I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about how I can improve different aspects about myself and my life. I’ve taken up meditation again, and am attending a class at UAB specializing in shamatha meditation. I’ll also be taking a tai chi class starting next month. I still haven’t found a new place to workout. I would like to pick up yoga and/or pilates again, but the places where I used to go are either closed or not having those classes due to lack of instructors.

Oh well, hopefully something will come along soon. I figure, if anything, it’s warmer now and I can take up walking and running at the civic center again. That’s free. Free is good.

I want to lose a little weight, not much, but close enough to my pre-wedding weight. I can really tell a difference with the amount I’ve gained back and the lack of consistent exercise/activity … I ache more and generally don’t feel as well as I did. (and it doesn’t help that my meds make me want to eat EVERYTHING in sight!)

The other day when Jim and I stopped by Wal-mart, I stopped to look at a hoodia display. I haven’t seen a whole lot about this particular supplement, but I do know several people who swear by it. Part of me (the logical part) tells me that I need to talk to my doctor and see about getting something that she recommends, but another part of me wonders if it really works and maybe I should try it …

Of course, every time I bring up my weight with my doctor, she tells me that I don’t need to lose any.

One of my clients sent me this and I thought there may be someone who reads it here that may be interested:

My name is Susan Promislo and I am the communications officer for the Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Pioneer Portfolio supports innovative projects and ideas that may spur breakthrough improvements in the future of health and health care. One area we have increasingly been exploring is the connection between gaming and game technologies and health and health care — we recently launched a new national program to support research and analysis in this emerging area.

Health Games Research is an $8.25 million RWJF national program that supports outstanding research to enhance the quality and impact of interactive games used to improve health. The goal of the program is to advance the innovation, design, and effectiveness of health games and game technologies so that they help people improve their health-related behaviors and, as a result, achieve significantly better health outcomes.

Health Games Research is led by Dr. Debra Lieberman of the University of California, Santa Barbara and it has issued its first call for proposals - I have provided a summary of the program and current funding opportunity from Dr. Lieberman below. The application deadline is Jan. 29 and we’re hoping to stimulate as many high-quality proposals as possible; up to $2 million will be made in research grants during this round, and a second round of funding will be available in late 2008. I was hoping you might be willing to share word of this new program and CFP among members of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research.

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. I would be most grateful for any help you could provide in sharing this via ABMR networks and/or any other channels you think are appropriate.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2008, and sincere thanks for your assistance.

*******************************************

Susan Promislo
Communications Officer
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
609.627.7638
spromislo@rwjf.org

*******************************************

HEALTH GAMES RESEARCH

By now, I hope you have seen the announcement of the Health Games Research national program http://www.healthgamesresearch.org generously funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio. The program offers researchers from many fields and disciplines a great opportunity to conduct research in this emerging field, both to advance the design and effectiveness of health games and to provide an evidence base for decision-makers who buy, use, recommend, produce, or fund health games.

Here’s the Call for Proposals

http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20001

for up to $200,000 in research funding. In two rounds of funding, the program will award up to $2 million in 2008 and also up to $2 million in 2009. Proposals for the first round are due January 29, 2008 (3:00 p.m. EST). The Call for Proposals provides details about eligibility and research areas.

On the web site http://www.healthgamesresearch.org you can (1) access the Call for Proposals, (2) read FAQs, (3) register for our applicant web conferences on December 13 (where we will present information about the grants program and answer questions), and (4) apply for a grant.

If the program’s web site, Call for Proposals, FAQs, and web conferences don’t answer your questions, you may submit questions to healthgamesresearch@rwjf.org and your e-mail will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member, who will send you answers.

Health Games Research has a national program office, which Dr. Debra Lieberman directs at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The RWJF funding will continue for 4.5 years until 2012. In addition to managing the grants program, the national program office at UCSB will develop a searchable online database of publications, research findings, organizations, experts, technologies, games, and other resources of interest to the field. Staff will also conduct studies of health games, create research tools, and issue reports and research briefs to summarize work in this field. And, they will work to convey the field’s research findings to a wide audience of decision-makers in medicine, health promotion, game publishing, technology and software, policymaking, government, academe, K-12 education, community leadership, etc., as well as invite and facilitate their participation, support, and research collaboration.

Games for Health http://www.gamesforhealth.org, led by Ben Sawyer, has also received funding from RWJF to work as a partner with the Health Games Research program to help build the field. Ben will convene regional and national meetings such as the popular annual Games for Health Conference, lead competitions, and lead online and offline forums to strengthen ties between the worlds of game development and health care. He will continue working to encourage and facilitate the development of high quality, well designed health games, bringing people and groups together and helping them find resources and opportunities.

Ben has already done so much to build the field, and this funding will help him boost and expand this great work.

For further information from RWJF about funding calls, publications, and news, you can sign up here http://www.rwjf.org/services/ to receive e-mail alerts.

