Friday's Dispatch

• A very good article on death and dying- How Doctors Die. With their knowledge, relative wealth and access, it may not be what you'd imagine. An interesting, loosely associated thought: when they have the surprise heart attack though- you have never seen a code until you've seen one on a physician. A nursing friend recounted seeing one that involved 19 people ( I think 9 physicians). When it was over- two hours later he said, "The trash from the drugs and supplies was knee deep around the bed."



• "It was very good and very sticky!" Zac's response when I asked how dinner was this evening.



• When I see someone swab gravy or grease off a plate with bread it nauseates me.



• Tonight, there were two separate couples sitting at different tables. All four were hugely fat. Their bellies blobbed up over the edge of the tables. Two were sitting right behind me. I never saw them exchange a single word when I got up for refills, nor did I hear the closer pair say a word to each other the entire time. They just shovelled food in their mouths, made moaning noises and licked their fingers.



• Recently I met a man from Syria who had worked for years for the US Army in Iraq. It was hilarious to hear him using perfect GI slang. We laughed and talked like we'd known each other for years.



• Salespeople- ones who can transition from one product to another unrelated one and do well intrigue and impress me.



• I watched a video once looking for something to put up here to express the soldier life for those who might not understand. The video surprised me by taking me to a young guy from my old unit who was on a subsequent deployment. The first thing I thought about was the first time he had to kill somebody during his first deployment and my heart broke again for him.



• Lulz- The Price Is Right