Okay - have been doing okay on my resolutions.
I spend a few minutes each morning with a cup of coffee or hot tea sitting on my balcony watching the sun come up over the Atlantic. Not hard to remember to be thankful then.
I haven't honked at a single car, but must admit I have said some unkind things about some of my fellow travelers.
Haven't started a new book yet, but have been very good about my face care.
Where does that leave me? Oh yeah - a budget. I actually downloaded a budget software program that supposedly makes budgeting fun. Doubtful, but plan to start filling it out tonight. However, must admit that prior to my new period of economic responsibility, I also bought new bedding and a new camera yesterday. I knew I wanted both, and didn't want to have to account for them in my new budget. (I didn't resolve to become an adult overnight.) The camera is a Canon Rebel T1i, and I plan to take a photography class - can we say new hobby anyone?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Not even close
So we seem to rip off quite a few British shows here in this country. Many with a great deal of success - All in the Family and The Office just to name a few. However, I recently caught one of the latest and it was horrible. Unfortunately in writing this, I am having to reveal one of my closest guarded secrets. Here goes. . .
I love the BBC version of Top Gear. It is hilarious. For those of you who don't happen to have BBC America, Top Gear is a TV show about expensive cars. Yep that's right - I said that I really enjoy watching a TV show about cars. In my defense, the first time I watched I was just being polite. I was at my friends Beth and John's house, and he was watching it. However, since that time I have been hooked. Although the show is ostensibly about cars, it is truly about the cynical and quick witted three hosts. Sure you get to see some amazingly unaffordable cars with incredibly loud engines, but you keep turning in to see what Richard, James and Jeremy are up to this week.
Therein lies my complaint about the new American version that I accidentally caught the other day on the Discovery Channel. It is at it's heart a car show. The three hosts seem completely devoid of humor and or cynicism, and instead see their job as telling me the latest about whatever car they are previewing that week. This is not why I watch this show.
Thanks but no thanks. I'll stick with the original.
I love the BBC version of Top Gear. It is hilarious. For those of you who don't happen to have BBC America, Top Gear is a TV show about expensive cars. Yep that's right - I said that I really enjoy watching a TV show about cars. In my defense, the first time I watched I was just being polite. I was at my friends Beth and John's house, and he was watching it. However, since that time I have been hooked. Although the show is ostensibly about cars, it is truly about the cynical and quick witted three hosts. Sure you get to see some amazingly unaffordable cars with incredibly loud engines, but you keep turning in to see what Richard, James and Jeremy are up to this week.
Therein lies my complaint about the new American version that I accidentally caught the other day on the Discovery Channel. It is at it's heart a car show. The three hosts seem completely devoid of humor and or cynicism, and instead see their job as telling me the latest about whatever car they are previewing that week. This is not why I watch this show.
Thanks but no thanks. I'll stick with the original.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Better late than never
Obviously my first resolution should be to stop procrastinating. However, as I plan to make resolutions this year that I can actually keep - it is not on the list. My delay is partly due to the cold my family was kind enough to leave me when they left on Saturday, and partly related to my actually giving my resolutions a lot of thought this year.
Instead of dreaming big as I am apt to do, this year, I wanted to think small. Instead of grandiose plans to cure disease, end hunger, and establish peace all while eating perfectly and dropping thirty pounds, I wanted to force myself to come up with a specific list of things I hope to accomplish this year. A TO DO list if you like. Here goes:
1. Put myself on a budget - might as well start with the hardest one first. I am loathe to admit it, but it might be time to grow up and act responsibly. If I plan to do any shopping when I retire to Italy, I need to start saving for it now.
2. Practice Spanish at least 2 hours each week. I have now lived here for over a year, and although my medical Spanish is quite good, my conversational Spanish needs some attention. I have the resources and the opportunity to practice - I just need to do it.
3. Take better care of my face. I have good genes and have thus far been relatively lucky, but I need to actually start putting some effort into caring for my skin. Luck and genes won't hold out forever, and my face isn't getting any younger.
