5 things that were meant for me:

The other day, I was driving along in my itty-bitty car, listening to my all-time favorite song, when the thought occurred to me, “This song was meant for me. This has to be MY song. It should be played at my funeral.” I started brainstorming about other things that I felt a close kinship to. Now, understand that these random items are not simply things that I like; they are things that represent me, that I was destined to fall madly in love with, things that make me feel whole.

Before I start, you readers are aware that I’m not big on just blabbing about nothing without involving my readers in some way, so I am going to try to make this interactive. As I write (or type, rather), I really have no idea what 5 things I am going to list (except for that one song). SO! I will make 5 stipulations for my five things. And you can play along, thinking of the five things that were meant for you! Feel free to post your five things as comments! I would love to compare…

Here is the list: A song (one that has YOU written all over it; always has, always will), A food item (something you have loved forever), A location (one single spot; not a city or country), A hobby (something you have always enjoyed doing for downtime), A chore (in other words, something that nobody really enjoys doing but you somehow find it amusing).

1. My song: “Varaaga Nath” from the Tamil film “Sangamam.”    I have tried, and tried, and tried in vain to find the English translation of this song but after two years of an unsuccessful search, I think I’d rather not know. I know what the song means to me. It means life, happiness, chasing your dreams, ups and downs…And all that ushy-gushy stuff. My heart rate increases exponentially whenever I hear it.  However! I did find a video of the song from the movie on YouTube and will share it with you here!

Go there and you will be sure to find it!

^^^ This is the best image of “Sangamam” I could find. Very 80’s.

2. My Food Item: Peanut Butter. I am obsessed with peanut butter, though, I am not a huge peanut butter sandwich fan. I just like peanut butter ON things. Apples, bananas, tortillas, crackers, granola, cookies (any kind), ANYTHING! To me, peanut butter is the universal condiment. It makes my heart swoon.

I must say that this was the most difficult question to answer because there are many foods that I absolutely love. I almost picked sweet potatoes, but I don’t consume them on a daily basis. Then, I almost picked tomatoes but they don’t make me smile like a nice glob of crunchy peanut butter (although I do ask for extra tomatoes EVERY time I go out to eat and tomatoes apply to the dish).

It is true. I will generally consume peanut butter in some form on a daily basis. Even it’s just a little bit, I still eat it every day. I love that stuff.

^^^ The Fresh Market has one of these things. It’s SOOOOOO good. Geez, I just ate breakfast and now I’m hungry again…

3. My local: This is also a difficult question. I am very tempted to spout out some place that I have never been to where I’ve always wanted to go ::cough:: INDIA ::cough::. But I won’t do that. How can you know that a spot was meant for you if you’ve never been there?

The fact that I have not traveled much does not help this situation. Nonetheless, I have had the luxury of growing up in one of the most beautiful regions of the United States of America (in my humble opinion) and I hike… A lot. My place is: Roaring Run Falls. Back in my high school years, some of my friends and I made the tradition of an annual hike to Roaring Run after classes let out in June. We would literally walk out of the building, get in our cars, then drive to Roaring Run for a late afternoon hike. Before that, I hike to Roaring Run as a Girl Scout. It was one of my first hikes. Whenever someone asks me to take them on their first hike, this is the place I choose.

Also, Roaring Run happens to have a huge level of biodiversity! I would know- I do research there. The magnitude of different species of Ephemeroptera (mayflies) is astounding. We always leave these sites with vials fulls of mayfly nymphs, groaning at the identification that lays ahead of us.

^^^ It took forever to find a picture that I was satisfied with. And you know what? I’m still not satisfied.

4. My hobby- This is easy. Hiking. I was meant to hike. My legs were built short and sturdy, like a billy-goat. When there aren’t mountains close by (sad day), I LOVE to walk. The act of walking is one of the most refreshing hobbies one can take part in. Just ask Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice.” One of the reasons I loved her character so much was simply because she liked walking.

^^^ See! She likes walking!

I was recently asked what my favorite season was, and truly, I find this impossible to answer. BUT! One of the reasons I love summer is because it is never to cold to go on a walk…or a hike! Everything about it is meant for me. That glisten you get on your forehead once your muscles warm up. The peanut butter and apple waiting to be eaten at the top, jostling around in your pack. Dried mud on your calves that you’ve kicked off your hiking boots as you ascend… The greenery… The wildlife… Ok, I’ll stop. I have a bit of cabin fever. Can you tell?

^^^ “Wait for me! I wanna go!”

5. My chore: Dishes. I actually kinda enjoy doing dishes. Cleaning the kitchen in general is somewhat soothing to me. Of course, this isn’t always the case. But when Time finds me and there are dishes to be cleaned, more often than not, I will tend to the mess. One of my favorite things to do when I am home alone is put on some good music (usually the Bollywood variety) and dance around the house as I clean the kitchen. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone.

^^^ Now THERE’S something you don’t see every day!

Alright readers…this entry turned out to be a lengthy one! And now that I look at the clock, I am reminded that at some point, I have a Soils test to prepare for that is tomorrow. Agh.

Quick update: I stopped applying to graduate schools after I reached number 10 and have already gotten into a couple. Matter of fact, this week I am being flown out to one of these places for interviews! YAY! A free four-day vacation for me! I will update you all as soon as I can! Now it’s your turn to think about 5 things that were meant for YOU!

Exploring my iTunes

Greetings, readers! This will be a short entry, as I am supposed to be compiling a personal statement for one of the many universities I am applying to.

^^^ “I just LOVE applying to graduate schools! Paying all these application fees makes me feel SUPER!!!”

So the other day, I was scrolling through my extensive collection of music on my iTunes (I have almost 20 GB of music) and playing with different ways to sort my music. I clicked the “Name” tab to sort every single piece of music in my iTunes by name, alphabetically. Anyway, I thought it might be amusing to list some of those song names and artists so you can see just how many times the word “Baby” is used in song titles. Let’s just say there is a lack or originality in the realm of song titles.

