On Citizenship

For all those who don't know - Katsu is not a US citizen. I have, of course, always known this and it did not seem to make much difference to me when we were dating. Marriage, of course, always changes things, but most especially in a bureaucratic sense with two governments involved. Let me dispel a common misconception which is unbelievable false - when you marry an American you DO NOT automatically become a citizen. Nothing is automatic in the entire process and if you do nothing, the only thing that automatically happens is that you can be deported. After reams of paperwork, Katsu received a temporary green card 2 years ago, and after another ream of paperwork, Katsu's application is hopefully being finished up with and he will really recieve a permenant permenant green card shortly.

But as for citizenship, we are not sure if we will apply for Katsu and when. This surprises many people, especially at church. Many just assume that he would desperately want to be a citizen. As people have told him, "but you're like an American already" - a thought that makes my blood boil or at least simmer.

Obviously, there would be some benefits to Katsu being a citizen. Wills, inheritance, and sticky legal matters would be simpler. His passport wouldn't be checked as vigoursly in other countries (aren't Americans so lucky). We could live outside of the country for an indefinite period of time (the major plus for me). We wouldn't have to register things both in US & Japan (marriage, children, etc). He wouldn't have to constantly notify NCSIS or whatever they are called everytime we move or update his green card. And he could vote.

On the other hand, those are all paperwork kinds of things. None of those reflect what country Katsu would like to be a part of. And I don't think USA should be the default, but rather Japan. If the others didn't enter into the decision at all, I would prefer if Katsu were a Japanese citizen because it is his heritage, his mother tongue, etc. Japan is a beautiful country with generally kind, good people. His entire family (excepting siblings) live there and have for ... well, for ever.

I think citizenship should be on some level an emotional connectedness and not just a beaurcratic-ish decision. Otherwise, what is patriotism? I feel connected to America, but that doesn't mean that Katsu should be. And I personally don't see America as the best place in the world. There are many other wonderful countries that have good people and good governments, that are not oppressive, that allow for individual and religious expression. And in that case, I think I can celebrate them all. America can be a land of opportunity, but then, can't other places be? Not everyone needs to or should be an American citizen. And I am and will be proud of having a Japanese national for a husband.

Book Reviews

While I am waiting for a simulation to run ... let's hear it for book reviews. I tend to read a lot (let's say at least a book or two a week ... sometimes much more), but I also tend to forget a lot. My memory is quite poor, in my opinion. So, when we selected books to read at book club last month, I could only think of books I had read recently - the Flu by Gina Kolata. I do have to say I enjoyed it, but I'm just not sure the rest of the group will. Good thing I didn't remember the other book I was reading about at the time was about Sotheby's. That would have been an even bigger hit.

So, some recent books I've read or mostly read and my quick thoughts.

The Flu, by Gina Kolata - (non-fiction) this talks about the 1918 influenza, one, if not THE worst, natural disaster in recent history. What I think is sad is how nobody even knows about this part of American history. Parts I esp. enjoyed was learning how the government tried to steal a guys research project and then make it classifed (!!!) as well as how malleable the public is and how they can't interpret statistics. And other things. A good book.

Reading Lolita in Tehran - (non-fiction) not quite finished, but I enjoyed learning more about Iran & the Revolution there. I guess I'm really out of current events, but I had no idea how much Iran is anti-Western and how terrible the situation is for women. But besides the oppressive setting, the author was an amazing English teacher who really made me want to read the books this book is loosely based around - Lolita, books by James, Pride & Prejudice, & the Great Gatsby. A real thinker.

An Ordinary Man - (non-fiction) if you've seen the movie Hotel Rwanda, you should really read the book which just came out. Another thought provoking book on disasters, tragedies, and good people. Also interesting thoughs on the US and foreign policy. Short, but very interesting and not at all graphic like I was worried about.

The Swarm - (fiction) this is a new book, at least in English, which has sold 1.5 million copies in Germany at only 2 years old. I am half way through and am really fascinated by this environmental thriller. I used to hate environmentalism (too many assemblies on the rainforest and recycling in elementary school) but I have to say that I am started to get worried and concerned about waste. Really - think of how much garbage we throw away ... where can it possibly all be going?

Cage of Stars - (fiction) I had to read this book because it's about a Mormon!!! In conventional fiction!!! Her two younger sisters are murdered randomly when she is baby-sitting them. It's about her and her family trying to cope with it in this small Mormon community. I really thought it was interesting ... esp. since I'm Mormon.

Hope someone enjoys some of these books!!!! I did.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know ... What Do I Do?

To anyone (if there is anyone) who has ever wondered - what the heck does Amanda do? - I am here to answer your question.

To anyone who doesn't know, I am a graduate student at the University of Michigan in the department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science. The program is HUGE. There are 90 faculty, 800 undergrads and 700 graduate students. So, it is further subdivided into Systems, Normal Electrical Engineering (I don't know what that one is called), and Computer Engineering. I am in Systems. That is further subdivided into 3 categories - Signal Processing, Control, and Communications. I am in Signal Processing. And in that, I work in the Image Computing Lab. So, to reiterate

UMich -> College of Eng. -> EECS -> Systems -> Signal Processing -> Image Computing Lab -> Me

Contrast to Katsu who is in the Divison of Kinesiology and there are like 10 graduate students.

So, now you know where I am located, in the hierarchial sense ... but what do I do???

Well, until this summer, I was solely going to classes. But now, lo and behold, I do DO something - research. No, I do not get to wear a cute lab coat like Katsu. I work at a computer or at a desk by myself. Here is a short run through of what I am working on ...

I am working especially in the world of Medical Imaging - think CT, MRI, Ultrasound, etc. These medical images are complicated to make (no, I can't read and diagnose them). I have to learn about the physics of how they make these pictures. Unfortunately, the images aren't perfect - they have noise in them (think static on the radio or a TV) and they are often blurry. And in addition, sometimes we take tons of 1 and 2D images together to make a 2D or 3D image like ultrasound or CT. Using this knowledge, I use statistics to make better pictures. To understand how to combine all those images to make a CT and how to do it fast (because doctors hate to wait). To understand why the images are noisy and blurry and how to get rid of it. Or at least how to manage it.

So I use PHYSICS + MATH (probability + calculus) + ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS = better medical images!!!

Katsu - the cute Research Scientist

To anyone who has ever wondered what Katsu does (not that this will clear it up for most general folks out there, but at least you can see what he does for a 8 or so hours a day) or if you just want to see cute pictures of Katsu as a scientist in his white lab coat, check out the web page for his lab:

http://www.kines.umich.edu/research/cxr/mbl.html

On Where to Live

We have some friends who could theoretically live anywhere in the country. As a nurse, he could find a good job in most any city he desired. Of course, that makes for a lot of choices ... and the more choices, the poorer decision you make and the more difficult it is to make that decision.

So, here is a list of states we would like to live in, would not like to live in, and neutral/unsure. Of course, I have no idea how much choice we'll really have in the matter ... so, we'll see.

Good list - Colorado, Conneticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington

Bad list - Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennesee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

? list - Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah

Major concerns - I don't want to live anywhere completely desolate (North Dakota or Wyoming, for example). I would prefer not to live somewhere really hot (though Katsu loves Disney World, so I put Florida on the list). I don't want to live somewhere ridiculously expensive (like California ), I would also prefer to live somewhere with 4 seasons which is why I just can't put Texas on the yes list even though I want to live close to family.

Of course, just watch - we'll live in everyone state on the "bad" list.

Confession – I didn’t go to BYU and I turned out okay.

In fact, I even got married to a nice returned missionary after three years of college. And (here’s the shocker) I still go to church, every week, in fact, and hold callings and read my scriptures and do all that good Mormon stuff.

Now, doesn’t that sound ridiculous? And yet, as my little sister graduated from high school this year and she goes through the same battle I went through (and after reading this post click here …), I decided to reflect back on my senior year.

I did not want to apply for the Ivies – I thought they were over-prestiged and over-priced and I thought it was silly all the articles about how “My daughter just has to get into Brown or she will die”. So, I didn’t. I thought about MIT, but after seeing their lack of academic or non-need based scholarships, it was out, too. See, practical senior that I was – I saw no sense in spending lots of money or loans to go to these schools when cheap schools were just around the corner. I lived in Texas, for goodness sake, with some of the best public universities around.

I also didn’t want to be crazy and apply to 15 or 20 schools, so I applied to 5 – BYU, University of Texas – Austin, University of Texas – Dallas, Texas A&M, and Northeastern University. The last was completely random. They had sent me the world’s easiest application – fill in test scores & GPA & name & one paragraph … just one page long – and it had no application fee. Plus, it was in Boston where I had always wanted to live. But otherwise, they were all pretty much practical choices.

I visited each school. I went to special programs at all but Northeastern, often especially for engineers because I wanted to be an engineer. UTD was out – I just wasn’t positive that I wanted to be an electrical engineer and the choices of major were slim pickings and too close to home. UTA was huge … and while Austin was beautiful, even our student guides admitted it was hard to make friends and kind of isolating. BYU was similarly huge and the campus seemed bewildering to me. In addition, the engineering program seemed very non-user friendly … the flow charts just to figure out what classes to take looked like they would require a PhD to figure out. And they couldn’t even get enough girls to fill the spots at the little honors visiting program for engineers I went to. I really enjoyed A&M – very friendly, very good engineering program, they definitely tried to “wine and dine” me in, good co-operative education (interships) program. And Northeastern was great – fun, in the city, and great engineering program with the country’s best co-op program. (I had decided that just in case I got married and had kids right off like my parents it was essential that I get internships while I was in school so I got some real world experience).

