Planners

there is a season (turn, turn, turn) . . .

November 17, 2017

I was off today, and it was great.

Laura and I recorded three podcasts – taking us all the way to the end of 2017!  I am really and truly so excited for many of these episodes.  Laura has some writerly connections that I definitely do not, and we were able to snag some really fun guest voices for some of these episodes, and we address some hot topics — maternity leave & the return to work, for example, is coming up!

We also recorded . . . drumroll . . . .PLANNERPALOOZA, which is episode 20.  WOOHOO!  Spoiler alert – it’s mostly me talking, and I get into the serious details of my planning system.  It got me all geared up for 2018 already, though this will be the first New Year I’ll be ringing in with a (near) NewBORN (C was born in February and A in April).

Tomorrow I am giving a talk at a local American Diabetes Association conference, and then I am essentially DONE with big projects until B-DAY (baby day?  can we make that a thing?  D-day for due date sounds too ominous, plus what are the odds of 2/3 arriving exactly on schedule?!).

I am definitely not done with work, but that’s okay.  I can handle seeing patients and doing residency interviews + planning.  I am just finished with large hanging-over-my-head-types of responsibilities (i.e., tomorrow’s talk).  For the next few month.

I had one of those washes of poignancy tonight, probably provoked by the book I am reading (Why Time Flies by Alan Burdick, which actually gets pretty philosophical at some points).  I am actually finding it a bit of a slog at times (need to return to novels . . .) BUT I was struck by a discussion about what ‘the present’ actually is.  Ancient philosophers noted that the “real” present is really an infinitely small little point, one that cannot even be captured or processed; by the time you’ve done that, IT’S OVER.

Key quote: “You only taste the beautiful in the particular, in the transient, in the timely, in relation to what will pass away.”  


My present (from a practical standpoint, not as a pinprick of an instant) is a full life with a great job, rewarding hobbies, wonderful husband, and 2 kids, although in truth it’s still changing and evolving every single day, as we all grow, evolve, and age.  It’s about to change a lot, though, which will bring today’s concept of present into the decided PAST.   Life with 2 kids vs life with 3.

Filing this snapshot and memories of this season in my forever memory.  It has been a great one!

4 Comments

  • Reply Laura Vanderkam March 10, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    So fun to record all those episodes! I felt like we had arrived as podcasters!

    To quote William James: "Where is it, this present? It has melted in our grasp, fled ere we could touch it, gone in the instant of becoming."

    • Reply theSHUbox March 10, 2019 at 7:08 pm

      it really IS elusive, isn’t it!?

      excited to read your book on time – I have a feeling I’ll enjoy it more than the one I’m currently reading!!!!

  • Reply Krista March 10, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    I love the podcast. It is really great to hear both of your perspectives on the path I chose not to take. Your lives are a lot different than mine and I love to listen to how you both manage it all. Between your podcast (and blog) and Lag Liv I”m getting a good picture of the life that would have been (it probably would have included about half the number of children I currently have). Keep “em coming!

    Also, my first three were all due date babies…hopefully you get lucky again!

    • Reply theSHUbox March 10, 2019 at 7:08 pm

      OMG, so it could happen!? Annabel was 40 2/7, Cameron was 40 0/7 . . . we’ll see!!

      I love seeing glimpses of your life too – and your matter-of-fact acknowledgment that there are all kinds of valid choices! Your 6 are AMAZING 🙂

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