• 7 songs starting with the word “Ain’t.” Really?

1. Ain’t It Fun- Guns N’ Roses
2. Ain’t My B****- Metallica       (as an aside, I try not to use curse words in my writing…I am quoting here. I can only imagine what grad schools will think if and when they get a hold of my blog. Yeesh!)
3. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
4. Ain’t No Particular Way- Shania Twain
5. Ain’t No Way- Aretha Franklin
6. Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing- Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (c’mon guys! use new words)
7. Ain’t Too Proud To Beg- The Temptations (apparently the “Soul” genre loves this word…)

^^^ Aw. They are cute. Ok, I forgive them for re-using lyrics.

• 6 songs that begin with “Give”

1. Give a Little Bit- Goo Goo Dolls
2. Give It All Up- The Corrs
3. Give It Away- Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. Give It Up- ZZ Top
5. Give Me a Reason- The Corrs
6. Give Me One More Shot- Alabama (yes, I’m Southern)

^^^ Oh, Alabama. You bring out the redneck in all of us.      I love their music.

• 12 containing the word “Little”

1. A Little At a Time- Grady Tate
2. Little Drop of Poison- Tom Waits (from the Shrek II soundtrack…great album, in my opinion)
3. Little Drummer Boy- Pink Martini
4. Little Earthquakes- Tori Amos (so talented…)
5. Little House- The Fray (…on the Prairie?)
6. A Little Knowledge (Is A Dangerous Thing) – Tower of Power (I don’t buy it…)
7. Little Lies- Fleetwood Mac (one of my favorite bands!)
8. Little Lotte/ The Mirror- Andrew Lloyd Webber (from “The Phantom of the Opera” soundtrack)
9. Little Queenie- Rolling Stones (saw them in concert; I love Jagger!)
10. Little Red Rooster- Rolling Stones (again, great song)
11. Little Saint Nick- The Beach Boys
12. Little Wing- Jimi Hendrix (I like to play Hendrix when I am doing lab work for some reason…I think it make me feel like I’m doing something epic)

^^^ I actually bought myself a head-band with Shrek ears on it. I wonder where that thing is….

• There are 9 songs with the word “Cry” in the title

1. Cry- Mandy Moore (it was on a soundtrack, ok?)
2. Cry- Ray Charles
3. Cry Cry Cry- Joaquin Phoenix (this was a Johnny Cash cover for “Walk The Line”; needless to say, he did a remarkable job)
4. Cry Just a Little- Avantasia (ahh, Scandinavian metal…I’m glad you made it on my blog)
5. Cry No More- Ryan Farish (this guy does easy listening music that is often played on the Weather Channel. I have all of his albums. I told you my favorite TV station was the weather!)
6. Cry To Me- Solomon Burke (Great song!)
7. Crying- Don McLean (Very talented singer/songwriter from back in the day. Anyone remember “American Pie”?)
8. Crying Days- Therion
9. Crying Time- Ray Charles (it would seem that Mr. Charles spent some time weeping…)

^^^ “And I love you so” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It makes me think of my granddad.

I wanted to include “Baby” but there were seriously too many. There were also many duplicates of the same songs. This small list is merely a sampling. Check out your iTunes and see how many repeats YOU have! You’ll be amazed. One thing I did notice: Lady Gaga has original song titles. Of course! Until next time, folks!

^^^ I love Lady Gaga. She is a walking installation piece.

That’s just nutty: The top 6 healthiest nuts.

Readers, my final semester as an undergraduate is about to begin! It still hasn’t set in that I will be graduating this May. In other news, I recently applied for a travel grant to visit one of the schools I am applying to for Entomology. And guess what? I GOT IT! I will be flying out west in February for four days of meeting Entomologists and getting introduced to the city! Of course I had to go shopping for some big girl clothes; the cardigan, the professional tailored blouse, slacks, and blazers. How exciting! I am becoming quite the jet-setter, only this time, I don’t have to pay for it.

^^^ “Mmm, Rogers, bring me my chardonnay…”

Anyway, during my very short Christmas break, I worked hard to improve my eating habits (so I may comfortably fit into all my new business clothes). By simply increasing my fiber intake and lowering my dairy, sugar, meat intake, I trimmed down in a week. I have always been lucky enough to remain relatively petite and healthy. However, staying that way as I age takes a little more effort. This upgraded outlook on my health led me to one singular question.

^^^ My Mom bought me this book for Christmas written by the two ladies on the right. I believe they are both nutritionists but what I like most about the book is the chemistry background they provide in explaining why we should avoid certain foods. (For example, artificial sweeteners. What happens to those compounds when they enter your body, anyway? Get the book and find out!) Not to mention that they throw in random curse words in their writing, just to keep us entertained

Allow me to set the stage: I love nuts (no pun intended). Peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds; you name it! I think they are delicious. The great thing about nuts is that they are nutrition power-houses! Many are high in omega-3 fatty acids which fight many types of cancer and heart ailments. Even so, we all know that nuts are high in saturated fats and that they should be consumed in moderation. So here is my question:

What are the healthiest nuts?

I found the answer to my question through Google and the following web address:

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/06/29/if-you-are-nuts-about-health-try-the-top-6-healthiest-nuts.htm

Please note: Everything Below (within quotes) was produced by SixWise.com

“If You are Nuts About Health, Try the Top 6 Healthiest Nuts
by www.SixWise.com

Many people were scared away from nuts during the low-fat craze of the last few decades, but now nuts are making a comeback. Nuts are excellent sources of protein, minerals, “good” monounsaturated fats and other nutrients, and they’re good for the heart.

A study conducted by Loma Linda University in California that involved 31,000 Seventh Day Adventists found that eating nuts lowered the risk of heart disease and helped participants to keep their weight down. Other large-scale studies, including the Physician’s Health Study, the Iowa Women’s Heath Study and the Harvard Nurses Health Study, also found that eating nuts lowered heart disease risk. Other studies have shown that nuts help lower bad “LDL” cholesterol.