Luckily, I got scholarships at each school. The amounts varied a bit – tuition was covered at all of them. Room & board was covered at all but BYU (though A&M’s scholarship system was a mess to figure out). And UTD would have even given my monthly checks for living expenses. I had it made. And after a long decision between Northeastern and A&M, I finally chose Northeastern because I wanted to take the chance to live in a big city in another part of the country. I couldn’t bear the thought of spending the rest of my days burning up in Texas.

So, all in all, I have to say that I made a pretty informed decision. And not to worry, I considered the church aspect as well. I checked out the institute programs at all the respective schools. That was a clear factor against UTD because there just weren’t enough LDS young adults in Dallas with good futures in my opinion. The rest seemed very good. In Boston, my Dad and I even attended an Institute event and took a tour with another fellow Northeastern LDS sister. I figured that everywhere but Dallas I would have an opportunity to meet & hang out with other LDS people.

Then, the preaching, the harassing, and the haranguing began. My ward just couldn’t get over my decision. Each school I was considering (except BYU) was a “party school”. I would never meet anyone, never get married, and would fall away from the church. People told me over and over again what a bad decision it was. My friend (who also attended an East Coast school) and I were badgered about it constantly. Why weren’t we going to “the Lord’s university”? Some people specifically told me they were appalled that I wasn’t going to accept my scholarship. That I had, therefore, stolen that money away from other deserving students who would now not be able to attend BYU. Now, keep in mind, that I did call BYU and explain that I would not be attending and that they could give the money to another deserving student. But BYU, unfortunately, couldn’t actually record that decision or do anything with the money until I didn’t enroll in the fall.

Overall, I think I had a good experience at Northeastern University. I enjoyed my college years (which are still continuing in graduate students here in the great state of Michigan). I was very very happy with the academic program at Northeastern. Socially, it was somewhat difficult at school as I did not want to go clubbing, drinking, etc. every night which was a main event. But I had friends at school. And I had tons of friends at church. I worked internships for 18 months while I was there and got valuable experience at Tek Microsystems and Sun Microsystems and made upwards of $20/hr. I had great friends at church who roamed the city of Boston with me, a city I grew to love. I attended dozens of Institute classes, graduating from Institute several times over in four and a half years. I even met a great man at Boston University and married him. It was a great experience for me.

I don’t think BYU is a bad school. I don’t hate Utah. I think there are plusses and minuses to all schools. I have good friends who went to BYU and I have good friends who didn’t. I saw friends go inactive or do sinful things that went to BYU and who didn’t.

I do, however, have a problem with members who think that BYU is the only right school, with BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii and, unfortunately, sometimes even UVSC a close second, and all the rest of the schools not even in the running. In an age when not everyone can go to BYU, when BYU is pruning its majors and does not offer everyone’s desired major, and when there are other good universities with good environments, good people, and good institutes, then people should let others make their own decision without ridiculous heckling and harassing. Even when meant to be good natured, it is not appropriate.

Too often, whether in choosing a college or a career or other major or minor life decisions, people try to force other people to do what they think is right. And in the end, it doesn’t make anyone happy. So, for all you Mormons out there – let people choose their own college, BYU or another other good option. Why not? I survived.

Garden

Not much word on the radishes yet, but our patio garden has grown lettuce - our Mesculin mix and some Romaine is ready for dinner tonight! Yum!!!

Sunday Alone

Katsu is out of town this weekend at the American Diabetes Association conference with his lab in Washington D.C. I hope he has fun ... so far I have just received a picture from his in email ... ha ha ha. So, needless to say, I am home by myself this weekend. I also, unfortunately, have a cold.

So, we've almost been in Michigan a year and we really like it. It feels so green and outdoorsy compared to anywhere else that I have lived. And, best of all, it's not too hot. Even though our air conditioning is out for a couple weeks, we don't need it because it just isn't that hot here. I love it!

Our garden is doing pretty well, I think. Katsu is dying for our tomato plants to actually grow tomatoes. We'll see if that really happens ... but we have flowers, so I am hoping that is a good sign. The lettuce is growing and mesculin mix tastes pretty good. And we get to harvest our radishes when Katsu gets back. They are French Breakfast radishes, though I don't know anyone who eats radishes for breakfast. Overall, not bad for first time gardeners on the porch.

Our cat, Joe, is learning new tricks. Usually we leave our glass porch door open and just have the screen door shut. Joe has cunningly learned how to open the screen door. Yesterday, I was in the bedroom reading when I hear the screen door opening. Lucklily, I ran to the living room and found Joe letting himself out and about to run under the apartment building. Silly cat. He probably opened the door at least 15 times yesterday! But we like him ... he's a keeper.

Otherwise, we just keep plodding along. Research for the both of us.

Happy Anniversary To Us

Today is our anniversary - 3 years. I can't believe it's been that long! But we are very happy!

And especially happy with our present! We finally found a curio that was in our price range and the right size in the town of Frankenmuth, a Bavarian town an hour north of here. It's perfect and we can finally take our Japanese doll out of the box!!!

Here are a couple pictures - more on our picture link.

I passed

I passed my quals!!!

And we'll be at the Red Sox game tonight. Nothing else note-worthy to post.