2011 Wrap-Up

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

I went sailing. I became competent at neck dissections. I lived in North County.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


There’s a blog post with “New Year’s Resolutions” in the title but oddly, none are mentioned in the text. I did increase the number of blog posts, which I’m really happy about. I just re-read them now and it brought back so many memories of the last year. I loved it! That is definitely enough motivation to keep that one going in 2012. Although, clearly, it’s not like I was that great at posting frequently, just better.

My goals for 2012 are a mix of old and new. I want to restart my Spanish podcast lessons while I commute and do the Destinos series once the inservice is over. Mechen and I are going to take salsa lessons. I also want to take sailing lessons. I want to keep “brunch club” going at least once a month. I need to study more (I was bad, especially during MDA). I would like to learn how to play a competent game of beach volleyball. After the inservice/during research, I’m going to look up lessons at Mission Beach. There are more details but this answer is getting too long. But I have action plans on my planner!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! Gisele gave birth to her second son. Mechen’s brother and sister-in-law had their third child together just a few days ago.


4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.


5. What countries did you visit?

Iceland, Denmark


6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

More vacation time that I can actually use. I know, whah, whah. But there are some big trips I can’t wait to go on that would be best if I could take two weeks in a row instead of a measly week. But this might have to wait until 2013 and the end of residency.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Hmm, I don’t have the exact number date but I will remember when Mechen and I moved to Cardiff in Jan 2011. 4/2/11 was my 30th birthday revisited and the best birthday yet! 9/4/11 was one of the most idyllic days of my life when my family and Mechen went on our Hven day trip.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

In terms of singular events, completely and 100% rocking the inservice exam.


9. What was your biggest failure?

Mmmmmm, I don’t think I failed anything or anyone. There’s always room for improvement in some of my lesser traits, such as inefficient use of my time and occasional complacency.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, apart from a bad hangover this Summer after drinking cheap vodka (as my attending asked: “Why? Never drink cheap vodka.”). Hmm, I might put that down as part of my answer for #27. I also tweaked my shoulder, which really took awhile to right itself.

Overall, I’m really lucky.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Plane tickets for our Summer vacation, an AMAZINGLY smoking hot dress from Anthro. As someone who rarely feels that way in clothes, it was a find! Oooo, and I finally got a pair of Ray-ban aviator-ish sunglasses that are pretty awesome.

The Anthro dress.  Not the best picture but it's the one I've got!

12. Where did most of your money go?

Plane tickets, travel, rent, dining out.

13. What did you get really excited about?

Living with Mechen, being done with Kaiser and MDA and feeling like residency actually WILL end at some point. I mean, I love my job but I am starting to really look forward to being done with residency.

14. What song will always remind you of 2011?

“Royal Blue” by Cold War Kids and “Magdalena” by Brandon Flowers. I listened to these two songs all the time.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:


– happier or sadder? Happier, although I certainly wasn’t starting from a bad place


– thinner or fatter? Thinner, yay! This is after Mechen and my “Just because we live together doesn’t mean we can get fat" diet earlier this year. Plus, I lost a few more pounds during my MDA rotation.

– richer or poorer? Richer. Yay, automated saving into accounts I can’t touch (IRA-R, TSP)!

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Study

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Less brain drain internet surfing. I need to unlearn jezebel’s domain name.


18. How did you spend Christmas?

With Mechen in Houston, day-drinking and watching Downton Abbey, Season II. So awesome. We also threw in a little church too, which is something I’d like to continue this year as a couple (more church, I mean- not just on Christmas).

19. What was your favorite TV program?

Downton Abbey, hands-down. Runner Up: Modern Family, mostly b/c of Cam

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

This was not a big reading year. Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides were three books I had higher expectations for than were actually met.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

I loved going to Coachella- that was an amazing concert experience. From there, I got really into Cold War Kids, Brandon Flowers and Robyn.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?

I don’t watch many movies, but Inception was quite good. [EDITED: Ooooo! I really liked The King's Speech too!]

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

31. Mechen made by birthday so incredibly special. And then I had a birthday brunch the next day with my friends.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I can’t think of anything. I feel like my life is constantly progressing, but I don’t feel like this translates into lacking anything.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Scrubs and professionally disheveled hair with my own punctuated equilibrium of the occasional great haircut. Outside of work, I feel like I’m coming into my own. I love boatneck collars and Naya shoes.

26. What kept you sane?

Reminding myself how lucky I am. Ever since taking care of wounded soldiers as an intern, I have been so incredibly grateful for all that my health has given me- the ability to walk, wipe my own rear end, be of sound mind. Typed out, this seems a little flippant but trust me, after seeing young men who don’t have these things, it makes me so grateful for everything I have.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Don’t drink cheap vodka.