Sweet Seasons

This week I:

Witnessed a conversion "into Jesus Christ's arms, away from the lazy devil", some of the conversion spoken in tongues. All that much more impressive for one of the key parties holding a chihuahua in their lap throughout and it being 2:45 on a Tuesday afternoon.  In a laundromat.

Reunited with spinning after a summer apart.  I love spinning primarily for the fact that it regularly leaves me so out of breath I am unable to summon enough air to suck water through the sport cap of my water bottle.  The pool of sweat under my bike when I'm done doesn't hurt either. 

Love, love, love fall-themed coffee/tea drinks.

Reintroduced my beloved red down vest back into my wardrobe in honor of fall's entrance.  I paid $24.50 for this (children's) vest in the fall of 2004.  I estimate that I wear this vest at least 100 days out of the year.  That would make this vest probably the best investment ever at 5 cents/wear.  4 cents by the end of this fall/winter.

Quickly traded my vest for ice cream when a hard core Indian summer hit town.  Love Captain Softee.

The Union Square farmer's market also couldn't figure out what season it was supposed to be.  Summer?

Fall?

Got a new fish to replace the one that, uh, went to the big fishbowl in the sky while I was in Africa.  Thanks, Jaime, see if I let YOU fish-sit again.  Just kidding.

I took Eskimo along on this trip to Petco and decided as long as I was in the area I should just go to Bed Bath and Beyond for something I needed.  They allow dogs...as long as they ride in the cart.  Eskimo loves this.  Not.  It's pretty embarrassing for all of us involved.

Crossed the Verrezano Bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island...

...to eat in Shira's family's Sukkah (outside hut) for Sukkot (a Jewish harvest festival, more or less).  Ate an appalling amount of dessert, courtesy of the dessert reception Shira's parent's had hosted for her dad's congregation earlier in the day.

Was allowed to give the flu vaccine to a series of unsuspecting patients at my community health clinic.  Nobody cried, so I consider the endeavor a success.

Met with a professor of mine who I am helping to put together a "Global Issues in Women's Health" course.  I'm advocating for a class with three main parts.  First, understanding where money for women's health issues comes from and how politics affect that in the United States (and therefore how your vote can impact a woman's access to reproductive health services in another country).  Second, key issues in women's health (including safe childbearing, access to reproductive health services, fistulas, HPV vaccine and cervical cancer, reducing FGM and other harmful practices, violence against women, and HIV).  Third, what people can taking this class can do to advocate for and participate in improving women's health at a global level, ie frameworks for change.  And of course the complex, overarching issues that affect women's health, like economics, religion, literacy, and women's rights.  I think a lot of nursing students are aware of these issues on some level, but I am hoping this class will give them the details they need to make them truly aware and involved.

Did two prenatal visits with doula clients who are due in November.  They're both first time mothers and very aware and informed, but realistic--awesome to work with.  I'm excited to be at their births.