4.30.2009

Things I've learned this week

This past week has been a world-wind of science meetings. First I was in Chicago at the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) - MD/DO/PhD meeting with some established physician scientists with whom we were allowed to meet and network. This is a great meeting, not so much really to present my research (b/c these folks liked immunology much more than physiology - which was really good for Jeanann, but made for a rather lonely poster hour for me), but more to meet future colleagues and mentors, and/or program directors.
Then I came to Seattle for the American Academy of Neurology meeting, and have had a great time and learned a lot - a lot of neurology, a lot about residency programs, and fellowship programs, the pharmacology of Lyrica, methodology of white matter density post stroke, prolonged window of use for TPA, and a lot of really great neurology stuff. Experimental Biology meeting in New Orleans last week was alright, but a lot of basic science, but not much that I was really interested in, but this meeting really 'melts my butter' - and makes me excited to be getting a little closer to where I want to be. Other than science I've learned some other generalizations as well:
1. People are dishonest - even the people that you know should know better. So at this meeting, there are signs posted everywhere that say - "NO PHOTOGRAPHY" - yet there are grown people who whip out their litte silent cameras or phones in front of posters and take pictures, or even of EVERY single slide during the presentations. The problems with this are multiple - not least among which is that much of this data being presented is not yet published, and these people who are taking the photographs might have bigger, faster, better funded labs - and could easily steal an idea and run with it before the original presenter can get it published - this is bad!
2. There are scientists from great (however, northeast) universities who have the audacity
3. It doesn't really rain any more in Seattle than it does in Atlanta - who knew?
4. The Seattle Library has 10,000 windows.
5. Pikes Fresh Market is a wonderful place - you can get a whole bunch of Tulips for $10. It's so beautiful and amazing. However, there are a lot of um... bohemian people down there too. Lots of street musicians, who actually are really good. lots of people who are selling their arts and crafts.
6. American Academy of Neurology Runs that "start" at 6:30 am don't really 'start' at 6:30, that's just when they let you start picking up your bib numbers.
7. I'm going to try to cut my hair tomorrow at an Aveda salon (teaching aka cheap but really good salon) and I'm terrified of cutting my hair. It's time, but I'm always afraid that once i cut it, i'll not ever grow it out again - now - i'm not really cutting it above my shoulders, but maybe some chin length layers or something. I guess we'll see. I'll think of posting a pic if I like it- if not I'll wear a ponytail for the next 12 weeks :).
That's all from the last night alone in Seattle! Anthony flies in tomorrow night - yeah :).

2 comments:

Shurden Family said...

Hey Kim! I've missed seeing you and Anthony! I hope you've had a great time together!

Peyton said...

Hey Kim! I just found your blog to follow, glad to hear that everything is going well. You sound too busy to have time to even post on this blog yourself!