We’re Moving to Durham, NC

I’ve known about this for several weeks now, but I’ve been waiting until a more opportune time to make the announcement:

We’re moving from Huntsville to Durham, North Carolina.

We’ve been here for 15 years, so this has been a very difficult decision for me to make. The boys have grown up here and our family has put down deep roots. But Duke made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

I’ve always known in my heart that my destiny was somehow tied to Duke University, so imagine how I felt when I heard the athletic department was searching for a team optometrist to provide cutting-edge eye care to their “student athletes.” I interviewed for the job a few months ago along with some of the top sports optometrists in the country, and somehow they chose me. I think it might have been the fact I know which is better, one or two and bleed Blue Devil Blue that put me over the top. That letter of reference from Christian Laettner probably didn’t hurt any either.

I’m looking forward to working with Coaches K and Cutcliffe and the rest of the Duke staff in making sure that all the Blue Devils are 20/20 and then some. I’ll be providing a valuable service and will be in the middle of the action, reinserting their contact lenses and treating the corneal abrasions that sometimes occur in the middle of a heated contest. I mean, who would argue with the fact that the entire men’s basketball team is in dire need of a refraction after bricking their last 15 shots against West Virginia?

It took us a while to work out the compensation package, and although it’s a 50% reduction in my present salary, I do get 2 season tickets to all men’s home basketball games plus a national championship ring when they finally get around to winning #4. I think food, housing and gasoline have been greatly overrated anyway.

Anyway, you guys are the first to know–I haven’t even told them at work yet. Heck, I haven’t even told the family. But I know they’ll be thrilled just like you are.

I just want you to know that as far as the blog goes, nothing will change. Same old deep thinking, straight talking Eyeguy, just like always.

Well, gotta go–the men’s lacrosse team has gone on another bender and is having trouble finding the back of the net. See you on SportsCenter.

Go Duke. GTHC.

13 Comments

  1. That Girl

    Happy April Fool’s Day to you, too!

    Go Tar Heels!

  2. greg

    Thought maybe you’d be taking Taylor King’s spot…

  3. klb8s

    Hey Mike, if this is for-real and NOT a 4/1 prank, please drop me a line. I’m in the news office at Duke, and always looking for scientist/bloggers. See research.duke.edu/category/voices

    karl.bates@duke.edu – no foolin’!

  4. ME

    I’ve got a presidential impersonators conference in Durham in June. See you there.

    Caveman? Give me a break…

  5. Hal

    Hmmm. I notice that you’re taking a 50% pay cut on April Fool’s day. You actually had me up until you mentioned the championship ring.

  6. Mike the Eyeguy

    I can assure you all that the publishing of this post on April Fool’s Day is merely a coincidence.

    ME–consider it a compliment. I wish had enough hair that people would mistake me for one.

    Karl, my man, let’s do lunch.

  7. tarwater

    Now that is just very exciting I must say.

    I had a brother in law that was chaplain to the Chicago Cubs. Another nice gig, but not nearly so much as yours.

    Extremely well done!

    Tallyho

  8. Mike the Eyeguy

    I don’t know, chaplain to the Cubs sounds like a tough gig to me.

    He probably has to field a lot of “why do bad things happen to good people?” kinds of questions from the players.

  9. Albedo0.39

    Did I ever mention my run on the beach?

  10. Mike the Eyeguy

    Yes, I think you did. What a classic.

  11. Donna

    I thought for one brief moment I had neglected the blogs too long. Hope your day was filled with foolishness….

  12. Hal

    Well, if this was a serious post, then congratulations are in order. I hope you find that the grass in Durham is, indeed, greener. Are you really eligible for a championship ring??

    Does #1 son’s residency status change when his parents move out of state? I hope the move will not affect his financial package/scholarship.

    BTW, when you announce it at work DON’T use the Optometry VISN group address. 🙂

  13. Mike the Eyeguy

    This is so suhweet!

Comments are closed.