Tuesday, March 29, 2005
The batteries have been well and truly recharged with as few as five days in the Lake District. It was initiated by a 14 mile run around Coniston waters last Saturday with a bunch of my running pals. Did a pleasing time of 1 hour 52 mins on a very undulating... OK, hilly! course. Ben came up trumps with 1 hour 34 mins. He's looking set for a 3:15 or less marathon in Paris I'd say. We had beautiful views the whole course and the sun came out to shine for the last few miles illuminating the rolling hills. Our gang organiser, Sarah, and her folks put on a lovely spread in the evening in their B&B. A lovely house built for wee folk - I managed to just scrape under the wooden beams from the ceiling, just 5'4". And then of course... to a traditional English pub. Tickety boo.
Most normal people who have just run a 14mile race would put their feet up and chill. Ben and I? Nope! We packed our bags for some wild camping and headed for the hills. Our first destination was Great Gable which is apparently the 7th highest peak in England. We couldn't have asked for any more than the sunny clear day we had to reach the top. A very gentle breeze and the start of a sunset. We didn't reach the peak until about 5pm, so it was time to find somewhere to camp. The very next hill was aptly named Green Gable and looked very inviting. Pitched the tent and sat looking out at the sunset with a wee nip of whisky. Ah... this is the life... Might have been the whisky, might have been the exertion, but crashed out to sleep pretty quick by about 8:30pm. Funnily enough we were woken most of the night by gale force winds blowing the tent in on us. Later we realised we'd just camped next to 'windy gap'. Good one! So not a very restful sleep that night.
Onward ho to a wonderfully exhausting 7 or so hours of walking up peaks such as Kirk Fell and Pillar. It made for some great scrambling and ended up being a magic horshoe shaped ridge top walk leading down in to picturesque Wasdale. Managed to down a couple of pints of lime and soda in the local pub before the excruciating climb back up towards Scafell Pike. Wish I'd had a couple of beers!! Might have helped. Happily, we just climbed half way up to set up camp at a more sheltered spot overlooking Waswater. Polished off the remaining whisky, managed a little chat and again fell quickly to sleep listening to the rain coming down on the tent.
Tuesday morning we summited Scafell (the highest English peak which is 972 odd metres above sea level) and then found ourselves surrounded by fog and mist. Visibility was about 50 feet around us. Looking for the other path off the hill became somewhat tricky. We made several attempts to find the path for about half an hour, going back up to the summit to start again each time. We were gradually getting more cold and slightly more concerned with each step retraced. But we both kept our heads and with Ben's good attempt at compass bearings from the map, we eventually found the right path down. Quite a relief for us both I must say. A rather long and leg weary walk back to the car saw us finish our walk by about 2:30pm.
As a treat, we drove to Ambleside and booked ourselves into a four star B&B. Ooooo a shower, a comfy bed, and even a cuppa herbal tea. Luxury!!! To extend this treating ourselves frame of mind, we had a sumptuous meal at the delightful Glasshouse Restaurant. Excellent service, mouth watering food, impressive wine selection and cleverly renovated interior to include the workings of the waterwheel beneath, made for a wonderful evening meal experience; I would recommend this restaurant to any one. And then of course... to a traditional English pub. Tickety boo... again...
For our 'day off' from all this walking and running, we made our way to Derwent Water near Keswisk to potter around the Lake on a boat. However, we got off at the first spot and ended up walking virtually the entire circumference of the lake... phew.. a good 10mile walk all up I'd reckon. Knackering day off! However, the varied terrain of the walk from ancient indigenous woodland to wetlands and glorious sunshine made it all worthwhile.
And so ends the trip to the Lake District. Back to my sedentary desk bound, paper pushing job. Ugh...
The plus side of the days away came to be realised this morning. Ben and I have just returned from a cracking 20 miler run this morning. I swear my feet had wings!!! Ben estimated we were running predominantly 7:30 minute miles. I tell you, it was possibly the fastest long run I have ever had. I was chuffed. If I can perform a fraction as well in Paris as I did this morning, I will make my desired 3 hours 45mins no worries.
