Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) = Ghosts?

Well, I'm here in the lab trying to understand a new technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Here is an interesting article I found during my search. Don"t worry it"s not technical. Check it out:
http://wired-vig.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,51699,00.html

President's Installation Concert

Well thankfully Lily's boyfriend is in one of U of A's choirs and knew of the free concert tonight. The concert was to welcome the new female president to the school and to honor the Nunavut singer Susan Aglukark. I met the president of U of A at grad orientation. She is extremely bright, and kind. She is an eloquent speaker and has a lot of poise. The concert tonight was held at the Jubilee Theatre and was free! Yeah! Lily and I went and enjoyed the night rubbing elbows... lol Well not really. It was quite a swanky event. Well I guess others thought that. The entertainment wasn't bad, but it didn't mean one should wear a tuxedo like many did. Definietely a different feel here. I laughed when I heard the conversations surrounding Lily and I. Behind us we heard people eahc other that they were doctors, or they worked for the vice-president of the university..ooo Good they have a job. I don't know, there was a certain je ne sais quoi. A certain air about some of them. I laughed and said in the Maritimes our conversation may have been "How's it goin'? Who do you know in the concert? Are you going to Timmies afterwards?" I've been to many occassions such as this, but never felt so much snobbery. Oh well...I didn't feel out of place. The concert was free and we enjoyed ourselves. I was very impressed with the singer Susan Aglukark. She was very honest and cute. A great singer who is a role model for so many northern Canadians... She offers them hope.

My Neighbour

I just got back in contact with an old neighbour of mine, Marc. He informed me of a commerical he was in. How exciting! Bam!

http://portfolio.iu.edu/mroland/Smart_Mark_MPG01.mpg

Feel Like Eggs Tonight?

For the past few weeks I just haven't felt like eating any my eggs. My roommate has constantly been at me to eat some eggs. I thought maybe it's because I have a flat of eggs taking up space in the fridge...Today I was on the phone with my sister and decided I would mutlitask and make an omelette. I opened the fridge, took out two eggs and cracked them. I decided I was especially hungry, and so I went back to the flat to retrieve another egg. This time I saw something green in one of the egg compartments of the carton. At first I thought it was some green pepper that had been cut or perhaps lettuce. I looked closer and it looked like a tiny embryo of an aligator. Very tiny, but you could make it out. It was curled up. I was trying to be logical and think back to biology. I put the foolish notion out of my head, but I still didn't want to touch it. I wasn't so happy about eating the eggs I cracked either. I then used some utensils to fetch it out of the carton. I looked it over. My sister was confused of my finding. Then it dawned on me that my roommate had been overzealous about me having to eat my eggs. I turned the thing over and it was made in China! Yep a hoax! Good one Lily! So I placed it back in the carton and will decide what to do to Lily to get her back. hehehe Too bad she wasn't home to see my reaction.

What is your color?

Last night I watched a movie I didn't think I would like, entitled "The Village". Some people were watching it in the community center and so I decided to watch it until I got too scared. I'm not a fan of horror movies. The movie turned out to be a terffic psychological thriller. I have never seen a movie like it. I can't really describe it-I mean I could say it was "interesting", but it was better than that. It rose a lot of interesting questions about our society. Has anyone else een it? What's your opinion?

Lily and I

My roommate Lily and I get along great. Every night we have story time. lol Yeah we may seem old for this, but it's a great opportunity to get to know one another. I am so lucky.

Neuro 500

Well today I must choose two professors for my lab rotation in the course Neuro 500. After talking with other students I have decided on these two: Dr.Kelvin Jones, and Dr.Monica Gorassini. Dr.Chan and I decided that it would be beneficial for me to spend the time in labs with professors who work with subjects, their techniques or objectives are a bit of what my Master's is on, and yet broaden my perspective on neuroscience. The two professors I chose are said to be very patient and kind.

