What? Tiger Cheated? No way!!! (Sarcasm)

What, Tiger Woods cheated????? Noooooooo, never. (Sarcasm)

It's his business, not ours, however, it doesn't mean that he won't have to deal with the consequences of his actions and as a person in the spotlight sometimes (whether fair or not) their consequences might be greater than the average Joe. Let's not forget that forgiveness doesn't mean that you don't have to deal with what you've done. And in his case, unfortunately its going to be a little harder than ole Leroy who cheated on Becky Sue in some back yard farm land in the middle of nowhere.

However, being a celebrity also has it's perks when transgressions occur. For instance, an impoverish drug addicted woman on heroin, crack, X, is usually thrown in jail and locked up for who knows how long, if caught and found with a substance on her vs the celeb or high profile figure who instead is admitted to a treatment facility and receives proper rehabilitation because those options are accessible to them. Again, both are an affliction, transgression, illness, however you would like to describe it, but one person is at a higher probability of a positive outcome because of their status given the same crime vs another individual because of their lack of fame or access. Again, both have to deal with the consequences of their actions, whether fair or not.

At the end of the day, we shouldn't cast stones, pass judgement, etc. But we must also understand that to every action there is a reaction. Today the media is the reaction for Tiger's actions.

Tomorrow, my attending will probably yell at me for being mean to the transitional year and so on. . . . I guess that's life, you still deal with the laws of the Land even after the Father forgives you. (And the laws of the land aren't fair).

Halloween is so cute!

Today is the first year that I was finally able to hand out Halloween candy during my adult life. Sure, I've distributed candy before, but it was during my teenage years when I would have preferred to do something other than opening my parents' door to hear "Trick or Treat". (Yes, teenagers are moody :)

This year, however, I was excited to pass out candy to all of the cute little kiddies in our cute little neighborhood that visited our cute little house (very cute). I forgot how entertaining (and bad, but in a cute way) children can be since I don't see them very often in my line of work. Here are my top ten highlights from handing out candy this year in no particular order:

1) The 7 year old who proceeded to bang on our glass front door like he was the police. His sister then yelled "Dang, you ain't the po po", I almost died laughing.

2) CJ, the child who robbed me of ten pieces of candy while I was trying to give treats to his baby sister

3) The cutest 3 year-old princess that I gave the choice to select whatever candy she wanted. . . . five minutes later she was still deciding, so I told her to take six of whatever she liked :)

4) The toddlers in all of their bumble bee outfits! I think the bumble bee, princess, and tiger outfits were my fav this year!

5) Being attacked by 15 kids all at once trying to grab candy from me. . . they almost took me out!

6) Watching Charmed (my cat) run and hide each time someone new came to the door.

7) Watching my kitten Hallie show that she has no fear since she welcomed most of our goblin visitors.

8) The 15 year old Pimp who came and took my candy like I worked for him! I want my candy back!

9) Running out of candy after only passing out candy for 90 minutes due to the lack of property distribution on my part to ghosts, pimps, and goblins.

10) My loving hubby running out to get more candy :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

RE: Clarification:Yes, you're pregnant and you can work!!!!!

Well, LOL, I've received a few emails from my post, so let me clarify :)

A commenter by the name of 'Weezie' made an excellent point and excellent points IMO deserve kuddos. In case you did not read her comment, it is as follows:

"agree with your point that you should not falsify a " bed rest" or " do not work" prescription..... HOWEVER, I also don't think that a woman should be looked down upon because she CHOOSES not to work during her pregnancy. Life is about choices and if she has the life-style that can afford for her to stay at home during and after her pregnancy (more power to her). Pregnancy is not a Illness or a disability but if a woman makes a choice not to work than its her right to do so..... without any negative judgment from other ( In my humble opinion it seems like we judge women who want to stay at home to harshly)."

I think she brings up the important point in the fact that if you DECIDE to take an extended maternity leave there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that. If a woman wants to take six months off postpartum (after delivery) that is 100% fine! If a male wants to take paternity leave, again, rock on! However, I would again be appalled if I were approached as a physician to falsify their request by turning it into a medical need.

I feel that the same applies for pregnancy. It's not that I don't care about this particular patent's pain, BUT it is not preventing her from working. She MEDICALLY can work, though she has the right to SOCIALLY take off from work if she decides to do so, I don't think that I should be cursed out when I give her alternatives or suggest that I could write a modified activity request to her employer stating that she could perform a position allowing her to sit more. She simply didn't want to work, which is fine, but don't look for me to create a medical reason not to do so because YOU CAN WORK.

And I am sorry, but if your coping mechanism is cursing out your physician because they don't provide you with a work excuse, seriously. . . . you need anger management, I will gladly write a script for that. Actually, I probably made her more upset by not getting upset (or at least showing that I was heated, because that's what she wanted. Thank goodness for my clinic colleagues who could document that I was very respectful to my rude patient during our encounter).

The only other point I'll address is a comment saying I was being judgemental. . . Yeah, I agree I was. . . however, the title of the blog is "The Loud Mouth Resident". I basically vent at times the emotions I have to keep inside in order to be professional at work. . . likewise, every post I write will not be rosey. The majority of my posts are lighthearted, but some aren't and that's kinda just the way life goes. Also, if you read the post, it is directed at my encounter with that ONE patient and does not mean that I feel women are lazy and wish to be barefoot and pregnant at home.

And actually, I do grant quite a few work excuses for compassionate reasons. For instance, the expecting mother who has a miscarriage and has a surgical procedure performed at 8am could in theory return to work the next day. However, I ask the patient if they would like 2-3 days off work to have time to process their loss emotionally. Or if a patient is discharged from the hospital on a Wed, I'll give them off until that Monday depending what the hospitalization was for. . . .

