Sexual Health Survey for 50s and Beyond

If you are in the UK and know anyone who is over the age of 50, please send them my Sexual Health Survey. I'd be eternally grateful. And I'll be your best friend.

Click Here to take survey

Thanks so much, and please spread the word!

The Tipping Point

Yesterday, I went to a pub with my friends after we finished the Immersion Program. As we were leaving the pub, this guy with curly gray/brown hair walked past me carrying a messenger bag. He looked like a professor. I recognized his face. I turned around and said, "Richard?" It was Richard Kaye, a guy who used to teach English at Davidson. I had never taken one of his classes (he started in 1997, and I graduated in 1998), nor had I spoken more then 5 words to him in the three years we were both there. But I remembered his face and his name, and decided to say something. It's weird how my brain works. We spent a minute or two saying what we were doing and who he keeps in touch with in NYC (where he's now based) and how I lived with Vic and visit Alexis (friends of mine who did have him as a prof who now live in NYC) every time I'm in the city.

It made me think of The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. He talks about how there are three types of people who are able to create social epidemics: Connectors, Mavens, and Salespeople. I'm not sure that I would be able to create a social epidemic, but I definitely have some of those Connector elements in me.

Back Update

I didn't have to use the hard drugs. I've pretty much recovered from the freak occurrence save a little stiffness.

In other news, tomorrow, I have an interview exercise for my Immersion Program. I have to sell myself. Oh, joy. I'm pretty comfortable speaking in front of people, so I should be okay. I suspect that there's a chance that one of my interviewers might help me get my foot in the door of the social innovation world. Keep your fingers crossed for me on that one. Toes work, too.

More soon.

Livin' on the Edge

Yesterday, I tweaked my lower back. How? I have no freakin' idea. Actually, I do have an idea. I was picking up a piece of paper from my bedroom floor. I know. I was really over-exerting myself there. I heard picking up paper is going to be the next big extreme sport.

Generally, if my lower back is bugging me, I can do a quick little twist, and everything goes right back into place. This is different. This is not just stiffness or soreness. This is stabbing pain. Luckily, it stays in one specific area and doesn't shoot down into my legs. No sciatica for me, thanks.

Things were a little better today, but just in case it gets worse for some reason, I bought some paracetemol (aka tylenol) with codeine. Yup. Over the counter c-o-d-e-i-n-e!

I'd really rather wake up feeling like a million bucks without the assistance of drugs, but if I must, I'm going to take a slightly-hunched walk on the wild side.
Just try to stop me, people.
Just try to stop me!

The Plumber's Here

This week was a bit of a crazy one as the plumbers/handymen came to redo our main bathroom without any real forewarning. This meant that I was motivated to get out of the house more quickly than I normally would, but that was a good thing. It also meant that we were not able to use the main bath/shower.

So, I called up the ever-resourceful Nickel-bag-o-funk. She gave me a few Virgin Active passes that she had lying around her flat so that I could use the gym, and shower in a proper shower. It reminded me of how out of shape I am, but I plan on remedying that soon. The last installment of my financial aid checks came in, so I will be able to join the gym near school for a discounted price. Hooray for "concessions"!

In other news, I had a meeting with a sexual health/couples therapist who has a number of clients in the 50+ age range. She was quite helpful and has agreed to photocopy and send me some articles from a journal that would be difficult to get my hands on otherwise. She also gave me a couple of organizations I could contact. It sure is difficult getting access to older people when you don't know any older people to introduce you to their peers.

I've also contact the local UU Minister. I have a meeting with him in mid July. I'm hoping that some of his congregation is over 50. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I suspect Unitarians will be much more open to talking about sexual health than most people.

I have the CSM Immersion Program all of next week, so it's going to be balls to the wall. It's a week long course that helps recent MA grads (or soon-to-be-grads like me) get out into the work force in the best way possible. I'll write more about that once I'm finished with it.

Kew Gardens

Somehow, I forgot to mention that a bunch of my classmates and I went to Kew Gardens with our tutor Richard. We then went back to his flat, had tea, and an electrifying Scalextrics tournament. I won.

Oh, and I saw a peacock.

Pi Birthday

Yesterday, I turned 31.4159265358979323846…
I celebrated by going to see Bruce Springsteen at Emirates Stadium.
I feel like it's mandatory to see The Boss in person if you're from NJ.
It was a good time.