4. Read 12 new books this year. I love to read. However, I forget this too often and get distracted by other things. This year needs to see a little less reaching for the remote or computer, and a lot more reaching for the book on the nightstand.
5. Spend an hour each Sunday catching up with friends and family. I struggle during the week to catch up with friends. The timing just never seems right. During the weekends, I plan to catch up, but always seem to get lost in the hubbub that is a weekend. This year I plan to set aside one hour every Sunday to talk to someone or ones that is important to me.
6. Repress road rage. I have allowed Miami to turn me into an angry driver. I can't fix the amount of bad and overly aggressive drivers, but I can fix my reactions to them. Less horn blowing and more letting go is definitely in order.
7. Develop two new hobbies. I know way too many people (particularly surgeons) who never have an answer to the "what do you do for fun" question. I am afraid that I have become one of them. Shopping should not technically be a hobby, and as you can see by #4, my reading isn't what it used to be.
8. Spend five minutes each day giving thanks. I have a very bad habit of focusing on the negative. I may be driving home across the bridge with the top down, a nice ocean breeze, with a beautiful sunset behind me, but all I see is the traffic. Time to look around and be thankful for the blessed life I really lead.
9. Do four things this year that scare me. I have become too comfortable in my old age. I need to challenge myself a little. Nothing ventured - nothing gained.
10. Do four unexpected things. I am WAY too predictable, and have spent my entire life doing what was expected of me. Time to shake things up a little.
I will keep you guys informed as to how I am doing. Wishing you all luck with your own resolutions, and may we all have a fabulous 2011.
Instead of dreaming big as I am apt to do, this year, I wanted to think small. Instead of grandiose plans to cure disease, end hunger, and establish peace all while eating perfectly and dropping thirty pounds, I wanted to force myself to come up with a specific list of things I hope to accomplish this year. A TO DO list if you like. Here goes:
1. Put myself on a budget - might as well start with the hardest one first. I am loathe to admit it, but it might be time to grow up and act responsibly. If I plan to do any shopping when I retire to Italy, I need to start saving for it now.
2. Practice Spanish at least 2 hours each week. I have now lived here for over a year, and although my medical Spanish is quite good, my conversational Spanish needs some attention. I have the resources and the opportunity to practice - I just need to do it.
3. Take better care of my face. I have good genes and have thus far been relatively lucky, but I need to actually start putting some effort into caring for my skin. Luck and genes won't hold out forever, and my face isn't getting any younger.
4. Read 12 new books this year. I love to read. However, I forget this too often and get distracted by other things. This year needs to see a little less reaching for the remote or computer, and a lot more reaching for the book on the nightstand.
5. Spend an hour each Sunday catching up with friends and family. I struggle during the week to catch up with friends. The timing just never seems right. During the weekends, I plan to catch up, but always seem to get lost in the hubbub that is a weekend. This year I plan to set aside one hour every Sunday to talk to someone or ones that is important to me.
6. Repress road rage. I have allowed Miami to turn me into an angry driver. I can't fix the amount of bad and overly aggressive drivers, but I can fix my reactions to them. Less horn blowing and more letting go is definitely in order.
7. Develop two new hobbies. I know way too many people (particularly surgeons) who never have an answer to the "what do you do for fun" question. I am afraid that I have become one of them. Shopping should not technically be a hobby, and as you can see by #4, my reading isn't what it used to be.
8. Spend five minutes each day giving thanks. I have a very bad habit of focusing on the negative. I may be driving home across the bridge with the top down, a nice ocean breeze, with a beautiful sunset behind me, but all I see is the traffic. Time to look around and be thankful for the blessed life I really lead.
9. Do four things this year that scare me. I have become too comfortable in my old age. I need to challenge myself a little. Nothing ventured - nothing gained.
10. Do four unexpected things. I am WAY too predictable, and have spent my entire life doing what was expected of me. Time to shake things up a little.
I will keep you guys informed as to how I am doing. Wishing you all luck with your own resolutions, and may we all have a fabulous 2011.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Home Sweet Home????
