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The Robins are Back
The robins are building their Hurrah’s nests in our back yard again. That’s about the only thing that has not changed. The COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic has changed just about everything else in our lives. I wear a face shield now at the hospital. We’re told to wear it as much as possible, like putting on…
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Snow Today
It’s snowing today, starting this afternoon. It’s not a blizzard. It comes down slowly and peacefully. Occasionally I see people and their kids and dogs out walking in it, likely grateful for the fresh air. It’s hard to be stuck indoors, self-isolating because of the COVID-19 epidemic. We play cribbage. Sena tried the grocery pickup…
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Milestones
I got a nice, if puzzling surprise today. At a faculty meeting I was recognized for my 10-year anniversary of service at our hospital. It’s an important milestone, even if it is wrong. They scheduled this small event a couple of months ago, but I was too busy on the psychiatry consult service to break…
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Bridges: An Essay on MLK Day of Service 2020
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is today and the University of Iowa has taken a quote from King to set the tone each year for this event. This year it is: “Let us build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Rather than borders, let us look at distant horizons together…
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Back in the Saddle Again
This is just a short update on how phased retirement is going. I’m back in the saddle. Last Friday I went back on duty on the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry service. I’m at 50% time. My step counter today shows about 2 miles and 17 floors—a slow day. That’s fine with me. Colleagues pass me in the…
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Over the Double Rainbow
We saw a double rainbow while out for a walk during a gentle rain. I know they’re not rare, they form because light bounces off raindrops, and all that. I’m not after the science angle here. I’m just hoping this was a sign of good luck to come. I’m pretty sure I’ve probably seen a…
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Let Happiness Leak
This is just a post to offset the grumpy one from a couple of days ago. Sena and I took a walk on the Clear Creek Trail and she broke me up with her shenanigans. Along the way, we found a painted rock in a tree which had the word “corridor rocks” printed on it.…
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Signs to Guide Me
It’s been a long while since my last post. I’ve been busy looking for signs to help guide me in adjusting to this retirement gig. It’s a tough skill set to learn. I saw this bug on our house the other day. It turned out to be a Praying Mantis. Don’t quibble about the precious…
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Ten Month Countdown to Retirement
Starting this month, I’ve got a 10-month countdown to retirement. I was reminded of that when I got a brochure in the mail for the University of Wisconsin 7th Annual Update and Advances in Psychiatry. It’s scheduled for October 11-12, 2019 at the Monona Terrace, which is the usual location. I’ve received these announcements in…
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If You Can’t Stand the Heat…
We saw this rabbit in our front yard today, stretched out on the grass under our crabapple tree. It’s 117 degrees this afternoon with the heat index and we won’t get out from under the Excessive Heat Warning until later this evening. Thank goodness for air conditioning. Rabbits don’t have air conditioning and can’t escape…
Go Retire Psychiatrist 