PA School

I'm not really sure how to start this post, so I'll just dive right in.  Ever since I started really thinking about applying to medical school, I have also thought about applying to the physician assistant program at my school.  The main reason I didn't to begin with, is it required a few extra classes that I couldn't quite fit into my schedule. They were classes that I wanted to take, but they have labs and I only have so many hours that I can make up at work, so I just decided to stick to the MD route.  Well, lately I have been thinking about the whole PA thing in a more serious light - I haven't given up on the MD thing, I am just opening up my options. PA school might be better for me because even though I am still "young" I am 31 and I can finish PA school by the time I am 34, if I get in next year that is. I will still be able to practice medicine, live in a small town, and make a decent living. Plus my loans won't be as high and if I work in a rural area I will be able to qualify for a repayment program where I get my loans paid back for every year I work in that setting.  Right now the only thing that my application is lacking is direct patient care experience.  With medical school, only shadowing is required, but PA school looks for people with actual patient care experience.  A lot of students come in with a CNA, EMT or some other form of certification and/or training, so this might make it a little more difficult for me.  On the list of qualifying activities is chiropractic assistant, and there is one down the street from where I live that is open on Saturdays, so I am going to ask if they would like a volunteer.  :) I will be a little more strapped for time this semester, but I might see if I can volunteer in the ER or a hospital this summer after I take my MCAT.  If I can't get in with the chiropractor, I may go down to my local hospital's same day care clinic and see if I can volunteer there.  I may not be able to get the required hours in by the time I apply, but at least it will be a start, plus it will be really good experience for both the MD and PA apps. 

So my plan at the moment is to take Intro to Microbiology and Human Anatomy and Physiology next semester, then study for the MCAT from May - July and take the exam on July 27.  After the MCAT I will try to volunteer at the hospital for the rest of the summer.  I will then take Statistics and Pathophysiology for the fall semester, then Pharmacology and Advanced H&P for the spring to finish up the classes I need to take.  By this time I should know if I got in to KU or WSU (this is the PA program I'm applying to), and if I get in then awesome! and if not then I will focus on the direct patient care and community service part of my app and focus only on PA school.  This will be my last attempt to get into KU.  I would love to be a doctor and have that M.D. behind my name, but at this point in my life, I really just want to practice medicine and start helping patients and the M.D. part of it really isn't necessary.  I know that I would love being a PA-C just as much and really, there are not a lot of differences between the two as far as job descriptions go.  I guess only time will tell which road I travel.

Back to School

Last Friday I had my feedback session with the admissions dean at KU.  I was a little nervous about it, but her feedback was very helpful and it is nice to know that my app is very fixable. There were basically two issues: 1. academic, 2. Service.

1. Academics:
She said that the committee liked me, but because I had a rough patch of bad grades - I have two C's in physics (long story, but I suck at math and had horrible professors) and a D in organic chemistry I - I should take more science classes. Even though I retook organic I and got a B, then got an A in organic II, which she said was impressive, I didn't take many science classes after that; just genetics and biochemistry.  She wants me to take two science classes per semester in order to continue my upward trend and to show that I can indeed handle them. I will also retake the MCAT so hopefully that will cover my bases for my academics.

It is a little frustrating because I have to work full time, so it is harder to keep up the A's - for me anyway. I know there are a lot of people that have to work while in school and do just fine without struggling and I wish I was one of them. I know quite a few people that just "get it" and don't have to try so hard and again, I wish I was one of them. I am a good student, but I have to work hard for my grades, and sometimes after working all day and going to class at night, I really don't have the mental energy to study.  I only have three hours to study at night, and that is on the nights I don't have to volunteer or have class. I am going to try a few things different this semester and I hope it pays off.  I am taking intro to microbiology and human anatomy and physiology.  There is a lot of memorization and a lot of concepts to understand, so it will require more time to study or finding a good way to study smart.  I look at this as a test - if I can get through these classes with A's, then I am ready for med school, and if I can't - then I am done.  I say this because I am nervous about being able to handle the load in med school.  I am afraid that I'm struggling because I'm not grasping the concepts, and I know part of it is because my study time is limited, but I do feel that I could work harder.  I also wonder if I am taking the wrong approach.  I think I might be trying to "remember" things when I should be trying to "understand"  them in order to remember them. I am going to come up with a study schedule and try to stick to it as much as possible and focus more on the concepts (where applicable) this semester. Let's hope it helps.


