Category: reflections

  • Exercise or Weaponize My Privilege?

    Exercise or Weaponize My Privilege?

    Back in November 2022, while on our way to the Stanley Museum of Art, we saw the two murals on the East Burlington Street Parking Ramp. It was the first time we saw them in person although photos were available last fall. The Little Village article published an article about them on September 30, 2021.…

  • More Thoughts on Physicians Going on Strike

    More Thoughts on Physicians Going on Strike

    I noticed Dr. H. Steven Moffic, MD had written another article in Psychiatric Times asking whether it’s time for psychiatrists to consider going on strike. Often the issue triggering discussions about this is the rising prevalence of physician burnout. I’ve already given my personal opinion about physicians going on strike and the short answer is…

  • My Two Cents on The Embrace Sculpture Honoring MLK Jr and Coretta Scott King

    My Two Cents on The Embrace Sculpture Honoring MLK Jr and Coretta Scott King

    I first saw a photo of the sculpture honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, called “The Embrace” a couple of days ago. I remember my first impression being that it would have been nice to see a full sculpture of the couple rather than disembodied arms. Sena mentioned it today because…

  • MLK Week Redux for the New University of Iowa Psychiatry Fellows

    MLK Week Redux for the New University of Iowa Psychiatry Fellows

    I discovered the University of Iowa Dept of Psychiatry had a very successful match, filling key residency slots in Child Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Consultation-Liaison fellowships. Congratulations! That’s a big reason to celebrate. This reminds me of my role as a teacher. I retired from the department two and a half years ago. But I’ll…

  • An Old Post on Breaking Bad News

    An Old Post on Breaking Bad News

    I’m reposting a piece about a sense of humor and breaking bad news to patients I first wrote for my old blog, The Practical Psychosomaticist about a dozen years ago. I still believe it’s relevant today. The excerpt from Mark Twain is priceless. Because it was published before 1923 (See Mark Twain’s Sketches, published in…

  • New Season for Highway Thru Hell

    New Season for Highway Thru Hell

    There was a countdown on Sunday for the new season for Highway Thru Hell. That’s the explanation for the featured image. The show has been on a while; this is season 11. Season 11, for the first few episodes will deal with the catastrophic floods that devastated British Columbia in November of 2021. It took…

  • Birds Nipping the Frost

    Birds Nipping the Frost

    We woke up this morning to hoarfrost decorating the trees. Backyard birds seemed to be after the water.

  • Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

    Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

    Here’s another vintage post from around a decade ago after my former Psychiatry Dept chairperson, Dr. Robert G. Robinson and I published our book, Psychosomatic Medicine: An Introduction to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry” in 2010. Blog: Who Gets The Credit? When I think about peak moments, I remember this guy back in junior high school who decided…

  • Blast from the Past Blog

    Blast from the Past Blog

    I thought I’d re-post something from my previous blog, The Practical Psychosomaticist, which I cancelled several years ago. The title is “Face Time versus Facebook.” I sound really old in it although it appeared in 2011. I’m a little more comfortable with the concept of social media nowadays and, despite how ignorant I was back…

  • Amaryllis Blooming

    Amaryllis Blooming

    The Amaryllis today is blooming like crazy. A new bloom opened today right next to the one that opened yesterday. Now there are two buds in the shade of the two open flowers. Will that stunt the growth of the buds? Should I worry about what’s in the shadows or be glad for what’s out…