four more inches

Good morning, New York!  Another coating to cap off the week.  I woke just before seven to watch the fat flakes fall in the blue light of early morning.  It was silent, just before the scraping symphony of the shoveling would begin.  I found myself briefly regretful of all of my ire and wrath about our winter weather.

By the time I had Colton bundled up, out the door, through the mounds of snow and ice, to school, unbundled, shoes changed (to a barrage of complaints about wet feet and legs), I was, again, over it. My desire that it be spring is hardly unique, and I find there to be a certain solidarity on the street that is uplifting.  Nothing brings New Yorkers together like all being pissed off at things we have no one in particular to complain to about.

Today is the end of the world's longest academic winter break.  I'm finding myself anxious to return to school as well as anxious about the return to school.  This is the home stretch--it's all over (or, rather, all begins) at the end of April.  It's to be a very full, busy, and stamina-stretching few months, but I've certainly had the time through this (extended) holiday season to psych myself up for it.  I attended an orientation for my final hospital rotation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center yesterday.  The place certainly feels like The Ritz relative to many of the other sites where I've trained, but it's clear the institution lives up to its reputation.  I'll be working on a post-op colorectal unit (which is exactly as glamorous as it sounds), but the instructor is a staff member, clearly held in very high regard, who has already made it clear we're to get a run for our money.  Bring it, bring it, bring it, I say.

On Monday the whole rhythm of my days, the week, the house, and life changes, at least for the next three months.  Calendars have been exchanged, child care arrangements made, syllabi printed and, on Monday, we're out of the gate like a shot.  The really good news is that, heaven willing, when the finish line is crossed at the beginning of May, the weather may be warm.

I've enjoyed spending more time here in the last week and hope I'm able to keep up my consistency of posting into the next phase of things.  People have asked me if "catharsis, part one" will be followed by a "part two" and the answer is "yes".  That's all I know about it.  Keep visiting, keep in touch.