Of course, when asked where I am from, I proudly proclaim, "I am from Louisiana." Then the craziness ensues. Did you walk to school barefoot? What is it like to use outhouses? Do you people really say 'ya'll' in formal settings? Do you know your father?
W-T-H
Excuse you! Please refrain from making assumptions about an entire region of people based on the limited and narrow-minded views of television writers for 'The Andy Griffith Show' and 'The Adventures of Jim Bowie.'
I was born in Texas and raised in Louisiana. I am a product of the
public school system and, despite popular belief, I am an
African-American woman who had the privilege of growing up in a two
parent household. Indoor plumbing has always been (and if the Lord says the same) and will always be a staple in my home.
Get a clue folks!
While is it painfully obvious that the stereotypical views of people in the South are still considered as true, there are some things that are quintessentially Southern.
Sweet tea. Porch swings. The fact that there are only two seasons that really matter- crawfish season and football season. Sweet potato pie. Southern hospitality. Anything deep fried.
Yes. We speak with a notable 'Southern Twang.' We speak if we make eye contact....even if the individual on the other end of your 'hello' is a complete stranger. Things taste better if multiple sticks of butter are featured in the recipe and dessert is not, necessarily, served after the main course.
We drive fast. We speak slowly. We refer to the median as the 'neutral ground' and we value education just as much (if not more) as the rest of the country.
Before you allow your ridiculous questions to escape the confines of your lips, just remember that we are known for our quick comebacks and snappy returns. Now that is quintessentially S-O-U-T-H-E-R-N!
Until Next Time,
Dr. NiNi
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Favor Ain't Fair
As many of colleagues do at this point in our educational careers (ABD also known as All But Dissertation), I began to question if I had made the right decision.
Can I really do this (science) as a career? Am I good enough to make a living researching the health-related problem(s) of today's society? Are all the negative comments/opinions of my superiors/mentors/etc correct?
At any given moment of the day, at lest one of the a fore mentioned questions were running through my head. I would be remiss if I neglected to state that my ethnicity also came into play when 'soul-searching' pertaining to my career. Clearly, there are not many people of African decent in the field of infectious disease. There are even fewer African-Americans who are actually running their own laboratories. Even so, here I am....writing a dissertation while, concurrently, applying for postdoctoral fellowship-determined to be the exception to the 'proverbial' rule.
With every rejection letter or "I'm sorry. We can not accept you this year" email, a little piece of my determination evaporated. "Lord, are you trying to tell me to change course? Are all of these fellowship rejections suppose to be signs?"
Then, it happened. The email read as follows: " ....a record number of applicants applied to our prestigious fellowship this cycle and we are only able to extend interviews to approximately eight percent of our applicants. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to interview...." *Gasp*
Lord! This was the fellowship that I considered the "long shot." I just knew I would receive an "I'm sorry to inform you...." email from this national fellowship seeing as I had been denied access to some of the "less noted" fellowship-granting institutions.
Nothing had changed on my curriculum vitae. I had not published a Science or Nature peer-reviewed article between applying for this fellowship and the other fellowships from which I had received rejection letters. Nothing about my application package had 'drastically' changed but the 'attitude' toward my narrative and/or application had changed.
Thank God for his mercy. Thank God for his favor. Furthermore, thank God that his favor AIN'T favor!
Until Next Time,
NiNi
Can I really do this (science) as a career? Am I good enough to make a living researching the health-related problem(s) of today's society? Are all the negative comments/opinions of my superiors/mentors/etc correct?
At any given moment of the day, at lest one of the a fore mentioned questions were running through my head. I would be remiss if I neglected to state that my ethnicity also came into play when 'soul-searching' pertaining to my career. Clearly, there are not many people of African decent in the field of infectious disease. There are even fewer African-Americans who are actually running their own laboratories. Even so, here I am....writing a dissertation while, concurrently, applying for postdoctoral fellowship-determined to be the exception to the 'proverbial' rule.
With every rejection letter or "I'm sorry. We can not accept you this year" email, a little piece of my determination evaporated. "Lord, are you trying to tell me to change course? Are all of these fellowship rejections suppose to be signs?"
Then, it happened. The email read as follows: " ....a record number of applicants applied to our prestigious fellowship this cycle and we are only able to extend interviews to approximately eight percent of our applicants. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to interview...." *Gasp*
Lord! This was the fellowship that I considered the "long shot." I just knew I would receive an "I'm sorry to inform you...." email from this national fellowship seeing as I had been denied access to some of the "less noted" fellowship-granting institutions.
Nothing had changed on my curriculum vitae. I had not published a Science or Nature peer-reviewed article between applying for this fellowship and the other fellowships from which I had received rejection letters. Nothing about my application package had 'drastically' changed but the 'attitude' toward my narrative and/or application had changed.
Thank God for his mercy. Thank God for his favor. Furthermore, thank God that his favor AIN'T favor!
Until Next Time,
NiNi
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
I'm Still Holding On
In 1984, Luther Barnes penned the following lyrics:
'...I've been talked about and Lord I've been criticized. I had to wipe many tears from my eyes.
But I'm still holding on.'
How profound.
Today, while mulling over some data (*Sigh* The life of a biomedical doctoral candidate), my mind began to replay the conversations that I have had with faculty members and colleagues alike concerning my competence as a scientist.
Phrases like, 'Science is not your thing.', 'You are not cut out for this.', and 'You should just quit now.' reverberated throughout my thoughts and appeared, at least at that moment, logical.
As with any 'sound' argument, there are one or more true premises. That is to say the following:
Premise 1: Analyzing data does not come easy to her.
Premise 2: She is S-T-I-L-L in school.
Conclusion: Science is not her thing and she should just quit now.
Right? *Throws Flag* Flag on the play!
Even when the premise(s) of an argument are reliable true, the resulting argument may still be invalid if the logic employed is faulty. This is called a logical fallacy.
Indeed, premise 1 and (unfortunately) premise 2 are true but (Thank the Lord for conjunctions) the conclusion does not follow the premises. In other words, a logical connection is implied where none exists. The logical fallacy called 'Non-Sequitur' ( Latin for 'doesn't follow') outlines this exact situation.
You see, there are going to be things that don't come easily in life. As a matter of fact, those are usually the things that make lasting impressions.
Yes. I am still in school but, in all fairness, there were many who started out with me that have gone astray.
The bottom line is..... It ain't (yes, I said "ain't") easy. If it were, everyone would do it. What other folk think about you and your ability doesn't amount to a hill of beans....unless you give it value.
Lastly, the race is not given to the swift nor to the strong but to the one that endures.
With that being said, I AM STILL HOLDING ON.
Until Next Time,
NiNi
'...I've been talked about and Lord I've been criticized. I had to wipe many tears from my eyes.
But I'm still holding on.'
How profound.
Today, while mulling over some data (*Sigh* The life of a biomedical doctoral candidate), my mind began to replay the conversations that I have had with faculty members and colleagues alike concerning my competence as a scientist.
Phrases like, 'Science is not your thing.', 'You are not cut out for this.', and 'You should just quit now.' reverberated throughout my thoughts and appeared, at least at that moment, logical.
As with any 'sound' argument, there are one or more true premises. That is to say the following:
Premise 1: Analyzing data does not come easy to her.
Premise 2: She is S-T-I-L-L in school.
Conclusion: Science is not her thing and she should just quit now.
Right? *Throws Flag* Flag on the play!
Even when the premise(s) of an argument are reliable true, the resulting argument may still be invalid if the logic employed is faulty. This is called a logical fallacy.
Indeed, premise 1 and (unfortunately) premise 2 are true but (Thank the Lord for conjunctions) the conclusion does not follow the premises. In other words, a logical connection is implied where none exists. The logical fallacy called 'Non-Sequitur' ( Latin for 'doesn't follow') outlines this exact situation.
You see, there are going to be things that don't come easily in life. As a matter of fact, those are usually the things that make lasting impressions.
