(Sunday Paper, Volume II, Issue 9)

I'm not much of a doctor guy.

I mean, I respect doctors. I just don't go to them.

I'm not one of those guys who gets sick and thinks, "I'd better see someone about this."

I'm more of a "Let's ride this out and see where it takes us" type of guy.

But I am aware I'm getting older and things happen and I should start seeing a doctor regularly.

So on Friday I had my annual physical.

Let's make this clear - it was more like a deca-annual physical. (Or whatever you call it when you haven't been in about ten years.) But from now on it'll be annual.

I know I saw a doctor back in 2003 or 2004...we were supposed to go before we got married. Then I think I went again back in 2007 or 2008. Both times were with different doctors. I had to go to the second guy again when I twisted my knee playing soccer against a bunch of 8th graders - that was probably in 2008 or so - and then nothing since.

But that doctor also left things very open-ended. He was like, "Yeah, I'll see you in like 5 years or so." And then I think he left that practice. And so here we were.

Usually Kathy pesters me about making sure I see a doctor. This time around - possibly because I am living such a solitary work life these days and I had too much time in my own head - I realized I had better get a doctor's visit on the books. So I made the appointment, then I fretted about it for a couple of months.

And then Friday at 11am came.

I went to a new building. (The practice had also moved.) I handed in some new paperwork. I filled out some new forms. I met my new doctor.

He gently scolded me for not having seen a doctor in so long. (That was a big part of what I was dreading. It was painless.)

All the uncomfortable things I was dreading didn't happen - I didn't have to pee in a cup. I didn't have to get naked. I learned about functions of the body that I wasn't quite clear on.

Everything sounds like it's in working order.

I love my new doctor.

Is it weird that I want to hang out with him? I think we could probably be buddies.

He might feel the same way. He was much clearer than my last guy about when I should come back.

He wants to see me again in a year.

Writing

*Handed in my 36 president bios on Friday morning. I really enjoyed that project. I had a checklist where I put a check next to the president after I wrote the bio and then I crossed off the name once I had proof-read what I wrote. The process was so familiar to me and I couldn't place where I had done something similar. Then I remembered it was how I used to approach writing student reports. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Comedy

*Had a great comedy week. Monday I was in Lowell and that was a great show. Wednesday I was able to get out to two open mics, and that's still rare but I'm hoping I can do it more. And then Friday night might have been my best set ever. Great crowd, great atmosphere...it was really, really fun.

Then Saturday night to top it all off I was able to check out two more shows in Boston I hadn't had a chance to get to in a while. Banner week.

What I've Been Enjoying

*Another podcast recommendation for you, this one coming straight from my brother and his girlfriend. It's called 'The Daily', and it's a quick bite-sized recap of the major news from the previous day, put out by the New York Times. It's a Monday through Friday podcast, each one runs only about 20 minutes, and it's usually out first thing in the morning. I usually listen to it while making and eating breakfast. We'll see how long I keep up with it, because the 'Baseball Tonight Podcast with Buster Olney' has also started coming back daily (also Monday through Friday, but more like 40-50 minutes at a time), and while I want to stay informed about the news......I sure do love my baseball. And I sure do listen to too many podcasts.

Notes

*So, should I be embarrassed at how long it's been since I've seen the doctor? I don't think it's that outrageous...but I also think there are men who go as much as twice a year. That's not for me.

*Finished up a Vitamin C container this weekend. The next one, though, has just 60. So at 2 a day...we'll see you next month. That's not very fun.

*Didn't love the warm weather this week. Wasn't ready for it.

*That warmth, coupled with the heavy rain Saturday night = no snow traces in my neck of the woods.

*Did have a great week though, with the kids home for vacation. Sometimes I feel like we waste a vacation and our time home together. I think this week as a family we really balanced work and play and the time we spent together. It was a great week off for the girls and I don't feel desperate to return to the work/school schedule (which I sometimes do after a vacation because I feel like I cheated the girls out of their home time and they'd be better off in school), but I feel ready for the regular schedule to resume.

*I'm also riding pretty high with the way comedy has been going lately and thankful for all the support. If you came here from somewhere other than the Facebook page, please give that page a like at www.facebook.com/johnsucich. Thanks for reading.