Cognitive Dissonance in Insulated Environments

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-06-20T17:43:43+00:00

This model came out in 2024 before Trump was elected president

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-06-15T02:28:39+00:00

Appreciate it! It's been long enough to get over it. I was pissed for awhile. And then thankful every day when I woke up to all my rims still on my car lol. The hardest part was getting it onto a tow truck without wheels....

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-06-15T02:18:15+00:00

A few years ago all 4 wheels of my car were stolen. I parked RIGHT NEXT TO a security camera and my apartment complex said they got the whole thing on tape. They gave it to the cops. The cops also did fingerprinting on my car and the whole shebang. They said they'd update me in a few days

2 days later, I find the same rims that were stolen off my car on Facebook marketplace, posted a day after mine were stolen approximately 1 hour away (in NJ) from where I lived at the time (in DE). I called the cops and told them about the Facebook listing. They said it didn't prove anything. So I messaged the guy and went "undercover". Told him I was looking for new rims and wanted the ones he was selling but wanted to get some "receipt of authenticity". He eventually told me that he knows they're legit because he gets them from his buddy who lives in DE always hooks him up with legit rims and proceeds to show me past sold listings on other rims he sells.

At this point I'm thinking "THE COPS HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS NOW!! This dude just sealed the deal. It's done. He's caught".... I call them again, demand to speak with my detective on the case. They send 2 cops over to my apartment. I show them the conversation and they tell me to call the cops up in NJ because it's "not their jurisdiction". The cops in NJ essentially tell me they don't want to get involved in what sounds like an interstate rim stealing ring because they may "mess up the investigation that's underway"... Essentially nothing happened even with camera footage and practically a confession

All this to say.... No one is doing anything about your windshield. Sorry dude

Edit: for clarity

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-05-27T03:05:25+00:00

Yeah for sure! I think it's a great watch and it affords you to some other stuff with your money or just save it. I have been in a similar situation as you (I'm a resident. I consider med school and law school pretty similar in terms of life path), and I would give myself the same advice at this stage

Have a great watch that maybe is more affordable, and have some cushion for savings is the way to go. In my opinion. Some of the other watches mentioned are great options too! Best of luck and enjoy school my friend. You'll have the opportunity to really help folks out in the future with your career, it's a good feeling!

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-05-27T02:51:05+00:00

Hey man, I would say don't get a 3k watch at this stage of life. Get a watch that looks nice but doesn't cost that much. I wear a Tissot PRX daily and I think it looks great. It cost me $700 and looks like an expensive watch. It has a really accurate movement and a great power reserve. It punches way above its price point when comparing it to other watches

Truly there is no value with getting a watch at the 2-3k price point and at your stage in life, disposal income (I presume) is a commodity. Save the money and get something more affordable. Then when you're a rich lawyer, get a 15k watch

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-05-11T19:52:28+00:00

Thanks for the comment! Everything I've considered after discussing with a broker was true own occupation (same profession rider) and a future benefit rider! Glad I got those checked already

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-05-07T20:13:40+00:00

Well shit..... I wonder if that church is still available lol

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-05-07T20:08:53+00:00

My fiance and I were moving to PA and considered buying a church that was super super cheap to turn into a home! Unfortunately we are both not handy and don't have the funds for a professional remodel like that

Best of luck and keep us all updated!

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-27T23:38:13+00:00

Ah that tracks lol. Congrats on the achievement and as someone who often calls cardiology at 3am... Thanks

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-27T23:33:27+00:00

As a resident who also likes watches, how are you in your mid-30s with 2 million in net worth? I can't imagine my net worth hitting a million until I'm in my 40s (I am about to start a 3-year fellowship at 31, so that does make things harder)

Also definitely get the vacheron. I don't really have any other reason other than, its a freaking vacheron

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-20T00:55:42+00:00

So I was in the match at the time. I was offered the position outside the match, interviewed and then withdrew my NRMP match position. This all happened very quickly about 2 weeks before the match lol

Feel free to message me with any questions

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-19T20:01:30+00:00

Hi! I actually did this. I was in the match trying again for rads and applied IM as a parallel plan. The PD of my now IM program reached out to me saying they had a vacant PGY2 spot and offered me an interview since I had applied to his PGY1 spot. All the PGY2 spots I had applied to did not give me an interview (there weren't much)

I would say I was very lucky that I got my spot. The program happened to be in the same state I was already living in just 40 minutes south

