Yesterday was "the big day" in hospitals across the country: all the freshly-graduated doctors made their first appearance in their respective hospitals as residents. So Eric donned his new scrubs and (doctor-length!) white coat to join the ranks and left the house at 6 am yesterday and got home a little after 8 pm. After about six hours of restless sleep (for both of us) he got up at 4 am to check his pager; by 5:30 am he had left the house again. I received the following text from Eric at 7 pm tonight:
"Im still alive. U may never see me again."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Life Happens
12 weeks, really?
Sometimes I'm not sure where the time goes.
As I'm sure you can imagine, the last 12 weeks have been jam-packed with activity. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much happened in just under 3 months:
→ Liz's promotion
→ the search for a place to live
→ ERIC'S GRADUATION!
→ four visits to Lake Gaston
→ a one-week vacation to the Pacific Northwest
→ the big move to Silver Spring, Maryland
We're alive, we're well--perhaps slightly shell-shocked from all the craziness--and very thankful for how lucky we were to find a place in Silver Spring that suits us so well. There are some great stories and photos to share, which will come along. For now, just know that we're back online, settling in, and have many happy memories from seeing so many of you during the first half of 2008!
Sometimes I'm not sure where the time goes.
As I'm sure you can imagine, the last 12 weeks have been jam-packed with activity. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much happened in just under 3 months:
→ Liz's promotion
→ the search for a place to live
→ ERIC'S GRADUATION!
→ four visits to Lake Gaston
→ a one-week vacation to the Pacific Northwest
→ the big move to Silver Spring, Maryland
We're alive, we're well--perhaps slightly shell-shocked from all the craziness--and very thankful for how lucky we were to find a place in Silver Spring that suits us so well. There are some great stories and photos to share, which will come along. For now, just know that we're back online, settling in, and have many happy memories from seeing so many of you during the first half of 2008!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
foreshadowing
Eric is doing his final externship this month. He waited to schedule it until he matched so that he could extern at his match location and get a jumpstart on residency, get acclimated to the area, look for housing, etc...
So, E is at Washington Hospital through April 18 and has basically worked 14 hours a day this first week. He was in surgery this morning at 7 am and will do the same tomorrow morning. If he's not called in, the rest of the weekend is his own. The times that I've talked to him on the phone, he's sounded half-alive and half-awake. I'm sure you get used to the schedule after a while, but I think I can speak on Eric's behalf and say that the first week has been very intense.
As for me, I think I'm going to have a lot of time for creative endeavors. I think I'd also better find a good social circle, because Eric will have about 10 minutes of talking in him at night before he collapses in sheer exhaustion!
So, E is at Washington Hospital through April 18 and has basically worked 14 hours a day this first week. He was in surgery this morning at 7 am and will do the same tomorrow morning. If he's not called in, the rest of the weekend is his own. The times that I've talked to him on the phone, he's sounded half-alive and half-awake. I'm sure you get used to the schedule after a while, but I think I can speak on Eric's behalf and say that the first week has been very intense.
As for me, I think I'm going to have a lot of time for creative endeavors. I think I'd also better find a good social circle, because Eric will have about 10 minutes of talking in him at night before he collapses in sheer exhaustion!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Four Ds and the Four Boxes
So we finally dug through the four boxes of paper last weekend that we had hurriedly packed at the end of January. You know, it's part of that last 10% of stuff that didn't get orderly packed--the boxes that were labeled "Random Shit" and "Miscellaneous Crap" that were destined for "Far Far Away" or "Wild Blue Yonder" instead of the neatly labeled boxes that were packed weeks in advance and clearly marked for "NC" or "Residency." We got a little punchy there at the end. As Jimmy Buffett says, "If we couldn't laugh, then we'd all go insane."
The contents of the four boxes consisted mainly of mail that began accumulating while Eric was packing up in October for his externships--most of it just needed to be scanned and either filed or recycled, but there were some "ah ha!" and "oh no!" moments sprinkled in there for effect. Before I lament about our inability to handle things in a timely fashion, I should state that the mission was accomplished--we were able to successfully locate all our tax documents before the end of March.
Tom Kaiden, fountain of organizational wisdom at the Cultural Alliance, passed on the adage of the four D's in a meeting the better part of a year ago: Do, Dump, Delay or Delegate. So succinct, straightforward, simple... (yeah, Tom, that alliteration's for you!) ...and so terribly hard to, well, DO! Fortunately I've been able to [mostly] overcome my procrastinating tendencies at work, but home matters are an entirely different scenario. I can't plead ignorance; I do know what it takes to be organized at home; I was actually really good about keeping my home matters in order while I was in school (and procrastinating on my school work). But when the work day comes to a close, it feels like "delay" is just what the doctor ordered.
