#I keep increasing the length of these thangs.........

[edns]

Happy (late) FE3H anniversary here are WIPs of my first fancomic redraw to celebrate

Edit: disabling the reblogs because the whole thing has been posted! Check it out ^_^

[paging-dr-bowen]

Tips for Interview Season

Congratulations on your invitation to interview at the residency programs of your dreams! The time period between submitting your ERAS and awaiting your first invitation to interview is nerve wrecking.  You might get bombarded with a couple rejection letters in the first few days (some programs even make errors by sending their rejection letters 3-4 times…like okay okay I get it it’s not you…it’s me…haha but don’t get discouraged your perfect match is still out there).  But what do you do before this time period? Here are some tips below:

1. ERAS photo – This is most likely your first business headshot ever. Or at least it was for me. Go to a photo studio like J.C. Penny (they have affordable Group On deals for $20 and under for a couple headshots) or grab a friend with a decent camera and some good lighting. Photo should show a welcoming smile (this is not a mugshot or a passport photo).  Attire should be simple, no distracting patterns or jewelry.  Think grays, blues, blacks, and calm pastels.  For men I’ve noticed a tie is a must. For women a blouse or a button up is fine, no cleavage.  Wear your hair how you will wear it during interviews because they will use the photo to reference you. Hair up or down is fine just keep it neat. I wore my hair in braids/twists and wore it loose and to the side.  Background of the photo should be a neutral color, try to avoid white. 2. Interview attire – Focusing on the ladies for this one, fellas interview attire is pretty standard across the board (business suit and business shoes). Aim to get about 3 outfits to cycle between especially for those weeks you have multiple interviews.  Pants suits and skirt suits or a dress and a blazer are the go-to outfits.  If opting for a dress or skirt length should at least be to the knees when sitting and wear nude/black stockings. Colors you should aim for a navy blue, gray, black and I even saw a candidate in a really nice forest green pant suit.  The idea is to get neutral colors and offset it with a nice pop of color that isn’t too distracting.  Limit the jewelry to simple pieces (stud earring and a simple necklace is fine, avoid bangles and bracelets that make noise).  Comfortable shoes are a must, I bought a 1.5inch closed toed-pumps and half way through interview season I resorted to just wearing my business everyday flats I wear on my clinical rotations from Clarks (got a lot of compliments too…I’m just like this old thang?). Just like your ERAS photo, wear your hair up or down is fine, just keep it neat.  Nice companies to buy clothing from are Ann Taylor Loft, Express, Banana Republic, Macy’s, Gap etc. You can bring a leather portfolio or a simple black leather tote (small to medium) to store a note pad, pen and a bottle of water and any other essentials like your wallet. For outerwear, a nice pea coat or trench coat pairs well with business attire.  Don’t over think it, most of the program directors I encountered have said they don’t really care about your attire so don’t break the bank on your medical school income (non-existent) but just put yourself together nicely.

