I love this recipe already. This was inspired by the philly from a pizza parlor in Santa Maria.
1) Season and panfry one chicken breast. Set aside.
2) Slice green and red peppers, two baby bella mushrooms, and two slices of an onion. There should be an 1:1 ratio of pepper to onion.
3) Sautee the peppers and onions in a pan, adding the mushrooms after 2 minutes. After another 2 minutes, slice the chicken into chunks and add to the pan.
4) Add a handful of italian cheese (mozzarella, provolone, romano, parmesan). Cover and let sit for 1 minute.
5) Slice a french roll in half, spread it face down, toast it in the toaster oven. I do this when I add the mushrooms
6) Pour everything in the pan onto the roll. Fold over and enjoy.
Monday, June 28, 2010
My intro script for a Health Education and Promotion presentation
Zebras don't get ulcers. But our species does. Human beings, for all our intellectual superiority and ecological dominance, are unique in our ability to stress ourselves out in the absence of any real threat.
When this stress spirals out of control, it can result in depression. It’s important to specify that we’re not talking about when the Celtics lose and you feel sad for a day. Nor are we talking about a traumatic auto accident where it takes a month to feel better. We’re referring to the kind of depression where you go down, and you don’t come up for years.
Now...this could NEVER happen to us, right? We are all professional students, and we have everything under control; young, good looking, with our whole life in front of us... Actually, depression is one of the most common and undiagnosed diseases in the US. 17% of the people in this room will suffer from depression at one point, and very likely, they will not get help for it.
One problem: semantics. “Made for TV” diseases like heart disease have well-defined parameters for diagnosis and treatment. In comparison, people are quick to tell someone who is depressed, “Just get over it.” The word “depression” is used too often in our daily life to have the same sobering effect as "diabetes." This contributes to why patients with depression often go without treatment.
Another problem: our machines are outdated. While we were growing up evolutionarily, the only source of stress was the occasional “eat or be eaten” scenario. Those situations caused a huge physiological change (fight or flight response) that saved us from many a mammoth. When we come face to face with a lion in the Serengeti, we don’t care about sex or digestion. We don’t need our immune system patrolling for threats inside our bodies. These processes are all shut down as self-preservation takes priority.
Fast forward to present times: we’re surrounded by chronic, continuous stressors now, we’re still reacting the same way, and our bodies weren’t built to for this constant load.
We are going to make a case that depression is the worst disease possible. It saps your fighting spirit. When one loses willpower, comorbidities such as smoking, obesity, heart disease, suicide, and other risk factors arise. It also indirectly damages health; depressed are more likely to engage in self destructive acts (drug abuse) and neglect to seek treatment.
Because of the hidden prevalence of depression, it is important to proactively reach out to those at risk. One method that has been tested and used to good effect is the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping.
When this stress spirals out of control, it can result in depression. It’s important to specify that we’re not talking about when the Celtics lose and you feel sad for a day. Nor are we talking about a traumatic auto accident where it takes a month to feel better. We’re referring to the kind of depression where you go down, and you don’t come up for years.
Now...this could NEVER happen to us, right? We are all professional students, and we have everything under control; young, good looking, with our whole life in front of us... Actually, depression is one of the most common and undiagnosed diseases in the US. 17% of the people in this room will suffer from depression at one point, and very likely, they will not get help for it.
One problem: semantics. “Made for TV” diseases like heart disease have well-defined parameters for diagnosis and treatment. In comparison, people are quick to tell someone who is depressed, “Just get over it.” The word “depression” is used too often in our daily life to have the same sobering effect as "diabetes." This contributes to why patients with depression often go without treatment.
Another problem: our machines are outdated. While we were growing up evolutionarily, the only source of stress was the occasional “eat or be eaten” scenario. Those situations caused a huge physiological change (fight or flight response) that saved us from many a mammoth. When we come face to face with a lion in the Serengeti, we don’t care about sex or digestion. We don’t need our immune system patrolling for threats inside our bodies. These processes are all shut down as self-preservation takes priority.
