Life-ies.

Watching Zack play flag football. #thedayhesaidilookedlikeacoolmom

I like hanging out with myself. Seriously. I do. I amuse myself. I think of certain things and laugh out loud all by myself. Other times I move myself to tears. 

Yup. 

I guess thats all a part of being friends with yourself, you know? Yeah, man. I think this is why I love a good selfie. Because for me, it's not so much about me thinking I look ultra cute or anything. I'm usually just spending time with me during a piece of my day. And whatever I'm feeling in the moment or thinking about prompts me to take my own picture. I know. Crazy right?

Well. I actually have quite the collection now. And for me, they remind me of little slices of my life. The extraordinary ordinary--which is pretty much how I describe it.  In fact, I told my friend the other day, "I call them 'life-ies" because they have a way of chronicling my life for me.

Today I looked at my collection and it made me feel happy. Here's a few slices that you've probably seen before, but oh well. Here they are again. 

With hashtags.

Why, you ask? Why not?

#redcupseason #peppermintsoylatteextrahot #cutemanicure

#youonlysmoketwocigsperweekhuh #umyeahokay

#girlyoulooktired #somebodyhadjustsaidthattome #butreallyiwasjustmissingmysister

#atlantaskyline #youcanfindmeintheA #pitstopduringgeorgiahalfmarathon

#magentareaders #whatsnottolike

#wasrememberingmysissy #andlaughcryingatthesametime

#whenapatientkeepsontalking #butyouhavetogo #butyoudontbecuasethatsrude

#wasfeelingproud 

#averycoolday #thedayididmyJAMAreading #iwashappy

#boldlipday #fornoreason

#hadjustinterviewed3blackstudents #wasfeelinglikeimwhereimsupposedtobe

#ladyvomickingontheplane #rightnexttome #thewholetime #eeweeweeeew

#oneofmyfaves #ihadjustlostapatient #butitwasadeathwithdignity

#shenanigans

#hotasfishgrease #decidedthatdaytoneverdoasummerhalfmarathonagain

#footballmama #mighkickyoazz #donttryme

#inthezone #learnerbreakthrough #feelingawesome

#walkingintoanewday #feelinggrateful

#hangingwithmyfirstborn #alwaysagoodtime

#thatmomentwhenyoufinishyourlongrun #theoneyoudidntwanttodo

#VIPattheoutkastconcert #oneenchantedevening

#HBCUhomecomingweekend #perfecthomecomingweather #proudtuskegeegirl

#afterroundsonasunday #realizingthatgradyischurch

That's all I've got for now. Night night.

***

Happy Friday.

Mirrors.

"It's like you're my mirror--my mirror staring back at me."

~ Justin Timberlake

Students who have real, true support win. This is critical for all students--but is especially necessary for underrepresented minorities and women. My fellow Grady doctor Stacy H. and I celebrated that today with three of our recent Emory medical school graduates.

And you know what?

It was magical.

Man. These are the moments that give us wings. Because supporting you supports me.

Damn. I'm just glad to be here.

Yeah.

***
Happy Hump Day.

Now playing on my mental iPod. . . .

Life in Pictures and Hashtags: Commencement '15

"Work is love made visible."

~ Kahlil Gibran

_______________________________________________

This year I came armed with Raybans.

#brightfuturescallforshades #sodotears #ialwayscryeveryyear

My sole survivor from SG Beta. Love her with my entire heart. I just get her.

#thebestisyettocome

The one who makes me weepiest.

#wanttokeepherinmypocket

They sit us side by side every year. Bad idea.

#shenaniganseverysingleyear #rolemodelstho #laughterisgoodmedicine #smizing #wefierce

I'm usually still just happy on this part. The water works come later.

#cantyoufeelthejoy #proudmoment #mybabies

It's surreal to know your students since the first day of medical school and then watch them march in to be hooded as bona fide physicians. And by surreal I mean awesome.

#smallgroupgamma #feelsliketheyjustgothere

One of the best people I know.

#goodtothecore #ifigetsickcalldrgeigerstat

This is what strength looks like. 

