Highlights of 2008

Well December has come to an end, which means it’s time for the cliché “year in review” blog post. I didn’t realize it had been so long since I had posted anything – I guess with the end of the semester and then coming home for the holidays, this wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. Reflecting on this year it’s incredible to think of everything that I have experienced. The beginning of the year I was still in College Station, finishing my last semester of classes at A&M. Now I’m in a completely different state, at a different school, on to bigger (and better?) things!

From all the things that happened this past year, here are some of the highlights of 2008:

• Last semester at A&M – more work than I ever imagined, but so much fun. Shout out to the A group!
• Living with my roommate again – even if we were both super busy and hardly saw each other. Love you :)
• Hawaii with my brother over Spring Break – although I had to drive to and from College Station in about 9 hours and get on a plane the very next morning, it was a welcome surprise and well worth the trip.
• Internship at Medical Center of Plano – I don’t know that I would use “highlight” to describe my experience, but it was fun? At least I got to live at home and enjoy being with my family and friends.
• Graduating from Texas A&M – so what if I didn’t go to the graduation ceremony…I still got my diploma.
• Moving to Bloomington – yea for road trips!
• Completing my first semester of grad school at IU – so glad to be on the other side of that. It wasn’t as bad as I expected.
• Shelley got married! – It may have involved some drama, but it happened none the less and I’m excited for her and William.
• Christmas with my family – the wedding allowed us ALL to be together in Houston, then we had a small group on Christmas day, but it was still wonderful.

There may be more, but these are the high points that came to mind first. I might have to make a supplemental list later if I think of anything else! There is so much more that happened that can’t be put in a bullet point list: relationships growing and changing, feelings I never thought I would experience or express, things learned about myself and others, more tears than I've cried in all my other years combined. At the end of the day, my successes were as great as my failures, my happiness as meaningful as my heartache, and I’m grateful for the lessons learned along the way.

First "Real" Snow

Well it seems I was a little premature on my excitement for the first "real snow". As it turns out, we had a pretty good "real snow" on Saturday. This picture was taken in the afternoon, but you can see that all the cars that hadn't been driven all day were covered. Also, the parking lot had not been cleared (who knows if my car was in an actual spot). The streets of Bloomington hadn't been cleared either. I guess the fact that it was a Saturday morning may have had something to do with it, all I know is I hope they get cleared in a more timely fashion when this snow stuff is a regular occurrence. I went to the gym in the morning and although I slid as soon as I turned out of my complex, I figured that things couldn't be too bad. I stopped by the post office box on the way to the gym and in trying to get close enough to drop my letters in, I almost ended up WAY too close (i.e. on top of the mailbox). Good times!

I went to the Nutcracker with some friends that afternoon which was lovely, but it was a lousy day to be out and about. I'm just glad I had finished all my errands on Friday and didn't have to do a lot of running around in the weather. By the end of the day I had seen 2 accidents, 2 cars facing the wrong direction in the middle of the road, 1 car with a light pole between the headlights, 1 car sitting on the side of the road and 1 car with a fire hydrant underneath it. Luckily my car and I made it home in one piece from all of the days events!

Time to Get an Ice Scraper

Well we've finally started into that season - time for snow. We've had flurries a few days the past few weeks and Monday it started actually snowing. Although it was coming down the majority of the day, it's hasn't been cold enough for long enough for it to really stick. Honestly it wasn't really that big of a deal and nothing seriously overwhelming, but it was still the first day my car has had a light snow cover. I guess it's time to get an icescraper...or an extra spatula! Shout out to The 601! :)

Is This Really Who We Are?

I was completely appalled reading a NY Times article about a Wal-Mart employee who was trampled to death by Black Friday shoppers - read about it here. The article said at least four other people, including a woman who is eight months pregnant, were taken to the hospital for injuries and observation. Even when the shoppers were told they had to leave because an employee had been killed, they refused, saying they had been in line since Thursday morning - they kept shopping.

