So, I have a sense of humor. And no desire to type papers...

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I needed a break from all the studying and academic typing I've been doing for three months straight, and this did the trick. I hope you all enjoy it. It's not contributing to academia whatsoever, but everyone needs to laugh! After all, "Laughter is the best medicine!" (I dare say, that was at least a contribution to the medical field)...

When in doubt, write a paper....?

I've been busy, according to the date stamp of the last blog entry. I "should" really work on that. But I'm done "should"ing on myself and don't have time to, for that matter. I've got papers to write!

So, my first and foremost priority is my Senior Project, due officially one week from today. And I only (?) have one-and-a-half chapters to write. That's right. Chapters. But, I know I can do it. Why, you ask? Well, that brings me to priority #2 and the second paper.

For my Child Abuse and Neglect class, I wrote a 6-page paper on C.A.S.A. (go to www.casaforchildren.org for the national website and you can even use their look-up function to see if your local area has one also) which is a special advocation program for children involved in the juvenile court system. This is for the worst child abuse cases -- those that require, more than likely, to be placed out-of-home. The C.A.S.A. worker advocates for the child by assessing the child's home environment, feelings about their home life, and attending all court dates with the child to be the child's voice. It is estimated that 4 out of 5 recommendations by C.A.S.A. staff are approved and enacted by juvenile court judges, according to the national C.A.S.A. website.

Third and final paper is for my graduate-level Family Intervention class on three members of two different generations of one family and their interpretation of how their family operates. My assignment is to assess the family for any issues that may show up as more serious problems later and address those issues by applying two Therapeutic (psychological) Models to the family that would be most beneficial to them should they be in counseling.

Heavy material! All for good causes and it helps me identify with my more altruistic side. I love it, I gotta say. And now to work on my Senior Project, "Resilience Factors in Single Parent Undergraduate Students." Seems that Cal Poly just adopted a new group to support people of this particular demographic and I'm hoping for the best for them. If I can be part of it, all the better! Have an awesome day!

Does worry really cause warts...? ...Or just ulcers??

Since I have remained silent thus far about the economic crisis, I thought that the prompting of the new Mad Magazine would give me a good excuse to bring it up. After all, who are we kidding here? People who thought that buying a home was the American Dream ("people" such as myself) are now coming to the realization that it may be just the opposite: the American Nightmare.

Having had the fortuitousness to be able to live vicariously through home owners and stock holders, I have come to appreciate my education, friends, and children that much more (and not necessarily in that particular order either). People don't go away when money disappears -- unless it's your portfolio manager. Children don't suddenly turn evil when the usual "Saturday Night Out" is replaced by an economically feasible "Saturday Night In". Love has no measurable monetary cost.

Which brings me to the point of this post. Worry has a monetary cost, in the form of medical bills. According to the theory of Somatic Experience, when one encounters stressful events that they allow to build up in their body instead of experiencing, processing and developing a solution for, the effects of the pent up stress cause physical manifestations of illness to appear in the body. Somatic Therapy is the process by which the person learns to stay in the moment, present in their own body, feeling the sensations of the experience and allowing the feelings to process and find a natural resolution. This allows healing on a holistic level (body, mind and spirit). Read about Somatic Therapy here.

I hope that the current money situation in your life allows you to get closer to what is truly important in the grand scheme of life: the intangible, human experience through love in the form of people and passion for life.

Come on over to my lemonade stand...

Well, it's been over two months since I've blogged, and for good reason. I've had a close family member and another close friend both pass away within that time, and meanwhile have been trying to find the state of mind to carry on day-to-day activities without losing my... well, you know. Grief is a strange process. To say that there are only five stages of grief wouldn't be doing it justice.

Grief ebbs and flows; it's not meant to be forced, nor is it meant to be swallowed. The sadness one experiences can be buffered by a close family or friend network, lots of personal space to process and feel feelings, and proper self-care techniques (as has been mentioned in my blog before). But the coddling and caring for the grief itself is not to be understated. Sadness and loss are two feelings all humans are familiar with, yet do not welcome near their front door. It is perhaps the acceptance of, and allowance for the presence of these emotions that allows us to heal. I welcome my grief. It is my chance to perseverate on the feelings I have for the individuals I lost and the gratitude I hold for the absence of pain in their lives.

A friend shed a new light on me regarding this subject today. She explained that perhaps we don't need to get mired down in the process of grieving and, on the contrary, celebrate what the person meant and still means to us today. Simple, yet it works. This has given me the personal power to recommit to my daily living tasks, feel a little more in control of my world, and step out in faith to keep challenging my fears and taking risks to create positive change in my life.

My hats off to the author of "Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Hardiness Helps People

Turn Stressful Circumstances into Opportunities" on psychologymatters.org. Commitment, control, and challenge are the keys to finding oneself with a pitcher full of glorious lemonade, instead of a bucket of lemons. Which would you rather have? Check out the article by clicking on the title to this blog entry. It's worth a shot.

A Worthy Cause for Worthy Humans...

Something I've been interested in for some time is taking a missionary trip/volunteer trip to a foreign land (be it Mexico, Brazil, Australia, or India, as this entry is about).

