They have finally arrived. Those fantastic dog days of summer have finally hit and I must say, it is a little reassuring. Reassuring? How could it be reassuring Brian, you are probably asking yourselves, it is hot, dull and most of all it means the end of the summer is right around the corner...how could you possibly find that reassuring? Well imaginary third person, let me explain.
While these past few months have been an incredible series of highs and lows, going to Texas and the death of my Nana respectively, I never got comfortable in my summer skin. For the past year I have mainly been going to school, writing papers and doing research. When the summer finally hit, I was still enrolled in a summer course (communication consulting...which was superb by the way) and had plans to take a second course (never ended up taking it, that is a story of its own). I was still in grad school mode. Once the class ended and I started my summer work, consulting and selling crap on ebay, I felt slightly out of place. I was still doing research and writing up reports/memos/any and everything related to STEM (don't ask) but my workload had slowed down significantly.
For the first time in roughly a year, I really had no idea what to do with myself. I like to call this the grad school curse. My work load had been at such a high level for so long that when things slowed down, I got antsy and felt like I was being a lazy asshole. It was kind of like being a drug addict coming down from a high, except not so dramatic and sad (bad analogy but hey, it's something). I had completely forgotten how to just relax and do nothing. It actually pained me to not be writing papers. HOW MESSED UP IS THAT? So I turned to odd ways to pass the time. I began doing more work for my consulting gigs than was necessary. I began to sell things on ebay more for the time it ate up than for the need to make money. I started work on my thesis, which is due in roughly a year. I offered to help my friends look over their papers and began to edit things just for fun. Let me repeat that in a much angrier way...EDIT THINGS JUST FOR FUN. Most importantly, I began to annoy the hell out of my friends on a daily basis. Seriously, I was doing hours of work each day, roughly 40 hours a week, and still felt like a slacker. Only now, in hindsight, do I realize why I felt this way...and I didn't like the answer.
Conditioning. Conditioning messed up my summer in a bad bad way. For so long I had been conditioned to work as hard as humanly possible on any project that crossed my path, academic or otherwise, that when things slowed down my mind flipped out. Instead of being able to relax, I started to try and fill in the quiet moments of my day with busywork. It actually stressed me out to try and relax. Anything productive to keep myself occupied was a relief from my supposed relief. So as the summer winds down all I can feel is joy that school starts up again at the end of the month. I will be teaching for the first time, I am enrolled in three classes and I have a few projects on my plate that could get me to conferences or published. In other words, I will be completely swamped for the next 4 months with work, research and teaching. In a very sick sort of way, this is just what I needed. A vacation from my vacation, stress relief through the most stressing of situations. So leave me alone grad school curse, you will be assuaged again soon enough.
*Note*- Yes, I am sort of complaining about having free time but believe me when I say that I wish I could just enjoy my downtime. This is the last thing I wanted and it kind of scares me that I am wired for stress.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Burger Buds
For those of you who have known me for a few years, you are probably aware of the group known as the "Burger Buds". My senior year as an undergrad, my friend Zach decided to do a documentary for his final thesis project...a documentary on a giant cheeseburger. You see, in my hometown of Clinton, NJ there is a diner (The Clinton Station Diner) which boasts the nation's largest burgers. In the past, they have garnered media attention from across the world for crafting these absolutely disgustingly big burgers. I believe their latest creation was around 200-250 lbs., a burger they fed to a Japanese eating team that devoured the thing like it was a slider. Skinny Japanese people + HUGE Amounts of food= Quality entertainment.
Anyways, Zach wanted to do a documentary on their 50 lb. burger (The Mount Olympus Burger) but needed a group of individuals to actually try and eat the damn thing on camera. Enter his friends Ian, Kevin, Nick, Eugene and myself. For you see, if a group of 5 can eat the burger in under 2 hours (maybe it was 1?) then the whole group gets $1000. This of course is almost humanly impossible. 10 lb's per person in one sitting, of which 5 of those pounds is ground beef. Hellllllo stomach pump. We knew we were going to fail going in but we wanted to make the documentary as hilarious as possible in the process. Zach set up training shoots, weigh ins, a cheesy 80's styled exercise training montage and interviews with loved ones of the participants on top of footage of the actual burger challenge. Simply put, this documentary was fully loaded.
After the dust had cleared and we had all sworn off burgers for life, Kevin ( a very fine tattoo artist) started talking about a "Burger Buds" tattoo design. The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived, look below to see the absolute MAJESTY of the Burger Buds Tattoo:
It brings a tear to my eye just looking at the beauty.
