Dear Wellness Community,
A big fat welcome to the newest members of our UW Medicine community! To all those incoming residents and fellows, we wish we could gather and celebrate your arrival and we’re so excited to have you. We’ve experienced many collective ups and downs together and we are still finding our paths forward in working to be anti-racist and keeping this pandemic under control as we return to some familiar activities.
Thank goodness we are past that rainy, cold June and summer has finally arrived! Let the sun be your guide as you choose how to spend your time. It’s the perfect weather for those distanced hang outs that are part of phase 2 (that’s what we’re in right? I can’t keep track because every city seems to have a different numbering system!) You might also plant yourself in an Adirondack chair and pick up some educational reading, or put on some tunes. And if you’ve been wanting to test your green thumb, start a garden with ideas in this issue for edible plants that can grow on your balcony!
As we send some folks off to the next chapter and welcome others who are just beginning at UW, we are navigating some new emotions and worries. I never thought that I would think twice about serving my loved ones a meal or ask my friends if they feel comfortable meeting in person, but that’s where we are, isn’t it? Making space for hard conversations is embedded in the work of anti-racism as well as pandemic safety. Be patient with yourselves and others as we work to change our ways for the better.
**The GME office will be going through furloughs that will make it impossible to keep up with our normal Wellness Corner schedule. We want to prioritize being available for clinical appointments, so look out for the next full issue in early August!**
Warmly,
This week’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Julia Kocian, LICSW, MPH
GME Wellness Counselor
Monday – Thursday at UWMC Montlake
206.543.6408
jkocian@uw.edu
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Contents
Black Lives Matter: Talking About Race
- If you’re looking for ways to act, here are some concrete ways you can be a white ally to anti-racism efforts.
- Thank you Ibram X. Kendi (author of How to Be an Antiracist) for this poignant article about racist fear of black men.
- Here are some helpful tips for safely participating in protests.
- Want to learn more about Black history, racism and social justice? Start by reading these books.
- Join the movement by supporting black owned restaurants in your community. Here’s a list.
Listen Up
- Chromeo’s Quarantine Casanova album is one of my favorite examples of quarantine art. Listen to the song “Clorox Wipe” and just tryyyy not to smile—I dare you!
- Remember cinnamon sugar toast? This was a treat from my childhood that I recently revisited with this delightful podcast as my impetus. Press play and make your toast along with the audio—it’s only 15 minutes and you’ll be savoring the goodness of a simple pleasure all along the way.
- I’ve been loving listening to Heavyweight, a podcast with Jonathon Goldstein, who you may have heard produce some stories on This American Life; the humor is wry, the tone is irreverent and the stories are touching and delightful. Take a break and listen to an episode.
- Try the “Libby” app and breeze through an audio book from the library for FREE! Bahni Turpin’s delightful reading of “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo is available for your listening ears.
Make Your Own Ice Cream at Home!
If you try this method, tell me (jkocian@uw.edu) if it actually works– Sure look like it does in the video!
Grow a garden on your balcony!
Try these ideas for edible gardens that are compact and easy or just get inspired to create a dazzling green outdoor space.
Get Inspired!
If you need a boost, here are the last strides of Eliud Kipchoge’s sub 2-hour marathon run! He’s a joy and inspiration to watch and I love seeing his teammates cheer him on!
Mindfulness Minute
Check out UW’s “Code Lavender” full of short mindfulness practices for body, mind and spirit.
Parents
- Here are some books and tips to help you explain racism and protests to your kids from NYT—get those lines of communication open early!
- Calling all kids! SPL presents Virtual Rainbow Story Time with Indigenous Drag Storyteller Mx. Trickster at 10am Saturday, July 4th and July 11th!
- Cook for the whole family with these big batch recipes. That chicken pozole verde looks soooo especially yummy—I think I’ll put that on my meal plan for next week!
- Are you wondering where to take your kids for a bike ride that’s safe and not too crowded? Here are some suggestions!
- Try these kid-friendly, educational apps to keep your children entertained and learning!
Gorgeous submission to our Apple of My Eye photo share from a PGY 6!
Entertainment
- Theo’s is doing virtual tastings—you can pick up your box of goodies and they’ll guide you through those delights right in the comfort of your living room! There’s one that pairs chocolate and Aslan beer July1st and other chocolate tastings coming up too!
- Samin Nosrat makes lasagna! You may not be up for this labor intensive, totally from scratch method, but just watching her love of cooking will bring you joy!
- Whether you were missing baseball or hardly noticed, MLB is coming back with an abbreviated season and some new rules! Here’s the inside scoop.
- Thursday, July 2nd at 7pm, The Moth is having a Virtual Story Slam and the theme is “co-habitation”. Cry and laugh along with very funny host, El Sanchez. ($10)
Gems from Treasure Valley
- Enjoy the sunshine with a bike ride or walk on the Boise River Greenbelt!
- Find your favorite cup ‘o jo!
Got Feedback for Us?
We’d love to hear it! Share your thoughts about the Wellness Corner, suggestions for future events, discounts or articles to highlight, or anything else you’d like to share. Please email your thoughts to Dipti Chrastka (diptic@uw.edu) and/or Julia Kocian (jkocian@uw.edu).