Blog Revision & News

The time has come again to rethink my vision and outlook for this blog – over the next few weeks, minor changes will come in the form of subject and text rather than aesthetics.  The ‘core’ of what this blog is about is really the ‘core’ of who I am and how I live my days.  I’ve wanted to make some sort of ‘statement’ post regarding these changes for many weeks now, and a silent push of encouragement from a good friend has made it finally happen.

Some ‘featured posts’ I typically do {or have done frequently in the past}, are being let go.  For one, who really cares what I’m wearing for the day?  Is that truly why people are reading this blog?  I don’t want any readers confusing me for any fabulous fashion blogger they may know, and subsequently expect daily outfit posts from me.  Fashion is not what drives me in the least.  I do have a respect for the art form, but mostly, I just want to be assured that I look put-together and decent for the day’s events.

Another point begging to be mentioned is my love for public health.  It’s my chosen profession, and I post about it over on my other blog, Well Aware, from time to time.  Anything personal that I want to share (i.e. Weight loss, working out, and eating healthy food) does not necessarily fall under the large heading of public health, and therefore will remain on this blog.  Keeping things compartmentalized is how I roll.  Please go and enjoy Well Aware if that’s your thing!

On that same note, I have some exciting news to share – 

I’ve been accepted to attend a Master in Public Health program to get my MPH degree!  

I’ll be starting in the fall, attending classes part-time, until I finish the degree in 2015.  It’s a long road, but it will do nothing but help my career in the end.  I’ve taken about 5 years off from school at this point, and I’m ready to delve back in.

I'll also be continuing {or starting?} my book reviews.  Sure, I have my Goodreads page at the top of the blog, but I'd like to share more of my reading opinions here.  After moving to the area, I joined a book club - these folks are usually my sounding board for my thoughts on the books we read.  Look forward to a post on our most recent read soon!

I hope you like the changes I'm making around here!  One last thing - I LOVE when people comment.  Even if you think you don't have anything good to write, please make a comment anyway.  It lets me know folks are reading this garble I'm writing.  Thank you for reading!

{31 Blogging Days of May} New Series + Half Marathon 2012

Sunday's version of the {31 Blogging Days} challenge is about coming up with a new series. For me, I'm doing something slightly divergent {besides blogging a day late}.
Instead of starting a new series, I'm going to reinvest in one I already have - Dashes & Dots! I love the concept of briefly posting about the bits and pieces on my mind at the moment. Check out my latest edition here.


In other news, my life has been insanely busy! Work is still super busy, and the deadlines just keep coming. One day I might get to breathe. :) In my spare time {besides when I'm blogging!}, I have been doing my final prep for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon...which was on Sunday morning.

Welcome to 5:00AM.

 I ran, jogged and {mostly} speed-walked the 13.1 miles of rough city streets and steel bridges of Pittsburgh. It was incredible. It was incredibly hard. The sights of PGH with the sun rising through it's nooks and crannies was one I'll never forget. I completed the half marathon by myself, and I'm so glad I did. It was a growing moment for me, and I was overcome with tears shortly after finishing, as my accomplishment set in. 

I am a Runner of Steel!

{Source of Inspiration: Irene of the Biggest Loser, for encouraging me through Twitter to enter and do my best in the half marathon. Thank you, Irene - I wouldn't/couldn't have done it without you!}

Job Seeking News

You guys!
I finally have good news to share with you - I've been offered {and have accepted!} a job with a local University! I'm more than overjoyed with this opportunity, and am eager to start my career here in Pittsburgh.

Great things are worth waiting for.
I interviewed for this position on February 2nd, and just got my offer on Monday. That's almost a MONTH! What a slow process! I thought the ship might have sailed.

Bonuses of the new job:
I can walk to work.
While I'm walking to work, I pass by my favorite French patisserie.
I'll be able to continue helping others through public health.
It's a raise from my last pay check.
My fruit bowl will now have a new home.
I'll have my own office. {I think.} cube. And it's fabulous!
I get a free bus pass.
I'll work in a swank new building.
I won't have to work in dahntahn anymore!
My "office decorations" can come out of storage.
After six months of employment, I can attend the University for graduate school...for free.

Husband is proud of me, and is doting on me like a good spouse. We've gone out to eat/have drinks at least 3 times in celebration, and we're going to the Eli Young Band concert {Throwback from my college days in West Texas} tomorrow night. Boots and beer, I tell ya!

Also, I hope to give a few updates in PGH Dining and What I Wore Today this weekend.

I start on Monday!

Biggest Loser 12: Episode 4

Episode 4 opens, and there's a new biggest loser song. Did I miss this before? I may be being nostalgic, but I miss the song from previous seasons. This new one is not the best. Not my favorite. Moving on.

HANNAH! Oh my gosh! She's my absolute favorite! Hannah in the kitchen!

Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I have a few notes to share from the next part of the episode. Past contestant workouts. Adam Hurtado still looks great, and of course, Marci is still the same happy Marci. That family is full of hopelessly positive, smiling, lovely people.  She says Week 4 was a struggle for her, but I don't recall her having trouble at any point in her season.

As Ramon is climbing up the mountain, I'm frustrated that he's trying too hard to be a leader. If you have to try at it, there's a good chance you're not a natural leader. Does this frustrate anyone else?

On another note, when Courtney had a remorseful moment, she is clearly stuck because of her negative thinking. I understand her though, because oftentimes I am in the same rut. She needs to turn that around!

During Bonnie's workouts, it's clear she's mentally scared. This is a huge problem for almost every Biggest Loser contestant. I know I would have the same struggles. It's hard to get over the metal hurdle of your brain telling you your body cannot run one more minute, when in fact, it can. Anna really has broken in her "Biggest Loser Training Style" because she hit the nail on the head with Bonnie in her workout. 

The subject of fast food "cheating" was brought up. It's an interesting concept.  Someone with an eating issue will drive thru and order something, then eat it before they get home. They throw away the trash before they go inside their home to see their family. Fast Food Cheating. How many people in America are falling victim to this trend? Are we as a nation obese because we're hiding it from our families? People can't help if they don't understand the problem. It's sad Joe later equated it to cheating on his wife. That's taking it a little far, but I can see how he would feel that strongly about it. 

The line relay challenge with elements was interesting. It was more of an endurance race for them at this point than a line relay. A word about the prizes: FINALLY Biggest Loser gets smart and allows everyone read their letters from home. Finishing challenges first isn't always the most worthy of the grand prize. Sometimes just finishing is worth earning a prize.

Video Chats: TEAR! I almost cried about 4 times.

Last Chance Workouts
How cute is it that BL built a tennis court especially for Anna and her team?! Awesome choice! It looked like a great workout to me. 

As for the pool workout with Bob, it started out nice and then got serious.  Joe, who can't swim, says, "It is weird. There's something about Bob Harper...you start believing you can do things that you've never done." Joe then  doggie paddles to the other side of the pool. TEAR. Then it gets super serious. Enter brutal pool workout. Bob Harper made two of the Black Team members CRY. A pool workout. Serious stuff.

Last word about the last chance workouts: Dolvett scared me a little bit. If I had to have a trainer on the Biggest Loser, Dolvett would NOT be my first choice. I don't want someone who yells at me in that manner. 

The Weigh In

I loved the simplicity of Alison's dress. Kill me if it's American Apparel.

Bonnie lost 7 lbs. now two weeks in a row! She's on a roll!
I'm sad that Blue Team lost another team member, but it's like I said...The Blue Team is out! So long, Mike!

I'm ready for another episode! 

Biggest Loser: Season 12

It's time time of year again for a group of overweight and obese Americans to engage in a reality show about losing weight and gaining yourself. It's called The Biggest Loser, and it has an audience that rivals other well-known reality TV shows. I've watched this show for four full seasons now, going on my fifth. While it's riddled with product placement and crazy shenanigans, it speaks to the public health advocate in me. It's inspirational, and I find myself watching what I eat and exercising more during the weeks it runs. It's win - win, no?

Last season, my favorite contestant was Hannah. She was the younger sister (her sister competed as well, and won), took the safe route, and had doubts about being independent or treating herself with respect. I identified with her because her story is similar to mine in a way. In the end, she placed second, but learned she was worth taking care of, and taking a chance on.

Hannah after finishing The Biggest Loser

This season I'm going to attempt to recap each show, complete with snarky remarks. Yes, I realize that's a big commitment for someone that aims to post once a week; however, it's going to happen!

Week 1: Intro to New Contestants & Trainers
It's unfortunate that we've lost Jillian Michaels for this season, but she's moved on to what she deems as 'bigger and better.' I haven't seen her new show (The Doctors), but how can it changes LIVES the way BL does? I have doubts. Bob Harper is back, of course, as the lead trainer. BL welcomed a oddly one-named trainer, Dolvett, and the world renown(?!), wonder woman Anna Kournikova. I'm pleased the producers replaced Brett and Cara from last season, though. I liked both of these trainers, but they didn't produce results like Bob and Jill.

On to something good: I LOVE the new setup for the teams. I've been saying for several seasons now that the teams should be separated by age, rather than teaming people up from previous relationships. We have three groups: the young (20-38), the middle (39-49), and the old (50-65). So far, the middle contestants have been pulling it out and succeeding at each challenge and/or in the gym. While that's great, I will still be rooting for the young group. How can I abandon my age group? I might, if I can't find anyone I identify with or I find an individual I like best.

The new contestants are fresh and new. Still happy. There's no way to foresee what's to come on the ever-changing setup for each season, BUT they have to know pain is coming. I never look forward to the mid-season breakdowns that BL plays up so much; however, these 'breakthroughs' are needed to finish the journey. I'm getting ahead of myself though. Let's talk people.

