Adventures in Creativity

I went $230,000 into debt to become a doctor in America

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:53:00 -0400

I went $230,000 into debt to become a doctor in America:

Dear Washington, D.C.: I am writing this letter because I feel that our leaders and lawmakers do not have an accurate picture of what it actually entails to become a physician today; specifically, the financial, intellectual, social, mental, and physical demands of the profession. This is an opinion that is shared among many of my…

This piece made me feel really sad because I definitely understand the struggles of a premed (as I am/was one) and now that I’m unsure of whether med school is the right step, it sure didn’t help. It did help me understand and appreciate what kind of person it takes to be a doctor though. I was actually at a conference with doctors today, admiring the time they spend working on public health projects on top of the work they already do while seeing patients and raising children. Whether I end up in med school or not, I hope to one day be half as amazing as them and the guy who wrote the article.

1:52pm

So apparently some companies are using the tragedy in my city to make money. I just saw this girl...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:27:26 -0400

So apparently some companies are using the tragedy in my city to make money. I just saw this girl looking at the Rue La La site and they have a $28 tee-shirt in support of Boston. I don’t know everything about it b/c all I saw was a glance but I really hope that’s going to the Red Cross or some type of Boston charity or something! I would be really pissed to find out that all of a sudden people are pretending to care in order to make some money for their clothes.

DAY FIFTEEN-15 Day Challenge

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:44:44 -0400

Favorite City?

I honestly think that I haven’t been to enough cities to be able to name a favorite. I liked Rome and Florence but there were too many tourists. I like New York but it’s too dirty and expensive. I like DC and Chicago but I didn’t see enough of them to decide that one’s my favorite. I liked Montreal and Miami but I’ve never explored them on my own or with friends.

So for now, I guess my favorite city should be my city, Boston. It’s the only city I’ve lived in so far where I can’t imagine myself living somewhere else. It’s the only city that I will defend no matter what. It’s the only city where I feel comfortable and feel like I own. Yes, these things are due to the fact that I was born and raised there. Still, Boston will always be the city I rep, even one day when I’m cultured enough to not be able to list/describe all my favorite cities in one blog post.

10:44am

DAY FOURTEEN-15 Day Challenge

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 23:18:33 -0400

To be a genius, you need to be both intelligent and creative. If you could possess only one of those traits, which would you prefer and why?

Creative, for sure. I love the feeling of looking back on a poem I’ve written and recalling the feelings I had while I wrote it, especially when I realize that it could speak to other people who’ve experienced something similar. Creativity produces things that can touch people in so many different ways, for so many different reasons/situations. Creativity is a different type of intelligence and I feel that it is often appreciated even more than simply being smart. Of course, I would never knock intelligence in itself and I don’t write for the appreciation anyway! It’s just that creativity can be so much more interesting and mysterious and cross so many more boundaries than just simple intelligence can. I like the transcendent factor of creativity.

11:18pm

DAY THIRTEEN-15 Day Challenge What’s your favorite...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:47:00 -0400

DAY THIRTEEN-15 Day Challenge

What’s your favorite picture of yourself?

I don’t really have a favorite but I’ve used this picture for a lot of things (with all the mess cropped out) so I’ll just pick it again.

10:46am

DAY TWELVE-15 Day Challenge

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:53:00 -0400

What is your ideal summer day? Where would you go, what would you do or eat, and who would you be with?

This is sort of a difficult question because summer is my favorite season and ideal by default but anyway, here’s my attempt: My ideal summer day would definitely involve lazing around and playing games at the beach. I would probably start this ideal day with a picnic with my boyfriend. It would have to be a day where it doesn’t get TOO hot so we could stay there all day. Then at some point, my friends and sister would come along and we’d all play games like frisbee, volleyball, and soccer. We’d all just chill and bond all day and then at night, maybe we could cross something off my bucket list and go skinny dipping. Then we’d make a huge bonfire, more people would show up, and we’d all party til six in the morning.

(I know it sounds like a movie but a girl can dream, right?)

3:52pm

TOMS for a(nother) cause!

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:45:22 -0400

TOMS for a(nother) cause!:

I’m supposed to be writing an essay right now (or the 15 Day Challenge) but I HAD to post this. I’m SO excited about this initiative! Help struggling artists by buying their beautifully hand-painted TOMS. I’m gonna order my pair right now!

8:45pm

DAY ELEVEN-15 Day Challenge

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:47:09 -0400

Perfect first date?

I always feel a little apprehensive about hanging out with someone for the first time (or even with a friend I haven’t seen in a good while) so the date would have to make me forget that. It would need to be a fun activity that would help us loosen up and get to know each other without necessarily having to have a long conversation. Something like bowling, an arcade, ice skating…any type of physical or somewhat-physical activity would be great. Then, once we had our laughs, we could get more serious about getting to know each other over dinner. Doesn’t need to be somewhere expensive but needs to be delicious and not fast food.

Chill. That’s what I like.

9:46am

DAY TEN-15 Day Challenge

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:46:00 -0400

10 things that make me happy.

1. sunshine

2. my boyfriend

3. good conversation

4. my family

5. hanging out with close friends

6. spontaneity

7. summertime

8. coming home from travel

9. music

10. dancing

11:45pm

DAY NINE-15 Day Challenge

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:44:25 -0400

In what ways are you your own worst enemy?

It’s good to not take oneself too seriously but sometimes I take that to the extreme. The fact that I’m involved in something often makes me take it less seriously, maybe because ‘if I can do it, anyone else can too!’ Of course I know that’s not true intellectually, but emotionally/in my heart/whatever the non-thinking-just-acting part is, I’ve never found myself to be that smart or that funny or that talented. Well in the case of the talented part, I know I don’t really have any…but I guess being smart can be considered a talent.

