The second year of Andy's residency is coming to a close. At the same time, we are once again trying to figure out where Andy will be practicing when he is done. Originally, our plan was to move to Roseau, and Andy had signed a contract of intent. However, a few months ago the residency where he works offered him a faculty position when he finishes his third year. So we withdrew from Roseau, and thought he'd be working for the residency. Unfortunately, the Altru administration found out that the residency had offered him a job without their consent. Now, the residency and the administration are engaged in a contest to see who has the larger penis. We've been watching this play out for 3 months. All the while, Sanford has been offering him contract after contract to work in their East Grand Forks clinic. At this rate, Sanford is likely to come out on top, unless Altru can miraculously pull it together in the next week.
That being said, the decision to stay in town rather than go to Roseau has shortened Andy's residency by a year, as there is no longer a need for him to do the 4th year OB fellowship. And that means only 12 more months of UND housing, ridiculous hours, and overnight call at the hospital. It also means only 12 more months of student loan deferments, but as that is a rather depressing thought I am choosing not to focus on that part.
The second year has been better than the first in many ways. There are fewer call months, and the kids are older. This makes my life a bit easier. Also, Andy has been moonlighting at least once a month, and we are finally paying off some debt. And Santa was able to bring the kids a trip to Disneyland. And that was amazing. I've waited my whole life to go to Disneyland, and we all had a great time. The kids have begun to make plans for the next trip!
June is always a busy month at the residency. We have the annual forced resident fun weekend at Ruttgers that we are required to attend. There is the "send-off" picnic for the departing 3rd years. And there is a new crop of first years beginning to wander into the residency.
June is also a busy month at our house. Megan has been doing the "pre-kindergarten" class at West, in preparation for her kindergarten debut this fall. She is loving it, and is getting to know some of the other kids and her teachers. Nico has been swimming a few mornings a week with the swim team, playing baseball for the park board, and taking viola lessons. With all the running, the month of June has flown by. Tomorrow we are off to Sioux Falls to spend a weekend with my sister and her family. We'll wrap up the month by spending it at the lake with Andy's family. Life is very, very busy these days. I'm really looking forward to July, in hopes that we get some lazy days to spend by the pool.
We really need to have some nice weather. Nico's swim practice has been pretty scanty, and if he wants to keep swimming well he'll need more time in the pool. He had a really respectable showing at State this year, placing in the top 10 in every event he swam - except the one in which he was DQ'd! - and I know he'd like to do that again. It seems that swimming is something that he really enjoys and does well.
Both kids are trying to decide if they want to do dance again next year. Nico did boy's hip-hop this year, and it was a lot of fun to watch him at the recital. However, he'll be swimming and playing football in the fall and he isn't sure he wants to dance again. Megan doesn't like ballet, but likes tap and she wants to try jazz. Unfortunately, at this age, if you want to do tap or jazz, ballet is required. We'll have to see how she feels about it in September when they start again.
Meanwhile, I'm making no progress towards graduation, but I did take a "real" teaching job. This coming year I'll be teaching 3 classes for Lake Region State College on UND campus. I'll be working with the LAUNCH program, and it promises to be a real challenge. I'm hoping I can muster some self-discipline and get some writing done at the same time.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Love letters
People used to write love letters. And send postcards. And keep diaries. And send pictures and letters to each other to record the momentous events in their lives.
Today, we skype. And we blog. And we use cell phones. And we send text messages and emails, post our pictures to Flicker or Shutterfly. While I will admit I do a much better job of keeping in touch with the advances in communication, I do wonder how this will translate for historians in the future. For centuries we have relied upon the written word to give us information about people in the past. Granted, the digital age will give future historians more information about us than has ever been revealed before, but I fear that the personal stories will be lost. Families used to write letters to stay in touch when separated. Now they skype or call. I may be a cynic, but I think when we lose a generation's worth of personal communication we are losing the chance for future generations to fully understand us. So please, every once in a while send an old-fashioned letter through the snail mail to a family member or friend. And when you get one in return, store it in a safe place for future generations.
Today, we skype. And we blog. And we use cell phones. And we send text messages and emails, post our pictures to Flicker or Shutterfly. While I will admit I do a much better job of keeping in touch with the advances in communication, I do wonder how this will translate for historians in the future. For centuries we have relied upon the written word to give us information about people in the past. Granted, the digital age will give future historians more information about us than has ever been revealed before, but I fear that the personal stories will be lost. Families used to write letters to stay in touch when separated. Now they skype or call. I may be a cynic, but I think when we lose a generation's worth of personal communication we are losing the chance for future generations to fully understand us. So please, every once in a while send an old-fashioned letter through the snail mail to a family member or friend. And when you get one in return, store it in a safe place for future generations.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Rice pudding and Halloween parties
This has been a pretty wonderful October. 12 years ago Andy and I got married in October, for a wide variety of reasons. However, every fall I am thrilled that we chose to do it in October, as this month has traditionally been blessed with Indian summer weather. This year, we spent our anniversary weekend in Minneapolis for a medical conference. Andy worked Saturday morning, then surprised me with diamond earrings and dinner reservations at Il Gato. Great food, great company, and zombies as far as the eye could see...
You see, apparently we were in the cities at the same time the annual Zombie Pub Crawl was happening. Every where you looked, there were zombies. 10,000 of them. My personal favorites were the Bride Zombie - complete with real wedding dress and full cathedral train - and Where's Waldo Zombie. My cousin, Erika (whom we had a great lunch with that day!) stated that a sexy zombie had tried to crawl into their car through a window after they had dropped us off at our hotel. While I don't doubt that a zombie attempted to do so, I do doubt her classification of "sexy." In my experience, there is no such thing as a sexy zombie. The most disturbing aspect of the weekend was not the cab driver that got lost several times and finally just asked us to get out NEAR our restaurant because he couldn't find it. It was the Zombie Santa Claus that we rode in the elevator with on the way down to the lobby. That is just wrong. On many, many levels.
Today, while fondly remembering the zombies of last weekend, my children are at a Halloween party at a neighbor's house, Andy is on call, and I am suffering with the worst cold I have had all year. I'm feverish, freezing, and my head may explode any moment. So I am making chocolate chip muffins and rice pudding, and doing laundry. Because that is what you do when you are sick.
You see, apparently we were in the cities at the same time the annual Zombie Pub Crawl was happening. Every where you looked, there were zombies. 10,000 of them. My personal favorites were the Bride Zombie - complete with real wedding dress and full cathedral train - and Where's Waldo Zombie. My cousin, Erika (whom we had a great lunch with that day!) stated that a sexy zombie had tried to crawl into their car through a window after they had dropped us off at our hotel. While I don't doubt that a zombie attempted to do so, I do doubt her classification of "sexy." In my experience, there is no such thing as a sexy zombie. The most disturbing aspect of the weekend was not the cab driver that got lost several times and finally just asked us to get out NEAR our restaurant because he couldn't find it. It was the Zombie Santa Claus that we rode in the elevator with on the way down to the lobby. That is just wrong. On many, many levels.
Today, while fondly remembering the zombies of last weekend, my children are at a Halloween party at a neighbor's house, Andy is on call, and I am suffering with the worst cold I have had all year. I'm feverish, freezing, and my head may explode any moment. So I am making chocolate chip muffins and rice pudding, and doing laundry. Because that is what you do when you are sick.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Old Friends
First, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that Wendy is settling in to Kansas and I am adjusting to life here without them around. While I miss seeing them everyday, and Megan still tells me she wants to go to Wendy's house, it is becoming less common.
The topic for today is old friends. Appropriate, given that I got a phone call from the older sister of an old friend today, who was looking for her old friend's phone number, who happened to be my oldest sister. So that was fun. Then I got an email from said sister's high school boyfriend stating that an old friend of my other sister was looking for contact info for that sister. So I sent that info on as well. More fun!
One of my favorite email companions is my ex from high school. While we have both moved on to different lives, I really look forward to his semi-regular emails. When we met, years ago, he always seemed to know what I needed. That hasn't changed, and his emails always manage to make me smile, give me a place to vent, or remind me why I'm working towards something to start with. Though we haven't seen each other in almost 16 years, and there was very little contact for the first 15 of those years, the last half year that we've been writing has been very cathartic. I'm trying to talk him into bringing his girlfriend down to spend the weekend in Grand Forks, touring UND grad departments in hopes that they'll choose this as their grad school.
And finally, my old friend - who is also my cousin - is on my mind and in my heart a lot these days. Her mom died a few months ago, and Erika has taken it hard. Understandably so, as they were very close. I think Erika often felt like her mom was the only constant in her life, and that losing her meant losing place in the world. I'm not going to begin to go into all the challenges Erika and her mom have faced over the years, suffice it to say that the simple fact that Erika is a loving wife and mother, a talented teacher, and a great friend speaks volumes to her strength - both strength of character and spiritual strength. What would have crushed a lesser person has made Erika more beautiful. And while she is having problems seeing that right now, I know that Linda is with her in spirit, reminding her that it is ok to enjoy life, to laugh, to love, and to carry on. I know Linda would have wanted Erika to go on living and embracing all it offers. But I also know that she isn't quite ready to make that step yet. So I am asking everyone to send your prayers, thoughts, karma, or whatever spiritual things you do, to Erika. Give her your healing vibes, help her know that moving on doesn't mean forgetting, and that her mom is still with her - in herself and in her 2 beautiful children. Maybe if enough of us send her good thoughts, she can start to heal. It doesn't matter if you know her or not, send it anyway. Everything helps!
The topic for today is old friends. Appropriate, given that I got a phone call from the older sister of an old friend today, who was looking for her old friend's phone number, who happened to be my oldest sister. So that was fun. Then I got an email from said sister's high school boyfriend stating that an old friend of my other sister was looking for contact info for that sister. So I sent that info on as well. More fun!
One of my favorite email companions is my ex from high school. While we have both moved on to different lives, I really look forward to his semi-regular emails. When we met, years ago, he always seemed to know what I needed. That hasn't changed, and his emails always manage to make me smile, give me a place to vent, or remind me why I'm working towards something to start with. Though we haven't seen each other in almost 16 years, and there was very little contact for the first 15 of those years, the last half year that we've been writing has been very cathartic. I'm trying to talk him into bringing his girlfriend down to spend the weekend in Grand Forks, touring UND grad departments in hopes that they'll choose this as their grad school.
And finally, my old friend - who is also my cousin - is on my mind and in my heart a lot these days. Her mom died a few months ago, and Erika has taken it hard. Understandably so, as they were very close. I think Erika often felt like her mom was the only constant in her life, and that losing her meant losing place in the world. I'm not going to begin to go into all the challenges Erika and her mom have faced over the years, suffice it to say that the simple fact that Erika is a loving wife and mother, a talented teacher, and a great friend speaks volumes to her strength - both strength of character and spiritual strength. What would have crushed a lesser person has made Erika more beautiful. And while she is having problems seeing that right now, I know that Linda is with her in spirit, reminding her that it is ok to enjoy life, to laugh, to love, and to carry on. I know Linda would have wanted Erika to go on living and embracing all it offers. But I also know that she isn't quite ready to make that step yet. So I am asking everyone to send your prayers, thoughts, karma, or whatever spiritual things you do, to Erika. Give her your healing vibes, help her know that moving on doesn't mean forgetting, and that her mom is still with her - in herself and in her 2 beautiful children. Maybe if enough of us send her good thoughts, she can start to heal. It doesn't matter if you know her or not, send it anyway. Everything helps!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Being a doctor's wife
Wendy and I often discussed if, given the opportunity, we'd go back in time and encourage medical school and the following residency again. While I refuse to committ our answers to print, I will say that it made for many interesting conversations over time. One thing I think we both can agree on is that being a doctor's wife isn't all its cracked up to be.
In addition to the obvious issues of the cost - in terms of money, time, and emotions - that are associated with getting the degree and training necessary, there is the LOOK others give you when you admit what your husband does for a living. It's a look that speaks volumes, ranging anywhere from assumptions that you "couldn't possibly have a brain in your head and need a man to support you" across the spectrum to "aren't you the conniving woman who managed to snag a provider?" And with the LOOK come the inevitable questions about your supposed life of luxury and how they (whoever is giving you the LOOK) would love to be in your shoes.
Really? Lady, there are many days when I'd gladly hand them over. The luxury? I live in a cramped, 900 square foot apartment with one tiny bathroom for 4 people. We drive an 11 year old Neon and an 9 year old minivan. I despise getting the mail because I know there will be another bill arriving, and just possibly another student loan statement reminding me how much we paid for Andy to become a doctor. And the best part? There's no end in sight, and unless someone has actually been through the same situation, there is very little understanding about what it actually feels like to live through this. Maybe that's why Wendy and I got along so well- 2 teachers who managed to fall in love with men who thought it'd be good to be a doctor, and we loved them enough to say "Sure, sounds great!" Who knew?
All that being said, I must say that I hold out hope that in the end even days like today will be a pleasant memory. And in the meantime, I will remember to respond to all inquiries regarding Andy's employment by stating "He works at Altru" and leave it at that. There is no need to specify.
In addition to the obvious issues of the cost - in terms of money, time, and emotions - that are associated with getting the degree and training necessary, there is the LOOK others give you when you admit what your husband does for a living. It's a look that speaks volumes, ranging anywhere from assumptions that you "couldn't possibly have a brain in your head and need a man to support you" across the spectrum to "aren't you the conniving woman who managed to snag a provider?" And with the LOOK come the inevitable questions about your supposed life of luxury and how they (whoever is giving you the LOOK) would love to be in your shoes.
Really? Lady, there are many days when I'd gladly hand them over. The luxury? I live in a cramped, 900 square foot apartment with one tiny bathroom for 4 people. We drive an 11 year old Neon and an 9 year old minivan. I despise getting the mail because I know there will be another bill arriving, and just possibly another student loan statement reminding me how much we paid for Andy to become a doctor. And the best part? There's no end in sight, and unless someone has actually been through the same situation, there is very little understanding about what it actually feels like to live through this. Maybe that's why Wendy and I got along so well- 2 teachers who managed to fall in love with men who thought it'd be good to be a doctor, and we loved them enough to say "Sure, sounds great!" Who knew?
All that being said, I must say that I hold out hope that in the end even days like today will be a pleasant memory. And in the meantime, I will remember to respond to all inquiries regarding Andy's employment by stating "He works at Altru" and leave it at that. There is no need to specify.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Hazards of Making Friends in Residency
Andy has always told me that I need to meet more people and socialize more. Personally, I'm pretty happy with having a small social circle. However, every once in a while I make the effort to expand the circle. Last summer, Grand Forks got a new OB fellow, and Andy forced me to talk to him and his wife, Wendy. As it turns out, Wendy and I became friends and she made the first year of residency much easier. She had already been through it and was able to lend some much needed perspective and advice. I, on the other hand, told her about the Sioux Kids Club, North Dakota winters, and Happy Harry's. It was a good relationship. To add even more benefits, we vented about our living arrangements to each other, our kids played together, and we spent more than our fair share of time avoiding all the things we needed to get done by chatting with each other.
The end of July also meant the end of Eric's year as a fellow. Today Eric, Wendy, and their boys moved to Kansas for Eric to start practice. It has been a sad day. Meg sat down on the ground and declared that she didn't want them to go. Joseph cried, and that set the rest of us off. But in the end, they had to get in the car and start the long drive. It has been an odd day without them around. Nico has looked for them more than once, and Meg was sitting on the step at their house looking a little lost. I bought a new comforter set as inspiration to clean my bedroom...just to give me something to do.
While I realize that Kansas isn't the end of the earth, it is far enough away that walking over to chat for a few minutes is no longer going to happen. I guess that's why they have Skype!
I told Andy a bit ago that this is precisely why I don't like to meet new people. There are some that you are sorry you met, and some that you really enjoy, and some that you really treasure. It stinks when they have to move.
The end of July also meant the end of Eric's year as a fellow. Today Eric, Wendy, and their boys moved to Kansas for Eric to start practice. It has been a sad day. Meg sat down on the ground and declared that she didn't want them to go. Joseph cried, and that set the rest of us off. But in the end, they had to get in the car and start the long drive. It has been an odd day without them around. Nico has looked for them more than once, and Meg was sitting on the step at their house looking a little lost. I bought a new comforter set as inspiration to clean my bedroom...just to give me something to do.
While I realize that Kansas isn't the end of the earth, it is far enough away that walking over to chat for a few minutes is no longer going to happen. I guess that's why they have Skype!
I told Andy a bit ago that this is precisely why I don't like to meet new people. There are some that you are sorry you met, and some that you really enjoy, and some that you really treasure. It stinks when they have to move.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Things I Don't Want My Children to Learn
In light of recent events, I've put together a list of things I don't want my children to learn. Mostly, this is a therapeutic venting exercise, but perhaps by putting them in writing I will remember to guard against the installation of these types of values in my kids.
1. It is necessary to subjugate yourself to the masses - even if you know in your heart that the masses are not motivated by the greater good, but rather a selfish urge to improve their own position.
2. In dealing with others, it is necessary to bury all conflict. After all, it is better for the boat to go down in a fiery inferno one day than rock it a bit once in a while.
3. Social position and other people's opinions are more important than what you feel about yourself.
4. It is more important to advance your own position than it is to reach out to help someone else.
5. It isn't acceptable to reach beyond the low expectations that have been imposed upon you by others. Aim to be only average. Believe that you aren't good enough to do it.
1. It is necessary to subjugate yourself to the masses - even if you know in your heart that the masses are not motivated by the greater good, but rather a selfish urge to improve their own position.
2. In dealing with others, it is necessary to bury all conflict. After all, it is better for the boat to go down in a fiery inferno one day than rock it a bit once in a while.
