I {heart} Josh Ritter - part deux

Here is a video of my beloved:

I {heart} Josh Ritter

My musical tastes can be all over the board (most listened to songs on my iPod include anything from Michael Jackson to Madeleine Peyroux to the Killers) - but what remains constant is my love of Josh Ritter (and his music, of course).

Last night, my dream came true and I was able to watch Josh Ritter, in concert with a string quartet, from the front row. Yes, it took standing for 5 hours, but it was all worth it. It was a wonderful concert experience and just amazing. I didn't take too many pictures of Josh, but more photos are available here (including opening acts Tiny Television, Dave Smalls, and Laura Gibson).

And a big thanks to my friend, H, for putting up with my obsession and standing with me for 5 hours.

Laughing out loud

I'm listening to This American Life on my iPod right now and their choice of music just made me laugh out loud. To end their story on regulation of the mortgage and banking industry, they started playing "Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg, from the movie, Above the Rim. It made me laugh so hard that I rewound it just to listen to it again. It reminds me of 8th grade, when I found out that my crush at the time (whose name is still secret - I can still be embarassed by my 8th grade crush!) liked the movie soundtrack. Ah, memories.

Thank you, Ira Glass.

Living in Twilight

I feel like that's how I've been for the last week or so. It's been a crazy few weeks. In no particular order, I finished up on my medicine rotation, cried for the first time in internship, has my first weekend off in forever, and managed to squeeze in two (albeit unsuccessful) dates. Sometimes, when I spend a lot of time at the hospital and the rest of my time in my tiny studio apartment by myself, I feel very holed off from the rest of the world. Albeit, I do read the New York Times online more often than once a day, but I feel like my whole world is this parallel universe to what the rest of the world is living. Sometimes I even find myself using language that implies as much - calling non-hospital life the "real world," as though my hospital life is not part of any world most people know.

I guess that this is all a part of residency, this feeling of isolation and feeling like you're fighting a current of trying to get as much learning in as possible without sacrificing your personal sanity. The first few months actually went by smoothly - I was adjusting, I was getting praise and constructive criticism, and felt as though I was really going somewhere. Now, in my fifth month, I feel like I'm stalling. I'm haunted by the feelings of inadequacy that every intern encounters (Am I good enough? What do my attendings and senior residents really think about me? Will I ever be good enough? How will I manage as a real doctor?), feelings like my real life is being neglected (Will I ever find a good base of friends here in the south bay? Will I ever find a steady date? Will I ever get to my crafting/gardening/reading project?), and feeling purely exhausted and drained.

I hope that this post isn't coming off as depressing, but just more serious than most. I'm not depressed at all - actually, I delivered my first baby in two months last night and it felt great. I just feel that this is a time of reflection for me, as I am almost halfway through my intern year. Also, I can't wait for my first vacation (just bought my plane ticket yesterday!) and the ability to sleep in for more than one day in a row and the freedom to take a few calm, deep breaths.

The inspiration for the title is the song currently playing on my computer, Living in Twilight by The Weepies.

My man Bailey

There's nothing like curling up with a blanket and a glass of Bailey's on the rocks, listening to Josh Ritter and "studying."

Obsessions

So, I have been obsessed with Josh Ritter for the last few years, ever since I saw him open for Keane in Boston. He's a singer-songwriter whose songs are incredible and whose performances are a joy to witness. He's got huge rabid fans, but hasn't really hit it big in mainstream music (which is both good and bad). Well, NPR discovered him about a year ago and just yesterday, they did a piece on him and Hilary Hahn, a classical violinist, performing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It's really amazing. You have to check it out.

Have to spread the word

I just have to spread the word about an awesome new artist that I have just discovered. Her name is Madeleine Peyroux and she's absolutely amazing. She's going to be in Boston soon and also San Francisco. You'd have to listen to her music to understand, but her music demands attention.

Visit her at www.madeleinepeyroux.com. Tell me what you think.

what has this world come to?

so, i read cnn.com something like ten million times a day, to see what's up. there's never enough news to keep my satisfied, but i'm fascinated by the fact that violent, offensive actions against the united states have escalated since we "declared and end to conflict." how can it be an end to conflict when people are still hungry, people are still armed, and people are still angry? in an article on cnn.com, it describes how a military person (i don't know his exact title) said it's one of the deadliest months since conflict ended. there's something seriously wrong in this situation. does no one else see it? how come i don't see any commentary on it? this may be because i'm isolated from the rest of the world and don't have access to a paper everyday (though i'm seriously debating getting the NY Times delivered - it's surprisingly cheaper than the Boston Globe).

on a similar, somewhat unrelated note, i'm listening to justin timberlake and black eye peas "where is the love". it's an awesome song. i think that people need to listen to it. it's pop, and i admit, i feel guilty for downloading so much justin timberlake, but i love this song. "people killing people dying children hurting hear them crying. practice what you preach don't you turn the other cheek.... where is the love?" now, i'm not trying to get some deep philosophical meaning out of a pop song, but i mean, i wish that the public would question what war and conflict means in this new world of ours. at the same time that we're getting overloaded with information about jessica lynch, no one is paying attention to what's still happening in the place that she left.

oh well. i don't know what i'm trying to say. random stuff, all i can say. my mind's shot after looking at biochemistry for the past three days.