Duke Goodbyes.

So as I am starting my new life down in New Orleans, I keep missing my friends from home.  My work friends were so amazing and wonderful -- and they sent me off in absolute perfection.  I love (love) a scavenger hunt, and SSC knew that and had me all over the eye center searching for local goodies to take with me to Louisiana.  The best part of the scavenger hunt?  The clues -- "There's a mouse in this house!" for something in the animal surgery room.  TP decorated my desk in amazing fashion that brought tears to my eyes.  I really do miss those amazing people all the time (and I can't wait for them to visit!).  Love them!

Looking forward to the weekends!

In my last few months left in NC, I have a lot of traveling and events I'm getting excited for!  Here's what I'm especially pumped for:

Las Vegas -- THIS weekend with these two amazing girls --> RSJ and S$.  Words can't explain how pumped I am for this!!  We are going to run amuck in Vegas.  I miss these girls every day and they are my absolute best friends.  A reunion is much needed after being apart for a VERY long time.

Great Grapes Wine Festival!  I don't know why I hadn't heard of this before.. but I'm excited to go this year.  SSC introduced me to this event -- and what could be better than being outdoors in the spring, with unlimited wine "samples"..?  I can't wait to go and get belig with her and friends in the sunshine.  Who's down??

Trip to NOLA!  At the end of April, I'll be heading down to New Orleans with Dad and Bex (and perhaps Deluxx(x) now that he'll be 21 -- heyohh) and look for housing!  I'm getting so antsy.. words can't even explain.


..and speaking of Deluxx(x) (my dear little brother).  He turns 21 on April 16th.  And believe I will be there for that debauchery.  He's hilarious to me, and I love him tons -- and I can't wait to help him celebrate with him and friends!

Then there's a series of Bon Voyage parties.. for me and others.  One of TP's friends who is a lot of fun is moving to Utah for work and is having a blowout of drinking and hanging out on the lake.. how can you say no to that?!  I have a weakness for booze in the sunshine.  There's nothing more relaxing.


And then there are my going away party(ies?).  TP's husband brews beer as a hobby (jeal) and it is quite delicious.  He has begun brewing a NOLA style beer, and we're going to have a small party with that and all the New Orleans-style food to have a mini-goodbye party.  One of the girls that used to be in the lab (and one of the only med students that was honestly cool and not an utter douchebag) JC got into her residency up in NYC and we'll be saying goodbye to her too!  I hate goodbye parties, but this will be lowkey enough that I won't get all teary like a baby (although I'm not betting on anything).


..then I've got to do some kind of Adios Triangle bar crawl.  It's only approp since I doubt I'll be back here anytime soon (except to visit of course).  Ah! Sad.. ok enough of that.

Nerd Humor: Name that Eye Disease.

It was one of the head doctor's birthdays over the weekend.. and SSC came up with this cute idea to help celebrate during the week's lab meeting... decorate doughnuts (creatively, of course) different macular eye diseases he sees in the clinic.  And since he practically has an IV attached to him of Diet Coke, we'd all pitch in a get close to a kilo of the stuff (I may be exaggerating, but nonetheless).

He had a good laugh (and the cool kids had a lot of fun with it).. and I bet it was the first time anyone has ever given him a detached macula made out of fruitrollup and sprinkles before..

Hints to the diseases (and I know I'm leaving some out) -- drusen, geographic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis (although that was my "normal" eye haha), detached retina.. and of course the control eyes.

We're dorks.  And we don't care.

..and one of the MDs snuck in a minibottle (wish we woulda thought of that).  And it was a good joke, until the conservative future-MD asked what it was for.. um what? FAIL.  (clearly we won't be friends.)

Busy at work.

As you all know, work has been.. well.. not so busy.  But, the cool kids (SSC, TP, and AD) at work and I had to make a video for the clinical research retreat.. which actually turned out pretty good.  If anything, it's hilarious to us, and we had a lot of fun making it.

It's meant to be kind of like a lighthearted take on how to be fellow/principal investigator and run a clinical trial, and SSC said it went over pretty well at the retreat.


Clinical Research from Sarah M on Vimeo.

edit:  ignore the grainy-ness.. it looks much better on the laptop/big screen.