Multitasking mixed with boredom...to a new extreme

When I get bored in class, I usually will put on a movie in the background of my screen. Now, I know what you're thinking, I might as well not even be in class. Sometimes that's true, but most of the time it actually helps. If I know the movie well enough, like it, and it inspires me in some way, then I actually end up concentrating more. Here's the logic..

1) sometimes I need a good distraction just to keep me awake, and a movie can provide that. Chances are, if something important is mentioned, I'll be more likely to hear it if I'm awake than if I'm asleep

2) I know I shouldn't be watching movies in class....so when I notice that I'm getting really

focused on it, I snap out of my little movie world and back into class...now that might be only for a slide or two, but it's better than completely zoning out for the entire lecture.

3) If it's an inspiring movie, then I'll be more motivated to actually learn and become a good doctor. Nothing like someone defeating adversity or an enemy or standing up for what they believe in to make me want to tackle medicine.

So, there's my logic behind it...but I'll admit, last Thursday I reached an all time low, or high, depending on how you look at it.

Here's a screen shot that I took of my laptop.

That's right...2 movies(note: Kingdom of Heaven...the inspiring one, and Lady of Shanghai, just for fun), my notes (note: I'm actually taking notes, not just staring at the screen), and these screens arranged in such a way that I can see if I have a new email.

Yep, and surprisingly, that was one of my more productive class periods, considering how dull the lecture was.

Study, study, study

With a hematology final tomorrow, I really should be studying...and I have been studying for the past couple of days on and off, but for some reason this section is really hard to study right now. Part of it is just that I'm not really back into the studying mentality after getting used to having basically 2-3 weeks solid of exams and then nothing for a semester. It doesn't help that this section was a little disorganized either...but I think that the real reason is that I've become really passionate again...passionate about seeking God, praying, reading His Word not just because I know I should, but because in it is life and knowledge of my Savior. I'm stepping into a position of leadership for the believers' group at my school, and for the first time in a long, long time, I can really recognize my purpose here which lies beyond just trying to get by. It's to point others to Him. That's what it's always been, but now I'm seeing some of the practical ways of doing that. I've discovered that with this purpose, there is great, great responsibility...I need to intimately know the One I'm pointing others to, because how can the blind lead the blind? All I want to do right now is study Him, know Him, draw near to Him.

Once again, a movie reference puts it just as well as I ever could. This one is from Amazing Grace, the story of William Wilberforce and his role in ending the British slave trade. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's pretty accurate historically too.

William Wilberforce: Its God. I have 10,000 engagements of state
today but I would prefer to spend the day out here getting a wet
arse, studying dandelions and marveling at... bloody spiders webs.
Richard the Butler: You found God, sir?
William Wilberforce: I think He found me.

Roaches

It's official, we have a complete infestation with cockroaches. My birthday was just the start; they're now coming in in hoards. We've tried taping up exposed pipes and little cracks between the walls and the cupboards (good job whoever built this apartment...we appreciate the disheveled-ness you gave us), and today sprayed the entire apartment with enough roach spray to kill a horse, and yet they're still coming out in droves. Keiko came home today to about 40 of the little guys (actually these ones were rather large) belly up, but still alive after the poisoning, scattered all over the house. We thought that was the end of it though, that they were all poisoned and just coming out for one last chance at survival. WRONG! Yeah, a lot were dead, but now there's more just pouring out of somewhere. Within an hour (with repeated spraying of everywhere we think they would be) we've killed at least another 10 that were scurrying quickly around our house in areas they'd never ventured into before (at least as far as we know). We've prayed, stomped, screamed, sprayed, and yet they live on.

Anyone have any good ideas for getting rid of these little buggers?



****Update: this morning I woke up to another batch of the little guys belly up...here's a picture of the kill after they were all stomped on: