what's on your . . . #2

google reader?
[hmm, 755? i may not be 'caught up', but i'm still enjoying my favorites!]
. . . or most visited booksmarks list? last week i loved seeing your musical selections on the what's on your iPod? post, so in preparation for the weekend and in 'follow friday' spirit, i thought i would share some of my favorite blogs (and hope that you will do that same!).

now, i have to say i have definitely been spending less time with my good ol' google reader lately, and that has been on purpose. i am using it more as a nice break activity (like picking up a book or flipping on the tv) rather than something i am attempting to keep up with daily. but there are still a few where i just cannot resist tearing into the latest post! interestingly, they tend to be ones that do not post daily or multiple times a day -- making them more of a novelty, perhaps?

while certainly not a comprehensive list, here are 5 blogs i have been loving lately:

✿ what claudia wore is a fashion blog that focuses on none other than the fictional miss claudia kishi of the long-defunct babysitter's club. my only complaint is that the author (who has fantastic style herself) is always dissing stacey's looks. give the poor diabetic chick a break! her frosted perm may not have been as timeless as claud's side-pony, but it worked back in the day.

✿ coffee talk began as a food blog, but morphed into something even cooler - a design concept/photography site that i love, love, LOVE. i also happen to appreciate that the author is just 5' tall and doesn't seem to mind one bit.

✿ carpe durham is awesome. first, there is the name, which makes me mad every time i see it because i think 'why didn't i think of that?'. then, there is the concept -- a local site featuring durham restaurants, with an emphasis on new ones and more casual fare. the commenters tend to be quite opinionated and quick to get in fights, which only adds to the fun (generally, i just watch from the sidelines). i actually once looked into to contributing to the site but decided not to since it had to be anonymous and i'd rather put reviews on here!

✿ bneato is a organizing blog that features little snippets and tips designed to make life easier, and well -- neater. my favorite feature is to-do-list-tuesday. AHH, LOVE it! maybe i will have to submit some of my own to the author someday . . .

✿ if i had to pick one food/lifestyle blog to read, the broccoli hut would be my choice. this is because i absolutely love to see caroline's creative and healthy creations. they simultaneously inspire me and make my mouth water!

anthro emails
yesterday, i got two emails from anthro that made me extremely happy. no, neither contained a gift certificate as thank you for my frequent patronizing of their shop. and sadly, no gala invite in return for the enormous amount of publicity i bestow up on them through this blog (HA).

but there were these:


and this wonderful proclamation:


yes, yes, oh my god, yes. you know, i tried to play along with the skinny jeans trend. and i do still intend to wear the pairs i have. but i never really thought they flattered the way a nice dark bootcut pair did.

i would have worn them anyway, but i definitely appreciate that anthro is vindicating my choice!


ahhhhh. when i look at this, i feel like i am coming home.

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7.29.10

workout: 5.5 sweaty miles outside, 2 @ tempo (8:20-8:30/mi). today i had planned to do yoga, but i am sort of itching to head out again. hmmm.

cooking: did not occur yesterday. 3 recipes/week seems to be my sweet spot!

board prep: i completed the review packet for preventative peds. after today i will be back on schedule.

procrastination affliction

a sort-of confessional
i am a whiz at getting the little things done. i thrive on little mini-deadlines -- a daily list of tasks, for example. but -- and this might surprise some of you to read this -- the BIG stuff has always thrown me for a loop! in college, i was pretty organized and kept up with day-to-day things, like reading for classes and science problem sets. but when it came to the BIG projects, i was totally the queen of procrastination, leaving papers and the more intimidating assignments for the very last second.

unfortunately, eight years post-graduation (how did THAT happen?), i still suffer from an element of this affliction. in fact, the more terrifying a project is (back then: senior thesis; now: grant-writing) the more likely i am to stress over it hardcore yet manage to avoid it completely.

i do not recommend this strategy. at all.

i get filled with an uneasy sensation whenever i see several of such projects on my plate. right now, there are 3:

✔ research proposal (due august 9)
✔ HLS presentation (to be given august 14)
✔ reproductive endo talk for department meeting (august 9)

the truth is, i've already DONE a lot of the legwork for the research proposal and the HLS talk. but i am at the 'actually write the powerpoint/put together the final document' stage on both, and i can feel myself starting to get nervous and overwhelmed. so of course, i've been studiously avoiding each of them.

