For Community Health class we have to write a paper profiling one of Chicago's neighborhoods, including health care centers, recreation areas, businesses, crime rate, disease, and the community's health needs. I chose West Ridge, more commonly known as West Rogers Park.

This afternoon I did a Windshield Survey, in which I drove around and observed everything I could about the community and its inhabitants in preparation of identifying assets and deficiencies. My friend Katie told me to look out for the ramshackle Miracle Medical Center on Devon. Not to judge a book, but I doubt a single miracle has ever occurred here.

Because we have Fridays off, it has become a convenient day to get hours in for my new job.

On Wednesday, I met with a prospective student and her mother about the BSN program. Because students transfer in for this two year program, the most important part of these meetings is the transcript review, where we make sure that they will have all of the prerequisites completed by the time they start. I also answered a bunch of questions via email and phone. I really enjoy being helpful.

I got this "Do No Harm" bumper sticker at the Common Cup in Rogers Park. It's from some social justice not-for-profit that I was too lazy to research. I'm not sure if nurses take the Hippocratic Oath, but so far I feel like I have kept the doing of harm to a minimum.

Kristie and I met a woman there today to discuss the possibility for doing our Community Health education project with a group of Burmese refugees that began attending her church. Our preliminary plan is to teach the children about germs and illness prevention.

On my refrigerator you will also notice Meador, The Happy Nurse Monster; crayon, ball point pen, sticker on printer paper, 2007. I like to think of it as a caricature, but Jane, Nick's daughter, insists that all of her art is based in Realism.

I have been forgetting my camera a lot lately, so I had to dig into the archives for a past picture that didn't originally make the cut.

This guy was tooling around the West Loop promoting a smoothie shop or something. I saw a group of Segway riders on a Chicago tour the other day, and to use my favorite line from any novel, "They conveyed a mood of clever fun." I want to ride one of these things so badly that I am willing to pay $70 for Steve of Steve's Segway Tours to point out that I might recognize Buckingham Fountain from the opening credits of "Married With Children".

Today was our first full day in the Uptown Health Clinic. Me and Sarah and Michael helped out at a smoking information table under the guidance of a couple Public Health employees. We administered saliva and urine tests to determine nicotine levels in patients who stopped by, and distributed "Quit Kits" for people who were interested in smoking cessation. It was kind of neat for about 10 minutes, but quickly became pretty boring compared to the action you get in the hospital.

Woman: That's what my lungs are gonna look like?
Me: Yep.
Woman: That's nasty.

I joined Julie and her parents and Kellina for brunch at the Heartland Cafe today. It was a nice time, even though I couldn't live up to Julie's mother's expectations and complete the Sunday crossword puzzle.

As much as I want to like this place, I think I have finally placed it in my overrated category. My meal was all right (it's hard to make basic breakfast items poorly), but for some reason I always expect so much more from them. They can offer all the alternative publications and Che refrigerator magnets they want; it doesn't make up for poor service and totally mediocre food.

Twas a good weekend.