In one of my classes we've been talking a lot about the current state of our nation with regard to health care systems and political reform. We have been studying other countries with universal health care and discussing what would/wouldn't work in the US. One of the biggest themes we always come back to in class is the fact that Americans are very individualized and as much as we want the good of everyone around us, we don't care if the guy down the street is sick and why should I have to pay for his care? Sidebar: That was a generalization - obviously not everyone is like this, but generally speaking, Americans are more individually centered than population centered. Further statements made about the "American people" are also generalizations. That being said, we've discussed the fact that there would have to be a great mentality and attitude shift before we get to the point where we really care about everyone in this great country and the common good for all. We have to get to the point where there really is the family feel that you can find in some communities, but not necessarily for the country as a whole. Yes, we were all more patriotic after 9/11 and other events that have tried our country, but we still have a long way to go. A lot of the opposition to unity stems from the very nature of our country. We are a melting pot society - it's one of defining points for our nation. That being said, our population is much more heterogeneous - in culture, religion, ethnicity, even language - than countries like Taiwan or Japan. We may be founded on tradition and core values like others, but they are a far more homogeneous people than we. That is something that may be our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. We have to be able to accept that and work with it if we ever expect any sort of change in this country.

Back to the article. I find this a perfect[ly ridiculous] example of the individualistic nature of the American people. So concerned with saving maybe a couple hundred dollars on a new TV or a vacuum that they sacrifice the life of human being, with complete disregard to that individual's worth. Maybe it's because we just care about ourselves, maybe it's because of the materialism of today's society. Whatever it is, I think it's terribly depressing. It may be cliché, but we're only as strong as our weakest link - is this really the type of people that we are?

So Close

This time of year is always the "best of times and the worst of times", at least for me. I love the holidays - I love the spirit of the season, the Christmas music, what it represents, the emphasis on family, and the fact that people decide to be nicer and more generous just because it's the holidays. On the other end of the spectrum is the fact that the year is coming to a close, which means the end of another semester of school. These next three weeks are typically loaded with papers, projects, tests, and what ever other manner of punishment our professors desire to inflict upon us. It's typically a pretty stressful time - you're trying so hard to enjoy the season, but trying to hold your pants up and keep everything together.

My holiday season had a wonderful start. Thanksgiving was such a joy and it was blessing to spend it with people who care, people I care about who were so loving and generous to me. Here's to a wonderful holiday season. May we all be able to hold it together enough to really understand what this time of year is all about! I'll be trying my hardest...I mean, after I stop procrastinating and start working on my stats project due Monday :)

Gas

I filled up my gas tank for less than $30.00 yesterday ($1.67/gallon)!

I thought this was blog-worthy, especially since when I moved to Bloomington gas was about $4.25/gallon. Good times. :)

Giving of Thanks

So I know that it's not quite Thanksgiving yet, but it's close enough. I can't believe it's already that time! This semester has been so short and quick, but so long and slow at the same time. Anyway - that's not what this is about.

I love Thanksgiving. I've always loved Thanksgiving. There is no giving of gifts, only giving of thanks. Any gift giving that does occur is typically donations of food or other items to those in need and you can't go wrong with that. I like Thanksgiving because it's a good time to step back and reflect on what really matters in life. What are you really grateful for? In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to share just a few things that I am exceedingly grateful for.

First, opportunity. I am so blessed to be here in Indiana and going to school. I think sometimes people see college and even grad school as so commonplace and even expected. Yet for plenty of people, it is merely a dream. I'm thankful for the chance to get a quality education - first from Texas A&M and now here at IU. There have been so many things and people that have played a crucial role in my being here today - you know who you are and I'm grateful for you.

Second, freedom. The world today isn't the happiest place. What a relief it is to know that I live in a place where I have the freedom to form my own values and beliefs, the freedom to do what is best for me. Although some might argue the role of government in our lives today, there are places far worse off than we are in here in America. We don't have our lives, our actions and our beliefs dictated to us or for us - we have the freedom to choose. What a blessing that is!

Third, experiences. I've had plenty of them in my young age - some more trying than others. I'm thankful for the good and for the bad. The bad have made the good more meaningful and the good have made the bad more tolerable. I may complain when I'm going through a tough time, but I usually come out a better and stronger person when it's all over. My trials have absolutely shaped who I am today.

Finally, I am grateful for family. My family is funny. We've had our good times and we've had our not-so-good times, but through it all we're still a family. I still feel the support from my parents and each and every one of my siblings. They are always there to laugh at me when I need it and to love me when I need it. When everything goes terribly wrong in life, I know I still have a place in my family. I know if I go home I'll always be welcomed with open arms. I could have made this about family & friends, but the unconditional friends I have can fit into the family category - all the descriptors are the same.

