Snow Day - Stay Away

This is not complaining.

We at Marymount University's Doctor of Physical Therapy, Class of 2020, have yet to experience a regularly scheduled week of classes this semester. Let me be clear, I don't need snow days. I don't even want snow days. Keep them away. I will happily speak for myself by saying "snow days are for the high school me to hope, dream, and yearn for." They are beneath me. Not only do I consider those "desires" a complete waste of time and energy (the decision of which being completely out of my control), but the achievement of a snow day is an absolute disruption to the flow, order, and momentum of my learning. I'm over it. Listen, I am not taking on loans of tens of thousands of dollars a semester to sit at home staring at a computer. That sweet, sweet money is going to making sure I stare at my computer 13.5 miles from home, you guys.

DC morning metro commute: metro center, maybe?

So, seeing as we're not complaining, I'm gonna go ahead and kick the good vibes into gear by catching you up on things since we last chatted. CSM, baby! The American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) Combined Sections Meeting has happened. If I'm paying attention, this event should be called the "Combined Academies Meeting (CAM)" seeing as how "sections" are now adjusting to being termed "academies." And wouldn't you be charmed to hear that some of the Academies held their own awards ceremonies during the evenings of the CSM CAM. Can you begin to imagine the yuck-yucks some speakers managed to jimmy from the audiences when the invited us to join them at their very own "Academy Awards"???!?! Marvelous, no?

CSM CAM was a hoot. Sure it could be overwhelming if you knew where to look, but that's just part of the experience. As frantic and pedantic the first day of three was, I made sure to tune in and focus up to what I wanted for the last two. In short, each day has 3, 2-hour lectures you could attend of varying topics and focusses. As best I can make sense of it, each APTA section academy had their host of speakers, lectures, and research to present along with motivated individuals there to speak on their clinical experiences and findings. All in the name of continuing education, the presentation of cutting edge research, and sometimes just voicing opinion to anyone that would listen, CSM CAM is the largest stage for the physical therapy world. 

My experience was unlike anyone else's. I chose to make the best of it. I chose to go all three days. I chose to wake up at 5-something to attend a special interest group meeting hours before lectures started. I chose to make sure I went to as many lectures I wanted to be at and did not just follow classmates, or suggestions put in front of me. Some lectures were a touch out of my interests, but others expanded amazingly on concepts I have been introduced to in school in ways I could not have expected. There were definitely some talks that I went to that affirmed how I want nothing to do with that area of practice (and sometimes self-absorption), and that in itself is a valuable lesson learned. By the end of the weekend, I feel lucky that I was able to attend talks that uniquely spoke to me and how I hope to practice in the not too distant future. 

See, this profession is not about me. This profession is about the people I will serve, hope to empower, and share what I learn with, along their path through life. From my own journey, I can only hope to emulate a cumulative fraction of those that have been generous enough to share their impactful, patient-focussed methods with me when I am with patients of my own. I just hope to remember: it's not about me.

I am not sure there is a better way I can conjure up a finish to this post, but I have been messing with the idea to leave you all with a "feature" that I have particularly enjoyed in the last few days since we last talked. I mean, you've made it this far, and lawd knows I appreciate it. So, here goes it for a first dive into a segment I will call: Here Ya Go

Here Ya Go: "A Little Respect" by Erasure - a gem of a duo out of England's mid/late-80s still making music that is more dynamic and powerful the so much of today's.

Thanks for reading.

30th Birthday

This birthday has afforded me the opportunity to once more reflect on how lucky I am.

my parents joked that I looked like Buddy Hackett

My parents went down to Bogota Colombia to get me when I was almost 3 months old, and I am here writing this in this house I grew up in. Sure, there are times where I am bitter about not being where I expected myself to be by now or I will sting myself with mild annoyance for not putting myself in a position for success earlier on. Yet, a day like this does well to anchor me back to where I've been so fortunate. Everything I have is not a coincidence - the opportunities, the lessons learned, the relationships I have... Surrounded by those that have loved me unconditionally from the moment they first met me and have done everything in their power to give me the best opportunity in life is a very special thing that I know is rare.

a very rich cake for me!

Not much has changed since I first got here and I somehow feel that I will remember this birthday in particular because of everyone that made it special all over again.

you should be jealous

I'm looking forward to the changes ahead.

My car is nearing the end of its long tenure of being paid for. I bought scrubs for this semester's round of my clinical experience - and hopefully more opportunities down the road.

The semester dodged another snow show disruption this weekend.

sweet sunrise commutes are always nice

The physical therapy world's Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) is coming up this week, and I am unsure how I feel about it. Convention type things don't energize me, but it'll be an experience!

bought this casio-wannabe watch for myself

Anyway, looking back for me is an uplifting thing to do. For that, I am so grateful. I need to go ride my bike.

