tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56901158577958017172024-02-18T17:51:19.769-08:00Filling in the GapsClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-62805781944182896402010-06-13T17:04:00.000-07:002010-06-13T18:18:35.648-07:00CompartmentsIn the TV show, Alias, Sydney Bristow (played by Jennifer Garner) provides an excellent case study on compartmentalization. Many of the episodes in the first 2-3 seasons are thematically related as Sydney learns how to allow the different compartments of her life to overlap and strive to establish balance. She feels scared at the vulnerability associated with breaking down the walls she has carefully cemented around her, but she experiences joy and love as she establishes more balance in her life.<br /><br />I have been reflecting on the compartments of my life and have realized that marriage requires the dynamiting of one's walls around compartments, but a healthier balance results. While there will always be natural boundaries established by distances between social groups, which are particularly large due to the broad nature of my interests, I feel less polarized than I ever have before. My compartments do not seem as distinctly defined. The post-collegiate lacrosse league that I play in allows me to compete and interact with people that my co-workers from my most recent clinical placement at Spaulding Hospital Cambridge will never meet (unless I were to facilitate it, and that would be kind of weird). I love learning about, discussing and debating health and fitness topics, but I also enjoy being well-read on current events and minimizing my ignorance about politics, economics, and government. I enjoy being pampered, getting pedicures, and wearing perfume, but I love the mountains and could care less about being clean when I am hiking or camping.<br /><br />Despite my currently diverse set of interests, there is one force that helps me to create a better balance between them all; Dan is genuinely interested in all of the compartments that make me tick. Prior to marriage, my family provided support for each of my compartments, but their influence was limited by distance and decreased interaction. Now, Dan is at every lacrosse game (that I have enough time or energy to go to), debates every topic with me, gets to know as many of the other participants in my compartments as he can, insists that I get massages, pedicures, and perfume, and mountaineers with me (including allowing me to get a mountain board!). As a result, my interest in lacrosse doesn't seem as far removed from my desire to be well-read in current events because I can share all of it with Dan and he can help me to establish balance.<br /><br />I have realized that this is one of the most distinct benefits of marriage. Ironically, this is the one that scares a lot of people from long-term commitment to one person. Some perceive the destruction of compartmental walls as bad, but I have come to know that it is very much superior to designing our lives like a filing cabinet.<br /><br />Here are some pictures from some of the compartments of OUR lives these days:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON-um1QteTcjfRCvpHIiG_siDDX30OdAhH2xXwqbZcbb98-RsqRUGGCKHLdGvySgoMQOrl7Xkq5hXXSuP_IqOA3OvXsSqiY-Fjg8_GEfHaPUPT6p2ygpDvu-z6FFNbI5jJwonktKNbXGr/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON-um1QteTcjfRCvpHIiG_siDDX30OdAhH2xXwqbZcbb98-RsqRUGGCKHLdGvySgoMQOrl7Xkq5hXXSuP_IqOA3OvXsSqiY-Fjg8_GEfHaPUPT6p2ygpDvu-z6FFNbI5jJwonktKNbXGr/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482423245402702130" border="0" /></a>Collective Soul Concert in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Followed by camping in New Hampshire and playing in the White Mountains. An amazing weekend!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP5wN_UwsuR22_o8y6Q6MZSDhULKDvCSH1YsScA3A4RSQtQys2Un4L3ngcz0MRyd2TiQWEbRbEQkWNZwNEC8HagcTas3N_Ps6fFiDjQ7FarSyjD134IAiXaXjO_cq6JLvWce8Av68YY5T/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP5wN_UwsuR22_o8y6Q6MZSDhULKDvCSH1YsScA3A4RSQtQys2Un4L3ngcz0MRyd2TiQWEbRbEQkWNZwNEC8HagcTas3N_Ps6fFiDjQ7FarSyjD134IAiXaXjO_cq6JLvWce8Av68YY5T/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482423222838951842" border="0" /></a>You can't fully see it, but the waterfall here had carved a natural waterslide that was very tempting to try and ride. However, Dan and I had a competition to see how long we could keep our feet in the water (it was probably less than 40 degrees! So cold!), and neither of us could keep our feet in for more than 30 seconds at a time. This area of the White Mountains is called Franconia Notch, and has some of the most majestic waterfalls I have ever seen!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVrbJIsDoH64fB5l5qkZ1-bTZkds4PSyJuM_IgiN2dXSb2i8-kVafxlqsSLNXsug8SbkqbXtaeyGvqMzgGQRC0iDe7kGBbuDFoeaKQVLICyMokI10HRC1Nmn2mKY2nxE6wgPvmomZvD_t/s1600/IMG_1047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVrbJIsDoH64fB5l5qkZ1-bTZkds4PSyJuM_IgiN2dXSb2i8-kVafxlqsSLNXsug8SbkqbXtaeyGvqMzgGQRC0iDe7kGBbuDFoeaKQVLICyMokI10HRC1Nmn2mKY2nxE6wgPvmomZvD_t/s320/IMG_1047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482429524787070354" border="0" /></a>This tree was growing on top of a HUGE boulder.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3N2ZRo0lsDePW0G0KsPeoh1Y0fBv5Z5pGxv_H6KOfkEnkTnGHiIlOHoVxeJj4iNxabmTQMauhF0Tv8bD1B1HeIsSD8oOc8Vl9JcwuDlHJ0MwWTCZBCzNTxkQVZiwD89-p7wbfAv4I2dV/s1600/IMG_1050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3N2ZRo0lsDePW0G0KsPeoh1Y0fBv5Z5pGxv_H6KOfkEnkTnGHiIlOHoVxeJj4iNxabmTQMauhF0Tv8bD1B1HeIsSD8oOc8Vl9JcwuDlHJ0MwWTCZBCzNTxkQVZiwD89-p7wbfAv4I2dV/s320/IMG_1050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482429538268089586" border="0" /></a><br />After climbing Cannon Mountain. It was really windy on the summit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuVqfaNd96c86Ic4o0QesoPWTe7PAmqf-yZUuPrk17KYsHmkBMiIwijdamabdvJ1fqrT6N-mnnCdMEwdf-vH4btqPCexVZY8LHqcXRU2-Ol2ygmS5biR-ElSBmAgC4sKQBOqjt9zNcFAU/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuVqfaNd96c86Ic4o0QesoPWTe7PAmqf-yZUuPrk17KYsHmkBMiIwijdamabdvJ1fqrT6N-mnnCdMEwdf-vH4btqPCexVZY8LHqcXRU2-Ol2ygmS5biR-ElSBmAgC4sKQBOqjt9zNcFAU/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482429546186049730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw91_ioCESVAi8L0hHzybaNxWmzJciddqo-8uL6Dm06h97sHSdtQBnIHye_C34aziyEBk7HbqX7ZatuMPCheQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br /><br />In front of A. Bronson Alcott's Concord School of Philosophy, meetingplace for many of the early Transcendentalists.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpVpPOgkgf7LIEPlOwq4N-It5rxvLd5R90un1mXXSug0rM0c9OFcMhP60Ergl3DDI8PP92R9qLJ7O0XkkypVlxBLmTL4GHdIgXBuIiDyI_Bk3IaEpkOETXq8Z5iFJzixBGm2XWT51F9zh/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpVpPOgkgf7LIEPlOwq4N-It5rxvLd5R90un1mXXSug0rM0c9OFcMhP60Ergl3DDI8PP92R9qLJ7O0XkkypVlxBLmTL4GHdIgXBuIiDyI_Bk3IaEpkOETXq8Z5iFJzixBGm2XWT51F9zh/s320/IMG_1025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482429555559291442" border="0" /></a><br />I am going to miss going to school in the Charlestown Navy Yard. I eat lunch every day with this view.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs8TVmQjxiDOMrvZ1YRd6J7H4iVvv7dcyg73yylXaqbOZpKKOtW9c0-5WlKy5Y8pjkvyoQY3Zh0bB2wk4NZR8Ij-svFqhyphenhyphen2bkGYawQF4F70rN1xOL_TqjhFDhqh8setuqgGe6NuJU5kG2/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs8TVmQjxiDOMrvZ1YRd6J7H4iVvv7dcyg73yylXaqbOZpKKOtW9c0-5WlKy5Y8pjkvyoQY3Zh0bB2wk4NZR8Ij-svFqhyphenhyphen2bkGYawQF4F70rN1xOL_TqjhFDhqh8setuqgGe6NuJU5kG2/s320/IMG_0728.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482423254044681714" border="0" /></a><br />And here is a picture from our wedding day! No, the backdrop is not fake... A classmate asked me if it was!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKI4oqPALCUNj-R4BKiU0jb5LEzxSsnUzOeEqAnPHrbLUQXtmp8HQAzHG8BH2kF_OEPZDSE7BMZ_D_zNDEKtOq3pOMn38n9XluKUk7ULt47LoJo7CqWKF1nAS9xCMf-IPgFNifE_uEbRbE/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKI4oqPALCUNj-R4BKiU0jb5LEzxSsnUzOeEqAnPHrbLUQXtmp8HQAzHG8BH2kF_OEPZDSE7BMZ_D_zNDEKtOq3pOMn38n9XluKUk7ULt47LoJo7CqWKF1nAS9xCMf-IPgFNifE_uEbRbE/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482423239602474706" border="0" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-28657998750749603012010-05-21T07:03:00.001-07:002010-05-21T07:29:50.505-07:00Sleep-therapizing!Apparently, I have been performing physical therapy on Dan in my sleep. Not just from my spot next to him in bed. Apparently, I walk around the bed to his side of the the bed, stand next to him, and demand in a very stern voice, "Now I want you to sit up. First reach for the bedrail and then I will help you to sit up safely." This has happened multiple nights this week. I barely remember performing therapy on a very difficult patient in my dreams, one that would not respond to my directions, and then realizing it was Dan. I also remember on two occasions thanking Dan for "letting me practice on him." However, I do not remember walking around to the other side of the bed and I am definitely never aware of the full extent of what I am doing.