Editor's Blues

“When a manuscript comes onto my screen, well, then I look it in the eye.

When a manuscript comes onto my screen, well, then I look it in the eye.

Sometimes it makes me so sad and lonesome – that I cannot help to cry.

A reviewed paper leaves my office - with a verdict tagged on behind.

A reviewed paper leaves my office - with a verdict tagged on behind.

Now: the green one means acceptance, but the blue one blows your mind.”

At this point an instrumental solo part is usually inserted with the singer sulking in the background, dragging at a fag or, since that became forbidden, taking a drink:

Traditionally the Blues is used to convey a sad or at least thoughtful message. The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon, however, wishes to announce something pleasant: we have completely re-designed our Blue Pages. From now on they will appear in every second issue of the ThCVS (1,3,5,7) with abridged versions in issues 4 and 8.

Publishing news of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS, DGTHG) the Blue Pages will continue to provide the basic information about the society in a shortened fashion with links to the respective websites on the DGTHG.de homepage (the main content of which is meanwhile also accessible via an App for smartphones and tablet computers). A new feature of the Blue Pages will be their variable parts which are updated and varied with every issue. Their aim is to communicate important announcements, invitations, and reminders. They will also give the working groups and committees of the society a platform to inform about their current activities. A congress calendar will summarize the oncoming meetings of interest.

Close collaboration between the secretary of the society, the editor, and the main office guarantees that the readers of the ThCVS are supplied with updated relevant information. For easy reference the pages will continue to be printed on light blue paper at the end of an issue. There is no need to let all old habits die hard, although the content will be markedly different.

The blues solo finally merges into the last verse which culminates musically:

“Sitting at my desk, honey, editing my journal every day.

Sitting at my desk, honey, editing my journal every day.

It sure is a lot of honour, baby, but I wish there was (dramatic pause) - some more pay!”

PS: As aficionados may have noticed, this blues was inspired by Robert Johnson's immortal “Love In Vain”, first recorded by him in 1936. Also highly recommended is the Rolling Stones' version on “Get Yer Ya Ya's Out”, recorded live at Madison Square Garden in 1969.