Lifestyles of the poor and nameless

Today I sat at my desk and for some reason I noticed that my hands were shaking. I inhaled, exhaled and got back to my work...a major project is due tomorrow.

My mind kept drifting back to a friend's comment yesterday: "I have this picture of you, and your face is really slim. How long ago was that?" I told him it was last year at graduation. He got quiet. I knew what he was thinking: You gained all that weight in a year? What the heck have you been doing? In the back of my mind, I've been aware of it, but it always sucks to have someone point these things out (as my mom is so fond of doing).

So despite the looming deadline, I found myself making a list of "my major life changes" that I've been through within the past calendar year. Psychologists say that major life changes (even positive ones like starting a new job) are considered stressors. Too many of these stressors will increase the probability of illness/accident. So here's my timeline (May 2004- May 2005)

1. Law School Graduation: 5/23/04
2. Study for bar exam: 5/25- 7/27
3. Sick with the flu: 7/25- 7/30
4. 2 bar exams: 7/27 & 7/28
5. Job search: 8/1- 9/20
6. Start 2 part time jobs: 10/1
7. Accept offer for job in another state: 11/14
8. Quit both part-time jobs: 11/15
9. Receive notice of failure for both bar exams: 11/15- 11/17
10. Apartment-hunting in new state: 11/15- 12/08
11. Move in with family friend in new state: 12/12
12. Start new job: 12/13
13. Study for February bar exam: 12/20-2/21
14. Take Feb exam: 2/22 & 2/23
15. Car accident: 2/26
16. Apartment search: 2/27- 3/6
17. Move into new apartment: 3/15
18. Car accident (Hit & Run, car totaled): 3/28
19. Court date: 4/28
20. Prepare for July Bar exam: 5/01- 7/27
21. Look for & purchase new car: 4/01-?
22. Receive February bar exam results: May '05

In the background, silent but omnipresent, has been the J.O.B. with its deadlines and schedules.
On the real psychology scale, maybe 5-10 of these will qualify as stressful major life events. Each one is assigned a point value. Based on the score, you can predict the likelihood of illness/accident within the next two years. Ironically, no point value is assigned for the accidents themselves. Hmmmm.

Do your own checklist :http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa053101a.htm