I have an inkling that the short-term gratification is probably not worth it--especially after a 4-hour-long search for tax documents that were delivered to two addresses. And the worst of it wasn't even the search; it was the countless times that I had to cringe just while thinking about the search! Add to that the after-shock cringe of knowing how many unanswered letters were also in those boxes, and you've got a lot of angst building up over months, rather than an investment of minutes had it been dealt with sooner rather than later. What a waste of energy--but realistically, I'll probably opt to delay again. Yeah, addict!
So if you get a response to a letter that you wrote in 2006, you read about it here first. It's OK, I understand why you're rolling your eyes, but at least the "Delay" finally converted to a "Do," right?!
The contents of the four boxes consisted mainly of mail that began accumulating while Eric was packing up in October for his externships--most of it just needed to be scanned and either filed or recycled, but there were some "ah ha!" and "oh no!" moments sprinkled in there for effect. Before I lament about our inability to handle things in a timely fashion, I should state that the mission was accomplished--we were able to successfully locate all our tax documents before the end of March.
Tom Kaiden, fountain of organizational wisdom at the Cultural Alliance, passed on the adage of the four D's in a meeting the better part of a year ago: Do, Dump, Delay or Delegate. So succinct, straightforward, simple... (yeah, Tom, that alliteration's for you!) ...and so terribly hard to, well, DO! Fortunately I've been able to [mostly] overcome my procrastinating tendencies at work, but home matters are an entirely different scenario. I can't plead ignorance; I do know what it takes to be organized at home; I was actually really good about keeping my home matters in order while I was in school (and procrastinating on my school work). But when the work day comes to a close, it feels like "delay" is just what the doctor ordered.
I have an inkling that the short-term gratification is probably not worth it--especially after a 4-hour-long search for tax documents that were delivered to two addresses. And the worst of it wasn't even the search; it was the countless times that I had to cringe just while thinking about the search! Add to that the after-shock cringe of knowing how many unanswered letters were also in those boxes, and you've got a lot of angst building up over months, rather than an investment of minutes had it been dealt with sooner rather than later. What a waste of energy--but realistically, I'll probably opt to delay again. Yeah, addict!
So if you get a response to a letter that you wrote in 2006, you read about it here first. It's OK, I understand why you're rolling your eyes, but at least the "Delay" finally converted to a "Do," right?!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
News Flash: Washington DC is fertile ground for pepper plants!
...at least for pepper plants of the Simmons variety, anyway--Eric matched at Washington Hospital Center today.
How do we feel about it?
Disappointed that it’s not Denver.
Thankful that we don’t have to scramble.
Elated about Eric’s co-residents; 2 out of the 3 are good friends.
Fantastic to be near friends and family.
Sad that Hostelling Simmons won't be your ski lodge next season!
We had a lot that we were looking forward to in Denver, so it's been difficult to mentally switch gears to prepare for a very different living situation. Regardless, we are happy to know where we are going, and we can see that there are distinct advantages to staying on the East Coast and some nice perks to this residency program: family, friends and Lake Gaston; proximity to Philadelphia for Liz's work; and travel already wrapped into the residency itinerary, as Eric will spend one month on a Native American reservation in Arizona and another month in the Caribbean.
On the other hand, Liz was looking forward to a break from life in an East Coast city, and it sounds like ferrets--which we have been looking forward to welcoming into our home during residency--are illegal in D.C. Also, the housing market isn't exactly in our price range, despite all the talk about a buyer's market.
Nevertheless, we plan on making the best out of the next three years, however they may unfold! Oh, and if you have any insider D.C. tips for matters on living and playing, do share! :)
How do we feel about it?
Disappointed that it’s not Denver.
Thankful that we don’t have to scramble.
Elated about Eric’s co-residents; 2 out of the 3 are good friends.
Fantastic to be near friends and family.
Sad that Hostelling Simmons won't be your ski lodge next season!
We had a lot that we were looking forward to in Denver, so it's been difficult to mentally switch gears to prepare for a very different living situation. Regardless, we are happy to know where we are going, and we can see that there are distinct advantages to staying on the East Coast and some nice perks to this residency program: family, friends and Lake Gaston; proximity to Philadelphia for Liz's work; and travel already wrapped into the residency itinerary, as Eric will spend one month on a Native American reservation in Arizona and another month in the Caribbean.