3. Work on your elevator pitch. School?  Hometown? What is your passion within medicine? Why do you want the field you’re applying to? What are you looking for in a residency program (all the curriculums look generally the same due to AAMC requirements but what additional factors are important to you – is it location? Close to home? On-call hours? Specific elective opportunities? Why would they want you? Having a concise statement to answer all of these questions in a minute or less in a way that doesn’t sound scripted will prepare you for interviews as well as networking opportunities outside of your interviews. 4. Homework to do before your interview: Know the resident profiles of the residency – read about their values, experiences and interests to see how you’d fit in.  Re-read your personal statement if it might have been a while since you read it.  Re-read your CV you submitted on ERAS to make sure you remember every activity or research you inclluded in case it is a conversation piece. Do some research on the faculty and the program director that will be interviewing you (think of it as the equivalence to some light facebook stalking…you wouldn’t reiterate all their accolades but it’s nice to know to causally drop in a conversation when you have nothing to talk about so you can get them talking about theirselves) 5. What do they ask you on interviews? Anything …really. The most common questions I was asked in every interview were: Tell me about yourself. Why do you want to be a ____doctor? Why our program? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your career plans for after residency?  Beyond these questions it was really casual conversation.  The number one question you are guaranteed to be asked a million times are: Do YoU hAvE aNy QuEsTiOnS fOr Me? …you might want to say no but please don’t.  Before your interview you should review the program’s website and make note of things you’d like to ask questions about.  If you think you know there is everything to know about this program you can restate facts about the program you love and ask them to elaborate further or just simply try your best to form a question…it shows interest (they say it’s okay if you don’t have any but please try to have 1 or 2).  You are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. 6. How will your interview day be structured? Most programs send you an itinerary the week or a few days before the interview telling you how long each portion is and with whom.  If they don’t, you can request it politely but you still might not get it until the day of the interview (which sucks because you can’t do your research on your interviewers but it’s okay). On average interviews can range from 15minutes-30 minutes per interview and you can get anywhere from 3-5 or more of those per day.  Interview day is long but you will get used to it. At some point there will be a tour of the hospital given by a resident (this is where comfy shoes come in handy).  After a while you’ll be over seeing another hospital because let’s be honest every ICU looks the same for the most part but your job is to stay tuned in and again…ask questions because the hospital tour is an interview just like everything else during the day.  Be friendly and get to know the other candidates, you might make friendships that last beyond interview day and who knows you might end up at the same program.  The programs are also taking note of how you interact with people and whether or not you’re a good fit for their program. 7. So its October/November and I still haven’t heard from the program of my dreams rejecting me or inviting me to an interview. Or maybe I haven’t heard from any programs at all? Here’s where a polite letter of intent comes in handy. Some programs use filters to help them sift through the thousands of applications they get. You might have been lost by the filter. Send a letter of intent and make it as personalized as possible to the programs you haven’t heard from stating why you think you’d be a great fit for their program and what you love about their program and if they would review your application for an interview.  Late November, I haven’t heard back from one of the programs I desired and I sent them an email and was offered an interview a few days later. So I can say it definitely is worth doing. 8. Expenses.  