Slice of Life: "Nerd-Out"

If you were to ask my friends they would tell you it does not take much to entertain me. From watching my roommate do daily tasks to pretending that the apartment has landmines so I don't cause the floor to creak, it's never a dull moment for me.

Lately I have been into things that cause me to "nerd-out" though. Like today for instance, I saw that there was an article about how there is research being done on Vitamin D and it's effects on uterine fibroids in rats which may lead to a non-surgical way of treatment. I mean, come on, how is that not cool?

Every time I go off on one of my tangents my friends tend to give me weird looks, which means that my eyes have gotten to twice as large and my words are flying out faster than the speed of light. I just get so excited and think that they will get equally excited, but in most cases not so much. But hey, at least they continue to let me talk about all the things that I nerd-out about.

Here are just a few of the subjects that get's my heart racing:

• The microbes found in the rumen of a cow can essentially turn poor quality feed into something great that will get digested and absorbed by the cow leading to excellent milk quality/production. 

• There is a type of nocturnal squid that has a type of glowing bacteria growing inside of it. The squid also has sensors on it's skin that can detect the amount of moonlight shining and takes that information to determine how much light it puts out from the bacteria to match the moonlight. This essentially causes the squid to have no shadow! Crazy, right?

• With all the drug-resistant pathogens out there, there has been more and more research done on how they communicate. Scientists have found that cells communicate by sending out a signal to let each other know they are near and once enough are present they "turn on." Now that they found how they act, researchers are making similar shaped molecules that will fit in the communication receptors that will disrupt that process so they will be "off." This is effective on all pathogens whether they have drug-resistance or not. I hope this technique gets approved soon that's all I got to say. 

• Anything that has to do with anatomy and physiology (human or animal). Learning how the body works just makes me slack jawed and wonder how more things don't go wrong. I also took an entire class on embryo transfer in animals last semester and was amazed at how that all worked. 

I could go on and on, but I just don't think my heart can take much more haha. I can't be the only one that "nerds-out" to things though, so tell me what gets your blood pumping. Don't leave me hanging out here alone. 

Slice of Life Challenge: I Won't Give Up

Today I wanted to share with you one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in a long time. I think I have mentioned earlier that I am a senior in college and will be graduating in May. Exciting, right? I know I am, but I still have my reservations. Mainly because I still haven't found the place where I am to begin my next chapter, which worries me. But I know that I am not the only one going through this, let alone know that this is not the worst thing that could be happening to me.

So I dedicate this post to all those who are facing a new chapter and/or going through a rough patch in life. If you are reading this know that "I won't give up on us, even if the skies get rough. I'm giving you all my love. I'm still looking up."  You have all the support I can give (see poll "WHAT DO YOU NEED?" to the right) and I hope that it reaches you, where ever you may be, soon. All I ask in return is that you share that love and support with someone else in need.

With that I leave you with "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz (highlighted below are my favorite lyrics of the song):

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

Slice of Life Challenge: Failing in Order to Succeed

Note: This is a continuation from yesterday's post. For a long time, I was ashamed of this story but not anymore. I feel that it is an important slice to share and hope that it will help others that have/will go through the same thing.

I don't care what you think or what people may tell you, college is no easy adjustment. Like a lot of people I came in with the wrong mindset, thinking that high school and the college classes I've already taken were easy for me, then the next four years will be too. WRONG!! 

I went from a small sized high school, where the largest classroom had roughly twenty-five students (give-or-take), to a state university with at least two-hundred people in my lecture hall. In that type of setting it's easy for a person to get lost in the crowd. Plus, this was the first time I had taken a course entirely online where I was in charge of my own learning. Like I said, quite the adjustment.

The first couple weeks weren't so bad, mostly because what we were discussing was review. But once the new material started, woo doggies was I in trouble...especially in those online courses. As the semester went on my grades just kept falling, I didn't know what to do. Most of my school life before I had gotten A's & B's, but by midterm I was sporting two D's and a C-. 

By the end of the semester I had two B's, two F's and a D, giving me a GPA of 1.4 (not my proudest moment). I remember the day I found out, I woke-up at five o'clock in the morning to check. As the page loaded I hoped, prayed and pleaded but obviously with no such luck. I was extremely disappointed in myself and internalized everything (just what I do) so my parents wouldn't find out. However, you can never hide anything from Mom. 

A few days had gone past, by this time I was pretty much living in my room, only leaving if absolutely necessary. My mother had came home from work early and barged in my room, slamming a piece of paper with my grades on the desk yelling, "WHAT IS THIS?!?!"

I couldn't form any words and just began to sob. I had let myself down and most of all my family. When I finally gained back some control, I told her everything: how I lost track of due dates, the material got over my head and I couldn't find my way back up, how my homesickness affected me and how I didn't manage my time well. 

