Class notes...

Where am I? I'm at home. Yay home. What's going on with this site? Where are all the posts?

Well, I've been busy. How busy?

I actually didn't see my wife for four days last week.

Anyway, there is still stuff on this site you can take advantage of even if I'm (or Jen, or Joel, or Dre, isn't) posting. If you look at Class Notes on the side, you'll see all the notes I take in class. If you miss a day, you can check out my notes. Also, there might be useful mnemonics for you if you want to learn via dorkiness.

I'll have some stuff for you in a few weeks, but there is a good chance you might not see a new post, (at least from me,) until December.

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Now playing: Mur Lafferty - 1. Part 1 - Heaven - Season One
via FoxyTunes

Immune system chart...

For those of you looking for the chart of the immune system, it's here. (If you click on the picture, it's a PDF.)

Asking questions in class...

Where have I been? Beats the heck out of me. I can't really explain where all the posts have gone. (I guess they haven't gone anywhere. They're still in my, (and my new staff's,) brain.) Anyway, here's a quick tip I've noticed in grad school. Say you're in a lecture class, and there are approximately 400 people there with you. You instructor brings up a particularly difficult point. You don't get it or you think the professor is wrong.

What do you do?

You ask a question.

Here's where it gets tricky. You are, (or someone is,) paying a lot of money for you to be in whatever program you're in. Everything you don't learn is wasted resources. You owe it to whomever bankrolls your education to get as much out of it as you can. However, a lot of other people in class might understand the point perfectly.

What do you do to not be the person that stops the lecture?

Ask a closed-ended question. (That's fancy talk for yes or no.) If you can't phrase it that way, e-mail your professor. If you have a laptop, do it in class. Or, if the professor has a break halfway through class, (usually all long lectures have this,) ask then. Or ask after class.

I've found e-mailing professors gets you very high-quality answers. It's also something you can put in your notes. I've found when I've asked professors questions right after class, (after my notebook is away,) their answer will immediately make everything clear, but, it becomes muddied again by the time I'm typing out my notes.

Now, this technique isn't great for every class. If you're in a class of 20 or less people, (usually where discussion is encouraged,) ask as many questions as you can. A good professor will make you figure it out yourself, but in any case, you'll get a good answer.

When professors have to teach large lectures, (like the aforementioned 400-person class,) they can get intimidated looking at a huge crowd and often, their answers are usually worded for brevity rather than verity.

Finally, take advantage of office hours as, "face time," with a professor, (especially in a one-on-one situation,) is golden. If you go to a large school, (or the largest in the country,) professors tend to really see the worth in students who come to see them. They'll give you more guidance and you'll be able to better perform to their wants.

Also, as an aside, you might see a lot of information on caffeine in the coming weeks. More on that later.

Hippiedom 101

I am mostly writing this post to double check that I am able to do it! This is Jen, Michael's fellow grad entry nursing student pal. I'll probably be posting about finding delicious local & organic food, women's health resources, sustainable (& cheap) living, and other hippie/student related topics.

I guess I'll take this opportunity to build upon m.t.'s previous post about farmers' markets being cheap and environmentally responsible. Yes, true! And...for those that live in Columbus...
one of the last Clintonville farmer's markets is tomorrow Sat Oct 20. A lot of other farmer's markets have ended, so this could be a last chance to stock up! Map and more info can be found here.

Another place to go for delicious groceries in Columbus is the Clintonville Community Market. Some people hold the opinion that co-ops are too expensive, especially for students. But I say - not necessarily! Why, you ask?

a) If you are buying dry legumes & grains & preparing your own food, co-op stuff is actually inexpensive. It's the industrial organic processed food that is ridiculously pricey (not to say I don't love vegetarian corn dogs, 'cause I do).
b) Re: the stuff that is more expensive (dairy products, meat, most non-bulk stuff): One can make an investment in one's health by buying local and organic from an independent co-op or - even better - from the farmer her/himself. The cost of treating lifestyle-related illness is way higher than preventing it in the first place - a lot of that has to do with eating healthfully. [stepping off soapbox now].

