(I kinda want one haha!)
done with semester one
11 hours ago
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Badimore
Or: How I Learned to Start Worrying and Hate Baltimore
Okay, that was my pathetic attempt at movie-cum-blog post entry title merger thing. Onward, shall we? I apologize - this is a long post.
In the past week I've made 2 trips to Baltimore. On my first trip (to visit Program #1), I left DC/VA at 6am and spent a 70 minute door-to-door trip in which I made a wrong turn on a turnaround, had to park my car because of an accident, and watched the sun rise over faded white dotted lines of the 295 parkway. Beltway, highway, whatever. It was a fairly benign drive, but somehow it irritated me. Maybe it was a foreboding sense of irritation, because: I hated that trip. I hated the program. I felt like I was wasting my time; I wished I had canceled the interview. And at the end of the day, I drove 2 hours back to DC. It was reminiscent of LA traffic, but with yuppier people with poorer driving skills on idiotically designed roads.
However, that day, I got to learn a little about Baltimore - the cost of living, the neighborhoods, the overall happiness of the (richer) residents of the city. I got a little excited; it seemed pretty similar to Pittsburgh, but with a better food scene, and closer proximity to DC. Plenty of people live halfway between DC and Baltimore and do the two-city commute. It's "doable". After our interviews, a friend and I walked to the tourist-area Inner Harbor and had a nice afternoon. I decided to give The (prestigious) Baltimore Program #2 (at which I was interviewing in several days) some serious consideration.
And so I went back! (dun dun dunnn)
This time, I decided to spare myself the torture of the 5am wakeup and 6am drive, followed by an intense day in heels, followed by a 2-hour drive back. Instead, I took the train the night before the interview and booked a hotel room on Hotwire. When I got to the hotel, I called a friend who goes to Prestigious University Med School associated with Program #2, who kindly picked me up and showed me the sights. If I were to judge the city based on what I saw, I would think it was an adorably gentrified city of cute neighborhoods. We walked around a little cobblestoned neighborhood that had a nice strip of shops, restaurants, coffee houses, etc. We drove by some nice condos and row houses, and I spotted a Whole Foods.
But as I talked to my friend, I became increasingly disturbed by what he told me: he wasn't really happy in Baltimore, he wished he had gone to Yale instead, there was some good food but it was expensive restaurant food that wasn't daily far, and - most concerning - the city was extremely dangerous. He said:
"The residents will tell you they're careful and it's safe, but ask them how many times they've had their cars broken into."
"There are places that are fine to live, but if you move here I'll tell you where you definitely shouldn't live."
"I miss Philly and DC."
Later that night, I went to a dinner hosted by a resident, and asked her how she felt about safety. She said it was fine. I asked her if her car had been broken into. She became very uncomfortable and said yes, but wouldn't say how many times. I asked another resident about safety. She said:
"I mean, we don't do silly things. Like, I wouldn't go to the grocery store at 9pm."
"When I'm close to my apartment building, I just call the security guard and ask him to watch me on the cameras as I walk from my car to the building."
I lived in WEST PHILLY and WALKED to the grocery store after 9pm. I was horrified. I met another applicant at the dinner who had gone to Prestigious University of Program #2 for college. She didn't even APPLY to Prestigious University Med School Associated with Program #2 because of safety concerns.
And despite all this, I went back to the hotel to rest up and get excited about my day at Program #2. When I got back to my room, I noticed a HUGE sign on my nightstand labeled "SAFETY TIPS". It had about 12 tips but I only remember a couple. For example:
So then I turned on the TV, and the story of the night was about a SHOOTING at the hotel the Program #2 had recommended (and negotiated discounted rates) for applicants. No sh*ttin' you. Earlier in the day, a group of people in adjoining rooms were having a birthday party. A few people got in a fight. A man shot another man in the face. The shot man's friends then beat the shooter to a pulp. Shooter and shootee were in critical care at Program #1's hospital. We're talking about a SHERATON, in the nice "safe" downtown area by the hospitals. And I could've been staying at that hotel, if I weren't too cheap to spend $99 (I got my room for $59) - in fact, a lot of the people I'd met at the applicant dinner were staying at that hotel! I thought: This Sh*t Is Bananas.
