May 4, 2021

It’s someone’s birthday this week. Mr. Plastic Picker and I have two teenagers now in the house. One about to drive and another living in a world of dreaming about volleyball spikes and playing varsity. They both have such conventional lives with conventional concerns. For someone who grew up in a refugee household, I realize how unusual that is. Mr. Plastic Picker and I are who we are because of the way we were raised, within loving households that faced more struggles but anchored in a country that had opportunities for us. We are not trying to recreate ourselves in our children or recreate the circumstances that molded us. We are happy that the children have volleyball, and some of the biggest concerns is who is going to be taller than whom. Which SAT prep course to take? Summer house vacation with friend or go with your parents camping? I concentrate on them and also concentrate on the society surrounding them.

Did you hear about Bill and Melinda Gates divorce? Do you think money had anything to do with it? No money in the world is worth the dissolution of a marriage. I remember when Al and Tipper Gore annoucned their divorce. Because I had rewatched the Inconvenient Truth so many times, I was shocked. My own parents are still married. Mr. Plastic Picker’s parents are still married. And indeed when I was a young doctor mulling over the divorce of Al and Tipper Gore, a Dr. KJ who was older worked beside me and she came out and said “I’m still married.” That reminded me not to borrow the concerns of others.

Bill and Melinda Gates mentioned in their press release about their three children, and successfully raising them. Mr. Plastic Picker and I are in the midst of raising our two tweens. For me, our marriage and the family we’ve created which is an extension of our two families merged into these two teens – is the most important thing in my life. Maybe this is something a liberal feminist would disagree, but its more important than my career and more important than money. I don’t talk about my marriage and my family as much about plastic, but I wonder if my friends truly understand.

But that’s the wonderful thing about the new world. I can do it all. I can be married, have two teens, and be Assistant Boss and be an Eco-Avatar Dr. Plastic Picker. I can do it all and also be head of vaccine quality measures. It’s funny one truly understands who is supportive of your career, or those who gently push you along and help you along the way. Beware of those who subtly leave professional land-mines. Dr. Plastic Picker is all my years of being a mentor and Assistant Boss, I never told anyone to quit. I never told anyone that you could not do anything. I hope that I encouraged people along their career path and their family. There is no race. You can have children, a successful marriage, and be in leadership. I’ll clear the professional land-mines for you. Other people don’t see them, but as a litter-picker now I notice them all.

May 2, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I don’t have as much time to blog and write. I know I am still blogging daily but it’s not the quiet and creative writing that I enjoy. I am okay. I appreciate everyone reading. I’m pulled to do climate work which is meaningful and impactful, but I come back here just to be me – silly Dr. Plastic Picker. The way I decide what goes on this blog, is what make me truly happy and joyful. And above is a little friend I made that made me so happy.

In between trying to get comments from academic pediatrician friends on our upcoming journal article, working on the conclusion and citations, sending emails, helping others with their applicatiosn for various board positions, and generally doing things to help the earth – I sometimes make these funny little wine-cork people. Here are some more.

And the three wine-cork people I made together. Here they are as friends.

Even beach trash wine-cork people need friends. They travel in groups of three. I’m post my litter picking totals tomorrow. I got to 20 this month!

May 1, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I am still Assistant Boss. I still enjoy my job. I’ve been able to proactively change aspects of my job by going to the root cause of many middle management headaches and tweaking things. I have made my job easier and more appropriate for an MD and not a mindless hamster in the upper panel. I feel like the hamster in the lower panel. I’m ready to dive into the unknown waters, and not sure if I remember how to swim. I don’t really try to direct life, other than working to stop the headlong catastrophe of ecological collapse. I don’t worry about the what ifs and the endless tomorrows. I worry about our planetary future, but I’m sure enjoying the day to day part of life and how much I’m able to do just by being alive on this wondrous earth! One thing I know for sure, I will never be that hamster in the upper panel ever again. Trust me. I won’t and no one can make me because I’m free in so many ways. Free financially. Free mentally. Free from the colonial and misogynist mindset. Someone said something hurtful in an email, one of those little jabs that can destroy a woman leader after a million of them by small-minded people. And I replied back my truth and shined a mirror on that seemingly innocuous yet hurtful comment. But I did it in a clear-sighted and honest way. Just like if one litters in front of Dr. Plastic Picker, I’ll tell you that piece of plastic fell on the ground. It will hurt some living thing. And when I replied my truth and said lets move on, I felt very powerful and free.

I’m finishing the conclusion for our paper for the Journal of Applied Research on Children, and I am so proud of what we’ve done as an author group. It was a labor of passion and love. I think it will make an impact. Most importantly, it made an impact on us writing this piece together and collaborating. I had emailed our co-authors that this is one of the most meaningful projects I have ever worked on. We have decided to have Dr. Katie Durrwachter-Erno be first author partly because her section is first and partly because her name is unqiue and cathcy. We are tickled to be known forever moer as Durrwachter-Erno et al!!! I also finished inviting already inspired health professionals to the Eco-America Climate Health Ambassadors Training. That will be another 7-10 people I know activated or at least on their way. We are getting one of our colleagues from our Climate Change and Health Committee electred as AAP-CA3 Treasurer hopefully. Restarting efforts on the pharmaceutical waste project that will help ensure clean waters. The UCSD School of Medicine Civic Engagement Club is having their litter picking event soon, and the wonderful residents form the Kaiser Family Practice residents are going to go with them. I just have to buy the grabbers and I know where to get them at a discount. Hopefully high quality ones!

