Ah, decisions, decisions. Does one
start a new blog at the end of a chapter, or just consider it the end of the chapter, change the title, and move forward?
start a new blog at the end of a chapter, or just consider it the end of the chapter, change the title, and move forward?I wanted to write a couple of weeks ago, but the closer I got to the end of the fellowship, the faster things moved, and the more things entered into the to-do list, each also moving quickly. The conference and presentation, the last of data collection for research, the weekend on call the last weekend in Sydney, the packing, the goodbyes. Ooft.
Might I add that I brought a bit of it on myself, planning my departure flight the evening of my last day at work. Fridays are usually at the children's hospital-- on the other side of the city. Not a problem, since I could just take my bags with me, something I had done when flying out before. I just hadn't taken into account turning in the keys for the apartment, which could only be done after inspection, which requires the cleaners to do a spotless job, not easily done with furniture in place. So all of that would best be done on Friday.
The good thing is that someone usually stays behind to mind the fort-- admissions, discharges, emergency surgeries-- at our regular hospital, Royal North Shore. In fact, we recently modified it so that two of us stay back, the orthopedic registrar and the on-call person. Unfortunately, the ortho reg was out of the country that week, and none of the others felt any inclination to stay behind. I was clearly needing to be one of them to stay behind, but being solo stretched it kind of tight.
Fortunately, things worked out so that if I ran in high gear, I could hold it together. The guys who claimed the last of the furniture came over midmorning. The cleaners were on time. There was no time to allow a couple of small surgeries that were in the queue to go until the afternoon. So I hauled borrowed golf clubs and several bottles of wine up the hill to the consultants clinic, rounded on patients, cleared the ER of consultations, said goodbyes to friends along the way, and
ran back and forth to the apartment to meet with aforementioned parties. Every time I entered a stairwell or an elevator, my loss of phone reception would result in beeps about five seconds after emerging telling me I had missed a couple of calls. Needless to say, when I hauled my bags to through three train stations and an airport, I must have been a deodorant poster-child.
ran back and forth to the apartment to meet with aforementioned parties. Every time I entered a stairwell or an elevator, my loss of phone reception would result in beeps about five seconds after emerging telling me I had missed a couple of calls. Needless to say, when I hauled my bags to through three train stations and an airport, I must have been a deodorant poster-child.The hustle behind me, leaving Sydney was one of those cathartic experiences worth noting. Starting right after the conference up in Port Macquarie, I began to get that subconscience change of mindset. I really wanted to recognize it as it occurred since it is a rare sensation. I
suppose it is also necessary, as it keeps your mind on the imperitive preparations. Whenever at rest, my mind shifted from habitually thinking about hand surgery or errands or projects to the packing, family, trip logistics, what it must be like at that moment on Louisville. It it truly an odd sensation to feel the shift. It also causes a change in the emotions and perspective when looking at things. Will Mason had commented on the same thing, in a way, six months ago when his fellowship was ending. He noted how he looked at the harbor differently, how he wanted to get down to The Rocks district near the CBD one more time, even though he had been there plenty in the past. Unfortunately, with a lack of time, I never made it down there to say goodbye to the city, so to speak. I didn't get to take that last run through the streets, get a last cup of coffee from the best cafe, or one more bike ride over to Crows Nest, the adjacent suburb with the huge
selection of restaurants and shops. Granted, the last time I had done them became the last time, but without the ceremony of consciously taking it in as the last time, the experiences felt shortchanged as I sat on the plane. I find the value of that farewell experience ineffible, but the value is still there. As if the coffee would have tasted better, the water would have looked bluer, if seen through farewell eyes.
suppose it is also necessary, as it keeps your mind on the imperitive preparations. Whenever at rest, my mind shifted from habitually thinking about hand surgery or errands or projects to the packing, family, trip logistics, what it must be like at that moment on Louisville. It it truly an odd sensation to feel the shift. It also causes a change in the emotions and perspective when looking at things. Will Mason had commented on the same thing, in a way, six months ago when his fellowship was ending. He noted how he looked at the harbor differently, how he wanted to get down to The Rocks district near the CBD one more time, even though he had been there plenty in the past. Unfortunately, with a lack of time, I never made it down there to say goodbye to the city, so to speak. I didn't get to take that last run through the streets, get a last cup of coffee from the best cafe, or one more bike ride over to Crows Nest, the adjacent suburb with the huge
selection of restaurants and shops. Granted, the last time I had done them became the last time, but without the ceremony of consciously taking it in as the last time, the experiences felt shortchanged as I sat on the plane. I find the value of that farewell experience ineffible, but the value is still there. As if the coffee would have tasted better, the water would have looked bluer, if seen through farewell eyes.Looking out of the plane at the disappearing cityscape, once again picking out my suburb more easily than the last time, I corrected myself-- my former suburb. Yes, I began to miss the city
and realized that most of those friends I will never see again. It is a gorgeous city, and though it took a long time to find the networks and right contacts, there is a lot to do there. But I was really excited to get back to New Zealand, hang out with Walter, and see the most picturesque parts of what I already considered the most beautiful country. Moreover, it was a huge step toward getting home. From this point forward, I was going to be living out of a suitcase, more like a vacation than living elsewhere.
and realized that most of those friends I will never see again. It is a gorgeous city, and though it took a long time to find the networks and right contacts, there is a lot to do there. But I was really excited to get back to New Zealand, hang out with Walter, and see the most picturesque parts of what I already considered the most beautiful country. Moreover, it was a huge step toward getting home. From this point forward, I was going to be living out of a suitcase, more like a vacation than living elsewhere.
