Summer thoughts

Random thoughts:

1) What is it with kindergarten/elementary school/middle school graduations, complete with cap and gown and diploma?  "Graduating" from elementary school is not an accomplishment. You cannot be Class of 2012 in the 8th grade...no, try making it through senior year of high school and then properly celebrate that accomplishment in 2016. Is this a regional thing or a generational thing? I don't remember any of the sort during my primary and secondary education.

2) I am loving the long days of summer. It's light when I wake up and when I return home, which adds so much productivity and energy to my day.

3) Orange marmalade is bitter, huh? I guess I'm used to Smucker's, which is sweeter than a treacle tart. This TJ's Seville Orange Marmalade is sweet with a distinct bitter edge. I like it.

4) Thank goodness I went the medical school and not the Ph.D route. No doubt, I love research but man, the competitiveness (irony?) and the (lack of) funding. People in my lab have been post docs for 10+ years. 10 years! These are really smart people we are talking about, underpaid, overworked and still chugging away within a very flawed promotion system.

5) I am not ready to return to the wards! I like my research year...let me stay! Can I graduate and just get assigned a residency here and skip the whole application/interview process?

6) On the other hand, I am ready for a change of pace. And a break.  Bring it on, 4th year electives!!!