This is where I have to give credit to my paremts, instead of yelling and punishing me (thinking I was doing it well enough to myself) they were there asking why didn't I ask for help right away and what I/they could do to improve next semester's grades. They listened to me criticize myself and talked me out of quitting by reminding me I had come this far and that I was not the first (nor the last) to be going through this. 

With each succeeding semester I improved little by little, so much so that the last four semesters I have made the Dean's List. What I'm trying to say is if you are currently in college or plan on going to college, know that you will eventually find your stride if you keep trying. And if you do have problems, tell somebody (don't keep it in like I did). As the old saying goes, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

Slice of Live Challenge: Packing

Last night our apartment turned into a packing frenzy. You see, next weekend we leave for spring break which means an opportune time to take all the stuff we aren't using back home. That way we don't have as much to take back at the end semester, especially this year when we have mere hours to move out after we graduate! As the mound of boxes gets larger, I can't help but think that it was just a few short years I was moving into the dorms.

It was August 13, 2008: Move-in Day. The truck was already packed with high school memories, things from home, etc. However there were still a few things to shove in them when I woke up that morning. Once we got on the road, I spent most of the ride down fighting back tears just trying to prove to my parents (and myself) that I was ready for this next chapter to begin.

Two and a half hours later, we arrived in Ames but it would be another hour before we would arrive at the dorm (Freshmen Move-in Day means lines of cars to the freeway exit). When we got there, I was dropped off by the door to go check-in while my family found parking and began unloading.

I began the hunt for my CA's room thank goodness it didn't take long. She introduced herself, gave me some information and my key. It was official now, I was about to be on my "own" for the very first time. I made the long trek down the hallway to my room, put the key in the door and opened the door.

There she was, my roommate all bubbly and excited to be all moved in. She ran over and gave me a hug saying it was so great to finally meet me. (We had spent most of the summer talking on Facebook getting to know each other and figuring out what we were bringing). I was taken off guard, I am the type of person that has that protective bubble and when someone comes in I tense up. I felt bad, so quickly put on a happy smile.

I looked around and her side of the room was all put together and decorated (that's what I forgot, wall decorations). I put down my packet of information, put my key on my lanyard and ran to the parking lot meet back up with my parents.

We began the back and forth that comes with moving, thank goodness we  had one of those moving carts. My dad soon stopped, saying he would be better at just unpacking while my mom and I kept going back to the truck for more. Luckily it was just a few trips but sadly that meant that my parents had to leave. We said our goodbyes and I walked them to the door.

Those tears were then starting to break through. My roommate was gone for band orientation and I was in the room alone with my boxes. I needed a distraction so I unpacked and made everything look as pretty as I could. Unfortunately that didn't take as long as I had hoped. I got the TV hooked up with the cable as well as the DVD player (my dad would have been so proud). Next was trying to get the internet (what do you mean I need an ethernet cord?) to work. Ethernet-less I had to wait on that.

Now I was running out of things to do. I put in a movie and called one of my best friends. Talking to her I began to cry, all these things were running through my mind and how I was homesick. I knew she was the right person to try and snap me out of it. But try as she might I was still homesick.

It would be weeks (okay more like months) before I wasn't affected by my homesickness but with the help of my roommate and the friends I met made it go easier. Before I knew it I made a lot of great memories but there was also the fear of being kicked out of college...but that is a story for another day...

Slice of Life Challenge: Grandpa Knows Best

Grandpa and I ~1994

Do you see that man in the background? That would be my "Bestest Friend" growing up otherwise known as Grandpa Essen. When I was little I spent most of my time at my grandparents' house while my parents were at work. It seemed like everyday there was always something new and fun to do: help Grandma in the kitchen, go with Grandpa to Hardee's to pick up Biscuits and Gravy along with some Mini Cinnamon Rolls every Sunday for breakfast, sit and chat with all the friends that would visit and I could go on and on.

Grandpa and Grandma during Christmas ~1970s

My favorite days were those during baseball season. I'm sure you could probably guess which was our favorite team but I'll say it anyway: THE CHICAGO CUBS!!! Whenever there was a game being broadcast you can be sure that Grandpa and I had the TV/radio tuned in to watch the boys play, but mostly to listen to our favorite announcer Harry Caray. During every game we had our rituals, my favorite being singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" with Grandpa and Harry.

Grandpa on his family's farm ~1930s

But my love for baseball wasn't the only thing that my grandpa instilled in me. He is one of the big reasons that I decided to come to Iowa State and study Dairy Science. Every now and then Grandpa would talk about how he used to work with cows and how much fun he had. I loved listening to him and watching his face light up. He even talked about how he was an auctioneer and at least once a month would take me to sale barns at the fairgrounds to look at the animals. I sure did have a great time at those auctions, seeing him in his element and absorbing all the information I could. Some times at these auctions we would see one of my grandpa's good friends who owned a dairy farm and if we didn't we would usually go stop out to visit. Grandpa knew how much I loved those visits going to see the cows and play with their calves. It's what every little girl dreams of.

Because of him, I am the person I am today...