Interview season is expensive. You may need to take out extra in your student loans than you do usually. Things that will cost you extra money are the ERAS application fee which increases the more programs you apply to, gas for your car for interviews you drive to,  Uber/Lyft or other rideshare, air fare for interviews you may have to fly to, hotels for overnight stays that aren’t covered by the residency program (I lucked out because Family Medicine programs on average love to wine and dine us and reserved nice hotels for me to stay in free of charge ).  My entire interview season costed me about $6,000.  The AAMC estimates that for students the range is anywhere from $3,000-$7,000.  It varies depending on how many interviews are local or how many programs you applied to.  Sooo much money I know…but if it makes you feel better you get free lunch on interview day and even a three course dinner if you opt to go to the “optional” pre-interview social the night before (Take advantage). You might also be visiting a new town or city, if you can explore the area a bit before going home it’s a nice mini trip and way to see if you could imagine yourself living there for the next 3+ years. 9. Pre-interview dinner – is it optional? It is but if you can go, I’d say go.  It’s a nice chance to get to know some of the residents outside of work without the faculty around. You also get to eat like a king on someone else’s dime. They won’t scrutinize you for not going but it does look nice if you went. If you do go, don’t just sit there and eat, please be social because although the residents say its casual…your impressions do matter. 10. Cancelling interviews. If you have been blessed with a decent amount of interviews and you can confidently say you are at a comfortable amount with all the programs you desire going to scheduled then by all means cancel.  Cancel as early as you can so it leaves room for other applicants who may have wanted to interview there to accept the offer.  Generally, 1 week to a month in advance is preferred.  Be polite when doing so because it does reflect on your school. 10 interviews scheduled is the average comfort zone (so they say).  I was paranoid and went on way more interviews beyond that because I wanted to be sure of my choice in the end.  I’m happy I did that because if I were to cancel interviews without going to see the program in person I’m sure I’d miss out.  On that same note, don’t be afraid to reject interview offers from places you know you absolutely would not want to end up (this may happen if you applied broadly just to have some options) – only do this if you have a decent amount of interviews scheduled. 11. What do I do after interview day? Most programs will say do not reach out with a thank you note. If they don’t say this you are free to send a thank you note if you wish. I did not send any thank you notes and I don’t believe it negatively affected me.  Interview season is very busy for the program coordinators scheduling interviews…they don’t need to read my generic thank you note/email that I will be sending to every program.  However, if I did have a question that wasn’t answered on interview day I would go ahead and reach out. 12. How do I make my Rank Order List? Only rank programs you interviewed at because only those programs have a chance at ranking you.  Only rank programs you would like to end up at. Rank them in the order of YOUR preference not how you think they might like you.  Go with your gut. I advise you send  a letter of intent as you make your Rank List to the program directors of perhaps your top 5 programs.  I sent a letter to my number one program telling them I will be ranking them number 1.  To programs #2-5 I told them I was ranking them highly.  You might not get any response (that’s okay), Match rules say programs can’t tell you they’re ranking you and they can’t ask you if you’re ranking them but there aren’t any rules against you volunteering the information.  Be careful of wording, I would NOT tell my number 2 program that I am ranking them number 2 (no one wants to hear that).  Make sure to tell them what you love about their program as well and why you’d be a great fit. 13. How will I know if I will match? You don’t. You may have feelings. Programs might tell you they think you’d be a great fit. You might get a post card or a letter from programs or a phone call follow up. They might hint and nudge and wink at you. With all this being said…you still don’t know for sure what the outcome of Match Day will be.  All you can do is hope, pray and have faith that the feelings you got from those interactions are genuine.

