How to Help Children to Cherish Our Heritage

  Recently, I am reading a lot about people getting interested in their roots.  Usual avenues to trace them are through Ellis Island records, Mormon Church archives and popular websites such as ancestry.com, genealogy.archives.org and so on.  It is becoming quite a popular pastime, and I see many retired persons in the library doing just […]

How to Raise Your Children, so They’ll Love You Back

Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you a man. Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Jesuit order There is a story told me by my Father.  It was very popular in Poland, when we were run by communist Russia after WWll. To help women with a heavy work schedule in […]

“The Paradox of Choice” on TED is an Example of How to Control Your Mind.

Choice

A few days ago, Chris sent me a link to Barry Schwartz’s lecture on TED…”Take a look, very provocative” he said.  And it was. The speaker was talking about the negative effects of too many choices on human life.  Too many choices increase paralysis and decrease satisfaction.  Having too many choices contributes to depression.  The […]

How Dogs Can Make Our lives Rich. Mystery of concussions.

Happy dog and man playing outdoor

It was one of our long evening walks. We walked past our hotel, where we stayed during our trip from West to East coast. Suddenly, I heard hammering. It hurt my ears. We walked in that direction and the knocking became louder. I looked up and in a light of a street lamp I saw […]

How Dogs Can Make Our Lives Rich, Part ll

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. Will Rogers Bentley was a Christmas gift for Bonnie. He came with a red ribbon and a bow, instead of a Jaguar. Kids and I did a lot of secret talks and we got him on Christmas […]

How Dogs Can Make Our Lives Rich, Part I

Wer reited so spat durch Nacht und Wind? … Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear? … Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We are walking with our golden retriever Bentley twice a day. Our house is within impressive and beautiful North Carolina woods, we call it an enchanted forest. Our walking path […]

How to best train resident doctors

On March 4th 1984, they admitted college freshman Libby Zion to the New York hospital with high fever and agitation. Despite efforts of medical intern, medical resident and attending physician, she died the next day. Her father, a prominent NY lawyer and journalist Sidney Zion, was obviously devastated. The death raised the issue of the inadequate […]

What do We Have in Common with Wayne Gretzky

They completed “The Trade” 25 years ago. The Edmonton Oilers moved Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles Kings at the height of his hockey career.  Canadian national hero was playing in Canada no more.  He found out of this decision a few hours after winning Stanley Cup in 1988 from his father, who was aware of negotiations […]

How Much is Enough

A few years ago, at the heyday of our professional efficiency and high reimbursement for open heart surgery, I had a conversation with one of my fellow cardiac surgeons. We talked about how much we enjoyed this specialty and all the perks coming with it. At the certain point we came to discuss our financial […]