Oh, Hello.

So it's been awhile. A couple of weeks, in fact. Which turns out is a rather extreme blogging break for me.  But things have been insane.  Between the start of the semester, training new TAs, adjusting to increased numbers of courses and students, my new position at work, baseball, and cub scouts the category of "Free Time" has basically disappeared.  Add in the fact that I was in Philadelphia the majority of last week presenting research at an annual work conference and I can comfortably say there was simply no time for blogging.  Not if I wanted to sleep.

But now, settled into the second day of my weekend, as we wait for the baseball uniform to dry so we can get to the field in an hour, I feel comfortable grabbing a few minutes to update.  Although, there isn't a ton to say beyond "Life is busy. We are managing to keep up!"  So how about a few pictures?

Let's see. Since we last spoke (or whatever) we celebrated my mom's birthday. It was great! Look at how happy these babies are.

They sure do love their Nanny!

Baseball has also continued to happen, and our boy it getting better at hitting every single game.  We are down to the last two weeks of Fall Ball.  It has been great and I cannot WAIT for it to be over. seriously.  Let's finish this.

Exciting things were happening in the world of Pokemon Go. Did I tell you we love Pokemon Go? LOVE IT.  I am not even ashamed.  (Although I do regularly blame Henry, as if I am not completely addicted as well)

And then we went to Philly!  Look, the Liberty Bell!

And the LOVE sculpture!

And City Hall!

Oh, and WORK.  The conference was actually great. There were two parts in particular that were extremely powerful to me personally.  One focused on the issues surrounding our criminal justice system and the other focused on how to address adverse childhood experiences through behavioral changes such as physical activity, meditation, and music. In is in moments such as those that I feel the power of the work we are doing, and I am so grateful to contribute to that work.

On the way back to the airport we got a cheese steak, because, it's wrong to go to Philly and not get a cheese streak.

And then finally (FINALLY) We celebrated Boo's birthday yesterday with dinner, a movie (Pete's Dragon. SO GOOD!) and a cookie cake. The dinner, in particular, was a big hit with the kids.  Actually, so was the movie and the cake. It was all a hit. Thanks for being born, Boo!

And with that, I am out of time. Thanks for catching up with us.  I will try to be back in less that two weeks this time.  Seems like a reasonable goal.
 

New Job

So, I think it's time I take a minute to tell you all about my new job.  Did you know I got a new job?  Well, SURPRISE!

Actually, to an outside observer, it may not seem as if I got a new job. In fact, it's always sort of awkward when Nick and I announce we got new jobs only to be like, but we still work in the same place, with sorta the same people, doing kinda the same thing...

So a promotion. We have received promotions.  The thing is, at the university they don't really give promotions. If you do a really good job, and the job above you opens up, you still must apply along with the rest of the free world (seriously... our university gets SO MANY APPLICATIONS) and be selected via a competitive process into the new position.  It's just how it works.

Anyway, I am once again announcing on here that I have received a new job.  Based on my count, it's the fifth time in the nearly ten years I have been running this blog that I have posted something similar, and four of those announcements have involved me moving positions within the university.  That seems... excessive.  Which is probably why I haven't mentioned this NEW new job.  But as the semester is about to start, it occurs to me that this "new job" is sort of a big deal, and not really "just a promotion", so it seems worth posting about.

As of July 1st I have become the Director of Undergraduate Studies for our college (not the University as a whole, just for our individual degree program). While I am continuing working with Corrine on our research, that role will now take up much less of my time (25%) and the majority of my effort is moving towards teaching and program direction.  It is truly the best of all worlds, and I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity. I mean, I am really THRILLED.  I am not sure I can clearly say on here without sounding like I am bragging that this is a huge deal and validates all of the hard work I have done over the past several years.  I am really excited about the move, and I am really excited about helping this program grow into what I know it can be. It is going to be hard work, and it is going to take a lot of time and energy and heart, but in the end, I am going to make a lasting impact on this program and these student's lives. And that is really really exciting.

So, with that, I have a new job.  Again. 

 

So I went to Seattle...

Well, I went to Seattle last week. You know, that city on the complete other side of the country. You would think me traveling cross-country would have resulted in at least ONE blog post mentioning the trip in the weeks leading up to my departure, but no. I decide to stay mysterious like that.

(also, so so busy)

Anyway, SEATTLE.

It was amazing. I feel so lucky to get to travel for work to such amazing places all around the country.  (This is Corrine and I on top of the Space Needle... a required tourist stop)

Seattle at night, from the ferry.

Space Needle from below

Heading out on the Monorail

And I know it sometimes when I go on these work trips I forget to talk much about the WORK part here on the old blog, but rest assured the work part was awesome.  Truly.  I love having the opportunity to meet like minded people who are passionate about early childhood development in the way we are.  We learned so much, and sparked new ideas for our future projects while also getting to share the important work we have been doing. It was great.

Also, we went to the very first Starbucks! Work life balance is important.  I feel like the general theme of our trips is always FOOD, but man, the food (and coffee!) of Seattle are just incredible. Anyone going there, I HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS.

