As you may know, I am looking to choose between a vocation in the priesthood and as a (married) doctor (or a doctor-priest, I suppose).

A few weeks back, I did some good preliminary work to look at clinical careers. A couple days ago, I had a productive meeting to learn more about pastoral careers.

For one, I'm getting set up with a spiritual director. Basically, a Jesuit priest will be counseling me on my (spiritual) life, and he'll especially help me with my discernment.

Also, I'm setting up a 6-week experience next summer, where I'll live at a Jesuit residence and do some of the stuff they do and see what one of their communities is like.

Additionally, I might sign up for an 8-day retreat, which runs during Christmas break. I'll do it this year or next year. While I'd like to spend this break with my friends, family and girlfriend, I'm sure it'll be the same next year, so... we'll see. I may go to that. It's a silent retreat, which is highly recommended.

Oh, and just to clarify, all this stuff is with the Society of Jesus ("Jesuits"), who ran my high school. If I become a priest, it'll probably be in a religious order, and it'll probably be the Jesuits (I'd still like to look at the Benedictines and some others, though). The Jesuits run a lot of parishes, high schools, colleges, and other missions. They're pretty scholarly and diverse. Since I was blessed with some talents in academics, I think it's a good fit for me. A Jesuit can be a practicing doctor, btw. Jesuits take vows of chastity, poverty (you don't own anything - the order supports you) and obedience (to das pope).

It's definitely time to start Christmas shopping. I'm pretty bad about gifts, but I'm trying to get better.
For example, I hear that most people get their siblings gifts, even while they're still dependents. My brothers and I have never really done that. I got them stuff last Christmas, but I think I missed both of their birthdays.

Apparently, the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year - "black Friday" (referring to the black writing that means a positive balance for stores). Ordering things online might be the way to go... Is it time to finally become familiar with eBay?

My third biochemistry test was returned today, and I scored the minimum grade that I needed to secure an "A" in the class. It's nice to have it done already - it looks like I don't even have to take the final.
I'm not sure if I should stop studying for and attending that class now. Do I owe some effort to the teacher, myself, or God? Are there better things that I could do with my time?
I almost feel like doing the readings and studying for and taking the final, just for completeness. Also, I wouldn't mind learning the material, and I don't want to take advantage of the professor's kindness. Although, I don't plan on asking her for recommendations or anything.
Hmm.

I went to my first anime convention. Noah, Kai and I traveled to Virginia, drawn there by a concert performed by an excellent Japanese group, MOVE, who rarely plays in the US.

The concert was great. The energy and music were excellent. Unfortunately, it was short, and they banned moshing partway through.

The con was quite interesting. I actually didn't spend a lot of time involved in it, since we spent most of Friday for MOVE, in line or rocking out (sometimes both). Saturday we left in the late afternoon, after enjoying a Q&A session with the band and getting some autographs.
A few things I enjoyed about the convention, aside from MOVE, were:
1) Sweet costumes
2) SSBM (There were some great players there, but nobody we couldn't take. Also, while there were players as good as us at smash, such opponents were disappointingly lame.)
3) Fullmetal Fantasy (An excellent home video of sorts based on Fullmetal Alchemist. I saw some English voice actors there, including Caitlin Glass, who Kristy knows. She was very nice)
4) Friends were made. Also, we met some very strange people who will be forgotten. I should also mention that Noah managed to get us an opportunity to meet one of MOVE's lead vocalists, who was pretty awesome. Mad props to him for that.

I was hoping to find more in the dealer's room; all I found were some nifty throwing needles.

That's about it for the con. I returned to school and, upon checking my email, I discovered that a rough draft of my research paper for a CT application in musculoskeletal disorders is due tomorrow. The professor is rather unkind for springing that on us; I'd better get to work.

I think we're all familiar with the concept of "burning out" and "recharging," in terms of scholarly work. I'm wondering if those common sense ideas are really accurate.

For instance, right now I'm not feeling very motivated, scholastically. However, I don't feel like I've been super-stressed with work for the past few weeks, although it is late in the semester. Also, after breaks - especially shorter study breaks - I tend to feel more attached to leisure, rather than "pumped up" for studying.

It seems to me that motivation and work ethic are more a function of habit and lifestyle/discipline, rather than taking breaks appropriately. But... I'm not sure. At times, I have felt revved up to do schoolwork, at the end of a long break, or if there's a good assignment I've got lined up. Also, I've certainly experienced burnout before.
Also, I think anticipation may play a role. I've noticed a strong desire to relax in a break-like fashion even before starting work, if there's a lot to do. Conversely, there are times when a vacation is coming up, and there's an inkling to get some good work done.

Heh. Maybe it's just random, as the mood takes us. When do you all feel motivated or not?

I've been spending (wasting) a lot of time playing Master of Orion 2. Anybody else have that game? It's pretty sweet.

Bad of me, though - especially after Father Rocco's great sermon on Sunday, in which he discussed a passage about staying awake. Specifically, he talked about falling asleep spiritually through escapism via television and computers. I was not awake to God's call when I was playing MoO2 at 4am. He was calling me to sleep.

Other than that, I started some serious discernment today. I talked to a few people about careers in medicine. It's looking like a good choice for me. Lots of options and variety. Hopefully I'll do some shadowing soon. I'm still feeling 50/50 seminary/med school, though.

Hmm. At the end of next summer or so, after I've collected more data, I'll make a post about that. In just a year and a half or so, I'll be making a big decision about my future. Talk to me about it anytime... it's frequently on my mind.

I am cooking now!

I actually made my whole lunch on the stovetop today. Well, not the glass of water, but I fried up some tuna melt sandwiches, grilled some pierogies, and boiled some ramen.

It was quite yummy.

Aside from those things, as well as omelettes, oatmeal, burgers and hotdogs, what else is good for a cooked lunch?