Monday, May 28, 2007

The Interview

There's an interview meme going around. I've already done one of these at my other blog but thought that a food blog interview would be fun. After seeing Peabody's answers, I thought it would be a great time to ask someone to interview me. Now that my Step 1 exam is over and I have two lovely weeks of summer, I have time to answer the questions. So, if you want to know a few things about me, read on!

1. You seem very close with your family. Have you always been close or is
this something that has come about as you were an adult?

Well, this is something to think about. I think we've always been close. I enjoy being around them and they always encourage me in what I do and pray for me daily. I think that being in medical school, in an apartment has made me realize what a blessing they are to me. My parents are such awesome examples to me of what a husband and wife should be and what parents should be. This year they moved from our hometown of 23 years in Clinton, MS to Jackson, TN. That was really hard for me but I think I appreciate home even more now! Mama and I talk almost every day and definitely e-mail if we don't talk. Daddy doesn't really talk on the phone but "keeps up" with me through this blog (ROSES!!!!!!). So, we've always been close, but I think have gotten closer over the past couple of years.

2. How on earth do you find time to study for medical school and run a food
blog?

That is a good question! Sometimes, my study breaks are used to write posts. This second semester I seemed to get busier and posting was more infrequent. I'm afraid that next year will be even worse, as I will be at the hospital most days all day. We have to go around and see all our patients before rounds, which are sometimes at 8. Hopefully, I'll still be here cooking and posting! I really enjoy it and cooking is a pleasure for me...if only I had more people to cook for!

3. You seem to cook a lot of healthy dishes on your blog. What food if it
had no calories would you eat all the time?

Hmmmmm...this really is a hard one! There are foods that I don't make for myself but will eat other places, but those truly are not foods I would want to eat all the time. I guess I would have to say dessert! I don't eat dessert that often but do enjoy it. As you can see from my blog, I also like making it! However, usually when I make it, it's either for someone else or I eat one piece and then no more. My other thoughts were peanut butter, cheesy stuff, and fried foods...oh, maybe fried foods!

4. You are a Southern gal. What is your favorite "Southern" dish?

I LOVE cornbread...I guess if I went with a "Southern" meal, I would say either fried catfish (which I now usually get grilled), turnip greens (recently discovered as yummy) but not cooked with ham hocks, I just don't like that!, and cornbread or a yummy vegetable dinner! Those are great!

5. What kind of doctor do you want to be(meaning, what will your specialty
be) and did you always want to be a doctor?

OH! I want to be a pediatrician. Last summer I worked in the ambulatory clinic at my hospital and absolutely loved it. I mean, I get to play with babies, take care of little sick kiddos and make them better, and encourage parents. Given, there are some times when the parents can be hard to deal with and when 6 year-olds don't want to have their throat swabbed for strep test (if you close their nose, they'll open their mouth!), but in the end it's rewarding and most kids get better. I've been told by MANY people that they can see me doing that and I have the personality for it, so I can't WAIT for my pediatric rotation, which, unfortunately, is my last rotation NEXT April!
Did I always want to be a doctor? WELLLLLL, when I was little I said I was going to be a nurse but found out they practiced giving shots on each other and quickly gave up that idea. This year I practiced drawing blood on a classmate and she did the same to me! Can't get away from it! In sixth grade, I thought I'd be a physical therapist. After about eighth grade, I don't think I really knew what I wanted to be, just that I liked science and math. I went to college and majored in chemistry and minored in math...all while having medical school in the back of my mind. My concerns were over the time that it takes to complete training and the time required during that training. You see, I wanted (and still desire) to have a family - to be a wife and a mama - and didn't see how medical school and being a physician would work with that.
So, my junior year, I took medical physiology and loved it. It was hard but I enjoyed learning how the body worked. I came to the conclusion that God was calling me to go to medical school and serve Him through being a doctor. I just decided one day, that's what I'm going to do...I have to. After that, I had such a peace that I was doing the right thing and have not doubted it since. I am SO excited about what is to come in my life and how I'm going to be able to work with people, encouraging them and hopefully helping them get better.

So, now you know some more about me...what about you? Do you want to be interviewed? Here are the directions:
1. Leave a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. Beware, I may ask personal questions! Please make sure I have your email address.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

8 comments:

Janet said...

Hi Claire - I enjoyed this. Really nice to know a little more about you. I am very impressed that you find time to not only maintain a blog - but a good quality one!

gail@more than a song said...

Two weeks off, yay!
Fun post and answers....I still can't bring myself to eat turnips!

Anonymous said...

You are going to be a great pediatrician... I can just tell by the comments you leave about my kids, your caring and soothing nature, and your dedication to your schooling.
It was great to read this!

Unknown said...

ABS - Thanks!

Janet - Thank you SO much for the compliment! Sometimes I feel like it's just thrown together.

Gail - YES!!!! Sunday I didn't even get home from a SS party until after midnight and then went shopping yesterday and today. Im enjoying it. You should buy some Kroger frozen turnip greens and just try them...I mean, theyre only $1, so if you don't like them, no loss. I used to not like them, but they're good to me now.

Kristen - Thanks! I can't wait to work get to peds. It's really encouraging when other people, especially those I haven't met see qualities like that in me...thanks SO much!

Anonymous said...

That was great to read, Claire. It's wonderful that you've got such focus in your life and I know you'll be a great pediatrician!

Peabody said...

Good to read your answers.
My hubby is from Alabama and so he is big on fried catfish...not something you get around these parts though.

Unknown said...

Alisha - Thanks! I sure hope so.

Peabody - Can you get catfish up there? If so, I think you should surprise him one day with fried catfish!

Anonymous said...

What a fun way to get to know you! I am a family nurse practitioner~ that is the closest I'd want to being a doctor. Dealing with sick kids is easy...the parents are the work!
We have a great catfish batter for awesome fried catfish. Maybe you can find it at a local market.