Dr.Kelvin Jones is a very young professor. He works with Dr.Chan a lot. Through him I can learn a bit about computational neuroscience. It's a little intimidating since I'm weak in the areas of math and computer science, but it will teach me a lot. Dr.Jones conducts a computational analysis of the sensory motor system in health and disease. To quote from the U of A's description of his work, "He uses experimental methods to measure the elctrophysiological activity in nerves of human subjects while they perform eye-hand coordination activities. These electrical signals are analysed to determine how the brain uses sensory activity when learning new tasks. To generate a greater understanding of activity involved, mathematical models of the nervous system and the ion channels responsible for electrophysiological activity are developed and simulated on computers." I will be in his lab for 2 months.

The other professor I chose, works just down the hall. She uses our transcranial magnetic stimulator (TMS) machine all the time. Hopefully I can become more efficient at it. She studies the recovery of motor function following spinal cord injury. She uses treadmill therapy as a form of rehabilitation training. It produces amazing results; 80% success rate, whereas convential techniques offer a 10% success rate. Her main goal is to "optimise general motor recovery following spinal cord injuries." I will also spend 2 months in her laboratory.

Well my semester has certainly begun. I'm studying with a friend this afternoon for our Cellular Neuroscience course. So far so good. I can tell things will pick up even more very shortly. :)

My Life With Doctors...

I moved to Edmonton on August 18th and since then have tried to settle in. I have been sick ever since the day I arrived. I had pain in right ear when my plane was landing in Calgary. I'm drousy, have a cough and still have the problem with my right ear. So after a month of dealing with this I decided to see one of the university doctors. I arrived at the clinic at 8am and there was a huge line-up. I had class to go to at 9:30am and so I asked the receptionist if I would be ok. She said I would be fine. After waiting and waiting the doctor saw me at 9:10am. She looked at my ears, check my lungs, and blood pressure. I had some water in my middle ear, but not much, and it wasn't infected. She said that my dry cough may be related to my ear problem. She said that I wake up in the middle of the night because lying down causes a change in pressure. She also said that living in an apartment building, and having to go 12 floors up on the elevator will also cause changes in pressure and hurt my ear. So after not going to the doctor in so many years, guess what she tells me? Take tylenol! lol. She said there was nothing she could do unless I get a fever. What a surprise! She also said that chewing gum may help. The doctor said it wasn't uncommon to have a cough for a couple of months. Well that was fun. I raced to my class and arrived just in time.

It's been advantageous working for a doctor. I told Dr.Chan how the appointment went and he was a bit surprised. He said that he found it weird that I was still "sick" and feeling ok. He wrote me a prescription. I'll start it today and will be on it for 2 weeks. Yeah!


I'm working with ALS (Lou Gerhig) patients. Yesterday was an eye-opener. I met a 35 year old woman who is diagnosed with ALS. She probably has less than 3 years left. Sad. I met an older gentleman who cried because he was so depressed. It's a dreadful disease.

Last week I was unsure why I was really here. I didn't have as much confidence in myself as I know I should. I had a relaxing weekend and realised this is what I wnat to do. I knew it was going to be hard work.

My roommate is great! Her name is Lily. Please e-mail me your numebr and address. I'll give you a call.

Hope everythign is going well for you.
Cheers,
Cheryl

Reincarnation of Studio 54?

Well this past week was definitely full of ups and downs. I spent most of my time in the lab with patients, trying to understand the techniques my professor employed. I'll explain more my thoughts on my Master's in another blog along with my exciting trip to Spruce Grove.

This blog is all about yesterday. Chirs, my BC friend, was still in town and so we spent the day together. We walked Whyte Ave, checking out the many artisitic shops along the way. Edmonton is a very artistic city. In one shop we saw a woman making a dress in the back office.

We went to a great Italian restaurant. The service was great and the veggie lasagna was excellent! It may become my favorite place here. We both noticed that the tables were unusually distant from one another in comparison with restaurants in other cities. Edmonton has so much land they don't know what to do with it!

For supper we decided to go to the West Edmonton Mall and check out a restaurant there. I wasn't really hungry, but it was already 8pm. We went onto Bourbon Street (this is a themed street in the mall) and went to a Mexican restaurant where we had nachos and Marqaritas. Not a bad little spot.

