FY2 Begins

Welcome to FY2 (foundation year 2 training), the land of experimental e-portfolios, no study leave in some trusts whilst others take any exam known to man that may help at ST job interviews and getting bleeped because nurses are not allowed to get F1s out of bed at night. Take control of your own learning, arrange a taster week and write an a4 report on it (is anyone else thinking primary school or medical elective?). My first week consisted of the usual induction topics (fire safety, infection control, risk management lectures) with resus training (always useful). Sometimes I wonder why I do this job especially when a minority of patients are rude, aggressive or abuse the NHS. This is counterbalanced by the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I have made a diagnosis and initiated treatment which will benefit the patient (cliche alert). I still get a rush from the clinical experience and I hope to never loose that enthusiasm. However glancing at some of my more experienced colleagues, it may be inevitable. Doctors are less respected than before, medico legal is the buzz word and the internet makes self diagnosis a foregone conclusion. Despite all this, I honestly don't think I could do anything else. Enough talking shop.

Watch out for:

Jazmine Sullivan-they're calling her the new Alicia Keys (no comparison, vocally she wins hands down but I do love Alicia).
Little Jackie -eclectic genre defying artist.

10 things I have learnt:

1.I have a magazine addiction-glamour, elle, vogue, company etc
2.New Kids On The Block have a greatest hits album out in the States
3.Georgia is a State outside of the US
4.MMC (modernising medical careers) doesn't know what it is doing
5. Rock star kids have no common sense and are always named after fruit
6. You can be famous for no reason (Brooke Hogan, BB contestants, Jamie Winstone)
7. Sienna Miller is immensely talented (if anyone has any idea of which field other than dating 'separated men', please send answers in on a post card)
8. Everyone is scared of getting stabbed or gunned down especially by kids on public transport who play loud music (la la la, no no my ear drums aren't begging for respite)
9. London lite and London paper come out AFTER metro
10.Lily Allen gets more annoying as she gets older, release an album (pref somewhere else so we aren't subjected to singles on the radio), do something.

Hello It's Me Again

After a 6 month hiatus, one could be forgiven for thinking I'd given up writing. My new year's eve was spent doing an arterial blood gas on a sick patient as fireworks and noise filled the surroundings. I cannot complain at least I wasn't working around Christmas. Surgical firms brought their own nuances, with more politics than the US elections. Despite the less intense pace I craved medicine where we could be trusted to diagnose respiratory tract infections without the help of the respiratory team.

London fashion weekend was dire and a night out at Dolce broke my record for door- cloakroom -home time ( 15 minutes if I remember correctly). Electric Showrooms (shoreditch) is sublime if you can get over the teen vogue cover wannabes. I recommend the raspberry beer. Adele played Shepherd's bush (amazing voice, I forgot how young she is till she started speaking), vanity fair portraits came to my favourite space and pyscho designs blew my mind (top floor holds nice surprise). Sex and city movie was fabulous of course. I spent most of my time eyeing up the clothes and accessories. Indiana Jones- don't bother if you haven't bothered already,in which case it's too late. I was embarrassed on behalf of the cast and crew.

80's attire including neon legwarmers and head bands, stag and hen parties, a deserted warehouse in Vauxhall. Yes you guessed it....................Roller disco. I am half way through Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, doing things backwards (I read Da Vinci Code first) and behind the times. Belle Du Jour's Intimate Adventures Of A London Call Girl is an eye opener to say the least but hardly Pulitzer material. Her relationship with her exes is the real story as opposed to the obvious call girl fodder. Pedro Almodovar's box set sits on my top shelf, 1/3 of a DVD watched so I question my film and literary choices. Has my job left me with a penchant to switch off my brain outside of work or was the 3 for something pounds deal online the clincher?

New music:

Cherish The Truth - Rnb trio likened to destiny's child. Good production
Lil Wayne Tha Carter III- 2/5 at best
Usher Here I Stand- I like 3 songs- appetite, love you gently and best thing feat Jay-Z
Danity Kane Welcome to The Doll House- Excellent production and polished vocals
Kate Voegele & Sara Bareilles Little Voice-Excellent
Sam Sparro Black and Gold-Electro soul at its best. check out Santogold if you want something more left field.

Hidden gems:
Lodge Tavern, W5- Arguably best pub Sunday roast in London.
Chopstix High Street Ken W8- Cheap and cheerful oriental food. Try the bubble iced tea.
Fever, East castle St W1-Quirky boutique behind oxford street selling contemporary and vintage designs
Absolute Vintage, Hanbury Street E1 & Beyond Retro Cheshire St E1
Check out urban path for other Londoner's tips