Work To Live.

The only thing that sucks about having a great weekend is that it inevitably ends, and Monday looms overhead like some gloomy cloud.

Good thing I enjoy the work that I do.

I'm really not sure what would take more getting used to: going back to school after spending years in the workforce or going back to work after school. I can honestly say that I kinda liked not having to work the 55-hour weeks anymore (granted this was in the mortgage industry where the turnover rate is much higher than average) and downshifting into going to class a few hours a day. It was a different type of time management; you could say that "going to school" became my job. This became literal once we entered into our yearlong clinical internship and became completely immersed into the world of diagnostic radiology. Now I work full-time at my MRI preceptorship, which will transition into a real job after I go through the usual process of applying to hospital/clinical positions.

I like the structure it gives me, coupled with a nice rewarding feeling of having done some good in a grand social sense. It didn't take long to re-familiarize myself with the pace of getting up and working long days. Guess I'm just gearing up to re-enter the rat race for real.

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Lately I've been entertaining visions of moving to Europe to sample the lifestyle there. From the articles I've read and a brief first-hand look a few years ago, the general pace of life seems to be much more relaxed -- not centered so much on grinding it out at your job for 40+ hours and trying to amass wealth. Not that I wouldn't want some extra zeroes in the savings account, but I don't want to have to burn myself out over a period of years to do it. I don't think it's worth it. But here in the land of "keeping up with the Joneses" and "he who dies with the most toys, wins" it's hard not to get caught up in that mentality. As in all things with life, a balance must be achieved.

Ahhh fuck it. Who wants to move to Europe with me?

Sorry if this entry is all over the place! This was more of a stream-of-consciousness thing than anything else.

Boom.

Although it would've made a great case study during clinicals last year, please don't do this:

yeah, no.

Blowing your freaking hand off 'cause you were trying to "disassemble fireworks and combine them into a larger device" is not the business.

Have a great and safe Independence Day weekend everyone! I'll be camping and floating down a river in Missouri for the majority of the weekend, and returning to KC in time to view the fireworks going off all over town.

Capstone Course Concentration.

Today I'm taking a major mock exam for my Seminar in Radiology class, which is prepping us to take (and pass) the boards after graduation in May. The grading scale in all of the courses in the Radiological Technology program here at FHSU is steeper than the national average -- 94% and above is an A -- so it's definitely a good thing that we're being pushed harder than what's required. True, it has made for some frustrating moments during the past few semesters, but I appreciate that we're essentially being given a cushion.

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The test today will cover cranial and spinal anatomy and procedures, some aspects of radiation safety, exposures and patient care. I feel okay about taking it; I've been taking practice exams for the past week or so and my resulting grades have been decent. Not to say that I wouldn't love to ace the thing, but the instructors say that everyone's generally on track. Besides, the program boasts a very high passing rate on the boards so I'm not too worried at this point. The important thing is to keep taking the practice exams consistently 'cause they're modeled after actual board questions.

Wish me luck! I'll be glad when the day is over regardless.

[Update: Just got done ... and I passed by a comfortable margin! Actually performed markedly better than my current average. Now, to build on that success and improve on the next test.]