Got the opportunity to make a quick trip to Nashville for the weekend. I flew in late Thursday night so I could also take advantage of Friday. Immediately remembered why I don't love South Florida. Maybe it is just because it is how I grew up, but I find something very beautiful about hills and trees. The leaves have fallen, but it is still breathtaking scenery to me. All the houses were mostly beautifully (a few over the top) decorated for the Holiday - no lighted Palm trees here. There was a pleasant nip in the air with the smell of wood burning fire places. It felt like Christmas.
Friday morning began at the gym where I ran into an old friend. Probably not my most intense work out ever, but great to catch up. Next we were off to the mall. Had forgotten how much fun it is to shop with Kris. As usual, I did way more damage than Kris, but justified it by concentrating on how much money I "saved". Had already finished my Christmas shopping so everything was for me - I know I really do have a problem.
Brief stop back at home for the kids and Bassam, and then back to the mall.
I had finally talked Kris into letting me take the kids to Build-a-Bear, and I didn't want to give her time to change her mind. I can't speak for the kids, but I had a blast. What is not to love about watching an adorable "cuddly" get chosen, stuffed, washed and dressed. The amount of clothing and accessories that they had for these bears was mind blowing. It would have taken me days to decide, but the kids knew exactly what they wanted. Grace walked out with an adorable Reindeer named Clarice that says I love you. Matt landed a royal blue Star Wars bear that came complete with the theme music.
Saturday saw us off to the Skating rink. That's right - I said we went roller skating. Now keep in mind that I haven't skated in about 25 years, and you can see where this story is going. The look of the place hasn't changed much. It still has the disco ball and the same music I remember from childhood. What has changed is my ability to stay upright on a pair of roller skates. I am probably the exact same height that I was the last time I was on skates, but it sure did seem a lot further down to the ground. I didn't stand a chance of keeping up with Matt or Kris, but thankfully Grace was willing to travel at my speed. We spent a lot of time holding to the wall and sitting on the carpet. I escaped with only minor bruising, and much more respect for the waiters at Sonic.
We capped off the day with a trip to see Ice. Ice for those of you not from Nashville is this amazing show put on at Opry each year where an entire Christmas story is told in ice sculptures. There is a different theme each year (The Grinch, Charlie Brown, etc). This year it was Santa Claus is Coming to Town. It is usually at the Gaylord Gas Light theater, but things there are still recovering from the flood so it was inside a "tent". It was as beautiful and as cold as ever. Even with the parka's they provide over my own substantial layering, I could barely feel my face when we left. I spent a lot of time going to the Opry as a kid (my parent's are huge Country music fans) so it was nice to see it back up and running. However, the Opry Mills Mall (which was an amusement park when I was a child) still has not recovered, and it was quite sad to see it standing empty except for the Bass Pro Shop which is the only store to reopen to date. We finished the night with a nice dinner and a movie at home.
Sunday morning dawned cloudy and cold. The rain from the day before was now beautiful snow flurries. However, they were predicting significant accumulation as they day progressed so slight adjustments to the travel plans became necessary. I was able to make it to church to see the kids perform the annual Christmas play (they were awesome), but had to leave shortly after as the snow was starting to come down in earnest. Our plane required significant de-icing, but we were able to get off relatively "on-time." My initial flight was eventually cancelled, and all the other flights to Florida that day were significantly delayed so good thing I left when I did. After a brief stop in Tampa, I arrived back in Miami.
Talk about a change in climate. I left Nashville at 24 degrees with snow falling, and arrived in Miami to a slight drizzle and a balmy 72 degrees. I know I should be happy to be back home to the warm weather and the passable road ways, but a large piece of me still wishes I was back there. Sure cold weather is not my favorite thing, but having friends and amazing scenery nearby sure make it worth it.
