Flying the flag

An unusual day at work today. Perhaps because the team to which I am attached currently, is not yet accommodated to my presence, largely because of the inconsistency in my days due to many other factors, I arrived at work to have just one confirmed appointment for the day. Another was added soon afterward, and later a third. Overall, relatively leisurely.

The first person was someone I had seen a couple of weeks ago, and had started lithium to treat an acute hypomanic episode. Sjhe returned tolerating (just) the medication, and significantly better, and recognising it. Now is the stage of fine tuning. I hope that the two weeks I have left is long enough to do so.

The second person (first addition) was someone with a very long history of depression unresponsive to multiple trials of treatment, medication and psychological. What we cleverly call treatment resistant depression is a major interest of mine, and I appreciate the opportunity to use my knowledge and skills to help people in this dire state which appears to have no way out. I am hoping (again) that two weeks will be long enough to see some movement towards recovery

The third appointment was to see someone for an assessment uner the Mental Health Act. He chose to not come (why am I not surprised?), meaning that alterbative arrangements will need to be made.

Consequently my afternoon was quiet enough for me to read a paper about the treatment of older adults with depression using exercise added to medication. The authors presented their study as showing that the combination was more effective than medication alone. The scientist part of me says that the study fails to disprove the null hypothesis of no difference. The runner part of me says YAY for aerobic exercise.

On the way home I drove past the big yellow (once was red) barn on Williamson Avenue in Grey Lynn. They have been flying the flag. The flag they have been flying is known as “First to the light”. Our current Prime Minister was once a corporate gambler banker. He has made a specific effort to change our flag. From the one quadrant Union Jack and three quadrants Southern Cross to a corporate logo. He has brazenly advocated branding the country. In order to sell us off, perhaps. Corporate takeovers have often been preceded by rebranding of the taken over entity. Perhaps I’m just being paranoid.

Anyway, one of the designs proposed was this one. Some information about it can be found here. Briefly, this flag was designed to “reflect distinctly powerful and fundamental visual elements of NZ culture”. The design is based on upon the primary shapes of triangle and chevron, which in turn derive from taaniko weaving patterns. There is reference to our mountainous country, the myth of Rangi and Papa as the origin of the world, and the British heritage of many of our earliest immigrants.

I rather like it.