Alright...so I didn't really do a good job of writing much on my website the past six months. But it's a new year, and I have resolutions and aspirations and I plan on keeping you all up-to-date right here.

Most of you who read this webpage know pretty much what Jamie and I have been up to over the past year because you got the insert letter in your Christmas card. If you didn't get one it's because either a) your card got lost, b) I don't have your current address or c) you don't try to keep in touch with us so forget you anyways! ;)

Jamie and I have a new dog! His name is Shrek, and he is a Teacup Yorkshire Terrier. He is TINY, and from a guy who previously was not a big fan of little dogs he is very well behaved, very loveable and he DOESN'T BARK. So far, at least...he's 2.5 months old. Seeing that we are currently living in the hospital housing which is a house near the hospital which we are pretty sure doesn't allow pets, we are keeping him under wraps which is challenging. Look for pictures up on the picture page soon.

Hmmmm...what else? We are currently on the third week of this month's rotation, and it's going well on both counts. Jamie is doing surgery and has a great schedule and a very kind, likeable preceptor. I am on the psychiatric unit (as a student doctor...for now), doing the history and physicals for the new admissions. The hours are good, and overall it is an enjoyable rotation. The hospital is the best I have been in so far, especially for a community hospital. Very modern. And a GREAT cafeteria. We eat for free as students, and we take full advantage of that fact. I'm gonna miss the cafeteria more than anything when we leave!

From here, Jamie and I will head back to Wheeling before I depart for Martinsburg in the eastern panhandle of WV while Jamie will be staying at OVMC to do a month of internal medicine. She only has four more rotations to do before we will be calling her "Dr."!

Well, guess that's all for tonight. Don't want to run out of material for next time!

Wow...been a long time since I've been on this site to update! I guess there really hasn't been too much to say. Jamie is currently studying feverishly for her Level 2 boards which will be coming up in a few weeks while doing 12 hour shifts in the emergency room. I'm finishing up my FMI rotation and will soon join her in the emergency room for my second rotation.

On the horizon, football season!

Family Medicine is a fascinating rotation so far. It seems like every day I get to do something that makes me feel like my time is worth while. I have had the opportunity to work with some fantastic preceptors who have proven to be outstanding instructors. Some people have the personalities to be surgeons, some pediatricians, some pathologists...I think I am built for primary care. At this point, Family Medicine is definitely still on my list of things I might like to do when I grow up.

My parents are coming up to visit next weekend, which should be exciting. One more reason to get out and explore the area more. I can say that Jamie and I have taken the opporunity up here to see the sights. We quickly made friends with a number of students from other schools and have been out a number of times with them to local restaurans and attractions. We still want to go to Alexandria Bay and take a dinner cruise. But there is plenty to do within walking distance of our apartment, too, including the YMCA which Jamie and I have been faithfully patronizing for the past few weeks. With that being said, most nights I just play PlayStation.

Well, I am going to go to bed before 11 for the first time in a long while so I'd better get going. I'll write more soon!

I know it's been a loooong time since I've been on the thoughts page, but I have finally settled in here in Watertown and I thought I'd try to bring everyone up to speed.

Boards are over. I'm not sure how they went, and I won't know until August. So until then I'm in Watertown, NY at Samaritan Medical Center doing 8 weeks of Family Medicine I and then Emergency Medicine in August. It's exciting to be working in the clinics and not taking a test every week but the amount of time is still the same, maybe more. It's been two weeks and I feel I am slowly coming along, improving in the basics of the medical interview and physical diagnosis. Every day I'm excited to get better, and that is a good feeling.

Aside from work, Jamie and I have been put up in a very spacious air-conditioned apartment close to the hospital and clinics that we work. Despite having beds we have elected to sleep on the floor in the living room close to the a/c! We are within walking distance of the YMCA where we have been consistently working out. Jamie really enjoys aerobics, and I've been lifting and running on the machines. All in all it's a great set-up.

I have to say that I miss my old house but only a little bit. Everything I have for the next two years fits into my car. Simplicity has it's merit. I miss the river and I miss the cows. I miss the view and I miss the mountains. But I haven't thought twice about what I've left behind. I'm too busy looking forward.

So anyone who wants to come visit us has an open invitation. I can't think of anything else to write about right now...next time maybe I'll talk more about my "job".

Just put some new pictures up on the "Photos" page...make sure to check them out.

I have a few up there from my recent camping/studying trip. It was great! We got out of our regular routine to break the monotony and we actually ended up getting a great deal accomplished.

