A new outlook

Things I will never forget...

I have just had the two most amazing weeks ever. The past two weeks have been mid-semester break. This means no lectures to go to!!!! I have been getting so spoilt doing my independent study paper that I realized how much I love studying and teaching myself in the library rather than actually going to lectures! So although I had no classes, I came in to the library anyway, and worked on my genetics assignment, for all of the first week! My topic for the past two weeks had been genetic counseling.

Last week I had my Wednesday genetics class that forever changed the way in which I look at things. I used to think that genetic counseling is simply a meeting with a person/family where family genetic history is discussed, and advice is given as to whether or not have kids. Simple as that. Well, Wednesday’s ‘class’ changed all that. We discussed genetic counseling and the various aspects around it. Afterwards, all I could say was “WOW”!! I went home in a total daze (forgetting to press the button on the bus at the train station and going all the way up to Lambton Quay, I must add! Oops!).

The following day I read the most amazing book ever. ‘Chromosome abnormalities and genetic counseling’ by Gardner and Sutherland is just about the most extraordinary book ever. At first I wasn’t going to read all of it. But then after Wednesday’s genetics class last week I just knew I had to read it all. So after my overwhelming class on Wednesday I decided I would overwhelm myself even more by spending all of Thursday reading the book. When I finished, all I could say was “WOW”!! It was like nothing I’ve ever read. The issues discussed were just so big, so unbelievably complex. It was about things I would have never dreamt of!! I spent that entire weekend in a total daze. I couldn’t stop thinking about all I’ve been told and all I’ve read.

The following Wednesday I had my ‘counseling session,’ where I was the ‘genetic counselor’. All I can say is that it was an experience that I will never forget. I learnt that being a genetics counselor is an incredibly complicated profession, requiring an extreme amount of knowledge, insight and tact. I cannot choose the words to say how much I had realized and understood. And I have to say, I was very thankful that it was only a role-play and not in actual real life!

That day I also handed in my written counseling report, in which for the first time I designed a pedigree!

Two weeks ago I had been given a piece of paper with this on it:

46, XY, ins (3:2)(q13; p23p24)(N-MYC+, ALK+)

This was the starting point for my road of genetic counseling knowledge. It meant nothing to me. Two weeks later, I see it with new eyes. Accompanying this one line is an 11 page report.

The poem in my previous post was taken from that amazing genetic counseling book. If I had to summarize the entire 478 page book I would just quote that poem. It is a bit sad. But I like it.

In the second week I also completed my media presentation, making a slideshow. That was interesting, and I already had experience making slides when I did my CML/Philadelphia chromosome project. I have to give a 10 minute presentation on a given article, in week 8 (a week from now!). I also started working on my essay for evolution about origin and diversification of birds. I found all the articles and have read through them all, so now I have to write it. Luckily I still have almost 3 weeks until it’s due. …Mmm my life is interesting at the moment; it consists of thinking about mutations (related to genetic counseling) and fossils (origin and evolution of birds supported by fossil records)!!! …although fascinating, it can get a bit depressing…

The university is so peaceful and quiet in the holidays, and there is hardly anyone around. That’s how I like it. But…classes resume tomorrow (finished writing this post on the 31st Aug). Back to lectures. Back to crowded corridors. Back to noise levels in the library…

If I were to reflect on my past 7 weeks I would say this; I feel like what I have learnt within the past 7 weeks, is possibly more than I have ever learnt in all my 3 years of university put together (or maybe even my whole life!!!)!!!

Heredity

Inescapably, this is me-the diagnosis
is cause for anger at those

who brightly say we choose our destinies.

There is no store

of courage, wit or will

can save me from myself and I must face

my children, feeling like

that wicked fairy, uninvited

at the christening, bestowing on my own,

amidst murmurs of apprehension, a most

unwanted gift-that

of a blighted mind. No one

could tell me of this curse when I

was young and dreamt of children

and the graces they would bear. Later,

it seemed that a chill morning

revealed deeper layers

of truth. For my romancing

there is a price to pay-

perhaps my children's children

will pass this tollgate after me.

My grandmothers gaze down from their frames

on my wall, sadly wondering.

-Meg Campbell

I love this poem, even though it's sad.

