A Year in Review - 2010

With a similar recap of my grand adventures from the year 2009 in picture form,

I'm proud to present:

"How I Spent My 2010!"

I have spent over 1 & 1/2 years living in Seattle, since moving from Norwood, OH and I still find myself getting into new adventures and getting out of mischief.

January 2010

Every good year starts off with the Resolution Run 5K here in Seattle!

For 2010, I wasn't feeling up for the actual run that morning, and for 2011, I'll be at work.  :-(

However, I still believe that if you're the first runner and you don't jump in the the water, then you afflictively lost the race.  

I did however eat their chili:

Seattle, while not the oldest city in Washington, still does have some interesting cemeteries, and Meetup.com is always good for a last minute random walk/urban hiking group:

Arthur Denny was the leader of the founders of Seattle. 

"Things I've Cooked" exploded with the first recipe I made from my New Orleans cookbook:  Crayfish Gumbo with Allison.  

Sara and I met and had several off and on months, filled with cooking, dancing, fishing (trying to), camping, etc. until ultimately deciding to part ways for good. 

"You'll see!"  One day we'll get that fishing down! 

February 2010

I saw the tallest light house in Seattle! 

 

While the lighthouse wasn't terribly impressive, the walk along beach was lovely!

Taking a break from work, both Anita and I beat Bruder, the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Seattle Children's Hospital, at bowling during residents' appreciation day! 

March 2010

Snuggie Bar Crawl!!!  for World Concern and donations for Haiti.

My first and so far, only trip to the Arboretum where I also met my friend Chae whom as been a great friend and a wonderful resource for bouncing relationship ideas off of:

April 2010

Trip to Portland, at the Chinese Garden:

Also, storm trooper at the Top Pot 5K (again a race I avoided, after pigging out on donuts pre-race!  Sorry Laura!)

May 2010

Great Urban Race in Washington, DC with my sister, Crystal! We place in the top 10% of the 500 teams competing this year!

After an all day race, Laura, Johna, Crystal, Io, and I decided to climb rocks and admire the Potomac River.

I rounded off the month by volunteering with UW's Digital Media Team for the Seattle Works Day and uploaded tons of photos and conducted interviews at several of the day sites:

June 2010

Who runs a race with a brief case? 

WE DO! 

It's not all fun and games, as we not forget about helping out in Haiti:

July 2010

I really thought there was going to be fireworks at the Firecracker 5K, midnight race!  Sorry to disappoint you, Laura (again) and Michael... :-(

August 2010

I found Northern Exposure! Cle Elem, WA conference:

Learned how to can for the first time too!

I'm also a super volunteer at Rebuilding Together Seattle and President of the Young Professional Society:

September 2010

Trip up through Deception Pass after a horse show:

Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett loves our pediatric hospitalist group so much that we were all invited to the "Doctors Prom!"  Thanks for being such great arm candy, Anita!

October 2010

Even Midnight likes to get dressed up too!

"Man being blown away by the wind" and "The US Debt."

November 2010

SPAIN!!!!!

Also the month of Movember and cookie baking! 

December 2010

Looking good at the Fred Hutch Gala:

Thanks for helping me put up and decorate my tree Sweetheart!

And lastly, "Have suspenders, will build gingerbread houses."

I hope that next year will be just as great!

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Alex

Christmas Through the Ages

There has been a tradition in my family where each each year my sister and I would receive one Christmas ornament that had some sort of special meaning for the previous year.  The thought being, when my sister and I moved away from home we would each have a starter collection for our own Christmas trees.

My Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Now, I've been living alone for a few number of years and still I continue to buy myself a yearly ornament.  Without further ado, (from left to right) I present Christmas Through the Ages:

The Early, Early Years.

1981 - Baby's first Christmas and a manger scene from the Lea's (our backyard Merrillville, IN neighbors.)

1982 - Picture of Santa framed in tooth pics and an Angle with symbols from the Lea's.

1983 - Frosty the Snowman and a caroler with a bell from... the Lea's.

1984 - Little boy riding a dove. (a dove?)

1985 - Wooden rocking horse and a red wooden sleigh (Rosebud).

The Christmas Tree Years.

1986 - A wooden tree with glued on stars and tinsel.  I probably made this in Kindergarten.

1987 - First grade school portrait photo and a rain dear that I tried to write my name, age, and year.

1988 - Handmade drum made from the top of spray paint can, random Santa, and another Christmas tree

1989 - Skates with paper clips and a present that plays Silver Bells (and has a Christmas tree on top).

1990 - Snowman in double wooden rings and... a Christmas tree (4th grade classroom project?).

The Skiing and Water Skiing Years.

1991 - Another rocking horse? (Found one that belongs to my sister that my mom tried to pawn off on me).

1992 - A little dog with a wreath for the year when I received Muffy as a pet.

1993 - Santa Skiing and a Christmas gerbil running on his wheel (random, I know!)

1994 - Speedy Gonzales skiing... a bear dressed as Santa wind surfing.

1995 - Santa and Mrs. Clause water skiing for the year that I learned how to water ski on Lake Hanska in Minnesota.

I'm not really sure if there is a theme for these years.

1996 - I love model trains, and I love to fish!

1997 - I think my mom slipped this one in b/c I was missing a year (plus it's stamped 2008 in plastic).

1998 - Leaving for college at Penn State, a year whole before graduating from high school.

1999 - Graduating from Franklin Regional High School and routing for Penn State!

2000 - A mouse sleeping in his "new home" for when Kathy welcomed me after my dad passed away that year, plus a computer to symbolize the computer I built from scratch.

The traveling years?

2001 - I must have learned how to ski really well that year.  I still like just the easy green circle slopes.

2002 - A plane to symbolize my trip to Japan with Allen, Dave, and Rob.

2003 - A lantern with a Thomas Kinkade painting (the same one hanging in Kathy's Bed and Breakfast), and a penguin with a scarf from my mom.

The Early, Adult Years.

2004 - Missing.... :-(

2005 - A blue ribbon that supports the Red Cross and the Katrina Relief project that I went to support, and a Delta Chi ornament for when I was inducted into University of Pittsburgh chapter.

2006 - Delta Chi for when I helped the University of Cincinnati's colony as their finance advisor, and a blue Santa with a graduation cap for the year I graduated from Temple University School of Medicine.

2007 - Mickey and Minnie from a great trip to WDW with Jamie

2008 - Santa on a turtle for my Caribbean Cruise, a random snowflake that I don't remember buying.

2009 - Amy's "I'm a real doctor now" ornament gift to me and a fat Santa that sings when you press his butt.

And if you ever forget why ornaments are important for children:

It's great to know that all those years and memories fit into a tiny cube!

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Alex