Friday morning began at the gym where I ran into an old friend. Probably not my most intense work out ever, but great to catch up. Next we were off to the mall. Had forgotten how much fun it is to shop with Kris. As usual, I did way more damage than Kris, but justified it by concentrating on how much money I "saved". Had already finished my Christmas shopping so everything was for me - I know I really do have a problem.
Brief stop back at home for the kids and Bassam, and then back to the mall.
I had finally talked Kris into letting me take the kids to Build-a-Bear, and I didn't want to give her time to change her mind. I can't speak for the kids, but I had a blast. What is not to love about watching an adorable "cuddly" get chosen, stuffed, washed and dressed. The amount of clothing and accessories that they had for these bears was mind blowing. It would have taken me days to decide, but the kids knew exactly what they wanted. Grace walked out with an adorable Reindeer named Clarice that says I love you. Matt landed a royal blue Star Wars bear that came complete with the theme music.
Saturday saw us off to the Skating rink. That's right - I said we went roller skating. Now keep in mind that I haven't skated in about 25 years, and you can see where this story is going. The look of the place hasn't changed much. It still has the disco ball and the same music I remember from childhood. What has changed is my ability to stay upright on a pair of roller skates. I am probably the exact same height that I was the last time I was on skates, but it sure did seem a lot further down to the ground. I didn't stand a chance of keeping up with Matt or Kris, but thankfully Grace was willing to travel at my speed. We spent a lot of time holding to the wall and sitting on the carpet. I escaped with only minor bruising, and much more respect for the waiters at Sonic.
We capped off the day with a trip to see Ice. Ice for those of you not from Nashville is this amazing show put on at Opry each year where an entire Christmas story is told in ice sculptures. There is a different theme each year (The Grinch, Charlie Brown, etc). This year it was Santa Claus is Coming to Town. It is usually at the Gaylord Gas Light theater, but things there are still recovering from the flood so it was inside a "tent". It was as beautiful and as cold as ever. Even with the parka's they provide over my own substantial layering, I could barely feel my face when we left. I spent a lot of time going to the Opry as a kid (my parent's are huge Country music fans) so it was nice to see it back up and running. However, the Opry Mills Mall (which was an amusement park when I was a child) still has not recovered, and it was quite sad to see it standing empty except for the Bass Pro Shop which is the only store to reopen to date. We finished the night with a nice dinner and a movie at home.
Sunday morning dawned cloudy and cold. The rain from the day before was now beautiful snow flurries. However, they were predicting significant accumulation as they day progressed so slight adjustments to the travel plans became necessary. I was able to make it to church to see the kids perform the annual Christmas play (they were awesome), but had to leave shortly after as the snow was starting to come down in earnest. Our plane required significant de-icing, but we were able to get off relatively "on-time." My initial flight was eventually cancelled, and all the other flights to Florida that day were significantly delayed so good thing I left when I did. After a brief stop in Tampa, I arrived back in Miami.
Talk about a change in climate. I left Nashville at 24 degrees with snow falling, and arrived in Miami to a slight drizzle and a balmy 72 degrees. I know I should be happy to be back home to the warm weather and the passable road ways, but a large piece of me still wishes I was back there. Sure cold weather is not my favorite thing, but having friends and amazing scenery nearby sure make it worth it.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Boot weather
Winter finally decided to visit South Florida. We have had lows in the 60's for the last two days, and they are predicting 45 on Tuesday. I know I can feel all the sympathy rolling my way, but I'm not writing this to complain about how cold it is (even though it does feel quite frigid out there this am).
I am writing to rejoice for the return of the "wearing of the boots." Every woman that I know be she young or old loves boots. I don't know why or how, but there is something about a boot that makes every woman feel just a little more sexy and pulled together. We all walk a little taller with a little more strut to our step when we are sporting a cute pair of boots. South Florida girls are no different. We just have less occasion to wear them. {I am officially ignoring the 20 somethings that wear Uggs with daisy dukes and tank tops.}
As soon as the weather drops below 70 degrees here, every female under the age of 90 pulls out the boots. You don't know when it might get this cold again so you have to take advantage it. I myself am quite upset that I missed a "boot day" yesterday because I was freezing in scurbs and clogs on a plane at 40,000 feet somewhere over the Atlantic ocean. I made up for it today with a very cute "boot ensemble" if I do say so myself.
