Sherman PRIDE

Sorry...

I have to apologize to you, me dear reader. (Notice I didn't say "readers", as I know there can only be 1 person bored enought to stumble upon my ramblings...)

I apologize for not writing sooner, but what can I say? I'm lazy Things get crazy this time of the quarter. Tests, tests, and more tests...all pop up and take my attention away. 

Then Thanksgiving came. And oh, was it grand! There is just something about time with family to recharge the ol' batteries. Unless you have THAT family. You know the one. Grandma is cranky, Aunt Bertha likes the sauce, and your cousin Joe has this stench that just won't go away. Luckily, my family is nothing like that. I love my family. You would too, except you probably won't get to meet them. Unless you want to come next year? 

Anyway - Thanksgiving came and then you realize that there are only 2 weeks of class left and then finals. What?! Finals already?? Seems like yesterday (a month ago) that we were just talking about mid-terms.

So I just wanted to tell you I hadn't forgot you and that this next couple of weeks may be kind of hectic, but I'll do my best to throw you a bone once in a while. 7 finals during finals week. A couple of last minute tests in the mean time. Whew.

Ok, I'm rambling again so I'm off to study. Got an histology exam at 8:00 tomorrow morning. Life is so good.

Only 1,207 days til graduation...

B.J. and his hands

How famous are these hands! 

How brilliantly they created a strong foundation for Chiropractic to endure into the future!

How simple the concept. So simple one could easily ignore it and become distracted by the fear of dis-ease. So simple as to reflect the natural world and it’s Innate Intelligence.

Take a look at your hands right now. Can they do the work that B.J. has set us to do? The path is not as difficult as it seems, if you are focused. Focus on using your hands to work with Innate Intelligence and the Beauty of the Universe. Focus on becoming a partner to the healing processes of Universal Intelligence.

Desire to teach your patients to become healed on this path of Chiropractic. 

Ultimately, have the courage to take your hands and become the path that B.J. created for the health and prosperity of the whole world. What more exciting work is there than this?

Into the Crunch

Mmmm, no I’m not talking about walking through the crunchy leaves of autumn or over the crispy first fallen snow with frosty breath on the wind, although it is about that time of year. I’m talking about what most of us here at Sherman are “getting into.” It’s that time of the quarter when we’re getting into the crunch of finishing midterms and beginning to contemplate …finals. It’s about now when the crunch begins to hit.

Of course everyone is different. Some will study and breeze through the day, or so it seems. Some will procrastinate and then make a mad dash at the end. But, for the most part to maintain your sanity and grade point at a reasonable level you must be always working and never underestimate what lies ahead. What lies ahead is a mixture of a few projects and assignments here and there. There is the study for “practicals” as you rise up in the program and always, always large quantities of information to memorize. This is the crunch.

But what I really wanted to talk about in this blog is how important it is to create a positive atmosphere within your “quarter” (those fellow students who take the same classes as you) and how it relates to the crunch time. 

Simply put, when there’s a crunch you want to know that your quarter is there for you. You want to feel those positive vibes that mean when the going gets tuff there’s someone there to pull you through. The last thing you need/want to worry about is whether you’re getting along with your fellow students. Who needs the drama of not getting along? Absolutely no one!

Life as a student, with such a demanding schedule, is much more pleasant and do-able when everyone works together. There are countless times when you need “back-up” from others; when you need a reminder that a paper is due, that a post must be completed within a few hours, or there’s a practical that needs to be practiced, or that there are notes available for what was missed in class. 

But best of all, when you’re in that “crunch time” and sometimes you don’t know up from down (and are not sure if you care, ugh!), it’s a good feeling to look at your quarter-mates and know that they’ll pull you through….

And of course you’d do the same for them!  

Time To Keep For Me

Time….I’m thinking of giving it back to myself as a present! Now play with me on this one…cause maybe I’ve come up with something ….really fabulous….it works like this….now remember this is just the beginning of a whole new outlook…

I wake up early(er) in the morning when it’s still dark and quiet. The cats and dogs and people are still asleep, even the birds. Grass is cold and dewy…no one is yet aware that the morning has started except the stars…

Then…I just lay there with my eyes closed in a warm cozy bed. No one knows but me. I don’t have to get up, I don’t have to shower or take care of anyone or study. I don’t even have to walk the dogs even though that might be the only time I can…. I just lie there peacefully, gratefully and give myself my time BACK for fifteen minutes or so. There’s nothing to do but be happy. Ahhhh, what a wonderful thought. 

The time is mine to take back, to keep. I’m holding it still even if for only a short while. WOW!

LOL, I hear the birds have just awoken. :)

 Ginny holding time still.

A Day In the Life...1st Quarter

                                 (picture credit)

A day in the life of a this Sherman Student - 1st quarter.