Favorites: Joe (46 - Knoxville, TN), Ramon (27 - Florence, CO), Sunny (41 - Frisco, TX) and Vinny (27 - Nashville, TN). Ramon's and Vinny's personalities remind me of Hannah's. They're so positive and cheeky. Gotta love a cheeky reality contestant. Sunny's got my vote because she's a hometown girl from Frisco (IKEA shout out!). Joe is very special, already, because of his family dynamic. Who are your favorites?

I can't wait until tomorrow night at 9pm! Keep checking my blog for updates, and let me know if you're a Biggest Loser fan!

Power to Recover

Not a lot of people (family and friends) know what I do for a living. They might know what my title is or have some idea of what I do each day, but they don't really know why I do what exactly it is that I do. It's a small part of what's called public health.

I believe it's important to help others. Even through the simplicity of this statement, it's the core that rings true with me. Life isn't about just you. It's about the people around you and how you, as a factor of humanity, live your days.

Oftentimes, people are caught up in something they can't handle themselves. They let it rule their lives. They think they don't have the power to conquer something they believe is bigger than themselves: addiction. Helping people realize they have this power inside of them to stop is most of the battle. I believe this is the key to recovery, and that's the reason I've chosen this path.

Excerpt from "You're Not My God"
Keith Urban

Little white lines on a mirror
Cut neatly in a row
Medicine that kept me from looking in my soul
I thought you were the answer
To all of my despair
And you almost had me six feet down
But I'm still breathing air

'Cause you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one that I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives and you don't give a second thought
You're not my god

From the cradle to the grave
Temptations all around
But no matter how good the fix
It's gonna take you down
Now some call it a weakness
Some call it a sin
But it's all the same behind each game
I see your evil grin

But you're not my god

*Update*
For clarification: Keith Urban is in recovery, and his drug of choice was cocaine. He's more than 5 years clean & sober.

How to Find a Doctor's Email Address {Quote}

I'm doing something nerdy. I'm taking a late lunch, and reading a public health book. And now, in my nerd-dom, I will share something with you from my reading.

In The Empowered Patient by Elizabeth Cohen (CNN Senior Medical Correspondent), Elizabeth goes over several important things regular Americans need to know when choosing, dealing, and keeping a doctor or other medical assistance professional. {I can call her Elizabeth because I've met her. She hosted a plenary at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Institute in February.} The particular chapter I'm reading about concerns finding a specific doctor, and tips on doing it quickly. I wanted to share an excerpt with the blogosphere:

How to Find a Doctor's Email Address
1. Google the doctor. An email address might just pop up.
2. If the doctor works at a university or a hospital, see if the email address is listed on the university's website.
3. If the doctor's email address isn't there, look at how other names on the university's or hospital's website are listed, such as john.smith@university.edu or jsmith@hospital.com and try the doctor's name using that format.
4. Use Google Scholar to see if the doctor has written any articles in medical journals. The author's email address is usually listed in these articles.

Good advice, huh? Some of these are no-brainers, but when you're desperate, sometimes you forget your street smarts. I'd also add a fifth option. Ask your other doctors. If you're looking for a surgeon in a particular hospital, why not ask another doctor in that same hospital for their contact information? I've used that method for nonprofit work, not medical care, and it's worked before. It's worth a shot.

Okay, I'll now step out of my nerd-dom and get back to work.

Weekend Wedding!

Today I'm at the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center FREE Head and Neck Cancer Screening. Anyone who lives in the area can come by before 11:00am. No appointment necessary.

Last Thursday was Gloria's (some #) Anniversary, and they were celebrating with 25 cent margaritas. For some reason I thought it was a good idea to go, but after standing in the line at the Addison location for 1 hour and 15 minutes, I gave up! We ended up going to Blue Goose for some yummy frozen margaritas. They were only $3, so I didn't take it as that much of a loss.

Later that night we had the hailstorm of the decade! It was unreal. It looked like snow on the ground; quarter- and dime-sized hail! Crazy! I should have taken pictures.

Tonight is my college friend Lizzy Murray's wedding - I can't wait! It's at a country club in Lewisville, next to the lake. I'll be sure to take a ton of pictures. Stay tuned!

Be The Match: Baylor Healthcare National Marrow Donor Program

I ran across this blog, Sammons Says, which posts articles that speak to people with cancer or their families. It painted a very compelling and distressing picture. I discovered that Baylor has one of the eight programs nationwide (only one in Texas) to offer the National Marrow Donor Program. That's amazing. The program helps people with various blood cancers find their marrow match (almost 1 in a billion) in order to save their lives. Most people are only given 2 or less years to live once diagnosed, so that's a incredibly short time to find a 'needle in a haystack.'

This is the article I read about a film shown at the Dallas Film Festival. The film gives a closer look at three people's search for their match. Powerful.

Find out more about the program and how to be in the donor database here.