In fact, in July 2003, the FDA approved the following health claim for nut package labels:

“Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of some nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

It only takes a small handful of nuts to satisfy hunger (and help you stay full longer), and there are many varieties to choose from. Here are six of the healthiest.

1. Walnuts When it comes to nuts, the walnut is the king. It’s a great source of the healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been found to protect the heart, promote better cognitive function, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. Walnuts also contain the antioxidant compound ellagic acid, which is known to fight cancer and support the immune system. But that’s not all–in a study in the August 2003 issue of Phytochemistry, researchers identified 16 polyphenols in walnuts, including three new tannins, with antioxidant activity so powerful they described it as “remarkable.” Walnuts are incredibly healthy for the heart. A study in the April 2004 issue of Circulation found that when walnuts were substituted for about one-third of the calories supplied by olives and other monounsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet: Total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol were reduced The elasticity of the arteries increased by 64 percent Levels of vascular cell adhesion molecules, which play a major role in the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), were reduced

2. Almonds Just a quarter cup of almonds contains nearly 25 percent of your needed daily value of the important nutrient magnesium, plus is rich in potassium, manganese, copper, the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium. In fact, a quarter cup of almonds has almost as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk. They’re also great for the colon. An animal study on the effects of almonds on colon cancer found that animals (which were exposed to a colon-cancer-causing agent) given whole almonds had fewer signs of colon cancer than animals given almond oil or no almonds. Researchers suspect the benefit may be due to almonds’ high fiber content. Plus, almonds are one of the best nuts for lowering cholesterol because 70 percent of the fat they contain is the healthy monounsaturated variety, which has been shown to help clear arteries.

3. Cashews Cashews are lower in fat than most nuts, and 65 percent of this fat is unsaturated fatty acids. Of this, 90 percent is oleic acid, the heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. Plus, cashews are rich in copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and biotin.

4. Pecans Pecans are an excellent source of over 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins E and A, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, several B vitamins and zinc. Plus, according to Sue Taylor, R.D., director of nutrition communication for the National Pecan Shellers Association, “Recent clinical research studies evaluating the impact of pecans on serum cholesterol have found pecans can significantly help lower blood cholesterol when consumed as part of a heart-healthy diet.” In fact, a study from New Mexico State University found that eating 3/4 cup of pecans a day may significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help to clear the arteries.

5. Brazil Nuts These nuts are extremely nutrient-rich and contain protein, copper, niacin, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works to neutralize dangerous free radicals. A study at the University of Illinois even found that the high amounts of selenium in Brazil nuts may help prevent breast cancer.

6. Macadamia Nuts

These nuts are high in protein, fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium and magnesium. And, a study done at Hawaii University found that people who had added macadamia nuts to their diets for just one month had total cholesterol levels of 191, compared to 201 for those eating the typical American diet. The largest change was found in the LDL (bad) cholesterol.

A Little Goes a Long Way

The key with nuts is simply not to overeat them. They are highly concentrated in both their calories and their nutrients, so you only need a small handful at a time. Eating a variety of nuts appears to be the best way to get all the different benefits each nut has to offer.”

And there you have it, readers! I was very disappointed that peanuts were not on the list; I love them so and I constantly consume them. As an aside, cashews aren’t actually nuts; they are seeds! Nonetheless, they still have lots of beneficial fiber and nutrients! Until next time, stay nutty!

^^^ Heaven IS a place on Earth!!!

A Christmas Story

Hello again readers! As promised, I am back at the keyboard again to blather on about nonsense and goings-on of my little world. My holiday season has been absolutely ideal thus far. The best part was staying at my grandma’s house the night before Christmas Eve. Myself, mom, dad, and brother Jake all drove up with our overnight bags. We stayed up late munching on Christmas cookies, nodding off in front of the TV, all of us in our long-johns and thick socks. A blanket of snow from our blizzard the week before remained on the front lawn and some parts of the roads. My grandma’s house was built in the 1940’s with a sunken living room, oversized fireplace, and attic bedrooms; a complete stranger could feel at home in her little cottage up in the mountains. Jake slept in dad’s old room and I slept in my aunt’s room right across the hall upstairs. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic!

^^^ “Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we goooooo….”

Laying in bed that night, I stared at the painted lavender ceiling and reminisced. My cousin and I used to share this room when we were kids. I remembered grandma tucking us in when I was about 10 and Kat (nickname) was about 8 years old. We said a prayer and then grandma hobbled off on her arthritic knees to cut the light out as she exited the purple room, being sure to leave the door ajar for us. Now, I slept alone with the door shut, thick novel on the bedside table and too many pairs of shoes at the foot of the bed. “I’m almost grown,” I thought.

^^^ This photo closely resembles my two aunt’s old room. It’s an attic bedroom so the walls are kinda slanted inwards…and of course, it’s purple.

The next morning, we all awoke slowly, Jake of course being the last. I helped mom and dad fix a huge southern breakfast of Virginia ham, fried eggs, buttermilk biscuits with locally made apple butter, apple strudel, and fresh-cut fruit. I overheard grandma talking to her son in the kitchen before we got started, “Do your kids like there eggs scrambled or fried?” Dad assured her that he trained us to eat anything put in front of us. And we do like fried eggs.

^^^ Now THAT’S a heart attack on a plate if I ever saw one. Did you know that only ONE EGG contains 70% of your daily value of cholesterol? But it’s Christmas. It doesn’t count.

Hearing that conversation was funny. In the past three and a half years, I have been catapulted into a world of adulthood. I cook for myself, clean all my own things, go grocery shopping on my own, have wine with dinner…Then suddenly, my grandma refers to me and my older brother as “the kids”. It felt good. For that short time at grandmas, I could be a kid again. I didn’t have to think about graduate school applications or paying back my college loans. I didn’t have to worry about where I would be in a year or building my credit. All I had to think about was my breakfast and who was going to get the fluffiest biscuit.

^^^ Remember when we used to draw stuff like this?

