Four More Years in Chicago

Yesterday was the National Residency Match Day (always the 3rd Thursday in March) and I successfully matched at my top choice program – Loyola University Chicago’s Anesthesia Program! I’m so lucky to not only be training at such a great program, but also to keep my home nearby, for my husband to keep his steady job, and to be able to move forward with preparations for our next big adventure (our Baby Girl due in June).

As an added bonus, several of my classmates also matched at Loyola and I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time with them! They are all wonderful people who I’m looking forward to working with.

Toadstool Rattles are too cute

I’ve been eying the Purl Soho/Purl Bee Toadstool Rattles for a long time and now I have an excuse to make a few! Plus, a friend of mine said she’d be willing to part with some sock yarn scraps, so I’m hoping that I can make ones that are extra psychedelic looking.

I’ll make sure to post once I get them cast on.

What’s my style?

This Domino book advises me to try to apply some labels to my style. I feel like I’ve spent most of my adult life in school and on a low budget, so I often eschewed style for functionality. I’m still very compelled by functionality, but over the past 5 years, have tried to focus on the longevity and appearance of our home wears. I like reusing and re-purposing items. One of the things that I really likes about my parents’ home growing up was that my friends often said that they instantly felt at home there. It was comfortable, without a lot of “off limits” spaces. There were no white couches or rugs. If you spilled something, it wasn’t irreparable. The house felt very lived in.

So, in looking around my home and my closet and other things that I find attractive or interesting, here are a few words I might attach to my developing style:

Granny Chic
Bohemian
Sentimental
Cozy
Light

One of the things that I like is mixing modern with more traditional styles, but I tend to err on the side of traditional. One of the things that I’m realizing is that in living with a man who is very conservative in his style (opting for the most boring, most bland option) that I have not been as adventurous as I would be were I out decorating a place on my own. Fortunately, my husband recently admitted to me that he trusts me to make these kinds of decisions because even when I pick a wall color that he thinks will be awful, he ends up liking it. So, whew! I’m going to take that as a blank check to be a little more unconventional and dramatic with my design choices.

I’m trying to lean towards more “green” choices (my re-purposing kick always helps), but I simply can’t afford to go crazy with it. Mostly, I plan to focus on finding reuseable items and them investing in a few nice pieces.

Decorating and Updating

We are in a big transition time in our life. Not just the baby on the way, but also the impending Match (the process by which medical students are matched with residency programs). At this point, the most likely contenders are programs in Chicago and Southern California.

If we match in Chicago, then we will continue living in our awesome house. It’s a 1926 Bungalow. We’ve done quite a bit of work on it over the last 2.5 years that we’ve lived here (remodeled the kitchen, removed wallpaper, painted like crazy, etc.), but there is plenty more to do if we will be spending at least 4 more years here (the length of an anesthesia residency).

Last night over dinner, DH and I started making a list of possible updates to the house. There are some big things that need to be addressed, such as “will we remodel the basement?” and “should be try to convert our faux fireplace into something that actually emits heat?” There’s also painting to be done and furniture to buy.

Additionally, I really want to do a better job of decorating. The dining room really needs some attention and the family room/living room/den also needs some TLC.

It’s amazing how expensive things are. Even when it’s worth the investment, I often find myself balking at the prices of various objects and services. Such as, framing art… We have a great Ork poster of Chicago and it is in terrible need of framing. I love the poster and I know that I will love it even more when it’s framed, but I just know that the sticker shock will be painful. But, whatever, I need to just bite the bullet so that I can actually ENJOY my purchase!

I recently purchased the Domino Book of Decorating to help inspire my to update the house. I was very sad when Domino magazine went under, so I’m glad that they left this great book for posterity.

The other two books that I reference periodically are Martha Stewart Living’s Good Things for Organizing and Good Things: A Collection of Inspired Household Ideas and Projects.

As DH and I decide what to do in our home, I’m trying to spend more time looking for inspiration. There are some big things that I’m hoping to accomplish before June when the third member of our family arrives. Plus, I’m guessing that this is also a great opportunity to start the baby-proofing process.

First baby clothing purchase

I’ve made a point of not purchasing any baby items for a while, but now I’m clearly ramping up. First the yarn, then the campfire light, now the first piece of baby clothing. It was just too precious to pass up. It’s a little Zutano 0-3 month old hat with owls on it! I’m a sucker for wildlife.

I bought it at Majama’s in Oak Park, IL.

Corn Bunting has begun

My DH’s parents both grew up on farms and so when I was searching on Ravelry for bunting patterns, I thought this one would be fantastic, not to mention funny. I’m making the 3-6 month size so that it’s wear will coincide with Halloween and harvest time.

I’m knitting it out of Berroco Comfort in:

Lovage                                        Buttercup

Unfortunately, the gauge wasn’t working out because this yarn is worsted, rather than sport weight. So, I just adjusted the pattern instead. I’m also adding a hole in the back for a car seat strap to go through. In the front, it will just go through the snaps.

I hope my baby is as cute as the one in this picture!

Campfire Tea Light

I picked up one of these Kikkerland Campfire Tea Light on clearance at the At Institute of Chicago. Love it! I’m planning on putting it in the baby’s room.

