still musing

Yes, this is a shameless plug for an Amazon book, but also created to help readers that book to connect with all that is written. I ended up making 5 books out of blogs I’d posted during the pandemic. Musing through a Pandemic they were. In my haste to get them out in 2021, I omitted a considerable section of Musings II. Interpersonal relationships. It was supposed to contain a bunch of musings on my medical career, subtitled in the book “My brilliant career”. Well, I finally added those in, plus a few others that came in after the pandemic “ended”. The musings haven’t stopped, so they’re will surely. be more. With the panemic behind us, a new title was in order: Still Musing: Pondering Interpersonal Relationships.

I post here the table of contents for the new book. I’ll create a tiny URL from/ the URL for this post and include it in the book. Each of the 65 essay titles here is hyperlinked to the original blog, so readers of the paper book have a way to access the links in the original blogs.

Table of contents

friends – musings about those close and dear to me

Goodbye Sam. My first post. Sam, I’m sure, would have become my best friend had he lived. Tho’ our paths had intertwined back to high school, it took Facebook to bring us together. God, how I miss him.

1/12/20 ………………………………………………………………………… 13

see Sam. Collected pictures of my late friend Sam.

1/14/20…………………………………………………………………………. 15

on the list? Something I sent to all those I notified of my new blog.

1/30/20………………………………………………………………………… 25

dinner with the McCarthys. Tall, willowy, athletic, and impossibly cute, plus a neighbor! A relationship smashed by my shyness grows now as mature couples interact.

2/1/20………………………………………………………………………….. 27

flowers. Ya know how when a band reissues an album they find things “in the vault” that weren’t on the original pressing? Here’s a Valentine’s Day story I’ll wait till next VD to post*

2/15/20*……………………………………………………………………….. 29

for Annie Banannie. My fave of all of Kathy’s old school friends.

5/2/20………………………………………………………………………….. 33

missing Nathan. Boy, do I. What a doc. What a guy.

5/11/20…………………………………………………………………………. 35

goodbye, Sue. She led my way through my first book and inspired our village in a long life we all wish could have been longer.

6/5/22………………………………………………………………………….. 51

hey, Tim. From Alaska, right by Denali, comes an old teammate’s request for an update on Michigan sports.

3/15/21…………………………………………………………………………. 55

TDP. My attending who recommended me to the boss, my best man, my chief, and always my friend. So sad to see you go, Tommy

9/1/20………………………………………………………………………….. 71

connections. There could be an old friend deep in that dusty film roll. 6/20/22.         75

Nurse!.  My ‘burg buddy Ott snagged hisself a cute little nurse! And boy, does he need one!

3/6/12…………………………………………………………………………… 75

bye, Barb. Words said at her memorial service sum up my affection, respect, shared last name.

6/7/23………………………………………………………………………….. 85

Cap’n Cosine. Driving, math, and golf. The good Captain taught me all, ever with a smile on his face, and what else do you need?

12/22/23……………………………………………………………………….. 87

“my brilliant career” – reflections on a career in rheumatology

varsity jacket.  Of course, it starts in high school. And sports are a headier achievement than academics, at least back then.

4/14/22…………………………………………………………………………. 93

make it add up, doc. Why an accounting journal would solicit an article from me is beyond understanding, but here’swhat they got, an unforgettable series of events in high school.

4/28/21…………………………………………………………………………. 95

a letter to my English teacher. My first stab at updating my high school English teacher on the last 50 years.

2/10/20………………………………………………………………………… 103

why rheumatology and, um, death?  My high school English teacher asks me why I chose rheumatology and how I confronted death.

3/29/20………………………………………………………………………… 107

Here Comes My Career.  Riffing on an Andy Breckman song, I put to my high school English teacher how my brilliant career unfolded.

5/4/20………………………………………………………………………….. 111

lab prattle. Talk about all that ree-search I was supposed to be doing. 10/1/22.          123

Hyde’n’seek. A romp through those old, cold, gray med school stomping grounds, not seeming so these days.

4/28/23………………………………………………………………………… 125

London ’79. Two magical months among garbage and disorder. And no, Dr. Johnson, I was never tired.

11/10/21………………………………………………………………………… 147

A Proud Line. My link to Britain’s greatest cardiologist through 2 of his students, one my Professor.

4/7/21…………………………………………………………………………… 151

pair-o-docs. It’s all about the clothes.

9/3/22………………………………………………………………………….. 159

flea in the O.R. An account of my role in developing arthroscopy as a tool of the rheumatologist.

11/20/21………………………………………………………………………… 161

all that doctorin’.  Some snaps from my young doctor days.

7/4/21…………………………………………………………………………… 169

thanks, Timbo!  A tribute to a dear colleague for an innovative arthroscopic intervention and a great recipe!