2. Service:
The dean mentioned that the committee didn't see how my desire to "serve" fit in, but yet my interviewers said that I only volunteer at a hospice because I work full time, so I am not sure how to take this.  It's like they understand that I work while taking classes and volunteer, but it isn't quite good enough.  I told her that I recently started volunteering at the Salvation Army, but then she said it really wasn't about how many hours I put in or how many activities I was involved it, it was more about understanding that being a doctor is about serving the community. ?  Well yeah, duh. So, this made me think that I just need to rework my application/essay about the hospice to reflect this - which I will do, but I still want to work with the SA.  I worked at the toy distribution center last year, and like an idiot forgot to put that down, but I am doing it again this year so will make sure to put it on my next application, plus I will be involved more throughout the year which will help me convey my desire to serve my community. 

This whole process is so frustrating and time consuming and can really mess with you.  It would be so easy just to say "I'm done," but that would be too easy.  Like I said earlier, I feel like this is a test for me - a test of will and desire.  If I am serious about this then I have to keep plugging along and if not then I will be weeded out and will have to decide what I want to do with my life.

Not Strong Enough

Well, it looks like I am still not a strong enough applicant for KU.  :(((((  I received my rejection letter in the mail last night.  I was hoping to at least be put on hold, but apparently I must have some major weaknesses in my application.  I made an appointment for Dec. 2nd to speak with the admissions director to find out what I can do to improve my application.  It's going to be a long 2 weeks.

Flowers

Brad was so sweet and had flowers sent to my work..... a few months ago and I am just now posting them.  I am a bad wife.  They were so gorgeous!!  I am a lucky gal to have such a sweet husband.  Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that last bit out loud..... 

Still Waiting

It has been 15 days since my interview and I am still waiting for the results.  KU typically takes three weeks to make a decision, which would mean I would find out on the 25th, but the problem is the 25th falls on the Thanksgiving holiday.  grrrrr. They said they were hoping to send out notifications before the holiday, but I am guessing I won't hear anything until December 2.  That would be the best birthday present ever!  Sorry honey, I'll still love whatever you get me :o)

Last night Brad and I went to a Lady Shox basketball game.  They played LSU, ranked 21, and we only lost by a less than 10 points.  They played really well, and I really hope they continue to improve throughout the season.  We have only been to two games, but they are a lot of fun and I hope we can go to more this year.   

Post Interview

Yesterday was my KU interview.  I arrived at 10:30 am. and checked-in.  I then listened to the admissions dean speak about the process and what to expect in the next few weeks/months.  Then we went into a classroom for a financial aid session.  The person who was leading the session was in Kansas City, so we did a video conference -  which is what the classes will be like. After that we had lunch and I got to sit with my friend who is a first year student, and I got to pick her brain about KU.  Afterwards we went on a tour of the building and then had the interview. There are two 30 minute interviews, the first one is one-on-one and the second is two-on-one.  The first person gets to see all of your application and the second group only sees a few essays about you.  The interview was very laid back and conversational, and I was only asked a couple hard questions, but I think I did an ok job of answering. I won't hear anything until right before Thanksgiving - hopefully.  It will be a very long wait! 

Interview!

