So this week was the week that I have been dreading. The BRAIN lab. A.real.human.brain. I was absolutely terrified and I did a great job of almost putting myself into a fit of tears right before the lab. I stayed strong. I literally prayed for an hour while I was getting dressed for this person and their family. I really thought about it as a whole person and was really freaked out thinking about where the rest of the body was. I also prayed that I would learn something from the whole experience and would be better suited to answer questions from patients because of this experience. As the brain came out of this bucket and was resting on the table in front of me...I nearly fainted. Everyone in the room knew my feelings on this lab and said my facial expressions were priceless. I wouldn't know. The smell was overwhelming but I did finally work up the nerve to touch it. I was finding cranial nerves left a right. It was a good experience. Something that I really forced myself to do. I'm glad to know first hand what these structures look like and I feel confident about my test when it rolls around. I faced a fear and it felt good.
Thursday I went to a graduate school mixer with some friends. It was interesting to see all the different disciplines together (law, pharmacy, business, medical, OT, PT....). Interesting in that, there are amazingly attractive men in all of them. Good thing most of them are on the other campus...I wouldn't need any distractions. Of course, the amazingly attractive men stuck with their schools while I got hit on by people who drive motorcycles from 1987 and make their on fuel, a 4 foot New York Italian, and a fine gentleman named Bahaa. You may choose to pronounce that however you like. Bahaa: like a Baja Chalupa from Taco Bell (which is ACTUALLY how he introduced himself to my group) or the way I refer to him...Bahahahahahhaaa. You know, it's your preference. At the mixer I traded numbers with my neighbor...who is a law student. His story (and presence) continues in my next tale.
Friday we planned on a low-key night. It seemed like we all had something to do and that all of these things were ending at different times. We finally decided to try out a roof-top bar in the Loop. Something we had never before. We were excited. In that time, I get a text from neighbor boy saying that he would like to go out with us that night. I thought, no big deal he will bring his roommate and it will be fine. Oh but no, the roommate had other plans so it would only be him...with five girls. Ok, whatever. He comes over. We were having fun. Finally get a taxi and go to the bar. We get there and we all started mingling with other people. It was getting late into the evening. I was still sitting in the same spot I had started with this guy. We talked the whole night and were having a great conversation. All of a sudden- the roomie, neighbor boy, and Dr. Love walk over. Things were rowdy at this point. Roomie and neighbor boy were behind me and Dr. Love was squatting between me and this poor guy. Neighbor boy was playing with my hair....roomie was philosophizing about life and somehow compared me to Simba and the poor boy to Nahla and made more than one reference to the Lion King and Circle of Life...Dr. Love was encouraging roomie's behavior by bouncing up and down (while squatting) and flapping her arms singing "Pink Pajamas Penguins on the Bottom" (here it is from the movie...starts at :30 and it does sound like pppotb). Poor boy was sitting there looking at me. I had my hands over my face...peering out from behind my fingers (cue nervous laughing). He didn't run but I know he wanted to. Finally, my friends left. Poor boy looked at me and laughed. Then said, "Ummm well maybe I need to find my roommate". Yes, the exit cue. He shuffled off quickly but has surprisingly talked to me since then. I've never been more mortified. As usual, these things only happen to me. It is what we like to call...my life.
Saturday we went to The Taste of St. Louis. It was so much fun. A lot like Double Decker so I really felt at home. Food was on a larger scale here and the art was on a lower scale but we were after the food yesterday so it didn't matter. They had booths from all kinds of restaurants here. I sampled shark bites, toasted ravioli, chicken tiki masala (Indian...my fave), and a caramel (pronounced car-MUL here...sick) apple. A great time was had by all. We came back here for drinks and then went back down there for a Sister Hazel concert last night. They were great (as usual). It was so good to hear a Southern voice!
Fall is in full swing here. It really happened over night. It's been in the upper 50's all weekend. I'm glad I get to experience all four seasons here. Not to mention, I get to wear my boots and dark nail polish again. I'm drinking it up. I love fall.
I've learned this week that people here are obsessed with pumpkin. Or really pumpkin flavoring. Here are the Big City's pumpkin offerings: beer, bagels, cream cheese, ice cream, cheese cake, muffins, bread, lattes, pie...oh and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. I've never had a hankering for anything pumpkin. Won't be starting now either. It's strange. Why would you mess with beer like that?
Have I ever mentioned the "Smells of St. Louis"? Oh. They are my favorite. You can get a straight up whiff of sulfur when you least expect it. I love the alley way by Tom's (bar) too. Not only are juices from the dumpsters rolling down into the street...these happies are accompanied with the intoxicating odor of rancid meat and every putrid garbage odor you can imagine. I walk by it daily...usually twice...holding my breath. I've considered bottling the "Smells of St. Louis"...you know, as a keepsake.
That was just a taste. And all for you.
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