Dr. Schafer goes to Washington

 - To educate our congress about pediatric dental care without asking for extension of entitlement programs

 - To learn about important issues surrounding my career and show the residents to do the same!

- To meet Pat Tiberi and Sherrod Brown in person! Both the Congressman and Senator were friendly, smart and polite, despite probably getting about 4 hours of sleep the night before. 

- To hang out with my friends, Annie & Rusty & Bonnie

- To see Annie's SPECTACULAR 8th-floor glamorous dental office

- To enjoy the cherry blossoms and blue skies

Through all of this, I can't help think how much I wish Jeremy was here to enjoy and experience Washington, DC, too. I can't wait until we can see this city together. Jeremy has done much to shape my political beliefs and educate me on how our country runs. And, in return, I have taught him how important vegetables are in your diet. That's how we roll. 

Pictures to come! 

Urban Life at its Best!

My friends Homa and Megann and I had a whirlwind, wonderful trip to New York last weekend! We buzzed in and buzzed out in less than 36 hours...my feet HURT on the plane ride home, but it was a really good pain; I have so many special memories now. A girls weekend out on the town...the weather perfect, the cocktails cold, and the company superb. Did I mention the exorbitant amount of shellfish we ate? Or Times Square at night? Or great talks with great friends? No? Okay another time...

Also, its official: new camera takes AMAZING pictures and is certainly worth lugging it around like a crazy blogging tourist.  

Wow, I'm out of breath from all this fun! 

For your enjoyment: 

Rockefeller Center...the statue positively GLOWED in the springtime sun...

...the original Saks Fifth Avenue...

...the incomparable Carnegie Hall...

...the storied Waldorf=Astoria, where we laid our heads for a few hours' sleep...divine...

...the Russian Tea Room and obligatory yellow taxis...

...Megann in profile and Central Park...we loved spotting cool urban children and urban pets...

...the lights of Radio City...

...the top of 30 Rockefeller...yes! The same building from the show...

...view from the top of 30 Rock...the Empire State...

...and the park and Upper West Side...just look at all the skyscrapers!

But, the best view of all was this guy's smile, just after his great piano performance at Carnegie Hall. 

Dr. Ted Huter was one of my orthodontics instructors at Nationwide Children's Hospital during my residency. He is retired from private practice in Kettering, Ohio. We became friends due to our mutual admiration of Dorothy Lane Market, Boston Stoker Coffee, his kind wife, Elizabeth, and his sweet granddaughter, Katie--she was my patient under his tutelage. He also gives great life and career advice. Ask me how I know. 

At Carnegie Hall Dr. Huter played a duet with his son, Steven, as part of a lovely concert put on by the Larchmont Music Academy. The Academy is owned and operated by Steve, Steve's wife, Claudia, and several other talented musicians. The concert included Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Seans, children of all ages, and lots of kid-friendly fun and games. It was the only time we ladies sat down the whole trip, it seemed.

I remember when I was a resident, Dr. Huter showed me a picture of him playing at Carnegie Hall with his son. I thought, "If he ever does something like that again, I'm going to go see him."

And I did. Its nice when your dreams work out. 

Hope we didn't make you too nervous, Dr. Huter. It was amazing and you are the best.

The Nicest Compliment Ever

You know how I only cry when I'm happy?

Last Friday at work, one of my fellow attendings said this to me:

"Kara, you're the kind of person that will get all misty just when you overhear someone saying, 'warm chocolate chip cookies' or something like that..."

I just love that idea. 

:)

Let Me Call You Sweetheart...

Do you love Valentine's Day? I DO!

I love...

...closeup pictures of my roses with my new camera... 

...homemade chocolate lava cakes (aphrodisiac!!)...

...and hubby with roses, cookies, and a giant singing balloon!

 Tune: You're Still The One by Orleans...classic!

I also love watching other people get spoiled by their valentines! Here's my friend Susan, a lovely and talented dentist, enjoying her SINGING TELEGRAM!  This lovely couldn't have happened to a nicer lady, either. The quartet sang for everyone at the dental clinic. For a moment, all the busyness of the clinic came to a halt, and everyone enjoyed the beautiful a cappella music...it brought me to tears (I only cry when I'm happy)!  The quartet was nice enough to sing a few tunes in the waiting room for the kids after Susan's show. How nice.

On Sunday, Jeremy and I saw a showing of  "Sixteen Candles" at the Paramount Arts Theater in Ashland, Kentucky.  Ironically enough, another a cappella group, "the Ashland Singing Colonels" performed for the audience. Also super cool. They closed with "Barbara Ann" by the Beach Boys. Amazing. Such random acts of kindness by these talented singers!! 

