Incompatible are ....

the following....

• The groom thinking about wearing a brown suit at our wedding, to which I responded "Absolutely not." "Why?" "Because that would be incredibly ugly. And because I am the bride."
• As a second choice, him planning to wear a brown tie with a black suit (Similarly vetoed. It does not match, although he will try to convince you it does, and he really does usually have much better fashion sense than I do)
• Brown with grey. Again, not compatible in my opinion.
• Planning a wedding in So Cal while living in Nor Cal (as a result, the wedding might become a Nor Cal wedding and, at this rate, might be in 2015)
• Planning a wedding while working resident hours
• Planning vacation in India for November 2010 while thinking about planning a wedding and being a resident
• Planning vacation in a month while searching for a job for next year (had an interview Friday up on the northern CA coast) while planning a wedding and being a resident
• Preparing to give OB grand rounds this week while planning this international vacation, searching for a job, planning a wedding, and being a resident

Oof da, as they would say in MN. I feel like I am juggling 10 very heavy balls.

Alternative Reading

(me at a young age starting to get into reading)

I have been addicted to books for quite a long time. I love vacations and don't mind plane trips for the opportunity to (not only pass out and sleep), but to sit back and read a good book, relatively uninterrupted. Residency hours makes it hard to squeeze in a lot of leisure reading, but I am thankful to have a library two blocks from my house where I can pick up books which I can request online from the central library, or browse when I have the chance and when I am on a light rotation.

I remember being banned from buying books by my parents many years ago (in anticipation of frequent moving). Since my moving trend really has continued, I stand by the non-book-buying rule for the sake of space (and money! Library books are free!!). However, I have given some thought to alternatives to both owning books and reading them in the "normal way."

Unfortunately, every effort I have made to "listen" to books on tape (who remembers tapes??! :)/cd is a total flop. I try again and again to revisit this method of book "reading." I've bought i-books (or whatever they're called, from itunes) for ipod and tried that. I've tried bringing cds on long car trips which, theoretically, would be extremely boring if not for the constancy of a reader speaking to you. I started listening to Anita Shreve's A Change in Altitude while commuting an hour to Stockton each way this month; however, I lasted about 15 minutes before I realized I was not following the story line. I just CAN'T DO IT. I am not really sure what it is. I think I am very much a visual and not auditory learner. I like to see the words and write the words, not listen to the words. And I space out.... A LOT, which makes it very difficult to follow the plots.

I have been seeing and hearing more about the Kindle, the Amazon electronic reading apparatus. What are your thoughts on this? I'm a pretty traditional pen/paper-type of person, and actually don't even like reading articles on the computer or really any form of electronic media (I prefer to print things out and highlight if desired). I checked out TJ's Kindle when we were down in Mammoth Lakes, and was actually surprised that it doesn't "seem" as though you are reading an electronic document; it actually quite well simulates reading the pages of a book. I have to say that it does look very nifty. But is it worth it to purchase the very sleek, light apparatus as well as the e-books? I do a lot of traveling, but I also do a lot of reading which makes the library still the more affordable option.

Please give me your input!

And any recent book suggestions are welcome, too.

Original P day and Fine Dining

Sunday Sept 12th apparently was the original "Proposal Day." Kelvin popped the question early, but we still had special plans on Sunday night which he had made well in advance!

He took me to The Kitchen, which is a fabulous restaurant that prides itself on being the best "dining experience" in Sacramento. The restaurant seats guests by reservation only, and doesn't even have a sign out front (this is to prevent passers-by from knocking on the door!). It was, by far, the fanciest and best meal I have ever had. Basically, the chef and his associates create this "dining experience" (advertised as like acts of a play) for about 50 guests per night (the capacity of the restaurant), which lasts about 4 hours. They create and, in detailed fashion, describe a multi-course meal of delicacies which are unique, largely local, and delicious. They allow you to ask for for seconds, thirds, or beyond, of any of the courses, to wander around the restaurant as you please, and to stay as late as you want. Needless to say (without going back for seconds), I was entirely full and satisfied at the end and may not ever need to eat again. The service and personal touch was outstanding-- the head chef even chased us out the door at the end to tell us how happy we joined him that night and to congratulate us. Below is the scrumptious menu we were served, which changes monthly.

