Last week was a tough one. On thursday, I gave a presentation on Web2.0 and healthcare at the Healthcare Informatics Society of Ireland – the slides are on slideshare.
Earlier in the week, my uncle John Peyton finally passed away after a long illness at the age of 91; the funeral was on last wednesday.
John was born in 1916 – on the day that James Connolly was executed in the aftermath of the 1916 rising. He had a life long interest in technology and science; he bought his first PC only 5 years ago, never went anywhere without his mobile, and in the true nature of an engineer, always had a pen in his jacket lapel pocket. He had a lifelong interest in photography, and we would crack up when, after posing the nieces and nephews for a picture – he would discover that the film had run out; this would happen a lot as he was pretty prolific with the camera.
Innumerable items in large suitcases made their way home to the West of ireland through his annual visits back from Chicago – I particularly remember an incredible scalextric set and electronics hobby kit, as well as innumerable bananna-seated bikes , multi-band radios and at one stage a RC controlled model Cessna.
And of course there were the stories of his travails in Ireland, England and the States – intermingled with the characters he had met, and the things that he had seen; he could remember vividly being present at the Farnborough Air Show in the 1950’s when disaster struck.
It’s the money he sent for me to purchase my first computer I remember most though. Back in 1982, the illicit journey into deepest Fermanagh, and the electronics shop in Enniskillen seemed like a big adventure.
I still have that computer, and it still works; 25 years years later, I’m still doing something that I love – he would definitely approve of that.
VIZ 601 
Of interest to medical writers/bloggers
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The Society of Irish Medical Writers Annual Meeting 2008 in association with Helix Health will be held on Friday, Feb 29th (6pm – 10 pm) and Saturday, March 1st (9 am – 6pm) at the Radisson SAS Farnham Estate Hotel, County Cavan.
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Details are enclosed below:
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Friday, February 29th
6pm – 9pm
Storytelling workshop hosted by Mick Quinn, the “father figure of the Northern Irish song tradition”.
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Saturday, February 30th
Guest speaker Lia Mills, author of In Your Face – One Women’s Encounter with Cancer, Doctors, Nurses, Machines, Family, Friends And A Few Enemies”.
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“Lia Mill’s In Your Face was a life-changing book for me” – Anne Enright, winner of the Man Booker Prize, writing in The Irish Times, 1/12/07.
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Workshops include:
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Creative Writing – Lia Mills.
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How To Get Published – Aine McCarthy (aka Orna Ross),
Font International, novelist and writing coach.
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Writing for the medical and general media – (speaker to be confirmed).
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Weblogs, Podcasts and New Media – Colin Kerr, editor EuroTimes and former editor Irish Medical Times.
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Course Fee (including attendance at all lectures/workshops and complimentary buffet lunch):
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Registration fee of E150 should be paid by cheque to the Society of Irish Medical Writers,
27 Belgrove Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3.
Closing date: Monday, December 31st.
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For special rate for accommodation at Radisson SAS Farnham Estate Hotel, contact Patsy Mooney, Farnham Estate, Cavan. Tel: 0494 377700, no later than Tuesday, 18th January. Early booking is
recommended.
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Accommodation bookings cannot be made through the Society, but a list of bed and breakfasts will be supplied on request.
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For further information contact Colin Kerr. Mobile 087-7843422
e-mail: kerrcolin@ireland.com
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Very nice story. I wish that my grandfathers would have been as technical as yours.
Interesting presentation. I’ve been thinking about a Web 2.0 presentation for colleagues myself, but I haven’t been sure what to highlight for them.
i think all of old stuff that we still have it, has sweet memory in our life. like your old computer, it must be pricious and each stuff has own stories. inspired story
thanks,
I’m not sure what the hold-up is… maybe they have re-thought their stance on how this is going to actually make the company any money. Or perhaps their lawyers pointed out the liability of providing agents a platform to stick their feet in their mouth. Whatever it is, it’s hardly something I’d claim as being “Well done”.
http://www.jebshouse.com