Relationships in med school pt 2: Monday Nights

After a long day, Katie deals with her problems by talking through her day.

After a long day, I need to shower and get away from the world.

smile

One of the top 3 interesting things about marriage is that you learn an incredible amount about what makes a person tick, which is sometimes.. challenging.  It’s been an ongoing learning process for Katie and I to work with each other’s extroverted/ introvertedness.  One thing that’s really helped me is my Monday nights.  

Back in Portland, Monday night was my Sabbath.  I wouldn’t plan any social occasions, I’d come home early from work, and even Katie wasn’t allowed to talk to me.  I’d get completely absorbed in myself.

During my Monday nights these are the top 4 things that produce a holy feel:

4) Drink beer – A beer definitely takes the edge off, and leaves me just uninhibited enough to write something interesting.

3) Shower – There’s something holy about showering.  It probably has something to do with feeling clean, especially in humid Charleston where I always feel sticky. I prefer to shower at least twice a day, up to six per day. 

i need running buddies

2) Working out – After a long day it's a relief to blow off some steam.  I've been trying to analyze the benefits of cardiovascular vs strength training on stress.  I generally side with cardio for stress relief, but within cardio - should I go hard?  How hard?  Elliptical?  Run?  


Sidenote - I’d love to get back into running.  I should make it one of my goals in med school to pick up a running buddy.

1) Writing - Writing ranges from a self-absorbed waste of time - to a a cheap form of stress-relief/therapy - up to a surreal experience. It's like going to a place in another dimension, shaking hands with God, then coming back to communicate it to the world.  Most of the time I'd say it's a waste of time.

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I imagine getting back on the learning curve of school will drain on all the multiple facets of my life, so I’m trying to accumulate as many sanity-maintaining habits as possible.  I consider it one of the top responsibilities in marriage to take care of myself and stay sane.  These Monday nights are a prime example.

See you on the other side,

from ken