3. Social position and other people's opinions are more important than what you feel about yourself.
4. It is more important to advance your own position than it is to reach out to help someone else.
5. It isn't acceptable to reach beyond the low expectations that have been imposed upon you by others. Aim to be only average. Believe that you aren't good enough to do it.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
June Blew By!
June brought a number of wonderful events to our household! First - and very important - Andy's brother Joey married Amanda in Key West! Not only are we thrilled with the new addition to the family, but Andy and I were thrilled to have a week to spend together in a place we'd never been. My mom stayed with the kids and Andy and I got to spend the week relaxing and enjoying each other. The food was amazing, the night life was wonderful, and the heat was unbelievable. When we arrived back in Grand Forks I wasn't sure if I should be grateful that it was a cool 65 degrees or depressed that it was 65 degrees. Regardless, it was a wonderful trip. What made it even more wonderful was the news we got as our plane was landing in Miami - Andy passed his Step 3 exams, and has now filed to get his permanent license. He should have that in the next few weeks.
June was also busy for Andy with teaching service call. As always, its a rough rotation. As of July 1 he is officially a second year resident and is now on OB call. While he likes delivering babies, he isn't liking this particular schedule. He has 3 days off this month - that is it! - and is also scheduled for jury duty starting tomorrow. With call shifts every other day and full clinic shifts the others, I'm not sure how that is going to work out.
Megan started summer camp in June, and goes 2 hours every week day. She's enjoying it and likes to make new friends. Nico loved his summer gym class, and has started baseball as well. The kids and I took a trip to Sioux Falls a week ago and had a great time down there. I learned to knit slippers, and I do believe our house is going to be well outfitted with slippers by the time winter rolls around.
In other news, June didn't bring all good tidings. My friend Rob lost his 5 year old daughter in June, because someone didn't unload and lock a handgun in the home. As much as my heart breaks for Rob and his family, the anger I have towards the irresponsibilty shown by the gun owner seems to grow daily. Please people - if you own a gun please lock it up properly every tiime.
June was also busy for Andy with teaching service call. As always, its a rough rotation. As of July 1 he is officially a second year resident and is now on OB call. While he likes delivering babies, he isn't liking this particular schedule. He has 3 days off this month - that is it! - and is also scheduled for jury duty starting tomorrow. With call shifts every other day and full clinic shifts the others, I'm not sure how that is going to work out.
Megan started summer camp in June, and goes 2 hours every week day. She's enjoying it and likes to make new friends. Nico loved his summer gym class, and has started baseball as well. The kids and I took a trip to Sioux Falls a week ago and had a great time down there. I learned to knit slippers, and I do believe our house is going to be well outfitted with slippers by the time winter rolls around.
In other news, June didn't bring all good tidings. My friend Rob lost his 5 year old daughter in June, because someone didn't unload and lock a handgun in the home. As much as my heart breaks for Rob and his family, the anger I have towards the irresponsibilty shown by the gun owner seems to grow daily. Please people - if you own a gun please lock it up properly every tiime.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The End of an Era...or a Semester
Today I filed my grades for this semester. I am proud of my students and they have - for the most part - worked hard to make it. On the other hand, I am fairly certain I blew my grade for my Archaeology lab after taking my final exam with a pounding headache. It is very difficult to identify bones when your head is throbbing and the lights are blinding you. I suppose I can handle a B in grad school though. It certainly isn't the end of the world.
After a nice 2 months - and we did enjoy them! - Andy is back on call. He does pediatrics this month, then a month of teaching service and then a month of OB. By August I think he is in another non-call month and we are all waiting for that already. He took his Step 3 exams to get his full license yesterday and today, and now we are waiting for results. I think he's a bit nervous but we all know he did just fine. Once his results come back he will apply for his license and then will be able to start moonlighting. While it means he will be gone more, it also means a nice paycheck after every weekend!
Megan's dance recital is this weekend. I am a bit fed up with the hidden costs of dance, but I know that she is having a blast so it is hard to stay upset for any length of time. Auntie Mona and Uncle Danny are coming up from Sioux Falls with their family to watch the show, and Megan is really looking forward to it. Even more exciting is her "Spa Day" before the show, when she gets to have her hair done at the salon and they are going to put GLITTER ON HER CHEEKS AND EYES!!! The emphasis is hers, not mine. She is a very excited little girl.
Nico's counting down the days until school lets out and he is officially a third grader. I think he feels that second grade has been good, but he's seen all of its tricks and it is time to move on to bigger and better things. We also need to decide if he is going to be swimming competitively this summer. His swim coach seems to think he will do very well in his age group. I must admit that he is a better swimmer than hockey player, and I'd much rather spend the afternoon at the pool than freezing at an ice rink. We'll have to see how this plays out.
My friend, Chester, leaves for Cyprus on an archaeological dig on Tuesday. I have gotten used to having him around all the time and I think I am actually going to miss him while he is gone. I am equally concerned that he is going to be upset with me when he comes back, as I suggested that he go even though I know that it isn't really his kind of thing. We shall see how this turns out!
After a nice 2 months - and we did enjoy them! - Andy is back on call. He does pediatrics this month, then a month of teaching service and then a month of OB. By August I think he is in another non-call month and we are all waiting for that already. He took his Step 3 exams to get his full license yesterday and today, and now we are waiting for results. I think he's a bit nervous but we all know he did just fine. Once his results come back he will apply for his license and then will be able to start moonlighting. While it means he will be gone more, it also means a nice paycheck after every weekend!
Megan's dance recital is this weekend. I am a bit fed up with the hidden costs of dance, but I know that she is having a blast so it is hard to stay upset for any length of time. Auntie Mona and Uncle Danny are coming up from Sioux Falls with their family to watch the show, and Megan is really looking forward to it. Even more exciting is her "Spa Day" before the show, when she gets to have her hair done at the salon and they are going to put GLITTER ON HER CHEEKS AND EYES!!! The emphasis is hers, not mine. She is a very excited little girl.
Nico's counting down the days until school lets out and he is officially a third grader. I think he feels that second grade has been good, but he's seen all of its tricks and it is time to move on to bigger and better things. We also need to decide if he is going to be swimming competitively this summer. His swim coach seems to think he will do very well in his age group. I must admit that he is a better swimmer than hockey player, and I'd much rather spend the afternoon at the pool than freezing at an ice rink. We'll have to see how this plays out.
My friend, Chester, leaves for Cyprus on an archaeological dig on Tuesday. I have gotten used to having him around all the time and I think I am actually going to miss him while he is gone. I am equally concerned that he is going to be upset with me when he comes back, as I suggested that he go even though I know that it isn't really his kind of thing. We shall see how this turns out!
Monday, March 1, 2010
A Non-Call Month
After 7 months of working unbelievably long weeks and most weekends, Andy started his cardiac rotation today. It is a non-call month, which means that he leaves in the morning at 7:30 and gets home every night about 5:30. This is good. What is better is that he will be home every weekend for the next two months. I think a celebration is in order!
We had a busy, somewhat stressful weekend. After a trip to Wisconsin was cancelled due to a nasty stomach bug at Cathy's house, we spent the weekend playing host to my nephew, Kaden. He came up with a friend to play in a hockey tournament, and Andy went down to become his official hockey servant. After 3 days of running him to games, checking out sporting goods stores, and eating at their favorite restaurants, the boys declared themselves tired on Sunday. Kaden's dad and sister came up for the games on Saturday and Sunday, so Andy got some assistance, but it was still a busy weekend!
On my end, I received a phone call from an old friend on Thursday, stating that she was going to be having her baby on Friday at noon. Her blood pressure was out of control, and there were other issues affecting the baby, so the doctors decided to do a C-section, even though she was only at 34 weeks. After a night filled with worry and prayers, Chris delivered a 3 lb. baby girl on Friday. Baby was on a respirator over night, but was breathing well by Saturday. Mom and baby (and even dad!) are doing well, and Chris is going home today. They are holding baby a while longer, as she has developed a bit of pneumonia. As I understand it, this is fairly common with C-sections and premies, as the fluid wasn't forced out of the lungs as would happen in a vaginal delivery. I am optimistic that Dan and Chris will have their little girl home with them very soon!
As we get closer to spring break on campus, I find myself staring at my thesis work. In my paltry attempts to work on it in my spare time, I have built this project into a veritable mountain. My goal was to have a first chapter completed by spring break, and unless I spend several quality hours each day working, it is not going to happen. Clearly I need to regroup and refocus, breaking it down into smaller pieces. Perhaps then I can conquer this mountain. Or conquer the demon, as I have begun to view it.
A few weeks ago I started swimming at the YMCA 5 days a week. The daily exercise resulted in a more relaxed, more energetic being, and I have found that I really enjoy it. This was a surprise, as I have always done my best to avoid exercise of any kind. However, due to an infection, I have been out of the water for 6 days and I am starting to notice the tension creeping back into my shoulders and the energy draining from my body. I think it's time to ask the doctor if I can go back to the pool.