Seattle is an interesting city, with lots of random things just hanging around. This worked great for me as I like to send Henry random pictures from my work trips.  This was his favorite.

Or maybe this was... I am not sure. But I think I am going to wait and do an entire post on the Star Wars gingerbread display in our hotel because... well, it was a STAR WARS GINGERBREAD DISPLAY IN OUR HOTEL.

He maybe also liked this mouse...

and this robot

Seattle... keep keeping it weird. I really like your style.

Chicago Whirlwind

I am now home from our four days in the Windy City. We were there for the American Public Health Association's annual conference, and it was absolutely amazing. Between my boss, Corrine, and I, we managed to present our study findings in five different presentations over the four days.  FIVE.  Guys, that's a LOT of presentations for two people.  One of these I took the lead on, which resulted in my very first oral presentation at a national conference.  Oh how far I have come with that pesky fear of public speaking!

In addition to our own presenting we attended a ton of other sessions over our areas of interest and made some great connections with others in the field.  I know not everyone is a fan of conferences, especially these large scale ones with thousands of people, but I think it is just amazing to get so many public health minded people together and hear them passionately talk about their own research. It makes me proud to be part of this group of people who are all working in different areas to make our world just a little bit better.

Anyway, the conference was amazing.  And,  not surprisingly, so was Chicago itself.  Corrine and I have a tendency to plan every single free minute with fun during these conferences.We coordinate meals with our friends and colleagues and basically do our best to make the most of our time in these different cities. Chicago turned into the city of food.  We walked over 30 miles over the four days, and ate at an unmentionable number of amazing places.  We even did a city food tour, which was awesome!

Last night I got home right around midnight.  I hugged Nick and covered Henry in kisses while he slept.  I was exhausted and ready to be home, but I was also rejuvenated in my passion for public health, which, is really the point.

Looking forward to my next APHA conference already.


 

Big Day in the Work World

You know when you have an EPIC thing happen at work, and you want to tell EVERYONE about it, but then you remember that just possibly EVERYONE doesn't find your work details quite as exiting as you do?  Yeah?  Well... don't say I didn't warn you.

So one major part of my job is evaluating the home visitation program for our state, and part of that evaluation involved getting our state developed program recognized nationally as evidence based.  I will try not to get too wordy here, but being evidence based in the research world is HUGE.  It is critical because it basically says "this doesn't just sound like it will work, it actually DOES work".   Because the thing is, lots of things that sound like great ideas just don't work (like the DARE program... great idea, tons of money poured into it, absolutely no impact on drug use).  I talk with my students about this all the time.  You can't just think it sounds good, without positive results you are simply spinning your wheels and wasting everyone's time and money.  So, being evidence based is where it's at, but proving something works is harder than you might think.

That, in a weird way, sums up my entire job.  "Being evidence based is where it's at, but proving something works is harder than you might think." Lots of people working in research are basically making a career out of that statement.

Anyway, our team has been working for four years to get our program recognized as evidence based, and today it happened.

TODAY IT HAPPENED.

This will save our state a ton of money, but more importantly, (to us as evaluators...maybe not to the state) it validates a ton of hard work from a ton of great people. It provides the seal of approval to a program we were all passionately behind.  A program we believe can change lives for the better.  Today we heard that the powers that be agree.  And THAT is a great feeling.
 

Good Thing I am Over that Fear of Public Speaking Thing...

So I for this email yesterday from the American Public Health Association:

HOW ABOUT THAT?!  In case you aren't really interested in reading the fine print, I will tell you that it says I have been accepted to present my research as an oral presentation during the national conference in Chicago this year!  I am insanely excited, which is better than insanely terrified.  Last year I presented at this conference during a poster session, which is still a big deal, but getting bumped up to an oral presentation is sorta huge.  Corrine and I actually have four other areas of our research being presented during this conference, which is INSANE, but this one is special to me because it's really my primary area of interest and something where I am taking the lead. The other four (FOUR) Corrine will be presenting, so I will be helping put it all together before we go, then be there for support/smiles during the actual event.

In addition to these FIVE FREAKING PRESENTATIONS in Chicago (we REALLY didn't think they would all be accepted), we were also recently accepted to present at a conference in Salt Lake City in September and another in Seattle in December.  That's a lot of fall travel, but it's also three huge opportunities to get our research out there in front of people who are passionate about the things we are studying.  It's all actually a pretty big deal, professionally.  And since I am now working in a field I love, it's a big deal to me personally as well.

So, here's to conferences! Expect lots of travel posts this fall.
 

Course (and Self) Evaluations

So back during all the insanity of home remodeling, birthday planning and party hosting I also managed to wrap up my first semester of teaching.  I got an email today letting me know my course evaluations were ready for review, and then I realized how insanely nervous I was to read these anonymous evaluations.  I mean, they could say ANYTHING.  Who came up with this idea and WHY do I have to now read them?!

