Baylor College of Medicine Class of 2008

[HollyJ]

Dude I'm already in hell - form hell specifically.

HollyJ, I can sympathize. House buying is ALMOST as bad. Have you got an offer yet, or still waiting?

Still waiting. And waiting.

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[HollyJ]

How important is NIH funding in the grand scheme of medical education? Does it significantly affect the overall quality of medical education? What do you guys think?

Since NIH funding is peer reviewed and, therefore, high caliber scientific funding, I suppose that NIH funding is one measure of an institution's commitment to scientific excellence. But I wonder if this commitment translates into higher standards of performance for medical students. I'm sure it does for MD/PhD candidates and students on research tracks, but what about the average medical student with no inclination towards a research stint?

Honestly? I think not at all.

 

[Newquagmire]

Plenty of other research ventures to pick up the slack. Baylor's #1 in pediatrics, urology, micro/immuno... I know there was one or two more. Can't remember off the top of my head. They're top 5, top 10, top 25 in other areas (biochem and neurosci and ENT come to mind off the top of my head) as well.

One thing that really surprises me is that they (apparently) haven't exploited Menninger yet. They have one of the top psychiatric hospitals - this from my dad the shrink and his partners - perhaps Menninger isn't into research?

The reason this NIH stuff worries me is twofold:

1)Research ranking begets reputation. If Baylor starts falling, its reputation will fall. If Baylor maintains its top 5-top 10 NIH tables position, its reputation will be stable or possibly rise.

2)Dr. Traber is making a lot of changes. They've reduced the strength of a 50 year partnership, strengthened an affiliation with another hospital that is still affiliated with another medical school, and made plans to build a Baylor clinic. That's a lot of upheaval in the conservative, relatively stable world of medicine; if the Baylor Clinic turns out to be huge, great, it's always great to have the medical school's name on the institution. But it also exposes the school to more financial risk. The affiliation game is a more financially protected position to work from, which is probably why you'll never see Harvard University Hospital get built (even though they could afford it many times over). As for Methodist and St. Luke's - you have to wonder why they couldn't work out some kind of dual primary adult training center thing out. St. Luke's has strengths, Methodist has strengths, and except for heart, they don't really overlap (and even there, THI >> Methodist).

This just makes me wonder if this is a blip that, as you wisely pointed out, is just reflective of one year's data and could be influenced by a whole bunch of factors, such as renewals et al., or if this is a sign that Baylor is focusing too much on TMC politics and not enough on what should really be occupying their interest, namely increasing their research funding (and, obviously, our education - but I think a medical school's curriculum usually does well under salutary neglect). That said, that Dr. Traber was part of turning the Hosp. of UPenn around DOES give me a lot of confidence that he'll make the clinic work.

I am entirely uninformed as to how much NIH funding goes into clinical peds/uro/micro.immuno research. If you're talking about basic science research, I would still hypothesize that it's based in genetics approaches though.

NIH funding is related to reputation as far as USNWR is concerned, but there are other forms of funding and rankings. I know you're not suggesting that it is the definitive standard (I mean, UW and Penn beat out Hopkins), but I wouldn't take it too seriously unless the trend continues for a significant period. I would even argue to elias514 that it doesn't necessarily mean anything in attracting MD/PhD students because they tend to take an absolutely absurd number of factors into account and may settle for working in one outstanding lab at an otherwise less prestigious institution for various personal reasons. Possibly aside from first-hand exposure to translational technologies, I don't think the research matters one bit to a student who has no interest in it. However, it is generally true that the same institutions that excel at research attract students who have at least demonstrated some interest.

I'll respond to your PM soon, but in the mean time, I wanted to put this question out to the board, since there are a lot of people out here more qualified to answer it. I think your best bet for appreciation actually is Condoland, unless you have rich parents or a rich uncle/aunt/grandparent. The Hermann area is nice, but the two buildings (high-rises) I saw there were a)more expensive and b)had ridiculous HOA fees. You'll probably get more bang for your buck out in condoland, and thanks to the ridiculous growth of the medical center and med/grad school admissions in the med ctr, there are and will always be new buyers. Anything with an attached garage will be easier to sell for a higher price; my realtor actually told me that high-rises usually take longer to sell in Houston, because most people are not used to that kind of living. Go figure.