Fast forward to present times: we’re surrounded by chronic, continuous stressors now, we’re still reacting the same way, and our bodies weren’t built to for this constant load.
We are going to make a case that depression is the worst disease possible. It saps your fighting spirit. When one loses willpower, comorbidities such as smoking, obesity, heart disease, suicide, and other risk factors arise. It also indirectly damages health; depressed are more likely to engage in self destructive acts (drug abuse) and neglect to seek treatment.
Because of the hidden prevalence of depression, it is important to proactively reach out to those at risk. One method that has been tested and used to good effect is the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Cooking
It took drastic circumstances to get me to this point. A small town with no restaurants, a bankrupt city with no activities, a summer semester with too much free time. Oh, and a quarter million debt and dropping 18 eggs on the floor.
Recipes I've been practicing:
Chicken: Debone chicken half breasts (97c/lb). Chop into chunks. Rub in salt, pepper, and garlic. Add vegetable oil. Rub more. Heat a skillet to high (no oil added). Sear chicken for a minute. Flip and sear again for a minute. Turn to low heat and wait 5 minutes. Allow chicken to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
Omelette: Dice bell peppers, ham, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and onions. Place in pan on low heat with small amount of vegetable oil. Shake pan to spread out. Place aside on a plate when finished.
Whisk two eggs with a little milk. Pour into pan on low heat. When top is the only part runny, add a handful of shredded cheddar and jack and add the filling. Fold the omelette and allow to sit for one minute.
I like practicing knife skills and efficiency/multitasking. I'm only using one pan and one of the range tops for now. Every day, I still eat pasta, oatmeal, an apple, an orange, and a banana. But when dinner comes along, I look forward to trying new combinations.
Because I'm basically the only person in this house, I buy each component on a small scale. I'm experimenting with shallots and mushrooms right now.
Will post pictures as soon as I get my camera back.
Recipes I've been practicing:
Chicken: Debone chicken half breasts (97c/lb). Chop into chunks. Rub in salt, pepper, and garlic. Add vegetable oil. Rub more. Heat a skillet to high (no oil added). Sear chicken for a minute. Flip and sear again for a minute. Turn to low heat and wait 5 minutes. Allow chicken to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
Omelette: Dice bell peppers, ham, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and onions. Place in pan on low heat with small amount of vegetable oil. Shake pan to spread out. Place aside on a plate when finished.
Whisk two eggs with a little milk. Pour into pan on low heat. When top is the only part runny, add a handful of shredded cheddar and jack and add the filling. Fold the omelette and allow to sit for one minute.
I like practicing knife skills and efficiency/multitasking. I'm only using one pan and one of the range tops for now. Every day, I still eat pasta, oatmeal, an apple, an orange, and a banana. But when dinner comes along, I look forward to trying new combinations.
Because I'm basically the only person in this house, I buy each component on a small scale. I'm experimenting with shallots and mushrooms right now.
Will post pictures as soon as I get my camera back.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Problems with Authority
Through the last 4 years, I've changed how I interact with my peers. I've learned, through trial and error, the many subtle mistakes that I've been making, and have done my best to address them. I've noticed my relationships with friends and family improve and I feel more secure and content around them.
But when faced with problems with authority (most recently: professor, landlady, EMT instructor), I find I revert to my passive-aggressive ways that I perfected in high school. Avoiding the problem, gossiping, backbiting, reveling in the role of victim: I retreat into time tested, outdated, habits.
This duality bothers me because I know, from my rational side, that I am compounding the problem. Perhaps I haven't had enough experience and am growing socially lopsided? Maybe I'll never need to learn this skill. As I grow older/wiser, the number of people who are my peers increases, and each new person I meet is framed as an equal.
I used to address all adults older than me by "Mr." or "Mrs." Now, I take the first name. But I can't let go of that convention with those I've already met. I don't think I ever will. And my bad habits will still be there, but I hope they rarely have to be used.
But when faced with problems with authority (most recently: professor, landlady, EMT instructor), I find I revert to my passive-aggressive ways that I perfected in high school. Avoiding the problem, gossiping, backbiting, reveling in the role of victim: I retreat into time tested, outdated, habits.
