Student SPHere

Sweet! I finished my LAST Excel exam/homework for Biostats yesterday!! Ah ha. Take that, Microsoft. I think it went well enough... It felt better than the last one, for sure. It just takes me FOREVER to do a test at home. It's like 'hey I'll answer one question and... call my mom' or 'I'll work for like twenty minutes and I'm hungry'. But it did take me probably seven hours total. But hey, no more. Now I just have to worry about the in class test tomorrow. I have sucked at those in the past, so wish me luck. And I'm working on my paper for Community Health Assessment but haven't written a word yet. But I have pages of data. Hopefully the paper will essentially write itself? That's what I'm banking on at least. I actually cancelled plans to go out tonight to do homework. Yipee for me. And I guess I'll start my epic research paper for eugenics after Thursday and after I've done everything else. I think I can write it fairly fast as I've been thinking about it for a month... and years. I just want it to be really fantastic. It's kind of sad when yesterday I decided to go on an hour and a half run in order to procrastinate on homework.
I had an interview with the American Heart Association last Friday for an internship over the summer! I've worked with the organization through my field experience with the MN Dietetic Association. I'm really just not getting what I wanted out of a field experience through them and this would be a perfect overlap of interest for the AHA and the MDA. I'd be working on policy reserach and grassroots advocacy if I get it. It sounds absolutely perfect! In fact that's pretty much what I think I want to do after I graduate, so I REALLY hope I get it. It's unpaid, so hopefully it won't be too competetive? I should find out this week!
As far as fun stuff, boy, I've been doing my share and the share of someone else. Last weekend I saw Dosh, a local electronic musician, at the Walker Art Center. It was instrumental/electronic post-rock-tastic. Then last Sunday was the May Day parade. It was perfect. The weather was phenomenal, the puppets were spectacular and the energy was infectious. It was a day that would have been tragic to miss. Everyone must see it! Then I saw Devotchka last Wednesday at First Ave. They put on a hell of a show. The string section, the tuba, the ribbon acrobat artists... it was sensory overload. In a good way, of course. And Saturday morning I participated in my first official race! It was a duathlon- run 5K, bike 20K and run another 5K. It was really actually quite fun. I finished in about an hour and 45 minutes, which seemed pretty good for me. I thought it'd take about two hours. I'd like to do more organized stuff like that. And then Saturday night I saw a fantastic local show at the 400 Bar. The Hasbeen, Action vs. Action and International Espionage! played. I really love all those bands. It was just one of those really fun nights wiith lots of friends there and everyone was having a swell time.
So, I have lots to do in the next few days. I'll be back though. Promise.

Posted at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After almost an entire academic year of blogging, I'm realizing a couple of things about myself. A) I do the same things over and over again. I'm a creature of habits, what can I say. At least I try to make them fun, happy habits. B) I must really like being over-committed for I keep doing it. And C) I like blogging. I'm not sure if anyone likes reading it, but there's been something cathartic about at least reflecting what I've been up to and feeling for the last week at a time. You know, make sure I'm not screwing around too much. Or maybe to make sure I'm screwing around just enough? I don't think it's quite time for the 'official reflection' blog, but I think I've managed to keep my promise to myself after my first year of grad school. That promise was to have a good balance with life and not get all wrapped up into one thing to the point of suffocation. I think I've done a pretty good job of keeping work, school, health and relationships in check. Perhaps I haven't done any of those things as hardcore as I could, but I'd rather have them all at a B+ level than any at a C. I'm interested in so much that I can't really commit (not want to) to any one or even two of those things. I want them all all the time.
That paragraph makes it sound like I suffer from TMSE (too much self esteem). I could have studied more for biostats but I'm really all right with what I've done with it. So I'm nearing the finale. I have one presentation down, one small paper- which I've started-, a non-cumulative biostats test and a large paper left to go. I can do that in the next couple of weeks, for sure. It's just hard because the weather's nicer now and touring season has officially begun for national bands. And also movies on rooftops are about to begin. And marathon training. And I joined a softball league. And it's biking outside weather. And friends are coming back to Mpls for the summer. And I have a fun vacation to the Northwest coming up. Phew. I wish I could blame something on ADD, but really, it's a conscious choice sometimes not to pay attention. But I need to. I thought maybe if I typed that out, I would better convince myself to not have fun like every night this week. What the hell.
I saw the Fiery Furnaces last night (again...). I'm also realizing that after nine months of blogging, you readers have had to suffer through multiple rants on the same bands now. I won't go into detail about their avant garde-ness, but it was a better show that their last one. It was at the Whole- the 'venue' on campus in the student union- and everyone was painfully sober. Maybe that's why their show was better? I don't know. Personally, I liked that fact that they served coffee there. I wish other venue bars did that. I love coffee. All day long.
Ummmm. tomorrow's the May Day parade!!! It's a fun day full of crunchy hipsters and puppets. I will view and report next week. Hope it doesn't rain and stuff! Ok, well my ride will be here in a minute. I'm going to the Walker tonight for a show.