I know it has been awhile since I posted last, but see, I have been holding my breath.  I have been patiently waiting for KU to send me an e-mail.  Today, I can finally breathe again....  I HAVE A KU INTERVIEW INVITE!!!!!  I have been waiting two years for this e-mail and I can't believe that I finally have it.  My interview is on November 1, at 2:30. I am so excited I can hardly concentrate.  I have been hearing all sorts of good news from my friends who have been accepted to other medical school today, and I was shocked when I got my interview invite email!  I really can't believe it.  I am in awe right now.  My hard work has paid off and brought me one step closer to my dream.  Wow!  :D

Workout

I have sort of finished my P90X workout.  I did 10 weeks and there are 13, but the last week is just recovery.  The reason I didn't finish is because I stumbled upon this gem. I have lost some inches and gained a bunch of strength doing the P90X workouts, and I really love them, but I am ready to try something new.  The workouts on the BodyRock site are usually short, not more than 30 min, but very intense and are full body.  I did my first one last night and it about killed me, plus I am a little sore today.  I love how they vary the workouts and even though they reuse some of the exercises, each workout is different so it is hard to get bored.  I also love how you keep track of your reps and time and then can either post them on the site or just keep them to yourself so you can come back and try to beat it the next time.  She uses some equipment, but does show you how to do each exercise without - and trust me, the exercise is just as hard.  I am challenging myself to get in better shape and start eating healthier.  The site even has some healthy eating tips and yummy recipes.  I took some before pictures last night, and after 60 days I will take some semi-after pictures, and I say "semi" because I am not planning on stopping the workouts then.  I just want to see my progress at that point.  :o)  Who knows, maybe you will even see my before and after pics on their site!

Letters of Recommendation

I have a few friends that are panicking over their letter of recommendations for medical school and thought this might be a good topic to blog about.  LOR's are very tricky, because you are asking someone else to write about their opinions of you, and you are at their mercy on when they actually sit down and write the letter.  I have heard so many horror stories (and know two people at the moment) from students that submitted their applications, have them verified and are ready to apply to schools, but are still waiting for their lor's to come in, so I thought I would just put some tips and pointers out there.  I am also including a helpful link to some questions/answers here.  It will probably be more helpful to you than my little ol post.  :o)

I also want to say that I am a non-traditional applicant, so keep that in mind.

First things first - start getting to know your professors early.  This will make things easier when you ask them for letters.  Go to their office hours and take the time to let them know you are serious about the class and your grade.  This is how I was able to get to know my professors.  I didn't have a lot of time, so I made sure I let them know that I took time out of my work schedule to see them, and they were able to see I meant business. Another great way is to ask to review your exams if they don't give them back to you.  My biology professors kept all of our exams so in order to review them, I had to make an appointment.

Letters - Every medical school has their own requirements for lor's, but they all require a certain number from science professors and non-science professors.  Some schools have pre-med committees and require a letter from your committee as well.  If you do research, which a lot of schools like, then a letter from your PI is also recommended.  Because I am a non-trad student, I asked my employer for a lor, which is great because they know how I am as an employee versus a student.  Physician letters are also very helpful, so if you shadow or volunteer, take the time to really get to know the physician and let them know who you are and why you want to be a doctor. They will have some good weight, especially if what they say corresponds with your professors and other letter writers evaluations of you.  The whole point behind a letter is to sounds good, but everyone knows that - so adcoms also like to see similarities between letters to really get an idea of who you are and what others think of you.  A bad letter can hurt you, so if you don't think someone is going to write you a strong letter, don't ask. 

Timing - This is very important.  You don't want to ask too early, but you don't want to wait around either.  Part of this depends on how well you know your writers and how busy they are.  I asked my letter writers in January/February.  Yes, this is a little early, but I gave them a deadline of around March/April.  This gave them time to procrastinate and me enough time to bug them before my application was sent in. I was lucky and most of my professors were very understanding and very supportive of me applying and they sent in their letters on time, as was my employer.  I had to keep poking and prodding the physician, but he got it in on time and apologized every time I reminded him.  :o)  I know he was busy and letter writing wasn't his strong suite, but I asked him early knowing that it might take him awhile to get them sent in. Another reason why being too early isn't a big deal, is because you will have to get new letters if you reapply anyway.  As long as your letter is under a year old, you should be fine.  You don't have to have letters in order to submit your application, and I think this is where a lot of students get tripped up.  The schools have their own deadlines for letters, and if a school's deadline is October, then asking in June would seem to be like a fine idea.


