If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. – E. B. White This is […]
Sam has been writing a lot about measurable sign posts as our Gap Year progresses, week by week. In fact, he’s been writing a lot. Much more than I have. I’m going to chalk that up to the eagerness of a first-time blogger. I’ve been blogging for a decade and I’ve developed some bad habits. […]
Today and tomorrow are the big pushes to get “stuff” out of the house, where it clutters the floor and the mind, and into our new guesthouse. Hopefully the mind clutter will diminish. A brief healthcare rant Recently The New York Times reported that medical insurance premiums will fall by 50 percent in the state of New York […]
Six weeks into my gap year I continue to enjoy my freedom and I feel significantly less stressed. I do have, however, a persistent inability to apply structure to my day. I get distracted and am unable to follow through with my more important projects. The structure of office visits and colonoscopies was a special […]
Living on the coast of Maine is very special. It is a constant battle with the elements even when the sun is shining and the wind is calm. I began my day, which is cool and foggy, with a visit to the basement to explore the (disturbing) absence of noise from my sump pumps. An […]
Debbie Weil: WDS 2013 main stage talk If you can’t see the video above, click here. It’s hard to sum up the impact of attending the World Domination Summit. Days after getting back to the East Coast I still felt bathed in the glow of connection I felt with the other 2,799 attendees. You can see some […]
I tend to do what I’m told (for example, Bollywood dancing at the closing party) so when Chris Guillebeau advised World Domination Summit 2013 attendees to go to a breakout session on a topic that might be uncomfortable or new, I took his word. I decided to go to the Improv Workshop with Portland legend Gary […]
One of the most irritating expressions a patient can use is… “I am supposed to…” It is usually verbalized just after a diagnosis is made and a treatment plan is being considered. For example: “Mr. Smith, your CT scan shows extensive diverticulitis; and, although no abscess is demonstrated your abdomen is very tender; I recommend […]
Debbie: Is this really our first collaboration? What about our three children? Sam: That was different. Debbie: You’re right; it was. Sam: This is doing creative work together. Debbie: And you don’t mind me being your editor? It’s not that easy. Sam: You mean because of our different approach to quotation marks and periods and […]
The first month of my Gap Year is over. Eleven months to go. I have had two business discussions about potential future endeavors but remain committed to holding off on serious talks until I have really separated from my practice by several months. Over the weekend a patient called. She is one of the few […]
