A store in Chicago where inflation doesn't exist? Does it exist?

My friends and family have heard me complain countless times about not having money and not being able to afford what I used to or be able to shop at all really.  Have I mentioned J. Crew pencil skirts used to run about 80 for wool with a silk lining but their most recent catalogue has the lovely flattering well fitted skirts marked up to 135 now?  Don't even get me started on their cafe trousers and tissue tees.  At least while Anthro is pricey they haven't increased and their sale rack is still one of best I've ever found.  Ok... so superficial item inflation maybe but may I point out I paid 3.95/gallon for gas today???  That's a necessity folks.  I can't ride my bike in the wee cold dark hours of morning 40 miles to Dyer, Indiana.  Gas prices may be the only beneficial thing about spending 4 weeks working in Indiana; there I can fill up for 3.20/gallon.   Enough whining  (but wait, isn't that what med students do best?)

Most locals in Chicago who live on a budget are well aware of the gem of a market I'm about to mention.   Yes, a place that hasn't given in (much) to rising prices.  It's nicely tucked in on the corner of North and Elston.  Stanley's.... sigh <3   This place made my weekend, not mention my day almost every time I stop in.  As a neurotic individual regarding what I eat (most days) and my workout schedule, one might think I spend A LOT of money of fresh produce.  Fortunately Stanley's has made my lifestyle affordable, so long as I'm willing to stop for fresh food about every 5 days. What really earned them five stars this past Saturday was their sale on Blackberries.  

59 CENTS a carton!!!!

 I bought 8 :)

1 for Coco, 2 for a fruit salad for brunch with friends, and 5 for me! (gluttony?)

blackberries and greek yogurt for dessert / study snack

Not to add onto reasons why I have a have a high opinion of Stanleys (59 cent blackberries should be enough to get anyone there) but they also had 90 cent avocados this weekend!  I suppose I haven't been in a full size supermarket in some time but last I checked they were nearing about 3 bucks for a Haas avocado.   Don't even worry, I bought four.  I'll be making some Mango guac in the next few days if anyone wants to come over for dinner!  Also they have free parking incase you don't want to cart your pounds of produce home on a bike or public trans.

It's the simple things that make my day :)

Beers, Bands, and Best (wurst) Chili

To start off, the title for this post is meant to be a poor attempt at a take off of one of my favorite television character's lines.... Dwight Schrute from the office "Beers, Beets, Battlestar Galactica"  I recently watched an old episode and realized how much I miss watching this show regularly.  I mean, in reality I don't watch any television show regularly 2/2 my not owning a tv partly by choice and partly because I don't want to pay for basic cable.

But what the title is really about is instead a non-profit group I've spent some time with through by bestie: The Arts of Life.  They are a group for adults with (and without) disabilities who create art and make music.   Last night was their 3rd annual Chili Cookoff.  I had so much fun volunteering the event last year I wasn't about to miss it for anything this year.  Congrats to team "Fat, Drunk, and Stupid" and their "Wurst Chile" for winning for the second year in a row the judges taste award and third place crowd pleaser

Kate was there too of course, along with her cousin (Ally) and our friend Steve.  

Attendance was higher than last year if I had to say.  Likely in part due to a wonderful article written in the Chicago Reader about the Arts of Life Band who were scheduled to perform

Rocking out in some shades while playing the drums

Half Acre brewing (yummmm local beer) supplied the libations for the evening's party.  Unfortunately they had a bit of a rough time as at first there was no way to ice their kegs so it was running slow and foamy but all those in attendance were patient with it and they brewery was kind enough to donate another two kegs and get them to the event before it ended.  (Just in time for the volunteers to partake!)  