time to break up this procrastination party!
once these projects are over with, i am very likely to have 3 more on the horizon of similar size and scope. in fact, i suspect this is just going to be my new reality during fellowship. but living with the aforementioned uneasiness is unpleasant and ineffective -- honestly, i think that procrastination erodes my soul.

so, i have decided to stop. triage and prioritizing are necessary realities, but always shoving the biggest items to the bottom of the list -- not so much. everything i have read on the subject suggests breaking up big projects into smaller tasks, so that is what i will start with. the other thing i am considering is dedicating a minimum amount of time (to be done during the work day OR at home) to big projects only.

how do you manage big projects? any prior procrastinators out there who have reformed? share your secrets! (please!).

off to run -- without further delay, of course! luckily, workouts are not something i tend to push off until 'later.'

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7.28.10

workout: 30 minutes elliptical (levels 9 - 12) and 30 minutes lower body strength training

cooking light quesadilla: chicken, peaches + melty pepper jack = who knew?


served with the season's bounty:


local yellow tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers

board prep: 2nd half of 'prevention' section of LYW.

goal-free?

to goal or not to goal
as anyone who reads this blog knows, i love goals. i enjoy thinking about them, designing simple (or elaborate) ways to track them, and yes -- even pursuing them. of course, sometimes things don't go as planned. for example, last night i decided that i would bribe myself with this cozy little snack before working on my HLS presentation:


. . . and let's just say that alcohol and powerpoint -- as least for me -- don't really mix.

so i reorganized things in my head, gave myself a break, and decided to push this work off a day. but i still consider creating a great presentation a worthy goal. along with the (equally worthy?) goals of working on pediatric board prep, my research, keeping our home relatively organized and livable + and my body generally healthy and in shape.

i know -- i've talked about all this before -- many times! i'm not trying to bore you all with repetitive goal-talk. instead, i'm trying to wrap my mind around the latest zen habits post, which advocates that the best goal may be no goal.

leo reminds readers that "the journey is all. the destination is beside the point." and for once i have to say that i don't completely agree with his post! it may work for him -- a very successful free-lance blogger with a supportive family -- to go goal-less. but for the rest of us, especially those still plodding along a path to our ultimate career step, i just don't see how this works.

one might argue that my gut reaction to his idea mean that i'm in the wrong career/life path and just forcing myself to do things that inside are not quite right for me. but i would counter with the fact that if that's true, i'm pretty happy over here doing what i'm doing!

furthermore, i think that i'm already reaping the benefits of prior goal-setting (and pursuing).

★ if i hadn't worked hard in classes that i didn't like (like organic chem!) in college, i wouldn't have gotten to the career path that i am on now, which i like

★ if i hadn't set a goal of increasing my running endurance, i wouldn't be able to enjoy my morning runs the way i do

★ if i hadn't decided to blog daily a couple of years back, i might have stopped doing it altogether -- and as you all know, i LOVE this part of my day!

i guess i just think there is a reason that planning and breaking things up into actionable steps and . . . goals have made it this far. i don't always want to tackle every little thing, but sometimes it just has to be done in honor of the bigger picture. i'd rather take the quote "the journey is all. The destination is beside the point" to mean that you might as well find enjoyment in the steps along the way, even if they don't always seem glamorous or in line with one's preferences. in the previous zen habits post, i really liked the quote:

we can’t always do what we love. but we are free to love what we do.

yet another goal i fully support!

HLS teaser
anyone reading this coming to this year's HLS? i am getting really excited for the time-management/organization presentation that kath, morgan, and i will be doing.

tomorrow i think i will write a bit about what i plan on talking about -- and seek your feedback, as well! also, if you have even a fraction of the love for pretty paper and stationery supplies that i do, get excited. my favorite paper company has offered to give away some planners to attendees of our session, and there will also be several signed copies of the happiness project up for grabs!

morning goal
off to drag my goal-happy self to the gym for a workout. see, i might not want to pry myself from the laptop at this moment, but i know i'll be happy mid-workout that i did! see what i mean?