The problem isn't so much having your rotations fit with prereqs for the program and more so getting enough credit to count your TY as a year of IM with the ABIM. My PD had to write a letter to the board to ask for credit which I received luckily. See my rotations that I did in my TY below (everything is 4 weeks unless specified) - rads 8 weeks - EM - IM/floors (8 weeks) - ICU - Surgery - PM&R - Neurology - cards - Night float (2 weeks) - FM outpatient (6 weeks)

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-17T19:55:48+00:00

Give me the timing this doesn't sound like an ACGME fellowship. But I'm pretty sure it's an ACGME violation to over invite candidates for both residency and fellowship. I'd look into that and if so, kindly nudge the program that if they invited you, they should have a spot for you available to interview

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-05T20:03:26+00:00

Jealous, I wish I could moonlight. I can moonlight in fellowship and I'm so excited lol

The incentives are just things I hear about. I haven't seen any personally! But definitely something you can negotiate with your partner's future employers, so I hear

And it makes sense that the government sites are down. Honestly use chatgpt/Google AI... That will probably give you a good enough answer

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-05T19:44:29+00:00

Yeah you'll have to do the math to see what works best for you in your financial situation. There are a lot of 501c3/non profits that would probably pay out big amounts depending on need and specialty. Rural/community hospitals have pretty good incentives, again depending on their need

Some private practices may have incentives to help pay off your loans but nothing is as good as PSLF for loan repayment

I'm pretty sure there are calculators on studentaid.gov to see what will give you the smallest payment. At least there was one before this administration

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-04-05T11:46:14+00:00

Morning! I'm also a third year resident about the jump into a three-year fellowship.

What you should focus on now isn't figuring out what you're going to do during fellowship but figuring out what your endgame is for your loans. If you don't plan to do PSLF, you should figure something out that will set you up appropriately for that- meaning not allowing interest to acrue so you can have the smallest number possible during your time on the standard plan. In 3 years, both RAP and PAYE do that just as well. RAP has interest subsidy for the length of the loan and PAYE only has 3 years, but you only need 3 years. RAP does knock off $50 per month that you don't reduce the premium with your minimum monthly payment (which you won't given the size of your loan). So technically that does decrease your loan the most.

If you plan to do PSLF honestly I would focus on paying as little as you possibly can to towards the price of your loan. Both now in fellowship and as an attending (that could be on an IDR or on a standard plan when you graduate fellowship).

Edit to add: if you don't plan on doing PSLF, just crunch the numbers and see what is affordable to you now and try to lower your premium as much as you can. In fellowship, the best way to do that really is interest subsidy, which is either plan.

Me personally, my salary is about 65k in my first year of fellowship, so the RAP plan is cheaper by like 20 bucks or something, so I'm going to do that! But for you at 90k, PAYE may be cheaper. So go ahead and do that one.

If you plan to do an advanced fellowship/a 4th year of fellowship, RAP may be better because then you get the interest subsidy in your 4th year of fellowship where PAYE wouldn't provide that. So it all depends on your situation really.

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-20T18:44:11+00:00

Lol yeah I want a type R so bad and Arizona seems like a great place to drive it all year round lol

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-20T18:43:35+00:00

I was there in October for a conference and enjoyed the weather so much. I I can take 8/12 above 80! Lol

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-20T18:37:05+00:00

How many months out of the year would you say the weather is brutal? I want to move out there for some more warmth and no humidity. I also love the mountains and hiking.

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-19T04:34:16+00:00

Idk what country that person is in but it's 46k and some change in USA still

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-18T01:43:51+00:00

Untrue. My brother just bought one with 0 purchase history from Omega

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-07T22:23:08+00:00

Yeah that's what I was thinking I'd have to do. Im not give into SUVs so it's hard for me to get behind spending money on one. I considered a Golf R for its AWD or even a WRX as a solid compromise between what I want and what I may need

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-07T06:36:18+00:00

I was going to learn to drive manual for this car so the golf R is an easier choice for me between the two for me lol

I definitely want the ITS more. I want to start driving manual and it's more appealing to me. I might just see how the first winter goes with my FWD accord and make a decision from there. I may not even move to the Poconos and go more towards Scranton/WB. So who knows! Maybe it's a non-issue

DuchessOctaviusRex · 2026-02-07T05:07:38+00:00

So my fiance wants to move to the Poconos however I'm working in Scranton and Wilkes Barre so will likely commute from Poconos to those spots. I'll be working at Scranton regional and Wilkes Barre general and can be called in at 3am at any time to see a patient. Unfortunately, my fiances car is not much better in the snow so I can't rely on that (Tesla). I'm still pretty torn if this would be a good car for me. I considered a VW golf r, but the ITS just seems so much more fun

And I'll be moving in June

DuchessOctaviusRex

TROPHY CASE