RE-CONNECTING

Yesterday morning, I had the chance to catch up with a professor from my days in Dallas, Dr. L. David Hillis. My decision to go to UT-Southwestern, and his decision to accept me during his time as Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, had a profound influence on my career and life.

I would not have met Kathleen or had the two wonderful kids I have were it not for Dr. Hillis. It is also doubtful that I would have been inspired to pursue the career path in academic medicine that I have.

Looking back on that interview day, I remember staying with Jos in North Dallas and getting on the North Dallas Tollway going in the wrong direction- north. What a confusing name for a road!

Realizing my mistake, I quickly exited and sped down to the the UT-Southwestern campus. I arrived at the very last moment and ran from the parking lot. I was still on time though! I rounded with Kathleen's post-call team on rounds and remember remarking to myself, who is that sexy blonde with the pixie haircut? Who knew I would end up there and end up with her?!

I thanked Dr. Hillis for what he has meant to my career and my life, and we took our annual photo together. We made plans to meet up for a football game in 2024 - maybe U of O vs. U of M!

This visit was one more reminder of how powerful friendship, memories, and community are. Indeed, they are the things that matter most in life!

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

Yesterday, we stopped by a taco place for breakfast, and I was reminded by my taco and egg and chorizo and egg tacos that breakfast tacos are the best tacos!

MOUNTAIN MAN

Last weekend after I returned from Las Vegas, I headed straight to the Crisler Arena with Nicholas for Winter Commencement with one of my favorite writers and thinkers, David Brooks.

Mr. Brooks was the speaker that day and was receiving an honorary degree from UM. In many ways, his visit to Ann Arbor was fitting as he had inspired me to take a leap and move to UM some five years ago when I was comtemplating a career change. His concept of the "Second Mountain" and his take on the hero's journey inspired me to seek a new place to build community and grow as a human being, leader, and researcher. I just did not know how steep that mountain would be with a once in a lifetime pandemic and numerous personal and professional challenges along the way. You can find his speech beginning at the 1 hour and 32 minute mark here.

As I reflected on Brooks' speech last Sunday, I was struck by just how far I had come these past four and a half years and all the people with whom I had travelled that long journey. I came to appreciate just how lucky I am and how I am living the life I always dreamed of.

I will try to remember that during the hard days, the challenging days, and the dispiriting days. 

I now know it is possible to hold two disparate and seemingly contradictory ideas in one's head at once - life can be immeasurably difficult, but it can also be unimaginably beautiful and fulfilling. Life is full of downs AND ups. Nuance and perspective are the tools that keep us on track. Black and white are not colors the mountain man sees!

EATING WITH FRIENDS

Last weekend, I met up with dear friends from medical school to see the U2 concert in Las Vegas. While U2 was the main event, food was definitely the opening act.

We first had a so-so dinner at a French Mediterranean place called Rivea. However, the next day is when the food really shined. We hit up a Brazilian-Peruvian-Japanese fusion place called sushi samba. We sampled a variety of small plates. I am still dreaming about the skewered sea bass with corn the size of permanent teeth!

Later that day, we went to dinner at Jose Andres' restaurant Bazaar Meat! While meat was definitely the headliner, several of us opted for the vegetarian tasting menu, which was out of this world! 

There are a lot of things not to like about Vegas and the Strip, but the food is definitely not one of them! Thanks for such a dining experience, Sin City!

U2 IN VEGAS WITH OLD FRIENDS (THE BEST KIND)

I have never had a lot of friends, but I have been fortunate to have had very deep relationships with the friends I have had. My medical school years were no exception, and I am still very close to several friends from that time in my life, whom I have known for almost 30 years. 

This past fall, one of them suggested we meet up in Las Vegas where U2 was playing a residence at the new performance space, the Sphere. 

Once the idea was throw out there, we all leaped at the opportunity! In fact, the title of this post is taken from the name of the text thread we set up to coordinate our trip, and it is indeed an apt description for that momentous weekend!