The Rice Village and West U areas are nice. My cousin lives in River Oaks right now, which is a wealthy area of town. The places there will be real expensive, but will probably hold their value pretty well. Far from the medical center though. Montrose was... err... interesting... never going back there again after the Porn Palace incident. No light rail there either though.

I know ms. a and I think Gleevec are residents of Houston - so they could probably give you a better idea.

No, making it public is a great idea. Somebody else asked this earlier, but if any of you Houstonians have an idea of which areas' property values will appreciate in the next, oh, say 7 to 8 years, and would kindly let me know, I will bake you double chocolate chip cookies. As I mentioned to BL, I am interested in the high-rise lifestyle, but not so much so that I absolutely oppose a condo...

 

[sfgboy]

newquagmire, if you're looking to find an area that will appreciate significantly, i'd have to agree with baylorlion in saying that condoland has definitely blown up in value, with no end in sight. i've had a home in houston for the last 9 years, have seen people buy and sell condos in the area just south of the medical center for healthy gains, and that area definitely looks to keep appreciating. one thing to keep in mind is that a lot of properties that were previously rentals are now switching over to condos/ownership because of the high demand for ownership (due to such low interest rates)... I remember reading an article about this in the Chronicle a couple weeks ago. If I find it, I'll post a link.

Edit: I'm attaching a PDF of the article (it's archived so providing a link wouldn't work)

 

[ms. a]

Hey guys,

I have a question that's off the topic. It's about our schedule. I know that we have lectures 8-12 every day, then 2 days a week we also have stuf 1-5, right? I'm just wondering when do labs happen? And how often is it htat we absolutely have to be in at 8 (as in, are there labs at 8)? Please don't think I'm a slacker for asking these questions! I'm actually trying to figure out how I'm going to work dropping off our daughter at day care and still getting to class on time, and knowing how things are going to work will go a long way in helping us plan what other kind of child care we'll need, beyond regular day care. Yeah, normally my husband will take her to day care, since the facility is at NASA, but it's the times when he's away on travel that I'm worried about (which is about a week every month for the first year).

 

[Newquagmire]

newquagmire, if you're looking to find an area that will appreciate significantly, i'd have to agree with baylorlion in saying that condoland has definitely blown up in value, with no end in sight. i've had a home in houston for the last 9 years, have seen people buy and sell condos in the area just south of the medical center for healthy gains, and that area definitely looks to keep appreciating. one thing to keep in mind is that a lot of properties that were previously rentals are now switching over to condos/ownership because of the high demand for ownership (due to such low interest rates)... I remember reading an article about this in the Chronicle a couple weeks ago. If I find it, I'll post a link.

Edit: I'm attaching a PDF of the article (it's archived so providing a link wouldn't work)

Cheers for that Any other opinions?

 

[Gleevec]

Hey guys,

I have a question that's off the topic. It's about our schedule. I know that we have lectures 8-12 every day, then 2 days a week we also have stuf 1-5, right? I'm just wondering when do labs happen? And how often is it htat we absolutely have to be in at 8 (as in, are there labs at 8)? Please don't think I'm a slacker for asking these questions! I'm actually trying to figure out how I'm going to work dropping off our daughter at day care and still getting to class on time, and knowing how things are going to work will go a long way in helping us plan what other kind of child care we'll need, beyond regular day care. Yeah, normally my husband will take her to day care, since the facility is at NASA, but it's the times when he's away on travel that I'm worried about (which is about a week every month for the first year).

Hmm, good question.

First off Im pretty sure its 1-4PM twice a week (I dont know if thats important to you in terms of scheduling), and one of those is clinic.

I wish I could answer the question about lab, and Im interested to hear the answer to that too.

 

[Gleevec]

Cheers for that Any other opinions?

