The Whine thread.

[WarpGirl]

I think that kid of yours is going to take over the world ek! Glad hubby got home safe.

[aadarshinah]

I've found in the 11 years I've lived here, the hollies have been fairly consistant. I may hate holly and the whole genus Ilex (including but not limited to it's various crossbreeds and their thousands of cultivars), but it's been consistant on that. Hidieous, ugly things though....

[enterprikayak]

Um, why the specific holly-hatred? Did the Ilex family do something to your family? Is it like a mafia blood feud thing?

[WarpGirl]

I broke a non-existant nail, peeling a seal off the Paprika. Who would poison the Paprika? Ouch.

[aadarshinah]

Um, why the specific holly-hatred? Did the Ilex family do something to your family? Is it like a mafia blood feud thing?

1) they grow everywhere around here. All that we have in this god-forsaken county are long-leaf pines and hollies.
2) there are thousands of different types of hollies - English hollies, American hollies, etc - and every possible cross between them. All with a thousand similar species names, which I was once forced to learn for when I was still idiotic enough to be a landscape gardening major.
3) they all look exactly alike, give or take the number of serations on their leaves or the size thereof.
4) they are impossible to kill, no matter how hard you try. Except for when you want them to live. Then they inevitably die.
5) They're not even pretty

[WarpGirl]

I think they're pretty. But if I were you and I had to learn all the names I'd probably hate them too.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Shapka

I have one of those I use in the winter. It's a former Soviet Navy Officer's (sans the commie badge) I got in Berlin a few years back.

[Distracted]

I'm exhausted. I think after all these years I'm finally ready to admit to myself that I chose the wrong profession. For an introvert like me, spending all day being pleasant and conversant with everyone is like pulling teeth. And I have to project the image at all times that I'm eager to listen to each patient and to solve his or her problems, even on the days when I honestly don't give a damn. My brain is fried and my face is tired from smiling. I'd give anything to just be able to stay home and write and not to have to interact with people face to face except when I want to.

On the other hand, I have no friends except online ones because the only people I ever see are either patients or subordinates/bosses at work and ethical standards prevent me from being close friends with any of them. And even if I had friends I'd be too tired to do anything with them. So medicine hits me from both directions. It forces me to be exhaustingly social and prevents me from having a social life, both at the same time.

Pisses me off.

All I think about these days is the fact that if I can tolerate doing this for 13 1/2 more years then I can retire with a pension and I won't have to see another patient ever again.

[/rant] Thanks for listening.

[enterprikayak]

As a fellow medical-field person, I feel for ya. Sometimes, you just want to look at a person, and be like, "You know that 94% of your "problems" are in your delusional brain, right? I mean, you're AWARE of that, right?" But you just have to slap on this shite-eating grin, and pretend to care.

Boy-oh-boy, if I said even 3% of what I think, I'd be so fired.

[Alelou]

Sounds like you could definitely use a break, D. (Assuming you can't just stay home and write, of course.)

Don't suppose they need someone to write medically-oriented grants or do some kind of health administration work at the same employer? Could be restful and still count towards that pension. 13+ years is a hell of a long time to be miserable.

[justTripn]

Could you be a grouchy curmudgenly doctor? Isn't that a privalege of seniority (speaking as someone your age)? I'm also tired of being nice, as some of you can attest. So sometimes I take a break from it. So . . . as for your problem of needing to meet people: join a book group or a writers group!!!! I'm meeting a whole new set of friends through hockey. It's so refresshing. Take up a sport. Do something crazy. After Elessar wrote that story with aerobic pole dancing in it, one of my fellow hockey players mentioned she and some friends were taking aerobic pole dancing and it was a blast. This was normal, middle-aged, married women. Pick something, anything and see where it goes. See what recreational-type classes are offered at your local community college.

[Enerdhil]

Dis, any way to obtain a sabbatical period? Changing place, interests, ... ?

[Silverbullet]

Dis, a Sabbatical sounds pretty good. Can you swing it? I once kknew a Doctor who attened every conference he could. Got him away from the Hospital and he saw a lot of different places.

SB

[Distracted]

Thanks for the support, guys. Although a sabbatical is not an option I do have two full weeks off at Christmas. I think I can stay sane until then. Sometimes I just need to vent. Since you guys are pretty much it as far as my social support goes (except for my husband, who's in the same boat as I am, only worse), you get to hear it when I blow my top. Aren't ya so lucky?

[WarpGirl]

Why yes we are! <serious>