Another update

Ok so I haven't posted for two weeks.

Last week was realy good. I won't bore you with all the details of the usual Mon-Fri uni days. In evolution we got a new lecturer and we were studying phylogeny. I have to admit I was not a fan of that topic. I wanted our old lecturer back with his topics; he basically turned evolution into genetics! Well they do relate! But now evolution has turned into ecology and I feel so out of place! Most of the other people in the class are ecology/conservation/marine bio majors so I feel incredibly out of place! Not that I talk much, rather try to being invisible. But still... Now that I'm doing the independent study paper I realized just how much I love working by myself and teaching myself stuff, that I kind of wish that all my papers were like that.

On Saturday we had a girls day out with Selene who was back to visit (!!!) and a bunch us went to Queensgate. See previous post for details!

This week was the last week before midsemester break. Tuesday was a grumpy day for me. I had evolution class and then a media tutorial and then an evolution workshop. I wasn't used to having so many proper classes in one day! I hardly had any time to do my own work in the library. Sigh. On Wednesday I got a new genetics assignment to do with genetic counselling. It looked eeeek! I hope I can figure it out! ...although luckily parts of it seemed straightforward so I'm doing them first! I'll panic about the other bits later! ...and I'm going to have an oral assessment for it at the end too!!! Yikes!!!

On Friday my media assignment was due at 2pm and uncharacteristically enough I spent till 1:45pm fussing around with it! By the time I finished it was 1:56pm so I had 4 minutes to run all the way across uni to hand it in! And guess what? After all that rush, I got there and was filling out an assignment coversheet my lecturer just came in to the reception, said hi and left again! It was already 2:15pm and then by the time I left it was 2;25pm and he still hdn't collected our assignments! And I was worried that I'd be a couple of minutes late!!!!

In the evening after all our classes had ended Jo, Sophia and I went shopping around Wellington. Then sadly Sophia had to go home so Jo and I had dinner at Burger King where our friend Romeo worked. Afterwards we picked Romeo up and drove to Queensgate to see a top Jo wanted. Unfortunately it wasn't there. After taking Romeo home Jo and I went to Oriental parade and just sat and talked. About life. About everything. It was so nice to hang out with friends that night. I felt so lucky to finally have friends like this at uni. Thank you Lord for all my friends, both old and new. I feel so lucky to have friends like this! That night I got home at 10:30pm. It had been a great end to the first part of the second semester.

On Saturday night I had a babysitting job with the three boys I usually babysit for. They tried to teach me how to play plystation! I was terrible! Personally I can't figure out how boys can find it so fascinating. I don't understand playstations. Then we watched Harry Potter and the goblet of Fire. That night I only got home at 12.05am. But, nevertheless, Mum's fun friend Larisa from Masterton was staying at our house and we had a kind of party, even that late! Yea!! That was fun, although after staying up that late it was hard to get up the next morning!

So, now midsemester break had started. Although I will still have genetics class on Wednesdays (but that's good!!!). This is my list of things that I need to get done;
-cladistics assignment (evolution)
-essay about origin and diversification of birds (evolution)
-oral/powerpoint presentation (media)
-genetic counselling report and study for oral assessment (genetics)
YIKES!!! And relax and have fun inbetween! Hey, at least there aren't any lectures or tutorials to go to!

Girls day reunion

After more than 2 years in England, last Friday Selene came back to NZ and stayed in Wellington for 3 days! It was sooo great to see her again!!! On Saturday a group of us Selene's friends got together and spent the day at Queensgate, catching up.Me, Selene and Veronica

First we went to Jamaica Blue cafe where we sat around, had lunch and talked, talked talked. We had so much to catch up on! ...and Selene hasn't changed a bit!!! :)Amanda B, Selene and Amanda S ..."Hey Theresa!" (Selene)

We were soon joined by Theresa...Amanda S and Selene
A time to talk... it was nice to see everyone, (who I haven't seen in a long time!)
...school memories came flooding back......and a time for photos!...with food inbetween...!A cute box from Selene...all the way from England. So nice!!! Thank you Selene!!!Theresa, Me, Amanda, B, Selene and Amanda S.
We then made our way around the shops, chatting and for some of us, trying stuff on...Amanda B and Selene
But mostly we were just having a good time, happy to have Selene around again!

