my chosen path

Picture taken on the 6th floor of evan's library. The color of the carpet is completely real. shocking, I know.


When did I first decide academia was for me?
I have never told anyone this. (Naturally, I choose to write it online- the most private of venues. Actually, it is quite private other than a few family members who might give it a pity-check periodically.)

Cut to freshman year:
I was quite down on myself after forgetting that I left my car parked illegally outside my dorm. I parked it to run up to my room, change clothes quickly, and drive accross campus to a meeting. I did change clothes, and then proceeded to walk across campus to the meeting, and didn't realize this fatal mistake until 1.5 hours later. This resulted in a hefty fine and a towed car.
Such stupidity, and I wasn't very surprised with myself.
Let's just say, similarly mindless actions had caused me some trouble before.

Anwyay, I was pondering: What job in life is friendly to absent-mindedness? WHAT? Nothing. This tragic character flaw will haunt me all my days! I cannot be a doctor, for doctors cannot begin replacing a knee on the wrong leg. Doctors cannot leave a woman on the brink of labor to grab a cup of coffee, get caught up reading the paper, and forget about the imminent baby struggling for escape. Doctors cannot finish surgery, sew the last suture and say "Well darn it...I left the scalpel inside."
These are all things I could imagine doing. My life a a doctor would make for a ridiculous film noir sitcom (new genre) where about 3 times per show I would make a mistake, and the camera would subsequently cut to my face as I gave a sheepish grin, rolled my eyes, and shrugged my shoulders, and a goofy voice said "wuh-whoa" in the background.

Other things precluding me from doctor-hood:
1. I don't like sickness
2. I don't like people (en masse)
3. I really don't appreciate sick people in my close vicinity, coughing, germs, snot, or other things about which my mother
effectively scared me. This is also why, if by chance you offer me a sip of your drink, I will find a reason to turn it down
despite just having proclaimed my infinite thirst.
4. three (?) words: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. (MRSA)
white : rice :: MRSA : hospitals
5. So cliche. I mean really, everybody's doing it these days.

Nonetheless, I have this really absurd passion for anatomy/physiology and disease (on paper, not people). I also would look impeccably intelligent in a white coat.

Anyway, I was pondering my absent-mindedness when the well known epithet came as music to my ears:

absent-minded professor.

PERFECT!
The cherubim sang, and the prototypical Jesus-on-a-cloud came surfing down from the golden rays of heaven, winked, and gave me one of those single handed gun shot gestures as if to say "this one's for you, kid".

That's how I decided on my profession.

More to come.