Google: Susan

I met the student who will be serving as the peer mentor for the F.I.G. class that I am instructing next fall. We began with some general chitchat and then I asked her if she had any questions about me or my position at the university. "No," she told me. "I already googled you."

Pocket Susan Advice: It's easy to forget just how much information is on the Internet, because it has become an unremarkable part of our day-to-day lives. It doesn't hurt to google yourself every so often to see what's out there for public viewing. Once with your full in quotations like "Pocket E. Susan" and then with your name and any other keywords that might be pertinent such as Susan, Pocket, and university.

May I have a Band-Aid Please?

"Where is all this blood coming from?"

That's definitely in the top 5 of Things You Don't Want to Hear. Even worse is that it came from the lab technician who was bandaging my arm after drawing blood for some tests.

There are two reasons this statement is bad. a) If the person drawing blood doesn't know that blood comes out of the veins then we have a problem b) Should I be concerned that there is extra blood just lying around after the official draw is complete? Like being concerned if there are extra parts after you assemble a baby crib. I mean, it looks steady for now, but in the middle of the night will it all fall apart?

Only time will tell, my friends...

Pocket Susan Advice: The housing market is starting to stabilize and the stock market still stinks so now is a good time to invest in your home. Check out this site http://energytaxincentives.org/ to learn about the Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP). TIAP, sponsored by a coalition of public interest nonprofit groups, government agencies, and other organizations in the energy efficiency field, is designed to give consumer and businesses information they need to make use of the federal income tax incentives for energy efficient products and technologies that was passed by Congress as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequently amended several times.

You Get Back What You Put Out Into the World

You'll get back what you put out into the world...

I've been told this a million times, but I'm starting to doubt it. In the last month, I've sent out over a dozen letters, notes, and postcards and none have come back. Actually, that's wrong, I did get one back from the post office because I had my friend Liz's address incorrect. But that doesn't count. What I really want back are letters, notes, and postcards. Even a little email message would suffice. But it's as though I am sending letters to no one. Ah well, at least I'm finally getting ready of some the stationary I apparently purchased in bulk.

Delicate Flower Day

There have been two amusing flower-related quotations that I have heard from my friends in the last little while.

First from C.B. comes "delicate flower day". There are some days that a person is perfectly fine being teased or given a hard time. And then there are other days when a remark, that would normally not even sting, feels like a stab in the chest. Don't be afraid to say, "hey, I'm a delicate flower today." If you have a nice friend like C.B., then they will take it to heart and be more kind until you're feeling better. If your friend is not so nice... well... sorry about your luck. They will probably ridicule you for declaring yourself to be a flower.

Then, J.B. was telling me about a flower analogy that he got from lord only knows where. In a relationship, one person is like the stem of a flower. The stem is important and provides stability, but doesn't often attract a lot of attention. The other person (because this analogy is limiting the number of people in the relationship to two) is the petals. Pretty; flashy; sometimes smells good; the petals attract the most attention and like it that way. One petal person will have a difficult time in a relationship with another petal person as they will always compete to be the center of attention. And as J.B. says, "I need that."

Pocket Susan Advice: 10 Easy (and Cheap) Ways to Help Save the Planet

1. Lose the Layers ... The temperature is rising, but there's no need to crank up the A/C. Instead, crack a window, strip down to a camisole, and savor the fresh spring air.

2. Become a "Locavore" ...

Going green can actually make you leaner. Banishing soda and junk food from your diet will whittle your bod and your grocery bill. Check out this new book, Go Green Get Lean by nutritionist Kate Geagan, for healthy recipes and tips for buying locally grown food.

3. Pay Bills Online ... If you think paying bills online is just about saving money on stamps, think again. Snail mail is a major drain on natural resources, from trees to the fossil fuels needed to send those envelopes all over the country. Enroll in an online bill-paying program with your bank and reserve your mailbox paper for magazines and love letters.

4. Green Your Laundry ... As a rule of thumb, cotton, lycra, nylon fabrics don't need to be washed in hot water. Since 90% of the energy used by washing machines is used to heat the water, you'll save a ton of power (and lower your electric bill) by turning the dial to cold.

5. Buy Vintage ...Shopping for clothes and accessories at vintage and resale shops is a win-win for the environment and your wardrobe. At Buffalo Exchange and eBay you can even trade in your old clothes for cash.

