Go from burnt out to FIREd up.
My rationale for pursuing financial independence and reducing my clinical load (almost typed cynical load – what do you make of it, Dr. Freud?) has been largely to have more time for my family. I now realize this might be mistaken by readers to suggest that my family time is in some way more tolerable than theirs; that my children …
I may not sting like a bee, but I pride myself on my ability to float like a butterfly. That has less to do with my verbal adroitness or boxing skills than my ability to travel carry on and the pleasure out of proportion I take in packing light. FinCon18 will be my first finance blogger convention (I feel like …
I recently called every member of my physician group as part of an effort to incorporate feedback on a group policy I was trying to develop. I’m fortunate to work with folks I truly respect and admire, who collaborate and frequently ask one another to opine in challenging cases. In that spirit, I sought advice and suggestions from folks who …
Catching up on post from the excellent blog of Dr. Networth, I was pleased to discover an introduction to another fine Canuck from Ontario, Dr. Matt Poyner. Matt’s a fellow emergency physician, so I already feel we share some DNA. A year ago Matt had every reason to live a typical doctor life: home ownership, four young sons ages 7-11 …
A month ago, my wife headed over to a friend’s home for a book club for mothers from the local elementary school, leaving me on dad duty with the kids. I reached out to a fellow father in similar straits, and invited him to bring his kids over for a casual taco night and playdate at our place. After dinner, …
I was like every other dope fiend, mistaking sobriety for personal strength, when I walked back into my den of iniquity and tempted fate by activating all my bad habit triggers at once. My addiction was not to a chemical substance, but rather, to buying nice clothes and reliable gear at deep discount. With apologies to the Clash: I fought …
I graduated high school in the early 90s. Depending on your yardstick, I was too mathlete, too drama, too raised by parents who listened to Julio Iglesias, or too many other things to truly be immersed in the Wu Tang Clan during their heyday. The Tang of my childhood was associated with astronauts, not music. Despite the odds, a couple …
Today marks my 12th year of marriage. It’s our Silk Anniversary, according to those who would use our partnership milestone as a marketing opportunity for personal commercial gain. My wife is quirky – her mind runs at a mile a minute, and sometimes she can’t stop herself from analyzing a problem. She’s a perpetual optimizer and a master logistician. She …
I recently had the pleasure of a prospective, completely non-randomized and uncontrolled follow-up on a friend from my days in Boston, and it was a joy to discover the unusual path he’s taken. It went down like this: I reached out to an old friend from residency who’d disappeared off the face of the earth for a decade since attending …
A recent comment from a colleague in pediatrics began with the qualification, “I am a low-income physician…” As an amateur bird watcher, I take joy in the picturesque names that come with this hobby. Resplendent quetzal is a favorite; another is a Cuban term for a tiny hummingbird, pajaro mosca, which translates roughly to housefly bird. Low-income physician seems a …