As our warrior’s feast came to a close, mom and dad insisted that I relax with grandma while they cleaned up the kitchen. We sat at the table as it was emptied before our eyes and she proceeded to tell me the story of the first television in Floyd County, Virginia. Grandma was originally born in Tennessee but moved to Floyd with her parents as a young girl for her father’s work. My great-grandfather was a Methodist minister. When they first moved to town, he decided he wanted a television. Apparently he had to drive quite out of his way to get one. It was hauled back to their home where he would set the TV in the front window on summer evenings so all the neighbors could watch the televised baseball games. People would gather in my great-grandparent’s front yard and gawk at the moving picture while the sun fell behind the mountains. My great-grandfather owned the first TV in Floyd County, Viringia! And that was the story grandma told me on my 22nd Christmas eve after breakfast.

^^^ My great-grandfather’s television set may have looked something like this…

Mom and I bundled up and took a long walk around town (it’s a small town) where she pointed out the houses of her old friends. We climbed the hill to the church where my grandfather’s funeral was held and stood in the parking lot, marveling at the plethora of vibrant red cardinals flitting about. Through the trees, we spotted a few young deer playing in the snow. As soon as they heard our excited whispers, they were off again, white tails bounding farther back into the woods. Before we knew it, it was time to get back to the house to prepare for the real family feast. My dad is the oldest of five and the REST of the family would be arriving soon. Aunts, uncles, and cousins piled into the small cottage. The kitchen came alive with the voices of five women (including myself) as we prepared our Christmas feast.

^^^ My mom’s favorite bird

This year, I carved the turkey, prepared the fruit salad AND the sweet potato souffle. Then, to top it off, I got to sit at the “adult” table (while older brother Jake sat at the kids table…haha!). We watched “White Christmas” after dinner and opened presents after our annual Santa Hunt. When we were kids, my dad and his brother would pile all the kids into two cars (there are a few of us) and we would drive all over town looking for Rudolph’s shiny red nose in the black sky. Upon our return to the house, our presents would be laid under the tree and all the aunts would proclaim, “You just missed Santa! Maybe next year…” This year, we were in two cars again, only this time Jake was driving one and one of my cousins was driving the other…with his wife and little girl   We took her on a Santa Hunt! Christmas never ages.

^^^ Now, what do you suppose Christmas will be like in 2010?

Late adventures of the writer…

Dearest readers,

I realize that I have been quite absent over the past couple months. Things have been hectic but I assure you that I am making every attempt to get back in to the swing of writing again on a regular basis…and something BESIDES personal statements for graduate school applications. Sometimes I wish I could just type in the link to my blog. “Here you go, ____________ University! That’s a personal as it gets! Enjoy.” Nevermind that. Much has happened since I have last written.

I would normally invite my readers in on the gossip concerning  my dating life but with all the work on my plate (and my increasing waistline), dating has taken a serious back-seat in the life of the writer. In fact, I’d say it’s in the trunk as of late. While I have gone on a few interesting dates, nothing has moved further than that first awkward dinner. Perhaps in the near future I will address the situation of singlehood and bad luck in the relationship department. My “love” posts are always some of my most popular posts…

^^^ “Look, Billy! I am putting my love-life in the trunk!”

As for college, things are rolling right along! I just finished my LAST fall semester! It hasn’t hit me that I will be graduating in a few short months. A few dear friends of mine finished school this semester and will not be returning in the Spring. I fear that the first couple weeks back will be quite tough but I just haven’t grasped the weight of their absence yet. Everything is happening so fast. My roommates and I shared our last Christmas the other night before our last exam day. One day, I am going to wake up and realize that they aren’t in the next room. BUT! On the brighter side of things, we have made a very serious pact to  1) have a really awesome holiday party each year where we reunite, and 2) go on an annual roommate weekend extravaganza each year; just us, no others. I look forward to these little celebrations with great anticipation! Cher and Lafonda are my family; losing contact is NOT an option.

^^^ I googled “3 old women” and this was the first image that came up. It’s perfect.

So, the plant collection is over along with the insect collection. I successfully completed 14 credits of upper-level biology in one semester (four classes with four labs…Whew!)…and the research…and GREs…the Women’s Leadership Program…AND I have submitted a few applications already! That leaves me with my heralding tale of my FIRST annual meeting for the Entomological Society of America followed by a treacherous journey home this past Friday. I shall begin…

As many of you may know, it is my ultimate goal to enroll in a graduate program for Entomology (insect biology), specializing in plant-insect interactions and community ecology. Well, a few weeks ago, I was informed by one of my graduate school contacts that I should attend the annual ESA meeting. “It will be a great place to make contacts and meet graduate professors!” So I’m thinking, “Great! Cool! Sign me up! When is it?” It was to be held for four days: December 13th to the 16th. “Ok…cool…,” I’m thinking. “Where is it, again?” Oh yeah, it’s in Indianapolis, Indiana. “WHAT?!”

^^^ “I have to be alone for HOW long? But Meyers-Briggs says I’m an extrovert!!!!”

I stewed and stewed over this. I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. So I did it. I booked my flights out of Hampton-Roads, Virginia, and reserved a hotel room for three nights, finished final exams, and flew there two days later….to be alone…in a strange city I’ve never been in…at a conference where I am a total novice….did I mention alone? Usually I am pretty ballsy about these things. “Let’s go! Let’s do it!” But suddenly, the wind was knocked out of my sails. I was scared. Out of my wits. But gosh-darnit, I did it anyway, and ended up having the time of my life.

The event was huge. It took place for four days straight, starting at about 6 a.m. each morning and ending anywhere around 11p.m. each night. Talks, poster sessions, symposia, plenary sessions, and mixers took place in the Indianapolis Convention Center and some events were carried out in the surrounding hotels. I met tons of professors, many of which I had been e-mailing for quite some time. I was able to go to some of their talks and hear what kinds of research they were performing in their labs. Most importantly, however, I was able to see how they interacted with me. This was the most valuable thing I got out of my time in Indianapolis. That, I had the chance to tour Center Circle and the gorgeous Capitol Building in my “spare time”.

