Introduction & Early Stages

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May 2003

Friday, May 09, 2003

At least one third of my life has been spent on an airplane these last few weeks. I’m returning back to Boston after spending the night in Atlanta. Also known as "Hotlanta". That’s where we met with orthopedic surgeons alongside Joe Namath at a lunch. But the big ticket item was last night, where we presented to over 90 rheumatologists, surgeons and internists. Joe and I are finally honing our humor to make some jokes work, even if it is to a room filled with physicians. This "kickoff" is how we formerly introduced CreakyJoints as part of the Arthritis Huddle team. The plan is to start approaching doctors with a CreakyJoints wellness message, a pain management program, and the healing partnership for doctors to promote and prescribe "us" to their patients. It will be good to come back to Atlanta in August, when we’re scheduled to do an even larger program for more doctors. Then a third time for the much-anticipated A-Games where everyone gets wet. Atlanta in August: should be fun. I’m looking forward to that about as much as a colonoscopy the night before.

I also got a chance to take advantage of the very reason I keep in touch with people, even though they’ve moved away. I got to meet up with someone who made a long day of travel (that started at 3 a.m.) and speeches worth it, even if it was only for a few hours of catching up. Friends are truly lost, but never ever forgotten.

And after being awake for 24 hours I finally crashed last night for a few hours. Ironic how my last week of college will be spent recuperating from all the work I’ve been doing.

Saturday, May 17, 2003

Today is the day I graduate college. Just like that, it’s all over. Hard to believe four years ago I started here at Babson, fresh out of high school. Even harder to believe is how much (or how little) I knew about the world then, compared to now. And what’s hardest to believe is the thought that in reality, I know very little about this world today. And I have a whole lifetime ahead of me to figure it out, despite the fact that it feels like an eternity is already behind me.

It’s not so much a time of sentiment as it is a time of crossroads. Graduating college is a green traffic light, allowing me to proceed as scheduled and work twice as hard doing what I love. No more worrying if I’ll miss an exam or be absent for a review session when scheduling a trip to Atlanta. But in reality, it was all worth the hassle. And the truth is I’ll always miss those exams.

I’ll say goodbye to a lot of people I won’t ever see again, which doesn’t bother me so much as knowing that I never got to know them in the first place. Just nods hello and goodbye, which in this case are limited to one or two more.

And then that’s it. Off to the Czech Republic and London, U.K. tomorrow morning, bright and early on the 8 a.m. flight out of New York. It’s the annual international conference of pain management specialists where we’ll have a chance to present to over 1,500 doctors from around the world and introduce CreakyJoints, the A-Games and the A-Walks. Who has time to be sad when less than 24 hours after graduation you’re in the Czech Republic?

But it’ll never beat a good college party.

Thursday, May 22, 2003

Usually when I’m on an airplane I’m depressed because it means more time on the road (which is read: more stress on the body), but this flight strikes as the occasion. Right now I’m somewhere over Dusseldorf or Frankfurt, on my way to London after spending the better part of a week in Praha, Czech Republic. In the last four days I have seen, heard, tasted and felt some really weird things. This came as no surprise because I was, after all, in a totally foreign place.

Luckily I was joined by 1,300 pain management specialists for a conference of international doctors who specialize in rehabilitation and pain management. I met doctors from over 74 countries which reasserted that pain is something that comes in all sizes, all races, societies, governments, or climates. What was so interesting was that the customs for treating patients differ from one country to another, so this was an opportunity to learn some of the customs that another culture might employ.

I also had a chance to get out and see a bit of Prague. As one of Europe’s only intact cities, it has the charm that allows you to eat in a 12th century restaurant with a drip from the roof and not mind getting wet at dinner. We joked because back in New York that would be grounds for a free meal, but since it only cost about US $10 (which was probably worth about $75), who could complain? It was the experience that counted.

And no trip is complete without a Sethism, and in this case it was asking a Czech waiter for the "check" after dinner. Without a clue why I asked a Czech for a check, he brought me a napkin, bringing my embarrassment and shame full circle.

London this weekend will be another eye-opener. I’m anxious to see just how closely we’re related to these folks, because our accents can’t be the only difference.

Friday, May 30, 2003

I’ve been home for nearly a week and it still hasn’t hit me that there’s nowhere to return to. I think what’s most scary about being out in the "real world" is that there are no more class schedules to dictate what I do. No more "spring weekends" or Thanksgiving vacations that I must plan around. Nope. Now it’s just the big holidays and that’s it. If I want to do something, I’ve got to make time to do it. I don’t have to worry about missing anything except my responsibilities of work, and my obligations with family. Everything else is up to me.

The way I’ve decided to handle it is not to look back. I can’t stop now and think about all the things I did growing up, the bands I played in, the spelling bee’s I competed in, the homework I never got around to doing in French class. One day I’ll sit down with my yearbooks and think about all the opportunities I had, and all the opportunities I missed. But now is the time I need to focus on my life, focus on my job, and focus on my goals.

In the fall I won’t have to pick 4 classes to take out of a choice of 20. I’ll have to pick any hobby I want out of a choice of unlimited options. I won’t have to make friends with the people at my school. I’ll make friends with the people of my community. The world awaits its change and I’m just getting started.