I Call It My Thesis Weight...

via

...And not in an endearing sort of way.

It's more of an I-can't-believe-I've-gained-back-so-much-of-the-weight-I-lost-last-year-and-I-hate-it-so-much kind of way.

I find thesis weight to be much less noble than baby weight. I mean, when all of this is over, I'll have about a 100-page paper* to show for it. Something that will hopefully be published (at least once...), but that's all.

I won't have a 5+ lb. bundle of life in my hands (the way my family grows them, it's more like a 9+ lb. bundle) that I spent 40 weeks creating in my body, that I am then expected to nurture and teach for at least the next 21 years of your life (but, which continues on into the 30s and 40s easily I'm sure - albeit without the same intensity).

Perhaps I sound a bit anti-feminist. And truth be told, I kind of am. But that's another discussion for another day.

*this beast of a paper is currently 70+ pages. but let me quickly add that I've only created 16 of those pages (so far. it'll definitely be longer, but not 50 pages...). the rest are appendices that I only needed to insert. but you never hear that part of the story when someone tells you their thesis length. at least I don't. so it sounds as though they've created all those pages, when really... they haven't.

Social Marketing

'Have a Margarita for Me'

Saturday I drove into Denver for a conference (more on that later). Last night, when looking for a place to eat (yes, it was Sunday, and I don't ever eat out on Sundays, but we have no kitchen in our hotel room, and the conference - with 12,000+ attendees - doesn't provide any meals), this lady saw us talking and called out, 'Can I help you find something? I'm from here.' We asked her if she had any restaurant suggestions and she said, 'Since you're all young and attractive, I think you might like...' and named a few options. We decided not to inform her that three of the four of us were married. Then she went on to suggest a bar for after dinner where 'the margaritas are amazing. They limit you to three because they use everclear.' We again decided not to burst her bubble (she was really nice, excited for us, and handicapped) and inform her that the four of us being members of the LDS church, didn't drink either (besides that, we're all in the public health field, and alcohol does some horrible things to your body). As we headed off toward a restaurant she gave us directions to, she called out, 'When you go to the bar, have a margarita for me!' I almost felt like ordering one to let it sit on the table in her honor. Almost.

Fascinating

... even at 4:00 am. when somehow sleep has been nothing but an elusive dream all night...

I think I would enjoy taking a class from this guy.

here's the website he mentions. (pretty cool)
and here's his bio. (also pretty cool)

Big News!!!

Last fall, for one of my classes, some classmates and I put together a photovoice project. We decided to focus on the refugee population in the Salt Lake area. Marcee and I went up to a church meeting for a refugee branch and talked to Frederic, a man who works with refugees, and is a refugee himself. We gave him a camera, and he took some great pictures for us to present to our class.

Brad - another member of the group - submitted our assignment to APHA - 'the oldest, largest, and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world' - and we got accepted for a poster presentation where we can just show what we did. It's not until November, but I'm really looking forward to it.

Yay!

UPAC Meeting

This morning I went to a meeting in the Senate Building at the Capitol. It was a meeting for the Utah Prevention Advisory Council (UPAC). There were people from all different types of groups around Utah who were working with substance abuse prevention in some way. It was really interesting to hear different things that are going on around the state.

Some highlights of the meeting include -

- sitting next to John Swallow* (and sharing my 'curiously strong' cinnamon altoids with him). Swallow is the newly appointed Chief Deputy Attorney General of Utah
- talking with George Starks after the meeting, whose brother died from alcohol poisoning while being hazed into a USU fraternity (as a result he's become very active in trying to get legislation passed in regard to hazing laws, etc)

- being introduced to this website - giving a picture of substance abuse problems throughout Utah
- seeing different house and senate bills that are related to substance abuse that have recently been passed
- hearing about different trainings and events happening locally

I really enjoyed the meeting. I filled in for my supervisor who was closing on a house today, but I hope I get to go to the next meeting too.

*I just learned from the wikipedia page that he has the same birthday as I do! (:

2 Down, 298 To Go

I began my fieldwork at the Utah Department of Health today. I'm working in the Epidemiology area focusing on prescription drug abuse. My first project requires me to go through all medical examiner accidental or unknown deaths in Utah since 2000 and sift out the ones having to do with drugs - legal and illegal. I'm able to do some of the work from home which will make it easier to get in the required 300 hours.

Finally -

- grades in.
I feel like I can put this away now.

at least until August.

to quote one of my school friends -
"thank heavens the semester from hell is over."

Seems Fitting

- the the semester that caused almost daily migraines for a while ended with a migraine yesterday.

But I'm done. I survived.

Thank goodness.

I Must Have Been Tired

Yesterday I got home around 4:30.
Yesterday I fell asleep around 5:30.
This morning I woke up around 3:30.
This morning I fell asleep around 4:30.
This morning I woke up around 8:30.

You do the math.

I must have been exhausted.

Done

I normally don't get nervous over presenting in class (or giving talks in church). I guess I always feel some measure of anxiety, but it's never too bad. Today, before my presentation, I was nervous and felt sick to my stomach. I told my teacher that he had managed to scare me to death over this presentation.

It's over. Finito. Terminado.

I'm so glad.

Based on the feedback I was given, I wasn't half bad either.
Though (nice*) people are never going to tell you 'you stink' to your face...