Basically, Good point Weezie. Women should not be held to different standards than their male counterparts! Equal pay for equal work, burn those bras, rah rah rah!

Yes, you're pregnant and you can work!!!!!

I started to blog about this a few days ago when the incident actually happened, however, I really had to cool off just a bit before writing something I would regret. Even as I type this, it is requiring a great deal of restraint not to make demeaning statements regarding my lazy so and so of a patient.

I know, gasp. How can a physician refer to her patient as lazy or a lazy so and so? It is truly the internal struggle I deal with on a daily basis when I am confronted by the patient who asks for . . . . . . . an excuse from work for the duration of their pregnancy.

My response is a simple one. NO YOU CAN WORK.
"But I hurt. I'm tired. My job requires me to stand on my feet, blah blah blah". Bah humbug, cry me a river, seriously. Why does the request for an extended leave of absence bother me, when the patient is only 20 weeks pregnant (aka 5 months)?

It bothers me because if I were to become pregnant right now, I would have to work 80 hours a week (if it's a good week and I'm not violating my work hours), take call for 30 hours, and work until my estimated date of confinement (aka due date) unless experiencing a pregnancy complication. HEALTHY UNCOMPLICATED PREGNANCIES= YOUR %%%%% CAN WORK!

Don't get mad at me, cry, and try to say I'm a bad doctor because I won't committ falsification/ fraud/ mentidas/ lies/ etc and write you an excuse from work when you are perfectly healthy and able to complete your work in some form or fashion.

In my previous residency program, I worked with two pregnant residents who busted their tales day in and day out, operating, standing on their feet, long hours, etc until the day their delivery date. I have another friend in a residency program who was pregnant, again working until EDC. Their is a pregnant resident in my program right now, who again, comes to work each and everyday. . . . are you getting my point?

Pregnancy is NOT a disability! Is it tough? Sure it is, but then again, who told you to get pregnant? Condoms, birth control (IUDs, NuvaRings, pills, etc) all could have kept you from feeling the round ligament pain or the occasional contractions that you believe qualifies you for disability. And if your pregnancy was desired, well now you can experience the joy of pregnancy along with the reward at the end of a long 10 months (yes I said 10, pregnancy is not 9 months). A NORMAL pregnancy is NOT a medical condition, not an illness, not something deadly.

So no! I won't give you off work. Go ahead, tell my chief I'm mean. I'm still not giving you a work excuse. . . oh wait? Are you cursing at me, well let me let you go, afterall, I don't want you to be late for WORK!

Guest Columnist: "The Blueprint III Review"

By MJG

Back in 2001, Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z, drastically altered the landscape of the rap game with his magnum opus The Blueprint. In that album, The Jiggaman called upon a team expert beatmakers, including then up-and-comers Just Blaze and Kanye West, to construct a sonic backdrop of vintage soul influenced melodies fused with traditional East Coast boom bap to effortlessly weave tales of street hustler lifestyle, straight up i’m-better-than-you-and-we-both-know-it braggadocio, and even some thought-provoking introspection sprinkled here and there. The album not only signaled a major stylistic shift in hip-hop production towards a more soul-centric approach from the keyboard-driven, syncopated rhythms popularized by Timbaland and the Neptunes in the late 90s, but it also served as the impetus to motivate many of his fellow peers (i.e. Nas) to go back to the drawing board and step their lyrical game up. Fast forward eight years and the hip-hop status quo is once again unsafe as the venerable emcee looks to pioneer a new age in hip-hop with his newest release, The Blueprint 3. But at almost 40 years old (a social security eligible senior citizen in the hip-hop world) and seemingly years removed from his alleged creative peak, does he still have what it takes to lead the charge?

Lyrically, the subject matter hasn’t changed much in eight years, which, for the most part, isn’t a bad thing. Jay-Z’s favorite subject is still, well, Jay-Z. Tracks such as “Reminder,” “Thank You,” “So Ambitous,” and “Hate” reminds listeners how much better Jay is than all of the naysayers, haters and critics out there. “Off That,” “On To The Next One,” “Already Home” and “What We Talkin’ About” not only inform the listener that Jay is a trendsetter, but that he’s, well, better than all of the naysayers, haters and critics out there! While listening to the same subject matter over and over can be frustrating at times, it’s a testament to his skill as a lyricist that he is able to keep things relatively interesting throughout the album. One of his strongest lyrical performances came in the aforementioned “Already Home.” In this song, he unleashes some serious venom on everbody, from rappers: Don’t they know that they boring?/Don’t they know that I yawn?/Only time they exciting is when they mentioning Shawn/Seen Single White Female when she dyed her hair blonde?/Sometimes I look at these rappers/The movie remind me of them to the critics: And as for the critics, tell me I don't get it/Everybody can tell you how to do it, they never did it. He does manage to spice things up a bit in other tracks: “Venus vs. Mars” shows that he can still stitch together metaphors and raunchy double entendres better than just about anybody else in the game, while “A Star is Born” and “Empire State of Mind” show that he can (sorta) take the focus off him for a moment and pay homage to hip-hop heavyweights of yesteryear and his hometown respectively. Musically, however, is when the album gets very intriguing:

The opening track entitled “What We Talkin’ About” relies on an epic fusion of techno-inspired synths, lush orchestration and some unexpected, but welcomed assistance from Luke Steele of the Australian-based group Empire of the Sun. It’s a risky combination, especially for the opening track of a hardcore hip-hop album. But the risk pays huge dividends as Jay sounds right at home in the unique soundscape. The blaring horns and heart thumping percussion heard in the street single “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune),” produced by the criminally underutilized No ID, provide the perfect backdrop for Jay-Z to ruffle a few feathers as he bombastically lambast his peers for hopping on the auto-tune bandwagon. The second single from the album, “Run This Town,” proves to be a solid follow-up track as its frantic, rolling drums and the militia-style foot drill cadences heard throughout the song provide a nice change of pace. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that the song also features the latest example of Jay-Z getting murdered on his own track, this time, courtesy of Kanye West. “Empire State on Mind,” which is far and away the best song on the album in this reviewer’s humble opinion, will undoubtedly have even the most hardened New York hater pumping their fist and nodding their head to Alicia Keys’ trademark piano chords and surprisingly organic, soulful bellows. Krucial Keys provides an ideal compliment for Jay-Z as he breezily delivers an authentic, heartfelt ode to the city that helped raise him.

