New Year’s Resolution
by Sara on December 31st, 2008
Hi all!
If you’re curious, here’s my New Year’s Resolutions for 2009:
1. Make sure the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls recycles.
2. Start a Warrior to Citizen Campaign in Brandon, SD to improve strategies that communities can employ to welcome veterans home.
3. Watch more old movies! Gone With The Wind, here I come!
4. Take oral histories of my Grandma and my Dad; I know that they have especially important stories to tell.
5. Make a dent in my never-ending reading list!
6. Spend more time with my extended family.
7. GET PUBLISHED! I’m going to make a concerted effort to try and boost my writing creds in order to get into a stellar MFA program.
8. Write creatively EVERY DAY.
9. Work out…I gotta get back on my routine!!
10. Attend the First Assembly of God church in Sioux Falls, SD, with Jordan in order to bring faith more fully into my life, and into our relationship.
I have LOTS of resolutions this year, as you can see…hopefully I have some sort of applaudable success rate come 2010…
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Just a thought…
by Sara on December 29th, 2008
So I had this thought last night while watching Sportscenter at about 11 p.m.
What if soccer, for example, was played with the same rules as football?
A goal got you not 1 point, but 6.
Field goals = those bombs you kick over the goal and send flying 30 feet behind the goalpost.
TACKLING!
Downs = a way to force the ball hog on your team to give the dang ball up.
HALFTIME ENTERTAINMENT!
Referees with microphones. (Hmm…good thing?)
And, cheerleaders.
Similarly, what if football was played with the rules of basketball?
Two steps, then pass. Fear the traveling penalty.
Only one hand on the ball, mister. No double-dribbling. Or passing. Hmm. This term needs work.
Two-point conversion = the new slam dunk.
The term “offensive charge” sure has more meaning.
NO tackling. Well, tackling four times. Five tackles? Out of the game, mister.
Free throws = Hail Mary passes. If someone actually catches it…you get a point. If not? Hey, whatever. It’s free. If it’s intercepted? No dice. Doesn’t count.
Maybe I should just make up my own sport, like J.K. Rowling did with Harry Potter and Quidditch.
I think my ideas pretty much rock.
A Christmas Blessing
by Sara on December 23rd, 2008
Hi there!
Sorry for the delay in posting; I’ve been a little overwhelmed these past few weeks.
It’s very strange to be back in South Dakota; I still feel like I’m just here visiting for an extended period of time, and that I’ll return to my “old” life back in Minneapolis here shortly. It’s been strange adjusting to living in a city of 125,000 residents instead of a metropolis of more than 3 million people.
I’ve spent the past few weeks getting settled and unpacked, which, at the time, seemed like a never-ending task. This girl has a lot of stuff, let me tell you. I also started my new job at the American Coalition for Ethanol, which has been very rewarding already. I feel at home at ACE, and I’m very glad to be back working with the coalition’s amazing staff. Last, I’ve been (trying) to do research for my thesis; I met with my adviser and tried to define a direction for my thesis, and it’s starting to come together, I see. Four more books to read, a few documents to compile, and the research portion of my thesis is complete. By the end of January, I hope to have both a solid outline and have completed character sketches for my sources.
The main thing I’ve been doing these past few weeks, however, involves my health. I’ve had a semi-large bump on my pinkie (right hand) for at least two years. This bump doesn’t hurt at all, unless I press on it endlessly for a period of time. I thought maybe I had broken or sprained my pinkie once without knowing it, and that the bones never healed correctly. Anyway, I had my yearly physical on the day after Thanksgiving, and I asked my doctor to look at my pinkie. She took an x-ray, and found that whatever the bump was, it didn’t involve my bones. My doctor also mentioned that the bump could be due to an arthritis condition called Gout, which was later ruled out. From my doctor’s expertise, she thought that it was a localized, soft tissue tumor, and assured me that while these types of tumors were usually benign, we needed to get it checked out to ensure that this bump was not cancerous.
I then proceeded to Sanford, where I got an MRI on my finger. While the MRI technicians told me that the MRI procedure would only take 30-40 minutes, I was in the machine for two hours. I was pulled out of the machine once near the end of the procedure to be injected with dye, to determine if blood was flowing through the bump. Truthfully, the MRI was a miserable experience; I had to lay in the machine “Superman Style”, with my arms outstretched like I was flying through the air. I had to remain this way with little to no movement for two hours straight in a machine that felt like the size of a cannon and sounded like a combination of a Laundromat and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
After this procedure, I received a phone call from my doctor, who said that based on the results from the MRI, it could be determined that the bump on my pinkie was a small mass resembling a soft tissue tumor. After speaking to a hematologist/oncologist, my doctor determined that a biopsy would be the next step in trying to identify what exactly this tumor on my pinkie was.