^^^ Center Circle!

^^^ The Capitol Building had gorgeous stained glass and sculpture!

A professor that I met over the summer from the University of Georgia served as my stand-in adviser while I was there. He introduced me to as many professors as possible and took me out to lunch three days in a row. This man showed me such generosity that I daresay I would ever forget his kindness and guidance. Without him, my time at the ESA convention would not have been so productive. I am forever grateful to him.

By the end of the convention, I was very ready to go home. I missed my family. Over the past few months, I have begun to realize that my time living with them is growing short. Perhaps that is why I have been distracted from the whole graduating thing; all I can think about is my parents and my big brother.

I eagerly boarded my flight and got back to Hampton-Roads, Virginia around midnight. The whole next day, I was absorbed with extra applications and getting my apartment ready for me to be gone for three weeks. My plan was to finalize things in the registrar’s office and my applications all day on the 17th, then leave for home on the 18th. Only one complication- BLIZZARD!

^^^ “Travel conditions: Suck.”

Now, meteorologists were calling for winter weather, but I had NO idea it was going to be as bad as it was. I stopped for lunch on my way out of town on Friday to visit the Cuz and managed to get back on the road by 1:30p.m. From there, I should have arrived home no later than 5:30p.m. As the snowflakes started coming down around 3p.m., I smiled gleefully, thinking, “What a perfect way to drive back home to the mountains for Christmas!” I blasted Christmas music, sang loudly, and felt the spirit of Christmas whirling about my little car.

^^^ I just imagined myself driving back to a magical little Who-ville Christmas Town with carolers in the streets and fountains of hot coco…

Well, you can see where this is going. It wasn’t long before I noticed the snow on the roads getting terribly thick…and traffic was slowed down to about 20 mph. Cars were in ditches EVERYWHERE. Traffic was still moving, however, and this gave me faith that I would eventually get home at some point. As it grew darker though, I began to lose this hopeful feeling. 6p.m. neared and I was still an hour out of my hometown (an hour with optimal weather conditions). Then finally, the inevitable happened: traffic stopped.

^^^ Close enough…

It didn’t slow. It didn’t creep. It STOPPED. Completely. As in, people were eventually getting out of their cars in the snow trying to figure out what was going to happen to us. The snow had not stopped. Both the flakes falling and the layer on the road were getting thicker. Ice accumulated on my wind-shield wipers and my car struggled to continuously defog. My parents were frantic on the phone when I called at 6:45p.m., telling them I was still 66 miles away from home and still stuck. Dad was a heartbeat away from driving out to retrieve me (which would have accomplished nothing…because I was stuck in a traffic jam and there was no way to get to me…but he’s my Dad; it’s to be expected). BUT! I got very mischievous and very lucky…

^^^ “Hey ‘Merica…I have an idear.”

My impatience served me well this time! I found a break in the line of traffic to my right and resolved to at least change my scenery by merging right. Once in that position, I could see an exit ramp up ahead. There was an Exon station at that exit and I really needed to pee at this point; I had been in the car all afternoon! So I approached the exit and before I could turn back, I was in really deep snow in my tiny little car. I ALMOST got completely stuck. However, my car is awesome. She rescued me (my car’s name is Betsy, by the way). Anyway, getting to the top of the ramp, I could have taken a left, going over a bridge to the Exon, or I could have gone straight which would lead me back onto the highway. Something was weird though…the highway past this exit was COMPLETELY CLEAR. I could see down onto the highway as I crossed the bridge, and an 18-wheeler had slid into a ditch and was blocking traffic!

^^^ Trucking and Snowing: Two verbs that don’t go together.

But he wasn’t blocking the exit ramp from the Exon station!!!!!!!!!! So I had a potty-break, got back in my car, took a left onto the down-ramp, and bypassed the road-block! The entire interstate was MINE! I finally arrived home around 9p.m., as I had to continue driving at about 25mph. I was never so happy to pull into my driveway. There was seriously a moment when I said to myself, “Self, you might be sleeping in your car tonight.” And apparently, that’s what some people did!

^^^ If only we were all so resourceful…

The next morning, THAT EXACT BACKUP was on the news. They were interviewing people who had abandoned their cars to find lodging at the local fire station! Whew! That could’ve been me! So now I’ve been living the good life, leisurely working on applications, cooking, sleeping in, watching Christmas movies, sledding…And yesterday, my brother and I walked two miles to the grocery store to pick up some much-needed food stuffs. Ahh, therapy.

^^^ Forget Grad School! I am reconnecting with my inner-child!

With that, I am tired and ready to re-read “Lord of the Rings”. I must retire this post, readers. Stay tuned! Next time, I will write about something with a little less autobiographical content. Something juicy, perhaps? Until then, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

“I’ll get you my pretty! And you’re little dog too!” The mystery of Toto.

Is it just me, or does every college kid seem to go through a phase where they listen to nothing but Toto? I, myself, have recently hit this phase. That’s right; I know every word to “Africa”, “Hold the Line”, and even “Rosanna.” However, I refuse to be ashamed because I have expressed my love for this band, I’ve come to find that everyone else loves them too! Or at least at some point they did. “I’m on this Toto kick,” I’ll say. And whoever I am talking to will quickly respond, “Seriously? In my  junior year of college, that’s all I listened to!”

^^^ Ok. Can we just talk about their symbol? It’s a sword. That’s awesome. Kinda like that techno group named, “Gandalf.”

On the flip side, I am amazed at how many people in my generation are unfamiliar with this band. In fact, when I decided that I just HAD to download “Africa” from iTunes, I didn’t know which band name to enter in to find it. “Moooooooom! Who did that Africa song?!” Lucklily I was at home for the summer so my parents were great resources for finding all the best 80’s music. I now boast a hefty collection of Toto, Boston, Def Leppard, J. Geils Band, The Pretenders, and many more!

^^^ Boston’s emblem is a UFO. Hmm…a lower caliber of “epic” if you ask me. But I do love “Higher Power.”

