I do not know why there is a big blank spot at the top of my blog. This was happening to Adam's blog for a while, and then in went away. I hope I don't have to go tinker with my template or anything.

But anyway, there is

Good News.

1. I got a really good haircut on Saturday. It wasn't super-cheap, but they did give me a free (small) bottle of their organic shampoo which I love the smell of.

2. Apparently, I have health insurance now. I applied 2 weeks ago through the Alumni Association, and my packet came in the mail, so now I'm covered for 6 mos. The premium and co-pay are low, but the deductible is high. Also, it apparently doesn't really cover anything except maybe getting hit by a bus. But it's good to have in case of emergencies, I guess. Like getting hit by a bus, for example!

3. As far as I know, I do not currently have leprosy or polio. (which is good, because my insurance probably wouldn't cover it.)

Is it time for lunch yet?
- posted by k @ 12:08 PM

 
Apparently, it's true!

I heard a rumor that Farmer Joe's Market was opening near the Park 'n Ride in the Fruitvale/MacArthur area (I guess this is called the "Dimond District" in Oakland), and now the internet says so too, so it must be true!

Well, those of us who know and love Farmer Joe's hope that it can survive in the new, much bigger space. Part of what's great about where it is now is that it's small enough to get through quickly, but also doesn't seem to get ridiculously crowded. Overall, one of the most pleasant places to do groceries that I know of.

In other news, I have always wondered about how and why different areas in Oakland have these district names, but I would settle for just a list of these nicknames and the areas the correspond to. For example, I know of Dimond, Laurel, Fruitvale, Rockridge, Temescal (I think I live there), Lake Merritt area (ok, that one I understand) and possibly a few others.
- posted by k @ 4:03 PM

 
The Weather and Everyone's Mental Health.

And I do mean everyone's.

Half of us suffer from mental illness, survey finds
Most patients do not receive adequate care
About half of all the people in the United States will develop one or more mental disorders in their lifetimes, according to the latest national survey. During any year, one of every four people in this country fits the definition of "mentally ill."
Most of these disorders are mild, the census-like survey found. Mild or severe, most of them start before or during adolescence, and most patients wait years for treatment or go untreated. Even when treatment is available, it is not likely to be very good.
...
"No one would be surprised to find that 99.9 percent of the population has had a physical illness sometime in their life," he points out. "Physical illnesses are often mild and short-lived; the same is true of what we call mental illnesses. But what our study shows is that these disorders have an impact on Americans as common as physical maladies such as diabetes and heart disease."

Everyone has problems, so if you've got one, don't be embarrassed! Go get help.
(I have an elaborate theory about how the myth of the American dream contributes to this epidemic, but it's not completely fleshed out)
- posted by k @ 9:43 AM

 
I have a job interview!

It'll be next Monday, so don't bother me then. The job is an (almost) full-time (with benefits!)research assistant job at a speech and hearing lab and I'm familiar with all the software that they ask for familiarity with. This could be a good thing.

Pros: They're specifically recruiting Cog Sci grads, it's full time with benefits, I am interested in language, and there are related labs working on more neuro-type research. 4-days a week means an extra day off to do dishes or errands or whatever.

Cons: It's in Martinez, so I'd have to get a car, probably; they don't mention brains anywhere on the website and I'm interested in brains and language. I'm not sure to what extent I'll be able to get the experiences and skills I'll need later in grad school and in my own research. I mean I know that lab rotations in grad school often provide a lot of that, but if you know what you want to do, why not get experience in that as soon as you can?

So, I'll go into the interview and see what I can find out. It might be great, or I might pick up warning signs that let me know it's not right. This is actually a much better situation for interviewing than when you know you would love the job if you could just get it. Then you try too hard to impress your interviewer and get nervous. They can smell it and it turns them off.

In the meantime, I need to check-in with several places that would be closer to my interest but don't currently have openings and see what I can find out before I commit myself.
- posted by k @ 3:52 PM

 
A Great Collection of Songs
(if you need a good cry)

I didn't, but they were good anyway. The listners' picks for best songs from NPR's "All Songs Considered."

I'm sure someone will complain that they're mostly mainstream/well-known/bordering on cliche...but I think each one really is a work of craftsmanship, and that has led to its being overplayed. Or maybe I just have shallow, mainstream taste. In any case, I enjoyed it.
- posted by k @ 5:01 PM

 
BODY ODOR
Do Vegetarians Smell Better?
- posted by k @ 11:18 AM

 
Well, this sucks.

So, I'm sitting here at work and I licked my lips because they were dry. They had strange chemical taste. "How odd," I thought. Then I became really sensitive to smells--soap, coffee next door, they all started to bother me. And then it got worse and I realized I was experiencing nausea. So I went down the hall to the bathroom , lifted the seat, paced, thought I felt better and started to leave, then felt not-so-good again, and went and kneeled again. Nothing happened, so eventually I got up and left. I'm back at my desk, but I don't feel quite right. I guess there's really nothing to do except chuck if I'm gonna chuck and keep working if I'm not.

I must have had something that wasn't quite right, but I can't think what. I found some tea bags for flavored black teas with awful terrible artificial flavors but I had one to see what it was like. Does tea expire? I don't know how long they'd been here.

Hopefully whatever it is will settle down and leave through the normal route.
- posted by k @ 10:23 AM

 
Jon Carroll, again:

"Science does not make faith impossible; it just presents evidence about the workings of the natural world, which you can choose to believe is evidence of how God laid it all down. Revel in the complexity of the Lord! Marvel that he gave protean adaptability to viruses, and marvel that he gave humans brains to understand that adaptability."
- posted by k @ 9:53 AM

 
I think I'm going to buy a bike. I live close enough to a lot of things that it doesn't make sense to drive to them, but sometimes walking takes too long.