[Fixed a few things and made the links live. -Ed.]

New blogger...

We've got a new blogger. Her name is Jen. She'll be writing about getting cheap organic food and I think a few other things.

Healthcare website...

If you're a student of the health sciences, (which a lot of you are,) and you're looking for some neat and free movies explaining a lot of body processes, here's a cool web site for you. They have a slew of free videos.

Game of a Lifetime...

Here's an interesting article article about college football.

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Now playing: Dale Willman - Slate: Game of a Lifetime
via FoxyTunes

Halloween and a new guy...

First of all, if you're looking to make a cake in the next week or two, here is a cool place to go for ideas.

Second, we're getting a new blogger. He's a grad student like me and I think he's going to talk about sports or something.

Farmers' Markets

There are two things tree huggers often talk about when talking about "greening up" their eating. The first is buying organic food. The second is buying locally-grown food. (The food takes up less gas traveling to wherever you are.) The downside of this is there are less mangoes for us Ohioans. The upside is you get to experience a whole lot of food you didn't know was out there. (It's a cultural thing to eat local food.)

One good way to combine this, (and do it cheaply,) is to find a local farmer's co-op. When I went to Ohio University, (undergrad,) I got weekly shipments of apple cider and about a lb. of granola from the local farmers' market. (Just a note on that link, it's not up yet, but will be eventually.) It was usually pretty cheap.

If you live near Columbus, (where OSU is,) there are a lot of options too.

The food you get from these places is usually amazing and pretty cheap too. Also, the lack of pesticides and other gunk will eventually make your medical bills cheaper.

One word of caution, go with a friend, or a group. The food you tend to get from these places usually comes in bulk sizes. (If you want the good discounts.) You'll probably need to share with some friends.

Blog Action Day...

If you're cheap, and a student, what can you do for the environment?

Well, being poor can actually help you a lot. The biggest environmental contribution I can claim is that I almost never drive my car, especially not to school. How do I swing this? I walk.

It's probably easy to say, "That stuck up mother****er, of course it doesn't matter if he walks or not, he lives right on campus."

Actually, I don't. I live 1.64 miles from school. It's not terribly far, but it's definitely a distance nobody would call you lazy for driving. Either way, it's not far enough where you can't walk it. Also, walking that distance makes your less likely to develop the freshman 15.

Also, you can do public transportation, (depending on where you live.) Columbus has a system called COTA which is useful if you live near campus, or plan on heading that way. It goes other places too, but not particularly well. If you're an OSU student, COTA is free. (It's a part of your tuition.) You may as well use it. Also, when you're on it, you can get some last-minute studying done. It's handy if you want to read a book too.

Random deal...

Staples has 2 GB memory cards (DS sized,) for $20

Coffee 106

Here are some general tips for saving money for yourself when it comes to buying pre-brewed coffee:

If you live near a Starbucks, (and they're ubiquitous,) don't get the hoity-toity coffee. First, they're more expensive, and second, they don't have as much caffeine as a regular coffee.

Also, if you live near a Giant Eagle, get the gift cards. I've been using the Fuel Perks system to earn free gas for a while. It's pretty awesome. The last time I bought gas, I spent $.26 a gallon. (Granted, I drive my car roughly twice a week.)

Also, get a good coffee mug. Starbucks gives you a $.10 discount if you bring in your own mug. Just a quick head's up on that, very few mugs are venti, (large,) sized. The bigger ones you find are grande and the smaller ones fit tall.

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Now playing: U2 - Window In The Skies
via FoxyTunes

Credit card comparison...

I found this web site because of a story about Discover hosing its customers. It'll help you find a credit card that will help you with your goals. (Pay off debt, etc.)

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Now playing: Watershed - Can't Be Myself

Free Medical Palm Software...

I'm sorry for not posting in a while, but I've been really busy with school.

That said, here are two sites with free medical software for your Palm.

Two things...

First of all, this is my 109th post. I've made over 100, (with the help of Dre and Joel.)

Second, if you're looking for a good map of the human immune system, here's one made by a guy I study with.

