Celebrating Women’s History Month!

• Next time you eat out, pick a woman-owned restaurant from this list–these ladies are rockin’ it in a male dominated industry!
• Join London Drawing Group from afar Monday, April 11th at 10:30am (recording will be available) for a talk on Art, Feminism and Disability. FREE
• Looking for a new video game? Try Portal, created by designer Kim Swift or Night in the Woods which follows female protagonist, Mae Borowski, as she cracks the mystery of strange happenings in her home town.

For Parents

• A beautiful book you can share with your littles: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – thanks to Josh Rosen, Gen Surg PGY 5 for this suggestion!
• UW has a few resources for you and your family. Perform background checks on sitters, get discounts on nannies and plan tutoring help for your kiddos!
• Call the Peptoc Hotline to get a boost of joy from kindergartners at 707-998-8410. If you’re mad, frustrated or nervous, press 1! Thanks Cindy Hamra for this fab find.
• FREE reading of Bad Hair Does Not Exist with Sulma Arzu-Brown, March 16th, 9am.

Sports! Sports! and Sports?

• Megan Rapinoe and OL Reign kick off their season (literally) at their new home, Lumen Field, this Friday, March 18th. At $20 it’s a steal!
• March Madness has arrived! Quick, fill in your bracket!
• If storytelling is more your speed, hit up the Moth Story Slam at Bloedel Hall this Friday, where the theme is Athletics. You can take the stage yourself, or just cheer folks on from your seat.

Black Lives Matter

• Try a Silent Disco hosted by Wa Na Wari with Lady Coco and DJ Top Spin, March 26th 6pm.
• It’s coming waaaay late, but finally, we’ll have a black female voice on our nation’s highest court. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is the next Supreme Court Nominee! Here are some of the many ways she can make a difference.
• Grooving for Good is happening March 25th and benefits the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition. “Harnessing the power of dance music for social change.” Heck yeah. $10-15

Mindfulness Minute

• Try this 6 minute Loving Kindness Meditation practice by Sharon Salzberg and learn a new way to care for yourself and others. She’s so relaxed and inviting, you’ll find yourself at ease in moments!
• The science of joy is here! Scroll to the bottom to get on the email list and remind yourself of how to cultivate it.
• Register for the FREE trauma stewardship workshops sponsored by UW Medicine Well-Being, March 23rd 1pm-3pm and June 21st 4pm-6pm. Recordings will follow.

Entertainment

• If you’re in the market for some good food, check out Phở Bắc Sup Shop – Thanks to Hallen Pham, PGY 1, Internal Med for this rec!
• Audible’s Hot White Heist, “a queer Fantasia on the heist formula” with Abbi Jacobson (of Broad City) will provide summer fun even in the rain. Set in Seattle!
• Rock out at Punk Black, April 3rd at 6pm. Tickets $10+
• The gorgeous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be at the Paramount March 26-27th. It’s a splurge that’s worth splurging for!
• Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th with FREE trivia at Dog Yard Bar (7pm) or at Optimism where Seattle Gaymers will host a queer friendly event!

Holiday Dessert Contest!

Hopefully you’ll have some time to bake this holiday season! Send us your favorite holiday themed dessert to win lunch on us! Include the recipe, a picture, and your comments. Due date to submit your entry is January 10th. (You can simply email one of the Wellness ladies: diptic@uw.edu, jkocian@uw.edu, pattylb@uw.edu). We will feature the winners in our February issue!

Need inspiration? Thanks to Julia Kocian for her Hot Fudge recipe here, and Cindy Hamra for her favorite, Bûche De Noël!

Black Lives Matter

• Kwanzaa celebration on Dec 30th with Northwest African American Museum.
• Here’s a source for accurate information about Black history and about the history of African American presence around the world including historical biographies and media. 
• Join in on a conversation about advancing racial equity in our community with NY Times bestselling author, Clint Smith. Jan 19th, 2022 at 6pm.

December is Universal Human Rights Month

Here are some ideas for volunteering and giving back this holiday season and beyond:

• Volunteer at a local charity. Here’s a long list.
• For MLK Day of Service 2022, volunteer at a local charity through United Way.
• You can donate to a local non-profit by opening a checking account with Seattle Credit Union and Feel Good Checking: when you open a checking account, $20 is donated to a non-profit.  

Mindfulness Minute

• With all the news and media, a helpful practice this holiday may be to give ourselves a media break. Check your phone or media less frequently. Challenge yourself to media fast for a day and check on how you feel after. 
• Here are two FREE meditation opportunities. Meditation for self-care and self-acceptance, December 24th and 31st at 2pm. Register. Meditation course drop-in, Sundays at 9.45am. Register.

Mindfulness Minute…for Kids!

Here are a few fun holiday mindfulness activities for the young and young at heart – Thanks to Counselor Keri!

