Archives for the Month of November 2005 on Lauren Georgeson's Insight
WHAT TO DO!?!?!
I am so confused right now on what I want to major in...
I came into Case and declared my major the first year as biochemistry. I feel as though I did this because my roommate was doing it, and it sounded interesting. Little did I know how much work was involved! I do not so much mind the work because I know I am capable of it. However, I am not interested in the material. I feel as if I am doing something that I do not want to do!
I knew I had to make a change if I wanted to be happy for the rest of my college career. Therefore, I looked around and started talking to various people in my classes about their major. I knew I didn't want to lose everything I have done thus far, so I wanted to major in something a little more appealing where I didn't have to start from scratch.
As I talked to more and more people and examined the 2005-2006 handbook, I decided nutrition would be quite fascinating. I met with my biochemistry advisor and spoke with her about my options. She recommended to do what I want to do because it is my life not anyone else's. I am the one who will have to live with this degree the rest of my life, so the real question is... Does it make ME happy? Then, I briefly met with a nutrition advisor to sign my change in major form.
I choose to change my major to nutrition and follow in the path of the dietitian program, and I scheduled my courses last Wednesday accordingly. I realized that I would not have to take physics 115 and 116 or chemistry 224 and 234, which were definite pluses. However, I would lose math 125 and 126, chemistry 233, and also biology 215, which is a bummer. I knew there were going to be advantages and disadvantages. If you look at it this way, I am pretty much losing a whole semester of courses, but I am gaining my happiness. Which is more important? Definitely my happiness!
Now to break the news to my parents... I told my parents on Thanksgiving, which was a huge mistake! My dad was telling me that I am trying to take the easy way out, which is not true because the courses are very similar to that required for biochemistry. My stepmom was telling me not to short change myself, which I didn't see how I was doing that!? My mom was just speechless. My oldest sister Melissa was like you are going to Case to be a nutritionist? Of course, sisters have to put you down. However, there was one person who actually encouraged me. Surprisingly, that person was my older sister Lisa. She is usually the one to criticize every aspect of my life, but she said as long as I receive a degree from Case, she is happy! Oh, I cannot forget my boyfriend, who always supports me in any decision I make.
I know how my family is though, especially my dad. They have to see it to believe it. We discussed going to law school, which is also an option for me, since as long as you pass the LSAT, you can have any degree to get into law school. That made him a little more comfortable with the idea of switching my major.
It's funny because my dream is to get married and have children immediately after I graduate. I do not want to work until the children are old enough to go to school. My degree is just going to be framed on the wall until I want to use it! My dad gets so mad when I say that, but I want a big family, and I always have. I am smart enough to know not to depend on a man and to have an education to fall back on in case things do not go as planned.
Well, whatever! We will see where the spring semester will take me. I will see if I even like nutrition. It is not like I cannot switch back. I still have time to decide.
The Wonderful World of eBay
eBay has to be my favorite past-time. It has everything... whatever you want, you can find!
I was first introduced to eBay by my boyfriend about three months ago. Since then, I have been shopping and buying like crazy! I even have my own registered name now as well as a PayPal account, even though I always use his PayPal account! :o)
The deals are incredible! For instance, my first purchase was a 4.4 cubic foot refrigerator, which goes for about $179.99 in stores. This one was from Sears and had a couple of minor dents from the stockroom. Therefore, I bought it for only $24.95. Of course, it was almost $50 for shipping, but I still saved about $100. I was so excited when I received it that I couldn't wait to open it. I went after my SAGES course, and it was too large to fit into my car. Thank God Neil Ursic was walking by at the time... He helped me bring it to my room and unpackage it. It was like Christmas for me. He was laughing at me because I was so ecstatic. You could barely notice the dents, and it was brand new! After that purchase, I couldn't wait to see what else I could find...
It wasn't long before I started bidding on things like crazy. I bought a car charger and a wall charger for my boyfriend for only $0.10 a piece. I was shopping with my roommate for a car charger and a plastic clip for hers, her brothers, and her parents' phones in the Verizon store, and the prices were ridiculous. In the Verizon store, a car charger was $30 and a clip was $20! I purchased everything on eBay for about $45 and that included shipping.
I also bought accessories for my iPod nano, which were incredibly cheap. The car FM transmitter/charger was about $75 in the Apple store, and I bought it on eBay for $20 with shipping! I also bought three skins for my nano, which came with another set of ear phones for just $0.01! In addition, I bought my boyfriend all of his birthday gifts.