I'm curious to see how this might change as I go through school...

Now, just in case you forgot: I am 35, married with a wife and an infant son. I also have a daughter that I have the pleasure of seeing every-other weekend.

So. Back to the story. I am a first quarter student. My wife works in retail doing merchandising, so her hours vary depending on when they need her. Most days I wake up around 6:00 and do the usual: shower, shave (sometimes), and dress. Coffee and breakfast ensue, and if she hasn't already gone to work, my wife assists in preparing bottles for the baby. I grab the baby, my backpack, diaper bag, my lunch and anything else I have to take for the day, and load them into the car. I drop the baby off at daycare and head on for another awesome day at Sherman. Most days I have six classes. Sometimes between classes, I study. Other times play is needed. On my phone, in the computer lab - whatever might help clear my head. Usually, after school is done for the day, I stop at the daycare to pick up Ethan. In order to keep from dying burning out, when I get home I spend time with Ethan and my wife (Jenn). Dinner, playtime, whatever gets my mind off histology, abnormal psych, anatomy, and whetever else I had been focused on, up to that point. As hard as it is, eventually I have to hit the books: study, study, study. Between 7 and 8:30, Ethan is ready for bed. Storytime, love, and tucked in he nods off to sleep. All the while I'm trying to keep from doing the same. Study, study, study. Must take breaks, keep from going loco. Yawn, getting late. It's almost 11, got to get ready for bed. Brush, floss, check out the movie star mug (smile), and hop into bed. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........................................

It's tough. Jenn found me face down in the books once. I've dozed off taking a break on the couch. It's definitely doable, but requires a lot. In the past I didn't really have to study all that much. I wouldn't make it without it here. I've done pretty well.  I don't get to read as much as I'd like, don't get to watch all my favorite shows, but it will be so worth it. By my calculations I'm sitting at a 3.5 GPA (yay me!!). Gotta work on getting that up (wink). Graduation is March 21, 2015.

Only 1,224 days until graduation...

 

One month...

Wow! So we're already a month in and boy, has time flown by! This first quarter has already been stressful, exciting, and full of learning. This week we have taken 4 midterms, with 3 more next week (thanks to understanding professors that realize we can only prepare for so many tests at a time). I am excited for my future here, and beyond. To be able to help people.

Every day has been a truly enriching experience and I can't wait for each new day. Some classes were as hard- or harder than I thought, while others have been a bit easier to handle. The toughest adjustments I've had to make is time management and a change in study habits. It has been a few years since I've had to study for this many classes, and I started feeling overwhelmed. You see, I was a full time student from 1995-1997 when I got my associates in general engineering (it was paid for by the company I worked for, I never wanted to be an engineer). Then, for the last 4 years or so, I have taken one class here, 2 there, in order to finish up my prerequisites while working full time. So taking what amounts to 9 classes, plus making time for family, doing my part around the house AND trying to study was not working for me the way I was doing it. An "adjusment" here and there (like the way I threw that word in there? That's for the chiro world), and finally I'm in a groove and flying high. A strong support system helps, too (thanks to my wife), so I know I'll be fine.

So one month in, and this old guy is doing pretty well...still very excited...excited to be a D.C. Many more months to go (1233 days til graduation) and before you and I know it, I will be Gregory K. Brown, Jr., D.C. Got a nice ring to it...

...now, for the big question of the day...

...what's the lunch special for today at the Spine Dining Cafe?

 

 

May I Place a Request For Memorizing Angels Please?

(image credit)

Last night my mind was quite active. I kept awaking from dreams in which I was seeing patients and doing a great deal of patient education. It really felt good. In fact, I was pleased with my dream doctoring abilities. I felt engaged with my patients appropriately and that I was truly taking care of them.

This mental activity was probably due to the fact that I had taken a “Practical Exam” in Neurological Testing that day. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the night time activity in and quite aware that I was working overtime. 

I kinda had the feeling that there were “Patient Education Angels” visiting and sitting on my shoulder (so to speak), as well as “Blog This Now! Angels” taking me through my paces. LOL, I had to stop myself from getting out of bed at 3:21 a.m. to write down something very important (it was good then but who knows what it was now, you know how you always think you’ll remember).   

As I awoke to my morning at 5:30 a.m., it did occur to me that what I could use for the upcoming Midterms were; “Memorizing Angels”!  What a great idea!!  So glad I stumbled upon it!  LOL.

Let this be said; I am very grateful that the “Blogging” and “Patient Education Angels” had cared and loved me so much as to visit me without request. 

Yet, now that I’m aware of their presence…May I place a request for several serious (kick butt) “Memorize Everything Like a Photographic Memory Angels”?  It would really make my……. Midterms! 

 THANK YOU VERY MUCH! 
Very Sincerely,