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7.27.10

workout: none -- i rested! on monday, though i had a great 4.5 mile run despite tepid morning temps at 8:54/mi.

from the current cooking light: yes, i think i have exhausted the current clean eating issue that i was cooking through! luckily, the september/october issue arrived in the mail yesterday . . . but since it's not even close to fall, i'm going to cook out of other summer sources for a while.


i LOVED this prosciutto and melon pasta salad! honestly, i thought the flavor combinations were kind of genius. a classic combo served in a non-traditional way, and so summery. i definitely recommend.

board prep: can you imagine that after the wine i was in NO mood to study? imagine that. i will catch up, though. here's what i have to contend with:


come on, how could i forget the potter sequence!? next time . . .

and now we are 6

7.27.2004
true clairvoyance, or self-fulfilling prophecy?

tomorrow i start an outpatient pediatrics rotation at a rural health center out here. i really do like working with children, and i'm thinking about it for a career, but probably not primary care. partly because i find it overwhelming. i would much rather have a small field to be expert in, and that way i can be like, "oh, well i'm an endocrinologist, why would you expect me to know anything about x or y?" and it will be acceptable.

by the way: i am starting this blog not because i really have anything to say, but because i don't have much better to do and i think it would be interesting to document this lonely month in lumberton. i have a feeling it is going to be one of those mundane blogs, like "today i had a bowl of cereal for breakfast. then i took a shower . . ." rather than a very exciting one. however, for those people who think being a medical student sounds glamorous and fun, i suppose this thing would at least be educational. not that anyone is going to read it.

summer, 2005
small (albeit nerdy) victories:

finally! for the love of god, it finally worked. i ran a PCR screen where i get a 1600 bp band for an 'insert containing' clone (ie, what i want!) and a 1200 bp band for any negatives. and i got . . . like 20 positives!! my negative controls worked, too, so i'm not just wishfully pretending to read the ladder wrong, or something. i almost posted a picture of the gel (it was a rather attractive one, too, a double-decker with 20 lanes on each tier for 40 total!), but i realized that it would bring my blog up to a new level of dorkiness that i never really want to reach.

and a bigger, slightly more important announcement:

i could try to be all cute and put the fact that josh just proposed (well, 4 hours ago) as a side note at the end of this entry, but I CAN'T BECAUSE I AM WAY TOO EXCITED. WAYYYYYYY too excited. so excited, in fact, that this is really all i can handle writing right now. i'll write more later, but the main points are:

1) i'm excited

2) we're getting married!

3) my ring is very sparkly and pretty and josh designed it himself

4) i am so happy

5) obviously, i said yes

!

3.21.2006
a year for tough career decisions . . .

i don't exactly know what's happening right now. i can honestly say i never considered leaving the phD part of my md/phD until, like, 2 days ago, and now it seems like the only thing to do. i keep wondering if i have gone crazy without realizing it -- who just throws something like this AWAY, for one? i can't figure out what i like, what i want, where my career should go. i thought i liked science, but now i'm worried that i just *wanted* to like it, and i'm very good at convincing myself (and others) that i'm all pumped up about something

when really . . .

and later, much easier choices:



7.7.2007
ahh, intern year. not the most exciting year for this blog. i am bored and getting tired just skimming through summaries of what day-to-day life was like:

6:12: print out list o'babies, and walk around collecting vitals (respiratory rate, pulse oximetry readings, heart rate, feeding details down to the millileter and temperature) on all of them. sometimes have territorial squabbles with the nurses over the charts (not really, actually they are almost all incredibly nice). talk to nurses to find out if anything significant (ie, stops in breathing, heart rate dips, etc) went down overnight. all of this essential info goes onto sheets which i have pre-made the night before for each baby and which will later serve as their daily notes.

wow. that's just the very beginning of quite the epic narrative post. i'm sorry!

