Milestones

It's been nearly four years since I joined the staff of Weill Cornell Medical College. In that time I've held three different titles and worked on over what feels like a hundred projects.

The first project I worked on, the one I was hired for, has stuck with me through all four years. In one capacity or another, I've always had a hand in the WCMC Elearning team, supporting the curriculum efforts at the Qatar branch of the Medical College. In the spirit of honesty, it hasn't been my favorite project over the years: an operational effort that rarely gets acknowledged for keeping things running, but the first under fire when it falls apart. It's been a rough existence, fighting with 270 millisecond latency and MPEG-4 encoders. (Good thing we're not streaming live 99% of the time.)

On May 8th, the very first class of students graduated from WCMC-Q. This is the first time an American medical school has awarded M.D. degrees outside of US borders. These are the students that my work went towards teaching for those first two years when I was most involved with the project.

I'm proud to have been a part of this effort, knowing that it has achieved substantial good in the world. And I'm proud of the team I've worked with over those four years to help make fifteen students halfway around the world make history.

I am a young male. I was surrendered to the SPCA by my former owner who didn't take the time to leave any information about me. I am a super sweet and loving boy who loves to cuddle and is very playful. I am a handsome fellow with cute white mittens who must be seen to be appreciated. Please come to the shelter and meet me today!

Just over five years ago, I was unable to resist an adorable pet listing, and we ended up with a new addition to our family.

In that time, he's gained a dozen names ("Buttons", "Butt Butt", "Boo Boo", "Doctor Boo", "Boo", "Senor Buttones", "Nubbin", "dj BTNS", "Brickhouse", "Bubbles", "Mister Kitty", "Mister Fuzzles"), enchanted everyone he's ever met, and developed some sort of fanbase on the internet. He's also proudly caught some mice, shed enough hair to make a number of coats, and developed a nasty habit of poking me in the morning to get his kibble.

What can I say - he's the best cat ever.