That's Dr. Howser to you...

Surprisingly, no one in any of my interviews for medical school has brought up that I favor Neil Patrick-Harris.

We're well into interview season and it's starting to wind down as people and places pick one another. I've never been through a judgment process quite like this one and I'm looking forward to it being over with. Listed as one of my soul-defining facebook interests is "looking for people that don't take themselves too seriously," which I expect to be a greater challenge in medical school.

The science is exciting and entertaining to read and nothing gets me jazzed quite like spending time with people - seeing how similar and different we can be at the same time. With that in mind, I'm hopeful that I end up in a place that balances the emotional abuse of a medical education with stretching relationships and strong mentors. I should know by March where the constellation of acceptances, deposits and uhauls align.

In theory this year has been a year off. The way working people talk about taking a year off gives the impression that they're imagining MTV's life-break 2k7/8. Weighing in with the celebrity cameos though, (John Goodman in Nola) are moments when it has felt like one of my most stone-heavy gut-sink times.

I'm so thankful to be present while my family here in Atlanta changes and ages. I know that spending lots of time away from home can translate to missing weddings and funerals - it's one of the biggest hesitations I had for joining the peace corps.

There are many chapters in the Tao Te Ching, but I frequently find Steven Mitchell's translation of chapter 8 echoing in my head:

The supreme good is like water,
which nourishes all things without trying to.
It is content with the low places that people disdain.
Thus it is like the Tao.

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.

holmes at home

Most writing here has been about time away from home.

Still, I've been thinking about this blog more and more since I'm starting to plan my next trip and I have a few posts about the home I've found since being in Atlanta again, while starting to think about leaving for India.

For starters, ever since I moved in with my roommates Allen and Liz just a slizzered swerve from fashionable EAV (just ask the guy across the street that I wave to as he chugs a 22oz brown bag before getting on the main drag - you know, it's safer that way) I've wanted to broadcast some awe and wonder for the local economy. The picture here is of Nabor's cleaners, a nice place where they do unto your laundry as you would have them do unto you.

It's best not to think too hard about the spelling here, just as it's best not to worry too much about the Jehovah's witnesses that come by at least once a week to convert us young professional heathens. Much less to be concerned about a faith that sees a limit to the number of people that can get into heaven, but still tries to get more people to join... If it were me, I'd try to keep my odds as favorable as possible.

Also nearby is Ann's snack shack, voted best burger in the nation by USA today, and best burger in Atlanta by Creative Loafing. What first drew my attention before all that though was the carefully airbrushed sign out front, proclaiming the rapidly-approaching-40-year-old trailer as home of the world famous ghetto burger (pictures and stories to come soon). World famous? Well, I had to have a piece of that. Did I hear you say hamburgers are cultural exceptions to vegetarianism?

MCAT - or - Mike Charging At Test

Hi Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you well and enjoying the little perennial surprises crawling out the ends of dogwood branches and cherry trees.

I am in the final stretch of my studying for the Medical College Admissions Test, which I have registered to write on April 7th in Augusta. I started studying when I was living in Ecuador last fall, thanks to Oon Cho's gently worn Kaplan books with distracting korean notes in the margin. When I got back I (more legitimately) started with Kaplan's prep course in November with weekly classes.

Lately I've been living a bit more of a monastic lifestyle. Simply reading, eating and sleeping, with days full of contemplative practices of the scientific persuasion. Some of you know that I thought pretty seriously about joining a monastery for a while, (to learn to make the world's best beer if nothing else) so I've been quite comfortable in this routine and have yet to notice any sign of stress aside from the annual assault of plant lovemaking that makes my eyes itch a bit.

I've been working at Caribou Coffee to placate my belly and buddy landlord, and have more than enough caffeine to maintain directed attention, so I don't really need much.

That said, I'll probably be pretty scarce for the next couple of weeks, but I'll still be thinking of y'all a lot. And if you subscribe to that sort of thing, I'd appreciate your thoughts too. It's a long road, but I'm really excited about finding more and more how well medicine fits with how I see myself being in the world.

I look forward to seeing/talking with y'all soon after my test, and cutting loose until things really gear up again in the Fall of 2008.

Do well, Be well,

-Mike Holmes

home again

why is it that no one else is concerned with pumpkin dental hygiene?

last monday, i walked up to the buddy pass wait line in the airport in lima, peru (one of my favorite cities in the world see: charming puno). already waiting was a family of 4 that had been waiting since the previous wednesday. this did not look good for mikey. but, remembering my lesson from last year i ditched almost all the clothes in my bag, the mate tea that i was planning on bringing back and all my gels, liquids and creams with some street kids outside the airport, and suddenly, had nothing to check. thankfully, it was enough to earn me a seat, and i was on the midnight flight for GA.

So i've been back for a bit more than a week now, poor, living with the folks and looking for a job (know anybody hiring a travel writer?). It hasn't been too rough of a readjustment this time, maybe because i've had lots of time on my own to take it easy. But more than anything it's been nice to get back to brick store, visit the guys at sweetwater, see anjie preach, and visit with some old friends. Not to mention that it feels like a really long time since i've enjoyed fall as much. Most days i've been able to walk or ride my bike for a few hours just taking in fall colors, smells and chilly breezes.