The list could go on and on really. There are so many things I am grateful for and so many things I have been blessed with. I'm grateful for Thanksgiving - and even though I won't be at home this year, it doesn't change the spirit of the season and my giving of thanks.

In My Element

A friend of mine posted this on her blog and I loved the idea...so I'm borrowing it!

I am most in my element when...

• driving with the windows down and it's about 70 degrees without a cloud in the sky.
• curled up on the couch or a big chair with a good book.
• laying in the sun by the pool or on a beach.
• having a good dinner (or lunch, or any other meal - any way food is involved) with good friends or family.
• teaching and/or learning.
• listening to music with real meaning.
• surrounded by beautiful trees of all different colors.
• engrossed in meaningful conversation with someone who really knows me & who I really know.
• spending time with my family, whatever we may be doing.
• running - even if it kills me.
• scrapbooking for hours on end while watching House.
• doing anything with people I care about, who care about me, making memories I'll hold on to forever.
• helping other people.
• trying something new, experiencing change.

When are you most in your element? Think about it. Make time for those things. It's worth it.

The Power of Silence

While my last post was all about communication, I have to say that I am equally in awe of the power of silence. For many people, silence is awkward. It makes things uncomfortable. Leaving things unsaid is like ignoring a 600 pound gorilla in the corner. It increases tension. Me? I've always loved silence. Probably because it was what I knew. It was what made me feel comfortable. Knowing that all my thoughts and feelings were tucked safe inside. I appreciate silence for a couple reasons.

First, silence gives you the opportunity for evaluation. So often we are always caught up in saying, speaking, yelling, sharing, that we don't really take the time to think about what we say or the effects it may have. We want other people to listen to what we have to say, but we don't listen to what we have to say. How often do people speak without thinking? Take 30 seconds the next time you're about to say something even mildly important - you'd be surprised what it might change.

Also, silence allows other people to gather their own thoughts and opinions. Again, so often we are caught up in telling people what we think and wanting them to respond. Instantly. A little silence gives people the chance to figure out how they really feel. What they really think.

Silence forces you to confront your thoughts and your feelings in the most raw form - before they have been tempered and exposed. Being able to sit in silence, to me, shows that a person is comfortable with themselves, who they are, what they believe in, and the thoughts and emotions that run through them.

Finally, silence provides an atmosphere conducive to inspiration and self-reflection. Some of my most poignant thoughts or ideas typically come when I am not speaking - it may be 2:00 in the morning, it may be driving down the road (this one happens a lot). In this Information Age, people are constantly connected. When you walk out of a class, a meeting, or work, what is the first thing you do? Pull out your cell phone? When you get in the car - can you make it from one place to the next without calling someone? Without turning on the radio or the news? When you wake up in the morning and you're getting ready for your day, do you have the TV on? Music? Don't get me wrong...I love to listen to music, watch TV and I have been accused of attachment to my CrackBerry, but I see great value in putting that all on hold and just enjoying the silence. I find myself driving without music or talking on the phone a great deal and I thoroughly enjoy it. Long road trips, for me, are not an opportunity to catch up with all the people I've been meaning to call, but I've just been too busy. It's a time to roll the windows down and listen to music (which is an activity my mind and I actively participate in). It's a time to drive without any distraction and think about life (and random signs on the side on the road and things like horsepower...see "Interesting Words" and/or "Signs on the Road"). See - my times of silence provide a great opportunity for enlightenment :)

The point is this: as much as I value the power of communication and have a new found appreciation for sharing, I equally value the great power of silence. It's oh so necessary in my life and if I don't get it from time to time I'm an outright disaster.

The Power of Communication

So a lot has been going on these past few weeks and its given me an opportunity to spend a significant amount of time reflecting - on all sorts of things. I was driving home from class this evening when I was struck by a realization about the absolute power of communication.