Let's see, they are predicting 4 more days of cold weather, and I have 6 more pairs of boots to wear. Difficult - sure, but far from impossible to pull off.
I am writing to rejoice for the return of the "wearing of the boots." Every woman that I know be she young or old loves boots. I don't know why or how, but there is something about a boot that makes every woman feel just a little more sexy and pulled together. We all walk a little taller with a little more strut to our step when we are sporting a cute pair of boots. South Florida girls are no different. We just have less occasion to wear them. {I am officially ignoring the 20 somethings that wear Uggs with daisy dukes and tank tops.}
As soon as the weather drops below 70 degrees here, every female under the age of 90 pulls out the boots. You don't know when it might get this cold again so you have to take advantage it. I myself am quite upset that I missed a "boot day" yesterday because I was freezing in scurbs and clogs on a plane at 40,000 feet somewhere over the Atlantic ocean. I made up for it today with a very cute "boot ensemble" if I do say so myself.
Let's see, they are predicting 4 more days of cold weather, and I have 6 more pairs of boots to wear. Difficult - sure, but far from impossible to pull off.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Faux Christmas?
Let me begin by apologizing for the quietness of my blog. In all honesty, I can't even blame my job. Things have been busy at work, but not viciously so. My silence was due mostly to a period of self-reflection. My "mid-life" crisis got me to thinking about where I am, and where I want to be. It was a time for me to do a little mental housekeeping . . . not sure I still have it all figured out, but at least now I have identified the problems. Some of those thoughts I will share with you over the coming months, and some are best left in my head. Regardless, I finally feel as if I am moving in a good direction.
Enough of that - I have a much worse confession to make. . .
I broke my biggest Christmas rule. I bought and actually set up an artificial Christmas tree. I know. To borrow from Joseph Conrad - The Horror . . . The Horror. Believe it or not, I did put some thought into it, not that anything can really justify a fake tree, but here goes.
I actually haven't had a Christmas tree for the last four years. Those of you who know how much I LOVE Christmas will be surprised by that statement. In Nashville, I never did a tree because quite honestly I never spent much time at my apartment. Any free time I had was spent at the Helou's. I conveniently always made sure that I was at their place for the trimming of their tree, so I counted it partially as mine. In Philadelphia, I quite honestly was too busy to even think about the tree, and would have no idea how to get it home in the snow. Last year here, I was still surrounded by boxes so a tree just wasn't an option. Therefore, I decided a few months ago - when Christmas things started hitting the shelves - that this year I was definitely buying a tree.
Well a few months ago, I still had an SUV, and didn't have a convertible. I love Christmas, but not enough to strap a sticky 7 ft tree to my rag top. I could have had a friend bring it home for me, but I was too impatient to coordinate. My other concern was for the heat. My air conditioner is still on in my condo. I don't think that is exactly a perfect habitat for a North Carolina Douglas Fir.
Therefore, the day after Thanksgiving found me at Target buying my first ever faux tree. In all honesty, now that it is all set up and fluffed out, I must admit it looks pretty good. It has even shed a few needles to help with the deception. The thing it can't fake however is the wonderful smell of a Christmas tree. Oh well, maybe next year. This year is all about the faux - let's just hope that doesn't prompt Santa to leave faux gifts.
Enough of that - I have a much worse confession to make. . .
I broke my biggest Christmas rule. I bought and actually set up an artificial Christmas tree. I know. To borrow from Joseph Conrad - The Horror . . . The Horror. Believe it or not, I did put some thought into it, not that anything can really justify a fake tree, but here goes.