I hope you will take a look at the Call for Proposals and, if eligible, consider submitting an application to Health Games Research in January.

Thanks!

On their website, I found the following key dates and deadlines:

• December 7, 2007 (3:00 p.m. EST) and December 13, 2007 (4:00 p.m. EST)—Applicant Web conference calls (optional). To register, please click on the registration link found in the right-hand column.
• January 29, 2008 (3:00 p.m. EST)—Deadline for receipt of proposals.
• May 1, 2008—Grant start date.
• May 6 - 7, 2008—Program annual meeting for grantees only, Baltimore, Maryland
• May 8 - 9, 2008—Games for Health Conference, Baltimore, Maryland

I’ve read my fair share of articles and previous studies of “good gaming” — or cases where gaming benefits the player in physical and/or mental aspects. Lord knows I’ve posted my fair share over at BYKYC.

It’s good to see that many of these studies are continuing!

I decided to kill a little time waiting for Futurama to come on, and stole this from John.

1. Are you ready for 100 questions?
Um, sure why not…

2. Do you watch college football?
Absofreakinlutely.

3. Who will fill this survey out after you?
Someone bored.

4. Who was the last person to send you a text message?
Jim.

5. Do you love anyone?
Yep.

6. Are you happy?
Yep.

7. Where was the last place you went shopping?
GoGamer.com

8. How do you feel about your hair?
It’s wild and unruly, it’s pretty cool that way …

9. Where do you work?
UAB.

10. Last thing you ate/drank?
BLT and sweet tea from Hamburger Heaven.

11. Do you wish you were someplace else right now?
Nah … I like living here.

12. Do you have any pet peeves?
Plenty … how much time you got?

13. Do you have any expensive jewelry?
Depends on your definition of “expensive” … I have pretty simple tastes, nothing overly extravagant.

14. AIM or Yahoo?
Neither.

15. Do you like math?
Sure.

16. How many hours on average do you work a week:
50 (day job + side project)

18. Favorite baseball team?
Haven’t watched it in years.

19. Favorte NBA team?
Ditto.

20. Do you watch the Olympics?
Sure.

21. Last restaurant you went to?
Hamburger Heaven

22. Who was the last person to call you?
Jim.

23. What’s your sign?
Does this look like a bar to you? I didn’t think so.

24. Do you have a favorite number?
Yup.

25. Last time you did volunteer work or made any donations?
Earlier this week.

26. What do you spend the majority of your money on?
Bills.

27. Where does your family live?
Not too far from me.

28. Are you an only child or do you have siblings?
1 younger brother.

29. Ever been called a bitch?
Yep.

30. Got any guilty pleasures?
CHOCOLATE!!!!!

31. Do you drink beer?
Not really.

32. Whats your favorite color?
Blue.

33. Did you ever collect Beanie Babies?
Only kitties, lizards, snakes, wolves, and frogs.

34. Ever bought anything online?
At least once a week.

35. Myspace or Facebook?
Both.

36. Do you have T-Mobile?
Hell no. I roll with Helio, baby!

38. Do you sometimes wish you were someone else?
Who doesn’t?

41. Last time you saw your parents?
At my wedding.

42. Do you have any talents?
A few.

43. Ever been in a wedding?
Yep.

44. Do you have any children?
Yep.

45. Last movie you watched?
Inuyasha: the Movie

46. Are you missing anyone at the moment?
Yep.

47. Did you take a nap today?
I wish.

49. Ever been on a cruise?
Nope.

50. Did you notice number 40 was missing?
Yeah … along with several other numbers.

52. Do you have any wealthy friends?
I wish, LOL!

53. Ever met anyone famous before?
Does someone from “The Real Life” count?

54. Favorite actor?
I have to pick one?

55. Favorite actress?
Hrm, I have several.

56. Are you multi-tasking right now?
Yep.

57. Could you handle being in the military?
I think so …

58. Are you hungry or thirsty?
Neither.

59. Favorite fast food restaurant?
BK.

61. What is your average cell phone bill?
$150

62. Do you own a camera phone?
Yep.

63. Ever had to take a sobriety test?
Nope.

64. Do you believe in Karma?
Absolutely!

65. Can you speak any other languages?
A little Spanish and Japanese.

66. Last time you went to the gym or worked out?
Right before my wedding.

67. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
10 … 21 if you count boots.

68. Do you have a photo hosting site that you use?
Zooomr, baby!

69. Last place you were?
At my desk.

70. What is your college mascot?
An elephant.

71. Ever been to Las Vegas?
Nope.

76. Have you ever been gambling?
Yep.

77. How old are your parents?
21 years older than me.

78. When is the last time you updated your blog?
Today.

79. Do you have your wisdom teeth?
Nope.

80. Favorite place to be?
New Orleans (pre-Katrina)

81. Have you been to New York City?
Nope.

82. Favorite sit down restaurant?
Cajun Steamer

83. Ever been to Disney Land?
Nope. Been to Disney World though, it was way cooler.

84. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
Yup, several.