Posted at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The end of the semester would probably feel more inspiring if it felt like spring outside. Or perhaps it would be even more difficult to concentrate. I feel a wave of ADD coming over me and almost anything sounds better than doing homework right now. I'm pretty anxious to wrap up the school year, I must admit. I'm kind of tired of my current class load and am looking forward to a fresh semester which will come up soon. I'm still not looking forward to online classes. The best part of school is hanging out in class and talking! It'll probably be even harder to sit in front of my computer during the awesome Minnesota summers... But I'll manage.
I am in project land right now. I'm getting some extra time for my paper for eugenics class beacuse I still think I can make a really sweet paper with a little more time. My final project for Community Health Assessment will be not too bad, I just have to get it done. It's just a short group presentation about finding data on community health topics and presenting how it was found as opposed to the actual data. And then there's a 4-6 page paper that I don't think will be too difficult. Biostats just has a third test. But I will have to study for that a bit. I really can't screw it up.
Although the weather was depressing this weekend, I still managed to get out and have some fun. Friday evening I went to a gathering at one of the faculty member's homes in our division. It was a lovely event with a number of faculty and students there just hanging out. With awesome food. I saw some local theatre at my favorite small venue here, Old Arizona, The play was called Broken Brains and it was about brain injuries and mental illnesses performed by people with those afflictions. It was funny and witty but addressed serious issues. It was fabulous and reminded me how great the indie theatre scene is here. Then I went to Big V's to see a local band called The Deaf. Since the last time I saw them, they've replaced everyone except the drummer. I'm really not sure why they kept the name. Then I made it over to the Triple Rock to see Story of the Sea and Kid Dakota, also fantastic local bands. It was a very entertaining (and late) night. Good times.
And my running buddy and I did 10 miles yesterday! We ran to St. Paul and at one point saw the Minneapolis skyline and it looked really, really distant. I had to ice down my inflamed knees afterwards. But surprisingly, I'm not very sore today. I'm a pretty slow runner. And I saw There Will be Blood last night at a really cool old second-run theatre called The Riverview. It was just ok I guess. I really liked the ending though. Gross.
Ok. Wish me luck on having a better run at focusing. It's really hard for me to turn down fun stuff.

Posted at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't really like cutting anything out of my life but I'm afraid the next couple of weeks will force me to actually say no to something fun. Unless I can figure out how to cut sleep and still get through the day. And night. I do really feel like exercising is my new addiction. I'm still absolutely dependent on caffeine as well and the two combined seem like the perfect cocktail for getting less sleep and still rockin' it hard. I'd also like to take the opportunity to praise the deliciousness of Holiday gas station's coffee. I used to drink it regularly when I lived near one because it was only one dollar for a gigantic mug and now I hit it up whenever I can because it's freaking delicious. It's seriously the best coffee I've ever found. So, I have now breached final project kingdom. For Community Health Assessment, our group has to present databases and public information about diet and nutrition and stuff. I think it'll be interesting finding the web-based applications from which to pull the data. Or at least hopefully the data itself will be interesting. Fortunately, that is partly what my awesome preceptor for my field experience does for Ramsey county. She'll be a fantastic resource. I already got an extension for my eugenics paper, which is great. I think I can really write a killer paper if I just had a little more time. Luckily, my professor agreed and I think I might take another month or so. I have tons of resources already and am looking forward to figuring out my thesis and really diving into the material. By the way, I'm lounging back right now with a frozen package of really old Wisconsin Blend vegetables thawing on my right shin. I think it's really helping ward off the shin splints although it's cold. And biostats. Oh, biostats. Why do I suck so badly at you? I mean, I think I have a B so far and if I don't totally screw up the final, I'll be all right. But I have to stick with it till the bitter end. At least not I have more fodder for statistic jokes. They can be funny when used correctly.
I've been working out hard in the last week. I went on what is now a super long run but will be a relatively short run in the future of 9 miles. That's definitely the longest I've ever run at one time and it was great! I went with one of my bff's and we talked the whole time which was fun. And I just got back from another, but not quite as long, more like between 7-8 miles. It's kind of hard to gauge and now I'm just going on time. I'm not very fast though. My pace is like 10 minute miles. But hey, if I can sustain that for the marathon (that I just signed up for, yikes!) I'll be pretty awesome. And since my chest has almost healed all the way, I've been boxing harder again. And the duathalon is coming up in a couple of weeks! I'm tired and hungry.
I went to the BEST show ever last night. Remember how I raved about Man Man and Yeasayer? Well they played together at the Varsity last night and it was amazing. The energy was intense, music was unparalleled and everything about the night was beautiful. Last weekend I saw the Fuck Buttons and Caribou at the Triple Rock and was blown away as well. Caribou are amazing performers. It was dimensional, encompassing and loud! And then there was Destroyer at the 400 Bar Wednesday night. They were also bad ass. In fact. it was a pretty awesome week of music, actually. Till next time...