But with project after project complete, and making real progress in trying to save the earth – I still wonder at times about the future. I honestly have no further ambitions in middle management. I will finish my term which is two more years, and go where the organization needs me. I drank the HMO Kool-Aid years ago. But stepping off the figurative hamster wheel has been so liberating. What are Dr. Plastic Picker’s Plans for the future? Like the hamster in the lower panel – I honestly don’t know! But I’m so exicited about it! Maybe I’ll buy 20 acres in East County and turn it into a nature preserve and let anyone who wants to hike there hike there? Maybe I’ll start some business ventures and use some of the profits to further our environmental advcocacy? Maybe our premed interns who are absolutely phenomenal will have 100% acceptance rate to top notch medical schools? Maybe I’ll write a book about how 1000 bags of trash changed me, and go on a book tour and take a sabattical which the HMO owes me? Maybe I’ll finally get to drive cross country with Mr. Plastic Picker, but in an electric car and meeting my Durrwachter-Erno et al!!! friends along the way. Colorado, North Carolina, Puerto Rico. That would be an epic road trip. And maybe Mr. Plastic Picker and I will have our 20th wedding anniversary celebration next summer and we’ll invite everyone and dress like Vulcans and serve Vegan food. Yes the future looks wonderful. Get off the mental hamster wheel. Dr. Plastic Picker your assistant boss highly recommends it! Did you see the energy waves being sent to the white house? Was no one else suspcious?

April 30, 2021

by drplasticpicker

The above is a dear little trash art piece from a patient. Isn’t he darling???!!! They are all found pieces. He looks like a new species of bug. I really love him and this particular child is so creative! Look at those eyes and those atennas! I feel so lucky to be this child’s pediatrician, to know this family in all their complexities, and to have inspired this creative moment. Be creative. Make trash art. Write. It feels really good. That’s it. That’s my blogpost for today. And here is more plastic that has a complex story to it, that has been thrive washed and will be part of an epic Girl Scout Trash Art Piece.

April 29, 2021

by drplasticpicker

It’s been a year and more. I think it will take a lifetime for all of us to process what we’ve all been through. And then our family, friends and colleagues – we’ve “seen” eachother but I don’t think each of us fully understands what each of us has been through. We all have our individual COVID stories. What a year. It’s still going on, and I just got into a heated argument with a young father who did not believe in the COVID vaccine. But the US is slowly opening up. COVID is still raging in India, and there will be ups and downs – but we are entering into the “new normal” and post-COVID world.

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April 28, 2021

by Dr. Plastic Picker

Once again my friend Dr. Young-Ho Yoon has transformed my life. I need to do an update on MD Eco-Warrior on him soon. It’s been so busy that I haven’t been keeping up with the MD interviews. But my former senior resident and friend from our Boston days had introduced us to the Aerobin400 and it’s been such a life-changer for us. It really has been amazing.

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April 25, 2021

by drplasticpicker

There is a newish term called neurodiversity. It can be used to describe children on the autism spectrum disorder and I think a better term. Can someone and the way their brain works be a disorder? Or are they just different? And on this blog different is 100% okay.

I was exhausted yesterday and did not play Catan with the children last night. Our son purchased Catan months ago and we still have not played. I had been up early at 4am sending emails and doing some climate work organizing, and we did go to volleyball. I did try to get the ocean beach plastic from #donttrashmissionbeach and it was very stressful trying to find parking in that area of Mission Beach. There is almost no parking. I know myself and I had circled around with my daughter in our car three times, and I ended texting her that I was going to head back home and try again some other day. The whole endeavor was very stressful because I know I am not a good driver. Well, I am a good driver because I know that I have to be very careful and I don’t take risks. I had my ex-28week preemie in the car and the last thing I’m going to do is risk her and myself trying to do a trash art advocacy project – especially since I’m trying to save the earth partially for my own children.

