doings

I was really doing well with the whole blogging thing on a regular basis the past few weeks. And now I've ruined that streak. Dang it. Although it's been more than a week since my last post, I actually have been quite busy in the bustling metropolis of Hastings, so maybe you'll forgive me for not prioritizing the blogging? And now, my doings:

Reading:

• An article about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) that my Uncle Dale sent me. It talks about how alcohol damages the fetal brain (duh), but also that FAS might later affect a person's life. So alcohol consumption during pregnancy affects how the corpus callosum of the brain is formed. As it turns out, the isthmus of the corpus callosum is more narrow in people with FAS. And this information is beginning to be used within the justice system (a person with FAS is then considered to have a congenital brain defect which means they are not eligible for the death penalty in many states...or all states (?)--I'm unclear on legislation in this arena). The more we learn about the brain, the more secular implication it has. Which leads me to my next bout of reading material...



Just a little light reading...

• Another something sent to me by my delightfully nerdy family members (thanks Uncle Dick!)--The Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. Admittedly, I haven't finished all of this one yet. It's really hard to get through. I'm not sure how people find reading these case studies enjoyable. I usually end up with a slight headache after a few pages. Logic and I apparently are not best friends. This case is about brain scans (functional MRIs, etc) and their use within the justice system. It discusses moral, ethical and legal issues. That's really I know about this one cause it's currently in Hastings and I've gone back to Omaha. 
• Blogs on blogs on blogs on blogs. I'm going through a blog obsession right now. I've read too many to count. There are some seriously brilliant people out there right now writing down their thoughts. And there are some that aren't so brilliant, but that's besides the point. 
• The book "Haiti After the Earthquake" by Paul Farmer. I've read Farmer's writing before and I LOVED it. He's practically the person I want to grow up to be (well besides the being a man part). He's a physician interested in public health. AND (although, not overtly) he embodies some pretty sweet Christian ideals. Oh and he's a fabulous writer too. The book, like the other one of his I read ("Infections and Inequalities") makes me really sad and feel quite helpless about the poor of the world who have essentially no access to healthcare, education, food, etc. The situation in Haiti was dire before the earthquake and the earthquake essentially destroyed the infrastructure that they had. There's not a whole lot of resolution within the book because the writing takes place within the year immediately after the earthquake and rebuilding takes time. It's a good read though, if you're interested in healthcare. 

Writing:

• A sermon. I preached this past weekend at the Congregational Church in Hastings. It's been a year or so since I've had the preaching hat on, so it was a nice challenge and a good experience. The people over at FCUCC are seriously nice and were willing to try a few crazy things with me!
• Posturography. I started working on my second research paper a bit more. 
• Mild Cognitive Impairment. Just putting the finishing touches on that bad boy!
• My blog...well obviously, you're reading it!

Watching:

• This Ted video...watch it. NOW. No single human should be able to make all of those sounds with their mouth! Tom Thumb, you rule!
• Listen to Your Heart. It's on Netflix. The premise is that a song writer falls in love with someone who is deaf. One of the side stories is that she ends up getting cochlear implants. The movie was close to my heart because my dad has been severely hard of hearing my entire life and will likely end up with cochlear implants at some point in the (probably) not so distant future. The actress that played the deaf girl was incredible! That's not a dialect that easily reproducible. Watch the video, but be forewarned that you'll probably need some tissues (especially you, Joe Ritzy).

Eating:

• Tsno. Tropical sno is a summer rite of passage in Hastings! Mmmmm
• Sweet corn. Yep, I'm a Nebraska girl at heart! Love me some fresh corn-on-the-cob!
• Back Alley Bakery. Lunch twice, pizza/dinner once. Yep, I'm obsessed!
• Dally's Deli. I don't think any trip to Hastings is complete without some Dally's!

Listening:

• I've spent the past few days getting caught up on things in Things That Matter land. They've had some AWESOME episodes this summer! Diana Butler Bass rocks my world. And Rachel Kurtz as the new musician?! I'm absolutely in favor of this! You can also catch up with TTM land at http://thingsthatmatterland.com/. 
• Oliver Sacks on Radio Lab (have I ever mentioned that I'm a nerd?). For those of you who don't know, Oliver Sacks is a neurologist and an author. His books include "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" and "Awakenings" (among several others). Well anyway, his birthday was recently and so they celebrated it on RadioLab (podcast from NPR). You should watch the movie "Awakenings" if you haven't already! He's done some awesomeness in the field of neurology. Happy Birthday Oliver! 

As you can see, I've been busy over the past week or so. Sorry for being such a failure at blogging!