Categories Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

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It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these–not because I haven’t had opportunity to be thankful, but because my life has been too full to share it.

But for today, I’m thankful:

  • that seminar is done
    I received my criticism today–and it didn’t turn out that badly. My peers criticized me very lightly, my superiors more harshly but still kindly. Dr. Lee said that perhaps she held me to an even higher standard than normal because she sees that I am capable of critical thought and advanced thinking. I am honoured to be considered thus. I will receive a B in seminar–not so well as I would have liked, but I am pleased with it nonetheless. I will do even better next time.
  • that I know what statistical analysis will be done
    We have compiled the information we need and will have our final run of data by Tuesday. I would have liked to have done more analysis, but I am glad to know what we will be able to complete and what we will not be able to complete this semester. I have a sense of closure in regards to the data.
  • that the LDDA meeting tonight was a success
    The meal was wonderful, the company good. I met the dietitian who had worked with my sister at the Ambassador, and caught up with one of the University dietitians I had known long ago as an undergrad.
  • that my eyes can see, my ears can hear, and my mouth can speak
    The eyes that see now as in a glass dimly long for the day of the appearing of the Light. The ears that hear the echoes of a great tumult long for the day when the Victory shout shall be sounded. The mouth that now cries for the end of travail anticipates the day when it shall shout with joy. My unglorified body groans in its fallenness, awaiting in eager expectation the day when it too shall be redeemed. As long as my senses only touch this world, they remain illusory–but when they taste and long for heaven, they are awakened to new accuity. “The Spirit and the bride say ‘Come'”–and I cry, as a bride longing for her wedding night, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”
Categories Rants

Angry and Elusive

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I looked up from the table I’d been wiping to see that four male coworkers, and the male half of the one remaining couple left in the dining room, were staring at the tv screen. When I glanced towards the screen, what I saw had me race-walking to a remote to turn off the tvs.

I don’t know what makes tv producers think they can show naked women on television at 7:30 in the evening (or at any time for that matter), but whatever it is, they’re just plain wrong. I don’t care if they’re making a “mock-u-mentary” on Playboy bunnies–showing naked women is still not appropriate. I object on so many different levels. 1) Nudity (especially of the type I saw) should be classified as obscenity. It is inappropriate and vulgar. 2) The type of nudity that I saw (and that my male coworkers were glued to) objectifies females, reducing them to sex objects. This objectification is bad for both men and women–who find it increasingly difficult to have healthy views of their and others’ bodies, healthy attitudes towards sex, and healthy sexual relationships, partly due to this objectification. 3)
I saw this nudity on tv during “prime time”. Sure it may be cable, but don’t be so naive as to think that children don’t have access to cable tv at 7:30 in the evening.

No one–not adults, not children, not males, not females–should ever have to see such a thing on television.

I was still steaming about the nude playmate I’d just seen when a coworker asked me “How old are you, Rebekah?” Now realize, I’m not a very secretive person. My life is pretty much an open book. But today, and with this guy, I just really didn’t want to say. So I answered with an elusive “I’m in my mid-twenties.” “That’s about what I would have guessed,” he returned. “I’m not exactly a spring chicken myself.”

Yep, I’m sure you’re not. Nice try buddy, but that’s a strike out. I prefer mature men–and those who look away rather than look twice when a naked woman appears on a tv screen.

Categories Homemaking

This meal brought to you by the letter P

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I felt like cooking this evening–or more specifically like eating a hot, real meal this evening. And since my roommate (who doesn’t eat pork) is out of town, I made myself some pork.

I added a twice-baked potato that has been sitting in the freezer for a while–and some peas, which I absolutely love. Then the spirit struck me and I decided to whip up some instant pistachio pudding to go with it all.

It wasn’t until I’d finished reheating the potato and peas, whipping the pistachio pudding, and pan-frying the pork that I realized I was eating all p‘s. Pork. Potato. Peas. Pistachio Pudding.

Introducing, dinner. Brought to you by the letter P.

