By Roxanne A. Donovan March 20th marked the start of spring – a dynamic period of rebirth after the doldrums of winter. This sense of renewal is probably why commitment to personal change comes easier this month (think spring cleaning). For me, spring’s beginning provides the perfect opportunity to recommit to my New Year’s resolution. Like many, there is usually slippage or complete abandonment by the time the calendar turns to March. This year’s resolution…
By M’Balia Thomas Aches and pains are the body’s way of getting our attention. My body has been trying to get my attention for the past five years. I have had a year-long recurring cough, unexplained aches in my joints, wonky blood pressure, and a persistent sense of dis-ease. On more than one occasion, I have spent the night in the ER with symptoms I was sure were signs of a heart attack, but ultimately were…
By Kimine Mayuzumi In Part I, Dr. Cleopatra Abdou described how she practices harmonizing her life as a scholar, a professional, a partner, and a mother. Here, in Part II, she discusses her greatest challenge in harmonizing her life–adjusting to the cultural context of academia from graduate school through the role of faculty member. Kimine: You said (in Part I), while being happy with your harmonized life, the academic culture has been one of the…
By Soko Starobin I thought I took care of my body fairly well during my tenure-track years from 2008 to 2013. I went to the gym three times per week and cooked healthy meals at home as often as I could. During those years, I thought it was normal to experience some physical symptoms like a cold, sinus infections, and neck aches. Therefore, I paid little attention to these symptoms. As I reflect back to…
