Jason's 25 Things

1. I am a cancer survivor. It's been 9 years now. It still seems pretty surreal. I don't know that it will ever fully sink in.

2. I have the cutest, smartest, most fun 2 year old on the planet. Bonus-he looks just like me. But he loves to talk like his momma.

3. Katie is the best wife I could ever ask for. I have been in medical school all but three weeks that we have been married. She has been my support and my rock. Bonus-she supplied said child in #2.

4. I never drank coffee before med school. Now I drink it black. At least 2 very large cups a day, and most of the time more.

5. I love worthless TV shows. If I am home during the day I have to watch all the judge shows, especially the People's Court.

6. In relation to #5 I can relate just about any real life situation to a King of the Hill episode. I like to think of myself as Hank. Hopefully Drew won't be Bobby. And Katie is not Peggy.

7. I am an old man. I like to be grumpy and cantankerous at times.

8. I love school. I guess I'm pretty good at it. If Katie would let me I would probably go to law school or get my MBA. Unfortunately school doesn't pay that well apparently.

9. I will still get my MBA someday. I still want to own my own business or at least my own practice. Lately I have even been thinking about getting into hospital administration someday.

10. I was an accounting major in college. I took a class as a senior in high school and found that I liked it and it was pretty easy. I also liked that I could major in that and do just about anything in business.

11. I think Med-Peds is the Accounting of medicine. The options will be endless once I am finished with my residency. I can be a hospitalist, go into primary care, do a fellowship with adults or kids, or do some kind of transitional care, etc. That's probably why I picked it.

12. I have trouble making decisions. It can be something as simple as where to go out to eat this evening or where I want to go for my residency.

13. I loved college. I had a lot of trouble adjusting to moving back to Memphis and starting life here again. I don't handle change well.

14. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. I love being with them and spending time with them. We've grown so much closer in the 9 years since I had cancer and more so since my mother had breast cancer. I have enjoyed becoming friends with my parents as I get older.

15. My favorite two bands are Sister Hazel and Counting Crows. I have seen the Crows three times I think. I have seen Hazel probably ten or more times now. I love all kinds of music but have not talent myself. I still want to learn to play the piano and guitar.

16. I have a passion for Memphis Tigers football. They have never been that great, but I love tailgating and going to the games. Don't get me wrong, I still love watching them play basketball as well.

17. My favorite cookie is my mother's chocolate chip cookies. When those are unavailable I substitute with Chips Ahoy.

18. My favorite game is Trivial Pursuit. I was so good as a kid that people were convinced I had read the cards and memorized the answers. This is untrue. I also like to watch Jeopardy.

19. I really want to learn how to fly a plane one day.

20. I am trying to become a beer connoisseur. I like to try new kinds, but still think the best is a cold Bud Light.

21. I am politically conservative in most areas. I have become more and more interested in politics in the last year, mostly because of the election.

22. I get the newspaper just so I can do the crossword puzzle everyday. It's my mental exercise.

23. I loved history in high school and college, especially American history, specifically the Civil War and World War II periods. I would like to become a history buff when I have time. I have recently become interested in medical history as well.

24. I enjoy reading when I have time to read things other than medical texts. My favorite books since high school have been Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and To Kill a Mockingbird. When I was a kid I used to get caught staying up late reading a book when I was supposed to be sleeping.

25. I enjoy philanthropy and have enjoyed being involved with Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. I would like to be on various boards and committees involving things like that someday. Actually I want to start my own nonprofit at some point.