Yo, Groany here. Welcome to the weekly wonder post this Queen’s Birthday long weekend. The delightful Brooke is unable to attend to her duty. So you have me – an intractable spreader of gloom and bad jokes.
The first wonder: the NSW Health Forum on Doctor’s Wellbeing actually left me feeling hopeful!
This week I had the opportunity to attend the NSW Health forum on Doctor’s Wellbeing. Being hosted by Jenny Brockie, the experience was like a live episode of Insight. That aside, we discussed how we can structure our workplaces differently, better support doctor’s with mental health issues and change medical culture for the better. Doctors sat amongst medical administrators. That was an odd experience for me. Then, with the closing address it seemed that the Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, was really dedicated to change. I am as cynical as most of you, trust me, but I left this meeting feeling genuinely hopeful. It will take time, but we can make medicine a better place to train and continue on in our careers.
Addit – I also figured out that Dr Tessa Kennedy, the chair of the DITC committee, is a total gun. I’m a total fan. Read the results of the AMA Hospital Health survey here plus a summary of her speech at the forum.
Black Rhymes Aboriginal Poetry Night – just amazing!
Whilst the neurosurgeons slaved away with a list three times as long as mine, I managed to leave work in time to attend the Black Rhymes Aboriginal Poetry Night at Freda’s in Chippendale. I always value hearing the experiences and perspectives’ of people so different from myself. Though I won’t lie – I go just as much to hear talented rappers, actors, poets and musicians and to pretend I’m as hip as them! (I’m totally not. I’m a socially awkward dork who would rather smell melaena than stand up on a stage). If you wanted a taste, I found this ABC podcast where Ali Cobby Eckerman, winner of the Windham Campbell prize, speaks of her childhood, finding country and her search for her mother and reads some of her poems. Trust me, it’s fantastic.
Enough waffle. Silliness ahoy!
My Jul/Aug edition of Frankie arrived last weekend. I used to think subscribing to magazines was some sort of bourgeois luxury (I used to think the same thing of make up, new clothes, flowers and even eating out at restaurants. I blame my mother*). Yet, in times that are dark, cold and work filled (brrrrr damn you winter) reading about a transgender teen, three lycra clad women in an absurd comedy trio and a woman who makes fancy paper crafts really makes me happy. Not to mention fantastic posters that really resonate with me, such as this one below:
Also, this month Frankie introduced me to the concept of the boob shelf. I think my boobs aren’t big enough to form a shelf… and this saddens me a little #shakesfist.
*Sorry mum.
Wonderful retail therapy!
Brooke did scold me for recommending emptying one’s bank account in pursuit of wellbeing. I can’t say that buying a pair of rainbow and flowery tights, fancy bobble hair bands from Daiso and a coatigan made me happy, but WHY NOT Brooke! It’s more fun than a mortgage! Also in this spirit I found some cool shirt designs on tee turtle. Screen shots of my favourites below…
An awesome book or audiobook
I don’t get to read much. I tend to audiobook during chores and before I go to sleep. My book-worm friend (and fellow doctor), Angela, recommended this book to me (The Power by Naomi Alderman) and MAN!?***:-)!!! – it is so entertaining. A dystopian world where women discover the power to shoot electricity from their fingertips and the conflict that results, from the Saudi Arabian royalty in exile, to a women’s cult taking over the world.
Finally, some cool memes for y’all
Yup, this is me… they just forgot to depict the three hours of wakefulness that follows.
Yup, definitely relate to this too.
Thanks for reading and happy long weekend! (May those at work have a happy weekend also – wishing you plenty of sleep, cups of tea and chocolates from the nurse’s station).
Luv y’all yo, Groany.
(Am I fired Brooke? Was the boob shelf thing a bit too far?)