There are a couple of drawbacks though. I absolutely hate waiting for the products to come in because sometimes you need the item right away like the gifts for my boyfriend's birthday. Also, I hate bidding on an item and being outbidded at the very last second. I was just informed that there is a program that does just that. It is called sniper, and it places your bid at the very last second. I think they only charge $1 or so for each item it wins, which isn't bad. I'll have to look more into that program. Usually, I just get the Buy It Now products. This way, you can be sure you get the product, and you don't have to keep checking to see if you are the highest bidder.
My boyfriend and I are so obsessed that we bring a laptop with us everywhere we go now to keep track of our bids. Yesterday, we actually pulled over to try and get wireless because he forgot his auction was about to end for a winter coat he had been bidding on! We were laughing at how addicted we have become!
I could spend all day just searching the website. The prices are amazing! It's perfect for us college students, who can't afford to pay the store costs.
PayPass?
Don't you hate it when you get those credit cards in the mail saying you've been "pre-approved" for some amount? I get those all the time, and I ordinarily just cut up the card without reading about it. However, this time was different...
I still get my mail sent to my dad's house, and when I go over there for dinner, he gives me a huge stack of mail. It is usually about 85% junk mail. The only pieces of mail that I get over there that actually matter are my bank statements. I have an account at Key Bank because my sister works there, but I rarely use it. Therefore, I just open the bank statement to see my balance, and then I shred it.
The letter I received this time from Key Bank did not appear to be a bank statement. There was a debit card in it. I thought this was extremely strange because I already have a debit card from there, and it was not a credit card!? At the top of this letter in large print, it read "Congratulations. You've been tapped," so automatically I thought it was junk mail. Despite this appearance, I decided to read the first paragraph to see what this was all about.
It stated: "We're adding a little excitement to your KeyBank Debit Card, called MasterCard PayPass. It makes your card even faster and easier to use than cash. So you can speed through lines at convenience stores, pharmacies, movie theaters, video stores, and drive-thrus. Soon, you may even be able to use it for mass transit, parking garages, and tolls."
This was a new debit card designed to make life a little easier and maybe even safer. You do not have to swipe your card anymore. "It's as simple as a tap." Therefore, your card never leaves your hand, which could make a person feel more secure. On the other hand, the letter also stated that you do not have to sign for purchases under $25 at participating locations. I do not know if that is exactly safe, since anyone can pick up your card and use it. Even though it is only $25 here and there, it adds up! The letter states that "you'll have $0 liability if your card is lost or stolen," but of course, there are restrictions! It states at the bottom in little print "when certain criteria are met." Whatever that means!
Not every place has a PayPass reader, so there is still a magnetic strip on the back. Therefore, you can still use your card as a regular debit card.
The point of this story being how fast technology is advancing! Rumors are pretty soon you will be using your fingerprint, so your identity is kept secure.
The TENS Unit...
I do not think my life could get any worse right now... Well, it probably could, but I do not even want to think about it!
I just started physical therapy again as I mentioned in a previous blog. I currently go four times a week, which occupies a lot of my time (I missed a lot of school and work this week because of this as well as strep throat)! My back and neck are in terrible condition! There is one thing that makes me feel better though, and it is the T.E.N.S. unit, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
What is it? This unit is a pain control treatment, which uses mild, safe electrical signals to help control pain. This machine has the power to work miracles.
How does it work you ask? This device lessens pain by sending painless electrical impulses through electrodes (sticky patches) placed on the skin. The electrical signals travel from the TENS unit through wires to the electrodes. The signal then passes to the nerves under the skin. These nerves take messages to the brain about what they feel, such as touch, warmth, pressure, and pain. TENS signals can replace the message of pain on these nerves with a tingling sensation. This changes your impression of the pain. The TENS signals may also increase the amount of endorphins, which are pain-relieving chemicals made naturally by your body, in your body.
When I was in physical therapy for the first time last year, my therapist actually gave me one to try out at home. It was horrible! I could not find the time to do this treatment. It was very hard for me to relax at home because I was constantly thinking of all this stuff I could be doing. It was very hard for me to find the exact pain spots where I should place the patches. Then, I always forgot to turn off the machine before I removed the sticky patches and would shock myself! It was much more relaxing just to have my therapist do it at the facility with all the proper knowledge and gear.
My therapist uses this device on me every visit. She places the sticky patches where I feel the most pain on that particular day. Then, she adjusts the control knobs making the signal either strong or weak. I usually get mine extremely strong, since I am in a lot of pain. I did not know what to think about the feeling at first, but after half an hour, the tingling really started to relax me. I usually fall asleep because it is so relaxing. After the treatment, I almost feel worse, but as the day goes on, I can tell my pain lessens.
Anyway, the point of this blog is just to explain a device I am currently using and the amazing technology that goes along with it. Who ever thought of using electrical signals to control pain? I want to thank whoever did!