#youseetheglory #iknowthestory #mdphD #prouddaughter

You know how you wish for your babies to grow up and fall in love with someone wonderful? It's even better when you, too, love the wonderful person your baby falls in love with.

#ultimatepowercouple #allyoucouldwant #laurenrules

Ever meet someone with such excellent manners that you think they're pulling your leg? But then find out that they just happen to actually be a kind soul and nothing gives? Oh, you haven't? You need to meet Dr. Lockwood. For reals.

#professionalismpersonified #heartofplatinum

Nettie told Miss Celie, "Nothing but death could keep me from it." She was speaking of her love for her sister. That also goes for my colleague Cliff and his small group advisees. 

#resilience #dedication #ultimaterolemodel

I love seeing my friends all dressed up in regalia. I am particularly fond of Wendy's Harvard crimson. 

#swanky #theyknewtogivethattosomeonelikewendy #youcouldnttellmenothingifihadthatregalia #wouldgetamatchingboldlipandWERKit

Love this one.

#expectgreatthings #callherifdrgeigerisnotthere

And so it begins.

#nowaterworksyet

Wait for it. . . .

#justatinybitverklempt

I've known them since the first day of orientation, remember?

#fadingfast

#tryingtoholdittogether

Yeah. By this point it was a wrap. Bless my heart.

#thedeansareusedtoitnow #lookatdeanlarsen #healmostsmackedme 

This.

#theirswaggerismickjagger

THESE two proud parents (Dr. and Dr. Umpierrez) hooded their older daughter last year and (my advisee) their youngest daughter Erica, this year. Both honor society inductees and student leaders. Pretty much a big deal family. Ummm. . yeah. Pretty much.

#youcouldnttellmenothinifiwasthem #howbossisthat #BOOM #thatsthemicdropping

See? If Wendy had known she was going to win the highest teaching award at Emory--The Evangeline Papageorge Distinguished Teaching Award--she might have gone for that matching bold lip I was talking about. Ha. Her parents (from Michigan), her best friend (from Pittsburgh), and her children (uh, they live with her) surprised her. It was so awesome.

An added cool thing? Shanta sent her parents the link to a blog post I wrote about the meaning of that award. None of it was lost on any of them which, I think, made it even more pivotal for them. Her dad said, "I'm indescribably proud." I can't think of a cooler thing to hear a parent say.

#welldeserved #aboss #smartestpersoniknow #wewereproudtoo

Women need women friends. Shanta (the Profesora in Pittsburgh) is a die hard true friend whose loyalty defies description. She rules.

#hugsthatspeakvolumes #shecamefrompittsburgh #andgotherparentstherefrommichigan

A proud advisor selfie. For no reason. I'm certain someone was going to smack me here.

#becauseImhappy #donthate #imabloggerremember

This. This is why I always take photos.

#yougoglenncoco #feelinggroovy

And this. Hands down my favorite image of the entire day. If it doesn't make you happy, something is seriously wrong with you. Trust me, I'm a doctor.

#joyonathousandtrillion

More of my favorite super girl.

#acuteonchronicpride

This woman, Dr. Cathy M. makes me think of this awesome quote from the student commencement speaker, whose powerful speech brought us all to tears:

"We now know that mentorship is just a fancy name for friendship with adults."

~ Shreya Rao, MD, EUSOM '15

Becoming one of her mentors felt divine. 

#yesthis #bestquoteever #outofsightneveroutofmind

And it's never official until we get that last "mean mug."

#asmallgrouptradition #SGgamma

Bonus images:

These two gifts given to me by my graduating small group advisees in 2013 and 2015 exemplify why we all go so hard. This is what happens when we leave it all on the field. Thank you Dan. . .and thank you Anand for remembering Dan's story. . .  and then for destroying my mascara with this kind, kind gesture.

#alwaysastorybehindtheglory #firstchoicePenn

#bestmomentever #dejavu #firstchoiceUW #gohardorgohome

#bestjobever

***

Happy Commencement. Coming in July: Small Group Epsilon. Wow.

And as is tradition for every one of my graduating small groups, here is a 2 and a half minute journey through the last four years with them--courtesy of the Beatles (duh.) Once again, it's been a dream.

Small Group Gamma from Kimberly Manning on Vimeo.