Weekend Wrap: A Return to Normalcy

Each weekend, I like to pause, reflect, and look back on the past week. This isn't meant to be a deep dive or sweeping life philosophy—just a collection of things that caught my attention, made me think, brought me joy, or stayed with me in some way.

What I Noticed

Coming back home is tough. But also, not tough. Yes, weird, I know. By the time we got home, I was ready for my own bed, my own home, my own tools and toys. I was ready to see people again.

And yes, I was ready to go back to work.

That’s a good thing. I truly love what I do. Not all aspects of it, of course. There are parts that I can only give a SUPER SUCK to, and most of those have to do with dealing with the administrative side of medicine. But seeing patients, being with my team, all of that was energizing and enjoyable.

For the most part. I’m glad. I am glad that I have a job that I enjoy, work with people I truly care about and like to be around, and the opportunity to make a difference.

What Helped

This week felt really off. I was glad I only had two days of work, because I needed to recalibrate. This weekend has helped with that. It has given me a chance to reset, get back on track, and be ready for the week to come.

What I’m Enjoying

It is amazing what you can get through when you are stuck in a metal tube for 20+ hours. Rather than a deep dive, I thought I would throw out some quick thoughts on things I checked out during the travel.

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett: I know it isn’t the best Discworld book. It was the first he wrote, and while it shows, it still is a fun book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Easy to read, funny, and I look forward to digging deeper into Discworld.

The Fate of the Furious, F9, FX: Yes, I mainlined the last three “Fast and Furious” movies. This is one of those series that I enjoy when I watch, but they are just so dumb, I have a tough time setting aside the time to watch them. Hence, trapped in a metal tube.

Dumb. So dumb. And they got worse. Fate was my favorite of the three. It is crazy to me that it has been three years, and there are two more until F11 is planned to come out. Yes, these are silly; the “family” memes were well deserved, and while they are fun, I still think they take themselves way too seriously.

Tron: Ares: This one makes me sad. I knew it wasn’t going to be good, but I was not prepared for how bad this movie is. Tron: Legacy isn’t great either, but it has amazing visuals and one of the greatest soundtracks of all time that combine to make it a blast to watch. Ares has neither. Total wet fart of a movie.

What I’m Practicing

I am still struggling with the idea of “optimization”. I am trying to work out where it fits for me. I recognize the harm in focusing on it too much, but I see at least equal harm in using that as an excuse to say “screw it!” That seems like giving up.

So I am practicing holding myself accountable. Accountable to goals and targets I have set for myself. While also giving myself grace and room to understand what works, what doesn’t, where I need to push myself, and where I need to back off.

Foundational Thought

That is the key, isn’t it? It isn’t about how much we get done, though corporate America (and our bosses) would disagree. But that is a fundamental misunderstanding of what actually matters in life.

Meaning.

What we do should have meaning. To us, to others, to someone. Doesn’t matter to whom. It just needs to have meaning. At the end of the day, it really should just be about the meaning in our activities.

That helps me better decide how I am spending my time. And that doesn’t mean everything has to be some hugely impactful activity. There is meaning in rest and recreation. But answering that question about whether the activity was worthwhile can help us balance. And balance is key.

Wrapping Up

I stare down a milestone this week.

I will complete my 50th year of life on Tuesday. Part of me hates that. I don’t feel 50 years old. I don’t think I act like I am 50 years old. But I shouldn’t hate it. I should embrace it. I should be positive about it.

I am truly blessed to be where I am at this age. I have a wonderful family, amazing friends (and deeper friendships than at any other point in my adult life), and a job I truly enjoy that allows me to make an impact on those around me.

I am working on changing that mentality about my age. I am trying to celebrate it.

Trying.