There are some questions regarding how to submit the letters, which the site I linked should answer very nicely.  I am lucky and my premed adviser collected them and sent them in for me because KU doesn't use any of the letter services, such as interfolio.  

I'm definitely not an expert and I'm sure there area lot of different opinions, but I am only trying to offer some tips and suggestions.  My experiences are very unique because my state school is very in-state oriented and looks at the whole applicant package, and not just the numbers (not all schools are numbers heavy, but how else do you weed out thousands of applicants?). A lot of my advise and knowledge comes from outside sources and I only want to share the wealth. 

Way too long

I'm sorry for my lack of posting lately.  Ever since I have graduated and started reapplying, I have been crazy busy with every day life stuff and most of it isn't very post worthy.  There are a couple of posts that I need to write though, some med school stuff and some personal stuff.  Things that I keep saying I'm going to write about and never do.  :o)

I don't know a lot about different medical schools, only because I am applying to one school, but the process is the same for everyone.  I have been around long enough to know what is good for your application and have some good resources which I want to post links to.  If anyone has any specific questions, I will be happy to answer or direct you to an answer, but for now, please know I will get a post up very soon!

The most exciting thing going on in my life at the moment, is we bought a new stove!  I know you are thinking, "really? this is exciting?" but it is!  The old stove we had came with the rental.  That should explain it all right there.  It is an electric stove/oven and it still works, but it is pretty old; it would heat up the whole house when I turned it on, the top would get hot to the touch (I am talking about the top of the stove, not the burners, duh!)  and there was no handle to open the door with.  I had to grab each side of the door to open it.  I am still amazed that I didn't burn my fingers opening the darn thing. The new has a ceramic top, a hidden baking element and most importantly - it has a handle!  So, now you know why I am so excited.   :o)

My life is so simple.  ha ha ha

Wedding gift

Here is a picture of the afghan I made my sister and her husband. Like an idiot I forgot to take a finished picture. D'oh! So I thought I'd use the one she sent me. The pattern is a rectangle and it's so fast and easy to do! I love this pattern.

The Waiting

Well, my file is complete at KU, meaning they have received my application, my secondary application and my letters of recommendation, and now I wait until October/November when they start conducting interviews.  Blah! 

This summer has been going by way too fast!  I haven't done much but I'm still busy - and I don't understand that.  :o)  I have been working out pretty religiously for the past three weeks and am already seeing a difference, which only motivates me to do more.  I am just about finished with my last afghan for Brad's family and will probably start on my side next.  I have a few small things I want to do in between though. 

Work has been going well since all the changes, it's still a little weird, but good.  In a couple months Brad's friend is going to be visiting from Montana for a week and my sister and her family are going to come down for a weekend to go to the fair, so we will have a full house!  I'm pretty excited to see everyone though.  It should be a good time.  I am hoping to have a ceiling fan installed in the living room before then to help keep that room cooler.  With the temperatures being in the 100's this summer it gets quite warm in there, especially when the tv is on.

So yeah, this is my exciting life as of right now!  ha ha ha.  KU started their classes this week and two of my friends are a part of it.  I am so happy and excited for them.  It's nice to know that if I need help next year I will have someone to go to that I actually know.  Plus they are super smart so that's a plus for me.  ;o)

Follow me!

I had a reader ask me about e-mail updates when I post, which got me to look at my design.  I have now added a new link so you can get an e-mail update when I post!  Hopefully it works!  :o)

Secondary

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted anything and I apologize, but things have been pretty crazy lately. 

First, I mentioned in my last post that I received my secondary application already. Well I spent most of the last two weeks filling out the essay questions and I was able to submit it on Friday.  Yay!  I'm glad to have that done and out of the way, but now comes the waiting.  Interviews don't start until October, so I have a lot of sitting around to do.  :o) Some schools have already started interviewing!  In a way it would be nice to have the option to apply to a dozen different schools to increase my chances at getting into medical school, but the downside is the cost and I really really like KU.  I have a better feeling about it this year than I did last year, and I really hope that this feeling knows what it is talking about!