While in the mall I decided to show Chris the fire-breathing dragon at the movie theatre. Every half hour or so a dragon, which is suspended from the ceiling and is huge, starts to come "alive"! The lights dim and scary music begins to play. The dragon begins to move and eventually it breathes fire! You can feel the heat from the bottom floor. A must see if ever visiting West Edmonton Mall (Aka WEM)!

Chris and I decided to go to a club attached to the mall that he had checked out the night before. It was called Rums Jangles or something like that. We arrived at 10pm and were surprised to see there were people already there. I have never been to such a place before. You may not believe me when I describe the club. It reminded so much of the famous Studio 54. There were dancing cages, swings hanging from ceilings, huge screens, a gigantic disco ball,... When we sat down, we saw a guy going onto stage with a robe on. That was perculiar. He put on a sandman's hat and discarded the robe. He had boxers on. He proceeded to lie on a bed that was on stage and pretend to sleep. Later the guy played video games while lying in the bed on stage. So weird. I told you, you wouldn't believe me! Anyway all of the waitresses and bar tenders wore white, which glowed in the dark. They were all fanatstic dancers. At 11pm two girls were strapped to swings. The swings were raised to the ceilings and the girls in short skirts, stockings, and tight shirts swung for 2 hours over our heads! Freaky! It would be a good workout. So as the night continued more odd things occurred. The dance floor was packed at 11:30pm as Chris and I took to the dance floor. Girls danced in the cages on stage, which also went up to the ceiling and down. One girl danced behind a screen to the music. You could see her shadow. She was amazing! You could not be bored in a place like this! At 12:30am some of the girls then had a special stage performance. They were awesome! Chris and I left shortly after. It is by far my favorite club!

Chris Who?

Oh this is a perfect Cheryl story...
Yesterday I got a message from Chris, a BC friend, saying that he was in town until Friday. I called him back and we agreed to meet at his hotel and from there go for a late supper. I was so proud of myself. I took the LRT and found the hotel with 10 mins to spare! The hotel was upscale. I asked the bell hops how to call Chris and they pointed me to a telephone. An operator then asked me who I was calling. I said "Chris" and gave her the room number. She replied that Chris had left at 10:30am that day and was no longer a guest at the hotel. I exclaimed that it wasn't possible because Chris told me to meet him tonight and he just checked in this morning. She asked for his last name. I said "Ju." I was a bit fuzzy on his last name. Umm She asked, "Do you mean Chris Lu?"
"Yes, him." The operator continued to say that he had checked out.

So my friend wasn't there? Umm I decided to go across the street to use the Telus payphone. Ironically, as you'll see, Chris works for Telus. I forgot that in Edmonton to make a local call on a payphone it's not $0.25, but $0.35. Yeah in the richest province in Canada you get ripped off at the payphones. In addition, you don't get change back if you put too much change in. So I luckily found $0.40 among my pennies (yeah no nickel), put it into the payphone and dialed my phone card number. (Asdide: I was lucky I had remembered to bring Chris' cell number and my long distance phone card). The number wasn't dialed. The payphone ate my money. I thought it possibly was my fault because the payphone said to dial the number before inserting coins. I searched for another $0.40. My last coins other then pennies... This time I dialed the number and then inserted the coins. The payphone again ate my money. Urg... I looked around and there were no stores around to get change. I decided to head back to the hotel and try the front desk. I ask the gentleman at the front desk to see if my friend was still there. I explained what the operator had said. They agreed that he had checked out that morning. I told them that he had asked for me to meet him there at 7:30pm and that he was probably in someone's else room. I explained that he was with the company Telus. They asked if I knew his friend's names and alas I did not. I asked if I could sit in the lounge and wait. I think they thought I was weird. I decided to wait because Chris knows how punctual I am, and sometime he would get hungry and go for supper. While waiting I saw a guy who had tatoos all over his body. His old head was covered. Then I saw a dunken homelessman try to come into the hotel. At 8:05pm Chris sauntered down. I told him what happened and joked how he should talk to the front desk because he had checked in this morning not checked out liek they had told me. Chris then asked me what I said to the operator. I told him I had asked for Chris Lu. He said, "That's not my name!" Whoops! I had a friend in high school whose name was Chris Lau. I must have mixed their last names up! lol. The chances of someone with a similar name checking out that day was slim. Just my luck. lol.

