Coronavirus, year 2. We’re ending on a sour note, in contrast to the burgeoning promise from last year’s end. I got my first Moderna vaccine dose on 12/31/20 and with it the hope we’d never see a crushing spike in cases again. Depressing that this is the new normal, huh? That this blasted virus can roll around and just ruin plans over and over again. I especially feel for my emergency medicine, internal medicine, and family medicine colleagues who continue to bear the burden of the pandemic on behalf of all of us. Not just in the realm of the hospital, but on behalf of the country as a whole. Thanks, guys.

All right, here’s my annual habit of public reflections. Not much to say.

Radiology

Firstly, I officially declare my radiology class the best class.

This year, I crossed over from the first half of residency, both in the frame of my Sinai radiology residency (2.5/4 years) and my training as a whole (3.5/6-7 years). I’m now fairly authoritative on call with my dictaphone, and boy did I have a lot of call this calendar year: 11 of 52 weeks on late or night call shifts. I don’t mind that much. I am amongst the residents most likely to hang out in the hospital just because.

I’ve been so lucky to work with one of the world’s preeminent pediatric neuroradiologists. My case log has grown to near a critical mass, now diverse enough to have teaching cases for a large percentage of residency-relevant body and neuro pathology. I’m deep in the lab on several talks/presentations. It’s thrilling to don my teaching hat once more. It’s been eight years since I was last in front of the chalkboard!

I’m about to interview for neuroradiology fellowships for 2023-2024. Wish me luck.

Travel

Katie and I vacationed in Hawaii for two weeks. Check out the recap here. It was thrilling and varied trip made diverse by muddy hikes, beach walks, regional foods, and a great big volcano. The famed Na Pali coast in northwest Kauai delivers on its promise. A memorable — albeit nauseating — helicopter ride put it on full display.

After more than a year of holding steady in quarantine, I finally got to see my family again in June. Back in California, we got to meet the newest member of the Hung family: my niece! Katie and I took two days for a quick road trip down to Big Sur and Monterey. Naturally, we stopped by the aquarium.

Life

In the kitchen, Katie and I still manage to cook the majority of meals. This is true even after she has returned to the office. The only dedicated cooking experimentation I had was soymilk, which now I enjoy drinking nearly weekly. Katie is continuing her exploration of bean-to-bar chocolate, which you can find at katiequan.com.

As for music, this is the lightest year for production in a while.

In the realm of games: Katie and I try out two or three crosswords a week. It keeps our vocabulary fresh. We continued to train our backgammon skills, though perhaps with less dedication than in prior years. Katie’s friend Dylan introduced me to Spirit Island, which I have enjoyed tremendously.

And, biggest of all, Katie and I are engaged!

Cheers to holding onto hope for 2022.