Bon jour mes amis et family!

	Alas! your lengthy lull spanning this steamy summer (and, depending
on where you are, horridly humid) has mercifully been brought to its end
by receiving this long awaited medschool update.  I can just see you all
peering gleefully into your computer screens with baited breath to read
what’s happening now.

	The summer was all too short, and was followed by a plane trip
that was all too long.  I arrived at what my former internal clock
reported to me, ever so clearly, as 3 AM.  Conveniently, I was
temporarily able to abide in a the quaint bungalow attic where my
friend, climbing buddy, and fellow medical student Don Schneider lives
whilst he is away doing a surgery/ER medicine rotation on a mountain top
in New Guinea where the doctors have gone as long as 4 years without
vacation (or going on strike).  The experience of treating the machete,
spear and arrow wounds in local tribal wars should prove quite valuable
once he returns here to the Los Angeles area.

	However, I quickly found a place of my own located within a
short bike ride of all I need.  It’s nice.  There’s a big rosebush next
to the front door, a concrete patio adjacent to the sliding glass door
of the kitchen, fruit trees (apricot, lemon, orange, loquot).  I have no
roommates, save for the one cockroach I spared late one night last week
since I was really too tired to care and much more concerned with
emptying my bulging bladder than chasing the little beggar around the
toilet and through the tub.  His former friends, on the other hand, have
not been so fortunate.

	Speaking of the bathroom here...  There’s these huge steel handrails
installed in my shower exactly like the ones you see in the handicap
stalls.  I tell you, if I lowered the shower rod a bit, I could have an
aqua-gymnasium complete with chin-up bar, water slide, parallel and
uneven bars!  Though I must say, they are just the thing for trying to
stand on one soapy foot while your working on the other one.  Oh yeah,
then there’s this circular light fixture with 3 huge lights that look
just the landings on a flying saucer.  When I turned it on, the sunlight
in the window dimmed in comparison and I could feel a small solar breeze
as I covered my eyes and squinted to relocate the switch.

	So then I had to procure victuals to prepare for the first week
of school.  I go to the grocery store, load up one of those highly
maneuverable wire carts, and get to the check out only to discover that
my credit card was denied approval.  I had hoped to go through life
without having to taste that particular flavor of embarrassment.

	Speaking of vittles, and edibles in general...Steve (another fourth
year friend, for the benefit of you newcomers) and I went on a couple
produce raids on campus.  We got about 4 gallons of green olives, 3
dozen avocados, a bunch of weird plum-like things, and some purslane. 
We’ll go back for the pomegranates later, I couldn’t jump that high. 
Steve snagged a lemon, but I thought they were too early.  What do I
care?  I’ve got a tree next to my bedroom window!

	Because of Labor day, classes started out with a 4 day week.  It
made things easier for me since I’ve still not completely finished
cleaning this place up and getting everything situated the way I want
it.  Still, I got about 2 hours studying total in last week and I’m not
feeling to good about that.  It’s time to get the lead out, straighten
up and fly right and keep them doggies rollin’.  So to speak.

	All the new subjects we’re studying...I tell you, it’s all Greek
to me, nothing but Greek.  The courses this quarter are as follows:
Microbiology  - Greek for the study of really small life. Pathology -
Greek for the study of suffering and disease. Physiology - Greek for the
study of natural processes. Pathopsychology - Greek for the study of the
suffering and disease in the mind. See?  Nothing but Greek!

	Now in case you’ve just tuned in, our hero (that’s me) skipped
nearly ever psychology class last year.  Do you think he’ll go to any
this year?

	For those of you dumbstruck by this idea of becoming a doctor
and not bothering to go to class, let me clarify, again, this is just
for the benefit of those of you just coming up to speed in this great
saga who aren’t yet in the know (nudge-nudge, wink-wink).  See, when you
get this far in school, you tend to be an excellent reader.  I can read
through the day’s notes 3 times in the 50 minutes I would spend sitting
in class.  Also, you either learn the material by yourself, digest it,
make it a part of who you are, or you fail out anyway.  Or very nearly
fail.  We are granted one “Marginal Pass” for the year.  Let’s not talk
about that just now though shall we?

	Alright, time to play some catch up here.  The work has really
stacked up.  I better skip all day tomorrow.

	Until next time fans, I bid you adieu.