I missed my department’s Napa Eye conference for the first time this year to attend the Duke AVS course as guest faculty. My first visit back to the Duke Eye Center in nearly a decade had me spending more time reconnecting with friends and co-workers than facilitating the hands-on vitrectomy workshop that I was assigned to on the first day. Arriving on a red-eye flight and filling up on pasta from Cucciolo Osteria made it difficult for me to stay up late to practice my talk before another full day of vitreoretinal education. Friday dinner at the Wallace Wade Stadium featured a Squid Game-themed fellow skit broadcasted on the Jumbotron while I munched on fried mac-n-cheese balls, chicken-n-waffle bites, and lobster rolls. My mentor Cindy replayed snippets of our own AVS skit, and Duke residents reminded me that my OKAP review slides are still in demand. I was fortunate to take some naps between sessions on Saturday, catch up on Black Mirror episodes, and burn off calories at the Wa-Duke swimming pool. Our last dinner at Geer Street Garden took us to downtown Durham, where I appreciated the revitalized neighborhood while sipping sweet tea to good company. The party atmosphere at the Velvet Hippo reminded me of my age and early flight home next morning. So I bid goodnight to my hosts and returned home with fond memories of the program and institution that launched my academic career.