I thought about just ignoring the email, but that is ridiculous, so I clicked over and started to read.  And guys, they are so so nice.  Like, 98% of them have nothing but "loved this class!", "loved this professor!", "changed my life and made me a better human being!" sort of comments.  Okay, not exactly the last one, but the other two.  Lots of the other two.  There were a few that had suggestions/criticisms, but nothing mean or out of the ordinary, and everything was actually understandable and pretty good suggestions. I did like when two comments backed up to each other, one saying "I didn't like the online exams" followed by "I loved the online exams!". You can't win them all I guess.

 So.  Yeah.  That's that.  I have completed my first semester of teaching, and I liked it.  Actually, more than liked it.  And I am not sure what my future will be in this area since there are only so many hours in the day and my real job keeps me plenty busy, but I have loved teaching these 150 students.  I have loved meeting with them and opening their eyes to what public health is and how it impacts their lives.  I have not loved the millions of emails that 150 students and four TAs can generate, but you know, you take the bad with the good.

One semester down and the results are in, mark this one a success. Who would have thought?

Doing All the Things...

So yeah. Life is sorta overwhelming at the moment.

Remember when I said tball was going great and not really that stressful this year?  Well... that's still true in a way, but tball added with work, and kindergarten, and the wrapping up of the semester for both mine and Nick's classes, and home renovations, and birthday party planning sorta results in that feeling of drowning in ALL THE THINGS. Our house is an absolute disaster and I haven't cooked dinner in lord only knows how long.  Seriously... like, did I cook last week at all?  Nope.  Not one single time.   Add in that it's allergy season and we are all feeling sorta like crap, AND the fact that my glasses broke yesterday (MY GLASSES!) and we end up in a situation where our entire household is running on steam and adrenaline and I am not exactly sure what to do about it.  I mean, beyond just keep going.

So that's what we are doing.  We are rolling with it.  I am trying my best to get home from work in time to give Henry some down time before we shuttle off to tball.  I am delegating to my TAs as much as possible for my class, I am trying to be focused with my time at work so I am as efficient as possible, but it's wearing me thin.  It's wearing all three of us thin.  I am looking forward to some things dropping off my plate, and first up is the teaching which will wrap up in two and a half weeks.  Next Henry finishes kindergarten (FINISHES KINDERGATEN!) in 28 school days.  Then... well then life sounds pretty awesome.  We officially booked our trip to Disney and will be out of town for three entire weeks this summer.  For now we will just keep going and look ahead to the days where I can maybe cook dinner once or twice a week.  Maybe next month...

For now, here is a picture of Henry from his tball game last night.  The Cardinals are 3-0!  It's an excited time.
 

DC in Pictures

I don't have a lot of time to write a thoughtful post on my trip to DC, but I wanted to get these pictures up as I am heading toward my own one week blogging deadline about life events.  I will say that while I do not travel for work often, I am constantly surprised by how rewarding the experience is when I do.  I have traveled for work before this job, and it was always fine.  Part of the job.  Now, falling in line with my post from Wednesday, I find that I get so much out of my work travel now.  The conferences I attend are absolutely packed with valuable information for our area of research, and as I sit in these meetings I am overcome with how much I enjoy this work.  Also, it's pretty cool with the Vice President of the United States is the Keynote speaker, because then your mom can tell people you had lunch with the VP, even if she conveniently forgets to include there were like, 1100 other people there.  Moms.

So, the first day I was in DC was sorta random in the fact that the cheapest flight got me in around 10am, but I didn't have to be at the conference until 7am the next morning.  My boss/traveling companion Corrine was in a workshop so I was on my own for the day.  I headed out into the city solo, which was surprisingly enjoyable.

My first stop was the White House.  Where I assumed I was as close as I would ever be to the President of the United States.

Then, as I was walking past the White House gate an office told me I had to step back, and I was like "WHY??"  and then someone else randomly on the sidewalk was like "Look!  The President!!"  So, I took a picture.  Hello President Obama.

My solo sightseeing tour then lead me to the Holocaust Museum, which was moving beyond words.  Truly.  Beyond any words that I can find.  I will say that while it was heartbreaking it was absolutely worth going through as a way to honor and understand the horrors of our past.  Here are some of the pictures.

After that I was sorta emotionally drained and figured I would head back to my hotel, but as I was walking I ran into the National Art Museum.  One of the coolest things about DC is all the Smithsonian Museums are free, so I figured I would wander in for a little while.

I took this one picture, only to be told by security I couldn't take pictures.  WHAT?  And THEN I saw like a million other people taking pictures and I was annoyed.  But whatever.  I enjoyed it, even if I can't provide photographic evidence of the pictures I enjoyed.

After that I really did head back to my hotel, and then most of the rest of the trip was dedicated to work related activities, which while awesome, aren't really relevant to this post.  BUT, on Friday night Corrine and I headed out on the Monuments by Moonlight tour and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  If you are ever in DC, go on this tour.  Here are a few pictures which do not in any way do the tour justice.

 Here are Corrine and I outside of the Roosevelt Monument overlooking the Washington Monument.

 Washington

 Jefferson

 Roosevelt

 MLK

 Lincoln

World War Two