Communication has never really been one of my strong suits. Well, I take that back. I feel I'm a good communicator - when I want to be. The real point is that I haven't always wanted to be. I've mentioned before my trust issues (see "To Blog or Not To Blog...") and that contributed a great deal to my lack of communication. I had an aversion to really letting people know how I was feeling. I didn't really have a problem telling people what I thought and I was usually pretty open with my opinions, but never my feelings. I've been actively trying to do a better job talking things out and really communicating with other people and it's made a huge difference in my life. I am so much more content and oh my gosh does it make it easier to solve problems! Who would have thought?!? It actually makes conflict resolution must faster and much smoother. I knew this all along, in fact, I even advised it to friends. I would always encourage a good discussion to really let the other person know how you feel and also how you see things. So often we get angry with others around us for not understanding or being sensitive to how we feel or what we need. Well, did we tell them? Did you tell him/her exactly what you wanted or how you felt? I find that it's most common with people that we care about the deepest that we hold things in. For me it was always about protecting myself. Protecting my feelings. Protecting the other person's feelings. Not wanting to admit to myself or someone else what I was really going through. It made it "easier" to keep it to myself and deal with it on my own. Well, as a past Sally Stuffer (does anyone remember those people from elementary school talking about feelings?), I'm the first to admit that it doesn't do anyone any good. Including you (or me). It only makes it harder in the end.

Not that I'm an expert on the situation, I believe there are 3 essential Rules to Remember for quality communication:

1. Listen - Shut your mouth and open your ears. If you get to share your side, the other party has a right to share their side. Besides, you'd be surprised what you can learn when you listen.
2. Be Patient - Don't interrupt...you'll get your turn.
3. Try to Understand - You may not agree with everything that someone else says, but at least try to see where they're coming from

If you listen, be patient and try to understand, I'd venture to say that you'll find a common ground somewhere along the way. I think it's fascinating that communication is something that we participate in all day, every day. I'm sure may of us take it for granted - I know I do. The more time I've spent reflecting on what it means and the enormous impact that it can have, I've become more grateful for the ability I have to communicate with others. I see the power in it. The power to love, the power to hurt, the power to change, and the power to heal.

I've also found that now that I've started this whole communication thing and sharing my feelings...I'm kind of addicted. I guess there are worse things in life.

Another Word

I just realized that I never posted this - from over a month ago. Here it is!

Due to recent events in the life of a loved one - I've come up with another interesting word.

Engaged - As in engaged to be married. But really, why engaged - engaged in what? I would hope that if two people are getting engaged, they were engaged in each other before that happened, right? I mean - theoretically if someone came up to you and asked how you are, you could say "engaged". That could mean engaged in this ridiculous paper I have to write today, engaged in eating this delicious meal I have in front of me or engaged to be married. I mean, there are all sorts of things that I'm "engaged" with at any given moment. It just seems like an interesting way to label something like that. I guess I've always thought of engaged as something that is currently happening - engaged in something right in front of you, not in something that is supposed to happen sometime down the road.

That's all.

I guess I will add on here, for the sake of a friend, that one should not be embarrassed or shamed by silly things you don't realize. I mean, I didn't know a cucumber and pickle were the same thing. Really? Really.

Lose Weight, Buy Bigger Clothes or Stop Complaining

So I have a paper due tomorrow and since I'm at the library instead of at my house, I can't put off my writing with cleaning (which is how I normally procrastinate), so I decided to write here instead!

I was on the phone earlier this evening discussing the concept of guilt and happiness. While my conversation was brief, my thoughts on the topic still continue. I find it fascinating that guilt is(most often) self-inflicted. It's easy to say - if you are going to feel guilty about something, don't do it. Yeah, whatever. We all still make mistakes. That's what makes us human. Very often less focused on is the concept that guilt relief and even happiness is also self-inflicted. When we carry around guilt (or anger, or frustration, or any other negative feeling), more often than not, it is in our power to change it. If we feel guilty because of something we did, we should talk to who we need to talk to about it. If we feel guilty because we are lying to a friend, we should tell our friend what we're hiding from them. We have a whole slew of reasons for NOT resolving guilt - it's going to hurt, it might hurt someone else, don't want to face the consequences. Whatever. Reasons, excuses, call them what you will. The bottom line is that at the end of the day, those reasons are the wall between our guilt and our happiness. We're so willing to hold on to our guilt and anger and complain about how horrible things are, but we don't do anything about it. No one can fix the problem for us. It's completely in our control. Besides, more often than not, even if there is a little pain, the light on the other side is brighter than it was before.