7.14.2008
quite an important milestone: my first list post!

above: close-up (click to enlarge if necessary) showing what intern year did to me. actually, i admit i have always been a list-maker but the check-boxes are something new that i am now stuck with likely for the rest of my days. because checking stuff off is SO EFFING SATISFYING! and for the record, i got it all done except for 'clean BR', which means bathroom. oh well.

and cooking picture --


not quite up to martha standards yet . . .

summer 2009
blogging becomes social . . . and i write not one, not two, but three recaps of the 2009 HLS! can't wait to go back . . .

later that year, a bunch of (formerly) local bloggers invaded a local wine bar:


left to right: caroline, jessica, me, meg, april, reader margaret, and allie
and the line between "blog-friends" and "real-friends" truly became blurred.

january 2010
began with a blogging bang. awww, remember this?


name and url change! i'm not exactly taking over bandwidth over here, but i'd say the switch was at least a modest success.

so that's where this blog has been! who knows where it's headed? i guess we'll just have to see . . .

thank you to everyone who has ever read or commented --
you all make this rewarding and fun!


here's to another 6 years!

run/eat/repeat

a themed weekend
i did sneak in some board prep, cleaning, and grocery shopping. but for the most part, this weekend was comprised of:

★ eating delicious things
★ socializing
★ running/working out
★ spending $

my ambitious to do list is a little upset at me, and the items below weighing on my monday a bit.

☑ work on HLS talk
☑ work on research proposal
☑ plan speakers for next month's endo meetings
☑ sleep by 9 pm

but michelle was quite the voice of reason with her comment:

i think i just need to follow my own advice about overscheduling. next weekend!

run report
yesterday's temps weren't exactly long-run-friendly. but i feel like i've been gradually acclimating to the summer, at least somewhat. or perhaps i've just lowered my expectations with respect to pace!

first 6 miles: 9:21/mi average
second 4 miles: 9:30/mi average. (with josh!)
best post-run snack ever:


cold, juicy watermelon chunks. pricele$$!
these paces are considerably slower than what i would typically run in cooler months, but as we finished the last loop it was 84 degrees (never mind the heat index) and i was just happy to have been running at all!

family brunch
i have always wanted to try brunch at vin rouge, and after yesterday's experience, i'd be happy to go back any time!


darker and refreshingly cool inside the romantic interior

genetics at work!


though this picture does not do justice to the delicious mushroom and gruyere omelet i consumed.


there, that's better. i dominated the eggs but left most of the fries alone (i am not a huge fry fan unless i am primed with something alcoholic . . . why is that!?).

josh looks pretty happy:


we followed our brunch with some apartment hunting (just like caroline! but we didn't run into each other . . .). we're not looking to move now but for next spring. LOVED west village, but not necessarily the monthly price tag. we'll see what happens.

wait, there's more
no, the eating and socializing didn't stop at lunch. there is something nice about easing into the work week with a casual dinner with friends, and i was missing my residency partner in crime a, who comes conveniently with a surgery resident significant other who will entertain josh with tales from the OR and the like.

my main goal for the meal was to use up our fresh bella bean produce before it was too late!


awesome multicolored squash -- lemon-lime?

a is just a little bit pregnant right now . . .


ahhh so cute!

not as cute, but still tasty --


our (somewhat) locally-sourced dinner. i made this easy baked shrimp recipe (subbed the wine for broth given the audience) + polenta + grilled squash/zucchini. simple yet good . . . especially topped off with unpictured local ice cream and fruit. yum.

and now it's monday
but before the work week officially begins, i am going to savor one last relaxing run. enjoy your weeks!

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7.25.10

workout: 10 HOT miles, average ~9:24/mi in CH

cooking action: see above!

board prep: over the course of the weekend: LYW nutrition chapter + 15 PREP questions. i'm still on track!

pack it up, pack it in

scenes from saturday
different styles of studying . . .


some of us need a little more structure.


shopping for cheap pieces of plastic . . .

