#65: I'M BACKKKKKK!
what I've been up to during my 9-month hiatus from your inbox
The past 9 months of radio silence was unexpected. As someone who’s goal this year was to be consistent with my writing and this newsletter, I can’t believe I blinked and it’s been almost 9 months since I’ve written an essay.
I’ve been wanting to come back for some time now, but quite frankly felt overwhelmed trying to rehash all this time I’ve missed. Every time I sat down to write I physically couldn’t even start. It’s kind of like when you know you have a 10 page paper to write, or 10 loads of laundry, or you’ve just let something sit and pile up and it’s easier to just wait another week or month instead of actually face the massive load that you’ve been putting off. That was me with this newsletter. Oof! So, to make this more manageable in my brain, I’m going to give a quick run-down of the past 9 months. I’m going to try to upload pictures, but if it doesn’t work I’m not going to bang my head against a wall, delete everything, and wait another month to post. Nope, we’re just going to do this imperfectly and just start.
For those of you who know me, you know I love writing and reflecting so thankfully, I’ve been still doing this outside of this newsletter. But instead of my writing, reflecting and time being poured into this, it’s been poured into my Narrative Medicine certificate program. Last we talked, I was just starting this online at Columbia University. Now at this point that I’m writing, I’m over half way through my program and about to head to an in-person seminar weekend in NYC. Diving into Narrative Medicine has been an enormous joy, and honestly, has been everything I thought and hoped it would be. It’s interesting, challenging, identifying, convicting, and simply incredible. The practice of Narrative Medicine- of deep listening, narrative curiosity, and storytelling- has made me a smarter, more empathetic, and more curious individual. It has helping me stay near to people. It encourages radical listening and creative connection. It has reiterated the importance of patient centered care and has allowed me to reimagine what a clinical encounter and clinical relationship can look like. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the program has in store, and I am geeking out that in a few short weeks I get to meet my wonderful classmates in person!! Pinch me.
So what have I been up to this year?
February
My parents visited me in Texas for two weeks! They did come on the coldest week since 1932, but after that crap, it was 50 and beautiful. We visited San Antonio for the first time as well and walked the beautiful River Walk. I loved it. The perfect 2-3 day visit, no more no less. They made home cooked meals every night and I got to just come home, walk to their Airbnb and just hang out. I haven’t been able to do that in like a decade. It was the greatest!!!!
March
Visited my best friend in Chicago and met her new little baby for the first time! Typically when I visit my friend, I walk into their house and her husband is holding a surprise shot and we all have to take one and that’s how we start our weekend. But this time, instead of a surprise shot of alcohol, I rounded the corner in the kitchen to come face to face with her new 3 month old son and I wept because he is PERFECT and also because it is jolting (and a gift) to go through so many different stages of life with the same friends.
Went to Cabo with some of our friends. Stayed at the fanciest resort I’ve ever seen (they actually went to the same one on Love Island). It was incredible. 100/10 amazing. We visited the city, ate at a killer Mexican restaurant, drank incredible margaritas, laid by the pool, wore summery clothes in March, and just relaxed. My husband and I rarely go on “relaxing” vacations and I don’t know why, because it’s dreeeaammmyyy. While we were there, my dad flew to Texas and babysat Piper, our puppy. They bonded and have never looked back<3
April
Hosted a sweet baby shower for my friend in Dallas. It was so special!
Glamped with friends in the middle of nowhere Texas. Got to watch Piper run with the big dogs. Only ticks found were on me (of course).
May
Went to Minnesota for Mother’s Day. Found out that my brother and sister in law are pregnant. Screamed from excitement! Then found out that they are pregnant with identical twin girls. Due in mid October. SCREAMED WITH EXCITEMENT!
Spoke at a public health conference !! Dream come true. I got to chat about our team’s research at the Texas Public Health Association conference. I forgot how nervous public speaking makes me, but it’s always good to flex those muscles here and there so it went great. Packed house, standing room only. Highly recommend doing something you love, and making yourself nervous roughly once a year by talking about it to a giant group of strangers.
Celebrated Piper turning One! Yes, I bought her gifts and a birthday hat.
Said goodbye to one of my best friends as she moved from Dallas to NYC. Proceeded to be insanely sad and jealous.
Went to the Avril Lavigne concert with one of my best friends in NYC. At first I was like “I can’t believe I know 20 songs of Avril Lavigne’s” and then I realized it was her Greatest Hits tour and understood. Every single person in the sold out Madison Square Garden stadium I kid you not, knew every single word to every single song and it was outrageously fun. Wearing a choker for the first time in like 20 years was fun too.
June
Met my friends little baby for the first time. And she slept on my chest and I swear babies sleeping on your chest could create world peace. An angel! The most perfect baby! Watching your friends become parents is one of the most fun things in the world.
Went to my first gay-club experience for PRIDE month with my friend and saw David Archuleta perform. He is phenomenal in person holy sh*t!
Said another teary goodbye to my best friend as we packed up her entire apartment and she moved to LA. Sad for me!! Happy for her!!
Paid a lot of money to purchase WNBA tickets to watch the Dallas Wings (Paige Bueckers) take on the Indiana Fever (Caitlin Clark) only to have CC get injured and not play. Devastating. Watching Paige still play, as a fellow Minnesota girlie, was definitely a highlight though. I have the biggest crush on her and can only hope to be 1% as cool as her.
