Sprinter in the blocks

Well this week's major trial is over, the first Ochem midterm. After studying nonstop for about a week, I took the test. There were a few dodgy bits, but mostly it went well. The only thing I was clueless about was a question regarding aromaticity of a double ring system connectied by a double bond. I forgot about electron withdrawing tendencies, so I think I pretty much bombed that question. Fortunately, It's only 6 points out 90. Hopefully the next exam goes just as well as this. Funny thing, this morning after bio, I felt totally relaxed and calm. I studied for the two hours between nevertheless and I helped, I was more confident on sulfide and thiol substitution reactions. IF the faithful reader is clueless about what this means, good. Suffice it to say, last minute cramming paid off.
After the exam I went to the Volunteers in Medicine clinic today to start volunteering. Hopefully they'll be amenable to my presence. I have no medical volunteering experience at the moment, something that needs to change before I apply to medical school. I hope my enterprise doesn't seem to cynical to you, dear reader.

Same bat crap, same crappy channel

Well this week ended in a fiasco with an execrable o-chem quiz. So I studied for about 8 hours for this quiz, but was caught with my pants down on the ol' nomenclature again. I WILL LEARN NOMENCLATURE. Then there was a tricky alkyl halide substitution on a vynilic cyclo alkene. Well, dear readers, I know that a halide cannot react on an SP2 hybridized carbon, but Darn it all to heck, I FORGOT. Then there was the tricky subtle tautomerization of the enol to a ketone which I would have forgotten about, but I made my mistake further upstream. GO GEORGE. I hope that this was the bad quiz for the term, since I can't exacltly affort to chuck points out the window.

Upon the horns of a dilemma

First off, is a dilemma related etymologically to the rhetorical (and logical) device of a 'lemma'? (small proof serving as a subset of a larger proof?). Now that we have obtained today's non-sequitur, on to business. So, the first week of classes has ended. At the beginning of the week, I was registered for 15 credits, but now only 11. I decided to drop Cell Bio after the first day. My primary reason for so doing was based primarily on sentiment rather than reason. I had never looked forward to the class, didn't think it sounded too interesting, and had been warned off it by a friend. I just had a bad feeling about the class. I am, however, still registerd for Investigations in medical physiology which I think will prepare me adequately for the medical portions of the biological sciences section of the MCAT. Concurrently, I am also taking more O-Chem and O-chem lab. Ochem will be lots of work this term, I think. With more time on my hands, however, I think I'll be able to tackle the innumerable chemical reactions I"m required to learn. MCAT preparation is going well right now, I have two good books from KAPLAN to supplement the binders from eh KAPLAN course I received from a friend. Reading lesson plans is ok, but I'd rather read tips designed to be exclusively for the student. I think the hardest parts are going to be the Gen. Chem and the Physics portions, for two reasons. They are the most calculation intensive portions, as well as the parts over which I think my grasp of the material is the most tenuous.

First Day again

Faithful readers will no doubt rejoice that Dr. Longfinger has been removed from his position as substitute author of George's irresistible blog. I am, as the French say, de retour. School starts today, which provides a merciful break from the endless tedium (te deum?) of the winter holiday. For those amongst who who hang on my every word, chronically addicted to following my every move, I am taking more O-Chem, Ochem lab, Cell bio, and Investigations in medical physiology. IN any spare time I might have, I'm going to be cramming for the MCAT. YAY!

Addendum from Dr. Longfinger, M.D.

In Fretful's email, s/he opined that I was making up the events which fill my stories. As Dave Barry vociferously asserts when he recounts the absurd, " I am not making this up"
-Dr. L