Medicine*Music*Chocolate*Life

Choice bits from Leonard Berry's book

Fella wrote this:

.....and some of the stuff inside, mixed with my own phrases, which I will remember to think about at work:

"Here science serves, enthroned in architecture and crowned in music." - Jimmy Drummond

"First to comfort, then to heal."

"Don't mess with the desk attendant."

"Investment management."

"Gore another department's ox."

"The traditional triple threat clinician, who excels in practice, education, and research."

"So there is an economic self-interest for people to stay on in positions of authority. That gives you, if you are not careful, a gerontocracy......And it is not healthy!"

"Developing an all-star team."

"With great power, comes great responsibility."

"Customers buy solutions to the problems that bring them to market. In healthcare, patients buy mobility and pain relief, not knee surgery."

"Healthcare cannot be separated from the setting in which it is delivered, and these settings offer myriad opportunities to help calm patients (and their loved ones), to uplift their spirits, and to create a sense of healing."

The stories from pages 231, 251, and 264.

21st century Elves

She's put into practice what I've always thought would happen if Elves from space took a shine to the catwalk.

Louise Goldin Spring/Summer '10

Bravo, Mark Fast!

This is a CRAAAA-zy show, y'all! See it, see it, see it!

Mark Fast Spring/Summer '10

And read Style.com's review. Man, even my post-baby body, less and less girlish by the month, would have a passing chance of looking 18 years old in those. Mmm.....

The company dinner

Tonight is the company dinner, and we're going as MIBs. The Boss will look a treat.

I'll be rockin' my YSL catseye black plastic shades, slicked-back hair, Polo Ralph Lauren strong-shouldered double-breasted boxy black jacket (worn open), a black ribbed cotton and tulle Banana Republic singlet, ubiquitous black leggings (from Warehouse 3 years ago!), and those 10-year-old Karl Lagerfeld shoes with the silver alien heel and ankle strap. A silver chain around my neck, diamond studs in ears, and two tennis bracelets (for irreverent diamonds!) on the right wrist. Bag is the issue. My old steady, the straw Baguette with diamante logo closure and patent black strap, or the lipstick-red Valentino knock-off clutch?

Nationalities I Have Been Mistaken For

Mainland Chinese (understandable)

Japanese

Korean

Hawaiian (?!)

Indonesian

Mexican (double ?!)

Icelandic (I assume that day I looked Eskimo)

Native American (Pocahontas?!)

America at the telly - elections notwithstanding

Is it just me, or do the American presidential candidates now look like something cooked up by the Weinberg brothers, or....Steven Spielberg even.

Barack Obama and his lovely family could be stand-ins for President David Palmer on '24' (the first season, someone plots to have him downed). John McCain & newly-chosen Sarah Palin could be straight out of the first episode of 'Commander-In-Chief'.

There's also a little-known association with famous fantasy series Dragonlance. Palin Majere is a powerful sorcerer also known as Pathfinder.

To close this particular musing, here's a short commentary by the very British Barbara Ellen on The Guardian:

In Republican running mate Sarah Palin, 44, John McCain has managed to find the only woman in America capable of making Hillary look sweet-tempered. A former Miss Congeniality, with five children, nicknamed the 'Barracuda' because of her competitive basketball style, pro-life, anti-gay marriage, loves guns, eats moose stew... you couldn't make Sarah Palin up. Oh God, wait a minute. Did they make her up?

Well, no, and considering the flak women get in American politics, we should give Palin a fair chance. After all, maybe it's just a British thing - the uneasy feeling one gets that certain photos of Palin have thus far said less 'inspiring female politician' than 'Hungerford'. Michelle Obama has already given us her First Lady cookie recipe, so maybe it's a positive sign that Palin looks like she could rustle up a mean Molotov cocktail.

Indeed, with that CV (part Sandra Bullock rom-com, part Rambo), Palin effortlessly exudes that cinematic quality that Americans love. I'm sure Palin would like me to start referencing Katharine Hepburn at this point. Actually, I'm thinking more Kathleen Turner in Serial Mom.

More worryingly, beside Palin's vitality, McCain, 72, has gone from looking 'a bit old' to resembling those things crashing around deserted supermarkets, wanting to eat your brain, in George A Romero movies. For now, let's enjoy the rather magnificent Ms Palin. We can start worrying tomorrow.

Old Bill delivers an outstanding speech

He's forgiven for being the world's ex-most powerful boo-boo. It was short & direct. Made *me* feel like I have to turn American and vote for the Democrats:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/28/uselections2008.democrats20085

Youth fashion redux

This is my opinion, but having actually been around in the 80's means I get to critique it.

Looking around, seems to me that fashmags and the average kid on the street (read: Orchard Road) is dressing in a hideous remix of those B-grade 1980's sci-fi movies. I can't even name one - I HATED the 80's for its hypocrisy and fashion damnation (neon legwarmers, UGH!).

If you can recall Sarah Connor's suspect wardrobe in the original Terminator movie, and the sleazy costumes of Prince's trashy onstage presence (despite his musical prowess - he should have hired a stylist!), you kinda get what I mean.

This isn't even including the grande dame of 80's trashion - Madoona in black lace/leggings/bright pink Lycra/fingerless gloves. I love her gumption, and adore her for her achievements, but the outfits still give me goosebumps.

I think the core of what I really hated about that decade was the oxymoronic (emphasis on "moron") nature of everything. Several key phrases spring to mind, and these took the better part of the 90's to sort out:

Ostracised divorcee
Working mothers
Closet homosexuals
Glam-rock
Gender "equality"

Hope that the way people dress really DON'T mirror their mindset. If we have to go back to the 80's ethos for living, I'll emigrate.

True Madonna

A part of her not seen often. I love this photo.

Everyone's been talking about....

...this Gerard Baker article on "The Obamessiah". It's a piss-take, of course, in that indomitable British way. From bouncing off search engines on reactions to it, I gather that this irreverence is little understood by the americans. The Obamites feel that their man has been sullied, and the McCaineads feel insulted that he has been compared to a great religious figure.

It IS hilarious. If you haven't read it: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece