One of the most common complaints/worries/quasi-compliments I get is that I do so much! I don’t really ever notice it, I just do what I think needs to be done or what I think will be interesting or fun to do. I’m getting better at recognizing my limitations, as someone with several chronic illnesses, I have a lower saturation point than most people. (There will be an entry about my chronic illnesses sometime this month, I’m sure). I still very much have a Type A personality though, and am constantly doing something, or else I either get bored or feel guilty that I should be doing something.

Right now, I am working full-time in my lab. This involves working 8:30/9-ish AM to 5-ish PM Monday through Friday, unless I have an overnight study to work. Then I work until around 3:30-4 PM, nap, and then come back to work at 10:30PM and work until 4AM. I have the next day off from work then. I sleep in and veg on my couch unless there is somewhere else I need to be that day. I’m working on my masters thesis, which needs to be done by mid-March at the latest.

This month, I’m taking part in NanoWriMo and NanoBloMo for the first time for both of them. I want to work on my writing, and I feel the best way to do that is to just write! I’m collecting cards and gifts for my friend Liana who has been ill to send her a care package later this week. My cousin, who I am very close to, and consider my sister, is very pregnant, and will be giving birth to my nephew sometime in the next 4 weeks. She also has a 5-year-old, my niece, who I am very close to, and try to make as much of her school events as possible (she’s in kindergarten). I talk to my mom at least once a week. I live with my boyfriend and our two cats, and try to keep the apartment clean when I can. I’m volunteering at BarCamp Philly this weekend, and helped make the handouts for the event. Also, I’m going to the Society for Neuroscience meeting with my lab in a few weeks in Washington, DC.

My wrist is still in a brace and is still sore and healing from when I was mugged in September. Not being able to effectively use my left wrist/arm is frustrating me, I miss my independence. I can’t wash dishes or clean as much as I should or want to without hurting my wrist further. I should be getting MacSpeech Dictate in the mail today to try to take the pressure off my wrist with all the writing I’m doing. Review pending I’m sure.

Thoughts? Am I letting my Type A personality get the best of me?

I was a founding member of my high school’s FIRST Robotics team, have mentored my high school’s team after I graduated, and have volunteered at countless FIRST Lego League tournaments and FIRST Robotics regionals. Dean Kamen is a brilliant inventor and visionary. My time in FIRST is what made me transform from wanting to just go into biology and instead I went into engineering in college. I now have two B.S. degrees, one in biomedical engineering and one in electrical engineering.

The following videos are Dean discussing his latest invention, a bionic arm, at the D6 conference in May. It’s one of his best demos I’ve ever seen (I’ve met Dean and heard him speak on several occasions), and he gives a great speech about FIRST at the end.