10 miles of pure awesome

Last Saturday, Ironside held its (first annual?) Beer Run -- 10 miles through the streets of Boston, visiting 10 bars, in 6 hours.  The brainchild of Sam "Hummer" Rosenthal, and charted out by Matt Holzer, it started at the Washington Square Tavern in Brookline, and ended at Colin Mahoney's house in Somerville.  I remember few bars in between by name -- John Harvard's refused to serve us; Sevens on Beacon Hill, CSC?, the Hong Kong where Brent had to rescue from a Harvard student, a bar across the street from the one we were supposed to go by Fenway but had really cheap Miller Lite drafts so ended up being good afterall, a really cool place with a piano from which Chicken serenaded us, and probably one or two others.  

I was a little nervous about "crashing" the Run, but there were other non-Ironsiders joining in.  Jammin' from DC (a Hodag alum), Patrick Baylis (new to Boston, formerly of Carleton & Sub Zero, will be trying out for Ironside next year), and Chicken.  I was the only girl, however.  And somehow the only one to hold onto the PlayBoy Josh McCarthy was handing out at the piano bar.  It served as a spanking tool and a baton, so I don't know what everyone else was thinking putting theirs down. 

There were different strategies of what to drink.  I started out with stouts, because they went down smooth, but the volume became a problem -- the first half-mile after each stout-stop was fulling of belching.  Shots went down quickly, but obviously were a bit more potent and caught up with you after 3 in a row.  Some sipped hot toddy's but later regretted it.  I don't think anyone drank wine, and rightly so.  No matter what the beverage, my strategy was to drink it quicky to allow time to digest.  There was some noshing of food -- fries & pizze were donated to the cause by enraptured bar-goers.  I don't think anyone puked the day of (Paul Batten was a puking machine the next morning).  

A very cool effect of having to move from place to place every 10-15 min is that the group gets shuffled up every time, and you interact with lots of different people, instead of getting "stuck" in a smaller group within the group.  I ended up running with a couple different people, and got to know a lot of the Ironside guys a bit better.  All good guys.  Way cool.  I tripped about 200m from the end and have scrapes on my R palm, and Paul Batten twisted his ankle/foot, but casualties could have been worse. The night ended a bit on a bad note, and I was way hurting the next morning (sweating?!) but overall, I have zero regrets doing it.  

stem cells

i am participating (as of last week) in a law school reading group entitled "Genomic Freedom and Cognitive Liberties".  a grandiose title for a class that seems to be a friendly forum for the discussion of legal and ethical issue that pertain to the recent genetic advances in biology.

this week's topic is "How to fix yourself with your own cells" -- basically, cloning and stem cells for research (as opposed to procreative) purposes.  i found the readings to be a bit out-dated.  in regards to the source of stem cells, they speak nearly solely of embryonic and adult stem cells, and portray embryos as a kind of "black box" for developing tissues and organs.  which they are to some extent, as there is still much we don't know about how a pluripotent stem cell develops into the various cell types in our bodies.

not completely germane to this post is how i was able to identify the readings as obsolete. this knowledge can be attributed to me allowing myself (or perhaps equally accurately, finding the desire) to read articles / news blurbs outside my realm of immediate study, and several of recent note pertain to the topic(s) of this week's class.  i tend to remember a piece of information and less so from where or whom i've heard it. (i once told an acquaintance the very interesting tidbit of trivia he'd told me the week before.)  true to form, i just spent the last hour or so looking up the information i'd stumbled upon recently, and cataloguing it for my future reference. since the word documents i sometimes create in an attempt to organize my thoughts become just another misplaced source, i've decided to post the information here -- the internet, which is searchable and retrievable from ANYWHERE.  i'd feel wrong not properly referencing my sources, this being for a legal class and all, so i've included links to primary sources.  

first of all, did you know scientists have figured out that adult (somatic, full-differentiated) cells can be re-(de-?) programed into (pluripotent) stem cells through the induction of a mere handful of genes?  we no longer need to harvest stem cells from embryonic or adult sources -- hooray!