Anyways, Zach wanted to do a documentary on their 50 lb. burger (The Mount Olympus Burger) but needed a group of individuals to actually try and eat the damn thing on camera. Enter his friends Ian, Kevin, Nick, Eugene and myself. For you see, if a group of 5 can eat the burger in under 2 hours (maybe it was 1?) then the whole group gets $1000. This of course is almost humanly impossible. 10 lb's per person in one sitting, of which 5 of those pounds is ground beef. Hellllllo stomach pump. We knew we were going to fail going in but we wanted to make the documentary as hilarious as possible in the process. Zach set up training shoots, weigh ins, a cheesy 80's styled exercise training montage and interviews with loved ones of the participants on top of footage of the actual burger challenge. Simply put, this documentary was fully loaded.
After the dust had cleared and we had all sworn off burgers for life, Kevin ( a very fine tattoo artist) started talking about a "Burger Buds" tattoo design. The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived, look below to see the absolute MAJESTY of the Burger Buds Tattoo:
It brings a tear to my eye just looking at the beauty.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Lessons Learned From the Framing of Breast Cancer
Hey all, the following is just a little musing on an issue I have been thinking about lately. It lacks solid research, but in the future I may pursue the topic a little more in depth.
Pink ribbons are everywhere. The universal symbol for breast cancer awareness, the pink ribbon, has completely saturated almost all facets of our culture. It is not surprising to see the ribbon on chocolates, energy drinks, billboards, on TV ads and anything and everything in between. While this awareness (and hopefully increased prevention, treatment and research) is encouraging, one has to wonder how exactly breast cancer awareness advocates were able to get their message heard above all others within the cancer community. There are a variety of cancers that have higher mortality rates, lung cancer for instance, and cancers that have higher incidence rates, the various skin cancers have a significantly higher rate of incidence, yet breast cancer continues to dwarf all other cancers in advocacy and monetary support for research. It is this unprecedented groundswell of support from both women and men alike that begs the question, what is it about breast cancer that caused such a spike in advocacy? It is my belief that how breast cancer advocates frame the disease (i.e. how they presented breast cancer to the public) was the key to making breast cancer a key public health issue.
More than just a disease, breast cancer has become a rallying point for both men and women across the nation. Its place as the cancer with the highest incidence amongst women, adding to the fact that it mostly afflicts women, would conceivably make it simply a "women's issue". While it is true that some of the most fervent breast cancer awareness advocates have been women, there has also been a high amount of support from men for this cause. This is not surprising, as females close to a man, such as mothers, sisters, aunts or close friends, may have survived or succumbed to breast cancer. This proximity may have caused a need to act, a need to further the cause of breast cancer research and prevention. Yet, this explanation cannot fully uncover the reasons behind the success of breast cancer awareness, prevention and research campaigns. Similar support has not been shown for testicular or prostate cancer, a disease that afflicts only males, or even cervical cancer, another disease that afflicts only women. What is it then about breast cancer then? What makes breast cancer different from any other cancer? In part, the answer may relate to ingenious messaging strategies and an awareness of how to utilize socially held standards of beauty to raise awareness.
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it can be quite traumatic to not only their sense of healthiness but also to their identity as a woman. The breasts have been socially constructed as a symbol of femininity within our culture and therefore the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis not only threatens a woman's life but it also affects their whole identity. While any cancer diagnosis has the ability to challenge an individual's identity (i.e. their identity as a healthy individual, as youthful, as strong or proud), breast cancer can impact a whole series of avowed identities (i.e. being attractive, feminine, a woman, a caretaker) that would not be considered with other cancers. This presented a serious issue for breast cancer advocates, as the stigma associated with the disease created only silence amongst women regarding breast cancer. No one was talking about breast cancer because they were ashamed to have the disease; it posed a threat to their health and identity. This silence could also be seen within efforts to raise awareness about other diseases such as AIDS, cervical cancer and lung cancer. Unfortunately, I saw this stigma firsthand as a young boy when my Aunt Phyllis was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time. While it was a late stage cancer, the doctors believed that a radical mastectomy would have given her a chance to survive. My Aunt Phyllis denied this treatment though because she was afraid that if she lost her breasts, her husband would no longer find her attractive. In the end, she chose death over the stigma and shame that she associated with losing her breasts.