• Snow globe shake:  Shake a snow globe and notice how the snow falls. Notice how your body feels as the snow falls. 
• Bells: Ring a bell and notice the sounds, the vibrations and pay attention to what you hear. Notice the last moment you can hear the bell.
• Hanukkah Yoga: some iconic items translated into a peaceful pose!

Lights! Lights! Lights!

• Wild Lanterns at Woodland Park Zoo Explore the zoo and enjoy the animal and nature scape lanterns. 
• Stroll around South Lake Union and enjoy the FREE interactive illumination. Open through December 31st from 8am to 10pm.  
• Enjoy a beautiful light display at Bellevue Botanical Garden.
• Holiday lights around the city. Drive around and find your favorites! 

Entertainment

• Take the polar bear plunge to ring in the New Year!
• Winterfest events virtual and in person at Seattle Center with ice sculpting, entertainment, trains and more! Through December 31st.
• Enjoy a game of chess with Seattle Chess Club!
• Join the Dare to Do Wellness Challenge for 2022 (a 22-day wellness challenge) through the Whole U. 
• Catch a snowflake and the holiday parade in Bellevue’s Snowflake Lane!

Native American Heritage Month and Thanksgiving

• Start a new tradition with the Indigenous Walking Tour (art at right) at UW or learn about Native populations on this map! Visit Real Rent and make a contribution or shop to support the Duwamish!
• Eat well and find the soup of your dreams here! (Thanks Well-Being Team!)
• Take a pal to one of Magnuson’s runs (Turkey Trot is November 25th and Holiday Run is December 18th) with a distance for all abilities, or keep it casual at Green Lake Tacky Turkey Sweater 5k Saturday, November 20th at 10am! (Tickets here.)

Black Lives Matter

• We need to see our diverse and beautiful selves reflected in the communities around us, and Andrea Gahl is doing just that for surgeons. Check out her art here and here.

• Check out this affinity group of  “likeminded South Asian millennial women living in North America.” It’s a platform to “share, inspire, and collaborate”! (Thanks Nandini Abburi, PGY 5 for this find!)
• Anita Hill will discuss her book Believing at 6pm on Thursday November18th and you can be there virtually! She’s really an incredible person, you won’t want to miss it!

For Parents

• For the feminist in all of us, practical tips along with charming illustrations are abundant in this article: “How to Raise a Feminist Son”.
• Or check out Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s rockin’ follow up Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Get your copy today–it fits nicely in a back pocket.
• Make the most of your childcare benefits with FREE info sessions at Kinder Care (November 17th, 1pm-2pm: Register) and Bright Horizons (December 8th, 8:30am-9am: Register). Learn about backup care, discounts, priority enrollment and more. Thanks Gabrielle Pett for this find!
• Help your kids learn about Alaskan Natives with Molly of Denali, the PBS kids show!

Halloween Play Day at Kelsey Creek Farm

We had a fantastic time at Kelsey Creek Farm with our GME parents and kiddos! The sun was out, the costumes were festive, and we had sprinkles in our hot chocolate! My personal favorite moment was meeting the very friendly sheep “Bob” and “Sean” (who were each over 300lbs! and one of whom is pictured at right…) We learned that the oil on their wool – helpful in keeping the rain off – was lanolin oil, so now you have that fun fact to file away. See more pictures here!

GME Counseling to Remain on Zoom for Now

GME Wellness will continue to offer counseling exclusively via Zoom this fall. As a team, we believe this is the best way to support our trainees under the current circumstances. The virtual platform lends itself to meeting from any location without worry about travel or parking. Also, our ability to support you and offer high quality counseling services is stronger when we can see your beautiful faces and read non-verbal clues.

We look forward to the day we can provide counseling support in person and we will  continue to re-evaluate as the situation evolves. In the meantime, please share your thoughts and feedback with us. Thanks to Natalie Brady with GME for collecting a comprehensive list of spaces at our hospitals that you may be able to use to have a Zoom session or take care of yourselves in another way. Get the full list here!

Mindfulness Minute

• Here’s an testament to why you should give journaling a try.
• You might consider using a classic like The Artist’s Way, or maybe Bullet Journaling is more your speed. Here’s another example. (You probably already know about it. It’s a thing.)
• And don’t forget the (arguably) most important kind of journaling–gratitude journaling! Even if you do it begrudgingly, it will still work it’s magic. You can even start right now! Think of a person you’re glad to be around….a favorite food…an beautiful sight…see? You’re off to a good start already.
• Or try a brief meditation like this one.)

Holiday Season Entertainment

• If Die Hard is your favorite Christmas movie, you won’t want to miss the musical parody A Very Die Hard Christmas at Seattle Public Theater running through all of December! (Tickets $36 for Adults)
• Lots of Hanukkah fun to be had for the whole fam, like Hands on Hannukkah at U Village with arts and crafts and treats! (December 2nd at 3:30pm).
• Julefest will be hosted at the Nordic Museum, November 20th and 21st with traditional dance, and refreshments and crafts for sale.
• Bundle up and watch the Argosy ship parade and caroling float by! Sailing in locations around town on weekends through December. Check the timing and map before you pick your watch spot!

Fall Getaways!

• Want to meet an alpaca? You can during National Alpaca Farm Days September 25th and 26th from 10am-5pm. Farms in Arlington.
• Fall into leaves at Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth (FREE) September 24th – September 26th.
• Fall is an amazing time to visit the Seattle Japanese Garden. The Maple Festival will be running October 8th-17th. Don’t miss it!

Black Lives Matter

• Folio’s 400 years of Racism book discussion series has a lot of great options. Pick your book and show up for FREE. When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Cullors and Asha Bandele. Tuesday, October 5th at 4pm on Zoom. Check out all the conversations here.
• Changing Lanes movie discussion with 411 on Monday, September 27th at 5pm PCT. FREE “What’s The 411 uses film and print to highlight the Black experience in America.”

What’s Cookin’?!

• Thank you, Lani Wall, for Instapot Lentils to warm up our tummies and souls. Recipe here.
• Pack energy with a smoothie! Here are 3 yummy power packed smoothie recipes courtesy Parade Chef Jon Ashton. 
• Berry Good! A slice of summer to enjoy. Thanks to the Whole U for some berry recipes.  
• Hiking Anyone? Get some Power tea! Himalayan butter tea. Courtesy The Seattle Times. 

Whole U Events

 It’s great to be a Huskie – Thanks to the Whole U for these events! Here is the website to check out all of the following offerings:  

•  Forest Bathing Walk on September 25th (10am to 11:30 am) in person at the Arboretum
•  Celebrate Yoga month with lots of Free Yoga in the month of October. 
•  Barre Class on September 22nd, 5pm to 6pm 

Hispanic Heritage Month

• Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in September with a trip to 13 cultural icons around the world. Thanks Google Earth! 
• Find a short story or movie from the PBS collection.
• Support Latinx-owned businesses in your community. 

Mindfulness Minute

• Have a chat about how to begin your meditation practice at Meditation Tea Time! FREE
• Compare the best apps for meditation to get you going and pick one to help you practice.

Entertainment

• FREE painting parties at Freeway Park in downtown Seattle on September 21st and 28th from Noon to 2pm. All ages. Your creation will feature in a public installation!
• 1 hour rowboat rentals for FREE at Center for Wooden Boats in SLU any time during business hours. 
• Enjoy a Washington State Park for FREE on September 25th 

   

   

New GME Wellness Counselor!

Virtual Entertainment

• In this short (9 minute) documentary, two men find their humanity with each other’s help.
• Preparing for autumn in the Food Garden! Join this live stream to learn what to do in your garden to enrich the soil, plant winter crops and prep for next year! $28.
• A quick 20 min break for an epic story of love and resilience.
• I have the fondest memories of watching Oprah with my mom as a kid. She’s back (Oprah, that is, not my mom) with a new series, The Me You Can’t See on Apple TV that tackles important subject matter with grace. Thanks for this rec from Anderson Penha (Anesthesiology PGY 2)!
• Introductory Belly Dancing Class, why not?!

Quick Reads

• This article has some well crafted graphics that show how disadvantaged black boys and men, in particular, are when it comes to economic mobility.
• I try to buy local and avoid or recycle disposable packaging, but let’s face it, sometimes you just need to order the thing on Amazon. If you’re caught between a rock and your Prime membership, this article will coach you on how to shop at the “everything store” in the most sustainable way.

Black Lives Matter

• Inspired by the African mythology of an underwater world created by pregnant women lost overboard during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, the novella The Deep by Rivers Soloman, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathon Snipes and its sister song, The Deep by clipping, are sure to paint your imagination.
• Every Monday at 5pm, this support group for BIPOC meets to provide a safe space for support around mental health. Consider it for you or a friend who needs a little extra TLC.
• Also, check out the latest newsletter from NURF here!

Boating on Lake Union!

As a “Captain” myself, I can tell you that the boats were utterly impossible to steer straight, which made our boating event all the more fun! We will definitely bring this one back, and be on the look out for some fall events coming your way as well! More pictures here!

Mindfulness Minute

• One of the most challenging things about medical training is the lack of time beyond work demands. I hope the long hours will go out of style, but in the meantime, it’s all the more important to make your moments count, and that means bringing mindful awareness to how you spend time and energy. With the A-Tracker app, you can see just where it’s going and set goals for the future. Just like budgeting your money, but for minutes instead! Thanks Aaron Wishnick for this great discovery!

In-Person Entertainment

• FREE Yoga in the Park. Happening all Summer Thursdays from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Just show up at Gasworks with your mat (I like to bring a towel or sheet to go underneath) and one of Bala Yoga’s instructors will lead you in an evening flow!
• CHOMP! is back! If you’ve been missing that festival environment where live music and local food are abundant, this one’s for you! August 21st, 10am-6pm.
• Take a guided food tour of Pike’s Place Market. You’ll hit all the classic stops in one go! ($61)