To top it off, we came home to a trainee sports masseuse waiting to give us a half hour warm down massage in our living room. Life doesn't get much better :)
Most normal people who have just run a 14mile race would put their feet up and chill. Ben and I? Nope! We packed our bags for some wild camping and headed for the hills. Our first destination was Great Gable which is apparently the 7th highest peak in England. We couldn't have asked for any more than the sunny clear day we had to reach the top. A very gentle breeze and the start of a sunset. We didn't reach the peak until about 5pm, so it was time to find somewhere to camp. The very next hill was aptly named Green Gable and looked very inviting. Pitched the tent and sat looking out at the sunset with a wee nip of whisky. Ah... this is the life... Might have been the whisky, might have been the exertion, but crashed out to sleep pretty quick by about 8:30pm. Funnily enough we were woken most of the night by gale force winds blowing the tent in on us. Later we realised we'd just camped next to 'windy gap'. Good one! So not a very restful sleep that night.
Onward ho to a wonderfully exhausting 7 or so hours of walking up peaks such as Kirk Fell and Pillar. It made for some great scrambling and ended up being a magic horshoe shaped ridge top walk leading down in to picturesque Wasdale. Managed to down a couple of pints of lime and soda in the local pub before the excruciating climb back up towards Scafell Pike. Wish I'd had a couple of beers!! Might have helped. Happily, we just climbed half way up to set up camp at a more sheltered spot overlooking Waswater. Polished off the remaining whisky, managed a little chat and again fell quickly to sleep listening to the rain coming down on the tent.
Tuesday morning we summited Scafell (the highest English peak which is 972 odd metres above sea level) and then found ourselves surrounded by fog and mist. Visibility was about 50 feet around us. Looking for the other path off the hill became somewhat tricky. We made several attempts to find the path for about half an hour, going back up to the summit to start again each time. We were gradually getting more cold and slightly more concerned with each step retraced. But we both kept our heads and with Ben's good attempt at compass bearings from the map, we eventually found the right path down. Quite a relief for us both I must say. A rather long and leg weary walk back to the car saw us finish our walk by about 2:30pm.
As a treat, we drove to Ambleside and booked ourselves into a four star B&B. Ooooo a shower, a comfy bed, and even a cuppa herbal tea. Luxury!!! To extend this treating ourselves frame of mind, we had a sumptuous meal at the delightful Glasshouse Restaurant. Excellent service, mouth watering food, impressive wine selection and cleverly renovated interior to include the workings of the waterwheel beneath, made for a wonderful evening meal experience; I would recommend this restaurant to any one. And then of course... to a traditional English pub. Tickety boo... again...
For our 'day off' from all this walking and running, we made our way to Derwent Water near Keswisk to potter around the Lake on a boat. However, we got off at the first spot and ended up walking virtually the entire circumference of the lake... phew.. a good 10mile walk all up I'd reckon. Knackering day off! However, the varied terrain of the walk from ancient indigenous woodland to wetlands and glorious sunshine made it all worthwhile.
And so ends the trip to the Lake District. Back to my sedentary desk bound, paper pushing job. Ugh...
The plus side of the days away came to be realised this morning. Ben and I have just returned from a cracking 20 miler run this morning. I swear my feet had wings!!! Ben estimated we were running predominantly 7:30 minute miles. I tell you, it was possibly the fastest long run I have ever had. I was chuffed. If I can perform a fraction as well in Paris as I did this morning, I will make my desired 3 hours 45mins no worries.
To top it off, we came home to a trainee sports masseuse waiting to give us a half hour warm down massage in our living room. Life doesn't get much better :)
Friday, March 18, 2005
Some great quotes I found about medicine, education, politics, and life in general. I'm sure you'll find a few that apply... enjoy.
It's not me who can't keep a secret it's the people I tell that can't.
Abraham Lincoln
A small drop of ink makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Lord Byron (Don Juan)
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Anon
Many a man's tongue broke his nose.
Seumas MacManus
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
Rudyard Kipling
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
Victor Borge
Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any other invention in human history, with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.
Anon
Halitosis is better than no breath at all.
Anon
A man is as old as his arteries.
Thomas Sydenham
Discoveries are often made by not following instructions; by going off the main road; by trying the untried.
Frank Tyger
Free should the scholar be – free and brave - for fear is a thing which a scholar, by his very function, puts behind him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
Worship the spirit of criticism.
Louis Pasteur
Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take aims of those who work with joy.
Kahlil Gibran
Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you want to hear.
Alan Coren
To succeed in politics, it's often necessary to rise above your principles.
Anon
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Plato
Anyone who supports capital punishment should be shot.
Colin Crompton
From inability to let alone; from too much zeal for the new and contempt for what is old; from putting knowledge before wisdom, and science before art, and cleverness before common sense; from treating patients as cases; and from making cure of the disease more grievous than the endurance of the same, Good Lord, deliver us.
