the underwear drawer

cesspool

I think people saved pooled all their illnesses and complaints until after Christmas to share with us. Either that, or these big family gatherings are just bogs for viral proliferation. The ER was packed today, and I can guarantee that if your kid was not sick when she showed up in the waiting room, she was sick by the time she left, because when you pack 50 kids into one small room during flu season, bad things happen.

There was some consolation, though. For one thing, there was free pizza, courtesy of the director of the ER. For another thing...well, there is no other consolation. Working during everyone else's vacation sucks. No amount of candy coating (or mozzarella coating) will mask that. At least I'm only in the ER twice this month. I was supposed to have three weekend ER shifts, but I got one of my co-residents to pay me a shift back for a sick call I took for him earlier last year. Thank goodness for small favors, because the Peds ER is absolutely not a happy place in the wintertime. As one resident succinctly put it, "This place is a cesspool."

I had dinner with Jamal tonight, one of my oldest high school friends (meaning that we go way back, not that he's 90 years old or somthing) and we caught up on this and that. These days, we only manage to see each other about twice a year, but we still manage to stay close. I like that Jamal. He's funny, and he knows stuff. Plus, there's a lot to be said for a friend who knew how much of a dork you were when you were twelve, yet still wants to be friends with you anyway.

Currently reading: "The Kite Runner." I've fallen behind on my reading somewhat, what with the Christmas break and all, but I'm sure I'll catch up now that I'm back at work. Which is, I guess, the opposite of what most people would say. But most people probably don't spend as much time sitting on the subway as I do.