Posted at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The weird paradox of time in that black-hole-Brian-Greene-bend-the-universe-way is definitely happening. The school year is nearing an end and I just looked out my window and it's snowing. Again. Lame.
Last night was a fabulous talk at the Science Museum from Holocaust survivor and Mengele twin Eva Kor. She talked about her life at Auschwitz with her twin, the experiments and how she survived. It was an incredible story of strength, survival and determination. She was an adorable little old lady with a huge personality. The most interesting thing about her story was that after she publicly forgave Mengele at Auschwitz, the other surviving twins she had made great efforts to find wanted nothing to do with her any longer. I'm not really one for 'inspirational type' speeches, but her talk was very incredible. However, I thought her end message was not completely flushed out. It was 'don't judge other people before you know them'. I have a problem that that blanket statement. I think judgment is a good thing so long as you don't take it too far (and too far can even be attitudes).
Registration has already started. I'm taking Epi and Health something Management both online this summer. I'm a little intimidated by Epi. I heard it's a lot like Biostats and I'm terrible at Biostats. In fact, I really hope I get a B so I don't have to take it again. I think I'll be ok but the last test I took was ugly. Luckily it wasn't awesome for everyone either and we have a chance to make up some test questions if we re-do them. That's really fantastic, don't get me wrong, but now I have to do more Biostats. It's just really difficult for me. I was always pretty good at math, but stats isn't really math.
Good news. I think I just deeply bruised my pec muscle on the left side as opposed to cracking a rib. Luckily I can still hit a heavy bag, just no push ups for a while longer. My sparring buddy is going to fight for her first time next month. I'm excited to watch her fight and imagine myself in that situation in less than a year. I've been busy at night too. Last week my mom came in town and we saw a local rock opera by the band Fort Wilson Riot. It had cool puppets. Saturday night (which was my birthday!) we went to the show of my mom's favorite band, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at the Fine Line. Besides the drunk idiots, it was awesome. I saw the Rolling Stone's Shine a Light at the Imax theatre. It was loud and fantastic. Ummm.. I saw some west coast bands the other night at the Entry- Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper. It was a fun mountain-man rock show. And I am STAYING home tonight. I've had late-night work events and am tired.

Posted at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had a fabulous week and weekend, though my muscles did not. Both my uppercuts hurt. I'm still on that inexplicable high I can't pinpoint. Maybe it's because everything that I've been doing I've been doing really hard. I'm not very good at faking anything, including energy and when I get into something I like, I'm really into it. Maybe I've just found venues for all my interests right now and I'm in a good place in my life to do them all.
My field experience, for example, is one way in which I take something and make an epic project out of it. This year's legislative session ends in less than two months and I definitely won't get my hours in by that time. So I thought it'd be really fun (I mean that it'd be fun. I know it 'sounds' sarcastic, but I am very serious about it) to extend my experience to get the full spectrum of the legislative process. This summer I'd love to meet with lobbyists with the Dietetic Association's interests in mind and learn their strategies and careers. Then I'd love to work with representative staff people (not sure with whom it would be) to compose a bill from scratch or work on a bill that died in session. I can gain that experience during the fall. Then I'm going to take the Legislative Action course next spring, which I hear is an experience where you get to follow a lobbyist around. Ideally, I could follow one with whom I've been working to really understand the whole spectrum. I love the energy at the Capitol.
I'm really excited to start researching for my final paper in my Eugenics course. I've been interested in exploring how art/theatre affected German culture between the wars and how the political climate affected art ever since I took my theatre history class as an undergrad. Now I'm getting to flush that out with from the public health and eugenic perspective. I have a feeling that this will be one of those things in which I am so interested that it will become another epic project....
And I've still been going out. I saw a local jazz/hip hip fusion band called G8 last Tuesday. I'm not very knowledgeable about that genre, but it was a great show. Friday night I went to the Whole at Coffman (the student union on campus) for a really good local show with the Birthday Suits, The Blind Shake and MCVL and it was Mute Era's cd release show. It was just a fun, loud night of music. And last night I went to a jazz warehouse party that was really awesome. It was one of those magical nights where I ran into many groups of friends, some new some old, that I never would have expected to be at something like that. I was out way too late and am paying for it today. I didn't feel like I was my best today while I sparred. In the third round, I took a vicious hook to the head and actually saw three stars in my periphery and sort of fell to the ground. I didn't lose consciousness or anything but it startled me. And now I have a massive headache. But I'll go back again. I'm going to fight before I turn 26. That gives me one year and six days to gear up. My mom will love to hear that.