Sir Robert Hutchinson
It is much more important to know what sort of patient has a disease than what sort of disease a patient has.
Sir William Osler
The most essential part of a student's instruction is obtained...not in the lecture-room, but at the bedside. Nothing seen there is lost; the rhythms of disease are learned by frequent repetition; its unforeseen occurences stamp themselves indelibly in the memory.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, M.D.
The education of the doctor which goes on after he has his degree is, after all, the most important part of his education.
John Shaw Billings
She got her looks from her father; he's a plastic surgeon.
Groucho Marx.
Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined.
Samuel Goldwyn.
Some patients, though conscious that their condition is perilous, recover their health simply through their contentment with the goodness of the physician.
Hippocrates 460-400 BC
The computer is a moron.
Peter Drucker
Hardware: the parts of a computer that can be kicked.
Jeff Pesis
It's not me who can't keep a secret it's the people I tell that can't.
Abraham Lincoln
A small drop of ink makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Lord Byron (Don Juan)
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Anon
Many a man's tongue broke his nose.
Seumas MacManus
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
Rudyard Kipling
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
Victor Borge
Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any other invention in human history, with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.
Anon
Halitosis is better than no breath at all.
Anon
A man is as old as his arteries.
Thomas Sydenham
Discoveries are often made by not following instructions; by going off the main road; by trying the untried.
Frank Tyger
Free should the scholar be – free and brave - for fear is a thing which a scholar, by his very function, puts behind him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
Worship the spirit of criticism.
Louis Pasteur
Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take aims of those who work with joy.
Kahlil Gibran
Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you want to hear.
Alan Coren
To succeed in politics, it's often necessary to rise above your principles.
Anon
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Plato
Anyone who supports capital punishment should be shot.
Colin Crompton
From inability to let alone; from too much zeal for the new and contempt for what is old; from putting knowledge before wisdom, and science before art, and cleverness before common sense; from treating patients as cases; and from making cure of the disease more grievous than the endurance of the same, Good Lord, deliver us.
Sir Robert Hutchinson
It is much more important to know what sort of patient has a disease than what sort of disease a patient has.
Sir William Osler
The most essential part of a student's instruction is obtained...not in the lecture-room, but at the bedside. Nothing seen there is lost; the rhythms of disease are learned by frequent repetition; its unforeseen occurences stamp themselves indelibly in the memory.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, M.D.
The education of the doctor which goes on after he has his degree is, after all, the most important part of his education.
John Shaw Billings
She got her looks from her father; he's a plastic surgeon.
Groucho Marx.
Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined.
Samuel Goldwyn.
Some patients, though conscious that their condition is perilous, recover their health simply through their contentment with the goodness of the physician.
Hippocrates 460-400 BC
The computer is a moron.
Peter Drucker
Hardware: the parts of a computer that can be kicked.
Jeff Pesis
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Another week has passed. It's been filled with new people, and a large dollop of culture. I don't tend to talk about my work much. So just to give you a brief update on that front, I've started out at a new general practice to try and recruit more people with medically unexplained' and disease-based symptoms into my study. It's a nice practice, with lots of natural light and people with sunny dispositions to match their working environment. The clientele are all in the higher income earning end of Edinburgh's population. They are all pretty well educated with cushy comfy lives (generally speaking of course). Consequently, this is the lowest referring practice of the five involved. It's great for my mental health because that means fewer patient case notes to read through, but not so great for the study as the numbers of participants likely to come of it will be on the lowish end. But, I'm not stressing about it.
That's enough about work...
I speak even less about my PhD (although inherently related). Don't faint, but I have done some writing. I handed in the first draft of my Methods Chapter to my supervisors two weeks ago. I haven't handed any major work to them for over a year and they've started getting on my back a bit. Having said that... have I heard from them in the last two weeks? Have I even got an acknowledgement that they've received it? No. Suffice to say, the motivation has dropped a bit since then.
And as for the rest of the weeknights...
Tuesday, after a run and racing to go to a dinner that ended up being cancelled without being told about it (humph), Ben took me to the movies (The Life Aquatic), a weirdly whacky piss take of Jacque Cousteau. Gotta love it when you can eat icecream and the calories don't count... cos you're at the movies... right? Or is that just my delusion ;)
Wednesday, I dragged my lazy ass back to the women's running group and powered around doing x4 1-mile sprints. We averaged 7 minute miles which is a cracking pace for me. Great to be out with them again. I really do enjoy it.