[hotheadhero]

Get to Know the Blogger

(No, I look nothing like this IRL. This is my Latias gijinka, Yuna Minami. Her Latios twin doesn’t have a 3D model.)

1. name: Nintendraw 2. strange fact about yourself: I’ve installed or repaired two HVAC (Nest control units), one 3-way light switch, and a car bumper. Almost a sink. Where’s my mechanic’s license? (pls don’t give me one lmao) 3. top 3 physical things you find attractive on a person: Why can’t I name non-physical things? Honestly, anatomy classes have desensitized me to this sort of thing, but I suppose pecs, abs, and warm hands are nice in addition to the face. 4. a food you could eat forever and not get bored of: Any Asian-style soup. Pho, Taiwainese, ramen, tom yum, chao (rice porridge), canh (leafy greens + ground pork soup), bun rieu (spicy tomato-/crab-based noodle soup with pork and cabbage), bun thang (rice noodle with shredded egg, chicken, and cha/Viet sausage)... 5. a food you hate: Pineapples (mostly was traumatized by receiving it when it wasn’t expected) 6. guilty pleasure: Romance novels? Also video games or wasting time following whatever rabbit hole. 7. what do you sleep in: tbh, anything not formal wear (or later, gunked with body fluids/pathogens). Usually some shirt and some pants; idc about sleeve/leg length. If I’m tired enough, I’ll sleep in jeans too... 8. serious relationships or flings: Serious only, if only because anything else is likely to get (mis)read by me as friend. 9. if you could go back in the past and change one thing about your life, what would it be: Learn Vietnamese sooner. Get my shiz in gear quicker academically (how Asian). 10. are you an affectionate person: Once I get to know you, or nearly anywhere online? I like to think I’m nice, but have come off as arrogant IRL before... 11. a movie you could watch over and over again: Haven’t watched many movies recently (aka the past up to 3-4 years), but perhaps Dr. Strange. Or Pokemon movies 1 (Mewtwo), 2 (Lugia), or Heroes (Lati@s). Or Star Wars. 12. favorite book: I’ll be hard-pressed to name just one, but some favorites I can quickly recall include Wielding a Red Sword by Piers Anthony (also On a Pale Horse by the same) and Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler. The latter’s writing miiight not be the best anymore (it’s been years since I read), but some aspects of the main male character stuck with me potently enough to partially inform my oldest OC, himself an angel. 13. you have the opportunity to keep any animal as a pet, what would you choose: If domestic only, Welsh Corgis or (particularly if I could maintain the floof) Pomeranians/Huskies. If exotic are allowed, a red panda or red fox would be pretty neat. Or a tame cuddly dragon, if fictional animals are allowed too. :O 14. top 5 fictional ships: Camus x Nyna (I realize this is in direct conflict with Ree lmao) = Steven x May = Zack x Aerith > Nero x Kirie = Link x Zelda or Geralt x Triss (the last one until I get more in-game interaction with Yennefer) 15. pie or cake: Cake, 100%. 16. favorite scent: Mint, chai, beach/ocean, birthday cake/vanilla... 17. celebrity crush: Tbh, I don’t pay enough attention to celebrities to have one... I suppose I really liked Derek Hough when he first showed up on Dancing with the Stars. 18. if you could travel anywhere, where would you go: Valencia and/or Madrid, Spain (the former for their version of Smithsonian); Akihabara, Japan (0/10 wasn’t allowed to buy otaku last time); Vienna, Austria (music capital of the classical music world imo!!); back to the Smithsonian... 19. introvert or extrovert: Introvert 20. do you scare easily: I can be easily startled... Otherwise, I tend to be pretty unflappable in professional situations where I have some kind of response, even a framework, ahead of time. Unpreparedness is the devil, though. 21. iphone or android: Android 100%. By now, I’m kinda entrenched (whoops); and there’s more freedom of customization (e.g. root, different apps) 22. do you play any video games: Honestly, I’d be surprised if anyone in this group doesn’t XD I own mostly RPG or puzzle games, e.g. Pokemon/Zelda/Fire Emblem, Stella Glow, Radiant Historia, Valkyria Chronicles, etc. 23. dream job: At present? Cutting people open to save them. Dunno whether I like the idea of doing it with cool tech/robots or bare hands better; I am pretty dexterous, but... See Dr. Strange. 24. what would you do with a million dollars: Since Azzie reminded me to invest in something valuable like gold, I’d probably put 70% of the million into that/investments/emergency fund and use the remainder to give my parents a first-class vacation, pay off my loans, give myself a vacation (given the anticipated high stress of my career), and increase my souvenir budget for the next couple trips. 25. fictional characters you hate: Hate is a strong word, but other than the assorted slimeball NPCs you get to hunt down in Witcher 3, most characters I dislike tend to be as a result of being anti-OTP or poorly written. I suppose I dislike the protagonist of The Road, a small group of RPers from previous RPing sites/eras, and Ebony Raven Darkness Dementia Way. (All of those are here because writing style XD) 26. fandom that you used to be part of: Do Devil May Cry and Lucifer count? I come back to them occasionally, but only really engaged in either by watching a Let’s Play and reading fanfics respectively.

tagged by: tagging: Have at it, y’all XD

[theyleftherbones]

Title: Show and Tell Fandom: The Walking Dead Pairing: Rick Grimes/Michonne Rating: M Summary: Aaron volunteers to join Rick and Michonne on their next scavenging trip and, despite his good intentions and their best efforts, they’re both far from pleased. Author's Note: Here goes my first foray into the Richonne fandom—I can only hope I did the fabulous pairing justice!

Spoilers for 7x12.

 ~

“I could’ve gone a couple more days. I would have liked that,” Rick had said.

And, if she’s honest with herself, she would have to.

If she’s honest with herself (and she has no reason not to be at this stage), she doesn’t think she’s had what she has with Rick with anyone else. Mike came close during the good days, she thinks, but it didn’t stick.