We had a busy, somewhat stressful weekend. After a trip to Wisconsin was cancelled due to a nasty stomach bug at Cathy's house, we spent the weekend playing host to my nephew, Kaden. He came up with a friend to play in a hockey tournament, and Andy went down to become his official hockey servant. After 3 days of running him to games, checking out sporting goods stores, and eating at their favorite restaurants, the boys declared themselves tired on Sunday. Kaden's dad and sister came up for the games on Saturday and Sunday, so Andy got some assistance, but it was still a busy weekend!
On my end, I received a phone call from an old friend on Thursday, stating that she was going to be having her baby on Friday at noon. Her blood pressure was out of control, and there were other issues affecting the baby, so the doctors decided to do a C-section, even though she was only at 34 weeks. After a night filled with worry and prayers, Chris delivered a 3 lb. baby girl on Friday. Baby was on a respirator over night, but was breathing well by Saturday. Mom and baby (and even dad!) are doing well, and Chris is going home today. They are holding baby a while longer, as she has developed a bit of pneumonia. As I understand it, this is fairly common with C-sections and premies, as the fluid wasn't forced out of the lungs as would happen in a vaginal delivery. I am optimistic that Dan and Chris will have their little girl home with them very soon!
As we get closer to spring break on campus, I find myself staring at my thesis work. In my paltry attempts to work on it in my spare time, I have built this project into a veritable mountain. My goal was to have a first chapter completed by spring break, and unless I spend several quality hours each day working, it is not going to happen. Clearly I need to regroup and refocus, breaking it down into smaller pieces. Perhaps then I can conquer this mountain. Or conquer the demon, as I have begun to view it.
A few weeks ago I started swimming at the YMCA 5 days a week. The daily exercise resulted in a more relaxed, more energetic being, and I have found that I really enjoy it. This was a surprise, as I have always done my best to avoid exercise of any kind. However, due to an infection, I have been out of the water for 6 days and I am starting to notice the tension creeping back into my shoulders and the energy draining from my body. I think it's time to ask the doctor if I can go back to the pool.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Various Viruses
Yesterday afternoon I received an email message from a colleague of mine, imploring me to check out an unfamiliar website in promise of "something really cool." Having received another message of this sort from the same colleague, I was a bit suspicious and did not visit said website. Later on, it was confirmed that it was, once again, a virus that had gotten by the impeccable protection of the University of North Dakota's web security. If any of us paid more than $80/year for our internet connections, we'd probably be outraged. As it is, we just sigh, shake our heads and move on with our lives.
I found this one to be particularly amusing given the fact that we are facing another kind of virus in our house right now. Megan came home from daycare last Friday after vomiting on Janelle (that woman is a saint!) and proceeded to remain sick through early Sunday morning. Thinking all was well, Andy and I went out for Valentine's Day -as planned - with some very good friends. And we proceeded to have a wonderful evening. Nico came home from school very tired on Monday, and by early Tuesday morning he was vomiting as well. I cancelled my classes and office hours on Tuesday to be home with him, and Andy stayed with him on Wednesday. He went back to school Thursday, just in time for me to wake up with an awful headache and stomach ache. Blaming it on the laps I had swam the day before, I ignored it and went to work anyway. I kept telling myself that if I could just make it until 3:30, then it was fine to be sick. At 3:30 my headache had increased from a painful throb over one eye to a painful throb throughout the entire skull. But, since Andy and I had promised the kids we'd take them to Texas Roadhouse for dinner (where they can eat peanuts and make a mess with the shells - they love that part) I downed some ibuprofen and put on a happy face. Partway through dinner, it became clear that I shouldn't be eating anything. After dinner, we ran to Target for a few things, and by the end of our quick shopping trip I had left to sit huddled under a blanket in the car, with the heat on full blast. After an awful night (I'll let you fill in the details) I tore myself from bed long enough to get the kids to daycare and school this morning, then went back to bed until I had to pick them up again. I thought I was feeling better, but it turns out I was wrong.
The saving grace in all of this was that Andy had been gone for most of this, and I was hoping that he would be able to take care of things tomorrow when he was home and I could rest. When I talked to him a few hours ago he was sleeping, and the nurses were checking on him once in a while to be sure he was all right. I am fairly certain that when he gets home tomorrow this little virus will hit him full force.
In other news, Andy is wrapping up his time on OB for this year. He has thoroughly enjoyed it, and while I am excited for him to be home on the weekends for a couple months, I will be sad to see this rotation go. The weekend shifts were awful, but he always liked going to work. In comparison to his days in surgery, this has been heavenly!
Nico's last hockey game of the regular season is tomorrow. He has informed me that it is his favorite day of the year, as he gets to be goalie tomorrow. In March he starts the extended season. As we've been doing hockey several nights a week since the first week in October, I am less than thrilled by this extra season, but Andy and Nico are both excited, so I suppose it is worth it in the end.
Megan's dance recital is coming up on May 15th. We were able to go to Parent's Night a few weeks ago to see their progress. I think it is fortunate that I have always liked the little dancers who panicked on stage or did their own thing, as that is likely to be Megan. She is capable of doing all of the ballet positions they are doing, but she is equally sure that they should be put together in a different routine than the one everyone else is doing. This promises to be an entertaining evening!
I found this one to be particularly amusing given the fact that we are facing another kind of virus in our house right now. Megan came home from daycare last Friday after vomiting on Janelle (that woman is a saint!) and proceeded to remain sick through early Sunday morning. Thinking all was well, Andy and I went out for Valentine's Day -as planned - with some very good friends. And we proceeded to have a wonderful evening. Nico came home from school very tired on Monday, and by early Tuesday morning he was vomiting as well. I cancelled my classes and office hours on Tuesday to be home with him, and Andy stayed with him on Wednesday. He went back to school Thursday, just in time for me to wake up with an awful headache and stomach ache. Blaming it on the laps I had swam the day before, I ignored it and went to work anyway. I kept telling myself that if I could just make it until 3:30, then it was fine to be sick. At 3:30 my headache had increased from a painful throb over one eye to a painful throb throughout the entire skull. But, since Andy and I had promised the kids we'd take them to Texas Roadhouse for dinner (where they can eat peanuts and make a mess with the shells - they love that part) I downed some ibuprofen and put on a happy face. Partway through dinner, it became clear that I shouldn't be eating anything. After dinner, we ran to Target for a few things, and by the end of our quick shopping trip I had left to sit huddled under a blanket in the car, with the heat on full blast. After an awful night (I'll let you fill in the details) I tore myself from bed long enough to get the kids to daycare and school this morning, then went back to bed until I had to pick them up again. I thought I was feeling better, but it turns out I was wrong.
The saving grace in all of this was that Andy had been gone for most of this, and I was hoping that he would be able to take care of things tomorrow when he was home and I could rest. When I talked to him a few hours ago he was sleeping, and the nurses were checking on him once in a while to be sure he was all right. I am fairly certain that when he gets home tomorrow this little virus will hit him full force.
In other news, Andy is wrapping up his time on OB for this year. He has thoroughly enjoyed it, and while I am excited for him to be home on the weekends for a couple months, I will be sad to see this rotation go. The weekend shifts were awful, but he always liked going to work. In comparison to his days in surgery, this has been heavenly!
Nico's last hockey game of the regular season is tomorrow. He has informed me that it is his favorite day of the year, as he gets to be goalie tomorrow. In March he starts the extended season. As we've been doing hockey several nights a week since the first week in October, I am less than thrilled by this extra season, but Andy and Nico are both excited, so I suppose it is worth it in the end.
Megan's dance recital is coming up on May 15th. We were able to go to Parent's Night a few weeks ago to see their progress. I think it is fortunate that I have always liked the little dancers who panicked on stage or did their own thing, as that is likely to be Megan. She is capable of doing all of the ballet positions they are doing, but she is equally sure that they should be put together in a different routine than the one everyone else is doing. This promises to be an entertaining evening!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Blizzards
As we wind down a very, very warm January it was nice to actually see a blizzard worthy of a North Dakota winter this weekend. Megan and Nico enjoyed the day off on Monday, and Andy was home with us for a change. This OB rotation hasn't been as bad as I feared, and in some aspects I even enjoy it. His call days are more often, but when he isn't on call he is home with us. That is a nice change. We see him for 2 days in a row, often during the week, rather than waiting 15 or 16 days for that to happen on his "weekend off." He does one more month of OB, and then is off to do something about cardiac care or critical care, or some other C word. I don't listen that carefully, I guess. The part I am excited about is that it is going to be a non-call month, so he will be home every night and every weekend. I'm not sure what we are going to do with him around so much!
In the beginning of the month Andy started the Biggest Loser with some of the other residents at his clinic. I'm proud to say that he has lost 24 pounds so far, and is doing very well and looking very well! I started the same time and have only lost 3. Apparently this is going to be a harder process than I thought!