Things aren’t all positive, however. Calling the Young Jeezy featured “As Real As It Gets” disappointing would be a huge understatement, especially considering the stellar track record the duo has whenever they collaborate together. Everything from the bland Inkredibles track to Jigga and Jeezy’s lazy raps seem to lack the energy necessary to make this a memorable collabo. The same can be said for the customary Neptunes contribution to the album, “So Ambitious.” While Jay-Z, Chad and Pharrell’s chemistry is still undeniable, the track is too formulaic to stand out from other ones by the trio. Elsewhere, the irritating clatter, banging of pots and pans sound concocted in the Swizz Beatz produced “On To The Next One” prove headache-inducing enough to immediately warrant pressing the Next button. The irony of Jay confidently boasting Welcome to the future in the first bar of the Timbaland assisted “Off That” is glaring as the beat sounds like one Justin Timberlake probably (and wisely) rejected three years ago during the Future Sex/Love Sound recording sessions. Additionally, adding current pop-music sensation Drake to simply do the hook on the song seems like a wasted opportunity. “Hate,” arguably the worst song on the album, has little going for it other than Kanye West’s hilarious depiction of a laser sound. While the album’s closer, “Young Forever” certainly earns brownie points for daring to sample Alphaville’s 80’s hit “Forever Young” on a major hip-hop album release, it unfortunately fails to hit the mark.

Whether this album mirrors the success of The Blueprint in moving hip-hop in a different direction will be left for future debate and analysis. Listeners in the present simply want to know whether or not this album is a dope listen. Wide-eyed Jay-Z stans will undoubtedly proclaim he dropped an instant classic filled with witty wordplay and game-changing melodies that will once again change the rap game as we know it. While Jay detractors will call him a washed up, near 40 has-been rapping about the same subject matter and desperately trying anything to remain relevant. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in the middle. While he certainly hasn’t strayed far from his lyrical comfort zone of talking about money, haters and women, nobody can make the status quo interesting quite like Jay. Musically, the album produces both head nodding and head scratching results. The unevenness of the album, especially its second half, ultimately results in a solid listen, but short of classic status.

3.5 out of 5

Kayne West and the VMAs. . . stop the conspiracy theories!

Okay, if you didn't get to see Kanye's rude (yet you have to admit humorous disruption of Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance award, then watch below. When it originally aired, I wa sleeping post call. However, the facebook status' of 100s of users began commenting on Kanye.

"Taylor is too good for Kanye West and MTV"
"First Serena, now Kanye"
"I'm boycotting Kanye".

Seeing these comments, I decided to use google and find out what the deal was. . .

Anyhow, there are many people who claim this whole "Beyonce had one of the greatest video's of all time" bit was staged. Here is why I think it wasn't.

1) Single Ladies was NOT one of the greatest videos of all time. I repeat NOT. The song isn't even all that hot. There are 100s, probably thousands of videos better than that one. The Scientist by Cold Play, You Got Me by the Roots, pretty much any Michael Jackson Video, Hello by Lionel Richie (ok, that last one was a stretch, but you get my point). . .
2) I think Ye was DRUNK. He was holding a big ole bottle of liquid courage all during the red carpet. Liquid courage combined with the biggest ego in the world = rude comments on national TV
3) Single Ladies was NOT the best video of all time :)

Oh well, love him or hate him, Mr. West=interesting

dsadsf from The Smoking Section on Vimeo.

Horrible

Over the weekend in Mexico, a Mexican legislative candidate, his wife and two sons age 10 and 13, were found murdered in their home. The bodies of Jose Francisco Fuentes Esperon, wife and 2 sons found inside their home. It is suspected that the family was murdered by drug traffickers, however, there are currently no suspects in custody. The murder occurred in Tabasco, Mexico.

This is honestly horrible. I am not sure what is going on in Mexico. . . maybe murders by the drug cartel have been common for years and for whatever reason, the world news is now deciding to cover the stories. . . but still, I find this very heart wrenching. Think about trying to serve your country and make it a better place only to have your life snatch away from you. . . let alone your entire family. I'm not sure what the Mexican government plans to do about the recent publicized violent activities, but hopefully those who terrorize other will be bought to justice swiftly.

For more on this story, feel free to reference this story "Mexican legislative candidate, family killed" at cnn.com.

Sylvan Inn Bed & Breakfast

The Sylvan Inn Bed & Breakfast is located in Glen Arbor, MI in Sleeping Bear Dune country. Glen Arbor is approximately five and a half hours from Detroit, MI is home to some of the most magnificent and peaceful views of Lake Michigan.

The Sylvan Inn has 14 sleep quarters, some with private baths (which was a must for me). The inn is located 1 block from Lake Michigan and is in the middle of endless hiking trails, scenic routes, and of course, the Sleeping Bear Dunes. These particular group of dunes were given their name because travelers said that the layout of the dunes resembled the back of a pack of sleeping bears.

While visiting Glen Arbor, which is approximately 30-45 minute drive past Traverse City depending on traffic, there are several sites one must see during their trip.