On the other hand, Liz was looking forward to a break from life in an East Coast city, and it sounds like ferrets--which we have been looking forward to welcoming into our home during residency--are illegal in D.C. Also, the housing market isn't exactly in our price range, despite all the talk about a buyer's market.
Nevertheless, we plan on making the best out of the next three years, however they may unfold! Oh, and if you have any insider D.C. tips for matters on living and playing, do share! :)
The Ides of March
March always seems to be unusually eventful in the e^2 household.
We began dating in March 2004: a spontaneous phone call to meet at Wendy's for dinner and a study break ended up creating a conversation that closed down the restaurant for the evening. After a whirlwind 6 weeks, Liz already had a hunch that marriage might be in the cards, thought she would never had admitted that to another human being at the time. If the journals weren't packed away in a box amidst a sea of cardboard, it might be fun to go back and re-read the clues... Ha! Who am I kidding anyway? Nomadic lifestyle aside, it's hard to make time for new entries here, wherever pepper grows...
Speaking of wherever pepper grows, the announcement of Eric's residency match comes out in just a matter of hours now. Match--and hopefully not a scramble--will determine where we land until 2011. This announcement is sandwiched between our first trip back to Philly, Eric's Boards, and the Jeep breaking down last week, and we are awaiting the birth of Nephew #5, the Annual Podiatry Basketball Tournament in Philly for Eric, the Non-Profit Technology Conference for Liz in New Orleans just before Easter, and the announcement of a major grant that will fund most of the Cultural Alliance's marketing efforts (read: employment) over the next 4 years. Whew!
Fate certainly has her way with us in March; fortunately we have no reason to suspect impending doom based on previous years. We'll still knock on wood, though--the next 24 hours bear big news!
We began dating in March 2004: a spontaneous phone call to meet at Wendy's for dinner and a study break ended up creating a conversation that closed down the restaurant for the evening. After a whirlwind 6 weeks, Liz already had a hunch that marriage might be in the cards, thought she would never had admitted that to another human being at the time. If the journals weren't packed away in a box amidst a sea of cardboard, it might be fun to go back and re-read the clues... Ha! Who am I kidding anyway? Nomadic lifestyle aside, it's hard to make time for new entries here, wherever pepper grows...
Speaking of wherever pepper grows, the announcement of Eric's residency match comes out in just a matter of hours now. Match--and hopefully not a scramble--will determine where we land until 2011. This announcement is sandwiched between our first trip back to Philly, Eric's Boards, and the Jeep breaking down last week, and we are awaiting the birth of Nephew #5, the Annual Podiatry Basketball Tournament in Philly for Eric, the Non-Profit Technology Conference for Liz in New Orleans just before Easter, and the announcement of a major grant that will fund most of the Cultural Alliance's marketing efforts (read: employment) over the next 4 years. Whew!
Fate certainly has her way with us in March; fortunately we have no reason to suspect impending doom based on previous years. We'll still knock on wood, though--the next 24 hours bear big news!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Back in Philly: The First 30 Hours
The Philadelphia City Paper maintains a weekly quality of life bell curve. In Philly fashion, we figured we'd narrate the first 30 hours of our first trip back a la The Curve:
The SEPTA automats in the PHL airport have been locked up and the on-board surcharge is now mandatory. At least they re-upholstered the train seats. Minus 1
We have the instant realization in Suburban Station that we are back in an urban center filled with its various and sundry plights. Minus 5
Checked into Club Quarters. They provide purified water at no extra cost. Plus 2
Hopped on the 48 to meet Tim and Carolyn for dinner. The bus arrived on time, and we got to the restaurant 15 minutes early. Yes, the Simmons actually arrived early. We are very proud of ourselves! Plus 4
Had a tasty dinner and great conversation at Trio and closed down the place, remembering how much we enjoy Philly's local cuisine--read: BYOB. Plus 4
Someone asked us for money right after we walked out of the restaurant, which is not expected in the Fairmount neighborhood. Minus 1
We hopped on the 48 within minutes of leaving the restaurant. The SEPTA gods were smiling upon us. Plus 2
Liz shivers until she finally falls asleep, not used to the cold temperatures up north! Eric gets two ice bricks on his legs, a.k.a Liz's feet. Minus 2
Liz wakes up at o' dark hundred to the sound of construction on the old AIA building next door. At least it wasn't a hovering helicopter. Minus 4
Breakfast at Marathon is true to its name: it takes 25 minutes for a yogurt parfait to get to the table. Minus 2
John meets Liz at Marathon; Liz sees the rest of her awesome coworkers in short order. Plus 4
Eric sits through a boring review session for boards on Wednesday. Minus 1
Eric goes to Archway for lunch to catch up with friends. He does not order one-heart-attack on a bun. Add three years to Eric's lifespan. Plus 3
Eric and Liz meet for dinner at David's Mai Lai Wah for their sensational fried dumplings with ginger and scallion sauce. Plus 2
We're back at Club Quarters and have free wireless to create this post. The connection is only 11 Mbps. Even
The cabs are blowing their horns on 17th Street below us. We fail to understand why this is necessary; it's a Monday night and after 11 pm. Minus 1
We don't live here anymore. We leave Saturday and make it back in time for the UNC/Duke game. Plus 3
Total Pluses: 24
Total Minuses: 17
The 30 Hour Total: +7
Thursday, February 28, 2008
...we can stay wherever pepper grows
Have you ever had a quote grab your attention? If you're like me, you've got a small--or maybe not-so-small--bank of them. Each one stepped into my life at just the right moment to snare my attention and poignantly share its truth. Sometimes a quote will grab me by the ankle and shake me upside down a few times; other times it's like spreading a soothing balm over chapped hands.
