Hum, de hum, de hum.

I'm just waiting. My job is tedious and I'm learning a lot about communication and how I will run my business. Professionalism is not just something you pride yourself in and then ditch when you aren't around patients. Communication is essential to establish a trusting, comfortable relationship with your employees. If you don't need a position anymore, then you need to tell the employee and maybe help them find new employment. I will not turn into a greedy dentist. I will make enough money as it is.

They are OVER!!

I'm not going to go into the minutia of today's interview at Houston. Needless to say, I'm exhausted and it went well and I have nothing new that makes any school stand out over the other. As Erik and I drove to Austin, we talked about how San Antonio just made sense and we "made a decision". Then I started thinking about it and told him how it did bother me that Grandaddy was getting so old and I wasn't there to enjoy that relationship and wouldn't be there if something ever happened. And it started. I just couldn't stop crying thinking about passing up the chance to be with my family...even if it was only for four years. I have loved being in Austin with Erik, but I always get emotional when I miss those big moments with my family that mean so much. So there is no "decision" and I have 2 1/2 months until THE WORD comes.

Baylor Interview - A summary

Erik and I set out for Baylor College of Dentistry this morning ready to fight the Dallas traffic, and there was none, so we arrived a good hour early. We parked in what turned out to be the wrong parking garage and headed across the street to the school in my new skirt (my pants came back from the cleaners with a seam coming undone) and heels that were too big with hose one (my feet were continuously slipping out, Cinderella style). We found the elevator, found the room, and we were split up while I filled out my form and waited for my pre-interview session which turned out to be just a run-down of the day. I met Aida, who will be at my Houston interview on Monday, so I'll have two buddies there. We then waited for a good hour for the festivities to begin. 7 interviewees, 4 Aggies, 3 girls. We took the elevator down to the conference room where we got the financial aid talk. Then a professor came in to give us the "Why Baylor is so great" talk, and I got a tickle in my throat curtousey of my recent cold, that would not go away. I fought the good fight, and as long as I didn't swallow, I was ok. Until my nose started running and I had to go diving for my kleenex in my purse. Yeesh. At last, we were finished and it was time for lunch. The 4th years met us and took us down to the cafeteria. All three were Aggies?!? We got our Chick-fil-a and settled down to suck up, ask questions and appear to be friendly and sociable. We broke into groups and toured the school...no surprises there...and headed back for interviews. I met with Dr. Wong, Dr. Miller, and Dr. Moore and all three sessions seemed really laid back and went very smoothly. I was really glad that we got there so early, because the others were waiting and "self-touring" while I was getting it over with, and we were out of there by 2:00. I was really impressed with the labs...a lot more than San Antonio. I also like the fact that we don't have to get laptops. I do not like the fact that they brag about how hard they work you while stating that you can get an excellent dental education anywhere in Texas. Why would I sign up for the torture? Do they get that much pleasure from it? I also liked San Antonio's clinic area better...more realistic. Kevin called later this afternoon to get the scoop and had that "fatherly" disappointment when I did not declare Baylor my obvious choice. Erik hasn't been impressed by anything so far. I don't really know what he's expecting to see, but he hasn't seen it yet. On to Houston...

So it's been a while...

Here I am a week out from my Baylor and Houston interviews and I'm really not thinking about it at all. I do have my strength/weakness answer all planned out. And I think my "Why dentsitry?" answer is better. I have to remember that "How did you arrive at dentistry?" and "Why did you pick dentistry?" are two totally different questions. I also got a skirt for my suit, so that is an option, but I still haven't decided if I'm going to follow that path. Does it really matter? Probably not, but I just can't get it out of my head. I guess it's pretty silly. Work is good. I hate it when I have nothing to do. I hate it even worse when I actually get to assist and I haven't finished setting up and she's just ready to go. I just look like an idiot. And feel like one, too. I really know what I'm doing, but when things get hectic and she's drillin like a fiend, sometimes I just can't keep up. Anyway, sitting is really boring, and I know it's partly because we slowed things down a bit for the end of her pregnancy, but I hate it when I feel like I'm just taking up space and getting paid for it. I met Dr. Parrish on Thursday. She seems really nice, but definitely not the bubbly personality that Mandy is. She's a little on the tougher side. She did go to San Antonio, so I hope to talk to her about that. I need to be more assertive in seeking advice and letting her teach me rather than pretending to be a dental assistant and biding my time until 1) Mandy gets back and I only work 3 days a week and 2) I leave for dental school. It will also be really nice to see dentistry from another perspective on a regular basis.

I signed up for Mission of Mercy in November and I'm really looking forward to doing that. Since I haven't been able to make it back up to Dallas to work with Kevin and Manos de Cristo sure didn't work out, it will be really good to be able to serve others this way. They convert the Dell Diamond into a huge clinic and we treat people for 2 days. I think it will be really neat. They do the same thing in Dallas in February, so I hope to sign up for that one, too. And next summer, I'm definitely going to Acuna, if not Romania.

I really am just ready to get these interviews over wtih!!