Sage advice that I've received - consider the following questions (compliments of ogobob):

1. What's the problem?
2. What are doing to fix it?
3. How's that working for you?

I mean it really is as straightforward as that. What's going on? Why do you feel guilty (or sad or angry...)? What are you doing about it? If you're not doing anything - don't talk to me because I don't want to hear it. It's like girls (or boys, I suppose) who sit and complain about how fat they look in the pants they have on. Well, lose weight, buy bigger clothes, or stop complaining. Seriously? Moving right along, how's it working? In the health field we focus a lot of time and energy on evaluation. There is no sense creating policy or implementing programs that you aren't going to evaluate, because then you're pouring resources into something that may or may not work. In the case of guilt or anger, a little self-reflection goes a long way. If it's not working, change your course of action. If it is working - kudos to you! Just keep swimming!

High points:

• Most often guilt is self-inflicted.
• More often the cure is also in our control.
• Do something about it. Make a choice and MOVE A DIRECTION, even if it is the wrong one. The good news is you can always choose again to turn around.
• Happiness is a choice. Make it.

A Shift...But Not Too Far

So I decided that while this blog still won't contain the most personal information about me, there's no reason it shouldn't be a way for people to keep up with me and what I do. I can't promise that there will be anything exciting (I mean...all I do is go to school) but maybe I'll have a story or two now and then.

Rest assured that my ridiculous realizations, etc. will continue to be posted. Here's a few, just for good measure!

1st - I just learned during the Texas-OU game why Gatorade is called Gatorade - Florida, Gators, help with sports, yeah...I know, everyone knows that.

2nd - When my mother was here she informed me that the beautiful colors of fall are the actual color of the leaves, but without chlorophyll. Don't get me wrong, I knew chlorophyll made things green, I guess I just didn't put two and two together (or didn't put chlorophyll and green leaves together..) Anyway, if we didn't have chlorophyll making everything so green, it could look like fall all the time. Too bad trees need energy to live!

3rd - Emo...is this short for emotional? If so, why are people so excited about being "so emo" - I think that isn't necessarily a good thing, but I guess it all depends on perspective!

4th - For a friend....QWERTY keyboard. Come on, even I knew that one :)

That Person

So this weekend I realized that I am that person. You know, the one you get frustrated with at the store because they are completely oblivious to everything around you. The one that is driving down the road in front of you, going a steady 5 miles under the speed limit. The one you are walking behind when all the sudden they just stop in the middle of the pedestrian traffic. The one that cuts you off and crosses 2 lanes of traffic to take an exit they already practically missed. Maybe it's the one who merges into your lane after going straight to light and "didn't realize it was a turn only lane". The one that really makes you angry when you're in a hurry, have something to do or somewhere to be.

I am that person.

Last week I was driving and the woman in front of me was driving at the most steady pace (and below the speed limit between 5-10 miles per hour). I was on my way home and for whatever reason I really wanted to be there. I certainly wasn't going to be late for anything if I didn't get there in the next 2 minutes. Besides, this place is not big so it wasn't like I was in the car for a long time or had very far to go. For some reason I was super frustrated by the fact that she wasn't driving any faster. Maybe it was just that I didn't like that she was controlling my speed and what I was doing. On the one lane road there was no way to go around her and there was no other way to go to my house from where I was except this one road I was on. When another lane opened up and she veered left and I was going right it was a huge relief and I'm sure there was even a vocal "Finally! Thank goodness. Geez." or something to that effect.

This past weekend I found myself driving down the same exact road. It was late in the evening and I was tired. It had been a long weekend and I was just kind of dazed. I had a lot on my mind and there was a lot kind of weighing on me. I happened to look down and realize that I was going a steady 5 miles below the speed limit. I looked in my rear view mirror and noticed there were a few cars behind me. The car directly behind wasn't riding my tail or anything like that (obviously much more patient than I am). It was at this moment that I realized it.

I am that person.

In our moments, we are all guilty of being that person. It kind of reminded me of the whole behavioral determinant thing (see earlier post titled "Retrospective Blog #1). Now in the same vein of that thought, instead of just thinking about what a person may be going through, imagine that you are that person and how you would like for other people to react to you. Would you like to see the failing arms in your rear view mirror? What about the huge sigh and eye roll as someone pushes past you? How about the horn and dirty look? Probably not. But you know what? There are some times when you do *almost* miss your exit and have to cross a few more lanes of traffic than what is legal (maybe you're on your way to the temple and running late...anyone remember that?). It may happen that you are in a new city and you really didn't know it was a turn only lane (or one way street...oops).

Anyway, the point of the story is that I realized that I am that person. Everyone is that person. Be more patient...you are dealing with yourself and trust me, that's the worst.

