1- For those paying attention, yes this is my second (SHORT) trip to NC within a 1-month time frame. I was here with Annabel at the end of January to celebrate my niece’s 3rd birthday, and now Josh and I are here to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our closest med school friends.
(If you are REALLY an OG shubox diehard and have a memory like a steel trap, you may recall friends previously referred to as K and Dr S. Dr S. was in our graduating class and currently practices as a maternal fetal medicine specialist. He also helped me get admitted when I was in labor with Annabel. One would not think you would need to convince anyone in the circumstances I was in, but apparently shift change is not a good time to show up at the unit).
K is an amazing human and now mother of 3 and we have known them from the early days of their relationship. So it is super special to be here celebrating with them!)
Our plans: run (in amazing weather), lunch with my sister, hang out with our friends, celebratory dinner, fly home tomorrow AM. Our nanny is staying with the kids for these ~32 hours. I wish we could stay longer but G’s BFF’s bday party is tomorrow (all 3 kids invited) and we didn’t want to miss it.
2- I forgot that I love working in airports. Something about the white noise and the feeling of being entirely trapped is the perfect setup for me. I usually read on the plane (or watch TV) but in the airport I am a machine. Anyone else or just me?
3- People often glean that I liked NC more than I like South FL. People are correct. I objectively prefer this area for its weather, cost of living, better food, and overall landscape. Also a FAR FAR better more attractive airport (lol). The things keeping us in South FL are:
- FAMILY
- JOBS (and colleagues)
- SCHOOL
- OUR NANNY AND OVERALL SETUP
- FRIENDS
. . . and those are pretty powerful and important things, since most of them are humans! I will try to remember them every time I venture out on a run and it’s 82F at the start at 5:30 am (thankfully not in Feb, but the norm from May-Oct).
4- I am hoping to run here this AM:
5- Two podcast recs for you!
- Body Image in Motherhood and Midlife from The Mom Hour
- Kieran Setiya on How Philosophy Can Guide Us Through Life from Beyond the To-Do List
6 Comments
I gotta ask – better food how?
Higher quality at lower price point. It’s true that MIA has some amazing restaurants but the really high end ones are just insanely pricey! And the suburb where I live is just meh on options. MIA does have better options for central/south american/carribbean/cuban cuisine. But NC actually has great indian, vietnamese, korean, etc.
What a lovely flying visit!
I work in airports/read on planes, it’s a nice way to make my regular travel nicer. Sometimes I get on such a roll that I wish for flight delays. And stupidly, I didn’t use the lounge regularly for the first 15 months of weekly travel… I think it was closed for a bit and then my habits were already established. But now I’m using the lounge and it makes life so much more pleasant (and cheaper, I’ve realised I can get fruit for my breakfast the next AM as well).
YES to airports. For the first two years of our relationship my husband and I were long distance and I always got SO much done by getting to the airport early and then working like a fiend. Love it!
I had fun reading your birth story. 🙂 I was met with similar confusion arriving at the hospital when in labor with my first child. The OB yelled at me for coming but then I was 8 cm dilated so HA!
I can’t agree more of where we choose to live usually are emotional ties. relationships is what keep us alive 🙂
if I have to describe an ideal place would involved, 3-4 of my best friends, easy access to beach, medium size city, four seasons, culture of physical activities, plenty of parks/greens areas, walkable city, quick flight to more nature places.