Last weekend, we all met up for music, meals, and a lot of meaning - reminding ourselves that our lives are more than just the stresses and challenges we face. Our lives are the totality of our existences, and we have so much to be grateful for.

I did not know how much I needed that weekend until it was over. I will carry the memories we made and all the memories from 30 years of knowing these old souls with them, including the smile on my face while this random stranger photobombed this picture on the Las Vegas Deuce bus!

As U2 frontman Bono sings in his song, "One, "We are one, but we are not the same. We get to carry each other, carry each other."

DROPPING DIMES

Cate first started playing baseketball on her middle school team last year and had a breakout season as point guard. I guess it should not have been a surprise then that she made the varsity basketball team at Greenhills as a freshman.

Leading up to the season, Cate had the same single-minded focus she applies to soccer. Indeed, many mornings when we went to the gym to work out, Cate was shooting baskets and working on her game. Her practice has paid off, and she is having a great season so far as the starting point guard for her team. 

Like in soccer, her mentality is not "shoot first." Rather, she looks for ways to help others score and is focused on finding that perfect pass. There is a term for that kind of assist. In basketball lingo, it is called a "dime" as in 10/10, and Cate has been dropping those 10 spots all season. I can't wait to get back from break and watch her take the court again. Go Hills!

THE GREATEST LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK

This weekend I was in Syracuse for Parents' Weekend visiting Nicholas. It was fortunately a short flight, and I was able to quickly pick up my rental car and head to Day Hall to pick Nicholas up for the weekend.

He elected to stay with me so he could "have a full size bed and shower without his shoes." Who am I to argue with that, and fortunately my room had 2 big queen beds!

I have been impressed with so many ways that Nicholas has handled the challenges of the past two months. He has dealt with two credit card hacks, set up his 401K, and deftly navigated being an 18 year-old living away from home with a stranger for the first time in his life while taking 17 hours of classes ranging from communications to philosophy to history. On top of that, he has become very active in the many broadcasting outlets and the school newspaper, the Daily Orange, where he published his first piece!

Visiting him and seeing him this weekend made me realize just how much Nicholas has grown and what a good head he has on his shoulders. He has not been followed the herd and engaging in drinking and drugs. Rather, he seems content to spend time on his own reading the Atlantic or watching sports events through our streaming platforms to which he still has access. He is a resolute and focused young man, and I am in awe of his discipline and drive to learn and master the craft he has chosen to pursue.

During this visit, we spent a good deal of time exploring Syracuse. We went to a local food hall called the Salt City Market three times! Each visit did not disappoint. 

We took in Syracuse football pre-game festivities on the Quad and had yummy pizza. If only the game, and our view of the field had been as good! See below.

On Saturday, we went to a few campus events, including a Q/A with the Newhouse Dean and a tour of South Campus where approximately 50% of sophomores end up. We had another great lunch at Salt City and then had some downtime before heading to a great thai place called Lemongrass. It was one of the best meals of my life, but I think the company had as much to do with it as the food!

Afterwards, it was back to Salt City for dessert, pumpkin pie and banana nutella cake! We then took in another Syracuse landmark, the Destiny USA Mall, New York's biggest shopping mall. It was big but otherwise forgettable. We ended the night watching Michigan defeat Purdue on TV and enjoyed an extra hour of sleep for daylight savings time.

On our last day together, we headed to Lake Onondaga, a true "finger" lake and then went out to breakfast at Water Street Bagel Company for breakfast sandwiches and then a wonderful bakery called The Sweet Praxis for amazing vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and a turmeric flavored drink called the Golden Oat! We then headed back to the hotel for a little Chiefs-Dolphins, and then I dropped Nicholas off at his dorm.

What a weekend with an amazing young man!

Simon and Garfunkel wrote about "The Only Living Boy in New York." However, Nicholas, you are truly the greatest living boy in New York! I miss you and cannot wait to see you at Thanksgiving in a few weeks. Love you, son!