I glanced at the article, and one thing to note about Houston is that its a city of homeowners (like most cities in the south). Unlike in the northeast where many people live in apartments, in general Houston has cheap enough land (with good quality schools and location) that oftentimes the houses are a better deal than apartments and condos.

So while the land in condoland has gone up in value, in general your market might just be other medical students-- as opposed to if you invested in a house then your market is more general (as well as for med students).

Also, the suburbs (Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Woodlands) generally won't appreciate as much in land value as the inner loop (Bellaire, Memorial, River "bling" Oaks).

So what the land values will be and which regions are worth more, no one knows. But just be careful about buying a condo or renting an apartment-- you just might find a house for a similar price (and it is this fact that makes owning a condo less useful in Houston than it does in other cities).

Then again, if you want in-state tuition as an out-of--stater, condoland is where its at (though again, a house might work better).

Im actually thinking about getting a house at some point, because its pretty much an investment if you buy in the West University area.

 

[Gleevec]

How important is NIH funding in the grand scheme of medical education? Does it significantly affect the overall quality of medical education? What do you guys think?

Since NIH funding is peer reviewed and, therefore, high caliber scientific funding, I suppose that NIH funding is one measure of an institution's commitment to scientific excellence. But I wonder if this commitment translates into higher standards of performance for medical students. I'm sure it does for MD/PhD candidates and students on research tracks, but what about the average medical student with no inclination towards a research stint?

I doubt it matters at all. People tried to make that argument for undergrad schools too, but I know people who were much happier with their education at Swarthmore and Amherst (liberal arts colleges, little research) than people I know who went to bigger research powerhouses (USNEWS top 10). A lot of that has to do with the focus of the faculty-- if they're busy trying to survive on research grants, are they really going to give a flying freak whether you're passing embryology or not?

Also Im not quite sure what makes you speculate that higher NIH funding leads to better medical student performance. I mean, its kinda cool that this lab is now able to afford another PCR machine or freezer because they got a grant for a new project, but how is that going to improve my board scores? I just dont see the link.

 

[TexasRose]

Hey guys,

I have a question that's off the topic. It's about our schedule. I know that we have lectures 8-12 every day, then 2 days a week we also have stuf 1-5, right? I'm just wondering when do labs happen? And how often is it htat we absolutely have to be in at 8 (as in, are there labs at 8)? Please don't think I'm a slacker for asking these questions! I'm actually trying to figure out how I'm going to work dropping off our daughter at day care and still getting to class on time, and knowing how things are going to work will go a long way in helping us plan what other kind of child care we'll need, beyond regular day care. Yeah, normally my husband will take her to day care, since the facility is at NASA, but it's the times when he's away on travel that I'm worried about (which is about a week every month for the first year).

I'd like a clearer answer to this questions as well. I also have to make childcare arrangments. My understanding from a 1st year student is that we have afternoons with class or clinic twice a week. Might be worth calling and asking though. Think I'll do that tomorrow and let you know what I learn.

As for the condo/apt/house debate, I compared apt rent and mortgages, and like Gleevec said, they are very similar. Might as well make the investment if you can afford the downpayment. Just beware of purchasing a home that is old enough to need significant upkeep. It might be great to own a neat old house in West U, if you can afford the price, but not so fun to deal with 1940's plumbing and such. As they say, buyer beware.

 

[No Egrets]

Where has everyone disappeared off to? It seems like there are really only 2 or 3 people posting regularly here - are the rest of you out there and lurking? Where's HollyJ, No Egrets, the guy who was asking about a Dell-Baylor deal a while back... don't tell me all of you got in somewhere else off the waitlist AND decided to go there instead! I was reading the first posts on this board and noticed there were a LOT more people - y'all still comin' to Baylor?

Hey guys!
I haven't been checking SDN much... I graduate on Friday and am pretty occupied with packing, and by packing I mean partying. I took trips down to Martha's Vineyard and New York, and yesterday my team placed 3rd in the senior week scavenger hunt!

