Fruition

Today is one of those days when my head is reeling with so much excitement I want to dance around in circles, but also thoughts of inadequacy that all I ever do is dance with excitement but never actually put that excitement into action. I'm part of a grant proposal for our residency program to enhance our advocacy training as residents (ie, teach us how to better advocate for children in our communities, politically and through everyday practice as a doctor through establishing and partnering with community programs, lobbying, etc). I have been working with a couple other like-minded residents and attending physicians who are very inspiring and came away from a meeting today just full of thoughts. But I feel like often on these topics I get so excited, but don't have the tools and skills to make any of the thoughts I have come to fruition. Hopefully by being surrounded by people with much more experience than I things may actually happen.

On a different note, here are the curtains I made a week or two back when I made myself stay up till the wee hours of the morn to stay on a night schedule during ER. I got kinda ambitious and when buying the fabric from the ties bought fabric and a pattern to make linen pants and a skirt...we'll see when they actually get made...maybe on the next rotation where I need to stay up most of the night!

My standardized tests

Measuring what, if anything, students have learned is rough. Almost painful even. There is really no win for the teacher. If you have them write papers, you have to read them. If you do short answer exams you have to read them and decide whether or not their fringe answer is close enough. If you do multiple choice/scantron exams you have to write the questions – which is worse than I would have thought.

BUT, you have more creative license when writing them – especially if every now and then you want to put a give-away answer in there. Here are a few for an exam coming up:

1. The mechanism that Durkheim describes as constructing the beliefs and bonds of a given group is:
     e. Positive reinforcement in the form of limited distribution of chocolate.

2. Mr. Stroope pointed out that Hindu characteristics, beliefs, and actions are pervasive in India and that as a result:
     e. It is easy for McDonalds to blend in and sell hamburgers as long as a picture of Ganesha is present.

3. Central to the spread and success of the Reformation was:.
     c. Better farming practices that allowed more free time for reflection.
     e. People had always known there was something unlikable about the Catholic Church.

4. A schism, pertaining to religious bodies, is when:
     b. Cracks are found in the church’s foundation.
     e. A denomination stops using one Bible translation and begins using another.

It looks like I run out of 'could be true' answers towards the end of questions (most of those are the 'e' option...).  Also, I suppose I could actually defend some of those somewhat.  Ehhh, I hold the answer key and that is that.

The joys and sorrows of days off

Currently killing some time before I can go bed - and for anyone who knows me well sitting down to watch a movie or read will just turn into an earlier bed time. Worked a night shift last night, have tonight off, and then have clinic tomorrow starting at 1 pm followed by a night shift....so trying to stay up a few more hours so I can sleep in a little longer tomorrow to make the night quite as bad. I do love days off, but not knowing whether to flip my body back to a day or night shift is hard. And I'm pretty sure tomorrow in the ER is going to be BUSY! Last night was completely dead. At 3 am there were 2 patients in the whole ER. That is unheard of in the winter - normally by then you are starting to get caught up so the wait is only 1 hour instead of 2. It has been crazy cold and icy here, so no one apparently left their house - not complaining though, great to have a more relaxing night, but I am afraid that once the ice thaws a little more tomorrow people might come out in herds!

I pulled out my fleece lined jeans to go grocery shopping today and was still cold. Dallas is not supposed to have windchills in the single digits. A lot better than most of the country though I guess. Started sewing curtains today too...if they turn out ok i'll put up a picture in a few weeks when they are done. Thank goodness for google - i have been having to look up all the sewing terms as I am quite the novice. I never have been gifted with much craftiness but hopefully I can at least make curtains!

Here are a couple pictures for fun from the past months

Crabbing in the Puget Sound with my sister (excuse the rain gear, it was little rainy and cold)

Visiting our neice and nephew in Arizona last weekend.
Aaron and Lucy and me and Sam (I think we need to get the kids some sunglasses!)