"Don't worry, Baby"

I'm Thankful...

1/18/12
1. for lunch dates with my mom.  She loved the Flying Biscuit!
2. for pretty dresses that make me look skinny and are on sale.
3. for days off to take a deep breath.

1/19/12
1. for an easy float to another floor if it had to happen.
2. for meeting my last graduation deadline for awhile.
3. for tons of rain when I finally get to sleep at 8 am

1/20/12
1. for phone calls to Ted at the end of my night and the beginning of his day.
2. for soup in a bread bowl on a cold night.
3. for new episodes of Say Yes to the Dress on a cold night.
4. for my bed and the ability to sleep for lots of hours the next day.

1/21/12
1. for poignant moments on dirty bathroom floors.
2. for the Southern Comfort taco and margaritas with dear friends.
3. for light bulb vases and Ikea flowers. 

1/22/12
1. for sweet puppies to make my mom smile.  She might actually keep him, fingers crossed!
2. for seeing a smile on my boyfriend's face after a pretty decent tragedy.  I hate having to see him hurt.
3. for Cheerwine and empty sports bars.

I missed a lot of days, and will skip the long commentary.  I am thankful for a warm home, a healthy and happy family (my heart aches for those who don't have that), and all the many, many blessings that I definitely don't deserve.  

Fool in the Rain

Yesterday was not my best day.  It's kind of like God laughed when I said I had perspective, and sent me a few minor meltdowns to prove, once again, that I am a mere mortal.  I got overwhelmed by my many tedious deadlines (ironic thing is I've met almost all of them between work and school), and was telling this to Amy on my way to Athens when I got flagged down by a cop.  During a confusing situation of cars stalled on the interstate, I apparently made the wrong choice, and pissed off this cop royally.  He yelled (and dropped the 'f' bomb), but thankfully, he let me go.  However, I couldn't stop crying for almost the whole ride.  I almost cried again when I stopped by a woman's office for a signature at an agreed upon time, and she was already in a scheduled meeting.  All of that, plus the rain, and the sweat, and the wandering around campus stalking employees, and my already foul and stressed mood did not make for a winning combination.  I came close to telling off a pretentious Honors student, and then got stuck in another accident on the way home.  All of this griping is to say, that even when I can't get past the little things for one day, I am surrounded by great people.  Not only did Amy listen to my petty complaints, she comforted me during my rain of tears, and sent me gorgeous flowers to cheer me up.  She's a good sister.  Ted took me to Willy's (my favorite, his less than favorite), and let me watch Muppet Treasure Island even though I'm sure it was mildly painful for him.  The rain continued for the night, but when their power went out, he sat on the porch with me and held my hand and watched the rain with me. 

1/17/12  I'm Thankful...
1.  for small problems rather than big ones and people to care about me enough to listen to them.
2.  that it wasn't me in those accidents.  I think everyone was alright, though.
3.  for rainy nights, and the relative calm that can come with them. 

"I'm bringing home my baby bum-ble bee"

1/16/12

Here's the amazing thing about doing a hard job-I see miracles on a daily basis.  For example, when I was helping to re-access a 3 year old's port (in English, shove a needle into a rubber thing in this kid's chest to have access to a vein directly to his heart) his mom was singing this song, and he was laughing like crazy! Miracle.  The miracles are hardly ever the ones that are so frequently prayed for.  In fact, some days anyone being cured seems impossible, but sometimes a song to make a kid laugh is enough.  I occasionally get to rub the hair of a kid who hasn't needed to be hospitalized in months or even years.  Miracle.  After months and months and months, I get to be the one to tell a kid they're discharged home for good.  Miracle.  Medicine syringes turn into water guns and get kids out of bed.  Miracle.  Anyway, as much as I kick and scream and cry over my job, I am grateful to witness tiny miracles. 

I'm thankful...
1. for perspective.  I know what tragedy is, I know what strength is, and I know that life is valuable. 
2. for ice cream.  It may increase my cholesterol, but it makes life better.
3. for the content sigh of chubby cheeked babies in my arms.  I may not want one of my own, but they sure are fun to hold. 

The Danger of a Single Story

I took a long hiatus from the world of Global Health, only to return in full force this semester.  I've missed learning things about the rest of the world, and I'm excited because now I have a tiny bit of context when I hear others lecture and discuss the pressing issues of the developing world.  I just finished watching a video of the author Chimamanda Adichie talking about "The Danger of a Single Story."  She talked about the danger of a single perspective or story and the generalizations that can come from only one point of view.  I was ashamed to realize as I listened that I was/am still guilty of that.  Before I lived in Africa, I assumed it was an impoverished land, filled with illiterate and unhappy people, HIV, coups, food shortages, and deserts.  While those things do exist, I'm grateful that I now know another story of Africa, one of pride, laughter, brilliant people, amazing scientific innovations, generous and friendly people, enthusiasm for life, beautiful scenery of lakes, palm trees, tea farms, mountains, and flowers, and amazing pineapples. 

It makes me wonder what other perspectives I have that are only single stories.  I've learned in the past few months that even conservatives are not all bad, I am often the intolerant one, and that I am not as brilliant and enlightened as I like to think I am.  What else am I missing?  What else can I do to change my perspectives, or at least add to them?  What are my prejudices, and why do they exist?  And even though I still have no desire to return to Uganda in the near future, what can I do to change others' perspectives to be more aware and tolerant?

I know that my thoughts are not all that unique, but I can at least share them.  It's one more story to share, right?  I may continue to blog a little here and there, because I like having a record of things, even if no one else reads it.  And I've missed my lists, so avoiding ex-boyfriends be damned, I'm writing again.

On a different note, I'm thankful...
1. for changing perspectives.  I hope I can always strive to be more tolerant and less ignorant.
2. for lovely weekends full of pinball, skee-ball, childhood movies, long kisses, and shrimp and grits.
3. for warm blankets on cold nights.  I am blessed!