Back at work

Well I've just had 4.5 weeks off work and have return a few days early to do an overtime shift at a far away branch!

I just got home from Tasmania last night at midnight and got woken by a phone call from rosters this morning offering me an OT shift. I said yes as I am performing (and therefore being paid for) higher duties for this month. I really need to get some cash for med school.

While driving into work I was thinking to myself how I'm really happy to be gong back to work and how much I really enjoy my job. It kinda made me question again why I'd want to change careers with the good money I'm on and all the perks such as the 5-on/5-off rostrer and 10 weeks annual leave, but then again, I need to study something to keep my sanity. Tending to the herb garden just isn't stimulating enough for 40 hours a week.

I didn't realy take any photos in Tassie this time. I just chilled and slept a lot, eat food from Mum's vege garden, and just ate more food. Luckily, when you're a vegan you don't really put on any weight. Phew.

Volunteerism

Sometimes doing your dream job means doing it for free. And sometimes its just good experience. And sometimes the cause itself is worthy.

Excuse my poor grammar and lack of punctuation but I got a new phone that annoys me to use punctuation so I've gotten into some bad habits lately....

Anyway, I've begun my voluntary work with nutritionfacts.org which makes me feel very proud. It's such an amazing website and I rely on it a lot for the latest nutritional research summarised in a short day-to-understand video. My job is very simple and involves adding a nice image to the beginning of the videos. If you go to the website you will see the older videos haven't been done yet as I'm working backwards.

I've also contacted the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine about doing voluntary work with them.

The thing with voluntary work is it's more difficult to motivate yourself to do the work then paid work (der). It's more like university assignments but normally much more mundane. Seeing as I have a highly intellectually stimulating job, I forget what it's like to do something mundane. And to do it from home with no pay. It can be hard to get it done especially when there are competing aspects of your life that need your time and attention. I was hoping to do most of it at work between my own studies (at least it's all medical, right?) but seeing as I'm still on annual leave I thought I'd better do at least a few hours before I go back on the 25th.

I did some volunteering for the Burnett Institute in Melbourne and I had always wanted to work there but then when I got there it was a very different reality. Part of the problem I think is that I am moving away from international health and more towards nutritional health. Having said that, I still want to do work overseas again in developing countries but I'd like to have more control over the project I was involved in and more intellectual input. I am hoping this will be easier to accomplish once I am finally a doctor. 

Barefoot running

I just ordered my first pair of barefoot (minimalist) running shoes! I'm so excited!

I think I've finally figured out why I do and don't like running so much! I like the running but I hate wearing shoes. I am constantly complaining that they are too tight or too loose, my toes are squished or they are too heavy, too this, too that. I am hoping barefoot running will eliminate these problems and let me just run free.

Unfortunately, my feet are the softest feet you will ever meet! I have to build up the skin on them. Until that happens the Invisible Shoes I ordered will help.

I am going to do more Wii Fit and exercise dvds barefoot indoors for beginners to help strengthen the muscles in my ankles and foot arches, although I think they are pretty good as I go barefoot around the house and mostly live in thongs when I'm not at work (I even take my boots off at work when I'm at the branch, I should have seen this barefoot thing coming a long time ago....).

So, I'm really excited. I hope the shipping for the US doesn't take too long.