Last weekend as Nate and I awoke from our slumbers, I was my usual perky self and popped right out of bed and was already heading towards the kitchen. Nate tends to wake up more slowly so I didn't expect to hear a peep out of him, but then as I stepped out of our bedroom I heard him yell something.
"Polypeptide!"
Yep. The first word out of his mouth. This guy has science on his mind. And I like it!
Speaking of Nate and science, I have been occasionally taking his quizzes/exams and I am currently failing Earth Science, have a B+ in Chemistry, and an A- in Biology...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
2 seconds of fame
I was recently informed that I'm famous.
On the front page here is a video about Ben Hayes' efforts to start a new church in the medical center. For a brief moment, you will see me with my friend Kim, who also helped to start this growing church. Although I don't attend Church in the Center, I do attend weekly lunch/devotionals with this great group of people.
Read the full story about Ben's efforts to reach out to the medical center community.
On the front page here is a video about Ben Hayes' efforts to start a new church in the medical center. For a brief moment, you will see me with my friend Kim, who also helped to start this growing church. Although I don't attend Church in the Center, I do attend weekly lunch/devotionals with this great group of people.
Read the full story about Ben's efforts to reach out to the medical center community.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Caffeine-free
I gave up coffee/caffeine near the end of 2007. It was the best decision I ever made.
Ok, not really. But it was a good one. I've decided I don't really like the taste of coffee... it was really the flavored dairy creamers that I liked so much.
Even though I have avoided caffeine for 2 years now, that doesn't mean that I never have caffeinated beverages. Once in a while I'll treat myself while I'm out or in social situations. Often I will ask for the decaffeinated version if it's available. But if not, I prepare myself for a racing heartrate, more energy than I really know what to do with, and a sleepless night ahead.
Here are some of my favorite occassional drink substitutes to coffee:
1) Iced sweet tea. I could drink a gallon of this stuff in a week. Decaf option: No.
2) Coke. Of the Dr. Peppery variety. Decaf option: Yes.
3) McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffee. A must-have on any road trip which Nate and I embark on. This makes for a hyper passenger to travel with. Decaf option: No.
4) Herbal teas or decaffeinated black teas. Decaf option: Yes.
5) Starbucks alternatives: Decaf vanilla soy latte, Calm Tazo tea with lots of honey, and recently, Caramel Apple Spice Cider, and Decaf PEPPERMINT MOCHA (can't wait for this to be available!). Decaf options: Yes.
6) Plain iced tea. I have to be in the right mood, but I could certainly down this stuff in a hurry. Decaf option: Not that I know of... is this served anywhere?
And that, my friends, is how my body has remained virtually caffeine-free for two years. And I feel great.
Ok, not really. But it was a good one. I've decided I don't really like the taste of coffee... it was really the flavored dairy creamers that I liked so much.
Even though I have avoided caffeine for 2 years now, that doesn't mean that I never have caffeinated beverages. Once in a while I'll treat myself while I'm out or in social situations. Often I will ask for the decaffeinated version if it's available. But if not, I prepare myself for a racing heartrate, more energy than I really know what to do with, and a sleepless night ahead.
Here are some of my favorite occassional drink substitutes to coffee:
1) Iced sweet tea. I could drink a gallon of this stuff in a week. Decaf option: No.
2) Coke. Of the Dr. Peppery variety. Decaf option: Yes.
3) McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffee. A must-have on any road trip which Nate and I embark on. This makes for a hyper passenger to travel with. Decaf option: No.
4) Herbal teas or decaffeinated black teas. Decaf option: Yes.
5) Starbucks alternatives: Decaf vanilla soy latte, Calm Tazo tea with lots of honey, and recently, Caramel Apple Spice Cider, and Decaf PEPPERMINT MOCHA (can't wait for this to be available!). Decaf options: Yes.
6) Plain iced tea. I have to be in the right mood, but I could certainly down this stuff in a hurry. Decaf option: Not that I know of... is this served anywhere?
And that, my friends, is how my body has remained virtually caffeine-free for two years. And I feel great.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Library perks
I'm a big fan of the public library. Always have been. When I was a kid, my dad used to take me and a friend to the library for the morning or afternoon, and we'd go out for lunch together. That was the kind of playdate I liked. Sometimes, I would ask to spend the entire day there; I would go to work with my mom (who worked at the library, and still does) and read books from 8-5 (mind you, there was no such thing as "surfing the web" back then, so I was not wasting time on the computer like most kids do today), then go home with her at the end of the day. I would take her 15 minute breaks with her, eat lunch with her, and once in a while she (and the rest of the staff) would let me make the closing announcement.
Attention patrons, the library will close in 15 minutes. Copy machines will be turned off in 10 minutes. Please bring materials to the circulation desk.
Attention patrons, the library is now closed. Please exit the building.