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April 24, 2021

by drplasticpicker

The last week was such a creative time for my trash art. I was at the same time doing a lot of climate work that I know will be very impactful. At those times that I know I have a project that will move the needle on climate change, I get inspired and make the best art. The above are two trash art pieces that I’ve profiled before, but I’ve used one of those portrait/painting apps and made them more abstract. Gosh those two pieces were good. I just smile every time I think about them and the process that went into them. They are at the home of a patient family that I know well, and one parent is an FBI agent. I’m pretty sure he will find those two amusing. The two children who know possess the two pieces had big smiles on their faces. Giving them the two pieces was a big production. I was telling the four year old, “he is a ninja eco-warrior and his hands go like this to fight pollution” and then I made edward scissor-hand type chopping movements. There was a lot of laughter as the two trash art pieces went to their new home. I was reluctant to give them away, but that’s the entire point of the trash art. It’s an act of creativity and advocacy for me. The kids are now showing me some of their trashart, and they are so imaginative. I am looking forward to our Youth Arts Exhibition and what the kids come up with. If you haven’t checked it out, the entry page is on our San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air page https://sdpediatriciansforcleanair.com/youth-art-contest

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April 22, 2021

by drplasticpicker

It’s Thursday and I’m OFF today. I’m OFF, because I’m working this Sunday. If you need a physical, I actually have a couple of PE slots open! Come on in! So I’m OFF today because we’ve tweaked the departmental schedule to reduce MD overtime yet still provide some services on the weekends. For everyone it has been different, but for me it is a fine thing. I don’t mind doing a Sunday morning clinic while the kids are in virtual Korean lessons anyway, and I have all of today to concentrate on climate work. Work-life balance and become more minimalistic for me has meant being able to care for myself and now care for the earth.

That’s the thing about being a Climate Advocate or as I tell everyone now, I’m an environmentalist. There is no day off. Every day is a climate work day. So today my to do list for Climate is

1. Finish formatting THE JOURNAL ARTICLE in word with the citations. Finish the edits. Send to my co-author friends.
2. Speak with UCSD School of Medicine Civic Engagement Club at lunch.
3. Attend AAP-CA3 Committee Chair Meeting. It’s also called CAC which is confusing because Climate Actions Campaign goes by CAC too. I actually forget what CAC stands for at the AAP-CA3.
4. Begin Coordinated our campaign for a Pediatrician for the “Hearing Committee” for the Air Pollution Control Board. This is an important more “behind the scences” position (I think). But we have an interested and very qualified candidate. I just need them to decide and let me know by today so I can coordinate our efforts.

And that is it! That is what I am going to do for the earth today. Oh, I may make more trash art. It actually helps me concentrate. I’m still keeping him for myself. I know a kid will love him, but I’m still in first puppy love with my little trash art owl.

April 21, 2021

by drplasticpicker

This was really good. If I plan on cooking it again and it has a lot of vegetables and is baked, then I know I’m on to something. Cooking should be simple. Dr. DP our Pediatric GI specialist had shared a Spinach Mushroom Risotto Recipe on @kpkidsgoodfoodgoodearth and it is so simple and good. We’ve made it now at least four times. When you have a recipe like that, you know you are on to something good.

Last night, I kind of stumbled onto my own versian of a traditional South Asian dish which was really good for us. I had heard about “Vegan Buffalo Wings” and had tried two failed attempts. I think the entire name threw me off as I was expecting something that actually tasted like buffalo wings. I think these kind of dishes can indeed be a side-dish and in place of a meat, but I’d rather call it Baked Besan Coated Cruciferous Vegetables. We ended up dipping it in a balsamic vinegar creamy mayo type sauce which was really good.

Besan is chickpea flour. It’s gluten free. I am not gluten free, but for some people it seems to be a catchy thing these days even if one does not have any gluten-intolerance. Some people who are gluten free need to be gluten free. A large minority just want to feel special or they have borderline eating disorders. Oh, did I just say that??? LOL. It’s my blog and remember I’m a bit tired and sleep deprived from trying to save the earth a lot yesterday. But this is what many doctors think when you tell them you are gluten free and you don’t have celiac disease.

Anyway, Besan is an interesting flour that I’ve just started playing around with. It’s a staple of South Asian cuisine. This is a really good general article about besan flour https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-besan.htm. Me being “into” besan, is like someone who has just discovered tofu. For me tofu is just a normal ingredient like onions. I’m sure if anyone reading this is South Asian, than the entire plant based world being into besan is probably hilarious. But it’s an interesting new flour to me and make these vegetables taste really good. Plus its better for the environment and my wallet to eat cruciferous vegetables coated in besan than a chicken. Indeed after reading some Ecosia searched articles, coating vegetables in besan flour has been done for centuries in India and Pakistan.

Here is how Dr. Plastic Picker newbie Besan user did it. It was really good and my kids ate a lot of broccoli last night.

Directions

Mix together dry ingredients 1 cup of besan, some garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, some ground pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, panko breadcrumbs about 1 cup. (get the gist, you are just seasoning it the way you want). Clean and cut broccoli florets, I used two broccolli heads and saved the stems for another meal. Soak broccoli florets in plant-based milk (1 cup) , and then however you like coat them with the mixed dry ingredients. I actually liked it when the dry ingredients became almost like a paste and I spread it on the broccoli. Bake on a baking sheet with silicon, probably greased with a cooking spray lightly. Bake 15 minutes, and then turn 5 minutes. That is it. Lots of deliciousness last night.

I bought besan flour at sprouts. I think you can get it at South Asian grocers. But Sprouts has it and it’s very affordable.