- September 2010 Dinner Menu -

Presented by Chefs Nancy Zimmer, Randall Selland and Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca
______

‘Soup and Sandwich’ of Heirloom Tomato and Maine Lobster with Homemade Bacon, Swiss Gruyère
and Cherry Tomato Salsa
~~~
Slow Braised Elk Grove Rabbit with Thyme Infused Pasta, Olives, Ricotta and Young Parmesan
~~~
Sushi ~ Sashimi ~ Crudo
~~~
Butter Basted Grilled Wild Salmon and Rock Shrimp Hush Puppies with Last of the Summer Squash, Almonds, Butter and Burrata Cream
~~~
Beef Tenderloin Cooked ‘Backwards’ with Saskatchewan Chanterelle Mushrooms,
Red Wine and Arugula
~~~
Vanilla and Chocolate Crème Brûlée and Phyllo Napoleon Blackberries, Cookies and Sorbet

I couldn't even begin to choose a favorite of mine out of all of the courses-- they were all really THAT good!

Some photos:

In the lovely courtyard

The cookbooks in the kitchen of "The Kitchen"

The setup at the counter

The wine cellar

We probably can't really afford to go back to the Kitchen very often (or, well, ever), but it was absolutely and definitely worth it for the special occasion! If you live in Sac, you have to go sometime!

Our happy ending (and beginning)

"There is one happiness in life, to love and be loved." - George Sand

So I am pretty sure that everyone is as surprised as I am at the current state of my life...
ENGAGED! :) I could not be happier.

I have spent the last few days spreading the news quietly, marveling at the miracle of it all (and at the gorgeous ring :)), but I have been told by a few certain someones that I needed to blog about it, so I suppose it's about time.

If you have seen me through the last few (well, 28) years, you know that this is pretty big news. I have spent many years watching many wonderful friends get married and have kids, worrying that I would never get there, and figuring that I would be an old cat lady; however, I am currently thrilled that I have a way out. I don't really like cats.

Kelvin surprised me with a proposal on Thursday. Hope this post answers some questions:

How did we meet?

We met while here in family medicine residency at UCD just over 2 years ago; for the first about 8 months, he mispronounced my name and I didn't correct him. We started hanging out more frequently at the end of last year when we were both at the VA (I on medicine, he on cardiology), when he said he "felt sorry for me" because I seemed so overworked :) I actually remember a late night at TGIF after an OB get together when I was in tears feeling utterly "alone" and doubting I'd ever get married. I also remember, on more than one occasion, saying "I will never date you," just because I thought we were so different. Interesting how things work out, huh? :) We will graduate residency together in July 2011 and have to find "real" jobs!

How long have we been together?

This is arguable, but somewhere around 8 months. We had a sort of late DTR ("define the relationship") chat and I don't think we (even between him and me) have a consensus as to when we started dating. Let's just say that it has been more than 6 months but less than 1 year.

May 2010

Where is he from?

Kelvin moved when he was 9 to the states from Vietnam, where he still has much extended family who we visited in March. His parents, younger brother, and two younger sisters currently live in Westminster, Orange County, about an hour south of LA.

How did he propose?

When I got back from Alaska, he started giving me puzzle pieces (one per day) which each had a statement of why we should be together with one dominant, capital letter per piece. These pieces eventually came together to form a complete heart. When I got home from my overnight call Wednesday from Stockton and he from night float, I was headed to sleep, but he wanted me to stay up to "show me something." He bolused me with about 3 puzzle pieces, which completed a heart which read "Will you marry me?"

Of course I said yes! He then brought out a jewelry box and asked, "Do you know what this is?" I had a guess, as we had recently watched this very cheesy movie, Leap Year, in which the longtime boyfriend opens a jewelry box for his girl which contained (disappointingly) not an engagement ring, but rather a nice pair of diamond earrings. I got a very beautiful pair of dangly silver earrings and was not disappointed in the slightest.