....Loved these art pieces that were still around the studio from their Fashion Night a month ago

Will Run for Chocolate

This morning was the annual Hot Chocolate 5K and 15K.  Fun as always and good weather!  Last year it was coooold!  I'm talking 20 degrees or so at start.  brrrrrrr

Coco and myself from last years race

 This year we had a good 40 degrees or so.  The boys of course convinced me to run without my jacket on so I was more than a little chilly waiting to start. I almost hate to admit it, but they were right.  All in all a good run with my sister and friend, Kristin.  Our goal (as none of us had really trained for the distance but all have endurance event backgrounds) was to finish in about an hour and a half.  Despite a prolonged bathroom break at mile 4.5 we managed to achieve our goal that is at least on our timers if not by the official time clock.

Unfortunately it looks like race season for 2011 is over.  It's getting too chilly for it to be pleasant waiting for starts and I'm pretty low on cash.  I guess that gives me plenty of time to train for some spring half marathons and get myself back to my preferred pace.  A winter of  a weekly long run and lots of treadmill intervals here I come... I want to get another half done at a sub 8:45min/mile pace!

waiting to start with several thousand of my favorite people in the Chicago

With Coco and Kristin

Representing CCOM class of 2012 (I want to be a 4th year too!)

Post race, heading to get some Hot Chocolate!

  My favorite thing about this race wasn't the race I ran though, more so it was that my best friend Kate ran the 5K!   I'm not sure if she really knows just how excited I am that she took the initiative to sign up and run it.  After a year of working out with her here and there and trying to get her to run she finally did a race (with a little motivation from her marathoning friend Eddie).  Unfortunately I didn't get to see her at all as the 5K takes off about 40 minutes before the 15K starts (strange, if you ask me they should in the opposite order) and it would have been silly for her to wait around 90 minutes for me to finish my run.  Although there is chocolate fondue at the end...  :)  I can't wait to see her later tonight and see how she feels about the experience.  Now I know I'm probably never going to convince her to run a marathon, but I do hope she had a lot of fun and keeps having a more positive view about running.  Yes, Kate, I know you'll forever stick to your yoga at heart.

sure it's old, but still great

Dr. Granola's quotes of the day

"Oh sure they were shooting last night, just aiming lower than usual."
In reference to his "boring" on call night in trauma at County.  He only had one abdominal surgery, the rest of the bullets hit people's legs and were thus not concerning to him.  No big.

"F* Dr. ____, I'd hate for him to get shot in the hilum of his kidney and expect me to reconstruct it.  The @$$hole just wanted to rub in that my procedure from Friday didn't adequately put back together a renal hilum that had a bullet shot straight through.  He can take his note and shove it."

"wait, who else do we have on the schedule for Thursday?"
my response "Mr. ____, the pinky finger amputation.  He came in last Wed for surgery, shot up heroin in the hospital and pulled a knife on...."
(interrupts) "What? That really doesn't tell me anything.  That could be anyone here.  Who?"

I love Stroger

Some running posts I found today....

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon was last Sunday morning.  Like last year I was present walking through runners village before sunrise.  It's quite a sureal feeling, almost everyone around has put in extensive amounts of dedication for at least 3 months if not 6 and are in just about the best shape of their lives.  Yes I especially love that about endurance races, so many people focussed on their health and taking care of themselves.   Unfortunately this year I did not have on a pair of good running shoes and spandex set to run the 26.2 miles.  Rather I had yoga pants, comfortable sneakers, a tanktop, and a clearance badge saying "medical."  To be honest, this year I'd probably just barely be able to manage 13.1 on a good day.  Needless to say I felt a part of me was missing.  Not that I didn't go for a 60 mile bike ride the next day, or train over the summer for a long open water swim, or pick up both my 5K and 10K paces by over a minute / mile.  It just all doesn't compare to the dedication and training that goes into preparing for a marathon... physically and mentally.   So today I was browsing marathon clips and running pics and pulled a few of my favorites from one site.   I'll be back next year Chi town 26.2... October 7 (I'm guessing), 2012.  