<br /><br />In my defense, I have had physical therapy on my mind lately! I am sure it just a short phase, like some children who wet the bed (haha), but Dan hopes the humor and entertainment continues for a long time.<br /><br />I just finished my second full-time clinical affiliation with Spaulding Hospital Cambridge, a local long-term acute care hospital that facilitates further medical management and provides a setting for all rehabilitation for patients that are very, very sick. I primarily worked with patients who have neurological or oncological diagnoses, and got a crash course in progressive brain cancers, multiple myeloma, graft verses host disease, and other rare neurological disorders. I had two patients pass away while I was their primary therapist and dealt with multiple complex family situations surrounding providing end-of-life of care.<br /><br />I also saw people make incredible gains and be able to resume a good quality of life after being diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening disease and undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and other very advanced medical treatments. Most of the patients did not leave without their disease, but made good gains with therapy to be able to leave the hospital (to a skilled nursing facility or to home, on rare occasion).<br /><br />My experience made me think a lot about what is most valuable in the end to most human beings. In the end of one's life, family relationships seem to be the strongest, enough to provide a person who is very ill with motivation to improve, emotional support, and a sense of purpose. It isn't a boss, it isn't a teacher, it isn't even friends (usually). There were a few patients that I had that did not have good family support and never had anyone visit them in the hospital. They were more apathetic about making progress, felt less of a need to return to any particular level of social responsibility or social role, and did not do as well with physical therapy as other patients who had the family support. I am very grateful for the family support that I have: a husband who would do anything to make me happy or comfortable, and a family that is always there, no matter what happens. I plan to try to make my family relationships as strong as I can, as it is what matters in the end.<br /><br />I am also in the process of applying and interviewing for multiple final internship positions throughout Boston. The locations where I will be interviewing are:<br /><br />Spaulding Hospital Cambridge<br />Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient - Medford<br />Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital<br />Massachusetts General Hospital<br />Brigham and Women's Hospital<br />Community Rehab Care<br />Hallmark Health - Melrose-Wakefield Hospital<br /><br />After 3 more months of classes (I start again on Monday), I will be starting my final one-year internship, and in February of 2011, I will be taking my boards! I will graduate in May 2011, one year from now!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-33194963029542537122009-11-17T11:07:00.000-08:002009-11-18T07:58:51.159-08:00Who can decifer real from surreal?This is a fun time, full of busy days and lots of getting back in touch with friends and family as Daniel and I gather addresses. There are lots of tests, papers, and school assignments to do, but I am past the half way point with school. That is a great feeling. I am on a downhill slope towards working full-time in a clinic!<br /><br />We are having an engagement party on Friday, so there will be fun pictures from that soon!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-28484626955518945042009-11-08T22:31:00.001-08:002009-11-08T22:58:17.734-08:00Middle of the SemesterIt's the middle of the semester. I just finished midterms and am getting started with term papers. I am right in the thick of wedding planning. I am busy!<br /><br />Here are some great things that Daniel and I have been able to do lately:<br /><br />1. Fiddler on the Roof! Topol's farewell tour. Dan surprised me with tickets on Friday night! It was so much fun. Yummy, yummy Thai food to begin the awesome date.<br /><br />2. Gather addresses. Please let us know your addresses, everyone! The time is winding down, we have got to get these things out soon.<br /><br />3. Enjoy people's reactions when they learn we are to be married December 22. Many of our church friends thought we were crazy for dating for 13 months before getting engaged, whereas my classmates are shocked at what they believe to be a short courtship and an insanely short engagement. It surely is a lot to get done in 3 months, but there is nothing I am more excited to do than marry Daniel. The sooner the better!<br /><br />4. Dinner at Clark and Guinevere's. It is such a wonderful treat to have family close by.<br /><br />5. Order plane tickets for Thanksgiving. We are going home to each person's respective homes (separately, sadly) for Thanksgiving. I will miss Daniel terribly...<br /><br />6. Catch up on some movies we have been wanting to watch lately.<br /><br />7. Went to a great LDS Education Conference in Boston.<br /><br />8. Seen lots of friends who were in town for various reasons. Great to see you, if you fit in this category and happen to be reading this.<br /><br />Hope everyone else is doing well!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=157077431533&ref=ts">Here</a> is a link to our facebook group with information about our wedding events, an invitation to leave your address, and some pictures. I hope the link works. Please leave your addresses there, email them to me, or call me.<br /><br />Thanks everyone!<br /><br />ClaireClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-8958050004820643592009-09-27T16:53:00.000-07:002009-09-27T18:46:09.867-07:00Engaged to be married!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n6r8sLcFH0aCHxIiINcoQLi6o2wNddRf9edunaL6sX3bOb_wQ0j4OReqrfknMXd5hzI8DKCKXbuN_9pZUxonmoaC_CPtQQPdsKhgQux_EEtYPjg4mgXFRkTxT69SHxuC_bjni91EDLUj/s1600-h/IMG_0803.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n6r8sLcFH0aCHxIiINcoQLi6o2wNddRf9edunaL6sX3bOb_wQ0j4OReqrfknMXd5hzI8DKCKXbuN_9pZUxonmoaC_CPtQQPdsKhgQux_EEtYPjg4mgXFRkTxT69SHxuC_bjni91EDLUj/s320/IMG_0803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386300962944934002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_S5nvNt26QbrWz0NZGZqug3wAD0nqCkHEgbSjTPmYKvvalcp9jHwOp6TjCW_u31kSmcYW72cB8UFEtomhaRu85l4Tb90VcxrpElegH2oyeIrLxUudTshlWKYYYKmPVrh7lzyZlCAeTK3/s1600-h/IMG_0779.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_S5nvNt26QbrWz0NZGZqug3wAD0nqCkHEgbSjTPmYKvvalcp9jHwOp6TjCW_u31kSmcYW72cB8UFEtomhaRu85l4Tb90VcxrpElegH2oyeIrLxUudTshlWKYYYKmPVrh7lzyZlCAeTK3/s320/IMG_0779.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386300943608992210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT6gaa0b61hhsQy9ByGY_87c_X79C6ZRbPjqSaCIKb9U-aZutl986OlyVpAjQyxmMHT94e_cgFJ52k3Q-vnHvexcy16ERq1gdGYzK11MjkOooS5a3HXzh-lotiN2OFq8HNXJwCHz6pzbw/s1600-h/IMG_0817.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT6gaa0b61hhsQy9ByGY_87c_X79C6ZRbPjqSaCIKb9U-aZutl986OlyVpAjQyxmMHT94e_cgFJ52k3Q-vnHvexcy16ERq1gdGYzK11MjkOooS5a3HXzh-lotiN2OFq8HNXJwCHz6pzbw/s320/IMG_0817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386301386369853010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl14mWixeGxWsHFBgTG716mY6GHhOYkImlcDo0ts8ubcDr1DqbX4A7pMAPvzjWU1-WnkAhMzHIZZUg92kNtRlfwdygtrWEELFQ9Bxb4ISx1tR3N5lzWpxR9zV3tCzr9Qg-fjEb-SFbxVH/s1600-h/IMG_0799.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl14mWixeGxWsHFBgTG716mY6GHhOYkImlcDo0ts8ubcDr1DqbX4A7pMAPvzjWU1-WnkAhMzHIZZUg92kNtRlfwdygtrWEELFQ9Bxb4ISx1tR3N5lzWpxR9zV3tCzr9Qg-fjEb-SFbxVH/s320/IMG_0799.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386300957855186418" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooUrZrmV7l5tnUygh6VbDwNggNk6c95V4G0_7RAJrw2P2EVWhyphenhyphen0FhYqqg780r5OwFuN9owb2fL3o_hZYMJTtW9RDYMV5Kedd4tRVa8FD3RudUNmFFw1MWznz5-3eMG6tz2A588WV50Um0/s1600-h/IMG_0787.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooUrZrmV7l5tnUygh6VbDwNggNk6c95V4G0_7RAJrw2P2EVWhyphenhyphen0FhYqqg780r5OwFuN9owb2fL3o_hZYMJTtW9RDYMV5Kedd4tRVa8FD3RudUNmFFw1MWznz5-3eMG6tz2A588WV50Um0/s320/IMG_0787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386300951545142194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, here is the announcement you all have been waiting for... Daniel and I are engaged to be married! Dan proposed to me at a beautiful lighthouse in Gloucester, Massachusetts yesterday evening. It was perfect.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-9511838097818089562009-09-06T13:40:00.000-07:002009-09-06T13:49:39.343-07:00Summer is over. Class has begun again. With one major, exciting change. Dan is in Boston!!! Dan transferred to Boston University to finish up his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He and I spent the summer in our respective internships, working long hours and enjoying the evenings and weekends together. What a fun summer it was! I spent my August with family, mostly, as I was able to be in San Diego for 2 and a half weeks and was able to spend a lot of time out with Guinevere and my mom in Framingham, MA at the end of the month! Guinevere had an amazingly beautiful boy named Cassius Woolstenhulme. He is so much fun to interact with and I love him so much.<br /><br />This semester will be as intense as every other one thus far, with 19 credits and a couple of very difficult subjects in Management of Neuromuscular Disorders and "Spine". I will learn how to treat major and minor neurological and spinal insults/injuries of all sorts this semester! I am really excited.<br /><br />So, there is a very brief update on current affairs.<br /><br />Love you all!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-23677744343264792042009-07-08T21:22:00.000-07:002009-07-09T21:00:43.701-07:00The New York Times and Physical TherapyThe New York Times has put together an impressive list of articles recently published and pertaining to physical therapy.<br /><br />Here is the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/physicaltherapy/index.html">link</a>.<br /><br />There are some interesting ones such as <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17case.html?_r=1">Physical Therapy and the Camaraderie of Healing</a>, which is a first-hand account from a patient who learned to respect physical therapy after a minor arthroscopic surgery with just a few incisions to repair a torn meniscus. A relatively common surgery, this can be a surprisingly frustrating and painful and debilitating surgery at first. Rehabilitation can be slow, but the prognosis for return to previous levels of activity is very, very good.<br /><br />Another <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30case.html">relates a woman's struggle</a> to cope with losing the ability to walk after the progression of a rare neurological condition. The author discusses the frustrations of having to cope with a chronic illness, discover new ways to perform daily activities, and be grateful for every little gain that she makes.<br /><br />I am currently deep into a summer internship at Spaulding Rehab in Medford, MA. Spaulding is consistently one of the top 5 rehab hospitals in the country every year. They have a very prestigious chronic pain of neurological etiology program that works wonders in many patients' lives. It allows them to manage the pain that has, in most cases, removed them entirely from their previous activities, brought on other complications such as depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, and psychosocial issues such as divorce or kinesiophobia. They return to functioning with good body mechanics, proper use of pain control modalities other than pain meds, and sometimes return to work and support themselves instead of remaining on disability.<br /><br />Physical therapy is growing in respect nationwide because of the effects that patients report after an episode of physical rehabilitation care. It is exciting to see.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-72390649598915249202009-05-06T08:13:00.001-07:002009-05-06T08:14:03.494-07:00Therapeutic Exercise Boot CampThere were 4 days of bliss. I had a 4-day break after a grueling semester. And now I am back in school. For two weeks, I am participating in an intense block of 2 classes, which is something similar to a boot camp for 1) devising exercise programs for patients and 2) teaching patients of all ages.<br /><br />It is intense, but it is fun. 60-100 pages of reading per night, with 1-2 chapters and multiple articles assigned for each class. And 8-9 hours of class per day. We also get a LOT of hands on practice. I am beginning to feel much more comfortable with my decisions. I feel more confident that I am influencing effectual changes. It is good preparation for the endurance that will be needed this summer in my internship, when I am in a physical therapy clinic for 8-10 hours a day!<br /><br />In other news, the weather is amazing and I am able to play BASKETBALL again! My knee is doing well and I am beginning to be able to run and do some side-to-side motions! YAY!<br /><br />What is everyone doing for the summer? Anything fun?Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-43264068032306115392009-04-12T19:15:00.001-07:002009-04-12T21:28:26.919-07:00Spring and FinalsSo, another semester is nearing its end. And I am starting to stress, as is often the trend in the last two weeks of school. But the stress is more of a controlled stress than it has been in the past. Perhaps I have become slightly conditioned to the stress and I am just now finally learning that the best strategy when the amount of work increases is to pace myself and stick to a plan. Education is not only about learning material, but it is also about learning the skills needed to master the amount of work for each class. Intelligence may be the innate ability to pick up new concepts, but patience, planning, collaboration with others, and enduring to the end are learned behaviors that are essential for survival. I have had to work hard at learning these.<br /><br />In the research paper that has consumed my entire semester, I am discussing the role of exercise on patients 55 or older who already have a diagnosis of mild to moderate heart failure (congestive, classified by the New York Heart Association as Class II or III). Up until 15 years ago, clinicians (doctors and physical therapists) were scared to exercise these patients for fear that increasing the workload on an already inefficient heart would be detrimental and even fatal. However, groundbreaking new research shows that exercise is absolutely essential to maintaining heart function and that if the exercise is performed below an ischemic level, it can actually reverse some of the characteristics of a failed heart. Ischemia is a lack of blood flow to the heart, which can kill heart tissue and conducting cells, causing myocardial infarctions (heart attacks). In exercising individuals, ischemic levels are subjectively felt by the patient as angina, chest pain that is specific to the individual and is felt in different ways by every single patient.<br /><br />I mention this research because it has become something very intriguing to me and also because it illustrates the great benefit of managed stress. The ability to push past our limits of comfort is part of makes us human. Physically, we have the ability to overpower what our muscles and joints are telling us because of the highly sophisticated brain that we have. Few species can claim this ability. Pushing on in schooling, work, recreation, exercise, and in every other area of our life causes an increase in amount of stress we have to handle, sometimes beyond what we are currently able to do.<br /><br />When controlled, this is classified as eustress (verses distress), or good stress. It is essential for us to develop good habits of spreading out our stress out over time so it does not occur all at once. Just like exercising a heart, if we have an onset of stress all at one time, we will have a figurative heart attack, or manifestation of a failed system of control. Instead, gradual increases in stress will lead to increased performance, decreased limitations, and seemingly exponential outcomes of success.<br /><br />If we could educate teachers, bosses, coaches, etc. on this principle of gradually increased stress, then we would all be better off. The phenomenon of it all is that even though it is proven to be more healthy to do all we can to gradually increase stress over time, we procrastinate dealing with anything stressful because it is seen as "hard". We remember the last bad experience we had with something "hard" (usually something involving unhealthy amounts of distress around a time of a final, project, or two-a-days in soccer) and associate poor thoughts and emotions with those stressful experiences.<br /><br />Excessive amounts of stress cause unique and reproducible symptoms in different people, just like angina is a different feeling that is reproducible in the same way for every person with congestive heart failure. Angina is described by some as a pressure in the chest. Some feel aches in the abdomen or stomach. Some develop pain in the upper extremities. On the other hand, stressful situations cause some people (hopefully who don't have heart failure to also complicate things--lack of heart disease is always at least one thing to be grateful for) to become very tired, others to become mad, and yet others to feel worthless, incompetent, or inferior. In order to refrain from pushing into a level of inefficiency of the heart in patients with heart failure, the exercise is stopped. The patients rest until the angina goes away, and then can continue, with less intensity than was previously pushed to. It is called a symptom-limited exercise stress test.