But I tried to sleep and stay excited about Program #2.
So the following day, I went. And was miserably disappointed. I had no idea why it was so hyped. I can only conclude that it's prestige is what makes it prestigious. I didn't see anything or meet anyone who struck me as phenomenal; I felt very... anticappointed. My 2nd interviewer essentially told me to go to DC, and spent some time telling me what a great program DC is. He said there really isn't any Asian food in Baltimore. He said the 1/2-way DC/Baltimore commute is "doable" but that "doable" is more a euphemism for: so aggravating it makes you want to crawl into the fetal position and cry.
And so I left Baltimore. Goodbye, Baltimore!! Home of the Jimmy McNulty and Stringer Bell (may he rest in peace), Bubbles and Omar Little, the Ravens (may they lose every remaining game in the series), and Cal Ripken Jr (or someone equally baseballerific), and the mayor who spent a bunch of donated gift cards on herself. Setting of Hairspray, and heroine capitol of the nation: goodbye.
Okay, that was my pathetic attempt at movie-cum-blog post entry title merger thing. Onward, shall we? I apologize - this is a long post.
In the past week I've made 2 trips to Baltimore. On my first trip (to visit Program #1), I left DC/VA at 6am and spent a 70 minute door-to-door trip in which I made a wrong turn on a turnaround, had to park my car because of an accident, and watched the sun rise over faded white dotted lines of the 295 parkway. Beltway, highway, whatever. It was a fairly benign drive, but somehow it irritated me. Maybe it was a foreboding sense of irritation, because: I hated that trip. I hated the program. I felt like I was wasting my time; I wished I had canceled the interview. And at the end of the day, I drove 2 hours back to DC. It was reminiscent of LA traffic, but with yuppier people with poorer driving skills on idiotically designed roads.
However, that day, I got to learn a little about Baltimore - the cost of living, the neighborhoods, the overall happiness of the (richer) residents of the city. I got a little excited; it seemed pretty similar to Pittsburgh, but with a better food scene, and closer proximity to DC. Plenty of people live halfway between DC and Baltimore and do the two-city commute. It's "doable". After our interviews, a friend and I walked to the tourist-area Inner Harbor and had a nice afternoon. I decided to give The (prestigious) Baltimore Program #2 (at which I was interviewing in several days) some serious consideration.
And so I went back! (dun dun dunnn)
This time, I decided to spare myself the torture of the 5am wakeup and 6am drive, followed by an intense day in heels, followed by a 2-hour drive back. Instead, I took the train the night before the interview and booked a hotel room on Hotwire. When I got to the hotel, I called a friend who goes to Prestigious University Med School associated with Program #2, who kindly picked me up and showed me the sights. If I were to judge the city based on what I saw, I would think it was an adorably gentrified city of cute neighborhoods. We walked around a little cobblestoned neighborhood that had a nice strip of shops, restaurants, coffee houses, etc. We drove by some nice condos and row houses, and I spotted a Whole Foods.
But as I talked to my friend, I became increasingly disturbed by what he told me: he wasn't really happy in Baltimore, he wished he had gone to Yale instead, there was some good food but it was expensive restaurant food that wasn't daily far, and - most concerning - the city was extremely dangerous. He said:
"The residents will tell you they're careful and it's safe, but ask them how many times they've had their cars broken into."
"There are places that are fine to live, but if you move here I'll tell you where you definitely shouldn't live."
"I miss Philly and DC."
Later that night, I went to a dinner hosted by a resident, and asked her how she felt about safety. She said it was fine. I asked her if her car had been broken into. She became very uncomfortable and said yes, but wouldn't say how many times. I asked another resident about safety. She said:
"I mean, we don't do silly things. Like, I wouldn't go to the grocery store at 9pm."
"When I'm close to my apartment building, I just call the security guard and ask him to watch me on the cameras as I walk from my car to the building."
I lived in WEST PHILLY and WALKED to the grocery store after 9pm. I was horrified. I met another applicant at the dinner who had gone to Prestigious University of Program #2 for college. She didn't even APPLY to Prestigious University Med School Associated with Program #2 because of safety concerns.
