Books!

The first crop of medical texts showed up yesterday and I'm so excited! I purchased all of the required texts and none of the recommended ones because I wished to stay under $2,000 for this purchase. I started reading the Histology text last night.... can't wait to be immersed in the subject but hoping I don't get under water!

Can time simultaneously fly and crawl? I have so much to do before school starts that I'm sure it won't all get done but I'm anxious to begin this next phase in my life. Recent high-level thinkers on the topic of time are saying that it's really an emergent property of nature, not a fundamental one. So, I may indeed be creating my own combination of time-dilation-contraction experience! It doesn't really matter as I've stopped counting the time between now and school in conventional units and am using 'paychecks'. There are two paychecks before school starts. Then, it's back to student loans - no more sushi Saturdays or Friday night cocktails with the gang.

Oh well - that's still two paychecks away. What about the here-and-now, the only time we know to exist? What is on my calendar?

Things I need to get done: get MMR vaccination (my titer was low), buy scrubs/books/gloves, get my study space put together.

The study space is an interesting story. My wife and I bought a small, 2-bedroom house and our niece is living with us while she goes to Community College. Therefor, I don't have a quite space where I can stretch out the books and study. I looked into buying a shed that I would insulate, electrify, drywall and paint but these things ain't cheap! Small ones start at $1500 just for the shed, then I would spend another $500 to get it in office shape. The idea popped in my head to find a vintage travel trailer that I could park in the back yard (it's an 8,000+ sf lot) and use as an office. Of course, these ain't cheap either! However, if you aren't planning on using it for it's original purpose, i.e. camping, one can be had for under $1000. I found a 19' Yellowstone circa 1964 for $700, delivered. It is missing the stove and refrigerator. The table needs to be fixed and some paneling needs to be replaced. The rear window is also missing. But, it is cheap and cute! I'm in the process of installing insulation and plywood paneling ($10 per 8'x4' panel) instead of original birch ($38 per panel). I removed the toilet and sealed some holes - the bookcase will go into the bathroom, now library. My desk will sit at the back of the trailer, facing the rear window. With a coffee maker and cat-5 cable, I think it will work. If anyone is interested, I could post pictures.

Things I want to do before school starts: Fence in the remainder of our lot. There is about 400sf of our property outside of our current fence. This space would be perfect for the office - it would get it out of view of the house. Despite being 'cute' it does take up a good chunk of the current back yard. Complete repairs on the house - the refrigerator ice maker doesn't work, the air conditioner drain is leaking, the tiny deck is falling down, and I would like to put in a vegetable garden.

All this to do, and more but I can't take any conventional time off because that would shorten my paycheck time.