Bikes and Knitting

Two of my favourite things figure heavily in this video. Also, she's wearing the same pink dress that I used to have during one of the best times of my life.

Good thoughts for the night.

Work life balance

I am dreaming about some roadblocks we are working around in a project at work. These dreams are better than the ones I have about the measles epidemic. I am vaccinated and I couldn't remember if Fenner was vaccinated or not.

My typical vaccination strategy is to wait until Fenner was of an age that the disease I am vaccinating against actually poses a true risk to her development. I didn't think Tetanus was likely to be an issue when she was 6 weeks old so I held off until she was 14 months and mobile with a care giver to get her vaccinated. Now, before you get up in my grill - I. Am. Not. Antivaccination. These decisions were made with my Paediatrician and my husband.

Originally, the MMR vaccination was scheduled for when she was child bearing age (11 or 12) since the real threat of the Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) is to fetal development.

When I was 19 I looked after a girl who was the same age as myself in Northern Ontario. Her parents needed someone to look after their 19 year old daughter because she was a Rubella Child. If there is a job that will instill a healthy respect for a well timed and rigorous use of vaccines to control disease in a young woman, this was it.

I can't believe I had to wake up, find Fenner's tiny and barely fleshed out immunization record to confirm that this one was on it. I can't believe that this need was combined with a need to write an email to my colleague about testing my solution first thing in the morning.

Work life balance is a myth.

Let there be light

Today I attended TEDx HumberCollege. It was the inaugural TEDx event at Humber and the theme was "More than Words"

It was great. I love language and the different ways to play with it. The speakers came at the theme from a number of different perspectives: A linguist, an anthropologist, a PR student, some Fundraisers and a musician to name a few.

Margaux Smith spoke about being new to the workplace environment and referenced something called the Imposter Syndrome. This really created a context for the discomfort I feel in my professional life. I particularly love the recommended resolution to it "Fake it til you make it." Don't lie but live the the life you want to be living. It takes practise but start it up.

Dr. Steckley spoke about what the 11 aboriginal languages have to teach us about cultural psychology should we choose to learn the languages. Imagine what the impact of not having references for gender, guilt and comparative superlatives (You're the most/biggest/best..) I've been trying to minimize my references to gender since then and it's an exercise in adjusting the platform of gender relations.

The audience for these events tend to be open minded and engaged folks from all industries and walks of life. I expected healthy discussion and small talk which for the most part was an expectation fulfilled. It still amazes me how pregnancy makes me public property in all groups as demonstrated while I was getting a coffee and had the man behind me suggest that perhaps he shouldn't be letting me get it....

I was actually proud of my response this time. "Well sir, I'm almost forty years old so you're off the hook. I will make my own decisions thank you." HOW IS THIS STILL SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING!? Was he expecting me to be a chronic alcoholic with a drug problem? Is coffee a gateway drug?