O!

My last interview before the break was in Omaha-a joint program between Creighton, UNMC, and Children's. But let's be honest, the best part of the trip, by far, was seeing Mary and my friends.

We went out to The Matt (Old Mattress Factory) for lunch when I got in. Mary graced us with her presence as a break from studying. (Side note: Sweet potato fries=yum!) By far, the funniest part of lunch came when deciding what to get for dessert (are you surprised?). The Matt has 2 Ted and Wally's flavors of the month to offer as one of their dessert selections, and one this month is aptly titled Quit Your Job and Eat Chocolate. I'll let your imagination take it from there. I was familiar with this flavor, only because Mary had called me-yes, actually called me up on her own-just to tell me about this amazing flavor the first time she had it. So that was high on the running, as was the chocolate mousse. I told Mary to pick one. She gets these big eyes, leans across the table and says, "K, but can we get both?" I leaned across. "No." "K, but can we get both?" There is no reasoning with this girl. And it's hard to turn down the sister I never see, so both it was. Delicious. Back to studying, Mary.

So the next day was my interview. The Chair of Pediatrics at Creighton just happens to be the dad of one of Mary's teammates, who we tailgated with and bonded with at various games over the years. So, I'm sitting in morning report, with all the other applicants, attendings, residents, and Dr. Zach walks in, and when it gets dead silent, he says from the back, "How ya doin', Zappy?" Can you be a teacher's pet at this age?

The ice breaker at lunch was "What is the Christmas present you always wanted but never got?" I said, no offense, Mom and Dad, that many Christmas mornings as a child were spent in mild disappointment, but the one I could remember the most was the giant battery-powered, (child) life-size Army Jeep that never made it into our living room on Chrismtas. One of the residents was "A spoiled only child. I got everything I asked for, including a pony." How tragic.

That night, after a wine-tasting where I forgot my ID and had to watch MJ drink 5 glasses for me and describe them, and after a delicious dinner at the Greek Islands (the restaurant, not the geographic location, unfortunately), MJ, Mary, and I headed out to the Crescent Moon for a boot. If you're near or in or visiting Omaha and have never done this, it is truly a unique experience, best done with more than three people, but whatever. It is 64 oz of German beer served in a giant glass boot, which needs 2 hands to hold. There are a set of rules for drinking the boot, the most basic of which is that the boot must continually be passed around the circle without touching the table. The breaking of any of the rules results in having to take another sip, or buy another boot, depending on the rule. Which may or may not be seen as a deterrent. Case in point--Mary at one point was "tap-dancing" on the table with the boot. "Guess I have to take another sip." Nice. Also, with the reuniting of Therese and Mary, there was abounding laughter as they came up with new ways to "park the car"--ask to see it sometime...possibly is funnier after drinking a boot. That's more than I laughed since Kristi tried to act out "dump".

If the trip didn't have to end with an 8 hour drive through Nebraska and eastern Colorado, it would have been perfect, but overall, a great trip.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope that the peace and love of God that made itself manifest so many years ago in the manger reigns in your hearts this week.