I went on vacation for the first half of October.
I needed the break. My work-life had been barreling at a break-neck speed, revolving around checklists and incessant calendar alerts. I was working on new research projects nearly every other week and spending near the double amount of my usual time in clinic. Amidst all of that, I was applying for jobs.
The first weekend, I went to SF for two weddings. The first was my dear friend Astrid, whom I hadn't seen in five years. I was seated at a table with three other acquaintances from high school whom I hadn't seen since graduation. Our class never had any organized reunions, so the great majority of my high school classmates I have not seen in 14 years. It's funny, when you meet people with whom you've had a distant history, but they've become so much more than that wisp of a ghost from your memories. I wasn't close to any of these three people when we were in high school, but there was a sense of kinship during that dinner. Like, we've seen each other at our worst, our feeble embryonic selves --- that's a vulnerability there to be respected.
The second wedding was for my college friend and sorority sister. I had not seen several of my line sisters in years. In some ways, nothing had changed. The same mannerisms, same personalities. And in some ways, we've all grown in the past 10 years since we crossed as line sisters. We met Y's fiance for the first time, a consummate gentleman who couldn't have been a better match. We watched S and her wife take their vows in a little rose garden a mere block away from the winding Lombard Street.
I returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, took care of some business and a job interview, then on Friday evening, we went to watch Lastlings perform at the Fonda Theatre. It's been a long time since I found a musical artist for whom I could literally recognize their entire catalog. Granted, they are a young duo with only three full albums. But there's something about their sonic aesthetic that is in close simpatico with how my creative gears move.
Then, I was in South Korea for a week, splitting time between Seoul and Jeju Island. My work e-mail stopped functioning in Korea, so I had no choice but to ignore all work e-mails while I was out of the country. The week ended with a third wedding, the Korean ceremony for the Person's brother and sister-in-law.
And now, here I am. Back to work. Back to home.
I sit here, writing this at 7:30 in the morning. "Perfect World" is playing from the laptop speakers. The second cup of tea has gone cold. The cat is curled up sleeping on top of her favorite air fryer box next to my chair. In a moment, I will have to get up to leave for the hospital and prepare for rounds. If only this moment could stretch out longer.
