Roommate. Man, I love being the 5th wheel. It felt very much like being set up on a blind date, but without the promise of you know... anything. I must say that I think everyone had a really good time. We went to a restaurant of my choosing in my town and I believe it was enjoyed by all. We talked for quite a while after dinner was over, and then proceeded to walk through town and do the coffee thing.

A couple of things were decided on. One, DVR will be had because Roommate enjoys TV as much as I do. (I don't know if we actually agreed on this, but it's happening.) Our cleaning goal is that the place will be clean enough that shower sandals will remain a thing of Undergrad Past. Good start.

Since Roommate is from a far away state, I'm going to be checking out apartments with Roommate's Girl Friend. I'm just becoming best friends with everyone!

But no the fun didn't stop there. I went for the trifecta! Co-worker's Fiance and I hit it off a little too and plan on going to plenty of MLB games during my MONTH OF NOTHINGGGG. (aka 6 week period between work's end and school starting) I'm starting to debate whether the 6 weeks vacation I'm giving myself is a little much, especially since it was decided to start our lease in July and not June.

So the future is looking bright. We're both equally excited for school to start and are actually pretty compatible when it comes to studying methods (group study). Horrah for that!

The only thing that kind of sucked about the night was being the 5th Wheel. And it wasn't a matter of being the odd one out, because I become very friendly with others quickly. I feel very comfortable around all of them. It was more of the "woe is me being alone" feeling that I had after the whole night was said and done. I'll need to get over this because Roommate's Girl Friend is going to be over a lot I think. I've never had a roommate with a significant other like this, but I have no choice but to get over it.

Die Exchange

Microsoft never ceases to amaze me at how terrible it is.

Evidently, School uses Outlook Exchange for e-mail and I couldn't have been more disgusted with it. I wanted to add my School account to my Thunderbird because Thunderbird is GOD. This was just so difficult to accomplish that I finally gave up and just set up my School account to forward all e-mail to my Gmail account. This was actually what I wanted to do in the beginning but that option wasn't listed anywhere within the Outlook e-mail program. I later found a separate School website where you could have e-mails forwarded. It's all so unnecessarily complicated.

For some reason I have hesitations for relying on Google (or any one company) too much. I almost feel like it's the next Microsoft, if it already isn't. I like to spread the love around. Thunderbird for e-mail client, Gmail for my address, iCal for scheduling, Camino for browsing, Adium for chatting.

Holy Shit I'm Registered

I still cannot believe that I got an e-mail today telling me how to register for classes. I'm still in a total state of disbelief when I see things like, Name: Guy Flynn Major: Physician Assistant Studies. You'd think I had won the lotto or something. I'm convinced that this is still all a big joke. I should get over this.

I registered for classes today. It's a very light start for the summer semester. Physcosocial Medicine, Human Physiology, Professionalism & Bioethics. Basically it's like all of my favorite classes from college in one semester. w00tw00t!

What's In a Name

The saga of patients continually making up name for me continues. Yesterday I was called "Kevin" and today the Doctor called me "Chris." When Doctor called me that I literally said, "Excuse me!?" and just stared at him until he corrected himself. Evidently calling me Chris is a constant internal struggle for him. And then yesterday another woman couldn't get over the fact of how much I reminded her of someone named Stephen.

The list includes:
Brian
Chris
Marc
Brendan
Craig
George
Eric
Kevin
"That guy..."

And when I go to Panera that's always an adventure to see what name they put on my receipt. The other day they put "Grek" and my friend Ryan was "Brajan."

Then today we got a pathology report that said at the bottom, "This biopsy was discussed with G. Flynn, PA on 3/19/09." That's me! WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GET THE IDEA I WAS A PA?! I never said that. I don't even think I told them I was a medical assistant. I just answered the phone when the front desk said a doctor needed to talk to someone and I answered some questions about a biopsy and humored them when they went into the specifics.

Boy or Job?

The Hag and I had a very interesting conversation the other night. Not to long ago Hag was searching through Match.com and requiring my help evaluating EVERY SINGLE PROSPECT. She was especially needy when deciding whether to meet guys after getting e-mails from them. There had been one particular string of gentleman callers that she was more crazy about. And I don't mean that she was crazy over each of them. What I mean is that she was literally losing her mind over whether he would MARRY any of them.

The ones she was most interested in I believe I was luke warm over. She has a thing for older guys, which is evolutionary understandable, but I find them a little weird. But then there was another one, which I admittedly went crazy for. He was the best looking of the ones that e-mailed her, was an engineer and gave off the good vibe according to me. The Hag on the other hand was luke warm. I practically had to make her give him the time of day.

Long story short, they're pretty inseparable and she wants to marry him. And more importantly, I also approve.

Around the same time she found The Boy, I got into school. We've both been on our respective Cloud 9's.

The Hag also back around the time she was looking for guys lost her job. DAMN ECONOMY. And now we both of a case of The Grass Is Always Greener. Well... Maybe not. I asked her last night if she could trade The Boy for a dream job - would she? I actually said I definitely wouldn't. As desperate as I am for some companionship there is NO WAY that I would trade in 5 years of dedicating my life to getting into school for a little messing around. At least, not after looking for less than a year and $200 worth of online dating.

She on the other hand had mixed feelings. I've noticed that the one thing that can really develop a psychosis in people is being unemployed. She decided that if this relationship is for real, then she wouldn't trade spaces. But if it's only a temporary thing then she would gladly switch. Unfortunately for her that's the nature of relationships, not knowing. I guess the same could be said about me though. I'm blindly in love with the idea of being a PA, but could easily down the line realize that having a relationship is better.

