I know I'm hardly on the 'Cat these days, but I wanted to let those who would be interested know that on August 19 in Highland Park, Illinois, Jackie Pelavin and I were married in a small family ceremony.

Jackie is a urologist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, California, which is where I've been working as a developmental pediatrician since July 2005, after 11 years in Hawaii. She's been at Kaiser a few more years than I have--16 more, to be precise. We met at a wine tasting that was sponsored by the Physicians' Satisfaction and Wellness Committee (honest!). It's nice to know that after all the attempted fix-ups and online dating experiments, I finally met the love of my life the old-fashioned way.

We're living in Menlo Park, just north of Palo Alto, and I'm thoroughly enjoying life here. And I love having a wife who's also a friend, partner, confidant, companion...all the things marriage is supposed to be. Those of you who know what I mean...know what I mean.

Since I started my sojourn at Mudcat in the dark days of the end of my first marriage, it's only fitting that I share the good news here. I just now happened to click on a link to an old "What is Mudcat?" thread from 2000, and saw a raft of names of old familiar friends. This is a hell of a place, and you guys kept me alive and sane when I was all alone in the middle of the Pacific. Thanks.


In closing, to keep this a music thread and therefore above the line:

THE SECOND TIME AROUND (Kahn/Van Heusen)

Love is lovelier, the second time around
Just as wonderful, with both feet on the ground
Its that second time you hear your love song sung
Makes you think perhaps that love, like youth, is wasted on the young

Love's more comfortable the second time you fall
Like a friendly home the second time you call
Who can say, what brought us to this miracle weve found

There are those who'd bet
Love comes but once - and yet
I'm oh so glad we met
The second time around

Aloha,
Mark