It's another lovely spring day in Chicago, as I sit at my desk at home with the window open - creating some lovely basking light for my cat and dog (who only get along when they're both napping). I have the day off work today, but I'm on my second conference call of the day. Work/life separation is not my strong suit.
I've had a thrilling bout of inspiration -and resulting enthusiasm for work - on the master's thesis. I knew it would come as soon as I delved into the material. I'm working on the intro and background sections, so it's not like I'm doing groundbreaking policy thinking here, but the history of vaccination policy is a rich one. My favorite anecdote so far:
Edward Jenner, the Brit given credit for the first vaccination (by improving on a practice that Asians had been doing for a century, mind you), had his "ah ha!" moment, as the story goes, when listening to milkmaids chattering. "I shall never have an ugly pockmarked face," one 'maid boasts. "I shall never have smallpox for I have had cowpox."1
I love this story for a couple reasons:
- Of course he got the idea from women who had used life experience to make deductions about complicated immunology while milking cows!
- Having an ugly face is the best possible scenario with smallpox. Hemorrhaging and death would be (arguably) the worst.
Anyway, there's lots more where this came from, and it just gets juicier with the anti-vaccination movement...and I haven't even gotten to the HPV vaccine! An upcoming article for review: "Don't 'shot' my daughter!" Yep, things get pretty dramatic when it comes to sexually transmitted infections and sixth graders. Bring it!
In other news, I'm sort of shocked that I'm getting married in 89 days. We've had such a long engagement! It feels funny to say that it has sneaked up on me when we've been 'betrothed' since Christmas of 2008, but in a way it has. I keep waiting for that elusive bride gene to come into my life and add some fervor! As it is, I have a place to wed, a "minister" to perform it, an open bar and lots of good food, and a photographer and DJ booked. I don't feel any more compelled to design centerpieces or emboss things than I did a year ago!
One traditional bridezilla aspect I do wish I had is the motivation to "look my best" on the big day (read: get skinny). I've worked hard to keep running in my life since I started, and E and I eat healthfully, but as the date loomed I always thought I'd get some kind of panicked motivation to eat only celery or otherwise drastically alter my body. Nope. I mean, I do vaguely desire to look stunning that day, but I can't muster the commitment to that ideal. You'd think the three month mark, along with the fact that I have a dear friend making the dress and don't have to worry about alterations, would push me into extreme makeover territory! I'll work on it. Or I'll take the dog for another long walk and just continue to be happy, healthy, and loved.
1 Stern, A & Markel, H. "The History of Vaccines and Immunization: Familiar Patterns, New Challenges." Health Affairs, 24, 611-621.
Image courtesy of Wired.com
Did I ever tell you that Edward Jenner is a part of my family tree? The science gene got lost somewhere between him and I, but he is there nonetheless.
ReplyDelete