Chris, two of his work colleagues, and I then went to unique, wonderful Indian restaurant. The decor was exquisite and I really enjoyed the food! I was glad that I didn't give up ealrier in the evening.

Party of the Century!

Last night Lily, Michaeal and I took the LRT (Light Rail Transit) to the Alberta Legislature. I enjoyed being amongst the very proud Albertans. They celebrated their 100th birthday in style. I wrote my name in a time capsule that will be opened 100 years from now. Some Oiler's hockey players were signing autographs. I decided the line wasn't worth my time, even though it was only 10 mins long. I'm a dedicated Leafs fan! For the rest of the night we watched live music and a big video screen that featured the other concerts going on in Alberta. Kurt Browning hosted the show from where we were. I believe the party was being broadcasted across Canada. We saw some great eprformances, such as Bicholage (spelled wrong?) and a Canadian-born, Las Vegas singer who I guess was extremely popular in the 1960's. In Bicholage the drummer ressembled Ben Stiller! He was fun to watch, a crazy guy! The most moving performance was not even live at the Legislature. It was instead at the U of A, but you had to pay to get tickets. I never really like KD Lane all that much, but last night I finally began to appreciate her talent. She sang "Hallelujah" so emotionally, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Amazing performances. Tom Jackson sang well also. At about 8pm it started raining, but that didn't squash our cowboy spirits! At 9:55pm Ralph Klein pressed the button to set off fireworks simultaneously in 10 locations across Alberta. They were stunning! The night was just perfect! Yeah Alberta! Part hardy you're only 100 once! :)

Just in the US

It's hard to believe that Katrina could cause such misery and choas in New Orleans. One news site quotes:
“This is a national emergency. This is a national disgrace,” he said. “FEMA has been here three days, yet there is no command and control. We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can’t bail out the city of New Orleans.” I agree with this statement. I read an article today quoting a Western University prof who agreed the dire situation could have been prevented. This was a disaster because the state didn't plan ahead. It's tough to think that spending a few dollars to protect the city would be worth it in the future. As this example illustrates it is. I hope the many people stuck in the dome will be rescued soon. Hopefully people will realise that the police, ambulances, buses are there to help. No more shootings! It's amazing how evolved us humans think we are. When humans are pressed you realised what we're really made of.

Tea Time

Meghan, a good friend from high school, had tea with me yesterday. We went to a cute place called Steeps. I tried cinnamon tea and she tried strawberry cream. They were both good. Yum! We caught up on each other's news. It's so weird to be in the same city as her. We had kept in touch over the years and are still great friends. We already have Saturday planned-Old Farmer's Market in Old Strathacona then the West Edmonton Mall. :)

Where Did All the People Come From?

Newton Palce is bustling today. The three elevators of my residence are busy moving people and their stuff in. It's crazy. I would use the stairs, but I"m lazy-well I'm on the 12th floor!

I met our next door neighbour. He's from BC, taking law. Finally people are living on our floor!

Happy Birthday Alberta-A Century Old!!

Tonight my roommate Lily, and friend Meghan are going to the Alberta Legislature to celebrate the 100th birthday of Alberta! Whoo-hoo! There will be a centennial fireworks display that is supposed to be the biggest in Alberta's history. Premier Ralph Klein will be pushing the button to set the fireworks off at 9:55pm. Within a span of 12 mins there will be 40,000 fireworks set off at 10 locations around the province. They should be so spectacular that they apparently will be visible from space! The best location to watch and participate in the celebrations is at the Alberta Legislature. I'll be there! I can't wait!!