It was such a wonderful evening. Mr. Plastic Picker (who is also a doctor) is now Chief of his department. I’m no longer Assistant Boss, for the last four years or has it been five? It was a valuable experience despite the burnout because I understand what Mr. Plastic Picker’s journey has been. It’s much easier being the supportive spouse than having to be actually in charge. I did my time in admin, over 5 years leading our large clinic and another 5 years as Assistant Boss. And now I’m happily a front-line clinical pediatrician taking care of my little patients and doing the projects that interest me.
But yesterday was his night. I wore one of my nicer dresses, nothing too fancy. Wore nice boots and a little bit more make-up. And I just smiled and shook hands, and followed him around the party venue like a puppy. This was the role I am used to in our relationship, and I don’t make apologies for it. It’s fun to follow him around and just try to be there for him. At my own work place, I’m like an energizer bunny at times with large swings of emotion. But once in a while, it’s good to be a more supportive character. It’s actually much easier on the nervous system.
So I got to observe all the dynamics of his department, the other doctors, the staff, the managers as a background character. I noticed things more. The firepit. The beautiful scenery. The dresses and the dance moves. I recorded. I photographed. I watched him do his leadership thing, knowing he looked very calm but underneath I could feel his nerves. He asked me to be there for him. He asked me specifically to remember to put it on my calendar. And I’m glad I was there and I think it made the evening nicer for him.
I’m really excited about this project that has been on my mind for years now. It’s been meandering and developing in my brain as I’ve been wandering around doing climate and environmental health work. Everything I do – I do volunteer, and I use my own money to fund most of the little projects we do. I almost left medicine during burnout, so I figure since I’m happy now and still adding to the family finances – I have $20-$30K a year to play around with. That’s how this all stays fun. I usually use about $20K a year and Mr. Plastic Picker is okay with that. We have always had a savings rate of over 50% of our earnings, as we live mostly simply (other than private school and buying the oregon farm) and invest all of our remaining money in real estate and stocks and savings and all that stuff. We are two physicians so high earning couple, that actually loves our vocation and I honestly have been working most of my life since I was 8 years old. But because we care about patients and our own families, we care about the earth. Money is not worth much if the world burns (which it is).
Anyway, I’m no longer a personal finance blogger but I always think of things in terms of the most efficient use of my time and money – to try to make an impact! And this whole thing has to be fun. If it’s not fun, than unless it’s fighting with the mayor of Irvine and some not to be named meanie pediatricians in OC regarding OCPA (which was hugely important for the climate movement) – than I won’t do it.
This project is FUN!!! I get to work with my own son who has the connections and skill set necessary to get it done. I get to finally get a meaningful project to two young teenagers who have been doing climate work with me for over 7 years now! They are my patients and have shown up to so many events! I get to continue to work with the San Diego Bird Alliance, who are my close climate friends. I love shorebirds and I love the San Diego Bird Alliance, because they are all super nice people! So we are going to work on prescribing birding!
I don’t want to let out all the details but it’s a fun idea and innovative. And 100% it will involve fun people and be able to be written up in a poster and abstract and paper!
Oh! If you are around, come to I Love Your Wetlands Day. You have to register! And we’ll be presenting the project to share ideas with folks. But you have to come to the wetlands because we have to protect the wetlands for the children, the birds, and for clean air and clean water! It’s always been about the wetlands!
One of my best climate friends just texted me and asked for our daughter’s advice on her bread. We hadn’t texted in a while, since she’s going through some things and I’ve been pulling back on some climate projects this year to give our daughter my full attention during college application season. She’s our last child out of two, and after taking care of so many other people’s children and also mentoring so many students – I’m being 100% selfish and just enjoying this application season with her as she lives the heartache and hopefully joy as she finds out where she’ll end up. I texted my friend that our youngest can’t render advice this morning on my friend’s bread, because she has her Georgetown interview. Georgetown interviews everyone which my friend does not know, since she does not have a college-applicant child this cycle. So my friend was impressed. My friend loves my child, and my child loves and respects my friend. It’s a real relationship that has come from my weird circuitous path of climate work.
Georgetown is just one of 26 schools she has applied to. And I am like every parent, so incredibly proud of how she’s conducted herself and worked so hard during her entire high school career. She’s had her nose to the grind, keeping up top marks and leading her clubs/teams at school. She’s shown up for the underclassmen, making sure she shows up to coach the younger students and hosting team-building events. She’s mostly not been able to participate in the social whirl, because after being deferred from her early action school (which shook our over-Ivy League educated household) – every one of her remaining schools that she is applying to has become even more precious to her. Like every parent, her father and I keep on musing to ourselves – she could not have worked harder. She could not have prepared more. She absolutely could not have had higher SAT, AP scores or GPA – and still retained her sanity. She is a far superior student than both of us, which is saying a lot since we were obviously good students.
What I’m most grateful for, is that she’s been so happy during this application cycle. She’s been up late at night, refining short answer questions. She’s used all the resources we’ve made available to her, and appreciates those resources. Her father has probably over-caffeinated her with Starbucks throughout this cycle. He’s been up late at night, sitting on the side of her bed helping her refine thoughts and been a sounding board for her. I probably will miss that the most. He’s been so incredibly proud of her, and admires what she has done and how she is intellectually. I’ve been there mostly cheering her on, and been there to listen and drive her to places. Interviews, shopping for clothes, or for walks around San Diego at our favorite places – when she needed to decompress. It’s been so fun to live this time in life with her, and she chatters about her friends dreams and hopes as well. There are three of them, that are sticking close emotionally trying to get through this time together. I’m not sure if they will fully appreciate how incredibly sweet this period in life is. The not knowing. The dreaming. The high-school drama of who got in already, and who hasn’t. In the end they’ll all scatter into their lives. All their friend group is very lucky and will do fine. They are prep school kids and their parents are like me, just enjoying this time and being selfish. We all do our part in the world, but especially for me since I missed so much being a young resident when I had both of our kids – I’m absolutely reveling in this last stretch when I get to know so much and she gets to be 100% my kid and wherever she goes gets to be 100% her journey.
It’s not EXACTLY 75 days, but it’s around 75 days until all the final decisions will roll in. And you know what I keep on thinking every time she shares with me some of her angst and joys? I am at my heart a very simple person. I just keep on thinking, YOU ARE SO PRETTY! LOL
She was HOMECOMING QUEEN. OMG this entire thing has been so much fun! And she’ll have fun so matter where she goes to college, and there will be tons of cute boys.
Official school photo of homecoming court.
So pretty! Okay. Will continue to save the earth for our homecoming queen because I hope in 15 years to have grandchildren. I used to say 10, but 15 is better. She’ll planning to live this fantastic life and live abroad too. I can save the world from anywhere, and she loves me – so I’m invited along as well! (just to visit and go to cute coffee shops some amorphous place in Europe where I hopefully will get to meet her amorphous boyfriend at some point). I keep on teasing her that I hope she doesn’t fall in love with a boy from Irvine! Because of I have climate beef with the Mayor of Irvine. LOL. Only my friends know the true story or Irvine and the homecoming drama and triumphs.
