What to do?

I'm on a mild-mannered job search right now. 

I'm looking... sort of. I look over job postings on a few hospital websites and apply when I can. I have literally no idea what I'm looking to do, at least not as far as what a job title might say or where to find such a job. I know what I want, or at the very least what I do not want. 

This calls for a list.

• I want a job where I can learn.
• I want to be part of a team, with people who discuss things and ask questions and act.
• I want to help people. I'd like to help in a healthcare field. I'd like to help people who need help.
• I do not mind getting dirty or gross stuff. Today I cleaned up puke. Twice. (Separate pukers even!) I do not mind this whatsoever. I'm strong-stomached, weak-nosed and (to be very honest) I get paid more than most of the other puke-cleaning candidates so I should glove-up and take care of the puke.
• I like to organize things. I worked late today just to create files (though my color-coded system was thwarted by a lack of green file folders). I'm good at organizing things. I use a delightfully smart system of folders on my PC's desktop. Seriously.
• I like a challenge. 
• And I also don't mind stupid work including answering phones, lifeguarding, or organizing mal-organized things.
• I work well with people - people who cry, people who whine, people who are stupid, people who are confused, people who are upset. 
• I'm very capable at communicating. I can make dweeby newsletters, write letters, create "Lice Alert" signs, edit a newspaper, etc...
• Also, at this very moment I'm sipping wine out of a monogrammed glass with a letter "R" on it. That is because I'm rad.

So, anyone hiring?

How to have an A+ summer

The biology class I'm taking is both simple and challenging for me. Science makes sense to me, but I need to really listen, write it all down, read it out, re-explain it, think it through to get it. Very nerdy, yes.

We received our grades from our first test - a tough set of essays and a rather random mix of true/false question. Out of 112 points possible (including bonuses) I got 100! An A!

After looking over the tests we started learning about antioxidants (we're done with carbs, proteins and fats). We learned about how evil, yucky ozone and other nasty free radicals which cause aging, disease and just mess up your cells like crazy. Antioxidants come in berries, avocados, coffee and other good stuff. Free radicals come all manner of cells that lose an electron. 

I'm still learning about antioxidants, so I might not be spot-on about every bit of this. But I do know that the ultra-violet radiation from the son gets wrapped up with ozone and causes skin cancer, wrinkles and nasty damage. 

This means I'll keep spraying SPF 45 while I'm outside, continue to slather myself in SPF 40 every morning (rain or shine) to kick these free radicals' tails. You should too.

Pass the SPF 50!

Happy June

So much going on, friends!

• I'm taking Biology 107 at Truman College (a 20-minute walk from home!). It's hard with all sorts of science, but I really love it so far. I'm learning about evil trans fats, why kinked fat molecules wreck you, calories, and lots more! It's a little weird to study, but it's also pretty neat.
• I'm actually still running a bit. At least I'm running enough to leave my iPod Shuffle in my shorts' pocket, wash and dry it. But - it still works!!! Amazing. I want to write to Apple, but I'm a little embarrassed to admit I did such a bad job checking pockets.
• Two weekends ago and this weekend I'm camping! Whoo-hoo! I love camping and I'm psyched to spend some time outside.
• We're a little delinquent with the whole digital cable thing, but I'm on it! After camping, running and class. Promise.

Terrorism

I won't go on and on about it, promise.

Attacking licensed medical doctors performing legal medical procedures on people who ask for them is terrorism. 

It's also terrorism to attack clinics where women (and, in some cases, children and men) receive medical services. It's terrorism to harass doctors, nurses, clinic staff, and the people who come to clinics for healthcare.

Whether you support choice or not, whether you'd want your sister or your mother or your friend or yourself to be able to see a doctor in safety. You'd want to be able to receive whatever services you needed - according to medical science and conversations with your doctor. The idea that it'd be dangerous to go to a clinic to talk to a doctor about birth control or ask for an abortion is frightening.

The fact that a brave doctor was murdered in his church is terrorism. And we shouldn't stand for it. Dr. George Tiller was brave enough to do for women what so few others would. He was brave enough to stand up to protesters, pass them each day and to push back when asshole Bill O'Reilly mentioned him on the O'Reilly Factor 28 times. 

We owe it to Dr. Tiller to push back too, and to fight terrorism like this - especially when it hits a place where we go to feel safe.

Thank you, Dr. Tiller.

Dr. George Tiller was killed on Sunday.

He was shot as he served as usher at his church, passing out bulletins. His wife was singing in the choir.

Dr. Tiller was an obstetrician and gynecologist. He was a licensed doctor and a veteran. He performed abortions, including late-term abortions which account for a very small percentage of abortions in the United States. He was one of the only (as in one of four or so) doctors in the United States who performed late-term abortions. Women travelled great distances to his clinic - their thank you notes lined his clinic walls.

If you think late-term abortions are horrifying I beg you to read this Boston Globe story about a woman who actually had one.

The late-term abortions that Dr. Tiller performed were legal, thoughtful and safe. Dr. Tiller would help a woman diagnosed with cancer decide whether to end a pregnancy in order to get cleared for chemotherapy. Dr. Tiller would counsel a girl who was raped and didn't realize she was pregnant. Dr. Tiller would provide abortions for women who longed to be mothers only to find that their pregnancy went awry - a fetus with severe neurological defects or with fluid in its brain. Dr. Tiller did what very few new doctors today do - he provided safe abortion services.

According to Planned Parenthood. four facilities in Illinois provide abortion services. Four. One in Champaign, one in Aurora and two in Chicago. That's not a lot of clinics, and that's definitely not an overabundance of abortion resources. Planned Parenthood flies a doctor to South Dakota from Minneapolis to provide women there with abortion services. In light of Dr. Tiller's murder, that doctor is now protected by U.S. Marshalls.

I find myself tearing up as I read about Dr. Tiller's work and his steadfast commitment to women's rights. I think about what abortion rights mean for women in America, and I think about what it means that a doctor who helped women through their hardest moments day after day was shot at his church.

Rest in Peace, Dr. Tiller.

I did it!

On our way we passed the Field Museum. Julie doesn't care about taking photos of the dinosaur wearing a hockey jersey.

Ready to run! I think I need sportier shades, maybe.

Here I am running (whether it looks like running or not!) toward the ramp to Soldier Field. Cindy, Brian and Julie cheered me round the bend!

Past the finish line on the 50-yard line! Go Bears! Go me!

Phew!

I felt great after the run and didn't finish too shabby - an hour and 59 minutes (meeting my under 2-hour goal!). Next I'm going to try to do a faster 5K!

Ready!

I'm ready!

I did my last run on Tuesday and my lifeguarding class is passed and all done! Tomorrow is lots of rest, lounging and enjoying the spring breeze!

I have to do a whole bunch of preparation to do - set up my shuffle, pin my number 3421 to my shirt, get my glucose tabs in my little pocket and psych myself up!

Hooray for that! I'll write about the race afterward.