Anyway, I just tend not to believe in myself as much as other people sometimes do. Sometimes, it probably hinders me from taking action in something that might end up being worthwhile if I would only take myself a little more seriously.

6:40pm

DAY EIGHT-15 Day Challenge

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:09:26 -0400

Ways to win your heart?

Make me laugh. Love me. Make sure I can feel that you love me. Make me feel like the most beautiful, sexy, wonderful girl you’ve ever met. Look into my eyes while you hold me close and tell me sweet nothings. Like there’s nowhere else you’d rather be. Make me smile, even when I don’t want to. Send me goofy texts or emails. Be kind to others, especially my family and friends. Be modest, despite your brilliance. Protect me and make me feel safe. Do cute gestures for me every now and then. And make me laugh.

Yea, I’m a mushy romantic sometimes. I’ve learned to deal with it..somewhat.

12:07am

DAY SEVEN-15 Day Challenge

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:52:17 -0400

What character traits do you admire most about your parents?

I marvel at my parents’ strength. I can’t imagine how terrible it must feel to go from being pretty well-off (or at least living comfortably) in your country to doing jobs that people look down upon in a foreign one. To have to wake up every day to a job, weather, and salary you hate. To want to move out of a crappy neighborhood and simply not have the funds when you had a big house, fields, and fruit trees once upon a time. My parents have had a tough life and it’s truly amazing that they continue to persevere and support my sister and I so that we may live comfortably one day.

March 16, 2013 11:51pm

DAY SIX-15 Day Challenge

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:18:07 -0400

What is your Myers Brigg personality?

ISFP

Introversion (I) preferred to extraversion: ISFPs tend to be quiet and reserved. They generally prefer interacting with a few close friends rather than a wide circle of acquaintances, and they expend energy in social situations (whereas extraverts gain energy).^[6]
Sensing (S) preferred to intuition: ISFPs tend to be more concrete than abstract. They focus their attention on the details rather than the big picture, and on immediate realities rather than future possibilities .^[7]
Feeling (F) preferred to thinking: ISFPs tend to value personal considerations above objective criteria. When making decisions, they often give more weight to social implications than to logic.^[8]
Perception (P) preferred to judgment: ISFPs tend to withhold judgment and delay important decisions, preferring to “keep their options open” should circumstances change.^[9]

[edit]Characteristics

Myers-Briggs description

According to Myers-Briggs, ISFPs are peaceful, easygoing people who adopt a “live and let live” approach to life. They enjoy taking things at their own pace and tend to live in the moment. Although quiet, they are pleasant, considerate, caring, and devoted to the people in their lives. Though not inclined to debate or necessarily even air their views, their values are important to them.

[edit]Keirsey description

According to Keirsey, Composer Artisans are grounded in the here and now. They are extremely sensitive to their environment, attuned to the perceptions of their five senses even more than other sensing types are. They notice small variations in their physical world or in the people around them. They are very sensitive to balance and understand well what does or does not fit, whether in a work of art or any other aspect of their lives. ISFPs are highly conscious of their companions, but they prefer to allow others to direct their own lives. ISFPs tend to be emotionally well rounded and empathetic toward others.

(From Wikipedia)

March 15, 2013 11:15am

DAY FIVE-15 Day Challenge

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:26:35 -0400

What kind of person attracts you?

Someone who can make me laugh. Whether it’s a guy or a friend, if we can hang out and you can always make me laugh, even if I’m feeling down, we’ll get along just fine. They say laughter is the best medicine, after all. Laughter is also the way to my heart ;)

March 12, 2013 11:25am

(since I keep missing these, I’m going to just continue on whatever day I missed. no doubling up)

DAY FOUR-15 Day Challenge

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:22:13 -0400

(yes I’m doing 2 because I forgot to do it yesterday. cheating? maybe)

One passion in your life?

My family. If anyone does or says anything negative towards my family, I feel very resentful, if not angry. When I have my own family one day, I will put them above all else. Even if you have nothing, you will always have family.

March 10, 2013 10:20pm

DAY THREE-15 Day Challenge

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:16:45 -0400

How do you imagine yourself ten years from now?

Ten years from now, I will hopefully be married with at least one kid. Hopefully, I’ll have a job that I love and that allows me to help lots of people who really need it, making an impact on their lives and on the system, if possible. Maybe in ten years, I will only be starting to impact the system but that would be good too. I don’t want to have to work TOO much though because I want to be able to raise my kids, play with them, throw them little parties, and go to their events.

March 10, 2013 10:16pm

DAY TWO-15 Day Challenge

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:23:47 -0500

List 10 Things on Your Bucket List:

1. Go to Italy

2. Smoke weed in Jamaica

3. Jump off a waterfall

4. Go to Greece

5. Lie on the grass and look at the stars

6. Tango lessons with a lover

7. Start learning a non-Romance language

8. Skinny dipping

9. Try tapdancing lessons

10. Try surfing (after properly learning to swim)

March 8, 2013 11:22am

DAY ONE-15 Day Challenge

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:27:43 -0500

A Little about Myself:

Age: 21 (almost 22, yikes!)

Occupation: Student (for the most part)

Story behind my URL: nickname from my closest friends, plus a silly rhyme. That’s just how I roll

Major: Human Evolutionary Biology (AKA biological anthropology)

March 7, 2013 10:27am

I’m gonna try this too! I like doing these things though...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:20:00 -0500

I’m gonna try this too! I like doing these things though I invariably fail after getting halfway through.

March 7, 2013 10:20am

"I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don’t want to get to..."

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:55:27 -0500

“I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don’t want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing out loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down, and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift.”

- Shauna Niequist, Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life

March 7, 2013 9:55am