Category: retirement

  • The Fourth in the Series Uncovering Hawkeye History: The Next Chapter: Blazing New Trails (1998-2047)

    The Fourth in the Series Uncovering Hawkeye History: The Next Chapter: Blazing New Trails (1998-2047)

    The final installment of the series of Uncovering Hawkeye History, which is The Next Chapter: Blazing New Trails (1998-2047) was recorded and is now posted on the University of Iowa Center for Advancement website. You can view it below here:

  • Don’t Look in the Dictionary for Mental Health and Mental Illness

    Don’t Look in the Dictionary for Mental Health and Mental Illness

    I read an interesting article in Clinical Psychiatry News the other day, written by Dinah Miller, MD in the Shrink Rap News column, “Psychiatry and semantics.” Dr. Miller’s point was that it’s sometimes hard to define terms when discussing mental illness and stress. Can stress be defined as a mental illness? What the heck is…

  • Thoughts on “The Next Chapter: Blazing New Trails (1998-2047)

    Thoughts on “The Next Chapter: Blazing New Trails (1998-2047)

    The final presentation of the series night before last, Uncovering Hawkeye History in honor of the 175th anniversary of the University of Iowa was a fascinating review of the changes in architecture of the campus, how local and national politics influenced the university and vice versa, as well as the expansion of the role of…

  • Return to the Sun Room

    Return to the Sun Room

    We have a sun room again. We moved into this house a little over a year and half ago. It has taken a little time to get it comfy. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sitting in there on Friday nights listening to the KCCK Jazz Radio ‘da Friday Blues show hosted by…

  • An Old Dog’s Approach to Replacing Electrical Outlets and Other Thoughts

    An Old Dog’s Approach to Replacing Electrical Outlets and Other Thoughts

    Since retirement, I’ve been very gradually casting about for another identity now that I’ve given up my professional identity. It doesn’t come naturally. I’m definitely not a handyman, although I’ve been learning a few skills. For some reason, a large number of our electrical outlets didn’t hold power cords tightly enough. They were either cheap…

  • Retiree Musings

    Retiree Musings

    I’ve just discovered a web site that calculates the time that has passed since an event occurred. So, it calculated that I’ve been retired for 19 months—or 580 days, or 13,909 hours and so on. But I’m not counting. What has been happening since then? I’ve had the usual problems with letting go of my…

  • My Definitive Journey Revisited

    My Definitive Journey Revisited

    A couple of days ago, I got my retirement gift from The University of Iowa. It’s a about a year and a half late because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but it’s welcome nonetheless. Normally there is an Annual Faculty Retirement Dinner, but it had to be cancelled. It’s a stunningly beautiful engraved crystal bowl with…

  • Moderna Booster Jab Today and Mindful Zombies

    Moderna Booster Jab Today and Mindful Zombies

    I got my Moderna Covid-19 booster jab this morning. That was quick. A guy (probably about my age, I’m not sure) waiting for his booster behind me chuckled and asked, “Did she even let you sit down for it?” I was in and out that fast. It’s the same as the primary series, only half-dose.…

  • Congratulations to 2021 UI Physicians Clinical Awards Winners

    Congratulations to 2021 UI Physicians Clinical Awards Winners

    I was so happy to see the winners of the 2021 University of Iowa Physicians Clinical Awards winners. I have a special bias for a couple of them because I worked with them for years in my capacity as psychiatric consultant in the general hospital prior to my retirement in June of 2020. Dr. Kevin…

  • Can Cribbage Cultivate Congeniality?

    Can Cribbage Cultivate Congeniality?

    Sena and I have been playing cribbage since late 2019. It’s a two-hander card game played on a board with pegs for keeping score. It’s been around for about 400 years and some have asked whether it’s a dying game, played mainly by codgers in retirement homes. The question is whether it can promote positive…