Veronica and Selene

Myra and Selene

Shanella and Selene
...we visited Shanella at work...

...and went to other random places in Queensgate...
...it felt like Selene had never left!

But one by one the time came to part... it was sad to see everyone leave. I didn't want the day to end... :(

Jeena and Selene
...before I knew it it was only Selene and me left! We went to visit Jeena at Briscoes...
and then our buses came.

It was sad to part again. But I knew we ould see each other again. Just like I knew, at our last girls day out in 2006 before Selene departed for England.

Update on the past two weeks

Ok so I have been so absorbed in my subjects this semester that I've neglected my blog for two weeks! That's terrible! But now that I'm here I will give you an update on my past two weeks which have been absoluteky amazing!

I absolutely love this semester, I never ever want it to end!!!!
Last week I had as usual evolution on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday which was all extremily fascinating! I love Dr GC's lectures! Then Media on Moday afternoon. On Tuesday I had a busy day, I had 3 classes!!! First I had evolution, then a media tutorial and then an evolution workshop! In the workshop we had to present our ideas about the topic we were writing about for essay on Chrles Darwin. I can't remember if I mentioned it already but I'm writing about Charles Darwin, the earthquake and implication of deep time. I was really nervous at first because I thought we were supposed to prepare a proper presentation type thing. But then it turned out that you had to just briefly mention your topic and what you will be writing about, so I was prepared after all. It was interesting about what everyone had to say and everyone had really different topics so that was interesting! That day I also had a media tutorial which was ok.

Wednesday is my favourite day of the week because it's genetics day! Spent all day working on my project, putting final touches on my philadelphia chromosome presentation. Then I had genetics at 4pm as usual and I handed in my first project!!! I then started my next project which is about imprinted genes! I'm so excited about it! The rest of the week was all pretty much the same, and revolved around me going to classes and sitting in the library studying evolution or doing my genetics and evolution projects. I know it may not sound very exciting but if you really love your subjects then it's really really awesome! I love being at uni 9-6pm! I practically live on the 1st floor of the library!

Saturday went by in a flash because I had so much work to do for evolution and genetics! :) Then on Sunday Mum, Linda and I went to Cinderella on ice ballet which was absolutely spectacular!!! I loved it sooo much!!!!! It was even better than the Cats musical Dad, Linda and I went to several weeks ago! I would have liked to see it again and again!! Oh and I can't remember if I've mentioned but my igenetics textbook had arrived from America! Yea! I find it so useful!

This week was great also! On Monday I had evolution and then media. It was a pretty terrible day actually because my computer refused to co-operate and save my genetics work. Apparently my file was too big to save on my memory stick! It got so frustrating, and I had to keep rewriting stuff. I was going to write a brief summery about imprinted genes but then my summery kind of transformed into an actual report... On Tuesday was evolution and media tutorial. Wednesday was good old genetics day which was great as usual! I think this genetic paper is the greatest course I've ever done!!! I was going to hand my imprinted genes project in but then we postponed in till next Wednesday, luckily. Imprinted genes is such a complex topic! But soo fascinating, I love it to bits!!! (I'm crazy I know!!!)

On Thursday was most exciting day because it was the day Dad was coming home from Russia!!!! Mum, Linda and I went to pick him up at the airport at 3pm! It felt so strange leaving university when it was still so light outside! I was so used to coming home in the dark! Dad came back all great!!! I was great to have him home again! I missed him. He got us things from Tailand and Russia, like clothes and suvinirs. He also got me and Linda MP3 players from Tailand!!! I loved the clothes he got me and Linda!! I will post some pictures up later when I have time!

Today went by so fast that I didn't even notice! Time sure is flying this semester. I don't want it to though. Slow down! I loove this semester so much. Evolution is great and so is media. Genetics is even more great, I love working independently on my projects, it keeps me very preoccupied, and I think everything I learn is terrifically fascinating! I feel like I'm in my own world, kind of... I restate what I said two weeks ago, I feel so lucky to be doing this independent study course! Tomorrow I aim to finish my imprinted genes report and then on Sunday I will do my media essay... and that's all the update for now! It's great to have Dad home!!!