When things fell apart, Mike fell apart with them, and there was no bringing him back—not for anything or anyone.

That’s not to say that Rick hasn’t had his fall from grace, more than once by all accounts; but he always came back (to Carl and Judith, to the group, to her).

The time they spent on the road, alone, together, only served to cement her belief that this was it for the both of them. The things he said, the things they did—it was what she wanted that, again and again and again.

And so, when Aaron volunteers to join them on their next scavenging trip, Michonne’s heart drops in a way that doesn’t quite surprise her.

It makes sense that he’d want to come, makes sense that they seek they increase their numbers on these runs because, as capable as the two of them are, there are a myriad of things that can go wrong without another pair of eyes.

But, there’s so much more that can go right when it’s just the two of them.

It takes her mere seconds to see that Rick feels the same way.

He’s quiet throughout the day, supplying her with little more than small smiles and short answers when prompted with questions, clearly lost in thoughts she isn’t privy to just yet.

It isn’t until she’s put Judith to sleep and joined him in the kitchen that she’s finally awarded with the clarity she’s craving.

He has two of the ready-to-eat meals they found laid out with a single candle between them, an arrangement that pulls something at the pit of her stomach. Who would have guessed that Rick Grimes was a romantic of the highest caliber after all?

“We really hit the jackpot that day, didn’t we?” She smiles, seeking to lighten the mood before prying.

“Yeah, we did,” he says.

In more ways than one, she thinks, but does not say.

“Aaron wants to join us, one our next run,” he says after a few moments of silence.

She stops chewing almost instantly, and looks up to find him watching her. She wonders if he can see the enormous pit that just landed in her stomach, the disappointment that settles into the back of her throat.

“What did you tell him?” She asks with a casualness that she does not feel.

“What could I tell him?”

And he’s right, he is. How were they to turn away help they so desperately needed?

“Well, the more, the merrier, right?”

“No,” he simply states.

“Rick…”

“I know, I know. I’m being selfish,” he shakes his head, and her palm finds its way to his cheek before her mind directs it. “It’s just… it was good. Just the two of us, doing our thang out there. I liked that.”

“I did too,” she admits.

They’re silent for a few moments, his head bowed in what she knows is a keen disappointment.

Suddenly, before she spares a thought for what she’s doing, she leans closer to him, close enough that she can bring her lips right against his ear.

“You know what else I like?” She whispers, her lips brushing against the lobe in a way that draws a deep sigh from him.

“What?” He asks without turning to her, eyes closed and breathing heavy as she buries her fingers in the curls at the nape of his neck (the way she knows he likes).

“This,” she tilts her head to the side, and presses her lips over his own, an invitation he’s clearly been waiting for if the way he instantly deepens the kiss is any indication.

They stay like that for a while, exploring each other in the leisurely way she’s grown to love until he pulls back, forehead resting against hers while his hands cup her face as if it’s the most precious thing that’s ever stood between them.

“What else--what else do you like?” He pants, and she can already feel herself growing wet.

She spares a brief thought for the fact that Carl isn’t home, and can potentially walk in on them any minute, before throwing caution to the wind.

She cups him though his jeans, and it’s obvious that she isn’t the only one who’s getting worked up. His constant hunger for her is another thing her body is still adjusting to, the intensity of it--the sheer frequency.

She’s stoking him now, and she can feel him growing harder still as her palm traces the length of him. He places his hand over her own, putting an end to her ministrations. It jars her enough that she tilts her head back so she can get a good look at him.

“Tell me what you like,” He says again, voice still raspy, but more than a whisper.

She swallows, unsure how to proceed. She’s no stranger to heated sex, far from it, but words don’t normally play a role. How can she tell him that she likes (loves) him, every brush of his hand, every kiss, every inch of him sliding in and out of her?

“You,” she simply states.

