Recent Updates
Holiday Family Gatherings a Contributing Factor to Yearly Winter Flu Epidemic, Study Reports
Yes, ‘tis the season once again. Time to repost and reread this insanely useful study—your world will be rocked.
It's Mental Health Awareness Month (aka May)!
Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been all about making public, in a spirit of advocacy, the many, many challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions.
But there’s not much out there about the working and personal lives of mental health providers. And what there is, is inaccurate, being based on fiction, such as the television sitcom Frasier. Let me make you aware of what my life as a psychiatrist is like.
Let me make you aware of what my life as a psychiatrist is like.
Look Out! I'm a National Award Winner!
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists: Organization for writers of serial essay, including columnists and bloggers, in any medium awarded me a third place in the General Interest: Online category of their 2022 contest. I am so delighted!
When I submitted two 2021 posts from this blog, I wasn’t fully aware of the level of competition.
Slayer of Dragons
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Why not perpetrate some shameless self-promotion? My book Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life will make you aware of the view from my side side of the couch. Spoiler Alert—the following YouTube video, a seven minute speech which I gave at my local Toastmaster’s club, is based on one chapter from the book.
Holiday Family Gatherings a Contributing Factor to Yearly Flu Epidemic, Study Reports
Every competent physician regularly reads the professional literature to keep abreast of the latest research. Also, to accumulate the mandated 30 CME’s (Continuing Medical Education credits) a year to stay licensed.
This excerpt from my memoir, Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life is one such study—if that’s what it is. The research was done well before COVID, but the findings are robust enough, Dr. Fauci says, that they apply to any viral assault, including the current pandemic.
Yes, this is such an insanely useful study—your world will be rocked. Guaranteed. Call me Santa. You’re welcome. By the way, the book makes a great gift. (hint hint) Get vaxxed. Stay masked. Happy holidays!
Holiday Family Gatherings a Contributing Factor to Yearly Winter Flu Epidemic, Study Reports
By D. Essem
December, DweebMD, Internet Medical News. A landmark study published last month in the esteemed science journal Family Hell asserts that holiday revelry with relatives “is so stressful to the immune system, it collapses like a building seeded with dynamite,” says I. M. Trapt, M.D., primary researcher and family member.
“Extensive research has already concluded
Book Review: Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir, by Anonymous
This is one of the best books I’ve read, ever. It’s simply beautiful, a work of art that transcends its genre. The author’s journey exemplifies cartoonist and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Lynda Barry’s contention that “We don’t create a fantasy world to escape reality. We create it to be able to stay.”
How does the author keep going when she loses everything that makes her life meaningful and worth living?
Shoes: A Marriage Morality Tale
Storage. That’s my problem with Hubby’s shoes. They pile up. They drift. They wander into places where they shouldn’t be. How many times have I tripped over one?
A Witch’s Work Is Never Done
Halloween is upon us and as usual, it’s cold and windy, nasty and sleety. Terrible weather for taking the old broom out for a ride. Far colder than my witch’s heart above the roof line, especially when flying at speed. But needs must when this devil drives. Hee hee hee.
Tough though, to keep that slim silhouette against the yellow moon—
My Bouncing Baby Book Is One Year Old!
How time flies when you’re having a pandemic! While bookie and I never got out of the house for a launch party or book tours, some very nice things happened.
My favorite—
Bon Mot: We’ve Got Your Word Needs Covered
Dear Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop (EBWW) 2020:
Thank you for choosing Bon Mot as your personal moniker shopper. We appreciate the opportunity to help you choose the appellation that accentuates your positives.
We spent the weekend browsing the hangers in your word closets in #virtualErma and private facebook group. Using proprietary algorithms, we culled the following arty creations for further analysis:
Ermite
Ermas
Ermazon
Erma Nation
These are all superior to the generic Hey you, Yo gurlfriend and Ladies! Ladies! However, if there can be only one, let it be
Book Review: Boomer on the Ledge by Molly Stevens
Slim, Funny and Good Looking. That would have been the lede of my Amazon review of Molly Steven’s Boomer on the Ledge but alas, the Overlord Purveyor of Everything has arbitrarily blocked, excuse me, is “not accepting” my feedback. I was distressed, as was my ever empathic doll (“not a child’s toy” designed and handmade by the author). But where there’s a blog, there’s a way.
Ever wondered what shrinks do all day? And after hours?
You’d be surprised. Or, maybe not. It’s amazing how much trouble I get into with patients (and elsewhere), and even more amazing how often I manage to be helpful. It’s a knack. Kidding. Problem solving while panicking in free fall is a skill set, one we need now more than ever.