 

[Newquagmire]

I'd like a clearer answer to this questions as well. I also have to make childcare arrangments. My understanding from a 1st year student is that we have afternoons with class or clinic twice a week. Might be worth calling and asking though. Think I'll do that tomorrow and let you know what I learn.

As for the condo/apt/house debate, I compared apt rent and mortgages, and like Gleevec said, they are very similar. Might as well make the investment if you can afford the downpayment. Just beware of purchasing a home that is old enough to need significant upkeep. It might be great to own a neat old house in West U, if you can afford the price, but not so fun to deal with 1940's plumbing and such. As they say, buyer beware.

congrats to no_egrets!

do you really think it's worth the investment to purchase a house if i don't have a spouse and the associated rugrats and 2.3 dogs? are there houses near the TMC? forgive me, i am a total noob to houston.

 

[BaylorLion]

I know there are townhouses in the Old Spanish Trail area and two high-rises on Hermann. West U is fairly nearby - don't know if the light rail runs there yet though. I feel as though I remember seeing houses while I was driving around looking for places, but can't say for sure.

Congrats to no egrets on the scavenger hunt placing...

And this comes under weird news that came up on my radar, because I own stock in McD's...

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=67791

Do we REALLY want healthy fast food?

 

[Algunn]

There are tons of condos/properties in a variety of price ranges that you can find within a 2-4 mile vicinity of the TMC. There's West U, Bellaire, Rice Village, Condoland/Reliant, University Place, Hermann Park/288, Montrose, and - a little further north but easily accessible by light rail - midtown. If you are looking at specific properties and want to get a complete history of the prices that these places were bought, sold, and appraised at, check out the harris county appraisal district online.
http://www.hcad.org/

 

[ninebillion]

How expensive is medical center parking for students who commute from areas not on the bus or rail route?

 

[Algunn]

How expensive is medical center parking for students who commute from areas not on the bus or rail route?

If you want to park in any of the garages in the TMC, you're looking at $10 for anything over 2.5 hours. If you want to park at the brown and red lots, it's cheaper, especially if you have a contract (from what I remember, it comes out to about $50 a month). The problem with these lots is that they are FAAAAR from the TMC and you have to take a shuttle bus from parking to the TMC (it's free, but with waiting, it makes the trip from the lot to the TMC about 15 minutes on average).

 

[TexasRose]

congrats to no_egrets!

do you really think it's worth the investment to purchase a house if i don't have a spouse and the associated rugrats and 2.3 dogs? are there houses near the TMC? forgive me, i am a total noob to houston.

Honestly, I wouldn't buy a house unless you have a need for that kind of space, yard, etc. Lots of people like owning a condo/townhome, though, because you get a bit more privacy, a garage to park in, and generally a bit more space than you would in an apt. Personal preferences.

Thanks to Algunn for the helpful posts about areas to live in and the parking situation.

And I forgot the last thing I was going to say...

 

[Newquagmire]

good stuff, Algunn, ta.

ok so this is a weird/idiot question, but how ubiquitous are fire ants? i like grass and wearing sandals and all that good stuff, but am i going to die if i play barefoot in my tropical paradise condo? i.e. do effective pest deterrents exist and are they commonly used by condo boards? i wonder how many deadly animal species exist in the houston area (note: i realize that fire ants probably aren't deadly unless you're allergic [to formic acid?])...

 

[ms. a]

good stuff, Algunn, ta.

ok so this is a weird/idiot question, but how ubiquitous are fire ants? i like grass and wearing sandals and all that good stuff, but am i going to die if i play barefoot in my tropical paradise condo? i.e. do effective pest deterrents exist and are they commonly used by condo boards? i wonder how many deadly animal species exist in the houston area (note: i realize that fire ants probably aren't deadly unless you're allergic [to formic acid?])...

They are everywhere - everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. We live in a very nice apartment complex right now, with groundskeepers all over the place all the time, and just yesterday I found myself brushing ants off my daughter's foot. You simply cannot stop them from spreading. You kill one hill and another one pops up a couple of yards away. This past weekend, we were playing in the nice, well-manicured, well-tended backyard of the model home where we're building a house and one tiny little ant managed to crawl up on my big toe and bite it. Two hours later I was in the ER getting injected with all sorts of stuff. One little tiny freakin' ant did that. And my toe is still driving me nuts. Before that, we had no idea that I was allergic to them. I guess my immune system was primed after being bitten a few weeks ago. Not fun.

 

[Giving My .02]

When do ya'll start school at Baylor?

 

[Newquagmire]

They are everywhere - everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. We live in a very nice apartment complex right now, with groundskeepers all over the place all the time, and just yesterday I found myself brushing ants off my daughter's foot. You simply cannot stop them from spreading. You kill one hill and another one pops up a couple of yards away. This past weekend, we were playing in the nice, well-manicured, well-tended backyard of the model home where we're building a house and one tiny little ant managed to crawl up on my big toe and bite it. Two hours later I was in the ER getting injected with all sorts of stuff. One little tiny freakin' ant did that. And my toe is still driving me nuts. Before that, we had no idea that I was allergic to them. I guess my immune system was primed after being bitten a few weeks ago. Not fun.

comforting.

$.02, mandatory orientation july 26th 0800.

 

[Gleevec]

When do ya'll start school at Baylor?

orientation last week of july, class starts first week of august

 

[BaylorLion]

They are everywhere - everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. We live in a very nice apartment complex right now, with groundskeepers all over the place all the time, and just yesterday I found myself brushing ants off my daughter's foot. You simply cannot stop them from spreading. You kill one hill and another one pops up a couple of yards away. This past weekend, we were playing in the nice, well-manicured, well-tended backyard of the model home where we're building a house and one tiny little ant managed to crawl up on my big toe and bite it. Two hours later I was in the ER getting injected with all sorts of stuff. One little tiny freakin' ant did that. And my toe is still driving me nuts. Before that, we had no idea that I was allergic to them. I guess my immune system was primed after being bitten a few weeks ago. Not fun.

Holy mother. I think I'll play indoors. Your poor lil' girl - I remember fire ants wreaking havoc when my friends and I went swimming or played on our swing set when I was a wee babe.

After rereading my previous posts - just to clarify, the "Porn Palace incident" refers to an apartment my family and I saw while we were looking at high-rises near the medical center. A guy who had huge 7 ft. x 9 ft. photos of some pretty nasty stuff - not the kind of stuff you want to see with your parents and your little sister. Nor really the kind of stuff you want to see by yourself, for that matter. I spent most of the time staring at the floor - to be fair, the apartment itself was well kept.

Quags, if you're considering a house with more than one bedroom, you might also consider renting out your extra rooms. A pharm student bought the townhouse next to the one I was looking at (hers is larger), and her parents are renting the extra 2 bedrooms out. So basically, her renters are paying the mortgage. Sweet deal, if you can get it - she's basically getting free housing for 4 years and will make a nice profit at the end.

 

[TexasRose]

They are everywhere - everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. We live in a very nice apartment complex right now, with groundskeepers all over the place all the time, and just yesterday I found myself brushing ants off my daughter's foot. You simply cannot stop them from spreading. You kill one hill and another one pops up a couple of yards away. This past weekend, we were playing in the nice, well-manicured, well-tended backyard of the model home where we're building a house and one tiny little ant managed to crawl up on my big toe and bite it. Two hours later I was in the ER getting injected with all sorts of stuff. One little tiny freakin' ant did that. And my toe is still driving me nuts. Before that, we had no idea that I was allergic to them. I guess my immune system was primed after being bitten a few weeks ago. Not fun.

wow, ms. a, that's awful!!! I didn't know you could be allergic to those hideous things. Hope it's feeling better today.

How is your house coming along? Did you say it wouldn't be completed until sometime in the Fall? I'm moving into your neck of the woods in 2 weeks!

 

[curlycity]

Wow, insurance is more expensive in Houston. Just in case anyone's looking, I'm getting the best deal for auto from Progressive, and the best deal for renter's from Allstate.