Yesterday, I went in for my biopsy appointment. I received an ultrasound on my finger first, which proved futile, since the tumor on my pinkie appeared fuzzy and hard to find in the photo. I then received a visit from a radiologist, who told me that not only would the biopsy needle run through my finger on one side and straight out the other, but also mentioned that with these types of tumors, it’s likely that I’ll lose my finger. Needless to say, he didn’t have the best bedside manner. However, I tried to keep in mind that as a radiologist, he probably sees many, many tumors a day, and that my tumor was very small and insignificant in comparison.
The radiologist recommended that I see an orthopedic surgeon. He then called my family doctor, and she set up an appointment for me with a “Hand Guy” within the Sanford campus for later that afternoon.
After picking up my x-rays from my family doctor’s office, I proceeded back to the Sanford campus for my appointment with the hand surgeon. Within two minutes of meeting Dr. Van Demark, I had a diagnosis and a plan for treatment.
The tumor in my pinkie is a giant cell tumor, also known as fibrous histiacytoma. Dr. Van Demark told me flat out that because the name “giant cell tumor” is scary, he always includes the medical jargon version of what the tumor is. He said that these tumors are very often benign, and that he’d be willing to bet money on the fact that mine was, too. While this was extremely good news, Dr. Van Demark recommended that I schedule an appointment to surgically remove the tumor. This type of tumor has a 50% recurrence rate, which means that upon removal of the tumor, there’s a likely chance that the tumor could grow back (benign again, as before). However, if the tumor is removed when it’s still small, I have better chances of reducing the risk of recurrence, as the surgeon is more likely to be able to eliminate all remnants of the tumor cell.
So, to summarize: I have a tumor in my pinkie, but it’s more than likely benign. I’ll get it removed in the next few months, and everything should proceed just fine from here on out.
This little health crisis has really offered me perspective; I feel very grateful for my health, and grateful for the support I’ve received from my family, my boyfriend, the ACE staff, and the few friends that I told. I didn’t tell many people before I found out exactly what I was dealing with; I decided that I would rather not senselessly scare my family and friends.
This news is the best news I could have received, and I feel very blessed this Christmas season. Please offer prayers of thanksgiving this Christmas, giving thanks for a diagnosis with a very positive outlook.
Home Sweet Home…
by Sara on December 14th, 2008
Greetings from Sioux Falls, SD!
Sorry it has taken me so long to write; I’ve had a SUPER BUSY final days in Minneapolis.
On Wednesday night, after my last day at the CDC, I went to Kim’s apartment, where she held an “Ugly Holiday Sweater” party for me and our HECUA classmates. It was a lot of fun just to sit around and eat food and chat about the semester, and about life. It was a great time, even though my ugly sweater was super itchy.
Thursday marked the final day of HECUA. In the morning, we attended a Community Gathering with the students from two other HECUA courses at Intermedia Arts. my classmates and I presented our “Writing for Social Change is” poem to two of the other HECUA programs that are based in the Twin Cities, the MUST (Metro Urban Studies Term) and the ES (Environmental Sustainability) programs. All of us students then took a few minutes to thank everyone that supported us this semester…it was so sad!
After YUMMY pizza from Galactic Pizza in the Uptown area, my class and I hung around Intermedia and spent the afternoon wrapping up the program. We spent 2.5 hours going around in a circle and telling each person, both teachers and students, what they brought to the class and to our own lives, and thanking them for their contributions. It was an extremely emotional experience, and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to thank everyone for their amazingly generous comments; I feel humbled.
After taking a few pictures and saying my sad good-byes, I headed back to Plymouth to prepare to spend the evening with Deb. I had packed a lot of my stuff on Wednesday, so I threw a few last-minute things together, and by the time Deb arrived home from work, I had my car loaded with 98% of my stuff. Deb and I spent the evening making mostaccioli, which was AMAZING! It’s mostaccioli noodles (like penne noodles) with spicy Italian sausage, peppers and onions with a modified spaghetti sauce and yummy cheese. It was delicious! Deb and I then exchanged Christmas gifts, which is always fun. We stayed up late talking “girl talk” until about midnight!
Even though I forgot to set my alarm, I miraculously woke up at 7:40 a.m. the following morning to pack my last few items and hit the road. It was hard to leave Deb, and to leave Plymouth; my little space there has functioned as my “home away from home”, and Deb, my subsitute Mom. I’ll miss everything about it.
I arrived home on Friday around 12:30 p.m., and spent a little time with my Jordan before showering and heading to the Augustana English Department’s Annual Christmas Party. It was SO fun to surprise all of my professors and classmates; I was welcomed with warm hugs and an eagerness to know about my semester away. It was a great party, full of yummy punch and gifts of books.
That evening, Jordan planned a special romantic dinner for me. He set out candles and rose petals, played some jazz music, and made me spaghetti and chicken parmesan from scratch. He’s a total gem, I know. :) We then watched “Enchanted” (which I had been begging him to see with me; I LOVED IT). It was an amazing evening; what a great way to come home.