<br /><br />Maybe it would be beneficial for all people (myself included) to have something similar to a symptom-limited exercise stress test, broadly measuring the effects of all stressors. It can familiarize one what symptoms are felt at unhealthy levels of stress. Knowing what types of situations stress one out, what signs are present when stress is too intense, and when to stop pushing so hard will save people from continuing into dangerous zones where inefficiency sets in.<br /><br />Good luck to everyone with your tests, projects, papers, work loads, and recreational stresses! The challenge is to keep the stress gradual. That is my goal!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-28075704021273104672009-03-24T22:29:00.000-07:002009-03-24T23:00:47.401-07:00Updates<span style="font-size:85%;">I am so excited to be an aunt! Now and later (again)! Like the candy... ooooo, I need to find some Now and Laters for Lena and Ben to try.<br /><br />Life is busy! But the semester is going smoothly, and even more miraculously, it's nearly over!<br /><br />I find out where I will be at for my summer internship sometime in the next 2-3 weeks. So many things are in limbo right now until I find out where I will be. My contract for my apartment terminates at the end of May, so I need to know if I should try and extend for a couple/few months or find something else. Dan is heading out to Boston in the beginning of May, so I am hoping that I can still be in the city so we can actually spend time together. There is a small chance I could get assigned to a clinic in Maine, but I don't like to think about that.<br /><br />Spring break was spent out in Utah, which was excellent. I miss the weather in Utah. Surprisingly, it is mild compared to Boston. It changes more within the course of a 24 hour segment in Utah than in Massachusetts, but it is still a little nicer on average. I enjoyed being able to study with Harold again, I sure have missed him and his wonderful Periodical section catacombs. I got to stay with Evan and Hannah, play lots with Lena and Oliver, see lots of friends, eat lots of yummy food, spend lots of time with Dan, and take a brief respite from the restless rigors of grad school.<br /><br />The last two weeks, we have been learning the various tests and measures for the hip joint. Anyone ever realized how much a leg weighs before? I feel like I have been getting a full body workout each class session as I attempt to position the lower extremity as I want it and then manipulate joints, bones, muscles, and other structural components. It's fun! I initially decided that I wasn't a big fan of using a belt because it looks like you are torturing a patient, but I am now a believer in belts! They help tremendously! With some things. The patient feels more comfortable, you save your back a few more years before you have an L4-L5 disc herniation, and the body mechanics are much better for allowing you to manipulate what you want to. Some examples of some varieties of usage of belts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahOtrZzN7in9h2jHnnavVQaJxS6DYD0JlQXf_AGmmObnvnfjY8HwQYhTuLi9HqfkqlVW_djjsd2zdZkKLEkWQDPLSeGqOygpTiob3OBaukWfCGM-2_uMNGEiLYxldek7LBZHuhie8glIk/s1600-h/therapy17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahOtrZzN7in9h2jHnnavVQaJxS6DYD0JlQXf_AGmmObnvnfjY8HwQYhTuLi9HqfkqlVW_djjsd2zdZkKLEkWQDPLSeGqOygpTiob3OBaukWfCGM-2_uMNGEiLYxldek7LBZHuhie8glIk/s320/therapy17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316997736861954706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByqcQ7PmJI5Azjl3ia17eO0oKVpAjF_QE53DJcEjnRIgdokeQh673LZq9ErZ1rqGY_98AtPf3ZJCN0aZDqTSr4ymB5VAbwNJEFcP5UdwJe5I_boZIKi-WulK9eIA8Smvyg1oLoKpOCGNP/s1600-h/603_medium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByqcQ7PmJI5Azjl3ia17eO0oKVpAjF_QE53DJcEjnRIgdokeQh673LZq9ErZ1rqGY_98AtPf3ZJCN0aZDqTSr4ymB5VAbwNJEFcP5UdwJe5I_boZIKi-WulK9eIA8Smvyg1oLoKpOCGNP/s320/603_medium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316997831507823394" border="0" /></a><br />Sorry it's been a while since I have written. I've been having lots of fun, but also spending lots of time working hard. The trick is to have fun while you are working hard. One way to to do this is to go and study at the Boston Public Library (BPL). The BPL was the first to do just about everything in the United States, as far as libraries are concerned. Much like everything else in Massachusetts, for some odd reason...<br /><br />From Wikipedia, "The Boston Public Library is the largest municipal public library in the United States. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in the United States, the first large library open to the public in the United States, and the first public library to allow people to borrow books and other materials and take them home to read and use.The Boston Public Library is also the <i>library of last recourse</i> of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; all adult residents of the state are entitled to borrowing and research privileges, and the library receives state funding. According to the American Library Association, the Boston Public Library, with over 15 million book volumes, is the third-largest library in the United States after the Library of Congress and the Harvard University library system." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Public_Library</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDp0NqzuxbhnZKrRtx3NZvOQRMIbYY0nkdO0g7Ax_8BjxXWEhzZvZMG1Jvnm2px9TBGgTJ_r0IcpcqpbS3yyRWVIO-Y-87a52E8X89YDbmwoRkzY_NInaputF9MpSgjK39fGfE8A1ad1e/s1600-h/60007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDp0NqzuxbhnZKrRtx3NZvOQRMIbYY0nkdO0g7Ax_8BjxXWEhzZvZMG1Jvnm2px9TBGgTJ_r0IcpcqpbS3yyRWVIO-Y-87a52E8X89YDbmwoRkzY_NInaputF9MpSgjK39fGfE8A1ad1e/s320/60007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316999842584835650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9K5ahkb-PqaKdq1Fqeid4XJ7e7Dv-wwU1B39ea-ctRTpC_Id5jpivDl_vax8hFkVSa5Eu8-VXGAQqFbG-wzt-HlenJtDD07DSpwYYnWPivd_2OrjrPFsGaPR9-DS-EM-b5INZR1nBJ8O/s1600-h/1177099477_6943.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9K5ahkb-PqaKdq1Fqeid4XJ7e7Dv-wwU1B39ea-ctRTpC_Id5jpivDl_vax8hFkVSa5Eu8-VXGAQqFbG-wzt-HlenJtDD07DSpwYYnWPivd_2OrjrPFsGaPR9-DS-EM-b5INZR1nBJ8O/s320/1177099477_6943.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316999836163705874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2seMG60-1y6yY_BwKKnoWmPEV9d0cwEIZdwBCeH3HrnQgNs4-rfHfAdrl-A8_HgJA07I2-YNMjsjgMFVmsSIjUAwcxOMx8sFGgwg1l3_mXz8MC5AOut2fTe71Wq_s6jy72_jfMpUP8swx/s1600-h/20060312223933_img_1398_boston_public_library.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2seMG60-1y6yY_BwKKnoWmPEV9d0cwEIZdwBCeH3HrnQgNs4-rfHfAdrl-A8_HgJA07I2-YNMjsjgMFVmsSIjUAwcxOMx8sFGgwg1l3_mXz8MC5AOut2fTe71Wq_s6jy72_jfMpUP8swx/s320/20060312223933_img_1398_boston_public_library.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316999832604085154" border="0" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-33615329862665412712009-03-07T09:19:00.000-08:002009-03-07T09:21:11.420-08:00Spring Break!I'm in Utah for spring break! For a whole 9 days... Somehow, I survived the craziest midterms ever last week and not I have a week off. I love having a spring break!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-30498851264305802662009-02-07T10:17:00.000-08:002009-02-07T10:40:47.196-08:00Wearing Red<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyjQFYVGGnYBqok5kvC8lurcXkCTcBG-bP_mZ0xzc5b6UGaoUaz-ivk47jCqsytlz7zGeFEb-taLTnR6Q1uo__m1A55jWi88DS2WgOHBRh_yo5W2s78qlpeO9f32g6cjHRAKIIl3yeshb/s1600-h/red-dress.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyjQFYVGGnYBqok5kvC8lurcXkCTcBG-bP_mZ0xzc5b6UGaoUaz-ivk47jCqsytlz7zGeFEb-taLTnR6Q1uo__m1A55jWi88DS2WgOHBRh_yo5W2s78qlpeO9f32g6cjHRAKIIl3yeshb/s320/red-dress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300126100704576674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyX3UqpPH4INefvilGZr_fjht6BZ-TCIEK8VaO7p8_iYcMKzyiHwcsEBpdC8_aDDrqtvMaoMrzJs24WupRBdHlMcnJ239RD94gU-aRPaDkM5jDXWGv_42NzjzPBoEJ3pnX6Sif85mbzOkL/s1600-h/hearttruthb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyX3UqpPH4INefvilGZr_fjht6BZ-TCIEK8VaO7p8_iYcMKzyiHwcsEBpdC8_aDDrqtvMaoMrzJs24WupRBdHlMcnJ239RD94gU-aRPaDkM5jDXWGv_42NzjzPBoEJ3pnX6Sif85mbzOkL/s320/hearttruthb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300125683444499346" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday, almost all of my classmates wore red to participate in National Wear Red Day, raising awareness of women's heart disease. It was pretty neat to see everyone sporting their red, similar to St. Patrick's day with green, but for a real cause and not just to justify a night of partying that will follow.<br /><br />Here is some more information on this very interesting, national holiday:<br />http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/index.htm<br /><br />I am working on writing a systematic review for a class seeking look at the literature and compare data on the question, is aerobic exercise an effective intervention for patients with congestive heart failure?