The present days

A recap of where I stand these days.

My roles currently include:

PART TIME GRADUATE STUDENT
- I just started back to school as a part-time graduate student in HPM (dept. in public health). I am taking health law with a professor I very much like. Having a dad who is a health lawyer to talk through all the facets of class with makes it all the better.
- I am considering taking two other classes
1) A leadership and ethics in health care course- it's only a 2 credit course and meets once a week. I've already taken global ethics, organizational leadership and behavior and research management and ethics ..... so maybe it is a bit redundant but it would mean being taught by one of people I respect most in life, Dr. Edward Brooks.
2) Anthropology of science - since taking an ANTH class in 2010 exploring "detection" and the "rhetoric of evidence" in biomedicine, a more specific topic within the STS - known as "science and technology studies" or the philosophy of, history of, social science study of - science and technology. This is the closest UNC has to offering a course for which there are more and more universities offering graduate degrees in. I am fascinated with epistemological and ontological inquiry into the social and cultural construction of "facts", "truths", "knowledge". See these links: Philosophy of science  or more broadly, here.

Self-portrait for Duke Documentary
studies workshop

PROJECT MANAGER FOR AUTISM RESEARCH STUDY
I am working half time with my undergraduate mentor, Dr. Steve Reznick in his study developing the earliest detection instrument - a survey to be completed by parents about their one year old. I am responsible for the finalization of the instrument (what questions, question responses, ordering of the questions), the layout of the instrument and other elements the mailing with a daunting 30,000 survey size of recent parents residing in NC. I'll be working with a designer on a logo and layout; who will do the printing, the mailing, the scanning of the surveys returned; setting up the database of birth records and addresses from the NC Center for public health stats which gives us the info on who to mail to; figuring out what sample would likely lead to a representative sample of respondents; determining how to collect the survey instruments we receive in the mail; and working with the team of five or six other professors / PhD researchers on our team.

I love my job. I appreciate the autonomy, initiative and creativity that it has allowed thus far in what could be construed as a potentially more defined if not micro-managed, very left-brained role. I think the research is novel, am intrigued by the tasks I've worked on thus far and believe I am contributing to a significant & important area of study. Not to mention how much I am learning.

DUKE CENTER FOR NON-PROFIT MGMT

I am just about to complete my non-profit management certificate through Duke. I have been gleaning hours up to the total required since last spring in day-long courses. I've have two this week and then will have one remaining. Topics have included: Grassroots fundraising, constructive conflict resolution, working w/ high functioning teams, managing multiple priorities and time, effective business writing..... I have REALLY enjoyed and learned a great deal applicable to Sustain and other NP as well as general school and life skills.

DUKE CENTER FOR DOCUMENTARY STUDIES

After taking one workshop this summer to kick-start this certificate program on "Literacy through photography", I am taking an 8 week class this fall - meeting one evening a week- on "Documentary photography as a fine art". I'll be working on my "photographic vision" through understanding what elements of a photograph converge with principles of fine art. We'll be critiquing iconic photography and each other's work in later weeks. For the certificate, one needs to take around 6-7 courses of around 20 contact hours each. I am super excited to be extending my recent delving into my right brain, building on the arts classes taken last winter and creative projects I've been working on pretty much constantly.

AS WELL

- Serving as the Sustain: Sakina project coordinator until we find a director. I am trying to find partners for our Sakina Secondary School Scholars for the upcoming school year. If interested in being part of giving the opportunity of education to these motivated youth in need, please contact me! Partial scholarships are welcome as are non-monetary methods of support.
- Being the treasurer of the Weaver St. Cooperative Housing Association where I live. This has taken more of my time than ever imagined but is rewarding too.
- Working daily (at this very moment) at Open Eye and Driade. Expanding to Weaver St. and Looking Glass as well. Still enjoying my daily vanilla americano.
- Meeting Tuesdays or Wednesdays with an art collaborative that has formed from the "altered book" course taken at the Artscenter. We meet at the teacher's art studio in a barn at her home out in the country. Four woman, making and altering books, sharing each others lives, often sharing alcohol. A thing of beauty.

Celebrating a strike while
costume bowling at Vanessa's b-day party

- Running when I can which has not been often because of my stupid left knee. Still not tracking correctly due to my quad muscle not firing properly all stemming from my stupid stupid tail-bone cracking incident at Linville when I attempted to swim down a rapid.
- Yoga at the Open Heart Yoga studio as much as possible.
- Hanging out and cultivating a friendship with Vanessa and relationship with Austin.
- Spending time with my family - dad, mom, grandma
- Tending to my flower garden in all of it's beauty and contending with all of it's problems (disease and insects currently invading). I had a sunflower bloom!
- Painting a wooden unicorn
- Listening to books/podcasts on audio CD in my car
- Biking around town
- Watching the recently released Ally McBeal TV series when I have time (which is not so often)
- Tending for my kitty, Snowflake

Phew. I was going to add my "plans" but should stop here as I have work to do! It is a beautiful late summer evening when the heat dies down a bit, the breeze picks up, the sky begins to soften in color. A lovely time to do my reading for the week :)