Plate of pork, potato, peas, and pistachio pudding

A quick note on pork: When I was young, I thought I didn’t like pork. After all, I was used to dry pork chops that required half a cup of applesauce per bite to make them palatable. (Not a bash on my mom’s cooking–she really is an excellent cook. It’s just the pork chops.) But then Mom started buying these picnic roasts–and I loved them. They were moist, tender, flavorful. They were great. Okay, so it wasn’t all pork that I disliked. Just chops. Then I discovered the quick read food thermometer. This is honestly the best kitchen tool since the electric carving knife (bread slicer, that is). I cook the meat to an internal temp of 155 F–and it’s moist and tender and has great flavor. Amazing, isn’t it? If you’ve never owned a kitchen thermometer, go get one. It’s pretty much the best thing you can do. Now you don’t have to burn your meat to a crisp to make sure that it’s done. Just check the internal temp real quick and pull it off the heat while it’s still good.

And just for the record, the internal temps for foods are as follows:

165 F Poultry, stuffing, stuffed dishes (with meat, seafood, poultry, or pasta), reheated foods
155 F Ground meat (except poultry), injected hams or roasts, ground seafood
145 F Seafood, Steaks/chops (of beef, pork, veal, or lamb), roasts (of beef, pork, veal or lamb)

Roasts should remain at 145 for 4 minutes. All other items should remain at the appropriate temp for 15 seconds.

Categories None

Not. quite. yet.

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After a quick look at my finances this afternoon, I have decided that I will not be buying a house. Yet.

I’ll be quitting my job in about a month, preparing for my clinical rotations (during which I’ll be paying for the privilege of working full time.) My budget assessment revealed only about $500 of leeway for January through September 2009. Which isn’t a lot. So, I probably shouldn’t try adding anything more to it right off.

Instead I’ll be transferring all my loose change over to a slightly less accessible account for now–and playing frugal to eke out a bit more throughout my internship. Things always come up, you know–babysitting, professional patient gigs, part-time jobs, withheld income taxes returned, organ donation (JK on that last one). And I might have estimated a bit high on some of my expenses.

So with a bit of patience, a bit of prayer, and some serious penny-pinching, I should be ready to start looking next fall.

Ten years ago I said I wanted to own a house by age 25. I’ve let that dream/goal/whatever fall by the wayside in my pursuit of an advanced degree. Now, as the time draws near and I rapidly approach my mid-twenties, I think I might be getting close–it’s just not. quite. yet.

Categories Everyday Life, Reflections

Working Relationships

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There’s nothing like working with someone closely to impose a illusion of intimacy into your relationship.

I know many, and know of many more, who spend so much time at work, and so much time with coworkers after work, that life and work become inextricably twined. I have never been one of those people. I am not one to “hang out” with my coworkers, or to “hang out” at work when I’m not on the clock. Work life is work life, and personal life is personal life.

But that doesn’t mean that I don’t find myself in all sorts of intriguing working relationships.

Take T.S. We’re strikingly similar–and completely different. Both in our early twenties and working full-time at HSS. Both our father’s are “higher-ups” in the Housing chain of command. Except I’m a college graduate and he still hasn’t figured out what he’s majoring in. I’m assistant to the assistant managers–and he’s been recently demoted back to the dishroom. “I saw your dad today,” he tells me. “Did you see mine?”

J.H. is serious, responsible, and occasionally silly. “Hi, Rebekah” he says, for the fifteenth time today. We share a burrito and comment back and forth over the counter on what might be done to improve it. “A little more cilantro, a bit of lime, maybe some real chiles.” “But it’s not bad, really.” “It has potential. It just needs tweaking.”

J.B., a couple of months my junior, has taken to calling me “Young lady”–when he’s not calling me “Captain.” As in, “Thank you, young lady.” “You’ve made a mess, young lady.” “Yes, Captain.” Our first semester working together, we mock-fought continually, often calling upon our customers to resolve disputes. “Don’t you think this turkey looks anemic? –Yeah, that’s what I thought too!” Now he’s student manager every other weekend, letting me relax and catch up on paperwork. We confer anxiously over our lack of change, discuss theology and whether his girlfriend is justified in intending to break up with him, and waltz in the serving area after hours.