1)Nature Trails: There are several to chose from. We selected the Empire Bluff Trail which provides breathtaking views of the shore line. This particular trail is an easy one for people of all athletic level AS LONG AS YOU STAY ON THE TRAIL. This trail is located in Empire, Michigan which is a 15 minute drive from Glen Arbor. There is also a public beach not to far from the trail where you can park and enjoy a beverage at the local tavern and then swim all day.

2) Scenic Drives: The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive provides the best sunset that I have EVER seen! (This includes sunsets in Mexico, Spain, France, and Costa Rica). The only sunset that I have seen so far that gives this sunset a run for its money is the one at the Grand Canyon. Make sure to drive to lookout points 9,10 which provides an awesome scene over Lake Michigan. Couples should pack a picnic basket and arrive at 7:30pm to enjoy dinner over the most gorgeous scene that nature has to offer.

3)Lake Michigan: Enough said. Pick a spot, bring your grill, and have a ball.

4) Sleeping Bear Dunes: Well, its sand. Lots and LOTS of sand. Many naive climbers expect to see Lake Michigan when they reach the top of the first dune and unfortunately all you will see is more sand :). You must walk up and down several dunes prior to reaching Lake Michigan. The total distance to the Lake and back is 3.5 miles, so you probably need to be in pretty good shape to walk up and down sand for that distance. If you plan on traveling by foot all the way to the Lake, make sure to start early, pack plenty of water and get ready to SWEAT!

5) Funistrada: This is a restaurant approximately 15 minutes from Glen Arbor that offers fine dining. Your bill will be a bit pricey but the food is GREAT. It is a nice romantic dinner. If you are traveling in Glen Arbor though, I would just eat in town because face it, children aren't going to appreciate a $20 salmon.

The Sylvan in itself is nice and relaxing. Don't expect a full course breakfast though, it is mainly fruit (which is healthy and all). The only bad thing is that breakfast is served from 8-9:30 so if you aren't an early riser you could potentially sleep through breakfast. All in all, Deer Creek Bed and Breakfast is a MUCH nicer B&B, but there is a MUCH more activity in Glen Arbor. Plus as long as you get a room with a private bath, you are good to go.

True of False: If there is a mercury spill you can clean it up yourself

I know that 99.9% of the world's population could truly care less about me the online modules I completing, however, for the 0.1% of the Earth's population that might be bored enough to read this, continue on.

Prior to one's start date in most health systems, employees are required to complete online training or modules that deal with certain health topics, protocols, and safety measures. I have 30 modules to do before tomorrow (no, I'm not a slacker, I just didn't realize that I had to do this again, since I did this before as a medical students at the same institution). At first, I thought to myself this would be difficult to complete, until I took my first quiz. Below are examples of some of the more comical (or as I call them "Duh" questions or "I can't believe this is really a question" questions).

Warning, after each question, a comment containing EXTREME sarcasm will be found.

1. True or False: If there is a mercury spill you can clean it up yourself
Sure, because we ALL know that mercury is good for us, tastes just like chicken if you ingest it.
2. True or False: If you are very careful, it is okay to eat in an area that contains hazardous materials
OF COURSE, because who wouldn't want a hole in their intestines from eating a hamburger with a side of hydrochloric acid.
3. True or False: While a child is waiting for a procedure in the hospital, it is acceptable for the child to wait in a hallway by themselves without staff supervision.
This is 100% TRUE, kids just don't know how to act. Ask the stranger in the grocery store who slapped someone else's child for acting up! Now THAT is how a village should raise a child.
4. True or False: It is okay to not to change gloves between seeing patients if you kept them clean
I never do
5. Which of the following conduct electricity:
A: Wet Skin B: Wooden Chair C. Plastic D: Wooden Pole
I know the answer to this one! It's wet skin, which is exactly why my answer to number 4 is true!

Now, I am not saying that I am a genius, but I am pretty sure that anyone who can READ could pass these tests even without reading the module. On one hand, I am glad that the questions were at the difficulty level of a 5th grader since I am going on a vacation this weekend and needed to finish this thing ASAP. On the other hand I am a little paranoid. . . could I be working with people that failed this exam? People that think "If you are very careful, it is okay to eat in an area that contains hazardous material?". Hmmmm.. . . naw, no one could possibly fail these exams. . . . could they?

The Final Step is Complete

As I am five days away from working again, I received great news this morning that came in the form of an email that has plagued medical students for years and brings a distant memory of anxiety for current residents, the notification that your score report is available for viewing. If you are unfamiliar with the medical field, then you are probably a little lost. . . keep reading, you will understand.

The USMLE (also known as the "Step" examinations)are a series of exams that test the knowledge of medical students and physicians at various phases or "steps" in their career. At the end of the second year of medical school, students across the country take Step 1. This is arguably the most difficult of all the USMLE exams. It is associated with the most steps as some residency programs and specialties (foolishly) have specific cutoffs in order to receive an interview when applying to their programs. This test is 8 hours long.

Step 2 is typically taken after a medical student completes their third year of school. Doing well on this exam can make up for a lower Step 1 score so that the "foolish" programs can overlook a marginal Step 1 score if the med student can replace it with a "stellar" Step 2 score. This test measures the clinical knowledge learned during the medical students' clinical rotation. This test is also 8 hours long.

Step 3, the most chill of them all (though I managed to stress myself out for three weeks while waiting for my score). This exam can be taken at any point during a resident's (yes a resident IS a physician)training. In order to receive a permanent medical license, the resident must pass Step 3. It's focus is to test a physician's knowledge in general medicine and not just in their specific specialty. It's better to take the test during the first couple years of residency. I recently found out that you can register in any state to take the exam and can get around waiting the mandatory 9-12 months that some state's require in order to take Step 3 (I can't remember which states and frankly I'm done so I'll let you look that up if you are curious). This test tops them all at a total of 16 hours spread over two 8 hour days :)

Each test cost about a grand give or take. It is a mass money making machine for the ACGME/NBME, etc. . . and I'm happy to never see you again :) For those of you still in the process, hold your head up high and know you will finish all of this before you know it!!!! Good luck to all, I wish you much success!

