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Here's some updates and randomness from the past couple weeks. I know, I've been slackin'.

* I made the 8.5 hour drive from San Antonio to El Paso on a pure sugar rush consisting of IHOP Nutella crepes for breakfast and a blue coconut creamfreeze from Sonic's when I reached my halfway point at Fort Stockton.

*When I got back, I wasn't sure if I was in El Paso because it was 74 degrees. I love coldfronts. Then I tried to re-program my radio stations, and sure enough, I was back in El Paso. One weird thing was that I found a Spanish station that occasionally plays some English alternative. Was that Pearl Jam that was just on?

*On a low note, when I got back I found out that my credentialing was not finished. I was told it would take another week before the next credentialing meeting. I was a bit disappointed. Then, 2 days before said credentialing meeting I found out that it would be another 3 weeks. I think I replied, if not shouted in my head, "You've got to be kidding me!!" "But you have a lot of stuff to do right?"said the lady in charge of my credentialing. Ummm, that's what I've been doing this past week. Why is it taking 3-4 months to get this done?? Needless to say, I was having feelings that were less than charitable to credentialing lady. Might I add, that I've never seen this lady in person? She's never there! Oh well, I guess I just have to continue to "flexecute."

*As part of my "flexecuting" I've started organizing the weekly medic training classes. My last one was on sore throat, and this week, by popular demand, it's sexually transmitted diseases. I have to alter my STI powerpoint presentation for a third version. Hopefully it will go over well.

*I have started doing sick call in the mornings. It stinks a little that I can't even write a prescription for something like Motrin. Tomorrow will be pretty busy since we get a lot of soldiers with post-weekend-itis. One of my partners likes to drug-test the repeat visitiors, especially those who come in on Monday mornings and it seems like the weekend had been a bit hard on them. Good idea. I'm still trying to learn the ways of chewing out soldiers who do dumb things. This may take some time. I did show less mercy on a private who was complainingg of coughing while exercising and at night after a cold two weeks ago. My prescription: Stop smoking!

*I do have my own office now! Complete with my name on the door. Oh, and I have my own stamp too. That one came at a cost. I think the lady in front of me was starting her own business and decided to order about 7 stamps and it took about 40 minutes.

*The first day I reported back, my commander said that he wanted to give the next Friday off to get some things done. I thought, okay, sure. After I found out that my credentialing will take a bit longer, I asked for an extra day off and changed the destination on my pass form. I got a plane ticket to California and flew in Thursday night. One of my first stops after I arrived was of course, to get an In n' Out animal style cheeseburger. Much of my weekend was spent attending the annual California Academy of Physician Assistants annual conference (couldn't believe this was my 6th time going) in Plam Springs. There were some good lectures, good advice ("Deep down, everyone wants a rectal exam."), brushed up on my suturing skills, cheered for USC as they won the College Bowl, and saw some good friends and former classmates that I had not seen in over a year. I was also very fortuante to spend most of my weekend in air conditioning, since it was over 100 wherever I went.

*I recognized the big difference between Texas drivers and California drivers: Speed. Californians like it. I had not driven that fast over the speed limit in a long time.

*After the conference I would drive back home and spend the rest of my waking hours visiting with friends. It was so good to see so many faces. I don't know how I know so many awesome people. The five hours of sleep every night was defiantely worth it. On my last day in California I stopped by the DeMaria quads. I can't believe they're walking!

Busy day tomorrow, and I have a mosquito with a death wish to take care of.