Doctor Psychobabble

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to read about what it really means to be a “resident physician.”

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know.”

- Led Zeppelin, “The Battle of Evermore”

Had a pretty good day today at the hospital. Geriatric psychiatric patients galore. Went to the gym after work. Sweating is my therapy.

In lieu of words, please enjoy the photos from this post. Shots of Chinatown, both taken from the Manhattan Bridge during my run on Sunday.

Part of My “Run Kendra Run” Photo Collection

“I was swimmin’ in the Caribbean
Animals were hiding behind the rocks
Except the little fish
But they told me, he swears
Tryin’ to talk to me, coy koi.

Where is my mind?

Way out in the water
See it swimmin?”

- “Where is My Mind?” The Pixes

I felt my mood lift today. Several variables probably at play here. (See prior post.)

1) I did a fair amount of work today at the hospital. I used my brain. I used my “skillz.” This makes me happy.

2) It only got up to around 80 degrees F today. Plus it rained. Less sweltering. And now I don’t have to water my urban garden.

3) I went for a great 10-mile run yesterday. The heat forced it to be more of a run/jog/walk. But I did it. And it felt gooooood.

I also ate a yummy meal at a newly discovered tapas/Mediterranean restaurant in Brooklyn yesterday called Mazzat. Sangria + hummus + pita + olives + manchego cheese + tomatoes = happy Dr. Psychobabble.

I might even make dinner tonight. (Lately I have been living off of leftovers and delivery as a way to avoid using my stove/oven in the blistering heat.)

Enjoy the photos with this post: 1) “Prom Queen,” a dress hanging outside of the above mentioned restaurant. 2) A “40 year old tree” inside the restaurant.

Part of My “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

“We live in a fractured world. I’ve always seen it as my role as an artist to attempt to make wholeness.”

- Anish Kapoor

I’d love to write my usual happy post about how awesome things are right now. But alas, this would be a lie. I’ve been feeling a bit down in the dumps lately. I think there are a few factors at play here:

1. While I am enjoying my new rotation this month, I don’t feel super challenged by it. And because I’m not super challenged, I have found myself being a bit lazy about it. I don’t think I have been at the top of my game, like I usually am, and that stresses me out.

2. It’s been hot as hell outside lately. I am more unmotivated and lazy than usual.

3. Because of the heat (or maybe other factors as well), I haven’t been running as much lately. If the prior 30+ (notice my vagueness here) years of my life have taught me anything, it’s that I feel better the more I move. Damn you weather for putting the breaks on my marathon runs!

As always, I now feel a bit better just getting all that crap off my chest. Thank you world for listening.

Photos: 1) Taken on my walk home from work. Another shot of this awesome broken glass. “Fractured.” You can’t tell in the photo, but my legs were drenched with sweat. 2) The friggin weather….screenshot taken from my iPhone today. Yes, I walked 4 miles today in 103 degree F weather. YUCK!!!

“Well, gentlemen, the way I see it, if this hot weather continues, it’s going to melt the polar caps and the whole wide world. And all the parts that ain’t water already will surely be blooded.”

- From Spike Lee’s movie, “Do the Right Thing”

It’s hot, and by hot I mean HOT!! It got up to 95 degrees F today. It’s supposed to reach 100 degrees tomorrow. Hot summers in Brooklyn always remind me of the movie, “Do the Right Thing….”

I couldn’t figure out how to embed this video clip from the movie, but it’s awesome so click this link to view. It’s amazing how things change but stay the same.

It’s actually so disturbingly hot outside that I can’t seem to string two sentences together for a righteous post. Today I had psychiatry didactic lectures all day long. That is all.

I walked home and saw 3 different fire hydrants which were spewing water all over the neighborhood kids who were reveling in it’s cool wetness. I would have taken pictures of them, but was admittedly afraid of having my iPhone soaked in water.

So, instead of words, please enjoy the 3 photos in this post, all taken during my sweltering walk to the hospital today. I think they all approach the essence of Brooklyn…

The sweat flows…

Photos: 1) “Reflections of the way life used to be. 2) “Couch Surfin” 3) “The Alley”

Part of My “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to read my mini-rant about doctors and “people skills.”

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“If I’m a star, then the people made me a star.”

- Marilyn Monroe

Story from this morning at the hospital….

Elderly, demented and psychotic patient: “Nurse, you’re in the wrong profession, you should be a movie star!”

Me: “Actually, I’m your doctor.”

Patient: “A doctor AND a movie star?!! I don’t think us patients can handle you, baby!”

Photo: Taken on my walk home from the hospital today.

“The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who have tattoos, and those who are afraid of people with tattoos.”

- Author Unknown

What do all 3 things in the title of this post have in common? They were all a part of my life in the past few weeks.

Please check out these long awaited photos from the NYC Gay Pride 2011 celebration. A big shout out to my BFF Chris who provided me with the photos. I had none since my iPhone was stolen that night.

I went to the opening of my favorite tattoo artist, John Reardon’s new tattoo shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Friday night and had a blast.

I was on call all day today at the hospital. In fact, I work every. single. day this week. Sunday through Saturday, baby.

I’m tired, and dreading it a bit. But happy to have happy things in my life as well. It’s leftover Italian food time!

Photos: From the “tattoo party”

“A human being is only breath and shadow.”

- Sophocles

Living life. Living to tell the tale. Just not right now.

Photo: Taken on my walk to the hospital yesterday.

• More Medical Schools Are Screening Applicants Closely for People Skills – NYTimes.com
  (tags: interesting)