Nursery Planning – Woodland Decor

Well, there’s a little bundle of joy on the way and I’m starting to think about crafty ways to decorate for the little peanut. Even though we are planning on finding out the sex, I want to stick with green as a basic color and nature/forest/woodland as a theme. If the baby is a girl, I couldn’t bring myself to get all pink-ed out. To each her own, but for this girl: Gross. I was never a girly girl myself and don’t plan on pushing any of my progeny in that direction.

Anyhow, here are some things that I’m hoping to make or purchase or find:

I saw this Acorn Lamp craft on the Martha Stewart show some time ago and thought it looked so whimsical. I thought about making it for our guest room, but never actually got the bug to do it. Now, though, I have a little more motivation!

I like that these use a very low wattage bulb (although with CFLs, I suppose you could go quite a bit brighter) because the acorn looks like it’s glowing when you turn it on. Seems like it could be a good light at night, especially for sleepy, stumbling parents.

I found this room on Oh Dee Oh. It’s is very sparse and while I doubt I will be so restrained in my decorating, I like that it’s not an excessively cutesy space. Too many room ideas I find are way too over the top for my liking. The thing that I really like is the branch above the bed. It has two little fluffy owls perched on it!

I also dig the faux bear skin rug on the floor. It makes me think of a cabin in the woods.

I find terrariums to be so cool and magical. The ones at Green Briar’s Etsy shop are no exception. I envision putting one on a dresser or shelf.

I know that I could make one easily enough, but I’ll have to be on the lookout for cool clear containers like this one is housed in.

I have always been fascinated by Calder’s mobiles and gaze up at them at the Art Institute whenever possible. I like how mobiles look different from various angles and how they sway around, altering their appearance with each movement. This one, found at The Wonderland Studio, looks like a good nursery version.

These birch trees from Single Stone Studios are so statuesque! I think that they would add some height to the room and make it feel more like an intimate space in the forest.

More to come as I continue to nest!

2010 U.S. Census: get counted, but watch out for frauds

The Better Business Bureau recently issued a helpful, cautionary announcement regarding the upcoming U.S. Census. You can read it in its entirety at this link. The main pieces of advice (copied directly from the article) are:

1. If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.  However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.

2. Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.  While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.

3. Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail or in person at home.  However, they will not contact you by e-mail, so be on the look out for e-mail scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Additionally, the U.S. Census site provides guidelines for how to address a census taker, including asking to see government ID, that a census taker will never ask to enter your home, and finally, to call your regional census bureau if you are unsure if the person is legit.

The way to avoid a visit all together is to fill out your census form early. According to the Census 2010 website, no one should come to your home if you submit the written form early. If you submit the form early and still receive a visit, it should certainly increase your suspicion that the census taker may be a faker. If you submit your form a little late (after your house has been assigned to a census taker), then you may receive a visit in error.

“What if I don’t fill in the form? Many residents who do not complete and return a 2010 Census form will receive a replacement form. If no form is mailed back, residents can expect a personal visit from a census taker some time after March 2010. The census taker will ask you the questions on the form, record your answers and then submit the form for your household. Learn more about the census taker.”  (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php)

The site also has info on how to make sure you do not fill out a counterfeit form, what information you are required by law to provide, etc.

Happy Census!

Bottom of the Third

There are only 5 days remaining in my third year of medical school. I don’t know where the time has gone. While preparing for my final exam in pediatrics, I’ve also been a bit overwhelmed by the responsibilities that lie ahead. My fourth year schedule is a bit up in the air right now as I shuffle various electives to try to solidify the “strategy” behind my schedule. I find that there are not enough months in the fourth year to do all of the electives that I want to do. Fourth year is generally seen as a fun and relatively relaxed year (especially the second half when residency applications are submitted and interviews are over). However, as I look ahead, I know that this upcoming year is the last year where I will not be responsible for patient care. I have been providing patient care all year, but not nearly as independently as I will during my intern year. It’s scary to think of that. Also, I continue to struggle with my residency choices. I am sure that I love surgery, but not sure that I am willing to give up the other components in my life to the degree that will likely to necessary. I don’t know where I belong. I want to look back on my choice and say that it was correct, that I would do it all over again. I want to lead a happy, fulfilling life. I don’t want my life to be my work. I want work to be a rewarding part of my life. This is an ongoing conflict in my head. I’m trying to work it out. I’m trying to become centered in myself and in the world around me. I’m doing yoga. I’ve made a serious decision to commit to daily meditation. I’m hoping that these efforts will help me find my path.

Recent Events:

On Friday, I presented my first academic poster. It was on a survey study that my friend and I conducted on healthcare worker decision-making styles (medical students, residents, fellows, attending doctors, nurses, social workers, and Ph.D.s). It went very well and we’re looking forward to writing our manuscript. I think that we have an excellent chance of getting published – which would be awesome. It is so rewarding when work pays off.

Upcoming:

Starting next Thursday, I will be taking my first guitar class at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I essentially taught myself guitar (with the help of a few friends), and I’ve stagnated in my progress. I’m hoping to pick up some new skills and meet some new people. I’m always looking to hang out with non-medical people.

In one week (during my medical school vacation), I have a three day long intensive ethics consultation course. The course actually lasts several weeks, but most of it is online. I’m really looking forward to practicing my consultation skills. I haven’t lead a consultation since before medical school. I’m also excited to hear how other people have been trained – what works for them, what has been troublesome, effective, etc. I think that there are so many ways to do it well and I’m happy to have the opportunity to see more than my limited viewpoint.