Posted at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I still have that strange feeling like I'm on the pinnacle of something great but I don't quite know what it is yet. Everything I have been doing lately feels inspiring and it's making me feel unfocused yet really excited about everything.
First of all, I feel like a machine. I honestly can't believe that I've been able to keep up my lifestyle. I haven't really just chilled in months and I don't really miss it. I think I've found a new adrenaline that has been acting as caffeine, sleep and raw eggs in a glass all at once. I've still been going out a lot and keeping up with school and working out and friends. I'm beginning to hypothesize that the working out is what's keeping me alive, but I might be full of crap.
So I sparred for the first time this weekend with a friend of mine. It was the most fun I've ever had in my entire life. I've mostly avoided things that look like they'd hurt, but for some reason, boxing is exempt from that standard. I got beaten up Sunday. I got my first bloody nose and mouth and I had no idea until the round was finished. I'm really glad that already happened so now I'm not scared of it anymore. Had we been scored, I definitely would have lost, but I stuck in there, held my own and made her bleed a little too. But it was so freaking fun I can't wait to go again next week. My body hates me today though. Geez, I'm sore. I also took a number of body hits, maybe some of the soreness is from that too...no kidney shots though.
And I've been going to some shows lately that have been really awesome.I saw John Vanderslice and Steve Malkmus last week at First Ave. I'm not hugely into Pavement yet but it was a really great show. Then I saw X on Saturday. That's right, X. Like LA 1977 punk/post punk scene X. It was soooo amazing. They're kinda old to be doing what they're doing but man, they rocked it hard. Double encore. They held nothing back at all. And people watching at that show was a trip. There were a lot of older people you can tell were into the whole post punk scene in the late '70's but now they have kids and stuff. Then there was a handful of gutter punks and everyone in between. It was at the Cabooze which was the weird thing. It's a strange venue that usually has hippie jam bands play. This was not that scene. And last night I saw Black Mountain at the Entry. It was also rad. There are a lot of good shows coming up in April and May too. Actually, it's touring season again! And summer's closer! Then I can go out every night and it won't feel exhausting because it's warm and light!
And yesterday I went to a workshop called The Medical Arms Race: Health Policy, Media Coverage and Public Relations put on by the Journalism School. It was really great! I feel inspired to study more about how media affects health care and vice versa. The author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Americans Sicker and Poorer Shannon Brownlee spoke. I can't wait to read her book. It's a fascinating approach to a restructuring of the health system since ALL the resources are available, there is just too much waste. Then Susan Foote, a Public Health professor here spoke (she teaches Health Policy and I'll take it sometime next year) and also the VP of Communications and Public Relations from Allina Hopsitals and Clinics spoke. It gave me a lot of new things to think about.
Back to school this week. Home stretch!

Posted at 07:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Man, I feel really lazy already. I mean, I've been really busy, but it's not been 'productive' stuff. It's officially spring break and I feel like it's already over and I haven't done anything productive. I've been doing stuff at weird hours and taking naps whenever I can squeeze them in. I feel like I really need to catch up/get ahead on Biostats because it's just slipping a little away from me but it's been hard to muster up the energy to do it so far. I'm not going anywhere this week; just working full time. My job's really awesome in that I can work as much as I need whenever. I've had an action-packed weekend so far. Friday, right after work, I headed down to the Triple Rock for an early show- Thao Nguyen and Xiu Xiu. It was an inspiring show. Xiu Xiu was incredible. They were amelodic, dynamic and powerful. Then I had a birthday party for a friend at Azia. I've never been there but it really wasn't my scene. Too clean and fancy. I felt like a hoodrat there. Then I boxed yesterday and was partnered with a tall dude and my shoulders hurt from holding mitts for him at my head height. It's good for me though. I took a friend's Butt and Gut Buster class out in Minnetonka and I feel that today too. Then I went to an amateur fight at the boxing gym last night. Man, it was a good show. There were a lot of exciting fights and a lot of bloody noses. I got to see some women fight which was also really cool. It's inspiring to me to become a good boxer and also to improve my defense so I don't get a bloody nose. At times it got painful to watch as someone would keep getting jabbed in their nose again and again and again. Then I saw Wayne's World at midnight at the Uptown Theatre. I freaking love that movie and have since like 1992 or whenever it came out. It was rad to see it on a big screen. It was not rad that it cost 9 bucks.
I feel like school's been dragging lately. I've been slightly lower on the motivation scale than normal but that probably has something to do with being too busy doing other stuff. It'll get easier as the nights are lighter longer and warmer. I really don't want to cut anything out of my life right now. I like it all even though it does feel like I'm going from one thing right to another. Maybe a 'mental health' day is in order soon. That's a legitimate sick day, right?
I have this slew of seemingly unrelated points of interest that I'm trying to figure out if they can be strung together to make a Ph.D. program. I would really like to study nutrition and exercise physiology, human ecology, sexual behavior, anthropology and history. Personally, I think they're all related but I'm wondering if I can convince someone to let me make that a program and what research that could entail and what I could do with it in the end besides know a lot about the topics. I will explore the options with a skeptic's view.