Now I'm back at the house refreshed and studying hard. Only 9 more days until COMLEX! Jamie is on her way to Lewisburg from Wheeling as we speak and I'm really looking forward to seeing her. Until she gets here, though...I have to study!

Just taking a break from board study. It's really not that bad...I am actually enjoying it. I truly believe that if I just stay the course that I will have an adequate knowledge base to pass Level 1. I'll keep you posted...

Had a great 2 days with my dad, brother Matt and Jamie all coming to visit this past weekend. We went caving , saw the school, swam in the river, cooked out...pretty much did it all. It was a great break for me.

Well, speaking of breaks...break time is over for me. BTW, I'm still waiting for people to get back to me regarding the Pirate game on the 18th...if you are going to be in Pittsburgh email me!

I'm realizing that I remember very little about HTML! I gonna have to take some serious time and totally redo this site. I have a ton of pictures to get up here.

My brother, my dad, and my wife are coming to visit me this weekend! I'm very excited about it...I have a bunch of cool stuff planned to do. It'll be nice to take two days off and enjoy what I have down here...I won't have it for too much longer. I will definitely miss my house on the farm, the river, the drive to and from town...everything. It's gonna suck not having a home for at least one year until Jamie has her internship lined up but hey...that is what I signed up for so that's how it's gonna be! :)

Jamie update: Jamie is still in Wheeling loving hematology/oncology. I'm very excited for her! I think soon I will get her going with her own "Thoughts" page so she can tell you all more about it.

Until then...

I had a wonderful 48 hours in Pittsburgh and Wheeling for Mothers Day. It was nice to take the drive...I always underestimate the value of removing myself from my more familiar surroundings to truly relax but it really does help to do so.

The rest of this week has been filled with board exam review. I am studying with the same group I have studied with the past 1.5 years...if it ain't broke don't fix it. The amount of material to review is immense, and as the exam draws nearer I think I will begin to more and more feel the pressure but for now I am confident I can pass it. My schedule is pretty much 8 to 5 but with some miscellaneous review in the evenings. Lots of practice questions, too. Lots.

This evening a group of students gathered at my friend Nate's house to play HALO, which for those of you who don't know is the multi-player video game I played most days while skipping class at school. And I wasn't the only one...at any given time there would be 4 or 5 playing. Tonight we had 10 which was perfect. It was great to have the opportunity to spend an evening doing that, and it won't be the last. The only low point of the night was the trip there...I got a speeding ticket! I was doing 71 in a 55. Sammy Hagar would be proud!

I was gonna say a few words about a few more serious subjects but decided hey...who wants to hear what I have to say about anything? But I can't resist. I'll start by saying that over the past two weeks I've been thinking alot about Pat Tillman and what he gave up to serve his country. I wondered what would make someone give up most every man's dream of playing pro football to risk his life as an Army Ranger. While I can't pretend to know exactly why he made that decision, I think that now that I have seen a few pictures and heard the description of those terrorist who beheaded that American civilian, I have a pretty good idea. And yet there are people who will continue to blame Bush for the terror being spread by radical Islamist. Even Berg's own father blamed Bush! Uh...wouldn't you blame the FRIGGIN' TERRORISTS? I think someone should wake these hippies up and help them to understand that this country didn't build itself. We are the envy of the world for our freedom, and there are thousands of people out there who wouldn't think twice about removing our heads with a knife because of it. THEY HATE US. Not just Republicans or conservatives or Christians, you bone-brains, but AMERICANS. What kind of person does it take to saw through someones neck with a knife? Well, let's send some of these pot-head college liberals protesting the war over to sit down and have tea with the menacing figures I saw in the background of the beheading pictures. I'm sure once those knuckleheads explain how much they understand the plight of the terrorists it'll go well.

Bottom line...give peace a chance went out the window on 9/11. Usama Bin Laden wishes it was you trapped under tons of twisted metal and concrete choking on smoke and plaster dust. Nobody in this country wants to kill all Iraqi's, or Muslims, or Palestinians just because of a few bad apples...but yet we still have thousands who think America is the big bully pushing our beliefs on other people by liberating them from atrocious persecution. In those people's eyes BUSH IS MORE OF A CRIMINAL THAN THE GUY WITH THE KNIFE. Someone explain that to me? I can't remember the last time the U.S. attacked a country because we didn't like the way they lived. But that is what happend to us.

Protecting our nation will never be an easy task, and we need to proactive in this endeavor. This is the job that our Armed Forces is charged with, and yet despite the danger we are losing more soldiers than we probably need to because we are doing our best to give the Iraqi people as much freedom as possible during this time of rebuilding and restructuring in Iraq. They need to hear and feel our support...not our naive protests.