3/29/21…………………………………………………………………………. 171

Bend me, shape me. Reflections on an entertaining medical boondoggle meeting in San Diego.

7/10/20…………………………………………………………………………. 175

Dear Dr. Ripps. My appreciation of pharmacist Andrew Ripps’ efforts to remake rheumatology practice.

1/22/20…………………………………………………………………………. 175

come back West, old man? Gavin Newsome gives this here doc with a lapsed California license a chance to go back to work!

4/5/20………………………………………………………………………….. 177

what kind of Army is this? The California Health Corps takes shape. Without me.

5/17/20…………………………………………………………………………. 179

news for Sara. News to my favorite former fellow and current co-author about the state of affairs at her old institution early May ‘20.

5/5/20………………………………………………………………………….. 183

Gesundheitsgier (“health greed”). The Germans have a word for it. Here’s an urge we should heed more often.

6/29/21…………………………………………………………………………. 189

Oxford. My big paper on arthroscopy was accepted by the world’s premier rheumatology journal and here’s the link

12/27/21………………………………………………………………………… 193

Nayef. I explain to one of my better former fellows who my role models were (and still are), and why.

4/5/21…………………………………………………………………………… 195

Michigan chairs. Yes, it is possible to sit on your accomplishments.

6/1/22…………………………………………………………………………… 199

show-off. I like seals. Follow them and know my history.

10/8/22………………………………………………………………………… 201

stressed and depressed. A Michigan faculty earns a retort from someone who’s been there.

10/28/22……………………………………………………………………….. 211

third phase. Reflections on retirement.

12/11/20………………………………………………………………………… 215

stroke: rheum for improvement?  My cousin asked me about treatments for his brother’s stroke,and I learned maybe thereare some new things we could be doing

9/10/24…………………………………………………………………………. 223

“this life” – miscellaneous musings

a more perfect Union. Coming away impressed after a visit to the refurbished Michigan Union.

1/13/20…………………………………………………………………………. 229

Ann Arbor evening. Home by the fire after 10 days in the Golden State. 1/27/20       233

cross quarter. There’s more to it than the silly groundhog.

2/1/20………………………………………………………………………….. 235

feed my worms. It was time for a new hobby.

2/23/20………………………………………………………………………… 237

on Harbal. Welcome to my beautiful home. Links will give you a good tour around. I’m so lucky.

9/21/20…………………………………………………………………………. 243

I like being old. Yep. And here’s why.

10/2/20.  ………………………………………………………………………. 245

simplify, simplify, simplify. Inspired by my high school homecoming

queen, I reflect on how COVID may be helping us feel better about

some things.

11/18/20……………………………………………………………………….. 251

commandments. From my brother Nick, 12 Commandments for the 60⁺.

11/29/20……………………………………………………………………….. 253

more third phase.  Reflections in retirement, again.

12/11/20………………………………………………………………………… 255

thank you, Jeff Bezos. What would we do without Amazon?

12/19/20……………………………………………………………………….. 259

dandy dozen. More than just a refrain in a silly Christmas carol, 

there really are 12 days! Celebrate them all!

12/25/20 ………………………………………………………………………. 261

an ode to 2020. Maybe not so bad after all.

12/31/20……………………………………………………………………….. 265

50 years. I relate to a high school friend what’s been happening.

1/22/21…………………………………………………………………………. 267

unsubscribe! Frenzied phone focus in a bar upon learning of an e-mail

option to keep them away.

2/19/21…………………………………………………………………………. 269

happy 90th, Cap’n!  Who doesn’t love Captain Kirk!

3/25/21…………………………………………………………………………. 271

batch. I learn some etiquette for the digital age

4/1/21…………………………………………………………………………… 277

da vinner. Ya got your award-winning writer here.

6/29/24………………………………………………………………………… 279

makin’ t-shirts. A manly activity

1/10/24…………………………………………………………………………. 285

hooked. Hang-ups can be helpful.

1/11/24………………………………………………………………………….. 305

certifiable. May I see your papers, please?

4/9/24………………………………………………………………………….. 315

home improvement. Secrets to a tidy home

1/11/24………………………………………………………………………….. 322

guldhøj. “Mid-century modern? How about Bronze Age!

3/29/23………………………………………………………………………… 325

marmota monax cometh. a little update on our dear groundhog

2/1/24…………………………………………………………………………… 331

hi!  Did you think you could buy a book out of Ann Arbor and not 

read about dope?

4/13/24…………………………………………………………………………. 333

shocked!  So you eyin’ one of those Teslas? Read what you’re getting 

into 6/22/22…………………………………………………………………… 337

ironic. There can be peace in mundane household chores

2/24/24………………………………………………………………………… 347

critics. They’re everywhere!

2/2/24………………………………………………………………………….. 349

Meet the author ………………………………………………………………. 351