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Passionate community leaders typically communicate with the best intentions. They are genuinely excited about sharing publicly and celebrating successes in their communities. In fact, one of the main questions I get when I coach community leaders is, “How can I encourage people in my community to get more excited and engaged in the work we need to accomplish in our town?” I start by telling them it’s unlikely anyone in your town will have the exact level of passion as you do about the same things you’re excited about. It’s all about each person finding their own passion and following it.
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What does it mean to practice humanity in medicine? The phrase is used as a tagline and in book titles. Humanity and compassion in medicine is touted as something to aspire to, a noble accomplishment. But in reality, the biomedical model of health, the business model for healthcare, is not set up to support it. Algorithms and best practices set forth by insurance companies and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid do not account for the time required to establish meaningful human interaction between patient and caregiver.
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As I approach my 80th birthday, I have become increasingly aware that my hunts and fishing trips won’t go on forever. I’ve already slowed down more than I let on, and from time to time I’ve alluded to this in past columns. The December 2021 issue of Deer & Deer Hunting magazine contains the article “50 Reasons Adults Quit Hunting” by Josh Honeycutt. I’m not going to parade through all of Honeycutt’s reasons, but I will touch those I feel are most relevant.
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With 2022 nearly upon us, so too is the tradition of the New Year’s resolution. Merriam-Webster defines the New Year’s resolution as “a promise to do something differently in the new year.” I would argue that in practice, the resolution is less of a promise and more of a hope or intention.
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As I approach my 80th birthday, I have become increasingly aware that my hunts and fishing trips won’t go on forever. I’ve already slowed down more than I let on, and from time to time I’ve alluded to this in past columns. The December 2021 issue of Deer & Deer Hunting magazine contains the article “50 Reasons Adults Quit Hunting” by Josh Honeycutt. I’m not going to parade through all of Honeycutt’s reasons, but I will touch those I feel are most relevant.
Read moreFor the past three months, I have had the opportunity to help coach Avon School’s Oral Interpretation team. Earlier this month at the state oral interp tournament in Huron, I interacted with these young people in various situations - on the rides to and from Huron, at the competition, in restaurants, and in our motel. In each one of those settings, I found the students to be kind, courteous, and respectful.
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For Christmas, I’m going with something on the lighter side this week. The old school teacher in me surfaced recently. I once thoroughly enjoyed putting evaluation instruments together, and I just had to “scratch that itch.” I hope you enjoy my South Dakota Sportsman Scale, but don’t take it too seriously. For many, a golf course or jogging trail fills one’s outdoor needs. South Dakota Sportsman’s Scale
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Food intolerance and food allergy are common these days. When I was a kid, no one asked about nut allergies or gluten sensitivities when inviting you to a birthday party. You could bring homemade snacks to school. Peanuts were served to everyone on airplanes. Today, we are constantly reminded to be aware and take precautions to help prevent exposure for those who are intolerant or allergic.
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