Well, I hope I at least used complete sentences...I'm pretty exhausted. I'm sure that some people will read this and not agree with some (or all) of the things I said...and that's ok. Pat Tillman and thousands of American soldiers died and will continue to die to give you that right. Remember that...and have a great day.

I PASSED MY SECOND YEAR! After a long essentially sleepless night of studying, I managed to fill in enough correct bubbles to win the grand prize...a chance to take my board exam!

The final day itself was unremarkable. It wasn't like highschool where everyone was crying and saying, "I'll miss you!" or "I'll keep in touch forever!" I guess we are a bit older and a bit more realistic. We did have a pig roast at one of the faculty physician's home at which there was probably more of that but I did not witness much because Big Kuntry and I left after we had eaten our fill. Big Kuntry, Nate and I had gone fishing for four hours prior to the pig roast with a cooler of beer so if I wasn't tired enough already that did it for me. It felt so good to crawl into bed...

Today I'm heading to Pittburgh for two days to see Jamie and my mom for mothers day. Should be fun! It'll be back to studying on Monday. :( I'll write more then...

So much to say...but so little time. Yesterday I spent 18 hours at the school either in class or studying. It was the last big day for classes. Today we have one hour of case studies and then a spring awards lunch...then it's time to take one more run for glory in the form of an all-night medical genetics binge.

At this point it's pretty simple...pass the test, pass the year. This is only because they left a required 10 hour medical genetics discipline for the last exam. Normally we have our disciplines scattered over numerous exams, but not this one. And each student must pass all of his or her own disciplines in order to pass the year. So to prevent any unforseen delays in getting out of WV and into Watertown, NY I've been studying like I have never studied before...actually studying two nights before the exam!

I'll never forget being told by my 6th grade teacher that I would be "just a number" in high school and if I goofed off like I do in school I wouldn't make it through. Well, I never listened and here I am about to be halfway through medical school with the toughest academic part behind me...still drawing cartoons in class, still cramming the night before the exam...and still getting through just fine! ;)

Jamie is loving her Hematology/Oncology rotation in Wheeling...what a nerd. ;) She loves to look at those lab reports and all the numbers and stuff. I'm excited for her to have found something in medicine that she enjoys so much and who knows...maybe that'll be the one??

It's still tough being apart for weeks at a time...

Well, my pants are just about dry. To quote Young Guns II, "Let's finish the game."

Today is the first day of my last week of classroom medical education...and to kick it off my car has died. I'm hoping it's just the battery, but nevertheless I have to deal with the rude Triple A guy. So much for southern hospitality...

Jamie is in Wheeling this month, checking out Ohio Valley Medical Center while doing two weeks of hematology/oncology and then two weeks of anesthesia. We are looking very carefully at OVMC as a possible internship/residency site. We'll keep you posted.

I guess I'll go and wait for the AAA guy...I'm not feeling to literary right now.

Guess what everyone...Jamie and I are on the South Beach diet! Monday was the first day and it was a little rough going carb-less but I made it. Jamie told me on the phone last night that she made it as well so we are cautiously optimistic that this is something that we can stick to and make it to phase 3 which is the maintenance phase. Already with a little planning ahead, I feel great...I never feel hungry because the diet allows you to eat until you are full as long as you are eating the allowed foods which include plenty of greens, tomatoes, chicken, mixed nuts, cheese, etc. I think Jamie has it much worse because being at her rotation site in Logan, WV makes it more difficult to keep good food around and even harder to cook. I, on the other hand have been experimenting and pleasantly suprised. I'll keep you all posted as to how we both do...

Well, it's bedtime for now. Goodnight!

Ok, I'm back...again...and this time hopefully I'll be able to keep up with this webpage!

Alot can change in a year. I'm married now and am enjoying being "settled down" with a wonderful girl. The wedding was spectacular, and the honeymoon could not have been more perfect. If you want to take a look at where we were, I'll be posting some pictures soon but in the meantime here is a link with some pictures:

http://www.jmtravel.com/beach_sunscape_punta_cana_grand.htm

Jamie and I certainly enjoyed our time off together and are hopeful that in the near future we will be able to return there with a group of people to make it even more fun...wanna come?

