Updates from Japan

Amidst the devastating tsunami and earthquake in Japan, I am EXTREMELY grateful that my family was fortunate to remain safe. They live along the West side, and although the entire country is being adversely affected, they seem to be doing well.

Here is an updated e-mail from my second cousin Mieko:

We still have aftershoks everyday, Chiyoko Obasama had no electricity hours several times in Kamakura. We store emergency kit, food and water in Kanto Area.

Japan is one of earthquake countries around The Pacific Ocean, and not a safe country now.

As you mentioned, if Japan had not been so industrialized, it would have suffered only tsunami. There are nuclear power plants in Tunami area. Usage of nuclear power is one of world wide interest , the world is watching how Japan gets over this twin disaster.

The problem is that all information comes from TEPCO ( Tokyo Electric Power Company) We remember TEPCO has been covering up damages discovered at their nuclear plants in Kashiwazaki-Kariba in Niigata. Japanese government seems to be on TEPCO's side. We should wait and see, in the long term, how long the evacuation will last and also what will happen to the TEPCO staff, firefighters and SDF (Self Defence Force) personnels now cooling down the nuclear
reactors.

Japanese people are mostly patient and quiet like desastered Tohoku people you see on TV, but I'm afraid the government and the company can deceive them. I heard no nuclear plants were constructed in US after Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant accident. Is that so?

Thank you again for thinking of us.

Mieko

Back to the Grind

Tomorrow is the first day of my last month at Seattle Children's. As much as I love my job, I was a little worried that after I let my P.I.'s and project coordinators know I was leaving, that I would have somewhat of a working-girl "senioritis". You know, that "I'm-so-antsy-just-get-me-outta-here" feeling?!! But quite the contrary... I've found myself to be so incredibly busy that the thought of leaving doesn't even have time to cross my brain.

Currently, I'm working to help wrap up a study called the Neighborhood Impact on Kids (NIK) Study. What NIK aims to investigate is how neighborhoods within the King County area affect the health of children, with a special focus on the role they play in childhood obesity. We look at a lot of obvious things that would affect a child's health, such as what their diet consists of (as well as their parent's diet) and how much physical activity they get on a regular basis. We also look at not-so-obvious factors, such as what fast food restaurants are in the area, how expensive healthy food options are, how readily available parks and recreational spaces are to children, and sidewalk quality/pedestrian safety. Until I began working on this study, I had never really thought about how much our surroundings affect our health; it's given me such an enlightened understanding of just how many factors play into our ever day overall well-being. Medicine is SO much more than just diagnosis and treatment. It's been such an honor to be part of the research team for this study and can't wait to see the results published!

One year ago today...

... i found my best friend...

After being out of contact for about a month and a half, Micah and I just SO HAPPENED to be at the Dubliner for St. Patrick's day. I have no idea how he spotted me out of a crowd, because it was so incredibly busy and we were on opposite ends of the bar, but if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. I always half-jokingly gloat that St. Patty's is the day that God made it clear to Micah that I'm the lucky girl he's supposed to be with... and to ask me out already! HAHA :) We've talked every day since!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

I'm a Trojan!

Alright, so if you caught on and are wondering why the six-year-Seattle saga is coming to a close, it is because...

dun dun DUNN

I'm pursuing my masters in public health at USC. Yes, I'm weirdly attracted to excessive amounts of schooling. And assignments. And endless amounts of unnecessary stress. Over things that won't matter in a year, or ever really. :)

But on a serious note, I do believe in continuously learning, and always challenging myself. During the past two years, I learned an incredible amount working under the extremely talented and high-spirited faculty at the University of Washington and at Seattle Children's Hospital. But now, it's time to hand myself back over to the books, and I'm excited. This is a big world with SO MUCH knowledge, that I can't help but indulge!

pəˈlāSHəl

...it means resembling a palace in being spacious and splendid... which is EXACTLY what I want this space to be! Just as SPLENDID as can be. :)

So, with some major changes coming up in my life, I thought this would be a perfect place to share my thoughts and experiences as I leave Seattle and move to sunny LA. Stay tuned (& follow me)!