With my responsibilities at home (school, children, single-parent status), and the fact that I actually am a responsible human and don't intend to abandon any of the above, plus taking care of my home has prevented me from caving into my wanton desire to serve fellow humans and throw my proverbial hands up at U.S. society at large. BUT... being the internet troller that I am, it doesn't stop me from dreaming. Besides, they say (whomever the "they" people are in reference to this quip): 80% of goals that are written down are achieved.

So take that and put it in your happy cap. And check out this organization!

Educational and health awareness activities with slum kids in Goa

Link: International Volunteer Work Camps in India

Goa August 10 - August 23, 2009

Volunteer project: Situated on the west coast (Arabian Sea), lies this small touristic state of India. Goa was the former Portuguese colony in India. It is one of India's most cherished and prominent places for travelers since many years for its remarkable palm-fringed beaches; a travelers paradise.
Groups of international volunteers along with a local group of specialists have been part of an awareness program all throughout the state for several years. This year again a volunteer project will be conducted but with a different theme.

In the first week of the project, the volunteers will be visiting the schools and rural settlements of the region to present the importance of health and hygiene awareness and the need of education among the adults and the children. The volunteers need to be very creative in designing the exclusive orientation for the people of this region. Volunteers who participate in this project need to bring materials and ideas for the program, after which the whole group will settle on a plan of action decided by the team.
The place where volunteers will work is the largest slum in Goa, where most of the inhabitants are migrants and whose children do not have access to basic education. The international volunteer project aims to provide basic education to these children. The program will be mainly in schools/orphanages where the management will invite the parents and the surrounding villagers to visit and absorb the message given out through the presentations and plays.

Language: English

Accommodation: In a guesthouse, in shared rooms.

Location: Panjim city, in Goa State. Panjim is the capital of the state of Goa. Panjim is accessible by air, domestic and some international airlines fly directly to Panjim Airport. The nearest international airports are Mumbai and Bangalore. Trains and buses operate on a daily basis from Bombay and Bangalore.

Age range: 18 and over

Extra fee: 10,000 Indian Rupees (about $193 US)
The extra fee is intended to support the hosting organization who does not have sufficient funds. It is due upon arrival on the project

I am a Neutered Psychological Stud

I'm not a boy -- let's get that out of the way before people get confused by the title... and on with the sponsored message of the day; brought to you by TONS of Diet Pepsi and a whopping truckload of frustration.

This quarter of college can best be described by one word and one word only: UGGGGH.

Trying to remember what I'm doing in 10 seconds has taken a backseat to providing edible meals for my offspring and fielding attitude-inflected comments from the elder one. So has paying rent (and of course electricity -- who needs lights going out in the middle of a study-session already on the brink of ending as soon as it begins?) I have even overlooked calling my landlord to inform him that the cooler has gone on strike, a second blow to having my neighbors constantly slowing down to see what I'm doing in the kitchen because he's neglected to provide window coverings for that window after the umpteenth request (okay, maybe only three, but c'mon! Gimme a break! I finally took dark curtains and made a stand-in that will work for now, even if I can't see my hand in front of my face during broad daylight hours.)

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I'm Brain Dead -- officially. After much internal debate over what I must be missing in my diet or lifestyle by clearing my head of the obsession that the answer was on the internet, I came up with three posts from different blogs and websites that indicate that I'm either already checking off the mental checklist of remedies as we speak, or some version thereof. Here goes the list, given by Google and read with rolling eyes and a sneer by me:

Diet Changes/Focus: "Brain Food Helps students Power through College Finals" http://www.askstudent.com/health/brain-food-to-help-students-power-through-college-finals/

Stress Reduction: "Finals stressing you out? Try meditation"
http://www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/using_meditation_to_rid_yourself_of_anxiety_05062009942136/

Things I misled you all and I actually have NOT done in any way, shape, or form (i.e. sleeping enough, not worrying, etc.): "Tips for Taking College Finals"
http://hubpages.com/hub/Tips_for_Taking_College_Finals

Okay, so I lied about doing all three and actually stretched the truth a bit on the second -- who has time to meditate when you have children and 14 units? But I did try deep breathing (just to clear my conscience). It's not that I expect anyone to read this, but if you are, I'd appreciate some feedback...

Fatigue and Endometriosis

(click on the title above to access the article I'm referencing in this blog post)


I have always found it difficult to deal with juggling parenting, full-time university student, volunteer committee Vice Chair, and other various responsibilities. However, I have faithfully practiced the art of denial in most cases where I felt like I was lacking when I failed to have enough energy to complete the tasks of the day.

Through researching vague leg pain (quite sharp and distinct in feeling, vague in cause) I found a link to reality and non-reality: a close family member has endometriosis and chronic fatigue. I have experienced the intense "urge to nap" more often than not in my life and wanted to call it "chronic fatigue syndrome" but it didn't seem to match the symptoms I was finding online. Enter the vague leg pain: it has gotten worse over the preceding months but around the same time every month (I'll leave it at that) I get a sharp shooting pain in one or both legs starting at the lower back or hip area.

Since I was in pain this evening, I thought I'd research it online and at http://www.endo-resolved.com/fatigue-article.html you'll find an article on self-care--a concept quite foreign to me until lately. It also has links on endometriosis. Check it out.

And, oh yeah, I'm no longer dwelling in the Desert of Denial. My fatigue is real. I choose to take care of myself today and thank God for the internet! :-)

Watch out for the evil octopus... ;-)

I was bored out of my skull in Genetics this evening and would rather tell you about the octopus than the fact that I finally took allergy meds and am happy to state that I am no longer trying to scratch my eyelids off or pull out all my eyelashes... enjoy! thanks to eureka! science news.com (either click on the title above or copy and paste the code below into your browser...
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/04/15/tentacles.venom.new.study.reveals.all.octopuses.are.venomous

Facebook Users and Lower College Grades (click on this link for story)

As if it wasn't sad enough to give up what little I *had* of a social life, now they're saying that Facebook use has been linked to lower grades in college. Although there's more than one study that has shown results similar to this type of result for Facebook usage, I believe there still needs to be studies done to counter this argument. :-)

Source: esciencenews.com

New Methamphetamine Test -- Industrial Hygienists Create Instant Test To Identify Traces Of Crystal Methamphetamine

Just in case you were thinking that law enforcement had forgotten all about our "Meth Problem" in the United States, here they go -- or went, according to the date on the above-referenced article -- being innovative in finding new means by which to alleviate some of the fears and dangers to meth-lab cleanup crew members, as well as spark a new flame of worry under the heinies of those currently involved in meth-lab usage.

Here's the background info:
ScienceDaily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0310-new_methamphetamine_test.htm#) -- Industrial hygienists developed a quick swab test to identify dangerous residue of toxic chemicals left behind in the creation of homemade methamphetamine. This test works like a pregnancy test. Swabbing the suspected surface leads to a color change if meth is detected, allowing for safety precautions and immediate clean-up when necessary.

Research Interests and Varying the Content of My Blog

Hi y'all! This is just a check-in to let you know that I will now be posting sites "of academic interest." These websites and/or links to articles will give the reader/perusing blog follower a chance to see what my academic interests encompass. A few of my more broad interest categories are as follows:

1. Drug Addiction/Alcoholism; particularly the biopsychological factors that play a role in establishing and maintaining addiction

2. Addiction's Effect on Family Subsystems

3. Child Abuse and Neglect

4. Bipolar Disorder

5. Prevention of Teen At-Risk Behavior Through Use of Supportive Measures

6. Program Development for At-Risk youth

And I can't even seem to remember a 10-item grocery list...

Hey y'all. Taking a break from 4.5 hours of research lab work and almost 2 hours of class to share the following link:

http://laurafreberg.com/blog/?p=417

Go to it, read it, watch the clip -- and the whole thing and actually pay attention to what they're saying (I seem to have trouble with this quite a bit myself)... and voila! You'll actually learn something new! I love it when that happens despite my grumbling and digging-in of heels.

It's about a savant named Stephen Wiltshire. Don't know what a "savant" is? Go look at the site!!! It's good!

Thank you Laura Freberg for enriching our minds and managing to have a sense of humor at the same time!

Should I even bother?

Hey there, campers. I'm baaaaaaaack!!! I don't think I'll be mentioning how much time elapses in between my posts anymore for there's just no point. I took a quarter off (I think most people who know about a pinkie toe's worth about me can attest to the fact that I was losing it...) to take care of health issues that I'd been putting on the back burner for over two years. And it was causing a blooming of other health problems for me (sort of a mushrooming effect, I'd say). So, a bone scan, a serious vacation, and some quality time learning to take care of myself later, I'm not all perfect and shiny, but I AM a lot better.

That research internship I was doing in the Summer of '08 taught me this: I DON'T, and I repeat (picture me screaming, and pitching a fit on the floor and banging my fists) DON'T LIKE TO ANALYZE DATA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully I got my point across, but I think that internship was the straw that broke this camel's back.

BTW, I got an "A-" in the Memory and Cognition class I was taking. Apparently, I'm smarter than I like to give myself credit for...

So, now I'm doing the second half of that research internship as a requirement for my degree, but I've got a far better "job" this time: Community Service Coordinator for the mentoring program I had previously analyzed data for. I rock it, I think. As long as I report what I'm doing to the professor and Lead Mentor, I've pretty much got free reign to set my own agenda as long as I complete a set of tasks the professor gave me in the beginning. Cool beans.

The other two classes (after I serve my obligatory 12 hours a week in the lab) are my Behavioral Effects of Psychoactive Drugs and Multicultural Psychology classes. I've heard that professor who used to teach the Psychoactive Drugs class used to bring in a "box of drugs" to show as examples to the class (I'm assuming they weren't someone's blood pressure medication, if you know what I mean.) The current professor's pretty dry but she does come up with some off-the-wall stuff to talk about sometimes.

Anyways, gotta go, I got work to do. But I bet if you've read any previous posts on this blog, you already knew that.