Posted at 02:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This has been a busy and objectively depressing week,...yet inspiring. First I will discuss the parts that make me swing to the side of pessimism. Monday night, I finally watched Inconvenient Truth. And realizing that the documentary is still 'entertainment' and data can be manipulated in almost any way to prove one's point, it still terrified me. I think it's going to be one of those things where in a few years we're going to wonder how the issue could have ever been a partisan issue that, although evidence exists, that one has to BELIEVE in. Kind of like evolution. It pisses me off when people make it a 'do you believe in it' issue when there is scientific data (and A LOT of it) supporting the 'theories'. And I really don't understand how issues like those become liberal vs. conservative issues. Politics would be far less frustrating if politicians used rational judgment based on scientific data to create legislation. Anyway, that was Monday.
Then Tuesday night I saw a documentary at a St. Paul library called View from a Grain of Sand. It followed three Afghan womens' stories about how progressive their culture was in the 1960's and 70's and then how conservative, misogynistic warlords (mostly funded by OUR government to fight those horrible commies with their oppressive ideals) made life absolute hell for women. I really can't imagine having my life the way it is and then one day being told I can't go to school and wear burqas on the few occasions I can leave the house. So that was depressing.
And then Wednesday night I was at a Senate hearing for my field experience. I'm following legislation on natropathic doctors obtaining credentialing. I really love the idea of natropathy, but being an evidence-based person, I find most of it difficult to project a lot of faith in their practices. I think more studies should be done on some of their practices, though. The Dietitians are concerned because the natropaths claim expertise on subjects like nutrition, which dietitians provide. They are concerned that natropaths will be providing advice and vitamins, supplements and the like to their patients without science-based training like dietitians receive. They did not gain licensure, but it looks like it may happen soon. Really, I'm not sure exactly what happened Wednesday night. Something passed, but I feel too shaky on the details to report.
Then Thursday I spent the whole day at the Capitol lobbing with the American Heart Association about childhood obesity prevention and access to health care for all Minnesotans. It was pretty awesome. I learned an incredible amount just being involved for one day! The Capitol is so full of energy. And also, I can't help but salivate over the architecture. The neoclassical style is what I studied in theatre and am still quite obsessed with it. I want to sit cross-legged on the floor and draw, but I'm pretty sure I'd be stepped on by Senators and lobbyists. And probably lose any credibility I may or may not have. But then my Eugenics class met at the Science Museum to see the Deadly Medicine exhibit. The class has been so thorough that I didn't feel like I learned too many new things, but it was a great exhibit. The exhibit design was particularly good. We were supposed to have a guest lecturer that evening from the Genocide Studies department but he passed away unexpectedly two days prior. It was really unfortunate.
So after that rough week, I needed some music. I saw a local jazz band, the Atlantis Quartet, at the Times Thursday night. I'm not well-versed in jazz by any means but I had friends going and it was fun. Then last night I saw a few bands at the 7th Street Entry. The Jealous Girlfriend was really fantastic. I good loud rock band with a female vocalist with Chan Marshall/Joanna Newsome style. A great juxtaposition. And there was a lame neo-60's-pop-country-band called Grand Archives. They were good at what they do, I just don't like what they do. Then the Most Serene Republic played. Crazy Canadians. They were pretty good. Kind of sounded like an hour long song with silly audience banter interjected every 3-4 minutes. Last weekend I saw Kid Dakota's CD release show at the Turf Club and it totally killed. I'm really into their new stuff. And I also saw Atlas Sound at the Tripe Rock. It was kind of a strange show, but interesting. Some very beautiful parts.
And SXSW starts this week. Wish I were in Austin. Maybe next year...