I've already planned many of my third year rotations and have only one more month of classroom education to go before I depart Lewisburg, WV and start my clinical years. Gotta take the Level 1 Board exam first, though, and right now that is looming pretty big. But when that is finished Jamie and I will spend June, July and August in Watertown, NY scouting a possible location for us to do our post-graduate work. Also in the running as of right now: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Wheeling and San Diego, CA. That's right...sunny southern California! It would be a tough decision to leave the northeast for 4 or 5 years but it would also be a tough opportunity to pass up if it presented itself.

Well, I think that I need to practice being more concise in future postings...I ramble! I'm off to actually prepare for the upcoming week by reading ahead. I have never actually done this before in high school, college or most of my time here in medical school but hey...it's never to late to start!

I'm out of gas for the second night in a row. My house is heated by natural gas from a refillable tank outside of the house. I ran out yesterday and they have yet to get around to filling it again PLUS when I called to inquire about the order my landlord had called in the lady yelled at ME! So much for southern hospitality. Now Big Naughty and I have to go back into town to spend the night once again.

Aside from that school is going very well and spring break is quickly approaching. I'm going on a fishing trip the first weekend and then heading to Pittsburgh later that week. Can't wait!

Well, I have to begin prepping the dog for the trip which includes lots of Benadryl and Dramamine. Wish me luck!

Well, it's finally March. For us WVSOM MSI students, that means we have only one more "block week" and then it's on to new, equally challenging courses. There is so much to know even superficially about the body that I can't imagine that I will retain even half of what they put in front of me to learn at this school. I am excited already to begin rotations to start to see the practical application of what I'm being taught.

It's been a wonderful weekend. Not for any particular reason, really...I just don't have any impending tests so I have been able to relax and accomplish tasks that I have put off at a leisurely pace. I did my taxes and my financial aid stuff, cleaned, and finished up fellowship applications. For those of you who don't know, I'm applying for a number of clinical research fellowships for the summer which will allow me to have an income for 8 weeks while gaining some early clinical experience. I'm lucky to have had as much experience in research as I did attending the University of Pittsburgh...I'm hoping this will bode well for me in the application process. Most likely, if I am accepted I will be spending the summer in Buffalo, NY at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. I'm also applying to a program in NY, NY but I'm not so sure I want to be there while the country is on high terror alert. I guess we'll just wait and see! If it all falls through, though, I hear Wolfendale's is hiring...

In an hour I have to drive into school to work on a short physiology project, but after that I'm going to lift in our new athletic building and then possibly go bowling. I'll let you all know what I roll...

I just read some of the older "thoughts" on this page and it made me realize how quickly my life has changed! For those of you that don't know, I no longer live behind the sprawling West View Park Shopping Plaza but instead next to the Renick General Store in a town with a population of maybe a few hundred. I no longer am a case manager at UPMC. Instead, I'm a first year medical student at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Obviously, I'm no longer in a band but I still find time to play the guitar and sing from time to time! Basically, I've traded in my old life for an entierely new one and it's working out even better than I expected.

I really don't have much to say tonight...just wanted to get the first "thought" in so that people would believe me when I say that I am going to keep this page updated! I think I'll try to get a few pictures up here before I go to bed so check them out. Goodnight!

For those of you who I haven't communicated with for awhile...email me!

Gotta say thanks to everybody who came out to see the band at Zythos! It was wild. Special thanks to the Attendants for having us out and an EXTRA special thanks to the guys who came up and helped me out with the vocals...Tiger, Andy, and Mike you guys rocked. I can only hope to see more rockers like you guys at future shows!

3:03am...time for bed!

I just got back from the Pitt campus and the ribbon cutting ceremony for "The Creation Station" which my good friend John Paul worked for two years to bring to life. Bluejack played about 12 songs for the Litchfield Towers Lobby crowd and even shared the stage for a bit with DJ Bonics, a rap duo who were excellent. I had a blast and was happy to be a part of it all.
Unfortunately, our gig at the Delta Sigma Phi house was cancelled for this evening. I was looking forward to that one but luckily we have a show tomorrow night at Zythos with The Attendants...I'll rest up for that instead and be ready to rock! Hope to see you there...

What a fun time tonight at Cumpie's in Oakland! Thanks to all of you who came out to support the band and local music. The Attendants are awesome and we appreciate them having us out to play. I'm looking forward to playing with them this Saturday evening at Zythos on the South Side. I wish I had something more to say but I don't. Goodnight!

