items of interest

1. I can now moonwalk (sort of), thanks to an intensive rehearsal session at my friend Francesca's house tonight. We had to find an instructional video on youtube, and got side-tracked youtubing Michael Jackson's early performances and a couple of "So You Think You Can Dance" episodes, but I think I have the gist of it. I am very pleased that at the ripe old age of nearly thirtyfive that I am able to acquire a new physical skill, since so far my impression has definitely been that it's all downhill from seventeen, body-wise. I think, but am not 100% sure, that I could moonwalk when I was in first grade and Thriller came out and we had breakdancing days in gym class, but again, not totally sure. In the last 24 hours, I have biked to Occidental and back (38 miles, big hill), Sebastopol (24 miles), walked to the hospital and back twice (8 miles), and danced for two hours tonight, so I might right now be the very fittest I will be this decade. Hmm. That's a sobering thought.

2. We have a patient right now in the hospital (whom I am due to start rounding on tomorrow) who has TETANUS OH MY GOD. I'm bummed out for him (he cut his hand and then a few days later found he couldn't move his arm because it was all contracted and spasm'ed up) but very excited for myself because TETANUS!!!! CRAZY!!!! i have never seen real live tetanus!! it's almost like seeing the black plague or scurvy or something. Nobody gets tetanus in this country anymore - normally you have to travel to subsaharan Africa and places like that to see it.

3. I have now completed twenty two portraits. I am hoping to get up to twentyfive by the time I leave Seattle in mid September, and I think (if my call weekend isn't too dreadful) that I may be in with a chance. OK, that's not that interesting, but I wanted it registered somewhere other than in my head and on my kitchen wall.

4. Rally number two in downtown Santa Rosa tonight in support of a public healthcare option. Such mixed feelings about this: I do believe everyone should be publicly insured through a single payer health plan, but the quality of healthcare out there now (and I include myself in this) is so misguided, crappy, and expensive, that it's hard to argue with a straight face that everyone should get it. We spend gajillions of dollars on junk food and tobacco, and then gajillions of dollars more on diabetic foot amputations, cardiac catheterizations, etc., and it's just stoopid and McDonald's and Philip Morris and Pfizer end up with all the cash and no-one's any healthier.

One more week before I'm on holiday: six days of hospitalist, an ER shift, and then I'm a free woman (and an ancient one. thirtyfive! how did this happen?).