I'm putting it out there.... I will be running a marathon within the next 365 days :)  Hold me too it 

Me (obvi...) running on the beach

truth, sigh  (obvi not me in the beach running pic)

I want to make this quote into a button to wear around work.  
Whenever I tell patients they should exercise they reply "I'm just too busy"  .... please....

All the docs / volunteers in the medical tent at the marathon were saying how crazy they thought all the runners were.    Meanwhile I sat there checking IV's, checking and replacing electrolytes, and taking vitals jealous even of all the runners who landed in the main medical tent pre or post finish line

Any comment I'd add to this might be considered fairly rude so I'll refrain....

yes!  Must track that pace!

HAHAHAHA too true!!!

Ditch the zoloft / paxil / effexor / etc... besides, they causes weight gain

This picture is my hope for my lovely biffle Kate Christopher who is running her first 5K Nov 5th :)    We're both running the Hot Chocolate race (her the 5K, me the 15K) and meeting for choco fondue and hot coco at the finish!

My workout for tomorrow (thanks TIU!)  + another 3 miles :)... pending recovery of  this head-cold/illness I have

Welcome to the Burn Unit

This past Monday I started my surgery rotation.  To say the least I was incredibly nervous thinking my life as  know it was about to end.  No more time to workout and cook and sleep and just kind of chill a little bit every day.  I'm happy to say that is not the case at all (though I am one of the lucky ones)  I've started out on a specialty service, burn.  We are part of Cook County's trauma team :)   And most days don't round with the docs until around 8 or 9.   So sorry for my friends on other gen services and specialties at county who need to get there by 4 to get notes written to round by 6... suckers!  I'm usually there from only about 6am til 3 or 4.  Plenty of time to live life.  Plus its scrubs and ponytails or braids all day everyday.  I never thought I'd be happy about scrubs 'til this past week

Now I can't say I've seen anything that would your socks off yet, we have no huge burns right now either acute or that have been in the unit for some time.  But between inhalation injuries (these are bad!), some chronic ugly suppurative HUGE unhealing wounds, and some small skin grafts, bilateral knee amputations, and chemical burns I've learned a lot and it's only been 1 week.  And its not only knowledge I've learned its small procedures.... suturing, ABGs, blood draws, Naso-gastric tube placement, central lines, dressing changes :)   I will admit to grabbing a few butterflies to practice drawing blood quickly on myself --> sans turnicate and successful!

Everyone is so chill and relaxed, even in tough situations.  Regarding our two main surgeons; I don't think they are afraid of anything that could be thrown our way.  One is a huge teddy bear and the other I've heard referred to as "Dr. Granola"...appropriate assessment.  While I still have no desire to be a surgeon, I respect that.  The other students and I are actually treated as part of the team and included in pt care and pushed to learn and be one step ahead.  Great lectures during rounds, great formal lectures, great presentation and note writing tips and lots of laughs all day.  I LOVE IT!

Last night I took my first 30 hour call.  Ok so it actually came out to 29 hours and 32 minutes (but who's counting).  I got a bit of sleep and nothing crazy came in.... unfortunately.  All I can say is I'm thankful for the new laws that keep interns from taking these calls.  While we still do as students in some places (some friends taking call every 4th night!) it won't necessarily be my future.  I can honestly say that when I got home around 12:30 today I felt like I'd beaten myself up.  My feet, my legs, my head, everything hurt.  I've heard others describe is as feeling like they just ran a marathon.  Speaking from experience... that is not nearly accurate but maybe a half marathon when not in ideal shape.  I was so hungry when I got home and, let me tell you, I couldn't eat a bite after finishing the full until about 7 hours later.  (yet another marathon reference, I'm so bummed I'm not running tomorrow, I'm looking for some good April/May marathons, I could use recs!)  But to be honest regarding call... I feel like a baller and legit medical student now.  While I just said I'm glad these calls are for the most being phased out, I have both positive and negative feelings about their worth.  I do think we all should experience them.    

BICU work station

The old building, closed now

The new Stroger!