*and the people in my cohort all qualify as nice

I used this video at the beginning of my presentation:

Calling All -

- returned missionaries from countries where malaria is present. If you - or anyone you know - qualify, please follow this link -
http://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_eY6rpFIKqbVd6T2&SVID=Prod
- to take the survey, or send it on to them. It takes about five minutes to complete.

Thank you!

DC Pictures! (there are many, and there will be more...)

(click each one to enlarge)

To Do List:

:laundry
delayed it for too long... ugh
:pack for DC
so excited to be going! but any travel - even fun travel - brings with it some added stress
:write a two-page paper
due Thursday night by midnight, but since I'll be in DC... I should get it done tonight
:straighten up bedroom
not necessarily a *must* before I go, but it's always nicer to come home to a clean space
:make sure plants are watered
I've been doing such a good job keeping them alive, I don't want to risk them while I'm gone
:get 10 hours of sleep
okay, okay, I know, not possible, especially having to leave for the airport at 8 am. but I can dream, right?

Explanation -

- so, Uganda was canceled. I'm pretty upset about it. It was all going to work out perfectly... (in my head)

The professor heading up the whole Uganda thing became the director of the Master's program last semester. He wasn't planning on this, so that put a lot of extra things on his plate. Due to that, he hasn't been able to put in as much time to this whole project as he would have normally.

Over the weekend he realized how far behind we were and decided to postpone everything a year.
Bad news - I'll be working full time next summer.
Good news - I'll be working full time next summer!

Right now it's looking like I'll be spending my whole summer in SLC. To that I say - Booo...
Not that I don't like SLC, because I do, but I was really hoping for an international something this coming summer.

International (or at least away from SLC) isn't a complete impossibility. Just tonight I applied for an internship with UNESCO. It's the only application I've filled out that has everything translated into French as well as English.

In talking to my brother about it, while I was trying to decide on which city* to select, out of their numerous options, he said, "It doesn't really matter, As mom would say, 'Don't get your hopes up, it probably won't happen anyway.'"
-not that she'd say those exact words, but, for example, a few months ago my sister wrote on her blog: When coaching Amanda on her speech I found myself sounding a lot like my mom. "Now, if you don't win, don't be upset..." Funny how that happens.- (emphasis added)

Anyway, regardless of where I end up (or where I stay), I'm hopeful that whatever happens will be for the best.

*I ended up selecting Venice just because
I think it'd be amazing to live in Italy for a few months.
But, it probably won't happen anyway...

Sad News

I just found out that the Uganda project is being postponed. I may still be able to go for my project, but maybe not.

I may end up spending my whole summer working here in Utah.

That's depressing.

First One In... Last One Out...

This morning I came to my computer lab early so I could finish some assignments that were due today.

Tonight I stayed late so I could finish a homework assignment for Wednesday.

Though I love the quiet time when no one else is around... I dislike that I've been on campus for 14 hours, spending half of that time sitting at this desk.

Ugh.

I'm going home.

I found the picture when I image-searched
"long days" on google. I like it.

Maybe I Should Rethink This...

Look here.

Maybe I should rethink it.
But I won't.

Scuba Diving & Public Health

The other day in one of my classes we watched a video talking about damage that's being done to coral reefs.

A lot of the video took place underwater (naturally) and showed people scuba diving.

It made me start to wonder if there was a career in public health that would require me to scuba dive*.

It made me want to go into that career.

Let's see what a career like that might look like, shall we?

this thing looks like it should be opening up it's mouth to talk to you

yeah.
I think I'd like a job like that.

*thanks to my parents, I'm already certified to dive up to... I think 90 feet.

Billy Mills

Nope, not some guy I'm dating.

Billy Mills won the '64 10,000 meter (6.21 mile) run in the Olympics. The first Native American to do so. He was virtually an unknown when it happened.

Check this out:

he's the one in the dark jersey, #722

I love hearing the guy yelling "Look at Mills! Look at Mills!" I think that perfectly shows the excitement and unexpectedness.

I heard about Mills from one of my teachers who was personally able to meet him and have a private conversation with Mills for about an hour. During the hour, Mills basically just told him story after story.

He told about a time when he was in Barcelona (I think for the Olympics again - maybe just to watch? I don't know.) with some of his family and they overheard drunk reporters talking. The conversation went something like this -

Reporter 1 - What's the name of that Indian guy that one that race? The really fast one.
Reporter 2 - Oh, that drunken Indian? I don't know. I don't know his name.
Reporter 1 - Do you know whatever happened to him?
Reporter 2 - Oh, drunken Indian, I think he 's dead. Went back to the Reservation. Died out there. Drunken Indian.

Mills' daughter to Mills - Dad, go over there and tell them who you are.

After hearing the conversation go on a little bit longer, Mills finally went over there.

Mills to the reporters - Are you talking about Billy Mills?
Reporter ? - Mills! Yeah, that's the name of that drunken Indian.
Mills - I happen to know he's still alive, and he's not a drunken Indian.
Reporter ? - Oh yeah, how do you know?
Mills - Because I'm Billy Mills.

Mills told my teacher that after the exchange, he went into the hallway and cried. Upset after everything he's done, to be thought of as a drunken Indian.

Mills was orphaned at 12. He joined the Marines and was a marine when he participated in the '64 Olympics. He's started his own business. ... not some drunken Indian.

more about the race
more about Mills