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Friday, March 20, 2009
SXSW
It's that time of year! When warm breezes flow, the lightest green buds are popping through the twigs and branches and great new music comes to Austin. SXSW is definitely more than music, too. For example, my friend Michel Scott is showcasing his documentary "Over the Hill and Far Away" about a young boy with autism who travels to Mongolia with his family to find healing. I used to work for a software startup in town called Pluck and was in charge of our SXSW Interactive trade show presence. That wasn't a bad gig. It allowed me to plan our Club de Ville extravaganza where I witnessed tech nerds dance in ways that I didn't know were possible. They had closet coolness.
Last night, my friend Skyler and I got lucky and managed to get VIP, backstage passes to the Auditorium Shores show with M.Ward headlining. M.Ward is a mellow CD, but a rock 'n' roll show that is worth seeing. His stage performance is very different than what you would hear off of your iPod.
The best part of SXSW, though, has to be that people who come to Austin just love it. Often times they move here after visiting for the fun. Austin is a unique, young, inspiring place to live. And, it doesn't hurt that it's 80 degrees right now.
Last night, my friend Skyler and I got lucky and managed to get VIP, backstage passes to the Auditorium Shores show with M.Ward headlining. M.Ward is a mellow CD, but a rock 'n' roll show that is worth seeing. His stage performance is very different than what you would hear off of your iPod.
The best part of SXSW, though, has to be that people who come to Austin just love it. Often times they move here after visiting for the fun. Austin is a unique, young, inspiring place to live. And, it doesn't hurt that it's 80 degrees right now.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Service Work
I believe in karma. Maybe it isn't even called karma, and it's probably not even the mysterious, cosmic tit for tat that the word karma would suggest. Instead, I believe in a basic life fact: love grows love and hate grows hate. If you choose to live well, helping others, then good things will come your way. On the other hand, if you choose to live for only yourself, concerned about materials and stepping on people along the path of your rise to social or professional fame, then get ready. You are in for a nasty ride.
I bring up karma because I believe strongly in service work. Right now, there is a bipartisan proposal called the Serve America Act, sponsored by Senators Kennedy and Hatch. This piece of legislation will expand volunteer opportunities for Americans of all ages, and create the Education Corps, the Healthy Futures Corps, the Clean Energy Service Corps, the Opportunity Corps, and the Reserve Corps, among other initiatives. Our forefather, Benjamin Franklin once said, "Americans can do well, by doing good."
Personally, I've never understood why service work is not mandatory at some age before college. Ideally, each school year, starting at kindergarten, kids should do at least one project as a group that helps some-one, or some-thing. Parents need to set the example, too. Children typically frown on service work because it seems like a chore. Adults need to help transform that attitude into one of fulfillment and happiness. If you've ever volunteered, you know how good it makes you feel. What if you felt like that more than once every few years. What if you gave something of yourself to help every month, or every week or even made it your life's work? How could this be a bad thing for any of us?
So, next time you are sitting at your desk cruising online shopping or dreaming up your next vacation, turn your internet research onto the volunteer opportunities in your area and beyond. Do something outside your everyday. Remember, karma's a bitch. Do you really want to make her angry?
I bring up karma because I believe strongly in service work. Right now, there is a bipartisan proposal called the Serve America Act, sponsored by Senators Kennedy and Hatch. This piece of legislation will expand volunteer opportunities for Americans of all ages, and create the Education Corps, the Healthy Futures Corps, the Clean Energy Service Corps, the Opportunity Corps, and the Reserve Corps, among other initiatives. Our forefather, Benjamin Franklin once said, "Americans can do well, by doing good."
Personally, I've never understood why service work is not mandatory at some age before college. Ideally, each school year, starting at kindergarten, kids should do at least one project as a group that helps some-one, or some-thing. Parents need to set the example, too. Children typically frown on service work because it seems like a chore. Adults need to help transform that attitude into one of fulfillment and happiness. If you've ever volunteered, you know how good it makes you feel. What if you felt like that more than once every few years. What if you gave something of yourself to help every month, or every week or even made it your life's work? How could this be a bad thing for any of us?
So, next time you are sitting at your desk cruising online shopping or dreaming up your next vacation, turn your internet research onto the volunteer opportunities in your area and beyond. Do something outside your everyday. Remember, karma's a bitch. Do you really want to make her angry?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
It always gets worse before it gets better
Looking at the year ahead - school, work, GRE, applications - it's all starting to bubble to an overflow. Some people manage all of this and children. I try to remind myself that I don't have that staring me in the face on top of it all, but it doesn't seem to lessen the crushing load of responsibilities on my plate.