<br /><br />It is sad to learn about the severity of the symptoms of heart disease, its fatality rates, and how debilitating it can be. After all, it is often our heart that stops in the end (regardless of the end-stage disease) -- heart failure is the most common cause of death. There is extensive research to show that early and frequent aerobic exercise AND resistive exercise <span style="font-weight: bold;">minimize the risks</span> of heart disease/heart failure <span style="font-weight: bold;">before onset</span>. I encourage all to get into aerobic exercise and resistive training <span style="font-weight: bold;">BEFORE</span> you develop heart disease! At a certain point, aerobic exercise is too intense for the heart to sustain.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-67104171989168996242009-01-14T09:22:00.000-08:002009-01-14T09:36:35.060-08:00Knee is great, class againI am back in Boston and back in the normal routine. I was welcomed by COLD weather and ice everywhere, which makes walking not too fun. I have realized the truth behind the popular line that "Boston is a walking city." Things are very walkable which makes tourists happy, but when you live here and don't have a car, the public transportation requires much walking, whether you like it or not. I actually enjoy the walking after a long day of sitting in class, but I also am sometimes extremely scared of the combination of the ice and the instability of my knee.<br /><br />My knee is doing well! I have to keep reminding myself that I got surgery 3 weeks ago and that even though I have my range of motion back, I still don't have the muscle strength or the ligament stability to do everything that I want to. I attempted to do some skills practicing that required a minimal amount of pivoting in a lab class on Monday, and I definitely felt it afterwards. My knee is very good at telling me when I have done too much.<br /><br />I am excited to be able to get back into a routine! The cold weather does have one positive - it motivates one to get going from one place to another and not be idle/slow in transportation. It also limits the amount of social activities going on and makes one want to curl up on a blanket in front of a fireplace. There is a fireplace at a Marriott lobby close to my school, so hopefully I can turn the desire to curl up by/in warmth into some quality studying time.<br /><br />The snow is also absolutely beautiful, in some places. The contrast between the snow and the gray water that I see out the window of my school every day is breath-taking. Boston is beautiful. I love the east coast!<br /><br />This weekend I am going to Chicago, where it is supposed to be in the single digits and 10s. Guess I can't complain much about Boston (yet)...Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-50186290909385659312008-12-23T11:23:00.001-08:002008-12-23T11:23:43.324-08:00Today is the DAY!ACL reconstruction today!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-92041176267529990252008-12-18T08:09:00.000-08:002008-12-18T08:16:22.710-08:00FINALS FINALLY FINISHED!!I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />My best friends over the last couple of days:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZswo6GAY9ijV7odUCj8-e0EKtdbmVHxbZA0bLoEun2BzlVLWJ6T5SQwUnnpscWAxGJPltHGpm7UvGklnIbtFvx9dYgEmk2iaWreVG_LDI0GV8k03tbmzZRu15Gq08rlO81PxydgzJ4hH/s1600-h/141602350X.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZswo6GAY9ijV7odUCj8-e0EKtdbmVHxbZA0bLoEun2BzlVLWJ6T5SQwUnnpscWAxGJPltHGpm7UvGklnIbtFvx9dYgEmk2iaWreVG_LDI0GV8k03tbmzZRu15Gq08rlO81PxydgzJ4hH/s320/141602350X.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281164260236236354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwWNwfrl5vAXICUTAs-TYvKd9gkk6JxqW6dTYMRy3MQ3wip7ewb-4D6h0YhAGbhJgEjxOxE6VE-tTb7n2ypfRM3hAwrh6V-ezxWQdGeJ88lhxEKhK_cLTOMfRF69FmDHaq_i_nTfPK8oo/s1600-h/goinometer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwWNwfrl5vAXICUTAs-TYvKd9gkk6JxqW6dTYMRy3MQ3wip7ewb-4D6h0YhAGbhJgEjxOxE6VE-tTb7n2ypfRM3hAwrh6V-ezxWQdGeJ88lhxEKhK_cLTOMfRF69FmDHaq_i_nTfPK8oo/s320/goinometer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281164252458901202" border="0" /></a><br />3 1/2 weeks until I have to sit in class again!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-71076795030379558202008-12-14T16:51:00.000-08:002008-12-14T19:29:47.845-08:00Surviving Finals (my way)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbGs-4_z8PGON4_pefjtgDnpVYKUhg76ODNc30vWsC4grBZyrT8_ypLaSxvLsJz5_unTfyDt61T6LVX7JCb7j32K4U5MXXZucMb1kkOvjHMmPgG1u4JwDs74pjo-a9eCKFlzf8-C6iVYg/s1600-h/SPicyMaya+HC_tin1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbGs-4_z8PGON4_pefjtgDnpVYKUhg76ODNc30vWsC4grBZyrT8_ypLaSxvLsJz5_unTfyDt61T6LVX7JCb7j32K4U5MXXZucMb1kkOvjHMmPgG1u4JwDs74pjo-a9eCKFlzf8-C6iVYg/s320/SPicyMaya+HC_tin1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279814154773746946" border="0" /></a><br />I'm almost out. This makes me sad...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyoJQDT4TjcX4nxfkQ5rkVC-QJmpyfnhth00AMOFJcj3zgwvTh1w7H99OVT8CY3vEtpFpSsreuOoKJ2c3R-jYsKzBS1Uv16F83VoqP0ECDIXD5kzxbgimHgUtujzChKHg3id7SeL4rikH/s1600-h/ben.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyoJQDT4TjcX4nxfkQ5rkVC-QJmpyfnhth00AMOFJcj3zgwvTh1w7H99OVT8CY3vEtpFpSsreuOoKJ2c3R-jYsKzBS1Uv16F83VoqP0ECDIXD5kzxbgimHgUtujzChKHg3id7SeL4rikH/s320/ben.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279815866230840658" border="0" /></a><br />I get to play with Ben Friday!!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-11104784020449910432008-12-09T12:55:00.001-08:002008-12-09T13:13:19.741-08:00Christmas! Random thoughts...I am beginning to realize how close Christmas is! Not only does this mean family, presents, and Daniel, but it means ACL surgery! I am very excited for all of these. It also brings so many parties and celebrations! Enough to make decisions about what to attend and when to say no difficult. Here are some pictures of great memories and parties of past Christmas and New Year's celebrations.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsOC-vI2TlrmQHkP-LRkVrLPNv8Tc49QKWOrTeKwSxVP-T3T6NOq8BI0buog0X0m_Xmvttqm0JGnNgL6mQTAcAaj2wJ7LsPnsJjin0ZkSnxMOUsS0JlvexBfKqiaAB6-o9_ewkDAXEx6F/s1600-h/DSC00738.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsOC-vI2TlrmQHkP-LRkVrLPNv8Tc49QKWOrTeKwSxVP-T3T6NOq8BI0buog0X0m_Xmvttqm0JGnNgL6mQTAcAaj2wJ7LsPnsJjin0ZkSnxMOUsS0JlvexBfKqiaAB6-o9_ewkDAXEx6F/s320/DSC00738.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277899238292764498" border="0" /></a>Ugly Sweater Party Christmas 2007<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_KQ7AHBcOUdbMXxc4OPr8FSBeSG3P2MhUTGaq6lbMMQru-XEX5FnKLyVIP0Nrew0CNbOiTPKifq_ntnGPrnhuN39AduN0JZqpAjEI2frREsnInA_495EV2cvTVygTcUknYQ03_YaMbgw/s1600-h/DSC00796.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_KQ7AHBcOUdbMXxc4OPr8FSBeSG3P2MhUTGaq6lbMMQru-XEX5FnKLyVIP0Nrew0CNbOiTPKifq_ntnGPrnhuN39AduN0JZqpAjEI2frREsnInA_495EV2cvTVygTcUknYQ03_YaMbgw/s320/DSC00796.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277899228264297426" border="0" /></a>Hot Chocolate Party Christmas 2006<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTpsbAS-zf0FocxAutJ4ANk_C5ZqM3HdoeX9t9M1IpekstAk6Bu02gJQ6cyVL6S_ZX19s0MYinMDtgcJD1Qggw18SoZygM18nO28egRRqWbQ90fmXnkVHFP3haAZTZZXaoMY4IejEd5px/s1600-h/New+Year%27s+Eve+Party.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTpsbAS-zf0FocxAutJ4ANk_C5ZqM3HdoeX9t9M1IpekstAk6Bu02gJQ6cyVL6S_ZX19s0MYinMDtgcJD1Qggw18SoZygM18nO28egRRqWbQ90fmXnkVHFP3haAZTZZXaoMY4IejEd5px/s320/New+Year%27s+Eve+Party.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277899218828368626" border="0" /></a>New Years 2006<br /><br />Here is a picture of me after my last ACL surgery in October of 2005... Drugs do wonders...:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTN-6pS-tsUDpJnl2xV4pqTn7UUgD-9N2P85l6NB1Cf4H7pP9G8jthg9Ee21KuUrututfk7e7OE2RwLusfNX9yQcwmAUw2d7KrczB0b3ELzDQ3Z4OxB_kn-mWOnhtoVI7dgbncMLktmL0/s1600-h/2005+Gma+Starry+taking+care+of+Claire+after+her+knee+surgery.+And+Clark%27s+hair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTN-6pS-tsUDpJnl2xV4pqTn7UUgD-9N2P85l6NB1Cf4H7pP9G8jthg9Ee21KuUrututfk7e7OE2RwLusfNX9yQcwmAUw2d7KrczB0b3ELzDQ3Z4OxB_kn-mWOnhtoVI7dgbncMLktmL0/s320/2005+Gma+Starry+taking+care+of+Claire+after+her+knee+surgery.+And+Clark%27s+hair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277901095956494450" border="0" /></a><br />I still have much school work to do that keeps me busy and discourages looking forward to my break too prematurely. Today is the last day of classes, Wednesday and Thursday are reading days (tomorrow and the day after), and then Friday is my first final!<br /><br />The weather is finally beginning to hint at winter. It snowed for the first time this week. Yesterday morning, I waited for the train in 13 degrees weather! Boston Commons statue of Paul Revere in winter shown below:<br /><br /><img src="file:///Users/Claire/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/Claire/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/Claire/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/Claire/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-3.