Yes. I am still in school but, in all fairness, there were many who started out with me that have gone astray.
The bottom line is..... It ain't (yes, I said "ain't") easy. If it were, everyone would do it. What other folk think about you and your ability doesn't amount to a hill of beans....unless you give it value.
Lastly, the race is not given to the swift nor to the strong but to the one that endures.
With that being said, I AM STILL HOLDING ON.
Until Next Time,
NiNi
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Ode To T-Shirts!
I am a lover of quirky, humorous, down-right 'politically incorrect' t-shirts.
There you have it....my dirty little secret. LOL
As always, I want to share (a few) of my favorite sites with you....my readers! *Le Sigh*
After all, we are in this (insert some lame noun) together.
Feel free to leave some of your favorite t-shirt sites, or specific examples of tees, in the comment section.
I am always elated to hear from you!
Until Next Time,
NiNi
Unique Observations Online Marketplace
I don't care what anyone says. This shirt is awesome!
Ugmonk
26+74= 100
Creative, fun, and unique! You can't go wrong with that combination!
DPCTED
Typography is awesome! Besides, this shirt would make me laugh if I randomly read it on the street!
DNBE
Educating the masses! Kudos! I can dig it!
Feedio
True statement! Nerds are hot!
There you have it....my dirty little secret. LOL
As always, I want to share (a few) of my favorite sites with you....my readers! *Le Sigh*
After all, we are in this (insert some lame noun) together.
Feel free to leave some of your favorite t-shirt sites, or specific examples of tees, in the comment section.
I am always elated to hear from you!
Until Next Time,
NiNi
Unique Observations Online Marketplace
I don't care what anyone says. This shirt is awesome!
Ugmonk
26+74= 100
Creative, fun, and unique! You can't go wrong with that combination!
DPCTED
Typography is awesome! Besides, this shirt would make me laugh if I randomly read it on the street!
DNBE
Educating the masses! Kudos! I can dig it!
Feedio
True statement! Nerds are hot!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Take A Look, It's In A Book
Maybe it is just me but I am always looking for effective ways to escape everyday life? One of my favorite escapes is to lose myself in a book. Yes! A book.
There is something intrinsically soothing...therapeutic if you will, about being engrossed in the storyline of a novel.
To start the conversation, I am listing a few of my favorite literary works. Feel free to post your favorites and, as always, you can expect to see additions in the form of more posts.
Until Next Time,
NiNi
(In no particular order...)
1. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
3. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
4. The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson
5. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes
6. The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
7. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
8. Black Boy by Richard Wright
9. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
10. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
11. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
12. Inferno by Dante
13. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
14. The Immortalized Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
15. Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington
16. The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
17. Katrina's Secrets by Ray Nagin
There is something intrinsically soothing...therapeutic if you will, about being engrossed in the storyline of a novel.
To start the conversation, I am listing a few of my favorite literary works. Feel free to post your favorites and, as always, you can expect to see additions in the form of more posts.
Until Next Time,
NiNi
(In no particular order...)
1. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
3. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
4. The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson
5. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes
6. The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
7. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
8. Black Boy by Richard Wright
9. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
10. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
11. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
12. Inferno by Dante
13. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
14. The Immortalized Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
15. Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington
16. The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
17. Katrina's Secrets by Ray Nagin
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Home
Old Algiers Point. Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The St. Charles Street Car. Jackson Square.
Marie Laveau's Grave. Louis Armstrong Park. Treme'.
Steeped in history, drenched in culture, simmered in charm, New Orleans is one of the world's most unique cities.
Whether you are grooving to the sounds of a local brass band or snacking on a candy made with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and pecans (commonly referred to as a praline), New Orleans is an experience.
You will always remember the tantalizing taste of your first beignet. You will never forget the guy's accent when he said 'Say Red' to get your attention. The memory of sweltering heat during that mid-August day will cause you to sweat long after you have departed the city.
