300 Days of Sunshine

Happy summer!  During weeks like this I'm extremely grateful that we had the wisdom to install air conditioning when we bought our house.  It has been 90 degrees and sunny in the afternoons and I feel the overwhelming urge to do nothing more than lie on the couch after walking the dog around the block.  It is sure nice to be home, though, after two weeks of travel.  We had a laid-back 4th of July.  I worked my normal schedule at the hospital and Jaycob and Ady enjoyed Pancakes on the Plaza.  That evening we made dinner on the grill and went out to hear live music on a patio at a brewery before coming home to comfort a  frightened dog during the fireworks.  I'm not that enthusiastic about the 4th of July lately, maybe because of the state of the country or maybe because I find fireworks irritating, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it more when Ady is old enough to enjoy the fireworks and festivities.  What I do feel patriotic about, however, is the US...

We just returned from Alaska, a trip of a lifetime.  I  am in awe of this beautiful, massive state and all the unique wonders and experiences it has to offer.   I think it requires an extended period of travel to truly experience a change of perspective and renewed sense of self, and I'm so appreciative to have had two full weeks away from home to broaden my horizons.   We traveled between Anchorage, Denali, Seward, Juneau, and through the inside passage to Vancouver, and despite all of our many adventures and excursions I still feel as though we only experienced a very tiny piece of Alaska. Our trip started in Anchorage, where we explored the city and learned a bit about its history.  We stayed at the Lakefront Anchorage , located on Lake Hood, which happens to be the busiest seaplane base in the world.  The rugged, lodge-style hotel is also conveniently located near the airport.  During our time in Anchorage we  took a long walk ...

Summer is almost here!  We will be setting sail on our Alaskan cruise on the day of the summer solstice, following a week of exploring Anchorage and Denali.  After months of planning I can't believe our trip is finally here!   Here are a few other things keeping us busy this month: 1.  For the second year in a row, the hubby and I participated in a team Olympic triathlon in Show Low, Arizona.  He swam and biked and I did the 10K run.  There's nothing quite like handing off a toddler along with the baton!  Ady is such a good sport.  The wind was the biggest challenge during the run, but we still placed first for co-ed relays!  The next day he competed in the Xterra off-road triathlon, where he placed second in his age group. 2.  My favorite summer tradition starts this week - Music on the Hill!  Every Wednesday, Santa Feans gather on the grass at St. John's College for an evening of outdoor music, picnic dinners, and wine....

At the beginning of the month I ran the 10K "Run for the Zoo" in Albuquerque.  I have been trying (somewhat unsuccessfully) to ramp up my running frequency, and I think that it's helpful to have a goal in mind.  My pace right now is slower than it has ever been and I feel sluggish and heavy trying to keep my legs going.   I'm somewhat embarrassed to even mention my times because my 10K time is almost 15 minutes slower than it used to be, but I know that I will eventually get back to sub-10 minute miles, and it's helpful to share the journey.  My goal for this race was 68 minutes, and I finished in just under 69 minutes, placing 38th out of 57 in my age group.  The course was a flat, out-and-back route along the bosque trail following the Rio Grande.  My hamstrings have been bothering me lately.  I started playing softball this year (after about a decade-long hiatus), and the short sprints and pick-ups have been challenging compared to the long, sl...

When life gets fast-paced and overwhelming, the mountains are always there.  Hiking among the trees that have stood their ground for decades, l ooking out at the city from 8,500 feet elevation, and stopping to observe lizards and bugs through the eyes of a toddler can help put things in perspective.  We had a gorgeous weekend in Santa Fe, after a few cold and rainy days last week, and I think summer weather is officially upon us.  Hoping to enjoy the sunshine and also break in the hiking pack before our upcoming Alaska trip, I  took Ady and Kua up to Picacho Peak, one of my favorite "easy" hikes that's just a short drive from town.  One of my favorite parts of this trail is the diversity of cacti, bushes, and trees -- from prickly pear and yucca to juniper and ponderosa pine.  There are a lot of wildflowers in bloom right now too, and some funky-looking pink spiky balls that I've never seen before (see photo below). There's never a dull moment while hikin...

Today is National Chocolate Chip Day!  Who knew that the chopping up of chocolate into tiny pieces would warrant a national celebration?!  (Not that I'm complaining...)  I've never met a chocolate chip cookie I didn't like.   I enjoy experimenting with different recipes for variations of chocolate chip cookies - adding chocolate chunks or butterscotch chips, substituting coconut oil for butter, trying different types of flour to change the texture, or sprinkling a little sea salt on top.  I'm fascinated by this article:  The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies , with a breakdown of the chemistry involved in baking cookies and how to modify the texture or flavor with a few ingredient variations.  I would love to dedicate a week of my life to conducting this experiment myself (and I'm sure my taste-testers would rise to the challenge)! This week I tried a new recipe from the Pie in the Sky cookbook, with recipes adapted to high altitudes....

This year I have dedicated myself to improving my leadership skills and conflict-management strategies in new leadership roles at work, along with a journey of self-reflection that is helping me identify my triggers, set boundaries, communicate directly, and discern how best to respond in confrontational situations.  In thinking about leadership and decision-making in the workforce, the gender inequalities and struggles that women face have become even more apparent to me. I had a really aggravating encounter at work recently when a well-meaning visitor of a patient referred to me as a "pretty nurse," which I'm sure he thought was supposed to be a compliment. I was offended for so many reasons.  For one, it was horribly sexist.  He made an assumption that a female working in a hospital must be a nurse.  It did not even cross his mind that I could be a physician, or a pharmacist, or a  doctor of physical therapy , thank you very much. ...