off service?!

that was fast

seriously . . . how did THAT happen?!
when i was a resident, i used to count down the days of each month-long rotation (there were 36 in all!). if i was undergoing the daily flogging that was PICU — seriously, i think i have mild PTSD from some of these 30-hour call shifts — i literally counted down day by day (and then closer to the end — hour by hour!). if i was doing something that i liked (the lovely electives, for example), i would wistfully gaze at the calendar, trying to figure out a way to slow down time before my freedom was again whisked away.

now, though, things are less complicated. the only ‘rotation’ options in my program are on service (ie, what i’ve been on since i started in july) and off service, otherwise known as research. even though i do prefer the clinical realm, i am greatly looking forward to a little break from the pager and a chance to do some deeper, more independently-paced work. however, i honestly had no countdown going on, because unlike residency, i really like my day to day job.

and that is why i was pretty shocked when i looked at my calendar and realized that on friday, i will actually go off-service for the first time.

i think next month is going to be a great one. i hereby vow to work hard during the week (boards are 10/18!), but to enjoy some true downtime as well:

✔ beach weekend! josh and i are headed to wilmington.

✔ family wedding in louisville, kentucky

✔ weekend in charlottesville — visit with kath, meghann, and allie + a 10K race

i am already excited! i do find it hard to strike a balance between living for NOW and looking ahead to fun on the horizon, but since vacation anticipation has been shown to increase happiness, i figured i might as well let myself bask in it a little bit.

when i hear the pager today, i’ll think of how the sound will be replaced by crashing waves in less than 48 hours. happy thursday, indeed.

tomorrow
get excited, because october 1st is the first day that i feel i can legitimately begin discussing the purchase of a planner for the next year. woohoo!

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9.29.10

workout: 35 minutes elliptical + full-body weights circuit (20 min).

real simple october: i made the first recipe from real simple‘s 4-week menu plan yesterday — roasted tilapia with lemons and potatoes.

except instead of tilapia i used mahi mahi (i agree with mark bittman — i’m not a tilapia fan). in real simple fashion, i created this lovely tablescape for our meal:

good thing i’m so crafty
ha! as if. obviously, that is from the magazine. but at least my version did not turn out to be a terrible eyesore.

josh pointed out last night that it should be realLY simple
with the tilapia –> mahi mahi swap, i enjoyed this dish and its (real) simplicity. the thyme added great flavor in a very non-labor-intensive way.

anyone else playing along? share your links in the comments!

board prep: it’s official — i need to just table this until i am off service (luckily, it won’t be long). i have been working 10 hour days and i cannot feasibly study upon arriving home. i have also decided to forgive myself for this. i know it will be okay!