Second, my new boss started at work last week. I am the assistant to four development directors (fund raisers) and we did a little switching around of personnel - I lost one director and gained another.  Since I gained one new director, and one "new" director, I have been busy organizing myself and trying to figure out what they need from me and what projects I need to finish that the other assistant started.  It's been keeping me pretty busy at work, but I feel so discombobulated! (what a fun word!)  My new boss is great and I think she will fit in with the group just fine, and the reassigned boss is one that I was assistant to when I first started here, so I know her and have worked with her before, which makes things easier. 

Third, I have started working out again.  Yay! Boo? I have been doing the P90X program, which is awesome, but boy does it kick your butt!  I have been pretty good about doing it everyday too, with the exception of Sunday.  Brad and I went over to his ex's house to finish installing a sliding glass door and it took aaall day long to do.  So Sunday ended up being my break day and I started up again last night. 

Saturday night Brad and I went out to celebrate our anniversary, which was really last month but we never had a chance to go out. We went to Jillian's Italian Cuisine restaurant and it was delicious!  I had the fettuccine alfredo with chicken (my absolute favorite dish!) and Brad had a steak. We also found out they serve wood-fired pizza so I have a feeling we may go back and try that out.  It was really nice to get all dressed up and have a date night with my honey.  It was a very nice time.

Application Update

I am happy to say that I submitted my application last Friday and I already have my KU secondary application!  However, my application has not yet been verified, so I am wondering how I got the secondary already. 

The process goes something like this:
Fill out primary application and submit it. 
Wait for them to verify everything
Get verification status - they then send application to selected medical schools.
Selected medical schools send out secondary application.

 Even though it's weird, I'm happy that I got it! So now I have to fill out about 10 essay questions.  :o(

In my last post I mentioned that my score was higher the second go around, even though it wasn't exactly what I wanted.  I didn't really explained how KU figures in multiple MCAT scores.  KU combines the highest scores of each section.  So lets say I got a 10 9 10, and a 9 10 9, they would combine them to make 10 10 10, which would give me a 30.  So my combined score is where I want to be, and the only people to see my individual scores are the interview selection committee and my advocate who takes my file to the selection committee.  Everyone else sees a letter score.  Not every med school does this, but it sure works in my favor for KU!

It's done!!!!

I finally finished sewing on all the leaves and the flowers onto the afghan!  Now I get to take it to Brad's grandma, and hope she likes it!

I'm Baaack!

My trip to Montana was fast, but so nice.  I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in awhile, and the wedding was beautiful.  The first three days were pretty crazy since we had to set up for the rehearsal dinner, have the rehearsal, and the dinner, then decorate the church then get our hair done then pictures and finally the wedding! It was pretty nonstop until the reception where I finally got a chance to see a lot of people I haven't seen in years.  It was really nice to catch up with everyone.  The day after the wedding my sister Jess, her two kids and I drove all day to North Dakota to see my mom.  I haven't seen my mom or my brother in about six years, so it was really nice to see them again.  We sat around the first night playing games and telling stories.  It was a lot of fun.  About an hour or so after we arrived, a storm started to roll in and mom said that we were in a tornado watch!  I went all the way from Kansas to North Dakota to be in a tornado watch!  I thought this was quite amusing.  The next day we went to a little "lake" and went fishing.  I was busy taking pictures of everyone so didn't fish much, but it was still fun and relaxing.  That night we sat around talking for a bit and the next day I had to leave.  I got home around midnight and then went out in the truck with Brad for the next few days.  We got home late Saturday night and then Sunday we did some errands and went to Pirates of the Caribbean 4. I was so worn out! I finally went back to work Monday, but on Tuesday I my stomach started feeling weird.  I wasn't very hungry and was really tired.  I went home a little early, but came back on Wednesday.  I didn't last the whole day and went home sick.  I finally felt better Thursday and was able to actually eat something!  Today is Friday and for the first time all week I am having coffee!  I'm so excited!  -yes, I'm easily amused.  :o)


And now for the news you have all been dying to hear.... I received my MCAT score and it was higher than last years.  :o)  I'm still not crazy about the score, but I think combined they will put me where I want to be. It was in the range of my practice scores, so I wasn't too surprised. I am finishing up my application and will be submitting it today!  I haven't really been in the mood to write much lately, so I really need to pull together and get this thing done!