I knew A.S. for about a week before I asked him to marry me. Thankfully, he said no. Actually, I made his saying no a pre-requisite to asking him to marry me. Which he claims broke his heart. He’s been “wooing” me ever since, until I finally gave in to the offer of a greasy spatula. Our “relationship” is forever on the rocks since he does silly things like calling me (a TOTALLY liberated woman) “his woman” and since his girlfriend is definitely not fond of me. “Why don’t you ask REBEKAH? After all, you are engaged.” *Inject venom here.*

T.N. feels like a little brother, and I have to catch myself before scolding him like a big sister. “What are you doing wearing short pants like that on a day like this? You’re going to catch your death of cold.” He shares the trials of the PSAT, and I commiserate with my own stories from last year’s GRE. “So have you thought about what colleges you’re going to apply to?”

The student custodians came up from the facilities offices this morning to get something to drink. First a group of boys, then a group of girls. Jeff commented on the strangeness of it. “I mean, at OUR age?” I couldn’t help but agree. But then again, maybe my working relationships are a bit strange too.

Categories Education

Confessions of a Seminar-Stressed Nutrition Student

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With less than two days ’til seminar, I’ve been totally stressed out today–especially when my internship case study took all morning and my health program planning took all afternoon. I had no choice but to spend all evening on seminar. So, when I got out of class a bit before 8 this evening, I went shopping.

And what, you may ask, does a dietetics intern and nutrition grad student purchase to tide her over during what is sure to be a late night writing?

basket full of junk food

Try donuts, potato chips, Veggie Tales fruit snacks, sardines in mustard sauce, Swiss rolls, Hot Tamales, Boston baked beans, a hot spiced cider packet, dried apple rings, sour gummy worms, cherry sours, ramen, and grapefruit juice.

To my credit, I didn’t eat it all–apparently my binge eating powers have decreased in the last couple of years. All I had this evening was the sardines, a third of the bag of chips, a donut, 3 packets of fruit snacks, a few pieces each of each of the candies, and half the jug of juice.

It’s a sore blow to my olden days eat everything in sight motto–but if I maintain this level of “moderation” (if you can call it that), I may have some snacks to finish my seminar with tomorrow. And if I’m really lucky, I may have some for finishing up my project proposal on Thursday night. It’s too much to hope that I’ll have anything left for Tuesday night, when all my papers are done and my roommates are gone and I’ll be vegging out.

And then I won’t eat another bite of junk food for another couple of months until the next big stress event occurs. (Or Christmas, whichever comes first.)

Such is the life of THIS dietetic intern!

Categories None

Wasting Time

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I’m not exactly procrastinating. After all, I’ve gotten a lot done today. But I have been wasting a significant amount of time seeing what celebrities I look like. What do you think?

In this case, first is a charm. Christina Ricci and I really do look pretty similar in these particular photos–wouldn’t you say?

Second time around, I begin to see a theme. Big mouths. Great. At least I wasn’t matched to Julia Roberts. Gah!

Hmm… This layout doesn’t have any names. Which means I don’t know who any of those people are. They’re all really pretty though.

I’m a guy, apparently. Or at least I look like one.

It really is all in the photography. ‘Cuz my jaw doesn’t always look like that. But in this picture at least, they’ve got my jaw matched pretty well.

Now those are some new faces. Amazing what a sneer can do for you. I’m a whole new person!

MyHeritage: Family trees – Genealogy – Celebrities

Oh, this is exciting. I put in a photo of me as Posh Spice–and guess who one of my matches was? Victoria Beckham! And guess who Victoria Beckham is? Posh Spice! (Sorry, I’m getting a little “Firefighter Swenson”ie about now.)