This duality bothers me because I know, from my rational side, that I am compounding the problem. Perhaps I haven't had enough experience and am growing socially lopsided? Maybe I'll never need to learn this skill. As I grow older/wiser, the number of people who are my peers increases, and each new person I meet is framed as an equal.
I used to address all adults older than me by "Mr." or "Mrs." Now, I take the first name. But I can't let go of that convention with those I've already met. I don't think I ever will. And my bad habits will still be there, but I hope they rarely have to be used.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Current Junk Food
1) Quaker Rice Cakes - White Cheddar
2) Baked Lays - Parmesan and Tuscan Herb
3) Baked Kettle Chips - Black Pepper
Rotating each day to keep the flavors fresh.
2) Baked Lays - Parmesan and Tuscan Herb
3) Baked Kettle Chips - Black Pepper
Rotating each day to keep the flavors fresh.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Things I've heard in the last week:
1) Could you wash the bathroom and tub every week?
2) You need to scrub the oven and range after each use.
3) I don't use a chopping board. I chop my onions directly on the granite countertop. But you need to use the board.
4) Why does my dog keep peeing in the same spot? I mop it up every time.
5) If you don't want dogs pooping in your room, you should keep your door closed. I went into your room to use your computer because my laptop battery died.
6) When I bought these pots and pans, they were brand new. Now, after a few years, they look used. This is not acceptable.
2) You need to scrub the oven and range after each use.
3) I don't use a chopping board. I chop my onions directly on the granite countertop. But you need to use the board.
4) Why does my dog keep peeing in the same spot? I mop it up every time.
5) If you don't want dogs pooping in your room, you should keep your door closed. I went into your room to use your computer because my laptop battery died.
6) When I bought these pots and pans, they were brand new. Now, after a few years, they look used. This is not acceptable.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Annoyances
Rules to live by:
1) Make an effort: I was explaining something, and somebody took a deep breath and said, "Wait a second wait a second wait a second wait a second..." x5, repeating rapidly and slowly trailing off. I wanted to stop right there and tell her how insulting that was. Firstly, I believe that if you don't understand something, the onus is on YOU to figure it out. I never liked those in class who demanded help before trying on their own. Secondly, if you're going to interrupt me, do so politely; I heard you the first time, and I'm not so dense that I need a long exhalation plea to slow me down.
2) Know your equipment: This is something I put up with a while ago at work, but recently it has come to my attention in lecture, especially with those who rely on powerpoint. I dislike that some people are willing to be a victim of technology, and act as if ignorance is cute and/or unavoidable. No soldier goes into battle with a gun that was cleaned by others, no matter his rank. A teacher should take the time to learn the sound system, the lights, the projector, and the remote control of whatever room he's working in. Those are his tools, and he should be responsible for them. When he stammers and hesitates mid-lecture because he doesn't know what he is doing, he not only loses time, he loses respect.
1) Make an effort: I was explaining something, and somebody took a deep breath and said, "Wait a second wait a second wait a second wait a second..." x5, repeating rapidly and slowly trailing off. I wanted to stop right there and tell her how insulting that was. Firstly, I believe that if you don't understand something, the onus is on YOU to figure it out. I never liked those in class who demanded help before trying on their own. Secondly, if you're going to interrupt me, do so politely; I heard you the first time, and I'm not so dense that I need a long exhalation plea to slow me down.
2) Know your equipment: This is something I put up with a while ago at work, but recently it has come to my attention in lecture, especially with those who rely on powerpoint. I dislike that some people are willing to be a victim of technology, and act as if ignorance is cute and/or unavoidable. No soldier goes into battle with a gun that was cleaned by others, no matter his rank. A teacher should take the time to learn the sound system, the lights, the projector, and the remote control of whatever room he's working in. Those are his tools, and he should be responsible for them. When he stammers and hesitates mid-lecture because he doesn't know what he is doing, he not only loses time, he loses respect.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
MPH Week 2 begins
Feeling focused, strong, and slightly crisp. This weekend's outdoor activities were too much for the nape of my neck, leaving me with a warm, lopsided tan.