• The first paper demostrating this: Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Mouse Embryonic and Adult Fibroblast Cultures by Defined Factorss. Cell, Volume 126, Issue 4, 663-676, 25 August 2006. 
• This one's of note because they derive stem cells from a dude's skin cells: Reprogramming of human somatic cells to pluripotency with defined factors. Nature 2008, Jan 10;451(7175):141-6. 

i just know that some of you are wondering about those pernicious retroviruses that are typically used for the stable expression of proteins and how they run the risk of integrating into a cell's genome and wreaking havoc -- typically cancer and cell death are the result, but zombie-ism is definitely a phenotype to watch out for.  luckily, some really smart people saw "I am Legend" and got to work on this problem.  they've come up with a safer way of generating stem cells, using a temporary expression system:

• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Generated Without Viral Integration. Science 7 November 2008:
  Vol. 322. no. 5903, pp. 945 - 949. 

lastly, the mystic properties of the womb have been debunked, at least for one growth factor named Twist.  (for the rest of us, the search continues.) a group of Frenchies quite literally poked and prodded some cells in the developing mass of an embryo, to recreate the poking and prodding those cells would feel by neighboring cells, which had been removed for the purposes of this experiment.  lo and behold, the expression of Twist was observed upon this mechanical manipulation, just as it is when the regular pushy cells are present. (i secretly think that if we grow stem cells in the gently prodding yet firmly present environment of those blower machines in the airport security lines, they'll turn out juuuuuust fine.)  the Twist (and shout!) paper:

• Tissue Deformation Modulates Twist Expression to Determine Anterior Midgut Differentiation in Drosophila Embryos. Developmental Cell, Volume 15, Issue 3, 470-477, 16 September 2008
  

that's all i have for today.  and remember kids, don't try stem-cell cloning at home!

florida, chapter 2: Obama

"Huck the Vote" is the brainchild of Nick Reich of PONY.  You've got 300+ young, motivated, typically liberal Ultimate players coming to the swing state of Florida just days before a momentous presidential election.  Why not organize them into staying for a few days before/after Nationals to campaign for Obama?

I first learned of HtV from Tim O'Shea, and was quickly invited to join the Facebook group.  Once I was more sure of Slow White's chances of making Nationals, and of my desires to go regardless, I gave this venture some consideration.  I had never been politically active in my life.  When else would I have the opportunity laid out before me like this, to remain where I was -- warm, sunny Florida in November, at that -- and work with some of the coolest people I know -- Ultimate players -- to bring about change I felt so strongly about?  I extended my stay through the election and began to get excited.  

-----

sorry to interrupt this expertly crafted blog post, but if i don't get these thoughts down now, they will be lost forever.  so forgive me while i eschew poetic prose, and let me get straight down to business.

i walk in monday morning to see alex nord.  hi howya doin'.  i am assigned to a car with julie sussman, her teammate jane, and dave bestock of shazam returns & sockeye fame.  we speculate on what blake, our assigned area's HQ manager, is like.  he turns out to be an affable, calm twenty-something.  we set out on the day's task: a targeted lit drop in north port, FL.  this consists of placing door hangers on select doors -- homes who have been identified as democratic, undecided, or non-partisan.  we alternate between teams of "red eagle" -- the minivan -- and blake snake -- the ground crew.  a long day.

tuesday, election day!  after much debate, red eagle-black snake decides to participate in "visibility" in bradenton -- standing on a busy street corner waving Obama signs at the morning commuters.  we were greeted with honks, waves, thumbs-ups, thumbs-downs, finger waves, and the finger.  "U-turns for Obama!"

back down to North Port and Blake.  today is door-knocking.  rousing up the vote!  and making sure the cavassers have done their job up to this point.  FL had early voting, so a lot of people had already voted by the time we got to them.  

i will forever remember sima.  this firely old serbian immigrant.  she hadn't voted, and intended to later, except that her daughter, from NJ, was out with the car.  i offered her a ride to the polls in Red Eagle.  she accepts and goes to put shoes on.  i excitedly run back to the van; dave asks if i'm sure she is voting for Obama.  part of me doesn't care, i am doing a civic duty and making sure someone votes!  dave verifies that my oversight isn't going to cost us ("oh yes, i'm voting for him," she dismisses his question, as if it weren't even a question).  after taking her to the wrong polling place (which we were fairly certain was the wrong place, but she was adamant and sometimes you have to humor the elderly), i go in with her to second, correct place.  not wanting to seem like i am coercing her, i stand back.  but the poll workers notice that i am with her, and bring to my attention that she needs assistance -- her eyesight is too poor to read the small print of the ballot.  so off i go into the voting area with her.  i read the ballot to her...and eventually end up just pointing at ovals for her to fill in.  the ballot is long.  there are 9 "amendment" questions...which are confusing.  i try to "translate" them into everyday language, so she can decide for herself, but she looks to me for guidance, and for some, eventually, i just tell how to respond...and we leave some blank.  we take her back home, and she fetches 2 cold sprites for dave and me.  sima, the one difference we know we made in FL!

