My first post

This Blog is intended for anyone interested in quirkiness, trivia, literature & medicine.  I am a doctor, but don't let that put you off.

Let me first of all wish everyone who may visit this post a heartfelt "Happy Easter" - I say this as a devout, but liberal atheist.  After all is does result in a four day holiday (and in my part of the world an extra day on top of that!).

This Easter has allowed me to complete The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.  For those interested in Quirkiness (with a capital Q) I recommend it highly.  Certainly unusual to have a work of fiction devoted to the IRS (US tax system).  DFW was a genius, but alas his life was too short.

I have also read Henry's Demons by Patrick & Henry Cockburn.  This book describes Henry's fairly rapid descent into schizophrenia and their reaction too it.  An incredibly sad account of the rapid alteration in "personality" (whatever that means) that accompanies a psychotic illness.  Having read a similar narrative of schizophrenia by another family, the striking features are (1) the relentlessness of the illness and (2) the destructive influence on the family, let alone the "sufferer" (for want of a better word).

 Now this wouldn't be a real Blog without a rant and today's rant is: Given the parlous financial state of Europe/UK, why do they need to spend so much time, effort & money on Will and Kate's wedding (AKA "The Wedding of the Decade")?  And, to continue the rant, isn't it nice to invite members of the Royal Houses of Bahrain and Swaziland - viz. apparently the King of Swaziland and his 70 (!) attendants will be travelling to London and staying at a 5 star pub, whilst 70% of the population of the country live in poverty.

More Prosecting soon!