Shopping in the Quarter

Monday began boringly, as I tried desperately to concentrate on studying for Epidemiology. While I do like the class, I don't find the material all too gripping. So, instead, Holly and I went to pick up materials for a class we're taking in the spring intercession: Training Methodologies for Health Professionals in Developing Counties. It should be a very interesting course. Then, we headed to Mississippi!

Holly's friend is stationed there for a bit doing training, so we went to visit. And went gambling! For the first time ever! It was so much fun! However, Tuesday I began studying for Epidemiology. Then I went shopping!

Christmas shopping in the Quarter with Alana lead to some shopping and lots of eating beignets and drinking hot chocolate. How to explain how delightful beignets are? Well, start with the physical description: fried dough balls smothered in powdered sugar. While you can't laugh, talk or breath with one close to your mouth, they're warm and delightfully sugary and overall will make your day. After loading up on sugar, Alana and I headed out on Decatur to peruse the tourist shops for Nawlins things. I ended up with several types of masks, beignet mix, and a picture of the St. Charles streetcar. Although we ended up getting soaked in the rain, it was well worth the trek into the French Quarter just for the beignets. :)

Wednesday - Epidemiology final :( Watching Chicago with Alana :)

Thursday began early as I started surveying for a local clinic. The clinic, which serves mainly uninsured people, is monitoring and evaluating it mammography referral system. Throughout the semester, I've been pulling charts in my clinic and in the mammography clinic (which is free of charge) and talking with various people all in preparation for a phone survey to determine the barriers to getting a mammogram. With any luck, it will go well and we'll be able to determine why there is such a low rate of mammograms. Although phone surveying is no fun, I think the information I'm gathering will help the clinic and the people it tries to serve.

Thursday - more surveying....

Then, fun times tree trimming. Chris, my roommate, had a party to decorate his Christmas tree with eggnog and cookies. Chelsea and Laura came. Great fun :)

Friday, after my tedious surveying, I headed back to the Quarter to do more shopping with Chelsea and Laura. I didn't buy much but it was fun to look at the art on Royal Street and the kitchy tourist items on Decatur. Then I headed back to pack and babysit for Booboo (aka Malachi Gerard Sheahan IV). Slept over at Mal and Claudie's so I could get a ride to the airport but, alas, Delta changed my flights (something about my plane being stuck in St. Louis). Ended up going through Cincinnati instead of Atlanta, but luckily, despite the dire nor'easter warnings, I had no weather trouble. And I learned a fun fact! The Cincinnati airport, despite what you might think, is not in Ohio. It's in KENTUCKY! So, I got a new state on my map of those visited. Now, I'm back home, looking forward to some rest, good food, and fun times.