Best Michael Jackson Tribute Ever!

Well, MJ's death has been ruled a homicide. While Dr. Conrad is (and should) go down for violating the first and foremost principle to "do no harm", we must remember that MJ was also not totally innocent. Prescription drug abuse must no longer be overlooked.

The physicians who feed this should be punished, but those who abuse prescription drugs should also be held accountable, just as the crack head who goes to jail, so should the Vicoden abuser. . . or better yet, maybe people will realize that drug users DO NOT belong in jail, but in rehab. Until then, treat everyone equal under the law. . .that includes you Rush Limbaugh.

Now enough of the preaching, enjoy the best Michael Jackson Tribute ever. It was created and performed by inmates at a Filipino correctional facility (aka prison). ENJOY!

The Worst Water in the World is in Cleveland

Yes. Absolutely, hands down, the Division of Water and Sewer in Cleveland, Ohio is the most inefficient and backwards Division of Water on the planet.

I waited on hold to speak with a representative concerning an issue for our rental property in Cleveland and spent 45 minutes on hold without ever reaching someone to talk with DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. After reaching the top of my irritation meter for the day, I hung up and called back.

The receptionist/operator answered my call. I politely asked was there anyone I could speak with because I had been on hold for a very long time. She said, no, calls are answered in the order they are received. I then not so politely replied "Then I guess ya'll don't want your money then" and hung up. I could have been a little more professional, but I decided why waste my talent of professionalism on the Division of Water, I have to save my politeness for my patients, fellow colleagues, and pretty much any human being not affiliated with the Cleveland Division of Water. . . sigh :)

Fresh Prince of BelAir Bloopers

This says it all! Enjoy!

Bed and Breakfast Part 1

The bed and breakfast (B&B) portion of this blog is an ongoing series in an attempt to educated people to the often overlooked side of the quaint, relaxing, peaceful, and scenic side of vacation. I was first introduced to the concept of B&B last year when my husband and I decided that he needed to me get away from the craziness called residency, we started looking to book a trip that could return me to our home on Sunday to prepare for work on Monday.

What we discovered was a beautiful four bedroom home, with a spacious den, lovely kitchen, all nestled in the quiet comfort of nature. There are tons of B&Bs all of the country that are perfect for romance, peace, and calm. A great escape for two, there are B&Bs that meet your needs. If you are like me and need slightly luxurious accomodations, you can find B&Bs to match your taste. If you aren't as high maitanence in your vacation request and are okay with only the peace of nature, these B&Bs are exist as well, along with everything in between.

As the name suggests, homemade breakfast is included during your stay, many places also offer dinner. Because many B&Bs are located in the country, many have wineries and other attractions nearby that couples may enjoy as well.

To find out more about B&Bs all over the country visit http://www.bbonline.com/

So far the hubby and I have traveled to Deer Creek Bed and Breakfast in Ohio, which was AWESOME! Next weekend we are traveling to Sylvan Bed and Breakfast located in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Glen Arbor, MI. Stay tuned for more reviews on all of our travels!

Olive Garden Salad. . . more like might as well eat french fries!

Today my hubby and I decided to have a romantic lunch for two at Olive Garden :). Before I left to meet him, I thought to myself, hmmmmm. I wonder which items on the Olive Garden menu would be healthiest to eat. I decided to check out the Olive Garden Website. I was a little mortified when I discovered that one serving of their bottomless salad was 300 calories. Now I am sorry, while salad is tasty, if I am going to spend 300 calories on a serving give me the calamari baby!

After a little investigating, we realized that we could make the salad healthier if we asked our server to 1: not to put any dressing on the salad and 2: instead of regular Italian dressing request fat free Italian dressing on the side.

Presto! Now you have your good ole 100 cal salad. Just the way a salad is supposed to be :) Tasteless and low in calories.

Update: Ryan Jenkins found. . .

Ryan Jenkins, reality tv finalist of Megan Wants a Millionaire, was found dead in a British Colombian hotel. Jenkins was the only suspect in the murder of ex-wife Jasmine Fiore. Last week, her body was discovered in a suitcase in a dumpster. Fiore's fingers and teeth were removed making identification of the body difficult. She was ultimately identified from the serial numbers in her breast implants.

Initially, Jenkins was named only as a person of interest. However, as evidence began to mount that the reality tv star was possibly responsible for the murder, Jenkins fled to Canada. A massive manhunt began to bring the fugitive to justice, however, the search ended Sunday when Jenkins body was discovered. Preliminary evidence suggest that the cause of death is most likely that of suicide.

Megan is Lucky that she didn't get this Millionaire

In true form, VH1 reality shows have continued to push the envelop of "too Hot/much for TV". It looks as if VH1 will have the first reality show in history to feature an alleged (and more than likely guilty) murderer on the show.

Ryan Jenkins, contestant on Megan Wants a Millionaire, has been charged with murdering his ex-wife and former swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore. Originally, Jenkins was considered a "person of interest" in the case. Fiore's body was found Saturday inside of a suitcase that was placed in a dumpster. Reports confirm that her fingers and teeth were removed from the corpse by her attacker/murder.

It appears Fiore received text messages from her ex-boyfriend shortly before her disappearancewhich discussed plans of a rendezvous in Las Vegas. It is believed that Jenkins may have discovered this text and set off a chain of events that ultimate led to the model's demise.

