Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Celebration

The match results were announced last Wednesday. I got my first choice residency, and it's pretty prestigious. I could not have gotten this without the support and help of my fantastic preceptors, professors, and mentors. I'm still in a state of shock about it - though I've signed the contract and am looking for apartments, I don't believe it's actually happening.

Then I realize that I've got less than a month left in Reno and I get depressed, because this has been the best year of my life. I've made some fantastic friends and had equally fantastic experiences. (Open heart surgery? Tahoe? March Fourth?)

Prime example: my friend took pity on me freaking out about the match results Tuesday night. He invited me over, plied me with booze, and then took my phone away so I couldn't hit refresh on my e-mail every five minutes. The result? I had a fairly enjoyable evening with only occasional outbursts of "You bastard, give me my phone back. I watched two episodes of Community without looking and now it's time to CHECK AGAIN."

(side note: Community is probably the best sitcom on television right now. It's endlessly clever and hilarious and you all need to go watch it)

The day after the results came out, I got to go with Buster Blue on tour to Treefort Music Festival in Boise. Best weekend ever. I'll put up a longer post about it in a bit, but for now here's a video where you should play spot the accordion player:



(HINT. IT'S ME.)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Come to the Sea

I am long overdue for an accordion video. I blame thirteen hour shifts that left me getting home at times inappropriate for some mad squeezeboxing. Now that I've FINISHED PHARMACY SCHOOL, I'll have much more time to play and record.

This is also in attempt to stave off madness while I wait for the results of the residency match to come out tomorrow. I have no idea what I want to happen, and am anticipating an evening of frantically hitting refresh and waiting for an e-mail to surface. I had hoped to tire myself out with a few hours of practice, but my nervous energy took a page from Gandalf the Grey's book and came back stronger.



I also want to record Yesterday's Here, from Tom Waits' Franks Wild Years, but I'm stumped. I can't sing. Cannot. Dying frogs in buckets can carry a tune better than me - but I feel this is one that really deserves the lyrics on top of my accordion ramblings. Until I can either find a vocal track or succor an unsuspecting lyrical friend into belting it for me, you shall be bereft.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Dinner Party!

I've spent the last six weeks flying back and forth across the country and working 13 hour shifts at CVS. It's been a while since I have been this exhausted and sick, but it's almost over. One seminar presentation and three more death-shifts left and I will be free.

In the meantime, I orchestrated another dinner party as stress relief! So this will be a picture heavy and content light post. I stumbled over to Buster Blue's house and we all started come cooking.


The menu consisted of prosciutto and cheese turnovers:



Herbed crispy chicken strips with dill:



The egg was not looking forward to its batter-y fate.

Andy was, though.


Haricots verts with tomatoes and parsley:


Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells:



And chocolate orange cake with chocolate ganache:


We stuffed ourselves and then laid around watching TV. It was an awesome way to spend a stress free evening.


Except for the egg.