so close i can taste it

and it tastes fantastic . . .
“it”, in this case, is vacation, of course!! i’ve been trying to hold myself back from writing/fantasizing about the upcoming break, because i tend to fixate on the future at the expense of the present, sometimes. but now IT’S ACTUALLY HERE! due to a really nice (and fun) month on endocrine, i actually don’t feel all that wiped out or in need of a break, but i do feel like a change from the monotony of my everyday routine is in order.

i also am really, really excited that josh will be on vacay with me — unlike me, he is dying for some rest/reprieve from his much more grueling schedule. i am elated that we will finally get some time together above and beyond our usual brief window at the end of the day.

so what’s the plan, stan?
during residency, we get three one-week vacations a year (plus a few days new years, which traditionally takes place in miami). to maximize our enjoyment of this precious time off, we try to take one chill vacation, one family-centered vacation, and one honeymoon-esque trip. next week’s block is our first week off of this residency year, and we set out to make this our relaxed vacation. in fact, it started out as a planned staycation! but we started getting ideas for things, and it’s turned into quite an ambitious week.

today: well, it’s still a work day. but josh has been DYING for a night out to celebrate his freedom, and so we’re headed to mill town pub in carrboro. belgian beer + pretzels = an excellent way to start out our week off! i’m already psyched!

saturday: long run (for me), then a day of packing/organizing/rejuvenating at home.

sunday: drive to charlottesville to hang out with vickie! i anticipate that some shopping may occur.

monday: drive to richmond, VA to see LADY GAGA in concert. i’m getting my disco stick ready!! we’ll find some fun things to do in the city before the show, and we’ll be staying at the marriott downtown, which should be decent (and cheap, thanks to priceline!).

tuesday: drive back home and spend the day relaxing + doing some apartment therapy: figuring out our hopes and dreams for our little space.

wednesday: drive to high point and charlotte (they have IKEA, we don’t!) to shop for furniture! it’s time to upgrade from our student-like setting. on our wish list: a new kitchen table, chest of drawers, chairs, coffee tables, and potentially end tables. the hardest part, however, will be transport. but my vw golf can carry more than one might think! we will stay at the omni charlotte, another 4-star steal thanks to priceline.

thursday: finish shopping and meet up with kath (? and hopefully matt too!) for lunch before heading back home. once home, a furniture-building party will probably take place!

friday: josh and i leave for SEPARATE WEDDINGS! this is sad, but was a necessary choice, as we both have good friends getting married more than 1000 miles apart, at the same time. he’ll be headed to a fairy tale affair in chicago, and i will be going to maine for aimée’s long-awaited nuptials, which i have been looking forward to for months! it will be a reunion of my best college girlfriends and the first time we’ve all been in the same place since my wedding in ’06! on friday night, we will go to the rehearsal dinner, and then OUT. ahhhhhhh i can’t wait to paint the town (of portland) red with these fabulous ladies!

saturday: hopefully a long run with one of my friends who is also marathon training (she’s trying to qualify for boston though — agh i might not be able to keep up!) and then the wedding!

sunday: back home! josh and i will reunite in the airport. i am sure we will both have many stories to tell.

so in summary: it will be a whirlwind week, and not the staycation we originally considered. and of course, it will be dutifully documented (you KNOW you all want to read about lady gaga). for now, i’m off to the gym so that tonight’s going out time can be maximized! happy friday!!

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9.24.09

workout: 5.5 mile with 4 mi tempo segment. no hard data because i need to recalibrate mr. polar! but i estimate it was something like this, based on landmarks and overall time:
– mile 1 (warmup): 9:00/mi
– miles 2-5 (tempo segment): 8:10/mi
– last half mile (cooldown): 9:20/mi

i really enjoyed this run! i think that 4 runs/week with cross-training just may be my perfect plan . . .

doin’ time: i was thankful for this easy dish after wednesday’s major mess. whole wheat pasta shells, roasted peppers, chicken sausage, and parmesan — simple but both josh and i loved it. with roasted fennel on the side.

yesterday’s laptop lunch, just for kicks:

reading: on thyrotoxicosis!