back by popular demand ...

So, I have taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging for awhile! You know how you get in the habit of doing something ... and then you get out of the habit of doing something .... Well, that's what happened with blogging for me. However, I happen to be home for a visit to Iowa for the past few days and actually had several people mention my blog to me (Thanks, Mom, Scott, & Amy) and figured I could try to give it another go :)

For the past 1.5 years, life has been good. I relocated to Denver last June to start my Clinical Genetics & Metabolism fellowship. The 1st 6 months was all Genetics and I really enjoyed it. The 2nd 6 months was all Metabolism, and while I found that I was very glad to be learning what I was learning, it is not where I see my future career going. But, fortunately, that's perfectly fine! Most people who complete this type of fellowship usually end up picking either one direction or the other and no harm done. Now, starting this July, I'll be re-focusing more on Genetics which makes me happy.

I've enjoyed Denver and all that it and the surrounding area has to offer. Now that my schedule is opening up a little bit more, I'm excited to take advantage for the rest of the summer. I have to admit, though, that everyone talks about Colorado for the winter sports (skiing, snowboarding, etc) but I really enjoy the summers better. I like hiking and getting into mountains when its not icy, or when you're less likely to be caught in an avalanche. I enjoy the really moderate temperatures to get out and bike and play tennis, volleyball etc.

I feel like this move to Denver sort of solidified my entering into life in the real world which is both good and bad. Good in that my schedule is better and I feel much more like a normal person. Bad in that with every move I've made in the past, I have had a sort of built in social network (with medical school, then residency) and felt really connected to people quite quickly. I did know some people in Denver already (Eileen & Andy, Jared & Brooke among a few others) which helped but haven't developed a large friend network like I've had in the past. I think this is the way it is for most people when they finish college and get a job but I've just delayed that transition significantly. I have not been completely socially isolated (despite my lamenting), however, I was fortunate enough to meet Ryan, whom I've now been dating for close to 8 months. (He doesn't even know this blog exists!) That relationship is going well. I've also joined a book & movie club that meets about once a month which has been really enjoyable.

So looking into the future, things look good! I'm excited for some upcoming travel to Idaho and Vancouver for some weddings as well as Toronto for a conference and Northern California/Napa for a visit to wine country. Hope this gives all of my adoring fans an update. And if 3 people read this, that will be a success!