Stick a pin in it

In general I am unafraid of giving stupid answers to questions that I don't know the real answers too.  This is good in that it stops me from getting stressed about being asked impromptu questions by people who know much more than me and I'd like to think that it fosters a certain creative problem-solving frame of mind.  Unfortunately it is bad in that it removes the "stick" component of the "carrot and stick" theory of learning, meaning that I often fall way behind in my work because I simply don't care that I look like an idiot.

This was made clear to me this week after a couple of days of consulting.  At first the GPs were asking me quite complex questions about how I would manage this or that and what the underlying homeostatic mechanism might be for some arcane thing.  But by the end of the day they'd be patiently explaining to me that babies are made when a man and woman love each very much and lie down together and have a special grown-up hug.  So at least I learned something.

A good example of the kind of stupid answer I give was when a patient showed us a large golf-ball-sized lump in an odd place.  I asked if I could touch it and I went "ooooh!" because it was all bouncy.  The GP seemed happy that it wasn't a big deal and sent him on his way.  After the patient left the room the GP asked me, "So what did you think of that lump?" and I said, "I had an overwhelming urge to stick a pin in it" and the GP said "..." and looked at me for a few seconds before laughing nervously.

I got the impression that he was wanting me to say something of medical value, but seriously, we got taught nothing about lumps, so the primal instinct that leads you to poke beached jellyfish with a long stick took over.  And I'll bet that the guy whose lump it was had been restraining himself for years from sticking a pin in it.  I reckon the only reason he showed it to us was that he was hoping that the GP would say, "Go home and stick a pin in it.  And if that doesn't work, try a bigger pin."

You know it makes sense.