Thursday I had a delightful night with 'the olds'. I refer to them as such affectionately; my elderly neighbours The Prof and Jean, from my previous flat. We were all generously treated by two of my GP colleagues from work, Drs. Penny Watson and Ian McKee to see the amateur Scottish Opera production of Aida by Verdi. Not half bad. Made more enjoyable trying to pick out the five chorus members I knew through work (two GPs, one physio, a health visitor and one of the practice managers). At the end I was a little flustered to be handed a slip of paper by Penny. It the mobile number of a Spanish GP locum I had chatted to a week or so ago out at her practice. She gave me a little nudge and told me he was hoping I'd call. How embarrassing and unprofessional. How very sweet and flattering. Hmmm, to call or not to call...
Friday, Sue and I popped through to Glasgow to see the play 'Pyrenees'
by David Greig. Unfortunately, it's not being shown in Edinburgh for some reason, and I'm so glad I made the effort to see it. The play was brilliant and very well cast. It gave me the itch to get out and see more theatre, and even get back into some acting perhaps in a year or two when there's less going on. Travelling back to Edinburgh on the bus and trying to find my way home in the wee hours dampened things a little (pissed leary blokes and no cabs or buses), but thems the breaks.
Saturday I was very proud of Ben and I for another 3 hour sesh on our pins. We perhaps mistakenly headed off with no plan and no route, and ended up fell running in the Pentland hills. Actually, it was magic. Sun was shining, still a little snow to crunch through, some well trodden paths and some untrodden peaty bogs up to our shins ;) Dad would have laughed at us finishing up running through one of the golf courses (keeping an eye out for random golf balls hurtling in our direction) and straight into Marks and Sparks supermarket for lunch supplies before the Rugger. Managed to make it through from rising at 8am until bed at 4am this morning after Mary's party... not a bad effort that! And with that in mind... I'm off to the couch.
That's enough about work...
I speak even less about my PhD (although inherently related). Don't faint, but I have done some writing. I handed in the first draft of my Methods Chapter to my supervisors two weeks ago. I haven't handed any major work to them for over a year and they've started getting on my back a bit. Having said that... have I heard from them in the last two weeks? Have I even got an acknowledgement that they've received it? No. Suffice to say, the motivation has dropped a bit since then.
And as for the rest of the weeknights...
Tuesday, after a run and racing to go to a dinner that ended up being cancelled without being told about it (humph), Ben took me to the movies (The Life Aquatic), a weirdly whacky piss take of Jacque Cousteau. Gotta love it when you can eat icecream and the calories don't count... cos you're at the movies... right? Or is that just my delusion ;)
Wednesday, I dragged my lazy ass back to the women's running group and powered around doing x4 1-mile sprints. We averaged 7 minute miles which is a cracking pace for me. Great to be out with them again. I really do enjoy it.
Thursday I had a delightful night with 'the olds'. I refer to them as such affectionately; my elderly neighbours The Prof and Jean, from my previous flat. We were all generously treated by two of my GP colleagues from work, Drs. Penny Watson and Ian McKee to see the amateur Scottish Opera production of Aida by Verdi. Not half bad. Made more enjoyable trying to pick out the five chorus members I knew through work (two GPs, one physio, a health visitor and one of the practice managers). At the end I was a little flustered to be handed a slip of paper by Penny. It the mobile number of a Spanish GP locum I had chatted to a week or so ago out at her practice. She gave me a little nudge and told me he was hoping I'd call. How embarrassing and unprofessional. How very sweet and flattering. Hmmm, to call or not to call...
Friday, Sue and I popped through to Glasgow to see the play 'Pyrenees'
by David Greig. Unfortunately, it's not being shown in Edinburgh for some reason, and I'm so glad I made the effort to see it. The play was brilliant and very well cast. It gave me the itch to get out and see more theatre, and even get back into some acting perhaps in a year or two when there's less going on. Travelling back to Edinburgh on the bus and trying to find my way home in the wee hours dampened things a little (pissed leary blokes and no cabs or buses), but thems the breaks.
Saturday I was very proud of Ben and I for another 3 hour sesh on our pins. We perhaps mistakenly headed off with no plan and no route, and ended up fell running in the Pentland hills. Actually, it was magic. Sun was shining, still a little snow to crunch through, some well trodden paths and some untrodden peaty bogs up to our shins ;) Dad would have laughed at us finishing up running through one of the golf courses (keeping an eye out for random golf balls hurtling in our direction) and straight into Marks and Sparks supermarket for lunch supplies before the Rugger. Managed to make it through from rising at 8am until bed at 4am this morning after Mary's party... not a bad effort that! And with that in mind... I'm off to the couch.
