Why I am scared of skunks: An explanation.

I had several people ask me this week why I am scared of skunks, which surprised me because it meant people actually read this blog. Anyways, I am scared of skunks because I have had two VERY close calls with these animals and (miraculously) was not sprayed. I feel that the third time I will not be so lucky.
#1. Senior year of high school.
I had to leave my house extremely early in the morning for a school function and the night before, (for an unknown reason) my dad decided to move my car to the very end of our driveway.  We live in a very rural, wooded area and had been having skunk problems prior to this incident. Every morning we could see where they had been digging for grubs, and could smell a faint odor in the air. So, needless to say, I was cautious about walking in the pitch dark, through our slightly wooded yard, in the early morning hours. I turned on the porch lights, and went and stomped on the deck to possibly scare off any creatures (skunks, raccoons, coyotes, etc) that may have been lurking in the darkness. I didn't hear anything, and saw no glowing eyes peering at me from anywhere in the yard, so I decided it was safe. I had just about reached my car when I heard a rustling noise. I stopped several feet from my car...... when from underneath it walked a skunk. We were possibly five feet apart at most. I looked at it in horror and it looked at me. It hissed. I turned to try and make a run for it when the skunk calmly turned around and walked into the woods.
#2. The great baked bean fiasco
My summer job working with migrant workers is stationed out of two small buildings in the middle of a corn field. I arrived in the early morning hours just as the sun was rising, to prepare for a meeting I had to run that day. I had prepared food and was distressed to find that on the drive over that a crock pot of baked beans had tipped over in the back seat of my car. So picture this: I am standing by my car, I can hardly see, all while dressed up in heels and a skirt for this meeting. I am up to my elbows in baked beans as I scrape them off my seat into a garbage bag. I look out at the empty parking lot to see ( approximately 15 feet away) a mother skunk and her BABIES walking in front of my car. The skunks stop, and look at me. I freeze. The skunks miraculously continue on their way. I hardly dare to breathe as they walk slowly across the parking lot and into the corn.
#3. There is no way I can be this lucky again.

Procrastination

 I really need to work on a paper and start some research...but once again I find myself lacking motivation. I have a feeling that this will be a common theme this semester. So, in an attempt to procrastinate I decided to write. Nothing incredibly profound has happened in the past few days, so this may be slightly boring. I apologize in advance.
This semester I am taking four Grad classes: Global Public health, Environmental Assessment, Medical entomology, and Outbreak investigation. Medical entomology and Outbreak investigation are by far my favorites. The entomology class in particular is incredibly interesting. Don't get me wrong, I hate bugs but the topics such as Malaria and Lymphatic Filarisis are fascinating. I also really like the Outbreak investigation (even though that's what I should be researching right now) and could see myself working in that field. Not to sound snobby, but we just really haven't covered anything yet in the other two classes that I don't already know. So for now, it's a tad boring.
Anyways, I really do have lots of work to do but I will leave you with yet another random fact.

• I fall.... a lot. I am 0-4 this winter on East Lansing sidewalks.

Decisions...and spiders

It’s been a busy day. Mondays will be rather chaotic this semester, as I have class all day long, run back to my apartment and grab some food, then head off to bible study.  Joining this study was a good decision and it’s great to get to know such an awesome and diverse group of people. Anyways, tonight’s study talked about the parable of the talents. It’s the rather well known one in which the master leaves 3 of his servants with varying amounts of money and then comes back to see what they have done with it.
(Matthew 25: 14-30) The combination of this study along with the content of the conference that I attended on Saturday has been incredibly convicting. So, in an ever present desire to procrastinate, I decided to write about it.
     To preface this, you need to know some things about me. I have somewhat of a "Type A" personality and tend to over analyze. I am also a notorious list maker and have been known to make pros and cons lists about everything, not just major life decisions but silly things like whether or not to date someone. I'm a planner and like to know what's ahead of me and I always have a backup plan or two or three….. Anyways, although I am content with my life at the moment and love my choice of study, I am not where I expected to be.  I struggle with the unexpected.
    So, the conference that I attended was held by my local church ( shout out to Riverview) and  discussed biblical decision making and discerning God’s will. I went because, honestly, I stress constantly over what in the heck to do with my life. Do I go for a doctorate/ medical degree? Do I call it good with an MPH and go get a real job and make some money? Do I stay in MI? Do I go work overseas in some developing country? Do I move out west?  Do I just say screw it all and set up shop on the corner of Grand river and Hagadorn?  ( Just kidding about the last one).
      Anyways, the main point from the conference really hit home. As long as what I am doing is moral (ie. Prostitution is out) and honors God, then really I am ok.  I needed to be reminded of  this, as I am constantly concerned that  I am deviating from the “plan” of my life. Then tonight as we read through the Bible passage, I saw myself in the third servant from the parable. The one who did not use what he was given  and was rebuked. I have a few slight talents ( I think) and needed the reminder that we need to use what God has given us.
Whew! My warm bed is calling my name but after this long, rambling post I will leave you with another random fact about myself.

• Not only am I scared of skunks, but I am also terrified of Wolf spiders. Until you have encountered one of these hairy, leaping, monstrosities in your basement late at night, then you do not know what fear is. 

In the begining.....

To be honest, I am not a fan of writing. Graduate school gives me enough of that on a daily basis.  Yet, I have been considering starting a blog for awhile, I just hadn't really gotten around to it yet. However after spending six hours in the library this afternoon struggling to write a rather pointless essay and appropriately analyze a set of data, I am feeling pretty drained. Therefore, as interesting as Leptospirosis is, I decided to set Grad school work aside for a few minutes and set this up. So anyways, a bit about me.

• I am a grad student studying public health with a focus on infectious disease and outbreak investigation. Obviously, I am a bit of a nerd. I am ok with this.
• If anyone would have told me a few years ago that this is what I would  be studying right now, I would have thought they were crazy. This was not the original "plan" I had for my life...yet I love it. Funny how God knows whats best, eh?
• Speaking of God, I went to a spectacular conference at church yesterday about God's will and decision making. I am sure there will be a post to come talking about it.
• I am scared of skunks.