We had to do a pop presentation (as in pop quiz, not soda pop). Teacher tossed an ethical dilemma at us and we had 10 minutes to give an 8 min summary, analysis, and plan. This time, adrenaline + pressure = success. I hope there are more chances to present like this. Was fun and played to my strengths.
Ethical dilemmas remind me of college philosophy classes. For all those who have yet to take philosophy, there's two schools necessary to know: Bentham and Kant. These two leaders correspond to the fields of relative and absolute, respectively; utilitarianism and deontology. What's interesting is that both of these perspectives offer valid positions to argue from, and there is a mini dilemma in choosing which way to choose. It's surprisingly enjoyable and easy to rationalize different ethics from different vantages. I hope this is not a sign that I'm not firmly rooted in a philosophy of my own.
Fun detail: I had sent out an email to the class list on Friday advertising a weekend getogether; the teacher mentioned that during rollcall; "Sheppard, the one who went bowling, right?" I had an excellent comeback about 5 minutes later.
Last night, I was confronted by my landlady/housemate. She must have been going through a tough time; it seemed like something external was on her mind and she wasn't her usual bubbly, cheerful self. But she channeled whatever that was into an impassioned plea for me to keep the bathroom door shut and the counter clear. Didn't make any sense to me at the time, but I just said yes to try to stem the tide. Yet she continued. I was surprised but did my best to keep nodding until she finished. That took about 20 minutes.
I'm slowly starting to make Vallejo my hometown. Exploring the town for lunch, I went to two taco trucks, a coffee shop converted from a gas station, and a 70 year old pizza parlor. Excellent places, all of them.
We had to do a pop presentation (as in pop quiz, not soda pop). Teacher tossed an ethical dilemma at us and we had 10 minutes to give an 8 min summary, analysis, and plan. This time, adrenaline + pressure = success. I hope there are more chances to present like this. Was fun and played to my strengths.
Ethical dilemmas remind me of college philosophy classes. For all those who have yet to take philosophy, there's two schools necessary to know: Bentham and Kant. These two leaders correspond to the fields of relative and absolute, respectively; utilitarianism and deontology. What's interesting is that both of these perspectives offer valid positions to argue from, and there is a mini dilemma in choosing which way to choose. It's surprisingly enjoyable and easy to rationalize different ethics from different vantages. I hope this is not a sign that I'm not firmly rooted in a philosophy of my own.
Fun detail: I had sent out an email to the class list on Friday advertising a weekend getogether; the teacher mentioned that during rollcall; "Sheppard, the one who went bowling, right?" I had an excellent comeback about 5 minutes later.
Last night, I was confronted by my landlady/housemate. She must have been going through a tough time; it seemed like something external was on her mind and she wasn't her usual bubbly, cheerful self. But she channeled whatever that was into an impassioned plea for me to keep the bathroom door shut and the counter clear. Didn't make any sense to me at the time, but I just said yes to try to stem the tide. Yet she continued. I was surprised but did my best to keep nodding until she finished. That took about 20 minutes.
I'm slowly starting to make Vallejo my hometown. Exploring the town for lunch, I went to two taco trucks, a coffee shop converted from a gas station, and a 70 year old pizza parlor. Excellent places, all of them.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
MPH Day 2
The Accelerated MPH program begins. Besides the awesome name, so far I’m underwhelmed. Here’s a recap of the first week:
Biostatistics: Class is MW from 2-6pm, except for Wednesdays, when it is from 4-6pm, but every other week on Wednesday it is from 330-5pm. Confusing huh?
Teacher is a low talker. He knows it too. They’ve conveniently set up a microphone for him at his lectern, an excellent mic with huge gain and clarity. It’d be nice if he would use it. He has a habit of walking away from the mic for half an hour at a time.
Material seems like math, or more relevantly, physics. I imagine problems with variables to be identified, applying the proper equation to them.
