Hi, Weekend!

Well, winter is definitely on us up here in New York. I didn't realize it could be so cold your face hurt! But overall we can't complain- I live a short walk from the hospital, and according to my colleagues it's actually unseasonably warm. That hasn't stopped me from planning a Florida getaway to look forward to, though ;-) 

Speaking of winter, this cold has given me a new appreciation for warm socks! I think I need to go the wool route as the temperatures drop...this pair's definitely on my list.

I was never a huge fan of Mark Zuckerberg until he posted this. Vaccines are important, and with very few exceptions all children should be vaccinated according to the CDC schedule. I've been wanting to write a post about vaccines for awhile now...maybe it's time...hmm...

I found this list after we got back from London. Of course. But that's not stopping us from adding it to our ever-growing London to-do list, haha! Some of those locations just look so gorgeous, it's hard to believe you can reach them on the tube.

I went through a weird phase this past couple of days and started making playlists on 8tracks again! It was really fun- I've had this one in particular on my iPod for ages but never put it up until now. 

Our ideal pet situation. 

Valuing time more than money is linked to happiness- a good thing to remember in the upcoming year. (Thanks for the link, reddit.)

I so badly want to see the rest of this clip- Channing Tatum lip syncing to Let it Go

The drawers situation at our has has gotten a little bit...ridiculous? Let's just say living out of cardboard boxes as a chest of drawers is not ideal. I found this one on etsy and it's not crazy expensive...what do you think?

I'm kind of dying to try out this recipe one weekend...call in London withdrawal ;-)

Just discovered this Mommy-doctor blog and I'm pretty impressed- Laura makes this intern business look easy, haha! 

Have a great weekend. I'm working today, but in the ED so hopefully it will be a good- and maybe even fun?- shift. And tomorrow- pumpkin spice pancakes with one of my favorite people :D

Positive vibes, only

positive vibe Spanish Moss c/o Jedediah Smith State Park, summer 2012

In Greek there is a word my parents used frequently on me as a teenager- moutra. I don't know the exact translation of the term, but to put things in perspective, it was meant to encompass my perpetual pouty demeanor, mood swings, and all-around bad attitude that where my adolescent years. Funnily enough, Peter's Mum tells me that he was in similar shape as a teen- she describes him a 'stroppy and horrible!' I suppose it makes sense that we found each other? But also kind of scary to think about any unborn offspring and what kind of stroppy moutra they're going to give us one day...yikes.

I did grow out of a lot of my bad attitude and more typical teen-angst stuff, but the moutra still remains and sometimes dominates. I hate when it does that. All I do is worry and think about the worst possible outcome in life (and I'm sure my face screws up horribly and looks very unpleasant, too.) Consequentially, it also makes it harder to write about life and things here. Grrr.

So today instead of griping about things or worries that I have, I'm giving my moutra a big figurative fat punch in the face- because who wants to read a blog of someone venting and worrying? Not me. Instead I'm finally going through some of the photo from our summer instead to remind myself how damn good and beautiful this life is. Which means- yep, Greece photos are coming your way! Sorry they took so long....

In the meantime..

Some Ben Harper happiness, because we are blessed.

My parents, who are amazing for so many reasons, knew we'd been hoping to dine at this fancy restaurant but couldn't (because the prices are crazy.) So they got us a gift card to the NYC spot for our 6 month anniversary. I may have sobbed cried a little when we got it in the mail. Thanks guys.

I totally missed Small Business Saturday! (I was working a shift in the ER. womp womp.) Hope everyone got out there to support their local businesses :) We did go for a hike on black friday though! So that was kind of perfect.

On a similar note, Bienfaire posted an ethical holiday gift guide- you can check it out here :)

More arsenal for my battle to get a dog this year c/o Reddit. It's just one study, which isn't the strongest evidence, but I can definitely say having a dog in my life as a kid was a wonderful experience...and I want one...for Christmas, maybe? :)))

My sister will be in London with us for Christmas this year!! I'm currently plotting our misadventures for her second (and my 5th or 6th) round of the city. In addition to a day trip (Cambridge or Oxford? decisions, decisions...) Kew Gardens (their greenhouse = bomb dot com) and/or Winter Wonderland are on the current list. All and any recs for holiday excursions in and around London are appreciated!

This lovely foundation is having concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this December, and I'm actually free to go-I'm so excited! More info here, if you're interested.

Just popping in...

