@TheScrubSink

Washing my hands for surgery is a process, and I've embraced it as somewhat of a ritual. I share these moments with other members of the surgical team; they are the "water-cooler" conversations of the operating room. Here are a few thoughts, topics, and trends that were on my mind this week @TheScrubSink.

1. Colorblind Pal: New apps abound, but few can actually change the way you actually see the world. For the 10% of Americans with colorblindness, this app brings features that aim to do just that: helping you identify colors using your phone's camera, and amplifying colors with some software algorithm that give you the view of someone with normal color vision. This New York Times article describes the experience from the point of view of a rare woman with colorblindness.

2. Plenary Sessions Podcast: In his Feb. 1st episode, OHSU oncologist Dr. Vinay Prasad interviews my father, Dr. Alex E. Denes, about his nearly 40-year career in hematology & oncology. His experience, especially during a period of dramatic changes in the field of cancer research and treatment, gives him a unique perspective. I found myself feeling a stronger connection to my Dad just from hearing his stories and his passion for his chosen profession.

3. Teach kids to be bored: Kids these days are subject to a constant stream of entertainment, and it can lead to problems when they find themselves in stillness. "I'm bored" seems to be the calling card of the modern, overstimulated, short-attention-span youth. This piece in the New York Times suggests that boredom is the birthplace of creativity and self-sufficiency, and argues that kids would actually benefit from some time to be bored, to be left to their own devices to create and relate to each other.