(only the kids sunglasses fit my microcephalic face, apparently. so no, i did not take home this barbie brand pair.)
and bigger ticket items:

♥ just like my old computer . . . except fast! ♥
when i have a bit more time, i want to streamline this baby even more (take off applications i don't use, get rid of duplicate photos and music, etc). but right now i'm just enjoying the impressive processing speed and springy backlit keyboard!

overbooked
even with speed on my side, i am going to keep this post short because i am keenly aware that i have completely overbooked myself for this weekend. at the presentation i will be giving at the healthy living summit (check out the professional-looking bio!), one of my biggest points will be planning in a bit less than you will think you will be able to accomplish.

what i would like to do today
☑ clean kitchen and bathroom
☑ laundry
☑ groceries/meal planning
☑ 9-10 mile run
☑ brunch out with sister + friend
☑ check out some durham apartments (2) for move in spring 2011
☑ studying for boards
☑ work on HLS talk
☑ work on research proposal
☑ plan speakers for next month's endo meetings
☑ cook dinner & have friends over for casual sunday dinner
☑ sleep by 9 pm

yeah, i'm not sure how this is going to work out. i should follow my own advice, right?


conditions for the aforementioned run are already looking less than favorable . . . i guess i'd better get started! side note: how is a heat index of 110 followed by thunderstorms 'good for outdoor activities?' hmmm.

do you overschedule yourself? if not, how do you avoid it?? there are just so many things i want to do! i guess in a way that's a good thing, but it can certainly be overwhelming. i will try as best as i possibly can today to keep my focus on one thing at a time!

new addition

no, not that kind of addition.
although on that note, congratulations to meg on her exciting announcement!! i admit, i had my suspicions . . . but then again, i had an insider's perspective -- meg and i completed a long run together, and the important truths always come out when miles are being shared.

endorphins = nature's other truth serum!

anyway, my new addition is much less exciting.


it's this baby that's coming home to mama today! my computer is over 3 years old and is completely OUT of memory . . . plus, i had kind of promised myself a new one for fellowship. so a trip to the apple store is in the cards for today, and i think i am going to go with a macbook PRO.

while on the subject of technology, i think i have decided to hold off on a smartphone for now! you might remember that i was mulling over the purchase of an iPhone or similar, but i'm just not sure i really need those extra features (or the monthly bill that goes along with having email and the internet at one's fingertips). maybe if the iPhone migrates over to verizon in january (like the rumors say), i'll go for it.

especially if i can get a white one!


(what, it's prettier.)

thank you, tony soprano
. . . for making josh crave italian food last night! to be honest, italian is perhaps a weakness in chapel hill's otherwise fantastic restaurant scene. il palio is tasty, but quite fancy and expensive. we tried vespa, but we weren't terribly impressed. durham has several good options (tosca, pop's, and nana's are all excellent in our experience), but neither of us felt like driving back east (even though it's not that far!).

so, we went with 411 west, knowing that we might not be wowed, but that nice ambience, reasonable prices, and pasta options galore would be available.

there was a 15 minute wait for dinner at around 8 pm (not bad with no reservations), and as we sidled up to the bar, we were surprised to find our next-door-apartment neighbor there working the bar! a photographer during the day, we learned that he has worked at the restaurant for 8 years now . . . and his wife (also our neighbor, obviously) was there too as a waitress.

chapel hill: definitely a small town.


i definitely enjoyed this generous pour of rioja (and our generous neighbor unexpectedly comped our drinks!). a well-deserved finish to a tough week, i think.

fluffy and delicious roll:


artisan bread it was not, but slightly sweet and doughy, i enjoyed this hunk o' refined carbs nonetheless.

my favorite part of the meal was our shared caprese salad:


LOVE tomato season! these could have actually been a touch riper, but it was still a nicely put together dish. i liked the hint of balsamic and pesto drizzled on the fresh mozzarella.

one nice benefit to 411 west is that you can order half-portion entrées. this 'half portion' of lemon linguine with shrimp and scallops was still more than i would probably have served at home!


i (with a tiny bit of help) still managed to practically lick the plate clean. next time, i would have thought to order whole grain pasta, since i know they do have it! i didn't think the dish was amazing (i felt like i could make a similar meal at home), but it definitely qualified as 'good' and the lack of clean-up (and very reasonable bill) brought this meal up to 'great' status.

the company was good, too :)



off to enjoy SATURDAY!
not only am i going computer shopping, but i also have a massage booked! lovely. there will also be some studying/work going on as well --


wait a second, what does that textbook say!? these aren't my study materials glinting in the morning sun . . . perhaps this means i will have a study partner.

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7.23.10

workout: rest day!

board prep/studying: none . . . but i am okay with this. actually, i think that i am going to make fridays my brain's official day off. after work, that is.