Epic Day

May 21, 2011.


BBC said the world was supposed to end and Jesus return. Ooops.

Instead of floating into the air with millions of other people whitney and I had the best day I've had in a while. It was a majorly belated birthday celebration that started with coffee and the best lemon strawberry scone you've ever laid your tastebuds on...

Then we drove the scenic and beautiful roads out to Rocks State Park, Maryland. Rock climbing!!!

A friend of mine let me borrow his 30lb pack of climbing gear and we hoofed it up to the ledge. The sun was shining, whit was getting a tan and I decided that I should be a professional rock climber... again.

This was our view all morning long. About 70 feet up and overlooking a small valley.

Correct. I DO have the coolest wife ever. 

After sweating our butts off climbing a perfect flaky crack with a small overhang. We headed north through some more beautiful country scape that reminded us or northern maine or pennsylvania. Who knew Maryland could be so gorgeous.

We popped the boat into the water at the Charlestown, MD boat ramp and quickly proceeded to get her running. Once out away from the dock, Josh gave it some throttle and we.... didn't go very fast.  BUMMER.

We certainly weren't gonna be able to wakeboard going 5 mph. So we brought the boat back into the dock and the mechanical engineer Josh started tearing the engine apart, found a water hose that was loose, adjusted the throttle and idle cables, fixed a spark plug and 1 hour later we were screaming across the water at closer to 40 mph. It was sunny, hot and a beautiful day.

Here is a short video of me loving Josh's boat!

We drove back to annapolis, met Whit's parents for dinner at a super fun and laid back place called Sly Fox. Then we buzzed over to the movie theater to finish off our night with Fast Five.

A truly fun day with a truly awesome girl.

I am a blessed man.

The Struggle of Time

A close friend of many years recently chuckled after I explained my desire to become a doctor.

FRIEND: "Didn't you decide about 7 years ago that you didn't want to be a doctor because it would take you 7 years to do it?"

ME:  (awkward thinking smile) "I know, it's crazy isn't it. I can barely believe it myself."


Time is a funny thing and despite all our dependency on the consistency of time, it seems to change... or perhaps our perception of time changes. Either way, time can be a struggle.

My friend was right. I did indeed view the medical pipeline with fear and the encroaching thought --  "dang, I would miss so many great surf sessions being in school for so long." So, I must ask myself this question, "What has changed?"

One thing is for sure, my perspective on time has changed dramatically.

As a young dude of 16, I doubted that I would survive the age of 21. In my mind I would have either drowned after attempting some wildly stupid surfing feat or I'd be martyred in some third world village for preaching the gospel. Seriously, this was my thought process. Doesn't leave much room for a 7 year medical program. Besides, I only wanted to be a doctor so that I could get into closed countries like Saudi Arabia or North Korea.

Today I see time differently. I am a happily married man, which also means that I get to make love to my wife (something I'll never miss a chance to thank God for publicly... I waited a long time:). There is often a by-product of this happily married love making industrial complex and those are babies.


In comes a new paradigm for my short sighted, 'I'll be dead tomorrow' surfer outlook.

POSTERITY

All you socially and culturally advanced people may see all this as silliness. You probably planned your life at age 10... well, not me. It has taken me many years to come to a point where the lives of my children's children inspire me and inform my desires for today and the future.

With posterity in mind, I have come to the conclusion that medicine, but more specifically health and healing are worthwhile investments into the future. I want to be the grandpa that put away funds for my granddaughters education. I want to be the grandpa doc that still takes calls on sundays and will get up late at night to help a neighbor in need. I want to begin a legacy for our posterity that says, "serving people is the most valuable thing I can do with the privilege of life."

 I chuckle about my wandering circuitous path back to medicine. But I wouldn't change a thing, my struggle with time has left me doing a balancing act between long-term investment and living every day as if it were one's last mark on the earth.

They say that the true adventure is in the journey. Well, I'm glad I like adventure because my journey into medicine is going to be a long one.

Republicans for Voldemort? wuh..

On our way home from breakfast at a local spot in Annapolis, a bumper sticker caught whitney's eye.

Thought i'd share.

Has anybody seen this??   What are they trying to say??

What specialty should I pursue?? Help me decide.

Last night I was perusing various websites that described what each medical specialty focused on and the type of person it seemed to attract. I stumbled onto these two schematic things and thought it'd be interesting to get other peoples thoughts on what I ought to pursue.

Read through the schematics and answer each descriptor as you see me, then let me know where I end up...

Enjoy.

Pt means patient.

this is a funny schematic.