canvass 'til dark.  watch the results roll in, while playing a drinking game.  one last swim in the ocean.  obama named president!  saw it first on the daily show -- will always remember that moment.  listen to / watch the concession & acceptance speaches.  both moving.  more celebration.  drive to "downtown" siesta key.  my name gets spelled in bricks.  back to Casa Blanca.  not much sleep.  up early.  blake has spent the night with nora...or lisa...so i see him in the AM and say good-bye.  to the airport with julie & jane...craziness still.  on the plane home.  back, exhasuted, in CT, before i know it.

depressed to be back.  it sets in almost immediately.  monday and tuesday were extremely tiring, yet i'd never felt so alive.  energizing to be working amongst a group of people who were equally excited and passionate about a cause.  i was happy to be doing the menial tasks of a worker ant, because i knew all the little pieces added up synergistically to a greater whole.  it felt invigorating to be part of something big.  i was inspired.  as cheesey as it sounds, the excitement of (half) a nation for one man, gave me hope.  gives me hope.  so much has been written in the past week about how obama's election symbolizes the rebirth of america as a bastion of hope, of possibility.  i believe it.

am left wanting more...more inspiration, more excitment for the cause, more enjoyment of working menially towards the big picture, more feelings that i can be part of something, more passion for a cause...

yes i can?

florida, chapter 1: Nationals

arrived wednesday.  was on shopping duty, as i had the BJ's card.  made the most of the trip, but it still sucked and i was tired & cranky when i got back to the condo's.  we stayed at House of the Sun (HOTS) this year, as opposed to Sea Shell Condos, where we stayed last year and all of Boston stayed this year.  HOTS had washer & dryer in each unit, which in my mind was worth the switch alone.  besides, we were only 2 conods down.

thursday.  first game was vs. flycoons.  we come out strong, they come out flat, we take half 8-5.  then they wake up, we start dropping things and throwing them away; they win 15-12.  our first lost on thursday of nationals ever.  we go on to beat AMP 15-14, and exact revenge on Quiet Coyote 15-9.  Flycooons, however, lose to AMP, so there is a 3-way tie for 1st in our pool.  we go down to the lower pools on point-difference.  blargh.

friday.  first game vs. Peppermint Bon Bon, who we'd been expecting to play 2nd, but they lost to Guillermo y Compania the day before.  oh well.  game was close at first.  i played well -- had one of the better D's of my career.  my girl cut deep.  i let her get a step or 2 on my, knowing the throw would be up-wind and would hang.  the throw went up.  i found the disc, and then put my head down and ran.  i closed to a half a step or so, and then bid! and got the D on a pretty sick waist-high lay-out.  we lost this game, however, on a freaking Callahan.  suck.

then GyC.  Salsa and Yucei play for this team, because Salsa once lived in Nashville.  i don't like them; they are nice enough people, but they just want to play for good teams, or teams they can take over.  they have this holier-than-thou attitude about it all.  so i really wanted to beat them.  and we did, but not by as much as i would have like (1 point).  team was atheltic, and Salsa and Yucei did provide good leadership.  Miller had me guard Yucei for a point (my only D point the whole tournament).

so then we're 2-1; so is GyC (beat PBB & QC, lost to us).  we need QC to beat PBB in order for PBB to be 1-2. then GyC and we are tied for 1st in the pool; we win by head-to-head.  if PBB beats QC, they are also 2-1, and they win based on point diff.  QC is down 12-9 or something, and come back to win!  thanks, QC!

so we play D'Oh! in the pre-quarters.  nice enough team from Seattle.  Gabe, Hall's roommate, is their main handler, and he's good.  this game is tight at first, then we pull ahead to win 15-9.  two things of note:  

(1) at 11-8 us, adam gets called for an offensive foul on a reception (which is complete).  observers rule foul, turnover.  this makes sense to no one, so we all agree to send it back.  we score.  there is a trained observe on D'Oh who makes a fuss: the correct ruling was turnover.  the other observer in this game rules that we have to do the point over.  we complain; get the head observer; he agrees.  do-over: D'Oh! scores, so i'ts now 11-9 instead of 12-8.  someone wrote "bullshit" on our score sheet, and i agree.  whatever.  the O-line walks on the field, and i say, "Let's make that mean nothing, by scoring now."  we do.  

