Stephie Gets a Makeover

Hi all,

After a temporatory hiatus, one of the main authors of the joshieandstephie blog is back and he has one exciting story to share: Stephie's makeover!

The makeover happened this past Saturday and turned out to be quite a timely makeover this being the week before the beginning of 2015. Here is how it happened.

The first part of the makeover occurred spontaneously at a mall (seems appropriate) when Josh and Steph were waiting for a table a restaurant.  Instead of waiting they decided to go walk around and eventually checked out the local H&M store.  In order to follow custom in the makeover industry, I duly post a pre makeover shot (yes I know, she already had a very cute look!):

Immediately upon walking into the H&M store, a dress on a mannequin caught Stephie's eye.  Josh gave the dress a big thumbs up and ultimately Josh and Steph purchased the dress. The red tags demonstrate what a great deal this was. Haha

Coincidentally, they bought a pair of socks at the same time as the dress and they ended up attempting to return the socks a couple hours later after lunch. As irony would have it, not only did they not return the socks, but they ended up buying a bold, blue, fashionable jacket for Stephie that they found displayed on a different mannequin.  No more return attempts were made! Below is the final outfit so beautifully worn :)

The second part of the makeover consisted of a planned hair cut.  Stephie has been growing her hair out for months and generously decided to donate it to the Pantene donation program.  Adam is a hair stylist from New York who had recently flown into town and agreed to help Stephie donate her hair and give her hair a fresh new look in the process.  Here is how it all went down, play by play:

 Preliminary measuring step.  She ended up getting a full 14 inches cut off!

 Carefully observing the whole process, hehe.

 One last pre cut shot.

 And now for the dramatic cut (video is at end)!

Immediate post cut, what a difference!

Another angle

 With Adam who was brave enough to do the cut!

Instant classic!

Final hairdo with hair in hand (author is in the mirror)

Displaying the final makeover out and about town!

Well folks, that was quite a makeover! I am confident in saying that the makeover was a huge success and Stephie now has a timely new look.  Great job Stephie!  Now it is the author's turn, maybe.

-Josh


PS The moment of the cut was captured on video and accompanied by dramatic music. Enjoy!

Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Ingredients: Chicken (cage-free), onions, mushrooms, garlic, and other veggies; large stir fry pot (see below)

Instructions:

Wash chicken and cut into inch squares

Marinate chicken with teaspoon of soy and tablespoon of cornstarch

Chop onions, mushrooms and garlic finely

Add canola oil to pot and sautee chopped veg, putting them aside when lightly browned

Add more canola oil and chicken marinade to pot

Spread out chicken squares and turn frequently, setting aside when cooked through

Add more canola oil and cook broccoli

Make thin gravy with cornstarch and water

Combine all above cooked ingredients and simmer together, add gravy.

Adjust with soy, garlic salt to taste

Best served warm over brown rice.

A special thanks to Janice Cheng for the cooking tips!

Student Self-Care Day

Stephie is organizing and putting on a Student Self-Care Day at OHSU today. Here is the schedule:

10:00AM – 10:15AM                 Welcome and Introductions

10:15AM – 12:15PM               
Massage demonstration and practice led by
Davina Leong LMT and Shelly Wagar LMT

15 minute break

12:30PM – 1:15PM                 “Super Foods” Light Lunch and Talk

1:15PM – 1:45PM                   Mindfulness Meditation & Body Scan

                                                           

1:45 – 2:00PM                       Closing

Stephie, I am so proud of you for preparing this event! This is exactly what we need in medicine and you are such a leader and innovator.

Josh

An excerpt from a medscape article that Stephie and I like:

So how's a doctor to find happiness? The same way everyone should, says O'Connor: work on it. Find a way to be happy in the now.

"The greatest myth of human life is the belief that I'll be happy if I just get what I want," says O'Connor. "All the research shows that as soon as we get what we want, we'll just want something else."

Instead, O'Connor counsels doctors to cultivate the essential relationships in their lives. Most people derive much of their joy and satisfaction from their family and friends: relationships that too often suffer in the face of 12-hour days and weekend call.

He also advises them to practice mindfulness, both through meditation and in their daily living. Mindful living is about taking a step back and seeing events in light of the bigger picture. The practice -- and it takes practice -- enables people to keep perspective so they can make wiser decisions based on rational thinking and intuition, rather than impulse.

But to be mindful people must learn to quiet their minds and settle down and that's something with which many doctors struggle. Dr. Aggarwal says she frequently challenges physicians to sit and do nothing for as long as they can. Few can sit still for more than a minute or two. Rather than relaxing, they try to "solve" their way through stress and burnout by doing more.

The adventures of J and S

J and s have had one crazy travel story after another over the past year and without further ao here is the first one:

One of the most recent interesting experiences occurred yesterday while traveling from pdx to msp. J was the sixth person in the pdx security line when the overhead speakers announced the final boarding call to Minneapolis. J heard the message, was feeling sorry of the passengers that had to rush and catch that flight, then suddenly realized that this time he was one of those passengers!

In order to change stephies return flight to PDX last january joshie and Stephie had to be at the msp airport at 7 pm on a Saturday. After leaving Rochester around 6:05 pm we had some doubts (it is an hour and 20 min drive from Rochester to MSP!) but after some mindful quick driving and Joshies radar eyes we got their safe and sound the moment the clock struck 7 pm. Stephie changed her flight to the next morning for free and J and S had a night in Minneapolis together!

S was planning to fly to Switzerland with MC on a Wednesday, but her passport did not arrive in the mail on time. They rebooked flights to thursday afternoon with crossed fingers. 
Result: She spent all of Wednesday and thursday morning in the san Fran passport agency and finally got the passport in the mail 4 hours before her flight on thursday!

There have been some occurrences in which j and s did not make flights:

J leaving out of pdx in June to attend Andy maples wedding- I 84 traffic was heavy that Friday afternoon
Result: took the next flight out Saturday morning and made it to the dinner. J and s also got another night together :)

J leaving out of bend, OR. There was no one at the check in desk at this small regional airport 40 minutes before departure time!
Result: we found a flight that night but it left out of Portland! We drove 3 hours from bend to portland and took a route through the scenic Oregon forest and Mt. Hood state park. We even had time to eat dinner at Stanford's, one of favs!

S leaving out of Minneapolis in August-oh southwest how you can intentionally miss flights and not have to lay to change them, yeah!
Result: we had another night in minneapolis together and discovered zelo, a fav!

J leaving out of oakland during thanksgiving-just completely forgot the right time because leaving at midnight is so similar to 7:15 pm :)
Result: j got to spend 20 more minutes in the Oakland airport with Stephie and wishing her well on her flight to portland before hurrying over to SFO booking the first leg of his trip to msp en route. He booked his connecting flight out of las Vegas while checking in to his first flight at Sfo. Yes j made it to work the following day on time and was smiling love for his stephie like always!

Fun fact: j and s have never missed a flight when coming to see each other, just leaving. Coincidence?...

Spirit Rock

We just returned from Spirit Rock in Woodacre, CA after spending 48 hours in silence for the "Insight Meditation for the Curious" retreat. What a magical and meaningful weekend.  The land itself is stunningly beautiful and a perfect spot for a retreat center.  The retreat was led by Mark Coleman and Martina Schneider.  The two made a wonderful team and created a really lovely container for all 100 of us.

Joshie flew in Thurs and then Friday we slept in and had lunch at Cafe Gratitude. We found out that not all CG locations are going to be closed! Woohoo! This is huge! What wonderful news.  CG has meant so much to us each personally and as a couple. :) The Berkeley, Santa Cruz, SF Gracias Madre, and ?LA locations are going to stay open yay!!

The food and drinks were, as usual, delicious!  What a special lunch.

Then we (along with Mama Cheng) drove up to Spirit Rock!  A brief schedule of the weekend:

FRIDAY
check-in
dinner
opening session
sit
bed

SATURDAY
sit 6:30am
breakfast
sit
walking meditation
sit
walking meditation
sit
lunch
sit
walking meditation
metta
dinner
sit
dharma talk
walk
sit
bed

SUNDAY
sit
announcements
breakfast
sit (talk about thoughts)
walk
sit (talk about mindfulness in daily life)
lunch
depart

I love how vipassana teachers are so wise and playful...at one point they joked that, while it looks like we have tons planned, sit walk sit walk sit walk etc., it's actually a weekend full of a whole lot of nothing! lol  They actually "crammed" a whole lot in in terms of the teachings since it's a relatively short retreat. But it made it rather high yield, and I think several of us are still processing it...I know I will continue to do so.

It's amazing to have the time to look inward and observe the way in which one thinks, feels and experiences his/her world. It can be rather overwhelming at times....and just to be with oneself for so long is rather unusual in our world today. But it really is such a gift and I am infinitely thankful for the opportunity to learn about these teachings and experience all of this.  "Waking up is hard," said Mark. He explained how some people's expectation is that "going on retreat" is like going on vacation..."getting away."  Really it's about getting really intimate with oneself and seeing up close and personal one's mind, thought patterns etc.  He and Martina commended us on our courage and bravery to come on retreat.  It can be scary feeling stripped bare...feeling so vulnerable. It can also be incredibly liberating and powerful. I am constantly humbled by and grateful for this practice.  I can't imagine living life any other way.


Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.


-Rumi


Crazy because Brennie had just shared that quote with me one day prior to the retreat. :) We are all so interconnected!  Life is so beautiful and rich!! Wow....


Okay here are some pics :)

 Be a good Buddhist and don't kill bugs. Just use your BugZooka!

Thank you, Joshie and Mama for being so open and coming to Spirit Rock with me! It was magical having you there with me...I sat between them for all our sitting meditation and I'd peek at them and get giddy with delight. "Mindful of joy! Mindful of gratitude!" I could feel the glee bubble up in my body multiple times throughout the weekend..... :D

Lucky to Find My Love

Stephie is such a loving beautiful woman, and I am thankful this day, like all my days, that I get to share life with her. Her tenderness, compassion, lovingness and beauty grow daily in my eyes. I love you Stephie.

Match Day

I'm going to Contra Costa Family Medicine Residency in Martinez. I will be living at home with Ma and will be very close to BTTT, MT, GM, FLA and many others. I will be far from J this year :( but not in spirit.  Joshie is SO sweet and he came all the way from MN to spend Match Day with me! It meant so much having him here with me. Thank you, baby!!!!!

For actual Match Day (long-awaited Match Day!), we slept in here in Oakland, then enjoyed a lovely lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Cafe Gratitude. Joshie got his fav the tacos and I got a BLAC (vs BLT). To die for! We also got an "I am luscious." Everything uber yum!

Then we drove down to pick up Ma from work and went to the Heartland, Portola Valley. It was dark and rainy but still so lovely being back among all the trees and familiar sites.  We drove to Ormondale and walked down to the creek to "open the envelope" on Joshie's iPad. There in the rain, I got the "Where did I match?" email in my inbox!

We ate dinner at the Woodside Bakery. J and M were so understanding as I emailed, called, and texted several loved ones. I can't believe Match Day has come! It's been a long but enjoyable process. I've learned so much about myself along the way.  Match Day definitely feels like the climax in this tale but every step of the way, from filling out ERAS to writing my personal statement to scheduling interviews to interviewing(!) to sending follow up correspondence to making second looks to submitting the rank list to checking my email on Match Day to discussing all of this seemingly incessantly with colleagues and loved ones, has been meaningful in its own way.  When I describe to people how Match works, they always seem to be fascinated. It is a crazy process! I feel many emotions, including relief, that Match Day has passed.  I enjoy sitting in uncertainty, but knowing where I'm headed in June does feel good.

I'll be living at home(!). This is sinking in.  Hard to believe it! I've been longing to be back in the Bay Area for soooo many years, and I'm thrilled to be coming home! I'm also really sad to be apart from Joshie this year.  Many emotions simultaneously. Welcome them all. Honor them all.  As Rumi says...

The Guest House 

This being human is a guest house. 
Every morning a new arrival. 

A joy, a depression, a meanness, 
some momentary awareness comes 
as an unexpected visitor. 

Welcome and entertain them all! 
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, 
who violently sweep your house 
empty of its furniture, 
still, treat each guest honorably. 
He may be clearing you out 
for some new delight. 

The dark thought, the shame, the malice, 
meet them at the door laughing, 
and invite them in. 

Be grateful for whoever comes, 
because each has been sent 
as a guide from beyond.

Contra Costa is a Cowboy Program. From their website (and very cute):


Is Contra Costa a "cowboy program?"
If you mean a demanding program with residents given responsibility from day one, then yes, we are a cowboy program. If you mean a program that leaves its residents unsupervised and in over their heads, then we are definitely not. We provide very supportive faculty supervision on every rotation: We have in-house obstetrical staff present at every delivery. We have in-house pediatricians. Our internal medicine and surgical staff frequently come in at night to help with the patient who is critically ill or has an unclear diagnosis. Our registrar system ensures the faculty are keenly aware of each resident's workload and learning needs. And, since a majority of our current residents are women, we prefer to be called "cowgirls."

Good thing I've got me a nice pair of cowgirl boots. Giddy up, pardners!!

Goodnight. It's almost 3am. Brain slowing down...to....a....halt.  ;) Bonne nuit!

Food. We love it.

Some favorite food: (will add some links later) 

A recipe from the Rochester Co-Op. Will let you know how it tastes later!

 

Soups, Salads, Starters, Sides

salad with avocado

guacamole a la Joshie

watercress salad with beets, apples/pears, light vinaigrette and fish

salad with yogurt-based dressing

cornbread with whipped honey butter and

bread with butter and sea salt

rosemary, garlic potatoes

carrot, ginger, potato soup

butternut squash

French onion soup with thyme a la Mama Cheng

spaetzle

Daddy's sauteed mushrooms (olive oil, balsamic, garlic salt, butter?)

Lin Jia egg yolk tempura squash 

Pescara's avocado and poke appetizer
kale chips (homemade are best! olive oil, aminos, yeast + whatevs else!)

Mains

veggie cassoulet (recipe from epicurious, ask BT)

salmon

butternut squash au gratin 

gnocchi

butternut squash, brown butter, sage

grass-fed beef

raclette

fondue

tuna melts (ooh with pesto and avo)

Pok Pok angel wings, Marnee Thai angel wings

Lin Jia glass noodles

Arizmendi's pizza

TrueBurger's portabello burger

peking duck

chicken a la king and chicken Jerusalem a la mama cheng

 

Desserts

yogurt with banana, ground flax, kale sprigs, honey

carrot cake

creme brulee

TJ's gingerbread

angel food cake

mango and sticky rice

 

Beverages

kombucha with grape jucie and chia

smoothies galore! (with kale, flax, chia, banana, you name it!)

malted milk

 

Snacks

pistachios

nutritional yeast, parmesan popcorn

fresh fruit, especially U-Pick berries from Oregon :)

TJs seaweed

 

Breakfast

crepes

pumpkin pancakes

egg in a frame

eggs benedict

oatmeal with almond butter, yogurt, chia, flax, apples, banana

oatmeal with cinnamon apple and prune compote a la Spirit Rock

 

Anything from Cafe Gratitude!

Anything crispy-soft!

Anything from Spirit Rock and Kripalu!

 

Okay, I admit I'm a wee bit hungee...hence the 230am post about food hehe. :) 

 

Switzerland

I am now 7 hours ahead instead of 2 hours behind Joshie as I am in Switzerland. The crazy thing is that on more than one occasion, I have gone to bed at the same time or later than Joshie. Houston we have a problem!

Mama Cheng mentioned that she gets wifi for free...love those little iPhones...like having a mini-computer at all times. ;) As Facetime requires wifi...I thought I'd try it and lo and behold, it worked!! Ça marche!!  Joshie and I have been able to talk and see each other every day, and it's been such a joy seeing his smiling face on Mummy's phone!

I think I depend on technology a bit too much at times, but golly gee willikers I sure am thankful for it and that it allows me to connect with J even from so far away.

Switzerland has been lovely, and I can't wait to come back here with Joshie...I think he would really enjoy being here. And he could practice his German! 

It's been so delightful meeting so many of Ma and Pa's Omega friends. In most cases we have visited with couples, and I always think of Joshie and me and wonder what we'll be like 40 years from now.  :) We've also had a chance to meet several of the children and even grandchildren of these family friends, and I keep thinking how life is so beautiful!! I am so touched hearing so many stories about the Omega years, years since, transitions, families, joys, sorrows...this human to human connection has been invigorating.  This is what life is about! Connection, relationship, and love.  I feel very lucky to be here with Mama.