To explain the title, I was driving along the other day (I’m sure I was on my way to class…or the library…or some other academic venue… because happiness is a studying student) when Toto came on my shuffle and the question hit me: “Where the heck did they get that name?” Perhaps it was symbolic of Dorothy’s dog in the Wizard of Oz. After all, Toto was one of the main characters, and while many other animals in the land of Oz have the ability to speak, Toto remained without such abilities. Maybe this band was metaphorically speaking for Dorothy’s “little dog.” By the way, this hypothesis is wrong.

^^^ Aw. Family phoTOTO!

One might also assume that the band name was derived from Japan’s largest toilet-manufacturing company, TOTO. Again, wrong. OR! We could surmise that the name was adopted from one of the member’s “true” last names: Bobby Kimball (on vocals and sometimes keyboards) is reported to have the last name “Toteaux.” Wrong again.

^^^ I have never looked so intensely for an image of a toilet on “Google Images” before…

So where in the heck did they get their name?! Ok, I’ll be lazy and cut/paste Wikipedia’s answer:

“Once all of the songs were written, the band came together in the studio to record the album. According to popular myth, in order to distinguish their own demo tapes from other bands’ in the studio, Jeff Porcaro wrote the word “Toto” on them. [...]After the completion of the first album, the band and record were still un-named. David Hungate, after viewing the name on the demo tapes, explained to the group that the word “Toto” in Latin translated to “all-encompassing”. Because the band members had played on so many different records and many different musical genres, they adopted the name Toto as their own.”

^^^ At last! The mystery is solved!

So now we know! One of the most talented, all-encompassing bands has a namesake.

In other news, some of you may have noticed that it has been a while (over a month) since I have blogged. It’s prime-time, my friends. I have two applications due in less than a month, followed by about 3 more that are due in December…followed by about three more that are due in early January. Yikes! I am very busy orchestrating all of this mess. But alas, I love bugs and plants (together) and I’m sure once everything has settled itself, I will reap the rewards of higher-higher education. On that note, I will be sure to keep everyone updated (however late those updates may be). Back to the grind! If only it was coffee…

^^^ Ironically appropriate for my current situation. Ha!

My GRE- The Grusome Ridiculous Exam.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to announce that I am finished with the GRE, once and for all. I took it for the first time back in August a couple weeks ago and although my score was not atrocious, it was not up to par for me to be truly competitive for some of the more prestigious schools I hope to apply to this fall. Most of the schools I am talking to said that retaking the GRE was mostly up to me, but again, there were a couple that suggested I retake it. Well. I did. And I now have a score worth sharing!

This post, like some of my most recent, will be short. My brain is shot and I want to relax but I felt that I should update everyone since it has been exatly a MONTH since I have written! Classes are in full swing and although I am incredibly busy, I am finding the academic atmosphere most refreshing, especially now that I am finished with the GRE! I am taking 14 hours of upperlevel biology: Microbiology with the lab, Entomology with the Lab, Ecology with the Lab, and Plant Taxonomy II. It’s going to be a semester full of fun science!!!!!! For now, however, I am signing out. Until next time!

I’m MIA, FYI.

My brother, Jake (the Marine) has recently been stationed in a bordering state so he has had a few opportunities to visit home. Upon his most recent visit, he was complaining about the usage of these web acronyms. Apparently he can’t stand it when people actually say, “OMG! FYI, I’ll BRB.” Which, I kinda agree…but I say “FYI” sometimes…so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut around him. Either that or I could say, “Hey Jake! For your information, I accidentally shrunk your cothes in the wash!” I will finish this statement with a big smile.   Anyway! That’s the reason behind the title. That silly brother of mine…Love him!

 

^^^ HAHA!

I know it’s been a while since I have written. As I mentioned before, things are about to get very crazy in my life and I am not quite sure how well this blog is going to hold up. I actually pushed back my GRE test date by two days so I could have a little extra time for preparation. After taking a practice test, I saw how miserably I did on the math section and freaked. Within five minutes, I was on the phone with ETS (Educational Testing Service) begging for more time and actually agreeing to pay an extra $50 to change the date…by two days! Actually, it’s quite easy to change your test date/location as long as you fork over money. Oh well. It was worth every penny. So the plan is for me to move back to my college town about a week before I had originally planned and spend that week alone with no cable, family, or roommates (kinda sad) and sell my soul to the GRE devil.

^^^ But what if I’m not prepared?

After all that is over, I get to actually start APPLYING to these schools. I have a list of about ten…at least. All the while, I will be starting my final year of classes as an undergraduate. Woo-hoo! It’s funny because I was completely aware that this would be my final year but I was so wrapped up in my internship, GREs, and grad schools that I completely forgot about that “graduation” I will attend. My mom reminded me, “Can you BELIEVE you’ll be graduating this coming spring?!” It hit me all at once, “Oh yeah…I actually have to go find a cap and gown at some point. I wonder if they sell kids sizes? Hmm.” I’m 5 feet tall (or short, rather.)

^^^ Can I get that in HER size?

Brief update on the medical front: I am pretty sure I know what caused my hives. Yes, it is an allergy. And guess what I’m allergic to? Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen!!!!!!!!!! You know, that really expensive stuff that you can only find at drugstores and Ukrops? So upon my next trip out in the field (that required sunscreen) I wore long sleeves (in case it was the sun that was killing me) and applied this top-shelf sunscreen to the tops of my hands and my ears. I had on a baseball cap which usually does a fabulous job of shielding my face from harmful rays. Nothing happened until later that night. I was sitting in my room, reviewing GRE vocabulary (“Perspecacious….What?!”) when I noticed that my ears were awfully hot. Then they were itchy. And when i finally got off my dairy-air to look in the mirror, they were swollen and bright red. When I woke up the next morning, small hives had begun to develop on the tops of my hands.

^^^ YOU did this to me!!!

Problem solved. I am allergic to that sunscreen…or something in it. The active ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. I’m still too scared to try any new sunscreens though. Maybe I could honor the death of Michael Jackson by wearing gloves everwhere I go.