The Dyson's Maiden Voyage

So among other things this cold, sicky, sleety weekend, Jeremy and I ventured out to spend the last of our wedding giftcards. While last weekend we made a trip to fabulous Crate & Barrel for the same reason, this weekend we found ourselves at the slightly less sophisticated but equally useful Lowe's, in South Point, Ohio. 

On the docket: One Dyson Vacuum

You know the Dyson vacuum guy from TV? Who schlepps his yellow, over-styled, Flowbee-esque vacuum with that sexy British accent: 

"Its the first vacuum that never looses suction. Evah."

Dreamy. So, as I have been jonesing for the Dyson for years now, and am finding myself in charge of a two-and-a-half story home with lots of carpeting, I felt perfectly justified in the purchase.

Jeremy? Not so much. Though I gave him fair warning ("This is an expensive vacuum, Jeremy...its like the Mercedes-Benz of vacuums..."), after looking at the hefty price tag, he felt the sudden need to take a load off on a nearby demo barstool. At least it wasn't a commode. 

Much to my delight and with only a sprinkle of sarcasm, darling hubby greenlighted the purchase anyway, and I spent Sunday lovingly vacuuming the whole house.  With a smile on my face. I even moved the dining room table chairs to get under the table and everything. What pleasure I take in menial tasks these days.

I think I need to get out more. 

A Tuesday Prayer.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Saint Francis of Assisi (Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone; 1181/1182 – October 3, 1226) was a Catholic deacon and the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the Franciscans. He is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment, and one of the two patrons of Italy (with Catherine of Siena), and it is customary for Catholic churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on the feast day of October 4.

My Husband is Very Smart

I read in the paper on Sunday that Ohio received a 564-million dollar federal grant for new rail system. I'd read about this possibility over a year ago, and have been excited about it ever since. 

See, I love trains. It all started when my mom took little 7-year-old me on a train trip from the now-defunct Lima, Ohio, Amtrak station to Union Station, Chicago.  I'll never forget having an early morning donut, waiting for the train with my parents in the cold, and being sad as the train drove away with dad waving goodbye from the platform. 

Now we just get to say goodbye as we enter the security line. Not nearly as emotional.

Then, I'll never forget all the trains I've taken with my friend, Rusty, in Washington, DC. One night we rode the trains very late home, he in a tux and me in ball gown, from his ritzy Department of Defense Christmas party. We were running, running, running (in heels, no less), to catch a connecting train at the Metro Center, and I slid and busted my shin against the escalator stairs. It hurt, but with all the excitement, I didn't mind at all.

Then there was the time Jeremy and I caught the train from the Red Sox game back downtown with all the Boston locals--rowdy, spirited, and a maybe little too much like that one SNL skit with Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch as Boston teen lovers. And I quote, 

Boston Local Guy (to Jeremy  me): Do you guys wanna be on TV tomorrow?

Jeremy (confused): Um, no, why?

Boston Local Guy: Because you're going to get interviewed by the news tonight about the murder you're about to see.  (As he begins to break up the fight between his buddy from his buddy's girlfriend)

Ahh trains...

So, Ohio received this big grant, and I'm pumped. There will be passenger rail connecting Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Alas, Ironton loses out again.  

I bring it up over Sunday coffee. And Jeremy says (in one breath) (I paraphrase):

"Kara, first of all, this is not free money. It has already come off the backs of taxpayers. Is this sustainable? Has anyone thought about that? Who is going to ride this train? Business people? How many people leave Columbus for Cleveland every day for a meeting? 10? 100? Who don't want to or have to drive for another reason? Even if you want to take the train, what if there is only one train departing for Cleveland at 7:30am, and your meeting is at 8? Its not like there will be a train every 7 minutes like in DC. And then, when no one takes the train, who will be left with this huge government entity and no sustainability? Almost every public train system in the US exists with government subsidy. It will never bring in enough funds to pay for itself."

Then he took a smug sip of his coffee. 

This brought up a memory of another point I learned on NPR awhile ago: The Final Destination Problem. How, without well-integrated busing or cab systems, do you get from the train station to your final destination? You may have to walk over a mile to the nearest bus stop, or take a cab that will add considerable costs to your $18 Cincinnati-to-Cleveland ticket. 

Hmm...okay, so now my excitement for Ohio trains is not chugging along so briskly. 

But if they added an Ironton stop...?