Dispatches

I spent the last week travelling out of my foreign land, first to the more familiar territory of Atlanta, and then back to the wilds of NYC.  When I decided to do fellowship out of Atlanta, truly one of my first thoughts last summer was that I was going to miss the Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, which is basically my favorite Atlanta event of the year.  Some of the best restaurants in the city craft small dishes and drinks that highlight the tomato.  This year the music was also a highlight, with a Beastie Boys cover band rockin' everyone from ages 2 to 65 years (approximately).

Some of the most aesthetically appealing but unfortunately less tasty items
(that's a caprese-type construction with balsamic masquerading as sushi)

Art

The Atlanta visit also included hanging out with recent past co-residents, a long walk ending in the newly opened Ponce City Market, a cookout with the Jewish fraternity crowd, and The Porter with Dad and his wife.

One thing I noticed in Atlanta was how different my state of mind was since the last time I had been there two weeks earlier.  The weeks before leaving and finishing residency I was at a peak of anxiety, but I had been in medical or public health school or in residency for the entire preceding 9 years.  Atlanta was so much more fun without those stressful activities and with adequate sleep!  I laughed easily and enjoyed life more than I remember in years.

Coming back to Pittsburgh was strange: the idea in my head that I was going "home," and then seeing "Pittsburgh" on the flight board; telling my phone to give me directions "home" and ending up in Shadyside.  I don't really feel like I belong fully in Pittsburgh, but with Charles living in a different apartment now, I don't feel like I belong fully in Atlanta either.

The day after coming back to Pittsburgia two big things happened:

1.  Little Ezra Ravid Igersheim was born early and unexpectedly
2.  I finally got my Pennsylvania medical license

These two things put me into a frenzy of excitement, thinking that I should go see Ezra and fam immediately but also start work immediately.  I immediately got dressed, put on make up, prepared to go to work, and then started calling administrative assistants and my program directors with the news.  While I was waiting for direction about what my next steps would be in starting to work, thinking that it would go something like coming in to sign some papers, get computer access and badges, and start seeing patients tomorrow kind of a thing.  Some time went by; I occupied myself by getting that manicure I had been wanting, and-- why not? I'll soon be paid-- I'll get a pedicure too.  Some more hours went by...by 4:30 I called one of the secretaries who said, "Didn't you talk to your program director?  Your start date will be September 3."

September 3?
September 3?  Like, not tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, or even next month?

My frenzy of excitement turned into the paralysis of despair.  I didn't move literally from the spot I got that news for 2 hours.  I spent the rest of the night on my couch or in my bed, not even knowing how to proceed.  Charles encouraged me to get off my ass and do something, either 1) go meet Ezrito (yes this is my nickname for him in my head), or 2) go to the party in New York City hosted by my brother's publication Urban Omnibus and on my brother's birthday and therefore known to me as My Brother's Birthday Party, a thing I had been pledging to do if I were still unemployed on July 23 but fully expecting not to be.

So reluctantly I moved my arm toward my phone, and after confirming that Ezrito said that we wouldn't be able to snuggle much from the confines of his isolette and his mom and dad didn't urgently need me for more than importing beer from Pittsburgh, I told Jonathan I'd be coming the next day to My Brother's Birthday Party.

I'm glad I did.  The drive was long-- Google maps has put it at 6 hours flat several times, but I've now done the drive one way 4 times and it is at least 6.5+ hours.  Six hours is like on the edge of what I consider a reasonable drive to undertake in half a day for a weekend or less worth of time, so I have to trick my mind into calling it 6.

The Urban Omnibus Block Party featured throwback games, charcuterie, and Brooklyn Lager.  I had forgotten how fun it was to play four square, shoot some hoops, and walk the dog (with the hula hoop).  My favorite quote of the night re: walking the dog: "You mean you throw it and then you have to run after it?"  Oh Xandra, what kind of disobedient dogs have you had?  My party highlights below; the official photographer's here.  (Look closely and you will see several familiar faces.)

babes

bosses

boss, of hula

Photo by Navya

One of my "3 wise women" career mentors told me recently that the times she was loneliest, in retrospect, were the times of most personal growth.  These two trips inspired me in a lot of ways via several different people.  I spent some time with some very creative but practical people who weren't afraid to take nontraditional paths in their careers, manage themselves, and constantly seek opportunities for personal growth in different directions at once.  One of the things that I discussed with Navya was, and I think she said it best, "Our lives in residency were so structured that I'm afraid we won't know what to do without that structure."  Yep.  I was also reinspired to take advantage of my new city/foreign land, so look forward to more citysploring posts.

Love,
J

Accompaniment: Brooklyn Lager- perfect for a summer night on the East River