Lance is back, baby!!! Oh, how we've missed him! This week, Dr. Amy offers her first report from the field in her effort to spread kindness and give fewer f*cks in this, the year of our Lord Saint Dolly Parton 2025 (I guess the year of our Lord Saint Dolly Parton is technically 79 since she was born that many years ago but whatever). This may sound like a simple enough task - Be kind! Let them! (To borrow a phrase from Mel Robbins, who borrowed - ahem stole - a phrase from Cassie Phillips). But throw in a chronic illness (an invisible one, no less), a crappy medical system, and a whole bunch of institutions and individuals who don't get it and, well, YOU get it.

REPORT FROM THE FIELD

A month or so ago I pronounced this my year of spreading kindness and giving fewer f*cks. Look! Here I am, basking in the glow of all that dimwitted naivety!

"Hi! I'm Amy. This year I'm leaning into spreading kindness and giving fewer f*cks. Can these two seemingly disparate goals be accomplished simultaneously? Stay tuned!"

Had I understood the enormity of this challenge, I may not have set such a lofty goal. Then again, tell me something is going to be tough, or even better - terrifying and possibly even impossible - and I'm first in line to prove you wrong.

In said pronouncement, I inferred with my “stay tuned” ending that I would keep y'all posted as I go about this mission. Thus, as promised, here's a report from each of a variety of social institutions/bureaucracies I've had the pleasure of interacting with in the past few weeks.

Continues at ⁠https://amyblackstonephd.substack.com/p/report-from-the-field⁠