Yes. You will remember. You will remember the wish you made when throwing a penny into the Spanish Plaza fountain. You will remember the starving artist playing near the Joan of Arc Statue on Decatur Street. You will remember the breeze that cooled your skin while sitting under 100 year old oak trees in Audubon Park. *Sigh* You will remember....and you will smile.
Marie Laveau's Grave. Louis Armstrong Park. Treme'.
Steeped in history, drenched in culture, simmered in charm, New Orleans is one of the world's most unique cities.
Whether you are grooving to the sounds of a local brass band or snacking on a candy made with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and pecans (commonly referred to as a praline), New Orleans is an experience.
You will always remember the tantalizing taste of your first beignet. You will never forget the guy's accent when he said 'Say Red' to get your attention. The memory of sweltering heat during that mid-August day will cause you to sweat long after you have departed the city.
Yes. You will remember. You will remember the wish you made when throwing a penny into the Spanish Plaza fountain. You will remember the starving artist playing near the Joan of Arc Statue on Decatur Street. You will remember the breeze that cooled your skin while sitting under 100 year old oak trees in Audubon Park. *Sigh* You will remember....and you will smile.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Happy Centennial: With All Of My Love
On January 13, 1913, twenty-two women convened and established an organization that would alter the course of history and inspire the world over through sisterhood, scholarship, and service.
One hundred years ago, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on the campus of Howard University. During a time when African-Americans were considered secondary citizens and being a woman was considered a liability, 'The 22' honed their talents and forged a legacy that continues to promote academic excellence, support the under-served, and sculpt the political landscape.
Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated boosts a membership exceeding 200,000, spanning the most obscure corners of the Earth. With notable members ranging from Shirley Chisholm to Alexa Canady, the women of Delta have innovated EVERY field of human endeavor from government to healthcare.
To be a member of this illustrious sorority is not only a privilege- It is a humbling honor.
Happy Founders Day sorors and may we continue to trail-blaze as we embark on the next 100 years!
OO-OOP!
Until Next Time,
-NiNi
One hundred years ago, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on the campus of Howard University. During a time when African-Americans were considered secondary citizens and being a woman was considered a liability, 'The 22' honed their talents and forged a legacy that continues to promote academic excellence, support the under-served, and sculpt the political landscape.
Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated boosts a membership exceeding 200,000, spanning the most obscure corners of the Earth. With notable members ranging from Shirley Chisholm to Alexa Canady, the women of Delta have innovated EVERY field of human endeavor from government to healthcare.
To be a member of this illustrious sorority is not only a privilege- It is a humbling honor.
Happy Founders Day sorors and may we continue to trail-blaze as we embark on the next 100 years!
OO-OOP!
Until Next Time,
-NiNi
Monday, January 7, 2013
Prayer: It Changes Things
To say that pursuing a terminal degree is difficult would be the understatement of the century!
The journey is riddled with a multitude of obstacles: winding roads, deep valleys, steep hills, and (at times) dead ends.
I found myself at a dead end today and was venting to my mother about how I don't have the strength to continue.
In her wisdom, she paused and in a barely audible voice she said, 'Pray.'
It was like someone had hit the light switch.
You see, she wasn't saying 'Pray' for a change in my circumstance. She was saying 'Pray' for a change of heart. 'Pray' for the sincerity to accept my situation. 'Pray' for the strength to endure.
Prayer doesn't always work on the EXTERNAL trial. Sometimes, it is the INTERNAL that requires change.
Until Next Time,
-NiNi
The journey is riddled with a multitude of obstacles: winding roads, deep valleys, steep hills, and (at times) dead ends.
I found myself at a dead end today and was venting to my mother about how I don't have the strength to continue.
In her wisdom, she paused and in a barely audible voice she said, 'Pray.'
It was like someone had hit the light switch.
You see, she wasn't saying 'Pray' for a change in my circumstance. She was saying 'Pray' for a change of heart. 'Pray' for the sincerity to accept my situation. 'Pray' for the strength to endure.
Prayer doesn't always work on the EXTERNAL trial. Sometimes, it is the INTERNAL that requires change.
Until Next Time,
-NiNi
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