 

[curlycity]

ok so this is a weird/idiot question, but how ubiquitous are fire ants? i like grass and wearing sandals and all that good stuff, but am i going to die if i play barefoot in my tropical paradise condo? i.e. do effective pest deterrents exist and are they commonly used by condo boards? i wonder how many deadly animal species exist in the houston area (note: i realize that fire ants probably aren't deadly unless you're allergic [to formic acid?])...

Well I'll be happily ensconced in my 4-th floor loft apartment surrounded by an ocean of concrete ... are there winged fire ants?

 

[Newquagmire]

in general, ant species' queens are born with wings. they then fly off to make their own nests or fight to the death. cockroaches have wings too... i bet those are a lot bigger in houston.

 

[tonoplast]

Where has everyone disappeared off to? It seems like there are really only 2 or 3 people posting regularly here - are the rest of you out there and lurking? Where's HollyJ, No Egrets, the guy who was asking about a Dell-Baylor deal a while back... don't tell me all of you got in somewhere else off the waitlist AND decided to go there instead! I was reading the first posts on this board and noticed there were a LOT more people - y'all still comin' to Baylor?

I quit my job a couple weeks ago, so aside from not being able to check my email 100x a day and refresh SDN every hour, I was also busy packing and making the big move to Houston.

Unfortunately, I have some good and bad news--last week, I was offered a place off the waitlist at Johns Hopkins. After much agonizing and debating the pros and cons of attending Baylor vs. Hopkins, I've decided to go to Hopkins. This was a really difficult decision for me, as Baylor had been my first choice all along and I've already made some significant emotional and financial commitments to Houston. I really can't believe that I won't be in Houston this fall , but in the end, everyone I spoke to agreed that the chance to study medicine at Hopkins was too good to turn down.

Best of luck to everyone here, you guys are awesome and I will really miss being in the same class as all of you.

PS. Does anyone need a place to live this fall? I've got a 2-bedroom condo in the med center for rent.

 

[TexasRose]

I quit my job a couple weeks ago, so aside from not being able to check my email 100x a day and refresh SDN every hour, I was also busy packing and making the big move to Houston.

Unfortunately, I have some good and bad news--last week, I was offered a place off the waitlist at Johns Hopkins. After much agonizing and debating the pros and cons of attending Baylor vs. Hopkins, I've decided to go to Hopkins. This was a really difficult decision for me, as Baylor had been my first choice all along and I've already made some significant emotional and financial commitments to Houston. I really can't believe that I won't be in Houston this fall , but in the end, everyone I spoke to agreed that the chance to study medicine at Hopkins was too good to turn down.

Best of luck to everyone here, you guys are awesome and I will really miss being in the same class as all of you.

PS. Does anyone need a place to live this fall? I've got a 2-bedroom condo in the med center for rent.

Congrats on the Hopkins acceptance. Sorry we'll be losing you, but I'm sure there's someone who's thrilled to take your spot! Good luck with the new city!

 

[Newquagmire]

wow. i dont think anyone here will be upset with you for going to Hopkins. congrats!!

 

[ms. a]

wow, ms. a, that's awful!!! I didn't know you could be allergic to those hideous things. Hope it's feeling better today.

How is your house coming along? Did you say it wouldn't be completed until sometime in the Fall? I'm moving into your neck of the woods in 2 weeks!

It's feeling a little better, but still itches like crazy. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the house to be done mid-August. They're still telling us that it'll be done at the beginning of August, so I'm hoping that things are still on schedule. Unfortunately, it definitely won't be done before we start.

As for other creepy, gross creatures in Houston, well, let's just say that if you're an entomologist at heart, this is your place. Otherwise, it's pretty freaky. I never realized what people meant by huge cockroaches until I got here. They don't get indoors (at least, in nice places like office buildings or well-kept homes) often, but when they do, watch out! I just thank goodness that I have a husband who is willing to take care of the suckers (cockroaches and all disgusting bugs that come with Houston) for me.