Megan Wants a Millionaire was canceled after it was announced that Jenkins was a fugitive from the law. Jenkins apparently made it as a finalist in the show. VH1, probably for the first time in recent history, demonstrated extreme class with removing the show from the air en light of this tragedy. Typically, contestants of reality TV shows participate in rigorous background checks in order to ensure the safety of fellow cast members. Jenkins has a history of a violent past, however, he either found a way to conceal this information or the screening methods failed to flag his checkered past. VH1 agreed that if Jenkins' violent record was available to the station, he would not have been selected as a cast member in the show.

Jenkins is now a fugitive from the law and considered armed and dangerous. It is believed that Jenkins, a Canadian native, escaped on foot back to his homeland and is currently hiding from the law. Anyone who assists this man in evading police will face charges of aiding a fugitive. Here is his picture. As always, if you come across him first run (please don't attempt to be a superhero idiot and take him down) and then secondly contact your local authorities.

Yummy fish

Don't worry, it won't turn you green :)

Yesterday, I decided to cook dinner for my brother and created this WONDERFUL baked fish topped with a delicious white sauce.


Thought I would share.











Ingredients:

Perch/salmon fillet
1 green pepper
1 green onion
1 tomato
1 small container of fat free tarter sauce
1 small container of fat free lemon pepper sauce
Peanut sauce
Sugar (or splenda)
1 sauce pan
1 baking pan

Directions:
-Thaw fish fillets are room temperature
-While fish are thawing, mix together the small container of fat free tarter sauce and fat free lemon pepper sauce. (If you are unable to find the lemon pepper sauce, you can always substitute this with regular lemon pepper seasoning and add 1/8 of a cup to the lemon tarter sauce)
-Chop the green pepper and add to the sauce
-Use half of the onion, chop into smaller slices and add to the sauce
-Chop the tomato and add to the sauce
-Add 1 tablespoon of peanut sauce (may add more, if you desire a stronger peanut flavor)
-Add 1/4 tablespoon of sugar or Splenda
-Stir.
-Now place fish fillets into the baking pan. Use a large spoon to drizzle the sauce and veggies over the fish until the top of each fish fillet is cover. (One batch of sauce will cover six fillets of perch)
-Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and back for 25 minutes. If the fish are completely thawed, you will not need to preheat the oven. Depending on the size of the fish, you might only need 20 minutes, make sure to peak on the fish after 15 minutes and see how things are progressing.
-Now eat!!!!

Songs a Doc shouldn't like. . . but does :)

You're a jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk. . .

What am I talking about? It's a song. You know how we all have songs that we know are dumb, probably should like, but you just can't help yourself? Well, I am no different. Below is my list of songs that I should be shamed to sing and won't let my children listen to. . . but play it and I'll be the first one on the dance floor :)

1) Soulja Boy: Crank Dat
What shouldn't I like about this song? Probably when he says "Superman them hoes." Not sure what that phrase means? Google it, I can't bring myself to post it.

2) New Boyz: You're a jerk
What should I like about this song? I mean, it's just stupid. Catchy though. . . "Go ahead, call me jerk one more time"

3) Lil' Wayne: Every Girl
Sigh, "I wish I could (explicit) every girl in the world?" The reason why I shouldn't like it is pretty self explanatory and the live performance at the BET Award show was atrocious. . . but I still find myself nodding my head to the beat when it's on the radio. . . the album version though. . . HORRIBLE! My favorite/worse line is "In about three years, holla at me Miley Cyrus". I know Billy Ray was NOT happy with that line at all. . .

4) Any song featuring Gucci Mane
Okay, now this is a 100% self explanatory. I'm not sure if you all were aware of the fact that Gucci Mane can't rap. . . but HE CAN'T. I'm pretty sure that I could rap better than him, and face it, any person who successfully completes med school is a nerd, so IF I CAN TAKE him, you know he sucks. . . but here I am, yelling "Gucci!!!" Why? I have no idea, please make me stop :(


I'm sure there are at least 5-10 more songs that I could add to this list, but that will have to do for now.

Tests. . .

I actually don't mind taking tests, but for some reason, board examinations cause me to loose a little sleep at night. Mainly because the medical profession places an overemphasis on our boards. I understand that they need to "weed" people out from the dream specialties of dermatology and radiology, so that the common med students are left with other less desirable professions (TOTAL SARCASM), but honestly, I know people that have scored in the 99th percentile on their board exams and I wouldn't trust them to cure a pimple on my big toe.

Grrr, I actually have a good track record with these stupid USMLE test (aka our boards. There are three of them, Step 1, Step 2, Step 3). However, I'm just getting tired of this bull. Paying $1500 to pay for a stupid exam, so some big wig can nod approvingly and tell me how great of a test taker I am? Or the reverse, to bomb an exam and then have some big wig say your worthless?

There HAS to be a better system than these stupid steps, unfortunately, I'm kinda short on ideas. . . so of I go to study and continue this rat race.

"When you say 'That's so gay do you realize what you say?"

Wanda Sykes has a new PSA (Public Service Announcement) and it is focusing on the term "That's so gay." I must take a moment to say that I LOVE PSAs, my favorite one is "This is your brain, this is your brain on drugs."

Anyhow. In the clip, there are three teenage boys in a public place having a conversation when one of the kids classically states "That's so gay." Wanda gets up, turns around, and tells him knock it off.

I like this PSA. I remember in high school and college using the term, "That's gay" all the time. I also remember when I stopped using it. At MSU (Michigan State University aka best university on the planet) there was a great focus on diversity and understand cultures/lifestyles different from your own. My sophomore year, I decided to become a Residence Hall Assistance. Basically, I live in the dorm for free in exchange for serving as the Dorm/Floor Mom. I was required to put on programs for the floor/dorm and participate in various programs around campus in order to grow so that I could be prepared to deal with my residents, provide conflict resolution, etc.