^^^ A classic Michael photo.

With that being said, I am really looking forward to going back to school. I miss my professors, friends, and yes, the overall atmosphere of academia. Of course I will be begging for mercy within the first couple weeks. I am taking four upper-level biology courses, all with labs. I also got accepted into my university’s semester-long Leadership Program for Women. That involves one long class per week as well as outside reading and a retreat (YAY! I lvoe retreats!). Each member of the class is assigned to a mentor (a successful woman in her field, I assume). Dr. Crick (a fellow student) took it last year and put my name into the pot for this years application process so I am very excited fort his opportunity to follow in her footsteps.

^^^ Ehhh…I sure hope I can do it…  :/

Until next time readers! You probably won’t hear from me again until AFTER my GRE which is on the 20th. Start saying prayers! I’m gonna need all the help I can get!

Where is the summer going?!

Can you believe it’s already JULY?! And it will be gone before I know it! I have one month to prepare for GREs…and I am not even close to being ready. I don’t even want to think about it. Anyway readers, this is going to be a short update because life is sooo busy! First of all, I DO NOT HAVE THYROID DISEASE! This could be a good or a bad thing, besides the fact that it’s incredibly frusterating to think you finally have a solution and then be told that, no, we still have no idea whats wrong with you. The test for the antibodies that attack the thyroid was negative and my hormone levels are completely normal.

^^^ “Well then what’s WRONG with me, Doc?!”

After this, I scheduled an appointment with my primary care physician who is also my Endocrinologist. Can we just pause for a second? I have an ear, nose, and throat specialist, a surgeon, an allergist, and an endocrinologist. That’s ridiculous! I am not even 22 years old! Oh well. Anyway, I digress. Upon meeting with my Endocrinologist who I shall name Dr. Thyroid, we discussed my symptoms and my concerns. I was then sent to the lab for three more tests- SedRates (I think that tests for an internal inflammatory response), Lupus, and something else that I forgot entirely. I doubt that any of these will come back positive. My current prognosis is “Idiopathic Urticaria” which basically means the following: I get reandom hives caused by an unknown/ undeterminable source.

^^^ HAHA!

Personally, I think an overabundance of UV radiation (sunburn) or heat in general can trigger my condition. But who the heck knows?! That’s why they call it “idiopathic.” In short, this is nothing serious. When I explained this situation to Mogli during a mayfly outing yesterday, his response was, “So you’ll have to work inside now.” Oh hell no. That is the entire reason I chose Biology as a career: So I wouldn’t be inside!!! I will wear a burka before I sit at a desk for the rest of my life. 75 SPF and white long-sleeved shirts…at the same time. I don’t care WHAT I have to do. The trees are my home and I will do whatever it takes to live the life I want. My response to this was, “I would rather have hives.” He told me to be careful what I wish for. I wish for fresh air.

^^^ Yes, please.

Aside from that, I got to visit a dairy farm for DEQ the other day!!! It was a BLAST! (Again, need I say more? I am in love with my job.) I even got licked by some of the more personable cows. Cows in general tend to be very wary of people. But dairy cows are more docile and dairy farmers take very good care of their “girls.” The farmer I met was incredibly nice and gave me the grand tour of his farm. I learned about the different types of grains that go into their feed and even the ratios at which the grains are mixed. He showed me the newborn calves and even let me take pictures! I got to wear plastic boot covers and assess their rain runoff ditch. It’s basically a big hole in the ground placed downhill from the main cattle area to catch any overflowing nutrients so they don’t leech into the watershed. His farm passed with flying colors.

^^^ Dairy cows have it good. They also get pasture time!

In other news, I am visiting Indiana with a friend with coming weekend and I get to see Purdue University. Hopefully this visit will inspire me to study more! But for now, I must get back to work. Much to do! Until next time!

The Disaster Fairy strikes again! My medical adventures ensue…

Ok…so maybe my current predicament hasn’t quite achieved disaster status…yet. But I keep getting pretty darn close! As many of you regular readers may know, I have quite a history of really random health issues. It’s never anything serious, but I’m that kid on the playground who has a new, unexplained rash every week. That’s right; I’m going to talk about my rashes again. Only this time, I might actually have a convoluted explanation!

^^^ Believe it or not, I got teased A LOT in grade school…

Again, let’s turn the clock back to the summer of 2005 (quite a few years back). I was 17 working as a nursery-keeper in my church every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. I was always sick with some kind of cold or sinus infection. Because of this, I now have quite the immune system! But at the time, I was feeling really sick…again. So I went to see my ear, nose, and throat specialist, Dr. ENT, I will call him. He’s a little Vietnamese man, about my size, who speaks with an extremely thick accent. Upon my examination, a large lump was found in my neck. Yay. The cyst on my thyroid had been discovered. We don’t really know how long it had been there (we assumed a couple months…cause it was pretty big). So the big question here was: Is it cancer?

^^^ Dr. ENT always wore that giant circular thing on his head. It amused me when I was a little girl.

For the next year or so, they ran all kinds of tests on me, took biopsies, and basically “kept and eye” on the cyst, hoping it would eventually go away, proving that it was benign. Well, it never went away. Over winter break of my freshman year in college (December 2006), I had surgery to remove the right half of my thyroid; there was no need to take out the whole thing. It’s always a good plan to leave as much of your organs intact as possible, right?

So they extracted half of my thyroid and I got to spend a whole night at UVA medical center (totally underrated). I ate chocolate ice cream, saw the first ten minutes of the TNT world premier of “Return of the King” before I passed out. Yes, I was a little peeved when they fed me pain meds RIGHT before the movie came on. My mom stayed with me ALL NIGHT LONG and woke up with me every single time the nurses came in to check my vitals. How awesome is that? And then when I couldn’t go back to sleep, we stayed up and talked for hours. ::sigh:: Pretty much the coolest lady in the world.

^^^ A fun place to be!