So, I've decided to print out the list of schools to which I would LOVE to apply. I will post this list on my refrigerator or in my bathroom or both. This way, I can be constantly reminded of my goals.
Still, having investigated some of these dream schools in the last week, I am faced with a decision. Most of the non-Texas schools have a few more requirements that would make it difficult for me to stay in my current job and attend school, AND not drag this prelim process out much longer. One of those schools is OHSU in Portland. The Oregon Health Sciences University is one of the premier medical schools in primary care in the U.S. Their PA program is also stellar. Also, many of the top PA schools require a certain number of hours of clinical experience, and the only way to get that under my belt and on my resume is to leave current job scenario and become a clinical assistant....cleaning bed pans.
I am also realizing that wherever I choose to go, or wherever chooses me, it should ideally be a place I'd love to live for two or more years. It should be a place of adventure, beauty and good people. It may not be close to my family or my comfort zone, but it can be a great learning experience in a welcoming environment. So, the list of schools as of February 2009 - subject to change and in no particular order:
1. Baylor - in Houston, TX. Good people. Not so great quality of life. Fantastic setting for medicine (largest medical center in the world).
2. UNT Fort Worth. Nice smaller city. Good people. Associated with an Osteopathic Medical School. Better than Houston for quality of life.
3. Southwestern Medical - Dallas. Ummmm....horrible setting. Great PA school ranking. But, could I really survive two years here?
4. OHSU - Portland. Could totally live in Portland and explore Oregon. I was set to move there before, so I could more easily see myself there now that I committed once. Opportunities to explore the Pacific Northwest for a couple of years.
5. Duke University - North Carolina. My love. My old stomping grounds. Great quality of life. Great people. Nice quality of life and closer to family. But, could I get in?
6. University of Washington - Seattle. For same reasons as Oregon.
7. USC Keck School - Los Angeles. Ummm....warm, great location. People iffy.
8. MUSC - Charleston, SC. Great people. Family. Beautiful. Warm and by the ocean.
9. University of Colorado - Denver. Never been to Colorado. Maybe this would be my chance.
So, I've decided to print out the list of schools to which I would LOVE to apply. I will post this list on my refrigerator or in my bathroom or both. This way, I can be constantly reminded of my goals.
Still, having investigated some of these dream schools in the last week, I am faced with a decision. Most of the non-Texas schools have a few more requirements that would make it difficult for me to stay in my current job and attend school, AND not drag this prelim process out much longer. One of those schools is OHSU in Portland. The Oregon Health Sciences University is one of the premier medical schools in primary care in the U.S. Their PA program is also stellar. Also, many of the top PA schools require a certain number of hours of clinical experience, and the only way to get that under my belt and on my resume is to leave current job scenario and become a clinical assistant....cleaning bed pans.
I am also realizing that wherever I choose to go, or wherever chooses me, it should ideally be a place I'd love to live for two or more years. It should be a place of adventure, beauty and good people. It may not be close to my family or my comfort zone, but it can be a great learning experience in a welcoming environment. So, the list of schools as of February 2009 - subject to change and in no particular order:
1. Baylor - in Houston, TX. Good people. Not so great quality of life. Fantastic setting for medicine (largest medical center in the world).
2. UNT Fort Worth. Nice smaller city. Good people. Associated with an Osteopathic Medical School. Better than Houston for quality of life.
3. Southwestern Medical - Dallas. Ummmm....horrible setting. Great PA school ranking. But, could I really survive two years here?
4. OHSU - Portland. Could totally live in Portland and explore Oregon. I was set to move there before, so I could more easily see myself there now that I committed once. Opportunities to explore the Pacific Northwest for a couple of years.
5. Duke University - North Carolina. My love. My old stomping grounds. Great quality of life. Great people. Nice quality of life and closer to family. But, could I get in?
6. University of Washington - Seattle. For same reasons as Oregon.
7. USC Keck School - Los Angeles. Ummm....warm, great location. People iffy.
8. MUSC - Charleston, SC. Great people. Family. Beautiful. Warm and by the ocean.
9. University of Colorado - Denver. Never been to Colorado. Maybe this would be my chance.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Me and the Punks
I have survived my first week of Biology at UTexas Austin. We are focusing primarily on cell biology and the Eukaryotes! Yippee! I'm a nerd!
Above is a Eukaryotic cell structure. It's the stuff inside our cells. It includes one of my favorite words: "endoplasmic reticulum."