How to get a leg up in Lit Classes

I've taken a lot of literature classes over the years. Here are a few of my tips on how to do well in these classes:

• As mentioned in a previous post, do the assigned readings ahead of time. The twist is that you should read the entire work, and then go back and re-read the assigned section right before the class period. This gives you a couple of advantages: 1) You know what section is being discussed and don't ruin the end or further plot point for your classmates; 2) You have the assigned section fresh in your head for discussion; 3) You have a better perspective on narrative devices used in the section because you know what happens. It's easier to see foreshadowing, connections, and over-arching themes when you see the whole picture.


• Your lit professor will have an interpretation of the work. Before you speak up and disagree, you better have important passages that support your view of the work noted. You will be called out on how you have constructed your interpretation, so be prepared to defend it.


• Always have your drafts of papers looked over by the prof if they offer it. This gives you a chance to get their initial detraction's from your paper and correct them, or further explain a point you are trying to make.


• Answer as many literal questions as possible. You may also think of these as these easy questions, like "what did so-and-so do when this happened?" By answering these questions correctly, your answers to the tougher questions will carry more weight and the prof will go easier on you because s/he knows you are reading and getting the basic information provided right.


• Read as many myths and legends as possible to increase your understanding of difficult texts. There is nothing new under the sun, and most topics have been written on before the work you are being asked to read. By increasing your knowledge of common theme in human storytelling, you can more easily spot modern renditions of the same tired story. Books of myths and legends collect many tales in one volume and are often very cheap to purchase. Reading one or two when you have time will help you increase your understanding of narratives and make connections to other works or background knowledge the author may assume the reader has.

Follow these tips, and your next lit class will be a breeze.

Free song from iTunes...

Want a free song from iTunes?  Reply to this post.  (I went to Starbucks twice today.)  

New Contributor...

You may notice from time to time that I put some stuff in the news ticker at the bottom that isn't strictly academic or related to any of my current political thoughts, (well, not really anyway.) Those posts come from Dre. I've known her since my undergrad and we've remained in pretty okay contact after I graduated.

She's also a great writer.

Watch for writing tips from her sometime soon.

Medical dictionary...

I've got a new project I'm working on. I was studying with a group of people in my program and we realized we don't have any kind of dictionary of common medical terms. So, I'm going to put one together. (Before you think I'm some kind of saint, this is how I learn so I'm getting something out of this aside from warm fuzzy feelings. You can find the file here. I'll also add it to the class notes section.

Fiber (and breakfast) is (are) your friend(s).

Hey TCS readers. It's Joel again here with some more totally unqualified health and fitness advice. What do you eat for breakfast? Do you even eat breakfast? I know many people do not and I can't really comprehend why this is. I teach high school and a lot of students tell me they don't eat breakfast and then complain they are 'starving' in my class two periods before their 8th period lunch. This is teenage logic. I think some of them think not eating breakfast makes them cool. As though Cap'n Crunch suddenly went out of style when they hit puberty. But I digress...

The reason for my question is that breakfast is your first chance in the day to start off on the right foot, so to speak, especially if you are trying to maintain your weight or lose a little bit. Now, there are a lot of options out there and I want to give you some pointers on improving upon your breakfast routine or adopting one if you haven't already. I know most people are crunched for time so you may not have the ability each morning to whip up a perfectly healthy egg white omelet with whole wheat toast, reduced calorie juice and coffee. If you have the time, that would be a good place to start. A donut and a whole milk caramel macchiato from Starbucks, while expedient, is not the way to go. In my humble opinion, the right bowl of cereal is still a perfect breakfast. By "right" bowl of cereal, I mean the one with the highest fiber content you can find that has a taste you enjoy. Add some low-fat or skim milk to a reasonably-sized portion and you'll be surprised how long it can stick with you. Some high-fiber cereals I enjoy are: Raisin Bran (just about any brand, but avoid ones with a lot of added sugar), Grape Nuts, Fiber One Honey Clusters, Kashi Go Lean Crunch, or Wheat Bran Chex. I know what you're thinking...why should I be eating so much fiber if I'm not yet a member of AARP? Well, there's a reason old people eat healthier foods like fiber and prunes, i.e. they are trying to prolong their lives and maybe undo some damage they did earlier in their lives. Fiber makes you feel fuller, takes your body longer to break down, cleans out your digestive system and may help lower your cholesterol. What isn't to love?! If more teens and twenty-somethings ate like health conscious fifty- and sixty-somethings I think we'd have a lot less obesity and adult onset diabetes in this country. Again I digress...

