Preceptor

Actually before I get into some stuff, I just want to say - my resolutions are going perfectly. I've cut out canned food, which leaves about 30 cans in my cupboard or so, most of which are fruit cans, which are the worst (sugary syrup...).

I've been spending more time outside, although I have yet to invade the Baylor courtyard (the one that's locked from the Luby's entrance). I'll find time to sneak out the other way and just watch everyone behind locked doors.

Most of the time, preceptor is very ho-hum. Yes, it's interesting applying clinical skills for the first day or so, but once you know how to do them, it gets boring. Especially if every other kid has a fever and strep (and cries after swabbing their throat).

Some of them are very nice about it though. Actually it's not so bad. Most of those kids are afraid of the white coat and the syringes that accidentally find their way into my pockets.*

The moms though, completely vicious. One mother bitched for 20 minutes about how the doctor was late and she'd been waiting for 30 minutes. 20 MINUTES! What am I supposed to say to that? "Yes. Uh huh." Actually I remembered the relationship-building phrases from the other day - [in robotic monotonous voice] - "Yes. *beep beep boop* I completely understand."**

Another mother told me the doctor "poked her child last time he was here." Of course my mind is constantly in the gutter, so I tried hard to keep from laughing.

Another time, I was looking into one of the kids' ears and I saw a very fine pearly-looking tympanic membrane and upon viewing this marvelous specimen, I said "hrmph." Instantly the mother looked at me and said "What? what's wrong?" I told her there was nothing to worry about (about the ear drum anyway). She asked the doctor multiple times later if the kid's ear drums were normal.

Jeezus. Calm the fuck down.

Really though. Preceptor is great. The drive back? Not so great.***

*: or so they think.
**: my impression doesn't quite show up well on the interwebs.
***: has improved significantly though. :)

Resolutions

2009 is going to be a different time. The list, ordered:

1. 

2. Finally start a bit of research

3. Spend more time outside - bike 2-3x a week, hike at least one day a month

4. Eat healthier, cook more

Anything else that must be added to this list?

Ok. On another note, chapstick is awesome. Especially this Burt's Bees business. 

Man, what is this, Calcutta? Seriously though, Orange County rocks.

Flight to austin

Vista HP 3150se Fix

So I inherited this old HP LaserJet 3150se, which does everything, except HP hasn't (refuses to) release drivers for it, even though it should be a really damn simple matter.

The fix. Quite simply:

1. Obtain and install VMware Workstation
2. Install Windows XP through it (very simple)
3. Install drivers for the printer.

A few notes -

1. Remember to add "Parallel Port" as a device.
2. Vista acts funny when you first plug in the printer, so keep the printer disconnected until you have booted XP through VMware (with the parallel port device added), then plug in the parallel cord (which should obviously be connected to the printer). This will keep Vista from hijacking* the parallel port and prompting the driver installation window before VMware has a chance to do so.
3. You can keep your XP partition very small (1.5 GB). Try not to install Adobe reader and use something with a smaller memory/HDD footprint like Foxit PDF reader.**

I usually don't write nerdy posts like this, but this has pissed off a lot of people. Leave feedback if it works/doesn't!

*: This minor Vista annoyance is nothing like using linux. Just for kicks (and with the relief that I could pull the plug with two clicks, I installed the lastest Ubuntu on VMware)

It was ok. I booted up Firefox, went to youtube. No flash plugin. No worries, I went to the Adobe website and there were four variants of the flash player installation. Whatever, I'll just go through all of them.

So I downloaded each one, and double-clicked on each of the files, which obviously didn't work. Yes, I should have looked at the instructions, but that's exactly my point. Installing a flash plugin should be intuitive. I shouldn't need some needlessly complicated command line input to do so.

And the instructions had command line steps. If this was Windows or OS X, I would have been done, very very quickly.

ergo -
Linux really is a piece of shit.

**: But, holy shit, Foxit PDF reader is a pain in the ass. So many adverts! Use the Acrobat reader if you have space, please.

Cephalic response

Yeah. Damn straight.

Test in 1 week, 1 day and I'm slowly going crazy. So, I made a batch of brownies to keep me sane. With funfetti.

Wish me luck. Lots of it. Much will be necessary.