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ2u32AUvWCFot6AHdlrVbuJrmrseplPosDGNF_thuWF8HTHmk16o6f9OSnBZ6ehru_Ylm58CR1zVSWzcCyPPMzRJtM3KryAWrDHU4rZ8kTzdLiHUqlES2AKMtfsp1_vNkWSyF29NP2Z_/s1600-h/cfiles13914.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ2u32AUvWCFot6AHdlrVbuJrmrseplPosDGNF_thuWF8HTHmk16o6f9OSnBZ6ehru_Ylm58CR1zVSWzcCyPPMzRJtM3KryAWrDHU4rZ8kTzdLiHUqlES2AKMtfsp1_vNkWSyF29NP2Z_/s320/cfiles13914.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277899216343531938" border="0" /></a>What do you all want for Christmas?Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-13839026928571080972008-12-09T12:52:00.001-08:002008-12-09T12:54:25.460-08:00Sudi Comes to Town!My good friend Sudi came to Boston the weekend before Thanksgiving, and we had such a blast! She is my doctor, my former boss, and most importantly, one of my greatest friends in the whole world!<br /><br />Here is a picture of us at an Au Bon Pain late at night:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLkgn5J18WZpshjk8nonqyjSZYx-4O-xZFzhMhGUlcfrxHHTx5tAdxki1vWd2PgDe0CWWKmcASwKTQiOs2F-Oi8JMcVxi_Z2FZWAVqag9tFDNHBqJtAoAAmbx6qF4T-J-qvC5M07PgV9y/s1600-h/IMG_0156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLkgn5J18WZpshjk8nonqyjSZYx-4O-xZFzhMhGUlcfrxHHTx5tAdxki1vWd2PgDe0CWWKmcASwKTQiOs2F-Oi8JMcVxi_Z2FZWAVqag9tFDNHBqJtAoAAmbx6qF4T-J-qvC5M07PgV9y/s320/IMG_0156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277896436245750114" border="0" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-31022496814934465682008-12-02T23:43:00.000-08:002008-12-06T11:18:45.927-08:009 to go...So, the break is over and finals begin today. I have a final practical today for one of my classes. I have another take home final due tomorrow.<br /><br />I have two main types of tests in my program. One is a "practical" testing situation where I am expected to perform the required skills and I am graded on my overall interaction with a fake patient. I am asked all sorts of crazy questions on the spot to make sure I know the rationale behind what I am doing. These types of tests always cause way more stress than is healthy.<br /><br />The other type is your typical test where I am required to sit down and answer the questions in front of me in a certain amount of time (most of these tests are timed). Most of my classes have less than 50% of the test as multiple choice, and the rest of the questions are free response/short answer style. They require a lot of application and problem solving. I am also expected to write in pen, which is quite stressful because crossing out a lot looks very unprofessional. Both of the test styles are very difficult to prepare for because they are so much different than any test I ever got in undergraduate classes.<br /><br />I have a final in every class. 9 finals total (2 finals in 2 of my classes). Here goes nothing.<br /><br />However, I am feeling like it will be doable somehow. I have so much more momentum because I was able to have a nice break for Thanksgiving. I had so much fun in San Diego. I loved spending time with Mom and Dad and some of my other friends that were home for the break too. The Child family came down and vacationed in San Diego for the week and weekend, which was great because Dan and I got to spend time with each other without having to be away from our families. I also got to enjoy some fun with the rest of the members of his family. They are all so great. The weather was annoying the first few days, but got better as the week went on. I would rather have San Diego with the rain than Boston with the extreme cold, though. And I'd take any weather with Dan around than without.<br /><br />So, I will basically lock myself away for the next 2 weeks. To study and to stay warm! I am open to any suggestions for how to survive finals. At the very least, please hope and pray for me that I will survive.<br /><br />After my last final practical on December 18 (15 days left...), I have a couple of days to catch up on sleep and tie up loose ends before I fly home December 20 (17 more days). Guinevere, Clark, Ben, Evan, Hannah, Lena, and Oliver will all be coming home for Christmas! I am so excited! On December 23, I am getting ACL surgery, so I am looking forward to being at home after surgery during my initial recovery and spending some time together as a family again. The road is long for my knee recovery, but I am strangely excited to be able to begin it. I will be that much closer to being able to run, train for triathlons, and play outside again comfortably!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-47378562809702921582008-11-24T15:59:00.001-08:002008-11-24T16:48:04.185-08:00SAN DIEGO!!!A few things I think about when I think of San Diego...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW1WSd9e6vdspf3LbzNutgKBfvT7n7gRm6OEyATOPfituARW0TQ-X4whu7v3HLs20Q1kNfzwsQw7N14-wC3g4EbFx4fkGfN_xsA7s9igA8Gwo_o6GDU1HLcX6k6DTVfsmwygey2ten_Uv/s1600-h/DSC01941.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW1WSd9e6vdspf3LbzNutgKBfvT7n7gRm6OEyATOPfituARW0TQ-X4whu7v3HLs20Q1kNfzwsQw7N14-wC3g4EbFx4fkGfN_xsA7s9igA8Gwo_o6GDU1HLcX6k6DTVfsmwygey2ten_Uv/s320/DSC01941.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272383478243517874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0asGjYuX8_9TUWiriNEsXP9UqPJ4imV5hyphenhyphen_5AcPw-dhWzLOGAA_Vg1IyBNsERfgZLaCxgNZxTGbjoiex-Bif470dect7DnVUFDAu8FKV8uP5O7_lukHAYB9i8B-uDmOhU5wjuwrbbVR9/s1600-h/_MG_2600.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0asGjYuX8_9TUWiriNEsXP9UqPJ4imV5hyphenhyphen_5AcPw-dhWzLOGAA_Vg1IyBNsERfgZLaCxgNZxTGbjoiex-Bif470dect7DnVUFDAu8FKV8uP5O7_lukHAYB9i8B-uDmOhU5wjuwrbbVR9/s320/_MG_2600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272388573404506834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDnjylWAAOQlBnS57BjlnuK1uxQbiY2CdF3vyQHudm4WQVzW_4uOT8dmEmjRsR5GkFurKQdDEjOEDU79LUiH4Ob3uaypmk4eP496KWO-abF9Zya3QFlPNpHUy8_CLdcAcRBGxTzciSaOw/s1600-h/_MG_2138+copy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDnjylWAAOQlBnS57BjlnuK1uxQbiY2CdF3vyQHudm4WQVzW_4uOT8dmEmjRsR5GkFurKQdDEjOEDU79LUiH4Ob3uaypmk4eP496KWO-abF9Zya3QFlPNpHUy8_CLdcAcRBGxTzciSaOw/s320/_MG_2138+copy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272388565142301426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDm0-9nKmPTOzVE27L4DOhR1r_erMG886vfFSXRDi6MHybFAip_jPqJQ91kYux5NCPjmfEd1c-6Tt1u3loVG2SHngtsnDuZPkbqIZmm3Vg6NzqY00nY4z2tVuFm_HDWMPvYrm8SluhAxx/s1600-h/DSC01895.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDm0-9nKmPTOzVE27L4DOhR1r_erMG886vfFSXRDi6MHybFAip_jPqJQ91kYux5NCPjmfEd1c-6Tt1u3loVG2SHngtsnDuZPkbqIZmm3Vg6NzqY00nY4z2tVuFm_HDWMPvYrm8SluhAxx/s320/DSC01895.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272382235265678002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLLpIrVtZVdmIW1W7QfaC1Tz0Dlfyrtu4GCKskQkTb0zF106uBl9NffIYo8PcF2Q0NGc0CbHV4zL-tVehlXAq6xdezan_bTzMGJtHBpjEyDmNex0zgSn7bZykA5euQgjW_MX9IQDzGcWR/s1600-h/Claire+and+Guin+in+San+Diego+031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLLpIrVtZVdmIW1W7QfaC1Tz0Dlfyrtu4GCKskQkTb0zF106uBl9NffIYo8PcF2Q0NGc0CbHV4zL-tVehlXAq6xdezan_bTzMGJtHBpjEyDmNex0zgSn7bZykA5euQgjW_MX9IQDzGcWR/s320/Claire+and+Guin+in+San+Diego+031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272385132844522354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zEeBrmUDvG4NEvg1VRJnoR1FnFc2bO6hOSt29-fuD73PUATgXsPb19N-NA_U-zb-0aII2VRSsr2dcaI1r-mXcWQedKmBtQaHg9jbH8RUhAYr9iSBVh7QTcW6J8ng_dUICin0dePzUwWx/s1600-h/DSC01757.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zEeBrmUDvG4NEvg1VRJnoR1FnFc2bO6hOSt29-fuD73PUATgXsPb19N-NA_U-zb-0aII2VRSsr2dcaI1r-mXcWQedKmBtQaHg9jbH8RUhAYr9iSBVh7QTcW6J8ng_dUICin0dePzUwWx/s320/DSC01757.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272380979758595138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjQUYZ2i-aFI06Ok35K5ZC2mCplNVDl-U2pKmjNc-I90E3oTEirVU8SEula79pG5mdHuVL3ou-Gia7WFro6axNX7HDfp5HZ-zij7B4eEjsdf0j99glhgLPXKyuv_2K4VQaXlWU4t1RNXB/s1600-h/DSC01830.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjQUYZ2i-aFI06Ok35K5ZC2mCplNVDl-U2pKmjNc-I90E3oTEirVU8SEula79pG5mdHuVL3ou-Gia7WFro6axNX7HDfp5HZ-zij7B4eEjsdf0j99glhgLPXKyuv_2K4VQaXlWU4t1RNXB/s320/DSC01830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272380976546115298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Iq3Zc54mm1ig4bWRtGB0WU3HznirI7TZp-Q872DRibO8R6wHLBGJyJi3P3ILttg1B5RBfD1xM1RvLvVmNTtQpFPDB-2Gv-iIRjttHJNDG1peEZidMm8DUqCQjFTrR_DVUWGdozSd2gTG/s1600-h/DSC01814.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Iq3Zc54mm1ig4bWRtGB0WU3HznirI7TZp-Q872DRibO8R6wHLBGJyJi3P3ILttg1B5RBfD1xM1RvLvVmNTtQpFPDB-2Gv-iIRjttHJNDG1peEZidMm8DUqCQjFTrR_DVUWGdozSd2gTG/s320/DSC01814.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272383481114904162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7B0c7DlFHhJEAyMkUbNzARTUc3V_ayYk3ChPalfLOHbiyAwUP7SEzPqjSvxwmwAHDjwjt1CZGfWJiL8Q9u5ef4G7sRaAY5CBk_wVB-ow1s36HTP1dGyM2Bd72cDXDjMJa-CN8WmoEi_S/s1600-h/DSC01825.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7B0c7DlFHhJEAyMkUbNzARTUc3V_ayYk3ChPalfLOHbiyAwUP7SEzPqjSvxwmwAHDjwjt1CZGfWJiL8Q9u5ef4G7sRaAY5CBk_wVB-ow1s36HTP1dGyM2Bd72cDXDjMJa-CN8WmoEi_S/s320/DSC01825.