6. Ditch the Gym ... Treadmills and elliptical machines are total energy-zappers, not to mention a boring way to burn calories. Cancel your gym membership and head outdoors for a run or walk. Bonus: You'll save gas and time by starting your workout at your front door.

7. Be a Biker ...Cycling to work may be a stretch, but paring down to two wheels on the weekends is a fun and chic way to conserve gas — especially in the summer months, when the cost of fuel tends to spike.

8. Drink Smart ... Bottled water is a luxury no one can afford right now, especially the planet—— about 90% of all plastic bottles wind up in landfills. At about $2 a pop, you'll be amazed at what you save if you kick the habit.

9. Get Paid to Recycle ... You don't have to be a geek to end up with a box full of unused gadgets. Instead of tossing them out, participate in an electronics recycling program, like at Radio Shack, and get a little cash for your old gadgets.

10. Call Shotgun ... Splitting the cost of gas by carpooling can save major green at the pump and on car maintenance. If you live in a large city, consider ditching your car altogether and joining a car-sharing service such as Zipcar or Budget Frequent Renter.

Top 10 (Cheap) Ways to Help Save the Planet
by Ashley Womble
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/you/advice/ways-to-help-save-the-planet

HIPAA 1 - Susan None

I didn't realize until after I moved to Texas that I hadn't gotten copies of my medical records from my surgery and follow-up last spring. Now, I need those records and it is proving extremely difficult to get them. And it's not as though I can just pop over to the South Carolina hospital where the records are located on my lunch break. I've managed to pass one hurdle -- after an hour of internet searching I finally found the form to request records. Of course, you have to indicate which department provided you with services and mine stretched across three different departments. Super! One hurdle down and a million to go.

Pocket Susan Advice: Get regular copies of your medical records. Then you'll have updates on hand if they are needed. I've decided that I will request copies of my records from any and all medical providers on my birthday each year. And before I move out of town. I recommend that you do the same to avoid this type of hassle.

Kitten Season

Dear Friend, And so it begins. Early in the morning, when the first workers and volunteers arrive at the shelter's back door, they are found in cardboard boxes. Kittens. Mewing and helpless, born of feral and homeless cats, deserted by owners or delivered to us by caring neighbors, their origins are often never known. Many times they are in good health and other times they desperately need medical attention. Whatever their condition, we are hopeful because they are now safe. Soon they will find loving homes because of your generosity. April marks the beginning of kitten season. Each year we take in literally hundreds of newborn, abandoned kittens in the Spring. Most kittens are quickly placed with trained foster care homes that will nurse and socialize them until they are old enough for our adoption program. These kittens are the lucky ones - they will find warm, loving and caring homes. We're exceptionally grateful for your past generosity, but, as you know, our work never ends and more frightened and helpless dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and other animals come through our doors every single day. I hope we can count on you again in fulfilling our compassionate mission with your gifts. Please give whatever you can to lend a hand to these tiny, helpless lives. Your friendship truly means the world to us. Please click here to make your donation to help the kitttens today. We can't thank you enough! Gratefully, Frances Jonon Executive Director

ACPA

ACPA in Metro DC

Click here to see the pictures! Don't worry - it's just a few!

F.I.G.

F.I.G. stands for First-year Interest Group and is a seminar course for First-year students at my institution. I volunteered to be a facilitator for one of the classes and received the following email:

Dear Susan:

Congratulations! We are excited to welcome you as an Interdisciplinary First-year Interest Group (FIG) facilitator. FIGs are a great way to connect with new students and share your expertise about the University.

Based on your interests, we have matched you up with the following FIG:

Name: Exploring the Sciences and Engineering Seminar
Day/Time: W 10 - 11a

We will confirm room location in August. If you have any questions about your FIG time/day, please contact our office at (512) 232-3447.

Thank you again for your participation in the FIG program.

My response to the FIG Coordinator:

Sarah,

I am very excited to work with the FIG Program. I wanted to make sure that assigning me to Science and Engineering was not an error. I know absolutely nothing about engineering or science fields. If you feel that my lack of knowledge and resources will not be a hindrance to the students in this FIG then I will work with the group. I wanted to be sure that I do not need a Science background to be an effective FIG Facilitator for this group.

Susan