Or, something like that. :)
Anyway, I don't reveal this to make you think I was a bookworm (even though I was), nerd (far from it!), or person prone to spending hours cooped up in the library in college or grad school (huh? not me.), but just to say that the public library is quite a fine invention. I regularly check books out from our local library -- books that I don't want to buy but just want to read-- and it is a wonderful thing. We even check out dvd's fairly regularly.
Nate and I don't go to the movies much because it costs my arm and his leg. In the past, we used to rent movies from Blockbuster, but even that can get pricey, and you have to return it within 48 short hours. We haven't jumped on the Netflix bandwagon because even though it's reasonably priced, we simply do not have our eyes glued to the tv enough to justify it (unless it is baseball season).
So recently, we have been checking out movies from the library. For free. With 2+ weeks before you have to return it, it's the way to go. If you think you can only get old movies at the library, you are wrong. They have all the latest titles too. You can search for your movie title on the online library catalog, place the item on hold, have it delivered to your local branch, and pick it up.
Some of the titles we've recently viewed are:
Shawshank Redemption
Singin' in the Rain
Disney's Robin Hood
Lawrence of Arabia
Run Fat Boy Run
Fiddler on the Roof
Gran Torino
Henry V
Master and Commander
Marley & Me
I had never seen any of these movies until now.
While we were in Chicago last weekend I caught the tail end (ha ha ha) of Marley & Me on HBO. It's a drama/comedy based on a true personal account about a mischievous golden lab and the family who owns him. I cried watching just 10 minutes of the finale. I couldn't stand not having seen the entire movie, so I picked it up from the library on Friday and watched it last weekend after an afternoon of volunteering at the SPCA. It's not what I would call a quality family movie, but it was moving nonetheless. Although I've never owned a dog, I pretty much lost buckets of tears. I can't help it- I'm an animal lover through and through.
Attention patrons, the library will close in 15 minutes. Copy machines will be turned off in 10 minutes. Please bring materials to the circulation desk.
Attention patrons, the library is now closed. Please exit the building.
Or, something like that. :)
Anyway, I don't reveal this to make you think I was a bookworm (even though I was), nerd (far from it!), or person prone to spending hours cooped up in the library in college or grad school (huh? not me.), but just to say that the public library is quite a fine invention. I regularly check books out from our local library -- books that I don't want to buy but just want to read-- and it is a wonderful thing. We even check out dvd's fairly regularly.
Nate and I don't go to the movies much because it costs my arm and his leg. In the past, we used to rent movies from Blockbuster, but even that can get pricey, and you have to return it within 48 short hours. We haven't jumped on the Netflix bandwagon because even though it's reasonably priced, we simply do not have our eyes glued to the tv enough to justify it (unless it is baseball season).
So recently, we have been checking out movies from the library. For free. With 2+ weeks before you have to return it, it's the way to go. If you think you can only get old movies at the library, you are wrong. They have all the latest titles too. You can search for your movie title on the online library catalog, place the item on hold, have it delivered to your local branch, and pick it up.
Some of the titles we've recently viewed are:
Shawshank Redemption
Singin' in the Rain
Disney's Robin Hood
Lawrence of Arabia
Run Fat Boy Run
Fiddler on the Roof
Gran Torino
Henry V
Master and Commander
Marley & Me
I had never seen any of these movies until now.
While we were in Chicago last weekend I caught the tail end (ha ha ha) of Marley & Me on HBO. It's a drama/comedy based on a true personal account about a mischievous golden lab and the family who owns him. I cried watching just 10 minutes of the finale. I couldn't stand not having seen the entire movie, so I picked it up from the library on Friday and watched it last weekend after an afternoon of volunteering at the SPCA. It's not what I would call a quality family movie, but it was moving nonetheless. Although I've never owned a dog, I pretty much lost buckets of tears. I can't help it- I'm an animal lover through and through.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Chicago Marathon
Unfortunate circumstances (otherwise known as a cold) unexpectedly prevented Nate from running in the race which he had been looking forward to for 8 months, but we nevertheless had an enjoyable time.
While the runners braved the freezing temps (see temp reading of 28 F) in their running gear, Nate and I bundled up and I bought the sick guy a cup of Starbucks. We then commenced our chase. We chased the elite runners from mile 2 to mile 16 to mile 26 and maintained our front row seats each time.
Sammy Wanjiru, who won the gold in the 2008 olympic games for the men's marathon, streaked past us like a lightning bolt each time, winning first place with the fastest time on American soil (2:05:41).
The women's leader, Liliya Shobukhova, finished in 2:25:56, well ahead of the other female runners in only her second competetive marathon ever. Boy, she was fast. She was well ahead of all the other women.
Here's Deena Kastor (in the black), an American who holds an American record in the marathon, at mile 16 and at the finish:
A couple photos from the Expo:
I'm smiling above with trainer and running legend Bart Yasso.Overall this was a fun marathon to watch. As a spectator I don't get the full effect of the marathon as a whole, but if I had to pick between participating in this one or Houston again, I'd pick Houston for a number of reasons, some of which I list below:
-less people = less lag time to start line
-names printed on bib
-starting groups based on estimated time (you don't have to qualify in a prior race to secure a starting spot)
-bigger expo
-start line next to a building (so you can be indoors prior to start in case of freezing weather! (ahem))
-better fan support
-cloth goodie/gear bags (not plastic!)
-hot breakfast after race finish
-medical support team which monitors weight before/after the race
At around 1:45pm that afternoon, Nate and I were just heading back to the L-station after a lovely visit to Lincoln Park, when we saw a runner pass by with his marathon bib. I thought, "Wow, that guy is really sllloooooow! He's STILL running the race and it's been more than 6 hours!" That's when Nate exclaimed, "Hey, that's Dean!" Dean Karnazes? Ultramarathon man? His book sits on our bookshelf and we reference it regularly. I yelled out a greeting to Dean, then broke off in a run, with my giant backpack on my back, and wearing my rocketdogs (non-running shoes). I finally stopped just behind him and snapped a picture, when someone in the car behind him yelled "Hey! Aren't you going to run with him?" "Can I?" I asked. "Of course!" I dropped my backpack and picked up my speed. I eventually caught up to him. "Hi Dean! What are you doing?" His response? "Running. What are you doing?" "Running too!" I said. He looked me up and down a bit, and I noticed him checking out my shoes. I was embarrassed because I wasn't wearing my running shoes, yet I was chasing after him. "Where did you come from?" I stuttered and explained that I wasn't out running already, but I saw him running, then started running. He explained that he was running the marathon twice and was on his second loop. I told him I was here to watch Nate run in the marathon but that he got sick and had to drop out. "I'm sorry to hear that. Well, tell him I'm running this second loop for him." We continued our conversation for a couple minutes, running side by side, then we had our photo taken and I broke away. Amazing. The guy who I thought was painstakingly slow was actually Dean Karnazes running his second marathon in a row.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Recent Travels
I've been getting my travel on in the past couple of weeks. I began with a work trip in Dallas, followed immediately by Cincinnati for a wedding, then to Chicago the weekend after for the marathon. With all of these back-to-back travels, it is easy to look back and offer up a few rankings:
Airport rankings:
1. HOU (Houston Hobby): Small, clean, renovated, and pleasant. No crowds. Airport of choice when traveling in/out of Houston
2. DFW (Dallas/Ft Worth): Gigantic yet extremely organized, efficient, and easy to navigate from terminal to terminal using the sky train.
3. IAH (Houston George Bush Intercontinental): Great airport, though not as comfortable as the first two.
4. CVG (Cincinnati): Security checkpoint three miles* from gates.
5. ORD (Chicago O'Hare): If you want to catch your flight, arrive at the airport 5 hours* in advance. That will give you enough time to get through the security checkpoint, which operates at a snail's pace. The plus is that it's connected to the L-train.
Airline Rankings:
1. Continental- Food service... and not for purchase! With your beverage, get a muffin for breakfast! Bring headphones and watch tv/listen to the radio from your seat. Flight attendants return for second rounds of beverage service. Also, very prompt.
2. American- Probably the most comfortable planes; courteous flight attendants and some planes with wi-fi.
3. Delta- "The Friendly Skies" is an appropriate motto- their flight attendants are super nice and accommodating. Get your choice of three snacks with your beverage of choice.
Cincinnati was a whirlwind trip, so I can't comment much on the city itself except that it was COLD. But not as cold as it was in Chicago. It hit below freezing whi
le we were there; I cannot imagine what it's like in the thick of winter. They don't call it the windy city for nothing... I much prefer mild temps and it is a relief to be back in the warmth of Texas where my chapped lips can recuperate. I'm thankful that our rare cold days** in Houston don't actually hit until January. However, we really enjoyed Chicago. Every city needs an L-train or Metro train (DC) as a form of public transportation. You can actually conceive of not owning a vehicle, which I have long thought would be an amazing luxury. Just hop on the train and go, not to mention the great exercise you get by walking to/from the train stations and going up and down the stairs (my quads are killing me... who needs a marathon to make you sore when you can climb stairs to get on the L?) We didn't have enough time to thoroughly explore the city but we did hit the hot-spots and although most of the city did not appeal to me (what's with all the honking horns? They far surpassed Houston's honking abilities), I absolutely fell in love with Lincoln Park. Lots of green, flora, and a free zoo and conservatory, surrounded by beautiful, quiet neighborhoods with quaint shops and a variety of eateries. A great place to go on a jog too. I'm sure there are other pockets of Chicago that are just as nice which we didn't get to see, and we'll have to defer further explorations to another time.
* perhaps, slight exaggerations
** temps in the 30s
Airport rankings:
1. HOU (Houston Hobby): Small, clean, renovated, and pleasant. No crowds. Airport of choice when traveling in/out of Houston
2. DFW (Dallas/Ft Worth): Gigantic yet extremely organized, efficient, and easy to navigate from terminal to terminal using the sky train.
3. IAH (Houston George Bush Intercontinental): Great airport, though not as comfortable as the first two.
4. CVG (Cincinnati): Security checkpoint three miles* from gates.
5. ORD (Chicago O'Hare): If you want to catch your flight, arrive at the airport 5 hours* in advance. That will give you enough time to get through the security checkpoint, which operates at a snail's pace. The plus is that it's connected to the L-train.
Airline Rankings:
1. Continental- Food service... and not for purchase! With your beverage, get a muffin for breakfast! Bring headphones and watch tv/listen to the radio from your seat. Flight attendants return for second rounds of beverage service. Also, very prompt.
2. American- Probably the most comfortable planes; courteous flight attendants and some planes with wi-fi.
3. Delta- "The Friendly Skies" is an appropriate motto- their flight attendants are super nice and accommodating. Get your choice of three snacks with your beverage of choice.
Cincinnati was a whirlwind trip, so I can't comment much on the city itself except that it was COLD. But not as cold as it was in Chicago. It hit below freezing whi
le we were there; I cannot imagine what it's like in the thick of winter. They don't call it the windy city for nothing... I much prefer mild temps and it is a relief to be back in the warmth of Texas where my chapped lips can recuperate. I'm thankful that our rare cold days** in Houston don't actually hit until January. However, we really enjoyed Chicago. Every city needs an L-train or Metro train (DC) as a form of public transportation. You can actually conceive of not owning a vehicle, which I have long thought would be an amazing luxury. Just hop on the train and go, not to mention the great exercise you get by walking to/from the train stations and going up and down the stairs (my quads are killing me... who needs a marathon to make you sore when you can climb stairs to get on the L?) We didn't have enough time to thoroughly explore the city but we did hit the hot-spots and although most of the city did not appeal to me (what's with all the honking horns? They far surpassed Houston's honking abilities), I absolutely fell in love with Lincoln Park. Lots of green, flora, and a free zoo and conservatory, surrounded by beautiful, quiet neighborhoods with quaint shops and a variety of eateries. A great place to go on a jog too. I'm sure there are other pockets of Chicago that are just as nice which we didn't get to see, and we'll have to defer further explorations to another time.* perhaps, slight exaggerations
** temps in the 30s
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
What do you do when you lose power* during a wedding reception?
--->Make your own music/entertainment!
Sweet Caroline
-->Serenade the Bride!
You've lost that lovin' feeling
Play Corn hole! (not pictured)
CONGRATULATIONS, Elizabeth and Steve!
We love you (even the Olive)!
*fluorescent safety lights excluded
Sweet Caroline
 |
| From Elizabeth and Steve's Wedding 10-3-09 |
-->Serenade the Bride!
You've lost that lovin' feeling
 |
| From Elizabeth and Steve's Wedding 10-3-09 |
CONGRATULATIONS, Elizabeth and Steve!
We love you (even the Olive)!
*fluorescent safety lights excluded
Plug for COG
As part of my job I do quite of bit of collaborative work with COG (Children's Oncology Group). It is really rewarding knowing that I am contributing in some small way to finding cures for childhood cancer.
If you're looking for a way to donate to a cancer research organization, consider CureSearch. Click here for a link to some family testimonies of how COG has contributed to the lives of children with cancer and their families.
If you're looking for a way to donate to a cancer research organization, consider CureSearch. Click here for a link to some family testimonies of how COG has contributed to the lives of children with cancer and their families.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Oh, technology
Wi-fi is now offered in flight!
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/urls/gogo.jsp&anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=gogo
I'm flying back from DFW to IAH and we were all given free internet access. Whoah!
It's pretty neat, although I really can't decide if this is a good thing. Despite the advantages of improving technology, we are far too dependent on our computers, cell phones, dvd players, ipods, etc. We can't even escape it when we're thousands of miles off the ground...
I just hope I won't ever have to listen to ringing cell phones or cell phone conversations on the plane.
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/urls/gogo.jsp&anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=gogo
I'm flying back from DFW to IAH and we were all given free internet access. Whoah!
It's pretty neat, although I really can't decide if this is a good thing. Despite the advantages of improving technology, we are far too dependent on our computers, cell phones, dvd players, ipods, etc. We can't even escape it when we're thousands of miles off the ground...
I just hope I won't ever have to listen to ringing cell phones or cell phone conversations on the plane.
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