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272380964934760098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqVHoXNy4CjtfEcTLgwKBIX5bMR6t32ZC15FMiVTb9Vm3cH9eEG05sj0mvcTQR3UD71UB5lAWzNWraM7PKtHP9ggGuMkJ4aXypggDW-WH4nA4m2BO44SaylzvqWjL7gXXK_HOA6BB-rMu/s1600-h/DSC01894.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqVHoXNy4CjtfEcTLgwKBIX5bMR6t32ZC15FMiVTb9Vm3cH9eEG05sj0mvcTQR3UD71UB5lAWzNWraM7PKtHP9ggGuMkJ4aXypggDW-WH4nA4m2BO44SaylzvqWjL7gXXK_HOA6BB-rMu/s320/DSC01894.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272382226458696834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxBLWB4eKxp4mE5-ptskvwfrh8pxdtRCBJbWK5zhgChuyFZI_VPCneAtOoBPn7FI4S48RpatKmEjAjYSnQVb0Qsyr73VdJX37tE6h9FxmibMNr0GpkxEbCIJ9Sssc-EYRpbXYXjS7TLcG/s1600-h/66550019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxBLWB4eKxp4mE5-ptskvwfrh8pxdtRCBJbWK5zhgChuyFZI_VPCneAtOoBPn7FI4S48RpatKmEjAjYSnQVb0Qsyr73VdJX37tE6h9FxmibMNr0GpkxEbCIJ9Sssc-EYRpbXYXjS7TLcG/s320/66550019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272378704798171874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Even if I have to take a 6:10 AM flight tomorrow morning (pick up at 4:40 AM by taxi), I am ridiculously excited to go home!Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-44695156367443816462008-11-04T14:22:00.000-08:002008-11-04T14:29:09.075-08:00The Freedom of Conscience and Ideal GovernmentThe efforts of many people over many months have all come down to today, Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Personally, I am glad it is soon all over.<br /><br />The process of preparing for an election causes so much anger and division among Americans that is truly unnecessary; public debate on issues near and dear to us tends to bring out the worst of us all. I have been thinking a lot about why this is lately, why we often turn negative when defending what we believe. There are ideals that we each see as the most correct, and these ideals are not easily changed. One of my favorite songs by John Mayer, “Belief,” explains the war that we engage in to try and change others’ ideals and beliefs:<br /><br />Is there anyone who ever remembers<br />changing their mind from the paint on a sign?,<br />is there anyone who really recalls<br />ever breaking rank at all<br />for something someone yelled real loud one time?<br />oh, everyone believes<br />in how they think it oughta be<br />oh, everyone believes<br />and they're not going easily<br /><br />belief is a beautiful armor<br />but makes for the heaviest sword<br />like punching underwater<br />you never can hit who you're trying for<br />some lead the exhibition<br />and some have to know they tried<br />it's the chemical weapon<br />for the war that's raging on inside<br />oh, everyone believes<br />from emptiness to everything<br />oh, everyone believes<br />and no one's going quietly<br /><br />Is an individual separable from their ideals? The right to have individual ideals is an inalienable right discussed in the Declaration of Independence. Can you accept an individual if your ideals to not correlate to theirs? We do it all the time because the reward outweighs the cost of stepping outside our comfort zones, and are quite successful because of it. As a society, we increase our efficiency through the acceptance of individuals with all types of ideals.<br /><br />Government does not exist to protect one’s opinions from being unrepresented, but exists to protect every individual’s inalienable rights. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The difficult task at hand in preparing for an election comes in discerning between what is an opinion or moral/ethical concern and what is an inalienable right. Does government have jurisdiction over regulating moral or ethical concerns? It does not.</span><br /><br />What is the correct role of government? Ezra Taft Benson, a previous president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and former Secretary of Agriculture during President Eisenhower’s term lays out his view of the role of government in a paper entitled “The Proper Role of Government” (This paper can be found at http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html):<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Correct Role Of Government</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I should like to outline in clear, concise, and straight-forward terms the political principles to which I subscribe. These are the guidelines which determine, now and in the future, my attitudes and actions toward all domestic proposals and projectsals and projects of government. These are the principles which, in my opinion, proclaim the proper role of government in the domestic affairs of the nation.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "(I) believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society." </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "(I) believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life..." </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "(I) believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, which protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience." (D&C 134: 1-2,5)</span><br /><br />I love how President Benson refers to the right to ideals and opinions as the "freedom of conscience."<br /><br />I have really enjoyed contemplating on what ideal government is. Current government still has huge strides to make towards becoming optimal. Hopefully the results of this election will take us one step closer.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12992891508312172272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-22795835516550313292008-09-27T11:25:00.000-07:002008-09-27T12:02:15.245-07:00September has been a pretty awesome month...I think September 2008 has been one of the best months of my life! Why, you may ask?<br /><br />The northeast is wonderful in Fall.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6B1XuWpJI/AAAAAAAAANg/BwRNQ0naFWw/s1600-h/060911fall-foliage-560.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6B1XuWpJI/AAAAAAAAANg/BwRNQ0naFWw/s320/060911fall-foliage-560.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250776969462064274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6Bcu_ukeI/AAAAAAAAANI/Pdq1keGEJFU/s1600-h/IMG_0523.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6Bcu_ukeI/AAAAAAAAANI/Pdq1keGEJFU/s320/IMG_0523.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250776546212221410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BdJNFKFI/AAAAAAAAANQ/HDANKFVYA4w/s1600-h/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BdJNFKFI/AAAAAAAAANQ/HDANKFVYA4w/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250776553247549522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BdRhI87I/AAAAAAAAANY/kr7EGc7dXh0/s1600-h/IMG_0535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BdRhI87I/AAAAAAAAANY/kr7EGc7dXh0/s320/IMG_0535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250776555479167922" border="0" /></a><br />I travel the world like a true nomad. Ok, by world, I mean the east coast. And by nomad, I mean a poor graduate student with little money, but an intense desire to explore.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xznVJ_I/AAAAAAAAAMw/3Jrci1PNZXQ/s1600-h/IMG_0499.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xznVJ_I/AAAAAAAAAMw/3Jrci1PNZXQ/s320/IMG_0499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250774709206067186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My favorites of the most recent trip to the Met in New York...<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_yWvu37I/AAAAAAAAAM4/2yYmiVAnOVE/s1600-h/IMG_0512.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_yWvu37I/AAAAAAAAAM4/2yYmiVAnOVE/s320/IMG_0512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250774718636548018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BAyONiaI/AAAAAAAAANA/_s2kJjIfy0M/s1600-h/IMG_0500.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN6BAyONiaI/AAAAAAAAANA/_s2kJjIfy0M/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250776066041940386" border="0" /></a><br /><span>I feel so comfortable in Boston. It is an amazing city! I am beginning to feel like I belong.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Here is a picture of an absolutely breath-taking sky a couple of weeks ago:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN59yw4vpUI/AAAAAAAAALo/R8uOwpgN2Q0/s1600-h/IMG_0451.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN59yw4vpUI/AAAAAAAAALo/R8uOwpgN2Q0/s320/IMG_0451.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250772526630413634" border="0" /></a>And some others of the skyline at lunchtime right from the pier right outside of my school:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_CwXFkQI/AAAAAAAAALw/x2n3oSzzpCI/s1600-h/IMG_0494.