Rock and Roll Band Everybody's Waitin...

Don't get me wrong...I am not that old. Still, it makes me sad that to the younger generation, classic rock bands - like The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Boston, Journey, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Aerosmith...just to name a few -

To young kids, these bands are made "Legends of Rock" by their Guitar Hero games.

Little do they realize that these rock and roll bands made Guitar Hero.

Punk kids.

Signs on the Road

So I was driving to a wedding once and I was noticing all the different signs on the road. There are really a lot of different kinds of signs if you think about it. I mean, the kinds that you learn about in Drivers Ed - yellow for warnings, orange for construction, brown for historical sites and recreation (there's that word again...). As I was driving at this moment one particular type seemed interesting to me. It's a blue sign with white writing, which means that it gives drivers information about services. You have probably all seen them before - telling you the gas stations or eating establishments that are at any given exit. Letting you know where the hospital is or the next rest stop (with or without restrooms). We probably don't notice these signs very much when we are driving through the city or town we live in, because we're already familiar with the information being shared. However, I seem to rely heavily on these signs during road trips through unknown territory, as I'm sure others do as well.

Regardless, the question that came to mind has to do with the choosing of information to go on those signs. Who decides whether or not the gas station on that exit is listed? What happens when a new restaurant is built - do they have to request for a little picture of their logo to be added? I also wonder if it's a state responsibility or a city responsibility. Is there a charge to put your name on the sign? It is marketing of sorts. If it weren't for those signs in the middle of no where, how would anyone know that the Sinclair station is on that exit, to the left approximate 0.2 miles? I think few people would know, except for the residents of said town. Also, if the blue signs are, by definition, to give us information about services - why not make signs for other types of services like hair salons and spas?

The wonders of the world. Maybe someday I'll know.

Interesting Words

So these are some words that I find particularly interesting. I'm sure there will be more at some point - I'll add a Part II if I think of more. Until then, here they are:

Flintstone - as in The Flintstones...Barney and Rubble. I guess I used to think it was Flinstones, but it certainly makes WAY more sense if you consider the show that it would be called Flintstones. Like flint...as in a kind of rock. Flint, steel, fire. Yeah, I'm sure that everyone knew this already.

Texarkana - So this was something that I realized while I was on a road trip and we drove through a city called "Kanorado" (cleverly named for it's location on the border of Kansas and Colorado). It was at this moment that I realized that Texarkana was named that way for a reason. Yeah, this was a few years ago :) I still have yet to figure out the relationship between Kansas and Arkansas.

Windshield - I get the shield part, but is it really just for wind? I guess it would be too long of a name if you tried to throw in Wind, Rain, Rocks, Debris-Shield.

Recreation - So this was something I had never thought about until a few days ago. So often we abbreviate this word by saying "rec" but I had never thought about breaking the word up as re-creation. That idea of a "recreation" center makes so much more sense! Now if I could only make it there to recreate myself...that's a whole different story.

Horsepower - So I understand the concept of this...the idea that it would take 300 horses to have the same amount of power...blah blah. I get that. But it seems like a gross generalization to me. There are so many different horses, each with different strength capabilities. Even trying to take an average of them seems nearly impossible.

Midwest - I've lived in two different states that are considered "Midwest." Iowa and Indiana. They are also a state away from each other, but still presumably in the same area. Neither of them, to me, is "Mid" or "West." In fact, Indiana is pretty East to me. Iowa is more Central than anything else. Either way. Just seems odd to me. I was also told that there is a city in Indiana that people call "the South." I don't think they could even imagine what The South is.

More Retrospective Blogging (#2)

Just for the record, by "more" I mean further in retrospect as in it is more retrospective than the previous, but I suppose it would also be applicable to mean in addition to. Either way. You choose.

So I had this thought. Okay, so when toilets were originally created, they were just a bowl made of any number of materials (I'm assuming, I haven't done my research on the history of toilets). But, as time progressed someone determined that it would be more comfortable if there was an actual seat to sit on. Enter the invention of the Toilet Seat. So who knows how long ago that was? I'm sure someone does, besides, someone's livelihood depends, or depended, on that, whatever the case may be. Anyway, so my question a few weeks ago (hence, retrospective) is that if it has been determined that toilet bowls are more comfortable when they have a seat on them and if generally speaking, all toilets have a seat on them now, why not just make the seat part of the original construction? Why the need for two separate parts? Would it not be more efficient to make one structure instead of making two parts and having to put them together?