And despite all this, I went back to the hotel to rest up and get excited about my day at Program #2. When I got back to my room, I noticed a HUGE sign on my nightstand labeled "SAFETY TIPS". It had about 12 tips but I only remember a couple. For example:
- If someone knocks on your door and claims to be hotel staff, immediately call the front desk to confirm that someone from the hotel has been sent to your room
- Do not wear jewelry or show cash in public
- Do not allow strangers to see your hotel room key or hotel room number
- Do not invite anyone to your room'
So then I turned on the TV, and the story of the night was about a SHOOTING at the hotel the Program #2 had recommended (and negotiated discounted rates) for applicants. No sh*ttin' you. Earlier in the day, a group of people in adjoining rooms were having a birthday party. A few people got in a fight. A man shot another man in the face. The shot man's friends then beat the shooter to a pulp. Shooter and shootee were in critical care at Program #1's hospital. We're talking about a SHERATON, in the nice "safe" downtown area by the hospitals. And I could've been staying at that hotel, if I weren't too cheap to spend $99 (I got my room for $59) - in fact, a lot of the people I'd met at the applicant dinner were staying at that hotel! I thought: This Sh*t Is Bananas.
But I tried to sleep and stay excited about Program #2.
So the following day, I went. And was miserably disappointed. I had no idea why it was so hyped. I can only conclude that it's prestige is what makes it prestigious. I didn't see anything or meet anyone who struck me as phenomenal; I felt very... anticappointed. My 2nd interviewer essentially told me to go to DC, and spent some time telling me what a great program DC is. He said there really isn't any Asian food in Baltimore. He said the 1/2-way DC/Baltimore commute is "doable" but that "doable" is more a euphemism for: so aggravating it makes you want to crawl into the fetal position and cry.
And so I left Baltimore. Goodbye, Baltimore!! Home of the Jimmy McNulty and Stringer Bell (may he rest in peace), Bubbles and Omar Little, the Ravens (may they lose every remaining game in the series), and Cal Ripken Jr (or someone equally baseballerific), and the mayor who spent a bunch of donated gift cards on herself. Setting of Hairspray, and heroine capitol of the nation: goodbye.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Things I Do When I'm Bored And It's Snowing Outside
Things you have done during your lifetime:
(X) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school (It's called: college)
( ) Shot a gun
(X) Watched someone die - I had to close his chest cavity. It was extremely sad, and made me realize I didn't want to do either trauma surgery or ER
(X) Been to Canada - Toronto. The Szechuan food was awesome!
(X) Been to Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, TJ, Ensenada
( ) Been to Florida
(X) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a helicopter - in Kauai, got to see all these cliffs and waterfalls. A couple years ago one of those helicopters crashed. Yipes.
(X) Been lost - I hate DC roads. Even with GPS it's ridiculously un-navigable
(X) Gone to Washington, DC - I'm here now! Hatin' on the roads!
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers (I only assume I have, but I admit I have no specific memories of this)
( ) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Traveled to Europe
( ) Traveled to Africa
(X ) Traveled to Asia
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch -I was just telling a friend from STL that I should visit to do this
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls - I don't think I ever had the guts to do it myself, but definitely partook and giggled while others did
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Danced in the rain
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone -after high school graduation, my girlfriends and I went to Hawaii. We would stay up allll night on a hotel (not ours)'s private beach talking until the sun rose, then we would go back to our dingy motel and sleep
(X) Watched the sunset with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
( ) Driven 100mph or higher - no thank you
(X) Gone ice-skating - going around in circles until your ankles start to hurt and your nose falls off = not really my idea of fun. Although I think I could've been a damn good figure sater
(X) Gone to the movies (really?)
( ) Been deep sea fishing - I have a vague recollection of going on a boat and fishing with my family when I was young, but I think deep sea fishing involves a very large ship?
( ) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
( ) Gone spelunking
( ) Gone repelling
( ) Lived in more than one country -not unless you count living for several summer months in Japan x several years
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( ) Seen the Statue of Liberty -sadly, I've been to NY a bajillion times but never took the effort to see Lady Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle -planning on X-ing this one off in January woot!