On the insurance note, we just switched from State Farm to Allstate. State Farm was really ripping us off, so beware.

 

[BaylorLion]

I quit my job a couple weeks ago, so aside from not being able to check my email 100x a day and refresh SDN every hour, I was also busy packing and making the big move to Houston.

Unfortunately, I have some good and bad news--last week, I was offered a place off the waitlist at Johns Hopkins. After much agonizing and debating the pros and cons of attending Baylor vs. Hopkins, I've decided to go to Hopkins. This was a really difficult decision for me, as Baylor had been my first choice all along and I've already made some significant emotional and financial commitments to Houston. I really can't believe that I won't be in Houston this fall , but in the end, everyone I spoke to agreed that the chance to study medicine at Hopkins was too good to turn down.

Best of luck to everyone here, you guys are awesome and I will really miss being in the same class as all of you.

PS. Does anyone need a place to live this fall? I've got a 2-bedroom condo in the med center for rent.

Congrats on Hopkins! The best medical school in the country - good luck there. We'll miss ya, but enjoy the Hopkins experience for the next 4 years. Eat some crab cakes for the rest of us.

 

[BaylorLion]

I dunno how common this is among people who have been out for a year or more versus people who are going straight through - after a year of being a peon in a research lab, I am raring to go back to school and learn.

Any thoughts?

 

[Newquagmire]

I dunno how common this is among people who have been out for a year or more versus people who are going straight through - after a year of being a peon in a research lab, I am raring to go back to school and learn.

Any thoughts?

same here. rarr.

 

[BaylorLion]

Quags, you still in England, man? My cousins and I are flying in (for less than 24 hours) in a few days - any recommendations (besides Wimbledon) for what to do when we're back there for the last 5 days of June?

 

[Newquagmire]

london/edinburgh are probably the two touristy places to cover, but if you're only here 5 days those are a little far apart...

i'm not a big tennis fan, so wimbledon really isn't my thing. catch a cricket or football match for the experience. if you're interested, come take a look-see at the cambs (screw oxford) which is only 45 min train ride from london.

u like electronica? sound of ministry til dawn (which is like 3:30 am) or closing time (maybe 6:30-7ish?) is the old skool place to be.

don't forget to look before you cross the street, they're really not pedestrian-friendly here.

 

[Gleevec]

bump, kinda getting down there on the forum

Any news on the housing front?

 

[HollyJ]

Still on the market. ::sob::

 

[BaylorLion]

Sorry to hear the house is still on the market, HollyJ - where are you selling?

Still searching - townhouse peeps wouldn't really negotiate, now we're looking at another place. Looks like I'll be in Europe when I finally get a place (leaving Monday).

My mom kept asking me what color I wanted to repaint the walls today, and gave me a funny look when I said white. Did I miss something?

 

[ms. a]

My mom kept asking me what color I wanted to repaint the walls today, and gave me a funny look when I said white. Did I miss something?

I would advise against white. You'd feel like you're living in a hospital. And since we will essentially be living in hospitals soon, that's the last thing you'd want to come home to. Even if you go with off-white, ot just sort of feels like an apartment - impersonal and bland. If you have time, you might want to stop by some model homes and check out their wall colors and see how they make you feel. It's amazing how much of a difference wall color can make. We took our decorating consultant's advice and went with a warm brown color for our house. Even though it has yet to be put on the walls (considering the walls have yet to be put up), I'm so happy we chose it. A non-white color can really give a home a homey feel. And you're not so dependent on putting up pictures to warm up the place.

 

[TexasRose]

I would advise against white. You'd feel like you're living in a hospital. And since we will essentially be living in hospitals soon, that's the last thing you'd want to come home to. Even if you go with off-white, ot just sort of feels like an apartment - impersonal and bland. If you have time, you might want to stop by some model homes and check out their wall colors and see how they make you feel. It's amazing how much of a difference wall color can make. We took our decorating consultant's advice and went with a warm brown color for our house. Even though it has yet to be put on the walls (considering the walls have yet to be put up), I'm so happy we chose it. A non-white color can really give a home a homey feel. And you're not so dependent on putting up pictures to warm up the place.

