So, I’ve started my consulting position at Management Sciences for Health (MSH). I’ve been hired to write up a Strategy Document for their Family Planning and Reproductive Health Unit. In order to write this document I’ve spent my first few days reading lots and lots of documents about the projects MSH has done regarding family planning and reproductive health. Yesterday I ran across this sentence from one of those documents, “Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.”
Now don’t get me wrong the Family Planning and Reproductive Health Unit of MSH is providing many evidence-based programs that help reduce the mortality and morbidity rates of mothers and the mortality rate infants. (Can you tell I've been reading a lot about this subject?) And I find that that services they provide are an important part of health care.
With that said, I also want to say that I just love that I am working for an organization that supports satisfying sex lives for people across the globe. And I can't help but smile when I told a friend and she commented, “I also feel that happy sex is a vital step in ensuring world peace.”
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Confessions of an Addict
OK, so I’ve never really been addicted to a television show before. Well, I take that back—there was X-Files while I was in high school, and that phase before I moved out of Provo when I watched a large portion of Sadie’s DVD collection of Star Gate.
But I have to say I am addicted to this season of 24. It all started when I was living in Jana’s house and each Monday Brooks, Jana, and I would sit down and watch the show. I moved down to DC and missed a few episodes until I realized that the Premonts were avid fans.
Brother and Sister Premont are in charge of the young single adults in our stake and each Monday they have the us all over for Family Home Evening. The lesson, activity, and treats are usually done by 8:00 or 8:30 and I am the only one who sticks around to watch 24 with the family at 9:00. Carolane (their daughter) set the rule, “NO TALKING during 24.” This is the one and only rule, and I think she and I are the biggest culprits when it comes to breaking it. But I think the rule actually reads “No talking about anything except this episode of 24.” During the show we’ll exclaim things like, “I can’t believe he just did that!” or “No! No! No! This is all wrong.” We’ll discuss our hunches in great detail or recap intense moments over the commercial breaks. The whole thing is just delightful. (I feel I’ve been using that adjective a lot, but that’s really how it is).
I didn’t realize how deep this addiction ran until last Monday when I missed our weekly tradition (see previous post for details). And right around 8:45, 9:00 I was checking my watch thinking “Oh we didn’t set the DVR to record 24!” Too shy to admit my addiction I let it go and watched the episode on Hulu later in the week, but it just wasn’t the same watching it alone on my computer. When I ran into the Premonts at church we had our “Can you believe what Jack is doing these days??” talk. And they expressed a similar sentiment that it just wasn’t as fun without the entire peanut gallery.
So, there it is. My name is Liann and I’m addicted to 24. There are four episodes left, so I don’t plan to quit anytime in the next month. I’m not sure what the Premonts and I will do when the season is over—stop hanging out after FHE I guess. Sad. But hey I’ve still got four more intense hours of Jack and the rest of the crew.
But I have to say I am addicted to this season of 24. It all started when I was living in Jana’s house and each Monday Brooks, Jana, and I would sit down and watch the show. I moved down to DC and missed a few episodes until I realized that the Premonts were avid fans.
Brother and Sister Premont are in charge of the young single adults in our stake and each Monday they have the us all over for Family Home Evening. The lesson, activity, and treats are usually done by 8:00 or 8:30 and I am the only one who sticks around to watch 24 with the family at 9:00. Carolane (their daughter) set the rule, “NO TALKING during 24.” This is the one and only rule, and I think she and I are the biggest culprits when it comes to breaking it. But I think the rule actually reads “No talking about anything except this episode of 24.” During the show we’ll exclaim things like, “I can’t believe he just did that!” or “No! No! No! This is all wrong.” We’ll discuss our hunches in great detail or recap intense moments over the commercial breaks. The whole thing is just delightful. (I feel I’ve been using that adjective a lot, but that’s really how it is).
