The Weeknd… Its Always Worth It.

Well, it once again Friday. Ah, yes. That fabled and hallowed day that so many people look forward to. So why is it, when Friday rolls around, instead of being filled with excitement, I’m filled with sadness at a streak of work being interrupted by 48hrs of fun? My dear readers, I believe it is because of three distinct factors which, while they can be analyzed independently, they are very much connected.

The first thing is, I’m motivated. I like goals, things you can tangibly check off. “Hey, I need you to do this!” and bam. Its done! I like accomplishing things, getting stuff done. And when the day known as Friday rolls around, it means… I have 2 days during which I don’t have to accomplish those goals. I’m a go-getter. I like being busy. And the weekend usually is a break from that. I can appreciate that, but I like working and getting stuff done.

The second thing is, I love my job. Yes, allow me to repeat that. I. Love. My. Job. I say this tentatively for fear my boss may one day Google my name and discover this little digital arm I’m growing. But anyway, I digress. My love for my job is fueled by the fact that I get to do what I like to do. And because I’m good at it (it helps to be good at your job! [sarcasm]) I generally get to do it how I want to do it. Enjoying your job and what you do are of critical importance. And (wait for it)… I also love getting the stuff done. See what I did there? The point is, if you love your job, you’re generally motivated to get a lot done and get it done well. If you do that… hey! That leads into my third point!

The last point is job security. Because I love my job and display the exuberance in it that I do on my blog, my boss likes me… or maybe just my attitude. Job security can be a big deal. I understand that with certain jobs, there inevitably comes lower security due to the surrounding nature of the job itself. But. But. But. If you are good at your job, nay, excellent!, and you display a good attitude, even if the security is lower you’re more likely to stay hired. To wrap up this section I’ll say this: “The best workers are the ones who aren’t afraid to get fired, because that generally means they’re good at what they do and have fun doing it”.

So. A lot of information, but mostly nothing too deep. The point is, if you’re a weekend junkie who can’t wait to get out of the office (or wherever it is you labor), you should probably fix your attitude. I know, you’re thinking, “This little dork knows nothing. I work hard for my family (or myself) but I can’t afford to try changing careers”. Let me ask you this. If it would make you happier (and most likely richer, because most people who are unhappy tend not to advance), would your family sacrifice to help you change careers? Food for thought.

Anyway, got to get going. The weekend is upon me and I’m heading to hang out with friends at college. Funny thing is, they’re all hardcore weekend junkies. Maybe I should email the link to my blog…

‘Doctoring Data’ by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

Doctoring Data is an extremely thought-provoking and well-written book. Its author, Dr. Kendrick, challenges his readers to rise to the challenge of sorting out medical sense from medical nonsense. He discusses ten strategies that he feels are effective in allowing readers to wade through the mire of studies and determining what they should believe.

In his book, Dr. Kendrick also includes many of his own personal medical beliefs. He believes that high cholesterol is not a precursor or risk for a heart attack, and points out flawed studies that would wrongly support the high cholesterol/risk theory.

The overall layout of the book is designed to give the reader a wide range of techniques that allows for intelligent analyzing of medical information. Dr. Kendrick says that the best way of thinking is diving things into three categories: probable, possible, and unlikely. This thinking is more flexible than absolutist thinking and allows for the objective criticizing that must occur for advancements to be made.

Overall, Doctoring Data gives readers a refreshing sense of reality. It provides insights and reasoning as to why and how doctors are biased. It is filled with quipy one-liners, bringing to the readers’ attention the obvious yet very amusing sarcasm that Dr. Kendrick drawls out.

In conclusion, here is a quote from Dr. Kendrick that summarizes his guarded optimism for the health field:

“Because I have so much for what western medicine can do when it goes right, I really, really, hate to see it when it goes horribly wrong. When it is distorted, manipulated, and used for the wrong purposes”

-Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, Doctoring Data, pg. 242-243

Starting a Health Career

To some, the idea of being a health researcher may seem like one of “those” terms. The one where, when you hear someone say they’re one, you smile, nod your head, and say, “Cool!”. But what does this term truly mean? And for added context in my case, I do work for a Christian Healthshare ministry. 

For the most part, being a health researcher is not an overly glamorous or sometimes particularly exciting job. It means hard, long days of wading through oceans of medical information. With the territory comes writing, something I especially enjoy. While I’m new to the job, albeit not the field, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with the mentally grueling work.

Now this is when the Christian side comes in. From my beliefs, I believe that people need to take care of their bodies. From 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”

Now, most people can, at the least, agree that its important to take care of your body. After all, its what you use to get out of bed, brush your teeth, hug your kids, and other daily activities. But from a Christian perspective, its especially important to do so because God gave me my body as a gift, as His holy temple. And the aforementioned verses provide a deeper sense of motivation to take care of my body.

So, with that context in mind, because of my research I’m biased to holistic nutrition. My research is mostly aimed to that end. While many of the books I read are not authored by Christian doctors or nutritionists, their views align with mine, and they provide very good sources and reasoning that, in logic, theory, and practice, support their claims.

To conclude, being a health researcher is a job that people must be both patient and ambitious in order to do well in. It doesn’t include much legwork, but plenty of mental energy and a good attention span are required. So, next time someone tells you “I’m a health researcher!” you can say “Hey! That’s really cool!”, and have the priviledge of knowing what they grow through to provide solid information to the public.