85. Last thing you cooked?
Shell pasta with meat sauce.

86. How is the weather today?
Kinda rainy right now, a little warm for this time of year.

87. Do you email?
Every damned day.

88. Last letter/piece of mail you received besides junk or a bill?
Merle Norman catalog.

90. Last missed call?
Telemarketer. (scum sucking maggots)

91. Last voicemail you received?
See #90.

92. Do you drunk dial/text?
God no, this isn’t college.

93. Stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone?
Not capturing “the perfect shot” when I had the chance.

94. What is the best city in the state that you live in?
The one I’m in now.

96. Did you just die?
WTF?

97. Are you bored right now?
I’m filling this stupid thing out, aren’t I?

98. Last concert you went to?
I honestly can’t remember at this moment. It was probably Obliviaxe (which should tell you how long it’s been).

99. What do you think about before you go to bed?
Probably work.

100. What are your plans for tomorrow?
Work, make/have dinner, work on side project.

Yesterday Jim went to see his (our) doctor — yes, we see the same doctor. He mentioned to her that he was concerned because my headaches were increasing in frequency and intensity (and I had not indicated this to her … naughty me). Doc wanted to see me “right away.” All happy about it, Jim then calls me to tell me what he did. LOL!

*makes mental note to beat him later*

So I go to the doctor today. I sign in and wait to be called. A nurse calls me in and asks what problems I was having, etc. so I told her about how the Topamax didn’t seem to be working and that I was having to double up on my Axert to get rid of headaches. She asked about any weird side effects so I mentioned that Topamax did change my taste and I was able to FINALLY give up soda. So she takes my blood pressure (normal), temperature (normal), and weighs me … as I step down she says, “Hm, you’ve lost some more weight.” I muttered, “Yeah right.” She showed me my chart and I almost blurted out, “HOLY SHIT!”

I’ve lost 10 pounds since going on the Topamax (and subsequently giving up soft drinks!).

GO ME! I knew I had been doing pretty well for myself but DAMN! LOL

So anyways, back to the story … my doc comes in. She fusses because I didn’t tell her my headaches weren’t getting better. She fusses because I lost more weight (I silently clap and cheer!). She fusses about having to hear about it from Jim rather than from me. (tattle tale!) She puts me Amitriptyline … I can’t pronounce it, but its list of drug interaction warnings, side effects, etc. goes on for 3 pages! So I will take my first dose tonight and if all goes well it will solve my sleeping AND headache problems at the same time (apparently one leads to the other).

So here goes nothing … cross your fingers!

With Jessie’s birthday being in the middle of the week last week, we had to have it over the weekend. We ended up having to celebrate it Sunday. I was a little disappointed because we weren’t able to do more for her because Jim had work-related obligations that had to be met all last week and for the better part of the weekend that prevented us from celebrating sooner. (not very fair to Jessie, but couldn’t be helped)

And bless her heart she winds up sick Monday morning. Jim called me early that morning. He had been at work only a few minutes and the school called. She had a fever and was sick. He left work and went to get her. I called the doctor’s office to find out how soon she could be seen. Luckily she didn’t have strep throat or anything bad, just the usual bug that’s been going around. She stayed home with me yesterday and acted up and bratty … I was ready to take her back to school. ;P

She was feeling a lot better this morning and was cleared to go back so she took her medicine before I left for work and last I heard she was doing OK.

She was telling a friend of mine yesterday about Jeremy and Christy’s baby shower this past weekend and I overheard her telling about her and her friend (Rachel) going to the restroom and playing with the bathroom faucets. I pretended not to hear and kept working. After she hands the phone back to me and I get off the phone, I let a few minutes go by and ask, “So, played with the faucets?”

*crickets*

She then explained that her friend was playing with the faucets and that SHE told HER that she shouldn’t waste water like that. LOL!

Yeah, ok … I’ll take that … for now …

Work’s going well. Health-wise things are going well. The meds seem to be “taking”. I have one more appointment coming up, and it’s pretty much to make sure everything’s kosher. The wedding planning is finally starting to fall back into place. Jim and I have fallen a bit behind on the invitations because the enclosures are taking a bit longer than I originally planned.

I received another decorative bit for the reception:

Isn’t it lovely? I bought 10 of them and will spend the rest of the week putting them together … after the invitations are mailed, of course! I also have a dress fitting this weekend, so I’m anxious about that because I’m not yet down to my “ideal weight” so I’m stressing … which I know doesn’t help. My doctor has been fussing at me because she says that I don’t need to lose any more weight. She’s also a foot taller than I am and very beautiful … I’ve always been short and petite. I’m a perfectionist. Right now something isn’t just the way I want it … so I’m going to obsess over it.

*Obsess, obsess, obsess, …*

Anyways! That’s where we are right now … those of you who are coming, watch your mailboxes, they are coming soon … I promise!!!