Orientation week was boring. The only exciting parts were when my mortgage lender lady kept calling and asking for more documentation because half the country was defaulting on their loans. I sent her whatever I could and was mostly annoyed at the inconvenience.

Well, it's turning into a little more than that. When I got home tonight, I opened a letter from the mortgage company saying that they were turning down my application because they were worried about my student loans, even though I explained that they can be deferred during residency. So basically, it seems like I can't buy my condo. Oh, and the lease on my apartment runs out in a week.

When I tell people what I do for a living, they usually ask some variation of, "Is it like Scrubs?" Now I can say yes.

J.D.: Elliot! Come on! This is crazy - you're living out of a van like a hobo... or Jewel.

Elliot: Her poetry changed my life.

Who will save my soul me?!

Today was the first day of residency orientation.

Department Chair: Do well or we'll fire you!

Or something like that. It was mostly painless, just took some pictures, got an ID, picked up a parking pass, and filled out some paperwork.

During one of the introductory presentations, I was sitting there listening to them addressing the new class of residents and I couldn't help thinking, how did I get here? How surreal.

And when I came back to my apartment, it was empty. Tom had moved out a couple of weeks ago, so his room and most of the living room was bare. I could hear an echo just walking around. I've never lived alone, save for a month during college, and it feels a little lonely. I'd forgotten that Tom took his microwave, so I ended up reheating rice in a frying pan for dinner.

It was nice to talk to some people over AIM, but I may need some companionship. Maybe a girlfriend pet. A snake? A fish? Something without arms, you know, because I don't like clingy.

S. Choe just completed her freshman year at Niles North high school. She moved here two years ago from California with her mom. She started going to BYG and quickly become one of Myung's favorites. "Che's the greatest girl in the world," he kept saying, using his own nickname for her.

Myung told me that there are plenty of great things about Che, including her s...l...o...w... way of talking/walking/living and the hilarious fact that she joined the track team. However, her best attribute, he said, is the fact that she, just by being herself, can refresh the gloomiest souls. There are two girls in particular who seem to benefit the most from having her around: Anna and Christine.

Anna just graduated from Niles North and will be attending Northwestern in the fall. Like most 2nd semester seniors, she's long stopped listening (although, to be fair, she's never really listened to me) and maybe stopped caring. It hurts Myung to think that he can't reach her anymore.

Even Anna says that Christine reminds her of a younger version of herself. Christine just graduated from Alexander Graham Bell elementary, which happens to work with deaf children (though Christine isn't), and whose graduation service (the best Myung's seen) was adorned with sign language. After the ceremony, she ran off to talk to her friends and left Myung talking to her mom.

Christine's mom told Myung that she doesn't interact much with anyone at home. But she said that she was glad that Christine seems to have found such a genuine friend at church - Che, of course.

Christine is guilelessly honest, sometimes blunt, and is reflexively sensitive. Anna is older and more mature, so she is less of these things, but the edge is harder. And Che buffers all these things.

Che came to BYG just after I left, so all I knew of her was from what Myung told me. To be honest, when I finally met her, I didn't get it. Or, more accurately, I didn't get her. She didn't seem particularly great, or funny. The only funny thing seemed to be that she felt the same way about me.

Well, this past weekend we laughed at a few jokes, shared an umbrella in the pouring rain, and said, "HiiiiiiiYAH!" In all, it was only a few hours, but it was a full few hours, full of nothing really, except that it was wonderful, genuine nothing. And Che seemed something north of very good.

I think I really missed these kids. I think I really missed being part of BYG. I think these past few weeks have lifted the gloom, and I feel refreshed.

I'm not sure how to take it when my friends suggest girls to me. Well, no, I mean, I appreciate the suggesting part. It's just that, um, these girls aren't exactly what I'm looking for.

A few weeks ago, as Myung was driving some youth group kids home, he brought up a girl.

Myung: How about ------? She's cute.

Alas, the kids in the back knew what she looked like. And they had no problem offering their thoughts.

Bekah: She's kind of short and stubby.

Jon: Yeah.

Seul: She's stubby.

One of the good things about teenagers: they are brutally honest. Now in her defense, let's say that she is a wonderful person who is way too good for me. But somewhat guiltily, I'm okay with that last part.

So I don't know. Maybe my expectations are too high or maybe it's easy to suggest any single person when it's not your pride on the line.

Call me shallow, call me Michael Scott, but there's a pretty big gap between someone who'll capsize an average-sized rowboat and Debra Shoshlefski. I just don't want to keep waiting for next year's chair catalog.

Singlehood is fine by me.