His eyes soften and, just like that, he’s kissing her again, nearly frantic in his movements before he wraps both hands around her waist and places her on the table directly before him.

His heat emboldens her, and the moment she’s able to break the kiss, she speaks.

“I like the way you look at me,” she whispers, and he pulls back to study her with hooded eyes, travelling from the planes of her face, to the exposed skin of her chest just above the opening of her tank top.

He takes his seat again, confusing her momentarily before he speaks.

“Show me then,” he gestures to her shirt, no doubt promoting her to remove it.

She doesn’t need to be asked twice, pulls it over her head in one swift motion, and is left in nothing but her black lace bra and his eyes mapping out a heated trail over her bare skin.

When his eyes meet hers again, she’s already undoing her bra, one quick click before she’s pulling the straps off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor.

He swallows then, and she knows it’s taking everything he has not to lay her across the table and bury himself inside her then and there.

She makes quick work of her jeans next (though she needs to stand for this one, close enough that he’d barely have to reach forward to touch her), but something keeps her from moving right to her underwear.

When Rick senses her hesitation, he gestures to her mid-section, wordlessly prompting her to remove them like she did everything else.

But something is still holding her back, keeping her from treading past the full-blooded state of exposure eliminating the garment will leave her in.

As if sensing her hesitation, Rick wraps both his hands around her waist, drawing her nearer.

He places an open-mouthed kiss on each of her breasts, the feel of his tongue and the scrape of his beard eliciting a quiet moan from her. He kisses his way down her stomach, all the way down to her navel, where he plants another kiss through the fabric of her underwear.

He wraps two fingers around the thin fabric, slowly drawing it down her legs until she’s lifting one foot, and then the other, to be rid of it completely.

He wastes no time in setting her atop the table again, drawing her legs wide open so he can stare right at her center, so two of his fingers can rub against the wetness of her lips and drive her mad with the need of him. The heat she feels blooming across her cheeks is almost unbearable.

“Rick—“

“You like that?” he drawls, his breathing just as heavy as hers.

“Yes—oh, yes,” she moans.

He sticks both fingers inside her then, pulls them in and out with the sound of her wetness making the gesture seem almost obscene.

She pulls him in for an open-mouthed kiss, while his fingers work to drive her mad. He curls them inside her, just the way she likes, and her moans between kisses are growing louder than she’d normally let them.

She needs him, all of him, now.

It’s with that resolve that she begins undoing his belt, her hands moving with a practiced precision that her mind can’t quite mimic.

When she pulls the length of him out, long and hard, she begins stroking him just way she knows he likes. She’s awarded with a long sigh and a shudder that has him breaking this kiss.

“Michonne—“

It’s his turn to find himself at a loss for words, and it has her smiling. She seizes the moment.

“I like when every inch of you is inside me,” she whispers against his ear, and, vaguely, she thinks that this may be the most brazen thing she’s ever said to a man.

“Fuck,” he breathes out, before raising both her thighs, pulling her against him, and sliding the entire length of his cock into her with one solid thrust.

She gasps, her head falling back while his lips latch onto her neck, sucking and biting as he’s thrusting in and out of her, fast and hard and desperate.  

“It’s good?” he pants against her, and it takes a few moments for the words to register with her.

“Yes, so—so good,” she moans back.

It doesn’t take more than a few trusts to have her coming undone, the angle and the work his fingers put in before paying off in the best of ways.

She stifles her small scream against his lips, still taken aback by the desperate sounds he manages to draw from her.  

He comes undone very soon after, pulling out just in time, his seed a stark contrast against the skin of her abdomen.

He grabs the nearest cloth and begins cleaning them both up, as is his habit, head bowed and eyes focused on his work. She succumbs to the urge to pull him in for a kiss on the cheek, his stubble prickling the skin of her lips in a way she’s grown to love.

“Next time,” She whispers, “you’re going to tell me what you like.”

~