Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
aspirations
I want to work in databases or informatics for genetic research.
I want to work in cancer research.
I want to work in international health, like documentation and sharing and collaboration and researching who does what with what with what resources. (Like in Atul Gawande's book "Better" -- is it always expensive surgical equipment that determines success, or are manual skill and a deep comprehension of the task sometimes underrated?)
And also, in international health, what diseases are seen more and less in what countries among what populations, and WHY?
I want to work in governmental research, like at a policy institute.
I would LOVE to be part of some project that would streamline the federal government so that we were putting tax dollars into systems that worked and returned in dividends, rather than endless bureaucracies. E.g., our educational system is atrocious.
So does anyone want to give me an internship this summer?
I have no work experience in CS whatsoever, but I have a lot of school learning and a great attitude and I will wash your car.
Posted by Neil and Diana at 10:08 AM 7 comments
Thursday, January 14, 2010
in tha house
I am briefly moved by the awesomeness of paul simon.
This week at work I almost fell over when a patient's family member complained that the reason the patient wasn't getting more coverage from AHCCCS was because AHCCCS is busy covering U.S.-born children of "wetbacks."
Maybe that language/logic flies in Michigan?
No offense.
I have been in a bad mood this week. I go to yoga and my backbends feel anchored by gravity. I want to be pulled up by the moon. Today was my first class. I like the energy coming from the professor. He runs. He runs marathons in Australia and Rome. He is roughly my age. Sarah's age. He said each week-long homework assignment will take a minimum of 20 hours. No late days. My brain felt like what just happened when I put half a cup of coffee in the microwave and (for the first time, since I only recently discovered the button) pressed "reheat." The coffee boiled over, perplexingly. I hurried home and threw myself into cleaning the spare room, goodwill bags at hand. I guess that's where the analogy ends: My brain wants All Clutter To Go Away -- it's distracting and wasteful and, arguably, pulls me down. Especially when I need to focus on algorithms. The coffee problem was solved with a couple of paper towels. Maybe the brain/coffee issue has a similar prevention tactic though, along the lines of know what you're getting into? No ... Don't collect dust? Ok, so there's no similarity.
Last night in yoga one of my favorite teachers said something to the effect of, If you're confused or feel lost or overwhelmed, just show up to where you're at.
Posted by Neil and Diana at 3:18 PM 2 comments