Friday, March 11, 2005
What's in a name? I had a surprise email from one 'James McGorm' from Clydebank (that's Glasgow, Scotland for you non-Brits) this week. He was querying whether we were related. I'm pretty certain we would be, all the McGorms seem to be related. Well, in Australia any way. If James and I are in fact relatives, we would be VERY distant cousins. Our great great great etc. (you get the idea) grandparents might have been siblings or some such thing. He seemed very disappointed that he'd not discovered some long lost rich Aunty. Aren't we all?!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
The little things in life, hey? Three really great things happened to me today... OK this evening. Firstly I was stuck in the office all day stressing about my data and wrapping up the admin.. a pretty mundane and boring day... But I got out at a reasonable time while there was still light. Man, I had a cracking sprint around Arthur's Seat. Seriously.. I felt like there were wings on my feet. A rare and marvellous occurrence. OK, yawn to that one, you say , blah blah blah running blah... Secondly... As I was scrabbling for my key to get in the door, I was inanely singing along to my MP3 player. I looked up and this lass was saying something to me. I pulled out my ear plugs and she was saying... 'I thought there was an angel, but then I noticed it was you, and you were singing... you have such a lovely voice...' OK, the girl was on E, but it still made me feel nice ;) And then I finally dragged my lazy introverted arse out to a wine tasting party of one of the gals from my running group (the group I haven't attended for months now for various reasons). All the girls made me realise how amazing friends are. The caring and conviction of good friends is so empowering. Thanks gals. I'm being dragged out next Wednesday night to the Meadows again. It's long overdue. What an awakening... what a desperately needed kick up the kyber.
Tomorrow... later today actually, is farmer's market. I must get a decent sleep so I can beat the punters to all the nice cheesey scrolls at the baker's stall!
Tomorrow... later today actually, is farmer's market. I must get a decent sleep so I can beat the punters to all the nice cheesey scrolls at the baker's stall!
Thursday, March 03, 2005
What are you having for dinner on the 30th June 2005?
Imaginary friends...
Is this what makes me such a well adjusted only child? ;)
Imaginary friendships could boost child development
A post-graduate student from The University of Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences is investigating the theory that children with imaginary companions are quicker to develop language skills and retain knowledge.
Anna Roby, who is studying for her Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology, is carrying out the research, which aims to test whether having an imaginary friend can help children's learning, development and creativity.
The theory is that by chatting to an imaginary companion a child becomes more practised at using language and constructing conversation, as he or she is carrying out both sides of the interaction. Children aged 4 to 11 both with and without
imaginary friends are therefore being studied, to compare their ability to communicate meaning and the complexity of their grammar.
Researchers estimate that up to 25% of children have imaginary companions, particularly only- or first-born children. They are defined as vivid, imagined characters which might be people, animals or objects, which a child believes they are interacting with in an on-going way. The friend may be `invisible' or take
the form of a toy animal or doll, and is treated as if it has a personality and consciousness of its own.
"If Anna's theories are correct they will help reverse common misconceptions about children with imaginary friends, as they come to be seen as having an advantage rather than anything to worry about."
Is this what makes me such a well adjusted only child? ;)
Imaginary friendships could boost child development
A post-graduate student from The University of Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences is investigating the theory that children with imaginary companions are quicker to develop language skills and retain knowledge.
Anna Roby, who is studying for her Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology, is carrying out the research, which aims to test whether having an imaginary friend can help children's learning, development and creativity.
The theory is that by chatting to an imaginary companion a child becomes more practised at using language and constructing conversation, as he or she is carrying out both sides of the interaction. Children aged 4 to 11 both with and without
imaginary friends are therefore being studied, to compare their ability to communicate meaning and the complexity of their grammar.
Researchers estimate that up to 25% of children have imaginary companions, particularly only- or first-born children. They are defined as vivid, imagined characters which might be people, animals or objects, which a child believes they are interacting with in an on-going way. The friend may be `invisible' or take
the form of a toy animal or doll, and is treated as if it has a personality and consciousness of its own.
"If Anna's theories are correct they will help reverse common misconceptions about children with imaginary friends, as they come to be seen as having an advantage rather than anything to worry about."
