Summer vacation - a picture essay

What did you do on your Summer Vacation? - By Jen.

After the first week of school picking out my clinical research topic, I spent July 4th weekend with CJ in Olympia. We had fun hanging out with the other agency interns from Statefarm, especially when we all went go-kart racing and CJ and I took 1st and 2nd place.


We spent the holiday up at the Tacoma Freedom Fair eating way too much food, watching a cool airshow and seeing fireworks. The best part was a stealth bomber hovering over the water and doing quarter turns. Amazing!


After that I spent a week up in Seattle to visit friends and family, but mostly to see my sister who was moving to New York at the end of that week. I did some fun stuff, but the whole week was overshadowed by having to work on the first draft of my paper, which was due only 9 days after I'd actually picked a topic. I did get to go to my first Mariner's game of the season though, which is always a delight (even though they lost).


Finally, I returned home and spent the next two weeks with CJ cleaning and packing up stuff in the house to get it ready to sell. Holy moly, was our house dirty. You never take the time to look at how much dirt is on doors and walls and skirting boards, but once you start washing the suckers, it's disgusting. We also did a lot of yard work. Ivy is the devil .

My mom came into town to visit us and she and I took a roadtrip to Bend to explore my soon-to-be home. It was a great trip even though it was super, super hot. We drove around to see the sights, walked through Drake park, ate at McMinamens, and drove around to look at some rental properties (very affortable!) Just before we left, CJ's mom called and said that she was also in Bend, so we got together for lunch and the two moms finally met! (mine is the one on the right, in the green).



Soon after, my mom left for Seattle and CJ and I headed on a 4 day trip out to the Tri Cities for BOAT RACES! (their version of SeaFair...hydroplane races, food, fun, alcohol and thousands of half-naked people. Brilliant!).


We also drove over to Pendleton that weekend to work an MMA fight, which is always SO much fun. I did pre-fight physicals and was an inspector, and CJ judged. There were a few last minute drop-outs, so we got CJ's friend Yoni to be a judge and Yoni's awesome girlfriend, Siouxie, was the timekeeper!!!



Finally, when we got home last Monday, I realized that I'm a failure and am still unemployed, so I started making cold calls to the clinics in Central Oregon. Its been very frustrating, because most of the time I get voicemails, and they are rarely returned. Still, there has been some positive news. A doctor at the large pediatrics group in Bend got my CV and emailed me. He said they are looking for a midlevel provider and would I please call him next week when he is back in the office? YES, I WILL. Also, I saw a craigslist ad for a "FP/Internist," which I assume meant physician, but I left a voicemail anyway stating that if they would consider a PA, I'd love to send my CV. Well, they called back and asked me to fax it in! That was yesterday, and no word yet, but I'm keeping hopeful. It sounds like a small clinic with offices in Madras and Redmond, and I would love internal med, so I'm crossing my fingers.

This weekend should be pretty relaxing - just hanging with CJ tonight, BBQ'ing with Cindy and Zack tomorrow and I think we have something on Sunday too, but I can't remember. Next week my dad is coming into town, and hopefully I'll be going to Bend for some interviews!!! If everyone would please send some good "employed" energy my way, I'd be forever grateful.

Thinking of you all, graduating in T minus 15 days!!!!

Jen