Unexpected Football season thus far...

So now that the fall semester has started, it brings to light one of my favorite occupations... watching football.  Since the University of Kansas is my Alma Mater, Rockhurst doesn't have a football team, and I now live in Kansas, I decided to cheer to add a KC team to cheer for this season.  This doesn't mean that I have let go of my roots (Chicago professional teams always), but I have broadened my scope of being a fan to the KC Chiefs. 


KU (left-a picture from the older stadium) is coached by Turner Gill for the second season. After last season it was painful to watch our limited amount of W's in the Win column, so I was hesitant for this season.  After 3 games, UNEXPECTEDLY KU has been 2-1, prior to Big XII play.  I am not sure how the season will end up but after seeing KU win in the final seconds against NIU and losses pretty bad against GT the other night, I hope for more of the same type of gameplay they showed against NIU.


Now onto the Chiefs... If you have watched any football the past two weeks you have seen the pain that has been the 2011-2012 Chiefs.  With major injuries and blowout losses this season is looking to be painful, I hope that they find a way to win- but we shall see. The Chiefs had an amazing season last year and UNEXPECTEDLY look terrible now. (Right- Picture of us at Chiefs Training camp in St. Joseph, MO)

The Chicago Bears- (if you are keeping track) have looked decent in the preseason and still have the same problems of a poor offensive line.  The Bears are 1-1 and hopefully will go well into the playoffs similar to last year.  UNEXPECTEDLY- I am unsure of what to think of how well this season will go- but either way I always enjoy watching my bears.

OTS Thoughts: After filling out my degree candidacy form the other day and having meetings to finalize our capstone project- the reality of this 3 year journey is starting to come to and end.  The light at the end of the tunnel is getting nearer and the 'grad school-itis' has started to kick in.  Each week we are slammed full of new and interesting info on Peds and Musculo assessments, but the fatigue of grad school has wore me out a bit.  The fall season never helps with all the football and cooler weather, but knowing that the goal is near keeps me charging forward.  I have always enjoyed the Fall semester and am excited that this is potentially my last fall semester of my college career.

Last comment- As I keep this blog going for the next couple of months- if there are any questions or topics you would like me to cover- shoot me a comment on here and I will do my best to cover it.  My ideas are primarily what is on my mind and what I feel will suit the reader the best with what is going on.  Thanks for reading.

-John

Summer time in KC

So here is another post about the heat. This summer (especially the past few weeks) have DRAINED the life out of me and decreased my desire to get things done. Here is a random shot that I took of the temperature in the middle of the day (left). I haven't said too much about the heat because honestly, what can we do about it and secondly I wasn't sure what to think of it myself. Yes- obviously it has been unusually warm in KC, but its summer. Yes- its hot, but posting all over fb or complaining about how hot it is does nothing more than to point out the obvious. Yes- I don't feel like going outside and the a/c doesn't seem to be able to run enough to keep up with it (not gonna lie, a little concerned about the a/c bill this month). HOWEVER, with all that being said I have to count my blessings and allow those people that have it worse off than me (especially those stricken by the heat, ie homeless/working poor) to do the complaining because they deserve to complain. I saw on fb how someone posted about the heat and followed it up with the temperatures in the middle east where our armed forces are deployed and followed it up by 'we really shouldn't be complaining.'

SOO whether you have vented it in some social realm or kept it to yourself about the heat, I hope that it relieved some of the pressure that the heat has caused on your life. My other hope is that you count the blessings you have in your life, the heat will subside (someday, I hope), the pressures of life will still need to be faced in the morning, and more troubles will always be knocking on your door waiting to see how you will face them when you are faced with adversity.

OTS thoughts: First, a side note: For all the first year OTS's, you will be fine, especially if/when you made it through this QUICK summer semester. OK, The heat has made me re-evaluate myself and life and what I bring into the day to day 'workplace' which I currently call school. I haven't complained much about it, or really brought it up at all because it only was negative commentaries that I would bring up. The heat is acts on us, just like a difficult/unmotivated patient that gets so down and focused on the problems instead of the solutions. I need to keep him driven to reach his goals, and let him communicate some of his worries/problems before we can start making gain in his treatment. Yes, the heat is a burden but as I dig deep to finish the semester I hope you dig deep and internalize some of the complaints to get the tasks done that you are working on. Also, as I have said throughout- take a moment and count your blessings, especially for ice water and a/c.

SUMMER OT 2011

So it is summer time here in Kansas City. The weather has been rather HOT lately and summer session 1 is in full effect. There are a lot less cars on Rockhurst's campus and the new PT/OT class of 2013/2014 will be arriving soon. Below is a random shot I took on my way into school. It is one of those 'street view' cars from Google maps. (It was right out of a red light so I wasn't fumbling while taking a picture with my phone.)

This summer's curriculum is filled with a Neuromanagement lecture/lab and the second years are doing Neuroscience as well. I will keep the blog posted with new revelations this summer as the class unfolds.

OTS thoughts: 'Neuro' and 'Neuroscience' is the study of the central, autonomic, and peripheral nervous system and we are studying the disorders that go along with it. Thus far we have looked into how the working of this system effects many aspects of the patient. Some examples of persons with this type of disorder are stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury patients. The components of this class compiled with the musculoskeletal course that we will learn over the next couple of semesters will better prepare me for my Level 2 (3 month) fieldworks (to be completed at the end of the program.)

Have a great summer!

Baby it's cold outside

Welcome back- So KC got hit by 'Snowmageddon' or as others have deemed the blizzard of 2011 as the 'Snopocalypse' and RU closed the campus for 2 days. I snapped this picture in my car of a chilly temperature of -2 on my way heading into class. The cold makes it a little rougher to be a student and make the 40+ minute drive to campus from South KC.






This is the main entrance into RU- right off Troost. I was working late on a project after classes due to our snow days. Hence the large snow pile in front in the Rockhurst crest.










Here is another winter picture that was taken between the Library and Sedgwich Hall looking over the shoulder of St. Ignatius of Loyola (statue obviously) across from Massman Hall. I will be commenting on the library in later posts because it is one of my favorite spots to study on campus. The statue is a newer statue that has been put up within the past 6 months, but the picture shows the beauty of RU's campus at night (even when it is covered with snow).





OT Thoughts: Class is picking up with the first round of quizzes underway and each capstone group getting a better idea of what is in store over the next year. My OT thoughts for this blog is from the OT student perspective and my hopes are to cover more in future posts. Things to come in future blogs are my favorite study areas, how our KELS in St. LUCIA capstone project is going, and more 'snow occupations.'