( ) Gone to dinner and a movie alone
( ) Been on a cruise
(X) Traveled by train
( ) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
(X) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(X) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer (even if you don't believe in God; having faith)
(X) Been in a rain forest -I'm pretty sure I was in a rain forest in Peru
(X) Seen whales in the ocean
(X) Been to Niagara Falls ...more like, drove through while Eric and Lid stuck their heads out the windows and took pictures.
(X) Ridden on an elephant
(X) Ridden a horse
( ) Swam with dolphins
(X) Jumped off of a cliff or bridge into water
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf--what?
( ) Been spinnaker flying....what?
(X) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(X) Been to a Major League Baseball game -Angels, Dodgers, Mariners, Pirates!
( ) Been to a National Football League game -AAHHH I WISH I COULD SEE A STEELER GAME it'd be amazing
(X) Flown a kite
(X) Gone camping
(X) Gone skinny dipping
(X) Gone gambling in a casino
( ) Been to the Miss America pageant (or other beauty pageant)
( ) Been to Central America
(X) Been to South America
( ) Been to Australia
(X) Danced with a stranger
(X) Laughed until your face hurt -I did this just last night, haha.
( ) Sang in a rock band
(X) Played a musical instrument -several
(X) Joined a gym
( ) Flown a plane
(X) Learn a foreign language well enough to have a conversation -yo hablo espanol
( ) Bowled a strike
( ) Had a dog
( ) Had a cat
(X) Had a fish -who wants a dog? *raises hand*
( ) Had a hamster
(X) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school (It's called: college)
( ) Shot a gun
(X) Watched someone die - I had to close his chest cavity. It was extremely sad, and made me realize I didn't want to do either trauma surgery or ER
(X) Been to Canada - Toronto. The Szechuan food was awesome!
(X) Been to Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, TJ, Ensenada
( ) Been to Florida
(X) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a helicopter - in Kauai, got to see all these cliffs and waterfalls. A couple years ago one of those helicopters crashed. Yipes.
(X) Been lost - I hate DC roads. Even with GPS it's ridiculously un-navigable
(X) Gone to Washington, DC - I'm here now! Hatin' on the roads!
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers (I only assume I have, but I admit I have no specific memories of this)
( ) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Traveled to Europe
( ) Traveled to Africa
(X ) Traveled to Asia
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch -I was just telling a friend from STL that I should visit to do this
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls - I don't think I ever had the guts to do it myself, but definitely partook and giggled while others did
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Danced in the rain
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone -after high school graduation, my girlfriends and I went to Hawaii. We would stay up allll night on a hotel (not ours)'s private beach talking until the sun rose, then we would go back to our dingy motel and sleep
(X) Watched the sunset with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
( ) Driven 100mph or higher - no thank you
(X) Gone ice-skating - going around in circles until your ankles start to hurt and your nose falls off = not really my idea of fun. Although I think I could've been a damn good figure sater
(X) Gone to the movies (really?)
( ) Been deep sea fishing - I have a vague recollection of going on a boat and fishing with my family when I was young, but I think deep sea fishing involves a very large ship?
( ) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
( ) Gone spelunking
( ) Gone repelling
( ) Lived in more than one country -not unless you count living for several summer months in Japan x several years
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( ) Seen the Statue of Liberty -sadly, I've been to NY a bajillion times but never took the effort to see Lady Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle -planning on X-ing this one off in January woot!
( ) Gone to dinner and a movie alone
( ) Been on a cruise
(X) Traveled by train
( ) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
(X) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(X) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer (even if you don't believe in God; having faith)
(X) Been in a rain forest -I'm pretty sure I was in a rain forest in Peru
(X) Seen whales in the ocean
(X) Been to Niagara Falls ...more like, drove through while Eric and Lid stuck their heads out the windows and took pictures.
(X) Ridden on an elephant
(X) Ridden a horse
( ) Swam with dolphins
(X) Jumped off of a cliff or bridge into water
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf--what?
( ) Been spinnaker flying....what?
(X) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(X) Been to a Major League Baseball game -Angels, Dodgers, Mariners, Pirates!