If you find the cereals aren't enough for your sweet tooth, feel free to add a small amount of sugar or a sugar substitute. You will still be a lot better off than if you were eating a sweetened, low-fiber cereal. Oatmeal is a great option as well. Not everyone loves it or has the two minutes to cook it, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Again, avoid added sugar. To round out your breakfast of champions, throw in a piece of fruit and a cup of coffee and you'll be good to go.

So, tweak your breakfast if you can by swapping in a high fiber cereal for your sugar puffs or add a little breakfast to your daily routine if you don't eat it already. You will jump start your metabolism and your mind and you'll be better equipped to get through that three hour bio lab.

Peace.

Calendars:

I've talked about different calendar programs before, and I'm not going to do that again, (in this post.) Another calendar-based option, (and what I used to do,) is to get a physical day planner.

Upside:

They look nice (if you buy a nice one)
It's usually a little quicker to look up stuff
If it gets old, a leather one looks distinguished; old electronics usually look junky
A nice one costs about and could last you a lifetime (see above)
Large enough viewing area

Downside:

They take up a lot of space
My handwriting is atrocious
You can lose it (you can lose your Palm or cell phone too)
You need to get new pages every year
No way to delete/change old phone numbers and addresses

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Now playing: Tori Amos - Talula
via FoxyTunes

Saving paper...

This is one thing that took me a while to learn. (About two weeks.) A lot of professors use presentation software and release the slides ahead of class. (They're handy if you're going back to your notes later to reference.)

If you're in Power Point, (oddly enough, I'm not sure of how to do this on the Mac,) click on [Print].
When the menu pops up, there's a box near the bottom that has the option of [Handouts]. Click on that and there's another box to the right with a number in it. Set the number to [6].
Here's the really cool thing, (this is what took me two weeks to figure out, (yes, I'm slow,)) click on properties near the top and there's an X box you can click to print double sided.

The Lorax thanks you.

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Now playing: Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
via FoxyTunes

Cheap electronics...

If you suddenly find you need to buy a PDA or some kind of computer component, here are some great sites to check out that give great discounts:

Crucial.com: They just do memory, but if your computer is running sluggishly, you won't find a more user-friendly experience.
NewEgg.com: I bought my new Palm from this site today. It was $40 off the best price I could find anywhere else.
Pricewatch.com: I've bought monitors and a few other things from these people. Their prices are off the hook. They're actually an aggregator of other people's sites. (NewEgg is just one company.)

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Now playing: Lily Allen - Take What You Take
via FoxyTunes

Read before class...

Here's a really quick tip for getting ahead in school: Do the assigned readings. You'll find you need to take many fewer notes and will also look smart in front of your professor for being able to answer questions.

One huge upside of having to take less notes is you can use your laptop in class to research concepts your professor talks about which you didn't really get the first time.

The biggest barrier to this is budgeting the time. If you can get past that, (in my news ticker are articles on time management,) you'll be way ahead in school.

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Bring It On Home
via FoxyTunes

Coffee 105

Just an interesting note for the caffeine dependent: If you're drinking a lot of coffee, or anything else with caffeine, also drink a lot of water with it. Caffeine is a diuretic, (it puts your kidneys into get-rid-of-water mode,) and having that happen is you're not super hydrated will not be the best for your insides. e.g., If you go to Hang Over Easy on campus, have two coffees, then go to Brenen's next door for a huge cup of coffee, you'll notice about an hour later you have mid-back pain approximately near where your kidneys are located until you drink a decent amount of water. (A little over two Gatorade bottles' worth. (1.892 L.)) Not that I'd know or anything.

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Now playing: Hans Uller & Lowell Lybarger - Rag khamaj
via FoxyTunes