It was LBGT week, which counted as one of the items on my diversity training, so myself and another "Hall mom" and "Hall Dad" decided to go to some of the festivities around campus. I remember going to the town hall meeting and hearing the countless stories of fellow students, discuss eating in the caf, going to parties, etc and hearing the word used to describe their sexuality as something stupid or silly. I thought to myself, wow, how ignorant I had been and how using that word to signify something that I was frustrated with or wanted to describe as ridiculous I would substitute the word "gay."

After the meeting, I made a full blown effort to stop using the word as a substitute for silly/dumb/ whatever. By the start of my junior year, I had successfully removed the word from my vocabulary. Now, I am not saying that I don't use the word "gay". I will say, "oh I didn't know such and such was gay." Or sometimes I'll use homosexual or bisexual. When I am talking with a patient and want to inquire about their sexuality, my famous line is "Are you sexually active with men, women, or both?" So, yes, the word is there, present in my vocab, but no longer used to describe items in a negative connotation.

I'm not trying to preach, I'm just saying, think of something else to say, if you're up for the challenge. If not, well, I don't know what to tell ya.

Leaf and Bean, Great Coffee shop in Royal Oak, MI

As a resident physician, I am always on the look out for great places to study along with establishments that can fuel my caffeine addiction. I found that and more in Leaf & Bean in Royal Oak. I don't live there, but I have family in the area. Just because I'm on a social trip doesn't mean that I shouldn't take a little time out to study and read.

When I'm in my academic mood, I find that a clean, reasonably quiet, and free wifi coffee shop is what I need. I have studied at places that seem to be a 24 hour party, or came with dirty surroundings, yucky bathrooms, and frankly was not up to my studying standards.

You'll find that physicians in training (whether it be med students or resident physicians) are some of the best and pickiest studiers around. If you need a great study spot that provides fair trade coffee, endless menu choices from gluten free to vegan meals, to stuff for us meat eaters and happen to live in the Detroit area then I suggest checking out Leaf & Bean.

The only minus is that you have to pay metered parking (I hate paying for parking, especially when I'm studying. . . I mean who PAYS to study?) However, parking on Sunday is free in Royal Oak or if you park on Third Street in the neighborhood section, you can park there for free. (about a ten minute walk).

For more info visit: http://www.mybeanandleaf.com/

Twitter me this, Twitter me that. . . .

UPDATE:

This morning 8/1/09, Nick Cannon published a series of "Tweets" on his twitter page.

The signer and husband of pop star Mariah Carey published a series of deep quotes (some even biblical excepts taken from Genesis) describing basically how him and Mariah were going to take the high road and not stoop to Eminem's level.

As you may recall, on 7/31/09, Eminem released a diss track in response to Mariah's video "Obsessed".

My favorite twitter quote from Cannon was:
"Trying to save a hater is like trying to teach astrophysics to a wino! LOL Chuuuuch!"

Below are a list of Cannon's tweets as he attempts to fight off the pain, anger, and humiliation that he and the Mrs. Cannon are feeling as a result of Eminem's "The Warning."

"Never argue with fools because from a distance people cant tell who is who"


When there are no enemies within the enemies outside can not hurt you!

Never take your own revenge, but rather give place unto the wrath. For it is written vengeance is mine, I will repay... PREACH!

"I will bless those that bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse." Genesis 12:3

Be patient in the moment of anger and escape a hundred days of sorrow!

I will permit no man to narrow or degrade my soul by making me hate him.

Those who feed into negativity must examine there purpose on this earth.

Changing the world one hater at a time!

But let's not get it twisted. If you feeling froggish, leap!! Y'all know where to find me... Nick@nickcannon.com Holla at me directly!

"Victorious warriors win first then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win"

People who project negativity ultimately are crying out for their own broken souls.

No one but a fool would measure their satifaction by what the world thinks of him

Trying to save a hater is like trying to teach astrophysics to a wino! LOL Chuuuuch!

Okay done being philosophical. I'm back on my paper chase! Ya boy is grindin like 3 year old brakes!

Hopefully taking the high road works. . . somehow I don't think we've heard the last of this feud. . . After all its just twitter.

Eminem Diss. . . now who's Obsessed?

Wow! That's pretty much all I can say.

Suposedly, (Okay, well I guess actually) Mariah Carey and Eminem dated, it ended not on the best of terms and walah. . . she makes a song about him and a pretty entertaining video of an Eminem look alike stalking her. Now, since I basically live under a rock, I had yet to see the video until well. . . today. Sure, I've heard the song Obsessed, actually I like it a lot. . . and had no idea that it was supposed to be about Eminem.

Today, my hubby and I were on our way to eat sushi when the DJ on the radio announces that Eminem has a new diss record out directed at Mariah Carey. . . he plays it and well, lets just say that I was completely floored! I mean this ish is MEAN. He saved old voicemails from her where she is supposedly speaking seductively saying "I'm Mary Poppins baby" (now what is exactly "sexy" about Mary Poppins, I am not so sure). In whatever love game they were playing I guess this was their way of talking dirty.

Anyhow, for those of you who are unaware of both, I have posted Mariah's first blow along with Eminem's last laugh. . . word of advice to Ms. MC-Cannon. . . please leave Em alone before he starts sending naked pics of you to TMZ. Sigh, when will people learn, just say no to nudity and cell phones.

Mariah Carey Obsessed Video
Uploaded by anthonychopin25. - Explore more music videos.

Warning, Eminem curses A LOT. Children, you should not listen, nor should adults who are sensitive when other adults curse. . .

Ode to residency

Well, let's face it. Residency sucks.

However, today marks the day that I am super excited to announce that after my sabbatical, I am starting up again as a second year! Maybe one day I'll post the story, but for now, I'm just happy to have the chance to put myself through long sleepless nights, frequent call, lots of work, learn lots and to mature into attending physician.