I also started my new classes this semester. The study skill sections I am teaching are very different from each other, and that in itself is going to present a challenge. In one group I have students who were looking for extra credits or needed a class to fill in a general ed requirement. They need very little in the way of guidance, and it is a very laid back hour. The other group, however, is a much more needy bunch. For whatever reason, academics has not been a strong point for them, and it is my job to help them make the transition from how they are accustomed to doing things to how they need to do things in order to succeed. Given the time constraints on the class, I am not sure what I am going to be able to accomplish. At this point, I think if I can convince them that they need to be able to set priorities, make schedules, and take responsibility for their own lives - school and personal - then I will call that a success. I'm not sure how much beyond that I'll be able to take it. It would be nice if they walked out having stellar note-taking and reading skills, but I need to remind myself that with this group I need to rethink the skills they are coming in to the classroom with and build on those.
I am taking one class this semester. Dr. Leach, one of my favorite profs, teaches a class called Archaeological Lab methods. My deep affection for the good Doctor, as well as the subject matter, enticed me to take a class that is well beyond my comfort zone. First, I am not a lab person. I have known that since high school when every physic lab I did ended in epic failure. On top of my epic failure history, it is a rule in the lab that you must thoroughly wash your hands before every class and - hold on to your hats people - not put any lotion on after the washing. That in itself is enough to send my OCD into alarm mode. But for 2 weeks I have dutifully washed my hands and tried to ignore the little voice in my head and hands that is screaming for lotion. Finally, we spend most of our time in the lab sorting through small trays of shovels of dirt, looking for things that may have cultural significance. So I did through the dirt and look for artifacts and ecofacts, and in the process my hands get dirty. So not only do I have unlotioned hands, now they are dirty. It is a stressful, stressful 90 minutes! Other than that, I am enjoying the challenge of doing something that I am certainly NOT good at.
Tonight, Andy and I are looking forward to a pinochle battle with our neighbors. If you haven't learned the game, I must insist that you learn. It is good fun!
In the beginning of the month Andy started the Biggest Loser with some of the other residents at his clinic. I'm proud to say that he has lost 24 pounds so far, and is doing very well and looking very well! I started the same time and have only lost 3. Apparently this is going to be a harder process than I thought!
I also started my new classes this semester. The study skill sections I am teaching are very different from each other, and that in itself is going to present a challenge. In one group I have students who were looking for extra credits or needed a class to fill in a general ed requirement. They need very little in the way of guidance, and it is a very laid back hour. The other group, however, is a much more needy bunch. For whatever reason, academics has not been a strong point for them, and it is my job to help them make the transition from how they are accustomed to doing things to how they need to do things in order to succeed. Given the time constraints on the class, I am not sure what I am going to be able to accomplish. At this point, I think if I can convince them that they need to be able to set priorities, make schedules, and take responsibility for their own lives - school and personal - then I will call that a success. I'm not sure how much beyond that I'll be able to take it. It would be nice if they walked out having stellar note-taking and reading skills, but I need to remind myself that with this group I need to rethink the skills they are coming in to the classroom with and build on those.
I am taking one class this semester. Dr. Leach, one of my favorite profs, teaches a class called Archaeological Lab methods. My deep affection for the good Doctor, as well as the subject matter, enticed me to take a class that is well beyond my comfort zone. First, I am not a lab person. I have known that since high school when every physic lab I did ended in epic failure. On top of my epic failure history, it is a rule in the lab that you must thoroughly wash your hands before every class and - hold on to your hats people - not put any lotion on after the washing. That in itself is enough to send my OCD into alarm mode. But for 2 weeks I have dutifully washed my hands and tried to ignore the little voice in my head and hands that is screaming for lotion. Finally, we spend most of our time in the lab sorting through small trays of shovels of dirt, looking for things that may have cultural significance. So I did through the dirt and look for artifacts and ecofacts, and in the process my hands get dirty. So not only do I have unlotioned hands, now they are dirty. It is a stressful, stressful 90 minutes! Other than that, I am enjoying the challenge of doing something that I am certainly NOT good at.
Tonight, Andy and I are looking forward to a pinochle battle with our neighbors. If you haven't learned the game, I must insist that you learn. It is good fun!
Friday, January 8, 2010
The New Year
Greetings everyone, and welcome to the New Year! In early December, we said goodbye to "Big George," my maternal grandfather. While it is always sad, sometimes death is a blessing. I am hoping that is the last we will see of the grim reaper for a while.
After a great Christmas with Andy and the kids, I am slowly getting back in the routine. The kids go to school and Janelle's, I get work done, the kids come home, and I don't get any work done!
Andy has started his OB rotation. He gets to deliver babies for the next two months! So far he is enjoying it, and I have been enjoying it as well. I know that will change as his call schedule starts to increase this week, but I am appreciative of the time we've been able to spend together. Last night we did another candidate dinner. This time, rather than the Toasted Frog, we ended up at Sanders 1907, which used to be the best fine dining place in town. I think it has outlived its glory days. One of my pet peeves is restaurants that have huge TVs every four feet. I figured that since Sanders used to have a dress code, the TV issue was one I wouldn't have to worry about. I was wrong. As soon as you set foot in the front door, there is a giant TV hanging over the bar. Once we found our party, we were greeted by a rather inept waiter, who tried describing the specials but tripped over his words and used incorrect forms of plurals. Repeatedly. If you are going to work in fine dining, you'd better know your food. Then, he proceeded to leave work, go home, play video games, built a shed, and painted it before coming back to take our order for appetizers. He actually stuck around to bring the appetizers to our table, but failed to give any indication of what slabs of cheese were stuck to the fruit and cheese board, and also failed to explain the gloppy looking fruit type mass that was in two of the corners. We were on our own. A few moments later, he came back to demand our dinner orders, again tripping over the specials. We scrambled to make a decision, and then sat back to wait. And wait. And wait. Drink glasses were empty. The water was gone. And we waited some more. Evidently he forgot to build his treehouse when he went home earlier, so he decided to plant a tree, nurture it, wait for it to grow into a towering oak, and then build his tree house. And paint it. With two coats of paint.
Finally, he came back with our dinners. Two diners had pasta with the same white sauce. Both remarked that it was watery and flavorless. One had crab ravioli. While you could see the crab, there was no other indication it existed. The flavor was completely dominated by pepper.
While the candidate dutifully ate her salmon, I was unable to tell if it was enjoyable. She did drink a lot of water with it. I ordered Chicken Florentine, thinking that with the ingredients listed in the specials speech it really couldn't be messed up too badly. And it wasn't messed up too badly. It just had no flavor. No flavor at all. And very little texture. I can't even say it was like eating paste, because paste has flavor. This was so bland I cannot even come up with a comparison. At first I thought it was comparable to a slice of plain bread, but that has a rich flavor. Then I thought of tofu, but even tofu - plain and unadorned - seemed flavorful compared to this. How do you take chicken, spinach, bread crumbs, and cheese - all very flavorful ingredients - and end up with that awful, bland dish? I asked for a to-go box and brought mine home for my neighbor. Maybe she could coax some flavor out of it in the magic of her kitchen!
After dinner, glasses again sitting empty, our waiter brought us our dessert menus, then promptly left for his vacation in Amsterdam. I have no idea if he had a good time, as Andy and I left about 45 minutes later. He had yet to return. Maybe he was detained at customs trying to sneak his recreational items into the country.
Maybe I've been spoiled the last few months by the Toasted Frog, but when I am staring at a $40 entree, I shouldn't be wishing for a meal prepared by the public school system instead.
In other, slightly less critical news, the family is headed to Fargo for the weekend to frolick in the hotel pool and watch UND women's hockey. Andy is playing team doctor, so we are taking advantage of the free hotel and going with him. Friends of ours have a room at the same hotel tonight, so I am sure a good time will be had by all!
I hope all of you are well and that these cold months fly by!
After a great Christmas with Andy and the kids, I am slowly getting back in the routine. The kids go to school and Janelle's, I get work done, the kids come home, and I don't get any work done!
Andy has started his OB rotation. He gets to deliver babies for the next two months! So far he is enjoying it, and I have been enjoying it as well. I know that will change as his call schedule starts to increase this week, but I am appreciative of the time we've been able to spend together. Last night we did another candidate dinner. This time, rather than the Toasted Frog, we ended up at Sanders 1907, which used to be the best fine dining place in town. I think it has outlived its glory days. One of my pet peeves is restaurants that have huge TVs every four feet. I figured that since Sanders used to have a dress code, the TV issue was one I wouldn't have to worry about. I was wrong. As soon as you set foot in the front door, there is a giant TV hanging over the bar. Once we found our party, we were greeted by a rather inept waiter, who tried describing the specials but tripped over his words and used incorrect forms of plurals. Repeatedly. If you are going to work in fine dining, you'd better know your food. Then, he proceeded to leave work, go home, play video games, built a shed, and painted it before coming back to take our order for appetizers. He actually stuck around to bring the appetizers to our table, but failed to give any indication of what slabs of cheese were stuck to the fruit and cheese board, and also failed to explain the gloppy looking fruit type mass that was in two of the corners. We were on our own. A few moments later, he came back to demand our dinner orders, again tripping over the specials. We scrambled to make a decision, and then sat back to wait. And wait. And wait. Drink glasses were empty. The water was gone. And we waited some more. Evidently he forgot to build his treehouse when he went home earlier, so he decided to plant a tree, nurture it, wait for it to grow into a towering oak, and then build his tree house. And paint it. With two coats of paint.