Thanks for reading.

Back To The Books

Thanks to the dump of snow this January, I had an extra 24 hours or so of my winter break to mess around with.

what snow?

I can't say I did much with it that's too exciting, but it maybe was the extra bit that I needed to flip my mind back into school mode. If I'm being honest though, I am sure it wouldn't matter to me whether I had a week more or less to my winter break. If class is on, I'll be right back to it as best I can be without hesitation. I'll say it... part of me is wishing there wasn't a snow day to start things off. I don't want to waste instruction time, but modern technology's ability to have our professor record a lecture to the tune of their powerpoint is appreciated. I am looking forward to another semester and another load of information that will add to the foundation of my future.

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

the fingers hurt after this session of note-taking

But before this semester hits me and takes me out of the reality everyone else gets to exist in, I will linger a touch longer on some of what I enjoyed during this break. I rode my bike almost every day, and I spent time with the people that mean the most to me - all good stuff. Shout-out once more to the guys at Bicycle Pro Shop - Springfield for being a top group of guys for this area of NoVA's cyclists. Young Fix'em-Up (Woody) and the boys were generous enough to toss me this hat I drooled over and these sweet, sweet socks to ride in. Thanks, guys. I hope to be able to ride with you all again soon.

Check out their Instagram: @bicycleproshop

[EST. 1958] cool cool cool

The "winter" break wouldn't be in NoVA without the sun coming out and temperatures topping near 65 Fahrenheit at one point or another. I made sure to extend rides like this one - tapping into that "this is why I ride" feeling.

quick pic for proof

I think that's all I have to write about for now. Maybe I'll share some of my school experiences on here - if I get time to write.

the construction pit outside our class room

And before I go... check out this documentary about a 1st year pro team racing the USA Crits. The one dude is PASSIONATE - dropping f-bombs, connecting dots, drawing lines, and lettin' us all know how different he and all of us bike racers (or some anyway) are from the rest of the world. I'm not all like this guy... but I'll be damned if there isn't a good spoonful of his passion and this-is-what-I-wake-up-for-every-day gravy in me as well. Give yourself 34 minutes and the place to yourself to watch this explicit bike racing movie. This is the answer to the question "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" for me - after a lot of hard work.



Thanks for reading.

Got Me a Call-Up

You guys... It's not every day that I get a call-up. It's something I've been working for all month long without even knowing it.

you know... the hours and hours on the trainer

But if you're like me... you don't make a big deal out of these things. Sure I'm honored, humbled, and no less heartened to know that I haven't been forgotten. I've been tuning my mind, body, and spirit for an opportunity like this. Here's the thing, folks... this type of call-up to the line is an astronomical opportunity ... I'm not gonna lie. But as I said - I take it all in stride.

Did I shave for it? I mean, wouldn't you? This "call-up" is no big deal or anything... like I said. Also, if I'm being honest, it was more of a text situation. But okay, yeah - I shaved for this.

The longest my hair had been in maybe 7+ years?

So what's this all about, you're asking?

A sweet, sweet group ride, baby!

Shout-out to Young Horse Power, Woody, and the boys at Bicycle Pro Shop in Springfield for the "Clifton Crusades Ride" this morning.

gonna have to pick up one of these soon

The winter weather was perfect with me banking HARD on the forecasted sunny skies. Like the nice, modern gentleman that I am, I checked the weather forecast last night when I got the "nod" for today's ride, and you KNOW when I saw the call for morning sunshine that something special was about to go down. Maybe it was because I was 1.5 beers deep that I decided shaving my legs was necessary and correct. Maybe it was a cosmic alignment. You can decide which. All I know is that Clifton did not disappoint. In fact, it was a treat to share some of those roads I've had the pleasure of punching miles into with some riders that are new to them. It hurt at times, but our 5-rider crew was up for the mixed terrain and technical twists of the morning's classic Clifton ride. There were definitely points where I tuned into how much I enjoy riding bikes.

Indeed this morning's ride is the start of what is hoped to be a weekly, Sunday morning jaunt out of the Bicycle Pro Shop Springfield location. That is truly what makes this ride so special. It can be hard to establish a weekly ride in this area. I have my fingers crossed that this one makes it even when I cannot once school picks up again for me.

beachy

Beyond all that, the co-captain and I took a New Year's day stride along the C&O Canal. It was much needed before spending the rest of that day taking the last of the leaves off my parental's property.

stay loose, America

That's all I've got for now.

Thanks for reading.