How's everybody doing? It's been a busy 3 weeks here (hence the radio silence) but I've now got a full two days off!! And my parents will be here!! So I am pretty pumped about that. I got my old iPod from Florida and I've been breaking back into my massive RHCP archives. I never loved this song, but for some reason, the moodiness and pessimism in it. Not that I'm feeling totally down depressed or hopeless, but I have been pretty disappointed in the happenings in the world around me. I feel sort of helpless when I hear about the things going on around me, because I feel in no position to help at the moment, since I'm barely out of medical school. Here's a few things I have been getting into lately (when I'm not working or sleeping.)

Humans of New York really hit it home these past few weeks with its stories about the Syrians migrating into Europe and the incredible lengths they've taken to get here. Some -make that all- of them are heart-wrenching.

Lent is coming up (again! this year is flying by...) and this tofu tutorial from ABM is gonna be clutch. I've never made tofu before but maybe it's time to try. Any good recipes to recommend?

They say Neil Young is the Granddaddy of Grunge.... maybe that's why this Nirvana song sounds so much like it could be one of his?

I have always had a hard time shopping ethically. It's really something I want to do better with this year. My solution had initially been to avoid buying clothes as much as possible but that hasn't worked well going into winter in a much colder climate- I need a coat! So I was completely inspired and relieved to find Cara Bartlett's feed, Bienfaire, specializes in US-made and ethically sourced clothing that looks really good. Totally impressed.

And last, but certainly not least- funny and cute all in one
:) Have a great weekend. 

Happy Weekend!

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Hey Everyone! Are you as happy it's the weekend as I am? It's been a good rotation, but genetics is definitely keeping me busy, so I'm trying to soak up the free moments I get! I was so excited to see the island Peter and I met and will marry on, Crete, on my favorite wedding website, so I had to share, of course! I think Claire Graham's photos are amazing- the only thing she got wrong is that Crete is an island, not a country- ha! Whoops...In other news,

- What is up with all the Grammy drama revolving around Beck?? John Legend put it best on his instagram account- taste is subjective, and at the end of the day, it's all just a matter of opinion. That being said, I listened to the new record and it doesn't come close to Guero- that album was his golden age for me. Nearly every song could be a hit. 

- More music- Taylor Swift seems to be getting a little niggardly with her lyrics- I mean, I'm all about supporting the artist and respecting creative property, but this sick beat is not creative property- it's 3 words she happened to put together. I'm calling BS. 

- I found the Reformation brand when I was on the hunt for more ethically conscious clothing, and I might be obsessed with every dress they've put out (how's this one for groovy?) I'm convinced everything that they make is perfection.

- This Fifty Shades of Gray spoof is equal parts skeevy and hilarious. The lego version is a close second. 

- Amazon reviewers tear apart an anti-vaccine children's book. I know it's a bit harsh, but this new measles outbreak is bad, and endangering so many children because of a few parents' belief is even worse. Please, please, please, do your homework, read up on the debate, read up on measles- because it's not your run of the mill viral illness. Sorry, rant over.

- Eager to try out these vegetarian bowl recipes I keep seeing- especially since lent is coming up! Naturally Ella has a few good ones (this rejuvenating bowl caught my eye!) but you can seriously find them anywhere- check out this drool-worthy Middle Eastern lentil bowl. Ohdeardrea also does some good lenten recipes, and I'm eager to see what she has in her upcoming cookbook, though it won't be available till the fall (I think?)

What are your weekend plans? Is anybody doing anything special for Valentine's Day? We aren't, but Sunday marks one year since we got engaged!! Crazy, right?

Well, it's Friday...

And guys, it has been a really, really, really good week. Let's take a moment to reflect on the different things that have made this week awesome, shall we? In the spirit of Cider With Rosie...

10 Things that have made me happy this week:

1.  Got to see the husband man- twice! in one week! 
2. I actually dressed appropriately for cold weather, for the first time in my adult life. That whole layering thing? It really works. Vermont, I see you.
3. The presentation I had today went really, really well. It was in front of two doctors I admire a lot, and while two may not seem so scary, it was for me (total chicken when it comes to public speaking. for reals.) 
4. The visa interview also went really, really well. Although the immigration officer didn't smile once, my brilliant husband did all those forms without the help of a lawyer- and didn't make one single mistake. Can I get an oh yea?
5. IT'S THE WEEKEND and I only have one "real" rotation left in medical school. That means only one exam left in my entire student career. I'm 25. let's let that sink in...
6. One of my patients Monday caught me admiring his up close concert photo of Stevie Nicks and asked me if I knew who it was (and of course I said, of course I do. and also, we should be friends.)
7. I'm currently cooking this delicious kale soup while drinking chardonnay listening to this playlist with my dad. Basically, my happy place 
8. Speaking of great music, how does everyone feel about Taylor Swift's new album? I say props to her for making the first platinum record of the year. Not the direction I would have liked her to go in, but it's creative, witty, and so damn catchy. 
9. Also, how do we feel about how she pulled her music from Spotify? After reading Spotify's response I see their point, but I'm not sure if that's a compelling enough argument. Creators deserve to be compensated fairly for their work. Thoughts?
10. And, saving the best for last....Peter is officially a permanent resident of the United States.