Less retrospective:

So when I was talking about this last night like a flash I found the answer. With one structure, guys would not be able to lift the seat when they use the toilet (although some guys can't seem to lift the seat even when it is a separate part...but that's a whole different issue...). Therefore, if the toilet came in one piece (bowl + seat) cleaning and maintenance would be much more tedious. Rather, the separation of the pieces allows control for the cleanliness of the seat. In addition, the ability to purchase a seat separately from a bowl allows an individual to pick whatever kind of seat he or she would like based on color, size, fit or comfort. I mean, I have even seen a glow-in-the-dark toilet seat. Seriously...Google "Glow in the dark toilet seat" sometime, you would be amazed...or maybe not, I don't know. I do think it would be a great idea for kids though, although you would have to leave the light on throughout the day to "charge" it to glow at night and that just wouldn't be economical. I suppose people with glow-in-the-dark seats have these discussions with themselves...or maybe not, I don't know!

Anyway - so there you go, that's it. The reason (according to me) for a separate toilet seat and bowl.

Things I learned:
1. I appreciate having a separate seat from the toilet bowl.
2. I appreciate people who lift the seat when they should.
3. Sometimes critics and skeptics can become the greatest advocates.

How's that for blogging?

Retrospective Blog #1

So I'm in grad school and I am taking a course called Theories of Health Behavior (or something like that). The initial assignment was a paper designed to help us understand the difference between (1) a health issue, (2) a health behavior, and (3) determinants. Very brief, simplified explanation: a health issue would be something that occurs in society (i.e. obesity); the associated health behaviors are things that impact that issue (i.e. lack of exercise); and determinants are things that determine (like that?) whether or not the behavior will occur (i.e. access to a gym, time, etc.). Got it? Okay - Issue, Behavior, Determinants.

Okay, that was probably more information than you needed to understand the point, but whatever. There were a lot of people having a difficult time understand the difference between the three things. To help us understand, our professor encouraged us to walk through the same process (outlining issue, behavior and determinants) for a random behavior, i.e. someone standing in a bus line bouncing a volleyball. Now, what are all the determinants for why the person would perform that behavior? Could be boredom, habit, stress level, any number of things.

This is the real point - if you only have a limited amount of time, start reading here:

By taking a moment to step back and think of what all the determinants for a given behavior could be, it helps us cope better with the world and be more understanding of other people.

For example,

(SIDEBAR: Supposedly, when I grow up I am going to be a teacher, I guess that is why I talk in examples.)

If you are in the store buying something and the checker is going soo slow or keeps messing things up, you could get frustrated and be really rude to the person. But, if you take a second to think of what all the possible determinants of that behavior are, you may find a little patience. The person may be sick, they may have physical or mental disability that prevents them from working as fast as you think they should be capable of. They may have not had enough sleep because they stayed up late talking to a friend in need. Their cat may have been run over and now only have 3 legs. It could be anything. Regardless, if you think of the numerous reasons that they may be acting (or not acting) a certain way, hopefully you'll be able to muster a little compassion for them.

So next time someone does something that makes you angry or that you simply don't understand - instead of being judgemental, try a little tenderness :)

To Blog or Not To Blog...

That is the question! It is a question that has captured my attention enough to make me do something about it and hey, that's a big deal.

Reasons that I have had NOT to blog:
1. Is it really worth it? I mean, what does it accomplish putting your senseless thoughts out on the Internet for the world to read?
2. I have no intention to share my life story or my deepest and darkest secrets on the world wide web...that's what a journal is for. Besides, I have trust issues with actually writing things where other people could see them, but I digress! Anyway, that's also part of the "deepest and darkest secrets" that I am NOT sharing :)
3. Audience - so obviously if I am blogging for me, then I may as well just write in a journal. If I am blogging for others that changes the language and the writing style, but how more or less the only conversation I am having is between me and my keyboard and screen and unfortunately they don't talk back.

Reasons I have TO blog:
1. There is a vast, staggering range of things that go on in my little head every day.
2. Maybe someone can benefit from the things I have to say? (I won't hold my breath for this considering the limitation of content due to Reason Not To Blog #2 - see above).
3. Sheer entertainment.

Well that's it. And it came to pass that I started blogging.

DISCLAIMER: No expectations allowed.