My point in mentioning the cultural meaning attached to the breasts, as well as the difficulties one faces when diagnosed with cancer, is to point out how breast cancer advocates were able to adapt their messages to de-stigmatize breast cancer and empower women who had this disease. Quite possibly the most recognized breast cancer advocacy non-profit organization is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Named in honor of a woman who succumbed to breast cancer, the Komen foundation has raised over $1 billion in funds to help raise awareness and promote research. Their message, "I am the cure", is simple and empowering yet speaks volumes about how to successfully frame breast cancer. This message, along with a variety of older messages, promotes a sense of agency for breast cancer survivors, a sense of empowerment that helps to rally advocates together. Instead of portraying those who had breast cancer as victims, they paint them as survivors who should be proud that they were strong enough to overcome this disease. In altering the frame from one of pity to one of empowerment, organizations such as the Komen foundation have successfully inspired women to not only discuss their cancer but to be advocates on behalf of themselves and others. Messages from other organizations mirror these sentiments, as in giving these advocates a voice (both literally and figuratively) they have effectively stripped away the stigma that may come from a breast cancer diagnosis. In regards to addressing issues of identity (i.e. attractiveness and femininity), making breast cancer normative in the culture has also helped to re-shape perceptions of what it means to be a woman. Breast cancer is slowly becoming a symbol of femininity, a battle scar if you will, that many women are proud to have symbolize their survival and strength. While many will still deal with threats to their identity, at least they will have somewhere to turn to now to aid in helping them make sense of their disease.
So what could we learn from the framing of breast cancer? In my opinion, three main things. First, empowerment must be emphasized so those with a disease do not feel victimized. Any serious disease has the potential to make patients despondent, thereby making them feel like a victim who is powerless in their fight against the illness. Messages that stress empowerment may help patients re-consider their psychological stance against the disease and, to put it bluntly, make them a fighter. Secondly, reducing the stigma associated with a disease is an important first step towards awareness, prevention, treatment, etc. Messages that aid in reducing the stigma associated with a disease, effectively making it "normal" and "ok" to have the disease, give patients a fighting chance to come to terms with their illness. Finally, the re-framing of breast cancer from a symbol of losing femininity to gaining femininity has shown to be a very effective tool in grouping advocates together. While not all diseases can follow this exact formula, many can take what was a deficiency and turn it into a positive by changing the cultural perception of the disease. This is not an easy or quick process but it can be effective, just take a look at the work of breast cancer advocates.
While I did not do a large amount of legwork to craft this piece, I believe there is potential for moving forward with this concept. I have personal ties to breast cancer so I have been considering these points for a long while now but any criticism is welcome and encouraged. I hope you gleamed something from this writing and please, if you are passionate about a health topic go out and do something about it...be the change you want to see in the world.
Pink ribbons are everywhere. The universal symbol for breast cancer awareness, the pink ribbon, has completely saturated almost all facets of our culture. It is not surprising to see the ribbon on chocolates, energy drinks, billboards, on TV ads and anything and everything in between. While this awareness (and hopefully increased prevention, treatment and research) is encouraging, one has to wonder how exactly breast cancer awareness advocates were able to get their message heard above all others within the cancer community. There are a variety of cancers that have higher mortality rates, lung cancer for instance, and cancers that have higher incidence rates, the various skin cancers have a significantly higher rate of incidence, yet breast cancer continues to dwarf all other cancers in advocacy and monetary support for research. It is this unprecedented groundswell of support from both women and men alike that begs the question, what is it about breast cancer that caused such a spike in advocacy? It is my belief that how breast cancer advocates frame the disease (i.e. how they presented breast cancer to the public) was the key to making breast cancer a key public health issue.
More than just a disease, breast cancer has become a rallying point for both men and women across the nation. Its place as the cancer with the highest incidence amongst women, adding to the fact that it mostly afflicts women, would conceivably make it simply a "women's issue". While it is true that some of the most fervent breast cancer awareness advocates have been women, there has also been a high amount of support from men for this cause. This is not surprising, as females close to a man, such as mothers, sisters, aunts or close friends, may have survived or succumbed to breast cancer. This proximity may have caused a need to act, a need to further the cause of breast cancer research and prevention. Yet, this explanation cannot fully uncover the reasons behind the success of breast cancer awareness, prevention and research campaigns. Similar support has not been shown for testicular or prostate cancer, a disease that afflicts only males, or even cervical cancer, another disease that afflicts only women. What is it then about breast cancer then? What makes breast cancer different from any other cancer? In part, the answer may relate to ingenious messaging strategies and an awareness of how to utilize socially held standards of beauty to raise awareness.