Posted at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's that weird day - February 29th- today. It's kind of like daylight savings time in the fall where this magical hour comes as a gift from the government. I remember this really good Pete and Pete episode about daylight savings. I miss that show.
It's been a busy week. I went to the Capitol Monday night to a hearing for my field experience. It was a chaotic whirlwind of black and gray suits, whispering people and formalities. There was a strange energy in the room. I was trying hard to pay attention but at times, there was too much activity going on. People-watching was super fun, though. And after it was all over, I wasn't really even sure what happened. I will be following the bill though and see where it goes.
There was a really great Eugenics lecture this week. Harriet Washington, the woman who wrote Medical Apartheid guest spoke Thursday. Her talk was completely engaging and her field of research fascinating. She studies medical experimentation done to African Americans in American history. Aside from the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, I had no idea of the level of maltreatment of African Americans. She said that distrust of physicians and medical culture from the last 300 years may be connected to the reason there are so many health disparities between American blacks and non-blacks. I look forward to reading her book once the semester is over...
Last week I saw Mahjongg at the 7th Street Entry. They were completely bizarre, loud and dissonant. Saturday I saw some local bands including The Blind Shake. Last night I saw Quintron and The Black Lips. Quintron was strange. I can't say their music was actually good, but it was a fun show and after their set they performed a puppet show. It was also bad in a way but also really cool in a way. Regardless, it was entertaining. The Black Lips were awesome except that they were kind of divas, always asking for more something in their monitors. Also, I think one of the dudes had a grill. It was shining underneath the stage lights and pretty funny.

Posted at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yikes. My first Biostats online Excel exam is available this weekend. I've been doing all right on my homework and stuff but a test on Excel intimidates me a little. Especially alone. I have no friends to double-check things with because it's a test. I think I'm so un-confident about it because it's one of those classes where I'm never really sure I'm right. It's not like chemistry class where the calculations will be within a range that seems reasonable for what I'm looking or like a class where there is certain stuff I need to study and can memorize. I never seem to know for sure if it's well done. Anyway, classes are still sailing smoothly. Besides a couple of tests for Biostats and one project for Community Health Assessment, I really only have my weekly assignments that I have figured out and final papers. Not so bad.
My field experience has been pretty interesting. Working with dietetics means really awesome food. I had a meeting with the group at someone's house last weekend and she made seafood stew and chocolate cake that still makes me salivate when I think about it. In fact, I think I'm going to look into what it would take to become a Registered Dietitian. I'm not sure if it'd be an entire addition to the MPH or like an extra year or what, but I'm really interested in it. OOOH, And I get to go to the Capitol on Monday night to listen to a hearing about licensing and natropaths. I will have more to report next week.
I don't care what anyone says, I think instant pudding made with soy milk that doesn't really ever solidify takes really, really good. It's kind of more between chocolate milk and pudding but you still have to eat it with a spoon. It's easiest to just chill it out in the fridge in the measuring cup. Little tip from me to you.
I'm not even sure what I did last weekend. Oh yeah, last Friday I saw some performance art at the Walker Art Museum called Hey Girl. It was definitely the most beautiful piece of theatre I've ever seen. It was an hour performance with no dialogue or narrative but it consisted of so many strong images it didn't need any. There were many moments that will be stuck in my head for my lifetime. Then I went to the Varsity to see the band Times New Viking. They're this noise rock garage band from Ohio with voices like sand and glue. They were really awesome. They opened for Super Furry Animals, who I don't know well. I stuck around for a few songs, but I wasn't really digging it. Monday night I saw A Place to Bury Strangers and Holy Fuck at the Triple Rock. It was a loud and great show. I had to wear ear plugs it was so loud. But awesome.
A bar between the U and downtown called Maxwells' caught on fire the other day. I drove past it tonight and it looked like an abandoned ice palace. Since it's been so freaking cold, the water from the hoses froze all around it. There are long icicles hanging from the windows, flags, sign and street signs and the entire burned building is covered in a layer of ice. If you're around here, so see it soon because it may get warm enough to thaw things out in like a month or so.
No, but really, today it was about 20ish degrees but the sun was out. It felt like spring. I took off a layer of gloves and loosened up my scarf. I was giddy.

