It's been a little while but all for good reasons . . . I have accepted, and as of today started, a third part time contract job. I know, I'm crazy but honestly this opportunity was too good to pass up.
My new contract job is with Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC. Yup you read that right, THE Children's Hospital of Washington DC. I am working as part of their multidisciplinary team at the Improved Diet, Exercise and Activity for Life (IDEAL) Obesity Clinic. Basically kids who are obese or at risk for obesity are referred to the clinic which they attend with their parents. They have physicals with the doctors who also check up on their meds, receive nutrition counseling with a dietitian (me!) to set goals for diet and activity, attend a group nutrition class (also taught by me!), parents have a parenting class and the kids get some time to do physical activity. It's a pretty cool program and the only one like it in my area.
Today was my first day and it all ran pretty smoothly. Parking was painless, although I probably just jinxed myself for next week. I was able to shadow the other dietitian who is going on maternity leave. I taught the group nutrition lesson. And I returned to my clinic on time ready to see my patients. The only thing I have to remember for next week is pack more to eat in my lunch box. Not only was I hungry mid-morning, due to getting up early, but I also had a horrendous hunger headache at the end of the day, 6pm.
I'm really excited to see how things go from here on out. Fortunately/Unfortunately (yet to be determined) this project only runs until June.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Summer or Winter?
This past weekend I decided to get outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. On Saturday it was sunny, 70F and absolutely beautiful. After finishing teaching my nutrition class and unsuccessfully trying to buy some new work shoes I decided to just get outside. So I headed into DC and explored the tidal basin and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial.
Although it felt like summer, I was quickly reminded that it was winter. Note the frozen tidal basin water in the foreground of the Jefferson Memorial bathed in sunlight.
In about a month this tree will be full of cherry blossoms and the tidal basin will once again be water instead of ice.
I think this is supposed to be a fountain at the FDR memorial. One of many that are still frozen.
The birds in the water were sitting in the sunny part of the tidal basin. Note the two different colors of stone on the Washington Monument. This is because the monument was not built all at once.
Sunset over the Potomac river.
Although it felt like summer, I was quickly reminded that it was winter. Note the frozen tidal basin water in the foreground of the Jefferson Memorial bathed in sunlight.
In about a month this tree will be full of cherry blossoms and the tidal basin will once again be water instead of ice.
I think this is supposed to be a fountain at the FDR memorial. One of many that are still frozen.
The birds in the water were sitting in the sunny part of the tidal basin. Note the two different colors of stone on the Washington Monument. This is because the monument was not built all at once.
Sunset over the Potomac river.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Kids Say the Darndest Things
I just had a little girl leave my office and, with a big smile on her face, she turned to her father and said:
"Papi? Tengo hambre. Yo quiero comer verduras."
"Dad? I'm hungry. I want to eat vegetables."
"Papi? Tengo hambre. Yo quiero comer verduras."
"Dad? I'm hungry. I want to eat vegetables."
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Around Town
With rare 60F degree weather, I decided that today was the day to get out of the house and explore Washington DC. This mean that I was finally able to go see two of the DC attractions I have been trying to see for some time now.
First up was the Pentagon Memorial. The memorial commemorates the lives of the people lost during the events of September 11th. Each person lost has their own engraved bench arrange in rows by the year they were born. It's a pretty barren memorial during winter, with the cold air and the barren tress.
The most surprising part of the memorial was seeing that a person who was only three year's old was lost that day. The most calming was listening to the sound of the water running under each of the benches. The benches are oriented so that to read the names of those lost within the Pentagon, you are facing the pentagon wall, and to read the names of those lost on the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon, you are facing away from the Pentagon into the sky. All in all it was a pretty touching memorial. I look forward to returning in the spring to remember.
Next up was the Old Post Office Tower.
I had read that the view from the tower is just as impressive as that from the Washington Monument, but without the lines. After waiting to go through security at the door I entered the atrium, which looked a little too familiar. I have a feeling we might have come to this tower during my 8th grade trip to Washington DC. Regardless, I headed up the elevator to the top of the tower. It was magnificent.
You could see everything, all the Presidential Memorials, the National Cathedral, Congress, etc. It was beautiful.
And on the way down I had a chance to see behind the face of the clock and the bells of Congress that were given to America by the English. In fact the bells were created in the same place that made the bells for Westminster Abbey. It was pretty cool.
First up was the Pentagon Memorial. The memorial commemorates the lives of the people lost during the events of September 11th. Each person lost has their own engraved bench arrange in rows by the year they were born. It's a pretty barren memorial during winter, with the cold air and the barren tress.
The most surprising part of the memorial was seeing that a person who was only three year's old was lost that day. The most calming was listening to the sound of the water running under each of the benches. The benches are oriented so that to read the names of those lost within the Pentagon, you are facing the pentagon wall, and to read the names of those lost on the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon, you are facing away from the Pentagon into the sky. All in all it was a pretty touching memorial. I look forward to returning in the spring to remember.
Next up was the Old Post Office Tower.
I had read that the view from the tower is just as impressive as that from the Washington Monument, but without the lines. After waiting to go through security at the door I entered the atrium, which looked a little too familiar. I have a feeling we might have come to this tower during my 8th grade trip to Washington DC. Regardless, I headed up the elevator to the top of the tower. It was magnificent.
You could see everything, all the Presidential Memorials, the National Cathedral, Congress, etc. It was beautiful.
And on the way down I had a chance to see behind the face of the clock and the bells of Congress that were given to America by the English. In fact the bells were created in the same place that made the bells for Westminster Abbey. It was pretty cool.
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