I'm willing to take that chance though. It's not like I'm avoiding the idea of relationships. Currently I'm just putting off the active search until school starts and I move. Remember Guy, the whole reason you wanted PA instead of Physician was so that you could still have a personal life.

Empty Office

If I see Obama on one more magazine cover, speech podium or late night show, then I'm going to break into the Oval Office and start running the country.

[Edit:] Just heard Obama is doing the commencement speech at Notre Dame this year. That will be that day I take office.

Lofty Goals?

One of the P.A.'s at work asked me why I didn't go to med school. This isn't the first time a P.A. has asked me this, because evidently you only go to P.A. school when you're "too old" and don't have the time for med school. Does no one believe that there are perks to being a P.A. that doctors don't have?

She made the argument that she was doing the same exact thing as the physicians and making half the salary. Okay... But I'm pretty sure that I would be very happy with that P.A.'s salary. Am I kidding myself into thinking that I wouldn't like to make a doctor's salary?

On the flip side I had a physician once tell me that I should never go into medicine for the money. It wasn't because there wasn't money to be had, but because having more money doesn't make you happier. He said that he truly believed that he was no more happier with his life than the guys making 60k and then pointed to the studies that prove it. I believe it. As nice as having bucket loads of money is, I really think more money does bring more problems. I'm not interested in living an extravagant lifestyle, because it requires that much more work to maintain it.

I know that working as a P.A. is going to be a job I love. I know this because I love my job now, and would love it even more if I were one of the P.A.'s. Then I look at the doctor and wonder if I would love my job anymore because I were him. Honestly, I don't think I would. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I mind having someone else to fall back on and not being 100% liable for everything that goes on. His job requires a lot more hours, has a lot more stress and he lives a lifestyle that I'm not interested in having.

The P.A. then asked "But wouldn't you like to one day be called 'Dr. House.'" Would I? Sure, I guess. But is being called "doctor" going to change anything substantially about my job? No. I'm still going to be doing the same kind of work, and I won't have to go through the hell of med school and residency. I'm trying to develop a strong self-confidence in myself and feeling superior about yourself because you're called "doctor" doesn't help that. I want to go to a job that I love and enjoy, but I also desperately want to separate my social life from work life. That's the goal. I feel that being a P.A. makes that more possible than being a physician. I'm interested in practicing medicine, not being called "doctor."

I want to have:
a partner
a couple kids
a modest home
a luxury Toyota
cable with DVR
comfortable but not extravagant furniture
a standard trip once a year
the means to provide my kids with the schooling they need and myself with retirement

If a dual income, one being a P.A. salary, can't cover this then let me know and I'll be sure to apply to med school.

The Most Important $10 an Hour Employee Ever

Today was G-ma's funeral, but because of the snow we had to push back the burial to today (Tuesday.) I already had Monday off because that's how my typical schedule works, and I called my Office Manager Sunday to tell her I wasn't coming in Tuesday. So that's one day off. Mind you I worked Friday the day after I found out she died, which I think shocked my OM.

Today when I called to confirm that I wasn't coming in tomorrow, since I never heard back from OM. I got the secretary, but in reality she's third in command at the office. She tells me I'm not allowed to pass this message along through her, per office policy. If you're taking off you must ONLY speak to the OM, even when she doesn't return your phone calls or is in the office during business hours. She then tries to tell me OM's home number to which I say, "Listen I'm driving in a snow storm on the way to m grandmother's funeral. I can't do this right now."

I called back after the funeral and get the OM. I tell her I'm not working Tuesday because that's when the burial is and I think I'm going to take Wednesday off also cause I really just need one day off from life. She immediately starts whining. She goes on about how she already got someone to cover for me Tuesday night and that she doesn't have anyone for Wednesday night. In the past I might crumble to this and say how I'll be back right away. Not anymore. I stand strong telling her I really need a day and she continues squirming. It helps that she's acting so desperately, and that I'm leaving in May so what are they going to do? Hold this against me towards firing me? I then crumble a little and say I'll work that night 5-8PM.

This pisses me off a lot. The OM's mother died 2 weeks ago and took AT LEAST 2 days off and no one would have said anything about how long she was away. But me, the $10 an hour, lowest man on the totem poll wants to take off 2 days AND THE OFFICE GOES INTO CRISIS MODE. Firstly, how the hell did I become so important? I'll tell you how. Because we're desperate for help. We're completely understaffed in terms of medical assistants and run short even when everyone is at work. This must be kind of what the nursing shortage is like.

Secondly, they got one of the Regular MAs to fill in for me Tuesday, when there is already a Part-Timer who comes in Tuesday nights. Why can't she, the Part-Timer, just run solo? I run solo all the time. The answer can't be because she's new; she's not. And I don't care if she's not as capable as me because she gets paid the same. They pushed me hard when I first started and this Part-Timer is getting special treatment because she's incompetent. They have ZERO problem telling me when I fuck up and giving me shit even when I don't fuck up. But this Part-Timer, no one says shit to. So instead of having the Full-Timer fill in for me Wednesday they have to have her work Tuesday, basically forcing me to work Wednesday. MIND YOU: I'm going to work alone Wednesday in the same scenario that the Part-Timer would have had to worked Tuesday.

The OM better be looking out cause I'm coming in with a massive chip on my shoulder and there is no reason for me not to tell her exactly how I feel. Go ahead, fire me. I already got EXACTLY what I needed from this job. I'm sure I can go find some other job where I can make $10.50 an hour.