I agree 100%. One of the first things I hope to accomplish, after unpacking, is to get some color on my walls.

Link for the commencement address at Baylor this year. It's about 27 minutes long and really good. If you don't have much time, listen to the song in the last 4 minutes. It's great!

http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/pa/archive-wc/graduation2004.htm

 

[HollyJ]

Sorry to hear the house is still on the market, HollyJ - where are you selling?

Still searching - townhouse peeps wouldn't really negotiate, now we're looking at another place. Looks like I'll be in Europe when I finally get a place (leaving Monday).

My mom kept asking me what color I wanted to repaint the walls today, and gave me a funny look when I said white. Did I miss something?

We're in Kingwood. I'm starting to feel like I'm going to be seeing my grandchildren in this house.

I agree with ms. a and TR -- go with another color. Nothing personalizes a room for less money and time.

 

[TexasRose]

We're in Kingwood. I'm starting to feel like I'm going to be seeing my grandchildren in this house.

I agree with ms. a and TR -- go with another color. Nothing personalizes a room for less money and time.

I promise you won't be seeing your grandkids in that house. But I know how exhausting and frustrating it is. Making any price adjustments yet? The cash towards closing that we offered netted us 2 offers (even though we lost the 1st one).

I'm thinking my house warming party might be the weekend of July 4th, not sure yet. All my fellow Baylor sdn'ers will be invited!(as well as many others!) Probably be BBQ and such.

Anyone have a chance to see that commencement address that I posted yesterday?

 

[TexasRose]

Hey guys, come back!

Anybody else have to get immunizations before classes start? I can't get a hold of my records, so have to get the blood tests to prove immunity. I think I have to get the Hep B series for sure. bleh.

 

[ms. a]

Hey guys, come back!

Anybody else have to get immunizations before classes start? I can't get a hold of my records, so have to get the blood tests to prove immunity. I think I have to get the Hep B series for sure. bleh.

I actually managed to get my records. When I called my pediatrician, the woman who andwers the phone actually remembered me! I haven't been there in over 10 years! Of course, they're in my maiden name, so I'm hoping they can make the connection and accept them. I already got Hep B as part of my (now former) job.

 

[TexasRose]

I actually managed to get my records. When I called my pediatrician, the woman who andwers the phone actually remembered me! I haven't been there in over 10 years! Of course, they're in my maiden name, so I'm hoping they can make the connection and accept them. I already got Hep B as part of my (now former) job.

I won't say how many years it's been since I saw my pedi. I started seeing a GP once I was about 16 anyway. It's not a big deal, just something else to add to my giant to-do list with the big move just a week away. Fun times!

So who knows how Anatomy works at Baylor? I know we do the labs along with the corresponding courses, but what does that mean? How often are we in lab? When do we have to start?

 

[TexasRose]

wohoo! We have wallaby researchers!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1894&e=3&u=/ap/20040608/ap_on_sc/wallaby_genome

 

[HollyJ]

Hey guys, come back!

Anybody else have to get immunizations before classes start? I can't get a hold of my records, so have to get the blood tests to prove immunity. I think I have to get the Hep B series for sure. bleh.

I have to get the sero test for Hep B, but I think I'm probably going to have to do the series again. I hope that we don't have to finish the series before school starts.

 

[TexasRose]

I have to get the sero test for Hep B, but I think I'm probably going to have to do the series again. I hope that we don't have to finish the series before school starts.

We don't have to complete it before school starts. I called to ask about it yesterday. They said just get the first shot and then we can complete the series at the clinic.

 

[curlycity]

Baylor accepted my immunization records from UT - so if you had to provide medical records to matriculate at your undergrad, maybe they can send them over for you. UT sent mine for free. Also, maybe your parents have this thing mine gave me when I moved out - it's a booklet from my ped's office of all my shots.

Can you tell I was a wee bit excited to get my acceptance - I did all this stuff within about 10 days of getting the request from the occupational health office