I can see your question plain as day. “Did you really do 1000 photos?” No. I definitely did not. I did what you saw here plus two or three more. I simply lost count and started writing random numbers.

But, having wasted entirely too much time choosing faces–do me a favor by comparing yourself and sending me a link so I can waste some more time (without being an absolute narcissist).

Categories Education

A Recipe for Stress

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    Nov. 4

  • The United States of America elects Barak Obama president
    Wed, Nov. 5

  • Get to bed REALLY late
  • Wake up pretty EARLY
  • Go to class
  • Go to work
  • Stay up way too late AGAIN
    Thu, Nov. 6

  • Collect data for research class
  • Moderate at seminar
  • Seminar abstract due
  • Research methods homework due
  • Attend sister’s white coat ceremony
    Fri, Nov. 7

  • Food Chemistry test
  • Work 7 hours
  • Attend Barn dance
    Sat, Nov. 8

  • Work 10 hours
    Tue, Nov. 11

  • Case study due
  • Medical Terminology competition
  • Lab values competition
    Thu, Nov. 13

  • Present seminar
  • Research methods assignment due
    Fri, Nov. 14

  • Non-thesis option project proposal due

Recipe for Peace:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Categories Faith, Politics

Not all bad news

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I told myself I wasn’t going to stress. Wasn’t going to watch the news. Wasn’t going to follow the play-by-play’s online.

So guess what I’ve been doing this evening?

If you guessed stressing and following the play-by-play’s online, you’d be right. Bonus points if you included an Excel spreadsheet with my own predictions for the winner.

I have to say I’m disappointed that the presidential race is leaning at Obama (I have little doubt that the networks have already proclaimed him the winner.) But, at least in Nebraska, there are small victories to celebrate.

Mike Johanns beat out Harvard boy Scott Kleeb in the Senate race–keeping one of Nebraska’s Senate seats in the Republican fold. (And Johanns is a much more conservative Republic than Hagel, who he’s replacing.) Jeff Fortenberry has been re-elected to the House of Representatives. I was also pleased to see Adrian Smith be re-elected. I enjoyed listening to him when he visited UNL’s college Republican’s a couple of years ago when he was running against the aforementioned Hahvahd child.

Even more exciting is the triumph of Tim Clare over Earl Scudder in the University of Nebraska’s Board of Regents race. Scudder made his support of embryonic stem cell research a main player in his advertising campaigns, euphemistically calling it “support for life-saving research.” Clare took a more ethical stance and proclaimed his support for the TRULY life-saving (and life-enhancing) adult stem cell research, but his opposition to the death-dealing embryonic stem call research. If you didn’t already know, adult stem cells are already being used for life-saving and life-enhancing therapies. Despite many years of research (and tons of research dollars spent), embryonic stem cells have failed to produce even one mildly successful therapy. YAY for CLARE! I’m glad you (and life) won.

Another big woohoo for Nebraska is the passing of an initiative to ammend the Nebraska constitution for the prohibition of Affirmative Action by any government entity. Equal Opportunity triumphs at last! Down with discrimination–up with getting the best guy (or gal) for the job!

But the biggest reason to not kill myself come January 19th (and perhaps even to celebrate despite the impending destruction of a nation I love) is what I read this morning in Revelation 19:6 “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” And what I read this evening as I was copying Obadiah 21 “And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” I am temporarily a citizen of this earth, and a citizen of the United States of America. Despots rise and fall here, and every so often, a decent ruler comes into power. But I have a permanent citizenship in a kingdom whose ruler has never been voted out of office, never been overthrown by a coup’d’etat, never had a veto overruled by a two-thirds majority of senate and house. I have a king who has never cut military spending, who always keeps His men clad in the best of defensive armor and fighting with the most up-to-date offensive weapons. I have a king who has never taken from me what is rightfully mine to give it to another who does not deserve it–instead, He has taken what was rightfully His and given it to me (who cannot even begin to deserve it). The United States may be going to hell in a handbasket–but I’m not going with it, because I don’t belong here. “The Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”