In our time here, Ma and these family friends have shared and reflected quite a bit....it's felt rather nostalgic and I've found this to be very moving. Life is so precious, and life is too short not to spend it with loved ones, too short not to live each day fully. Joshie very kindly made recordings for me for each day I'm here, and for each day he's also recorded lesson from Letting Everytzing Become Your Teacher. It has really set the tone for me each day.  Yesterday's had to do with acknowledging in every moment that "This is my life." This is really helpful because I think that many of us at times are so forward looking that we forget the present moment. We are often so future thinking that we're never really 'here.'  But knowing that each and every moment is an opportunity to be awake, to be present is huge.  I often think of the Young Adult retreat I attended at Spirit Rock. During of the dharma talks, one of the teachers shared with us that she tells herself "Welcome back" everytime she comes back to the present moment.  It's a shift in awareness. A shift in consciousness. And it makes all the difference in the world! " There is onlz one time when it is essential to awaken.  That time is now."  B-dawg said that. :) 

Anywho, I sit here at 00:54AM in Morges, CH, giving thanks for this beautiful day and my dear friends and loved ones. S'il vous plait forgive me for typos, especially ones involving the misuse of Y and Z as these two letters are switched on the keyboard here. Totallz confusing! Zou know what I mean? :)

Salsa!

Thank you, Darling, for the most wonderful weekend in Rochester!  The song we listened to (several times) at our salsa lesson:

XOXO :)

Happy Valentine's

Thank you my Valentine for the most incredible lifetime together. I am so grateful for all that we share including a most loving and deep connection with one another. You are everything I could possible envision in a life partner, and I give thanks for the universe delivering you to me.

Love forever,
Josh

A blog post of firsts

First movie screening: "I Am" in Santa Cruz
First movie at home: Moulin Rouge!
First happy hour: Three Degrees Waterfront Bar and Grille in Portland
First Thanksgiving: Oakland with the Chengs
First New Years: Lake Tahoe with the Chengs

WE ARE ENGAGED!!!!

The last two months have been very busy for joshie and stephie. Stephie just finished her fifth interview and josh is preparing for his second presentation of the last week. Josh has found a little time to write this post after slipping on ice Florida boy style and sustaining an immobilizing leg bruise:


Josh has been taking the first salsa lessons of his life the last five weeks and would like to share some types from the class. Of course he would not have gotten inspired to do such lessons and join the salsa community if it was not for stephie so thank you so much my love! Here are the basic cincepts he has learned:


Lead and follow
Takes longer for guy to learn how to follow-patience!
Man is frame And lady is picture
Tension in hands allows partners to anticipate each other
Guy reaches for hand only
Guy and girl face each other almost always
Hands thought tight against each other and no curling

Learn salsa in 123s
Invite cross body with hand at hip ht
Open break tells lady that something is coming
No thumbs in salsa
Ladies hand when dropped should go back down to mans hand
Hand down for spin
Hair comb with flair
Number of fingers for number of turns

Just read an article in the New Yorker by Atul Gawande that was excellent and linked here Coaches for doctors?.

I particularly liked the following vinettes:

Consider Maxwell Perkins, the great Scribner’s editor, who found, nurtured, and published such writers as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe. “Perkins has the intangible faculty of giving you confidence in yourself and the book you are writing,” one of his writers said in a New Yorker Profile from 1944. “He never tells you what to do,” another writer said. “Instead, he suggests to you, in an extraordinarily inarticulate fashion, what you want to do yourself.”

Good coaches know how to break down performance into its critical individual components. The U.C.L.A. basketball coach John Wooden, at the first squad meeting each season, even had his players practice putting their socks on. He demonstrated just how to do it: he carefully rolled each sock over his toes, up his foot, around the heel, and pulled it up snug, then went back to his toes and smoothed out the material along the sock’s length, making sure there were no wrinkles or creases. He had two purposes in doing this. First, wrinkles cause blisters. Blisters cost games. Second, he wanted his players to learn how crucial seemingly trivial details could be. “Details create success” was the creed of a coach who won ten N.C.A.A. men’s basketball championships.


Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/03/111003fa_fact_gawande#ixzz1b5FVj5wO

Omega and the Olympics

Omega continues its relationship with the 25th straight Olympics in London!! This picture was inspired by the adventures of Alex Cheng, the founder of Seagull, the North American distributor for Omega in the 1970s and 80s.