Environmental health: Class is W from 6-10pm, immediately after biostats. Firstly, I get miserable because I don’t have a meal time. The news given was that we could eat in the lecture hall, but the food could not be hot, wet, or deliciously aromatic *facepalm.
The teacher’s name is “Rainbow.” Now I don’t think it’s good practice to judge somebody based on her name, but she’s not helping the stereotype at all. At the end of the class, she read us passages about animal spirits and medicine (our totem is the peregrine falcon). We are opportunistic, agile, graceful, patient, decisive. Yay.
Health Education and Promotion: Finally a class that clicked. This class is about how to apply our knowledge to make a concrete difference. Isn’t that what the point of studying is? Gaining tools that you eventually will use. I like to think that much of my time working in the doctor’s office was dedicated to this, making flyers, pamphlets, information videos, and websites to educate patients.
Overall, this looks to be a pretty smooth season for me. Classes on M-Th. No class before 12pm. Great living conditions; safe, quiet campus.
Things that could improve: internet speed, social life, furniture, exercise, administration.
Furniture is a gamble: the landlady gets me anything I ask for, but she gets it secondhand. So I have antique, stylish furniture in my house with far more class than I could have picked myself, but I’ve had to send a few back for various malfunctions.
I’m working on the social aspect. Remembering names (about 50 people), introducing the shy ones, organizing recreational events. I have to make adjustments, going from community college to graduate school. Pop culture is less important, new factors like spouses, children, financial difficulty, and career aspirations must be accounted for. Somewhere in all of this tangle I should probably establish what my personal traits will be. It’s a new chapter and I have the chance to reframe my life with every introduction. I think, in general, I’ve shifted to more of a cutthroat, take-no-prisoners personality that prioritizes my career, and I should probably act more that way.
Biostatistics: Class is MW from 2-6pm, except for Wednesdays, when it is from 4-6pm, but every other week on Wednesday it is from 330-5pm. Confusing huh?
Teacher is a low talker. He knows it too. They’ve conveniently set up a microphone for him at his lectern, an excellent mic with huge gain and clarity. It’d be nice if he would use it. He has a habit of walking away from the mic for half an hour at a time.
Material seems like math, or more relevantly, physics. I imagine problems with variables to be identified, applying the proper equation to them.
Environmental health: Class is W from 6-10pm, immediately after biostats. Firstly, I get miserable because I don’t have a meal time. The news given was that we could eat in the lecture hall, but the food could not be hot, wet, or deliciously aromatic *facepalm.
The teacher’s name is “Rainbow.” Now I don’t think it’s good practice to judge somebody based on her name, but she’s not helping the stereotype at all. At the end of the class, she read us passages about animal spirits and medicine (our totem is the peregrine falcon). We are opportunistic, agile, graceful, patient, decisive. Yay.
Health Education and Promotion: Finally a class that clicked. This class is about how to apply our knowledge to make a concrete difference. Isn’t that what the point of studying is? Gaining tools that you eventually will use. I like to think that much of my time working in the doctor’s office was dedicated to this, making flyers, pamphlets, information videos, and websites to educate patients.
Overall, this looks to be a pretty smooth season for me. Classes on M-Th. No class before 12pm. Great living conditions; safe, quiet campus.
Things that could improve: internet speed, social life, furniture, exercise, administration.
Furniture is a gamble: the landlady gets me anything I ask for, but she gets it secondhand. So I have antique, stylish furniture in my house with far more class than I could have picked myself, but I’ve had to send a few back for various malfunctions.
I’m working on the social aspect. Remembering names (about 50 people), introducing the shy ones, organizing recreational events. I have to make adjustments, going from community college to graduate school. Pop culture is less important, new factors like spouses, children, financial difficulty, and career aspirations must be accounted for. Somewhere in all of this tangle I should probably establish what my personal traits will be. It’s a new chapter and I have the chance to reframe my life with every introduction. I think, in general, I’ve shifted to more of a cutthroat, take-no-prisoners personality that prioritizes my career, and I should probably act more that way.
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