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it can be quite traumatic to not only their sense of healthiness but also to their identity as a woman. The breasts have been socially constructed as a symbol of femininity within our culture and therefore the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis not only threatens a woman's life but it also affects their whole identity. While any cancer diagnosis has the ability to challenge an individual's identity (i.e. their identity as a healthy individual, as youthful, as strong or proud), breast cancer can impact a whole series of avowed identities (i.e. being attractive, feminine, a woman, a caretaker) that would not be considered with other cancers. This presented a serious issue for breast cancer advocates, as the stigma associated with the disease created only silence amongst women regarding breast cancer. No one was talking about breast cancer because they were ashamed to have the disease; it posed a threat to their health and identity. This silence could also be seen within efforts to raise awareness about other diseases such as AIDS, cervical cancer and lung cancer. Unfortunately, I saw this stigma firsthand as a young boy when my Aunt Phyllis was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time. While it was a late stage cancer, the doctors believed that a radical mastectomy would have given her a chance to survive. My Aunt Phyllis denied this treatment though because she was afraid that if she lost her breasts, her husband would no longer find her attractive. In the end, she chose death over the stigma and shame that she associated with losing her breasts.
My point in mentioning the cultural meaning attached to the breasts, as well as the difficulties one faces when diagnosed with cancer, is to point out how breast cancer advocates were able to adapt their messages to de-stigmatize breast cancer and empower women who had this disease. Quite possibly the most recognized breast cancer advocacy non-profit organization is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Named in honor of a woman who succumbed to breast cancer, the Komen foundation has raised over $1 billion in funds to help raise awareness and promote research. Their message, "I am the cure", is simple and empowering yet speaks volumes about how to successfully frame breast cancer. This message, along with a variety of older messages, promotes a sense of agency for breast cancer survivors, a sense of empowerment that helps to rally advocates together. Instead of portraying those who had breast cancer as victims, they paint them as survivors who should be proud that they were strong enough to overcome this disease. In altering the frame from one of pity to one of empowerment, organizations such as the Komen foundation have successfully inspired women to not only discuss their cancer but to be advocates on behalf of themselves and others. Messages from other organizations mirror these sentiments, as in giving these advocates a voice (both literally and figuratively) they have effectively stripped away the stigma that may come from a breast cancer diagnosis. In regards to addressing issues of identity (i.e. attractiveness and femininity), making breast cancer normative in the culture has also helped to re-shape perceptions of what it means to be a woman. Breast cancer is slowly becoming a symbol of femininity, a battle scar if you will, that many women are proud to have symbolize their survival and strength. While many will still deal with threats to their identity, at least they will have somewhere to turn to now to aid in helping them make sense of their disease.
So what could we learn from the framing of breast cancer? In my opinion, three main things. First, empowerment must be emphasized so those with a disease do not feel victimized. Any serious disease has the potential to make patients despondent, thereby making them feel like a victim who is powerless in their fight against the illness. Messages that stress empowerment may help patients re-consider their psychological stance against the disease and, to put it bluntly, make them a fighter. Secondly, reducing the stigma associated with a disease is an important first step towards awareness, prevention, treatment, etc. Messages that aid in reducing the stigma associated with a disease, effectively making it "normal" and "ok" to have the disease, give patients a fighting chance to come to terms with their illness. Finally, the re-framing of breast cancer from a symbol of losing femininity to gaining femininity has shown to be a very effective tool in grouping advocates together. While not all diseases can follow this exact formula, many can take what was a deficiency and turn it into a positive by changing the cultural perception of the disease. This is not an easy or quick process but it can be effective, just take a look at the work of breast cancer advocates.
While I did not do a large amount of legwork to craft this piece, I believe there is potential for moving forward with this concept. I have personal ties to breast cancer so I have been considering these points for a long while now but any criticism is welcome and encouraged. I hope you gleamed something from this writing and please, if you are passionate about a health topic go out and do something about it...be the change you want to see in the world.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Ignore my Blog Much?
Yeah yeah, I know...I have been neglecting this blog for far too long, even though I swore I would write it in more often. I guess my mind has just been all over the place lately for a variety of reasons (Hint: Mostly due to course and research work) and I completely forgot to follow one of New Years Resolutions: Write in the blog more often. Consider this to be a weak apology for ignoring this blog, I will try to do better in the future.