Now that I have a job (well, steady work, anyway) I can afford to buy one. Yay! I think that would be an effective use of resources.
- posted by k @ 7:43 PM

 
The Galloping Frugal Gourmand

That's right! It's time for more Food News!

I've had 3 new food experiences this week that I'd like to talk about:

1.Baked Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I saw them in the vending machine at work and could hardly believe my eyes! I had forswarn Cheetos, but if they were baked I decided I could consider them. So I had a test-bag. $.75; 200 calories (which is like 2 dense slices of bread), less than a third of the calories from fat, and no grams of sugar, but also not much fiber, but at least there was no high fructose corn syrup(death! evil!). So it would be kind of like eating 4 slices of wonderbread. Texture was entirely satisfying, and since they were baked not fried, there was no greasy residue. Taste-wise I had only had Flamin' Hot Cheetos once before, and I didn't remember them being this spicy (and my palate runs spicy these days). The hotness builds up over a few mouthfuls, so I think these would make a nice snack with tea, paired with a cookie or trail mix or fruit, though I should warn you they have a strong garlic/onion powder taste. Also, I ate my bag in 2 sittings: one half was part of lunch, and the other half was an afternoon snack (like with tea). I don't recommend eating the whole bag at once for nutritional reasons.

2. The deli at Whole Foods. I had to be at an appointment and the best time/place to eat (so that I'd get to the appt. on time) turned out to be the deli at Whole Foods because it was right across the street. I selected half a small container of the "Penne with Leek and Lemon" (@$7.99/lb=$2.00)and half a small container of the "Tarragon Beans" (@$5.99/lb= $1.50)which was a dressed-up 3-bean salad. Both were very nice; the Penne also had goat cheese and fresh parsley and in addition to lemon was dressed with something called "champagne vinegar" (is that what you have on caviar chips?). In the bean salad, I got to really taste tarragon, an herb I'm not familiar with. It was sweetish and reminded me a bit of fennel/anise, but only lightly so. So now I know. I'm brainstorming ways to use it now. I think maybe it would enhance a main dish where the side dish involved roasted fennel roots (I've been wanting to try this, and I saw Giada diLaurentiis do it and it didn't look too complicated). Also the bean salad had some very nice marinated, thinly sliced red onions: no sharp vinegar taste, but no sharp onion taste either, but just the right amount of tart/sweetness. I rounded out my meal with a bottle of "Honest Tea" which I highly recommend because it tastes great and is only very lightly sweetened (again, no HFCS). Also I think one of the founders is Indian, or anyway I find their use of South Asian art/iconography tasteful and respectful, even if they're using it to sell things.

3. Yesterday's toasted veggie sub from Subway. So I bought a foot-long yesterday and put half of it in the fridge to have for lunch today (and ate the other half for lunch yesterday). Usually I would be wary of this tactic because Subway subs tend to get very soggy and gross in the fridge overnight. However, perhaps because I had it toasted, it was in fairly decent shape today (and I nuked it for 45 seconds). So now you know.

I also went to a great little Italian restaurant before the show yesterday, but it wasn't very frugal. Outstanding tiramisu, though, and all the pasta was made in-house.

Do you think I spend too much time thinking about food? I'm beginning to be a little concerned. On the other hand, I mean some of it is an artistic endeavor--it's not like I'm always sitting around thinking about things I'd like to eat. Though I do that too sometimes. Hmm.
Oh, and anyone out there have ideas for elegant things to do with chard? I've got a couple, but looking for more.
- posted by k @ 2:28 PM

 
I'm not sure why I feel the need to post this exactly, but I think it's an interesting reflection on the state of the job-hunting world out there. Also it makes me feel better to know that other grads have had to take survival jobs. Though it's more difficult than the article suggests to "focus most of your energy on your job search" once you have one.

Job Search Survival Tips 101
June 13, 2003
Are you a new graduate looking for a job? Here are some ideas and suggestions to help you survive while pursuing your dreams.
1. Consider taking a survival job - The number one concern new graduates worry about while conducting a job search is paying their bills. Survival jobs help pay the bills, and can help to keep you out of debt, while allowing you to focus most of your energy on your job search. Use it as an opportunity to build and hone new skills for future jobs. Think of it as a chance to meet new people, and build your network of professional contacts. Think of survival jobs as getting a foot in the door, and some may offer the potential for advancement or permanent positions.

2. Be adaptable, flexible, and persistent - these are some of the characteristics that you will need to help you weather the job market. If you are interested in a particular position within a company, but it is not currently available, consider taking another job in the company. Remember most companies hire from within, and once you're inside you can check out the company, find out how it operates, and get to know the key players. Networking is still the most effective way of finding a job, and once you're in, you will be part of the network.

3. Put a career plan in place now - Most job seekers will delay or eliminate this step because they are unsure of the job market. However, now is the time to do it, because without a plan you will end up drifting from job to job, and that can paralyze you. Your career plan will serve as a road map that comes with directions and guideposts along the way. Take an inventory of where you are now, and think about what you want to do next, and put in place a plan of action to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities you will need to get that next job.

4. Find ways to stay connected to people in your career area - Join a Professional Association. Associations are one of the most valuable resources for anyone trying to break into a particular industry or for those exploring careers. Through associations you can learn about job leads, meet major players in the field, attend networking and social events, find out about hiring trends, and most of all make valuable contacts.

5. Develop a support system of your own - Connect with other recent alums in a supportive environment to network, explore goals, personal strengths, and manage the emotional roller coaster of the job search process. Studies show that a positive attitude really does pay off in job searching, and a support group can help you stay motivated and maintain a positive attitude.
- posted by k @ 11:11 AM