Monday

I hate how much energy I spend on worrying. Worrying about how Peter and I will move our things to New York, worrying about what to do after residency (uh, hi brain, I have three years to figure that out,) worrying about how to incorporate a family into my medical mission life plan. It takes away from the beautiful now, from appreciating the subtleties and nuances that go on right in front of you. Worry takes away peace, lightness and joy. 

Things will work out. Life will go on as its supposed to. There will be good things and bad things, some easy, some hard. This week I'm going to work on taking things one day at a time, focusing on the good when it happens, rather than leaping to the next problem to solve or worry about. It's going to be a beautiful week, friends (:

Wrapped Up in Books

I don't know what it is about cold, wet, rainy days and books, but the two seem to go together like tea, lemon and honey. I'm not sure if there's anything better than a warm drink, cozy room and a good book on a cold rainy day...

Unless you're talking about a Vintage Book Barn. Cozy nooks and crannies and more dusty, beautiful, hand-bound books than you can shake a stick at? Now we're talking.

On a break from the interview trail (yes, this post is LONG overdue,) Peter took me to a remote corner of Southern Pennsylvania to check out Baldwin's Book Barn. Built in 1822, The place has five whole stories' worth (haha, punny!) of books- old, new, vintage, fiction, non-fiction, semi-fiction.

Duck (or Grouse.)

It was so much fun to peruse the old prints and books, and of course to look up what versions of my favorite series they had in stock. I almost went home with a copy of this incredibly intriguing book, but on a medical student's budget, I happily settled for a European travel guide from the turn of the century. Peter and I recently agreed to hit a new country every year, so I can't wait to crack it open before each trip.

One of the things that excites me most about moving to a place like New York is the wealth of amazing local and independently owned bookstores that will be at our disposal. Any recommendations or must-go shops anyone can recommend?

Best, 

Lessons in Life and Photography

My brother and sister both graduated Summa Cum Laude last weekend. Because we're all getting older (breaking news, I know!), we seem to get the whole family together less and less these days. That meant that this weekend, in spite of the chaos and long, drawn-out ceremony, had extra weight to it. Not only did it seem an auspicious moment (the two youngest members of our clan graduated from college, after all,) but every minute we spent together seemed important, somehow. Not sure if that makes sense, but there it is. These times that we're together, all seven of us, are going to become more and more rare with each passing year. We've got to make the most out of them, right?

So, we lingered. We spent extra time at brunch sitting and laughing at our cousin's dog being paranoid (she was doped up after a veterinary procedure.) Took the long way home and stopped at a country store to poke around and play with the old juke box. We sprang for the finer wine at the restaurant. We lingered on the campus green, soaking in the golden hour and our precious last moments surrounded by our university's red-brick and Spanish moss-clad lawns and gardens.

Our family to a T

Turns out, lingering is good for you. It's liberating, not having to worry about rushing on to the next event, and to soak up those last rays of sunshine. It makes for good living, and apparently more fun and goofiness in your photo subjects. I think I'll try this lingering thing more often (:

Monday

Can't get this one out of my head. I found an amazing Americana feed on Spotify (still a morally gray area for me, but seeing as I'm buying Leon Bridges' new album after discovering it on there, I'd say at least some artists are being fairly comped by gaining new fanbases.) Can you tell I'm in a Soul kind of mood lately? Definitely check out the video, its shot in a beautifully sultry black and white and has this totally chill old-school vibe to it.

Happy Monday, folks! 

Monday

We watched Boyhood this weekend, and while it wasn't my favorite film, the soundtrack was completely on point. This song resonates with me in a lot of ways right now.

Being your own person in a place like the one I grew up in is hard; and being back here after years somewhere else is strange. College was a really freeing time for me, like it is for a lot of people; with 40,000 students, you're bound time find a niche. Coming back home, I've found things to be a little more narrow, a little more confining. Here's a reminder not to worry about it- these things are so small in the scheme of things. 

Well, I'm back.

Hello Everyone (or anyone- Peter? Dad?)!

Not to worry, my absence was simply one of bad (horrible) timing. Between Orthodox Christian Easter (Christ is Risen!), parading around Florida with my English in-laws, and attempting to complete about twenty written assignments in one week, I got a bit overwhelmed and sort of decided I'd rather read the blogs of others for a few weeks than share my own thoughts. I guess my FOMO extends to blog-reading, because I just couldn't let myself miss a single post from my favorite London expat, inspiring single Mom-slash-maker, or New York Momma.  Priorities, man.

The past few weeks have been a beautiful, wild, emotional whirlwind. Peter carried the epitaphio around our church for the first time this year, I cried; I found out people very near and dear to me weren't coming to wedding, I cried; rang in Christ's resurrection with the whole family, cried some more. Other than that, we've been trying to keep up with packing and moving and organizing the wedding, and in spite of all the stress, there's a great deal of excitement about it all. In a few short weeks I will be a physician, and married to my best friend. We've already decided to visit a new country every year, and I've found myself with a renewed passion in my profession through this incredible documentary and some serious, late-night talks with Peter about actually doing it- taking the leap and applying to work for Doctors Without Borders after residency. I really won the lottery with that guy- he's supported me all through medical school, and when he has every right to have misgivings about such a long time away, he doesn't. It's been an arduous, challenging, sometimes painful journey to get where I am, and I'm humbled and thankful to have had his support.

In other news, it's apparently Fashion Revolution Day, and while it might sound a bit gimicky, I'm grateful the Bangladesh Factory Collapse hasn't completely fallen into obscurity. I'm not quite sure why US media didn't seem to care about this event 2 years ago; perhaps it was the nearby Boston Bombings that took American lives, or perhaps it was that it's hard to take a look in the mirror and realize that we are part of the problem (I'm wearing a diamond ring and Old Navy pjs as I type this.) Nevertheless I'm thankful that the industry is attempting to hold itself and consumers more accountable. It's a baby step, but it's better than silence. Does anyone have any ethically made clothing sites or brands to recommend? I'm still hooked on The Reformation, but I'm sure there's tons more out there waiting to be discovered.

Holy Monday

In lieu of a music video, here's the link to our church's livestream. If you're Orthodox, Christian, or just curious, you can see how our church prepares for the resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For those who celebrated Easter yesterday, Happy Easter!

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