I have a looooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg way to go, but I'm blessed to have another chance :)

Residency here I come (again) I think I'll make a home made margarita right now!!!

Shopping? Who has time. . . We all do online!!!!

When I first started residency, I realized that I let A LOT of things go. It seemed like I was always at the hospital, always attempting to read, and if I did have spare time all I ever felt like doing was sleeping! I never was a big mall person, probably because I hated browsing through clothes, waiting in line, rude sales reps, etc. but if you don't shop, then you'll never have anything to wear. . . if you don't have anything to wear it really isn't fun to go anywhere, if it isn't fun to go anywhere then. . . well you catch my drift.

A friend of my introduced me to SaleMail. It is a website that allows you to select the stores/designers that you like, your clothing/shoe size, and presto, it sends you weekly emails updating you on great deals and sales from your favorite designers and stores! You already know your size, so why not shop a little. Now, it really doesn't matter if your residency is in the middle of nowhere USA or if you are in Chicago. No more fighting traffic or facing the fact that there are no good malls around you. Did I mention the sales are great? Go ahead, shop a little :)

Easy Dish

One thing that none of us seem to have a lot of, whether you are a resident, a RN, an attending, or not in the medical filed at all, is time.

No wonder it is difficult to find time to make a meal, when the decision to order take out or stop at fast food joint is so enticing because it requires little time, little effort, and is ready and waiting instantly.

Well my friends, I can't solve your time issues, but I can share with you an easy recipe that tastes great and will impress those around you and trick them into believing that you are actually a great chief (I mean of course you are:)

Potato casserole! (Vegetarian style or carnivore style)

Ingredients
Potatoes
Canned kernel corn
Canned peas
Canned mixed vegetables
Canned broccoli
Onions
One large can of low sodium cream of mushroom soup
One large can of clam chowder
Optional: Your choice of meat: Shrimp, ground beef, ground turkey, whatever you like
Green Pesto Powder

Directions:
1. In a pasta strainer, was the sodium off of the canned vegetables to get rid of all that extra sodium in canned foods
2. Next chop your potatoes into thin slices (they don't have to be super thin) and chop your onions as well
3. In a casserole dish combine your washed canned veggies, potatoes, onions, and your can of cream of mushroom and clam chowder.
-Optional step (add your frozen shrimp or cooked ground beef/turkey)
4. Add your pesto seasoning and stir.
5. Cover and place into the oven at 450 degrees and allow to cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally (no need to preheat oven)
6. Remove pot and serve! So easy. The nice part is that you decreased the sodium content by washing your canned veggies (also a tip you can provide to patients who rely on canned goods for their vegetables)

Enjoy, and make sure to comment on how it turns out!

Adele-great music after a long day!

Adele is a British musician from Northern London. It's hard to classify her as a certain "genre", but her music is awesome! She is a truly talented artist and her songs definitely can help you unwind after a day of being yelled at and receiving major attitude at work (though that would never occur at the hospital, I mean who in the world would be nasty to a resident. . . )

Her album entitled "19" is great. To find out more about Adele and to see if she can keep you from exploding on those around you visit http://www.adele.tv/.

Hometown Glory, a sample of her music on Youtube.

Dr. Murray, debt, and temptation

Listening to the comments of many individuals unaware of the medical field and the temptations associated with being a healthcare provider, I feel compelled to comment (but not defend) on the alleged actions of Dr. Conrad Murray, now known as the physician to the late, great, and yes troubled Michael Jackson.

Recap:

June 25, 2009: Michael Jackson apparently suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead after attempts to revive the 'King of Pop' failed. It was later revealed that his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray was at the stars home when the initial 911 call was made.

June 26th-July 27th: In the coming weeks, multiple investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), LAPD, and various regulatory authorities began to dig into the long history of what appears to be prescription drug abuse. Multiple employees associated with Jackson solicited multiple physicians pretending to have ailments in order to obtain prescriptions that Jackson himself took in order to alleviate his physical/mental pain (his addiction). Reports of Debbie Rowe administering various strong narcotics during routine dental procedures surfaced. Reports from the 1993 raid of his home surfaced which depicted multiple photos of a home littered with various prescription drugs prescribed to Jackson and others were released. . . clearly Jackson needed help with his addiction, unfortunately he did not receive it. . .

Which brings us to today:

It was revealed that Dr. Murray was being paid $150,000 a month (yes I typed a month) by Michael Jackson and that when Murray decided to leave his cardiology practice he was $400,000 in debt as a result from old medical school loans, mortgage loans, and other various debts. Now, while Dr. Murray obviously allowed money and his personal circumstances to impair his judgment (if he is in fact found guilty for negligent homicide for administering propofol-all which is still yet to be proven) then the question remains how many individuals would act differently?

Now, is it just me, or don't you think that it would be very difficult to resist the demands of your sole, rich, client with a habit for prescription drugs that only you have access to insists that you provide him with the medication. . . oh by the way, did I mention you are being paid $150K a month and you have a debt of 400K? And probably getting a few extra perks for supplying his drug habit?

The potential slippery slope of providing health care to celebs and other VIPs is that often, many of them EXPECT to be accommodated due to their status, wealth, power, or whatever. Often, the shades of morally gray become an absolute no, that all of us without the incitement of money can easily say we would never do. I (as a future attending whenever I complete residency) am not justifying Dr. Conrad's actions, but with the limited info that I have about the situation, I can understand why he was tempted .

Just think, how many times have you provided extra customer service to a VIP, or in the OB world, how many times have you let a private paying insurance patient stay that extra two hours for their labor check when you would have sent the country paying, free clinic patient home? The slippery slope begins when we start even the slightest preferential treatment based on other factors such as race, income, status, etc.

My solution is that in the future, I will refuse to care for celebs. I don't even want that type of temptation.