( ) Been to a National Football League game -AAHHH I WISH I COULD SEE A STEELER GAME it'd be amazing
(X) Flown a kite
(X) Gone camping
(X) Gone skinny dipping
(X) Gone gambling in a casino
( ) Been to the Miss America pageant (or other beauty pageant)
( ) Been to Central America
(X) Been to South America
( ) Been to Australia
(X) Danced with a stranger
(X) Laughed until your face hurt -I did this just last night, haha.
( ) Sang in a rock band
(X) Played a musical instrument -several
(X) Joined a gym
( ) Flown a plane
(X) Learn a foreign language well enough to have a conversation -yo hablo espanol
( ) Bowled a strike
( ) Had a dog
( ) Had a cat
(X) Had a fish -who wants a dog? *raises hand*
( ) Had a hamster
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Swine Flu
Yep. I was a victim of that rascally H1N1. Except, I'm not certain of the diagnosis, since I never got swabbed. I was prettty sick though. I had a fever for several days, rigors, severe body aches, severe headaches, abdominal pain/nausea, diarrhea, deep dry cough, runny nose, and overwhelming fatigue.
It. was. not. fun.
The worst part was being stuck at home. Seriously, I don't do boredom very well. Come Monday, I was super excited to be going back to school, except my rotation this month is really chill and so I find myself bored and healthy, which is an even worse combination than bored and sick... at least when I was sick I could just sleep some more. Now I just sit around wishing I was busy. (I realize how stupid this complaint is, since the last 3 years have been spent wishing for gloriously full nights of sleep and days full of idleness).
Anyway.
So the worst part about getting sick is the loss of all exercise capacity. I remember getting the flu during Christmas over my senior year of high school, and then going back to cheer practice in early January and not being able to get up off the mat after a routine because it was soooooo exhausting. I actually have a vivid memory of seeing greenish halos and blue stars as I gasped for breath on the mats at gymnastics. Until I got sick, I'd been running and doing dvd's pretty regularly, but now it's like my lungs have never exercised before. I tried to ease myself back into exercise by walking the 2.5 miles to school every day, but to no avail... This morning I tried to go for a run, but about a block away from the house I started wheezing, and I knew I had to turn around. Sad.
But overall I have to say: life is pretty good! I had my first interview, finished the last big exam of med school, will be visiting Lid this weekend at Notre Dame, and have a bunch of travel upcoming! Hope all's well with everyone else, too.
It. was. not. fun.
The worst part was being stuck at home. Seriously, I don't do boredom very well. Come Monday, I was super excited to be going back to school, except my rotation this month is really chill and so I find myself bored and healthy, which is an even worse combination than bored and sick... at least when I was sick I could just sleep some more. Now I just sit around wishing I was busy. (I realize how stupid this complaint is, since the last 3 years have been spent wishing for gloriously full nights of sleep and days full of idleness).
Anyway.
So the worst part about getting sick is the loss of all exercise capacity. I remember getting the flu during Christmas over my senior year of high school, and then going back to cheer practice in early January and not being able to get up off the mat after a routine because it was soooooo exhausting. I actually have a vivid memory of seeing greenish halos and blue stars as I gasped for breath on the mats at gymnastics. Until I got sick, I'd been running and doing dvd's pretty regularly, but now it's like my lungs have never exercised before. I tried to ease myself back into exercise by walking the 2.5 miles to school every day, but to no avail... This morning I tried to go for a run, but about a block away from the house I started wheezing, and I knew I had to turn around. Sad.
But overall I have to say: life is pretty good! I had my first interview, finished the last big exam of med school, will be visiting Lid this weekend at Notre Dame, and have a bunch of travel upcoming! Hope all's well with everyone else, too.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Swine Flu?
Maybe I have it, maybe I don't.
Two nights ago, after returning home from the annual Pitt Med Halloween Party (went as Olive Oyl), I went to bed and commenced to have a terrible night - I had a really high fever (102 when I measured it, after 3 Advil and 2 Tylenol) and had such convulsive rigors that the toilet jangled when I sat to pee. I was so cold I couldn't sleep, and even when I tried to relax, I could feel the muscles along my spine twitching away.
Now I've got respiratory symptoms and I've felt pretty awful for the last 2 days.