Finally, he came back with our dinners. Two diners had pasta with the same white sauce. Both remarked that it was watery and flavorless. One had crab ravioli. While you could see the crab, there was no other indication it existed. The flavor was completely dominated by pepper.
While the candidate dutifully ate her salmon, I was unable to tell if it was enjoyable. She did drink a lot of water with it. I ordered Chicken Florentine, thinking that with the ingredients listed in the specials speech it really couldn't be messed up too badly. And it wasn't messed up too badly. It just had no flavor. No flavor at all. And very little texture. I can't even say it was like eating paste, because paste has flavor. This was so bland I cannot even come up with a comparison. At first I thought it was comparable to a slice of plain bread, but that has a rich flavor. Then I thought of tofu, but even tofu - plain and unadorned - seemed flavorful compared to this. How do you take chicken, spinach, bread crumbs, and cheese - all very flavorful ingredients - and end up with that awful, bland dish? I asked for a to-go box and brought mine home for my neighbor. Maybe she could coax some flavor out of it in the magic of her kitchen!
After dinner, glasses again sitting empty, our waiter brought us our dessert menus, then promptly left for his vacation in Amsterdam. I have no idea if he had a good time, as Andy and I left about 45 minutes later. He had yet to return. Maybe he was detained at customs trying to sneak his recreational items into the country.
Maybe I've been spoiled the last few months by the Toasted Frog, but when I am staring at a $40 entree, I shouldn't be wishing for a meal prepared by the public school system instead.
In other, slightly less critical news, the family is headed to Fargo for the weekend to frolick in the hotel pool and watch UND women's hockey. Andy is playing team doctor, so we are taking advantage of the free hotel and going with him. Friends of ours have a room at the same hotel tonight, so I am sure a good time will be had by all!
I hope all of you are well and that these cold months fly by!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Meeting the Candidates
Among the more interesting parts of residency is the opportunity to meet and screen hopeful candidates for the residency program. My understanding of the process is that these hopefuls fill out applications, get called, go to the appropriate city, stay in a hotel, eat dinner and lunch with strangers, tour the hospital, and meet with the current residents and attendings. My role in this process is that every few candidates I get to play "adoring wife #1" and accompany Andy to dinner at a local restaurant to wine and dine these folks. So far, this has gone well for us! Our last dinner was at the Toasted Frog - easily my favorite restaurant in town - and the candidate was a young woman from Pakistan, who had gone to London after medical school to practice. While I admit I have forgotten her name, I do remember that she was extremely interesting and friendly. We had a nice dinner (I had lamb, Andy had shark, and she had pesto pizza...we all had the fried pickles and baked brie) and I had someone to give me first-hand insight into living in a part of the world that I have spent the last few years of my life studying in some depth. The downside to this is that when our turn comes to escort the next candidate, I fear it will be a letdown!
In other news, we have had a rather rough month. My aunt Bonnie (my mom's younger sister) died last month. Close on the heels of that my maternal grandfather's health is rapidly declining, and none of us believe that he will be around to greet another year. While disturbing for me, I can only speculate as to how awful this is for my mom. We lost her mom in January, 14 years ago. This is not a good time of year for her family!
Close on the heels of the news that Auntie Bonnie had died was news from Andy's family of a significantly happier event. Joey's wedding has been officially scheduled for June 3, 2010. In Key West. Immediate family only, children under the age of 20 are optional. Mine will be spending the week with my parents. Andy and I are going to enjoy our trip to Key West and call it the honeymoon we never had. I know that sounds terribly rude, to impose our honeymoon on Joey's wedding, but I promise not to tell him!
As I finish writing this, I am watching the snow fly (the first snow of the season!) and I realize how badly I need a vacation! Maybe if I crank up the heat, get a beach towel, and turn on the travel channel I could convince myself I was already in Key West!
In other news, we have had a rather rough month. My aunt Bonnie (my mom's younger sister) died last month. Close on the heels of that my maternal grandfather's health is rapidly declining, and none of us believe that he will be around to greet another year. While disturbing for me, I can only speculate as to how awful this is for my mom. We lost her mom in January, 14 years ago. This is not a good time of year for her family!
Close on the heels of the news that Auntie Bonnie had died was news from Andy's family of a significantly happier event. Joey's wedding has been officially scheduled for June 3, 2010. In Key West. Immediate family only, children under the age of 20 are optional. Mine will be spending the week with my parents. Andy and I are going to enjoy our trip to Key West and call it the honeymoon we never had. I know that sounds terribly rude, to impose our honeymoon on Joey's wedding, but I promise not to tell him!
As I finish writing this, I am watching the snow fly (the first snow of the season!) and I realize how badly I need a vacation! Maybe if I crank up the heat, get a beach towel, and turn on the travel channel I could convince myself I was already in Key West!
Friday, November 6, 2009
The State of Maine and the state of Gay Marriage in America
Not long ago, it was illegal for a black person and a white person to marry. In addition, it was highly discouraged - if not outright illegal - for mixed marriages to occur - that is, people of different religious backgrounds were not to marry. Today, while some people still look down their noses at such unions, the general consensus is that it is the right of those involved in the marriage to make decisions regarding their choice of marital partner. So why doesn't that apply to everyone?
When Andy and I were in college, we spent many evenings at his fraternity for the obligatory parties. While Andy did his duty by the brothers, I hid out in an upstairs bedroom. I have no idea whose room it was, nor do I care. What I do remember is that one of the older brothers spent most of the evening there as well. He kept me entertained, kept me supplied with whatever drink or snack I wanted, and was quite wonderful while Andy was doing his official "business." While with Todd, I never worried about my safety or the safety of anyone else around him. He was capable, compassionate, and always the gentleman. Having served as President of the Student Body while at UND, Todd was an interesting man, capable of holding an intelligent conversation for extended periods of time. Today, he is an accomplished lawyer, a thespian, and very handsome. And he is openly gay.
What I am not able to understand is how people who have never met Todd can presume to dictate his marriage partner. I am not referring to the marriage ceremony that takes place within a church. Each religion and each congregation needs to decide that issue for themselves. What I am questioning is how in a nation, that has made a deliberate separation of church and state, can legally block the marriage of two consenting adults. When Andy and I applied for our marriage license, the person who sold it to us didn't ask any questions regarding our history, our religion, our intentions towards child-bearing, or any other personal questions. She simply had us fill out a form, then stamped it when she took our money. That was it. Why should it be any different for Todd, or the countless others? Why should other people get to choose the person his employee benefits can protect, or what tax form he will file? These people did not get to voice an opinion about my marriage to Andy, and they should not get a voice in this either. It is a ridiculous notion, and it is time we accept that.
When Andy and I were in college, we spent many evenings at his fraternity for the obligatory parties. While Andy did his duty by the brothers, I hid out in an upstairs bedroom. I have no idea whose room it was, nor do I care. What I do remember is that one of the older brothers spent most of the evening there as well. He kept me entertained, kept me supplied with whatever drink or snack I wanted, and was quite wonderful while Andy was doing his official "business." While with Todd, I never worried about my safety or the safety of anyone else around him. He was capable, compassionate, and always the gentleman. Having served as President of the Student Body while at UND, Todd was an interesting man, capable of holding an intelligent conversation for extended periods of time. Today, he is an accomplished lawyer, a thespian, and very handsome. And he is openly gay.
What I am not able to understand is how people who have never met Todd can presume to dictate his marriage partner. I am not referring to the marriage ceremony that takes place within a church. Each religion and each congregation needs to decide that issue for themselves. What I am questioning is how in a nation, that has made a deliberate separation of church and state, can legally block the marriage of two consenting adults. When Andy and I applied for our marriage license, the person who sold it to us didn't ask any questions regarding our history, our religion, our intentions towards child-bearing, or any other personal questions. She simply had us fill out a form, then stamped it when she took our money. That was it. Why should it be any different for Todd, or the countless others? Why should other people get to choose the person his employee benefits can protect, or what tax form he will file? These people did not get to voice an opinion about my marriage to Andy, and they should not get a voice in this either. It is a ridiculous notion, and it is time we accept that.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The End Is Near
Friday, October 23 will be Andy's last day on the surgery rotation. It has been a long, long two months. These are the days that make me look fondly back at the third year of medical school - the one everyone said would be the worst year of this journey - as a kinder, gentler time. I think Andy's longest stretch this month was 19 days in a row. And his days begin before 5 am. I cannot imagine keeping that kind of pace.