I didn’t realize how deep this addiction ran until last Monday when I missed our weekly tradition (see previous post for details). And right around 8:45, 9:00 I was checking my watch thinking “Oh we didn’t set the DVR to record 24!” Too shy to admit my addiction I let it go and watched the episode on Hulu later in the week, but it just wasn’t the same watching it alone on my computer. When I ran into the Premonts at church we had our “Can you believe what Jack is doing these days??” talk. And they expressed a similar sentiment that it just wasn’t as fun without the entire peanut gallery. So, there it is. My name is Liann and I’m addicted to 24. There are four episodes left, so I don’t plan to quit anytime in the next month. I’m not sure what the Premonts and I will do when the season is over—stop hanging out after FHE I guess. Sad. But hey I’ve still got four more intense hours of Jack and the rest of the crew.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
The Delightfully Awkward
Ted and Sheryl (the couple I’m living with) had another couple over for dinner during General Conference Weekend. In the course of the conversation the other couple mentioned that they knew a young, single, Mormon, male, Foreign Service Officer, who happens to be in the DC area currently studying Serbian before he leaves for his next assignment. The four of them decided it would be a great idea to introduce us. I recognized that there wasn’t really a way out of this, so I agreed to the set up, asking that they simply give him my number and have him call me.
No, no, no. They would have none of that. It was as if they didn’t trust the two of us with something as important as this. And by being there, somehow the relationship would have a better chance.
So, Sheryl insisted on having the three of them (the couple and the poor boy) over for dinner! As the day approached Sheryl made her finest fare, set out her best china, and even had water glasses and wine goblets (full of carbonated peach drink). I have to say I was secretly looking forward to the evening not because I wanted to meet this guy, but because I knew this would be delightfully awkward.
And I was not disappointed. I don’t quite know how to tell this story in such a way that captures the whole evening, but imagine four people over the age of 50 sharing stories from the good old days, making references to Liberace, lecturing the boy about the length of his hair, and conversing about the latest shortage of canned pumpkin. Then there was the two of us occasionally trying to strike up conversation, but finding almost every attempt interrupted by the four of them wanting to take part. After dinner we played a game a Yahtzee where Ted did this classic victory dance when he rolled his second yahtzee. (Sometimes I just wish I had a video of my life so I could occasionally replay it for other people.) The guests all left by midnight. Sheryl and Ted said nice things about the boy as we turned off the lights, headed up to bed, and left the massive pile of dishes in the kitchen for the morning.
I know I can’t post this without saying at least something about how the set up actually went. It was very sweet of the four of them to go through all the trouble to introduce us. Luckily the boy seems very nice, interesting, attractive, and has a great sense of humor. I can understand why he was dreading such an evening! We’ll be going out next week, but don’t expect any update. I’m not big on blogging about my dating life. This just happened to be too good of a story not to share!
No, no, no. They would have none of that. It was as if they didn’t trust the two of us with something as important as this. And by being there, somehow the relationship would have a better chance.
So, Sheryl insisted on having the three of them (the couple and the poor boy) over for dinner! As the day approached Sheryl made her finest fare, set out her best china, and even had water glasses and wine goblets (full of carbonated peach drink). I have to say I was secretly looking forward to the evening not because I wanted to meet this guy, but because I knew this would be delightfully awkward.
And I was not disappointed. I don’t quite know how to tell this story in such a way that captures the whole evening, but imagine four people over the age of 50 sharing stories from the good old days, making references to Liberace, lecturing the boy about the length of his hair, and conversing about the latest shortage of canned pumpkin. Then there was the two of us occasionally trying to strike up conversation, but finding almost every attempt interrupted by the four of them wanting to take part. After dinner we played a game a Yahtzee where Ted did this classic victory dance when he rolled his second yahtzee. (Sometimes I just wish I had a video of my life so I could occasionally replay it for other people.) The guests all left by midnight. Sheryl and Ted said nice things about the boy as we turned off the lights, headed up to bed, and left the massive pile of dishes in the kitchen for the morning.
I know I can’t post this without saying at least something about how the set up actually went. It was very sweet of the four of them to go through all the trouble to introduce us. Luckily the boy seems very nice, interesting, attractive, and has a great sense of humor. I can understand why he was dreading such an evening! We’ll be going out next week, but don’t expect any update. I’m not big on blogging about my dating life. This just happened to be too good of a story not to share!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
A Love Letter
Dear Yoga Mat,
It was lovely spending some time alone with you this morning.
It feels like every time we get together lately I’m distracted with teaching and helping other people on their mats. I’m glad we got some quality time in this weekend. I look forward to getting together more often—just you, me, and (if it’s alright with you) my iPod.
Yours truly,
Liann
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