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_CwXFkQI/AAAAAAAAALw/x2n3oSzzpCI/s320/IMG_0494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250773900878778626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xAjFf1I/AAAAAAAAAMY/JUHsaDjizmw/s1600-h/IMG_0495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xAjFf1I/AAAAAAAAAMY/JUHsaDjizmw/s320/IMG_0495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250774695498055506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My roommates rock! Unfortunately I only have a couple of pictures of Nicole on this post...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DKTyVfI/AAAAAAAAAMI/IifH73Sii8k/s1600-h/IMG_0549.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DKTyVfI/AAAAAAAAAMI/IifH73Sii8k/s320/IMG_0549.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250773907844257266" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_x_FsHmI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Sfsl2xcIaic/s1600-h/IMG_0484.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_x_FsHmI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Sfsl2xcIaic/s320/IMG_0484.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250774712286191202" border="0" /></a><br />I have had such stimulating intellectual experiences in school and in personal endeavors. I have also had some amazing questions answered in my spiritual endeavors. I am loving the opportunities for learning in my life right now!<br /><br />I have some of the best friends in the world! My birthday was so much fun!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DIDa_gI/AAAAAAAAAMA/djfpzmEDj_I/s1600-h/IMG_0552.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DIDa_gI/AAAAAAAAAMA/djfpzmEDj_I/s320/IMG_0552.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250773907238747650" border="0" /></a><br />The ward out here is absolutely amazing! So many talented and ridiculously successful and intelligent people!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Example 1--Super smart people, like the charming Luke Hutchinson</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DbfDbJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/930_1ysmv4Q/s1600-h/IMG_0477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_DbfDbJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/930_1ysmv4Q/s320/IMG_0477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250773912454917266" border="0" /></a>Example 2--Incredible entertainers, such as Chelsea Ashton</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xRKXX4I/AAAAAAAAAMg/bOKok02Oqzc/s1600-h/IMG_0456.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5_xRKXX4I/AAAAAAAAAMg/bOKok02Oqzc/s320/IMG_0456.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250774699957772162" border="0" /></a><br />Life is GREAT!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-61084236708143130432008-09-27T10:29:00.000-07:002008-09-29T16:09:28.090-07:00Central Pattern GeneratorsIn Neuroscience yesterday, we learned about one of the coolest experiments ever done. The experiment was performed in 2007 (http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/15/3976) to test a hypothesis that movement of the lower limbs is still possible in cats that have been paralyzed, do to a nerve root damage in the cervical spinal cord. The experiment was set up according to this picture:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5yDWjnYSI/AAAAAAAAALQ/KkkR1S8vdk0/s1600-h/cat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5yDWjnYSI/AAAAAAAAALQ/KkkR1S8vdk0/s320/cat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250759617480712482" border="0" /></a><br />The body core of the cat is stabilized, the front limbs are placed in a fixed position, and the hind legs are able to move on a treadmill. The experimenters had to start the hind legs moving in a normal walking movement according to the speed of the treadmill, but after this, the legs continued moving on their own in the rhythm of the treadmill. If the treadmill was sped up or slowed down, the hind legs adjusted their cadence accordingly! This shows that the movement is possible because of a stimulus that is occurring somewhere closer to the legs than the injury location at the spinal cord! After a lot more research, neuroscientists have discovered the existence of central pattern generators and have found more evidence that golgi tendon organs are also involved in regulating neurological stimulation instead of the BRAIN! I don't know if I can possibly explain the significance or coolness of this adequately!!!<br /><br />Basically, a paralyzed cat can still run on a treadmill!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5zamyXPAI/AAAAAAAAALY/Y14ILqfrcdM/s1600-h/CPG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8bMAl17LzvE/SN5zamyXPAI/AAAAAAAAALY/Y14ILqfrcdM/s320/CPG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250761116486155266" border="0" /></a>The mechanism of movement, therefore, does not require a stimulus from the brain (the higher center of control). Up until this point, it was not understood that complex neuronal circuits existed at the spinal cord that did not need to be continuously stimulated by signals from the brain. The brain does function to provide spatial awareness and alter movement patterns according to obstacles in the path. Without the brain, the subject of the experiment (the paralyzed cat) trips over simple obstacles like a change in level or a pencil.<br /><br />As always, wikipedia does a great job covering central pattern generators. Check it out:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_pattern_generator#cite_note-10<br /><br />Humans have too much control of movement by the brain in order to be able to design an experiment to get the same results. The human brain controls a lot more variables that are necessary for movement in walking bipedally (such as balance and coordination) than a cat who is quadrapedal. However, you do see evidence of central pattern generators in individuals who have partial paralysis of the extremities. See this link for more fascinating explanation:<br /><br />http://www.harkema.ucla.edu/BRway1.html<br /><br /><br />**Pictures in this post are borrowed from a presentation by Marianne Beninato, DPT, PhDUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-64090928634751130672008-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:002008-08-28T09:22:44.861-07:00Proposition 8Prop 8 is the proposition that will be voted on in California deciding whether or not homosexuals should be able to marry in California. In case you haven't heard, just recently, the state jury overturned the last proposition dealing with this matter (Proposition 22 in 2000) ruling it unconstitutional and same-sex marriage legal.<br /><br />Matters are getting a lot worse. According to an email by Merrilee Boyack:<br /><br />"The California Supreme Court has ruled that doctors in a private clinic, based on their religious beliefs, cannot withhold unnecessary medical care to homosexuals and lesbians. A San Diego area lesbian claimed that a private fertility clinic refused to inseminate her because of her sexual orientation. The Court's decision means that California's civil rights law barring sexual orientation discrimination trumps religious freedom laws."<br /><br />Let's hope that the people of California have not become too liberal in the last 8 years and that the proposition passes (<span style="font-weight: bold;">everyone vote YES</span>), defining marriage as only existing legally between a man and a woman.<br /><br />For your continued reading, read the commentaries on the newsroom website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' on the proposition, and please, please, please get involved however you can!<br /><br />http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriageUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690115857795801717.post-47151822438648627422008-08-18T09:57:00.000-07:002008-08-18T10:04:24.185-07:00It's been a month......since my last post. Sorry about that!<br /><br />I finished up my first semester of school and came back to San Diego for a few weeks. This last week has been quite eventful at home for our family!<br /><br />1. I have a beautiful new nephew! Congratulations to Evan and Hannah and new baby Oliver! He is the cutest, most amazing new boy.<br /><br />2. I have to get ACL/meniscus surgery again... I just found out this morning when I went in to the doctor's office to see what the MRI said. My meniscus is torn in the same place it was before December, and my ACL looks like a noodle it is stretched so badly. According to the doctor, it won't actually tear in such a state because there is not enough tension, but nonetheless is nonfunctional. I will probably put off the surgery until December, thus prolonging my bum knee condition for at least another year.<br /><br />3. My parent's 27th anniversary<br /><br />4. Evan's birthday<br /><br />I love California and I love being with my family! I am heading out to Utah today and will be there for a week to see some old friends and play. Then back to San Diego August 25-31 before I go back to Boston for school!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1