Final Entry

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you've imagined.
- Thoreau


I was given a card by my aunt after graduation that had the above written in plain block lettering across the front. No color. No pictures. Just the words and the weight of the message.

At the time, Thoreau's statement meant only so much to me as I was largely directionless. I lacked that certain passion or calling. However, no one can say it was because I didn't attempt to find it. I've had so many internships and career related experiences that it would make most bleed from the eyes.

With the blankest of canvases in front of me, I started this blog as a running journal to record the path I was about to fall, trip, and stumble down. I knew by the end of my 23rd year that I would be doing something completely different than when I started- this medium serving as a way to explain how I got there.

However, in last few months I stopped recording. Oddly enough, it is largely due to the fact that I had realized my goal - to become a doctor and practice medicine. I didn't want to chronicle the GRE's, my application to school, the interview, etc. because if I didn't want to have such a cruel reminder should I have failed. By the grace of God, I didn't.

Starting this fall, I'll be attending the University of Pennsylvania to study the necessary materials to enter medical school. No, I'm not kidding.

There's not enough space on the internet for me to explain how I've come to such a conclusion, but it has been something I've been fascinated with since childhood. I can speculate for hours over why it took till now, but only until recently was I ready to commit to such a course.

On September 2nd, I leave my job and go confidently in the direction of my dreams and live the life I've imagined.


A heart felt thank you to those involved in experiment that was my 23rd year on this rock.


Should you have just come across this shit show, here's DAY ONE.

Jay Bird Airlines

Dad flying the Cessna , the Honda Civic of small air craft, in the skys near Washington DC.  I've never seen him so nervous to do anything in my entire life. (Plane pictured was not ours, but very well could have been)

Granted, the prep work we did on the ground with the flight instructor was at break neck speed.  We sat in a class room with a poster of the inside of the cockpit.  An Israeli pilot, with the thickest of accents, explained the instruments like we were about to drive a simple lawn tractor.

But the stakes were much different because this tractor would shortly leave the ground. Although the instructor would take over if need be, it sure felt like we were being thrown in to sink or swim.

It was a big joke when the bob sled with wings actually left the ground.  I was in the back seat, being drown out by engine noise, but was laughing insanely the entire way.

Everything was fun and games until we came in for the landing. Wind sheer is a bitch. The insignificance of our small vehicle was made known as we began to approach the runway almost side ways. 

Before you land, you can straighten the plane to correctly touch down. They call this "crabbing". I call this "what a shitty gift I would have given my dad if this flight lesson kills us both"

But the Israeli pilot takes the stick for a brief moment and everyone (my dad and I) could breath.

Til Later Philly.

Drk Zlsks Hse

Spent some quality time with Hank and Maryanne (aka Genevieve) Zaleski.  Definitely a piece of the trip that I looked forward to. Anything that pieces together the puzzle of "who is derek?" is always welcome.

Back into the city we go for round 2.

City Hall

En route to 30 st. Market so I can get an amish pretzel covered hot dog and dump half on the floor. 

5 second rule?

Rittenhouse Square

Roof top. Zoubs.

Sister

Great to see Adrienne.  After a dinner from my kitchen (aka Chipotle) we head out on the town for a while, being condescending towards St. Patricks Day and its related festivities.

Just drink, who needs an excuse. Especially one from a country that 9/10 of those wearing the most green couldn't even pick out on a map.

With that being said, on my way to party. Philadelphia for the weekend with Derek, Siner, and the Zoubs.  Excited to escape NW DC and get into something 'real' for just a little.

So off I go, on the second story of the double decker Megabus. Round trip, 30 bones.... not too shabby.

The kid behind me saw a two story McDonalds as we left the city. With the gaining popularity of double decker buses, he applauded their ingenuity of starting the process towards a second story drive through.

Apparently, the wave of the future.