Vacation

I haven't really talked about this, but my sister is getting married this weekend - in Montana, so I get a little vacation!  I leave in two days and will be gone for one week.  Brad isn't able to come with me, which really sucks, but I am looking forward to seeing my family.  It's been YEARS since I've seen my brother and my mother, and even though I saw my three sisters and my dad last year at my wedding, we didn't really get to hang out much, so I'm really looking forward to spending time with everyone.

I fly out of Wichita on Thursday at 6am and get to Billings at 10am, then it's about a three hour drive to Malta.  I have a feeling it will be a long day considering I will have to wake up at 4 to get to the airport! The rehearsal is on Fri, the wedding's on Sat, then an all day drive to my moms on Sun, stay with my mom Sun and Mon and then drive to Billings to fly out at 1:30pm on Tues.  I won't get into Wichita until 11pm and then an hour drive home.  I decided to take Wed off of work since I will be getting in so late on Tues., plus it will give me time to unpack, unwind and finish sewing the leaves on the afghan I recently posted pics of.  :o)

By the time I get back from Montana I will only have a week left to wait for my MCAT score.  I am fine tuning my personal statement and application, and will have a week to make sure it's perfect.  I plan on submitting my application as soon as I get my MCAT score.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is as high as my practice tests. 

Crochet Projects

Thought I would post a couple of pictures of the afghans I've been working on. I still have one more to finish and I'll post a pic of that one later.  The first two are of a really fun pattern I found here.Excuse my crappy camera phone pics, it really messes up the colors. The first pic is what the pattern looks like and the second picture is a better pic of the colors. The second pic blends into the background a bit, but there's a chocolate brown on top and bottom.  I'm just about done with it and will post a final pic when it's all finished.  :o)

A while back (about a year ago) I posted a picture of a pattern I was working on - well, I am finally (almost) done with it!  I started putting it together yesterday and am about 90% finished!  Take a look!
I just have to finish sewing down the top two corners and all the leaves and then it's done! I have to say this is the most time consuming afghan that I made.  The patter for the afghan, leaves, which I created, and the roses were simple, but putting them on the afghan was literally a pain in the neck (and back)! 

MCAT is Over!

Well, I survived the dreadful MCAT. So, how was it you ask?  Eh.  There were a few hard questions, a few easy, questions, and a whole lot in between.  I ran into two questions that asked about something I never even heard of.  The questions really don’t seem that bad… until you look at the answers.  :o) 

I sort of felt like I was on autopilot the first section of the test, but got a little more into it after my first break.  The physical science section wasn’t too bad, and the physics questions weren’t too terrible considering this is my worst section.  Verbal seemed ok and I hope it’s not one of those things where I feel good about it but do horrible.  The bio section wasn’t too bad either, but it had a lot of difficult organic chemistry on it. Organic was my stronger section, so I am hoping I pulled it off.  

After taking the real thing, I feel the same way about it as I did after taking my practice exams, so I really hope I get the same score.  I got the same score as my practice tests last year, so I am hoping for the same thing this go around.     

Three days and counting…

Until I take the MCAT for the second time.  My practice exams are closer to where I want to be, compared to last year, but I hit a plateau. According to the MCAT diagnosis, my problem is related to test taking errors.  I have a bad habit of changing my answers, like I explained in a previous post, and I am trying real hard to go with the first answer that pops into my head instead of changing it.  If I can do this my score will improve by a few points.  Don’t get me wrong, I would be happy with the score I’ve been getting, because I feel this score would get me an interview, but I would have more options if I could get it a little higher. 