Saturday was spent unpacking and trying to make sense of my boxes and boxes of stuff. Jordan and I spent time playing board games with our friends Ray and Stacey on Saturday night, which is always fun. Now today, I’m hearing the wind whip around outside like cars racing around a NASCAR track; I’m hearing of a looming snowstorm, so we’ll see what the day brings.
I miss you all in Minneapolis, but still glad to be home.
My Last Day at the CDC
by Sara on December 10th, 2008
Hi all,
First, HECUA’s “Writing for Social Change” Public Reading went SO WELL last night! My classmates and I all performed our work so well; I am so proud to be included among such a brilliant group of people. My parents and my boyfriend Jordan paved their way through the snow to see me read my poem, and I am so grateful for them making the trip. The woman I live with, Deb, also came; it’s one of many, many things she’s done for me throughout the semester. She’s absolutely wonderful.
Today marks my *LAST* day at the Center for Democracy and Citizenship; how bittersweet! I am sad to leave the staff and the Oral History Project, but I look forward to keeping in touch, writing for the blog from time to time, seeing the Oral History Project exhibition, and keeping up on what the Center is doing to impact our world.
It’s getting down to the end, people; only three days left in the Cities, counting today. Where has the time gone? I feel like I was just arriving here, yet I also feel like I’ve been here forever. I’ve undergone such a significant transformation; I’ve gained independence, confidence, a new dose of dreams and goals, and a bunch of lasting friendships.
I feel so blessed today.
One Last Plug…
by Sara on December 8th, 2008
Hi everyone,
Here’s one last plug for a Public Reading put on by my HECUA class and I…the reading will take place at 7 p.m. at The Loft Literary Center (in Open Book building, downtown Mpls).
My classmates and I will all be reading some of our own work, as will our teachers, published poet William Reichard and renowned performing artist and all-around lovely gal Molly. We also will have Ed Bok Lee, an area poet with a lot of credentials and one heck of a poetry collection, “Real Karaoke People”, joining us for a reading of his own.
Come! Enjoy cookies and some great work.
My own personal plea: Please, please, PLEASE let the snow stop long enough for my parents and boyfriend Jordan to come up for the Public Reading…
-Sara
My Last Saturday…and MORE!
by Sara on December 6th, 2008
Hi all!
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but today marks my LAST Saturday in the Twin Cities! I am continuously shocked at how quickly the past four months have gone.
I spent my evening last night watching “Dateline” with Deb, the woman I live with. We munched on Vietnamese food from a restaurant that I can’t spell…yummy! This episode of “Dateline” was FREAKY; a college student studying abroad was murdered, allegedly by her roommate in Italy, also American…weird.
Yesterday I visited Jess Winter, an Augie alumnus, at Cityview Public School in Minneapolis. This school houses Pre-K through 8th graders, and let me tell you: this school is STRUCTURED. The students stand in lines with their hands on their hips (to prevent one another from touching their neighbor); there is no talking in said lines. The students have strict (but WONDERFUL) teachers.
Jess works for the Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC), a division of Americorps. She is a reading tutor for 3rd grade students who are reading below their grade level. I observed her tutor two kids, who were totally adorable and really inspiring. I also met a wealth of staff members at Cityview; everyone is so positive and just oozes pride in their work and pride in what MRC is doing for the school. It was a great experience, and this research will prove very useful in writing my thesis.
On deck today is writing my last paper for HECUA and packing for home. It’s so weird to be packing (even though I brought a bunch of boxes home over Thanksgiving); I just can’t believe this experience is coming to an end.
Here’s an agenda for the rest of the time I’m in the Cities:
Sunday: Deep-clean my apartment, one last time; put together my final portfolio for HECUA; hang out with Kim!
Monday: Class; make sure homework is done; prepare for my parents’ and Jordan’s visit; JON & KATE!
Tuesday: Work; out to eat with my parents and Jordan; PUBLIC READING!! [More about this to come!]
Wednesday: LAST DAY at the Center for Democracy and Citizenship; UGLY SWEATER PARTY with my HECUA classmates that evening!
Thursday: Community Gathering [9 - 11 a.m. at Intermedia Arts, Mpls]; Closing class session; finish packing; Early Christmas with Deb!
Friday: HOME!!
So, my Public Reading: Me and my ten HECUA classmates, along with Bill and Molly, our teachers, and Ed Bok Lee, an area poet, will be reading our own work in an event next week! The reading event will take place at The Loft Literary Center [in Open Book building, downtown Mpls] at 7 p.m. COME!!! It promises to be a great time; my classmates and I have very distinct points of view on the world, and are very excited to share our work with whomever wants to hear it.
Thanks, y’all! Six days and counting…
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