Friday, 26 June 2015

Writers Night Anthology - Part 1: A Break in the Wall


Creative Doctors Writers Networking Night 2015 demonstrated deep wells of talent amongst the
attendees. As a result we've decided to create an anthology of works from the night and this is Part 1.

Bruce Lachter is a psychiatrist whose published novel "A Break in the Wall" draws on his experience as a prison psychiatrist and his talent in seeing the humourous side of darkness to create a fascinating and highly readable work.
Bruce has given us the first two chapters of his novel to publish on the Original Words page of this blog. If it leaves you  itching for more the novel is available from Amazon in paperback or in a kindle edition.

Creative doctors thanks Judith Babich from Active Locums for her support in catering for this event and Black Dog Institute for providing the venue.

         
Watch this space in coming weeks for more of the work presented on the night.

Sunday, 14 June 2015

2015 Writers Night is this Thursday 18th June

Just a quick reminder that Creative Doctors Writers Networking Night is coming up this week
The amazing Dr Dennis Lewis-Enright
reading from his spontaneous musings
at Writers Night 2014
on
Thursday 18th June at 6.30 for 7.00pm 
at
Main Lecture Room, Ground Floor
Black Dog Institute

The Black Dog Institute building is on Hospital Rd, a road within the grounds of Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick NSW. Hospital Rd runs from High St to Barker St along the edge of the Hospital. There is some street parking nearby and you are free to use the POW Hospital car park.

Light refreshments will be provided by the wonderful Judith Babich from Active Locums and we can expect to hear some of our members reading some great writing from both their published and unpublished work, as we have in previous years.

If you plan to come please let Howard know soon so that we can get the catering right.
howard@aya.yale.edu 0402827156
If you plan to read and haven't let us know yet please let Jan know asap so we can finalise the program
janorman@mccauleysoftware.com. 0425215876

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

Channeling Madame Defarge

It's winter again and some of us have turned our backs on the great outdoors and begun to snuggle up with our knitting. The click clack of my needles helps me shut out the daily struggles, the guillotine's thud.
Image by Kaley Tate
Sitting granny-like in my favorite chair, secretly indulging myself with needles and yarn, I have come across an article that tells me that not only am I one of the coolest of people but also that my favorite winter past time causes dopamine release and can cure a myriad of ills including depression and PTSD.
The article in the Daily Mail sparked my interest enough to have me go looking for some supporting evidence for its claims.
It seems that knitting's benefits are about more than a sense of achievement in creative endeavour.  Rhythmic repetitive body movements, stimulation from colour and texture, repetitive eye movement and focused mindful activity are all some of the suggested mechanisms for knitting's psychological benefits.
We also know that people who take up a craft like knitting, as well as those who read and play games, are less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment as they age. Increasing the complexity of the task improves the results further. Knitting is good for you, cable and fair isle are better still!
Is anyone willing to admit to knitting - now you know what a good thing it is? (Or have you known it all along?)