My professor is your classic, text book biology professor. He looks like a chubbier McFly and sounds a lot like him, too. Today he gave us a lesson on attending class regularly, and followed it by saying, "But, I am your teacher and not a preacher." Are you getting the picture?
Still, no matter how dotty or sweet and soft spoken he may be, there is no excuse for rudely packing your things 5 minutes to the end of class - while your teacher is talking. I take deep breaths just to keep myself from standing up and yelling, "Sit your punk asses back down!"
If you are wondering what it's like to go back to undergrad (when you have a master's degree), it's not easy. I am there to learn and it's apparent every day that I may be one of very few in my class. Last week the kid next to me was sleeping - ON THE FIRST DAY! Today, the girl in front of me was playing solitaire on her computer.
I guess the real take away from this experience - and a positive one at that - is that I can truly see through my classmates how much I have grown as an adult. I am so vastly different from them on that level. Getting older does have some perks.
Above is a Eukaryotic cell structure. It's the stuff inside our cells. It includes one of my favorite words: "endoplasmic reticulum."
My professor is your classic, text book biology professor. He looks like a chubbier McFly and sounds a lot like him, too. Today he gave us a lesson on attending class regularly, and followed it by saying, "But, I am your teacher and not a preacher." Are you getting the picture?
Still, no matter how dotty or sweet and soft spoken he may be, there is no excuse for rudely packing your things 5 minutes to the end of class - while your teacher is talking. I take deep breaths just to keep myself from standing up and yelling, "Sit your punk asses back down!"
If you are wondering what it's like to go back to undergrad (when you have a master's degree), it's not easy. I am there to learn and it's apparent every day that I may be one of very few in my class. Last week the kid next to me was sleeping - ON THE FIRST DAY! Today, the girl in front of me was playing solitaire on her computer.
I guess the real take away from this experience - and a positive one at that - is that I can truly see through my classmates how much I have grown as an adult. I am so vastly different from them on that level. Getting older does have some perks.
Event Planning and Katie - Like Oil and Water
There is nothing more I despise in life than planning a work event. My arm muscles tense up from the mere thought of it. I would rather be in charge of creating long excel lists, fetching coffee or taking a hot poker to by inner nostril.
But, here again, I find myself tasked with leading our team to our annual sales meeting this year. I don't doubt for one second being a woman with some experience managing events has something to do with it. But, in general, I feel pretty strongly that women across industries globally are looked to more than men to be the event planners. And, I think that's horrible.
Every fiber of my being revolts at planning a work event. It never represents my best work, and only serves to show what I can falter at and what I can get wrong.
I vow, never, no matter the circumstance, will I plan another work event after this one. They'll have to offer me a $100,000 bonus first.
But, here again, I find myself tasked with leading our team to our annual sales meeting this year. I don't doubt for one second being a woman with some experience managing events has something to do with it. But, in general, I feel pretty strongly that women across industries globally are looked to more than men to be the event planners. And, I think that's horrible.
Every fiber of my being revolts at planning a work event. It never represents my best work, and only serves to show what I can falter at and what I can get wrong.
I vow, never, no matter the circumstance, will I plan another work event after this one. They'll have to offer me a $100,000 bonus first.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Happy 2009
Wow! I've been away for two whole weeks visiting my family in San Francisco and now I am finally back to take on the new year.
It was a fantastic time away in one of my absolute favorite cities. I just fit in San Fran. It's a sophisticated city with very minimal pretension and lots of things to do in a beautiful setting. Hiking, running, kayaking, biking as well as wine tasting, museum going and food exploring. Spending so much time with my brother, sister-n-law, parents and two of the sweetest kids alive - my three-and-a-half-year-old nephew and one-and-a-half-year-old niece.
Now that I'm back, I have a full-plate of activity ahead for the spring. Orientation for UT starts next week. Studying for the GRE starts as soon as I can get my a** motivated. Starting work on my plot in a community garden begins this weekend. Here's to not killing vegetables.
Pictures of the garden plot forthcoming.
It was a fantastic time away in one of my absolute favorite cities. I just fit in San Fran. It's a sophisticated city with very minimal pretension and lots of things to do in a beautiful setting. Hiking, running, kayaking, biking as well as wine tasting, museum going and food exploring. Spending so much time with my brother, sister-n-law, parents and two of the sweetest kids alive - my three-and-a-half-year-old nephew and one-and-a-half-year-old niece.
Now that I'm back, I have a full-plate of activity ahead for the spring. Orientation for UT starts next week. Studying for the GRE starts as soon as I can get my a** motivated. Starting work on my plot in a community garden begins this weekend. Here's to not killing vegetables.
Pictures of the garden plot forthcoming.
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