Well I am back in Pittsburgh after a relaxing week in San Diego. I am very grateful my dad allowed me to join him on the trip while he attended a conference. I spent most of my time there doing nothing which to me felt great! I was only a real "tourist" on my first full day there when I hopped on the bus to travel to Old Town and Mission Beach. I spent my evenings in the "Gas Lamp district" drinking at the bars for the most part. On Thurdsay my dad and I rented a car and drove to Los Angeles to do some sight-seeing...turns out L.A. really isn't very exciting, at least not as exciting as I imagined it would be. By the end of the week I was looking forward to returning home to more familiar surroundings.

Keep an eye on bluejackrock.com for dates and times of upcoming shows...we have a bunch of stuff lined up this month!

Back in July when I made the decision to go without TV by foregoing cable, I didn't think I would be able to last. What would I do without the sitcoms, the sports, the commercial-free "VH1 Classics"? Nearly 8 months later, I can honestly say there have been only a handful of times that I have wished to be able to watch a program or event in the comfort of my own home. The Olympic Closing ceremony which went on yesterday was one of those events.

I do have an antenna which does a decent job of picking up the major stations but they all come in fuzzy. I watched the athletes file into the stadium in what looked to be blizzard conditions...turned out to be static. Luckily the imperfect reception did not affect the sound, allowing me to hear the interviews with some of the more notable participants as well as the performances of the musicians.

But, check this out...I went to floss and brush my teeth during what I thought was a lower energy moment in the show. As I sat down I heard Michelle Kwan (sp?) say she enjoyed the music of "Gloria Estefan, KISS..." Wait a minute...KISS??? She must have meant some other KISS, right? I didn't hear anything about wanting the best and getting the best during the Olympic Closing Ceremony! I quickly dismissed the notion that KISS would be anywhere so unannounced and with such little fanfare...

Sure enough, however, plenty of people did witness this remarkable appearance...much to my dismay. So although I thought that what I watched last night was one of the most georgeous, spectacular events I have ever seen I missed seeing my band perform. Who knows? Maybe I was able to enjoy the show more by missing them as opposed to being on fire, plugging in my guitar and playing along with "KISS Alive II" all night. Then again, maybe not.

What is the moral of the story? Simple...don't ever brush your teeth because just when you are scrubbin' the leftover burrito off of your choppers KISS could pop up on Friends, Sports Center or even Seasame Street. Stay informed and don't leave anything to chance.

I would like to point out that I am still the smartest weather man in Pittsburgh. We got a few more snowflakes than I predicted last night...27 to be exact. I counted. So I had to go into work and be on time but it turned out to be a very good day. I did some things that I have put off for awhile. I had lunch with my dad at an awesome fish place in the Strip District. And I spent some time chatting with two very cool people, David and Jackie, who had me over to see their cozy new place.

I spent my evening on the South Side with the band taking a roll of pictures with the hopes of producing a few gems for the website and the press kit. Any success we have with the photos we owe to Lorenda Wlekunski, a wonderful lady who had some very creative ideas for the shots and was a blast to hang out with. She volunteered her time to help us out with this aspect of the bluejack project and there is no way we could ever thank her enough. But it never hurts to try...THANKS LORENDA!

So from what I have read it's supposed to snow tonight...up to one inch. Here's my prediction: one single snowflake. That's right...one single snowflake will fall from the sky right as I step out the door to go to work. I need to move to Buffalo. Every year I wait with child-like anticipation for the evening I will sit and watch a gigantic wave of dark green creep across the radar as my excuse for sleeping in until 11 piles up outside my window flake by flake. Oh, well...maybe next year.

Well I appear to have done an absolutely fabulous job keeping up with my "thoughts" page. Today is Superbowl Sunday and I am hardly excited...just another game as far as I'm concerned. I think I will be rooting for New England simply because if St. Louis wins that will be what was supposed to happen. A New England victory would be a much better story.

Out with the old and in with the new...bluejack is in and Gimmick is out! The band has a different feel now with the new name and we are beginning to book more shows. As always, keep an eye on the main page for updates.

Have a great Superbowl Sunday!

I decided that I would start a little "thoughts" page that people can check every couple of days to see what I have been up to.

Tonight I'm heading to the rehearsal space to finish recording the Gimmick demo CD. It'll be nice to have it done. We'll probably be putting some mp3's up on our website but for those of you who would like a copy of the CD, we'll have some extra's at upcoming shows for ya...just ask!

Today was supposed to be a vacation day but I spent it at work catching up. I did get to spend about two hours before dark digging a trench in the backyard, giving my dog a chance to frolic and burn off some energy. I had a campfire, too...but because of my proximity to the West View Plaza I am always afraid that somebody is gonna see the smoke and call THE FIREHOUSE! (if you are not a KISS fan...nevermind)