Posted at 07:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm watching a BBC show. Not listening to music. I am really sort of obsessed with paleontology. The BBC has a great series called "Walking With" and then you insert "Monsters"..."Dinosaurs"..."Caveman"...etc. They're really, really cool. Also, I suggest Netflixing the BBC "Planet Earth" series. BBC shows are awesome.
So this year's legislative session started this week and I'm learning that that is exciting. My field experience is getting me into the actual policy part of my education. I'm starting to feel like a real grown up. I get to go to the Capitol in March for a whole day in a few weeks and really get to dive into the exciting policy-making procedures. I still think that I've picked a career that will interest me, engage me and still allow me to pursue my other interests in life. I'm very happy (still!) with the Administration and Policy major.
Classes are still ok. Biostats and I are starting to understand each other a little better. I feel much more confidant with Excel and feel the importance of learning the concepts the class presents. Community Health Assessment is still enigmatic. It's fun to hang with my cohort there though. I have some really cool people in my major. My eugenics class is still fascinating. After about 11 hours of work and class on Thursdays, it's actually nice to sit in a nice classroom in the law building and watch gruesome films. The only thing I dislike is it alters my walk home. I have to walk over the bridge parallel to the 35W hole. It's really, really cold walking over that bridge late at night in February in Minnesota. Hopefully, the nasty cold is behind us just starting today. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 30 degrees!! Balmy, I say.
So now for the fun stuff I've been up to. Last weekend I saw Daniel Johnston at First Avenue. I can't say it was 'good', but it was awesome. This guy is a living legend. I splurged and got a 'Hi, How are you?' T-shirt. The next night I saw an amateur fight at my boxing gym. It was the first fight I've ever seen. Some were more exciting than others but it was somewhat inspiring and maybe I'll spar someday... Then Monday I saw Cat Power at First Avenue again. It wasn't good at all. For a $25 ticket, I expected some old depressing, raw music from the late '90's. No such luck. She did mostly Jukebox stuff which is like over-polished lounge music. Less than ideal for me. Disappointing. There are a lot of good shows coming up, though. In fact, my brother and his girlfriend are coming up from Columbia, Missouri for a good local show in a couple weeks. I haven't seen him since December and he's one of my very favorite people in the whole world, so I'm looking forward to that. Ward off the snow that weekend!

Posted at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have to type very quietly because I'm proctoring an exam right now. Shh.
These weeks are going to go really quickly and I'm sure it'll be above 50 before I know it. Busy, busy. All three of my classes have assignments due EVERY week which is kind of a drag. I think I'll be spending most of my weekends in front of my computer. But hey, most of it's still pretty interesting. Biostats is growing on me. I'm understanding Excel a lot better now and have less anxiety about that. Some of the big sweeping math concepts are still elusive, but I'm working on it. After having each class once a week for three hours last semester, having a class even twice a week feels like I'm always there. The Eugenics class is still pretty rad. I've never taken a history class in college, but I think I would have liked it. I Netflix a lot of History Channel stuff... granted I have no time to watch them right now. I have Russia: Land of the Czars right now and no conceivable time in which to watch it. I still haven't really figured out what Community Health Assessment is all about. I like to know in what direction a class is heading and I just haven't figured it out for that one yet. We do readings on vague concepts and then vaguely discuss them. It's not been difficult yet, just sort of, well, vague.
So I'm drunk with exhaustion right now. I went out to maybe one of the best shows I've ever seen last night. I went to the 7th Street Entry to see Yeasayer and MGMT Mostly Yeasayer though. Oh man, their performance was stellar. Their harmonious concept music was elegant, sexy, powerful and loud. And the drumming... it was the best-sounding drumming I think I've ever heard. Very Nick Mason/Pink Floyd drums sounds. Excellent. And a couple of dreamy dudes in the band which always enhance the enjoyment. MGMT was just ok. Sort of just straight pop/rock, the fell apart at the end by acting like idiots. They initiated all of the things that annoy me about bands. They started switching instruments just for the hell of it Bands shouldn't do that unless the switch adds something. Then they started spraying beer all over the audience. Not cool. Don't make me do extra laundry. Then they were bringing people up on stage and screwing around in general... Unprofessional, guys. I know touring when you're about 21 s really exciting, but don't act like fools.
I've sort of started my field experience. I have a few meetings scheduled with lobbyists from a few non-profit health-related organizations coming up. I'm excited to learn how that whole thing works because right now, I have no clue whatsoever. And since I'm a policy chick, I better get on that. I am going to the Capitol next month for the Heart on the Hill day through the American Heart Association. I'll get to follow important people around and observe closely the process of legislation. I'm looking forward to it.
All for now. I'm going to see Daniel Johnston tonight and it'll be a trip...