Yep. We got approved. And we found out in 24 hours. And it was so much easier than we thought it would be. 

This is huge. It means he can job hunt when the time comes for me to make my rank list in January. It means the chances of him finding work in the area that I am assigned to for residency is much, much higher. 

I'm so excited just to live with him. To have a morning routine together, share garden duty, cook meals together, steal his slippers- it really is these banal little things that I am most looking forward to. 

Because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Hope everyone else has good things coming their way too! 

with love,

Georgia

Links! (because I'm not ready to start studying yet)

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As you can guess from the above photo,
I'm kind of into motorcycles these days....
I'm not sure if it's the living around Daytona Beach thing
{it's famous for being motorcycle-friendly}
or just the natural progression.
But I would love to ride one day,
maybe a honda or a {small} harley davidson
I'm not convinced I'm strong enough to maneuver one yet,
but I'd like to try!
I've always loved this quote by J.R.R. Tolkien. Doubt I'd have survived the teenage years
without having his books to escape into
A video of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison playing music in Plaka, Athens.
How cool, right?
Now, I'm not a fan of wasteful expenditures of the rich and famous
and this wedding pretty much takes the cake.
But I can't deny, it's a pretty gorgeous affair, and the fact that Ngila Dickson herself designed the costume
is pretty darn cool.

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Habits of Happy People. I need to work on some of these,

though I've definitely got the music thing down :)

Which state matches your personality?

I can't remember what mine was, but I'm pretty pleased that Peter's was Georgia

Tolkien and the Battle of the Somme. I find these stories fascinating.

And, to start your weekend off right, a dash of cuteness:

Happy weekend! hope it's a good one :)

Weekend

Guys. 

This weekend

Peter and I are going to Captiva.

Captiva circa 2004

Captiva is a sleepy little island off the West Coast of Florida.

My family-

Papou and Yiayia, cousins, and all-

Have vacationed here since the 1970s.

When I was 9,

I wrote a journal entry about why Captiva was my favorite place.

It still is 

{yep, even beats Crete!}

But this weekend is extra special, as I get to bring THIS GUY along!!

{in case you did not realize who 'this guy' was. You silly goose, you.} 

I'm so excited to share this little piece of my childhood paradise with him.
Captiva is not the most glamorous of places,

It hasn't got the most exciting night life,

or the most luxuriant rooms,

But it's quiet.

and laid back,

and oh-so-very relaxing.

Basically, it's exactly what I need this weekend. 

Hope you all {or whoever reads this} have a wonderful weekend!

Here's some fun links to read on your extra day off:

1. An Orthodox Women's monastery based outside of Pittsburgh. Hopefully Peter and I can visit some time

2. Loved this reddit Q&A with the president of MSF, one of the reasons I went into medicine.

3. Would love to peruse through this book at some point! I love Middle Earth artwork, and it's SO COOL that Tolkien did some of his own sketches for The Hobbit. 

4. I really love ρεβύθια, a Greek chickpea soup the served at the cafeteria at University of Crete. It's not exactly easy to find in the U.S., but this recipe really satisfies my cravings! 

{Just sub the rosemary for dill. pounds and pounds of dill. And extra oil and lemon!

mmmmmmmmmmmm...}

5. Thought this was pretty funny. Peter did too!

P.S. Many years to all the Johns who celebrated Thursday!

The Weekend, and some LINKS!

This morning, 

I left my phone in the car,

left the gas tank OPEN after filling up,

and walked into an empty exam room to check out a non-existent patient.

It's definitely time for the weekend, guys.

I've got nothing exciting planned.

Anyone else out there?

Can I please live vicariously through you??

Anyways. Some links for your Weekend reads

{if you want them.}

1. Loving this Tom Petty cover by the Wild Feathers. I'm definitely a fan girl. 

2. Ever wonder what exactly the One Ring is supposed to do? Then this reddit thread is for you.

3. A documentary about Siberian tigers, {the very best kind of tigers, obviously,} available on Netflix. I can't wait to watch it!

4. My kind of Inspiration. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us

5. How to not be an arsehole when traveling. Especially useful for those who wander.

Have a great weekend, errbody! xx