But that was not all; he then got down on one knee, delivered his very sweet proposal speech which I'm not sure I fully grasped because I was so blown away/sleep-deprived, whipped out another jewelry box, and gave me the most beautiful engagement ring. It is simple, but incredibly elegant (and sparkly!), and very me. He has such great taste.

And that was still not all. Kelvin had put together a photo album/calendar of some of our favorite photos of our favorite adventures together-- from Mendocino last July.....

... to skydiving last August...

... to trekking in Peru in October...

... to our Medical Mission in the Philippines in February...

... to the temples of Angkor Wat in February...

....to riding on the Mekong River in Vietnam, where I was able to meet his extended family...

... to the snow and Crater Lake in April ...

...to tandem biking in SF...

... to the CA state fair in Sacramento...

.... AND (for the kicker), to Virginia to meet my parents... (without me, and without my having any clue)!

The visit to VA was TOTALLY mind-blowing. Kelvin apparently coordinated with my sister (getting her phone number from my phone when I was sleeping!), to fly to McLean during one weekend while I was in Alaska, when I was under the impression that he was in Houston for a wedding. He surprised my parents and told them of his plan, and apparently got their approval :) I very much thought these photos were photoshopped! Very impressive...

I guess the plan for "P- [proposal] day" was Sept 12th, but he decided to surprise everyone, including my parents, and popped the question three days early. He hates being predictable :)

When and where is the wedding?

As Kelvin's family is all in Southern California and we are here now, we'd like to have a CA wedding and are thinking about next summer/early fall, but no dates have been set yet.

Do I need wedding planning help?

YES! I have no idea how to START to plan a wedding. Nicole told me about a website called "The Knot." Any and all other suggestions are very, very welcome!!!

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I can't wait for our future and the direction we are headed!

Thank you to everyone for all your support and congratulations already!

Mt. Whitney!

9/5/10;

22 miles, 15 hours;

14,497 ft

My good friend from medical school, Erin (a peds chief at Stanford), is super athletic and into adventure and challenging hiking :) She was the one who, our first month of residency, suggested we take a trip to Yosemite and, without training, hike Half Dome (about 16 miles round-trip). It was a wonderful trip, we all made it to the top, and it was very much worth it!

However, when she asked me a few months ago whether I was interested in hiking California's Mt. Whitney in Sequoia National Park, which, at 14,497 feet, is the highest point in the continental U.S. (#24 in highest peaks in North America-- Alaska has quite a few of the top ones), I was a bit nervous. Since moving to California/the west, I've done a good share of higher-altitude hiking-- Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford (my first "Fourteeners") with Mindy in Colorado in 2007, reaching 16-17,000 feet on the Lares Trek in Peru last fall, but Erin's plan was to climb Whitney, a 22-mile round trip, with an elevation gain of over 6,000 feet, in one day.

Many people (incredibly) actually do this in one day. In fact, the only way to be able to hike Mt. Whitney is to get a permit via a lottery system which is decided in February (Erin entered her choice for this weekend)-- each day, they allow only 100 day-hikers and approximately 60 camper-hikers (there are two campsites at various heights on the mountain) to attempt the summit. Doing it over 2-3 days is probably much more advisable, as the day-hike makes for a very, very long day, and I really prayed I was in good enough shape. Jeremy, a friend from residency, hiked Whitney a few months ago and said it took him 14 hours round-trip. When I e-mailed Erin this information, she replied with one line, "Well, is he in shape?" :)