(2) game point.  it's a long point, i think.  we get the turn.  someone on their team takes an injury sub.  farina suggests i go in for someone -- kris.  she acquiesces.  i go in.  evan has the disc on the break side.  i am open for a quick back-hand.  he calls for me to cut.  i get the disc and turn up-field to see snitch cutting deep.  i huck a BEAUTIFUL back-hand to her for the score and to end the game.  perhaps my most glorious, short & sweet, sub-in-the-middle-of-a-point ever.  

so, yay, we're in the quarters, to face Flycoons again.  but first, we represent at the beer garden friday night by first snorting lines of "coke" (gatorade powder?  i actually don't know what we're snorting) with frank's $100-bill.  sweet.  marshall got pictures of this all, too.  then we win the beer garden -- about 10 of us left at the end, chanting "Slow...White!" and "In the...A!"

saturday, playing, sucked.  suck suck suck.  we lost 15-5 to Flycoons, who have acquired Tim Murray since Thursday, and are in the groove.  i had a fine game -- no turns, was cutting well, 1 goal -- but just so frustrated with how poorly we were playing as a team.  they put a zone on us, that forced a lot of turns.  finally, sean goes in and throws a cross-field zinger to me.  i am running towards the disc to catch; a guy on Flycoons is running away from the disc, facing it, back turned to me, to D it.  he gets the D just barely before running smack into me and taking me out.  he hit my R hip/leg, and i am fine, but it was quite a take-down.  i fly back into the ground.  and, as usual in these situations, i am PISSED, but can't express anger, so start to cry.  add to that, i am SUPER frustrated, and there are more tears.  i storm off, but am able to come back later.  i have a nice bid at a deep throw from sean, but really can't do much to turn the tide.

placement game vs. Barrio.  i'm still somewhat frustrated, even after walking away to watch some open (Johnny Bravo up on Sockeye!).  as usual, getting the team to do a structured warm-up is like herding cats.  i notice that about half the guys have their shirts off, so after 15 seconds of attempted prompting to form two go-to drills, i say, "fuck it", take my shirt off, and declare a "Bromance Scrimmage", to which everyone takes immediately.  it utility in preparation for game-like situations is questionable, but it got everyone on the field, running around, loosened up, and laughing.  just what we needed.

game was good at first.  up 4-0, take half 8-4.  then they start to creep back into it, and before i know it, it's 11-10, game to 12.  fuck.  cut cut cut, huck goes up to me deep.  i sky Liz Perry, their go-to woman.  i look down, i'm straddling the goal-line.  i have a vague sense that i landed on my R foot first, but whatever.  no cuts are open up-field.  i turn back and see Tim sprinting up the side-line (from which i am only ~5 yards).  he continues past me into the end-zone.  i watch in horror, as if from out-of-body, as i throw him a flick, that gets D'd.  on the next play, Liz cuts deep, skies me, because i was distracted yelling at Tim as she started her cut.  they score, it's double-game point.  i am irate.  kicking & screaming, and spiking my water battle.  someone takes a time out.  farina says, if you can calm down, we need you in.  bethany says, why don't you just go in.  so i put that horror behind me, put my head down, and decide to win this game with my legs.  i get open under for a throw from?? peter? steve?.  no one open up-field.  tim is again having trouble getting open on the dump, so he does up-line.  this time i hit him in stride, and he throws to greytak for the game-winning goal.  whew.

in the other consolation game, puppet is beating up on AMP, and wins.  which means we don't have to play the 5th place game, and we tie with puppet, which i'm happy to do.   yay.

saturday night i still have regrets about.  i wish i'd made it to the daiquiri deck instead of wandering off to see what chicken was up to.  the beach near our condo was fun, however. got to know some of the QC guys better; good times with farina, noel, bluto, siona, max, and TJ.  highlights include: learning how to open beers for shot-gunning from bluto & his brother; the chew-up-food-and-spit-it-out-at-people game farina invented; getting meat in miles' eye doing this (even more hilarious b/c he's vegetarian); getting a green-bean wad to stick to farina's and peter's faces doing this; wrestling with max on the beach; hanging with TJ on the beach.

all in all, i'm proud of how we did.  my stretch-but-attainable goal for Slow White was to make quarters, and we did that.  we pulled out three close wins -- something we hadn't been able to do all season.  i had some nice flicks (and some not-so-nice flicks) including an up-wind break and several dumps, one nice backhand huck, a couple of nice D's, and two or three "skies".  i'm a bit ashamed of losing my cool in the second flycoons game and the barrio game, but i'd done well all weekend up to that point, and was able to recover from both.  wish i'd gotten out to socialize with people from other teams more, but at the same time, i had a lot of fun with my team and people near-by.  

onwards to the dark, long, and gloomy off-season...