Posted at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dude. So I don't know why I suddenly can't read a syllabus after taking college courses for over six years, but I missed two assignments yesterday. I'm so ashamed. One time I turned in an o-chem lab report late but other than that, I've NEVER turned in any assignment late! Punctuality and compliance are my strong suits. I don't even know what else to say. Professors McBean and Allison: I promise you this is not reflective of my typical style. Ok. Public apology complete. I will move on.
So besides my little reading problem, things are going pretty well! Biostats is ok; having it twice a week seems like I'm going to that class like every five minutes. And I FINALLY installed Excel correctly on my laptop so now homework for that class will be much easier. Well at least the technology part. I never knew how much I sucked at Excel. I'll get it though. I can't let a computer program come between me and Biostats. I can't say I'm in love with the class, but that's why I'm a policy gal instead of doing analysis. Numbers are way less fun that concepts. However, it is pretty cool to learn how to adjust numbers for whatever. I've had a hard time figuring out what Community Health Assessment is all about just yet. It does include a lot of discussion which is cool since I like to talk. The semester gem, however, is Eugenics! It is SUCH a fascinating topic full of provocative ideas and taboo subject matter. I have to write about the following. When I was an undergrad theatre major, we talked about German art movements in the early part of the 20th century like German expressionism and such. I have ever since then wondered how art and the political climate were related in Germany in those years between the wars because so much of the art produced is so haunting. The movie we watched in class last night, Architecture of Doom , explored in length Hitler's obsession with art and how Jewish art was viewed as inferior since it often distorted the human figure. I'm excited to explore this topic more deeply and perhaps use the topic as my final paper subject.
I decided on an internship! I'm starting with the Minnesota Dietetic Association next week. I get to do awesome stuff like go to legislative hearings. I'm excited to learn about that and about food and nutrition policy in general. I'll be really busy this semester but most of it will be really fun.
I saw a little music this week but not much. My friend plays bass in a jazz ensemble and I saw him play at the Artist's Quarter in St. Paul Monday night. Monday night will now be known as the 45 degree day which was followed by the COLDEST I have ever felt. It was negative 35 with the wind chill. And it was blasted windy. If you're going to be out in it, that's two pairs of pants, two sweaters, three pairs of layered gloves under the gigantic coat cold. But now it's beautiful in the low 20's!
Next week I'll have more fun social things to discuss. But that means I'll have to get my crap together and do some serious homework this weekend!!

Posted at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's nice to be back! I mean who really needs free time to catch up on good TV shows, going out with friends and just working 40 hours a week? I mean, I was totally bored. Really, I did do some cool stuff over break. One, I bought a MacBook laptop. This is a big deal because a) that was all the money I had b) I've been a PC girl till now and c) it's a freaking laptop! Now I can look as cool as my classmates with my slick white MacBook. I do really like it though. It is cute. Another thing I've accomplished during the time off was starting boxing lessons. I've joined the Uppercut boxing gym in Northeast Minneapolis for a few weeks and am taking classes there. It's seriously about the most intensely fun thing I've ever done in my whole life. It's aggressive but you really have to think about what you're doing. I have by no means really 'gotten' it yet but it's so fun I'll keep it up for sure. It's about all I think about and all I want to do. Maybe someday I'll spar...
CLASSES! It's started again. This has been one of those semesters where my schedule has depended on external factors. I've ben trying to get a field experience set up. I was offered a position at the Minnesota Dietetic Association where I'd get to be a part of actual legislation and policy processes. And proper nutrition is something I feel very strongly about being accessible to everyone. Then, I have an interview with MOAPPP (Minnesota Organization of Adolescent Pregnancy Planning and Parenting) which is in the sexual health realm and a true passion of mine. I am really interested in both but I feel like it's going to end up being a logistical reason I have to make a choice. I (somewhat stupidly) decided to take 9 credits this semester while working 32 hours a week and getting an internship.
The 9 credit situation was sort of accidental but I have to run with it. I need to take Community Health Assessment (and want to because it might be the last class I have with my whole cohort) and Biostats. It's too early to quite tell how they're going to go but Biostats is not a class that facilitates a whole lot of discussion but I know the info will be relevant. The exciting thing that happened to me yesterday involved my friend Ann that always finds interesting lectures to attend. She invited me to a viewing of a movie called 'Homo Sapiens 1900' which is about the history of Eugenics. It sounded really cool so I went and it was such an interesting subject and discussion!! It can be taken as a Public Health course or a history course. So I decided to take it. It is working in conjuncture with the exhibit at the Science Museum called 'Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race.' It seems like it would be most relevant to take this class now. So, this semester, I have 9 hours of class of Thursdays. I will have to remind myself that it was totally my choice. I think the Eugenics course will be so fascinating that I won't even notice, though.
Wish me luck on my internship decision next week! I'm off to Memory Lanes blowing alley tonight where they set up a little stage on the lanes and bands play. Tonight it's the Hasbeen.

Posted at 08:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)