July
Spent the Fourth of July at a friend’s lake house and have never been happier? I swear, living by/on water makes me a better person. Watching Piper paddle in the lake wasn’t so bad either, and she had a cute little handkerchief necktie thing that was adorable<3
Went to Newport, Rhode Island for the most chill, hilarious, stunning, perfect bachelorette weekend for one of my best friends. It was everythingggg and more. God it’s fun being a girl.
August
Signed up for the HYROX fitness event in Dallas with my friend. We will be competing in the Women’s Doubles Division and I legit, can’t think of a better person to do this with or better timing. It is 100% what I know my body and mind needed and we are so excited to compete again.
Hosted the sweetest baby shower for my brother and sister-in-law in Minnesota. My mom and I had way to much fun with the theme (Two Little Sprouts On The Way) and went all out because hello, MY BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW ARE HAVING IDENTICAL TWIN FRICKEN GIRLS! My heart is bursting.
Went to the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in 5 years. Fun fact, the Minnesota State Fair is the second largest state fair only to Texas, in the United States. But, if you look, Minnesota brings in about 2 million visitors over 12 days, while Texas brings in 2.2-2.5 million visitors in 24 days. 2 million visitors for Minnesota is about 1/3 of the entire state’s population, while 2.5 million people is less than 1/10 of Texas’s population. What I’m trying to say is, the Minnesota State Fair is the best state fair in the country. Hands down. You should visit if you can.
My best friend bought her dream-forever house and I got to go spend an evening sipping wine and imaging what life will be like for her. Yes, the same friend who used to give me shots but now greets me with her baby. Yes, the same friend who was my Maid of Honor and sent me presents when I studied abroad in London and picked out prom dresses with me and played in treehouses with me and swung on the swing set with me when we were 6 years old.
Went out to see my other best friend in LA for the first time since she dramatically left me in Texas!! Just kidding. She lives in the cutest neighborhood that is a 10 minute drive to the ocean. It was the sweetest 3 days hiking, thrifting, chatting, getting lost, doing silly things, hugging each other, and wanting to throw her alarm clock out the window because she lets it ring for 15 minutes. Ah, brought us back to our college days. I really do, miss living 10 minutes from her.
September
My husband graduated from his MBA. Praise the good lord above! I’m so proud of him, but I think he is just so grateful to be done he’s ready to move on with our life. Which I can get behind. Onward and upward!
Surprised my best friend by coming to see her in Minnesota for 24 hours. This is the friend that flew from Hawaii to surprise me in Texas! And the friend that gave me the sweetest home-made purse. And always picks up my happy and sad phone calls. The same one who would scooter around our neighborhood as kids, and go to the park with me, and created flower crowns with me when we were 5 years old. A gift.
My other bestie got engaged to her bestie! The pictures make me teary eyed every time. They are the two best girlies I know and that wedding is going to be the wedding of the century. Let’s go lesbians!!!!
I got to stand by my twin flame’s side as she married her high school sweetheart. Out of all the weddings I’ve been to, I couldn’t look at the bride without my jaw dropping to the mf ground. She was absolutely breath taking. And the venue? A museum! Yep, like cocktail hour was amongst the art. Coolest thing I’ve ever done.
My husband went to University of Arkansas and I went to the University of Notre Dame. For the first time ever, the two teams played each other. So we hosted friends and family for a massive tailgate in Arkansas. Thank god, Notre Dame won and I get to have household bragging rights for at least a few years.
October plans? Still quite a lot. To round out our 4/6 trips in Sept and Oct, we will be going back to Arkansas for a little party, and then to North Carolina to watch my husband officially graduate from his MBA.
We will then be leaving our apartment that we’ve been in for 5 years (!) and starting a new adventure in Dallas ;)
I can’t wait to welcome my two twin nieces soon, write and publish our research paper, complete HYROX, move, and continue to gush over Piper. She continues to be the most perfect, cutest, silliest, best puppy in the whole wide world. We love her to pieces. So much so that I might just add a little “Piper Pupdate” to this newsletter just to grace you with her weekly cuteness.
It’s good to be back.
It’s wonderful to recap this year.
I’m excited to write more and share with ya’ll.
I hope the past few months have been what life should be- equal parts exciting and challenging. The normal ebbs and flows of this wonderful terrible life.
And if the world feels heavy right now (which it does), let me just say, I hope you take care of yourself and take care of each other. I hope for the life of you, for all of us, we can stay close to it. And stay close to each other.
As always, I’m rooting for you.
Until next time,
xoxo
Marisa
1. Started Season 49 of Survivor. LET’S GO.
2. Watched the movie Earth Mama for my Narrative Medicine class. 100/10 recommend.
3. What should Piper be for Halloween??
4. My favorite Amazon purchases have been this and this and this and this.
5. Read all 4 books in Elsie Silver’s Rose Hill series and they were cute and perfect.
6. I’m trying to catch up on the Golden Bachelor, Love Is Blind, and Dancing With the Stars. So I’m booked and busy over here.
Thank you for being here. Your readership, encouragement, and curiosity mean more than you know.
Everything about this is SO unbelievably fun and beautiful!! I love it!!