In any case, our weekend started with us all meeting up on Friday in Mammoth Lakes, which is south of Yosemite on the Eastern Sierra of California. I visited Mammoth last 4th of July, and it is certainly one of the most spectacular and under-publicized areas of California. We all arrived late on Friday night, me leaving Sac after a full day of clinic, and Erin, TJ, and her brother, Brian, arriving after fighting their way through massive holiday Bay-area traffic.

On Saturday, we awoke early and hiked Duck Lake trail, about a 10-mile round-trip, which got us up from a starting elevation of about 8,000 to over 10,000 feet to try to try to get a bit acclimated to the altitude in preparation for Whitney. The hike is gorgeous, with beautiful alpine lakes all along the way. We finished off the day with a yummy pizza meal before crashing around 8 p.m. to get some sleep.

Pictures from the hike:

Starting out (TJ, me, Brian)

Lakes along the way...

(I didn't get the Illinois/gray t-shirt memo)

At the summit (Duck Lake Pass), 10,300 ft

TJ, me, Brian

Our day on Sunday started out really early, as the "recommendations" were to try to get on the Mt. Whitney trail as early as possible to allow time for the long and strenuous hike. We left our hotel in Mammoth around 2:30 AM, drove 2+ hours, and were hiking by a little after 5 AM.

We started out well in the dark, headlamps and all, from the Whitney Portal road (just west of Lone Pine, CA) at 8360 ft. of elevation.

(Erin gets credit for near all of these photos, as I had a camera battery issue...)

We had nice views of the moon, and then the sun starting to rise over the Sierras

The mountains looked gorgeous in the early morning light

We absolutely needed a mid-morning snack

While climbing, we saw patches of snow which (I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture) reflected PINK! This was in stark contrast to the blue glacial ice I recently saw in Alaska!

About 4 hours into the hike (6.3 miles), we made it to Trail Camp (12,000 ft), where many people camp overnight before starting out for the summit.

Erin and me

TJ and Erin

We then had to make it up 96 (yes, ninety-six) switchbacks, including these "cable switchbacks" to get to the Trail Crest at 13,777 feet (6 hours into the hike).

Once there, we had more awesome views, including over the other side of the Mountain!

(Interestingly, the lowest point in the U.S., Death Valley, at -282 feet, lies just 80 miles from Mt. Whitney!)

Here is our group, getting very close to the top.... although the climb seemed never-ending!

We then had to cross these rocky boulders to be able to get to the direct trail to the summit

At this point, we also saw a few people who were turning around due to altitude sickness. While I started to get very fatigued at the end of the hike up and definitely was breathing hard due to the elevation, I luckily did not have problems with headaches or nausea. Although Erin and TJ were not feeling so hot, they were troopers and we trudged onwards towards the summit.

Seeing the "hut" at the summit was perhaps one of the most welcome sights I have ever seen. We summited around 1 p.m., close to 8 hours after starting.

The official sign at the summit-- as you can tell, we actually hiked on the 80th anniversary of the completion of the "Highest Trail in the United States"!

Great views!

(I have no idea who this is in the background- I got some random person to take this picture :) )

We made it!

I was starving! No nausea here!

We also saw this marmot hanging out on the rocks :)

Not everyone was feeling at their best, and we were obviously fatigued, so we didn't descend as fast as we had hoped (the switchbacks were killer on the way down, too). It took us about 7 hours between our time at the summit until we reached our parked car, for a total of 15 hours of hiking. We had a bit of a bear scare on the way back-- but it turned out to be a bush :).

We saw the sunset, and then were back using our headlights for the final mile or so.

Wow. Erin asked me if I would hike Mt. Whitney again. I am not sure. It was an unbelievable hike-- well-marked trail, with amazing views, perfect weather, and was an incredible challenge for us all; however, I think one climb might be enough for me :) It's about as close as I think I will come to a marathon, and I am definitely feeling the consequences today!