Spinal taps aren't free. Or fun.

I was in Starbucks this weekend, watching all of my neighbors on their phones and tablets, etc.--and was reminded about the mission lately to truly be appreciative of all of the small things.

Life has a funny way of putting you in your place. I was 19 years old, a junior in college, and wearing my life on my sleeve--until that fateful day I was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Many of you have heard my story before, and if you haven't you can get a glimpse of it here in the Meningitis Research Foundation's Book of Experience. I distinctly remember sitting in that hospital bed willing to sell my left ventricle and American defense secrets for no more spinal taps, CBC's, and some ice cream--and lo! my friend for life, Chris, snuck down to the nurses' station and stole me some. I'll never forget it.

Anyway, a lot of these memories come to mind because it August is National Meningitis Awareness Month. In my uber cool role as an Ambassador, I speak with groups young and old about the importance of getting vaccinated and being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of meningitis contraction. It's important to me that my friends and loved ones be educated, too. I can't tell people enough how crucial it is to not only vaccinate your little ones, but to make sure that you're vaccinated too if you are in constant contact with large groups of people or live in close quarters, too (ie military, communes, etc). I'm sure I've also offended one or two of you, too--but when I look at you crazy when you ask to slurp my ICEE, just know that one month hospital stays have scarred me just a tad.

Please go visit the the National Meningitis Association's website here to learn more about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of meningitis. Never downplay a headache that's unlike one you've had before, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, a high fever--or more importantly, the feeling that something's just not right--ultimately, that feeling saved my life.

Experiences like this force you to look at life a little differently. So many people aren't so lucky. I realize my blessing and I want to make sure I do the little that I can to make a difference. If you have a group (students, parents, churches, etc) that you think would benefit from information about meningitis, let me know.  

If you'd like to make a donation to help support meningitis research and the development of new treatments, please support those efforts by donating here or here (you can also buy some cool stuff, too!)

Be well, friends!

C-Walking on Mars...

By now, you should all know I did the crip walk into the wee hours of Monday morning.  I have no shame, and when I retell this story in ten years, that will probably be my lead in statement. I can think of no better reaction, however, to the near-perfect landing of the Mars Curiosity Rover (MSL) that exceeded all expectations.

As a spectator, I've tracked the development and preparation that has gone into this mission-- it has spanned over 10 years, and 5,000 people from over 37 states...if that's not enough to stir some of your patriotism, then, well...I don't know.  And as I sat early Monday morning, slightly hunched, biting the right side of my cheek, attempting to decipher NASAspeak from Mission Control, NASA JPL director Charles Elachi spoke the following quote from Teddy Roosevelt as we waited for confirmation of a touchdown in Gale Crater:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

And then, as if a nine month cruise through the universe was a small feat, it was finished. Wheels down, pictures up!

I love how the Rover sent back this picture as if to say, "hey...on my mama, on my hood, I look fly, I look good, touch my swag, wish you could..."

Through it all, this has to be my most favorite moment:

Why? Well, for starters, note my mullet friend around :26. Watch his face. Then notice the faces around him. People who have poured their hearts and souls into concepts and 'what-ifs' that challenge the possible. That's what it's all about...finding the passion and latching on to what fulfills you and what you believe in, using it for the greater good--and making things happen.  It's a notion that I still haven't figured out for myself, but search for daily. This little slice of inspiration was a great reminder that it can exist. Quite frankly, this mission reaffirmed that with all things, when you have the perfect mix of what's known with what can possibly be, the results can be--pun intended--out of this world.  

As the NYT noted, JPL Director Charles Elachi said he walked outside mission control about an hour and a half before landing and stared up at Mars. “You are going to have a visitor,” Elachi said he whispered. “And the planet smiled,” Elachi said. “That's when I knew.”

That's what it's all about folks. Once again, another giant leap for mankind. 

Bring on those pictures!!

Now playing: "Viva La Vida" - Coldplay

'Cause 6 yr olds know all about politics..

Ok, let's state the obvious here.  His parents wrote a great script that probably took little Billy a while to memorize, given the pauses for dramatic effect, inflections, sotto voce , and the 'sure shootin' ".

Parents do stupid things like this all of the time. It's a pageantry of sorts. The opportunity to live vicariously through a little person gives you the chance to say as much as you want, or as passively as you want and to label it as cute. 

But hey, parents--your child isn't singing Raffi, or breakdancing here. This isn't a 'kids say the darnedest things' moment. He's spitting political ideology and carefully crafted statements of hate that he should have no opinion on. While he should have been outside playing, you had him on the steps denouncing a world leader. While you should have been making that PB&J sandwich for him and asking him about school, you had him spitting lies about welfare. While you should be teaching him gun safety, you have him pointing, shooting, and blowing smoke off a gun. And my favorite--why didn't you take the time to teach him the countries of the world instead of having him question the President's nationality?

I've got a great idea. I think the 'parental patriots' need to post a follow up video.  I would love to hear the sweet child explain to us his interpretation of welfare, who the 'good' people are that we are taking guns from, and once again, I would love for him to start naming some of those countries on the map. Maybe he can show us some age appropriate skills, like spelling 'America', or adding up 4+4. That equals, eight, by the way--you know, like two presidential terms?  Poor child.


Now we know, contrary to what makes 'sense', studies actually show that parents and family don't always have the most influential effect on crafting our lens when we are young and spongy, but to some extent they do. Dr. Joe Feagin (allow me to fangirl for a minute), one of the best professors I've ever had and one of the best researchers on race and America, co-wrote a great book (among countless others) on children, race, and sociological and psychological development entitled The First R: How Children Learn Race and Racism.  We simply don't give children enough credit, folks. They're listening, watching, repeating, and trying to process everything we say on a daily basis.

Anyway, shame on you, parents. Hopefully some of our scholarly studies hold. Maybe he will look back on this video 20 years from now, cringe, and wish this never happened. Kind of like those horrible pictures your parents took of you in the bathtub and the rubber ducky?? Shudder....

Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.