This particular quote, true to its character, made its presence known quite like taking a bite of an hors d'oeuvre seasoned with peppers--one of those varieties that you barely notice at first, but the heat builds steadily and lingers long after the bite. It met me in a German Poetry course at N.C. State University about a decade ago and while my exchange year in Germany was a still a fresh memory. At first I completely glazed over the line, not grasping the metaphor. As we discussed it in class, the closest English comparison that I could come up with was "Oh, go jump in a lake," which was a familial way of saying "cut your crap" or "grow up." Either way, the lake--or the pepper--signified a poetic rather than a physical location. Interestingly enough, I found out recently that telling someone to "go where pepper grows" in German is akin to saying "go to hell." And it's also the name of a German travel agency... take your pick.
"Staying wherever pepper grows" is my hometown. I've always lived a somewhat nomadic lifestyle; as an Air Force brat, I never really had a choice. By the time I encountered said quote, I had already lived in seven or eight houses across four states and two countries. Fast forward another few years and I met Eric--born and raised in a small town in North Carolina all the way through high school. But after moving away to college, Eric's wanderlust manifested itself through ranch work in Wyoming, trail maintenance in Montana, and an Americorps year based out of Denver. We both managed to end up in Greenville, NC, about the same time and then moved to Philadelphia a couple years later and got married. Collectively we've probably visited three-quarters of the United States and a handful of other countries, and our hit list grows faster than we can book the travel. Birds of a feather, as they say!
About a month ago, we packed our belongings and landed at my parents' house back in NC. We're awaiting notice of Eric's residency match for the next three years: Denver, Washington D.C., or Salt Lake City? Or we might have to "scramble." One thing's for sure--we'll go wherever pepper grows.
This particular quote, true to its character, made its presence known quite like taking a bite of an hors d'oeuvre seasoned with peppers--one of those varieties that you barely notice at first, but the heat builds steadily and lingers long after the bite. It met me in a German Poetry course at N.C. State University about a decade ago and while my exchange year in Germany was a still a fresh memory. At first I completely glazed over the line, not grasping the metaphor. As we discussed it in class, the closest English comparison that I could come up with was "Oh, go jump in a lake," which was a familial way of saying "cut your crap" or "grow up." Either way, the lake--or the pepper--signified a poetic rather than a physical location. Interestingly enough, I found out recently that telling someone to "go where pepper grows" in German is akin to saying "go to hell." And it's also the name of a German travel agency... take your pick.
"Staying wherever pepper grows" is my hometown. I've always lived a somewhat nomadic lifestyle; as an Air Force brat, I never really had a choice. By the time I encountered said quote, I had already lived in seven or eight houses across four states and two countries. Fast forward another few years and I met Eric--born and raised in a small town in North Carolina all the way through high school. But after moving away to college, Eric's wanderlust manifested itself through ranch work in Wyoming, trail maintenance in Montana, and an Americorps year based out of Denver. We both managed to end up in Greenville, NC, about the same time and then moved to Philadelphia a couple years later and got married. Collectively we've probably visited three-quarters of the United States and a handful of other countries, and our hit list grows faster than we can book the travel. Birds of a feather, as they say!
About a month ago, we packed our belongings and landed at my parents' house back in NC. We're awaiting notice of Eric's residency match for the next three years: Denver, Washington D.C., or Salt Lake City? Or we might have to "scramble." One thing's for sure--we'll go wherever pepper grows.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
