What’s top of my mind: The upcoming EHR. I think about it but don’t worry much. How it all will work will settle in time. My biggest ‘concern’ is the patient portal and what it will entail/not entail and do I or The Best Medical Assistant handle incoming messages. Meanwhile I am backing up my homemade macros lest I have to enter them by hand.

Where I’ve been: Best Buy. Our TV screen broke down some years ago. Since then we’ve had to TV. When we watch something we do so on Someone’s iPad. We decided to finally get a replacement. Our old one is a modest thing about 44 inches wide standing on short legs; it is enough. It has to be this size to fit the space. Needless to say what is available a monstrous hang-on-the-wall items. We went to Best Buy and found one that suits us. Better yet some nice young man well over four feet promises to deliver and install it and haul away the old one. It will be odd to have a working TV again.

Where I’m going: Back to The Good Dentist. Drat! Last week I went to The Good Dentist to get out the temporary crown and place the permanent one. Alas, Babylon! He put it in, held an inspection, and declared it not quite right; it needs more work. I was ready to keep it and be over with the ordeal but he convinced me to wait. Back in went the temporary and I return in early June – hopefully for the last time.

What I’m watching: Duolingo ranking status. Patience above! Thanks to my industry I have advanced into some sort of tournament. I am in the finals; if I stay in the top ten I win some sort of award or recognition. I am among sharks and possibly bots. It will take a lot of time of lessons to ‘win’. I don’t know if I really want to spend the time to do this. On the other hand I am so close to winning – if I throw myself into it. I am not sure which way to go.

What I’m reading: The loved one. Spo-fans may recall I have my high school English Teacher’s list of 37 great reads he gave us upon graduation. I found last year and was pleased as Punch to see I had read most of them. I am working on finishing the list; I have only a few more to do. One of them is ‘The loved one” by Evelyn Waugh. I forget what it is about but I am soon to find out. I read the first chapter, which ended with a plot twist surprise so it has promise.

Has anyone read this book?

What I’m listening to: Awful TV. Someone likes to binge watch series. I don’t watch them myself but I hear them. He is presently watching one of which I don’t have the details but the main character, a woman in some political position, regularly screams and cusses – think of Edina Monsoon minus the charms. I am not found of people being beastly to their underlings let alone find it entertaining. Still, I am not watching it so what do I know. I think it’s supposed to be dark humor. He tends to fall asleep in the show, and I discreetly turn it off. When he wakes he backs it up. I often hear the same shouting a few times. Oh the pain.

What I’m eating: Strawberries. Now in season and not too terribly priced, I bought some and prepared them for easy access. We have every kitchen gadget imaginable – but not the one that resembles very small tongs used to pinch off the stems, worse luck. I remember my mother used to cut the tops off using a small knife which she drew towards her through the top of the strawberry stopping when the blade touched the pad of her thumb. She could do this quickly and I don’t recall her ever cutting herself which seems a minor miracle.

Who needs a good slap: Problem patients. Some of them are being difficult. One came in the other day announcing she did NOT start the antidepressant I prescribed to her as she read online its potential side effects and possible long term risks and she wasn’t going to subject herself to that, besides, she adds, she doesn’t like having to rely on taking something on a regular basis. I pointed out she’s taking daily doses of Xanax for a long time; had she read about its potential side effects and long term risk? Well that’s different she states, she doesn’t have side effects on this one. Then she asked for a sleeping pill.

On my 1-5 scale, I give patients and people in general who pick-and-choose data to support what they want to believe rather than what they should believe two slaps. Mind! We all do this to some degree, it is called ‘confirmation bias’. All the same I didn’t appreciate her mild chastisement for suggesting to her potentially hazardous prescriptions while in the same minute she is asking for Ambien.

Who gets a fist-bump: Warrior Queen and Princess Goddess. Brother #3 took his daughter (PG) and Brother #4’s daughter (WQ) to see “Wicked”. They both adored it. I asked B#3 if the two of them were thinking of going out on Hallowe’en as Elphaba and Glenda. He said no as both identified with Elphaba and thought Glenda a wuss. Good for them!

What I’m planning: A parade of repairmen.* Besides the TV man, we are finally getting around to a consultation on the roof and I need to find someone to inspect the hot tub. Last time I tried turning it on there was a ominous smell of something burning emanating from below. That ain’t good.

What’s making me smile: A raise and it’s a big one. A couple of months ago The House Manager gave me a modest raise ‘just because”. It wasn’t much but any raise is a good thing no? especially when I had fears of the place folding. Last week she came to my office and closed the door to tell me starting August I am getting a salary change. Now that I work for The Overlords, based on my role or age or years or good looks who knows what exactly I am going to be paid on par with my peers. My eyes widened at the new salary – not only at the guaranteed amount but the potential I could earn if I tried. I kept asking her for assurance is this real and how is this possible? The amount is almost obscene. She assured me it was real. I’ve been comfortable and content working as I do and I’ve never felt underpaid. She stated in hindsight I was; the previous owners were lucky to have had me as I could have gotten a much larger salary if I had gone elsewhere.

It feels like winning the lottery.

*What does one call a group of repairmen I wonder? A team? A gaggle? The mind boggles. Does anyone know?