But back on track! They found that the cyst was benign! YAY! Nothing to worry about anymore, right? I started taking synthetic thyroid hormones so the other half of my thyroid would “go to sleep.” Theoretically, one half of a thyroid will produce enough hormones for your whole body, should the other half be compromised. However, the doctors were unsure of what caused the random cyst on the right side so putting the other half to sleep as a precaution was the best idea. No more mystery cysts!

Well, the saga continues. Exactly six months after my surgery, as soon as the weather turned warm, a huge, puffy, itchy rash formed over and around my surgical scar all over my neck. This rash thing came and went all summer, finally disappearing into the night at the start of my sophomore year. I saw several doctors about this issue, mostly physicians and one dermatologist. No one could explain it except to say, “It looks like an allergic reaction to something.” Gee wiz. That helps.

^^^ Not even Wikipedia could tell me the answer!

Another year or so goes by. No rash. It’s forgotten, right? If some of you recall, I had ANOTHER unexplained rash all over my right thigh at the beginning of my junior year (this past fall semester, 2008). Again, went to a doctor, “Ah! You’re allergic to something. Here’s a steroid cream.” Of course under the influence of steroids, almost anything can be cleared up. So that one went away.

^^^ Haha! I couldn’t help it.

That’s the history. Let’s put the clock back to present day. It is now the summer of 2009, months after my leg rash and a couple years after my last neck rash. I went to the Outer Banks last weekend with my cousin who is one of my nearest and dearest friends. I will call her “The Cuz.” There was absolutely no shade to be had on the Oregon Inlet campground. I got a nice sunburn in a few places but other than that, the weekend was quite enjoyable. Upon my return on Sunday evening, I couldn’t help but notice that my arms were itching terribly around my elbow joints. I wasn’t burned there, but I had gotten a lot of sun there. Was this sun poisoning? Hm.

^^^ I finally got my beach fix!

Long story short, this began happening to my neck. By Tuesday, both of my arms and chest area were covered in tiny little red dots. And I was itching like I had never itched before. I threw my hands up, “Ok. Time to call an allergist.” Within one doctors visit, I received an explanation for ALL of these medical issues I have just listed. Here it is:

MY IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ATTACKING MY THYROID FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS! I HAVE THYROID DISEASE!

Now, if you know your doctors well enough, you would know that most allergists are also immunologists (hallelujah!). So Dr. Godfather (I’m going to call him that because he spoke with a New Yorker’s accent, saying things like, “No big deal,” with an emphasis on the ‘d’) just about leapt out of his little wheely chair when I mentioned I had a history of thyroid issues. “I am almost certain this is related to your thyroid,” he said.

^^^ “I’m going to fix you!!!!!!!!!”

Here is what’s happening inside the writer’s body: One day, for some reason unknown, my overactive immune system said, “Hey! I don’t like that thyroid thing!” So it built up all these specialized antibodies specifically to kill my thyroid. There are many things that can happen as a result of this. One result is a growth forming on the thyroid. That was my thyroid’s first response. Bada-bing, bada-boom, we have a cyst! Doctors say, “Wow…your hormone levels are completely normal! No disease! You just grew a cyst randomly (which does happen) so let’s take it out!” Cyst is gone…but half of my thyroid remains. So the antibodies keep rolling in, shooting at my injured thyroid. (I imagine this to look something like a battle scene in the new Star Trek movie). Instead of growing another cyst, this time, my thyroid produced histamines and HIVES! In my case, heat is the main trigger for this event, hence, the reason it has only popped up during hotter conditions.

^^^ I now have a running joke with my close friends and family that my skin is that of a vampire’s and will start to sizzle if I step into the sun.

So to date, my arms, neck, cheeks, and ears are covered in hives. I am taking a series of antihistamines including Claratin, Zyrtec, and Zantac 150. Apparently, Zantac, which is used to inhibit stomach acid production, also inhibits the production of histamines. This morning I woke up looking like a pug dog with really swollen, pouty lips and beet-red cheeks. I am really banking on this stuff kicking in SOON! Although the doctor was very confident in his hypothesis, he sent me to the lab for some blood work as a precautionary measure. They will test my blood for the antibodies that work to kill my thyroid. There is no cure for my condition (except another surgery to remove the remaining half of my thyroid), so the idea is to wait it out. If my thyroid isn’t already mostly dead, it will be soon.

The most amusing thing about this whole scenario is that I actually have a disease. I think it’s great! It’s a minor disease so it’s not going to kill me or anything. The technical term is Hashimoto’s disease. Here’s a little blurb I found online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hashimotos-disease/DS00567   –>

“Hashimoto’s disease is a disorder that affects your thyroid, a small gland located at the base of your neck, below your Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system, which produces hormones that coordinate many of your body’s activities.

In Hashimoto’s disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, your immune system attacks your thyroid gland. The resulting inflammation often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.

Doctors test your thyroid function to help detect Hashimoto’s disease. Treatment of Hashimoto’s disease with thyroid hormone replacement usually is simple and effective.”

^^^ Here’s a little animated mechanism of what happens with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis…for all you visual learners out there.

It’s simple and effective…as long as you don’t produce hives : ). The only disconcerting thing about this whole disease is that “infertility” and “birth defects” were listed as possible complications. I think as long as my hormone levels are stable (which is achieved with a nice little synthetic thyroid hormone pill taken daily), I should have no problem. I love kids!

^^^ I typed “lots of babies” into Google Image and found this. And then I laughed out loud…alone on the couch.

As an aside, I was tested for many common allergies and I am allergic to NOTHING. Yay! I can still eat peanuts! But for now, I am incapacitated and itchy. I haven’s showered recently (I wouldn’t dare admit how long) because it makes me itch. And taking a cold bath would be miserable. The doctor said I should apply Vicks Vaporub to my hives to relieve the itching. He’s right! It really works! But I am incredibly greasy and have to cover the couch with a sheet just so I can sit on it. So for now it’s just me, GRE workbooks, pajamas, and facebook. I should add chocolate milk to that list… Until next time!

^^^ “Ohhh yeeaahh…”