I actually haven't had a Christmas tree for the last four years. Those of you who know how much I LOVE Christmas will be surprised by that statement. In Nashville, I never did a tree because quite honestly I never spent much time at my apartment. Any free time I had was spent at the Helou's. I conveniently always made sure that I was at their place for the trimming of their tree, so I counted it partially as mine. In Philadelphia, I quite honestly was too busy to even think about the tree, and would have no idea how to get it home in the snow. Last year here, I was still surrounded by boxes so a tree just wasn't an option. Therefore, I decided a few months ago - when Christmas things started hitting the shelves - that this year I was definitely buying a tree.
Well a few months ago, I still had an SUV, and didn't have a convertible. I love Christmas, but not enough to strap a sticky 7 ft tree to my rag top. I could have had a friend bring it home for me, but I was too impatient to coordinate. My other concern was for the heat. My air conditioner is still on in my condo. I don't think that is exactly a perfect habitat for a North Carolina Douglas Fir.
Therefore, the day after Thanksgiving found me at Target buying my first ever faux tree. In all honesty, now that it is all set up and fluffed out, I must admit it looks pretty good. It has even shed a few needles to help with the deception. The thing it can't fake however is the wonderful smell of a Christmas tree. Oh well, maybe next year. This year is all about the faux - let's just hope that doesn't prompt Santa to leave faux gifts.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Mid-life crisis
Several friends have resisted the labeling of my current crisis as mid-life, but I feel that has more to do with their being the same age as me and less to do with the phrase not being accurate. Call it what you like - I am definitely in it. I am one husband that I can cheat on away from the stereotype. (Good thing I had the convertible already.)
I am not sure the exact thing that started it. I suspect it was just a mixture of the right set of ingredients at an ideal time to produce the perfect crisis. Begin with a VERY difficulty operation, add in a difficult post-operative course, a lot of late night operating, a few transplants, minimal sleep and three straight weeks of work. Once blended well, fold in a handful of friends all with way cooler lives and then place into a pre-heated oven. That wonderful aroma you smell - a midlife crisis.
It only took one bite for me to realize my life sucks. I have a job that I'm not sure I'm good at doing. I live in a city that I don't love surrounded by doctors. My family and friends are all thousands of miles away living really cool lives. And they are good at living their lives. They balance work and play. They are awesome parents. They are Presidents of their companies. They are self-employed and get to work at home. They have play dates and dinner dates. They go on trips and vacations. They move to Germany. At the end of the day, they seem to make a difference. They are living their dreams and it seems to be everything they imaged it could be. They have control and are enjoying it.
I know the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but it really doesn't feel like a case of "greener" to me. I feel that my side of the pasture is covered in mud and anything would be better. I need to do something to shake things up. I am sick of the status quo so I need to figure out how to change it. I have to take risks and get out of my box. Not sure what exactly I want to do yet, but I'm thinking about it. May take a nap first . . . but I'm thinking.
I am not sure the exact thing that started it. I suspect it was just a mixture of the right set of ingredients at an ideal time to produce the perfect crisis. Begin with a VERY difficulty operation, add in a difficult post-operative course, a lot of late night operating, a few transplants, minimal sleep and three straight weeks of work. Once blended well, fold in a handful of friends all with way cooler lives and then place into a pre-heated oven. That wonderful aroma you smell - a midlife crisis.
It only took one bite for me to realize my life sucks. I have a job that I'm not sure I'm good at doing. I live in a city that I don't love surrounded by doctors. My family and friends are all thousands of miles away living really cool lives. And they are good at living their lives. They balance work and play. They are awesome parents. They are Presidents of their companies. They are self-employed and get to work at home. They have play dates and dinner dates. They go on trips and vacations. They move to Germany. At the end of the day, they seem to make a difference. They are living their dreams and it seems to be everything they imaged it could be. They have control and are enjoying it.
I know the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but it really doesn't feel like a case of "greener" to me. I feel that my side of the pasture is covered in mud and anything would be better. I need to do something to shake things up. I am sick of the status quo so I need to figure out how to change it. I have to take risks and get out of my box. Not sure what exactly I want to do yet, but I'm thinking about it. May take a nap first . . . but I'm thinking.
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