I rarely plug other people's blogs in my own but I do have to bring some attention to http://myskeets.blogspot.com. This blog is written by one of my classmates and if you enjoy reading about the process of communication, this blog does a wonderful job. Writing on a variety of topics, Dan helps to make complex concepts such as conflict and patient-provider communication easily accessible to the average person. These short communication vignettes provide an insightful introduction into the realm of communication studies and I highly recommend you give this blog a read.
Speaking of communication, I am almost done with my first year as a graduate student at George Mason University. Overall, this has been an incredible experience. I have been fortunate enough to work with and learn from the students, scholars and professors that are present here at Mason. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I could learn so much in such a short period of time, and that includes both academic and real world knowledge. Granted, I am fairly busy most of the time but it is better to be busy doing something you love than remaining idle doing something you can only tolerate. It is worth sacrificing free time to work on projects that can make a difference. Mason, and everyone involved in the program, has given me that opportunity.
Aaaaaand I kind of rambled on up there. I realize that praise is not exactly the most interesting read but honestly, I had to get it out there for the public (i.e. the 3 people that read this blog) to see. To make up for it, here is a bit of controversy: VH1 is reviving "Behind the Music", a last ditch effort to retain credibility or a solid move (come on now, who doesn't want to see the behind the music of such legends as "Wham", "Third Eye Blind" or "Hoobastank")
Note: The Decemberists album "The Hazards of Love" is brilliant and is highly suggested. In an age of promoting only singles, digital downloading and no album cohesion, it is refreshing to find an album that tells a COMPLETE story. Each song bleeds into the next as a classic tragedy is explicated and mused upon by a variety of distinct characters. This tale through song has been called a rock opera but considering the musical stylings of The Decemberists, it is more appropriate to call it a classical victorian tale of woe. That is not to say that the music is a complete downer, there are multiple tracks that truly blend upbeat with melancholy and vice versa. Give it a listen at some point, you won't be sorry.
I rarely plug other people's blogs in my own but I do have to bring some attention to http://myskeets.blogspot.com. This blog is written by one of my classmates and if you enjoy reading about the process of communication, this blog does a wonderful job. Writing on a variety of topics, Dan helps to make complex concepts such as conflict and patient-provider communication easily accessible to the average person. These short communication vignettes provide an insightful introduction into the realm of communication studies and I highly recommend you give this blog a read.
Speaking of communication, I am almost done with my first year as a graduate student at George Mason University. Overall, this has been an incredible experience. I have been fortunate enough to work with and learn from the students, scholars and professors that are present here at Mason. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I could learn so much in such a short period of time, and that includes both academic and real world knowledge. Granted, I am fairly busy most of the time but it is better to be busy doing something you love than remaining idle doing something you can only tolerate. It is worth sacrificing free time to work on projects that can make a difference. Mason, and everyone involved in the program, has given me that opportunity.
Aaaaaand I kind of rambled on up there. I realize that praise is not exactly the most interesting read but honestly, I had to get it out there for the public (i.e. the 3 people that read this blog) to see. To make up for it, here is a bit of controversy: VH1 is reviving "Behind the Music", a last ditch effort to retain credibility or a solid move (come on now, who doesn't want to see the behind the music of such legends as "Wham", "Third Eye Blind" or "Hoobastank")
Note: The Decemberists album "The Hazards of Love" is brilliant and is highly suggested. In an age of promoting only singles, digital downloading and no album cohesion, it is refreshing to find an album that tells a COMPLETE story. Each song bleeds into the next as a classic tragedy is explicated and mused upon by a variety of distinct characters. This tale through song has been called a rock opera but considering the musical stylings of The Decemberists, it is more appropriate to call it a classical victorian tale of woe. That is not to say that the music is a complete downer, there are multiple tracks that truly blend upbeat with melancholy and vice versa. Give it a listen at some point, you won't be sorry.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A New President
While I have neglected this blog for roughly a year, it is being brought back for a monumental moment in American history. On Tuesday I will most likely be doing a live blog during the inauguration. Throughout the day I will record scattered thoughts, hopes, feelings and reactions to the whole event. The bulk of the blog will most likely be devoted to the inauguration speech of Barack Obama but other aspects of the ceremony will be highlighted. This is my first live blog, so we will see how this will go!
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