To make life more interesting, Megan and I have been sick with sore throat, cough, and fever for the last week. And despite the media attention and local fervor, I refuse to believe it is H1N1. It is a cold. I believe in this atmosphere of fear about swine flu, people have lost all common sense. I am missing at least 1/4 of my students every day, and they are all convinced that they have swine flu. I, on the other hand, having lived most of my 33 years in North Dakota, understand that in September, October, and November people in North Dakota get together indoors for long periods of time. And we have weather that changes rapidly. It will be 90 degrees one day, and snowing the next. And we like to throw a little rain in there for good measure. And sometimes a person has a little sniffle. And because we pack in like sardines, the 40 closest people also get a sniffle. And then it spreads. And most of North Dakota will get a cold, or two. Or three. Or four. It happens every year. But this year, rather than saying "Jeez, this is a nasty cold," people are saying "I have swine flu and I must be isolated for 5-7 days." I think this is getting a bit ridiculous.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Andy has been fighting this cold as well. They sent him home yesterday afternoon after he had spent most of the afternoon huddled in a blanket. I wish we would have figured that one out a few weeks ago: Huddled in Blanket = Go Home Early. Who knew? We will file that under lessons learned.
Also, in our really big exciting news category, I am pleased to report that our friend (and my new hero!) Chester found truffle butter for us. In Boston. And that wonderful man not only bought it, but carried it home on the airplane for us. Now that I know that it is available in Boston, I am determined to find it a bit closer to home. Has anyone had any luck yet?
To make life more interesting, Megan and I have been sick with sore throat, cough, and fever for the last week. And despite the media attention and local fervor, I refuse to believe it is H1N1. It is a cold. I believe in this atmosphere of fear about swine flu, people have lost all common sense. I am missing at least 1/4 of my students every day, and they are all convinced that they have swine flu. I, on the other hand, having lived most of my 33 years in North Dakota, understand that in September, October, and November people in North Dakota get together indoors for long periods of time. And we have weather that changes rapidly. It will be 90 degrees one day, and snowing the next. And we like to throw a little rain in there for good measure. And sometimes a person has a little sniffle. And because we pack in like sardines, the 40 closest people also get a sniffle. And then it spreads. And most of North Dakota will get a cold, or two. Or three. Or four. It happens every year. But this year, rather than saying "Jeez, this is a nasty cold," people are saying "I have swine flu and I must be isolated for 5-7 days." I think this is getting a bit ridiculous.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Andy has been fighting this cold as well. They sent him home yesterday afternoon after he had spent most of the afternoon huddled in a blanket. I wish we would have figured that one out a few weeks ago: Huddled in Blanket = Go Home Early. Who knew? We will file that under lessons learned.
Also, in our really big exciting news category, I am pleased to report that our friend (and my new hero!) Chester found truffle butter for us. In Boston. And that wonderful man not only bought it, but carried it home on the airplane for us. Now that I know that it is available in Boston, I am determined to find it a bit closer to home. Has anyone had any luck yet?
Friday, October 9, 2009
Busy Weeks and the Miracle of Skype
Over the last few weeks our family has gone from busy to a place where we look back at busy as being a kinder, gentler time. Nico started hockey on Saturday mornings 3 weeks ago. This means that Megan and I spend our Saturday mornings freezing in Eagles Arena, watching Nico skate around with a bunch of other 7 and 8 year olds, whose fondest desire seems not to actually score a goal, but to celebrate after the scoring. They are equal opportunity celebrators. They give the double-pump, down on one knee, stick in the air for anyone who scores for their team. Then they give a double-arm up in the air salute for anyone who scores on them. I think if Nico spent half the time working on his skating that he spends celebrating he would be as good at hockey as he is at golf. Unfortunately, Nico doesn't appear to be headed down the "Hockey God" path taken by his uncles and grandfather. Let's hope that means that there will be a medical degree in his future, rather than a coach's whistle!
Tuesdays and Fridays mean speech therapy for Megan. We got a new therapist for her, and Jennifer (or Jenny, as Meg calls her) is wonderful. Megan looks forward to each of her sessions. I love to see her so enthused about speech, as it was such a struggle to get her there for the first few sessions with the other therapist. At one point I had fooled myself into thinking that Tuesday and Friday would be research days, as I was not teaching or doing office hours those days. It is amazing how that time has disappeared between Meg's speech and the Grand Forks school district's calendar that seems to give every other Friday off of school.
Friday evenings Meg has dance, and her favorite part is the Magic Box at the end of every class. In a large box, the dance instructors keep various costumes and accessories that the little ballerinas delight in wearing while they dance for the last five minutes of class. Though parents are officially banned from the studio, we all line up at the windows outside to catch a peek of the little princesses!
Thursday evenings mean Nico's Tae Kwon Do lessons at the community center near where we live. They are free, he likes them, he gets to practice doing pushups, and he can walk over by himself. We LOVE Thursday nights!
Piled on top of kid activities, we have normal things like homework for Nico and me, laundry, dinners to make, dishes to do, bathrooms to clean, and enjoying each other to do. Unfortunately, Andy is gone more often than not, so in order to enjoy some time with Dad we spend a lot of time at the hospital. The on-call room is in the maze Altru calls a basement, and we have been there enough that my kids can not only find the on-call room, but also 2 different sets of elevators, the cafeteria, and the entrance to the clinic. Impressive considering I still cannot find my way around down there!
Andy has begun to count down the days until the end of this rotation. He gets the last week in October off for vacation, so he is down to a bit over two weeks left. I think his first few days at home may be like someone who has returned home from an overseas business trip - the return to "our time" may take a few days to get used to!
In light of the craziness of our household, I still have not made it to Wisconsin to see Cathy's new baby, Ethan. I am itching to go, but the fates seem to be conspiring against it. To top it off, I haven't been able to find the time to make a simple phone call to talk with her since August when Ethan was born. I know what you are thinking, and yes, it really is that hard to find the time these days! I don't know how to explain it, but we really are that busy. Thankfully, Cathy and I have each discovered Skype and webcams, and on Sunday I actually got to talk with her face-to-face. While the computer images are never as good as actually being in the same room together, it was a wonderful conversation. Sometimes I need to be reminded to slow down and reprioritize my life!
Tonight, we are headed to the UND men's hockey game. Nico was picked to be the Sioux Kids Club Captain of the Game, and he will be introduced on-ice with the team. He also gets to ride the Zamboni. What more could a kid ever ask for??
Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 6 am we are headed to Sioux Falls. My niece, Annabelle, is going to be baptized, and Andy and I get to be godparents! We are very excited to go, especially Megan who has been talking about seeing her cousin, whom she refers to as "My Best Friend Kaden", for the last 2 weeks.
On a more personal note, Andy and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary tomorrow as well! At times it seems like the days and years have flown by, and sometimes it surprises me how very lucky I am to have married such a wonderful man! And to those of you who were around when we got married I just have this to say: When did we all get so old?
Tuesdays and Fridays mean speech therapy for Megan. We got a new therapist for her, and Jennifer (or Jenny, as Meg calls her) is wonderful. Megan looks forward to each of her sessions. I love to see her so enthused about speech, as it was such a struggle to get her there for the first few sessions with the other therapist. At one point I had fooled myself into thinking that Tuesday and Friday would be research days, as I was not teaching or doing office hours those days. It is amazing how that time has disappeared between Meg's speech and the Grand Forks school district's calendar that seems to give every other Friday off of school.
Friday evenings Meg has dance, and her favorite part is the Magic Box at the end of every class. In a large box, the dance instructors keep various costumes and accessories that the little ballerinas delight in wearing while they dance for the last five minutes of class. Though parents are officially banned from the studio, we all line up at the windows outside to catch a peek of the little princesses!
Thursday evenings mean Nico's Tae Kwon Do lessons at the community center near where we live. They are free, he likes them, he gets to practice doing pushups, and he can walk over by himself. We LOVE Thursday nights!
Piled on top of kid activities, we have normal things like homework for Nico and me, laundry, dinners to make, dishes to do, bathrooms to clean, and enjoying each other to do. Unfortunately, Andy is gone more often than not, so in order to enjoy some time with Dad we spend a lot of time at the hospital. The on-call room is in the maze Altru calls a basement, and we have been there enough that my kids can not only find the on-call room, but also 2 different sets of elevators, the cafeteria, and the entrance to the clinic. Impressive considering I still cannot find my way around down there!
Andy has begun to count down the days until the end of this rotation. He gets the last week in October off for vacation, so he is down to a bit over two weeks left. I think his first few days at home may be like someone who has returned home from an overseas business trip - the return to "our time" may take a few days to get used to!
In light of the craziness of our household, I still have not made it to Wisconsin to see Cathy's new baby, Ethan. I am itching to go, but the fates seem to be conspiring against it. To top it off, I haven't been able to find the time to make a simple phone call to talk with her since August when Ethan was born. I know what you are thinking, and yes, it really is that hard to find the time these days! I don't know how to explain it, but we really are that busy. Thankfully, Cathy and I have each discovered Skype and webcams, and on Sunday I actually got to talk with her face-to-face. While the computer images are never as good as actually being in the same room together, it was a wonderful conversation. Sometimes I need to be reminded to slow down and reprioritize my life!