After saying all that, I’m really just ready to take the damn thing and be done with it.  I am pretty much done with studying, but still doing practice problems and light review to keep things fresh in my mind. I am keeping a positive attitude about it and not letting nerves or pressure get to me.  I have a score in my head and that’s the score I keep telling myself I will get.  My favorite professor told me to think of it as an intellectual challenge, a game, and really, it sort of is.  There are tricks and traps throughout the exam, and the challenge is to find the correct answers.  The exam doesn’t test your knowledge as much as it tests your critical thinking skills, but the knowledge helps. 

The exam is at 8:00am and I have to leave by 6:30 to get to the testing center early enough to check in. I figure I will get up at 6:00 and have a little breakfast and a small cup of coffee.  I am going to bring snacks this time as last time I forgot my snack and pretty much crashed after the verbal section.  So far, I plan to bring blueberries, almonds and a banana.  I might bring something else, but haven’t decided what.  I’m also taking Friday off of work to just relax and enjoy the day.  :o)  

Let's hope it helps!

Jury Duty

Last week I was lucky enough to be chosen as a member of the jury for a burglary/theft case.  I was actually looking forward to it and even a little excited.  You have to remember that I was a paralegal for a short time, contemplated going to law school and majored in criminal justice, so this was fun for me.  The case was very short and only lasted a few hours.  Both sides presented their cases in about three, maybe four hours.  The story was something like this:

Sometime between October 15, 5:00 pm, and October 16, 2010 8:00 am, someone broke into a storage unit and stole an ATV and trailer.  No witnesses, no “evidence” no nothing.  January 2011, the victim went to a friend’s house for lunch and saw his atv sitting in the friends shed.  A comparison of serial numbers confirmed that it was indeed his.  The friend was holding the atv for a friend of his sons.  They had been out riding in the sand dunes that previous weekend, and the son’s friend left it there until he could come get it.  The son’s friend had borrowed the atv from his grandfather, and the grandfather Mr. G, bought the atv from a friend on October 16, 2010.  The friend, who is the defendant in the case, said he bought the atv from a woman who was trying to sell it in a parking lot of an outdoor sporting goods store.  The friend, Mr. H, said he overheard her trying to sell it to another person, but that person wasn’t interested.  Mr. H. talked to the woman and she wanted to sell both the atv and trailer for $1,400, even though the est. value was $6,000.  He said it was a good deal and he knew his friend, Mr. G., was looking for a good deal on an atv so he bought it for his friend.  The woman, however, could not be located.  Mr. H. then said he took the atv out to Mr. G’s house to sell to him. 

Mr. G said that Mr. H came over to his house for drinks and played pool when the conversation came up that Mr. H had an atv to sell.  They then went over to look at it and Mr. G decided to buy it. 

Mr. H said he had a sales receipt, but never produced one in court.  Mr. H never said how he purchased the atv, or proved how he purchased it. 

The verdict …

Not Guilty.

WTF?! 

Only 4 people on the jury felt that he was guilty, the other 8 felt he was not guilty.  We spent 4 to 5 hours deliberating back and forth and nobody budged.  In the end the people who knew he was guilty changed our vote just to end the trial.  Part of me really wanted to hang the jury, because I knew that the prosecution would have a stronger case.  Well, I didn’t and neither did the other 4 and he was found not guilty. 

We had a chance to ask the judge and prosecutor questions afterwards, and found out that Mr. H. was a repeat offender and the sales receipt was just a sentence stating he purchased the atv , but wasn’t dated and could have easily been written by anyone.  He refused to talk to the detectives and because of this, the prosecutor couldn’t ask the questions he needed to. 

It was a very frustrating case because I knew he was guilty because his story was way to convenient to be true, and because the guy standing on the street corner is never really standing on the street corner minding his own business.  People in certain fields of work hear this story waaay to often and can smell the bullshit, but I was amazed at how these 8 people gave him the benefit of the doubt right away.  I was a little sad, too.  In the end, the 4 who knew he was guilty felt that it would be better to let a guilty man go than rather than let an innocent man be punished.  All of us agreed that if he is guilty, Karma would get him; but when we found out the additional information, we felt that Karma got us.