Maybe it's swine flu?
The truth is, I don't want to know. I have to take my boards on Friday, and I'm teaching 1st year med students starting Monday. I don't have a fever anymore and am good about covering coughs and washing my hands, so I'm going to push forward and get stuff done.
The most annoying thing is that I wasn't able to get my flu vaccine this year because they only offered it during work hours, and I was working in the 'burbs so I couldn't make it to the hospital. Then the swine flu vaccine was lacking and they've given it to "real" doctors but not to us lowly med students. Ironically, my roommate (neither doctor nor med student) got both of her vaccines on time and is healthy as a horse right now.
Oh well. Fluids and rest, and boards on Friday!
Two nights ago, after returning home from the annual Pitt Med Halloween Party (went as Olive Oyl), I went to bed and commenced to have a terrible night - I had a really high fever (102 when I measured it, after 3 Advil and 2 Tylenol) and had such convulsive rigors that the toilet jangled when I sat to pee. I was so cold I couldn't sleep, and even when I tried to relax, I could feel the muscles along my spine twitching away.
Now I've got respiratory symptoms and I've felt pretty awful for the last 2 days.
Maybe it's swine flu?
The truth is, I don't want to know. I have to take my boards on Friday, and I'm teaching 1st year med students starting Monday. I don't have a fever anymore and am good about covering coughs and washing my hands, so I'm going to push forward and get stuff done.
The most annoying thing is that I wasn't able to get my flu vaccine this year because they only offered it during work hours, and I was working in the 'burbs so I couldn't make it to the hospital. Then the swine flu vaccine was lacking and they've given it to "real" doctors but not to us lowly med students. Ironically, my roommate (neither doctor nor med student) got both of her vaccines on time and is healthy as a horse right now.
Oh well. Fluids and rest, and boards on Friday!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Pittsburgh Left
Today, I was driving down Negley - a narrow road with one lane of traffic in each direction. The traffic was decently heavy each way, but moving well. The problem with the narrow streets in Pittsburgh is that, when a car in front of you needs to turn left, you're usually stuck waiting for them to turn before you (and everyone behind you) gets moving again. It can be incredibly frustrating when you're trying to get somewhere on time.
Like I was tonight. I was driving to my first pre-interview residents' dinner (a casual get-to-know-the-people hosted by residency programs) and found myself behind none other than a driver-in-training. You know the kind. A 90's model Japanese compact sedan with a big sticker and magnet that says "Learning Driver" on it. The kind that goes 20mph in the 25mph zones and takes reeeallly slow turns.
So I was behind this driver-in-training, and he/she turned her left turn blinker on (like 4 blocks before the turn). And then the light turned red. There were way too many cars stopped at the oncoming lane's red light, and I knew it would be 1 or 2 light changes before the training car would be able to turn left safely. I figured it would set me back several minutes.
BUT THEN. The light turned green, and the driver-in-training....
wait for it...
made a Pittsburgh left!
I was astounded. It was awesome but horrifying, all at the same time. But I was not late, and therefore it was more awesome than horrifying. Hooray for perpetuation of Pittsburgh's ridiculous driving to the future generation of drivers!
(or not)
Like I was tonight. I was driving to my first pre-interview residents' dinner (a casual get-to-know-the-people hosted by residency programs) and found myself behind none other than a driver-in-training. You know the kind. A 90's model Japanese compact sedan with a big sticker and magnet that says "Learning Driver" on it. The kind that goes 20mph in the 25mph zones and takes reeeallly slow turns.
So I was behind this driver-in-training, and he/she turned her left turn blinker on (like 4 blocks before the turn). And then the light turned red. There were way too many cars stopped at the oncoming lane's red light, and I knew it would be 1 or 2 light changes before the training car would be able to turn left safely. I figured it would set me back several minutes.
BUT THEN. The light turned green, and the driver-in-training....
wait for it...
made a Pittsburgh left!
I was astounded. It was awesome but horrifying, all at the same time. But I was not late, and therefore it was more awesome than horrifying. Hooray for perpetuation of Pittsburgh's ridiculous driving to the future generation of drivers!
(or not)
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