Tonight, we are headed to the UND men's hockey game. Nico was picked to be the Sioux Kids Club Captain of the Game, and he will be introduced on-ice with the team. He also gets to ride the Zamboni. What more could a kid ever ask for??
Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 6 am we are headed to Sioux Falls. My niece, Annabelle, is going to be baptized, and Andy and I get to be godparents! We are very excited to go, especially Megan who has been talking about seeing her cousin, whom she refers to as "My Best Friend Kaden", for the last 2 weeks.
On a more personal note, Andy and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary tomorrow as well! At times it seems like the days and years have flown by, and sometimes it surprises me how very lucky I am to have married such a wonderful man! And to those of you who were around when we got married I just have this to say: When did we all get so old?
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Elusive Truffle Butter
Have you ever heard of truffle butter? No, not truffle oil, truffle butter. Neither had I. But this summer, while visiting my sister and her family in Sioux Falls I bought Andy a Barefoot Contessa cookbook. Of all the Food Network stars, only Ina Garten and Alton Brown have my undying devotion. They simply make you want to try new things! (By the way, Alton's recipe for Dulce de Leche is simply amazing!) So I paid way too much for the cookbook and on the way home to Grand Forks Andy and I drooled over the wonderful things she was cooking up in the pages. One recipe, in particular, caught our eye. It was a truffle butter pasta. You took some heavy cream, salt, truffle butter, pasta, and a bit of the pasta-cooking water, threw it together with some parmesan cheese on the top and you have a meal fit for a king. It is one of the simplest meals we have ever made and also one of the most delicious. We have fallen in love with it. So much so that we were willing to order the truffle butter required to make said meal through an internet company that was amazingly reasonably priced. The 8 oz. of white truffle butter was around $16. If you know anything at all about truffles, I am sure you are saying "Wow! That's a great deal!" And it was! Until they hit us with the shipping charges. You see, truffle butter needs to be kept cold, which means that it needs to be packed on ice and shipped overnight UPS. If you are keeping track, that runs about $35 for shipping. Suddenly, my butter was up to $51.
Due to our truffle butter pasta addiction, we have paid the shipping fees more than once, all the while hoping we would be able to find the butter locally for a decent price. Here are the results as they stand so far:
It is unavailable in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and Bemidji. Also unavailable in Sioux Falls (and we checked all the specialty stores we could find - including those that the people who worked in the stores named!). A friend of ours spent a considerable amount of time searching Byerly's and Whole Foods in the Twin Cities to no avail.
So my question to all of you is this: Does anybody have any idea where I can buy truffle butter in the tri-state area? We have run out again and I don't think Andy's salary is going to support much more of these delivery fees!
Just in case you were keeping track - the tomato soup from an earlier entry came from the same cookbook. The woman is a genius!
Due to our truffle butter pasta addiction, we have paid the shipping fees more than once, all the while hoping we would be able to find the butter locally for a decent price. Here are the results as they stand so far:
It is unavailable in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and Bemidji. Also unavailable in Sioux Falls (and we checked all the specialty stores we could find - including those that the people who worked in the stores named!). A friend of ours spent a considerable amount of time searching Byerly's and Whole Foods in the Twin Cities to no avail.
So my question to all of you is this: Does anybody have any idea where I can buy truffle butter in the tri-state area? We have run out again and I don't think Andy's salary is going to support much more of these delivery fees!
Just in case you were keeping track - the tomato soup from an earlier entry came from the same cookbook. The woman is a genius!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
And She Pondered These Things In Her Heart
There is a bible passage regarding Mary that states at some point, "and Mary pondered these things in her heart." Note that she didn't think about them, she didn't wonder about them, she pondered them. What a powerful statement. And it was not confined to her head, but encompassed her heart, which was widely considered to be the control center for the body. Essentially, Mary's ponderings were an all-consuming affair that she considered seriously, deeply, and somewhat uneasily. These people knew how to write!
My own writing, sadly, is far below that level. However, on my way home from Target today I heard an NPR story regarding writing and playing. The man on the radio told me I needed to quit worrying about my larger plan and just start to write. Nothing will get done if I am constantly looking at the big picture, trying to determine where my contribution should fit into the larger historiography. He told me that I have to play with the writing, and not expect analytical material immediately. Get the process started, build my sandcastle so to speak, and judge it on its merits when it is done.
I have decided to listen to the little man in the radio. After all, he apparently knows where I live and what car I drive, as he tends to follow me most everywhere. So today I started the actual writing process for my thesis. I have no idea where it will lead, and I have no idea how I am going to get there, and one day I will ponder these things in my heart. For now, I am simply going to write.
On a lighter note, Andy and I enjoyed his weekend off. We spent Sunday as a family, but on Saturday we did the downtown Art and Wine Walk with some good friends. It is now Tuesday, and the warm sunshine, good company, and fresh air of that day is still with me, despite the rather objectionable weather of the last few days. I am so happy that we took the time to enjoy each other!
My own writing, sadly, is far below that level. However, on my way home from Target today I heard an NPR story regarding writing and playing. The man on the radio told me I needed to quit worrying about my larger plan and just start to write. Nothing will get done if I am constantly looking at the big picture, trying to determine where my contribution should fit into the larger historiography. He told me that I have to play with the writing, and not expect analytical material immediately. Get the process started, build my sandcastle so to speak, and judge it on its merits when it is done.
I have decided to listen to the little man in the radio. After all, he apparently knows where I live and what car I drive, as he tends to follow me most everywhere. So today I started the actual writing process for my thesis. I have no idea where it will lead, and I have no idea how I am going to get there, and one day I will ponder these things in my heart. For now, I am simply going to write.
On a lighter note, Andy and I enjoyed his weekend off. We spent Sunday as a family, but on Saturday we did the downtown Art and Wine Walk with some good friends. It is now Tuesday, and the warm sunshine, good company, and fresh air of that day is still with me, despite the rather objectionable weather of the last few days. I am so happy that we took the time to enjoy each other!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Losing at Golf
They say children will eventually surpass their parents in height, education, and athletic skills. I thought I had more time - after all, Nico is only 7. But this morning, he beat me at golf. Badly. I knew it was going to be a bad round when I teed up the first time and the ball landed exactly 4 inches in front of the tee. Meanwhile, Nico was hitting drives that I normally see from Andy. But rather than cursing the Grand Forks School District for giving the teachers yet another staff development day and sticking me with Nico for the day, I smiled and said "Great Shot!" when inside I was thinking "Am I really so very bad at this game that a 7 year old is beating me?" And the answer, of course, is Yes, I really am that bad! And I am ok with that. But Nico is really that good as well. We aren't talking competition for Tiger yet, but he hit consistently today and came out of it with a score in the 50s. I don't know the exact number, as there were a few shots that hit the water, so we didn't count those. All things considered though, the kid is a good golfer.
It has been a busy week at our house. There was much excitement last night when we got the news that Andy's little brother, Joey, is now engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Amanda. She is a wonderful woman and we are all excited to welcome her to the family in an "official" capacity. She has been a part of our lives for a long time, and it is nice that Joey finally grew up enough to have a wife! A part of me will always think of Joey as that 14 year old kid that I met, but at 28 he has grown up nicely! I'm not quite sure how he won Amanda over, but she is my personal favorite of all of his girlfriends...and there have been plenty to choose from!
Megan starts ballet classes tonight, and she has been waiting all summer for them! She will be going to the same place her cousin, Kaylie, went when she lived in Grand Forks. Megan is very excited and wanted to wear her "outfit" to Janelle's today!
Andy and I are looking forward to his first full weekend off since the beginning of August. He will be home by 5pm (we hope!) and won't have to be back to work until 4am on Monday. Tomorrow we are headed to the Art and Wine Walk downtown with Bryon and Val, followed by dinner and a rousing game of cards! We are very exciting people, aren't we?
Before that, however, Andy is taking Nico golfing. They have an 8am tee-time. It is Andy's turn to be beat by the 7 year old.
It has been a busy week at our house. There was much excitement last night when we got the news that Andy's little brother, Joey, is now engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Amanda. She is a wonderful woman and we are all excited to welcome her to the family in an "official" capacity. She has been a part of our lives for a long time, and it is nice that Joey finally grew up enough to have a wife! A part of me will always think of Joey as that 14 year old kid that I met, but at 28 he has grown up nicely! I'm not quite sure how he won Amanda over, but she is my personal favorite of all of his girlfriends...and there have been plenty to choose from!
Megan starts ballet classes tonight, and she has been waiting all summer for them! She will be going to the same place her cousin, Kaylie, went when she lived in Grand Forks. Megan is very excited and wanted to wear her "outfit" to Janelle's today!
Andy and I are looking forward to his first full weekend off since the beginning of August. He will be home by 5pm (we hope!) and won't have to be back to work until 4am on Monday. Tomorrow we are headed to the Art and Wine Walk downtown with Bryon and Val, followed by dinner and a rousing game of cards! We are very exciting people, aren't we?
Before that, however, Andy is taking Nico golfing. They have an 8am tee-time. It is Andy's turn to be beat by the 7 year old.
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