Never Stop Exploring-- I bought my first pair of snow boots in 6 years just in time :)

As most of the country has heard, Chicago has experienced "Snowmaggedon"/ "snopocalypse" / "the snowstorm of the century" the past couple days.  Snow is over now with the official measure coming in at 24.5".  This is the third largest snow storm Chicago has experienced!  I'm glad I won't be on my OB rotation next november, I'm guessing it'll be a busy service.

But no worries, we have recovered this morning with a pleasant 1 degree temperature as documented by my car's thermometer at 6:30 while driving home from spin class.  I've since heard on the radio that the temp has dropped to NEGATIVE 3, pre any wind chill.  Fortunately I didn't miss my weekly 5:30 am serving of celebrity gossip during hills!  Today I learned that while Lindsay Lo is out of rehab she has become a thief (hmmm a trend in society?).  This saddens me; ever since her initial breakdown many years ago I've been rooting for her to make a comeback, I always thought it would be her and not B. Spears.  I really thought it was the end of B. spears when she shaved her head.  But if she can come back from that Lindsay Lo can pull through too.  I have high hopes for her :)

It seems the cold has allowed for a beautiful clear sky though!  Good morning Chi town!

Now its back to the grind, Medical School only gets one snow day despite the rest of schools and colleges in the city being closed yet again today.  It seems we were lucky to even get one off.  Before the storm we received this lovely quote in an email from one of our deans regarding MWU's plans of closing 

We are intrepid Midwesterners here. We follow the old rule of ‘the show must go on’. 

Please make sure you have a snow shovel in the trunk of your car as well as some sand or salt

--Dr. D

Don't worry, your future physicians are obviously still responsible for the material that was not covered in class yesterday.  We've got your back!  

How did I use my snow day you ask?  Well, not as wisely as I could have but it was all in all absolutely lovely!  My only disappointment the whole time being my copy of Dr. Zhivago didn't play past minute 28.  I was all set with a bowl of popcorn and my comforter to watch this classic all the way through.  Maybe next snow day?  Instead on Tuesday night I managed to get some studying accomplished as well as a solid nights sleep.  Here's what it looked like outside my apartment when I hit the pillow.  Add howling wind to that and you might understand why I thought it was such a good idea to just stay inside in the warmth instead of venturing out to play.  

The morning revealed a very different scene.  By around 10 the sun was out and the wind had calmed.  I just had to go see what it looked like out there from ground level and see if I might be able to move my car anytime in the next couple days.

I was lucky, that's my car on the far left.  Did I ever pick the right parking spot.  The chump parked on the other side of the aisle, not so lucky.   Neither were the folks who had to abandon their cars on LSD.  I heard over 900 cars were towed off Lake shore.  Good news though! Mayor Daly isn't charging these poor folks tow fees, shocking.  However they will have a heck of their time searching Montrose for their vehicles.

After about 10 minutes of shoveling and brushing my car off I was free to drive here and there as I pleased, not that I intended to.  I thought what better to do on a snow day with hardly any cars on the road than to go for a run!  Sure my trail runners are low on (or fully lacking) tread but they did the job.  I put in a about 5 1/2 miles and helped one lady shovel the end of her driveway where her car was trapped.  Oh you know, just using my osteopathic medical student values.  I had to take my phone with me, something I rarely do since leaving the ghetto of Memphis, to get a few pictures of the snowy world

slippery!

I don't think they're leaving
any time soon

Happy snowy run!

Don't worry, Target was open too.
Wtf could you people need?

Yep, McDonalds was open.  Good work America, saturated fat and cholesterol followed by chest pains while shoveling.  Good thing the ERs don't close!
I'll always have a job.

Still a happy (though sweaty) camper post run!

 Classically, a man in my apt elevator (ironically with a MickyD's bag) thought I was crazy and asked if I actually went running.  Yes, sir, I run marathons, can't stop, won't stop.  (Ok, maybe I am crazy.)  He was proud of himself for walking 3 blocks.  Good for you sir, good for you.  Once back in my apartment I proceeded to make myself a big bowl of hot oatmeal with vanilla protein and cranberries, mmmmm, and then settled in for the studying of some microbio pictures until my next adventure: a trek across the street to play with my friends living in City View apartments.  It isn't often that we're able to get together in a group to have some fun without the stress of school over our heads.  Unfortunately the snow wasn't too packy, thus our snowball fight and intentions to build a snowman and snow fort were thwarted.  Snow races, snow angels, and snow wrestling ensued in lieu of creative snow constructions.

snow fun on top of the parking garage!

Roll!

My California girl's first real snow day!

My alter ego:  a cherub!

Saba looking regal in the sunset

It's Thursday now and I am marching on with the tasks of my daily life.  I have a micro bio exam Friday (thanks to that wretched viral illness I had), a Pathology exam Monday, and another Micro exam on Wednesday.  Time to get get cracking!  And I'm running Community Health Clinic tonight!  Despite the time commitment this can be, I would honestly be happy to go every week.  The clinic has allowed me to do my first pelvic exam and pap smear, use an ultrasound machine, set up an EKG, witness an OMM appointment, work with Polish and Spanish translators, see numerous patients with complaints ranging from headaches, to back pain, to depression, to worries about being preggers, to metabolic syndromes, and I've learn a good bit about the politics behind a clinic and just how a SOAP note ought to be written.  I am always reminded of why I am in school and motivates me to study study and study not just for weekly exams but for the "big dog" of my near future: da BOARDS!  

One last snowy picture.  A friend of mine took this one while checking out Lake Shore Drive yesterday.  It made me laugh especially considering the groundhog didn't see his shadow yesterday.  Let's all hope that rodent was right :)